Does anyone still win games shooting 35% from the field? Wait... we just did.
That and a few boxscore observations, before someone else posts a real recap, after the jump.
Both teams' shooting sucked - 35% for the Spurs and 42% for the Pacers. The three-point shooting was worse: 7-24 for 29% for SA and 5-19 for 26% for Indy. There goes your reason why both teams were held below 100 points. Or maybe... the Spurs defense did just enough to eke out a win despite the team itself struggling often to find the hoop, and with Mr. Fundamental shooting a horrible 4-23 (17%!!! My finals in calculus back in college was something like 36/200 or 18%, just a shade better than that! Just to clarify, I'm not that dumb... just a bad day at school all-around. And it was advanced calculus, by the way. Hmph).
But, like the true superstar that he is, Tim Duncan does more than just score. Yup. He showed Blair how to grab 20+ rebounds in the games that mattter by grabbing 26 rebounds, 11 of them offensive and were responsible for giving the Spurs 16 more shots than the Pacers. In all, the offensive rebounding edge was 17-8 in our favor. The 5 assists were good, too. Bill Simmons can now suck it. (Troy Murphy tried his best off-night TD impression with 16 rebounds and 9 points)
Tony Parker has been awesome after getting games off this season. He carried the offense for the most part and wound up with 28 points. Not much by way of other stats, but that's the Tony we know and love (to hate).
Matt Bonner played 12 minutes. Somewhere out there, I can name at least two PtRers who are smiling.
Your BAM tonight was Manu, RJ and Mase. The Sickness nearly triple-doubled (18-6-7) but continued shooting poorly from three with a 1-6 clip. He did take over late in the game, as he usually does, with some timely buckets and the customary and-1. RJ was aggressive in the first half, but like runaway grooms, disappeared later on when the going got tough. Wait... he did come back and buried a three to break a tie game deep in the 4th quarter. Kudos. Roger Mason kept on stepping on the 3-point line so his 7 points could've easily been more, but he's Money Mase that way. He played 22 minutes, so we'll see about that trade request again.
DeJuan Blair, pseudo-rookie/sophomore game MVP, had a stinker, committing four fouls in a matter of minutes during the 3rd quarter. Hibbert pwnage, and the kid was gone after that.
I wanted to find out how many minutes Pop played small ball because a lot of the PtRers were complaining about that when Indiana erased our 14-point lead and even led by 6, but I got nothing. We did build that lead with a small ball lineup of TD, TP, Manu, RJ and Mason. Blair came in, fouled a lot, and in went Duncan again. We win going away. The end.
Your Three Stars
3 - Tim Duncan
2 - Manu Ginobili
1 - Tony Parker
That's a familiar sight.
Trade Rumor Mill
Y!Sports reported that Memphis was interested in acquiring Mason. For whom, it was not disclosed yet.
Also, Antawn Jamison is now a Cavalier. Buh-bye, Z (for now, until he gets bought out and resigns).
John Salmons is going to the Bucks for ex-Spurs bigs Kurt Thomas and Francisco Elson.
Krypto-Nate will turn really, REALLY green by going to the Boston Celtics for Eddie House.
Nobody-Cares-'Bout-Me Darko goes to the T'Wolves for Brian Cardinal and a bag of chips.
And there are reports that the Kings may be joining in the Knee-Mac sweepstakes.