El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 93, New Orleans Hornets 81
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Tim Duncan, C 22 MIN | 6-8 FG | 7-7 FT | 9 REB | 1 AST | 19 PTS | +11
That’s an awesomely efficient stat line. Look at it again. Print it out and put it under your pillow tonight. You’ll sleep like a baby. |
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Richard Jefferson, SF 24 MIN | 3-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 7 PTS | +2
The quiet nights are starting to become disturbing. They’re not killing the Spurs yet, but it could be coming. |
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DeJuan Blair, F 19 MIN | 1-6 FG | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 1 AST | 3 PTS | +4
Played hard, but couldn’t buy a bucket. |
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Tony Parker, PG 35 MIN | 8-15 FG | 2-3 FT | 5 REB | 7 AST | 18 PTS | +10
I thought Tony Parker was the catalyst in the late third quarter and early fourth for the run that put some separation between the Spurs and the Hornets. |
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Gary Neal, PG 29 MIN | 3-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 2 AST | 7 PTS | +11
Coach Pop says Gary Neal isn’t 100% back to form following his return from appendicitis. “Not even close,” Pop says. This performance on the second night of a back-to-back proves it. |
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Matt Bonner, PF 23 MIN | 2-10 FG | 1-1 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 6 PTS | +4
Didn’t shoot well. Helped open things up for penetration and looks down low in the second half, though. |
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Daniel Green, G 32 MIN | 2-6 FG | 6-7 FT | 4 REB | 2 AST | 11 PTS | +11
A relatively quiet night for Green. Didn’t make any spectacular plays, didn’t have an elite player to harass. Seven free throw attempts is nice, though. |
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Tiago Splitter, C 28 MIN | 7-9 FG | 2-3 FT | 7 REB | 1 AST | 16 PTS | +13
Do you think Manu Ginobili is secretly jealous of the chemistry Tiago is developing with Tony? I’ll bet he is. |
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James Anderson, SG 2 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 PTS | -4
*Looks around awkwardly* |
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Kawhi Leonard, SF 12 MIN | 1-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 2 PTS | -4
I’m curious to see Kawhi’s lack of minutes the past couple of games is just a blip on the radar or disturbing trend. |
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Cory Joseph, G 13 MIN | 1-3 FG | 2-4 FT | 0 REB | 2 AST | 4 PTS | +2
As Coach Pop reminded us media types pregame, he’s still basically a sophomore in college. Oh yeah. I like his future. Dude doesn’t get rattled or down on himself. Ever. Supreme confidence. |
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Five Things We Saw
- I thought the Spurs transition defense was very good in the first half. The Hornets had a lot of opportunities to steal some points on the break, but the Spurs didn’t allow it. NOLA finished with eight fast break points.
- The Spurs created some separation late in the third and early in the fourth quarter by tightening up on defense and getting to the rim more. It was all keyed on defensive energy, it seemed.
- I joked on twitter after Matt Bonner got rocked to the floor in the post and called for the foul that he should’ve told the ref “ball don’t lie” when the Hornets player missed the first free throw. I asked him in the locker room after the game if he did. “No, but I thought it,” he said. “I didn’t want to make another $2000 donation.”
- The Spurs won’t have a practice or shootaround tomorrow and no morning shootaround on Saturday ahead of the team’s next game against the OKC Thunder. The scheduling hacks continue in the name of resting tired legs.
- “We’re gonna have to learn to win on the road,” Tim Duncan said. THIS. SO MUCH OF THIS.
Related posts:
- El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 104, New Orleans Hornets 102
- El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 105, Atlanta Hawks 83
- El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 99, Houston Rockets 91
- El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 83, Memphis Grizzles 73
- El Conclusión: Dallas Mavericks 101, San Antonio Spurs 100
- El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 107, Oklahoma City Thunder 96
- Spurs 104, Hornets 102 Postgame show
