At SanAntonio Jan 10 8PM tv: TNT Spurs are 2-2 so far in Jan. They are comming back home with 2 days rest to face the Pistons.
Pistons don't play well after the layoffs for some reason, so hopefully they got their crappy game out of the way and they'll be ready to play come tonight.
If they can't stop the dribble penetrations from both Parker & Manu, we are doomed, 3 games losing streak. Not so much of the Timmy factor in this game but the Parker & Manu factor.
Need4Sheed.com has some interesting comments about last night's game including a video of Stuckey's first NBA dunk after a very nice blow by. Maybe AJ is just destined to return home and play his pro ball in Los Angeles. The Hornets signed a new stadium contract that allows them to opt out of their contract after next season if they don't average at least 14,500 a game. Anahiem and Kansas City (new stadium) are both hot for the Hornets franchise. I would love to see a third NBA team in So. CA. Maybe someday one could also return to San Diego and we could have 4 NBA franchises in So. CA. Need4Sheed.com
Duncan has recorded double-doubles in all 10 regular-season home games against us in his career, leading the Spurs to a 9-1 record.
^ I would agree. This game is really starting to irritate me. One step forward, three steps back. No Afflalo, no Hermann; riding the starters into the ground. Fantastic!!
Good games from Rasheed and McDyess. Bad games from Rip and Tayshaun-the point forward gimmick helped Tay score, but he isn't anywhere near good enough a passer for it not to slow down the team's offense. At least the first half was exciting.
Nice to see Flip sticking with the starters against the Spurs' garbage time team with a double digit lead with less than 2 minutes left. It would be one thing if Pop left his starters in as well, but watching our starters still in the game against the Spurs' end of the bench is just ridiculously pointless.
We now have beaten on their home court the NBA teams with the two best home records; i.e., the Celtics and the Spurs.
This sucks. I can't even enjoy beating the Spurs. What an unsatisfying win. It seems like the entire game we were just clinging to that lead. This is not the way you want to win. Starters playing 40 min, and no spark off the bench except 60 year old Lindsey Hunter (who happened to play well), but still. Afflalo, Stuckey, Hermann, Amir, etc. There more than just guys that rest the starters. They contribute, and how can they do that from the bench. Are we conceding that this is the only way we can beat top teams? I specifically recall beating BOS b/c of our bench. Also, The starters were dragging in the 3rd. I really dislike this no sub pattern. Guys end up playing a 1/4 and a good 3+ min straight. The only positive out of this game was Rasheed was fantastic, and it seems like the team responded to his criticism.
Well, complain all you like, but I'm very happy to get this win. A two game losing streak coming into the world champs' building, and the Pistons pretty much never trailed on the way to winning. Sheed was the MVP with 23 points and 15 boards, and Lindsey did a terriffic job early in the 4th quarter when the Spurs were looking to climb back in it. The huge first quarter was the key to the win, with the Pistons going on a 22-2(!!) run as Tay, Sheed, and Rip all rained in points while the Spurs struggled terribly. The Pistons got in the lane to the tune of a 28-16 advantage on PIP by halftime. A crappy third quarter with stagnant offense (only 13 points) let the Spurs crawl back in it a bit, but the defense never let up in the second half as the Pistons gutted out the win after the Spurs cut the lead to as little as 5. Yes, Pop is a HOF coach whom I'd rather have than Flip any day of the week, but let's face facts, Pop might very well have lost this game for the Spurs in the first quarter. They outscored the Pistons by 5 the rest of the way, but they got absolutely torched in that period while Pop sat there and watched it happen. No timeout called while the Pistons went on a 16-0 run.
Pop has his reasons. IIRC, he benched the entire starting 5 one time, and also Bowen at the end of a game b/c he was getting lit up by Baron. I just can't compare the two. Flip coaches scared. Sometimes it's good to embarrass the starters (which is what i think he was partly doing) In this game, the Pistons outplayed the Spurs for the most part. I'd like to be like look how motivated Flip made them, and look at our great adjustments, but the reality is the Pistons always get up for the Spurs, and we made no adjustments. I'm not knocking the fact we won. Just the way we did doesn't seem conducive to long term (playoff) success.
