Spurs 98
Hornets 89

So I didn't get to watch this game, which is a shame.  It sounded like a good game.  So forgive me for not being able to write on the game flow to much.  Basically, we took a double digit lead into halftime, they came back once or twice in the third quarter, and then Manu put them away in the fourth.  However, I didn't get to watch any of this...

Instead, I get to cobble together some thoughts via popcornmachine, espn play-by-play, and the highlights from sportscenter, which always cover the important stuff, and not just the flashy dunks.  Honestly, I think that's the reason I like Timmy so much.  He's so good, they're forced to show a highlight of him or two, and that takes away flashy dunk tv time.  Fortunately, the anchors all seemed to fall over each other praising Manu (did you know he's shooting 60% from 3 point land in the last five games?).  Which is understandable.  The man is playing great lately.  I dunno, I just don't get as worked up over it.  If Timmy drops a 25-15 game, it's a great game, but it's not exactly unknown.  In the same way, I kind of expect this type of play from Manu.  I guess not at this volume, but that's to be expected with Tony slowly coming back.  Plus, I'm really starting to think this repeat means more to these guys than they'll ever admit, which is why Timmy and Manu are getting so much time lately.  Hey, fine by me...  

That said, apparently the 12 assists was a single-game record from Manu, so maybe I'm just starting to take him for granted...

Anyways, the big story from this game, at least in my opinion, wasn't Manu.  I felt the real story was Chris Paul.  Well, actually, Chris Paul's 4 assists.  I mean, in the games leading up to this, he had assist totals of 11 (against us in the blowout), 17, 12, 19, 6(against Utah, who apparently own him via D Williams), 9(to go along with 42 points), 16, 14, 10, 11, and 11.  Even in the Utah game, which got all the talking heads babbling about how Deron Williams owns him, he had 6 assists.  We held him to 4.  Here, unfortunately, is where my inability to watch the game limits me.  Did we just contain him well (ie, let him get his points and prevent his passing?) or did he play terribly?  Or is it both?  I have to be honest, the last time we played them, when they destroyed us, I was legitimately worried.  So I'd love to take the 4 assists as a sign that we've figured him out.  However, I didn't see the game, so I can't say for sure.

What I can say for sure is we're back in first thanks to a 2-1 series advantage over the Hornets ( we get a final shot at them on Wednesday March 12).  I was going to say we are in first for the first time in over a year ( world championships notwithstanding), but I forgot we started off 15-3 before we started getting injured ( and even then, Manu and the roll players got us wins over Dallas (before they decided to ruin their season) and Utah to get us to 17-3).  However, I've decided early season doesn't count, and after last season when we were down by 10 games before we started to play well, I'm enjoying being near the top of the standings.  They've been playing so well lately that, while I'd like to get Barry back cuz he's fun, I don't think we need him.  I honestly think we can match up with any team and, as long as Tony can get back to 90% before playoffs, we have the best trio in the league.

Other thoughts:
I really wanted to give Timmy the first star (but Manu's 12 assists make it impossible even for me).  However, he played a great, and stat-filling, game.  25-11-6-4-1 is nothing to sneeze at.  He even made all(!) his freethrows.  

One reason I don't take plus/minus too seriously: our team leader?  Robert Horry, at +15 (Mighty Mouse was second at +12).  I guess they're more useful over a long time (for the record, we're being outscored by 1 point when muffs is in and outscoring the other team by 6.3 when he's out over the whole season), but too often a single player is affected by bad players he's surrounded by (as even Manu fans are learning this season).

Michael Finley shot 1-5.  I missed him, glad he's back.  To be fair, he only played 11 minutes.  I'm sure he could have mustered up a 2-12 if given enough time.  

Tony played.  Umm, that's good.  He got in 30 minutes, but only shot 4-13.  I'm hoping he's just shaking the rust off and isn't still hurt.  I have to imagine that's the case, since he could have played last game, but Pop didn't want to pull the trigger (thus telling me they didn't rush him back).  Then again, maybe he won't be perfectly healthy again this year.  That'd be a downer...

Anyways, This was a big win for us.  And it's nice being back in first place.

PTR required 3 stars:

3.  Chris Paul.  Still had 27 points on 11-23 shooting.  Also led his team with a -11 for the game.  Good thing I don't take plus/minus seriously...
2.  Tim Duncan.  I'm really tempted to give it to him, after all the times Stampler wrongly gave it to Manu (like last year when he was a Jacques Vaughn foul away from a triple double in game 6), but Manu was too impressive.  Still, I can only see his numbers improving with the addition of KT.  It'll be nice to have a center that can't be ignored completely by the other team's defense.
1.  Manu, for reasons I'm sure everyone already knows.  Plus, he set his personal record for assists.  He did have more turnovers than Timmy and Tony combined though, so he needs to work on that...