Advanced Scouting: San Antonio Spurs at Memphis Grizzlies – can they win without Parker

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San Antonio Spurs at Memphis Grizzlies 7:00 CST March 1, 2011

Rather than being overly redundant, I’ll just send you to a link of my preview of Sunday’s matchup against the Grizzlies. There is, however, one big change in the outlook of this one: no Tony Parker. In the Spurs’ first real hurdle of the season, Parker is out after suffering a calf injury in the first half of Sunday’s game and is expected to miss a few weeks.

Parker’s resurgence has been instrumental in the Spurs’ remarkable season.  Thankfully, the Spurs have built a six game lead in the race for home court advantage. Although this greatly hurts their chances of sealing first place in the West, I still like their odds of achieving home court advantage in every round. However, even if the Spurs don’t concede their top ranking, Parker’s injury could put a greater strain on the Spurs other vets, namely Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan.

Ginobili played outstanding against the Grizzlies Sunday, putting to rest most suspicions of a slump (although he did miss six of eight treys). But keeping he and Duncan as close to 100%,while making sure Parker returns as healthy and effective for the playoffs as possible, might be even more important than home court itself.

As far as what Parker’s injury means tonight, the Spurs chances obviously drop significantly, but I still give them a slight edge thanks to Rudy Gay’s absence. It’s very close to 50-50, though.

  • Hobson13

    Here’s how I see it: On Sunday Parker had a triple duece (2pts, 2 rebs, 2 assts), the Grizz shot the three well (45%), blew us up on the offensive boards (17 vs 6), were up by 7 late in the 3rd, yet still lost the game. I didn’t even mention the fact that the Spurs had a HORRIBLE 2nd and 3rd quarter. Bottom line is that the Spurs played a God-awful game and still found the heart to win. That’s the difference between a #1 and #8 seed.

    If we simply do a better job on the offensive glass and play that great defense, then we should really have a great shot at this game. Hill, Blair, and RJ really need to get their games going tomorrow night. We can’t rely on Manu to play 40 minutes in this one.

  • junierizzle

    Hey all the people that wanted TP traded. This will be kind of a preview if you actually got your wish.

  • Pop-a-vich

    @junierizzle
    the only problem is that — we didn’t get a player in exchange for tp.

  • ali

    well matt bonner will be the same difference as Murphy. so almost as good.

    Hobson remember we played at home on Sunday

  • rob

    I’ll stick to my prediction from the first preview write up. It’s easier to plan for a player not being out than when that player “goes” out during a game. In that regard, I think the Spurs will be better prepared for Parker’s absense. Still, I expect a hard fought game. Hopefully it’s not allowed (by the officials) to be as physical as the first game.

    Spurs by 3 – 102 to 99.

  • http://www.bpifanconnect.com Alix Babaie

    Hey Scott, I hope that you are reading these posts because I wanted to see if you have heard if the Spurs are REALLY going to be in pursuit of Corey Brewer, formerly of the T-Wolves – who is getting a buyout from the Knicks?

    If so, would he be a great help @ the 2 for us, since he is an above average defender and has nice size @ 6’9″?

  • http://www.bpifanconnect.com Alix Babaie

    Personally, I feel like the Spurs can and will prevail tonight, although it will be tougher without TP in the lineup but it will be compounded if Neal can’t play either.

    I heard another guy that might be getting a buyout is Dan Gadzuric…..not sure he is a Pop type of player but he does have something that you can’t coach…..a big body who plays center.

  • rob

    @ Alix Babaie

    I would bet that Gadzuric would not be the Spurs first option in the list of buyout candidates but not overlooked as an option to consider if others (namely Brewer) can’t be signed by the Spurs.

    Regarding Corey as a 2…if the Spurs were so fortunate to land Brewer he would play behind Jefferson at the wing allowing Anderson to play his more natural position at the 2.

  • rob

    Seeing as Parker will be out of “playing” action, I wonder how his skills at “recruiting” for the team might come into play? :)

  • DNITCH

    Anybody know if gary neal is playing tonight? He would make a huge difference.

  • idahospur

    I think we’ll be fine tonight and for the next few weeks. We do have some tough opponents coming up but we’ll be able to manage. We don’t have the league’s best record because of Tony Parker. We have the league’s best record because we have the best team.

    GO SPURS GO!!!!

  • Judd

    Big game tonight. a quick look at how scary our march is: if parker is out 2 weeks he will miss a myriad of losable games including a tough game tonight, a back to back on the road tomorrow, the heat friday, the lakers sunday, the 2nd game of a back to back against the rockets (who always play us tough) on saturday and a road game in miami on monday. if he misses a month, we face dallas the next friday, then have another back to back that saturday, we go to porland (didn’t work out to well last time) friday, March 25th, then it’s sunday against memphis, then portland the next night and we finish march against boston. wow! get healthy quick tony. horrible timing for an injury to our most consistent player. good thing we have a great bench and a lot of heart.

  • Captain Late

    All spurs fans should be panicked right now. The injuries are coming fast and furious and the defense is not good. Throw in the fact that Dallas is surging and the Lakers are a much, much better team than SA with a much better coach…and it spells disaster.

    Spurs will lose by 15 to Memphis, and get rocked by 20+ points by Miami.

    Season will end with a 55-27 record and an early 4-1 series exit at the hands of OKC.

    Sorry, but you’ve been living a lie all season and now we will understand why espn didn’t pay any attention to you all year.

  • Juice

    Your crazy Captain Late! Our record speaks for itself! Spurs will find ways to win tonight and most games without Parker. Even without Parker we will end up with the Number 1 seed overall. The reason: the Spurs are a TEAM!

  • JR

    Captain Late you are an idiot if you think the Spurs are going to go 6-17 for the rest of the season…. ESPN and others don’t pay attention because we aren’t A$$ clowns that beg for media attention. Losing Tony hurts, but better now than at the beginning of the playoffs. We may lose a couple and come back to the pack, but we are still going to have a 65 win season.

  • DBAGuy

    Why do we allow dumb Laker fans to post. I see that you only only feel comfortable speaking such garbage when one of our players gets hurt. Man do I hate the Fakers and their fans. Can people get any dumber.

  • rob

    by Scott Sereday

    “Ginobili played outstanding against the Grizzlies Sunday, putting to rest most suspicions of a slump (although he did miss 6 of 8 treys). However, keeping him and Duncan as close to 100%,while making sure Parker returns as healthy and effective for the playoffs as possible might be even more important than home court itself.”

    This didn’t quite sink in until I read it again, but so true.

    Problem is…Ginobili doesn’t play half speed regardless of minutes played. To insure this process, Pop will have to limit his time on the court. Duncan, from what I’ve seen this year, disciplines himself better while on the court with regards to monitoring his level of play.

    __________________________

    As pointed out by Judd,

    This is a bad time of the schedule to have one of the big three out during that time. But we’ve seen it happen before where the entire team steps up and produces in ways above what they normally perform. This will probably be a testiment to the team more so than the RRT. Even if the Spurs manage to land a Brewer or Ford, there is NO WAY they could productively help in this short of period before getting acclimated enough to help the Spurs for the future of this season.

    A tenuous rotation at had with monitoring the minutes that need monitoring along with a tough schedule during the injury of a major player…. now’s the time Spur fan more so than ever this year to be supportive and not overly criticize a bad outcome…Go Spurs Go!!!

  • MC

    Captain Late must be a Laker fan! GO SPURS!!! Spurs would never go 6-17 even if pop and all coaches were playing.

  • rob

    Captain “Hate”….we as true Spur fans don’t have to go to your favorite team sites and ponder their issues of ineptitude.

    Your presense here at this time only proves how feared the Spurs are by fans of other teams.

    Thanks for the input…it only quantifies the truth about how good the Spurs are.

  • MC

    Spurs will be fine. They are one of the most professional and well executed team in the NBA. Spurs know when to turn it on and when to put it on cruise control. We will be seeded #1 and home court, then watch us!

  • jwalt

    Ignore the captain, then he’ll go away. Everyone should stop being so concerned with Manu’s minutes. The coaches all say now that the more he plays the better he will be.

    The ‘x’ factor in Parker’s absence is that Manu might, just might, be ready to go on one of his famous tears, where he carries the team for 2 weeks or so. Without this, the Spurs will still be fine. But if it happens, the Spurs will flourish.

    On the other hand, Duncan and RJ need to step up offensively. I know Timmy will, but will RJ take the responsibility? I hope so.

  • RG8907

    sigh, Captain Late’s comments just shows that he has no class and respect, and he likes to waste his time posting on other teams’ blogs.

    as for the game tonight, it’ll be tough w/out Parker, but i do think we can come out with the win. GO SPURS GO!!!

  • Nima K,

    Hope Pop’s interview with Brewer goes well.

    As for Tony, I think we can manage. Remember, what makes the Spurs such a formidable adversary in the league, is that their sum is greater than the individual parts. If Tony’s absence is so great to make us lose, then we’re not that different from the Mavs. The hallmark of champion teams is that they don’t depend on just one or two players for their success. heck, I think we could even beat the grizzlies without Tony AND Timmy.

    What concerns me the most is not Miami or LA, but that some schmuck like Randolph Anthony smashes an elbow into Manu’s face or something. The dummies think the way to win is to injure the other team physically. Fools.

  • Spurs2BeChamps

    I’ve said all season that we could lose 1 of our big 3 and still be okay. It DOES make it a little tougher if Neal doesn’t play but with Hill, Ginobili, Anderson being back and even Quinn(who is a very smart player) we should be fine. We might struggle among the elites for now but if its only 3ish weeks, its not a problem. We’ve been able to rest our starters quite a bit anyway this season becasue our bench is strong enough to carry the team if needed so just think of this as an extended rest for Parker.

  • soulidefy

    remember, we have a very capable backup in george hill! george and anderson seeing more minutes will be better for us come playoff time. tony’s 30 minutes will get absorbed by those two, neal, and splitter possibly if it makes us play a little bigger. hopefully brewer as well. he is a spur, if youve ever heard an interview.

    memphis is without gay as well.

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com Scott Sereday

    @Alix Babaie

    Sorry to be late, but it seems to be the talk that the Spurs are definitely getting Brewer (on forums anyway), but I haven’t seen anything substantial. In the least, the Spurs are on his short list and he seems to be on theirs.

    Brewer does seem to be the long perimeter defender the Spurs don’t really have. There’s also playing time available for his position (and the Spurs won’t have as many 3 guard sets when Parker’s out or recovering).

    I would definitely prefer Brewer to Rasual Butler, whom the Spurs also appear to show interest.

  • Espoon
  • Judd

    Hope you’re right scott. I would love brewer on this team. doesn’t he just seem like a pop guy? like a raja bell, but with class. and jwalt is correct, as much fun (and ease) as it is to bash idiot laker fan, it’s probably better just to ignore him.

  • morgan

    The San Antonio spurs are officially screwed lol they will finish 2nd or 3rd in the west. You all for got the reason the spurs got this far….. because of hood ol Tony Parker averaging almost 20 ppg and 10 asst. Something George hill cannot live up to, which is y the Lakers will finish first and Dallas just may get 2nd if there luck doesn’t run out. Injury prone is what I call the spurs and the reason why there luck has run out lmao. GO LAKERS!!!!! 3PEAT IS IMMINENT

  • TD = Best EVER

    @ Morgan – You like other Laker fans are just gonna have to EAT IT this year. All that money spent and SA will be the last team standing. And this will finally be the year that I get to Say TD = BEST EVER and no one will be able to say different……… So to borrow a line from one of the best movies ever……..

    “The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end.”

    Eat that!!!!!!!!!

  • Hobson13

    morgan
    March 1st, 2011 at 11:35 am
    “The San Antonio spurs are officially screwed lol they will finish 2nd or 3rd in the west. You all for got the reason the spurs got this far….. because of hood ol Tony Parker averaging almost 20 ppg and 10 asst.”

    My Gawd! If Tony had averaged 20/10, the Spurs record would be 54-5 for the year. LOL!! You gotta love all the trolling clowns who are commenting now that we have an injury.

    TD = Best EVER
    March 1st, 2011 at 11:44 am
    So to borrow a line from one of the best movies ever……..
    “The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end.”

    Excellent! Love it!

    I’m going to have a big laugh when the Spurs beat the Grizz tonight after all the nonsense spouted on this board (by trolls) about how the Spurs suck, are finished, going to lose HCA, etc.

  • as

    This is unbelievable…did anyone saw the ESPN poll?
    Who’s the number 1 contender? LAL, BOS, CHI, MIA, DAL, NYK!!!!!

    NO SPURS!!

  • TD = Best EVER

    Polls are usually of fans…. So naturally there are more LA, NY fans than SA fans

  • Bruno

    I hear some good news: Neal, Blair, Splitter will play

  • Val

    Ewww, I think the Spurs have the “team experience” and maturity to manage a squeaker win tonight—- . They have players with a variety of abilities–Bonner- the 3 and rebounds, Gary Neal– also the three with youthful hustle,—and Richard Jefferson is showing his hunger for victory along with Blair and Ginobli and Duncan—— those are the stats that are unmeasurable and make the top notch “x-factor” in winning—— a TRUE TEAM EFFORT—— who cares if ESPN overlooks us—- the Spurs are winning anyway and will continue to do so.

  • AS

    TD, its not the results what Im talking about, but the candidates that ESPN put in the poll

  • Jhon

    Let everything in Manu´s hands. GO SPURS GO!

  • SPURSGERMANY

    ESPN FRONT HOMEPAGE
    CITIES:

    * BOSTON
    * CHICAGO
    * DALLAS
    * LOS ANGELES
    * NEW YORK

    “”This is unbelievable…did anyone saw the ESPN poll?
    Who’s the number 1 contender? LAL, BOS, CHI, MIA, DAL, NYK!!!!!”"”"

  • Captain Late

    Hobson13….I said the spurs would lose by 15 and they lost by 16…I believe in reality, not false hope…sa will yield the number one seed to Dallas…pop is not good enough to get this team to the NBA finals this year…poor defense and streaky three point shooting is not a recipe to win a title

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com JTEX

    Captain Late,
    You’re half right, the Spurs defense has been iffy at best and they are not a good offensive rebounding team. If anyone can determine how to get the most out of what he has is Coach Pop. I still think the Spurs should have tried to aquire a good big man but in a trade the Spurs would have had to give up too much and it still may have not really helped all that much. Many of the Spurs fans posting are just devoted Spurs fans and many sound like they are just kids. As much as I hate to say it, but the Mavs may catch the Spurs within the next few weeks. Let’s see how much Pop can motivate his team for this Friday’s game with the Heat.
    Don’t belittle Coach Popovich, he’s a future HOF coach and most predicted that the Spurs would be lucky to make the playoffs this season. If Pop thought it would help the team, he’d tank every game the rest of the season, to be healthy come the playoffs. Pop knows what it takes to win Championships, his four titles ranks right up in the top NBA coaches! Go Spurs Go!!!!