Game #27 Preview: Suns @ Spurs
by Tim C. on Dec 20, 2010 8:00 AM CST
in Game Previews
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PrintWell, well, well, if it isn't the team that knocked us out of the playoffs last year. OK, so they don't look too much like the team that beat us back in May, but they're still dangerous. And they just added some new weapons, who may or may not be available for tonight's game. Let's just assume that they will be, and think about the fact that the new guys give the Suns a rotation that is 11 players deep. Yikes, that is some crazy depth.
To make matters worse, two of our best bench players are out with injuries, making us perilously thin for tonight's matchup. They might also be looking to avenge the win we got in Phoenix earlier this season, when I finally attended a Spurs road win. But there's good news: The trade means that Suns may have some chemistry issues, or they might be shorthanded tonight. Either way, we'll take it, amirite?
Preview after the fold.
Here's your musical selection for the day:
Let's do it.
 San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns Where: AT&T Center When: 12/20/2010, 7:30PM Spurs Time - Timezone Converter Watch: FSSW, My45
By the Numbers
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Lineups
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Lineups
Starters
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Matchup Analysis
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Winner |
Starters
PG: Tony's coming off an amazine performance on Saturday night, that got us a crucial win. But Nash, hobbled as he may be, is still one of the best point guards in the game.
SG: VC is new in Phoenix, but he's probably the only player they have now who is a natural fit at SG. Therefore, I see him starting. Unfortunately for him, he's going to be seeing a lot more of Manu now that he's in the Western Conference.
SF: Grant Hill is a class act, and it's really a pity to see him ending his career ringless in Phoenix. RJ 2.0 should win this matchup easily, as he did the first time these teams met.
PF: Normally, I wouldn't give DeJuan the edge in most of his matchups. But against Frye, the Beast should be able to dominate this matchup.
C: Timmy is still Timmy, as proven during the game against Denver last week. Just because we don't run the offense through him anymore doesn't make him any less of a nightmare for his opponents.
Bench
Is it sacrilege to give the opposing bench the advantage? Maybe. But George Hill is likely to be out again, and I also really miss James Anderson backing up RJ. Meanwhile, the Suns' recent trade made one of the best benches in the league even stronger(in fact, Gortat should probably start over Lopez, but I'm not sure what Gentry will decide to do with his new guys). I mentioned 5 good Suns bench players up above, and that didn't even count Josh Childress.
Coaching
Gentry's a good coach in a bad situation. But Pop is the master.
Intangibles
Although it's unclear whether the new guys for Phoenix will be available, the trade will mess with their cohesion one way or another. They'll either be shorthanded, or adjusting to their new teammates in their first game together.
Mojo
Still pretty sure the Manu count is: Spurs 1, Suns 0
Prediction
Spurs get a needed victory before the brutal Denver/@Orlando back-to-back set coming up later this week.
Keys to the Game
Defensive Rebounding - The Spurs rebounding efforts as of late have been terrible. The Suns have been one o the worst rebounding teams in the league this year, but Gortat should help them immensely in that regard. So, we need to keep them off the offensive glass to ensure that we actually win the inevitable shootout between the league's two best offenses.
Ball and player movement - This is especially key if the Suns' new guys are playing, since they won't necessarily know where or when to rotate on defense, and we should be able to confuse the heck out of them.
Other Reading
Spurs
Suns
Bright Side of the Sun(SB Nation)
Following Along
TV
FSSW (San Antonio); My45 (Phoenix)
Radio
WOAI 1200AM; Audio League Pass[streaming]
Online
As always, NBA league pass is recommended for those who are willing to pony up the cash. Almost every Spurs game will be broadcast there, which is especially helpful for those of us who aren't in the San Antonio area.
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. You can also shoot an email to poundingtherockmail@yahoo.com(IMPORTANT: Please include your PtR username in the email for reference) for further assistance.
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Comments
was just reading vince carter is making his debut on thursday against the heat. not sure about gortat, or pietrus.
man would love the spurs to go after pietrus, figure a way to bring him in, he can hit the 3 and his defense is top notch.
All three are taking their physical today.
Other note: Pietrus has a bum knee.
"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
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 20, 2010 8:39 AM CST up reply actions
Knee joint effusion (excess fluid in the joint of the knee). There is no return timetable or scheduled operation for Pietrus.
"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
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 20, 2010 8:44 AM CST up reply actions
Also he doesn’t have any offense besides stand-in-a-corner. I suppose that’s fine for when RJ is on the bench but when we play him he’ll likely be an offensive downgrade from any other wing.
sure his offense is limited but his defense more then makes up for it. i mean did bruce bowen do anything on offense but stand in a corner? pietrus is a far superior defender on the wing then any player we have now and IMO is top 3-4-5 in the league on the wing defense. i mean what does matt bonner bring to the table? a solid 3 pointer and some of the most limited defense in the league, so just 6 fouls really. pietrus is a HUGE step up over ime no doubt. the trick would be the $$$$$. who would we be willing to give up to get him?
i still say he could be gotten, and while he has some knee issue right now he is supposed to be available by the end of this month.
Don’t get me wrong I would love to wake up tomorrow and have Pietrus instead of Udoka on the roster. But I don’t think our need for him is enough to give up anything in trade to get him. He’d be backing up RJ, who can play a ton of minutes, and we don’t have many minutes for anybody else in the guard rotation once Hill is back.
I strongly disagree with you about Bonner’s limited defense. True he is not on par with Tim or other super strong defenders but he is nowhere near the most limited in the league. He has improved his defense immensely over the last couple years and has also improved his rebounding.
Matt has improved and tries hard…. but it didn’t stop Hollinger from putting him on his list of ’one-on-one defenders that teams need to hide on D" recently. :)
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 5:20 PM CST up reply actions
You mean Rosen and not Hollinger, right?
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 20, 2010 6:17 PM CST up reply actions
Yes, man I’m losin’ it. :)
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 7:24 PM CST up reply actions
I watched Pietrus a lot when he was with the Warriors. He brings a lot of energy, but little BBIQ into a game. He could do things that would help G.S. win, then turn around and do something that would cause the team to lose. I’d pass… still holding out for Shane Battier (assuming the wheels are still on).
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 3:25 PM CST up reply actions
i think my comments about pietrus have been taken slightly out of context. i am not saying trading rj for him, or hill or blair or what not but i personally would trade bonner and udoka, maybe some cash, maybe a 2nd rounder or what not. his salary is only 5.3mm and bonner/udoka would combine for 3.7mm. he would fulfill our biggest need of good perimiter defense, while not replacing bonners ungodly 3 pt , (i dont think he averages more then 41-42 by years end) he will more then likely not be that far behind. coming off the bench to spell RJ, isnt so bad, and put him in the 3 while rj plays the 4 and tim/tiago/mcdyess play the 5. that is a “small ball” line up that would work well, and would have nice defense as well.
its not ideal, and a shot in the dark but the issue for the spurs this year is NOT offense, its defense. while i love the 23-3 start (soon to be 24-3) they surely remind me of the suns of the last few seasons…… high pace, high%, low defense, or middle of the road defense at best.
and bonner IS NOT a good defender, im sorry while not the worst, he is not even in the top 50 defenders over 6’8"
Please don’t call the game before it ends, John… it’ll get you banned if you do it in the game thread.
One game at a time.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 5:37 PM CST up reply actions
Is it wrong that I’m almost MORE excited about the Mavs-Heat matchup tonight? Whoever loses, we win.
by DrumsInTheDeep on Dec 20, 2010 8:35 AM CST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Is there a way to have them both lose?
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 20, 2010 8:44 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
meteor?
"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
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 20, 2010 8:44 AM CST up reply actions
There’s always that, I guess. Or a sinkhole.
by DrumsInTheDeep on Dec 20, 2010 9:50 AM CST up reply actions
Tornado? Or hurricane? Wrong season for it, I suppose.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 5:20 PM CST up reply actions
FNG here with my first PtR post – Looking at the teams that must be beaten before we see the Mavs on 12/30, that is the intelligent choice IMO.
"An Army is a team. It lives, sleeps, eats, and fights as a team. This individual heroic stuff is pure horse sh*t. The bilious bastards who write that kind of stuff for the Saturday Evening Post don't know any more about real fighting under fire than they know about f*cking!" -- George S. Patton
by oldtimeyspurfan on Dec 20, 2010 12:39 PM CST up reply actions
Thanks! PtR is a great blog. I hope to be able to make a decent contribution or two.
"An Army is a team. It lives, sleeps, eats, and fights as a team. This individual heroic stuff is pure horse sh*t. The bilious bastards who write that kind of stuff for the Saturday Evening Post don't know any more about real fighting under fire than they know about f*cking!" -- George S. Patton
by oldtimeyspurfan on Dec 20, 2010 2:40 PM CST up reply actions
A little bit. That is the marquee game for the night and I’ll enjoy seeing one of them lose but we’ve got a plate of vengeance that needs serving this evening.
Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I vow to never mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together again until we have a "quarterback."
You know what, when we get Anderson back the Spurs will be thirteen players deep. If you count Udoka.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 20, 2010 8:43 AM CST via mobile reply actions
A few years back, I’d count Udoka. Now, I’d rather have Cheeseburger Eddy on the team than Ime.
"White-orange, orange, white-green, blue, white-blue, green, white-brown, brown"
by magnuskrauss on Dec 20, 2010 8:51 AM CST up reply actions
I hope you’re not serious because Udoka is still serviceable while Curry can’t even get on the court.
I meant this Eddy.
And yes, that is a big-ass robot.
"White-orange, orange, white-green, blue, white-blue, green, white-brown, brown"
by magnuskrauss on Dec 20, 2010 9:07 AM CST up reply actions
Hey Cap, Brian Boitano just commented on how much he liked skating to Ann & Nancy…
WWBBD?
GSG!
by In the 666 on Dec 20, 2010 9:06 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Dudley the likely starter rather than Carter tonight. The Suns will be missing their new acquisitions, but still have 11 players in uniform including a couple of rookies likely to soon be on the inactive list (and maybe headed to the dleague). They did beat OKC last night with the same lineup.
The Spurs are not the Thunder. otoh, the Suns will no doubt be motivated to bring out their best game tonight.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 3:28 PM CST up reply actions
Fuck it, Spurs by 60
"He was just a young skinny guy who looked like a winner. We didn’t know he was going to be as good as he is."
—Popovich on Manu Ginobili
by spursfan87 on Dec 20, 2010 10:06 AM CST reply actions 7 recs
Rec’d on principle alone.
"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." -Davy Crockett
"Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war." -Gen. George S. Patton
by Trey Felder on Dec 20, 2010 10:13 AM CST up reply actions
always.
Bonner with the nice box out!
by SpursfanSteve on Dec 20, 2010 11:12 AM CST up reply actions
Is the “fuck it” factor ascending? (or is it exponential?)…
by In the 666 on Dec 20, 2010 5:09 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
it would be nice to see Bonner hit the game winning shot but it would be even nicer if we weren’t in that situation to begin with. let’s go boys, kick Phoenix’s backside so bad that we don’t even have to play Manu and Tim in the 4th!
"The A-Train deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame damnit. Highest field goal percentage EVER"
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilmoar01.html
by Joe deLarios on Dec 20, 2010 11:23 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, imma hafta rec this too, my friends.
"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." -Davy Crockett
"Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war." -Gen. George S. Patton
by Trey Felder on Dec 20, 2010 11:27 AM CST up reply actions
I’d kinda like to see RJ 2.0 or Neal drain some ‘dagger’ threes so that Suns fans can forget about their Horry and Bowen hate and focus their anger on Spurs that are actually playing today. :)
And yes, I think everyone in Spursland, the players included, would prefer to win without need for last-second heroics. But the important thing is to win.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 3:31 PM CST up reply actions
Some predictions!
Basketball Reference Win Probability: Spurs favorites 84% to 16%
ESPN Accuscore: Spurs favorites 74% to 26%
Vegas Line: Spurs by 11.5 points
Advanced SPM prediction, old roster: Spurs 92.6% favorites
According to the SPM projection, they have a better shot against us without Turkoglu or Richardson, since we don’t have George Hill tonight either. With all three off the roster we’re 92.5% favorites.
As I recall, the projections for the game against Memphis had the Spurs as the heavy favorites (90+ percent to win with Gay out because of his one-game suspension). And didn’t they manage to tie the game in regulation?
Hmmmm…..
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 3:33 PM CST up reply actions
True, chief… but I hardly expect prohibitive favorites to be taken into overtime by the underdog team. Or require last-second heroics such as unlikely backwards jump-stop twos or charges taken against the opposing team’s superstar to win. Not to mention that sick, sick shot that rolled around and around the rim before spinning in.
And when a team is a 90+% favorite to win, shouldn’t they have the luxury (and decency) to rest their starters for the last half of the fourth quarter?
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 1:55 PM CST up reply actions
Now you’re talking about the difference between SHOULD WIN and ACTUALLY WINING.
Those two will always be very different things.
Enjoying the trip to # 172 as much as humanly possible
Like, the Miami Heat “should win” (insert an unrealistic number of games here)? :)
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 2:14 PM CST up reply actions
I’m confused, as I’m not sure you meant
Now you’re talking about the difference between SHOULD WIN and ACTUALLY DRINKING.
Are we now equating the Spurs WINNING with the DRINKING that goes on during Game Threads?
With all due respect, gentlemen, we're not as crazy as she is.
In the research I’ve been doing on the new terms I’m prepping to add to the Lexicon, I ran across a thread where you had called yourself PtR’s resident wino. I thought it was interesting, since I hadn’t seen you say anything like that recently.
So we have this typo of mine, and who on earth PtR should be the one to spot it … but you? That’s more than just a bit humorous from my point of view.
Now to the topic at hand: I wasn’t attempting to make a point concerning alcohol consumption, since
SHOULD WIN and ACTUALLY DRINKING
is nothing but an unintended, albeit logical, meaning made possible by the ambiguity introduced by my lack of rigor in editing my comment.
Finally, I’m not at all surprised about leaving out the double n in WINNING. I had a ton of typos in that comment to the point that I was creating more even as I tried to fix them.
Enjoying the trip to # 172 as much as humanly possible
Now I prefer to think of myself as among friends at PtR, the Cheers of the interwebs. Especially since some of the young’uns could probably drink me under the table.
With all due respect, gentlemen, we're not as crazy as she is.
PtR, the Cheers of the interwebs
I’d like to know what would have happened if Josh had added this option to his poll.
Enjoying the trip to # 172 as much as humanly possible
That would be interesting and could lead to character comparisons, which could be fun!
With all due respect, gentlemen, we're not as crazy as she is.
Oooooo, ooooo…. can I be Coach? :)
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 7:37 PM CST up reply actions
You can be Woody, and you’ll be happy about it!
=]
Enjoying the trip to # 172 as much as humanly possible
He had the hot GF from back home, right? I’ll take it! :)
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 10:59 PM CST up reply actions
Good catch. Maybe our esteemed chief was referring to the amount of wine Coach Pop actually consumes…. before, after, and during games. :P
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 7:34 PM CST up reply actions
If it wasn’t my subconscious, then it must have been my keyboard, because that was one of the most difficult replies to type in ages.
Enjoying the trip to # 172 as much as humanly possible
Why so difficult?
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 11:00 PM CST up reply actions
Aww, too bad Vince Carter won’t be in uniform tonight. I was kind of hoping the Spurs organization would honor Bruce Bowen AND Robert Horry pre-game, and have the both of them sit courtside opposite the Suns’ bench.
No game-thread shenanigans for me tonight. I’ll chime in on the ’cap, after I watch the replay.
↓↘→ ↓↘→ ↓↘→ + P
Hilarious. It would be better if they had Horry manning the scorer’s table.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 20, 2010 12:50 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
well…lot’s rosterbating going on in PHX And I miss JRich already. however Grant ‘BaMF’ Hill is looking great and dropped 30 and 10 while making life very difficult for durant last night. fropez is looking like he’s on his way back. all in all Tim, as usual, summed it up pretty good. odds are pretty solidly on the spurs, but steavie is the fuck’n macguyver of basketball and any team he’s on is dangerous…oh ya and remember that one guy… you know who, 23pts on your floor against your starters in the play offs………he’ll be there to.
happy holidays everyone.
really not sure….I’ll say it till I’m blue in the face, any team sporting Nash and Grant ‘BadassMuhthaFucka’ Hill will be relevant. how relevant is tough to say. one things for sure…the suns are no longer small. fropez frye and gortat are legit mobile bigs that play solid D and spoon fed by Nash…could be fun
happy holidays everyone.
It certainly allows you to better match up with the Lakers on nights you’re not hitting an historical amount of 3s. And your beating the Lakers (and Mavs) matters much here. Best of luck after tonight and take down Miami on Thursday.
Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I vow to never mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together again until we have a "quarterback."
we will beat the heat on Xmas eve.
Is that guy 28 or 38?
by sun_equalizer on Dec 20, 2010 5:12 PM CST up reply actions
Dec24th in Manila
so 100M Filipinos will be watching the debut of Carter against Miami. It will be great for Suns fan here coz it will be on National TV
Is that guy 28 or 38?
by sun_equalizer on Dec 20, 2010 5:29 PM CST up reply actions
Heeey Filipino Suns fan. Good to know a countryman’s on the other side. Or not.
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 20, 2010 6:30 PM CST up reply actions
Gortat alongside Nashy could be legit I think. Fropez always looks too slow to me. Not in movement(maybe that too), but in realizing what the hell is going on around him and that Nash passed to him 2 seconds ago.
JRich is a loss. VC will be bust again for sure. But the other guy might actually work in the system with quick 3s and good movement. Though again, with no defense, who knows.
he’s still finding his way back after going down at the end of last years season…before that he was playing fantastic. what’s the buzz on splitter? he seems to be pretty quite so far, although given the spurs record it seems to be working
happy holidays everyone.
Bonner and McDyess have been playing well, which means Tiago’s had a hard time getting off the bench.
Free Tiago Splitter!
Splitter seems to be quite… what? Quiet? :P
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 3:35 PM CST up reply actions
for the coarse
If that was on purpose it is frikking hilarious.
Lauri: thank goodness I have you magnificent bastards to waste [the offseason] with.
dude, no one can even tell anymore…BSOTS is used to it. this my help explain just how bad I am
happy holidays everyone.
Ha! Great post. Now stop it otherwise I may start thinking Sun’s fans are not that bad, and who knows what that may lead to. One day I may be sleeping in some gutter with a bottle of wine after drinking and carousing with my friends from peninsulaismightier, denverstiffs, or even ::shudder:: mavsmoneyball.
Lauri: thank goodness I have you magnificent bastards to waste [the offseason] with.
That is just… classic. I might have to join BSotS just to rec it. :)
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 2:02 PM CST up reply actions
GOL. Nice to see you back here, I guess we resume our familiar rivalry again tonight? :)
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 4:34 PM CST up reply actions
Has any franchise had more roster and front office changes than Pheonix the last couple of years? I honestly can’t keep up.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 20, 2010 12:53 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
since steavie came to town not a single person is in the same spot….none of the players coaches or even the FO is the same. I guess we’re chronic rosterbators
happy holidays everyone.
The guy you fans in the Valley of the Sun should get rid of is the owner.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 3:37 PM CST up reply actions
+1. But that is the most difficult person to fire. Just ask the Clippers.
Lauri: thank goodness I have you magnificent bastards to waste [the offseason] with.
Or the Knicks. Golden State seems to have managed to do it, however…. as have the Hornets. :)
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 4:34 PM CST up reply actions
Good preview Tim. I agree that the message for this game: ball movement, ball movement, ball movement! Suns are on a THIGAFONI and will either have a short bench or new players. Move the ball, drive and kick and open shots should be easily found.
First game against Phoenix also had George not in uniform. RJ was awesome, Tony much less so, but the 39 points they combined for then should be higher tonight even if RJ only scores in the teens. That box score also shows Temple with a horrid +/-. Guess who’s no longer here?
Blair better not leave Frye camped out at the 3-pt line. He’ll certainly defend him better in the post than OKC did last night. GSG!
Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I vow to never mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together again until we have a "quarterback."
Blair better not leave Frye camped out at the 3-pt line.
I’m thinking that Pop had better not play Blair on Frye. Believe it or not, I’d put Bonner on him. I don’t expect Channing to try to take advantage by posting up or anything, much less take Matty off the dribble. But I’ve been known to be wrong before, so….
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 4:40 PM CST up reply actions
you’d be surprised…after torching you guys from behind the ark last year Frye went on to completely shit the bed Vs lakers. I think it caused him to work on post game. very pleasant surprise for us.
happy holidays everyone.
That’s interesting. I haven’t seen it in the two or three Suns games I’ve been able to catch this year, but a solid post game from Frye could be an interesting development.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 5:34 PM CST up reply actions
I’m hoping to be around tonight—will depend on several factors that belong in an episode of TMI Theater.
In place of TMI Theater, I offer you some of the statistical components of Hollinger’s Power Rankings:
The Spurs rank #1 in offensive efficiency (the number of points a team scores per 100 possessions). Our OE is 110.3. The #2 team (Butthead giggle) is the Lakers at 109.7. How about our worthy opponents for this evening, the Phoenix Suns? Not at all far below us at #3, with an OE of 109.5.
Where do the Spurs rank in defensive efficiency (the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions), you ask? Eighth, at 100.2. (The best teams in terms of DE are Miami and Boston, tied at 97.) Phoenix is number 30. Yes. 30. They allow 110.2 points per 100 possessions.
Pace might be an interesting factor in tonight’s game. Phoenix ranks 6th in the pace category, defined as the number of possessions a team uses per game. San Antonio ranks 13th, tied with OKC. The differential isn’t huge, though, with Phoenix at 97.4 and San Antonio at 95.6.
Finally, let’s look at true shooting percentage, or what a team’s shooting percentage would be if free throws and 3-pointers were taken into account. The formula for True Shooting Percentage = (Total points x 50) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44). Guess what. No, really, you’ll never guess. So guess. Oh, okay, I’ll tell you:
Phoenix and San Antonio are tied for second with 57.2%, with only one team (Boston) better.
Should be an interesting game, eh wot?
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
(Obviously OE and DE are highlighted above in Tim’s preview, but I am nothing if not redundant.)
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Redundancy is not necessarily bad – it forced me to actually look at the numbers that Tim so graciously shared with us. You know what really stuck out to me, especially considering the Suns have one Steve Nash? The assist numbers. We’re 6th; they’re 19th. Whoda thunk?
With all due respect, gentlemen, we're not as crazy as she is.
That the difference between a great passing player and a great pasing team.
Free Tiago Splitter!
by Tim C. on Dec 20, 2010 4:31 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
+infinity
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 7:38 PM CST up reply actions
All the Spurs’ ball-movement sharing the ball, I suppose.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 5:22 PM CST up reply actions
I’m really worried about our 3-point defense(see the stats above). We’re allowing the same three point percentage as we’re shooting. And, while we are forcing teams to take less attempts from long-range, we still need to challenge them more.
Free Tiago Splitter!
Yeah, that’s pretty striking. We’re ranked first on one side and last on the other. It becomes a wash. . . .
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
It doesn’t become a wash if they don’t take as many attempts as us.
"Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."
Which is indeed what happened, the Spurs made one more three than the Suns last night. Net advantage: +3
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 7:40 PM CST up reply actions
It was actually 8 made 3’s to 6 for an advantage of 2, or 6 points. At the same time, Phoenix had 64 2 point attempts to the Spurs 60 attempts; while making 5 more 2’s for a 10 point advantage. That gives them an extra 4 points from FG attempts. Fortunately the Spurs had a big advantage at the FT line, making 24-30 compared to the Suns 12-16. The 12 extra points at the FT line is what gave the Spurs the 8 point edge.
You know, I must have been looking at the half-time box-score again. (*&$^!@ Embarrassing…
The advantage in FTs and made 3’s last night is consistent with many of the Spurs’ other wins this year.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 11:03 PM CST up reply actions
Our field defense in general is not great. Our defensive strengths are how rarely we foul and how we force a lot of turnovers, but the factor that matters the most when it comes to wins and Pop is shooting defense…
eFG% is like TS% without the free throw part. So just FG% with threes counting extra. We allow opponents to shoot a 49.4% eFG, which is right at league average, and way worse than the mark allowed by the Lakers, Dallas, Chicago, Boston or Miami.
It’s the worst our shooting defense has been in years, although our improved offense and our improvements in other phases of the game (free throws, turnovers) more than makes up for it.
After all those stats, I just have one question… what’s TMI Theater? :)
One thing to remember though… the team that compiled the Suns’ stats to date is a different one from the one the Spurs will be facing tonight, whether or not the players coming in from the Magic are available to play.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 4:56 PM CST up reply actions
TMI Theater has an unpredictable airing schedule that depends on some combination of glasses of wine + relationship drama + workload + sleep deprivation quotient resulting in oversharing that can reach operatic proportions.
I’ve had three glasses of wine tonight. But the Spurs just took the lead, so whew! Crisis averted!
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Ahhh… I’ve been sitting here, confused (as usual), trying to figure out whether TMI Theater is a comedy show skit that sometimes airs on TV or radio, a web-based show, or what. Seriously.
Realization comes slowly to me, like the summer sun disappearing beneath the Pacific waves. By (innocently) asking what TMI Theater was, I accidentally requested you for Too Much Iformation…. ironic.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 2:11 PM CST up reply actions
* Information *
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 21, 2010 2:12 PM CST up reply actions
Aww, man! But I miss TMI Theater. Anyway, thanks for the stats, Lauri.
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 20, 2010 6:34 PM CST up reply actions
I think tonight’s game could be a good one to get Splitter some valuable PT. Anyone else agree?
"The ultimate zone buster" - Bill Land on Gary Neal
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on DeJuan Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Dec 20, 2010 3:23 PM CST reply actions
Haha, well, I think this one in particular could be useful. Phoenix bigs are on the soft side, and I think he could guard Frye pretty well. There’s no need to put Dyess on the floor, either.
I’d like to see Timmy & Tiago on the court together as well. Has that actually happened yet? I can’t remember any instances.
"The ultimate zone buster" - Bill Land on Gary Neal
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on DeJuan Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Dec 20, 2010 3:34 PM CST up reply actions
Tiago’s first game, he subbed in for Blair in the mid-first quarter. Timmy was subbed for Dice a few mins later. That’s the only time I’ve seen them both on the court.
Free Tiago Splitter!
I know Pop doesn’t. Someone’s probably gonna tip him off, “Hey, the guys from that PtR blog expect Tiago to play.”
“What’s a PtR? That some kind of dog poop? And they expect Tiago tonight, eh? You can go ahead and tell our little Brazilian that I’m playing Matt 30 minutes tonight or ’til he drops dead.”
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 20, 2010 6:37 PM CST up reply actions
I know Pop doesn’t. Someone’s probably gonna tip him off, “Hey, the guys from that PtR blog expect Tiago to play.”
“What’s a PtR? That some kind of dog poop? And they expect Tiago tonight, eh? You can go ahead and tell our little Brazilian that I’m playing Matt 30 minutes tonight or ’til he drops dead.”
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 20, 2010 6:38 PM CST up reply actions
absolutely not. Heat all the way
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Dec 20, 2010 5:04 PM CST up reply actions
Heat all day long. They don’t scare me. Dallas does, plus they’re in our division. No brainer for me.
"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." -Davy Crockett
"Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war." -Gen. George S. Patton
What those guys said.
"The ultimate zone buster" - Bill Land on Gary Neal
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on DeJuan Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Dec 20, 2010 6:27 PM CST up reply actions
I’m not sure if Carter will be playing tonight. If you read the media notes it says he isn’t expected to make his Suns debut until their game with the Heat.
“Expected to make Suns’ debut Dec. 23 vs. Miami”
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Dec 20, 2010 5:01 PM CST reply actions
I just don't like the word easily
SF: Grant Hill is a class act, and it’s really a pity to see him ending his career ringless in Phoenix. RJ 2.0 should win this matchup easily, as he did the first time these teams met.
Is that guy 28 or 38?
Point taken. With J-Rich gone, he might be Nash’s next best option to pass it to, but I just don’t see him doing it on a SEGABABA.
Free Tiago Splitter!
eh…. I wouldn’t put anything past the geriatric duo.
"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
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 20, 2010 5:29 PM CST up reply actions
And now a trio… they now have the fabled Carter-Hill one-two tandem, just five years or so too late.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 5:31 PM CST up reply actions
hah!….geriatric duo ought be a comic
BTW old man Hill just dropped 30 and 11 square on durants head
happy holidays everyone.
I know. Thus the reason for the statement.
NBA’s resident Dorian Grays
"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
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 20, 2010 5:44 PM CST up reply actions
Great preview, Tim!
I would hasten to add, however, that facing a team that has just undergone a major trade is like a double-edged sword. On one hand, their players haven’t had a chance to play together yet. But on the other hand, you haven’t had the chance to scout them to develop your game plan. As is often the case, the team that best makes adjustments to the other will have the best chance to win. And for my money, there’s no better coach to manage this than Pop, so I think the Spurs have the edge.
Even if the players from the Magic aren’t available to play for the Suns tonight, short-handed teams can surprise you (tarp TARP!), though rarely on the wrong side of a BABA. I’d like nothing better than a resounding victory over the Suns ─ I can’t even say the team that swept the Spurs in the 2nd round last year, because that team no longer exists ─ and to let our vets rest in a blowout, but my gut feeling is that the Suns will bring their best game into the AT&T tonight.
They're not your pop's Spurs... they're Pop's Spurs 2.0!!!
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Dec 20, 2010 5:30 PM CST reply actions
I got recap for tonight so I probably won’t be in the threads.
"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
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 20, 2010 5:44 PM CST reply actions
multi-task
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Dec 20, 2010 6:12 PM CST up reply actions
Considering how I do the recaps, being in the threads would be multi-multi-tasking.
Hell, I’m formatting it at the moment.
"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
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 20, 2010 6:13 PM CST up reply actions
first comment on PTR! been a spurs fan for a few years now since i started watching basketball. I go to school and LA and most of my friends are Lakers fan, god i hate the lakers. go spurs tonight!
It’s amazing how maky Spurs fans are in LA. I love it, and might be joining your ranks soon enough, if I can find some work out there. Stay dry!
Free Tiago Splitter!
it sux how many god damn laker fans are in PHX
happy holidays everyone.
by 2NASHTY on Dec 20, 2010 6:36 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Welcome to PtR, matanp!
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 20, 2010 6:42 PM CST up reply actions
Flip peeps, this game’s going to be on BTV at 9:30 am.
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 20, 2010 6:40 PM CST reply actions
Crap, so Mike Miller’s finally suiting up for the Heat, eh? It should be interesting.
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 20, 2010 6:43 PM CST reply actions
Until their offense consists of something besides 4 guys standing around while Wade/LeBroom go to work, they don’t scare me.
Free Tiago Splitter!
Dallas off to a hot start, 14-4.
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Dec 20, 2010 6:54 PM CST up reply actions
but HE’S THE KING! I heard him say so himself!!
Who would lie about that?
can't forget Matty, if you did you'd feel gyped
like your sandwich ain't a sandwich without Miracle Whip -me
Sadly, guys… I hate to break it to you wonderful, wonderful people. I’m sitting out the game thread. I count on 666 and DiTDeep to pick up my nerdiness and awesome comments ;D
GSG, Kee Pounding the rock! If you get hungry, eat something, and have your pets spayed or neutered!
can't forget Matty, if you did you'd feel gyped
like your sandwich ain't a sandwich without Miracle Whip -me
…
Actually, I was referring to the missing p in lullaby’s comment.
p.s. I really am looking forward to being able to refer to Vinc Carte more often now that he’ll be playing in the Western Conference. That and the fact that we can look forward to him taking 4th quarters off against us on a more regular basis.
Enjoying the trip to # 172 as much as humanly possible
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