Bobcats-Spurs Preview

[duncan228]

http://www.nba.com/games/20080219/CH...scoreboardhome

Bobcats-Spurs Preview
By JUSTIN EINHORN, STATS Senior Editor

The San Antonio Spurs hope another successful rodeo road trip - and not a blockbuster trade - can springboard them toward a strong second half of the season.

San Antonio plays a home game for the first time in nearly a month when it meets the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday.

With Thursday's trade deadline approaching, it does not appear the Spurs (34-17) will go after any high-profile players despite recent deals made by some of the biggest threats to their reign as NBA champions. The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Pau Gasol, Phoenix traded for Shaquille O'Neal and it appears Dallas will be getting Jason Kidd.

"It's going to be tough and people are going to have be playing well at the right time," Spurs All-Star forward Tim Duncan said. "It doesn't matter what moves you make, if they're not playing well for you, if you're not jelling, if you don't find the right rhythm or the right people to put on the court at the same time, it's not going to work for you."

The only major addition San Antonio has made is signing Damon Stoudamire, a capable backup point guard and one who can play significant minutes while Tony Parker is sidelined. Parker has missed the last eight games with an injured heel, but could return this week.

The Spurs would be relegated to the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs if the season ended today, but they are also only two games behind conference-leading New Orleans.

This is the sixth consecutive year San Antonio has been forced out of its home arena for an extended stretch midway through the season due to the rodeo being in town, but the resulting road trip often has provided a spark.

Last season, the Spurs won the final two games of the trip to trigger a 13-game winning streak en route to the championship. They have a combined 35-13 record on those trips, including a 6-3 mark this season, capped by a 112-105 win at Cleveland on Wednesday in an NBA finals rematch.

Manu Ginobili came up two points shy of his career high with 46, two nights after finishing with 34 points and a career-best 15 rebounds in a win at Toronto. Ginobili stepped up on the road trip - with Parker missing almost all of it - to average 24.7 points, 6.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds.

"Manu is Manu," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's one of the most unbelievable compe ors I've been around. That's why he has NBA championships and Olympic championships and European championships. He's a pretty special guy."

Duncan also performed well on the road trip, averaging 22.1 points and 13.1 rebounds.

The two-time league MVP returns from New Orleans, where he had four points and nine rebounds for the losing West All-Stars, to face a Charlotte team still believing it can make the playoffs.

The Bobcats (19-34) would be 13 1/2 games back of the eighth and final playoff berth if they were in the West, but in the East they're just four games out of that spot.

"We have a lot of fight left," Charlotte guard Jason Richardson said. "We still have an opportunity to make the playoffs. We've just got to put together some winning streaks."

A recent seven-game losing streak didn't help their cause, but the Bobcats ended it Wednesday with a 100-98 overtime victory over Atlanta.

Emeka Okafor had 20 points and 21 rebounds, Raymond Felton had 22 points and Richardson added 19 as the Bobcats overcame the absence of leading scorer Gerald Wallace. Wallace has missed five of the last six games with a strained right foot, but could be ready to return Tuesday.

The Bobcats are looking to improve upon a 4-18 road record. With their home arena hosting three college basketball tournaments in the coming weeks, they will playing 15 of their next 21 games on the road.

"We've got to figure out how to win games on the road and play hard out there," Richardson said.

[duncan228]

Spurs.com, article overlaps.

http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/080219.html

Spurs vs. Bobcats Preview

Probable Starters

Vaughn
Guard
4.9 PPG
Ginobili
Guard
20.1 PPG
Bowen
Forward
5.6 PPG
Duncan
Forward
19.9 PPG
Oberto
Center
5.2 PPG

Injury/Inactive Report
Brent Barry (strained left calf) is out
Tony Parker (left ankle inflammation) is out.

The San Antonio Spurs hope another successful rodeo road trip can springboard them toward a strong second half of the season.

San Antonio plays a home game for the first time in nearly a month when it meets the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday.

This is the sixth consecutive year San Antonio has been forced out of its home arena for an extended stretch midway through the season due to the rodeo being in town, but the resulting road trip often has provided a spark.

Last season, the Spurs won the final two games of the trip to trigger a 13-game winning streak en route to the championship. They have a combined 35-13 record on those trips, including a 6-3 mark this season, capped by a 112-105 win at Cleveland on Wednesday in a NBA finals rematch.

Manu Ginobili came up two points shy of his career high with 46, two nights after finishing with 34 points and a career-best 15 rebounds in a win at Toronto. Ginobili stepped up on the road trip - with Parker missing almost all of it - to average 24.7 points, 6.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds.

Duncan also performed well on the road trip, averaging 22.1 points and 13.1 rebounds.

The two-time league MVP returns from New Orleans, where he had four points and nine rebounds for the West All-Stars, to face a Charlotte team still believing it can make the playoffs.

The Bobcats (19-34) would be 13 1/2 games back of the eighth and final playoff berth if they were in the West, but in the East they're just four games out of that spot.

A recent seven-game losing streak didn't help their cause, but the Bobcats ended it Wednesday with a 100-98 overtime victory over Atlanta.

Emeka Okafor had 20 points and 21 rebounds, Raymond Felton had 22 points and Richardson added 19 as the Bobcats overcame the absence of leading scorer Gerald Wallace. Wallace has missed five of the last six games with a strained right foot, but could be ready to return Tuesday.

The Bobcats are looking to improve upon a 4-18 road record. With their home arena hosting three college basketball tournaments in the coming weeks, they will playing 15 of their next 21 games on the road.

Spur in the Spotlight
Manu Ginobili
"He's one of the most unbelievable compe ors I've been around. That's why he has NBA championships and Olympic championships and European championships. He's a pretty special guy."

-Coach Pop on Manu.

Did You Know...
San Antonio tied a Bobcats opponent record with 15 steals on 3/18/05 … Bobcats center Nazr Mohammed played for the Spurs from 2004-06 … Bobcats guard Derek Anderson was a member of the Silver and Black during the 2000-01 season … Bobcats assistant coach Mike Sanders and General Manager Rod Higgins both played for the Spurs during the 1982- 83 season and 1985-86 season respectively … Bobcats forwards Gerald Wallace and Jermareo Davidson join Spurs forward Robert Horry as products of the University of Alabama … Bobcats forward Emeka Okafor and Spurs forward Tim Duncan teamed up on the 2004 U.S.A. Olympic Team.

[BonnerDynasty]

Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi Okafor!

[m33p0]

2nd half of the season with more urgency for the spurs because of the stacked WC heading into the playoffs. cats are gonna get stomped.