Center position tandem now gelling

[Rummpd]

Pop has figured this out:

Nzar and Rasho deserve each about 20 minutes a game and if so, will have more fine ulative results like last night

18 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks!

To me it does not matter which starts if Nazr and Rasho both keep bringing it like they have the last several games - Spurs are in fine shape.

[boutons]

It's weird how Rasho has started so strong in a couple of recent games, scoring 6 - 8 points in first qtr, almost never to be heard from or seen again. His arcing, nothing-but-net jumper was superb. If only he'd put more arc on all of this jumpers and FTs.

Why the is shooting with arc so difficult (Rasho, Tim, Tony) when it's known/shown to be so effective and The Right Way to shoot?

Nazr is definitely playing differently, desparately?, vs last srping, trying jumpers and even tried to drive once, IIRC. He's needs to stick with rebounding and garbage. He still can't catch a pass. He flubbed a beautiful wrap around from Brent last night.

[ShoogarBear]

Beno screwed up a beautiful no-look bounce pass from Nazr, too . . .

[Slomo]

Posted on Wed, Nov. 23, 2005
Warriors are no match for Spurs


Golden State can't keep up with the league's defending champions

By Marcus Thompson II

CONTRA COSTA TIMES


OAKLAND - Fortunately for the Warriors, Wednesday's 113-89 loss to defending champion San Antonio was more a commentary on the greatness of the Spurs than an indictment of the Warriors.

"At both ends of the court I thought we probably played our finest game of the season so far," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "It was a bad combination for Golden State because I thought they just had a bad night."

The Spurs (10-2), widely expected to win another le, certainly flexed their muscles and humbled the Warriors (7-6) before 18,768 fans at the Arena. San Antonio is so deep, their second string (Nick Van Exel, Michael Finley, Brent Barry, Robert Horry and Nazr Mohammed) probably could nab the eighth seed in the Western Conference and give the Spurs two teams in the postseason.

San Antonio showed the playoff-hopeful Warriors just how far they are from championship-caliber basketball, and in the process ruined the much-anticipated debut of rookie forward Ike Diogu, who finished with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting and three rebounds.

"It's kind of tough to be happy, with the outcome of the game," Diogu said. "A lot of those points were scored late. So, it kind of took away from it."

The Warriors, who never led Wednesday, don't match up well at all against the Spurs. San Antonio's combinations of size and quickness, talent and efficiency have overwhelmed the Warriors in recent meetings. The Warriors have lost four straight in the series. Excluding last season's triple-overtime thriller, which Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili missed, the Warriors' average margin of defeat is 21 points.

San Antonio's defense completely shut down the Warriors. After forward Troy Murphy's season-high 27 points, the next leading scorer was Diogu. The Warriors shot 37.7 percent from the field, including 2-of-9 from 3-point range, and nearly tied their season-low for points (83).

Guards Baron Davis and Jason Richardson, the engine of the Warriors offense, totaled 16 points on 5-for-19 shooting before checking out for good late in the third quarter. They came in averaging a combined 39 points.

The Warriors managed just 36 first-half points, a season-low, and trailed by 30 at the break.

"They performed at an extremely high level and we obviously did not," Warriors coach Mike Montgomery said. "They're a good team. They got us backed off and then they did a good job of taking our key people out defensively. And we just got back on our heels and it wasn't very pretty. Everything they did worked; nothing we did worked."

The Spurs owned the Warriors' vastly improved defense with their machine-like offense. Not only do they have a perennial All-NBA performer in Duncan, but they move the ball much too crisply and penetrate too effectively for the Warriors' help-predicated defense.

Spurs point guard Tony Parker continued his pattern of getting to the basket at will, and was able to finish amongst the Warriors' big men. He was 11-of-13 from the field for 26 points and is averaging 27.3 in his last three games against the Warriors.

San Antonio shooting guard Manu Ginobili didn't have a big game, finishing with 14 points on 4-for-8 shooting. But his aggressive style -- combined with Parker, Barry and Van Exel -- had the Warriors scrambling for three quarters. Bruce Bowen was able to knock down 4 of 5 wide-open 3-pointers because of them. The four combined for 16 of the Spurs' 31 assists.

What's more, the Warriors were outplayed by San Antonio's front line. A double-double by Duncan, who finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, was a given. But centers Rasho Nesterovic and Mohammed hurt the Warriors, combining for 18 points and 14 rebounds. San Antonio crushed the Warriors in rebounds (52-27) and points in the paint (60-36), which illustrated its superiority inside.

"We got blasted tonight," Murphy said. "That's about it."

At least it was by the NBA's best.

[Rummpd]

Interesting question - could the Spurs bench alone including those on the reserve list, such as Marks be a compe ite team in the NBA, assuming no one got hurt?

[spurster]

Beno screwed up a beautiful no-look bounce pass from Nazr, too . . .

No, that counted as a basket because of goaltending.

[Samr]

Interesting question - could the Spurs bench alone including those on the reserve list, such as Marks be a compe ite team in the NBA, assuming no one got hurt?

The combined efficiency of five is better than the unquestionable tallents of one. Something Kobe is finding out quickly.

I think there is no question those five (with respective bench), could make the post-season.

[yeahone]

good article

[TwoHandJam]

"We got blasted tonight," Murphy said. "That's about it."

[Vashner]

Nazr cost me 400 vbucks last night grrr...

[ploto]

Pop has figured this out:

Nzar and Rasho deserve each about 20 minutes a game and if so, will have more fine ulative results like last night

18 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks!

To me it does not matter which starts if Nazr and Rasho both keep bringing it like they have the last several games - Spurs are in fine shape.

Nazr rebounded well but he got those minutes because it was a blowout. Rasho played twice as many minutes as Nazr did in the first half when it mattered.

[wildbill2u]

The only other team with this depth at center is Miami.

We should thank God and the FO for this team and quit ing. They are good, deep and get along.

[ambchang]

The combined efficiency of five is better than the unquestionable tallents of one. Something Kobe is finding out quickly.

I think there is no question those five (with respective bench), could make the post-season.

I believe the last time a team had this kind of discussion was the late 80s bad boys, and they were quite a team. If it wasn't for expansion breaking them up, they could have possibly 3-peated.
But back to the original post, I would doubt whether the bench would be a playoff team. It is much too perimeter-oriented with little inside game, and the perimeter players are not quick enough to compensate for that. Also, the players are old, and I doubt they would be able to hold up to the end of the season if they were given starter minutes.
That's not to say that they won't be a team that plays great basketball, just that other factors may catch up.

[T Park]

We should thank God and the FO for this team and quit ing

Quiet you dumb homer. Don't you know its total luck that this team has any good players???!?!!? IF it was up to Holt, wed be worse than the Atlanta Hawks. FIRE HOLT!!! Marcus Bryant

[Bloodline666]

Pop has figured this out:

Nzar and Rasho deserve each about 20 minutes a game and if so, will have more fine ulative results like last night

18 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks!

To me it does not matter which starts if Nazr and Rasho both keep bringing it like they have the last several games - Spurs are in fine shape.

If such is the case, I'd just have them alternating between starts if I were Coach Pop...like, I'd start one at home games and the other at road games, or start one at one game, and start the other the next game, etc.

[ShoogarBear]

No, that counted as a basket because of goaltending.

Really? The one in the fourth quarter?

I didn't see a goaltend, and we couldn't really hear anything at Hooters.

[Kori Ellis]

Really? The one in the fourth quarter?

I didn't see a goaltend, and we couldn't really hear anything at Hooters.

Yeah they called a goaltend. The announcers didn't even realize it was called until the next possession was over.