Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs @ Minnesota Timberwolves
by Joe deLarios on Jan 2, 2012 9:00 AM CST
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San Antonio Spurs @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Target Center, Minneapolis, MNJanuary 2nd 2012, 7pm Spurs Time
TV: League Pass, Fox Sports South West RADIO: WOAI, WCCO-AM
The warriors in Silver and Black are making the trip up to the frozen land of a thousand lakes. There they will battle against a young team hungry for respect. The Timberwolves recently played the NBA Champion runner-ups, the Miami Heat, to almost a standstill. The close game ended with a missed shot by Minnesota. That missed shot represents the present for the Timberwolves. With a new coach, Rick Adelman, at the helm, this team will look for future promise while working with a new system and attempting to erase the coaching of their previous chief.
Minnesota comes off a tough loss against Miami, a game on Sunday against the defending champions, Mavericks and on a SEGABABA, they will play the Spurs. A hell of a three game stretch for the team, Minnesota will be pleased to pull out a win against of one of the three.
On the Spurs side, fans witnessed a great two game start by the former NBA champions. Rival Memphis and the revamped Clippers both fell to the veteran team, led by Manu Ginoboli. San Antonio then traveled to I-10 rival Houston and Pop decided the game would be an extended practice for his troops. Tim Duncan was unimpressive and Manu was not as dominate as he had been in the first two games. The team was led by DeJuan Blair who had a decent game against Houston's frontcourt.
San Antonio picked themselves back up during the recent Utah game. They had their way with the Jazz, who trailed behind the Spurs most of the game. Popovich was able to spread the time on the floor around and spare his veteran core any major heavy lifting. In this blogger's opinion, Popovich hopes that he can do the same against Minnesota.
Last season Minnesota put up a fight last year but ended up losing all their games against the Spurs. San Antonio will look to extend their winning streak to two, while Minnesota will be fighting for their first of the season (unless they drop the Mavericks Sunday night).
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NBA Stats Cube Lineup Comparison Here
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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Fuck it, Spurs by 30!!!
"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 2, 2012 9:12 AM CST via mobile reply actions 6 recs
Can the Spurs handle the sparkle of BOTH Tiago AND Rubio?
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
@completelydeck / @PoundingTheRock
Micoblogger extraordinaire.
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Jan 2, 2012 9:30 AM CST reply actions
You kidding? His fans would have you believe he’s the second coming.
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
@completelydeck / @PoundingTheRock
Micoblogger extraordinaire.
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Jan 2, 2012 10:46 AM CST up reply actions
I guess we’ll have to wait and see which one outsparkles the other.
"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 2, 2012 2:25 PM CST up reply actions
That’ll be hard to quantify, especially since most of those sparkling lights are merely reflections from the shiny shimmering splendid entity that is Manu.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Jan 2, 2012 3:59 PM CST up reply actions
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
@completelydeck / @PoundingTheRock
Micoblogger extraordinaire.
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Jan 2, 2012 9:46 AM CST reply actions
The loneliest number
"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 2, 2012 2:10 PM CST up reply actions
If I understand the Stats cube lineup comparison, it seems like Adelman needs to do some serious adjustments. His starting lineup is below the team average in almost every facet of the game. I know it has to do with them playing opposing starters but such a divide is insane.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
thought the same thing – surprised he is not starting Rubio – either he is getting beat in practice or Adelman doesn’t want to shake things up too much yet
"got him at 42……Chad Ford can’t keep up with RC ‘Bargin Basement’ Buford."
Spurs Yoda on Draft Night 2011
by Joe deLarios on Jan 2, 2012 10:15 AM CST up reply actions
Sorry to be a party pooper, and I’d love to be proven wrong, but this feels like an L. Remember how these guys abused our frontcourt last year?(possibly more so than Memphis did before the playoffs) They still have the same bigs, plus a walking mismatch named Derrick Williams. Also, Rubio gives them another dimension, but is turnover prone – Spurs have to be opportunistic when he’s on the floor.
Free Cory Joseph!
I was thinking this too. I can see this either being a close loss or a close win. No blowout here. Adelman has always played the Spurs tough, and with a team that abused us last year, I expect we have a rough battle ahead.
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Jan 2, 2012 11:30 AM CST up reply actions
I remember the play of the game in one contest being when Manu drew the 6th foul on Darko.
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest." --Willy Wonka
by SleepCrack on Jan 2, 2012 1:57 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Did anyone see Rubio’s Manu like bounce pass from yesterday’s game? After watching that I searched and found this in youtube. Great passes, great potential!
<++ If Dejuan Blair had ACLs, nobody would ever get a rebound ++>
His old highlights are great,
but he seems to look even better this year. Here are his highlights from the Miami game, and here are the Rubio and Love highlights from the Dallas game.
"Of what use is a philosopher who does not hurt anybody's feelings?" -Diogenes of Sinope
by Cynical Jason on Jan 2, 2012 6:01 PM CST up reply actions
The Wolves beat the Mavs yesterday with a 4th quarter run. They are 1-3. Beasley broke his finger in yesterday’s game so I don’t think he will be playing, but I could be wrong.
Manu should have a great game. Wes Johnson is looking more and more like a bust and they have no one else that can guard Manu. Rubio looks like he was worth the hype. I’m really think this is going to be a test for Blair. If he doesn’t box out and he doesn’t close out on 3 pointers, Love could go for 30 and 30 like he did last season against the Knicks. Our PnR defense should also get a pretty tough test since Rubio is an amazing PnR player.
"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
IMO, the Wolves are better without Beas. He a black hole on offense, and I fear the ball movement and smart offensive decisions that might be made in his absence.
Free Cory Joseph!
Agreed. But as far as Adelman is concerned, Derrick Williams is a PF, apparently. They don’t have anyone else on that spot. I just read that Beas might be clear to play, though. His finger wasn’t broken after all. Which makes “Oh shit, that’s my bone” even funnier.
"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 2, 2012 2:00 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
Haha, I missed that. I like how the team doc grabs him right afterward, as if he’s trying get him to be more sensible.
He may have seen bone, but I once got a pretty deep scrape on my pinky and thought I was seeing bone, but it wasn’t that bad.
"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 2, 2012 2:20 PM CST up reply actions
Like everybody else has said, tough battle tonight but hope it’s a win! Go Spurs Go!
With the Suns winning against the Warriors earlier today, here are my other predictions for tonight:
Wizards < Celtics
Pacers > Nets
Raptors < Knicks
Hawks < Heat
Magic > Pistons
Thunder > Mavericks
Bucks < Nuggets
Hornets < Jazz
"D'oh!"
You guys should check out the preview at canishoopus(CH). Something like some of the old previews we used to have. I love some of the names they have come up with.
Favorite → Darkobacca
That was awesome
"got him at 42……Chad Ford can’t keep up with RC ‘Bargin Basement’ Buford."
Spurs Yoda on Draft Night 2011
by Joe deLarios on Jan 2, 2012 8:57 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
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