Pounding The Rock - Full Coverage: San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers Game 2For all your Manu Ginobili loving and San Antonio Spurs newshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/12497/ptr-fv.jpg2015-04-23T12:10:18-05:00http://www.poundingtherock.com/rss/stream/82496622015-04-23T12:10:18-05:002015-04-23T12:10:18-05:00Every play was the game-winner
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<p>It's a self-evident truth: every point scored or given up in regulation of an overtime game was the difference in winning and losing.</p> <p>Before I started writing for PtR, I blogged about the NBA. One reason was my frustration listening to analysts spout utter nonsense. Many thanks to Charles Barkley last night for <a target="_blank" href="http://leesfakeblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/nba-playoffs-blog-revisited.html">reminding me of my roots</a>.</p>
<p>Before the Spurs - Clips last night, Chuck mumbled something that sounded like he thought the Clippers would blow out the Spurs in Game Two. Hey, we all make bad predictions - and I would not comment except for his half-time "analysis" where he offered these nuggets:</p>
<p>"The Spurs want to walk it up court."</p>
<p>"The Spurs don't want a fast pace, they want it methodical."</p>
<p>I don't think Chuck actually watches the Spurs play.</p>
<p>Here are some other observations comments from last night's very exciting game:</p>
<p>1. Try as they might, parents who coach their kid's teams tend to overreact when the referees don't make a call when the coach thinks that <i>his kid </i>just got fouled. What is true in youth leagues turned out to be true in an NBA playoff game. Doc Rivers' minimally talented son missed a shot at one end, and the son's father thought it should have been called a foul. That father happened to be the coach of the Clippers, which led to Joey Crawford T'ing him up. Marco Belinelli made the free throw, giving the Spurs a point. (We will ignore the fact that Joey chose to call the T right as the Spurs were about to get an open 3 - the Spurs 32% from 3 for the game indicates they likely would have missed anyway.) Nonetheless, that single point from that father-son technical cost the Clippers the game. By definition, <u>every</u> point scored or given up in an overtime game was the difference in winning and losing. Also recall that JJ Redick, a 91% free throw shooter, later missed his technical free throw - also costing the Clippers the game.</p>
<p>2. At halftime, Barkley announced that "no one on the Spurs can guard Blake Griffin". In fact, the Spurs have one guy who does a great job on Blake. I told many people before the series that Tiago Splitter's availability was a key to the series, for that reason. Last night, Tiago was able to gut out 19 minutes, twice his minutes in Game One. And while Blake had a great game, very few of his points came when Splitter was covering him.</p>
<p>3. Two other Blake Griffin comments. First, at one point, the Clippers ran a pick and roll, the Spurs switched, and Tony Parker wound up covering Blake on the free throw line. The Oui Frenchman has as much chance of covering Blake as you or I do. Nonetheless, Blake kicked the ball to Matt Barnes in the corner - who amazingly decided to chuck up a (bricked) three instead of returning the ball to the Blake - TP matchup. Even though that play happened in the first half, I said to myself at that moment "That stupid shot may wind up costing the Clippers the game". Based on the "every point decides the game" analysis above, I was right.</p>
<p>Second Blake comment: Wow, he played great, including some excellent passes which led to a well-deserved triple double. Nonetheless, his two late turnovers meant that Blake spent the post-game declaring, with some accuracy, that he cost his team the game. On the turnover at the end of regulation: I don't think Blake has been in that moment very often. CP3 normally has the ball in that situation - and the situation may have swallowed Blake like the whale and Jonah. Especially after a loss, players (and coaches) remember the mistakes more than all the wonderful good things that happened - and there were many of them in a game that was both exciting and well-played by both teams.</p>
<p>4. Former Claremont Stag Player of the Year, all-around good guy and basketball savant Henry Albrecht, sent me the following question this morning:</p>
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<p>"Coach,<br> Because you are smart, please analyze this. If DeAndre makes 8 of 20 free throws, but the Clips get 50% of the available offensive rebounds (which they seem to do with such colossal bricks and focused effort on the expected misses), does hack-a-D "work"?"</p>
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<p>Even though I am not as smart as Henry thinks, I knew the answer to his question: Nope. My other question - if the Spurs are doing the Hack-a-D thing while they are <i>ahead</i> in the game, as they did last night in the 4th<sup> </sup>quarter, why not let the clock run a bit before fouling? Several times last night, the Spurs fouled Jordan off the ball with 23 seconds on the shot clock.</p>
<p>5. Spurs bench was huge, Clips bench was not. As noted earlier, the Spurs bench plays well because they all know they will get a chance to play. In the first half alone, 11 Spurs played, essentially everyone except Aron Baynes. Not coincidentally, the Spurs bench outscored the Clippers bench 48 -17. The only Clipper non-starter who ever plays meaningful minutes is Jamal Crawford, who does only one thing well - shoot the ball. When he goes 4 for 13 overall, and 1 for 7 from three, he doesn't help them much.</p>
<p>6. The long and the short of it? Big Timmy Duncan and little Patty Mills. Your efforts were much appreciated by a grateful Spurs Nation.</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/4/23/8483671/nba-playoffs-spurs-vs-clippers-every-play-game-winnerLee Dresie2015-04-23T08:06:43-05:002015-04-23T08:06:43-05:00Spurs outlast Clippers in Game 2
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<figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The series will head back to San Antonio tied 1-1, with the Spurs in firm control. Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, and Patty Mills will be hoping home court can reawaken some of their teammates.</p> <p>"Bleary eyes, full hearts, didn't lose." - <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a>day Morning Lights</p>
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<p>The Spurs ultimately prevailed 111- 107 against the <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Clippers</a> in Game 2, but needed overtime after a back-and-forth battle that spilled into the wee hours of Thursday morning. After a 9:30 (Spurs Time) tip, some fans may have fallen asleep before the game reached its frenetic conclusion. Down the stretch, the Spurs blew a double-digit lead in the final 6 minutes and their 1-6 overtime record certainly couldn't offer solace. <span>Tony Parker</span> went to the locker room with an injury, <span>Manu Ginobili</span> fouled out, <span>Tim Duncan</span> picked up his fifth foul with more than three minutes left, and the Spurs were hacking <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> to bring the game to a snail's pace.</p>
<p>But for those who stuck around to the finish (zombie-eyed though they may be the next morning), a classic win was witnessed with heroic performances; two from the Usual Suspects and one from further...Down Under.</p>
<p>Tim Duncan was <a href="http://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/4/23/8477483/theres-no-such-thing-as-vintage-tim-duncan-theres-just-tim-duncan">consistent enough to set your watch by</a>, with 28 points on 14-for-23 shooting and 11 rebounds. Though he will be turning 39 shortly after Friday's Game 3, at least one teammate isn't sure if he is aging at all.</p>
<p>"To me he's getting younger" said <span>Boris Diaw</span>.</p>
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<p><i>(Tim would've "broke the internet" if that shot clock desperation 3-pointer went in)</i></p>
<p>For all of the advanced metrics and beautiful advances in offense that the Spurs have helped usher in, the most effective method in Game 2 was often to dump it into Duncan and watch in amazement. It was a bit more nuanced than "<a style="background-color: #ffffff;" target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk_o5dk8EVc">4 Down for What</a>," but he was by far the best player on the floor for each of his 44 minutes. He had his way with <a href="http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/13/cool-story-glenn-doc-rivers-makes-uninformed-case-for-deandre-jordan-as-defensive-player-of-the-year/" target="_blank">Defensive Player of the Year candidate</a> DeAndre Jordan in the post, and though the Jordan block late in the game will make the highlights, it was the exception rather than the rule (which might be a decent metaphor for the Clippers in general).</p>
<p>Who took the reigns as the Spurs' second best player fluctuated throughout the night nearly as much as the boxscore, but down the final stretch it was certainly <span>Patty Mills</span>. He scored (his first) six points in the final 34 seconds of the third quarter, came in for an injured Parker with five minutes left, and didn't do much until icing a pair of pressure-cooker free throws to send the game to overtime. He then proceeded to score 8 of the Spurs 17 overtime points, including the final four after three pointers from <span>Chris Paul</span> and <span>J.J. Redick</span> kept the Clippers in the game. It has taken the better part of a year, but Mills seems to be fully recovered and to have found his 2014 Playoff form.</p>
<p>Though quiet for periods, <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> shined at all the right moments and had the highlight-of-the night (<span>Blake Griffin</span> be damned).</p>
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<p>Kawhi. Redick. Ankles. Broken. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Spurs?src=hash">#Spurs</a> <a href="https://t.co/1sf8HHXbiD">https://t.co/1sf8HHXbiD</a></p>
— J.R. Wilco (@jollyrogerwilco) <a href="https://twitter.com/jollyrogerwilco/status/591101597310185472">April 23, 2015</a>
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<p>He just missed a double-double with 23 points and 9 rebounds, but didn't play quite to the superstar level he's reached in recent weeks. He can, and in my opinion, will be better. The reassuring thing for the Spurs is that outside of Duncan and Mills, every other player can be quite a bit better. Manu and Boris had a few really solid stretches and <span>Marco Belinelli</span> was as determined on the defensive end as we've seen in a while, but this was Spurs at maybe 80% capacity.</p>
<p>The Clippers should be a bit more worried as their "Big 2 and DeAndre" played fantastic (70 points, 35 rebounds, 18 assists), but still came up short. Reddick looked better and Barnes contributed in the only way he knows how--being a troll--but this team will need either the <a href="http://grantland.com/the-triangle/i-was-sort-of-a-prick-j-j-redick-on-playing-j-j-redick/" target="_blank">2nd Most Hated Blue Devil</a> or <span>Jamal Crawford</span> to explode every game that they hope to compete with a competent Spurs team. If the Spurs continue to improve from their awful Game 1 performance, the Clippers may have trouble seeing this series to six games.</p>
<p>If Tony Parker can come back healthy and play even 75% of how he did in his better games this season, the Spurs may see it out in 5. He has been a virtually non-existent 4-of-17 while playing 58 minutes.</p>
<h3>Game Notes</h3>
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<li><span>This is playoff basketball; there are no more minutes restrictions. 82 games had nearly made me forget what it feels like to look up and see both Duncan and Kawhi (and Boris) on the court nearly every time (44, 39, and 37 minutes, respectively). Nonetheless, the Clippers lack of a rotation, both throughout the entire season and especially in a grueling playoff series, may spell their downfall.</span></li>
<li> <span>The Spurs shot much better than Game 1 (even with an improved 2nd half, it was their </span><a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/tgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&lg_id=NBA&year_min=1998&year_max=2015&team_id=SAS&opp_id=&is_playoffs=Y&round_id=&best_of=&team_seed_cmp=eq&team_seed=&opp_seed_cmp=eq&opp_seed=&is_range=N&game_num_type=team&game_num_min=&game_num_max=&game_month=&game_location=&game_result=&is_overtime=&c1stat=fg_pct&c1comp=lt&c1val=.390&c2stat=&c2comp=gt&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=pts" target="_blank">12th worst playoff FG%</a><span> in the Duncan era), but still have huge areas for improvement. Not only do they shoot objectively better at home, but the team shot 41% outside of Duncan, with dozens of wide open looks unconverted. </span> </li>
<li><span><span>Tiago Splitter</span>, ever the box score anomaly, shouldn't be undervalued after Game 2. He doubled his minutes from 10 to nearly 20, and should benefit from any rest the playoff schedule affords. The Spurs are a different team when he is on the court. Though Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan combined for 49 points, most of those came on account of Boris Diaw having a more "horizontal" game to their vertical. Splitter should see his minutes continue to increase and will be ever important. Especially since the coach seems to only trust three big men at the moment.</span></li>
<li><span>There is something, or really a lot of things, to be said for Gregg Popovich. Some of his in game tactics have proven to be at best mortal, if not downright puzzling, but his overall philosophy is incomparable. His dedication to developing guys 8,9,10, and so on down the bench has been just as significant as the "Big 3." Spurs role players simply continue to rotate in and out, popping up endlessly and ceaselessly. Like a whack-a-mole game that runs on whatever the thing is that will outlive electricity.</span></li>
<li><span>If last night happens 15 more times in these playoffs, the Spurs will float down a river and there won’t be a single person there to celebrate. Is a city-wide epidemic of cardiac arrest worth it, Spurs? Why not just go back to blowing teams out and setting records for margin of victory. It's easier on the heart.</span></li>
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<p>The playoffs will come to San Antonio on Friday. After both teams appeared to be running on fumes in the fourth quarter and overtime, the two-day layoff with travel may favor the home team (who happen to be the significantly deeper team as well).</p>
<p>For the opponent's perspective, visit our friends over at <a href="http://www.clipsnation.com/">Clips Nation</a>.</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/4/23/8477341/nba-playoffs-2015-spurs-outlast-clippers-in-game-2Kyle Carpenter2015-04-23T02:45:40-05:002015-04-23T02:45:40-05:00Was that vintage Tim? Nah, just Tim Duncan.
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<figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Big Fun turns 39 on Saturday. Pounding the Rock celebrates the Spurs' win over the Clippers in Game 2 with a highlight mix of Tim "Stone Buddha" Duncan. </p> <p>Tim Duncan, without question the greatest power forward of all time and on his way to best-big-man-of-all-time status, played one hell of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second game of their first round series. The legend will turn 39 on the 25th and he led the Spurs to their win over the Clips with 28 points, 11 boards, four assists, two steals and a block. It is completely absurd that he is still doing what he is doing on the biggest basketball stage in the world at his age.</p>
<p>Coming into these playoffs he was already the all-time leader in playoff minutes and blocks. He's also fifth in scoring, third in rebounding and fourth in games played. He's got nothing left to prove to anyone. He's the greatest player of his generation and he's led his team to contention for 18 years. There's nothing left to say about the man. He's beyond words.</p>
<p>Let's celebrate Tim and his great game with a highlight reel to Medeski, Martin and Wood's version of the "ESPN Sportscenter Theme"</p>
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https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/4/23/8477483/theres-no-such-thing-as-vintage-tim-duncan-theres-just-tim-duncanChris Itz2015-04-23T01:24:58-05:002015-04-23T01:24:58-05:00Final Score: Spurs get it done, win 111-107
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<figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Well, we got a great basketball game in Game 2. It was easily the best game of the playoffs so far and the good guys pulled out a win without Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili in overtime. </p> <p>I'm way too pumped up to give any kind of objective analysis of this game. All I know is that Tim Duncan is truly amazing. If you watched the game you know this, but I'm going to say it anyway -- Tim Duncan is unreal, he's still one of the greatest players in the world 18 years into his career and I don't know what the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> are going to do without him.</p>
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<p>That was a heartbreaking loss for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clipper</a>s, because they took a late lead after being down by 10 points halfway into the fourth. If you're a believer in a team having a hard time coming back in a series after a tough home loss, it doesn't look good for the Clips. Pop employed the hack-a strategy late in the game and while <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> missed most of his free throws in the game, the strategy took the Spurs out of their game as well. The Clippers went on a 9-0 run while the Spurs intentionally fouled Jordan before a <span>Boris Diaw</span> tip gave the Spurs a 90-87 lead with three minutes to play in regulation.</p>
<p>The momentum slowly shifted in favor of the Clippers as the lead dwindled and <span>Manu Ginobili</span> picked up his sixth foul while stopping an LA fast break after he turned the ball over. The Spurs then did just enough to get the game to overtime.</p>
<p>It didn't look particularly good for the Spurs going into overtime without Manu Ginobili and <span>Tony Parker</span>, who left the game with a sore achilles, as well as five fouls on Tim.</p>
<p>But the team found a way to pull out a win with good defense and great play from <span>Patty Mills</span>, who I like to think balled out for his countryman, Aron Baynes. The little Aussie dropped in eight for the good guys in overtime on their way to an even series.</p>
<p>I'm not sure the Spurs needed to win this one as much as the Clippers needed to not lose it, but either way, it's a good win for fans of the Silver and Black.</p>
<h4>Pop Quote:</h4>
<p>Asked about <span>Tim Duncan's</span> incredible performance.</p>
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<p>He was probably our best player in Game 1, too. Its nothing different for Timmy...He continues to amaze me.</p>
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<h4>GIF of the Night:</h4>
<p>It was really hard to narrow this one down and this may not have been your pick with so many great late game plays happening, but I have a soft spot for Boris and this pass is truly phenomenal. There will be plenty more in the GIF Breakdown tomorrow.</p>
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<h4>Up Next:</h4>
<p>The Spurs will host the Clips on Friday night in the AT&T Center. Now that the Spurs have home-court advantage in the series, they'll need to protect it. A 2-1 lead would give the Spurs a firm grip on the series.</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/4/23/8473995/final-scoreChris Itz2015-04-22T14:57:26-05:002015-04-22T14:57:26-05:003 reasons why Game 2 isn't a "must win" for Spurs
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<figcaption>Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>But they should probably try to win anyway. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a>, as you're probably aware, have a pretty big game coming up tonight. It feels like the proverbial "must win" as NBA teams that win their first two home games in a best-of-seven series are <a href="http://www.whowins.com/tables/up20.html">219-13 (.944)</a>. However, despite the doom-and-gloom of <a href="http://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/4/20/8458747/spurs-clippers-nba-playoffs-tony-parker">this column</a>, I don't subscribe to a desperate point of view just yet. For one, I generally believe in the cliche that a playoff series doesn't start until someone loses a home game. Also, as Spurs fans we've seen them come back from an 0-2 deficit fairly recently, in the<a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2008_WCS_SAS-NOH.html"> semi-finals against Chris Paul's New Orleans Hornets in 2008</a>, and we've seen them blow a 2-0 lead, in the <a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2012_WCF_OKC-SAS.html">Western Conference Finals against the Thunder in 2012</a>.</p>
<p>Here are three reasons to remain optimistic, even if the Spurs lose tonight:</p>
<p><b>1) They're the deeper team.</b></p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a>, as we've seen, are basically a six-man team. <span>Doc Rivers</span> plays Paul, <span>Blake Griffin</span> and <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> to death, while <span>Jamal Crawford</span> rotates with <span>Matt Barnes</span> and <span>J.J. Redick</span>. Glen Davis and <span>Austin Rivers</span> get some spot minutes, but nothing significant. Fatigue won't be an issue for them early on, but the longer the series goes, the more it will be a factor, especially if each game in the series winds up being close and prevents Rivers from using his reserves. (In this sense the Spurs winning their home games in blowout fashion could actually backfire on them.) By game 6 or 7, I have a hard time imagining that the Clippers will have the same legs to execute their manic switching on defense, to run in transition and to finish off their jumpers. It's just a matter of getting them deep in a series.</p>
<p><b>2) They're the smarter team. </b></p>
<p><span>Gregg Popovich</span> always talks about the Spurs "corporate knowledge" and here we'll see its application. The Spurs have played a million games together, in every situation. Almost everyone on the roster has an above-average basketball I.Q. The more they play somebody, the more they'll individually and collectively figure out their tendencies on either end of the floor and formulate strategies to counter them. Having a deeper roster will also serve them well in this regard. Popovich simply has more options to make adjustments with than Rivers does. Eventually they'll figure out the weak links in the Clippers defense. L.A. finished 15th in defensive rating for a reason, after all.</p>
<p><b>3) They're the mentally stronger team.</b></p>
<p>This is not the same thing as being smarter, mind you. It's being more willful, stubborn and focused. The Clippers, as we've seen countless times, are front-runners. They're fine as long as they're leading in games or series. Hand them a loss or two though and they start questioning Rivers, start questioning each other, start questioning themselves. They went up 2-0 on Memphis in the first round in 2013 and <a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2013_WC1_MEM-LAC.html">lost four straight after that</a>. In a 2-2 series in the semi-finals against OKC last year, Paul <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT55zpjT0v4">threw away the win</a> with a handful of bonehead plays. The Spurs are capable of self-destructing in any one game too, of course, but they've shown time and again they're better about putting such anomalies behind them and moving forward. The longer the series goes, the more they'll have the mental edge and the likelier the Clippers will fold when things get tight.</p>
<p>It won't be the end of the world if the Spurs lose tonight, but if they feel like winning and making all this moot, I certainly won't mind.</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/4/22/8469519/3-reasons-why-game-2-isnt-a-must-win-for-the-spursMichael Erler2015-04-22T02:00:02-05:002015-04-22T02:00:02-05:00Game 2 Preview: Spurs at Clippers
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<figcaption>Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A cold shooting night and dominant performances from LA's stars doomed the Spurs in Game 1. They have another crack at stealing home court advantage tonight before the series swings to the Alamo City. </p> <div style="background-image: url(http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/836193/spurs-background.jpg); height: 300px; border-top-left-radius: 15px; border-top-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-right-radius: 15px; border-bottom-left-radius: 15px; background-position: 50% -40px;" id="preview-wrapper">
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<h3><b>San Antonio Spurs @ <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Clippers</a></b></h3>
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA<br>April 22, 2015, 9:30 PM Spurs Time<br>TV: TNT - RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI</div>
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<p>The Spursmobile wheezed, sputtered and stalled coming out the gate to commence the 2015 Playoffs, looking unlike the well-oiled machine it had appeared the last month of the regular season. Alongside it at the starting line was a newer, red-and-blue model, whose muscle might finally be matching its long-regarded sheen.</p>
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<p>Inside a Staples Center that could've been mistaken for Oracle Arena by its atmosphere, the Spurs seemed overmatched by LA's younger stars. <span>Blake Griffin</span> may <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXNhwvyglYA">ride Kias into battle</a> when he's off the court, but on the court he resembled something with a few more horses under the hood. He consistently found himself in situations where he had his man more or less one on one, and that's a scenario that will usually have but one outcome for San Antonio -- especially if <span>Tiago Splitter</span> is not that man.</p>
<p>And then there's <span>Chris Paul</span>, who showed why he's every bit a top-five MVP candidate this season. He's the reason Griffin often found himself in advantageous positions, and the sight of the diminutive point guard coming around a pick and roll will justifiably incite anxiety in Spurs fans every time it happens. He outshone <span>Tony Parker</span> in every way and, for good measure, laid a dubiously incidental knee into the Frenchman's leg trying to go through a screen.</p>
<p>Parker's obviously not 100%, and that's a problem. It's no coincidence that the Spurs offense finally looked like itself this season when he did and, even with Kawhi playing out of his mind, this team can't produce at the same level without Tony. Tiago's health will also loom over the Spurs once again. When near full strength, he stifles pick and rolls better than anyone in a black jersey. But Splitter didn't look himself in Game 1, and it's hard to know what to expect after three days' rest.</p>
<p>Really though, this series is still in San Antonio's hands. There are adjustments to be made on both sides of the ball, and it's always a plus when the man making them is Gregg Popovich.</p>
<p>More shots will fall tonight -- certainly from the free-throw line. The impact that has on the way the offense flows could be enough itself to put the Spurs over the top tonight, but the Spurs coach won't leave it at that of course.</p>
<p>San Antonio will need to be ready for more double-teams (and perhaps false ones) thrown at Kawhi tonight. He wasn't decisive when pressured in Game 1 and it often ended with a bad shot late in the shot clock. Selective traps and different defensive looks will be a part of Doc's scheme, but hard cuts and good passing should win out.</p>
<p>The Spurs can also improve their transition defense. Some of that, again, will come naturally by limiting turnovers (15 last game) and hitting the offensive glass less. But it'll certainly be something Pop will have discussed earlier this week, and I expect the first Hail Mary pass that results in a Clippers bucket will be followed by an unpleasant timeout.</p>
<p>The defensive strategy to contain Paul will change in Game 2 -- it has to. If I knew precisely what that was going to be, I'd be a late-night psychic (and if I claimed to be, I could probably still <a target="_blank" href="http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-case-studies/draft-3-0-the-sacramento-kings-crowdsource-the-draft%E2%80%8F/">get a job with the Sacramento Kings</a>). But I'd be surprised to see Tony start on him again tonight. The experiment with Kawhi defending CP3 didn't last long, nor did it look particularly good, but I'd be willing to give it another early go to see if there's anything to it. If Kawhi gives Paul a little more space than he did previously, he could make up for Paul's speed advantage and still be able to close in on any shots from deep using his length.</p>
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<p>There are reasons to be skeptical: legitimate health concerns, a disadvantage at the most important position in the game, and an opponent strategy that's making the most of both. But as always, there are also reasons to be optimistic -- optimistic that Danny Green will find his stroke again, that Jamal Crawford's will regress to what it had been, and that one particular Spur will find it in his amiable, Australian affection to put a Clipper on his damn behind the next time he gets challenged for possession or met at the rim.</p>
<p>Oh, and there's this:</p>
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<p>The Spurs also lost their first playoff game in 2003, 2005 and 2007. They won the championship each of those seasons.</p>
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/590022128256286720">April 20, 2015</a>
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<p>Go Spurs go.</p>
<p>Matchup to watch: Chris Paul vs...</p>
<p><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MrTsuvykUZk" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
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<table cellspacing="5" cellpadding="5" border="1" align="center" class="sbnu-legacy-content-table">
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<th bgcolor="silver" align="center" colspan="3">Game 2, Western Conference 1st Round, 2015 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Playoffs</a> </th>
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<td width="240"><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>
<th width="20" align="center">@</th>
<td width="240"><center><img style="width: 120px; height: 76px;" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/gameinfo/teamlogos/lac.gif"></center></td>
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<td width="240">
<center>Regular Season: 55-27 (22-19 road)</center> <center>Playoffs: 0-1 (0-1 away)</center>
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<th width="20" align="center"><br></th>
<td width="240">
<center>Regular Season: 56-26 (30-11 home)</center> <center>Playoffs: 1-0 (1-0 home)</center>
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<td bgcolor="silver" align="center" colspan="3"><b>April 22, 2015</b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA</b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>9:30 pm CST</b></td>
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<td align="center" colspan="3"><b>TV: TNT - Radio: 1200 WOAI</b></td>
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<th bgcolor="silver" align="center" colspan="3"><b>Starters</b></th>
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<td width="240" align="right">Tony Parker</td>
<th width="20" align="center">PG</th>
<td width="240">Chris Paul</td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><span>Danny Green</span></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SG</th>
<td width="240"><span>J.J. Redick</span></td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><span>Kawhi Leonard</span></td>
<th width="20" align="center">SF</th>
<td width="240"><span>Matt Barnes</span></td>
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<td width="240" align="right">Tiago Splitter</td>
<th width="20" align="center">PF</th>
<td width="240">Blake Griffin</td>
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<td width="240" align="right"><span>Tim Duncan</span></td>
<th width="20" align="center">C</th>
<td width="240"><span>DeAndre Jordan</span></td>
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<th bgcolor="silver" align="center" colspan="3"><b>Advanced Stats</b></th>
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<td width="240" align="right">93.8 (17th)</td>
<th width="20" align="center">Pace</th>
<td width="240">94.7 (10th)</td>
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<td width="240" align="right">108.5 (7th)</td>
<th width="20" align="center">ORtg</th>
<td width="240">112.4 (1st)</td>
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<td width="240" align="right">102.4 (2nd)</td>
<th width="20" align="center">DRtg</th>
<td width="240">105.5 (15th)</td>
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<th height="20" bgcolor="silver" colspan="3"></th>
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<p>The perspective of Clippers fans can be found here: <a href="https://www.clipsnation.com" target="_blank">Clips Nation</a>.</p>
<p>Game Prediction: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> by 5. Let it ride.</p>
<p>As always <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" target="_blank" href="http://www.poundingtherock.com/pages/ptr-lexicon#tonydominatefisher" title="In a completely understandable mistake, CapHill, while creating a Game Preview, used a prior preview for a Lakers game as a template, and neglected to delete all of the previous player specific details. As a result, the preview read that one of the keys to the game was 'Tony Parker needs to dominate [Derek] Fisher' in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. Cap has since embraced this particular gaffe, but it's original glory can no longer be seen since Tim C. gallantly edited the page. So all that remains are our references to it.">Tony must dominate Fisher</a>, and you can get your San Antonio Spurs tickets from Daniel Farias with Spurs Sports & Entertainment:</p>
<p>Tel: 210-444-5607 | dfarias@attcenter.com</p>
https://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/4/22/8463299/game-2-preview-san-antonio-spurs-at-los-angeles-clippersBrunoPassos