What Hornets Fans Said

AtTheHive.com ("Hornets 99, Spurs 90: Third Quarter Dominance Leads to 3-0 Start"):

The Hornets won at the AT&T Center for just the third time since 2002 with another convincing defensive performance. Chris Paul was also involved.

As the offense went from abysmal to good to stellar, the defense steadily tightened. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around (when the Hornets' offense dipped and the defense struggled to contain a Spurs squad fueled by desperation), the lead was insurmountable. We've seen double digit leads vanish in three consecutive games now, but on the flip side, we've eventually managed to protect each one successfully.

Tim Duncan looked absolutely terrible tonight, and Emeka Okafor certainly deserves a lot of credit. While Duncan was able to back Okafor down on occasion, Mek did a terrific job denying the face-up game. Okafor was only credited with one official blocked shot, but he challenged or altered almost every single Duncan attempt.

I don't think I've ever seen Duncan so rattled. He's still one of the game's best, and he'll undoubtedly post another stellar year. But for one night, he looked like a lost rookie. And it surely wasn't all Okafor's doing. The defining moment came in the fourth quarter when Duncan caught a pass underneath the hoop with no Hornet nearby. All he had to do was flip it in, or if he wanted to get fancy, dunk it. Instead, he traveled. Without the slightest possible reason to move at all, he traveled!

Hornets247.com ("The Hornets beat the Spurs"):

Tonight the Hornets built a sixteen point lead and then held off a late rally by the Spurs, including a crushing double cross-over by Paul to seal the win.

The Spurs did their usual strategy to try and beat the Hornets (or Suns) - stay home on the wings and make the point guard unable to generate easy open looks for his teammates. It didn’t work out this time as the Hornets were able to find other scoring opportunities, and their defense was good enough for several long stretches that the team pulled out the wind.

Big Easy Buzz Blog:

It was over when Chris Paul’s gorgeous crossover dribble and drive around Spurs defender George Hill led to a floating layup and a 97-90 Hornets edge with 27 seconds remaining. New Orleans won for the first time in San Antonio since the division-winning club of 2007-08 routed the Spurs at AT&T Center.

The Hornets struggled mightily on the road for much of last season, making Saturday’s win at the Spurs arguably their best away from New Orleans since 2008-09 or longer.

SwarmAndSting.com ("New Orleans Hornets Spur San Antonio For The Win"):

After a poor start Chris Paul did his thing working the Spurs over for 25 points. San Antonio does a good job of taking away the passes Paul usually finds, and force him to be a scorer, he was happy to do just that.

David West is off to a great start for the year. He’s hitting most of his jumpers, playing tough inside and more importantly doing a good job on defense. Towards the end of the 4th the Spurs showed the true sign of respect, doubling (or attempting to) West in the post.

Other than the 4th quarter I have to say that the Spurs crowd was rather quiet, what’s up with that?

The Third Quarter Massacre

A familiar problem to anyone who watched the Spurs last year resurfaced in tonight's 99-90 loss to the New Orleans Hornets: the inability to play a complete 48 minutes. We played 2 sterling quarters (the first and the fourth), winning them by a combined score of 54-40. However, the middle two quarters were a completely different story, as the Hornets outscored us 59-36. Yikes. The real killer was the close to the third quarter, when the Spurs went almost 6 minutes without a field goal and the Hornets pulled away, ultimately putting the game out of reach, despite a noble effort by the squad of Ginobili, Hill, Jefferson, Neal, and Blair that played almost the entirety of the 4th quarter and got us to within 3 before running out of gas.

People may question Pop's choice to play the same group for the entire quarter and not put Duncan or Parker back in once the game got close. I can see both sides of the dilemma, but I support continuing to play the players that got you back into the game. That squad had a real chemistry going and clearly had the Hornets back on their heels. We were one 3-pointer away from tying the game in the last 2 minutes and changing the complexity of how the game ended.

The Hornets present a particularly frustrating challenge to us, as their best players are at the two positions that seem to give us the most trouble defensively: PG and PF. Chris Paul is an all-world player and is a problem for anybody. But the way he went off in the 3rd quarter was devastating. That might have been partly why Pop never went back to Parker, even though he was playing very well offensively. David West has been a thorn in our side for the last 4 years. We really don't have anybody to guard those middle 4s, who rely mostly on midrange jump shots. I'll be interested to see how Splitter fares against them.

What I Liked:

Welcome to the team...now start making some 3s. Both Anderson and Neal got a healthy dose of playing time tonight, and both played well. Again, I was impressed with Anderson's will to compete, especially on the defensive end. And Neal showed why the Spurs gave him a contract out of summer league: the man can flat out shoot, something our team sorely missed last season. I like the way the pieces are starting to fit together.

Richard Jefferson's mad as hell and he's not going to take it anymore. Of all the things that keyed our 4th quarter rally, perhaps nothing was more important that RJ's offense. He's aggressive and attacking the rim, but he's doing it with a confidence and a purpose that he didn't have last year. I'm excited to watch how he grows with the team this season.

George Hill, 4th Quarter Specialist. Does Hill just need to play the 4th quarter of each game? Again, he was spectacular in the final frame while playing poorly in the first 3. His defense on Paul was nothing short of terrific.

More Cohesion. At least to start the game, the starters played much better together, and the offense was really clicking in the first quarter. Parker was especially effective, looking like the Parker of yore.

Lock that up. Speaking of which, congrats to Parker on his new extension. Despite rumors and innuendo to the opposite, Parker has always insisted that he wanted to remain a Spur; and now he will. Parker is a favorite scapegoat of the Spurs faithful, but when he is healthy, he is as dynamic a player as there is in the NBA and gives our offense a unique dimension.

My new iMac. My 6-year old starter Dell died last week. Honestly, it was a miracle it had lasted that long so effectively. I took the plunge and jumped over to an iMac. How have I lived until now? This thing is amazing. Not only that, it's instantly my best TV and makes watching the games online more enjoyable than when the Spurs are on National TV.

What I Didn't Like:

Half a game. As mentioned earlier, we played a really great half of a game. We need to tighten that up, obviously.

Early game giveaways. This is a game we could have won and we didn't. I would like to see more urgency from our team early in the season to get some wins.

George Hill, First 3 Quarters Dog. Again he seemed to press, he seemed out of sorts, and his shot is still MIA. I know he'll find it. I just wonder if the pressure is getting to him a little bit. Much like jumping from 50 wins to championship contender seems to be the hardest leap for a team, jumping from really good player to great player seems to be the hardest jump for a player. We have a lot of expectations for Hill this year, but it might be rough roads for a while before he figures it out and finds his place on this team.

Slow Down, Big Man. As Sean Elliott said on the broadcast, Blair is just moving too fast at times. So many times he gets blocked at the rim or just misses the shot point blank because he seems to be in hyper speed. Blair has shown amazing aptitude in figuring things out quickly and implementing them almost instantly, so I expect he'll correct this. But we left quite a few points on the floor from missed shots.

Game Ball:

Has to go to Jefferson tonight. He scored 18 points and really helped key the team's best play in the 4th quarter.

Looking Forward:

We go on the road to LA to take on the Clippers Monday night. We've owned the Clippers for the last few years, but hope springs eternal in ClipperLand with the arrival of the much heralded Blake Griffin. I don't expect this to be an easy one, but I do expect a win.

For Halloween, Pop is Going as Don Nelson

The Spurs won their season opener at home against the Indiana Pacers 122-109 in a closer-than-the-final-score-indicated game. After playing a Nellie-ball style first half in which both teams made every shot and seemed to have little regard for that 'D' word, the Spurs tightened the screws just enough in the fourth quarter to pull away late and bury the inexperienced Pacers. The game showcased both how potent our offense can be this year, and how far our defense has to go. Don't worry, though; it's just the first game.

What I Liked:

--It's Duncan and Ginobili's court; the Pacers just play on it. Oh, mama, did the bigger of the Big 3 have great games. Duncan put up the dominatingly efficient line we hope to expect from him in his dotage: 23 points on 12 shots, and 12 boards to boot. He looked quick and healthy, and his jumper was money in the bank. I don't really know what to say about Ginobili other than that's why we love him so. You think he's been itching to start this season?

--George Hill, Quarter 4. Georgie shook off some early yips to play a solid 4th quarter in which his intensity and aggressiveness on both ends of the court really keyed our rally. The Big 3 obviously need more help than ever this season, and with Hill, Blair, and Jefferson battling every night to be that 4th player, we might just end up with 6 really good players every night.

--Richard Jefferson. 16 points on 6 shots and he seemed much more comfortable in the system. During the broadcast, Sean Elliott kept saying that he didn't necessarily expect Jefferson's numbers to increase this season. I agree, but I expect his efficiency and efficacy to greatly increase. Early signs are positive.

--Believe the lie. It seems the dedication to running is for real...at least for now. It was clear that the Spurs were committed to pushing the ball and trying to get as much early offense as possible. And for the most part, it worked well and effectively. Honestly, it was our set offense that seemed to struggle the most.

--Not bad, for a rookie. James Anderson had a solid first showing. During his first stint he seemed a bit overwhelmed, and he did press. But as he settled down and settled in, he made some big jumpers, and he competed hard, especially on the defensive end. Hey, isn't that what Pop is looking for from his back-up small forward? Huh.

--44. During the Pop era, the Spurs try to hold their opponents to an average of 22 points per quarter. The Pacers scored 44 points in the second half, which seems to indicate that the defense was good if not spectacular the second half. Using the eye test, the team certainly competed a hell of a lot harder during the second half and in very un-Spurs-like fashion created havoc and TOs.

What I Didn't Like:

--65. That's how many points we gave up in the first half. That's how many points we should be giving up in 3 quarters. That's bad math.

--George Hill, Quarters 1-3. He was pressing, trying to do too much. He would pass up shots in the flow of the offense to dribble into the defense and make things worse. Year 3 will be an interesting year for Hill. He was solid as a rookie, and he made a leap in his second year. For him to really become a great player, he needs to make another leap in Year 3, and he has to start fulfilling some of his promise. I love the kid, and I hope nothing but the best for him and have no doubt that he'll continue to improve.

--You guys have played with each other, right? The offensive execution was pretty bad. The spacing was off a lot, people seemed to be moving into each other. Passes were bobbled, lost, or thrown away. We just weren't crisp. It's not uncommon to see this early in the season, obviously, but I don't remember it ever being quite so bad in the Big 3 era. One thing the Spurs always seem to have going for them is continuity. It seemed like last night was the first time playing with each other for lots of guys. Which I'm pretty sure it wasn't.

--Matt Bonner's ankle. Sucks to lose a player in the first game, even if only for a little bit.

Observations:

--We seemed to miss a lot of shots and lay-ups right at the rim. This is obviously crappy because it's lost points. But the good news from that is that we're getting to the rim pretty easily. Parker especially was having trouble finishing off drives. But that will come with a little bit of time. It's a good sign that we're attacking and getting there.

--I'm of two minds on the new technical rule, but in general I'm in favor of players calming down after calls and just playing the game. And yes, I'm aware that Tim Duncan is one of the biggest complainers in the game. (Take that aspect away from him and you may very well have the most perfect player ever.) I think players should get an initial reaction--that's just human nature--but beyond that, zip it. The passion isn't being taken out of the game. I'm pretty sure you can still celebrate when you make a huge basket, or get a big stop, or do things within the framework of the game.

But what's really interesting to watch is how hard players are trying not to react, and how conscious they are of it. Seriously, watch it. It's fun.

Game Ball:

Tough to decide between Ginobili and Duncan, but we're giving it to the Big Fella for the home opener.

Looking Forward:

Next up is New Orleans at home on Saturday night. New Orleans is one of those teams that I have no idea what to expect from them this season. Chris Paul is back and is still one of the best players in the league. But is he happy? Does he have any quality around him? And how will the team adjust to a new coach and new system?

This is another early season game that the Spurs should win. Look for an increased emphasis on our defense. Continue to watch how Jefferson is fitting into the system, and see if Blair can have a bit of a breakout game since he won't be playing against a 7'4" opposing center. Also, see if some of Parker's lay-ups start to drop. If they do, watch out. He loves playing against Paul, and always seems to acquit himself very well against him.

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

Another season is here. All is right with the world again. We get one more year of Ginobili's brilliance, Parker's dazzling speed, Duncan's fundamental genius, and Pop's acerbic wit.

But for how long?

Here are the things I'll be watching for this season.

One Last Rodeo?

For the first time in a while it seems as if the Big 3 of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker are all starting the season completely healthy and sufficiently motivated. As the rest of the NBA knows, when those variables line up, all the Spurs do is win championships. Do we have one more in us? Or has the league already passed us by? Will outside factors make the season a non-starter. Parker is playing for a new contract, and while everybody is saying all the right things, the speculations of trades or where he's headed next year won't stop this season. For 2 straight years, Duncan has started the season hot, only to fade down the stretch as his body wears down. Why are we to believe it won't happen for a third year? Ginobili may be the most brilliant, reckless player in the league. But he can be fragile, and one injury could derail it all.

The opportunity for greatness is still there, but the margin of error is slimmer than it's ever been. And even though they say it every year, this really may be the last year of our holy triumvirate. So enjoy it, no matter the outcome.

4, 5, 6...

If our top 3 players butter the bread, somebody needs to bring the butter to the table. And the bread. Players 4-6 need to make an impact this year and carry some of the load for Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker.

Based on early indications, we might have our deepest team yet, players 1-6. Richard Jefferson is in his second year, which is when many players make the jump in the Spurs system. Couple that with the fact that he humbly submitted himself to Coach Pop boot camp this summer, and I have high hopes for him. Of all the players on the team, he is who I will be watching most closely for the first 10 or so games. George Hill should make another leap in his 3rd year, and will most likely replace Ginobili as our 6th man spark. And the beast, DeJuan Blair has been our best player in preseason and, having slimmed down and worked his ass off this summer, is ready for another round of revenge on the league that passed him by. I can't wait to watch these 3 play.

Don't Forget The Old Man

Antonio McDyess is also in his second year with the Spurs. And probably his last year in the league. He'll start out slow, but he'll come on strong heading into the playoffs, and he'll leave everything on the floor, as there may be no veteran out there who wants a ring more than him.

Te Amo, Tiago

Injuries have sidelined Tiago Splitter all preseason, which is a shame. There are a lot of expectations on the 25 year old rookie who has been playing professional basketball for a large chunk of his life. He needs to be a solid rotation player for us to compete in the West. So far, his NBA game is a complete mystery. I'm looking forward to unravelling that mystery.

A Do Run Run Run A Do Run Run

For the nth year in a row, Pop has said he wants to push the ball more. But for the 1st year ever, the team actually seems committed to doing it. With a roster that includes a stunning open floor passer in Ginobili, 2 high flying finishers in Hill and Jefferson, a young, athletic big man in Blair, and one of the 5 fastest players in the NBA, it only makes sense. As for Duncan? He's pretty good at the Unseldian outlet pass off the rebounds. Then hey, he doesn't have to even run down the floor.

Here's hoping it sticks into the regular season.

The First 20 Games Count as Much as the Last 20, Or So The Germans Would Have You Believe

We all know the Spurs script: slow start, build steam after the all-star break, peak into the playoffs. Well, with the West loaded with more good teams than Playoff spots, every win is going to count. Even the wins in November and December. Ginobili has openly lamented anywhere from 5-8 games he figures they could have won early in the season that they didn't. Those 5-8 games could have put us at the top of the West. The team seems determined to secure those 'should be' wins early. Plus, our early season schedule isn't all that difficult. It's not unreasonable that we could be 7-3 or better in our first 10 games.

Bruce Bowen Still Isn't Walking Through That Door; Neither Is Keith Bogans, Thankfully

Pop wants a shut down wing defender, if only as a back-up to Richard Jefferson. He also wants someone that can hit the corner 3. Is that player on the roster? Bobby Simmons, who made the team on an unguaranteed contract, seems committed to the role. But can he even be better than Keith Bogans?

By all accounts our defense was middling at best in the preseason. It wasn't great last year, either. Are we an elite defensive team anymore?

It's Time to Count Out the Spurs, Starting....NOW!

Finally, everyone in the media seems to be counting us out, since we haven't won a title in 3 years. Most still think we'll make the playoffs, but nobody thinks we can do any damage. Even though we beat them in the playoffs last year and probably improved more than they did, many are picking the Mavs over us in the Southwest.

Personally, I like this position. I like being under the radar, not discussed, with no pressure. By all statistical factors, we were a 57 win team last year that only won 50 games. I think we're better this year. And I want to prove everybody wrong.

The Lakers, Then...?

The Lakers are clearly the team to beat in the West, and are the best bet to win the West, no matter how you slice it. But who is second best? Who will face them in the Conference Finals?

Utah lost Boozer but gained Al Jefferson, and they're always good with Sloan at the helm. But they also always seem to fall just short of expectations. Phoenix lost A'mare and signed 23 small forwards. Portland can't seem to get out of its own way, and has more drama than the cast of "The Jersey Shore" (editorial note: I've never seen "The Jersey Shore"; I'm just guessing). Dallas is still Dallas, a 50+ win team that talks big and will lose in the Playoffs. Denver might not even have its best player in a month. Ditto Houston, but for different reasons. Oklahoma City is everybody's favorite team, and they should be really great. But the hardest jump to take in the league is from 50-win team to Championship team (I'm looking at you, Portland and New Orleans). Can they handle being favorites and no longer being everybody's favorite underdog?

Why couldn't the Spurs be the team that faces the Lakers in the Conference Finals? We certainly have the best coaching and the most experience of any other possible team. And once you get into the series, anything can happen.

The West is J-Lo; The East is Christina Hendricks

The West appears to have one great team (The Lakers), and lots of really good teams that could all win 50ish games. The East on the other hand, have seemingly 3 great teams at the top, (The Heat, Celtics, and Magic), and a lot of what looks like 30-win teams. It will be interesting to watch how each conference plays out.

Hey, Did You Hear this LeBron James Kid Signed with The Heat? I Hear it Was Kind of Big Deal

This has nothing to do with the Spurs (except the two times they play the Heat), but methinks this will be a very big story league-wide the entire year. Has any team ever faced so much scrutiny?

Go Spurs Go

Every season presents itself as its own narrative arc, with thousands of subplots, all leading to one grand finale. We can talk all we want about what we think will happen, but in the end, the old adage always wins out: that's why they play the game.

Now it's time to put on the ol' road Ginobili jersey and start screaming at the TV and/or computer.

The Spurs open the season at home against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Go Spurs Go.

Join the Spurs Dynasty Fantasy League

If you like Fantasy Basketball, I'd like to invite you to join our Spurs Dynasty Fantasy League, now in its 5th year.

We'll be having our autopick draft this Sunday night at 12am midnight PST and currently have room for up to 5 more managers.

It's free to play with a Yahoo account. You'll need a League ID# and Password to join. If you or anyone you know is interested, email me at [dingo at spursdynasty dot com] for details.

Our league is head-to-head, with 13 roster positions -- PG, SG, G, SF, PF, F, 2 Centers, 2 utility players and 3 bench players. Scoring is simple -- points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks count.

More info on Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Basketball is available here.

Tim Duncan Set the Mold for Breaking the Mold

In the backlash to the backlash over the LeBron James debacle this summer, many people are arguing that James is doing exactly what we ask athletes to do all the time, which is to take less money to pursue better competitive situations and championships. To put the team first (even if it's not your "hometown" team) by giving them better financial flexibility to fill the roster around the superstar. On his excellent NBA Today Podcast on ESPN, Ryen Rusillo said that James was, in essence, breaking the mold by not chasing the money.

This all very well may be true. But I hope the rest of the league remembers this (as I'm sure all Spurs' fans do): Tim Duncan took a several million dollar paycut years ago in his latest extension even though the team offered him the max so that the Spurs could remain financially flexible and competitive.

Tim Duncan, the quiet breaker of molds. And Reason #682 why we love him.

My Excitement for the Upcoming Season is Inversely Proportional to My Writing About the Pre-Season

Which is to say...I'm very excited.

I find it hard to write during the preseason because, honestly, I don't have that much to say. I follow all of the coverage from camp and love the first glimpses of old players we haven't seen all summer and new players hoping to make the team. Generally, though, the most exciting story lines from the preseason are about who is going to fill out the roster in spots 12-15 (or, in our case, 12-13). And while those stories are interesting, they have very little impact on the regular season. Besides, I don't get to see any of the preseason games nor do I see any practices, so I really can't tell you the differences between Gist and Gee and Jerrells and how they might impact our team.

So I wait patiently, following all of the other coverage, and get worked into a lather about the regular season. Which, by my calculations, starts very soon.

One thing I can do, however, is write a preview of the upcoming season, which I plan to post this weekend.

So fear not; once the season starts, activity should be hopping around here once again!