Wednesday night’s must-win game at San Antonio
Greg Popovich has rested Tim Duncan on the second of back-to-back games often this year, but probably won’t do so tonight. Duncan went only 33 minutes last night in the Spurs’ win over Oklahoma City so he should have something in the tank for tonight.
If San Antonio can win, I believe it pretty much locks Portland out of the top half of the Western Conference bracket. With tough home games against the Lakers and Nuggets (unless the seedings are all settled and the Nuggets take it easy next week), the Blazers will have their hands full improving their positioning without winning this one.
Isn’t a game like this — second of back-to-backs for both teams, late in the season — an example of a case when having a young, deep team should pay off a little? Hard for me to imagine that Duncan and Tony Parker and some of the other San Antonio graybeards can be very fresh tonight.
NBA, Trail Blazers | Dwight Jaynes | April 8, 2009
Dwight Jaynes, NBA Western Conference, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker
A-greed!
Isn’t Tony Parker like 26? Graybeard? There’s no doubt he is going to tear up the blazers defense. I can close my eyes and see him making layup after layup while somehow dashing threw 4 guys in the lane.
I find myself going through some circular logic with all of this… they need to win on the road in order to get home court advantage – because it is hard to win on the road.
I guess from my perspective – it is like an additional game to a playoff series. The team has to figure out how to win on the other guy’s court. Doing that now might be easier than in a playoff series – but the process mentally isn’t much different. Maybe it is even easier in a playoff series because you are focused on one opponent and get to adapt from one game to the next.
So – bottom line – “must win” is probably a bit strong. Maybe a good headline to spur some discussion. It’s a must win if your goal is to get home court in the playoffs. And I can say the Blazers MUST figure out how to win on the other guy’s court if they are going to acheive anything close to what we are dreaming. Since this season is still about coming together and “rising” – the only thing this team MUST do is get some experience so they can compete at the highest level in a couple of years. Maybe the lesson they learn this season is that home court is really important and worth fighting for starting on day one of the season.
Mike, I can see that nightmare happening to. The last time Portland played at SA, I had to check my TV to make sure I didn’t accidently leave my X-Box on “simulate game” because I thought I was watching someone play a freakin’ video game!! Parker did whatever he wanted. I’d like to see the Blazers play some zone and then pray that the Spurs aren’t hitting threes.
Greg Oden (playing the part of Darth Vader) to Tim Duncan (Obi-wan Kenobi)
“Your power are weak, old man. Prepare to meet the Force!”
I guarantee the Blazers lose if Steve Blake has the same line tonight vs. the Spurs as he did last night:
35 minutes, 2 points, 0-0 on threes, 2 turnovers, and 1 assist
Y O Y does Greg Oden play so physical, when history shows he will NOT get benefit of doubt and will more likely than not pick up a FOUL.
Greg adjust your game please, the NBA refs are NOT going to change.
It is not fun watching you repeatedly go to the bench with foul trouble.
Biggest game of the last 7 years is tonight
If they can show poise under pressure, they can win it
Holy throw up,,, 33-16 after one quarter !! What a joke, with Greg Oden fouling a Jump shooter with .03 seconds remaining in quarter.
Way to go Greg, ESPN announcers finally giving it to Portland for stuff Mike and Mike push under the rug. Portland is good but have A LONG way to go. and Oden is Not what we thought he Was Period
eating my words…… guess that why we play four quarters… oden still not what we thought he was … a all-star top C every night players, durant is beter
i am a idiot… kicking myself off..
Do you STILL think the Blazers should play the Rockets instead of San Antonio?
BTW – Thanks for providing quality commentary on the NBA. I enjoy reading your thoughts.
It is over. I luckily missed 1st half. They sure looked good when i was watching in 2nd half,
I wonder how many games Greg has fouled out of, I do not remember many, if any. Wonder why he is not played to point of foul out
That was HUGE. This team has officially grown up!
No NBA team has ever won 50 games with 4 rookies on the roster…until us
Still more work to do, but damn it feels good tonight!
Bravo Blazers!
Must won. Bring on the Lake Show!
That
was
EPIC.
This team never ceases to amaze me. Now please demolish the Lakers come Friday!
The big wheel of time is turning. The Spurs could still do something in the next couple of years but Father Time is knocking on the door. Heck, the Spurs are living in Father Time’s house renting a room downstairs. It’s a team in descent.
Phoenix too.
I’ve been around too long to gloat when time catches up with athletes even on teams I don’t like.
Relish this season for all it’s worth, especially you young people out there. You’ll be lulled into a feeling like it’s forever, then you’ll blink and they’ll be retiring Roy’s number. Trust me on that.
But this is no time to dwell on the inevitable. It’s a team on the rise and we’re only at the beginning. This could be a fun decade for Portland hoops.
P.S. I loved Steve Blake’s shot before halftime. Go Blazers.
I love how we’ve figured out how to keep Parker from single-handedly destroying us. That is the biggest improvement I’ve seen from before the all star break. Then it’s a matter of inevitability when you have no Ginobli, Duncan with stiff knees (and honestly, Pryzbilla does as good of a job guarding Duncan when he tries to score one on one as anyone in the league) for Portland to simply outplay them. I don’t care how solid of a system you have, when you’re playing without talent, it will matter against another good team which we can now all say we are.