Manu Returns, and All Is Right With the World Again

The last 2 games against Houston demonstrate a nice progression this team has made over the last few months. The last time we played Houston, they just owned us as 3 different players scored 30 or more on us. Our defense was putrid, our energy was gone, and we looked bad. Tonight we looked a lot better. For a game against Houston--a team that we play notoriously slow, low-scoring games with--it was high-scoring and fast-paced. But our defense was better, our offense was superb, and we clearly looked like the better team. Granted, they were pretty thin with injuries. But we took care of business and pulled away in the second half, overwhelming them with execution, energy, and plain old talent.

For some reason, this game was not broadcast on League Pass Broadband, so I ended up watching it the old fashioned way--on an illegal feed from ESPN Deportes. The feed still gave us our hometown announcing crew, but all of the ads were in Spanish. And all the players were blurry. Was that George Hill racking up 30 points? Nice. It's quite a skill to be able to score 30 points in an NBA game.

In the big picture, I think that loss to NJ is going to bite us in the ass. One win could be the difference between the 6th or 7th seed and facing Utah or Dallas or Denver or Phoenix and the 8th seed and facing LA. That would be a tough pill to swallow.

Looking Forward:

We play Orlando in San Antonio on Friday night. They gave us a nice butt-whooping a few weeks ago in Orlando. It's time to return the favor.

Or at least get the win.

Really, San Antonio Spurs? Really?

That was my LEAST favorite game of the year.

Seriously, wtf?

I guess we know how important Ginobili is now. With him, we can beat the best team(s) in the league; without him, we can't beat the worst.

Any other analysis would be pointless. And by "pointless", I mean "insanely aggravating".

Looking Forward:

Probably more humiliation against Houston.

Starting To Come Together, Pepper...Starting To Come Together

That was my favorite win of the season.

I hesitate to say the best win of the season, though I think the case could (quite convincingly) be made. But it was my favorite. Everything just seemed to be working right, and it finally felt like the team had an identity and was playing together. Just great stuff to watch.

It seems redundant to keep talking about how great Ginobili has been over the last month or so, but come on.



Right now, Ginobili is one of the five to ten best players in the league. He is doing everything for this team. Everything. Scoring. Playmaking. Ball handling. Clutch defense. Leadership. Desire. I'm half-expecting him to rub his hands together and heal Tony Parker Miyagi style. He's reminding every Spurs fan why he is the fan favorite, and reminding the rest of the league why he has won everywhere he goes.

Jefferson had another great game. When I watch Jefferson, I'm not concerned about the numbers (though they were great tonight). What I'm watching is his activity and his engagement with the game. He needs to feel part of the action and feel like his presence affects the outcome of the game. That's why playing with Ginobili helps him so much, because Ginobili plays the ultimate team game. The two early fouls motivated Jefferson, and he came out in the 2nd quarter with something to prove.

Blair might have had the ugliest best game I've seen since Oberto was in the Silver and Black. Every time he touched the ball I was preparing myself to cringe, and I was very often rewarded with a cringe-worthy play. But he also got almost every offensive rebound in the 4th quarter, which took the air out of the game and the Celtics, thwarting any attempt at a comeback. We were hardly an offensive powerhouse in the final frame, but when every possession is essentially 2, and kills about 40-45 seconds of game clock, there's little chance of a comeback.

More than anything, over these last 5 games it just feels like we're finally a team. We have an identity, we have a rotation, and everyone seems to be contributing in the ways that best suit their skill set. And everyone seems to be playing well within their skill set, even Bogans. (Everyone but Mason, Jr. That's another story for another day.) For the first time all season, I feel like there's a chance to compete with any team in the west, save for the Lakers. But if we can stay out of 8th, we can "make some noise", as the cliche goes.

Again, all of this hope is tempered by the return of Parker. It's nothing to do with Parker's abilities or his game. But we've finally found a groove and a rhythm, after desperately searching for one all season. And now we want to disrupt that yet again? It's really an untenable situation. Parker is a great player, you'd be foolish not to put him back in the rotation. But for whatever reason, we're playing better without him, and we jeopardize losing that by changing anything.

Looking Forward:

Warning: TRAP GAME! TRAP GAME! We play the worst team in the league after scoring one of our biggest wins of the season. If ever there was an opportunity for a letdown, this would be it. Here's hoping we're better than that.

Not This Time...Not In Our House

A few weeks ago we let a very winnable game in Cleveland slip away in the last few minutes. It was a stinging loss. Heading into the 4th quarter last night, we were in a very similar situation: the game was virtually even, and the team that wanted it more and executed better was going to get the win.

Last night that team was the Spurs.

The 4th quarter was Ginobili time. He scored half of his 30 points in the final stanza, but also contributed assists, steals, and pesky defense. In the game against the Lakers, Pop tried to give Ginobili some rest late in the game. When Ginobili went to the bench in that game, the Lakers made their final push and sealed the game. Last night, Pop didn't make the same mistake; Ginobili never went to the bench, and we never lost control of the game.

I'm really liking where our rotation is at right now. I like the starting unit; I like what Bonner and Blair bring off the bench as the back-up bigs; I'm even happy with what Bogans is giving us. Last night, he was a bear on D, giving everything he could to James and Jamison. With Hairston and Mason, Jr. getting spot minutes, it seems like we're all but settled.

But then Parker comes back. What happens then? Will Ginobili go back to the bench? Will Hill go to the bench? Will Parker go to the bench? Despite Parker's brilliance, I'm a bit worried about what his reintroduction to the team will do, especially this late in the season. I'm really happy with our current starting unit. Will Parker mess up that chemistry? We know that Jefferson needs to spend as much time with Ginobili as possible. So would Jefferson move back to the bench if Ginobili does? Then who starts? Bogans? I like him much better off the bench. Do we move Hill to the bench, since he's proven that he can score 20 points a game and be a good creator, thus filling Ginobili's previous role as X-factor off the bench?

It's a lot to think about, and a decision that could ultimately decide just how far we go in the playoffs.

On a side note, looking forward, here's an idea I've been kicking around for a bit: what if we traded Parker this offseason to try and re-fortify the team for another 2-3 years behind Ginobili and Duncan? I know the popular idea is that Parker is the building block of the future once Duncan retires. But when Duncan's gone, Parker will be in his early 30s, an age when most PGs start to lose a step or two. With Parker's game being so heavily predicated on his speed and quickness, I don't think we'd want to make him the foundation of the team in his early 30s. With Ginobili proving he still has a few quality years left at his Ginobili best, and Hill proving a valuable piece (though different than Parker), think about what we could get on the trade market for a player of Parker's caliber?

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

Looking Forward:

Hell week draws to a close with a game against Boston (in Boston) on Sunday night. So far we're 2-2 in this stretch, with only one of those losses being a bad loss. If we can go into Boston and win, that could change a lot of people's thoughts on this team.

We also need to keep winning to keep our position in the standings. We're only a half game up on Portland for the 8th seed (which we desperately need to avoid). We're also only 1 game behind OKC for the 6th seed. And being that this is the Western Conference, we could very easily move up into the top 3 with a prolonged winning streak and some losses by other teams.

Basically, we need to keep winning. That's the kind of top-notch analysis you get here.

That's Why They're the Champs

And that's why we're fighting to stay out of the bottom of the playoff seeding.

The Lakers came into our arena last night and showed us what championship basketball is about. It's about defense. It's about execution. And it's about trust. The most depressing thing about this game is that those are the things we used to show to other teams.

The first half of the game was a paper tiger. We had a 7 point lead (which we had as high as 10 at several points in the half), but it was almost entirely on the back of George Hill and Manu Ginobili. Hill scored 20 points in the first half. That's about what to expect from him over an entire game. It makes sense that he would regress to the mean in the second half, and that the Lakers would key in on him.

All the flaws that caused the game to slip away in the second half were evident in the first half: inferior defensive rebounding, sloppy execution, and horrible shooting. We were just able to cover them up with superlative play from our starting backcourt.

In the second half the Lakers came out determined to play aggressive defense. And boy, did they. They bodied us, pushed us around, pressured every dribble and every pass. They created turnovers and forced us into bad shots. They reminded us of what it takes to win a championship. We were unable to match the intensity and the execution, which has been a consistent theme of this team all year.

It's not as if we were without our chances, though. Our offense is designed very well, and it's designed to get shooters open looks at the basket. Shot after shot missed, and every clang off the rim was a nail in the coffin, a reminder of just how poor a shooting team we are this year. As coaches like to say, sometimes it just comes down to making shots. More often than not, we're not making shots this season.

The Lakers earned that win, and pretty clearly demonstrated that they are the best team in the Western Conference and possibly the entire league. It is essential that we stay out of the number 8 seed and avoid them in the first round.

Looking Forward:

The only team I would like to play less than the Lakers are the Cavs, who we play on Friday.

We're 1-2 on this brutal 5-game stretch. It's imperative that we win at least one of the next two.

And the Thunder Rolled

What? You didn't expect me to go all Garth Brooks on you guys? Perhaps AC/DC would have been the more appropriate reference, but it also seemed too obvious. But then again, maybe Garth is also too obvious. Of course, once he went off the deep end and became Chris Gaines, nothing seems "too obvious" with Mr. Brooks.

But now I'm just stalling. Why? Because I haven't watched the game yet. And by the time I do, it will be yesterday's news. So instead of talking about the game--which was a fantastic win--let's very briefly talk about playoff seeding.

With the win we slid into the 6th spot, just ahead of the Thunder. Both teams currently have the same record, but the Spurs won the season series 3-1, giving them the tiebreaker. (It's nice to actually hold the tiebreaker over a playoff team.)

The standings in the West, as currently constructed, really consist of 3 tiers. Tier #1 is the Lakers. At this point it seems very unlikely anybody will catch them. The second tier is Dallas and Denver, fighting for the #2 seed. As of today, Denver is just one game up on the Mavs. The third tier is everybody else, 4-8. Currently, that is, in order, Utah, Phoenix, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Portland.

I would argue that our best option is to finish in the 6 or 7 slot. As great as the #4 seed (and homecourt advantage in the first round) would be, I think our best option is to stay out of the Lakers side of the bracket, which would mean not being the 4, 5, or 8 seed. If we're the 6th or the 7th seed, we would face the Nuggets or The Mavs in the first round, and then most likely the other in the second round, if we were to win. That's a much nicer path to the Western Conference Finals.

Which of those two teams would we prefer to meet? I'd probably rather face the Nuggets, even though they are the slightly better team. I hate playing the Mavs. There's just too much history and animosity there, and I don't think we match up with them very well anymore.

Of course, as fate is not without a sense of humor (and perhaps irony), wouldn't it make sense that the Spurs would finish 6th and the Mavs 3rd, completely flipping last year's seedings? Then maybe we could upset them 4-1 in the first round.

Looking Forward:

The big, bad Lakers come to town Wednesday night. The next two games are the two best teams in the league, both at home. I think we need to win at least one of them, and I think our best chance is against the Lakers.

That's Gonna Leave A Mark

That was a wasted opportunity. It was doubly wasted because Oklahoma City lost tonight, and if we had won, we would have drawn into a tie with the Thunder. If Portland wins tonight (against Phoenix), it will be triply wasted, because then Portland would effectively leapfrog us (as they own the tiebreaker over us), putting us in the dreaded 8th spot.

Despite the wasted opportunities, it was a great game. It had a playoff atmosphere. Both teams played their asses off, there were lots of hard fouls and clutch shots, and the game came down to just a handful of possessions. In the end, we just couldn't get it done. If there are 2 things to point to, it would be offensive rebounding and 3-pointers. We gave up 21 offensive rebounds, most of which were converted layups off of missed shots. And we just didn't hit enough 3-pointers, going 8-24 (with Ginobili and Bonner hitting 7 of those 8). In particular, Hill missed a ton of open corner 3s (0 for 4 on the night). He has proven that that is a spot that he can consistently hit jumpers from, so let's just chalk it up to an off night.

When a game goes to overtime, it's easy to look at one or two small plays earlier in the game and say "what if?". That's usually a fool's errand. But tonight, it's easy to look at the steal and converted basket off an errant inbounds pass at the end of the first half and wonder, "what if?" It sure would have been nice to get those 2 points back at the end of regulation.

A couple of observations, from the last few games:

--I know we like to give Bonner crap for just about everything other than his 3-point shooting. But his driving, though it looks unsightly and clumsy, is rather effective. And this little half-teardrop/half-hook shot that he's developed is pretty good. It shows that he puts a lot of work into his game. Obviously the scouting report on him would be to run him off the 3-point line; for him to get better, his counter would be to develop a driving game. It's not pretty or elegant, but it's effective.

--Has anyone else noticed that George Hill's passing has improved greatly? He's becoming a sort of hybrid of Parker and Ginobili. Not quite as good as either, but he has some of the attacking panache of Parker, and he's starting to develop some of the court wizardry of Ginobili. The bounce pass he threw to Jefferson after the steal was just sick; and the two handed wrap around pass he made to Duncan off of a pick and roll was Ginobiliesque.

Looking Forward:

No time to dwell on could-have-beens. Tonight's game against Oklahoma City is critical. We still sit a half game behind them. With a win, we can leapfrog them; with a loss, we fall even further back. We need to win one of the games in this back-to-back set.

Some Teams Play Bad Defense, Some Teams Play No Defense...And Some Teams Are The Golden State Warriors

Wow. That was fun.

Looking Forward:

Murderer's row is upon us. At Atlanta, at Oklahoma City (back to back), home against the Lakers, home against the Cavs, at Boston. It would be fantastic if we could win at least 2, hopefully 3 or 4 of these games. The first 2 might be the most winnable.

Last time we played Atlanta, we took care of them pretty handily. At the time, we all thought it was a turning point in the season. Oh, to return to simpler times.

I Spent A Week In Florida One Day

We had to see this game coming. We knew we were going to lay an egg soon. The Magic have played us tough over the last few years, and we just didn't have it tonight. We couldn't make a shot to save our lives, we were late on defensive rotations, and all the loose balls just went against us.

We hung in the game for the first quarter, and, thanks to some Matt Bonner 3s, were within fighting distance at half time. But Orlando ran away with it pretty much at the start of the second half. That's what happens when you score a measly 4 points over about a 9 minute stretch.

George Hill, Tim Duncan, and Antonio McDyess all had memorable nights in their unmemorability. Duncan especially had a bad night, shooting 1 for 10 and pretty much getting owned by Howard on the offensive end. Such is life.

There are some positives to be had from this game, mostly in the continued impressive play from Ginobili and Jefferson. During the first half--when it was still a game--both were playing extremely well. Ginobili was getting to the hoop at will, driving around players like they were practice cones and laying it off the glass at impossible angles. I love that Ginobili. Jefferson had everything working: his outside shot, his drives to the hoop, his rebounding. He made his first 7 shots. I believe at halftime Jefferson, Ginobili, and Bonner (on account of his late 3 balls) were responsible for 32 of our 42 points.

My love affair with Malik Hairston continues, as well. He didn't have a particularly memorable game. But more and more he looks like he belongs on the court with the big boys. His offense gets better every day, especially his slashing. On defense, he's a playmaker. Sometimes he gets beat off the dribble, and sometimes he'll get lost on rotations (happens to most players in their first year in the Spurs system). But he'll make incredible athletic and intelligent plays, getting key steals and blocks when they're needed. I'm not saying he should be starting; but can you think of a better player to play behind Jefferson in the rotation?

Looking Forward:

We play Golden State at home on Friday. This falls under the "Must Win" category. Our next 5 games after that reads like a playoff call sheet: Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Lakers, Cleveland, and Boston. We need to take care of business when it's easy to take care of. We usually beat Golden State, but you never know what to expect against them. Playing them very often resembles something different than NBA basketball, and you just have to stick it out for 48 and assume that if you play your game, at the end, you'll have more points.

We usually do.

Carry On My Wayward Son

I didn't get to see the Spurs game tonight, and I probably won't be able to. Since it was on NBA TV, I have no way of watching it after the fact, as League Pass Broadband blocks the nationally televised game.

So I have nothing insightful to say about the game. (This is where you would insert the joke that I never do.) We won. We had a big lead, gave most of it back, then held on to win. Manu was spectacular...again. From the highlights I saw, it looks like we played pretty well. Yay us.

So instead of any analysis, I'd like to point you over to Pounding The Rock, where LatinD has been sharing his adventures following the Spurs for a week or two just prior to the all-star break. David (that is his real name) is from Argentina, and made a pilgrimage of sorts to the US to specifically follow the Spurs. He has been documenting his travels. His pieces are thorough, insightful, and very funny. He's a hell of a writer, and should make most of us native-English speaking Americans feel ashamed.

This article chronicles his time in Portland, my home town. It's always enjoyable to read about your town from somebody else's perspective. You can link to all of his other entries at the top of the page. I highly recommend it.

Looking Forward:

Tonight's win puts us at 40. We only have to win 10 of our next 17 to get to 50. Easier said than done. Wednesday night starts the most grueling part of our schedule, as we take on Orlando in Orlando. A win could be considered a wide range of things, including a statement or a breakthrough. We've had no luck beating good teams on the road. Hopefully our luck will change.

Playing the Clippers Just Makes Me Sad

Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake used to play for the Blazers. They were important parts of a winning team and culture. They played hard and made important plays in big games.

Now they're on the Clippers, and I just feel sorry for them. I know these guys get paid millions of dollars to play a game, but it still must be soul-crushing to go from Portland to a situation like the Clippers. It's awkward to see them playing for someone else, kind of like running into an old friend or lover who has fallen on hard times. Remember when the games used to mean something? Remember when we cared?

I'm happy for the win, though. And I'm happy to see our younger players getting lots of playing time and performing well. I have a serious basketball crush on Malik Hairston. And I'm digging our newest call up, Cedric Jackson. He plays hard, plays good defense, and is athletic. Down the road, the team is definitely going to need a 3rd PG on the roster; he could certainly be a valuable asset in that regard.

Looking Forward:

OK, we've taken care of business, winning three games that we should have won. Tuesday night we play the Heat in Miami. This is one of the games I have marked as a swing game. We have a realistic shot at winning, but it won't be easy. Miami is by no means a great team, but playing on the road is always difficult, and they're fighting for their playoff lives, as well. We can't waste opportunities for wins; we can't lose these swing games.

I Love Those High Flyin' Spurs

I think we might have doubled our dunk total for the season in just one game.

The story of the game (besides all of the dunks) was Richard Jefferson. Inserted back into the starting line-up, he responded with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and tons of energy.

Two things stand out to me about Jefferson and his continued role with the team. One, he really needs to drive to the hoop. I know this is nothing groundbreaking here. But when his first offensive touches are drives to the hoop, he is usually more aggressive the whole game and more confident in every other aspect of his game. But when his first couple of touches are 18-20 foot jump shots (which he usually misses), he tends to disengage and fade into being a complete non-factor.

The second (and probably more important) thing of note is that being put back into the starting line-up also put him back on the floor with Manu Ginobili. There has been a lot of talk recently about how almost all of Jefferson's success had come in a movement based offense with an All-World creator and passer (Jason Kidd). In other words, Jefferson can't create for himself; he needs to be the beneficiary of someone else's creativity. Enter one Manu Ginobili, our best passer and most creative playmaker. It's no coincidence that Jefferson started playing better after being sent to the bench, because his time overlapped with Ginobili's. And it's also no coincidence that his play once again started suffering after Ginobili moved back to the starting line-up.

The two things are not unrelated, either. In the first quarter of the game, Jefferson got two dunks, and both came off plays created by Manu. First, Manu curled off a screen towards the hoop. Jefferson was stationed in the corner. His man moved into the lane to cut off Ginobili, who then fired a pass to Jefferson in the corner. As Jefferson's man attempted to close out on him, he drove past him and threw down a viscious dunk. The second play was a 2-on-1 fastbreak with Manu and Jefferson. Instead of taking it himself, Manu fed Jefferson at the last minute for the breakaway dunk.

Jefferson does have a lot that he can offer us, but he needs to be used properly. And the best way to properly utilize his talents is to play him alongside Manu as much as possible.

Looking Forward:

So far, so good. We're winning the games we're supposed to before we face the brunt of the schedule. The Clippers come to town tonight. Both teams are coming off Friday night games, so we're both on back to backs. Being at home should help us out. Again, this is a team that we need to beat.

I Know Ginobili is Good and Fun to Play With, But It's OK to Score When He's On The Bench

There are only 3 positives to take away from this game:

1. We won. Always a good thing.

2. Manu Ginobili. It's such a pleasure to watch him play. I experience actual joy when he is on the court. Our offense almost literally could not score without him on the floor. If he's not a Spur next year...well, I don't know what I'll do. But I'll be very unhappy.

3. Malik Hairston. Pop put him in either late in the 3rd or early in the 4th, and he never came out. One thing that I love about Pop is that he's not afraid to defy conventional wisdom, or to sacrifice a loss to chase a particular whim, cultivate something more long-term, or just prove a point. Most coaches would have taken Hairston out in the last few minutes of the game, satisfied that they had proven their point or gotten the most out of the reserve. But Pop rewarded his good play, stayed with him, and allowed him to finish out the game with the big boys.

And he should have. Outside of Ginobili, Duncan, and possibly Hill and McDyess, nobody was playing better than Hairston (and those were your closing 5). What I liked best about Hairston's game wasn't the putback dunk (though it was sweet), nor the block on Harrington (though it was timely and awesome), but rather the 20 foot jump shot he calmly stepped into and nailed at the most critical of junctures, prompting a timeout from D'Antonio and giving the Spurs the cushion they needed to finish off the game. If Hairston can develop his jump shot and continue to learn the Spurs defensive system, he'll be a solid rotation guy before you know it.

And that's all.

Looking Forward:

Off to Minnesota Friday night. This is another game that we must win.

I'll See Your Parker and Raise You LeBron

That was a weird game. Everything just felt a little off-kilter for most of the 48. Pop played 11 players in the first quarter, including extended run for Mahinmi and Hairston. The pace was off the charts for the first half, as both teams pushed the ball like they were playing under D'Antoni circa Phoenix 2005. Both teams seemed to make little runs and grab control of the game, only to lose it the next moment. And both teams went ice cold at the same time in the 4th quarter, leading to something like 12 straight empty possessions.

Just a weird game.

In the end, we wasted a brilliant Manu performance. There's really nothing to say about it. If you watched the game, then you understand. If you didn't, then you missed a classic. He filled up the stat sheet, was in complete control of our offense, and even made some huge defensive plays (that were mostly wasted--I'm looking at you Richard Jefferson, traveling under the hoop).

George Hill was also impressive. I never realized how fast he is with the ball. That may seem like a weird thing to say, but there were a couple of fast break plays where he just kicked it into another gear and flew by everybody. It even elicited a "whoa" from the Cavs color commentator. His future is certainly bright.

Unfortunately, too many subpar performances weighed down the excellent ones. McDyess and Mason, Jr. were ice cold; Jefferson looked as lost as ever has; and Blair was a non-factor. Duncan and Bonner both had solid games. But in the end we relied too heavily on Manu, and once their defense keyed in on him, nobody stepped up. Manu tried, bless his heart; but when all 5 guys on defense are playing to stop you, you really need some help.

Let's give it to Pop, though: if you ever need a play to get a wide-open three pointer when you're down by 3 (or more) with under 15 seconds to go, he's your man. It amazes me how we always get wide open 3 point shots when everybody in the building knows that we need a 3-pointer and only a 3-pointer. If only Mason, Jr. could have hit one shot tonight.

Looking Forward:

The loss tonight marks are 61st game of the season, leaving us 21 games remaining. As far as math goes, that's about as close to 3/4 of the season as you can get. Instead of assessing the team thus far, let's look at our remaining schedule and try to predict how the team will finish.

Here is our remaining schedule.

Our next 4 games are against the Knicks, the T-Wolves, the Clippers, and the Heat. Those are all winnable games. Ideally, we'll go 4-0. Realistically, we'll lose a stupid one, going 3-1.

After that, we have Orlando, Golden State, Atlanta, and Oklahoma City. Only Golden State is at home. That is a difficult stretch of games. Ideally, we can go 3-1, getting the Golden State game and 2 of the other 3. We've had good luck against both Atlanta and Oklahoma City this season. Orlando will be the real test. Realistically, 2-2, or even 1-3.

The two after that are the Lakers and the Cavs, both at home. Murderer's row, but at least we're at the AT&T Center. To take both of those games would be a feat of greatness that I don't think this team has. Ideally, we can split; realistically, there's a good chance we lose both.

We finish out the Month of March at Boston, at New Jersey, and then home for Houston. With Boston struggling, there's a chance we could win both of those road games. But Houston has owned us the last 2 games, so I'm not optimistic for that one. Ideally, 2-1; realistically, 1-2.

April brings more pain, as we start the Month with Orlando at home and the Lakers in LA. Again, being able to split would be a dream, but there's a good chance we could lose both.

After that, we have Sacramento, Phoenix, Memphis, and Denver. I think 3-1 is a real possibility here, though 2-2 might be more realistic.

Our season ends home against Minnesota, then at Dallas on the last night of the season. Ideally, 2-0. Realistically, 1-1.

Adding all that up, in an ideal world, we finish the last stretch of games 16-5. In a more practical world (perhaps some would say cynical), we go 9-12. Splitting the difference, we're right about 13-8.

Ideal world puts us at 52-30; practical world puts us at 45-37; and split difference world puts us at 49-33.

Selfishly, I want to break 50 wins. I know it doesn't mean anything really, but the streak of 50-win seasons in the Duncan era means something to me. It speaks to the continued excellence of the franchise, and it is something to be proud of. We're in real jeopardy this season of not reaching it. We have to play markedly better over the last quarter of the season than we did over the first 3.

But despite Parker's injury, there are definite signs that we're improving and can make it to 50. Ginobili seems to be back with a vengeance. Hill is stepping up, getting better each game, and is becoming a reliable scorer for us. Duncan is Duncan. The defense is tightening up and getting more active.

We have to go 14-7 over the remainder to get to 50. Looking at the schedule, we have 7 games that we have no excuse not to win; 5 games that are probably toss ups; and 9 games that, based on this seasons results, we should probably lose. So give us the 7 gimmes, 3 or 4 of the toss-ups, and that only leaves us with 3 or 4 of the difficult ones to win.

Can we do it?

If we can't, we're certainly not a high-caliber playoff team and we probably don't deserve 50. The Spurs have built their reputation over the last decade on closing strong and riding into the playoffs just as the team is peaking. The pressure is on, and the team's identity and character will be forged in the last 21 games.

The race to 50 is on.

Take These Broken Wings

The reports are coming in, and it looks like Parker will miss up to 6 weeks with a fracture in the ring finger of his right hand.

If that is the case, it's almost a poetic ending to Parker's season. He was just never able to get it going, battling various ankle, foot, and hip problems all season. He played valiantly and showed bursts of his former speed and abilities, but it was fairly obvious to most observers that Parker just wasn't his usual self this season. In many ways, his season has mirrored the Spurs season. Looked like the old version, still played like the old version, but something was missing and never quite clicked.

The Spurs, of course, will move on without Parker as best they can. They're still a quite good and very capable team without Parker, and they'll undoubtedly still make the playoffs. But chances of moving beyond the first round are even smaller than they were before. And much like last year with Ginobili, it will feel like another year with Duncan has been wasted.

The real shame is that it was really starting to feel like this team was coming together and playing better. Over the last 4 games we've beaten some really good teams at home and on the road by playing smart, executing well, and being very active and energetic on the defensive end. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Here's wishing Parker a speedy recovery and a chance to heal all that ails him.

Plane Trouble After A Win Against The Hornets...Why Does That Sound So Familiar?

Another strong win for the Spurs. This felt a lot like last night's game, building a big first half lead mostly on the strength of some unusually good 3-point shooting, then fighting off every little run in the second half before pulling away for good late. I'll take these wins any day.

The real bright spots of the game for me were Matt Bonner and Richard Jefferson. Bonner kept up his hot shooting and even played some strong, pesky, and physical defense against Zach Randolph. His shooting is so important to the team, and when he's making his shots, our entire offense opens up. He has even added a reliable (if wholly uncreative) driving game to his repertoire. While he's rarely a danger to full down a tomahawk dunk, just having the second weapon available to him gives him (and our offense) that much more flexibility.

Jefferson continues his improved play of the last few weeks. Coming off the bench seems to be suiting him well. He scored well tonight, but for me his biggest improvement and biggest asset to the team is in his defense and his energy. He is starting to really play with passion and intensity and with a will on defense. He pulled down some crucial rebounds (something that was hard to come by tonight) and played some stifling man defense. It's nice to see him playing well.

I'm still concerned about our over-reliance on our bench. That's a nice way to win some regular season games, but can really hurt you come playoff time. Of course, at this point, we're just fighting to make the playoffs and to secure a decent seed, so I suppose we shouldn't worry about the playoffs until April 16th.

Tonight's win may be tempered by the injury to Tony Parker, who reportedly broke a bone in the ring finger of his right hand. There's no definitive reports yet, but if Matt Bonner is any indication, Parker could possibly miss 4-6 weeks, which would be the rest of the regular season. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Looking Forward:

We play Monday night in Cleveland. After a slow start (people forget that they lost their first 2 games and every analyst in the country was losing their shit), the Cavs have clearly been the best team in the league over the last several weeks, with LeBron clearly being the best player in the league all season. This game should be a great test for us. We've won 4 straight games against quality opponents, but nothing of Cleveland's caliber. A win would be outstanding, but I'm more concerned about how well we play. If we can hang with them and play like we belong on the court with them, that will be a very good sign for us.

David West Drinks Matt Bonner's Shake, He Drinks It Up

Another night; another victory over the New Orleans Hornets. The good news: we swept the season series and can actually beat the Hornets on a consistent basis; the bad news: there's 0.001% chance we'll see them in the playoffs. And since every other western conference team seems to own us right now, that doesn't bode too well for our playoff chances.

In a lot of ways, this game followed a similar script to last Monday's game against the Hornets. We built an early first half lead. The Hornets kept making runs at us and threatening, and we kept answering and pulling away. Despite the deficit getting down to 4 or 5 a few times in the second half, it never felt like we were in danger of losing. With a strong kick in the fourth quarter, we were able to win going away.

The real story of this game was our 3-point shooting. We shot very well (especially in the first half), going 12 for 20 from behind the line. So much of our offense is predicated on hitting the open 3-point shot. When we make it at a high percentage, our offense looks so much better, even if the execution is pretty consistent from game to game. Everything falls into place when that 3-point shot is going in. Bogans hit 4 and Hill hit 3; if we can continue to get that kind of production from our starting wings (especially Bogans), we have a good chance to win any game.

Looking Forward:

We play tomorrow night in Memphis. We had a comeback bid fall just short the last time we played in Memphis. We owe them one. Memphis has come back to earth a bit after going on a fairly prolonged hot streak.

New Orleans and Memphis are two of the teams nipping at our heels in the standing behind us; it's very important to beat them head to head. Plus, when was the last time we won 4 games in a row?

Waiting To Derail

That might have been the least convincing 14 point win I've seen in a while.

Twice we had the Hornets on the ropes with big leads after strong surges, and twice we let them back into the game. We were up by 14 or 15 early in the second quarter and failed to score a point over about a 5 or 6 minute stretch. The Hornets got it back to 39-39, then 42-42, before we took off on another run spanning halftime, eventually ending up with a 20 point lead early in the third at 70-50. Over the remainder of the quarter, we were outscored 23-10, allowing New Orleans back in the game at 80-73.

In the fourth we were able to maintain about a 9-13 point cushion the entire quarter, eventually pulling away late for the 14 point win, despite Marcus Thornton's attempts to keep them in the game with unconscious shooting.

George Hill had a nice game. He got the scoring started early, scoring 10 of the Spurs first 15 or so points; and he finished the scoring late, hitting a couple of dagger corner 3s to put the finishing touches on the game. He was tasked with guarding Thornton for most of the 4th quarter, and did a decent job despite his gaudy scoring.

Ginobili had a pretty frenetic game, throwing the ball around to both teams. It seems like every time the ball left his hands for a pass, it was a 50/50 chance that would end up with the Spurs or the Hornets. He gave us some pretty important scoring and defense, but I was terrified every time he ran the pick and roll.

Pop is doing a great job of limiting Parker's minutes and easing him back into the games. The extra rest seems to be doing him some good, as he is showing flashes of his uninjured brilliant self. Both his drives and his jump shot are improving, and that is a sign for hope.

Looking Forward:

We have the rest of the week off and face the Hornets again on Friday in San Antonio. If we can beat them on the road in a back-to-back situation, we sure as hell better beat them at home on 3 days rest.

Good Night...and Good Luck:

The Spurs waived Michael Finley today. They did so to trim another small amount of of their luxury tax bill and to allow Finley to sign with another team and still be playoff eligible. The Spurs front office has always walked the line where professionalism and family meet with grace and humility. They treat their players with respect and honesty. Whenever possible, they try to do what's best for both parties. It was clear that Finley's minutes were quickly disappearing and that his role on the team was vanishing. By waiving him now, Finley has the chance to find minutes elsewhere and perhaps end his career with more bang and less whimper.

He certainly deserves so. Despite his role as a fan favorite scapegoat, he always conducted himself with the utmost grace and professionalism. He was a vital cog in the 2007 championship, and he is one of the few ring-chasing veterans who was actually able to achieve it while still playing a vital role on the championship team. When we lost to Dallas in 2006, my heart went out to Finley more than anybody else on the team, as he had left his heart on the floor (and endured a shot to the balls by a former teammate. Stay classy, JET).

When we won in 2007, it was obvious that all the veterans on the team were delighted to be able to get Finley his ring. Despite his declining abilities over the last few years, he could always be counted on to knock down a clutch 3-pointer.

Here's hoping that Finley gets a fitting end to his wonderful career.