Clincher wrote:Nolan wrote:^
Yep the only reason they're still kinda in this is because of all the three's we've missed. Parker is torching Lin and Stat off the pick and roll and no one on the Knicks is rotating to help. I mean at least put Jared Jeffries in the game to try and stop Duncan from getting wide open layups in the paint.
Jeffries got hurt last night, hence why Harrelson of all the big men got the start.
You guys caught the Knicks at a good time with the 2 big guys who can play D out.
Knicks would've lost anyway imo, and probably by double figs. Not by 20 sure. . .but 12-15ish, I think so. Especially if Baron Davis didn't slam TJ Ford in the back to knock him out of the game in the first half.
Everyone plays b2bs. Let's not forget, the Spurs just got finished playing 9 straight road games including 3 b2bs thrown in there. Lost 1 game (the one Popovich sat Duncan and Parker for rest purposes). The b2b really isn't an excuse this year since everyone has to play tons. . .unless you guys had a really long flight into SA from like Boston or something, then I'd grant you the b2b being tough and a "scheduling loss". . .but you guys just came from Dallas. That didn't hurt you guys man. That's barely a 1 hour flight.
Spurs and other western conference teams have to deal with far worse travel schedules for their road games. The teams in the west are a lot tougher, so seeing Dallas then SA b2b is commonplace. In the east only @Miami then @Chicago even measures up to that. But there are several combinations that lead to those "tough b2bs". Especially this year, jesus. . .look at SA's schedule for March and April. You'll puke in your soup at how difficult it is. And the kicker? Spurs have had one of the top 3 toughest schedules all season already (in terms of opponent win%).
Playing the Knicks was literally like a break for the Spurs. Our average opponent has been much tougher. I don't mean to be insulting by saying that either, so I apologize if I did offend by saying it. That's a fact though. Average opponent: .528% win %, and that's mostly west teams who have nerfed win%s because they don't get to play the weak eastern confernce teams very much.
