The Lakers arrive in San Antonio for the first of their three match-ups against the Spurs, luxuriously spread out over the final eight games. I have no idea if this was a logistic practicality from the league’s schedule makers, or if David Stern is enjoying some twisted joke. The comparisons between the teams are fascinating – a long history, with a few commonalities remaining. Kobe and Duncan are the lone remaining roster members from their earliest playoff battles. It looks like Kobe won’t be playing tonight.
Andy Kamenetsky at the Land O’Lakers, talks with Andrew McNeill from the excellent Spurs blog, 48 Minutes of Hell, about tonight’s game.
Andrew McNeill from 48 Minutes from Hell talks with our stalwart leader Darius – a fantastic 4-Down podcast.
Ed from Pounding the Rock, has the Spurs/Lakers preview up. This is another of my favorite blogs. Dig around, you never know what you might find.
Actuarially Sound at Silver Screen and Roll, examines a new identity, in his Lakers trend series.
Theshmoes at SS&R, has their ever excellent Credits linkage up.
Jonathan Garza at Lakers Nation looks at the Lakers match-up against the western conference leaders.
Mike Bresnahan at the L.A. Times writes about former coach Jackson’s lack of concern for his former center’s recent impetuousness.
Jared Dublin at Hardwood Paroxysm, broke down a great Metta World Pass against the Hornets in Monday night’s game.
The OC Register is carrying a very good AP piece, on Lamar Odom, and his parting of ways with Dallas.
Kevin Ding at the OC Register, writes about Kobe’s third game in a row, in a suit.
***
I’m okay with Kobe sitting, now. I wish he had been given a little more rest earlier in the season. He played through his torn-up wrist, he played through a broken nose, concussion, and soft tissue damage to the neck. He played brutal minutes, all season long. Coach Brown said he’d like to rest him, but didn’t have the luxury. Sometimes we overspend in life, and then don’t have what we need, when we truly need it.
Coach Popovich has an entirely different philosophy – he famously sits his starters, including late last year when the Spurs visited the Lakers, and just this past Monday, when Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili didn’t even make the trip to Utah. I have the feeling they won’t sit tonight, in front of their hometown crowd. Personally, I’d love it if Brown were to park Pau and Andrew tonight, alongside Kobe. Can you imagine the sour look on David Stern’s face? Then again, my logic can be elusive.
– Dave Murphy
tviper says
I would also love to see Bynum and Pau sit. MB was a pupil of Pops, right?
Dave says
Why is everyone arbitrarily buying in to this premise that players are fatigued worn down due to the shortened season.
They are playing 16 fewer games and several months without practices and exhibition games.
In fact they hardly ever practice at all. Basketball players are amongst the best conditioned sports athletes in the world.
The increased injury factor I can understand could be linked to playing more games in a shortened duration.
But fatigue? I’m not necessarily buying it.
dave m says
@dave – they may not have played as much, but they’re playing a brutally compressed schedule, and in the case of our big three – very heavy minutes.
– dave m (not dave)
T. Rogers says
Dave,
I think you are underestimating the grinding nature of NBA basketball.
Kevin says
Does Brown put Pau on Duncan for the parker/duncan pnr? and leave Bynum in the paint.
I’d like to see Sessions take it to another level this game. He’s too passive.
Who guards Ginobli/Jackson? There’s absolutely no way I play Blake at the 2 tonight.
BigCitySid says
I wouldn’t keep Bynum out this game, however if coach Brown sat Gasol, I could understand it. Gasol & Kobe are the oldest two players on the top 20 “minutes played per game” list this season. As a matter of fact Joe Johnson is the only other player age 30 or older on the list.
3rd place in the west would be nice, but a healthy, rested team for the post-season is preferred.
Edwin Gueco says
Dave,
The injuries incurred in every team shows the rigidness of this schedule especially with several back-to-back games. It is not advisable at all to be playing at this pace at all, don’t get good basketball because players are stretching out the body capabilities. For players there is nothing to complain about because they’re getting full payment for 66 games only. Do we get to watch quality from this compressed schedule? Well, the performance speaks for itself, teams rest their stars intentionally after 58 games either due to injuries or saving energy for the playoffs. By resting it could also cool down the team’s momentum which spoils their playoffs’ performance like what happened to the Spurs last year.
Darius Soriano says
The game preview is up.
http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2012/04/11/preview-and-chat-the-san-antonio-spurs-10/
Dave says
#3 – Dave M (not me):
Certainly it’s true that the schedule is compressed, but “brutally” so? For what amounts to some of the best conditioned athletes in the world? I have my doubts that it’s some gigantic factor the way fans and the media are hyping it to be.
#4 – T. Rogers:
No, not underestimating, just comparing it to the ordinary rigors of an NBA schedule in a typical season.
Kenny T says
Interesting point about resting players. When does the paying customer factor into it? What about the Spurs fan in Utah the other night that saved his money to see the Spurs play his hometown Jazz only to find out that the Spurs big 3 didn’t even make the trip? And does resting players also factor into possibly affecting playoff seedings? The Spurs resting and sharpshooting sure didn’t do them much good in last year’s playoffs, did it?
Ko says
Rooting now for Fisher. 5 points in first 2 minutes. That feels weird.