Game Thread #54: San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Breakdown

• Point Guard - Tony, after last night's game:

Tony Parker had to battle through cramps, in both calves, to remain on the floor.
"That’s why I was missing all those layups," Parker said afterwards, clutching a bottle of a milky green liquid, "and that’s why I’m drinking my special drink right now. But I didn’t want to come out. I told Pop: ‘Just let me stay in and I’ll make things happen.'"

Milky green liquid = drugs. BANNED. So that explains his sudden crazy speed... Also, way to man up to your mistakes, Tony. "Cramps made me do it." Bah. You don't see Steve Blake making excuses.Why don't you stop making so many bad decisions in the 4th instead?

• Off Guard - For every big three he's scored this season, he's missed 10. He takes ill-advised shots from halfcourt, can't make a simple layup and just doesn't look good in black. I miss Brent more and more every day.
• Center - Duncan just hasn't been the same since that hurricane broke the Olympic pool near his home, but he's still about 100 better than KT. So is Joel.
  
• Power Forward - Hey, Bonner, can you try to produce in two consecutive games? Please? And if you could make your FTs, that would be fine too. Inconsistent, short, and a poor defender, I guess we should be grateful that he produces at all.
  
• Small Forward - As usual this season, it will be in Finley's capable hands to win this game. He's been an absolute beast off the dribble, and his passing has been crisp and sure. We need him to play point when Tony's finally benched, and just carry the team into victory. We're all behind you, Michael!
• Bench - They have the always effervescent Frye, Outlaw, Fernández and Rodríguez. We have a bunch of nameless watered-down scrubs. The only way we can even think of matching them would be if Pop dropped a pair and put Hairston, Udoka, JV and Pops in. Defensively they might not be that great as the washed-out Hill, but the offensive outpouring could drown them. Let it rain!
• Coach - Way to go, Pop. He benches players at the slightest hint of an injury, relegating us to the last few playoff spots and ruining our regular season record. Those games will come back and bit us in the ass... I wish we had Karl instead.
• Intangibles - We're old, playing a SEGABABA. They're young, playing a SEGABABA. Bye bye Lenin.
• Mojo - Manu and Duncan injured? Let's move on please.
• Winners - First time this year I pick our opponents, but the evidence is unsurmountable. We're doomed, I tell you, doomed.

Keys To The Game

• There are no keys - None.
• Water - Unless we can put something in their water.
• Food - Or in their food. It worked in Varejao and LeBron.

Some other reading

There are two great Portland sites you should visit, and they're both about 50 times better than PTR.

Blazers Edge (SB Nation blog, with plenty of regulars who actually know how to tag and rec, and have a razor wit that will bleed you dry if you join their game thread. We can't compare.)
The Rip City Project (Can't compare, either.)

Other things of possible interest

• Howard - Did this.
• Barkley - In jail.
• Jaric - I hate him. HATE him.
• Bonner - Can't act. But hey.
• Duke - Crabbest dribble.
• Asteroidz - Play it. Love it.
• Resume - The right way.
• Luigi - Is a badass.
• Rolcats - Must-read.Go.
• Saturday night - Awesome?

Game feeds

Check this game thead at gametime for specific links to good quality feeds. If you arrive late in the game, there game feed links are usually among the first 50 posts of the thread.

ATDHE.net
PPNBA
MyP2P
OneNation (This is an archive of NBA games, but it hasn't been updated lately.)
BitTorrent Davka (A torrent site where you will find most of the latest games in the league. Bookmark.)

Recap: What's a recap?