River Walk Chronicles ♦ ///

[Valor]

Obviously it's Odom, what are you talking about!? Candy FTW!

[shadowgrin]

wth hell are you guys posting half naked athletes for?

[Warlock95]

LOL! If Odom is half-naked, that must mean he has the bottom part off (he wears a top in the pic).

Also, I'd go with Odom for starter. I always thought that he deserves a starting spot when (or if) he gets out of the Lakers IRL.

[kibaxx7]

Spurs use late defense to get by Wizards in season opener
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (WAS :: SAS)

SAN ANTONIO (ESPN, October 27) -- The San Antonio Spurs may go through offensive droughts, and when that happens, they count on their defense to save the night. With tonight's game against Washington on the line, the Wizards folded at both ends of the floor and San Antonio came up with a victory in the season opener for both teams, 103-96 at the AT&T Center. The first quarter was the promise of a great matchup: Corey Maggette scored 13 of his 24 points for the Spurs, while Gilbert Arenas posted 12. Arenas made two 3-pointers, finishing the night with a game-best 32 points, but said his priority was defending San Antonio shooting guard Manu Ginobili -- thing he did to perfection. The Argentinian had seven rebounds and six assists, but shot 0-of-9 from the floor, including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc for two points, coming from the free throw line. “I just tried to pick him up early, collapse (into the paint) and make him get rid of the ball.”

Maggette also added eight rebounds, while Lamar Odom and Michael Redd made their regular season debuts for the Spurs, both as reserves. Odom contributed with 13 points and five boards, and Redd had 12 points. Washington's John Wall tied the game at 88 on a dunk, but after that the Wizards made only 4-of-15 field goals. Wall added 14 points and eight assists for the road team, 6-of-10 shooting. “I'm not concerned about the defense, because we were good at some stages of the game. Their best player last year only had 2 points. It's our offense,” said Wizards coach Flip Saunders. “San Antonio executed very well on the defensive end. They were aggressive going to the boards.” The Spurs, meanwhile, went 26-for-28 from the charity stripe, continuing last season's statistics, when they were the best free throw shooting team of the league. Tony Parker scored 12 points, three rebounds and five assists, and Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter added eight points apiece. JaVale McGee, who defended Duncan effectively in the game, had 21 points and eight boards for the Wizards. NLSCer Martti Must had 3 points and two steals -- Washington has not won in San Antonio since 1999.

♦ Around The League :: Dallas Mavericks guard Dominique Jones said hours ago that he will ask Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson not to exercise the team option on his contract. “It's becoming more and more obvious that this franchise doesn't recognize my client's talent,” said Jones' agent to reporters on the team's training facilities this morning. “It’s about me and my family and what’s best for us,” said Jones. In other news, Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau announced today that center Joakim Noah will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee in Chicago's 100-88 win at Houston. “We are deeply disappointed for Joakim,” said Thibodeau. “We know he will work tirelessly to get himself healthy again. But we're not even in November -- that gives all of our players, especially our younger guys, the opportunity to earn more playing time and the coaching staff's trust.”

Ginobili powers San Antonio past Hornets with inspired performance
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (NOH :: SAS)

SAN ANTONIO (ESPN, October 29) -- Manu Ginobili stepped up for the San Antonio Spurs when they needed him most. Coming from a 2-point game against Washington, Manu scored 20 of his 33 points in the second half, including 12 in the third quarter, helping the Spurs pull away for a 108-92 win over the New Orleans Hornets. “The team played for each other and it's always fun to play like that,” said Ginobili. New Orleans had trouble shaking Manu's team for the first three periods because of a poor night in the paint -- only 22 points -- but made up for it by pushing the tempo in the fourth, going to the hoop and making 20-of-25 free throws. “It was a big victory for the team because we played the way we are capable of,” said Spurs' Tim Duncan, who had 16 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Corey Maggette, who contributed with 16 points, added: “We had a good pace to the game, we played great.”

The Hornets did play well, too, only it wasn't for the entire game. Monty Williams' team stayed in it early thanks to the game of Trevor Ariza -- with 7 points in a 1-minute span. Even Quincy Pondexter was a pleasant surprise for the Hornets, with 14 points as a reserve. But they just didn't have any energy left for the final frame: even with David West posting a double-double of 18 points and 15 boards, they let San Antonio run away with the win; Ariza finished with 13 points and Chris Paul was limited to 10 by Tony Parker, who had 15 and 14 assists. “I thought we played them tough for three quarters and then it got away from us. Our bench kept us at it,” said NLSCer Axel Gomez, who only had one point, two rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes. “We didn't make some shots, they made some and we had head-scratching turnovers.”

♦ Around The League :: Philadelphia's Louis Williams still wants to be traded, and coach Doug Collins is not opposed to it. “He thinks he's a star. I think he's a good player. If he wants to be traded, we'll try to accommodate with that,” said Collins following the 76ers' 114-101 loss against the New Jersey Nets. Williams' agent went public with a trade request last week and the Sixers have been fielding inquiries from numerous teams since then -- although Collins said the deals that have been reported in the media, including Austin Daye of the Detroit Pistons and Al Thornton of the Washington Wizards, were not offers the Sixers were willing to look into. In other news, the Los Angeles Clippers' Eric Gordon and the Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose today were named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played October 26-29. The Clippers had a 3-0 week, all on the road, as Gordon averaged 23.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, even posting 34 points, four boards and four assists in a 102-94 victory at Toronto. Rose also led the Bulls to a 3-0 week, as he averaged 28.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists for Chicago, including a 26-point, 7-assist game at Houston, in the season opener for both teams.

Spurs erase third-quarter deficit to down Suns in Phoenix
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (SAS :: PHX)

PHOENIX (ESPN, October 31) -- Corey Maggette had just guarded last season's Sixth Man of the Year -- now converted into a starter -- Hedo Turkoglu for most of the night. His postgame reward? Ice on both knees. “He's a big guy. He's tough,” the Spurs small forward said of the Turk. Maggette had an offense/defense switch on his back, and along Manu Ginobili, had 18 points each as the San Antonio Spurs rallied past the Phoenix Suns, 103-95. But all the Spurs were talking about afterward was Turkoglu and his 24-point explosion. Specifically, they marveled about how the former Orlando Magic, and also San Antonio Spur, went to the hoop for most of his shots, despite taking seven 3-pointers. “Oh, he wasn't shy,” said Ginobili, who also had four rebounds and five assists. Tim Duncan added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Lamar Odom added 10 points and five boards off the bench, as San Antonio outscored the Suns, 66-32 in the painted area.

Phoenix blew a seven-point lead (78-71) it had in the first minute of the fourth quarter after being down by 16 (47-31) in the middle of the second period: with the score 89-83, Steve Nash had the ball stolen by Maggette, and from that point, San Antonio outscored Phoenix 20-6 in the last six minutes -- 10 of those coming from Tiago Splitter, who proved to be the key in the win. The Suns continually ran plays for Turkoglu, who took the team under his shoulders, as Jason Richardson had left the court with a lower back strain. Nash had 20 points and 12 assists while Hakim Warrick shot 0-of-4 in the first quarter and never took a shot again. NLSCer Julian Martin notched in five points for the Suns: “It was a heartbreaking loss,” he said. “We were able to recover down by 16 but then we were killed in the inside.” Josh Childress and Goran Dragic added 11 and 9 points, respectively, off the bench for Phoenix.

♦ Around The League :: Gary Neal wants out of San Antonio? San Antonio Express News learns that Spurs general manager R.C. Buford was told by Neal's agent he wants his client to be traded from the only NBA team he has played for. “I think the change would be good for the team and for Gary,” his agent said. Neal, though, may not be headed anywhere. “I don't want to trade Gary and I have spoken with the team owner, Mr. (Thierry) Tirieux, and coach (Gregg) Popovich. We have absolutely no intention to deal him,” Buford told SportsCenter. “We understand that he is a little upset about this playing time, but we haven't spoken to him yet. I am confident that we can work this out.”

[kibaxx7]

Actually I quite like Manu haha, like Kobe said, he's a bad boy It's just his flops that I don't like....and of course, Odom is practically my favorite non-star player

Then, good to know

You better play Timmy D. Dejuan is way undersized for a C (he actually even is for a PF) and you could simply lower Duncan's minutes to like 25 a game. But start him!

Of course TD will play, he was injured, he came back just in time for the opener. Now both Duncan and Blair are below 30 MPG, to make more room for Odom and Splitter.

there is no question....Maggs all the way!

its like saying...whos is the better athlete...

Obviously it's Odom, what are you talking about!? Candy FTW!

Maggs is starting so far and he has been great, both in offense and defense

wth hell are you guys posting half naked athletes for?

LOL! If Odom is half-naked, that must mean he has the bottom part off (he wears a top in the pic).

Also, I'd go with Odom for starter. I always thought that he deserves a starting spot when (or if) he gets out of the Lakers IRL.

The thing is, Odom is the perfect sixth man. He always steps up. It's a good problem to have.

So, believe it or not, this association is officially 1-year, 1-day old. For one more year? I say YES!

[Houndy]

Wow, smells like a championship year

... And Can't Gary Neal be at least a Role Player?

[dare]

I demand to play more minutes.

[Axel The Great]

Relatively easy week for you guys, what a run in the fourth against the Suns! As for my player, I know he can do better, we'll win next time.

[Lamrock]

Is second quarter intervention just you putting CPUvCPU on for the first quarter?

[Mavs4Life]

If only Maggs was like this in RL still.... Like Axel said, nothing big this week, but just glad to see this get going. I agree with Houndy, Neal needs more minutes, or a possible trade?

[kibaxx7]

Duncan, Maggs use tough defense to defeat Blazers, who look not bothered
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (SAS :: POR)

PORTLAND (ESPN, November 3) -- If the Portland Trail Blazers were upset by the loss they had just suffered, one couldn't tell in the locker room afterward. Tim Duncan had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Corey Maggette added 16 and 11 as the San Antonio Spurs thumped Portland, 97-82. After getting beaten by the league's hottest squad, a group of Blazers came together around a TV to watch the last moments of the Utah-Oklahoma City game before going to the showers. They didn't know that history was being made: Kevin Durant ended the contest with 62 points, a franchise-high since the relocation from Seattle -- to go with nine rebounds, five assists and six steals, 9-of-11 from 3-point land. Wesley Matthews cheered loudly, prompting Andre Miller to declare, “We just got beat by double digits, and they're cheering for a division rival.”

Manu Ginobili had 16 points and three rebounds for the Spurs, who stay undefeated at 4-0. “In the second and third quarters, we were really good,” said Ginobili. “We did everything that we needed to do to get the W.” Michael Redd added 12 points off the bench, while Tony Parker contributed with nine points and nine assists. Portland has only managed to win one of four games so far, and fans are not happy with a team that was supposed to be improved with the additions of high-rated rookies Wade Ramsey and Valminton Silva. “We're not playing hard enough, or smart enough,” said Brandon Roy, who shot 0-of-4 in the first half and 2-of-6 in the third period, for 14 points. “I can only speak for my own, but we're not happy with where we are right now. We're struggling.” Ramsey led the team with 15 points and four boards, while Silva had eight points in seven minutes and Miller was limited to eight points. San Antonio was 8-of-16 from 3-point land while the Blazers were 4-for-13. Greg Oden suffered a broken finger in the third quarter and didn't return.

♦ Around The League :: The rumors proved to be true: Sacramento Kings swingman Donte Greene plans to play out the final year of his contract this season and enter free agency. “I think this squad has been growing a lot over the past few seasons,” said Greene, “but they will have to continue without me. The organization promised me more playing time and it didn't show up. I'm thankful for the opportunity, but it's not paying working for me and my family.” In other news, the New Jersey Nets signed free agent Kenyon Martin to a 1-year contract. Martin played all 82 games for the Denver Nuggets last season, averaging 8.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in 29.9 minutes. He joins rookie guards Chris Hova and Andrea Avanti in a rebuilding effort by the Nets, after acquiring Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups last season and finishing with a 40-42 record. The Nets selected Martin 1st overall in the 2000 NBA Draft, before being traded to Denver in 2004.

Maggs scores 13 of 16 points in first half as Spurs roll over Blazers -- again
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (POR :: SAS)

SAN ANTONIO (ESPN, November 6) -- Corey Maggette made quick work of the Portland Trail Blazers. Maggette scored 13 of his 16 points in the first half, and Manu Ginobili added 16 of his own in the San Antonio Spurs' 101-73 victory. “You have games like this, where everything feels nice,” said Maggette. “My teammates were great getting me the ball and I was able to hit some shots early.” Coach Gregg Popovich played his deep bench for the entire fourth quarter with the Spurs in cruise control: James Anderson contributed with nine points, while Steve Blake broke out of a a scoring slump, with a season-high 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. “I've been struggling lately,” he said. “It was just a matter of time for me to get out of this.” The Spurs, known for their defensive prowess, held the Blazers to only 10 points in third quarter, to turn a 13-point advantage at intermission into a 25-point lead entering the fourth frame.

Portland could get no closer than 18 points in the fourth. “It was another good defensive game for us,” said Popovich, who has been preaching defense to his team since the start of training camp. LaMarcus Aldridge, who led the Blazers with 26 points and 12 rebounds (17 points in the first half), said the turnovers (six each half) really hurt the team. “It was just a lack of focus. But they are the team to beat. Even at one-hundred percent, I'm still not sure if we would be able to beat them,” said Aldridge. Brandon Roy posted 21 points, while rookie Wade Ramsey scored 12 points, as the only three Blazers in double figures. Nicolas Batum and Marcus Camby combined for only two points. “We played like a team of strangers,” said Batum. “And they were a bulldozer. We couldn't do much to slow them down.”

♦ Around The League :: Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry is on talks with the team about a contract extension. “I want to get it done for security and just to focus on the team,” said Terry. The 34-year-old Terry was the No. 10 overall pick in 1999 out of Arizona by the Atlanta Hawks, and after spending his first five seasons with the Hawks, he was traded to the Mavericks just prior to the start of the 2004–05 season. “From the moment he arrived here, he has been a large part of our playoff appearances,” said Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle. “Hopefully we can work it out as soon as possible.” In other news, the Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo and the Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played October 30 - November 5. The Celtics had a 3-1 week as Rondo averaged 13.0 points, 5.2 boards and 9.7 assists per game. He almost posted a triple-double against Chicago, with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a 109-71 victory. Durant led the Thunder to a 3-0 week, as he averaged an incredible 40.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists for his team, boosted by a 62-point, 9-rebound, 5-assist, 6-steal game against Utah.

Spurs stun Nets in fourth quarter, enjoy first 6-0 start in franchise history
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (NJN :: SAS)

SAN ANTONIO (ESPN, November 8) -- Up by nine in the first period, but tied at halftime by a Carmelo Anthony-less Nets squad, the San Antonio Spurs found themselves in an unexpected place. Yet even with New Jersey getting great games out of Chauncey Billups, his backup D.J. Augustin and Brook Lopez, Tim Duncan & Co. found a way to pull another one out of their hats. Duncan made an explosive, go-ahead dunk with 1:30 left -- an offensive rebound off a jumper by Tony Parker -- and then added a last-minute rejection on the other end to help the Spurs defeat the Nets, 100-94. San Antonio improved to 6-0, its best start in the history of the franchise. “We never pressed the panic button,” said Duncan, who earned POTG honors with 18 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. “We just kept going.” But the honors could have been earned by any of the new guys, Michael Redd or Lamar Odom -- both coming off the bench -- without any objections: 18 points for the former Milwaukee Buck, 17 and 12 boards by the Candyman. San Antonio outscored the Nets in the paint, 62-44.

Despite being without Anthony -- their leading scorer and third-best rebounder -- for the entire second half, the Nets gave the Spurs an interesting battle. Billups led the team with 19 points and six assists, while Augustin added 17 (10 after halftime). Rookie Chris Hova contributed with 13 and nine boards, while Lopez had a double-double with 12, 14 boards, four steals and four blocks. With the score tied at 92, Billups missed a wide-open 3-pointer that would gave given his team a good cushion -- but the Spurs finished the game with a 8-2 run. “You've got to be able to finish games like this,” said Nets coach Avery Johnson. “We ran great in the first half. In the second half, they played better and we didn't get the same chances.” Parker notched in 15 points for San Antonio and said: “Tim's block was phenomenal. And our bench was incredible. That's the kind of team we have, we pick each other up.” Manu Ginobili (14 points) didn't hesitate to declare: “We know what we're capable of. It's early, but we're on the right track.”

♦ Around The League :: The injury big has hit the entire league. After Chicago confirmed the torn MCL of center Joakim Noah, another 11 players will have to spend at least two weeks in the sidelines. Phoenix' Earl Clark (broken jaw), Memphis' Rudy Gay (torn hamstring), Atlanta's Al Horford (broken arm) and Washington's Kirk Hinrich (broken jaw as well) all face up to two months out. In other news, Memphis guard O.J. Mayo has expressed his interest in working out an extension with the Grizzlies. Grizz fans around the world just pray Chris Wallace doesn't approve another Michael Conley-like deal.

[kibaxx7]

Wow, smells like a championship year

... And Can't Gary Neal be at least a Role Player?

Neal is upset with his playing time and is understandable. Redd and Manu are tearing it up. I only played Gary in the fourth quarter against the Blazers at home.

I demand to play more minutes.

And you played because J-Rich got injured... I'll try to edit the minutes a little.

Relatively easy week for you guys, what a run in the fourth against the Suns! As for my player, I know he can do better, we'll win next time.

Yep, easy so far, but the opponents haven't been very tough yet. I play the Hornets and Celtics next week, that will be a real test.

Is second quarter intervention just you putting CPUvCPU on for the first quarter?

Yes, I did that against the Blazers too, to get the team stats and the pressbook photos. I just let the game run in the background in window mode.

If only Maggs was like this in RL still.... Like Axel said, nothing big this week, but just glad to see this get going. I agree with Houndy, Neal needs more minutes, or a possible trade?

This will keep going Don't want to lose Gary. I'd only deal him for a good draft pick.

Team rollin'

[Houndy]

I like this intervention thing. Smart idea

[Mavs4Life]

First 6-0 in history? Suprising. Again, 3 good games, the Nets really look better than their RL state, forgot about the Anthony trade.

[Cruzerr]

Good games. Good games. No more comments

[kibaxx7]

I like this intervention thing. Smart idea

Thanks man, trying to speed it up a little!

First 6-0 in history? Suprising. Again, 3 good games, the Nets really look better than their RL state, forgot about the Anthony trade.

Yeah went through all the Spurs season in Basketball Reference and didn't find any 6-0 in team history. I really like the current Nets, I'm sure they will battle in the East.

Good games. Good games. No more comments

Thanks?

More games coming soon!

[Cruzerr]

I got nothing to say. Your 6-0. When ever I go 6-0, I lose the next one.

If you play the Knicks in here, which team you gonna pick?

[kibaxx7]

I got nothing to say. Your 6-0. When ever I go 6-0, I lose the next one.

If you play the Knicks in here, which team you gonna pick?

I'll try to stay undefeated. Spurs-Knicks here, a simulation, no doubt.

A week recap coming soon! School's killing me, but it's the last two weeks...

[kibaxx7]

Duncan, Manu too much for Paul, West, Hornets; reach 7-0 record
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (SAS :: NOH)

NEW ORLEANS (ESPN, November 10) -- On Mardi Gras celebrations, there was nothing for the Hornets to celebrate. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were flawless for San Antonio: Duncan scored 26 points and also grabbed 15 rebounds, while Ginobili added 23, as the Spurs got hot in the second quarter and rolled to a 106-90 victory over New Orleans, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Manu scored 18 points in the first half as the Spurs set an early tone, taking a 12-2 lead to start the game and a 58-39 advantage at intermission. With that 19-point cushion, Michael Redd started the third quarter and didn't disappoint, picking up where the Argentinian left off, scoring 13 points. “I know my role on this team,” said Redd. “Sometimes you have to sacrifice individually to have team success.” In the first half, San Antonio shot a great 6-of-10 from beyond the arc -- 9-of-16 for the game, taking a 81-61 lead with 1:28 left in the third. “When they shoot the ball like that, they're not going to lose,” said Hornets' David West, the leading scorer of the game, with 31 points and a whooping 20 boards.

“In my opinion, they are the best team in the league. They are still undefeated for a reason. If they can stay healthy, I expect they'll have the best overall record this season,” added West, who shot 13-of-24 from the field; however, the combination of Duncan, DeJuan Blair and 7'1'' rookie Artem Popov constantly kept him away from the basket on offense, taking mid-range jumpers most of the time. According to Tony Parker -- who posted 16 points and 12 assists -- coach Gregg Popovich's strategy was to contain Paul and Emeka Okafor -- strategy they did to perfection. Marco Belinelli (18 points), Trevor Ariza (14) and rookie Axel Gomez (13) made the biggest contributions, as Paul (seven assists) and Okafor (13 rebounds) totaled only 3 points on 0-of-12 shooting. The Spurs were outrebounded 53-48, but won in the paint 46-30 and their reserves outscored New Orleans's, 31-24. Antawn Jamison left the game in the third quarter with a sprained knee.

♦ Around The League :: James Gist and Benjamin Rollins are up and running again. With the 2011-12 D-League season starting next week, the Austin Toros will look to repeat last year's championship. In a scrimmage today between the Toros and the Spurs' second unit, Gist scored 15 points, making five of seven shots, and Rollins added 14, both looking on great shape for the start of the season. In other news, the Spurs will decide today whether to keep Marcus Cousin in the team roster or send him back to the Toros. The defense-minded bigman had not played any games for the Spurs, although “he was the star of the scrimmage,” said Toros coach Brad Jones. “All three of them haven't played a lot lately. They are starting to feel their way through this and starting to feel comfortable. It wouldn't hurt the Spurs to let Cousin play with us for a while, it would only help his development. It's a win-win situation.”

Manu, Blair, Spurs expose Celtics in the AT&T Center; look unstoppable
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (BOS :: SAS)

SAN ANTONIO (ESPN, November 12) -- There’s a widely held belief around the NBA: if you want to be a true title contender, you better have a closer; a guy who can create plays, either for himself or his teammates, when the game is on its closing moments. If you go through the list of previous champions of the league, building a case to refute this is next to impossible. Just some of the players who filled the closer role for their title-winning teams are MJ, Magic, Bird... and the list goes on. But of course, another name on that list, who joined just recently, happened to be in the AT&T Center tonight for the Boston Celtics, taking part in this much-anticipated showdown with the Spurs: Paul Pierce. By the end of the day, the Spurs were actually better-equipped than most to handle him. Two of the league's better wing defenders, Manu Ginobili and Corey Maggette -- in his newly discovered role since joining San Antonio -- made Boston's night a living hell.

Pierce started the contest 1-of-16 from the floor, but ended the game 7-of-9 to breathe some new life into the Celtics' hopes, and also Ray Allen (who suffered a sprained toe in the second period but returned) added 27 points. But the rest of the supporting cast never showed up, and San Antonio demonstrated what teamwork is all about. Ginobili had 17 points; Maggette, Tony Parker and Lamar Odom had 11 each, and Tim Duncan and DeJuan Blair both posted double-doubles, making six Spurs in double figures and Boston look very ordinary in the process, cruising to a 98-84 victory. “We kept them in front of us and tried to make them get us from the outside,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “We forced them into some turnovers early on. We got inside looks (56-34), and our bench was stellar (33-16). That kind of set the tone.” Kevin Garnett, who was limited to seven points, did not speak to reporters after the contest. Parker closed down Rajon Rondo to only nine points. “The things we talked about doing regarding Ginobili, Maggette, Duncan as a team on defense... we didn't do that,” said Pierce. “We got our butts kicked.”

♦ Around The League :: The San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan and the Philadelphia 76ers' Marreese Speights today were named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played November 6-12. The Spurs had a 4-0 week as Duncan averaged 16.5 points, 13.0 boards and 2.0 rejections per game, including 26 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in a 106-90 victory at New Orleans. Speights led the Sixers to a 3-1 week, quietly bouncing back from the East's last places, as he averaged 18.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks for Philadelphia, including a 24-point, 12-rebound game at Detroit, a 118-93 triumph.

In Noche Latina, "no hay problema" for the Spurs; top Grizzlies and stay undefeated
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (MEM :: SAS)

SAN ANTONIO (ESPN, November 15) -- Despite getting less playing time than last year, James Anderson is always sure to make the most of it. Anderson had all nine of his points in the last four minutes of the contest to help the San Antonio Spurs beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 101-91. Anderson, picked 20th overall by the Spurs last year, quickly became a rotation player as Corey Maggette's backup, but with the acquisition of Lamar Odom prior to this season, he saw his playing time being a little shorter. But he showed he can always come off the bench and make a quick impact, hitting 4-of-5 shots from the field, and fueling a strong second half by San Antonio. “I knew I would get a little less action this season,” said Anderson, “but playing around all this veterans and proved NBA players has helped my confidence. I had to sacrifice some of my playing time, it's OK for me.”

Maggette shot 12-of-19 to lead San Antonio, for 24 points, 18 in the first half, and nine rebounds. “He had an unbelievable game before halftime,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He made shots and he made plays. He's been playing extremely well.” But Maggs had plenty of help: Manu Ginobili had finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Tim Duncan scored 13 and eleven boards, and Odom added 12 points and eight rebounds as a reserve. For Memphis, O.J. Mayo scored a game-best 30 points, 10 in the first period alone and including 7-of-13 from beyond the arc. Xavier Henry added 15 points off the bench, Michael Conley contributed with 14 points and ten assists and Nate Robinson scored 12. Marc Gasol and Darrell Arthur combined for 4-of-19 field goals, but also combined for 31 rebounds. It was the end of a three-game winning streak for Memphis, who now stand at 4-5 and face the Spurs again this Thursday, at the FedEx Forum.

♦ Around The League :: Artem Popov knows himself and knows his game. Trouble is, the thing he seems to want and need the most has often been in short supply this season: time. More time than he usually gets, time to figure out what's going on in the game... time to make mistakes. “With minutes, you get more comfortable. With everybody it is like this, but especially with me. I am the type of player that needs to have at least five or seven minutes to feel comfortable and then I can be much more productive.” Spurs assistant coaches have been loath to get Popov more playing time because of the inevitable rookie mistakes he will pile up -- also because Duncan, Blair and Tiago Splitter are all above him -- , but coach Popovich is easing up on the reins because he knows what he's got. His 2-point, 4-rebound, 1-steal game against the Grizzlies in 13 minutes wasn't a marvel, but it was his defense on Gasol and Arthur what should stand him in good stead as his career develops.

[kibaxx7]

You better not make Maggs angry.

[Mavs4Life]

You held CP3 DOWN, keep this up, and you'll have the championship in the bag.

[john26]

You better not make Maggs angry.

lol great pic

[kibaxx7]

You held CP3 DOWN, keep this up, and you'll have the championship in the bag.

Yeah TP did a great job on him. I might up the difficulty in a couple of games...

lol great pic

Worthy of a post by itself

As I said in the Knicks thread, finished school a couple of days ago so I'll try to speed this up too.

[kibaxx7]

Mayo, Grizzlies take revenge; hand Spurs first loss of the season
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (SAS :: MEM)

MEMPHIS (ESPN, November 17) -- The San Antonio Spurs' versatile roster came up short -- they found themselves trailing 11 points in the first minutes of the last period. They rallied back, but Tony Parker missed an off-balance jumper, that would have tied the game at 93, and Memphis dealt San Antonio its first loss of the season, 98-91. “We're not flawless. This was going to happen sooner or later,” said Parker, who had eight points and 12 assists. “82-0? That's a joke. But we do play hard, we do play together... just not perfect.” Manu Ginobili scored 26 points -- on 26 shots, including 16 3-pointers -- and Corey Maggette added 23, tying his season-high of 11 rebounds and keying several quick runs that brought the Spurs back in the contest. “It shows a lot about their character,” said Maggette. “As long as they keep playing with this amount of confidence and this intensity they will be a tough team to beat this year.” DeJuan Blair finished with 11 and nine boards, as the only other Spur in double figures. “They were more physical, more aggresive,” added Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “They took liberties against us and we took a step back.”

“That just shows the maturity of this squad,” said Darrell Arthur, who grabbed 15 boards. “We have another year under our belts. I just think it's the growth process of us playing another year and knowing how to win.” Despite Memphis' 62-48 rebounding edge -- 15-2 on the offensive glass -- , the result was closer than expected. More importantly, they didn't collapse when San Antonio made its run. O.J. Mayo led the game with 32 points for the Grizzlies, but needed 34 attempts to do so. “Last year when we made a run we would kind of fold,” said Marc Gasol, who posted 11 points and 16 rebounds. “But this time, we're trying to stick to our game plan, and when teams make their run, just calm down and stay focused.” Xavier Henry and Michael Conley had 10 points apiece for the Grizzlies.

♦ Around The League :: The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired guard Luke Ridnour from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for forward D.J. White, Thunder general manager Sam Presti announced today. Ridnour (6'2'', 175 lbs.) returns for a second stint with the franchise, as he was originally selected by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 14th pick overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, playing five seasons with the team before being traded on August of 2008 to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played two years for the Bucks before signing a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves as a free agent. The Hawks acquired him, along with Michael Beasley, in exchange for Jamal Crawford in the last trade deadline. He averaged 8.4 points, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 18.0 minutes in all 82 games last season, dropping to 3.3 points, 2.0 assists and 0.4 steals this year.

White (6'9'', 251 lbs.) was initially selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 29th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft before having his rights traded to the Thunder. He has played in 27 career games for the Thunder, averaging 5.1 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.3 minutes. In 7 games played this season, he has averaged 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 5.4 minutes. White has seen his best games in the D-League for the Tulsa 66ers, the Thunder's affiliate, averaging 19.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 assists in 36.4 minutes. With Al Horford out for at least two weeks with a broken arm, and rookie bigman Scott Jacobsen struggling, White will try to give Atlanta some frontcourt power.

Spurs explode in 3rd quarter, survive in OT against new-look Cavaliers
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (CLE :: SAS)

SAN ANTONIO (ESPN, November 19) -- On Hardwood Classics night, it looked like the jerseys did have an effect this time. When Tim Duncan plays like his old self, a 14-point deficit in the first minutes of the second half isn't always insurmountable. Tim recorded his fifth double-double in the last six games with 18 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high four blocks, Manu Ginobili added 27 points and the San Antonio Spurs stormed past the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime, for a stunning 115-111 win. “This is a gut check victory for us. We needed it after our last game,” said Duncan. Corey Maggette had 19 points and nine rebounds (16 before intermission) while Lamar Odom contributed with 14 as a reserve. The Spurs were 0-for-7 from behind the arc, all in the first half, before Maggette ended the drought with 9:33 in the third to trigger a quick 8-0 run. Tony Parker shot 4-of-13 for 11 points, but had nine assists to made up for it. “One thing about Tony, he never thinks about the last shot. He gets right back,” said Ginobili. “He missed shot after shot, but you know if he gets a good look in crunch time, he's going to sink it. And what he did on Mo -- marvellous.”

Rookie sensation Willie Lewis had a career-high 33 points for the Cavaliers, who also enjoyed a retro version of Vince Carter, with 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists. “It is disappointing to play as well as we did in the first half and not finish the game strong,” said Lewis. J.J. Hickson added 16 points off the bench, as Maurice Williams was held by Parker to just eight points on 3-for-18 -- 1/11 from deep. He came to AT&T Center scoring in double-figures in every single game. “We weren't playing Spurs basketball,” said Parker. “We had a lot of plays that are not common from us. I just let the guys know we needed to play better basketball if we were going to have a chance to win.” Playing before a new sellout crowd, DeJuan Blair got the assignment to guard former Memphis player Zach Randolph -- who gave the Spurs more than one headache last season. He didn't disappoint: he held Randolph to only one field goal on seven shots in the second half.

♦ Around The League :: The Miami Heat's LeBron James and the Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played November 13-19. James guided the Heat to a 4-0 record this week, scoring 23 or more points on all four games, including a season-high 44 in Miami's 118-108 win against New York, on November 16; the very next day, he posted a triple-double at New Jersey, with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Durant helped the Thunder to a 4-0 week as well, with two 40-plus-point performances. He recorded a double-double -- 30 points and 14 boards -- in a 95-84 win over Houston on November 14, and then posted 46 and 13 at New Jersey on November 19. Looks like the Nets didn't have the best week of all.

Dwight, Magic smothering defense stop Spurs in Orlando
Preview | Recap | Game Info | Full Play-by-Play | Boxscores (SAS :: ORL)

ORLANDO (ESPN, November 20) -- Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has been looking for toughness from his team, and it appeared in the persona of Brandon Bass against the San Antonio Spurs. The forward sat out last game at Chicago with an ankle sprain, but recovered just in time as the Magic won 99-97. “We really missed him against the Bulls,” said Van Gundy. “He's playing at a really high level.” Bass is averaging career-highs in points (11.9) and minutes (30.8), also achieving double-doubles in three games -- and the Magic won all of them. “He's just been great for us,” said Rashard Lewis, who had 15 points for Orlando. “He's a solid rebounder and a great defender. He's been helping us a lot.” The Magic entered this game losing four of their last five games, but went onto post their best win of this young season -- Bass was the sidekick, as the leader of the team was no other than Dwight Howard, who you might remember from some highlight performances against the Spurs last year.

“It was a huge victory for us,” said Howard, who had 23 points, ten boards, three assists, four steals and four blocks; Ramon Sessions scored 11 points off the bench and Jameer Nelson added 10 and 10 assists. Corey Maggette scored 19 points, Manu Ginobili contributed with 17 and Michael Redd had season-highs of 16 points and seven rebounds as a reserve for the Spurs. “They got us rushing a little bit,” said Maggette, who missed a last-second jumper that would have tied the game at 99 and sent it to overtime. “We just didn't make the plays that we needed in order to win.” Tim Duncan added eight points and 14 rebounds, while Lamar Odom had 11 points -- product of 13 field goal attempts. “We defended at a really high level in the fourth,” said Nelson. “Our defense won this game. We must continue to play at this level and not let up. We need to relax, keep our game faces on and get ready for the rest of the season -- we should have a much better record by now.” San Antonio now enters the fifth week of the season: five games in seven nights, starting this Wednesday, back at the AT&T Center, against the Indiana Pacers, and on Thursday, a battle at Oklahoma City -- the second best record of the West.

♦ Around The League :: More injury reports. The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that rookie swingman Leo Lai underwent successful surgery to address his broken right arm. No timetable has been set for his return, but Lai is expected to miss at least a month of action. Originally selected 8th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Sixers, Lai has seen playing time in nine games this season and holds averages of 7.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 22.8 minutes per game. Forwards Earl Clark (Phoenix, broken jaw) and Rudy Gay (Memphis, torn hamstring) are also expected to miss four weeks of play. Atlanta bigman Al Horford, with a broken arm, will miss the Hawks' contest against San Antonio this Sunday, November 27.

[Valor]

Broken right arm is a blessing in disguise for me as I'll be working hard on my weak left

Sucks about going 1-2 this week but you are still in pretty good shape