Given Golden State’s chaotic style, you never expect a game against the Warriors to be evocative of all the things that plague a team. But lo and behold, last night’s contest offered a textbook primer for what has ailed San Antonio in recent weeks. I’m not going to complain too much, since we got the [...]
The straw is not Matt Bonner. But roll with me for a second. Matt Bonner leads the team with a positive +/- of 231. Alongside Tony Parker, he makes up the other half of San Antonio’s best 2 player combo. Bonner is, not surprisingly, also part of the team’s first and third most effective 3 [...]
The Spurs bid for a 5th championship stalled last season right about the time Manu Ginobili injured his ankle. At two-thirds strength, the Spurs were still able to fight into the WCF, but, as you remember, with little success thereafter. Without Ginobili, the Spurs were no match for the Lakers. Since the final buzzer of [...]
As one wit put it, watching the Spurs close out this season is a like watching a helicopter land sideways. Touchdown is imminent, but it might get messy. The Spurs are hobbled by injury. They’ve given away games to the Thunder and Celtics. In each case, the game was lost by uncharacteristically bad execution down [...]
Last week, Gregg Popovich said that he’d start to worry if Manu Ginobili was not back to practice by today. Spursdotcom just updated its Twitter with this line: “Manu just threw down a dunk in running through offensive sets. Nice” Nice, indeed. Update: Spurs.com has done a fantastic job of delivering behind the scenes content [...]
Tim Duncan has not looked himself over the last few games, so much so that Gregg Popovich kept him out of the Timberwolves game. Undoubtedly, this has everything to do with the weariness associated with right quad tendonosis. I’m all for Popovich resting Duncan as much as needed between now and the playoffs. I’m fine, [...]
A slice of processed cheese on a cat head and the word “FAIL.” That’s how Graydon summed up last night’s effort against the Thunder. Absurd, yes. But right on the mark. For me, the loss gives rise to an ugly two-headed ambivalence. The Spurs are a team whose fortunes tightrope the 3 point line. Their [...]
The Spurs had no business winning last night’s game. The loss was deserved. The Lakers buried the Spurs in the first quarter, outscoring the home team 35 -17 and crushing them on the glass. In the opening quarter alone, the Lakers grabbed 4 offensive rebounds. Of those 4, 3 boards led to immediate baskets. And [...]
Better late than never. Last night the Spurs defeated the Bobcats in San Antonio to sweep the season series 2-0. For 3 1/2 quarters Charlotte put up a good fight but a lockdown defensive stand by the Spurs to close the game brought us the win. For the second game in a row Ime Udoka [...]
The Spurs defeated the Suns in San Antonio this afternoon, 103-98. The game unfolded in a rather predictable manner, given the absence of Amare Stoudemire and the Suns’ return to a fast-paced, relatively defenseless style. With the win, the Spurs remain in firm control of the West’s 2nd spot while the Suns slide further and [...]
In an article dated for today, Mike Monroe tells us that Drew Gooden is “ready to find a home.” Quoting from the column: “R.C. kind of made this thing happen,” Gooden said. “When he learned about me having a possible buyout from Sacramento, he was the first one on it. That kind of lets you [...]
The Spurs were defeated by the Mavericks in Dallas this evening, 107-102. After allowing the Mavericks to open a 10 point gap with under 4 left to play, the Spurs nearly pulled off the comeback but were stopped short by the same underwhelming defensive performance that plagued us the entire game. “The Notebook” often serves [...]
Is the current Spurs squad the best offensive team of the Popovich era? Many fans like to think so, and I’m inclined to agree with them. Having said this, it’s not the sort of claim that is immediately apparent to NBA followers. What follows is a short explanation of the Spurs improved offense. The Spurs [...]
In the Express-News this morning, Mike Monroe brought up Drew Gooden’s time with the Cavs as a reason he might be easily integrated into the Spurs system: Popovich did a masterful job of dodging questions calculated to make him tip his hand about his team’s interest in Gooden, who played in Cleveland for coach Mike [...]
As our readers know by now, Drew Gooden and Joe Smith received buyouts from their respective clubs. Early reports connect Gooden to San Antonio and Smith to Cleveland. The Nets also paid Stromile Swift to go away, but no one cares. ♦♦♦♦♦ Coach Popovich took his sweet time before putting Pops Mensah-Bonsu into last night’s [...]
