So here's what you've missed since I last did an update:
• Friday, 3/2, was a good home WIN against the Charlotte Bobcats, 102-72.
• Sunday, 3/4, we took a tough home LOSS to the Denver Nuggets, 99-94.
• Tonight we pretty much blew-out the NY Knicks. The home WIN was 118-105, but it felt like a 30-pt. win.
Friday against the Bobcats we shot almost 48%, including 50% from three (10 of 20), and our defense was strong all night long. Charlotte struggled shooting (37%), and also got out-rebounded by the often out-rebounded Spurs 55-37. Ouch! Enough said. Kemba Walker played 24 minutes, but is still not starting, and Tyrus Thomas played a measly 4 minutes. I'm not really sure what's going on over there, but if I were Michael Jordan, I'd consider selling this team out of embarrassment. Spurs had 5 in double-figures, and needless to say, our youngsters got some quality minutes. Here's the boxscore.
Sunday we welcomed the Denver Nuggets, after having just given them a beatdown last week. Ty Lawson's been playing out of his mind lately, and it showed. We got into an early 13-4 hole in this game, and never seemed to have the energy to get out of it, although we did close an 8-pt. 1st-Q deficit to 4-pts. by halftime.That 4-pt. lead was still there after 3 Qs, as we were within striking distance the entire game. But the strike never really happened. As soon as we'd make it a 1-possession game, Lawson, Afflalo, and company would have nothing of it. We also didn't shoot very well most of the game, except for a small stretch right in the middle, and we got pounded on the boards 49-40. George Karl's a great coach, and he and the Nuggets were able to force Tony to do stuff he wasn't planning on doing, and rarely got into the paint. Tough loss, but we still own the season series. Here's the boxscore.
Earlier tonight Carmelo, Amar'e, and Jeremy Linsanity were in our house, and they're always a pretty good draw for fans, but I've been waiting for this one. And apparently so were the Spurs, and also the fans who were in attendance. Our spirit and energy were obviously apparent from the very beginning, as it hasn't seem to exist at this level in several games. We shared the ball, and shot well en route to a 28-23 1st-Q lead.The Knicks would briefly take the lead early in the 2nd-Q, before a nice 30-11 run the rest of the quarter. Manu was being Manu, Tony had 23 1st-half points, and the defense was solid. Well, ours was anyway. TJ Ford would take a cheap nudge from behind by Baron Davis. After laying on the floor for several minutes, he would return to the bench with a "stinger", and word that he was neurologically OK. Phew - he's had several back/neck issues already.
Later in the 3rd-Q DeJuan Blair and Amar'e Stoudemire would get into it enough that Timmy had to get between them (double technicals). And with a 21-point lead later in the quarter, coach Popovich would get angry enough at a foul drawn by JR Smith on Tiago Splitter, that he would get double-technicals, and earn an ejection.Spurs would lead by as much as 23. Aside from the drama of all the technicals, the obvious frustration from most of the Knicks, and Linsanity (who honestly got schooled all night long by Tony Parker), the theme of the night was the lack of anything resembling
Image Source (Photo by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images)
defense by the Knicks. Tony and Manu both had countless layups. Sean Elliott even mentioned at one point that "#1 [Stoudemire] may as well be a mannequin out there." 118-105. TP had 32 & 6 dimes. SIX other players scored double-figures, including Duncan's 17, Manu's 17, and Gary Neal's 12. The rebound edge was ours this time 47-37, and even losing the turnover margin 17-10, the Spurs dominated. Here's the boxscore.
Next up is the LA Clippers on Friday night.
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