| 25 March 2010
LA at the AT&T Center. If any game should be a barometer of where LA truly are at the moment, it will be this one. It's the beginning of a 5-game road trip, which is always important, and it's San Antonio... which is always important. Recently, I had a bit of sobering moment of clarity - after always being drunk on looking for the next big Laker victory, I realised:I keep looking for that signature win, but I think what's going to happen is a slow build, getting some steam up for the playoffs. I'm satisified with that. The reality of the situation is that LA's not going to catch Cleveland for the #1 the NBA. But nor are Denver & co. going to catch LA. Relax, and play 'ball. Get ready for the Playoffs.Hoping that's a more realistic approach...
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Behind Enemy Lines
I also got to interview Michael De Leon of Project Spurs on the team, and the upcoming game. Here's what he had to say:
Don (With Malice): Why aren't I more nervous about the Lakers heading to the AT&T Center as I usually am?
Michael De Leon (Project Spurs): Because this just isn't the same powerhouse of a team we've had for the last decade. Spurs fans, including everyone at project Spurs, thought adding Jefferson to the big three would result in nothing short of a Finals appearance. This team just isn't the same.
Starting with coming into the season with seven new players, chemistry has been harder to come by.
Normally Pop doesn't have to worry about his team learning offensive and defensive schemes, since he usually retains a majority of the players from the year prior, but this year has been much different, and I think, even now, Pop is still searching for the perfect lineup.
WM: Just quietly: Tim Duncan's having a monster season. Why don't we hear more about that?
PS: Because everyone writes him off at being washed up.
We had another blogger come on to one of our live shows recently asking if Tim Duncan's decline had anything to do with the Spurs' struggles this year. My response was "what decline?"
Over the last 6 or so years that I've been running Project Spurs, we often took Tim Duncan for granted, but this year we've made sure to really note how he seems to look younger and he's keeping this team afloat. We were all ready to hand the reins over to Parker after last season, but Duncan proved to us that this is still his ship.
WM: Age. Comment?
PS: Age seems to be the thing a lot of media like to use as an excuse for the Spurs' troubles. Or when they evaluate them, they always say how they are old.
Sure, one to two years ago, that was an issue, but these NBA TV and ESPN guys need to start doing their homework.
The Spurs only have two players with more than ten years in the league and there are eight players with six or fewer years in the league. This team has actually gotten a lot younger, and not just with players at the end of the bench. I'm talking about George Hill, DeJuan Blair, Roger Mason Jr., Matt Bonner and Keith Bogans who are all part of the regular rotation.
WM: Normally, around this time we see the Spurs rest a few guys and get ready for the playoffs. That can't really happen this season, can it?
PS: They would love to sit Tim Duncan more, especially in the second game of a back-to-back, but because of the problems they've had this year, they really aren't afforded that luxury.
They've been swinging between 6th and 7th in the West for the last month and with 8th place Portland only one game behind, they really can't afford to drop many games.
WM: Can the Spurs make some noise in the playoffs? Who would your preferred match-up be in the top 4 teams (let's assume LA/Denver/Dallas/Utah)?
PS: Why not just hand them a loaded gun and play russian roulette?
The Lakers are the Lakers and the only real advantage they have over them is a strong second unit and a point guard that will leave Fisher with skid marks all over his forehead.
The Spurs are 1-2 against Denver right now and while they blew them in February, that was also the last game before All-Star break so I have to wonder if Denver went on vacation early. Their athleticism also scares me and Tony Parker has trouble against bigger, stronger guards like Billups.
Utah swept the regular season series against the Spurs this season, and in mostly embarrassing losses.
While I'd hate to see the Mavs in the first round, there's a good rivalry there and I'd like nothing better than to see this team turn it on and make this a real series and see Mark Cuban's smile turn into a frown. We also have a bet with Brian Cuban that if the Mavs go farther than the Spurs in the playoffs, we'll display a Mavericks banner on the site and vice versa.
The Mavs would make for a tough matchup, especially with their trade deadline moves. At the same time, Caron Butler isn't going to beat you with speed and Brendan Haywood has no chance against Tim Duncan.
Tony Parker always makes Jason Kidd look ancient, so Dirk, Marion and Terry would be their primary targets, and Marion isn't the same Marion as he used to be with the Suns.
I think they also traded away their best defensive player, so I'd expect Manu to have a great series against the Mavs.
WM: I'm not penciling this in necessarily as a win, but I think LA can win this game by around 10. Pau has the mobility to trouble Timmy. Your game prediction?
PS: After a nice win over the Thunder, I'm hoping this Spurs time uses that momentum against the Lakers. I still don't think it'll be enough and the Lakers will leave San Antonio with a 5-point victory. I see ti being close all game and then, in classic Kobe fashion, he'll take over the game as Pop tries mixing things up by using a combination of George Hill, Keith Bogans, and possibly even Malik Hairston against him.
