The first of a bunch of losses for the Parker-less Spurs

Blown out by Memphis tonight 109-93. Old friend Tony Allen went 8 for 9 for 20 points.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2011030129&old_bs=1

4 games behind in the loss column. We got a shot if they lose a few more.

SG Gary Neal was the only Spur in double figures, with 14 points.

Sam

Ahh, regression toward the mean. We'd all be 50-10 if we had no injuries to our starting 5 all season, (or their whole team for that matter). But if you think SAS is going to lay down and take it, think again. I hate that this happened right when they have to play MIA twice. I think SAS wins one of those. That final score wasn't that close. They were getting man-handled.

LAL sure picked up the scent of a lame gazelle.

You know, we could have games and finishes to the regular season like this all the time if we just drop a few teams. Sam, this frenzy at the end of this season has to remind you of some of the regular season finishes from the Russell era on mutilple fronts. It is a sad but revealing tale in our household when my six year old son gets my blackberry and runs down the games coming up for the night.

It looks like the regular season has become important again and not just a backdrop/precurser/appetizer to the playoffs.

CHI v. ATL - "maybe we'll drop in on that one, dad."
SAS v. CLE - "definite backup game since TP is out and we want SAS to lose"
GSW v. WAS - "who cares! they both suck."
PHX v. BOS - "That's the only good game on worth watching, Dad."
MIN v. DET - "forget it"
NOH v. NYK - "maybe."
IND v. OKC - "maybe"
CHA v DEN, POR v. SAC, HOU v. Clip - "who cares"

Steve, I wish I could say SAS ensuing free fall will be enough to give us homecourt all the way through. I like our chances given our schedule but the chemistry thing needs to come together quickly to fend off any probable losses. But I don't think it's going to be enough. Too little too late. I hope I am wrong. And Pop's too smart not to know that if SAS loses HC out West with LAL turing it on and playing like the champions they are, they're toast. They vultures are circling out west. Long overdue IMHBAO. The mad dash is on!

I have to admit, I've never been this into a finish to the regular season.

D,

The best part about an eight-team league was the level of competition every night, even if the top team was playing the bottom team.

But, right on that heels of the benefit was the fact each team played every other team eight or nine times a season. We really got to know the players around the league. And the players knew the tendencies of all the other teams and all the other players, which elevated the competitive level even more.

In some respect, the playoffs were a continuation of the regular season rather than a separate season. In the first place, they didn't last so long because there were fewer rounds. In the second place, a great many of the regular season games had almost a playoff atmosphere because of the keen rivalries that emerged from playing one another so often.

The season was quite a bit shorter, yet the number of games (at least in the 60s) was almost the equal of the current number. So competition was a battle of attrition, with teams playing as many as five consecutive days (in different cities) and many of the teams playing at a breakneck pace.

So the season had elements of a demolition derby marathon (regular season) a sprint (the playoffs) , all rolled into one.

I'm really glad I was part of that when I was young, because the fans who attended most or all games needed plenty of endurance. And the significant others of those fans needed loads of forbearance.

Sam

Alternate game to watch tonight is SAS v. CLE. If SAS pulls another "we simply can't play without TP so we quit" act like they did last night, things could get ugly. While unlikely, CLE has turned it on at just the right times on occasion. They smell blood and can only play the spolier role. Could be another great game.

Sam, you do get a pass. I see on your calendar you've scheduled another flossing on the commercial breaks of the Celtics game.

dbrown4 wrote:Alternate game to watch tonight is SAS v. CLE. If SAS pulls another "we simply can't play without TP so we quit" act like they did last night, things could get ugly. While unlikely, CLE has turned it on at just the right times on occasion. They smell blood and can only play the spolier role. Could be another great game.

Antawn Jamison going down for the season doesn't help the Cavs' chances.