Much has been made of the woes of the San Antonio Spurs and the fact that they've been outplayed in the first two games of their Western Conference semi final series against the New Orleans Hornets. And like any other troubled Spurs' fan I was none too pleased with their output and display in those first two games.
Manu Ginobili of the Spurs gets a helping hand from teammates Michael Finley and Fabrice Oberto. Inset also is Tim Duncan showing his approval. picture courtesy of nbae/getty images/ nathaniel s butler .............
The lack of cohesion and communication was there plainly for all to see . And the fact that we couldn't contain the Hornets' All Star point guard Chris Paul was worrisome to say the least. However last night was a return to the tried and trusted way of the Spurs that many of the fans of the NBA have come to know from this franchise. They played with great efficiency and imagination. And above all their players stepped up and played with stealth and guile. None more so than two of foreign born players Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Who between them for the vast majority of the scoring for the team last night.
Tony Parker of the Spurs goes to the basket evading Mario Ely and David West of the Hornets. Parker shared the brunt of the Spurs' offensive output alongside teammate Manu Ginobili in scoring. He ended the game with 31 points and 11 assists. picture courtesy of nbae/getty images/nathaniel s butler ............
The game three win over the Hornets was decisive and in many ways and it showed that the team is back on track. That 110-99 effort if nothing else showed that in times of adversity this team can turn it around when called upon. One can only hope that this portends of things to come in the series. Still facing a 2-1 deficit they've got to win the next two games to be played in San Antonio in order to make sure of really keeping their hopes alive in the playoffs. Ginobili and Parker in scoring 31 points apiece effectively took up much of the scoring load leaving Duncan to do what he does best. And that's to bring his cerebral game to the fore . The role players on the team also played their part in this win. And once again Greg Popovich as coach had something to relish even though he realizes that the team isn't out of the woods as of yet.
A jubilant Spurs' fan celebrates the team's game 3 win against the New Orleans Hornets. It provides something of a respite until game 4 and the fact that the team can refocus and rebound from the initial two games lost. picture courtesy of nbae/getty images/ nathaniel s butler ....................
For the Hornets this must be seen as something of a letdown as they now come in San Antonio having to regroup after being thorouhgly outplayed by a Spurs' team that seems to have refound its touch. It could prove to something ominous for the team as it now stands. Should they relinquish the advantage that they now have in terms of the lead. Then it'll come down to their experience and what they're prepared to do in order to regain the advantage over the Spurs. As defending champions the Spurs have a wealth of experience to rely on . Whereas with the New Orleans Hornets this is team that's short on experience but brave in all other aspects of the game. I'd like to believe that experience in the end will trump the youthful exubeberance of coach Byron Scott's team.
Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets evades the defensive play of Tim Duncan while Kurt Thomas looks on . picture courtesy of nbae/getty images/ nathaniel s butler ....................
The Hornets for their part have proven to the rest of the league that they're not to be taken lightly. And if anything their play this season was not by any stretch of the imagination a fluke. They've made teams throughout the NBA feel the wrath of their up tempo play and the athleticism that has gone alongside it. And it should be no wonder to fans across the league why it was they ended up being the number 2 seed behind the Los Angeles Lakersin the Western Conference.
A determined Chris Paul drives the lane against Bruce Bowen of the Spurs. Paul was the Hornets' top scorer with 35 pts and dishing out 9 assists. picture courtesy of nbae/getty images/nathaniel s butler ................
Though this series is far from over the remaining games will provide a great deal of interest not only to the fans of both teams . But also to fans of the game league wide. We're seeing two of the very best now play as if they're boxers in a heavyweight title fight. With punch and counter punch being thrown from all angles with regard to the determination of both teams. At the start this was how I'd envisage this series to unfold itself. But having witnessed the first two games played I wasn't too sure that the San Antonio Spurs were actually prepared to play. But with everything now on the line. It appears that they've stepped up to plate and answered the bell having been knocked down. As in riding a bike once you've fallen off it's best to get back upon the bike and start pedalling all over again. It's something that's ingrained into us that we've all learnt to do over the years.
Kurt Thomas of the Spurs grabs a defensive rebound against the Hornets in the team's 110-99 win over their divisional rival in the Western Conference semi finals game played in New Orleans. picture courtesy of nabe/getty images/nathaniel s butler .............
This series now has the makings of being a classic as both teams will now go toe to toe to prove which of them is the better of the two. The skills that've been shown by both are to be appreciated. And the abilities shown by the coaches Byron Scott and Greg Popovich are not to be underestimated either. As this'll no doubt turn out into something akin to a chess match as they each seek to usurp the other's strategies. Both coaches have been to the NBA Finals. But it has been Popovich that has shown to be the more successful to date having won four championships and is now seeking a fifth. Scott on his two visits as coach of the New Jersey Nets came up short each time.
Chris Paul and his Spurs' counterpart Tony Parker share a converstation during the third quarter of last night's game. picture courtesy of ap/photos/david j phillip ............
As the series unfolds as alluded to before one can assume that experience will count for a great deal. The Spurs has seen this all before and they've come throught it with the erstwhile tact expected of a champion. The Hornets for their part are in unchartered waters and with a young team of stars and some seasoned veterans. It'll be hard to see how they can contain the Spurs should they be allowed to come back into the series with the deficit erased. The Hornets are still learning to ride their bike and yet to have fallen from it , then having to dust themselves off and remount. The Spurs have proven that they're capable of doing that and acquitted themselves well before. So there ought to be no reason not to expect them to be able to to do so again at this juncture.
i'm not jumping on anybody's bandwagon..but right now it looks like the Hornets have the edge to this series, and personally, i think they will win in the end. Byron Scott has been able to make adjustments as well as Pop this year and the team's seeding proves it. yes the playoffs are a different animal altogether, but having won a ring or two himself...i'm certain that coach Scott is relaying that info to his team.
the Spurs are the champs, and i never count the champs out until they're physically gone...BUT i don't know if they've regrouped after just 1 game. the Suns won a game too, and the whole city of Phoenix was ready for a parade...too bad the Suns are in Disneyland already.
all i'm saying is collect your win...but remember the Hornets can still steal a game on your floor.
J-DIZZLE Popovich made the adjustments necessary though it wasn't always possible to contain Paul. And I for one doubt that any team in the NBA can do that effectively. But it was the Spurs' experience that came to the fore when it counted as they pushed the Hornets hard and all but left them for dead. That's where the Spurs have the advantage. The experience of having been in the playoffs. Now it's about containing them in San Antonio and dictating the pace of the game rather than it being the other way around. Thomas and Bowen played their part last night with their scrappy and determined play when it was neccessary. And Bowen showed when left on the perimeter you're doing so at your peril !
It wouldn't surprise me at all if San Antonio won this series, but I sure would like to see them play a little better in the Big Easy before I put any money on it.
GameStormC2C
J-DIZZLE As I've alluded to in the context of this piece the series is far from over. From the start I thought that we never came to play having allowed Paul to run wild through our defense. But last night though not containing him effectively . We did enough to shut down their other offensive threats.
Whilst at the same time putting our own strengths on the floor. It'll be the Spurs' experience being played out against the Hornets' youthful exuberance that'll be played out in the end. And normally one expects experience to overcome the youthful exuberance of a team.
It's usually the norm !
'Nique
This series is far from over and I for one am banking on the Spurs' experience overcoming the youttful exuberance of Scott's team. As much as I was frightened out of my wits in those first to games by the lackadaisical approach of the Spurs. I was encouraged last night by what I saw from the team.
They didn't wilt and took the game to the Hornets like I expected they ought to have done. If only they'd done that in the first two games. Then the series as it now stands would be somewhat different.
Reverend Rhythm They saya lot of the time it's youthful exuberance that at times triumphs over experience.
That's what I hope we've seen from the Hornets. On last night's display alone I think that this was borne out by that fact. Now it's down to the Spurs to show them what they're really made of and not the apparent aberration that took place in the first two games
"Now it's about containing them in San Antonio and dictating the pace of the game rather than it being the other way around."
You're absolutely right. I think that was another key for the Spurs last night.
Although they didn't dictate the pace the entire game, they did so in crucial moments. Whenever the Hornets would make a mini run and close the gap, the Spurs' veterans would assert themselves.
Manu and Tony penetrated the lane a lot more, forcing the Hornets to try and contain them. This resulted in wide open three point attempts and resulted in trips to the foul line for the San Antonio guards.
rampant...the Hornets are a nice blend of youth and experience. while the Spurs may have more rings, the Hornets are not lacking for players with more than 5 years int he league and some playoff runs...especially the head coach. to this point, i don't think it as much about youth or experience as much as it is about adjustments. this series is going to be a chess match netween two very good adjustment making coaches.
J-DIZZLE
From your mouth to God's ears as that's what I'm hoping for also. If not then this series'll definitely be over bar the shouting. And then all we'll be left with is the fat lady coming out to sing.
GameStormC2C
That's all well and good put it's the postseason play that really counts. And that's where the Spurs come up trumps.
The Hornets are indeed good but there are few players on their roster that have postseason experience at all. Scott has it a coach and so does Peja. Other than that I can't think of anyone of the top of my head on the Hornets' team with it.
BleedPRPL&GLD
It's never over 'til the fat lady starts to sing.
As of now she's not stage left or stage right. So as far as I'm concerned it's game on !
I just hope that the Spurs have got their game face on for the games to be played in San Antonio. Popovich seems like he's got 'em finally heading in the right direction once and for all.
As to the Lakers and Jazz . If your guys can at least sneak a win in Utah. Then the series is as good as over all bar the shouting. !
Thanks everyone for chiming in with your comments. And hopefully your teams'll acquit themselves in the remaining games of the playoffs. That's if your teams are still there at this juncture.
And if they're not I know that as fans of the game in general you all just want to see a great series from all of the remaining teams one way or another. Chimin' out .
Mean Dovine
One win at a time as they say . But I'm hoping that they can string together the next two in San Antonio to put themselves back into contenttion. That way upon returning to New Orleans then things'd be all the more to my liking.
It now looks as if the Jazz are putting up a wholehearted fight against the Lakers. And Walton has just turned over the ball at the most inopportuned of moments. It's all but guaranteed the win for the Jazz. Certainly not to Bryant's liking after viewing his expression and the glances towards his teammate Luke Walton.
I saw several reasons that the Spurs won last last night.
Pop took Bowen off Paul and put him on Peja. As great as Bowen is, he is just not fast enough to stop Paul. So they put Tony on Paul and just let those two neutralize each other. Paul got his, but Tony matched him because Paul can't stop Tony either.
He started Manu. He has done this in past playoffs when the offense is struggling and it worked again.And fortunately when Finley came in off the bench, he provided the offense that Manu usually provides for the bench.
They quit trying to have Tim fight through the double teams. Instead he enticed them in and even waited for the double team to come. Then he kicked it back out to the open man. Because when you double, someone IS going to be open. Sometimes they did it two or three times in the same possession until someone got open with a good shot.
The shots were falling. Sounds simple and in basketball it is. Sometimes the shots fall and sometimes they don't. In the first two games they didn't. Last night they did.
Spurscse
I'd mantained from the outset that the Spurs can't let the Hornets dictate the pace and flow of the game. In doing so it gives 'em an advantage. And it ill serves the Spurs as a team. That's been one of the most telling things to my mind that came out of the first two game and not about the missed opportunities with regard to the erratic shooting.
Now it comes down to the Spurs' experience and Hornets' youthful exuberance. I certainly hope that Popovich has learnt something from all of this ? And hopefully the same can be said of the players.
Ramp.,
The Spurs are a championship and veteran franchise. As I said in my own blog anyone who counted them out was a fool.
Also as I think it was J-DIZZLE said in his blog the key to stopping the Hornets is stopping Peja. That allows T.P. to play his game at the speed to which he is accustomed to. Great post as usual and some really nice pics of game 3.
gambitxxx
Those two games may well have been an aberration. It certainly scared the hell out of me. I thought that we were in for a series where we'd have been blown out of the water by this young Hornets' team. Paul was having his way with us like he'd been given an early Christmas gift.
Thankfully they regrouped and found their wits about them. Now it's everything to play for and more.
SteveoinHTown
This'll be one series that'll be played out for all of us to see. In the end it may well come down to experience more than anything else. That's how I for one am viewing the situation as of now. I think that if they can play as they've done in game 3 then this series can be won by 'em in the end !
rampant' aka tophatal ......
Last edited by rampantfanatic on May 10th at 7:50 PM.
An avid martial artist and fan of Jet Li. Possessing a black belt in karate (2nd degree Black Belt) I'm of Caribbean parentage born in the UK and have lived in the US for the past 14 years. A lover of sports in particular Soccer, NFL, NBA and MLB.
Slowly getting use to NASCAR but I prefer F1 Practices martial arts, karate and wu shu kwan , muy thai -kick boxing) College grad BA in Int'l Fin and BA in Economics.
Teams Chelsea (EPL) Patriots,Spur s, Marlins..LaDa nian Tomlinson & Roger Federer favorite sports personalities
Music, Jazz , r & b, hip hop, reggae.....Ou tkast,Jay-Z, Kanye, 50 cent, Alicia Keys & Nelly Furtado, Wynton Marsalis Movies....Hea t, Training Day.... Actors Denzel Washington , De Niro
Kerry Washington & Salma H
