i am a Spurs fan because of David Robinson, hands down. When I was in junior high I would skip going to watch our local high school basketball games so I could watch The Admiral an Hakeem the Dream fight it our on TBS or TNT, I don't remember which it was. It seemed like the whole game revolved around those two, or when they played the Nuggets and Dikembe was still there. It seems likes basketball has changed from a big mans game to a point guards game. Anyway I digress, I love the Spurs because David Robinson was my hero and he passed the torch to Tim Duncan, and now TD is old and our chances to win another title are pretty slim, I believe that this may be their last year to be competitive. (at least for a little while). I'm from Kansas and I want you to know there are people who care about the Spurs, I love them to death, almost the same as I love My Royals and Chiefs,... and oh shit, my daughter.....ooops.......thats why I love the Spurs, why do you?

Ok - New Orleans isn't on the list b/c of the small sample size (1 game)

Spurs have played their best defense against Memphis with the Grizzlies averaging .28 CPM per game

Spurs have playd their worst defense against Houston with the Rockets averaging .45 CPM per game

Spurs have palyed their best overall games against Dallas, averaging .43 CPM per game

The greatest differential average is + .09 CPM against the Grizzlies

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I have an awful work ethic. Instead of waking up and writing an insightful, thought provoking piece on the Spurs, I've decided to compile a list of statistics (per Hoop Data) that cover one third of the entire season (13-9) and open up this thread for discussion amongst my fellow Pounders. Enjoy what analysis I managed to do, and don't sue me for watching The Colbert Report late at night.

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Good evening all! Our Spurs have tonight off after a great road-division win last night. Seven games on tap tonight, including one on NBA -TV. Who loses?

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Hi Pounders, missed Dallas game with a stomach virus but back in business.

Top 3 Contributors

3.Blair - you made great work in a short amount of time. Not sure why you did not play more than 14 minutes but you made that time count with efficient shooting 4-7, 2 Offensive Boards, 2 Free Throws and 9 points.

2. Leonard - great job rookie. You went out there and played your heart out. This is why Pop gives you the nod to start. You scrap, fight and weasle your way into almost every play. 4 Offensive Boards, 6 Defensive Boards, 2 Steals, a Blocked Shot and 12 points...is a strong case for keeping the starting position.

1. Bonner - you lit it up last night and made me look like I knew what I was talking about when I said that in order to win the Spurs had to do 2 things 1. Get the bigs in foul trouble and 2. Hit their 3s. Well, you held up the second prong of that strategy all yourself. I am not a Bonner apologist but I will say good job when it is well deserved.



Bottom 3 Contributors

3. Tony - great number of assists,12, but his shooting was off 2-9 and over 30 minutes of play ended up with 5 points

2. Green - 30+ minuts of play and scored 11 points on 3 of 10 shooting

1. Neal - Nailgun is in a funk right now - I put the loss at Dallas on your shoulders - all you had to do is not turn the ball over for the last 13 seconds of the game and you failed at that task. Last night in 15 minutes of play you had 3 missed shots and two turn overs. You need to channel your inner nailgun to get out of this funk

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Let me just say that Blake Griffin is good at dunking. However, I must say that this new trend of "dunking" by throwing the ball in the basket from close range is weak sauce. I mean, sure it's impressive that you can jump that high and all of that athletic stuff. All of this nonsense started with Dwight Howard in the Slam Dunk Competition during all-star weekend a few years ago:

Now really? He gets a 10 for that "dunk"? He just jumped and caught the ball and threw it in. Just because he was wearing a cape he gets a 10? Stupid. However, as bad as that was, at least it wasn't in a game. No, Blake Griffin has taken the Phantom Dunk to a hole new level

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There is only one Gregg Popovich. Only one coach in the entire NBA that is secure enough, confident enough, crazy enough to allow a lineup devoid of any veteran presence continue playing basketball even when they have fulfilled their job.

A typical bench, in that situation, aims to make the game respectable and (if everything goes completely right) then hands the game off to the starters when the intensity ratchets up to the highest level and reality sets in. We can't win this game by ourselves, our success will not last, we need Timmy and TP here.

Only Pop thought differently. As a Spurs fan, yes, I want the win. I want Timmy and TP in the game not because I don't have any faith in our bench to close out basketball games but because I have more faith in Timmy and TP to withstand the inevitable rally from the Mavericks.

The rally came and our young players stood up remarkably well to the pressure the Mavs were exerting on us. Much better than anyone could've possibly anticipated. They stood back, continued to rotate defensively, knock down open 3-pointers and occasionally passed up good looks for even better looks. Textbook basketball. Confidence. Cool under pressure.

There must've been some tangible aura, something click in Danny Green, Gary Neal and James Anderson's head. Something. Because they were on in every aspect. It was an incredibly fun, chaotic and exhilarating fourth quarter to watch. Surreal nights like these don't happen very often and I really wish we had pulled out the win. On the surface, the difference between 13-8 and 12-9 isn't drastic enough to begin pulling your hair out.

Yet, as I analyze our game, I keep coming back to Pop's decision to stick with Neal, Anderson, Green, Bonner and Splitter. Confidence. Of course we can't quantify how much more confidence Anderson, Neal, Green and Splitter have now than they did yesterday. You can't measure confidence. You can only hope that, when the situation arises, your players are ready.

Maybe basketball can be boiled down to talent and confidence is just a product of a team's collective talent. Without a numerical value attached, confidence could just be another sportswriter cliche that holds no weight. By believing in his team, Pop felt the immense reward of winning a game, resting Timmy and TP and inspiring confidence in the roster top-to-bottom was well worth the inherent risk of blowing (another) winnable game. I tend to agree.

We might regret saving our starters for playoff run that will never materialize. Then again, we could turn into a juggernaut, while heavy at wing, that could go 11 deep on any given night. As of now, there are nine teams separated by five games in the Western Conference. The Spurs are that ninth team.

If Pop's gamble fails, at least we come out of the game knowing that our guys can play under adversity. That we won't lay down like the Lakers last year. There is nothing worse than rooting for a basketball team that just doesn't care anymore.

The beauty of yesterday's game?

We'll never know if Pop's gamble paid off until April.

Or should I say, Howard should be considering the Spurs? It might not be that crazy at all.

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If there is one thing Pop realized after last season's early exit, it is that he can't fully pin our playoffs hopes entirely on our veteran core to bring us to promised land, particularly in clutch situations... not when Tim Duncan's knees are failing him... not when Manu's elbow or whichever part of his brittle anatomy sustains another injury... not when Tony struggles to score... not when RJamnesty plays hide-and-seek, never to be found again. Pop finally realizes that he needs everybody, down to the last man on the bench, to be ready when "the moment" comes.

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Chicago visits Miami in a what will be a great matchup.

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