Spurs/Trailblazers: Your Thoughts

Bad news for the Spurs. The Spurs struggled to score, their defense didn't hold to bail them out, they failed to execute in crunch time, and worst of all they blew a 10 point fourth quarter lead. (Pop did look great in his khakis and blue blazer though. He, Nelly and Stan Van Gundy are really bringing the lounge look into the NBA.) The Spurs are becoming the Celtics of the Western Conference. They are old and struggling and their off-season acquisitions are not playing as well as they might hope.

Also, is it just me, or does Tim Duncan REALLY look like Dino from the Flinstones? I have been saying this for a long time people.

Andre Miller's game is turning into crafty old guy at the YMCA status. The looks he gives the ref when he ends up on the floor has already reached that point.

Barkley points out that the Spurs are old and that they are gonna struggle on back to backs. For once what comes out of Barkley's mouth is the same thing that is in his head. It should be noted that Portland was also on the back end of a back to back, but they are significantly younger, especially Webster and Aldridge. Both Barkley and Kenny aren't too concerned for the Spurs so we will just have to wait and see.

Down three with the ball sideline out, the Spurs ran one of the greatest plays I have ever seen drawn up. Finley throws it to Duncan in the post on the nearside block, who throws it diagonally across the key to Hill on the three point line at around the elbow extended, who draws the help side defender and swings it to Ginobli in the corner for a wide open three. Not only is Manu wide open, he is taking the shortest three on the court. Beautiful. Only thing that could possibly mess that up is if Duncan is fouled on the block on an overplay at the ball and has to go to the line to shoot two.

My other favorite Spurs end of the game play is the ball is inbounded to the guard who runs the pick and roll at the three point line, slightly offset, for what everyone expects is the jumper. Meanwhile, a man at the opposite block sets a back pick for the man in the far corner who gets the ball for the wide open layup. That's the play my high school coach ran to win the game sending us to the California State Finals, so yeah, it works.

For as athletic and talented as Rudy Fernandez is, and for how much his supporters sing his praises and rave of his abilities, I would think he would get more than 25 min a game, and also that he would be shooting better from the field and scoring a few more points a game. He is one of the most productive players in the League for under 25 mpg, but he needs more playing time. It is getting pretty clogged in that lineup with both Batum and Fernandez coming off the bench while the starters are playing heavy minutes.

I really want to know what the record is for teams on the back end of a back to back for this season. I also want to know what the record is for ROAD teams on the back end of a back to back this season. I really, truly, believe what Jeff Van Gundy said in a telecast, that there should be no nationally televised games in which one of the teams is on the back end of a back to back because it's almost always one sided or far from close. For example, recently the Hawks finished their season sweep of the Celtics and then the next night got blown out by the Cavs by about 20 points. All I am gonna say is that the Cavs are not 20 points better than the Hawks.