Greetings, fellow Spurs fans! I just wanted to inform my fellow PTR members that the wife and I will be making a trip out to San Antonio to catch a couple of games in early March. I'm taking LatinD's advice and posting here to see if maybe anybody would like to join us for dinner and/or drinks on the day of the LA Clippers game.

I'll be going to the Denver game, but not sure about the amount of time we'll have available prior to the game. The previous couple of times that I've tried to meet up with David we've had something come up. I'm hoping it works out this time and I think it would be great if I could put a face to some of the other names if anybody would be interested in getting together.

I've had the pleasure of meeting Tim C. and Alamobro in Phoenix before, and it would be an honor to meet some of you. I haven't been as active this season as in previous ones on the site, but I still come here on a daily basis for my SAS news. Are any of you up for it? Yay? Nay? Look forward to your feedback!

As the title states, I'm going to the Caja Laboral vs Spurs game on Saturday this coming weekend.  Anybody have any recommendations for food places and/or want to have a beer before/after/during the game?  I'm going with the fiancee just for the weekend but would be cool if I could meet one or a few of you guys/gals while I'm there.  Actually Friday and Saturday morning I'll be in Austin, but will make my way to S.A. sometime in the afternoon.  I'm sure I'll make it to more games during the season but no set dates yet.  It's a 8-9hr drive for me, so it's not that easy!

Look forward to meeting/seeing some of you there :)

No, this is not a preview or an analysis of the game.  Just letting some of you know that I, along with 3 of my friends will be attending this game.  The plan is also to meet up with Tim C. & alamobro.  I look forward to meeting two other members of PtR and hopefully I will have pictures for you all. 

This is the third year in a row that we make the trip out to Phoenix and hope the streak of wins continues!   I set my DVR to record the game but I'm a bit skeptical with all those channels claiming they're going to show the game.  I hope I got it right, plus doing it online does not give me the option to record extra minutes as opposed to doing it on the receiver.

Go Spurs Go!

The strive for five in 2010 will start and end with the Spurs calling card, defense.  This is my observation on moves by the team and a few random thoughts.

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I’ve been watching Pop and the Spurs try to come up with some semblance of their former selves over the past few weeks and it has been nothing but frustrating.   Even when they win, I get this horrible feeling in my stomach and I really do think that the Spurs have started to give me ulcers.  Usually by this time we’re rolling through the rest of conference with our set rotations, just sort of coasting and waiting for the real season to being and it’s obviously not the same this year.

I’m relatively new to PtR but from the posts that I’ve read, I think we are all in agreement that if this trend continues, we’ll be lucky to get out of the first round, much less have a chance at beating the Lakers.  I think the front office needs to make a move and trade for Phoenix’s health and conditioning staff.  Seriously, anyone that can make Shaq play that well, keep Nash relatively healthy and allow Grant Hill to play 82 games in a season deserves a lot of credit!  Imagine what it could do for Manu and Timmy!?  Anyways, I’m digressing here from what I really wanted to share and get everyone’s opinion on, our rotations.

If we are to challenge for a championship this season, we’re going to need a major shakeup in the form of our rotation.  Many people have posted how displeased they are with Pop and how he’s just screwing up the chemistry by trying all these different rotations, but if there’s one thing I’ve noticed over the years, he’ll eventually get it right.  I just wish he would get to it already!

My proposed starting 5:
PG – Tony Parker
SG – Roger Mason Jr.
SF – Bruce Bowen
PF – Tim Duncan
C – Kurt Thomas

Here’s my reasoning for the starting 5.  Tony Parker is more aggressive when Manu is not playing, I don’t know if this is a consequence of Pop calling more plays for Manu or not, but the fact is that TP scores and distributes the ball better when he’s the focus of our offense.  As much as I’d like to hate on the guy, he’s been money for us this year (with the exception of free throws from time to time…).  Roger Mason Jr. produces much better when he’s the second or even third option, and with the way the Spurs rotate the ball, he would be the beneficiary of a lot of open looks, which is what he’s best at.  Like it or not, he is not even a serviceable PG or playmaker, he’s a shot maker and a damn good one at that.  Bruce Bowen is one of the few defensive players that we have left on our team, he might not be the Bruce of old, but if you don’t play him, he will not produce.  He also can somewhat limit the scoring from the other team’s best wing player.  He too can benefit from playing with the starting five and getting open looks.  Timmy, well, I don’t think I have to put anything on here that would be a secret to anyone.  KT plays best of the pick and pop, especially with Tony Parker and also gives us a much better defender at the center position.  He also plays great with Tim in the high post.

My proposed second team:
PG – George Hill
SG – Manu Ginobili
SF – Michael Finley
PF – Matt Bonner
C – Drew Gooden

Now onto my reasoning for the second team lineup.  George Hill, the guy from UIPUI, gives us some playmaking and better defense than any other point guard on our team.  He’s not always on with his offense, but the guy has proven to be a good defender, good rebounder and a good slashing-type offensive player that can get points in transition and within the offense.  He can provide a few minutes of rest for TP because we all know he’s going to be playing 38-40 minutes come play-off time.  He can also play the two-guard position so he can even fit in with Tony Parker on the court at the same time.  Manu Ginobili needs to be the spark off the bench.  We all know what he does, but playing him with Finley and Bonner, he is given two spot up shooters that will give him room to operate.  Finely is best relegated to the bench role.  We know that at this stage in his career he is not a good defender by any means.  Most wing players salivate at the sight of Finley on the opposite side because they will get plenty of opportunities.   I say put him on a corner and just wait for those passes from Ginobili so he can provide at least some offense.  Bonner has been playing awful lately.  He cannot guard the teams other four or five position and teams have figured out that they just need to run out at him to get him off the three-point line.  He can benefit from the attention Ginobili would be getting from defenders, just as Finley.  Gooden has proven to be a good scorer and rebounder and also seems to play good alongside Ginobili.  He would essentially be our second option in the second team.

Our achilles heel has been our scoring when the bench players come in.  We can hang with any team, but once the second teams come in, we have nothing.  Our offense sucks it’s usually turnover city if we have someone like Mason Jr. handling the ball. Most second teams don’t have a lot of scorers and this is why I think Bonner and Finley would be best coming off the bench, where they don’t have to worry about defense as much and just trying to keep the team afloat.  JV, Fab and Udoka would get some playing time depending on matchups as well.  I think Manu can finish the game instead of Bruce and either Gooden or KT depending on what is needed (offense or defense).  Maybe I’m dreaming or maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I really think that if some of these changes were made, we could make a run at the championship.  This is an odd year after all.