Tonight is a battle between the San Antonio Spurs 1.0 organization and the San Antonio Spurs 2.0 organization. Demps vs Buford. Williams vs Popovich. Paul(Wake Forest) vs. Duncan(Wake Forest).  The Spurs have only played a single game so far this season, and they won that one handily 122-109 vs. Indiana. (Side note: Collison went for 19 an 7 on 13 shots)
The Spurs did it in typical fashion, getting twenty points from each of its big three and finding three others to contribute as well.(Jefferson, Hill and Anderson that time) The Hornets will need to find a way to limit those other contributions, and if they do, will have a good chance to win this game because the Spurs aren’t the defensive juggernaut they once were. If the Hornets get some stops, they’ll have enough open looks of their own to win the game.
Matchups
At point guard, there is the usual battle between friends Parker and Paul. I fully expect Parker to match Paul’s scoring numbers – but his all around game, defense, and ability to break a defense to pieces has never been a match for CP3.
On the wings, Jefferson and Ginobili will take on Ariza and Belinelli. The Spurs have more scoring punch, and Ginobili is as good an all around wing player as there is in the league. Still, if Belinelli can hit his open shots, and Ariza makes Ginobili work a little, this shouldn’t be a tremendous advantage for the Spurs.
Up front, Duncan is a monster, and he’s starting at center next to DeJuan Blair until import Tiago Splitter fights his way through a calf strain. Duncan is fundamental and tough, and Blair is energetic and aggressive on the boards, if undersized. This should be a good battle between them and West/Okafor, but I expect the Hornets to hold the scoring edge, and the Spurs to hold the rebounding edge.
That leaves the benches. Right now, like Monty Williams, I don’t know what the best rotation is. We’ll probably see the bench continue to be 6 deep until he settles on his rotation, and we’ll have to hope it continues to produce as it has the previous two games. (32 points a game off the bench? That’s a huge change from previous seasons when getting a score of points from the bench was a coup.)
Anyways, stick around to talk up the game. Oh, and not to depress you, but I have the recap tonight. My track record of recaps and games isn’t particularly shiny.
Other News:
Tony Parker signed an extension today that will make him a Spur through the 2011-12 season, meaning he and CP3 could both be free agents in the summer of 2012- the same season that Raymond Felton comes off the books for the Knicks. Food for thought.
The Vegas Zone
The line opened at 7.5 and has since moved to 8.5 points. 93% of the gamblers who are betting just on the money line are betting on the Hornets, who are +325. Meanwhile, when the points are factored in, 74% of gamblers are taking the Hornets plus 8.5. Â The over/under for this game is 197.5, and over 60 percent of those betting are taking the over, which is surprising since the Hornets have not allowed an opponent to score 100 this season. Â Last season the Hornets were swept by San Antonio and only covered the spread in 1 of the 4 games.
So far, the NBA sim is 1-1, correctly predicting the Hornets victory over Denver while failing to come close to getting the Bucks game right. Let’s hope the sim is right tonight however, as it spit out a thrilling overtime Hornets victory that saw 6 players finish in double figures.
118 responses to “Game On: Hornets at Spurs”
Considering the Hornets just played a tough game last night and have to play on the road the very next night, if we pull this out it has to say alot about this team. I am looking forward to checking it out…not really sure what to expect. I guess I just want to see if our bench gives us the same spark on the road as they do at home. Also, I will be looking to see if we can run on this team effectively. Last night we made a ton of mistakes and turnovers on fast breaks. Lets see if we show improvement there tonight. GO HORNETS!
If we win tonight, it’s going to have to be a team effort. Our guards will need to step up when guarding Ginobli and Okafor will have to limit Duncan. Belli will need to make his shots and West will need to stay out of foul trouble.
If all this happens we can win for sure but we’ll have to see. If we win this will say A LOT about where this team is. Beating 3 playoffs teams in 1 week and one against a rival on the road that we got swept by last year is huge. LET’S GO HORNETS!
Ryan, I hope you get to finally do a recap of a Hornets’ win! It’s been a while.
Take a page from Suns book. Pick and roll Timmy Duncan to death for the win.
thats how the suns MURDERED them in the play offs last year and we should run the hell out of the OLD men
3 guard rotation may come in handy tonight then…
I don’t need those kind of thoughts to keep feeding me! LOL!
Let’s just hope Dejuan Blair doesn’t outrebound our entire front court. Hopefully Belinelli has his shot going tonight. Heck, hopefully all of our Hornets have their shot going tonight. And defense, defense, defense. Very important for our Hornets. GEAUX HORNETS!!!
Okafor finally gets to see what it’s like being the big guy
How? Duncan is 6’11 and Okafor is 6’10.
Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about. I’ve got the impression that Okafor struggles against tall guys who can shoot over him…
The Spurs invited New Zealand guard Kirk Penney to training camp, and I was excited I might have a Kiwi other than Sean Marks in the NBA to cheer for. Then they cut him after 1 preseason game. The Hornets now have my full permission to destroy San Antonio.
(San Antonio are pretty deep, so it was always going to be a long shot, but never let reality get in the way of petty vindictiveness).
I see Dell Demps greeting Tony Parker and Dejuan Blair. I somehow figured he’d make the trip to SA for this game. And let me say that I am sooooooo glad I don’t have to listen to Sean Elliott tonight.
I thought Pops decided to play Blair at the 5 ?
If we stay close through the game the matchup of the teams best closers should be interesting, Spurs have 3 good ones but we have the better one.
IMO CP has to score closer to 20+ points tonight with 10+ assists to win with our team shooting those threes better.
I’m not liking this already. Whistles, whistles, whistles. When was the last time the Hornets won IN San Antonio?
Nice block Mbenga.
I hate these commentators…. they aren’t even trying to be impartial or un-biased in their comments…
Might as well spend the game yelling “SPURS ROCK, EVERYONE ELSE SUCKS”
That’s why as bad as Hornets commentators are, I’d never rather listen to Spurs commentators over them. Sean Elliott is the worst. I’ve put them on mute many nights. LOL.
they DO know their team is ageing and on the decline and one injury away from being SCREWED and lottery bound right…
turn overs are killing us
Too many d*mn turnovers already.
yup way too many, hopefully we get them all out of our system in the 1st quarter. quite a few have been 50/50 balls that just aren’t going our way though
You certainly can’t win a ball game if you can’t hold onto the ball. Bob Licht has jinxed CP3 by saying he’s only had 1 turnover this season and then CP goes right there and makes a bad pass and then gets called for a travel. Uggh.
everytime i see paul get a hard screen, just like what jefferson just did, i cringed.
I’m surprised they called that discontinued dribble on Parker.
wow thorton off the bench first for the guards
There goes Popovich in the refs ears already.
LOL A BREAK??????? HOW was that not a blocking foul you stupid commentators….. they wanted a charge…. he was in the restricted area u fools
Spurs defense good? Hornets have just been sloppy from my viewing…. going to mute this soon
I’m telling you man. Put those dogs on mute.
Voyeuristic ???? Spurs blog 48minutesofhell.com is having a live game chat.
who is al thornton lol
haha someone didnt to work prepared.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA FAIL boat…. wrong Thornton
I just died when I read “fail boat”
looool these commentators are a joke man i muted already 😀
I was wondering how many times he’d call him al thornton before figuring it out
Down 7 after 1 qtr.
whats with all these jump shots ATTACK the basket
and whats with not playing gray
I agree Forever504. Draw some d*mn fouls. Make those refs blow the whistles for you.
Talking about some Al Thornton heh? Marcus needs to make em remember his name.
Just let Ginobili go to the basket with ease. Why are we scared to attack the basket?
We need to put Green on Manu not Marcus imo, his just a bit longer and a better defender one on one
Popovich just laying back comfortably.
Portland system the same as Hornets??? o.O wth………. do these clowns even know what they are talking about…. wow….
I’m convinced they don’t know what they’re talking about and I’m not even listening to them. LOL!!!!!
That was a cute steal by Marcus. Hahaha!
hahahaha just as they talk about CHerry picking steal and dunk hahaha
nice steal b thornton…did i hear thornton say “hows that for defense monty” after he dunked the ball? lol
BUCKETS!
BELINELLI! Let’s geaux!
this is awesome to see that we can tie the game up with our bench.
Agreed not that im prejudiced but im really liking pops tonight he seems alert ;P…Also Marcus coming back to some form by the looks of it
Marcus is feeling it tonight!!!
Looking like the Thornton we’d all been missing
Blair is too doggone wild.
That rim is not kind to the Hornets. So many in and outs. Will the other rim be kinder to us in the 2nd half?
That is NOT a continuation. Are you kidding me?
OFFENSIVE foul you are freaking kidding me….
with the way we have been playing today, i cant believe we are up by 1 point
lol Paul turns it on when it matters heh
and omg these defensive 3 secs are killing us
Things to fix at half: The turnovers and free points off of stupid mistakes like defensive 3 sec
Asst. Coach Randy Ayers said he thinks it’s first road game jitters. I hope that’s all it is and they shake it all off in the 2nd half. But it’s amazing how many shots have gone in and out in that basket. We have to do better in the 2nd half. We have to.
This is the Spurs’ home opener right?
I dont think so
You’re right. They played Indiana at home on 10/27.
Spurs attacking the basket every rip. That’s what Hornets need to do.
Okafor active at both ends again. Love it!
Come on!!! LET’S GEAUX!!!!!
paul is taking over right now.
Paul is carving up the spurs interior right now 🙂
Paul going sick11111111 😛
I want a 20pc on these boys. LOL.
this is BEAUTFIULLLLL
We gotta keep it up MaxALM. We gotta keep it up!
West needs to dunk the darn ball.
Yes Timmy, you walked!
My son said Paul is playing park ball with these boys. LOL!!
wow our 2nd unit this season is actually not a liability, makes such a big difference
wow…really mbenga.. thats the best shot you can do?
Good adjustments at the half they came out looking a lot more composed and aggressive
Wow. Just like in football, defense wins championships.Let’s go boys!
I may cry , lovin’ this Bee-Fense
16 point lead. I am starting to love this team like it was 07!
thornton was saving his offense for the season…
He must’ve been pinoyballah! He must’ve been. Hahaha!!
These guys remind me of the saints last year.We always are gonna be ok on Offense because we have Chris(or Drew Brees). But you add good D to the mix, and it’s freakin ON!!!!!!
The step up in defense is definetly noticable and game changing, hats off to monty, lets just keep this gap alive and the wins there for the taking….seriously starting to get worried at my new found optimism for the season loool
These guys just look like they like playing for Monty.
So Peja hasn’t played at all tonight right?
Yea I was just noticing this looking over the box score
must be montys way of resting peja. cause u know pejas 15 mins a game wears him down
Shoulda called time out straight after that hill fast break dunk stop any momentum man :S
Spurs are always trying to take David West out.
Did anyone see what happened to DWest?
Those with Spurs feed, what is Sean Elliott saying now?
They keep going on about this Neal guy and how CP3 misses Tyson on every pick and roll set they run
We need points! Come on. And defense!!!
Stay on this Neal guy please.
WILLIE!!!!
that lay up by paul = superstar
CP3!!!!!
PAUL with 2 sec left on the clock lays it in, awesome simply too good
Paul shows why hes the best of the best pg’s in this league ;P
booyah! 3-0. whoever underestimated us, look at us now.
3-0 start to the season wooooooooooooooooooooooot
hahahhah west punching Marcus heh
yeah i think thornton traveled during this haha.
WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
The quest to make Chris Webber eat his words continues.
Let’s get it, Hornets!
NICE!
3-0!!!! Great win for many reasons, first on the road, second game of a back to back, and against a SW division rival, and of course its against the spurs, so yea very happy right now!
3-0 yeeessss well worth staying up till 3 in the morning for the hornets just made my day/evening/morning 😀
chris paul might stay with us the way we playing. and marcus marcus marcus marcus.
loveeeedd that game i loved that marcus got beat on in the stomach by west for lossing his starting job and still putting down 17
bayless needs to get a touch more confident and we need to still tighten our d a bit (we lost a 15-18 pt lead realtively fast) but hell yeah we look good on both sides of the ball
Awesome showing from the Hornets. Suck it ESPN experts.
It’s a good thing the Spurs were missing a slew of 3’s. Ginobili himself went 2-11.
Eat your heart out Sean Elliott! LOL!!!!!!!!
Good win Monty! Good win Hornets!!!
Good to see CP3 play with some real players and not a group of bartenders. Keep up the good work Dell Demps and Coach Williams. J. Smith, W.Green, and Ariza have been great additions.