G A M E D A Y: Spurs (43-31) @ Wizards (40-33), 6PM Central

[-Sammy-]

WHERE: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
TV: FOX Sports SW, NBC Sports WA
VEGAS: O/U 201.5, Spurs -1.5

The good guys will try to brush off Sunday's heartbreaker and try to keep pace with-- or possibly pull ahead of-- the Pels, who are hosting come-lately Portland; the Wiz are looking to snap a three-game skid and get some traction on the east's six-seed. Wall is sitting for the visitors.

[ducler]

[G R E Y]

Same 24th starting group for the last nine or so games now, so the roster is settling in.

As for who's not on the roster, it's still "... and then there was one."

We got some help from other teams with our rivals yesterday, so today we once again are in a position to help ourselves.

With eight games left in the season, and four on the road, we need to solidify our game on the road - attention to details for 48 minutes on both ends, aggressive on D, aggressive on the boards on both ends, and focused and moving on O.

Brooks said he was looking for his guys to deny LMA, so we need to make sure we get the ball to our O cog early and keep moving to make sure we position our other shooters for optimal O possessions. Every play counts.

GO SPURS GO!

[G R E Y]

Another huge 38-point quarter... again for the opponent, for the third game in a row. Getting a lead early is one thing, taking our foot of the gas is another.

We stopped running back on D, settled for outside shots which weren't going in.

We can't drive and pass up a 2 for kickouts to the arc for 3 attempts where we're 4-13 at the half. It's one thing if that's the shot that's set up, but don't keep giving up the higher percentage 2 for it. We've lulled ourselves into this play, the kickout for 3 attempt, even on fast breaks, and we need to push it aggressively down low.

It hasn't helped that LMA limped off the court. I hope we see Kyle attempt more shots, and see less Bryn and more Bertans and Joff (if LMA can't go).

This is not exactly playoff basketball. I hope Pop sounds the alarm and we wake up. We need to bring up our focus and intensity.

[imagump1313]

Without Aldridge or Leonard we have 10 guys who look like they don't want to shoot and cant score when they do.
There is absolutely no consistency from anyone other than our top 2 guys(both of whom are hurt now)
This team is probably the hardest Spurs team to watch that Ive ever experienced.

I know any team that loses their top two scorers would have trouble but every team in the league almost is suffering with injuries. The difference is it seems like those teams have guys who step up and make the most out of their opportunities and we just seem to wallow in our misery.

[G R E Y]

Hmm I don't know why we're playing as if we can afford to give away games like favours to opponents. It's not like we have a playoff x- next to our name yet, but played like we could to take the night off when that's never the case as a matter or pride and principle and professionalism.

Just a disappointing effort. We gave up 106 last game and 116 tonight. Our defense and free throw shooting (18-33 tonight) are apparently still back in San Antonio. At least versus the Bucks we came back from 13- and 15-point deficits, though we should not have put ourselves in that position in the first place. Still, it's a game of swings and responses, and after we got up 8 tonight, we played like it was the end of the game or expected them to just roll over. And they did. Just over us. Suddenly, our defense looked pedestrian and we couldn't buy a bucket; they got a 14-point lead and they never looked back, while we didn't do enough to make it tough on them as we did against the Bucks.

They tuned us up for 38 points in the second quarter (we were 5-17, 1-5 from 3), so even with LMA in for most of the first half, we stopped playing with urgency, didn't get back fast enough on D and weren't set and ready to defend by the time they were putting up shots. We looked out of sync, sort of not engaged together, relied too much on the rescue-3 attempts (though not much else was falling),

As for our offense, put it this way: LMA subbed out at 1:54 left in the second quarter having played 18 minutes and scoring 13 points, and he was still our leading scorer by the end of the game. Tony and Manu have had too quiet an impact on the last two games, so I hope they pick it up. It was really good to see Bertans and Joff get some extra minutes along with Bryn. Once they got into a rhythm together, they did well in defensive positioning and contesting shots, aggressive rebounding on both ends, pushing the ball and passing well for a variety of shots. I really liked Paul's hustle - diving for loose balls, driving with purpose. And finally we saw a fundamentally executed fast break with Kyle and Paul's 2-on-1 ending with a layup.

We better play with some focused urgency in the upcoming games, both home and away. We have done well to re-establish our strength at home, and need to impose our will and our game on the road. The basketball gods have gifted us with some leeway and we responded with lax play. How we respond going forward is what's most important now. I didn't love the effort tonight, but I still love our team.

GO SPURS GO!

p.s. I pray LMA is ok...