GT: Spurs vs. Knicks

[Nolan]

When: 7:30 PM ET, January 4, 2011
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY



VS



Starting Lineups:

Spurs:
PG - Tony Parker
SG - Manu Ginobli
SF - Richard Jefferson
PF - Tim Duncan
C - Dejuan Blair

Knicks:
PG - Raymond Felton
SG - Landry Fields
SF - Wilson Chandler
PF - Amare Stoudemire
C - Ronny Turiaf

This is our first shot at becoming the first team to win 30 games in the league this year and to get to 30 we're going to have to beat a tough opponent in the Knicks. Lately we've been playing some stelar vintage Spurs defense and we're going to need to keep it up against the Knicks high powered offense. We're going to have to do our best to keep Felton and Amare out of the paint and we'll need to do a good job closing out on their shooters.

Danilo Gallinari will miss this one for the Knicks with a knee injury.

Go Spurs!!

[Donald Kaufman]

Don't see the big deal with this Knicks team. Yeah they're better than the past few years but how much worse could things get there?

Shouldn't be a problem with these guys.

[co_laper]

Well I was reading what Pop said about how it was for a lot of people to be playing in the Garden regardless of how good the level of competition is. My worry is that the younger guys (Hill, Neal, Blair) gets overly excited.

Somehow, I get the feeling that we're gonna get some bad performances. Duncan IMO is due for another off night. That's how it is with him these days. Parker might want to show these Knicks what they're missing and try to do too much. And I'm just really certain that Amare is gonna have a monster night.

Personally, I'm predicting that the Spurs are gonna start having some slumps in January and before the all-star break. My prediction starts now. I think we lose to the Knicks this game, and lose to Boston tomorrow despite them having no KG because we're too tired on a b2b.

2 game losing skid.

[Donald Kaufman]

I think we beat the Knicks and lose to the Celtics on the B2B.

[Coco Martin]

Hey Knicks fan here. Good luck on the game. We were kinda worn out and banged up when we won against the Pacers. Gallo got a sprained knee so he's out. But I'm probably betting Amar'e will give a lot of energy after what RJ said and also the rivalry b/w him and the Spurs. You guys will win if you shut down Amar'e/Felton picknroll and keep us at the perimeter.

[Donald Kaufman]

I don't see anything wrong with what RJ said. It's nice that the Knicks are somewhat relevant again but at the end of the day they're only 19-14.

[Coco Martin]

I understand what you mean, I don't think he meant it in an insulting manner. Other people will react to it diffferently though and RJ being a NYer makes it hurt for some people lol. Just done watching him get interviewed and he was talking about working out in the summer in NY and whatnot.

[Donald Kaufman]

Yeah, I think some people will take it out of context. I'm glad there's a mini-resurgence in NY in any case, I think it's good that teams like the Knicks and Bulls are back in the mix for the playoffs.

[Nolan]

Looks like we're going to have a shootout tonight...

[clowds]

Don't see the big deal with this Knicks team. Yeah they're better than the past few years but how much worse could things get there?

Shouldn't be a problem with these guys.

Thoughts?

[co_laper]

First time I see these Knicks.

Wilson Chandler was really good. To me, it was a combination of both bad defense and them having a great offensive night. It seems to me like they had open shots plenty of time. But even when the shots are contested, they still make it. So how do you explain that?

Anyways, I really don't like our zone defense. Problem is, when we ran it in 2nd quarter, it was a lineup of Hill, Neal, Manu, Dice, and Bonner. Let's see... Not enough length... Not enough size... No shotblocking.

It's a little easier to point out the problems when we lose. Lack of rim protection, shotblocking, and consistent defense IMO is the problem. NY didn't stop our offense, but we couldn't stop their defense. But really, it's not like they were unstoppable. We had way too many defensive breakdowns.

And Duncan needs to show up more consistently. I don't mind him scoring 8 points a game if he wasn't getting the touches or something. But he got shots and couldn't dominate Ronny Turiaf. Keep in mind today wasn't a b2b either. I suddenly worry about facing a healthy Boston and LA team. Even Miami if we can't take advantage of Duncan.

[Coco Martin]

First time I see these Knicks.

Wilson Chandler was really good. To me, it was a combination of both bad defense and them having a great offensive night. It seems to me like they had open shots plenty of time. But even when the shots are contested, they still make it. So how do you explain that?

Anyways, I really don't like our zone defense. Problem is, when we ran it in 2nd quarter, it was a lineup of Hill, Neal, Manu, Dice, and Bonner. Let's see... Not enough length... Not enough size... No shotblocking.

It's a little easier to point out the problems when we lose. Lack of rim protection, shotblocking, and consistent defense IMO is the problem. NY didn't stop our offense, but we couldn't stop their defense. But really, it's not like they were unstoppable. We had way too many defensive breakdowns.

And Duncan needs to show up more consistently. I don't mind him scoring 8 points a game if he wasn't getting the touches or something. But he got shots and couldn't dominate Ronny Turiaf. Keep in mind today wasn't a b2b either. I suddenly worry about facing a healthy Boston and LA team. Even Miami if we can't take advantage of Duncan.

Hey GG Spurs fans. I think it was the tempo to the game that led the Knicks to win. I was expecting us to be stopped eventually (getting tired from up and down the floor) but we just kept scoring. And really there is nothing to say about contested shots gooing in. Knicks have those games sometimes.

I thought Tony Parker would be key to beating us. He can easily penetrate our D and score and was expecting to him to score more here on MSG being MSG. If we hadn't held you guys down by 20pts at the 4th it could've been a different result.

Knicks won because:
1. Amare/Felton/Chandler kept scoring. More than usually for the other 2. I said in my other post that you guys would win if you shut down Amar'e or Felton and kept us at the perimeter.
2. Our bench also scored better (and our bench sucks).
3. We had to step up our D at 4th.
4. Road game for the Spurs, had to save strength against Boston.

Pop will definitely tweak the system and defense after this game. If anything, this game could make you guys better.

Anyways, good game, I enjoyed it. Beat Boston tomorrow and the rest of the Eastern Conference. Good luck.

[BLACKFEET 2010]

I don't see anything wrong with what RJ said. It's nice that the Knicks are somewhat relevant again but at the end of the day they're only 19-14.

Dude talks too much. Be mindful of whom you quote. We have always respected the Spurs. And that's league-wide. You've guys have never been about trash talk or bulletin board fodder. If Manu said this, I'd have no retort. Same for Tim or Tony. But that's why you guys are champions. Your guys know the game is played in between the lines not on Page Six. I can guarantee down the line his personality will hurt your team. Massive respect to your franchise though...but that dude needs to pipe down. He's not a champion of anything.

[Donald Kaufman]

NY: 72 first half points.

OKC: 74 pts total.

Wow. That's D'Antoni's offense for you.

Fun game though.

[Donald Kaufman]

Dude talks too much. Be mindful of whom you quote. We have always respected the Spurs. And that's league-wide. You've guys have never been about trash talk or bulletin board fodder. If Manu said this, I'd have no retort. Same for Tim or Tony. But that's why you guys are champions. Your guys know the game is played in between the lines not on Page Six. I can guarantee down the line his personality will hurt your team. Massive respect to your franchise though...but that dude needs to pipe down. He's not a champion of anything.

I can see why a Knicks fan would take offense with the comment. It was an arrogant statement to make, and one that TP, TD or Manu wouldn't make in a million years. But I can see where he's coming from with it. Do I agree with it? Not necessarily. Maybe I'm misreading the comment, but I took it as saying that because it's NY, the resurgence is blown out of proportion.

Why anyone would get bent out of shape by a comment made by RJ is beyond me anyway.

[Donald Kaufman]

Don't see the big deal with this Knicks team. Yeah they're better than the past few years but how much worse could things get there?

Shouldn't be a problem with these guys.

Thoughts?

Other than this slice of humble pie doesn't taste so good? Not much...

Hats off, good win.

[towelie]

Dude talks too much. Be mindful of whom you quote. We have always respected the Spurs. And that's league-wide. You've guys have never been about trash talk or bulletin board fodder. If Manu said this, I'd have no retort. Same for Tim or Tony. But that's why you guys are champions. Your guys know the game is played in between the lines not on Page Six. I can guarantee down the line his personality will hurt your team. Massive respect to your franchise though...but that dude needs to pipe down. He's not a champion of anything.

I can see why a Knicks fan would take offense with the comment. It was an arrogant statement to make, and one that TP, TD or Manu wouldn't make in a million years. But I can see where he's coming from with it. Do I agree with it? Not necessarily. Maybe I'm misreading the comment, but I took it as saying that because it's NY, the resurgence is blown out of proportion.

Why anyone would get bent out of shape by a comment made by RJ is beyond me anyway.

There's actually some history with RJ making underhanded comments against the Knicks, ever since he was a Net. I think a lot of it just rose out of jealousy that even the losing Knicks still got more spotlight over a Finals-contending Nets team.

[moocow007]

Yes. Richard Jefferson has been talking crap about the Knicks since his Net days. And while Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and the rest of the former Nets were smart and classy enough to keep their mouths shut regardless of what they might have thought, Jefferson was constantly chirping about how the Knicks were turrible this or awful that before games. But if the Knicks beat them then you wouldn't hear a peep out of him afterwards. Basically your typical female body part (which he's often been referred to by Knick fans long before he joined the Spurs). Yes, the Knicks were and have been awful but 1) there's no reason to be yapping so nastily about it and 2) if you are going to do it, don't stfu if you lose to them...stand your ground. Jefferson's one of those guys that will kick you when you're down but if you come back to the playground with some friends he'd be nowhere to be found. So no, definitely not an attack against a classy organization like the Spurs or any of it's other players or their fans.