Game Preview #26: Portland Trailblazers @ San Antonio Spurs - War of Attrition
by Tim C. on Dec 22, 2009 11:22 PM CST
in Game Previews & Recaps
62 comments
This time, it's in our house. Let's get a W for Christmas.
Everyone here probably knows by now that the Blazers are my second favorite NBA team. This year the basketball gods have not been kind to me, with both of my teams failing to meet the lofty expectations set by their respective fanbases. The Blazers even seem to be cursed, as they have six players injured, and even owner Paul Allen has fallen victim of the hex, since he was diagnosed with lymphoma earlier in the season. [After I wrote this, Joel Przybilla also went down with a knee injury in the game against Dallas] The Blazer fan in me says WHAT. THE. F*%@. At least they'll get good draft position, I guess. Spurs fans, count your blessings.
So, now that the Debbie Downer part is over, let's preview this game, shall we?
 Portland Trail Blazers @ San Antonio Spurs Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX When: December 23, 2009, 7:30 PM Spurs time Watch: KRRT 35 (San Antonio); CSN(Oregon/Washington)
How They Stack Up
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Matchups
|
 Blazers (18-12) |
|
 Tony Parker Baguette! |
Point Guard Tony finally bounced back from whatever was holding him down in our last game, and let's hope we see some more of that tonight. Miller's a smart player, good distributor, and historically gives Tony problems, so I still say this is close. Miller's had some struggles this season, most notably learning to play alongside a 2-guard that dominates the ball even more than he does. Steve Blake is probably going to be used as a 2 guard in the absence of Rudy Fernandez, but Miller's new backup is pretty dangerous, too. Advantage: Spurs |
 Andre Miller Looking Over His Shoulder |
|
||
 Keith Bogans DOOM |
Shooting Guard Bogans has scored in double digits for 3 straight games, on great shooting. He's also been doing his thing on defense, like he always does. Come to think of it, Keith earned his starting job against the Blazers, by making Roy work hard from the start. He's got his work cut out for him again. Even though Brandon's numbers are down ever so slightly from last season, he's incredibly dangerous, and Keith needs to stick to him like glue. Roy will get his, but if Keith makes him work really hard for it, that should pay dividends for us on the other end of the floor. Advantage: Blazers |
 Brandon Roy Alpha Dog Complex |
|
||
 Richard Jefferson ??? |
Small Forward RJ's been a real enigma, but he's definitely playing better than he was prior to the last 7 games. He's been scoring in double figures for 6 of those games, and he's more involved on defense. I'd still like him to attack consistently throughout the game, because he's done very well when he's aggressive. Webster is a solid threat at both ends of the floor, and has been a bit more consistent for the Blazers. If RJ can channel his aggressive side for more than a few possessions, this will easily be in his favor. Somehow, I'm not convinced he will. Advantage: Neither |
 Martell Webster Solid Player |
|
||
 Tim Duncan 20/10 |
Power Forward In case you didn't know, Timmy always gets the white box. This season, he's as good as ever, and nobody's been able to stop him. I like Aldridge, and he has all the physical tools to be a dominant PF. In fact, he's already one of the top PF's in the West, but he's not Timmy and never will be. Advantage: Spurs |
 LaMarcus Aldridge Athlete |
|
||
 DeJuan Blair The Beast |
Center Blair has gone back to the starting lineup, displacing Antonio McDyess. I was going to give Przybilla the advantage here, but after his injury, the Blazers now don't have a real center. Howard is my best guess for the starter in Oden/Przybilla's place. Jeff Pendergraph and Anthony Tolliver(yes, that one) should also see playing time. But, there's really nobody good enough to oppose Blair now. Advantage: Spurs |
 Juwan Howard Not a Center |
|
||
 George Hill Leader of the BAM |
Bench & Role Players Remember when we all wanted Pop to free George Hill for being chained to the bench? Well, there's been a similar movement amongst Blazer fans for the better part of 2 years, who wanted Bayless to break free of his bench bondage. He's been freed, and he's a pretty good weapon. I saw him tear up the Spurs at summer league, and that was no fluke. That said, Portland's depth is really hurting from the injuries - the BAM still takes this one, even without Bonner and Fin. Advantage: Spurs |
 Jerryd Bayless Tony 0.9 |
|
||
 Gregg Popovich Great Coach |
CoachNate's been doing a great job, if somewhat unheralded, for several years. Both of these guys are having to deal with chemistry issues among some new additions, but Nate's job is made much harder by the injuries. Lots of respect for Nate, but Pop is still the best X's and O's guy in the league. Advantage: Spurs |
 Nate McMillan Good Coach |
| images via yahoo.com | ||
|
||
 |
Other Factors
|
|
|
Intangibles |
||
|
Injuries and rest are in our favor, for once. Advantage: Spurs |
||
|
Mojo |
||
|
Neither of these teams are meeting expectations, so nobody really has the mojo. Advantage: Neither |
||
|
Winner |
||
| The Spurs should be ready for this one, and I'm betting they're ready to avenge the loss they suffered in PDX last month. The Blazers are like a wounded animal now, and they'll be bringing the intensity. Something in my gut tells me that the Spurs are going to bring it, too... and finally make us believe again. Prediction: Spurs win.
|
||
Keys To The Game
|
Strength of ScheduleWe've had a day off since the win over the Clips, and will have another two days off before heading to Milwaukee to take on our least favorite Eastern Conference opponent. The schedule still gives us no excuses for a while The Blazers are on a SEGABABA, after getting a nice W last night in Dallas. After tonight, the Blazers head home, where they'll take on the Nuggets in a Christmas day game. Last Time They MetThe last time we met the Blazers was in the 5th game of the season, where we got our asses handed to us by Greg Oden and crew, 96-84. Let's hope the lack of frontcourt depth for Portland works in our favor this time. RJ kicked ass for us in that game - more of that would be great, as long as some other folks get involved for us as well. |
Some Other ReadingBlazersBlazersedge - Here you'll find one of the busiest hoops blogs on SBN, including the most insane comment rate on game threads that you will ever find. Good luck keeping up with these guys, they're experts. Spurs48 Minutes of Hell: Best damn TrueHoop affiliate out there. Always a must visit Spurs site. Tim V and Graydon seem to be less active there lately, but unlike us, I think they have lives. |
Where to Tune In
TVThis game will be aired on My35 in San Antonio, and on Comcast Sports Network in the Portland area. Why this isn't nationally televised, I don't know. If you have cable or satellite, you'll have to look up your individual channel. And of course, there's always League Pass for the haves. For the have nots, read on. OnlineAs always, NBA League Pass is recommended for those who are willing to pony up the cash. Most Spurs games will be broadcast there, which is especially helpful for those of us who aren't in the San Antonio area. This game is no exception. Please don't post links to illegal game feeds in the game thread. Links to illegal feeds are not permitted on SBNation, but you can probably find them out there on the internets if you're resourceful and desperate. In fact, nobody can stop you from googling "atdhe". You can also shoot an email to dmenendez@gmail.com for more assistance. NBA League Pass audio is still free this year, so check it out. RadioIf you're in the San Antonio area and aren't near a TV, tune in to WOAI (1200 AM). |
0 recs |
62 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
If we beat this injury-depleted playoff team, not much will be gained. I still think we should try to win by double digits with the big three (okay, four, dammit) sitting the fourth out.
"Yes, it's important that I have good numbers, and I'm well-respected as a player. But I think it's more important that I'm respected as a man." - Some Tall Guy Who Wore #50
If not much would be gained by winning, maybe we should try for the loss then.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
by LasEspuelas on Dec 22, 2009 11:58 PM CST up reply actions
Some third quarters, I feel like the Spurs are desperately trying to lose.
"Yes, it's important that I have good numbers, and I'm well-respected as a player. But I think it's more important that I'm respected as a man." - Some Tall Guy Who Wore #50
by theonlyromeo on Dec 23, 2009 12:07 AM CST up reply actions
If no one can stop Blair....
Perhaps I read the preview wrong but if nobody can stop Blair at center position, how come the Blazers have the advantage….?
Cool preview, Timster. If you guys still want I can do the Xmas post tomorrow at night, but someone will have to put it in the front page.
"Under the tutelage....of Randy Tutelage"
http://www.poundingtherock.com/2009/12/21/1211927/clippers-spurs-2nd-half-thread#27528400
"Under the tutelage....of Randy Tutelage"
Cool. Just put it up, H. Someone will take care of it, fo’ sho’.
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 23, 2009 1:31 AM CST up reply actions
Excellent preview of your 2nd team, riki. Will be going out of town tomorrow, I can only hope they broadcast the game there.
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 23, 2009 1:33 AM CST reply actions
Say, Tim. DId True Hoop already get a replacement Blazers’ affiliate?
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 23, 2009 1:34 AM CST reply actions
Really good writeup, but
Points in the Paint – Without Oden [or Przybilla, now] plugging up the middle, Portland’s interior defense is slightly more vulnerable to attack.
That’s gotta be one of the biggest understatements of the year. Who do the Blazers have to play some D in the paint…Juwan Howard?
by seanovan mcnoob on Dec 23, 2009 3:22 AM CST reply actions
There is no excuse to lose this game to a good team that has everything going against them making it a very scary trap game. (knocks on wood)
It’ll make me sick if we go 2 down in our season series to the Blazers already. I mean we already blew the Utah series.
The hometown holiday crowd should be very good tonight.
Here comes more small ball (bye Theo)…
Bayless ought to have what against Frenchie? 15-20 pts?
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
Maybe not about Theo. Pop has been running 10-12 guys almost every game this season. With Rocket and Finperro out, I still see Theo getting 10 minutes of play before Hairston or Haislip.
I agree. Pop seems to trust Theo more than the other end of the bench guys, so I can see The Rat getting most of Bonner’s playing time for the foreseeable future.
Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way. - Jane Austen
I think Cap’s been using it since we signed him.
We also had Mighty Mouse for Stoudamire?
JRW really needs to work on … ummm… you know…. the stuff.
Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed. - CMoney
Youngevity™ has been getting use, as has “Oldgevity” when Dice and The Rat are on the floor together. I don’t know if I was the first one to use The Rat, but I like it and will continue to use it.
You know, we PtRers might have better luck keeping track of nicknames if we had a sidebar post that gave the history and definitions behind our crazy terms. Does anyone else think that’s a good idea?
Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way. - Jane Austen
Get My Off Lawn?
Consider the gun jumped
5 in 10
by jollyrogerwilco on Dec 25, 2009 10:47 AM CST up reply actions
Varner wants Yawn to play. I don’t blame him, but Ian got into Pop’s doghouse, and probably isn’t coming out of it.
The Spurs - now playing like sh*t again!
That picture of the riverwalk made me really miss living in San Antonio for the holidays. Many great nights just walking and people watching with friends and family.
What the Bowen giveth Horry taketh away. --LatinD (2008 Playoffs Round 2, Game 1)
the Spurs do not defeat you so much as they grind you into tiny shards of psychological wreckage.
-the Denver Post
by Hamer_SpursFan on Dec 23, 2009 12:26 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
It’s especially lovely right now. Mostly cool and sunny during the day and crisp and clear at night. Downtown is beautiful.
Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed. - CMoney
Trail Blazer fan here
Well, it’s an uphill battle tonight for the Trail Blazers. Not that it matters much, but I’d guess Lamarcus would be manning the middle tonight as much if not more then Juwann. In such case, I’d give the edge to Portland. LA is better rebounder then Juwann, and Duncan has a penchant for shooting that medium range J (I love that shot off the glass btw) so no sense in making Lamarcus cover that. He’ll be more effective down low. Juwann has been good at finding the soft spots in opponents D’s and has been hitting the 15 footer with fair regularity.
Also of note, Brandon took a beating last night against Dallas and nobody is certain of his status. If Roy is out, then on behalf of Trail Blazer fans, I beseech of you guys not to turn it into a slaughter.
Best of luck this season after tonight’s game and remember it’s the lakers who are the common enemy.
"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him."
by give Portland the edge I mean....
in the individual match-up at Center, not the overall game.
"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him."
Blazers fans are alright. Sadly, I want and need a slaughter. Portland’s win on us this season is tied for our second worst (12 points). Last season, you beat us by 18 and 12 in our last 2 matchups. That is 3 losses in a row to you guys by double digits. I was in my employer’s box (only game last season) for the 12 point loss last season; BRUTAL. I want blood.
Aldridge is my favorite UT alum in the NBA. Sorry, Durantula. You guys could have had both of them and been my second favorite team, hands down.
We should trade the Blazers Ian for Batum since they lack bigs now. Their both French. They won’t even notice he’s gone.
by BlaseE on Dec 23, 2009 3:06 PM CST up reply actions 6 recs
You favor Aldridge over TJ Ford?
I would like to attack your opinion irrationally in a pithy way, but I’m just too worn out by holiday expectations.
Neither he nor Gob were prepared for the challenges of using cats to catch a seal.
What’s up beaches!!! I’m home for the holidays, I’ll be going to the game tonight!!! WOOT WOOT!!!
It is what it is.
We are who we are.
I will, from the lovely confines of the AT&T Center, for extra mojo.
It is what it is.
We are who we are.
by SinCitySpur on Dec 23, 2009 7:15 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Last night on NBA Fast Break Bruce Bowen was breaking down the Lakers defense and they looked like the Spurs of old; perimeter players funneling everything to Bynum and Gasol and each of them standing in good position with arms outstreched altering all drives to the basket. On another thread olf and Tim were talking about how the Lakers have surprisingly had one of the leagues top defenses. They are using their personel perfectly. I hope Pop is saving Theo for the playoffs, I really do.
Anyway as for tonight we should get over half of our points from in the paint.
"I will five all over this blog." - JRW
Free Spurs Tickets for tonight's game
Two of them. First to email me at spurs.insight@gmail.com gets them. Sec 110, Row 29, Seats 5&6. I will forward them to your inbox and you will have to print them. Be Fast. Merry Christmas from me.
"GINOBILI!" -- Sir Charles
roy isnt playing
bayless leaves over my dead body
Start Bayless (in a 2 guard lineup)
if you should strike Oden down he will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine
#52
#4
Can someone give a rational explanation of why blake plays 36 minutes a game?
Yep. It was scheduled on the calendar and everything.
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Daaaang!
Looks like all those Spurs advantage match-ups didn’t really pan out. Portland is going to keep rolling. Definitely not out of the playoffs. Especially when Rudy, Batum, Patty and Outlaw are expected back before the season is over.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Pounding The Rock
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
