Spurs Need A Win

Wednesday, April 25th 2007

We’re at the end of the first quarter of Game 2 of the Spurs-Nuggets playoff series. It is a game that the Spurs need:

The Spurs have gotten the typical ‘end is nigh’ reaction from some in the media and certainly from fans. The Denver Post published ‘Spurs Are On Their Way Out‘ after just a single game,

With a 95-89 victory everybody else in basketball will regard as an upset, the Nuggets sent an unmistakable, undeniable message to Tim Duncan and the once-great San Antonio Spurs.

It’s over for you.

Once, as every bone in the body of San Antonio big-shot artist Robert Horry creaked as he raised himself from splatting on the floor, I swear you could see the AARP card slip from his pocket. The Spurs are old. They’re ornery. They won’t go quietly. But their roster has too much mileage to make a long playoff run.

Ridiculous says I. Mark Kiszla, the author, needs to do more research than just glancing at the television as he downs another beer. Duncan gave less than 35 minutes/game, the lowest figure of his career. Some of the oldest players on the team looked fine in Game 1 - Horry, Finley, Vaughn. Michael Finley, the knees who Kiszla should’ve heard creak, was arguably the best Spur on the floor.

Indeed, after the first quarter of Game 2 I wouldn’t say the Spurs look old. The Spurs do look slow on the defensive end but not on offense. They’re getting out and running some.

It is an ugly game, by both teams. The Nuggets have looked disjointed on offense. Which has more to do with them than the Spurs rotations or defensive presence. However, the Spurs’ defense has been helped by officials who have their whistles stuffed in their pockets. The Nuggets are playing pretty good defense at the rim. Nene is playing pretty good defense on Tim - I didn’t think a repeat of what Timmy did (or more accurately, didn’t do) in Game 1 was possible, but the way they’re defending him right now we may see another 14 point game.

That would be disastrous, even as we lead at the end of the first. Nevermind, that a performance like that would be a bad birthday present for Tim Duncan, we simply cannot win without Duncan stepping up. The Nuggets can’t continue missing open shots. True, the Spurs picked it up as the 1st quarter went on, but we’re going to need a better defensive performance and bigger offense from Tim.

Carmelo Anthony & Allen Iverson have shot 2-for-12 from their own missteps, not because of the pressure the Spurs are putting on. The Nuggets have turned the ball over an inordinate amount from simply sloppy play, no because of the pressure the Spurs are putting on.

Let’s go Spurs. Let’s pick up the defensive pressure. Let’s go Timmy. Let’s put the ball in the hole. We need this game.

*UPDATE*

Spurs Win!

Despite letting the Nuggets back in it in the final couple minutes, after controlling the game, I really don’t think this was a bad game. I don’t think it bodes for the Denver Post’s theory referenced above. The Spurs will win this series.