El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 95, Charlotte Hornets 86
 |
Tim Duncan, PF 29 MIN | 5-12 FG | 2-4 FT | 14 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 3 BLK | 4 TO | 12 PTS | +1 +/- Tim Duncan didn’t shoot very well, but he played fantastic defense and did enough everywhere else on the court to have a solid game. He had a double-double, tossed in three blocks and some steals, all in less than thirty minutes of playing time. A good example of what The Starters’ Leigh Ellis would probably call a “Very Solid”™ game. |
|
 |
Kawhi Leonard, SF 23 MIN | 3-6 FG | 3-3 FT | 5 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 9 PTS | -5 +/- Kawhi Leonard didn’t play much Wednesday night, and if you were looking solely at the box score, you might notice he was one of just three Spurs to play over fifteen minutes and have a negative +/-. But this was one of those games that highlights how misleading that number can be. While Kawhi didn’t make a huge impact offensively, he played well enough defensively to earn a fourth quarter stint when the Spurs needed to put the game away. |
|
 |
Matt Bonner, C 31 MIN | 4-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 10 PTS | -6 +/- My end-of-season Matt Bonner jump hook mixtape is going to be so NSFW. The NBA’s Last of the Mambicans (now that Kobe is out for the season) played well against a Hornets team that features some capable bigs, and you really couldn’t have asked for more. Bonner shot well, from three and everywhere else, and played some solid defense. Great game from the Red Rocket. |
|
 |
Tony Parker, PG 28 MIN | 7-13 FG | 3-3 FT | 1 REB | 5 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 17 PTS | -5 +/- This might have been Tony Parker’s best game of the season. It was, at least, his most reassuring for a fan base that has been anxiously waiting for him to return to last year’s level of play. He might never reach the heights he did a few years ago, but this was a game you could look at as a benchmark. Yes, he was guarded by Brian Roberts, but Parker was in attack mode all game, and the floaters and jumpers were cash. This is a promising sign for the Spurs, who are looking to make a run up the standings as the season closes. |
|
 |
Danny Green, SG 26 MIN | 6-11 FG | 0-1 FT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 3 BLK | 1 TO | 16 PTS | +18 +/- Danny Green has been carrying a large load this season, as one of the few members of the Spurs’ preferred starting lineup to not miss significant time to injury. There have been times recently where that weight has clearly affected his game, but Wednesday was not one of those times. Green hit four threes and was everywhere defensively, blocking three shots and adding a few steals. (We won’t mention his alley-oop pass attempt or the George Gervin finger-roll impression.) |
|
 |
Jeff Ayres, PF 3 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -8 +/- The Ayres Up There only played three minutes. |
|
 |
Reggie Williams, SF 3 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -8 +/- Reggie Williams played! (For three minutes.) |
|
 |
Aron Baynes, C 19 MIN | 2-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 4 PTS | +8 +/- Aron Baynes was Coach Pop’s chosen Duncan replacement, as Splitter got a DNP (more on that in a bit), and he had a decent game on the boards. He was a bit tentative in the post, though, at one point passing up a dunk for an attempt at a more delicate layup. I don’t want to put Baynes in a box, but if he’s getting twenty minutes of playing time, we want some ferocity. Still, I have to admit the made jumper and the three-point attempt made me laugh. |
|
 |
Boris Diaw, C 17 MIN | 2-4 FG | 2-2 FT | 5 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | +15 +/- Boris Diaw had a quietly efficient night, perfect from the line with a little of everything else in just seventeen minutes on the court. Diaw’s been in a slump this season, but he seems to be doing what he can to get back into form, playing aggressively in recent stints and even going on a diet (!). He’s an important piece for the Spurs, so these are encouraging signs. |
|
 |
Patty Mills, PG 20 MIN | 2-9 FG | 3-3 FT | 4 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 9 PTS | +14 +/- The Aussie Bake Oven™ continues to thrill. While he didn’t shoot well overall, he hit some very timely threes. He also played well within the flow of the offense, making the right passes while avoiding forcing bad shots. I’ve got nothing but love for Gary Neal, who had a somewhat similar game Wednesday night, but it’s clear that Mills has become the player the Spurs wanted Neal to be. |
|
 |
Cory Joseph, PG 18 MIN | 0-2 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 2 PTS | +9 +/- Popovich was thrilled with Cory Joseph Wednesday night, but looking at the box score to explain why is a fool’s errand. Joseph did play aggressive, smart defense, not gambling when he should have stuck, and going hard for rebounds and loose balls. And while his box score impact was minimal, you could see the Spurs’ energy change a bit when Joseph entered the game. Joseph’s value has always been tied to what he can do besides scoring, so Popovich’s glowing praise after the game wasn’t too mystifying. |
|
 |
Manu Ginobili, SG 23 MIN | 4-11 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 10 PTS | +12 +/- Looking back on the game, I don’t remember Ginobili having a huge impact, but I do recall him hitting a pair of key threes, one at the end of the first half and another when the Spurs were in the process of giving away a massive lead in the third quarter. Other than those shots, Ginobili didn’t hit much else, but he had a decent enough game and only had one turnover. |
|
 |
Tiago Splitter, C DNP COACH’S DECISION MIN | FG | FT | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS | +/- Popovich chose not to play Tiago Splitter, and he said before the game that Splitter has not found his rhythm yet. Though conditioning may be a part of it, this felt a bit like Popovich was sending a message to Splitter, whose impact since his return has been largely on offense, seemingly at the expense of his defense. Of the Spurs’ preferred starting lineup, Splitter might have the most room to improve as the season progresses, so a Wednesday night in January is a good spot for message sending as the team gathers itself for a late season push. |
|
 |
Gregg Popovich Popovich was clearly flabbergasted by the Spurs’ energy and focus in the third quarter, where they gave up a big lead and, nearly, the game. That’s been a troubling quarter for the Spurs this season, but Popovich did what he could to right the ship, sending in a hungry bench squad to fight back. It was a well managed game, and the Spurs won despite Pop sitting his starting Center. Looks to me like it all went according to plan for the birthday boy. |
|
Three Things We Saw
- Tim Duncan deserves to be in the All-Star game. He doesn’t need the recognition at this point in his career, but he certainly deserves a spot. And it wouldn’t be a legacy pick, either, as Duncan has been one of the most impactful defensive players in the league. I would be pretty shocked if he didn’t get the nod.
- The Express-News’ Mike Monroe tweeted that Marco Belinelli has been invited to defend his three-point title at All-Star Weekend. I actually saw Belinelli at a stoplight Monday and told him to get well soon, so you know, I guess you can all thank me for this development. (I did not, however, tell him anything about the new city ordinance that made it illegal for him to use his phone at a red light. Maybe I should have…)
- The Spurs are now tied with the slumping Dallas Mavericks for sixth in the Western Conference and are just two and a half games behind the Blazers/Clippers/Rockets triumvirate that is currently tied for third place. The Spurs are 10-3 in January, with a couple quality wins over playoff-bound opponents. Saturday night’s home game against the Clippers is kind of a big deal.
