NBA: Spurs Central - San Antonio Basketball At Its Best

2008-11-25T14:13:00.001-06:00

I know Tony Parker gets the lion's share of the attention, but I gotta send a shout out to my man Ginobli, especially in the game against the Grizzlies. Article here.

2008-10-30T13:31:00.001-05:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, San Antonio!

2008-10-20T10:59:00.000-05:00

Tony Parker can just do no wrong. I mean, the guy's a monster on the court, plus he's got a hot wife!

2008-09-03T20:18:00.002-05:00

I'm already getting antsy for NBA to start up again. I've been watching baseball lately, and it all just takes too damn long for my tastes. This week's been especially slow. Have you seen how many games have gone to 10, 11, 12 innings? It's crazy! OT in basketball is so quick and satisfying. And if you do lose, at least it's quick and painless.

2008-06-26T12:07:00.003-05:00

I was just in Houston and decided to get some baseball (MLB) tickets. I caught the Astros-Rangers game. Max Ramirez is pretty new to the field, but he did great. I don't really have a favorite between the two Texas teams, but it was a good game to watch. It's actually kind of cool to watch a game without the distraction of cheering and booing. I didn't care who won, so I could just pay attention to the amazing skills of all those guys. I know I couldn't do it.

Spurs are favorites to win 2008 champ title!

2007-10-25T14:52:00.000-05:00

According to the sports websites, the Suns are the only real competition for the Spurs, and they were beaten fairly easily last season. All our star players are still with us and in good form and nothing happened with any of the other teams in the off season to make them a threat. The only thing I'm worried about is how hard it is to repeat a championship. You go into it wanting to keep your title, sure, but you don't have the same hunger you do if you're trying to win for the first time. San Antonio is a basketball crazy city that's counting on the Spurs though, and by all reports they're a nice bunch of guys, so maybe that pressure will be enough to keep them on top. Go Spurs!

San Antonio Spurs, title winners! (Soon.)

2007-06-11T14:45:00.001-05:00

See that shiny thing in the distance? The one getting closer with every game? That's our fourth NBA title. Watch out world, for the San Antonio Spurs, NBA champs! San Antonio ticket brokers must be wringing their hands in excitement!

Winning Streak

2007-03-23T07:40:00.000-05:00

Beat the Pistons tonight and there back on track. Let's keep Detroit on a streak. If they can't beat the Rockets they can't be our Spurs!

2007-01-16T12:37:00.000-06:00

My heart sank when Matt Bonner was carried off the court during the San Antonio Spurs game against the Wizards. They say he tore his left MCL--anybody heard any further news? He was supposed to get an MRI last weekend; I wonder how long he'll be out of the game?

Military Spurs Spirit

2006-12-19T16:08:00.000-06:00

The San Anotonio Spurs are honoring our men and women of the Armed Forces with a Military Game Night when the Spurs take on The Washington Wizards on January 13th at the AT&T Center. There will be a special video shown at some point during the game honoring our fighting siblings. The Spurs and USAA are lookign for your photos of Spurs Spirit. We have plenty of our Texas bretheren overseas and we know you miss your teams, let them know that as well by going to http://www.nba.com/spurs/fans/military_061206.html and entering your stories and photos of San Anotnio Spurs Spirit!

It's not hard to get into the spirit the way the Spurs have been playing. Currently they lead thier division with a 19-6 record followed closely by the Dallas Mavericks at 18-7. Voting for the NBS all stars game will be closing out soon so send your favorite Spurs star to the game and buy yourself a ticket. Help cheer as the Spurs take on the Memphis Grizzlies tomorrow @ 7:00pm central.

Two Teams Same Town

2006-12-12T14:24:00.000-06:00

The San Anotnio Spurs lost to the Los Angeles Lakers one night before returning to the Staples center to face off against the Los Angeles Clippers where the Texas boys found the big W. Four days after defeating the Clippers the Spurs showed thier morale with another large score. They put the bad game against the Lakers solidly behind them and kept the ball moving forward. The Clippers outscored the Spurs by 2 points in the third quater but it was not enough to catch back up from the spurs 16 point lead early on. Players like Brent Barry, who went 5 of 6 shots from 3 point range, and Tony Parker who led the victory with 21 points came out strong and continued that style of play for the rest of the game.
By the way, the NBA has decided to go back to using the old ball next week so if you haven't seen they new one yet you might want to buy a ticket or turn on the game. The San Antonio Spurs play the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow, Wednesday the 13th at 8:00pm.

Losing won't Last

2006-12-05T14:32:00.000-06:00

The San Antonio Spurs lost to the Golden State Warriors and then the Utah Jazz bringing about thier first losing streak. Instantly the boys banded together and shut that down with a win over The Sacramento Kings on December 2nd. The Spurs were in control leading most of the game but things seemed to fall apart near the end of the 3rd quarter when the Kings erased a 17 point defecit. Kevin Martin hit 25 of his 30 points at this time. The Texas Boys were hitting 50% of shots from beyond the free throw line and that helped hold the lead as well as Bruce Bowens 6 succesful 3 pointers. It came down to a 2 point game. A game that could have been won if Mike Bibby had hit his Half Court shot as the buzzer went off ending the first half. The San Anotnio Spurs, 13-5, still lead the Dallas Mavericks, 12-5. Two Texas Teams doing very very well.

No skid No skid

2006-11-29T17:08:00.000-06:00

The San Antonio Spurs have had it together this season bringing out a high ranking of 11-4. With no back to back losses and two separate 4 game win streaks the S.A. Spurs are looking good. Tonight's match up on the road against the 12-3 Utah Jazz will test our Texas boys. The Utah Jazz are 7-1 at home and the Spurs needs this win to avoid their first losing streak. The Jazz are on their first back to back loss and want to turn the tide around as well. Both teams having so much to fight for gives hope for some great entertainment.

Bring on the Heat!

2006-11-22T10:58:00.000-06:00

San Antonio is ready for them, especially now that we're back home after racing up three wins in a row, including Monday night's nifty defeat of the Portland Trail Blazers. The Miami Heat, on the other hand, have lost four out of their last five; Shaq is still out, and Dwyane Wade does what he can, but the rest of the Heat seem to be chillin' especially when they need to step it up, in the fourth quarter.

The Spurs do well against these guys under any circumstances, so we need to do it for sure tonight.

Preseason Ranking

2006-10-31T13:51:00.000-06:00

Tim Duncan just squeezed into the top ten of a new variation on ranking, Sports Illustrated's "Player Power" list. It's about individual players, but the focus is on how they fire up their team as well as how they themselves perform. Duncan made his spot despite a whole season's worth of arch injuries which gave him lower than usual stats, and the reason was the way he helped spark the Spurs in the playoffs.

If he can stay healthy this year, I see Tim moving up the list, and the Spurs back on top of the NBA where they belong.

Jacque Vaughn

2006-10-26T19:50:00.000-05:00

So have any of you actually watched this guy in motion? This guy knows defense. Even veterans like Robert horry have stated they find many things suprising about the young man, especially his passing ability. On Sunday night against the Rockets he had 5 assist in the first 10 minutes alone. Yet with 3 veterans having the preseason game night off the Spurs could not touch the monstrous size of Yao Ming. Friday the San Antonio Spurs have thier first full season game playing homestate rivals The Dallas Mavericks in front of a home crowd at The AT&T Center in central Texas.

Spurs Visit Wounded Soldiers

2006-10-17T12:59:00.000-05:00

The San Antonio Spurs replaced their Monday practice time with a team visit to Brooke Army Medical Center. If it helps keep our wounded soldiers' spirits up, it is time well spent. I've gotta hope somewhere in Washington, somebody is spending time figuring out a plan for how to wrap it up in Iraq.

I need no coffee!

2006-10-11T13:12:00.000-05:00

Tony parker showed no signs of slowing during the 2 games he played overseas. Being so close to home for the past week, he has had many financial and social obligations to meet. Not to mention team activities such as games, meeting, and press encounters. When asked for a comment on his rising French star, Spurs coach Gregg popvich stated, "If he isn't tired now, he is never going to be." The San Antonio Spurs return to the AT&T Center for thier first homecourt battle of the preseason agains the Orlando Magic on October 14th.

Homecoming crowd

2006-10-06T13:24:00.000-05:00

Tony Parker's homecoming is everything that he and all the San Antonio Spurs fans hoped it would be. Parker was in rare form on the first of the preseason games scoring a monster 26 points. His accuracy was unstoppable hitting 10 of 13 shots even after recently recovering from a broken index finger in early August. It just goes to show ya that there is no crowd like a hometeam crowd.

Off to Lyon

2006-10-02T12:03:00.000-05:00

Well, the Spurs crossed the pond on Friday to begin training camp in Lyon, France, hometown of Tony Parker. Of all the Spurs, his schedule will undoubtedly be the most hectic while overseas - he's secured himself a good-sized piece of fame and recognition in France and throughout Europe, despite the fact that NBA games are broadcasted infrequently in France. He's a legend over there, and being a legend is certainly a full-time job in itself. Enjoy the home cooking, Tony.

Spurs don’t lose to second best.

2006-06-10T22:35:00.000-05:00

This San Antonio Spurs fan is impressed by the talent and drive of the Dallas Mavericks. They went on to beat the Phoenix Suns in six games and played well enough to take game one of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. It wasn’t their best game but playing at the Heat’s pace and against a tough defense they still managed to win by 10 points. To their credit, Miami held the Mavs below one hundred points. That in itself is an accomplishment, but tough defense is not going to win games if it is not coupled with a technically superior offense.

I think that the Dallas Mavericks are going to come back for game 2 ready to fight and that Dirk Nowitzki is going to be on his game this time. I think we are going to see some good basketball in this series so I can get over the Spurs loss and just hope that the Mavs go all the way because it hurts less when you get beat by the best team in the NBA.

San Antonio Falls to Mavericks of Dallas

2006-05-24T15:44:00.000-05:00

What can I say? The Mavericks proved to be the better team. Gregg Popovich said it after the game and so did Duncan. I really still believe we were the better team, but a few missed opportunities, turnovers and bad calls in overtime killed us. My hat is off to the San Antonio Spurs for fighting back and playing some good basketball. Cheers Spurs!

Dallas doesn’t stand a chance!

2006-05-08T19:07:00.001-05:00

The San Antonio Spurs pulled off a low scoring yet impressive victory in yesterdays 87-85 second-round match up against the Dallas Mavericks. There were a lot of turnovers and the score was too close for comfort the whole game. It was a defensive battle, but the Spurs dominated the second half and finally found their speed and fire in the final seconds.

Dallas doesn’t stand a chance!

2006-05-08T19:07:00.000-05:00

Nothing standing in our way now.

2006-04-16T22:07:00.000-05:00

The Spurs are going to the playoffs and I see big things in our future. This is my favorite time of year because nothing matters more then what happens in the post-season at this point. Go Spurs!

Playing like champs already.

2006-03-19T18:59:00.000-06:00

The San Antonio Spurs are tied with the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons for first in the NBA. It has been a fierce battle for position this season and the Pistons were at the top for a long time. We persevered though and now that spot is up for grabs. We don’t meet Dallas for another couple of weeks, but we’ll be ready.

Spurs Neck and Neck with Mavericks

2006-02-14T11:59:00.000-06:00

The San Antonio Spurs lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers ending their nine game winning streak. It tied the Spurs franchise record and left them at 40-11 overall. This has been a good few weeks for the Spurs and there is no doubt in my mind that we will soon surpass the Dallas Mavericks on our way to the Detroit Pistons.

On the Road Again…

2006-01-30T19:51:00.000-06:00

Cross your fingers San Antonio Spurs fans! Our team is about to embark on an eight game road trip that has the potential to make or break us in the standings. We’ve won our last thee but are going to have to win more than that to pass up the Dallas Mavericks and eventually the Detroit Pistons.

The Eyes of Texas Are Shining!

2006-01-18T15:20:00.000-06:00

I’m generally a basketball fan, but I have to say that this year’s Rose Bowl was about as exciting an athletic event as you ever get to see! All of us Texas have to be proud of the University of Texas Longhorns, the new national college football champs!

Back to Back Contenders

2005-10-22T06:10:00.000-05:00

Who’s going to beat the Spurs this year, honestly? The defending champions were not necessarily the most active team in the offseason with trades and acquisitions, but they quite possibly were the most improved. With the signing of another big man with soft hands, Fabricio Oberto, a 3 point shooting threat, Michael Finley, and an experienced veteran that can light you up in a thousand different ways, Nick Van Exel, the Spurs look to repeat with authority this season. The preseason has gone along smoothly with the Spurs losing their first 4 games before winning one against the New Orleans Hornets, but who cares, it’s the preseason. As far as I’m concerned the only team that can knock them out of contention is themselves.

A Little MVP Controversy

2005-10-10T15:10:00.000-05:00

Lately there’s been a big of controversy over who should have won the Finals MVP last year, after the Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons in 7 games for the national title. After going home for the off-season, Argentinean Manu Ginobili was constantly told that he should have won instead of teammate Tim Duncan, and how upset his fellow countrymen are that he didn’t win it.

“Well, my mom told me many times,” Ginobili said, “and I heard it many times in Argentina, but it's just a statue. I'm going to have the ring, same as him, and I was feeling as happy as anyone in the world at that moment, so it doesn't make a difference.”

So here’s my question. If the guy that everyone thinks should’ve gotten the MVP, doesn’t care whether or not he was the MVP, then why should others care so much? It just seems that talk like this could only make things worse rather than better while the Spurs get prepared to defend their title. No matter, Ginobili and Tim Duncan seem to be on the same page for another title run.

Yet Another Addition

2005-09-27T00:13:00.000-05:00

Another Argentinean is coming to town. Fabricio Oberto was signed by the Spurs last weekend, helping making them become quite possibly the most improved team this off-season. The 6-10 will become yet another low post weapon, making the days of the “Twin Towers” possible to relive again. Oberto is known for his soft hands and knowledge of the game. Watch out for this guy this season. He could be the wild card for this team.

Can You Say Repeat?

2005-09-17T23:58:00.000-05:00

Well ladies and gentlemen; it’s that time of year again. The beginning of the NBA season is less than a month away, and what else is there to do, but make predictions. I’m going to say this in the most biased way possible; the Spurs will win back to back championships. With the signing of Michael Finley away from the Dallas Mavericks, and Nick Van Exel from the Portland Trailblazers, the Spurs have not had a lazy off season. There is no reason why they can’t repeat what they did last season.

Tell me the Truth

2005-06-09T19:04:00.000-05:00

Tell me the Truth, how many of you Spurs fans out there are really Spurs fans?

How many of you fans jumped on the band wagon because of the great play by Ginobili, and a great play-off run this past season?

For those of you who followed San Antonio all season, when did you become a Spurs Fan?

How and why did you become a Spurs fan?

Finals Here We Come

2005-06-02T13:24:00.000-05:00

31 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocked shots now that is the Tim Duncan I know and have come to love over the years. Tim shot 14-of-24 last night in Phoenix to put the nail in the coffin for the Suns season. Don’t get me wrong the Suns had the best turn around from last year and looked perfect on paper, but the Spurs are perfect on the court and that my friends is what counts. Stats don’t mean much unless there in the playoffs.

So Close

2005-05-31T20:09:00.000-05:00

In game 3 of the series Tim Duncan played one of his best playoff games, but in game four last night he was a mere shadow of himself. Duncan had plenty of boards, bringing down 16, but produce half of the points he did in game 3 with 15. The shocking part was him being blocked so badly by Stoudamire and missing 9 free throws after shooting a perfect 15-of-15 in game three. Tim smells blood in the water and will be looking to reconcile his performance in game 5. The Spurs needs to put the Suns away as soon as possible. We can’t afford to give them room to breath.

One More Step

2005-05-30T11:35:00.000-05:00

Who ever said that Tim Duncan was soft is wrong and to all those critics who said the Spurs are not as good as they seem are wrong. The San Antonio Spurs are a machine that produces victories. The Spurs are now on top of the Suns 3-0 in the Western Conference Finals. Leading the charge was Duncan as he posted 33 points, 15 boards along with 3 blocked shots. Did I mention that Duncan was also perfect from the free throw line, shooting 15-of-15.

Manu!!!

2005-05-25T16:09:00.000-05:00

How bout that Manu Ginobili!

Ginobili is playing the best ball of his of his career, and most importantly it is talking place in the playoffs. It is almost like Manu was born for the playoffs. The guy just seems unstoppable at times.

In game 2 of the Western Conference Finals Manu finish with 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Did any one see that behind the back lay up/finger roll that he pulled against the Suns? Wow! Now the Spurs are leading the series 2-0 and pull another step closer to the Finals.

One Step Foward

2005-05-23T12:45:00.000-05:00

Tim Duncan led his team to victory once again in Phoenix as he shot 10-of-21 and finished with 28 buckets along with 15 rebounds. With the win the Spurs took home-court advantage over the Suns. Hopefully this time the Spurs can take control early and put the Suns away. Against the Sonics the Spurs let some games slip out of their hands, but now we are playing the Suns and can’t afford to give them room to breath.

Nobody Expected this to Happen

2005-05-17T17:06:00.000-05:00

Mike Kahn / Special to FOXSports.com

All things being equal, this figured to be a great series. All things stopped being equal just minutes into Game 1. The Sonics' athletic and sharp-shooting big man Vladimir Radmanovic badly sprained his ankle and was finished for the series. Moments later, Ray Allen sprained his ankle and was finished for the game. By the time the Spurs had breezed to a 2-0 lead, the Sonics looked like one of those sports drink commercials with bodies disintegrating all over the sidewalk.

But just like last year's semis, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli stopped being fabulous after Game 2. Allen came back strong, and Sonics coach Nate McMillan began to find ways to make it happen with everybody else. Even with Rashard Lewis playing horribly, then spraining his big toe in Game 3 and not playing in Game 4, the Sonics kept gaining momentum. Antonio Daniels kept ramming the ball down the throats of his former teammates. Luke Ridnour began to give it right back to Parker in his own flashy way, and Damien Wilkins replaced Lewis with an aggressiveness that was infectious at both ends of the floor. Many believe the Sonics are better off without Lewis because he is so ineffective when less than 100 percent healthy.

On the other hand, it really isn't about the Sonics, is it? This is all about the Spurs as the disbelief in Tim Duncan's face over the weekend mirrored the look he had last year as they lost four straight to the Lakers after rolling to the first two games of the conference semifinals.

Getting Closer

2005-05-12T10:47:00.000-05:00

The Seattle SuperSonics will always but up a good effort, but once again they could just not stop the balance and methodical San Antonio Spurs. The Sonics dropped game two in San Antonio against the Spurs 108-91.

"I think the key to our game is on the defensive end. We did a great job contesting shots. We did a great job of getting back and getting in front of people. I thought they got too many offensive rebounds and second-chance points tonight - I'd like to clean that up for the next game - but all in all, defensively, that's where we're going to win games."-Tim Duncan

Seattle tried to hold Tony Parker but he still managed to score 22 points. Parker was not the person Seattle should have targeted. It was that crazy Argentinean, Manu Ginobili who scored 28 points, along side Sir Tim Duncan who added 25 points of his own.

"(It was a) good win for us. Obviously, any win in the playoffs is a good win, but I thought we played pretty well as a team defensively, and we had a lot of people take challenges."-Coach Gregg Popovich

The Spurs now have a comfortable cushion with a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Semi-finals. Hopefully the Spurs don’t get to comfortable and are able to finish off the Sonics within two more games.

Good Start

2005-05-09T12:01:00.000-05:00

It is a good day when a team shots over 50 percent in a game, even better, in a playoff game. San Antonio shot 23-of-40 from the field, which is 58 percent, in the first half of the opening game against the Seattle Super Sonics in the Western Conference semi-finals.

"It was a great first half, lousy second half, (but) we got the win. Let's move on to Game Two."

Well put Popovich, as he saw his team leading after the half 62-35, then saw a poor output in the second half as the Sonics outscored the Spurs 46-41. But the damage was already dealt, and the Spurs will walk away with a 103-81 victory and lead this series 1-0.

Tim is back

2005-04-14T20:07:00.000-05:00

by (AP), from ESPN.com

Tim Duncan is on his way back.

Duncan, the Spurs' superstar forward who has missed the last 12 games with a badly sprained right ankle, was activated from the injured list and in the starting lineup for Wednesday night's contest at Utah.

He scored 17 points and had seven rebounds in 20 minutes in the Spurs' 93-91 loss to the Jazz.

A perennial All-Star and MVP candidate, Duncan twice injured the ankle this season, the last time coming in a 110-101 loss at Detroit on March 20.

In a related move, the Spurs placed forward Linton Johnson III on the IL with a left ankle injury. He has appeared in just two games for the Spurs this season after undergoing surgery on Nov. 23 to repair a stress fracture in his ankle.

A mirror Image

2005-04-09T11:31:00.000-05:00

The San Antonio Spurs went to Dallas to get a taste of San Antonio pushed in their face. And guess who was serving it all?

Avery Johnson…

The former Spurs point guard took over for Don Nelson as head coach in mid March, and has his Mavericks playing defense like the Spurs. So Thursday night is when the slice of humbled pied was given. I am sure the Spurs are the only one that wants to play like the Spurs.

Even though Tim Duncan is out with an ankle sprain that should leave an excuse for 34.8 percent shooting in a 68-104 win for the Mavs.

Spurs 83, Rockets 70

2005-03-30T13:26:00.000-06:00

T.A. Badger / Associated Press, from Foxsports.com

Brent Barry is finally showing the shooting touch that the San Antonio Spurs coveted when they signed him as a free agent last summer.

Barry hit three 3-pointers during a 21-2 run in the fourth quarter and the Spurs held Houston to its lowest point total of the season during a 83-70 win over the Rockets on Sunday.

Barry, who finished with 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting, has averaged 19 points in the last three games at a time when San Antonio needs extra production, with top scorer Tim Duncan and key reserve Devin Brown on the injured list.

"There is no one in the league that feels sorry for the Spurs," said Barry, who has made 10 of his last 15 3-point attempts. "We have to be mentally strong ... We all pulled together and played with some emotions, and that carried us."

The Rockets, who trailed by as many as 12 in the first half, went ahead 60-55 on a 23-foot jumper by Tracy McGrady with 10:31 left in the game. The basket was the last of the game for McGrady, who finished with 26 points.

Barry tied it at 60 with 8:07 remaining with his first 3-pointer. Then the Spurs' defense took over, swarming the ball and collapsing on Yao Ming. Yao also had only one basket in the final quarter and ended with 18 points.

Houston missed all but one of its six shots and had five turnovers during San Antonio's decisive run. The Spurs, who shot only 36 percent in the game, hit six of seven attempts beginning with Barry's first 3-pointer.

Manu Ginobili led San Antonio with 18 points, while Barry had 17 and Robert Horry 12. Bruce Bowen and Tony Parker each scored 11 for the Spurs, who improved to 3-5 this season without Duncan, who missed his four straight game with a sprained right ankle.

Ginobili credited the Spurs' defensive strategy of clamping down on McGrady in the fourth. McGrady went 1-for-7 in the period.

"Our rotations were really good - we were everywhere," said Ginobili, whose five steals were one short of his season high. "Then we got some rebounds. That makes you feel more confident when you go on offense."

The win gave the Spurs a split of the season series with Houston, which lost for only the fourth time in 14 games this month.

The Rockets' previous low was 72 in a one-point loss to Detroit on Nov. 30.

"We are in a deep, deep passing slump right now," said Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy. "We didn't play well enough offensively to give ourselves a chance."

The Rockets had 17 turnovers, five by McGrady, that led to 21 San Antonio points.

McGrady said afterward that he was slowed by a right hip strain suffered in Friday night's win in New Orleans. He was listed as questionable before the game, but ended up playing 44 minutes and taking 25 shots.

"I didn't feel as quick as I wanted to today," he said. "I wasn't holding back because I wanted to. I had no choice."

Rasho Nesterovic scored three of San Antonio's first four baskets, and a pair of free throws by Sean Marks late in the first gave the Spurs a 22-12 lead. McGrady made his first three attempts for the Rockets, who went more than seven minutes in the quarter without a basket.

A dunk by Ginobili off his own steal made it 33-21 San Antonio with about seven minutes left in the second, but the Spurs missed eight of their last 11 attempts.

McGrady hit three more shots late in the quarter as Houston got the difference down to 39-36 at the break. when Duncan was a rookie. ... Houston's David Wesley still has 999 3-pointers in his NBA career. He went 0-for-2 behind the arc. ... San Antonio played without reserve forward Tony Massenburg, out with a fever.

Spurs 101, Jazz 94

2005-03-07T12:01:00.000-06:00

Last night the San Antonio Spurs had bigger things to worry about than pulling off a close win against the struggling Utah Jazz. The all mighty Tim Duncan fell last night against the Jazz. He really sprained his ankle, the right one to be exact. And the X-rays were negative so that gives breathing room for the Spurs and does not put a damper on their playoff picture.

Duncan left the game towards the end of the second quarter, but good ol’ Manu Ginobili picked up the slack and lead to Spurs with 31 to hold off the Jazz as they tried to sneak past the Spurs in Duncan’s absence.

Spurs beat Rockets for first Time

2005-02-24T17:39:00.000-06:00

T.A. Badger / Associated Press

Tracy McGrady could only watch this time while Tony Parker led the San Antonio Spurs to victory.

Parker made three inside baskets, including a rare dunk off his own steal, during a decisive 14-3 run in the fourth quarter of a 99-81 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Parker went 6-for-7 in the second half and finished with 22 points, but Spurs coach Gregg Popovich only wanted to talk about his defense.

"On defense, he sealed the game for us," Popovich said. "Nobody notices it, they just notice what people do offensively, but on defense, he was very, very good."

In the first Spurs-Rockets matchup in early December, McGrady stunned San Antonio by scoring 13 points in the final 35 seconds to lead Houston to a one-point win.

In the second Rockets triumph, McGrady hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining to end the Spurs' comeback hopes.

But on Wednesday, the last of his team-high 22 points came on a layup with five minutes left to bring the Rockets within three at 79-76. He took only one more shot, missing a 3-pointer with San Antonio leading by 15.

"I think I'm being too passive," said McGrady, who shot only 7-for-21. "I'm trying to stay in the offense and getting the other guys involved - that's how we've been winning. Sometimes it'll hurt us because I do need to be more effective."

Parker, who had a season-high five steals, wanted to talk about the breakaway slam with about three minutes left.

"The fans always get mad when I make layups, but sometimes I'm tired," he said. "Tonight I felt good. I'll try to do more."

The victory was the Spurs' first in three tries against Houston this season, and their 16th straight win at home. San Antonio is 24-1 at the SBC Center.

Tim Duncan scored 30 points, including his third 3-pointer of the season, and had 11 rebounds for the Spurs. Manu Ginobili added 18 points.

Yao Ming had 20 points and Juwan Howard 16 for the Rockets, who dropped their second in a row after winning eight straight before the All-Star break.

"We're struggling to score - I don't think we had a field goal off the bench tonight," said Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy, whose reserves went 0-for-11. "(The Spurs) had another level. That's why they're the best team in the league."

Houston played without starting point guard Bob Sura, who has a sore back. The team said Wednesday that Sura, averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 assists, could be out for up to two weeks with the injury.

Ginobili opened the game with a 3-pointer and Parker made two driving layups to give San Antonio a 9-4 lead in the first two minutes. The Rockets followed with their own 9-4 run, with a 19-foot jumper by McGrady tying the score at 13.

Houston led 26-21 after one as the Spurs missed six of their final eight shots of the period.

The Rockets made only five field goals in the second and missed six straight shots at one point, but San Antonio couldn't take the lead.

Down 40-34 late in the second, Parker made a pair of free throws and a layup to cut Houston's lead to two. But Yao hit a 14-foot turnaround jumper and foul shots by Jon Barry and Howard put the Rockets up 45-38, matching their biggest lead of the half. without Sura this season ... Rod Strickland, starting for Sura, scored four points and had five assists.

Preview: Spurs vs. Wizards

2005-02-09T15:42:00.000-06:00

from Foxsports.com

STANDINGS:
Spurs - 1st place, Southwest Division.
Wizards - 2nd place, 6{ GB, Southeast Division.

PROBABLE STARTERS:
Spurs - F Bruce Bowen, F Nesterovic, C Tony Massenburg, G Ginobili, G Parker.
Wizards - F Jamison, F Jared Jeffries, C Brendan Haywood, G Jarvis Hayes, G Arenas.

TEAM LEADERS:
Spurs - Duncan, 21.3 ppg and 11.8 rpg; Parker, 6.2 apg.
Wizards - Arenas, 24.7 ppg; Jamison, 8.1 rpg; Larry Hughes, 5.3 apg.

SEASON SERIES:
Spurs, 1-0.

LAST MEETING:
Jan. 17; Spurs, 101-73. At San Antonio, the Spurs shot 52 percent (39-for-75), including 75 percent (12-of-16) from 3-point range, and limited the Wizards to season lows for points and shooting percentage (31.8 percent). Reserve Devin Brown led the Spurs with a career high-tying 24 points. Hayes, in a reserve role, was 10-of-20 and scored a career-best 27 points for Washington.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS:
Spurs - 16-9 on the road.
Wizards - 18-7 at home.

INJURIES:
Spurs - G Mike Wilks (knee); F Linton Johnson (ankle); G Romain Sato (knee).
Wizards - G Hughes (thumb); F-C Kwame Brown (ankle); C Peter Ramos (shoulder).

Spurs take Control

2005-02-01T17:21:00.000-06:00

Can you hear Seattle crying bout not having Ray Allen, and using that as an excuse for their lost to the Spurs?

Well SuperSonics’ fans can say what ever they want but the truth is San Antonio is red hot and was not about to lose to Seattle for the 3rd time this season, especially now, with the trio of Ginobili, Duncan, and Parker in full rhythm.

Ginobili was stingy posting up 12 boards and 23 points. Duncan scored 21 points and had 10 boards, while Parker put up 17 points and posted 10 boards as well. Now the Spurs have the best record at (37-10) and went 12-4 this month after disposing of the Sonics 103-84 Monday night.

Go Spurs!

Taking the Offensive

2005-01-18T13:10:00.000-06:00

Spurs do what they do best and that is stopping other teams from scoring. How did the top defense do it again? They did it by holding the Washington Wizards to 73 points and keeping the Wizards' seven game winning streak nothing more but a 7 game winning streak.

In 101-73 victory the Spurs held the wizards to just 31.8 percentage shooting, and that is because the past 10 games, Washington was averaging 100 plus points.

Game Notes
Brent Barry 17 points
Brent Barry was 5 for 5 on 3-pointers
Manu Ginobili did not play
Tim Duncan had 11 points, 11 rebounds,
Rasho Nesterovic had 12 rebounds
Rasho Nesterovic also had a season-high five blocks
Spurs made 12 of 16 3-pointers

The Buck(s) Stops Here

2005-01-13T14:18:00.000-06:00

There was four Spurs with double digits in last nights win against the Milwaukee Bucks, first and foremost was Time Duncan with 21 points, Tony Parker with 20 points,Manu Ginobili added 15, and newly acquired Brent Barry had 11 points. With the that talented to group the San Antonio Spurs were able to complete a season sweep over the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Spurs also have the NBA's top defensive holding the Bucks to 79 points while the Spurs had 94 and also held the Bucks to a 41.3 percent shooting. I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch but the Spurs are my pick this year to take it all.

Go Spurs!

Bad day at Work

2005-01-03T10:22:00.000-06:00

It wasn't the best outing for Tim Ducan. Then again we all have are bad days at work. Duncan was 6 of 17 with 14 points. That not to mention the hard time he was having with Chris Webber, who twice tied him up for jump balls.

On the day Manu Ginobili had 18 points and Horry did his best with a season high 12 points.

The Spurs where dropped 86-81 and are now sitting at 25-7.

Phoenix (24-3) at San Antonio (22-6)

2004-12-28T16:14:00.000-06:00

from NBA.com

The Phoenix Suns have risen to just about every challenge this season but will arguably face their biggest one yet Tuesday when they meet the San Antonio Spurs at the SBC Center.

The Suns have won 11 straight games and 20 of their last 21 en route to the best start in the NBA since the Chicago Bulls opened the 1996-97 campaign 25-3.

Steve Nash has recorded at least 10 assists in every game during Phoenix's streak, including Sunday's 106-94 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Nash, who was named Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday, had 18 points and 13 assists and Amare Stoudemire added 33 points.

Stoudemire has reached the 30-point plateau in each of his last three outings and ranks fourth in the league with a 25.6 scoring average.

The Suns' 11-game winning streak matches the second longest in team history, behind only a 14-game stretch in December 1992.

To extend its streak to 12, Phoenix will have to hand San Antonio just its second loss at home this season.

The Spurs, who own the second-best record in the NBA, have won six of their last seven, including all five at the SBC Center.

Two-time MVP Tim Duncan has been held in check in the last two games, scoring just 16.5 points, but Tony Parker has picked up the slack with 23 per game over that stretch after a 27-point performance against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

Parker, Spurs Dominate Warriors

2004-12-19T18:03:00.000-06:00

from NBA.com

Even with a sub-par effort from Tim Duncan, the San Antonio Spurs had more than enough to continue their home dominance of the Golden State Warriors.

Tony Parker collected a season high-tying 21 points and nine assists and Manu Ginobili added 21, seven rebounds and six assists as the Spurs overcame a poor first 18 minutes to easily defeat the Warriors a 15th straight time at home, 104-85.

Duncan, who had been averaging 23.6 points and 12.6 rebounds, had just 12 and seven in this one but it did not matter as the Spurs shot 52 percent (43-of-83) from the floor.

"As a team, we have to get some pride and stop the guy in front of us," said Warriors forward Troy Murphy, who scored 17 points. "Cliff (Robinson) did a great job of stopping Duncan, and we all have to defend more like that."

The Spurs trailed by 11 points after one quarter and by as many as 14 midway through the second period before waking up. Ginobili scored eight points and Parker six during a 17-0 run that gave San Antonio a 47-43 edge with 1:35 left, and the Spurs led thereafter.

"The group that gave us the run in the second quarter set the table for us," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "It was the time in the game when we took control. They did a good job from that point on."

Parker produced 17 points in the quarter, which ended with San Antonio ahead, 49-45.

"We started slow. We were flat, like in the New Orleans game," said Parker, alluding to Friday's 83-67 road win. "In the second quarter, we made some stops and did a better job of getting the defensive matchups we wanted."

"There was just too much Tony Parker tonight," Warriors coach Mike Montgomery said. "When he was in the game, he really, really hurt us. We played well early and ran the floor, but when he came back in the second, he really hurt us."

San Antonio held just a 72-67 lead entering the fourth quarter before Ginobili and rookie Beno Udrih helped push the advantage to 94-73 just 4:40 later, combining to score 12 points on a variety of swoops to the basket and reverse layups.

"They are a really good basketball team," Montgomery said. "Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker got to the hoop whenever they wanted. They just killed us with their penetration to the basket tonight."

Jason Richardson contributed 22 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State, which has not won in San Antonio since a 108-94 victory at the Alamodome on February 14, 1997 - four months before the Spurs drafted Duncan.

Spurs on the Rise

2004-12-07T16:56:00.000-06:00

The San Antonio Spurs are sitting pretty right now. They are on a 8 game winning streak and are in first place in the South West division.

The Spurs are also sitting on a 16-3 record.

Ducan put on another grade A effort by putting up another double - double in there latest win against the sloppy Bulls. The final score was 91 - 75. The Spurs win, of course.

Next game will take place in Seattle. That is going to be a tough one. Seattle is also leading there division with a 15-3. So watch the game.

Go Spurs!

Spurs over Jazz

2004-11-28T19:26:00.000-06:00

from ESPN.com
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs' fast start didn't surprise Utah coach Jerry Sloan.

Malik Rose scored a season-high 16 points, San Antonio made nine of its first 10 shots and the Spurs beat the Jazz 109-76 on Saturday night.

"They started out just like I thought they would," Sloan said. "They came out and tried to destroy us."

Manu Ginobili added 15 points, Tony Parker and Devin Brown each had 14 and Tim Duncan had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs, who shot 12-for-16 in the opening quarter.

While San Antonio's offensive got off to a hot start, the Spurs' defense held Utah to 3-for-12 shooting over the same span. At 7:01 of the first quarter, the Spurs led 20-6.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, notoriously hard to please, was happy with his team's intensity -- particularly on defense.

"That's what they're paid to do -- bring their best every game," he said.

Matt Harpring scored 15 points and Gordan Giricek 14 to lead the the Jazz, who played most of the night without Andrei Kirilenko, their No. 2 scorer and rebounder.

Kirilenko, averaging about 16 points and eight rebounds, went down with a sprained right knee in a collision with San Antonio's Beno Udrih early in the second quarter.

But by that point, the Spurs already had a 23-point lead and were well on their way to their 19th straight victory at home. Kirilenko was scoreless in nine minutes.

"It's not really hurt, it's just uncomfortable," said Kirilenko, who needed crutches to get around.

A 6-foot jumper off the rim by Duncan accounted for San Antonio's only miss in the game's first five minutes. The Spurs shot 12-for-16 in the opening quarter.

Udrih's second 3-pointer of the game with 10:10 left in the second gave San Antonio a 35-14 lead, and after that the Jazz were never closer than 20. At one point in the fourth, Utah trailed by 37.

"Our defense is getting better and better," Parker said. "You really have to focus on taking care of the ball when you build a big lead. We were up 20 in Toronto (last week) and lost."

Carlos Boozer, Utah's leader at 20.2 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game, had six points and three rebounds before fouling out early in the fourth.

The Spurs have beaten Utah 18 straight times dating to February 2000.

Spurs Rough Up Warriors

2004-11-11T15:32:00.000-06:00

from the offical site of the San Antonio Spurs

A bad start and a bad finish had Mike Montgomery in a bad mood.

Still looking for his first win, Montgomery picked up his first technical foul as the Golden State Warriors succumbed, 91-71, to the San Antonio Spurs, who got 23 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks from Tim Duncan.

"We got a win against a team that is fighting to find its way," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

Hired away from Stanford to replace Eric Musselman, Montgomery is learning how tough it is to win in the NBA. The Warriors came in 0-4 and dug themselves an immediate hole, falling behind, 23-12, after one quarter.

"In almost every game, we've had a quarter where we've not made a shot and given us a horrible chance to win," Montgomery said. "I don't know what it is, but typically it's been in the first quarter, and tonight it was in the first. We've just got to keep pushing."

Golden State hung around and pulled within five points late in the third quarter. It still was within 72-64 with 7:38 left after a 3-pointer by Jason Richardson, who scored 13 points. But the Warriors went scoreless for nearly five minutes as the Spurs rattled off 12 straight points to open a 20-point lead.

Midway through the drought, Montgomery began arguing with referee Ron Garretson and picked up his first technical foul. It had no effect on his team, which continued to shoot blanks.

"The technical with a little over five minutes left in the game was because I wanted to let my players know I am behind them 100 percent and because Dale (center Dale Davis) had one right before and I wanted to assure my players that I am in their corner," Montgomery said.

Two free throws by Mike Dunleavy Jr. finally ended the dry spell at the 2:45 mark, but Montgomery wasn't done making his points. In the final minute, his team allowed Mike Wilks to drive for an uncontested layup and he immediately called a 20-second timeout to berate his players.

After the game, Montgomery said he called the timeout to get rookie Andris Biedrins some playing time. But Golden State's locker room was closed for more than 20 minutes after the contest.

"My team needs a stronger mentality on defense and it is not happening," Montgomery said. "It's hard to know where to get a basket. Too many jump shots are happening and we need to drive to the hole more. Player combinations aren't working, but I know that this will come around eventually. I'm hoping to find more double-figure scorers and more consistency both offensively and defensively out of my guys."

Dunleavy scored 13 points for Golden State, which is 0-5 for the first time since the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season.

"I feel the pieces will fit eventually and come together," said Warriors guard Derek Fisher, who was signed as a free agent in the offseason. "It's a matter of time before we start to jell. It's just not happening as of yet."

Duncan was his usual unstoppable self and also anchored a defense that limited Golden State to 32.5 percent (26-of-80) shooting. The Spurs bounced back from Sunday's surprising 19-point loss at Seattle.

"This is pretty close to how I thought we would respond," Duncan said. "We were better defensively and we executed on the offensive end better."

Manu Ginobili added 22 points for the Spurs, who never trailed and won their 14th straight home meeting with the Warriors dating to Feb. 14, 1997 - four months before Duncan was drafted

Parker has Something to Prove

2004-11-11T13:14:00.000-06:00

from ESPN.com

Parker is out to show he is more valuable to the San Antonio Spurs than team officials think.

Parker scored eight of his 16 points in the third quarter as the Spurs broke open the game and went on to a 102-86 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in the preseason finale for both teams.

Parker, who will be paid $1.5 million this season, broke off contract extension talks Wednesday after Spurs management declined to increase their offer of six years at $64 million. If no extension agreement is reached by Sunday, Parker can become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

San Antonio turned a 44-40 halftime lead into an 80-64 advantage after three quarters. Parker and Tim Duncan combined for 19 of the Spurs' points in the third. Duncan finished with 17.

Brent Barry came off the bench to add 14 points, including consecutive 3-pointers late in the third quarter. Tony Massenburg chipped in with 12 for San Antonio (4-3), which won its fourth straight.

Baron Davis had 21 points and Chris Andersen added 13 and nine boards as the Hornets fell to 3-5.

New Orleans, which moves to the Western Conference this season, opens the regular season Wednesday at home against the Dallas Mavericks. San Antonio hosts the Sacramento Kings on the same night.

Duncan, Spurs Stymie Sonics

2004-10-25T14:04:00.000-05:00

From NBA.com

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 23 (Ticker) -- Tim Duncan scored 21 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 91-82 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics in preseason action.

After the Spurs gained a 51-40 lead at halftime, Duncan single-handedly broke open the game. He scored the first seven points of the third quarter and his team's first nine to help San Antonio build a 60-42 advantage.

A two-time Most Valuable Player, Duncan shot 8-of-10 from the floor and was the only Spurs player to score in double figures. Devin Brown chipped in eight points and five rebounds off the bench.

San Antonio shot better than 52 percent from the floor in earning its first preseason win.

Damien Wilkins came off the bench to lead Seattle with 17 points. Wilkins, a rookie out of North Carolina State, was 8-of-12 from the floor and hit his first 3-pointer since joining the team.

Ray Allen scored 13 of his 14 points in the first half for the Sonics, who have dropped four in a row after opening their exhibition schedule with a win.

new blog

2004-09-06T17:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks for dropping by my Spurs blog! I'll soon be posting in full swing for the 2004-2005 NBA season, so be sure to bookmark me and come back!