Pounding The Rock - Full Coverage: San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns
For all your Manu Ginobili loving and San Antonio Spurs news
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2015-03-03T15:30:03-06:00
http://www.poundingtherock.com/rss/stream/7891592
2015-03-03T15:30:03-06:00
2015-03-03T15:30:03-06:00
GIF Breakdown: Spurs at Suns
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ozxFxtGoG-JJ67023f28xDSPADc=/0x0:3969x2646/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45809548/usa-today-8413052.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A quick look at some of the plays that stood out in San Antonio's dominant performance against the Phoenix Suns. </p> <p>Two wins in a row, with great defense in the second game, has settled down <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> fans. <a href="https://twitter.com/JMcDonald_SAEN/status/572837253367640064" target="_blank">Tim Duncan also had some reassuring words</a>, "We get some wins together and start feeling good about ourselves then we'll be in the right place during the playoffs."</p>
<p><span>Tim Duncan</span> isn't what he used to be down low, but I still love watching Big Fun go to work in the more limited opportunities he gets. <span>Alex Len</span> plays him well, taking away the baseline and the middle before a great contest, but Tim sinks the tough, fall-away banker.</p>
<p> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Iz1IxZdVTZZ4GPLnLluMQhel8Do=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3466152/tim_post.0.gif">
</figure>
</p>
<p><span>Kawhi Leonard</span> made life really difficult for <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> all night. Check out the timing on this great chase-down rejection.</p>
<p> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/54mM-MAOan7KHZCHWGt9lsZlVyI=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3466150/whi_block.0.gif">
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</p>
<p>I would love to see a stat that shows the Spurs' record when Kawhi Leonard goes coast-to-coast for a score in the game. These plays have to be good for Kawhi's moment-to-moment confidence and confident Kawhi is an incredible sight. Leonard's sprints down the court with ball in hand are probably the most exciting moments in games from the Spurs perspective, unless you're like me and completely lose it after the rare <span>Boris Diaw</span> chase-down block, and this one doesn't disappoint. Whi evades a couple of steal attempts with a crossover, takes two more dribbles, gathers the ball, squeezes between two more <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a> and takes two big steps on his way to a forceful slam.</p>
<p> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/z7uMCuIWrN9UY4jaV4dumgagNrI=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3466166/whi_dunk.0.gif">
</figure>
</p>
<p>The Spurs forced a turnover on the other end and on the ensuing break <span>Manu Ginobili</span> delivered a gorgeous wraparound-pass to Leonard for two.</p>
<p> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fZNlO54lElAzYde0qXRtsqB2H4Y=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3466168/manu_to_whi.0.gif">
</figure>
</p>
<p>That's it for this edition of GIF Breakdown. We'll be back after the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a> game, hopefully with the Spurs on a three-game win streak.</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/3/3/8129307/gif-breakdown-spurs-at-suns
Chris Itz
2015-03-01T13:00:03-06:00
2015-03-01T13:00:03-06:00
Rehash: Parting gifts from the RRT
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/j-olq9my3YRKqV2NKSKPy_sYA3s=/202x0:3489x2191/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45794696/usa-today-8413058.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Spurs finished off the worst RRT ever with a blowout win over the Suns that was almost enough to make us forget about the previous eight games. </p> <p>For a Rodeo Road Trip that showed us some season-low effort and performances by the Spurs, and seemingly took the entire month of February to do so, it sure sent us home with a pat on the butt and a wink.</p>
<p>It would've been easy the easy thing to do for the <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a> to limp out of a late victory against the Boogie-less Kings into a back-to-back against the Suns, who were coming off of a impressive win over the <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Thunder</a> -- despite <span>Russell Westbrook</span> doing Russell Westbrook things -- and lay a hard-boiled egg to finish off the worst RRT ever. In fact, many of us expected it! This string of poorly played road games by San Antonio has revealed how mortal this team is. It's shown us that even a Gregg Popovich-run team can look inexperienced, disinterested, and apathetic.</p>
<p>But it's amazing the 180 degree focus shift that can occur from one blowout victory. The San Antonio Spurs completely silenced the Phoenix Suns on Saturday evening, and all of a sudden I no longer find myself lamenting about our woes in the previous eight games. There's actually an excitement to bring on the next six opponents at home, mainly because the competitiveness of this squad has been found for the first time in weeks.</p>
<p>This is the gift that the Rodeo Road Trip has sent us home with.</p>
<p>In Saturday's game, we saw the offense move with the urgency and swiftness of old. <span>Tony Parker</span>, who still had a rough night shooting the ball, moved with the ball in a manner in that threatened the defense with penetration at all times. What was a timid, slow reacting, over thinking Parker in previous games appeared to have a quick sip from the fountain of youth before taking the court in Phoenix. His box score may not scream it, but Saturday's version of Tony reassured many Spurs fans that he still wants to be on that court handling the ball.</p>
<p>That isn't to say that the blowout of the Suns has erased any of the issues that showed their face in the games prior. One great game won't fix the consistency and sluggishness that was exhibited on the court over the past couple weeks, but it's a clear indication that ability to find themselves still exists.</p>
<p>It's obvious that this team in in some state of transition. Putting the RRT in the review mirror and enjoying some San Antonio mexican food for a change could lift the spirits of this team enough to bring a competitive edge to ever game from here on.</p>
<p>One thing is for sure: the plane ride home to Texas will be the happiest it's been since January.</p>
<h3>Game MVP</h3>
<h4>The Spurs' first-half defense</h4>
<p>San Antonio held the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> to the lowest first-half point total in franchise history. While some of the blame can easily be put on Phoenix's occasional poor shot selection, it really was the Spurs who put the pressure on the <span>Jeff Hornacek</span> offense. This defensive beat down in the first two quarters allowed San Antonio to cruise their way back to Texas without fear of a third quarter collapse.</p>
<p>Here's the first-half Suns shot chart displaying exactly how much the Spurs' defense had their way.</p>
<p> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Suns First-half Shotchart" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6KHEMHb474ShzHxoR6dMrJWFX6k=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3458568/Shotchart_1425218572574.0.png">
</figure>
</p>
<p>And here's an example of why points where so hard to come by for Phoenix, courtesy of Kawhi.</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Watch Kawhi obliterate this dunk attempt by Bledsoe. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Spurs?src=hash">#Spurs</a> <a href="https://t.co/wQ31cciL53">https://t.co/wQ31cciL53</a></p>
— J.R. Wilco (@jollyrogerwilco) <a href="https://twitter.com/jollyrogerwilco/status/571874152266661889">March 1, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p><br>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Last night's "Spurs won in a blowout so there was really only one ground-shaking event that occurred" tweet of the night</h3>
<p> </p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>If you chose Belinelli as Spur most likely to pose nude on the cover of GQ, you are correct. (Thanks, <a href="https://twitter.com/janieannie">@janieannie</a>) <a href="http://t.co/FEXA1JIxor">pic.twitter.com/FEXA1JIxor</a></p>
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneySAEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/danmccarneySAEN/status/571764648980029440">February 28, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Pop may have just lost the locker room.</p>
<h3>Next up</h3>
<p>The Spurs have three days off before starting a six game home stand against the <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Sacramento Kings</a> on Wednesday. DeMarcus Cousins is doubtful for Sunday's match up against the Blazers, so continue to follow his status as we head into humpday.</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/3/1/8128759/rehash-parting-gifts-from-the-rodeo-road-trip
Stephen Shepperd
2015-03-01T10:25:30-06:00
2015-03-01T10:25:30-06:00
Spurs black out the Suns with oppressive defense
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NixHGppF8io4ZomKNluKd1v9lic=/0x0:3765x2510/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45794860/usa-today-8413342.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Spurs still couldn't hit a three to save their lives, but got tons of good looks around the basket and held the Suns to a 24 point first half to earn an exceedingly comfortable victory.</p> <h1>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> 101, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a> 74 - Feb 28, '15</h1>
<p>This one was not very competitive for very long. The Spurs jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead, not because their offense was particularly awesome, but because the hapless Suns simply could not buy a bucket. That lead quickly expanded to 11 by the end of the 1st, and continued to grow to whopping 27 point halftime margin, with the Suns only managing 24 points in the first half. The second half was essentially a footnote as the Spurs went up 34 and in the 3rd and coasted the rest of the way. Let's take a look at where the Spurs' advantages lay.</p>
<p>The Spurs shot the ball very effectively from close range in this one, hitting over 50% of their 2 pointers, a stat bolstered by a blistering 62.9% inside the restricted area as the Spurs bigs abused the Suns and <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> threw down dunk after dunk on fast breaks.</p>
<p>This more than compensated for another nightmarish night from deep, as the Spurs knocked down just 4 of 19 three point attempts despite most of them being of the wide open variety. There's only so much you can control when it comes to (open) three pointers falling, so it was great to see the Spurs dominate in the factors which are less determined by random chance. I'd much rather see the Spurs dominate with great looks from 2 and free throws than a night where they go off from deep. It's much more sustainable, and one of these days those long balls will start falling again (they have to, right?)<br><br>The Spurs also controlled the boards in this one, keeping the Suns off the boards with a monster 85.2% Defensive Rebound rate, and also enjoyed a modest ballhandling advantage.</p>
<p> </p>
<h2>Four Factors <a title='The "Four Factors" are a measure of how teams win games, as identified by Dean Oliver. Click here to read more.' style="font-size: 0.6em; font-weight:normal;" href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/factors.html">(def.)</a>
</h2>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><section class="stats">
<table id="fourFactors" class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover table-condensed sbn-data-table" style="width: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Spurs</b></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Suns</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Shooting (eFG%)</td>
<td align="right"><strong>51%</strong></td>
<td align="right">33%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Ball Handling (TO%)</td>
<td align="right"><strong>14%</strong></td>
<td align="right">18%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Off Rebounding (OR%)</td>
<td align="right"><strong>23%</strong></td>
<td align="right">15%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Shooting FTs (FT Rate)</td>
<td align="right">19%</td>
<td align="right"><strong>29%</strong></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</section></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<h2>Team Stats <i style="font-size: 0.7em; font-weight:normal;">(Definitions at bottom of post)</i>
</h2>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><section class="stats">
<table class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover table-condensed sbn-data-table" style="width: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td></td>
<td width="70" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spurs</b></td>
<td width="70" style="text-align: center;"><b>Suns</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Pace (No. of Possessions)</td>
<td colspan="2" align="center">104.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Points Per Possession (PPP)</td>
<td align="right">0.97</td>
<td align="right">0.71</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Points Per Shot (PPS)</td>
<td align="right">1.10</td>
<td align="right">0.88</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>2-PT FG%</td>
<td align="right" title="37/73">50.7%</td>
<td align="right" title="20/68">29.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>3-PT FG%</td>
<td align="right" title="4/19">21.1%</td>
<td align="right" title="5/16">31.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>FT%</td>
<td align="right" title="15/17">88.2%</td>
<td align="right" title="19/24">79.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2092829_calculate-true-shooting-percentage-basketball.html">True Shooting %</a></td>
<td align="right">50.8%</td>
<td align="right">39.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td colspan="3"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td></td>
<td width="70" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spurs<br></b></td>
<td width="70" style="text-align: center;"><b>Suns</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td title="Points per 100 possessions">Offensive Rating</td>
<td align="right">97.6</td>
<td align="right">70.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td title="Points allowed per 100 possessions">Defensive Rating</td>
<td align="right">70.1</td>
<td align="right">97.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Net Rating</td>
<td align="right">27.5</td>
<td align="right">-27.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td></td>
<td align="right"></td>
<td align="right"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Spurs</b></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Suns</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Passes / poss.</td>
<td align="right">3.1</td>
<td align="right">2.3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td title="What percentage of a team's field goal attempts are uncontested: contested FGA / total FGA">% of FGA uncontested</td>
<td align="right">48.9%</td>
<td align="right">40.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Points in the paint</td>
<td align="right">50</td>
<td align="right">32</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Second chance points</td>
<td align="right">23</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Fast break points</td>
<td align="right">12</td>
<td align="right">15</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td></td>
<td align="right"></td>
<td align="right"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Spurs</b></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Suns</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Assists</td>
<td align="right">18</td>
<td align="right">13</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Steals</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
<td align="right">7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Turnovers</td>
<td align="right">14</td>
<td align="right">18</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>
<u>B</u>all <u>C</u>ontrol <u>I</u>ndex (BCI)<br><i>(Assists + Steals) / TO</i>
</td>
<td align="right">1.79</td>
<td align="right"><strong>1.11</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td></td>
<td align="right"></td>
<td align="right"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Spurs</b></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Suns</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td title="How many offensive rebounds an average rebounding team could expect to grab, based off the number of opportunities in a game">Expected Offensive Rebounds</td>
<td align="right">11.0</td>
<td align="right">13.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Offensive Rebounds</td>
<td align="right">10</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Difference</td>
<td align="right">-1.0</td>
<td align="right"><strong>-5.5</strong></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</section></p>
<p> </p>
<h2>Spurs Shot Chart</h2>
<p id="shotChartContainer"><iframe class="shotChart" src="http://stats.nba.com/shotchart/#!/?TeamID=1610612759&GameID=0021400875&ContextMeasure=FGA&Season=2014-15&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&RangeType=2&StartPeriod=1&EndPeriod=10&StartRange=0&EndRange=144000&mode=Advanced&showZones=1&showDetails=1&showShots=1"></iframe></p>
<h2>Suns Shot Chart</h2>
<p id="shotChartContainer"><iframe class="shotChart" src="http://stats.nba.com/shotchart/#!/?TeamID=1610612756&GameID=0021400875&ContextMeasure=FGA&Season=2014-15&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&RangeType=2&StartPeriod=1&EndPeriod=10&StartRange=0&EndRange=144000&mode=Advanced&showZones=1&showDetails=1&showShots=1"></iframe></p>
<p>[Content]</p>
<h2>Players <i style="font-size: 0.7em; font-weight:normal;">(Definitions at bottom of post, columns sortable)</i>
</h2>
<p><span>Spurs</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><section class="stats players-container">
<table id="players-us" class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover table-condensed players tablesorter tablesorter-default sbn-data-table" style="width: auto;" role="grid">
<thead>
<tr class="ui-state-even tablesorter-headerRow" role="row">
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" data-column="0" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="Player: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>Player<br></b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" title="Minutes played" data-column="1" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="Min: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>Min</b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" title="AdjGS: a take-off of the Game Score metric from basketball-reference.com accepted by a lot of basketball stat nerds. It takes points, assists, rebounds (offensive & defensive), steals, blocks, turnovers and fouls into account to determine an individual's 'score' for a given game. The 'adjustment' in Adjusted Game Score is simply matching the total game scores to the total points scored in the game, thereby redistributing the game's points scored to those who had the biggest impact on the game itself, instead of just how many balls a player put through a basket." data-column="2" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="AdjGS: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>AdjGS</b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" title="AdjGS per minute" data-column="3" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="GS/Min: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>GS/Min</b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" data-column="4" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="Line: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>Line</b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" title="This estimates the % of team possessions a player consumes while on the floor (via basketball-reference.com). The usage of those possessions is determined via a formula using field goal and free throw attempts, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. The higher the number, the more prevalent a player is (good or bad) in a team's offensive outcome." data-column="5" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="Usage%: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>Usage%</b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" title='Floor % answers the question, "when Player X uses a possession, what is the probability that his team scores at least 1 point?". The higher the Floor%, the more frequently the team probably scores when the given player is involved.' data-column="6" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="Floor%: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>Floor%</b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" title="Points per 100 possessions while player is on floor" data-column="7" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="OffRtg: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>OffRtg</b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" title="Points allowed per 100 possessions while player is on floor" data-column="8" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="DefRtg: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>DefRtg</b></div>
</td>
<td style="text-align: center; -webkit-user-select: none;" title="Offensive Rating - Defensive Rating" data-column="9" class="tablesorter-header tablesorter-headerUnSorted" tabindex="0" scope="col" role="columnheader" aria-disabled="false" aria-controls="players-us" unselectable="on" aria-sort="none" aria-label="NetRtg: No sort applied, activate to apply an ascending sort">
<div class="tablesorter-header-inner"><b>NetRtg</b></div>
</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody aria-live="polite" aria-relevant="all">
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-even">
<td>Kawhi Leonard</td>
<td align="right">32</td>
<td align="right">27.0</td>
<td align="right">0.85</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">22 Pts (9-18 FG, 0-1 3PT, 4-4 FT) </span> 10 Reb (0 Off), 2 Blk, 3 Stl, 2 PF</td>
<td align="right">26%</td>
<td align="right">58%</td>
<td align="right">103.9</td>
<td align="right"><strong>66.2</strong></td>
<td align="right"><strong>37.7</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-odd">
<td><span>Aron Baynes</span></td>
<td align="right">20</td>
<td align="right">16.1</td>
<td align="right">0.82</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">12 Pts (3-3 FG, 6-6 FT) </span> 10 Reb (4 Off), 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 3 TO, 6 PF</td>
<td align="right">18%</td>
<td align="right"><strong>71%</strong></td>
<td align="right">101.4</td>
<td align="right"><strong>56.8</strong></td>
<td align="right"><strong>44.6</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-even">
<td><span>Danny Green</span></td>
<td align="right">25</td>
<td align="right">15.3</td>
<td align="right">0.62</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">12 Pts (4-7 FG, 2-4 3PT, 2-2 FT) </span> 8 Reb (0 Off), 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 1 TO, 1 PF</td>
<td align="right">15%</td>
<td align="right">60%</td>
<td align="right">115.8</td>
<td align="right"><strong>70.0</strong></td>
<td align="right"><strong>45.8</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-odd">
<td><span>Patty Mills</span></td>
<td align="right">22</td>
<td align="right">9.4</td>
<td align="right">0.42</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">9 Pts (3-10 FG, 1-7 3PT, 2-2 FT) </span> 4 Reb (1 Off), 2 Ast, 2 Stl, 1 TO, 1 PF</td>
<td align="right">22%</td>
<td align="right">40%</td>
<td align="right">102.3</td>
<td align="right"><strong>72.3</strong></td>
<td align="right"><strong>30.0</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-even">
<td><span>Boris Diaw</span></td>
<td align="right">23</td>
<td align="right">9.0</td>
<td align="right">0.39</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">12 Pts (6-14 FG, 0-1 3PT ) </span> 4 Reb (1 Off), 1 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 TO, 1 PF</td>
<td align="right">28%</td>
<td align="right">42%</td>
<td align="right">86.6</td>
<td align="right"><strong>75.1</strong></td>
<td align="right">11.5</td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-odd">
<td><span>Tiago Splitter</span></td>
<td align="right">15</td>
<td align="right">9.0</td>
<td align="right">0.59</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">8 Pts (4-5 FG, 0-2 FT) </span> 3 Reb (1 Off), 1 Blk, 2 PF</td>
<td align="right">18%</td>
<td align="right"><strong>68%</strong></td>
<td align="right">91.4</td>
<td align="right"><strong>67.4</strong></td>
<td align="right">24.0</td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-even">
<td><span>Tim Duncan</span></td>
<td align="right">21</td>
<td align="right">7.5</td>
<td align="right">0.36</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">6 Pts (3-6 FG, ) </span> 10 Reb (3 Off), 1 Ast, 1 Blk, 2 TO, 3 PF</td>
<td align="right">17%</td>
<td align="right">40%</td>
<td align="right">103.2</td>
<td align="right"><strong>56.3</strong></td>
<td align="right"><strong>46.9</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-odd">
<td><span>Manu Ginobili</span></td>
<td align="right">19</td>
<td align="right">5.4</td>
<td align="right">0.29</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">2 Pts (1-4 FG, 0-1 3PT ) </span> 4 Reb (0 Off), 7 Ast, 1 TO, 2 PF</td>
<td align="right">11%</td>
<td align="right">51%</td>
<td align="right">108.9</td>
<td align="right"><strong>43.3</strong></td>
<td align="right"><strong>65.6</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-even">
<td><span>Matt Bonner</span></td>
<td align="right">6</td>
<td align="right">4.1</td>
<td align="right">0.66</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">3 Pts (1-1 FG, 1-1 3PT ) </span> 1 Reb (0 Off),</td>
<td align="right">7%</td>
<td align="right"><strong>100%</strong></td>
<td align="right">110.1</td>
<td align="right">110.3</td>
<td align="right">-0.2</td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-odd">
<td><span>Cory Joseph</span></td>
<td align="right">10</td>
<td align="right">3.0</td>
<td align="right">0.29</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">5 Pts (2-5 FG, 1-1 FT) </span> , 3 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO, 3 PF</td>
<td align="right">29%</td>
<td align="right">45%</td>
<td align="right">77.7</td>
<td align="right">117.0</td>
<td align="right">-39.3</td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-even">
<td><span>Marco Belinelli</span></td>
<td align="right">17</td>
<td align="right">0.1</td>
<td align="right">0.01</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">4 Pts (2-6 FG, 0-2 3PT ) </span> 1 Reb (0 Off), 2 PF</td>
<td align="right">15%</td>
<td align="right">34%</td>
<td align="right">67.4</td>
<td align="right"><strong>65.8</strong></td>
<td align="right">1.6</td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-odd">
<td><span>Tony Parker</span></td>
<td align="right">23</td>
<td align="right">-0.7</td>
<td align="right">-0.03</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">6 Pts (3-13 FG, 0-2 3PT ) </span> , 2 Ast,</td>
<td align="right">26%</td>
<td align="right">29%</td>
<td align="right">98.6</td>
<td align="right"><strong>59.9</strong></td>
<td align="right"><strong>38.7</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr role="row" class="ui-state-even">
<td><span>Jeff Ayres</span></td>
<td align="right">7</td>
<td align="right">-4.3</td>
<td align="right">-0.58</td>
<td align="left">
<span class="player-points">0 Pts </span> 1 Reb (0 Off), 3 TO, 1 PF</td>
<td align="right">17%</td>
<td align="right">0%</td>
<td align="right">74.5</td>
<td align="right">128.6</td>
<td align="right">-54.1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h4><a id="showOpponentPlayers" href="#" style="font-size: 0.8em;">Show Suns Players</a></h4>
</section></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kawhi Leonard was magnificent once again, racking up 22 points on 9-18 shooting with 10 boards, 2 blocks, 3 steals and no turnovers. Leonard really looked like an NBA superstar in this one, throwing the ball down in traffic and scoring at will from the post in addition to playing incredibly disruptive defense and scoring in transition. <br><br>Aaron Baynes may have had the most ridiculous line of the night, though, hitting every shot he took, grabbing 10 boards and putting up 12 points on 3-3 from the field and 6/6 from the charity stripe. The Banger has now hit 12 straight free throws across two games. You know Baynes was feeling it considering he had three turnovers and fouled out, yet finished second in AdjGS with 16.1. I'll take it. <br><br>Tony Parker was unable to carry over his momentum from Friday night's demolition of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a>, going just 3/13 from the field, but he was able to get to the rim and by the eye test looked more effective than he did the past two weeks when he appeared completely hapless out there. I think those shots will fall on most nights, so I'm not worried yet that Friday was a fluke.</p>
<h2 title='The Spurs Index is a just-for-fun formula that attempts to quantify just how "Spursy" a particular game is.'>Spurs Index: 101.0 <a style="font-size: 0.7em; font-style:italic;" href="#spursIndexDef">(def.)</a>
</h2>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><section class="stats">
<table class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover table-condensed spursIndex sbn-data-table" id="spursIndex" style="width: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Factor</b></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Value</b></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><b>Score</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td align="left" title="Assist Percentage - Assist Percentage is the percent of team's field goals made that were assisted.">Passing (AST%)</td>
<td style="color: #d9534f" align="right" title="2013-2014 Average: 62.1%">43.9%</td>
<td align="right" title="This factor accounts for 30% of the Spurs Index score">21.2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td align="left" title="Effective Field Goal Percentage - Effective Field Goal Percentage is a field goal percentage that is adjusted for made 3 pointers being 1.5 times more valuable than a 2 point shot.">Shooting (eFG%)</td>
<td align="right" title="2013-2014 Average: 53.7%">50.5%</td>
<td align="right" title="This factor accounts for 20% of the Spurs Index score">18.8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td align="left" title="Defensive Rebound Percentage - The percentage of defensive rebounds a team obtains.">Defensive Rebounding (DReb%)</td>
<td style="color: #5cb85c" align="right" title="2013-2014 Average: 76.4%">85.2%</td>
<td align="right" title="This factor accounts for 20% of the Spurs Index score">22.3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td align="left" title="Defensive Rating - The number of points allowed per 100 possessions by a team. For a player, it is the number of points per 100 possessions that the team allows while that individual player is on the court.">Defense (DefRtg)</td>
<td style="color: #5cb85c" align="right" title="2013-2014 Average: 100.1">70.1</td>
<td align="right" title="This factor accounts for 20% of the Spurs Index score">28.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td align="left" title="The percentage of opponent's Field Goal Attempts which are uncontested. A measure of how many open looks an opponent is afforded per possession. A contested shot is one in which a defender is within 4 feet of the shooter">Opponent % of FGA Uncontested</td>
<td align="right" title="2013-2014 Average: 40.8%">40.5%</td>
<td align="right" title="This factor accounts for 10% of the Spurs Index score">10.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td colspan="2" align="left"><b>Total</b></td>
<td align="right"><strong>101.0</strong></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</section></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Suns Spurs Index: 86.6 <a id="showOpponentSpursIndex" href="#" style="font-size: 0.8em;">Show Breakdown</a>
</h4>
<p>Absolutely dominant defense and great rebounding, along with solid shooting made this a net plus in the Spurs Index. Interestingly, the Spurs were less impressive was in the assist percentage department, with a mere 43.9% of the Spurs field goals coming off of assists. The Spurs also passed the ball a little bit less in this one, at just 3.2 passes/possession, but I think that part of that can be explained by a combination of the Spurs finding <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/british-open">the open</a> early in the possession, and it seemed like a lot of would-be assists for the Spurs ended in hacks by overmatched Suns defenders. But hey, it's a W so I'm not going to look this beautiful gift horse in the mouth. Go Spurs Go!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><section id="definitions" style="font-style: italic;">
<p>---</p>
<p><b>Definitions</b></p>
<p id="eFGPct"><b>eFG%</b>: Effective Field Goal percentage. (<a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/glossary.html#efg_pct">via</a>) Effective Field Goal Percentage; the formula is (FG + 0.5 * 3P) / FGA. This statistic adjusts for the fact that a 3-point field goal is worth one more point than a 2-point field goal. For example, suppose Player A goes 4 for 10 with 2 threes, while Player B goes 5 for 10 with 0 threes. Each player would have 10 points from field goals, and thus would have the same effective field goal percentage (50%).</p>
<p id="adjGS"><b>AdjGS</b>: a take-off of the Game Score metric (definition <a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/glossary.html">here</a>) accepted by a lot of basketball stat nerds. It takes points, assists, rebounds (offensive & defensive), steals, blocks, turnovers and fouls into account to determine an individual's "score" for a given game. The "adjustment" in Adjusted Game Score is simply matching the total game scores to the total points scored in the game, thereby redistributing the game's points scored to those who had the biggest impact on the game itself, instead of just how many balls a player put through a basket.</p>
<p id="usageRate"><b>Usage%</b>: This "estimates the % of team possessions a player consumes while on the floor" (<a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog/?p=1120">via</a>). The usage of those possessions is determined via a formula using field goal and free throw attempts, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. The higher the number, the more prevalent a player is (good or bad) in a team's offensive outcome.</p>
<p id="floorPct"><b>Floor%</b>: Via <a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog/?p=1120">Basketball-Reference.com</a>: Floor % answers the question, "when Player X uses a possession, what is the probability that his team scores at least 1 point?". The higher the Floor%, the more frequently the team probably scores when the given player is involved.</p>
<p id="offRtg"><b>Offensive Rating (offRtg)</b>: Points per 100 possessions.</p>
<p id="defRtg"><b>Defensive Rating (defRtg)</b>: Points allowed per 100 possessions.</p>
<p id="spursIndexDef"><b>Spurs Index</b>: The Spurs Index © is a just-for-fun formula that attempts to quantify just how "Spursy" a particular game is, based off averages for the 2013-2014 regular season. A perfectly average game would have a Spurs Index of 100. The formula consists of four factors which the Spurs are known for and lead or nearly lead the league in: Shooting (effective Field Goal %), Passing (Assist percentage), Defensive Rebounding Rate, and Defensive Rating. These metrics are weighted as follows:</p>
<table class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover table-condensed sbn-data-table" style="width: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr style="font-weight: bold;" class="ui-state-even">
<td>Factor</td>
<td>Weight</td>
<td>Average</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Passing (AST%)</td>
<td>30%</td>
<td>62.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Shooting (eFG%)</td>
<td>20%</td>
<td>53.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Defensive Rebounding (DReb%)</td>
<td>20%</td>
<td>76.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Defense (DefRtg)</td>
<td>20%</td>
<td>100.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Opponent % of FGA Uncontested</td>
<td>10%</td>
<td>40.8%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The values for each metric are determined based on how a particular game's performance compares to the Spurs 2013-2014 regular season average for that metric. For instance, the average effective Field Goal percentage for 2013-2014 was 53.7%. So if the Spurs shot 60% in a given game, the score for eFG% would be calculated by: (0.6 / 0.537) * 20, which would yield a "score" for that factor of 22.3.</section></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p id="credits">Special thanks to:</p>
<ul>
<li> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Bill%20C.">Bill Connelly</a> over at our sister blog <a href="http://rockmnation.com">Rock M Nation</a>, for the idea for Study Hall (and many of the stats and definitions)</li>
<li> <a href="https://github.com/nickb1080">Nick Bottomley</a>, whose <a href="https://github.com/nickb1080/nba">nba stats API project</a> made it possible to automate the statistical breakdowns for every game</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>
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https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/3/1/8129055/study-hall-spurs-black-out-the-suns-with-oppressive-defense
BrettJones
2015-03-01T00:21:22-06:00
2015-03-01T00:21:22-06:00
Spurs' defense leads them to 101-74 blowout win
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zB455nYqv0qjTVnVFuRxfZlk4l0=/0x0:3254x2169/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45793764/usa-today-8413339.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Spurs controlled the last game of the Rodeo Road Trip from start to finish thanks to a throwback defensive performance.</p> <p>I wasn't confident about the <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a>' chances against the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> on Saturday. The Suns had beaten the <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Thunder</a> on their last outing while San Antonio had a hard time dispatching a <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kings</a> team missing DeMarcus Cousins. An early lead for the Suns -- which I was expecting -- could lead Pop to throw in the towel, knowing his players were looking forward to returning home. Boy, was I wrong.</p>
<p>It was the perfect beginning of a second game of a back-to-back for the Spurs. The momentum from the win against the Kings clearly carried over, as the Spurs looked more in rhythm than their opponents. Splitter, who started for the second time in a row after coming off the bench a few times, was great on both ends early and <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> kept <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> in check. The defense in general was on point in the first quarter, holding the Suns to a 19 percent field goal percentage, which was necessary since the Spurs' long range troubles continued. As promising as that first quarter was, at that point it looked like a game from earlier in the year, when the Spurs would survive thanks to their defense despite not being as good as they can be on offense.</p>
<p>The bench came in with a lead for once and did what it used to do last season: build on it until there was enough separation to control the tempo. As great as <span>Aron Baynes</span> was at scoring the ball (10 first half points) and <span>Manu Ginobili</span> at dishing dimes (five after two quarters), the key to the Spurs' success continued to be their defense. The Suns, a team that averages 46.5 percent from the floor and scores 1.06 points per possession shot 18 percent or an estimated 0.5 points per possession. The Spurs were as active as they've been this season on that end, with everyone doing their job. It was the lowest scoring first half in Suns history and while they obviously missed some shots they typically make, the Spurs deserve a lot of credit for their struggles.</p>
<p>The only thing threatening an easy win after a great first half performance was the Spurs' tendency to come out of the locker room for the second half flat. A 27-point lead can easily turn into a 17-point lead, which can then be chipped away at until going into the final quarter a runaway game turns into a back-and-forth affair. The Spurs were having none of that, coming off the break focused and first holding on to the lead and then extending it to 34 points. It was such a dominant defensive performance that it didn't matter that Tony Parker and <span>Patty Mills</span> weren't hitting shots. The Spurs broke the Suns' spirit en route to a lopsided win on the road.</p>
<p>The Spurs finished the Rodeo Road Trip with four wins and five losses, the worst result in the traditional away stretch's history. Yet as depressing as those losses were, the team finally showed a pulse late. The mystique surrounding the nine-game road trip is based around the Spurs finding their postseason form. It's possible it took longer this year but they might be finally there. Of course the victories over the Kings and Suns could be just a mirage. Fortunately, there's a six-game homestead ahead in which we'll likely find some answers.</p>
<h3>Game notes</h3>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span>Leonard had a terrific game. In the past he would let his offensive performance dictate his defensive focus and that's a huge problem for a player who makes a difference by affecting the game on both ends. That wasn't a problem this time, as Leonard would seemingly come after it harder on defense after a miss. Kawhi finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds but also three steals and two blocks. That type of stat-stuffing is what the Spurs need from him.<br><br></span></li>
<li><span><span>Tony Parker</span> continued to struggle. He scored six points on 13 shots and logged only two assists in 22 minutes. At least this time he was aggressive, taking open mid-range jumpers when they were there and trying to force his way to the rim. I prefer Parker taking 13 shots trying to make something happen than for him to take five while trying to stay out of the way. <br><br></span></li>
<li><span>Ginobili and Duncan had good games, despite not scoring much. They combined for only eight points but had 14 rebounds and eight assists. The most important thing is they played under 21 minutes and they will have three days off to recover physically. <br><br></span></li>
<li><span><span>Danny Green</span> and <span>Boris Diaw</span> were arguably the two role players that were disappointing the most recently. They stopped that trend in this game. Green was perfect from the floor and the free throw line in the first half for 12 points and Diaw came alive in the second to secure the win with his aggressiveness.<br><br></span></li>
<li><span><span>Tiago Splitter</span> was terrific to start the game but Aron Baynes finished with the more impressive stat line. The Big Banger logged a double double in under 20 minutes and his burly frame and physicality elicited a <span>Bill Laimbeer</span> comparison from the Suns' broadcasters. I think Splitter should continue to start but Baynes has definitely carved out a spot for himself in the rotation.<br><br></span></li>
<li><span><span>Brandon Knight</span> had a dreadful first half and didn't play after the break due to a hip injury while Eric Bledsoe was an out-of-control disaster out there. I still think that backcourt could work. Bledsoe has to buy in and stop calling his number so often but they can both score and have some untapped potential as playmakers. I will continue to watch the Suns intently.</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>The Spurs will face the Kings in San Antonio on Wednesday. A win then could help them get their confidence up for the stretch run.</p>
<p>For the opponent's perspective, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Bright Side of the Sun.</a></p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/3/1/8127921/spurs-ride-great-defense-to-blowout-win-against-suns-101-74
Jeje Gomez
2015-02-28T22:27:51-06:00
2015-02-28T22:27:51-06:00
Final Score: Spurs destroy Suns 101-74
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/h0jYCMJcec4ybgIwuIlV7nYKvQw=/0x0:3969x2646/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45793290/usa-today-8413052.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Spurs closed the Rodeo Road Trip with a vintage defensive performance against an old rival.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> were looking to end <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/2/26/8113653/spurs-worst-rodeo-trip-chart" target="_blank">the worst Rodeo Road Trip in history</a> on a positive note after a win against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a> in Sacramento. Going into Phoenix on the second game of a back-to-back, the hope was that they wouldn't be run out of the building against a much younger and sprier team. Keeping the game close and getting a chance to win it late seemed like the best shot San Antonio had. If this season has taught us something, however, is that the Spurs don't conform to our expectations. They tightened up the screws on defense with <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> making Eric Bledsoe's life a living hell and never looked back after a dominant first half.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a> scored only 24 points during the first two quarters, while the Spurs went off for 51 on 45 percent shooting, essentially sealing the game. San Antonio didn't relent in the third quarter despite their usual struggles during that frame this season, extending the lead to 34 at one point. There simply weren't any answers from a Phoenix team that has undergone severe changes at the trade deadline. Leonard finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and three steals and <span>Marcus Morris</span> had 19 points and seven rebounds in the losing effort.</p>
<h3>Play of the game</h3>
<p>This sequence illustrates just how dominant the Spurs' defense was. Bledsoe thought Leonard was out of the play only to find him coming from behind to send his shot to the third row.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="600" width="600" src="https://vine.co/v/O29uxYFmFb1/embed/simple"></iframe>
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<p>The Spurs finished the RRT with a 4-5 record and are 36-23 for the season. Now it's time to regroup. They will enjoy a six-game homestead, starting with a game against the Kings on Wednesday.</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/2/28/8128041/final-score-spurs-destroy-suns-101-74
Jeje Gomez
2015-02-28T14:28:42-06:00
2015-02-28T14:28:42-06:00
Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UKa_xBqPM-rCQfH-FkpkT5IhXXc=/0x0:5577x3718/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45791448/usa-today-8321502.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Tony Parker and the Spurs look to build momentum in tonight's game versus the Phoenix Suns.</p> <div id="preview-wrapper">
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<div id="preview-vs">
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span class="sbn-auto-link">San Antonio Spurs</span> @ Phoenix Suns</span></span></span><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span class="sbn-auto-link"></span></span><br></span></b></h3>
US Airways Center, Phonix, Arizona<br>February 28, 2015, 8:00 PM <span class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</span> Time<br> TV: KENS5, NBATV - RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI</div>
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<p>Tonight the San Antonio Spurs will play in the final game of their annual Rodeo Road Trip. This trip has been a bit of a disappointment; this is the first Rodeo Road Trip ever where San Antonio is guaranteed to finish below .500 for it. Yet, things are still somewhat positive. Following four straight losses, the silver and black finally gained some momentum last night in a sloppy win over the <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Sacramento Kings</a>. Now, in the second half of a back-to-back, they'll try to keep that good fortune going versus the Phoenix Suns.</p>
<p>This is not the same Suns team that the Spurs have faced twice already this year. At the deadline, Phoenix made some major changes at the trade deadline, dealing away two parts of their three-headed point guard attack in <span>Goran Dragic</span> and Isaiah Thomas. The only one of the original three that remains is Eric Bledsoe, who has been solid since the deadline. He's improved from one game to the next in the five matchups since the deals, and looked truly spectacular in the team's last game, a win versus the <a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oklahoma City Thunder</a>. Bledsoe had 28 points on 11-16 from the field, 13 boards, 9 assists, and even recorded 4 blocks. Bledsoe is an incredibly athletic, very dynamic guard. He thrives in Phoenix's pick-and-roll attack, and with more freedom on the floor now that there is no more logjam at point guard, he'll be sure to be more aggressive and sure of himself on the floor.</p>
<p>For the Spurs, the player to watch is Tony Parker. By now you know that Parker has struggled in what time he's been able to stay on the floor this year. He's admitted to being banged up over the course of the road trip, and has had a shooting slump that seems to be more of a mental issue. Whether his troubles lie in his body or his mind, it is clear that he's having his worse year in the league since he was 21 years old, and just hasn't looked like the Tony Parker that San Antonio needs to be a legitimate contender in the West.</p>
<p>Last night, however, Parker showed flashes of his former self. In the fourth quarter against the Kings, with the game waiting to be taken by either team, it was the 32 year old point guard that snatched it away. In that final period, Parker scored 11 of his 19 points on the night. Parker was able to get himself going on a couple hard drives to the basket. From there, he was able to dictate the rest off the game, knocking down jumpers, getting to the line, and getting the ball to teammates when the defense collapsed down on him. You could see the frustration and urgency on Parker's face the entire time. He was aching for a good performance, and dug one out of his heart. Maybe that gritty showing is what he needed to jump-start his season.</p>
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<p align="center"> </p>
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<td width="205"><center><img style="width: 120px; height: 76px;" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/gameinfo/teamlogos/PHO.gif"></center></td>
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<p align="center"><b>@</b></p>
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<td width="205"><center><img style="width: 120px; height: 76px;" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/gameinfo/teamlogos/SAS.gif"></center></td>
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<p align="center"><b>Phoenix Suns (22-16)</b></p>
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<p align="center"><b></b></p>
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<p align="center"><b>San Antonio Spurs (21-15)</b></p>
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<p align="center"><b>February 28, 2015</b></p>
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<p align="center"><b>US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ</b></p>
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<p align="center"><b>8:00 PM CDT</b></p>
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<p align="center"><b>TV: KENS 5, NBATV</b></p>
<p align="center"><b>Radio: WOAI 1200AM</b></p>
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<p align="center"><b>Starters</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;" align="right"><span>Eric Bledsoe</span></p>
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<p align="center"><b>PG</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Tony Parker</span><br></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;" align="right"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Brandon Knight</span></span></p>
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<p align="center"><b>SG</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span>Danny Green</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;" align="right"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>P.J. Tucker</span><br></span></p>
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<p align="center"><b>SF</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Kawhi Leonard</span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;" align="right"><span>Markieff Morris</span></p>
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<p align="center"><b>PF</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><span>Tim Duncan</span><br></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;" align="right"><span>Alex Len</span></p>
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<p align="center"><b>C</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span>Tiago Splitter</span></p>
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<p>For the Suns' perspective, please visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Bright Side of the Sun</a>.</p>
<p>Game prediction: Spurs by 4.</p>
<p>As always Tony must dominate Fisher, and you can get your San Antonio Spurs tickets from Daniel Farias with Spurs Sports & Entertainment: Tel: 210-444-5607 | dfarias@attcenter.com</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/2/28/8126531/game-preview-san-antonio-spurs-phoenix-suns
Ian Dougherty