Game 2 Quick Cap: Tachycardia, Fist Pumps and the Devourers of Ponies
by LatinD on Apr 22, 2010 2:13 AM CDT
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transgojobot dixit - after a fashion
I'm supposed to be clear as water in these little intros, so that search engines can pick up our words and direct soon-to-be PTRers right into our clutches. That's how this family grows: we lure them in with pretty words, and then BAM - we correct their grammar, ask them not to type in the title box and mock them when they write in all-caps. So please, at the risk of sounding redundant, allow me to be perfectly clear.
The Spurs won game 2.
They won it convincingly, with authority and panache, despite the ups and downs that always accompany a game against the mighty Mavericks. They won from the very first minute to the end of the game, with no lead changes. They won against Dirk, against Cuban's drunk bro, against Hill's injury woes and RJ's timidity - against the announcers, ESPN's prediction and even their serial free throw shooting.
We have a series, people - and I couldn't tell you how happy I am to be typing those words. Let's jump.
"I am a beautiful animal! I am a destroyer of worlds!"
Let's start with the heroes, because it's easy and they deserve it. (See, if you sign up to write these you'll be able to indulge your biases.)
Manu Ginobili. Manu effing Ginobili. Where to begin? Trying to describe 2010 Manu is like attempting to lick your elbow: you can try, but you'll only succeed in making a complete fool of yourself. I can't do it, not quite, not as he merits. I wish Matthew was still around, because he got the closest I've even seen. Instead of describing his game, then, I'll simply focus on his plays. Hopefully they'll be enough to give you a vague idea of the impossibly high plateau Manu is currently residing in.
There were two different moments in this game where Manu simply stood up beyond the line and took a high-arching three, and for once I didn't even doubt it would go in. He was in rhythm, he was accurate, he had his legs - he wouldn't allow himself to miss, as cliched as that sounds. At least, that's how it felt to me - and that's all that matters.
For months this year I was wincing along every time Manu drove to the basket. I couldn't help it. As much as it pains me to admit it, I was just as uncertain of his health as the throngs of fans asking for his trade. Every penetration was a gamble. Today I realized that feeling's completely gone, lost somewhere along the month of March. Injuries? What injuries?
The first basket of the game was a short two-pointer by Manu. Déjà vu, don't you think? He wouldn't score again during that first quarter, but he set the tone for the game once more. On most other teams he'd be the focal point of the offense all night long, and he's filled the role for the Spurs as of late. Not so much tonight, though, because we have Tim.
"He had been doubted all season long."
Too old, too slow, not good enough. Many said it was no longer his team, that he was now a role player. Yet when the going got tough, when the momentum was all theirs and we desperately needed some points and some leadership...
IT WAS TIM MOTHERFUCKING DUNCAN WHO STEPPED UP AND CRUSHED THE MAVS HOPES AS IF IT WAS SMOOTH ALUMINUM FOIL THAT ONCE CRUSHED CANNOT BE SMOOTH EVER AGAIN. HE PUT THE TEAM ON HIS BACK, HE SAID, ’LET’S FUCKING GO’, AND IT WAS SO. FOR WHILE OTHER PLAYERS CARE ABOUT STATS AND AWARDS, TIMMEH’S SINGLE MINDED PURSUIT OF THE ULTIMATELY GOAL IS SO INTENSE, NOTHING, NO ONE CAN STAND IN HIS FUCKING WAY, LEST THEY BE DESTROYED BY THE SEARING WILL OF THE MAN, THE GOD THAT IS TIM MOTHERFUCKING DUNCAN.
(Where did that come from? Please consult the Lexicon, neophyte. It's coming.)
There's a difference between the endless drudge of the regular season and the playoffs, between playing back to back and FOGAFINIS and traveling around the country and staying in a town for days and focusing on your opponent. Duncan, veteran of a thousand battles, knows this. Tim was within arm's reach of a 20/20, and made some impossible shots during the third and fourth quarters that kept the Mavericks at bay. He was everything the team needed: clutch, leader, defensive presence. The team looked lost when he went to the bench - it looked permeable.
DocRostov shared this:
The Spurs scored 18 points before garbage time. Of these 18 points, 10 were scored directly by Tim. 2 were assisted by Tim. Manu’s three was off of a great Duncan screen that gave him just enough separation for a wide open look. So Tim scored 55% of the points. If you add the assist and the killer screen, Tim had a direct hand in 83% of the Spurs’ fourth quarter offensive production.
For a night at least, this was Timmy's team once more. We should hope this trend continues, if we want that 5th ring.
"The big 4 we anticipated at the beginning of the year."
But Manu and Tim had already played good all-around game on Sunday, and the Spurs had still lost. What changed?
Richard Jefferson had a good game. Unfortunately, I'm still unsure why or how. After a full season of watching him play I'm still not close to distinguishing the factors that make for a Good Peanuts Game (tm). Maybe BlaseE can tackle this. Or Tim Varner. Or Hollinger. Maybe Ludden? I'm not sure even RJ knows. We can all agree that we prefer to watch him drive to the basket instead of jacking up threes, I imagine, even if we don't know what makes him convert that reverse layup instead of get blocked by a 6-ft guard.
Considering the stakes and his performance in the first half, Richard Overpaid Jefferson played his best game as a Spur. If this is the result of being called "dog" publicly by Pop... well, prepare yourself for some serious name-calling, Rage. Pop is nothing if not practical.
I'm not going to lie: at times I felt Tony Parker was hurting the team when he ran the team. He dribbled too much, drove into the paint without a plan and had to stop when surrounded by giants, passed late in the clock to covered teammates and forced to take hurried shots. There were no kick-outs, passes, screens, pick and rolls. It was ugly, and in my mind I only had Tony to take the blame. And yet when I checked the boxscore I realized that he had twice as many assists as the next guy (good for 8 in the game). Huh.
The moral is, you can't trust stats, but you can trust rusty Tony Parker to be solid.
Hill is obviously playing hurt, our of rhythm, or both. But he's trying, and I love him like a man loves another man who is good at sports. He'll come back, if we give him time.
"Comela, Dirk!"
McDyess was solid rebounding and made some shots, but it was his turn to defend Dirk, he simply rolled him up in a tortilla and ate him alive. At this hour Dyess is probably busy starring Pop's savvy wet dream, but I hope he catches some rest because we're going to need him to repeat his performance for at least three more games. Genetically-engineered from samples of David Hasselhoff, Jurgen Klinsman and a doormat, Dirk was markedly human last night, shooting only 9-24.
Terry was the one that got away, using screens and timely passes to singlehandedly threaten the Spurs's dominion of this game. Fortunately, there was no one else, and the Mavs lost home court advantage. The Spurs have proven they can win on the road, and that's a deep psychological impact.
Life's good.
Your three stars
- 3rd. Jefferson. 19 points, 7-12 FG, 7 rebounds (4 offensive), 1 assists, 1 steal, 2 TOs, and an aggressiveness that makes me wish we could bottle lightning.
- 2nd. Ginobili. 23 points, 8-13 FG (4-6 from three), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 TOs. Sustained excellence.
- 1st. Duncan. 25 points. 11-19 FG, 17 rebounds (5 offensive), 2 assists, 0 TOs. GOAT.
Credit where it's due
Thanks go to One4theThumb, DrumsInTheDeep, Chilai, TDzilla!, Manuwar and Hipuks for the phrases used for titles. I had a completely different idea regarding my request for contributions, but there weren't many responses, and only two of them lent themselves to a proper recap. We'll try again some other day.
Plays of the game
Courtesy of completely_deck. Don't miss the finger roll from the free throw line Manu gifted us with.
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Nice recap LatinD! :)
In Manu, we trust.
by day_late_friend on Apr 22, 2010 2:23 AM CDT reply actions
i was jumping up and down around my 2nd floor apartment, as my name might suggest i would. thank you so much for a great recap LatinD, although the homer in me could have gone for a clip of 1 of Timmeh’s 4 consecutive buckets that iced the game. i am gaining confidence for the rest of the series because i feel like we have yet to truly unleash the Manu in either game yet. that has got to be worth a game or two right? Go Spurs Go!
Thanks for posting LD – I love your writing and sense of humor. Also pretty impressive that you put this up so soon after the game. Some people gather stories and notes then sit around for days, weeks, or even months before posting about their adventures. I am really glad to see you are not like that.
It’s not my fault work and the playoffs didn’t let me finish. I’ll write about them eventually. :)
I smell death... everywhere.
Now that is defense. THAT is defense.
Manu is a dagger-sticking Latin warrior god made flesh. Those steals he had were the calculated, momentum stopping, surgical hands type.
Duncan just makes me shake my head, still the centerpiece of it all after a dozen years in the League. I wanted to mention this after game one but forgot, the Mavericks big man acquisition Brendan Haywood, has no hope of stopping or bothering Duncan. Sweet.
Dice has apparently come out of his slumber to prove he was chillaxing most of the regular season. (Oh yea, and to let us know he can check Dirk as well as anyone Pop has ever matched him up against. Kind of a nice bonus if we want to advance.)
Hill took it to the rack a few times and played very solid defense.
Peanut was pissed.
The Spurs = Not your granddaddies 7th seed !
Timmy is the centerpiece. Manu is the heart but Timmy is the head and you don’t win championships (except Jordan) without a dominant big man. Playoff time is a reminder of how critical having a post game is to basketball success.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Timmy is the centerpiece
No, Bogans is the centerpiece. Which explains why he had 0 minutes last night.
REVENGE!
+ 1
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 8:41 AM CDT up reply actions
Did you know....
Tim D. scored 27 in game 1 and 25 in game 2, and that is his the first time he has gone back-to-back 25+ since December 15 in a loss @ Phoenix (34 points) and December 16th @ Golden State in a win (27 points).
Playoff Duncan >> Regular Season, Greatest PF of All Time Duncan!
He only played 36 minutes last night too.
I like the minute totals. Only RJ on our side played 40. Terry and Kidd did for Dallas with Dirk at 38 even with early foul trouble. Our guys played more than their regular season totals yet still less than Dallas (the supposedly deeper team) whose stars averaged higher minutes than ours all season.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
it’s probably time to start getting tony into the starting line-up. he’s earned that and george hasnt been playing well – injury or not.
I disagree – see swgeek’s excellent FanPost on why (for now), it’s better that Tony comes off the bench. Besides, it’s working.
I disagree as well. I think Pop is trying to help Hill get rolling, given the injury/deflated confidence. If Hill can get some early shots, that makes us even better. We can expect Parker to deliver at any time.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions
it is awesome but his play was still making me a bit nervous….he looked like a man without a plan half the time but maybe that confused the MLPs
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 8:42 AM CDT up reply actions
Don’t we and all teams have moments like that? Even with Manu, we have some sloppy moments. Pop forgives those so long as there are no mistakes on defense.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
yeah, its hard to argue with 0 turnovers and the team shooting just under 50% no matter how long he is draining the shotclock
draining the shotclock is not the danger either……..it is holding on to the ball for too long and not getting others involved. I am not bashing TP, he is a great player, I am just saying that it makes me nervous when he dribbles for a long time
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions
it makes me nervous when he dribbles for a long time
That’s because a bad shot usually follows. When he can drive past his man, he’s good. When he can’t and he passes, and there’s ball movement, he’s good. When he can’t, and he doesn’t give up the ball, then he over-handles and shoots any old shot to avoid a 24 second violation.
I hate it when that happens.
Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)
you can trust rusty Tony Parker to be solid.
I continue to be pleasantly surprised by how well he plays off the bench. Many players need to start to get going and he is just instantly on. And more importantly – not even a hint of sulking or dejection at not starting. Love this team and their personalities.
To sum up the CW entering this game, from the huge sample size of game 1:
- Mavs won while getting nothing from Terry. Spurs will have no chance when Terry finds his shot.
- Spurs have no answer for Haywood. Too big, too strong, so young.
- If Blair doesn’t play more we’ll never win the rebound battle.
- Bonner is hot garbage who causes Dirk’s shooting hand to burst into flame at the mere sight of him and will contribute nothing positive to the Spurs game plan.
- The only way to slow Dirk is to double or triple-team him.
- Pop should limit or just not play Bogans.
Well, at least number six made some sense.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Shocking that the Bogeyman didn’t play a single minute, even more shocking that Mase only played 5! Maybe Wayne Winston was right after all…
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 22, 2010 6:13 AM CDT up reply actions
i just thank the gods that Pop made this decision
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions
he played 5 minutes too much
"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
At least Pop didn’t attempt to have him play point. Some of his time was also as a victory cigar.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 10:14 AM CDT up reply actions
Manu and Tony shouldn’t play 40 minutes if avoidable, so it’s either Mason with a few first half minutes or Bogans.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
well 48 minutes and 2 guard positions is 96 minutes. That is 32 minutes a piece for Hill, Manu, and Parker. Then add in another 8 minutes or so to split between them at SF/small ball lineup and then maybe to rest RJ. Then play Bogans and Mason whatever RJ can’t.
I died a little inside when I saw Mason enter the game last night. I said out loud, “Aw, dammit.”
"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 22, 2010 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions
OH YEAH…
Parker and Manu….actually played well together for the first time I could ever remember…
The Spurs = Not your granddaddies 7th seed !
Did Hill’s clutch corner-3 in the 4th remind anyone of Bruuuuuuce? He only hit two shots and both were pressure packed jumpers in the 4th Q.
Our guys have outplayed Dallas in these two game because they’re better. What’s nice is that there’s still room for improved play (i.e. not allowing Kidd, Terry & Dirk to catch and shoot uncontested 3s due to sloppy rotations). Not missing 8 FTs would be nice. Not missing a handful of layups, plus the dunk by Blair, could make things a bit easier. And there’s the depth that wasn’t there last season. Bonner was a playoff starter but now comes of the bench because we have Dyce. Hill has not yet hit double digits. Tony has yet to score 20. Neither Timmy nor Manu has broken loose for one of those great 30+ point games. RJ just showed up. Blair has looked like a rookie.
We have so many more opportunities to share the scoring, rebounding and ball handling load this playoffs. Feels nice. And should get better.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
our team is better than Dallas its just hype and ESPN that suggest that they are better.We should have won that 1st game if we could have limited the turnovers and on both games we were shooting 50%(ok this game we shot 48%) and dallas from the 1st game shot around 47 and this time 36% which is lower than our fg%(on both games) and that just suggest that if…if we continue this and just get those offensive boards and defensive rebounds and convert those ft’s then we have a better chance than them in winning this series.
Ginobelieve!!!!!!!!
----That is Matt Bonner straight down the lane with the dunk,I repeat Matt Bonner down the lane with the dunk!LoL---NBA guy that recaps the games on NBA.com(Spurs-T'Wolves recap)
Hill’s two quick drives to get fouls to start the half were veteran moves, especially for a guy missing his edge.
Think home court will give him more confidence?
"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 Apr 22, 2010 9:03 AM CDT up reply actions
home-road split differentials
Duncan: +5% FG%, +10% FT%, same points
RJ: pretty solid but +12% better from 3 at home
Hill: very solid, but +7% 3P% and twice as many steals pg
Dice: +7% FG%, -23% FT% but low attempts
Manu: +3% FG%, +4% from 3, +.7 FTA, and +2 points per game
TP: +4% FG%, +1.9 FTA, +1.4 assists, and +1.8 points
Bonner: +9% FG%, +13% from 3, +2.3 points
Blair: -4% FG%, -10% FT%, -2 points
interesting…….nice stats BlaseE. Carlisle will adjust his MLPs. What can we expext from them?
I wonder if Haywood will get more playing time than Dampier. Also, Dirk will probably have a better game than last time but we should still be able to pull out the win.
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions
dallas home-road split differentials
Marion: 3% FG%, pretty solid though….7 rebounds
Dirk: +6% 3P%, +1.5 FTA, +2.3 points…again, pretty solid
Damp: -3% FG%, -22% FT% (no hack-a-damp!), -1.5 rebounds
KIdd: +1.4 FGA, +1 3PA, +.7 FTA and +10% FT%, +2.4 points
Butler: -1.4 3PA, -16% 3P%, +.9 FTA, and -2.3 points
Plain: -5% FG%, -8% 3P%, -.8 FTA, +1.1 PF, -1.7 points
Haywood: -.8 FGA, +10% FT% (Hack-a-wood okay)
Barea: +9% FG%, +9% 3P%, +2.1 points
more barea and less terry please…lots of good road guys on their team which explains why they had the top road record in the league at 27-14 this year
yes, goes to show that this series is not over. I still cringe over the last home game against the MLPs. that kind of crap cannot happen again
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions
If it makes you feel better, last night’s game was very similar to our last home game vs Dallas. The difference is that the team kept the pace and didn’t have a turnover fest to feed the Mavs’ late run. They got some fortunate bounces and took advantage of a Spurs’ dry spell but the pace didn’t get out of hand. Then Pop went to Timmy and that was game. Mavs make an offense driven run every game. Just maintain pace and execute against their defense to get through those few minutes and they start missing again.
Unlike the last home game, Pop was on the bench instead of in the locker room.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I guess Bonner really gets amped from that ultimate Bonner fan.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions
I think of the Kenny Smith line that role players play better at home where they’re comfortable, have the energy of the crowd and may get a few calls from the refs. Hill should continue to play better just from getting his confidence back in his ankle and finding his rhythm but being at home may help that along. I’m really home h/c gets us a little something extra out of Blair and Bonner.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Richard Jefferson had a good game. Unfortunately, I’m still unsure why or how
Nobody really knows, but I have a couple of theories. He needs to get his confidence going early, and TP’s playing style clashes with his playing style but Manu’s does not (duh!). I just put up a fanpost about this around the same time as your quickcap.
we should call sherlock holmes
I really think RJ would play great if he has confidence(like they say,that manu sometimes based how he play on how important he is but unlike rj,he’ll show up in the 4th and do whatever he can to win the game) and with manu—-so i agree with you
Ginobelieve!!!!!!!!
----That is Matt Bonner straight down the lane with the dunk,I repeat Matt Bonner down the lane with the dunk!LoL---NBA guy that recaps the games on NBA.com(Spurs-T'Wolves recap)
Timmy was talking about it at the end of the game – get RJ (not Albatross right now) some easy transition baskets, get his confidence up and then he starts hitting jump shots, then he is on fire
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 8:44 AM CDT up reply actions
Well, after I talked him up he made me look good. I think with RJ it’s all mental. Last night his brain was functioning. He only made one or two bad decisions (and he hit a mid range jumper on one).
He also took 2 threes, both when left open, and even made 1!
this game was like Robin Ventura vs. Nolan Ryan. We got them in an early headlock, applied a couple noogies and never let them up.
Oh man, we have to find that clip . . . one of my all-time favorite baseball moments. . . .
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
The story:
The 26-year-old Ventura foolishly rushed the mound, only to get locked into the 46-year-old armpit of Nolan Ryan where he had no other choice but to absorb a few uppercuts for the ages. The ensuing images ensured that his above-average pro career would forever be remembered for having his rear handed to him by a crotchety old Texan.
Meanwhile, Ryan was about a month-and-a-half from retirement and went out by uppercutting some fist-sized punctuation onto a Hall-of-Fame career. Old codgers everywhere still celebrate the day Ryan put the young whippersnapper back into his place, though I’m still not sure why AARP hasn’t made this the centerpiece of some advertising campaign.
The video (it’s beat-down number 7)
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Mike Sweeney is a coward. I dont know what happened there but he rushed Weaver while he was completely unprepared (not to say he would have not kicked his behind otherwise)
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
Somebody there posted…The only man to ever get 6 hits off of Nolan Ryan in one inning, Robin Ventura. LOL, classic!
by xman130 on Apr 22, 2010 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I love the audio accompanying that video you linked, Lauri.
Ventura calls a batter/pitcher mound conference after being nailed by Nolan Ryan. Ryan didn’t want to fit the conference into his schedule. He puts Ventura into a headlock, and pounds away like Ventura is bad meat needing to be tenderized.
Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)
whew. just glad somebody remembered that.
pop really hit the nail on the head with his post game comments about reeducing turnovers and keeping them off the line as much. those hidden points were really all the difference in the world in the ponies trying to catch us…….but we did have them in a headlock all night……
he is.
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions
as what I’ve observed in the game i think the flaws were—-i really think tony was taking some shots (i think 3 or 5 times) when the clock says 3 or 5 seconds and dribbles too much..and from those hurried shots tony only made one. but despite that i really think tony is unstoppable——if tony would just go to the basket and not go to the basket with no plan then he is unstoppable and tony converted those jumpers that where results of catch and shoot or screens or wide open shots.
but the biggest flaw was missing 8 free throws cuz if we just missed 4 i guess we could have won it by 18…and bcuz of those missed ft’s dallas had life—-if only we converted those—-anyways i will get this win and i don’t care how the hell we got it…as long as we won
but free throw conversions are important like in the last game—-we need free throws for us to win but overall just continue those stellar plays then we are going to win no doubt and i guess defense and converting free throws(too bad we are San Antonio though) will help us.
AND just watching the team—-man i was surprise by how we played defense.
thank god pop didn’t play bogans—-i mean his fine on d but i guess he can’t get any offense so RJ is just the missing link i guess—-and instead of mason why not let that around 5 mins be played by temple or bogans the least.
i hope hill would be fine on game 3 already—-at least if he can just play defense and shoot timely threes its fine then
Ginobelieve!!!!!!!!
----That is Matt Bonner straight down the lane with the dunk,I repeat Matt Bonner down the lane with the dunk!LoL---NBA guy that recaps the games on NBA.com(Spurs-T'Wolves recap)
Credit where it’s due
Thanks go to One4theThumb, DrumsInTheDeep, Chilai, TDzilla!, Manuwar and Hipuks for the phrases used for titles. I had a completely different idea regarding my request for contributions, but there weren’t many responses, and only two of them lent themselves to a proper recap. We’ll try again some other day.
Wow, I see how it is. Sorry our contributions did not fit your exact plans, engineer man.
Come on One4theThumb, DrumsInTheDeep, Chilai, TDzilla! and Manuwar. We don’t need him.
I did a lot of soul searching. I didn't find anything.
Meh. That’s not what I meant. You wrote a paragraph, Manuwar and someone else wrote sentences that could’ve been part of any recap, and the rest threw in cool lines that I thought fit the titles/headers. The contributions weren’t consistent, so I wasn’t sure what to do.
Mind you, it’s my fault, because I didn’t specify when I made my request. Mostly because I wasn’t sure what I wanted. Still am not. Ideas?
I smell death... everywhere.
Ahem.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Apr 22, 2010 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions
Well if you didn’t relinquish your mod powers maybe we could have come together and banned his ass or something.
"It's Manuway or the Highway" - tlo
That’s rich!
Banning LatinD.
Hoo, boy.
Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)
This recap’s so good… makes the win sweeter than any cake Q can have. Great stuff, LD.
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 22, 2010 6:15 AM CDT reply actions
Exactly.
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 22, 2010 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions
16 offensive boards and a 51-42 edge in rebounding make me happy. Oh yeah, the few 8 TOs, too.
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 22, 2010 6:19 AM CDT reply actions
Great win!
Anyone noticed that Steve Smith on the recap on nba.com says “The greatest Power Forward to ever play the game” about Dirk!?
"The Most Interesting Man in the World" wishes he were Manu Ginobili. - janieannie
wow. the only reason he got a ring was because of TImmy. i bet he did not even say that
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Thank you, Peanut. Keep it going.
"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 Apr 22, 2010 7:04 AM CDT reply actions
Loved the game. Love this recap. Ohmigod, how much fun is winning? A whole honey buncha oats, that’s how much.
When the Spurs lead was cut from 20 to 10, I stopped commenting (mojo experiment). But I was reading, so I was with you in spirit. (And that extra set of footprints in the sand? That . . . was when I stopped commenting and kept reading.)
My favorite games, always, are the games in which Timmy takes charge. He’s never going to be a typical team leader—shouting, cajoling, barking out orders—that’s not his style.
But there are those games—and this was one of them—when you can feel the arena contracting around him, when everyone on the team coalesces around him, and he becomes the great, calm, implacable, unstoppable neutron bomb of roundball.
He’s my favorite player—always will be (sorry, KD). He’s the man.
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
by Lauri on Apr 22, 2010 7:21 AM CDT reply actions 7 recs
When the Spurs lead was cut from 20 to 10, I stopped commenting
Hell, I stopped breathing.
"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 Apr 22, 2010 7:50 AM CDT up reply actions
I was watching in one room, then running back to my computer to be with you guys. Right around the 4 minute mark, I saw the look in Duncan’s eyes and told my daughter I can relax now. Just felt they would be fine. Mind you did not say out loud we got this one, but did feel it.
Duncan is who brought me to this game, he is the measuring stick I use for other players. He is the reason I love bb. I love to watch Manu play, love the fire he brings. Love to see Blair smile even after a mistake as he looks to see if Pop is going to kill him. Georgie is our future but Duncan, wow what a player and what an upstanding individual. You’re right, he is the man.
Timmy D .... enough said.
by Ms. Smith on Apr 22, 2010 8:42 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Even when Duncan scored 8 straight and built the lead back up, I was nervous. Then Manu hit that 3, and I was like “DAGGER FOR THE WIN!!!!”
exactly! when the Manu hit the 3, it was over
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 8:46 AM CDT up reply actions
We so missed that the last two playoffs. He finishes teams. They know it. A 3pt dagger; an and-1 at the rim; or taking the ball straight into the paint and accepting his FTs even while getting fouled harder on each drive. Fans curse on their way to the parking lot. The opponent knows: damn him. They got this.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
As Spurs fans we’re very fortunate that the best player in franchise history is someone as gifted as Duncan. He’s been a franchise player and as good an exemplary person off the court too. And he still gets taken for granted.
Asked before the game how Parker has looked, Popovich said, "He’s still cute. "
by 0signal on Apr 22, 2010 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
For this series, at least, it’s clear that this team will live and die by how well TD plays. It seemed the Mavs played their best ball offensively and defensively when he was off the court.
When Dallas starts packing the paint, the Spurs have neutralized it by pounding the ball into Tim rather than forcing bad layup attempts or (players not named Manu) jacking threes after minimal ball movement. Let’s keep it up.
Lauri, the Quotes page has been updated to include your recent awesomeness.
Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)
great recap LD!
this is the first playoff game in a looooooooong time that our SPURS were in CHAMPIONSHIP form.
Duncan showed his greatness on both ends of the court.
Ginobili shooting dagger after dagger after muddaphuckin dagger!!! timeout dallas, ginobili fist pumpin back to the bench i was screamin and fist pumpin the same!!!! and on the defensive end, vintage ginobili getting strips/steals.
Parker made some plays and took some big shots for us as well to stop that Dallas run…
everyone else played their role, RJs aggressive play in the first half was huuuuuuuge.
it is very refreshing and nice having everyone healthy, playing san antonio spurs basketball!
one last note, c’mon Blair, you gotta finish inside when the opportunity presents itself!
Through two games, Manu has the highest PER of all SG’s and Duncan has the highest PER of all C’s.
Hill is the lowest rated PG. Mason and Bogans are 2 of the 3 lowest rated SG’s. As Hill gets healthy and Bogans and Mason continue to see Wednesday night minutes, the Spurs can even become more dominate.
I have to be honest though. This Mavs team is tougher than I thought they would be. I think they would smoke Utah or Denver.
Excellent Recap LD
Trying to describe 2010 Manu is like attempting to lick your elbow
Just found a good prospect to help you
And also some methods here:
Dude must have short arms. My tongue only gets about 2/3 of the way on my forearm.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions
I guess, haha. Imagine Blair or Hill trying this.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions
So many emotions in this game. There were the highest highs. I nearly broke half the things in my living room when Cuban’s ponies cut it to 5. Then a feeling of total domination when Timmy took over the game. Manu is clutch clutch clutch. The 3 with 1:48 left was icing on the cake. Lets ride the wave to a 5 game series and a second round birth.
It’s incedible to me how Pop is still tweaking the lineup. A month ago, if you told me Manu would be starting, Tony would be our sixth man, Mason would play 5 minutes, and Bogans would never see the floor in Game 2 of the playoffs, I would have said you were crazy.
"GINOBILI!" -- Sir Charles
"I mean, Dartmouth really sucks and Cornell only beat us by 18. Temple will beat the hell out of Cornell. Promise." -- Me
It’s definitely working. The team is functioning better than they have all season. It’s the good and the bad that you get with Pop. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Somewhere Avery is thinking to himself, “But that’s what I tried to do and I got fired for it. Why do these unorthodox approaches only work for Pop?”
"GINOBILI!" -- Sir Charles
"I mean, Dartmouth really sucks and Cornell only beat us by 18. Temple will beat the hell out of Cornell. Promise." -- Me
Well, to be honest, I think the lineup’s had been more or less settled for about a month now, Pop just couldn’t implement them due to injuries. This seems logical to me considering that Pop kept the lineups stable, just replacing the injured player with scrubs.
This is the first time the Team’s been almost entirely healthy since like when, game 1?
The lineup has been settled for a month but we haven’t ever seen this rotation because of injuries? So we would have been benching Bogans and Mason, bringing Parker off the bench, and starting Manu if everyone were healthy? I think he’s still experimenting, as he has all season. He definitely is settling in on a rotation now, but it has been a season long process. Regardless, he’s found the right combo cause this is the best the Spurs have looked all season.
"GINOBILI!" -- Sir Charles
"I mean, Dartmouth really sucks and Cornell only beat us by 18. Temple will beat the hell out of Cornell. Promise." -- Me
Bogans has had some DNP-CD this season. It depends on match-ups. He was critical to our beating the Cavs. He had some very useful minutes in the win at the Lakers. Other teams are bad matches for him on either one or both ends of the floor.
I think Mason is the only guy who’s seen fluctuations in minutes but that’s due largely to Pop wanting him to find his shot and the various injuries to our guards.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
You would think Bogans would get some minutes against the Mavs. Seems like he could match up well against Kidd, and be a different look to throw at Dirk. I was surprised that Pop benched him. I’m not complaining at all. Just saying I didn’t see that coming.
"GINOBILI!" -- Sir Charles
"I mean, Dartmouth really sucks and Cornell only beat us by 18. Temple will beat the hell out of Cornell. Promise." -- Me
Every time he touched Dirk the German Glass whined and a foul was called in game 1
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
by LasEspuelas on Apr 22, 2010 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions
You may still see him this series for a few minutes on Dirk. He likely on played in game 1 due to the early foul trouble on RJ and Dyce. RJ is our one guy that Pop will play 40+ minutes. Without any foul trouble we may not see Bogans again unless it’s just to give Dirk a new look or someone to chase and batter Terry for a few minutes. But late in the game Pop wants players with more offensive versatility and now that the big-3 + Hill are healthy, no need for anyone else if RJ is focused.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Parker coming off the bench is something of an anomaly since the team probably would have never taken that step had it not been for his being out for a month. Since he’s returned though, Pop has given no indication that he’s taking him out of that role, to the point where he even started Temple when Hill went down in order to keep the rotations stable. Mason had clearly been forced in as the backup PG when Parker went down, and kept the role when Hill went down subsequently. Hopefully now that the Manu, Hill, Parker rotation is finally back we won’t see Mason again. As for Bogans, as others have stated, he’s been in and out based on match ups for the bulk of the past month. The big-man rotation has also been stable with the Tim-Dyess-Bonner-Blair rotation entering in that order.
To say that Pop is still experimenting is true, but it’s more fine tuning. The rotations have been consistent nonetheless.
If you want to argue that the team stumbled into this rotation simply because of the Parker injury, I agree fully. But since it occurred, Pop seems to have realized its effectiveness and I think his rotations reflect that. We’re only now seeing the culmination.
But then again, this is Pop, so he might completely change his mind in a game or two.
Just imagine in a week when Hill is a little healthier is scoring in his minutes. We may not see Mason again. Which i am ok with, we dont need anymore bricks layed this season.
I’m hoping Bonner’s couple shots spawn a little confidence as well. We don’t need to go Super Ginger but we can’t afford to have him disappear in close games.
"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 Apr 22, 2010 10:09 AM CDT up reply actions
BlaseE’s stats earlier point toward him having a bigger impact at home. He’s +12% 3Ps
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions
he shoots almost 15% better from 3 in wins compared to losses….I think Bonner could be the difference in one the next two games
So having too rested of legs makes him over-shoot. One day of rest is just right. Good thing the remainder of this series is only one off day between games.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
this is why not having h/c could be an advantage….game 1 will always be an opportunity to take h/c and not an opportunity to lose it
All kinds of awesome.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 12:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Great recap. I’m honored for the quote! One last stats thing, via Kevin Pelton right before garbage time: “Don’t let the slow pace fool you: The Spurs have put up 100 points on 79 possessions. Impressive stuff.” The scary part about that for the Mavs has to be the number of chippies we missed. I remember 4 or 5 great layups that we inexplicably bricked. We make those, make a few more free throws, this gets even more ugly for them than it already was.
This along with turnovers is what worries me a bit. Also, there were a few missed rotations that fortunately did not hurt us. I still think we don’t need to help/double off of Dirk as much as I noticed yesterday, but for the most part, the 3rd guy off the ball came and help. Forcing others (not named Dirk) to take contested shots will be the key to our defensive strategy and hopefully successful series.
My favorite thing about the win was that we in no way played our best game, and it was still good enough for a convincing win. Everything y’all mentioned, turnovers, offensive boards, missed layups, poor defensive rotations, missed free throws….If the Spurs can clean up some of those areas, wow. They could really be a monster.
"GINOBILI!" -- Sir Charles
"I mean, Dartmouth really sucks and Cornell only beat us by 18. Temple will beat the hell out of Cornell. Promise." -- Me
My favorite part of the whole game was when Dirk hit that 3. Hill half-rotated out and then left him alone. Pop yelling at George right after that was definitely the best part of the game. It lets us know that he knows what he is doing.
a confirmation
"Mr. Gilmore 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 Apr 22, 2010 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions
Great recap, btw LD. It’s been to long since you posted some goodness like this:
he simply rolled him up in a tortilla and ate him alive
Great recap, LD. It was so sweet to be present in the Mavs arena for a Spurs win! When Manu sank that three-point dagger with around 1:50 on the clock, the Mavs “rowdy, proud, and loud” began heading for the exits. I’m leaving for home in a minute and will post a few color photos from both games when I get to Austin in about 3 hours.
"Ginobili. . .He's weaving, he's throwing up triple axels in sneakers, he's willing the ball into the basket. It's Cirque du Soleil with refs." Dan Oshinsky / KENS 5
This was a great win. I like the short bench. It’s clear that the Mavs cannot match up with Timmy and that when he’s on the floor our team is much better. TD can carry us through this series.
I have to say that I thought Tony played well. He wasn’t at his all-star level, but I liked how he abused Barea. I wish he would have done it more.
We basically ran a 7 man rotation with 11 minutes from Blair. If RJ can play like this consistently the Spurs will be extremely difficult to beat. I’m a little surprised we haven’t seen Dallas’ little Frenchman.
If the Spurs can keep up the intensity I like the odds of winning this series.
You know, another reason he might be coming of the bench is so that we dont have to match him up with Kidd too often. Parker is faster but Kidd just pushes him around.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
by LasEspuelas on Apr 22, 2010 11:48 AM CDT up reply actions
Something that the first two games confirmed for me is that Dice was playing possum during the regular season. The playoffs are where he’s going to earn his paycheck.
Conservation of resources—that time-honored tradition. If you time it right, you can chug through the regular season with your engine idling, playing just enough to keep the rust from settling in, and then come roaring to life during the playoffs to earn your hero honors.
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Yes, he was my third favorite player (aside from TD and Manu) during that game. He made all those tap outs that gave the Spurs extra possessions and just crushed the life out of the Mavs. I love me some Playoff Dice.
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 22, 2010 7:32 PM CDT up reply actions
The only gripe about this game was Dallas’ late 3rd-early 4th Q run. They started playing physically (intentionally fouling on every Spurs drive to the paint), and the Refs let them get away with it (which seems fairly consistent with typical playoff basketball). The Spurs also blew a number of rotations at the same time (not sure whether it’s coincidence or not).
The Spurs survived it because Timmy bailed them out. Given that A) Timmy might not be able to bail them out every time B) The inevitable Joey Crawford game (circle game 5 in your calendars!) such a lapse could cost them a game or two in the future. It’s at this point in the game when the shooters have to get hot. Let’s hope Bonner and Hill pull through when the time comes!
Parker stopped, momentarily at least, the run in the third quarter with a jumper from the right elbow. That run can be blamed on the turnovers that led them to fast breaks and open shots on the secondary break to their shooters. I also noticed Dallas getting away with some blatant pushes in the back while fighting for rebounding position that led to second and third shot opportunities for them.
Hopefully they’ll call some of those in San Antonio.
I agree, although the turnovers came because Dallas was packing the paint and playing physical. The Spurs’ collectively have a tendency to force the action in such situations, often expecting the refs to bail them out. If they move the ball well though they should get open 3s during this stretch. It was nice that Parker hit that difficult shot, but even better when he found hill for the open corner 3 later in the 4th.
The guys at Mavs Moneyball posted a wonderful set of pictures from the game.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
This was everything I wanted to say but more foreign. Your amazine writing skills always impress. Since I can barely speak spanish I wonder if I might have a similar talent for writing in a second language.
Manu es fantastico! Que no?
"It's Manuway or the Highway" - tlo
Nice try, haha. That’s about as well as I can do, too, unfortunately.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 12:14 PM CDT up reply actions
By the way, who’s that little bald kid trying to guard Dork?
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 22, 2010 12:14 PM CDT reply actions
and the one after that? where is the sign up. lock me in somewhere.
"It's Manuway or the Highway" - tlo
Volunteerism is alive, people! Thanks in advance, Manuwar.
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 22, 2010 7:34 PM CDT up reply actions
But Parker evidently made great decisions. – alamobro
WHATEVER! He would have had 15 assists if he was a real poing guard. Trade him for Nash! STEVE could actually help us in Game 3!
Want some proof? FINE! Here are some stats for you:
Of all Spurs in double figures, Tony was the only one that shot less than 50% from the field — try that on for size, all of you Parker-lovers.
Not enough? Well here’s another! His +/- was 0 — yeah, you read that right. ZERO.
That means he did nothing for us last night, regardless of what you thought you saw.
NOTHING. And that’s exactly what he is!
Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)
Don’t forget that he destroys our offensive rhythm by selfishly taking wide open mid-range jumpers.
REVENGE!
The case against him just keeps getting stronger and stronger!
Perspective is necessary before griping is appropriate.
o;—-)
…and his rap album is so terrible that Cuban was trying to use it as a weapon of humiliation at the game last night.
REVENGE!
12 points, 6 rebounds is really all it takes for me to be happy with him. But once Hill has a breakout game, watch out for us.
REVENGE!
Yea I think GHILL got his groove back in the 4th Qtr, I see him being good for the rest of the series.
Woohoo my gifs were used in a cap! Thats why I make ’em.
"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 22, 2010 2:54 PM CDT reply actions
Just to add to Parker’s stats, he had 0 turnovers and 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 16 points on 7-16 shooting. Not too bad. He hit some big shots too. Big 3.5. If Hill can get it going, we could maybe have a big 4.5.
RJ has this every game. It’s amazing that if he’s aggressive in this series, he can have his way with Butler, Dirk, or Marion (at least the current one).
Hill hit a big 3 and big mid range 2 in the 4th. It was the timely points that mattered most. That’s the stuff of a savvy veteran.
Oh, how fickle those Dallas fans be...
Prior to the game, this “gem” was posted on Mav’s Moneyball: Tonight’s Gonna Be A Good Night… (I guess LJRotter was right in a way… it was, for the Spurs and their fans, lol)
After the game, I read this posted on Yahoo! Sports:
Heres the break-up for Mavs fans. Dallas will fight hard in game 3. It will be a close contest but they will eveentually lose. Spurs up 2-1. Fourth game mavs will be tired from game 3 loss. They will get routed just like game 2. Spurs up 3-1.
Dallas will make adjustments. Carlisle will wake up to realise he should play Roddy more to get some fast breaks. Dirk will have a great night in game 5. Dallas win to bring it 3-2.
Dallas loses game 6 and go home.
Dirk flies to germany to spend time with family. Cuban picks up the remote to watch football.
Its simple , you gotta be hungry to go out and eat. Dallas guys just work enough to keep their job.
PS: I am a mavs fan. But this team just lacks commitment.
The Mavs fan got game 3 right…. let’s see if the rest of his predictions are on target. :)
And then there was this sober assessment from the Dallas Morning news: Big Three poses big trouble for Mavs in Game 2 and beyond
I think Cowlishaw got it right… advantage Spurs, but the series is far from being over…
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