Game #67 Preview: San Antonio Spurs @ Miami Heat
Two of the best "Big Threes" in the league go at it in South Beach (well, technically they won't be on the beach, but...). Which stars will shine? Which role players will step up?
Take a look at the match-ups, the keys to victory and how to stop the league's so-called villains after the jump!
Much was made of the ballyhooed free agency signings of the Miami Heat last off-season. The fact that the Heat were able land such a talented core of players to play together for the foreseeable future seemed almost unfathomable, and, to many fans, almost unfair.
I heard people say they thought the Heat were ruining basketball by signing the "Three Kings." Former superstars such as Jordan, Magic, Bird and Barkley voiced their opinion of the South Florida alliance. They all said that back in their day, they were too busy trying to beat their peers to ever join them. Then again, they all played with Hall of Fame teammates, so take their words with a grain of salt, even if the way they joined those teammates wasn't through free agency.
I, for one, find nothing inherently wrong with a few friends taking less money to join the same team, but the whole situation spoke to a much larger league-wide problem: the balance of power. A small-market team, particularly one in a cold-weather city, will have a whale of a struggle to compete in free agency with the larger cities and vacation destination hot spots.
So, where am I going with this? Since this summer, many fans' fears that their teams will never be on an even playing field with the larger-market clubs have only increased. In large part, this is why the Heat have been vilified by fans and media (Read: Adrian Wojnarowski, who makes some good points, but will stop at nothing to make LeBron look bad) since before they ever took the court this year. Oh, and this didn't help matters, either.
Essentially, the Heat became the league's "bullies" - whether they wanted to be or not. And while they were met with hate from many, we Spurs fans meet them with what may be considered the true antonym of love: indifference.
We don't care about the Heat. WE. DON'T. CARE. Because we already drafted our own Big Three. And because we have a wonderful supporting cast of players after Tim, Tony and Manu. And, most of all, because we already know how to deal with bullies.
Roll the tape!
Plus our tactics from last game seemed to work.
We also mustn't underestimate the moves of Duane/Dwyane!
Videos via Bargain Bin of Oblivion
And just to be fair, I do recognize the talents of Wade and the Heat. So we'll give you a Dwyane move to go with Duane's moves.
Video via Everything Ball
San Antonio Spurs @ Miami Heat Where: AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA When: March 14, 7 p.m. Spurs Time - Timezone Converter Watch: ESPN
By the Numbers
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Lineups
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Lineups
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Matchup Analysis
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Intangibles | |
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Winner |
Starters
PG: Parker needs to dominate Fisher. He shouldn't have a problem with that.
SG: Yeah, I almost feel dirty giving the Spur to someone besides Manu, but this is a rare exception.
SF: It's Mr James. Enough said.
PF: Dice has almost a decade on Bosh. We'll see if that's a hindrance or an asset.
C: Although the Heat arguably have the advantage at three positions in the starting lineup, the Spurs have the two biggest advantages. The gulf between Parker-Chalmers and Duncan-Dampier is huge.
Bench
The Heat clearly miss Haslem. Plus some of their washed-up vets and other bench players have underachieved.
Coaching
Considering all the Heat (pun intended) Coach Spo has felt, he hasn't done a bad job. But there's no denying Pop is the clear winner of the coaching battle.
Intangibles
The Spurs chemistry may be unmatched in the NBA.
Mojo
Mojito (little mojo): MoHeatos? Espuelitas.
Prediction
Spurs, 99-95.
Key(s) to the Game
Key 1 - Outscoring the other team. We are 54-0 when we do that.
Other Reading
Spurs
Spurs Planet - Our old middle-aged friend Wayne Vore is back.
OPPONENT
Peninsula is Mightier (SB Nation)
Following Along
TV
ESPN
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
Just be like Coach Hines. Leave the room, secretly re-enter from another way, jump on the bully’s back, then threaten to light him on fire if he ever calls you bro again.
Go to 3:38 of this video to see what I mean
The Sunkist Kaiser, most epic thing since the Grizzly BLAAAAAAAIR! Relax, play, and drink Sunkist! Your Kaiser commands it.
the best part of defending yourself against a bully is seeing them cry


Yo, I’m 6-11, but I just want to dribble through my legs and shoot jumpshots like a guard. - Marc Blucas on Tim Duncan
by TDzilla! on Mar 14, 2011 6:27 AM CDT reply actions 3 recs

Sorry for the size of it…yeah yeah. That’s what she said.
Asked before the game how Parker has looked, Popovich said, "He’s still cute. "
by 0signal on Mar 14, 2011 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think it distinctly says in the Rules OF TWSS that you cannot TWSS yourself.
"It's hard to see all my teammates working hard and have to sit there and watch the games." "Of course, the massages are nice." ~Tiago Splitter
You can if you’re lonely enough.
"Resentments are the rocket fuel that lives in the tip of my sabre."- Charlie Sheen
+1.
"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 Mar 14, 2011 6:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Miami will be forced to play small ball. Ilgauskas is out with foot infection.
Yo, I’m 6-11, but I just want to dribble through my legs and shoot jumpshots like a guard. - Marc Blucas on Tim Duncan
stepped on a nail. Sounds like a plant
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Mar 14, 2011 9:05 AM CDT up reply actions
Our announcers on ESPN tonight will be Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, and Heather Cox)
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Mar 14, 2011 9:02 AM CDT reply actions
yeah, Heather Cox
Yo, I’m 6-11, but I just want to dribble through my legs and shoot jumpshots like a guard. - Marc Blucas on Tim Duncan
i like Hubie as well. He is a hell of a lot better than Jackson and Van Gundy – who will talk about anything besides the game
"Everybody thought he was going to be gone forever, including me, and the foie gras and truffle treatment worked really well." Pop on Tony's Injury 3/4/11
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilmoar01.html
by Joe deLarios on Mar 14, 2011 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Thankfully this one is still on FSSW for us local guys.
GO SPURS GO!
"He's 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 Mar 14, 2011 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions
Hubie is always great to listen to. I can’t stand the amiable and unbearably bland Tirico. But I’m kind of picky about such things. I’m sure Mike is a wonderful human being.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
I heard him say the same about you.
Pounding the Rock
I cannot wait for the sixth fifth. - LasEspuelas
Yes, I too am unbearably bland. I’m kind of an underpaid Mike Tirico.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Mar 14, 2011 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I do not enjoy Hubie or Tirico, both are ill-informed, at best. Brown is always, and I do mean always, siding with the refs. I have never heard him criticize a call despite overwhelming video evidence. It’s awful, but that’s just my opinion.
I think that Hubie is a former coach, and learned that there’s nothing you can do about a call from the refs, so he finds a reason to agree with them. Maybe this is a coping mechanism that prevented him from going into cardiac arrest in the middle of the season.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Mar 14, 2011 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions
I have heard Hubie say “now that’s a bad call” more than a few times, though.
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Mar 14, 2011 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions
Perhaps. The problem I have with the vast majority of National TV play-by-play and colors guys is that they are afraid to be critical of a player, coach or even a ref on something specific, with the rare exception of “not a good call” or some generic critique of a teams play.
They like to say “a criticism of so and so is…” or some other PC garbage way of not calling out a player. They also use terms like “greatest”, “all time greats”, “best”, ect. way to much rather than just saying somebody is good or serviceable. Too much flattery, a lack of anything beyond the most obvious of statements and some very asinine analysis have made listening to all but a handful of announcers painful and makes watching most sports more enjoyable with the word “mute” at the top of my TV.
Van Gundy is my favorite color guy going on the national stage for the mere fact that he is willing to call out player, coach, ref and team alike while providing solid analysis for doing so. Of course it could also be that he’s often teamed with Mark Jackson and just seems to make so much sense when comparing the two. Overall though basketball is missing a really good color guy on the national scene and it has been for quite some time.
I won’t even get to to Mike Tirico and his boring, PC loving, snobby behind. I don’t mean to belittle anyone that likes Hubie or others. If you like him, that’s your opinion and I’m glad for you that he’s on tonight’s broadcast. End of Rant.
Unfortunately, Hubie did not side with the refs today.
"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 Mar 14, 2011 10:59 PM CDT up reply actions
I too am picky about such things and agree with your assessment. Tirico is very a smart and humble guy. Perfect for the studio work to keep the less focused types on-point. I’d rather have someone else in the booth (NBA or NFL).
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Hubie FTW!
It's in the dictionary under D-E-F-E-N-S-E...I may be wrong, I may be wrong, I may be wrong, I may be may be may be wrong, but I doubt it.
by SpursfanSteve on Mar 14, 2011 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
You can play a drinking game listening to Hubie. Watch for every time he starts a sentence with “I like….” or just wait for every time he uses the word “terrific”.
If less is more, imagine how much more more would be
Or when he uses the 2nd person.
“You’re in a situation where you need to score …”
Pounding the Rock
I cannot wait for the sixth fifth. - LasEspuelas
The “I like” game alone will have you totally hammered by halftime.
Which is why we all need to do it tonight.
by DrumsInTheDeep on Mar 14, 2011 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Or “credit”. Hubie apparently wants us to give out credit like it’s 2006.
Give x credit
You gotta give credit to x
Listen to Coach "B", kids. Use both hands!
I also like when he prefaces statements by saying “Now you’re Rick Mahorn. You are one of the premier rebounders and antagonists in the league.” It feels like one of those “choose your own adventure” books or an RPG.
Asked before the game how Parker has looked, Popovich said, "He’s still cute. "
Hubie’s little catch phrases always crack me up. I guess I have been hearing them for the past twenty years or so, and I find them endearing. But he also knows his basketball.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
Everyones mission tonight is to get the best Hubie quotes from tonights game and post them in the quick-cap.
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Mar 14, 2011 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions
Maje sure this challenge is listed in the game thread.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
roger that
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Mar 14, 2011 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions
As everyone should know, the best way to deal with bullies is to save their lives during the alien invasion.
You know this from experience, of course?
Pounding the Rock
I cannot wait for the sixth fifth. - LasEspuelas
I do, in fact. Elijah Wood’s character in The Faculty is based on me.
by DrumsInTheDeep on Mar 14, 2011 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Key(s) to the Game
Key 1 – Outscoring the other team. We are 54-0 when we do that.
Hah! I never realized this stat. Thanks for the info.
Gonna be astig for life!
Damn, that’s one helluva stat. I think we’re #1 in the league for that category.
"He's 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 Mar 14, 2011 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions
What an arcane yet sublime stat. You ought to email Hollinger and let him in on it.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
Yeah, the Heat. So far they have certainly not lived up to billing. Essentially, neither James or Bosh know how to win games. But… they are learning. So I would not take them lightly, especially since we humiliated them on national TV the last time we played them.
And even with their struggles, they are still one of the top teams in the East. I thing either the Celtics or Bulls are most likely to be the champ of the East—but a lot can change in the next two months. The Heat don’t have to get that much better to beat those teams, and this is even more true if you throw in an injury here or there that could change everything.
Anyway, as much as I enjoyed beating the pants of the Heatles a few days ago, I wish they had been more competitive, and that we had won by, I don’t know, fifteen or twenty points. I don’t like any potential future opponent having any extra incentive to get up to play you.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
We’ll see if the Spurs can continue to get the shots they want by just working their offense as they normally do, or if Miami has made adjustments after looking at the film of the previous beat down.
Pounding the Rock
I cannot wait for the sixth fifth. - LasEspuelas
Or if they listen to their coach who is trying to make adjustments
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 14, 2011 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions
Good point. They don’t seem all that interested in what their coach has to say. But, such is the situation Miami created for itself. Gigantic player egos, and a coach with zero credibility. To compare, we Spurs fans might fondly remember back to our first championship when we beat the Lakers, with both Kobe and Shaq, in the playoffs. (For some reason, many non-Spurs fans have no memory of this.) The Lakers brought in a coach with championship credentials that Bryant and O’Neill had to listen to, and the results speak for themselves. I may of course be proven wrong here, but the Heat seem like the kind of group that is going to need that kind of a coach. I’m not talking X’s and O’s here, but somebody with coaching star power that even an ego the size of Lebron’s has to respect.
Having said that, there aren’t a whole lot of coaches around who fit this description. There’s Pop and there’s Jackson, who are both busy at the moment. There’s Larry Brown, I guess. But that’s about it. The only teams I can think of in the past decade who did not win their first title with such a coach are the Spurs in ’99 and the Celtics in ’08. Both those teams had mature stars who were at the stage of their careers in which they were willing to put aside egos to get the job done. Or, in the case of Tim Duncan, a great young player who was wise beyond his years. Just one more reason to count our blessings, Spurs fans.
The Heat may grow up fast. We’ll see. If they can pull it off with a pup like Spoelstra at the helm, it will be a very impressive feat.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Mar 14, 2011 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions
They do need a good coach. I’ve heard rumors that Doc Rivers will be heading to the Heat next season.
If Phil Jackson ends up over there, and I honestly could see that, the rest of the league is screwed…
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 14, 2011 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions
How can people not remember ’99? Game 2 vs the Lakers, followed by the weekend sweep that closed down the GWF. Memorial Day Miracle, followed by a defense led beatdown in two games at Portland. Two losses all post-season. The end of season wins at home vs Utah and at Portland that won the Midwest and earned the #1 seed. All this without having done it before, thus not knowing if this was really happening and would continue to.
As a comparison of Miami now to LA then, Kobe was still ascending and Shaq was uniquely dominant. The only legit threat that LA had for the next five years (minus one great season from Sac) was the Spurs. I don’t see things falling that smoothly into place for Miami, but Wade already has a title which is more than Shaq/Kobe had at that time, so an upgrade at coach and role players could set them on their way. They and the Bulls could make the next decade quite competitive in the East.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Yeah, the big oaf stepped on a nail in his house.
"He's 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 Mar 14, 2011 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions
I wonder how the Heat are going to defend the PnR this time around. I hope Pop has an adjustment ready. GSG!
This is a statement game for us. We still will not be taken seriously, though. Jealous Jon Barry doesn’t have us advancing past the semi’s.
Jon Barry has given us such pearls of wisdom as….“Hedo Turkoglu is the best player on the Orlando Magic”
If less is more, imagine how much more more would be
I don’t understand how many retired players can have such bad judgment.
"He's 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 Mar 14, 2011 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions
I think he tries to sound “smart” by saying things no one else would say.
If less is more, imagine how much more more would be
Well, he sure is going about it the wrong way, haha.
"He's 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 Mar 14, 2011 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions
He used to get paid to play. Now he gets paid to talk. If people pay you to talk, you talk a lot. That doesn’t mean what you have to say is all that insightful, as long as people keep tuning in. (See Limbaugh, Rush.)
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Mar 14, 2011 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Sadly, with TV we have to tune in to follow our team and the sport. Thus the studio guys stick around so long as they don’t say something personally offensive enough to get fired.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
He did say that the Spurs are a better team than Miami, which may be his first clear compliment of the Spurs all season.
Who does he think the Spurs will lose to in the semis?
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
OKC
"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
I’d be almost fascinated to hear him make up this argument. I’d prefer more to debate him myself.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
WTF… get Perkins back 100% first and then we’ll talk. Where does ESPN get these bozos anyway?
"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 Mar 14, 2011 6:23 PM CDT up reply actions
I just don’t have a very good feeling about this game. Obviously the Heat are going to have revenge on their mind from the last time they played. Also, they aren’t coming off a tough game the night before and have had some time to watch film and probably make some adjustments. I think if the Spurs get down early, it’s going to be a long night, unfortunately. I’m doing my best to not be a big downer, but I just struggle to see the Spurs taking this one. I don’t think it will have any affect on the overall big picture for the Spurs, but this is a tough game to get. And I think they are really looking at the Dallas game as the big game they need to win this week.
I think it really depends on our defense. The Spurs have given up over 100 points the last 3 games and all 3 were allowed to put more points on the board than their average. That is troubling and that is not Spurs basketball. Now is the time with this last 16 games to be peaking and putting it all together.
We most likely aren’t going to outscore Miami by 24 after the first quarter tonight, so we need our defense to firm up.
16 games left. We need to get our defensive house in order! Please guys, this goes beyond Miami tonight and speaks to the upcoming playoffs.
We will have the number one seed throughout (barring catastrophe) but this will do us no good if we get bounced in the second round.
Last time Spurs give up over 100 points by Miami was 1995 in a game with OT, don’t worry, they will not score 100 points!!!
They definitely can score 100 points against us. I wouldn’t be so sure that they will fall.
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 14, 2011 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions
I think u & Manuwar could get along.
by cojones2thewall on Mar 14, 2011 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I think we lose this game. The Heat come out with something to prove and are no longer on a back to back.
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 14, 2011 12:06 PM CDT reply actions
Heat 2.0
I think we have a good chance … I live in Florida and see a lot of HEAT games. They are usually only explosive offensively against poor teams. Plus, the Heat had plenty to prove last time. They just lost 3 in a row, and got embarrassed by Orlando’s comeback. They may have been tired … but they had every reason to try to kill the spurs in SA.
Yes, they did have every reason to bring their best game last time around, and they laid an egg. I don’t know what to expect from them. I have only seen them play a few times this season, so you have a much better read on them than I do. It’s my impression that they are very inconsistent and lack confidence in their system. And perhaps they have placed a whole lot of pressure on themselves. I don’t care how talented you are, that can have a negative impact on your performance. Also, it seems that in crunch time, they don’t know who their “go to” guy is. And they don’t seem to have much of a bench.
Still, they scare me.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Mar 14, 2011 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Still, they scare me.
This is why I don’t think we can just assume the Spurs will win. They are TOO talented to not terrify me
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 14, 2011 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions
They are TOO talented to not terrify me
Well said.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Mar 14, 2011 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Considering their three best players can combine for 80 points on an average night, that team can scare anyone. Their motivation level is high. They lost four or five games in a row recently and one of those was a game where the Spurs bulldozed them. They’re competitors and will react accordingly.
Asked before the game how Parker has looked, Popovich said, "He’s still cute. "
In a series, I feel pretty good about the Spurs going up against a team with great athleticism but lacking in discipline or teamwork, and I would definitely place the Heat in that category as of right now. Teams with both great talent and great teamwork/coaching: Bulls, Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks, Magic, Celtics. I will be shocked if the eventual champion is not from among these six teams.
But on any given night, that Heat can probably clobber anybody.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
I don’t think we need the words"scare" and “terrify” but definitely “wary” and “alert” need to be in there.
This game doesn’t matter much in the big picture as we have already shellacked them and they are in the East but I would like to use this game to gauge our defense.
This team averages over 101 points per, I would like us to limit them to 90-95. That to me would go a long way.
One thing that impresses me about Miami is in terms of points allowed and defensive field goal percentage, they’re among the best in the league despite not having any standout defenders. Wade and James can both be really good at that, but it’s not what they’re known for. Then the point guards and centers can be exploited. I don’t see how they can rank that high with those parts.
Asked before the game how Parker has looked, Popovich said, "He’s still cute. "
Playing in the East.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
WOW. The little wanker deserved that.
by DrumsInTheDeep on Mar 14, 2011 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions
The big guy is the one who got suspended, too. How lame is that?
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Mar 14, 2011 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions
I’m not so sure, CD… I’d ask that little piece of an ass’ parents first. Having to pay for a total hipbone replacement is no small peanuts. Other than that, I’m totally considering to offer the big guy a WWF multi-millionaire contract. That and a mop to clean the blood from the arena after the fights.
"...he waved that towel and patted those butts like a pro..." - gunnin' gervin, in a full of poetry description of Brazilian dazzling beauty, Tiago Splitter.
But the little shit-head started it! Never punch first is the rule. Big guy only was defending himself after being hit more than once.
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Mar 14, 2011 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions

I never take the high road, but I tell other people to, that way there is more room for me on the low road.
by SinCitySpur on Mar 14, 2011 10:38 PM CDT up reply actions
I LOVE Tiago’s huge smile.
In any language that was “Game Over.”
The other guys looked shocked that he was saying it.
It didn’t need any translation.
"It's hard to see all my teammates working hard and have to sit there and watch the games." "Of course, the massages are nice." ~Tiago Splitter
Somethings translate so smoothly.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
That was in reference to the 3-point shooter debate (best shooter on the Spurs – Bonner vs Neal) the Spurs had going on. It was Bonner vs. Neal and Bonner obviously won it after that game.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
This is a THIGAFONI and on top of that, the Spurs lose time travelling east. On top of that, the daylight savings time change will make them lose one more hour. It is going to be a hard game for them to come out with a win. Let us see what happens. GSG.
Keep the faith!!
They spent the night in Houston Saturday, slept late, and then went to Miami in the afternoon. They should be as rested as they CAN be on a THIGAFONI.
"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
Which is the only reason I think the Spurs have a chance. Usually our East Coast road games do not go well, but I’m willing to give the guys the benefit of the doubt for tonight’s game. That, and just maybe the stellar 54-12 record.
I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them. - Jane Austen
Perhaps we start slowly, especially with Miami burning hot with revenge as motivation? From there, being better and executing better should win the rest of the game.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I’m feeling a loss. Obviously, I hope to be wrong, but the Heat are going to want to prove that they can beat us after that shellacking they took in SA.
Listen to Coach "B", kids. Use both hands!
I definitely feel a loss because Heat are going to want this badly. Spurs will want it, but they won’t have the pedal to the metal and they probably care more about the Dallas game between the two biggies.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Dee-Wayne Wade will always hold a special place in my heart for single-handedly destroying the Mavs and their fans’ psyche with that exceptional performance in the 2006 Finals. If it were not for the atrocious ref job and lack of calls in Games 1 and 2, Miami should have swept them. That is all.
I never take the high road, but I tell other people to, that way there is more room for me on the low road.
+1.
"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 Mar 14, 2011 6:25 PM CDT up reply actions
This game seems to be more important than the final numbers. Win or loose, it seems the Spurs game needs to show desire, show physical, show energy and show depth. They have had enough rest since Houston and do not play Dallas until Friday. This is not a time for Pop or anyone else to throw in the towel and not give it all to this game. This is a character game tonight.
The bottom line is it is NOT important if we win or lose tonight or even in Dallas. What the Spurs have left are 16 glorified practices (stole from another site). We just have to come together cohesively.
Our seeding will not change. Number one priority is to stay healthy. But, after that the most important thing is IMPROVEMENT.
I want them to win the rebound battle.
I want them to shut down perimeter shooting.
I want them to force the other team to take contested long range 2’s.
I want them to force 3 or 4 24-second shot clock violations…..
That is what is important in our current situation. If we do these things and they still win. If Lebron goes off for 40 by hitting 15/20 jumpers from 25 ft., that is fine by me.
Yes and no. While I agree with you that improvement is the most important thing, winning is very important as well. If this team “improves”, but fails to win, how is that improvement? Clearly getting better is what this team should focus on, but winning games ugly still happens in the playoffs and just knowing how to win when you haven’t played your best is just as key as playing your best and winning.
If this team "improves", but fails to win, how is that improvement?
I would bet Pop would have an answer for that. If we force them to shoot 28 of their 45 shots from 20 ft. Would not that be an outstanding defensive game for us? Regardless if they make them or not, all we can do is force them to shoot low percentage shots.
If we do that but LB hits 70% of them, is that a bad defensive job? I don’t think so, superstars are going to have great shooting nights.
What about when we run a play to perfection and get a wide open shot that does not go down, is that bad offense? Kind of the other side of the coin, but my point is offense and defense isn’t about if they go in or not, it’s getting high percentage shots on your end and forcing bad percentage shots on theirs.
If you do this over and over, you will win more than you lose.
We have been doing good on the O but not so much on the D. I would like to use these last few games for that purpose since the W’s and L’s make little (not none) difference on our second season.
P.S>sorry about the quotes, haven’t quite figured them out yet.
We don’t need to win but winning is always nice:)
by cojones2thewall on Mar 14, 2011 6:30 PM CDT reply actions

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