Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs @ Milwaukee Bucks

by greyberger on Jan 10, 2012 7:00 AM CST in Game Previews

San Antonio Spurs @ Milwaukee Bucks

Bradley Center
January 10, 7:00 PM Spurs Time
TV: FOX Sports Southwest - RADIO: WOAI

After a third quarter collapse in Oklahoma City, the San Antonio Spurs will try again for their first road win when they play the Bucks tonight in Milwaukee. The Bucks are 2-6 but have been competitive in losses and benefit from Andrew Bogut's return. Milwaukee's solid defense is up against an elite offense even with Manu Ginobili out, and if they can't make a brick-fest of it we'll have our win and they'll be further mired in another slow start. Lineups, game preview and prediction when you take the jump.

If there's a bright spot for Milwaukee this season it's in the play of reserve PG Shaun Livingston. The Bucks' starters have been getting demolished with Bogut out of the lineup while Livingston has been leading the bench in doing the catch-up. Brandon Jennings leads the team in the "I know that guy" factor, but don't be surprised if Livingston is the fourth quarter PG.

Unless the point guards in tonight's game can put up more points than they have been lately I predict an ugly basketball match. Tony Parker is the difference between being one of those top NBA offenses and being in the middle of the pack, for tonight's game and going forward. We remember his 2008-2009 season where Manu was injured and Tony rose to the challenge. If he can be that kind of threat on a nightly basis it'll keep our shooters open and keep our offense in elite company.

115590_nuggets_spurs_basketball_medium

RJamnesty has some big shoes to fill.

via cdn3.sbnation.com

When the benches are duking it out Spurs fans have a lot of young players to monitor and get excited about. Gary Neal, James Anderson, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter and 'new kid' Kawhi Leonard all have the potential to blossom into playoff contributors, something the Spurs need if they're not in the market for a trade. In tonight's game we're just looking for somebody who can get rebounds and score on the road against a quality defense.

The Western Conference is wide open right now, and beyond OKC being a force there's no telling who will end up where. This would be a sweet win to pick up before games against western rivals Houston (2-6) and Portland (6-2).


Lineups Starters PG: Tony Parker SG: Gary Neal SF: Richard Jefferson PF: Tim Duncan C: DeJuan Blair Key Bench Players Tiago Splitter Kawhi Leonard James Anderson			Lineups Starters PG: Brandon Jennings SG: Stephen Jackson SF: Carlos Delfino PF: Ersan Ilyasova C: Andrew Bogut Key Bench Players Drew Gooden Shaun Livingston Larry Sanders

NBA Stats Cube Lineup Comparison Here. Bucks perspective here: Brew Hoop

As always Tony must dominate Fisher, and 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.

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Comments

It’s almost like the new Spurs against the old Spurs (Gooden & Jackson). Let the race begin.

by indiancharlie on Jan 10, 2012 7:42 AM CST reply actions

The money use term ROI refers to Return on Investment. In other words value received for money spent. Tonight you you will watch Stephen Jackson @ $9,256,500. and Drew Gooden @ $6,226,200. vs. Neal @ 762,192, Green @ 854,389 and Tiago @ 3,672,000, and Blair @ 986,000.

by indiancharlie on Jan 10, 2012 8:26 AM CST up reply actions

Great point. While I think the Spurs would have won at least one more if not two or more championships if Jackson had stayed, I believe he’s a little overpriced at this point in his career.

by Big50 on Jan 10, 2012 9:09 AM CST up reply actions

Jackson has been awful so far for Milwaukee. He “demanded” an extension on his contract, which still has a year left after this season, and has shoot them out of games, in particular against the Kings.

"Deep down we all know that swagger comes hand in hand with insecurity. We strut not to convince competitors of our dominance; we strut to convince ourselves."
Matthew Powell

by Edg5 on Jan 10, 2012 10:08 AM CST up reply actions

I’m not saying he would be good now, but I think if he had stayed in SA for a few more years, he would have given us an extra scorer and a decent defender to throw out there against the Mavs, Suns and Lakers. That 2003 team was redonkulous.

by Big50 on Jan 10, 2012 10:34 AM CST up reply actions

I agree with that. I think the guy needs structure to thrive and he hasn’t had that the past few years. I don’t know if it would have worked financially, though.

"Deep down we all know that swagger comes hand in hand with insecurity. We strut not to convince competitors of our dominance; we strut to convince ourselves."
Matthew Powell

by Edg5 on Jan 10, 2012 10:40 AM CST up reply actions

Well, I do remember him taking less money to go to Atlanta because he thought he could get more than the Spurs offered and by the time he realized he couldn’t they had moved on. I’m sure he would have left eventually, but it would have been pretty sick for a couple of years there.

by Big50 on Jan 10, 2012 10:53 AM CST up reply actions

probably 2 more championships

"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 Jan 10, 2012 11:01 AM CST up reply actions

Nah people don’t remember all the misses, they just remember Big Shot SJax. He shot 32% on threes, 44% overall and loved to create turnovers. In 2004 Robert Horry came in.. can’t say we made the wrong move with SJax

Go Spurs Go

by greyberger on Jan 10, 2012 2:49 PM CST up reply actions

Or turnovers! That was probably worse than the misses.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Jan 10, 2012 2:55 PM CST up reply actions

Maybe. If he re-signed, he probably would have been gone after that contract due to his earlier attitude problems. He worked those out, but Spurs probably wouldn’t have put up with it as long as Atlanta did.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Jan 10, 2012 3:21 PM CST up reply actions

He was only in the ATL for one year.

by Big50 on Jan 10, 2012 4:49 PM CST up reply actions

Oh yeah, that went by quick. It wasn’t a pleasant stay.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Jan 10, 2012 4:52 PM CST up reply actions

All you need to know about the Bucks is that they signed Drew Gooden to a 5 year, $32 million contract.

"GINOBILI!" -- Sir Charles

by Fred Silva on Jan 10, 2012 10:13 AM CST up reply actions

David Kahn’s financial genius is contagious even to neighboring teams.

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest." --Willy Wonka

by SleepCrack on Jan 10, 2012 12:44 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

You forgot to mention RJ.

Dark days ahead

by Tim C. on Jan 10, 2012 3:18 PM CST up reply actions

If my memory serves me right, Carlos Delfino did pretty well against us last time we played the Bucks… I hope RJ and Kawhi can neutralize that very streaky guy…

It's better to be silent and be thought of as a fool... than open your mouth and remove all doubts.

by Reylan on Jan 10, 2012 8:04 AM CST reply actions

Offense will be a premium against this Bucks team. Assuming they’re as good as they were last year on Defense. If the Spurs are cold from the outside it will probably fall to Parker to really pick up the penetration.

by Big50 on Jan 10, 2012 9:10 AM CST reply actions

DeJuan45 DeJuan Blair
GOODMORNING TWITTFAM
4 minutes ago

Here we go! Let’s do this.

I'm not as good as I once was...and that's just the cold, hard truth.

by Ed (dfjmed) on Jan 10, 2012 10:15 AM CST reply actions 1 recs

Fuck it, Spurs by 20!

"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 Jan 10, 2012 10:30 AM CST reply actions 6 recs

love it!

but, my memory says that the bucks always give us fits…i wonder which team has the missing ‘mojo’ factor tonight?

by mikrobass3 on Jan 10, 2012 12:12 PM CST up reply actions

I’ll settle for a Manu Buzzer-Beater =/

by ironm8 on Jan 10, 2012 12:18 PM CST up reply actions

~~Rumor ?~~
ballineurope.com reports of a trade offer that would send Bargniani and Calderon to the Fakers for Gasol and Fisher. But it also says the Spurs are involve and they are high on Pau.

There isnt too much wind in this, but a Pau for Parker is something i would go for[i think]

by ironm8 on Jan 10, 2012 12:14 PM CST reply actions

From BiE:

Update: BiE wishes a big "thank you" to Mr. Hollinger, who dropped us an email this morning (CET time) on this subject. Not surprisingly, Hollinger had nothing to do with the unsubstantiated rumor, explaining that "I have no connection at all to this Toronto-Pau stuff. There was a commenter fraudulently posting with my name and [another website] decided this made it valid. Please stop attributing this nonsense to me."

Guess Pau ain’t going anywhere. For the time being.

"Deep down we all know that swagger comes hand in hand with insecurity. We strut not to convince competitors of our dominance; we strut to convince ourselves."
Matthew Powell

by Edg5 on Jan 10, 2012 12:22 PM CST up reply actions

yup. makes sense.

by ironm8 on Jan 10, 2012 12:24 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, that trade didn’t make sense anyway.

Dark days ahead

by Tim C. on Jan 10, 2012 12:58 PM CST up reply actions

Lakers would have taken less value, so yeah.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Jan 10, 2012 1:12 PM CST up reply actions

Lakers going for Dwight anyway.

Go Spurs Go

by greyberger on Jan 10, 2012 2:54 PM CST up reply actions

They should have kept Odom for that deal. Odom and Bynum or Odom and Gasol likely would have been batter pieces to move around.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Jan 10, 2012 2:56 PM CST up reply actions

I thought SJax was still a Robertcat, lol. I guess there was roughly a SJax for Magette trade that I was oblivious to? Anyway . . .

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 Jan 10, 2012 3:02 PM CST reply actions

that was a pretty low key trade wasn’t it? I didn’t know about it either.

shit happens.

by anirontag on Jan 10, 2012 5:32 PM CST up reply actions

I gotta go out this morning, looks like I’m missing this game. Have fun guys. Go Spurs GO!

shit happens.

by anirontag on Jan 10, 2012 5:32 PM CST reply actions

Hollinger's Power Rankings

I’m surprised we’re at 7th even with those blowout losses on the road. We’re in pretty good shape so far, I guess.

by silverandblack_davis on Jan 10, 2012 6:02 PM CST reply actions

take away Manu, and they did well.

Looking at all 3 losses….
OKC is arguably top 3 team in the league right now. It’s tough to expect Spurs to win in OKC against the healthier/better team.
Houston was a 4 games in 5 nights (even with Manu).
Twolves shot 80%+ from 3pt land

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Jan 10, 2012 6:07 PM CST up reply actions