Hardwood Paroxysm is disappointed in the San Antonio Spurs and, specifically, with the way Robert Horry set his back screen on David West, during the 4th Q of last night’s Game 6 victory over the Hornets.

A Series of Unlikely Coincidences
What makes me the most angry about this is that they really don’t need to do these things. I don’t think the Spurs win because of these actions. They win because they play committed team defense, strike at their opponents’ weaknesses, shoot the lights out when they need to, adjust their phenomenally versatile offense to whatever attack faces them, and generally beat the crap out of teams with whatever is most effective. They don’t need to win like this. They can just go out, play their game, use their talent, and win championships. But for some reason, they don’t feel that it’s enough. Maybe it’s an obsessive need to hold on to their fading youth. Maybe it’s a simple dedication to winning at all costs. Maybe it’s spurred on (no pun intended) by their endlessly classy fan base that chanted “Horry, Horry, Horry” last night after Horry, intentionally or not, injured a star player for the other team. Whatever the reason, they have decided that this is how they will win. And they have won. And in the end, no one can take that away from them. They will always have the shine of championship rings to bask in, while the rest of us know the truth. This team’s legacy will always be slightly sullied by their dirty play.

If it looks like a rat, smells like a rat, and sounds like a rat, then you don’t need to make excuses about it acting like a tough hedgehog, or whatever else Mark Jackson wants to say. It’s a rat. Call it that.

And that’s the saddest part of all.

Spurs in 7.

===============================

In sharp contrast, however … this corner could not possibly disagree more vehemently with that perspective.

Bruce Bowen and Robert Horry are neither thugs nor dirty players.

Since Gregg Popovich assumed control of the Spurs’ operation, San Antonio has played tough, physical, make no excuses, ask-for-no-quarter-and-give-none-in-return basketball (with the obvious, and nauseating, exception of Tim Duncan’s petulent whining after every Personal Foul call) … that is characterized by each and every other team that has ever won a championship, anywhere, and knows exactly what it takes to get the job done, come h*ll or high water.

This is who Coach Pop is.

This is what Coach Pop’s team believes in.

This is what Coach Pop’s team does … over, and over, again.

And, if your team has ever won a competitive major sports championship, anywhere … you know THIS to be a simple fact, based upon your own personal experience.

Mark Jackson (NBA Analyst) got it 100% correct during last night’s live broadcast.

The screen Robert Horry set was not designed to inflict injury to David West but it was the THE type a player makes who is committed to winning. 

The Spurs … led by Gregg Popovich … play hard, physical championship basketball, at all times … and, they play to win.

From The Master to The Pupil …

Courtesy of Urban Sports Talk & Entertainment

It’s about The Sharing & The Friendship & The Right Way … and it boggles the mind to realize that so many different people … in all walks … still fail to realize this most basic Fundamental Truth in Life … when you ‘Put The Green On’.

In keeping with our water-based theme of the day …

what came to mind right away after reading Hardwood Paroxysm’s latest entry just a few minutes ago.

Few spots that air on television today are the source of straight-up, belly-centered, roll-your-rear-end-on-the-grass chuckles, as the nightly (40 games in 40 nights) routines produced consistently by Ernie, Kenny & Charles …

Courtesy of J.E. Skeets, Ball Don’t Lie

who seem to enjoy themselves as much as any 3 (mostly grown?) men in America doing what it is they do for a livelihood.

Q1. Which is what exactly?

A1. Breaking down the goings-on in the NBA … and making us laugh silly.

Providing a different type of inter-active experience for a lucky paying customer at a major league ballpark near you …

Courtesy of Retire Early: Tracking My Progress

Otherwise known as … making an assist, the hard way.

Yes, the Spurs are still THE pick in this series, down 2-3, heading towards this evening’s Game 6 … but reading a nice piece like this one:

Courtesy of Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports …

Driven West, Hornets show staying power
In the game of his life, with the Hornets moving within a victory of the NBA’s Final Four, [David] West has made himself a worthy heir to the Spurs dynasty. Three months ago, David Robinson, who started it all for the Spurs, told a young All-Star to think big this season, to dream beyond his wildest dreams.

about a young man like David West (NCAA D1, 2003 National Player of The Year) makes it just that much easier to entertain the (slight?) possibility that, just perhaps, this corner’s initial assessment might still turn out to be … something less than correct.

That said, however … one SHOULD also

“Never under-estimate the heart of a champion.” - Rudy Tomjonovich

especially with his back against the wall … and the ’Torches of Transfer’ being lit, in advance.

Yessirree, Robinson … to Duncan … to West … might have a nice circular ring to it and, in fact, might well happen sometime in the not-too-distant future … but the betting from, at least, this corner is that … it ain’t gonna be tonight.

Click on this link.

Note: If you’re interested in commenting on the actual game … in addition to irreverent flippancy, rather than the other way around … come on by and participate in a REAL live blogging event!

Start Time: 8:45 PM ET

Click on this link.

Note: If you’re interested in commenting on the actual game … come on by and participate in a REAL live blogging event … and Welcome Aboard!

Click on this link.

Note: Was just over at the Fanhouse’s Live Blogging Event for tonight’s game and got the distinct impression that it was a waste of time and energy … few comments, even fewer about the game and a bunch of useless chatter about nothing connected to the game.

If you’re interested in commenting on the actual game … come on by and participate in a REAL live blogging event, right here instead.

Welcome Aboard!

Down 2-3 in their series against New Orleans, the San Antonio Spurs head home for Game 6 tomorrow night, facing elimination from the 2008 NBA Playoffs for the first time.

Dropping last night’s pivotal Game 5, on the road, the reigning NBA champs, again, let the play get away from them during the 3rd Quarter, allowing the Hornets to fight their way back from a 3-pt deficit at the half (44-47) to assume control … with a 14-pt margin in their favour … by the end of these 12 minutes (72-58).

Did the Spurs look old and tired, once again, during this specific stretch?

Yes, they did.

Did they make several costly turnovers?

Yes, they did … 4, in total.

Did they shoot a putrid percentage from the field … missing open shot after open shot, whether near or far?

Yes, they did … finishing 5-18 (27.8 %) for the quarter overall.

On the other hand, did the Hornets do a terrific job defensively?

Yes, they did … registering 3 Blocked Shots (West/2; Chandler/1) and 3 Steals (West/2; Chandler/1) during this quarter alone.

Is all now lost for the Spurs? … knowing that, should they manage a victory at home (in Game 6), to square the series (3-3), they will still need to get a W, in the Big Easy, where they have been thoroughly outplayed so far?

Not by a long shot … at least, if Gregg Popovich will only stop being so stubborn and refrain from playing certain players who have let the Spurs down, on the road, to this point in the series.

When the Spurs went to their bench during the 3rd Quarter last night, they were let down by two of their key reserves … i.e. Robert Horry & Ime Udoka … who were both over-matched when asked to defend or score versus either Tyson Chandler or David West during this important segment of the game, where the Hornets pulled away from San Antonio.

As suggested in this space last week … The answer for the Spurs … the key player in a San Antonio victory at New orleans will be Brent Barry (G/F, 6-7, 210), who is that much bigger than Udoka (G/F, 6-5, 220) … who is only in his 1st year with the Spurs and doesn’t know yet what it takes to win big games on the road in the Playoffs … and quicker than Horry (F, 6-10, 240) … who is no longer the same ‘Big Shot Bob’ that stuck the fatal dagger in so many playoff opponents of yesteryear.

Expect the Spurs to win Game 6, at home … but, the more significant question is …

“Will Coach Popovich have solved the individual match-up riddle that is David West (PF, 6-8, 240) by the 3rd Quarter of Game 7?“ 

The Spurs attempt to repeat as NBA champions, for the first time, might just hang in the balance.