Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets
by greyberger on Feb 1, 2012 7:00 AM CST
in Game Previews
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San Antonio Spurs vs Houston Rockets
SBC Center, San AntonioTuesday, February 1st - 7:30 PM Spurs Time
TV: Fox Sports SW - RADIO: WOAI
The Spurs face a very familiar opponent tonight when they host the Rockets for the fourth and final time this regular season. Houston has crawled back from a 2-6 start, thanks in part to home wins against the silver and black, and tonight they'll be trying to overtake us in the hot mess that is the Western Conference standings. San Antonio's got to counter the high-scoring Rockets while building some consistency for the Hornets and Thunder rematches that follow.
The Rockets were a top five offense last year and that's been the key to getting back in the western conference scrum for them. They've scored 100 points or more in five of their last six games as Kevin Martin, Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola have been finding their shot. Like the Spurs of late, Houston relies on outscoring opponents and doesn't have much of a defensive identity beyond avoiding fouls. The Rockets' comeback hit a snag in their last game, a 120-108 loss to the Timberwolves where they allowed Micheal Beasley to score 34 points on 14 field goal attempts. If we don't get some front-court scoring from Duncan, Blair and Splitter it'll be hard to keep up.
After fumbling the last possession in the overtime loss to Dallas, this Spurs fan was glad to see Matt Bonner have a strong game against the Grizzlies in Memphis. He's no fan favorite, especially when he's in a shooting slump and the team can't break away from the playoff pack, but as long as he hits the threes and makes with the plus-minus magic (5-9 and +21 in Memphis) he's earning the playing time. The allocation of minutes between Duncan, Bonner, Blair and Splitter (and who plays with whom) is a popular debate for Spurs fans so let me just say we need all four to get through the regular season and you can't write off the redhead based on a fifth of the season.
It'll be interesting to see how Pop distributes minutes among the wing players as well. James Anderson played 20 minutes against Dallas and 2 minutes against Memphis, and Gary Neal went from 30 to 15. We'll be looking for the lineup that rallied in Dallas and got to play the entire OT (Neal, Anderson, Green, Bonner and Splitter) and the variant that uses Tony and RJ for Neal and Anderson while Duncan rests. Our bench can be a real strength this season, especially when the three is falling and Blair and Splitter are working the offensive glass. Blair can earn his minutes with offensive rebounds (he's had 8, 3, and 2 vs. Houston) and by avoiding fouls (4, 3, and 2 so far).
With two elite offenses clashing it'll probably come down to shooting accuracy and who can play a modicum of defense to secure the win. Behold, your lineups, relevant statistics and a prediction:
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NBA Stats Cube Lineup Comparison Here. Rockets' perspective can be found here: The Dream Shake.
Game Prediction: They won their two home games, we won our previous home game - I'm hoping that pattern holds and it's something like SPURS BY SIX.
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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If Houston shoots over 50% from the field im going to break something, even if we win the game.
DEFEND DAMMIT!
my mom (who doesnt know a lick about basketball): "that guy is anything but World Peace"
Go Spurs!!!
I request an encore defensive performance from Kawhi, this time on Kevin Martin…
"That kid's a stud.... ...GINO-BLLIII !!!" - Sir Charles
his 4th game against Martin, I’m guessing he viewed the tapes
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
Dear lord I hope so… Martin already got fouled!
by In the 666 on Feb 1, 2012 12:24 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
this game will probably start off just like the previous 5 or so houston matchups
Start of 1st Qtr
Luis Scola makes layup
Tim Duncan misses 12 ft shot
Luis Scola makes layup
Richard Jefferson misses 23 ft shot
Luis Scola makes layup
Dejuan Blair misses layup
Luis Scola makes 14 ft shot
i swear the houston games ALWAYS start with something like that, spurs need defense bad
Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best -Tim Duncan
by Starscream210 on Feb 1, 2012 9:35 AM CST via mobile reply actions
haha that is so true. then we do that rally thing and get up by 5 or 6 (from green gary or tiago usually) and then we take our foot off the gas pedal at the end of the 2nd so they can tie us or get ahead.
whether we win or not usually depends if we have our drought at the beginning of the 3rd the end of the 3rd or the end of the 4th.
beginning of 3rd=50/50
end of 3rd=usually spurs win
end of 4th=spurs lose
good better best, never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is best
by seanthemonster on Feb 1, 2012 1:19 PM CST up reply actions
johnhollinger John Hollinger
Keith Bogans started for a 60-win team last year, has no outstanding warrants or convictions, and yet was unsigned until today.
13 minutes ago
I'm not as good as I once was...and that's just the cold, hard truth.
I love Scola’s game. I (no doubt along with thousands of others) was looking forward to
him reuniting with Ginobili on the Spurs when he was playing in Europe. A combination of
anger and disappointment resulted when our FO dealt him to a division rival no less. He
would have been an ideal fit, a tough defender and rebounder who can score, very durable, someone who competes every night, and a solid citizen as well.
tough defender
NO. Scola’s scoring would be welcome on the team, and he’s a lot of things, but “tough defender” is not one of those things. I would take him in a heartbeat, but we would need to “hide” him defensively, similar to Bonner.
The longest, brightest day is followed by the darkest night.
He’s not rebounding well either. He seems really tired. Of course that’s not going to matter tonight and he’ll just have a great game against the Spurs, like always.
"Manu Ginobili is the ultimate human cheat code, the password to the rim."
-Alex Dewey
Spurs bigs don’t matchup well with him, aside from Splitter. Duncan isn’t laterally quick enough these days, and heck Scola, isn’t that quick. Blair is going to get caught reaching at least once or twice and will pick up a stupid foul or two from doing that.
Bonner, well, he’ll move his feet, but that’s about it…
Winter is coming
Tim, I think you do Scola a serious disservice when you compare his defense to Bonner.
Any defensive shortcomings Scola has are largely compensated for by his tenacity, a
trait that is totally absent in Bonner.
He’s a better rebounder than Bonner, and he doesn’t look as awkward, but his attempts at man defense are just as unsuccessful. He’s also a better help defender than Bonner, but that doesn’t matter much when those guys are the ones that need the help.
The longest, brightest day is followed by the darkest night.
The bottom line is that I wouldn’t trade Scola for 10 Bonners. Maybe it’s my frustration that
I’ve watched Bonner hold a position for over 5 years that should have been manned by Scola.
Had Scola been here, it would have translated into more success for the Spurs, perhaps even
another title. Of course, it’s all just meaningless speculation now.
Chris_Broussard Chris Broussard
In my opinion, Bulls would be best big-market fit for D12. But he’s got NJ ranked higher.
14 minutes ago
Chris_Broussard Chris Broussard
I’m not saying D12 SHOULD go to NJ, but knowing he wants to, I’m saying it’s time to quit letting the Magic twist in the wind
15 minutes ago
I'm not as good as I once was...and that's just the cold, hard truth.
IamaGM IamaGM.com
Rockets in the lead for Chris Kaman trade, Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet being discussed dlvr.it/18ZjPL
The longest, brightest day is followed by the darkest night.
Houston would have to toss in at least one other player like Terrence Williams to match salaries. If that were the case, it would seem like New Orleans would wind up with around $10M committed salaries for next season despite reducing $4M from their payroll. They might be out of a luxury tax, but not be able to bid for any free agents.
They might as well just waive Kaman for the rest of the season and let him get picked up by the Spurs off the waiver wire. I can’t see why they’d want to add players (particularly Thabeet) to their roster.
If I’m Dell Demps, I try to collect as many draft picks as possible. And I’d at least try for Dragic.
The longest, brightest day is followed by the darkest night.
Though who would give draft picks for Kaman’s expiring contract? They could trade for only draft picks if a team is $10M or so under the cap, Otherwise a team will have to trade away players with $10M or so of salary to match. Unless Houston were willing to say that they’d give up a first round pick if NO would take Thabeet’s contract over, it will be difficult for them to come up with a deal that meets the type of expectations that Stern has placed upon their deals.
Going to this game!!!!! Can’t wait to see my Silver and Black play in the AT&T Center :D I’m not techno-geeked out like some of y’all, so I won’t be able to join the game thread, but I hope to share some of my (and Heartrunn3r’s) experiences and observations from the night as soon as I get back to Oklahoma.
Fuck it, Spurs by 110!!!
GO SPURS GO
"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas." -Davy Crockett
"Give me an army of West Point graduates, and I'll win a battle. Give me a handful of Texas Aggies, and I'll win a war." -Gen. George S. Patton
IamaGM IamaGM.com
Joel Przybilla to sign with either the Bulls or Blazers in the next few days dlvr.it/18bCLW
"I'm good at killing fat boys. I like killing fat boys." ~Arya Stark
Good luck gentlemen! May this be a glorious day, filled with many baskets and fun times. Always fun to chat with you guys.
"I’m not dumb. I just have a command of thoroughly useless information." Bill Watterson~Calvin and Hobbes
by The Chuckwagon has rolled on on Feb 1, 2012 4:49 PM CST reply actions
Hello guys, I have but one question for y'all
How is Luke Bonner still in the D-League? I know the Spurs don’t want to be acting like they’re doing Matt Bonner any favors, but that guy is a monster. I think I saw him hit a three pointer once.
Check out The Dream Shake.
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