Spurs Rally Behind Ginobili
posted: 11/20/2006 at 10:32 PM
It was a very solid, very complete game plan for the Trail Blazers. The trouble is, in this league, the elite teams adjust. The San Antonio Spurs showed why they came into Monday night's game 5 and 0 on the road, and in the second half, out-executed the Trail Blazers and improved to 6 and 0 away from home. They came from 10 down in the third quarter to defeat the Blazers 107-98.
We often say during broadcasts that you can't afford to simply "turn it on and turn it off" during games, or just "flip a switch." Basically, that means you have to play with an all-out effort for 48 minutes. Well, the Spurs are one team that can violate the rule and still win games. They never panic, adjust well, and simply know how to pick their spots. When the door cracks open, they rush through and take advantage of every opportunity.
The Trail Blazers played their most complete half of basketball in the first 24 minutes. They were getting the ball to Zach Randolph, he was passing out of double teams, and guys were hitting shots. Portland shot 52 percent in that first half, had 10 assists on 22 made field goals, and turned the ball over 7 times. Zach had 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting, and the Blazers led by 8. That lead would grow to 10 in the third.
You knew adjustments were coming from the Spurs in the third quarter. The biggest one of the game was when they decided to put a much smaller Bruce Bowen on Randolph. They invited the entry pass to Zach, and then would double him with Tim Duncan. Knowing how easily he scored in the first half, the Blazers kept trying to go through Zach, and that was exactly what the Spurs were wanting. The offense grew stagnant, while the Spurs offense got a major dose of Manu Ginobili. They outscored the Blazers 30-18 in the third, and 29-24 in the fourth.
Ginobili, who has been struggling, got it done with hustle and scrappy play, as we've come to expect. He came into the night shooting just 37 percent, and averaging only 13 points per game. His season high had been 19 points. He nearly got that in the fourth quarter alone, when he scored 18. He ended the game with 25 points on 9 of 14 shooting. He also played a big part in disrupting everything Portland was trying to do at the offensive end.
Speaking of picking your spots, if Ginobili wasn't doing it, Duncan was. During the Spurs big 16-2 run in the third, Duncan was phenominal. He ended the game with 25 points on 10 of 16 shooting. The other member of the "big three," Tony Parker, did most of his damage early in the game, and ended with 14 points.
The Blazers were once again led by Randolph, who had 23 points and 8 rebounds, and despite being under pressure from the Spurs' swarming defense the entire second half, turned the ball over only one time in the game. Jarrett Jack had 12 points and 5 assists, and did a nice job on Parker. Juan Dixon had 17 off the bench for Portland.
Even in the loss, the Trail Blazers have a lot to build on following this game. The last several years, San Antonio has been a really bad matchup for this team. Tonight, even as short handed as they are, they showed they could go blow for blow with the Spurs, who are playing as well as anyone in the NBA right now.
Next up for Portland, is another matchup with the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday. After getting embarassed on their home court by the Blazers on Saturday, you can be sure the Nets will be bring a different effort on Wednesday. They opened their road trip with a loss at Seattle Monday night. Richard Jefferson, who didn't play Saturday, did play Monday, and will play Wednesday.
Tuesday night, it's a special edition of Trail Blazers Courtside, presented by L.A. Weight Loss. Because Thursday is Thanksgiving, we're hosting the radio show on Tuesday from the Rose Garden. It'll be at it's usual time, 6pm to 8, on KXL-AM 750 in the Portland area, and the Blazers Radio Network. You can also listen live to the show by clicking the link at the top-right of this page. You can send your e-mail questions and comments, starting now, to
courtside@trailblazers.com.
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What about the calls? I know that we let them back into the game with a stagnant offense and senseless turnovers, but c'mon, those refs were horrible. I don't care how you call the game, so long as the same rules apply to both teams. The Blazers were drawing contact on strong moves to the hoop and getting no calls, but when a Spur spun into defenders and got bodied it was the shot plus one.
Tony Parker drove across the lane brushing by a defender, the ref blew the whistle, so Parker travelled taking 2 extra steps and threw up a joke of a floater. Two shots at the line and a foul on us. Meanwhile the Blazers were dinged for multiple carries and travelling calls, a few of which were questionable at best.
I know that Duncan is a former MVP, and we're a young team, but I heard multiple, extremely late whistles, for the Spurs. The refs were waiting to see if the shot fell before calling anything. SHENANEGINS!!!
Re: MadDogg: The NBA's "stars" get calls that younger players & teams do not. It's an unspoken truth. There's not much we can do about it, except keep plugging along and develop some "star-power" of our own. We have a good start in Zach, Brandon, LaMarcus, Jarrett, and to a lesser extent Martell, Travis, and Sergio. Give these kids a chance to develop and begin generating interest from outside Blazerville, and you will start to see us getting "star" calls when our lesser "star-crossed" opponents do not.
Re: Last night's game: Pretty impressive game, all told. You had to know the Spurs were going to adjust at some point, and they did. And it helped me understand a fundamental truth about our team:
We need more offensive firepower.
This is NOT a knock on Zach. It's actually a call for the rest of the team to step up on offense. Because, as we saw last night, one really good defender (ala Bruce Bowen) and a change in defensive scheme can shut us down as long as our offense if predicated on running the ball through Zach.
Look at the Spurs. Duncan is obviously their focal-point on offense, but they have several other players who are all capable of putting their team on their shoulders and carrying them when Duncan gets shut down (which doesn't happen very often). Sometimes it's Parker. Sometimes it's Ginobili. But Barry and Finley are both still capable of putting up big numbers, and there's no better clutch 3-point shooter in the NBA than Horry (as we Blazers fans know full well).
Pritchard has referenced the Spurs as a model for where the Blazers are going a number of times in the past. I'mn beginning to see that it's more than a culture thing - the "model" includes the structure of their roster (among other things, likely) too.
Not disappointed about this loss at all. Gritty play by the Blazers all the way through. The Spurs just took advantage of the chinks in our armor (yes, and a few "star" calls that they are apt to get). If fact, this was a great "measuring stick" game for us. We have more work to do...
...particularly at the offensive end...
...by pretty much everyone not named Zach.
But, hey, that's 3 straight games without a huge 1st-quarter hole, right?
Got my rose-colored glasses on straight.
GO BLAZERS!!!
PBF
Duncan was called for 0 fouls. With as many times he hacked Zach, i'm not sure how officials with that much bias can actually call themselves the best in the world. It was a joke.
I respect the Spurs and their organization, but i think they are one of the most boring teams in basketball. The personalities on their team put me to sleep, and their constant whining about every call that doesn't go their way makes them extremely hateable. I don't remember the last time i saw an entire team cry like that. I hope we tap into their secret of success, but i wouldn't want those dull sniffling sallys playing for my team.
I don't know how Dan got back into the rotation. He certainly hasn't played his way back. I'm a huge fan of Nate, but i think he was a huge contributor to the loss. His first half was great, but i couldn't figure out what he was doing in the second half. I'm sure it was over my head, but i'd be willing to bet it was also wrong.
How to beat the Blazers. Have them funnel their offense throught the same person all the time, every time. It's guaranteed to leave people standing around feeling out of sync, out of rhthym. But hey, it keeps that 20 and 10 rolling in. At least we'll be represented at the All Star game. I say bring in Sergio and Travis and get the old fast break out of retirement. We need legs, offensive options, defensive intensity, not a " black hole " offense and matador D.
But hey, it's not my team.
I agree with everyone's comments about the game. Yes, we need more offense. Yes, teams know that shutting down Zach equals a win. Did we get some unfair calls? Probably not very many. Most of the calls I initially thought were wrong I realized were right after seeing the replays. Referees are really camping down on travelling and carrying violations.
The bottom line is that San Antonio is just a better team in nearly every respect. But that's true when compared to just about any team in the NBA, the exception maybe being Dallas or Utah (the way they're playing right now).
One other thing. I just have to say that as much as I love Nate, Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the NBA. So smooth, so calm, so confident. I saw him sipping water during the game. He may as well have been at a Christmas party he was so relaxed. Down by eight at halftime, they talk for a few minutes, share a few laughs, make a couple of key adjustments, and boom all of a sudden it's a twenty point swing in their favor. With barely breaking a sweat. Unbelievable.
this is a fan from way back. i was a trailblazer fan back when T.R.Dunn was a star on the team. i would like to know what he is doing in his retirement.
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