Amuseddaysleeper
02-02-2010, 02:49 PM
Each week I will be offering a glimpse in the Spurs schedule and doing minor break downs of the opponents the team will face during that span. Hopefully this feature turns out well enough that doing it on a weekly basis is worth it to the ST posters. :toast
It's that time of year again folks, the Rodeo Road trip is upon us. Never before have the Spurs gone into it with a worse record than they do now. Considering all the new faces the team has accumulated this season there is no better way to get everyone to bond together than to go on the road for the next month or so. The Spurs currently stand 8-9 on the road this season.
Here is a graph that breaks down how the Spurs have fared in the RRT since 2003:
http://www.blogcdn.com/nba.fanhouse.com/media/2010/02/rodeotrip-tz-600.jpg
Graph taken from nba.fanhouse.com
So as you can see, while the teams from 2003-2005 did really well, the 2007 team still managed to bring it all home despite going a measly 4-4. It is also interesting to note that the Spurs are 3-0 all time against the Lakers during the RRT.
Let's take a look at the games up and through Monday:
http://www.pycomall.com/images/P/Sacramento-Kings.jpg
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Wednesday, February 3rd
LAST MEETING: December 9th, Spurs won in SA, 118-106
The Kings currently stand 13-10 at Arco Arena. They pushed Denver to OT on the road last night, and that was without ROY candidate Tyreke Evans (day to day with a sore ankle). The Kings are reeling right now, only going 1-9 in their last 10 games. Their last 3 games were all losses to playoff contenders in Denver, Utah, and Charlotte. It should be mentioned that they never lost any of those 3 by more than 7 points, and 2 of which (Utah and Denver) were on the road.
WHAT TO EXPECT: It is not only important that the Spurs start the RRT on the right track, but considering we have Portland the very next night, I think it's important that the Spurs win big. Hopefully the team can give enough rest to their starters in the fourth with a comfortable lead so there is enough juice in the tank for the second half of a back to back. Evans went 9-20 from the field(19 points) last time these teams faced each other, and Udrih always seems to get up for the Spurs (7-11, 15 points last time). With a questionable Evans, a wide margin of victory would be nice but really, at this point, any win on the road is a good one.
http://www.pycomall.com/images/P/Portland-Trail-Blazers.jpg
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
Thursday, February 4th
LAST MEETING: December 23rd, Portland won in SA, 98-94
Portland has only managed to go 5-5 in their last 10, but they do stand a respectable 17-9 at home. The team did manage to get impressive back to back wins again Charlotte, and Dallas (a game where Andre Miller went off for 52 points).
WHAT TO EXPECT: Brandon Roy's absence (along with Oden and several other Blazers) has obviously hurt this team when it comes to finding consistency. However, despite all the injuries for the Blazers this season, they stand a tidy 2-0 versus the Spurs this season. In their last meeting Jerryd Bayless went off for 31 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge chipped in 22 points on 9-13 shooting. The game is on the second night of a back to back, and it looks to be that way for both teams, as Portland faces Utah on the road the night before. Hopefully that can balance out any fatigue factor, although I think this game will be a very tough one for SA to pull out.
http://www.pycomall.com/images/P/Los-Angeles-Clippers-eps.jpg
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Saturday, February 6th
LAST MEETING: December 21st, Spurs won in SA, 103-87
The Clippers are 3-7 in their last 10, coming off of losses to Cleveland (in which they allowed a 46 point first quarter, and an NBA record 11 Three pointers in the first period alone), Minnesota, and New Jersey (!). They're 14-9 at home.
WHAT TO EXPECT: San Antonio is already 2-0 against the Clippers and hopefully they can make it 3-0 come this Saturday. Last time these teams faced Kaman posted a double double of 23-15. The first meeting between the teams resulted in a Spurs win of 115-90. So basically the Spurs have had their way with the Clippers this year, and dropping this game would be a bummer to say the least as the Clippers are playing some of their worst basketball this season.
http://www.pycomall.com/images/P/Los-Angeles-Lakers.jpg
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Monday, February 8th
LAST MEETING: January 12th, Spurs won in SA, 105-85
The Lakers have just come off a road trip of their own going 5-3 (and just as easily could've gone 4-4 had it not been for Kobe's heroics). They are 7-3 in their last 10 and stand an impressive 23-3 at home. The Spurs have not won on the Lakers homecourt in three years. Their last victory against the Lakers on the road was an OT win of 96-94 on Jan 28, 2007.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Originally, my biggest concern for this game was that it would be the Spurs 4th game in 6 nights. When looking at the Lakers schedule however, you see that they will be facing the Spurs on their 3rd game in 4 nights. With the Spurs having their previous game in LA as well, I'm assuming the team will stay in LA to cut down on travel time which will hopefully help with the fatigue factor. LA will be in the midst of a tough stretch as they face Charlotte, Denver, and then Portland (on the road where they haven't won since 3100 BC) before coming out against the Spurs. Kobe had 16 points by halftime in the last meeting between the two, but went out with back spasms in the second half as the Spurs cruised to victory. The Lakers are the benchmark of the West, and grabbing a win here would be a huge momentum boost for the team. Especially when you factor in that the team hasn't won here since 2007. To go 2-0 against the Lakers would be a great mindset for the team, seeing as how they face Denver next before having the remainder of the RRT as very winnable games on the road against Indiana, Philadelphia, and Detroit.
It's that time of year again folks, the Rodeo Road trip is upon us. Never before have the Spurs gone into it with a worse record than they do now. Considering all the new faces the team has accumulated this season there is no better way to get everyone to bond together than to go on the road for the next month or so. The Spurs currently stand 8-9 on the road this season.
Here is a graph that breaks down how the Spurs have fared in the RRT since 2003:
http://www.blogcdn.com/nba.fanhouse.com/media/2010/02/rodeotrip-tz-600.jpg
Graph taken from nba.fanhouse.com
So as you can see, while the teams from 2003-2005 did really well, the 2007 team still managed to bring it all home despite going a measly 4-4. It is also interesting to note that the Spurs are 3-0 all time against the Lakers during the RRT.
Let's take a look at the games up and through Monday:
http://www.pycomall.com/images/P/Sacramento-Kings.jpg
SACRAMENTO KINGS
Wednesday, February 3rd
LAST MEETING: December 9th, Spurs won in SA, 118-106
The Kings currently stand 13-10 at Arco Arena. They pushed Denver to OT on the road last night, and that was without ROY candidate Tyreke Evans (day to day with a sore ankle). The Kings are reeling right now, only going 1-9 in their last 10 games. Their last 3 games were all losses to playoff contenders in Denver, Utah, and Charlotte. It should be mentioned that they never lost any of those 3 by more than 7 points, and 2 of which (Utah and Denver) were on the road.
WHAT TO EXPECT: It is not only important that the Spurs start the RRT on the right track, but considering we have Portland the very next night, I think it's important that the Spurs win big. Hopefully the team can give enough rest to their starters in the fourth with a comfortable lead so there is enough juice in the tank for the second half of a back to back. Evans went 9-20 from the field(19 points) last time these teams faced each other, and Udrih always seems to get up for the Spurs (7-11, 15 points last time). With a questionable Evans, a wide margin of victory would be nice but really, at this point, any win on the road is a good one.
http://www.pycomall.com/images/P/Portland-Trail-Blazers.jpg
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
Thursday, February 4th
LAST MEETING: December 23rd, Portland won in SA, 98-94
Portland has only managed to go 5-5 in their last 10, but they do stand a respectable 17-9 at home. The team did manage to get impressive back to back wins again Charlotte, and Dallas (a game where Andre Miller went off for 52 points).
WHAT TO EXPECT: Brandon Roy's absence (along with Oden and several other Blazers) has obviously hurt this team when it comes to finding consistency. However, despite all the injuries for the Blazers this season, they stand a tidy 2-0 versus the Spurs this season. In their last meeting Jerryd Bayless went off for 31 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge chipped in 22 points on 9-13 shooting. The game is on the second night of a back to back, and it looks to be that way for both teams, as Portland faces Utah on the road the night before. Hopefully that can balance out any fatigue factor, although I think this game will be a very tough one for SA to pull out.
http://www.pycomall.com/images/P/Los-Angeles-Clippers-eps.jpg
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Saturday, February 6th
LAST MEETING: December 21st, Spurs won in SA, 103-87
The Clippers are 3-7 in their last 10, coming off of losses to Cleveland (in which they allowed a 46 point first quarter, and an NBA record 11 Three pointers in the first period alone), Minnesota, and New Jersey (!). They're 14-9 at home.
WHAT TO EXPECT: San Antonio is already 2-0 against the Clippers and hopefully they can make it 3-0 come this Saturday. Last time these teams faced Kaman posted a double double of 23-15. The first meeting between the teams resulted in a Spurs win of 115-90. So basically the Spurs have had their way with the Clippers this year, and dropping this game would be a bummer to say the least as the Clippers are playing some of their worst basketball this season.
http://www.pycomall.com/images/P/Los-Angeles-Lakers.jpg
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Monday, February 8th
LAST MEETING: January 12th, Spurs won in SA, 105-85
The Lakers have just come off a road trip of their own going 5-3 (and just as easily could've gone 4-4 had it not been for Kobe's heroics). They are 7-3 in their last 10 and stand an impressive 23-3 at home. The Spurs have not won on the Lakers homecourt in three years. Their last victory against the Lakers on the road was an OT win of 96-94 on Jan 28, 2007.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Originally, my biggest concern for this game was that it would be the Spurs 4th game in 6 nights. When looking at the Lakers schedule however, you see that they will be facing the Spurs on their 3rd game in 4 nights. With the Spurs having their previous game in LA as well, I'm assuming the team will stay in LA to cut down on travel time which will hopefully help with the fatigue factor. LA will be in the midst of a tough stretch as they face Charlotte, Denver, and then Portland (on the road where they haven't won since 3100 BC) before coming out against the Spurs. Kobe had 16 points by halftime in the last meeting between the two, but went out with back spasms in the second half as the Spurs cruised to victory. The Lakers are the benchmark of the West, and grabbing a win here would be a huge momentum boost for the team. Especially when you factor in that the team hasn't won here since 2007. To go 2-0 against the Lakers would be a great mindset for the team, seeing as how they face Denver next before having the remainder of the RRT as very winnable games on the road against Indiana, Philadelphia, and Detroit.