El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 100, Philadelphia 76ers 90

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San Antonio Spurs 100 Final
Recap | Box Score		 90 Philadelphia 76ers
Tim Duncan, C 30 MIN | 6-16 FG | 4-6 FT | 11 REB | 1 AST | 16 PTS | +8

Tim Duncan is starting to rack up double-doubles more frequently now (three straight). Perhaps not always the Spurs best post option anymore, but quietly has increased his level of play from the beginning of the season.

Richard Jefferson, SF 29 MIN | 0-4 FG | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 1 AST | 1 PTS | -7

Note the six rebounds. Was at least active on the boards and okay on defense.

DeJuan Blair, F 18 MIN | 3-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 3 AST | 6 PTS | +1

Was able to get his hands on a couple of boards, but Blair more than anyone sorely misses Manu Ginobili. The good news, Manu should return Saturday. We’ll see what that does for Blair.

Tony Parker, PG 38 MIN | 12-24 FG | 13-13 FT | 3 REB | 8 AST | 37 PTS | +5

Tony Parker is an All-Star. Tonight was his case closed game. Right now has found a perfect balance between scoring and getting teammates involved. I am not sure I have ever seen him read the defense so perfectly.

Daniel Green, G 30 MIN | 0-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 0 PTS | +13

I appreciate the defense, and the contributions despite the shooting slump, but Green needs to get his shot back on track.

Matt Bonner, PF 26 MIN | 2-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 9 REB | 1 AST | 5 PTS | +6

I’m wondering how bad Bonner suffered from conditioning issues early in the season. He has slowly rounded into a palatable help and system defender even if he still remains over-matched individually.

Gary Neal, PG 30 MIN | 6-9 FG | 2-2 FT | 5 REB | 6 AST | 18 PTS | +13

Tonight Gary Neal looked like a point guard and found a nice overall balance to his game. He is more than a spot-up shooter, even if he still is not quite an ideal option as an emergency point guard.

Tiago Splitter, C 17 MIN | 7-10 FG | 1-3 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 15 PTS | +3

Showing great patience in the post, tremendous footwork, and a nice left hand. I’m not sure what else we could ask of Splitter in the less than 20 minutes he played tonight. One of the most improved players in the NBA.

Kawhi Leonard, SF 23 MIN | 1-4 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 2 PTS | +8

Kawhi Leonard has a better brand of invisible than Richard Jefferson. The 76ers did not really have an elite player to match Leonard against .

Three Things We Saw

  1. How many point guards move better off the ball than Parker? I hesitate to say he’s the best, but he very well might be. It’s an underrated skill. The Spurs like to run a lot of secondary action before they set Parker back up in a pick and roll, and Parker does a fantastic job of shaking defenders off the ball so that when he receives it in a pick and roll situation later in the clock, the defender is already out of ideal position.
  2. Tiago Splitter has become a much better post player, but his strength remains diving on the pick and roll. He has made Parker a better point guard, and tonight even helped improve the play of Gary Neal.
  3. So word is that Manu Ginobili will return Saturday.

Related posts:

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  2. El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 93, New Orleans Hornets 81
  3. El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 99, Houston Rockets 91
  4. El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 89, Memphis Grizzlies 84
  5. El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 83, Memphis Grizzles 73
  6. El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 107, Oklahoma City Thunder 96
  7. 48MoH TV Postgame: Spurs beat 76ers
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  • grego

    Last year’s squad had holes in it throughout the season though. The defense never really came around. Athletic teams consistently burnt them last season. This season, the Spurs have a lot more on the wings.

  • Bob

    He has a pretty good ability for a bigman of being able to take his man of the dribble.

  • Deeds130

    It’s true the only trade for AR that makes sense is one of our young SGs for him straight up, unless that is, in the implausible case that Pop covets the young big. Minny should be glad to get a guy like Anderson for him, filling a need they have. If we shipped Green, it would give Anderson a chance in SA, after all.

    All in all, I agree with you (and I have said it All Season Long, as well): this is our 2011-2012 roster, these are our bigs, there will be no trades. I was just chiming in on the “Insider” fantasy in support of the notion of what Varejao would add (despite the fact that he’s no special shot-blocker).

← Older Comments