The last time the Spurs faced the NOOCHies(one week ago today), we ended up with what was probably the best win of the season so far. A come-from-behind affair, the Spurs turned a 17-point halftime deficit into a 14-point victory, partly through the strength of swarming smallball defense. That move was a gimmick which probably won't pay the same kind of dividends again.
The Spurs lately have looked a bit listless and complacent for most of the game, but applying pressure at the right times to come away with the W, Clips game notwithstanding. Sooner or later, they're going to have to start playing aggressively from the opening tip. Sooner would definitely be better, since they've got a hated division rival right on their heels, waiting for the Spurs to slip up so they can make their move. Here's an updated snapshot of the division, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports:
| Southwest | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Streak | L10 |
| San Antonio | 16 | 3 | .842 | -- | 8-2 | 8-1 | 2-2 | 10-3 | Won 1 | 8-2 |
| Dallas | 16 | 4 | .800 | 0.5 | 8-3 | 8-1 | 4-2 | 10-3 | Won 9 | 9-1 |
| New Orleans | 13 | 6 | .684 | 3.0 | 8-2 | 5-4 | 3-2 | 8-5 | Lost 1 | 5-5 |
| Memphis | 8 | 12 | .400 | 8.5 | 6-5 | 2-7 | 1-2 | 6-6 | Lost 2 | 4-6 |
| Houston | 7 | 12 | .368 | 9.0 | 4-4 | 3-8 | 1-3 | 5-8 | Won 2 | 4-6 |
Here, have some industrial music:
Let's do it.
 San Antonio Spurs vs New Orleans Hornets Where: AT&T Center When: 12/05/2010, 6:00PM Spurs Time - Timezone Converter Watch: NBA TV, FSSW
By the Numbers
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Lineups
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Lineups
Starters
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Matchup Analysis
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Winner |
Starters
PG: Tony's been having a good season, up until the past week weak. Meanwhile, Paul is an early MVP favorite. Please, Tony, come back to us.
SG: Speaking of MVP candidates, Manu is as Manuriffic as ever. Belinelli doesn't stand a chance.
SF: I sang Ariza's praises before the last game, and then he went out and made some of the most crucial mistakes in the game. RJ 2.0 has remained a key factor in the Spurs' resurgence, even as others have faded, and deserves the nod here.
PF: I still don't like this matchup for us. At all. West didn't play in the NOOCH's last game due to a stomach virus, but I'd expect him to be ready to go today.
C: Timmy needs to get some boards in this game, but he can easily beat out the Mighty Oak if he so wishes.
Bench
Our bench gets the Spur almost solely due to the stellar recent play of Georgie and the Nailgun. Bonner and Tiago need to show up for this one, though. The NOOCH have some great scoring wings coming off the bench, so even though Hill and Neal can counteract that, we need more from sommebody else on the bench. With our depth, that shouldn't be a problem most nights.
Coaching
Pop is still the teacher, Monty still the student. If that wasn't evident already by the end of last week's game, Monty even said so himself when it was over.
Intangibles
Home court doesn't mean a lot to the Spurs, but the NOOCH are only 5-4 on the road. The arena needs to be loud and rowdy.
Mojo
Both teams have cooled off a bit after incredible starts to the season, but the NOOCH have gone 5-6 in their last 11.
Prediction
Another W for the good guys.
Key(s) to the Game
Rebounding - I said this in the game thread for the T-wolves game, but rebounding is first and foremost an effort stat. If we're getting more boards than they are, it's because we're playing like we want this game. Extra possessions and shot opportunities can be immensely helpful to your own cause, and disheartening to your foes.
Other Reading
Spurs
48 Minutes of Hell - Check out the advanced scouting report posted on gamedays for great in-depth analysis of the day's matchups.
Hornets
At The Hive(SB Nation) - Rohan and crew are still going strong, though they aren't quite as happy as they were after the 8-0 start. Congrats to Rohan on landing a gig as an author at Hardwood Paroxysm as well.
Following Along
TV
We're on national TV again, folks. NBA TV, but still. You can also follow this one on Fox Sports Southwest in San Antonio or Cox Sports TV in New Orleans.
Radio
WOAI 1200AM; Audio League Pass[streaming]
Online
As always, 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. You can also shoot an email to poundingtherockmail@yahoo.com(IMPORTANT: Please include your PtR username in the email for reference) for further assistance.