Game Thread # 61 -- @ Portland

The Spurs will go for 10 in a row tonight in Portland.  They'll have to do it without Tony Parker, who's out for the rest of the road trip with a strained right hip flexor.  Hey Boooodenholzzer, I know you read this blog... can you convince Pop to active White instead of Ely?  Look, I know Ely is more likely to play in the playoffs, but maybe you could try the whole "Parker is a guard so we active a guard" logic.

(No, he doesn't read this blog.  No one with the Spurs does as far as I know.  Because if they did they would email me and let me know right?  Because they know I can keep a secret, right?)

Tonight is another segababa.  It's also an even rarer fogafini (fourth game in five nights).  Over the last five years the Spurs are a remarkable 0-21 in fogafinis.  Not really.  I just made that stat up.  But fogafinis are real.  I've seen 'em.  They subsist off human suffering and like to finger paint.

Did you know the Spurs have trailed at half time only 12 times the whole year?  That's by far the best in the league.  Dallas in number two with 18.  Yet the Spurs are "only" 36-11 when leading at half time.  Their .766 winning percentage is only seventh best in the conference and even puts them behind the Knicks who are an inexplicable 22-2 when leading at the break.  Lastly, there are only three teams in the NBA with a .500 record or better when trailing at half time:  DAL (13-5!), SA (6-6) and UTA (14-12).  Toronto is 2-18 because Canadians are a bunch of lazy pot smoking quitters.

Tonight's lines:

SA @ POR:  POR +6
IND @ SAC:  SAC -4

Post away.