San Antonio Spurs Weekly: Two Wins and the Blazers Curse

Week one of the 2013-14 season is over and the Spurs hold a 2-1 record. In each game this week, the team got to a sluggish start and saw a deficit at the end of the first quarter. While there’s only been three games, it’s never too early to fix that.

Oct. 30 vs. Memphis Grizzlies – Win (94-101)
In the season opener, the highlight for the Spurs came in the second quarter when they outscored the Grizzlies 30-7. That opened up a 21-point lead at halftime, which the Grizzlies did swipe at, but couldn’t complete the comeback. Six players scored in double figures and after the first quarter, the Spurs kept control of the game. This win makes it five in a row dating back to the Western Conference Finals last season.

Nov. 1 @ Los Angeles Lakers – Win (91-85)
With Tim Duncan sitting out because of a chest contusion he suffered in the Grizzlies game, the Spurs went into the Staples Center and pulled away with the victory late in the fourth quarter. Tony Parker led the way with 24 points and six assists, and Manu Ginobili delivered a fast break dunk that extended the lead to six with 11 seconds left. Tiago Splitter had a career rebounding night with 14 rebounds, tying a career-high he got in January against the Lakers as well.

Nov. 2 @ Portland Trail Blazers – Loss (105-115)
A curse from Portland has recently been placed on the Spurs. Since the 2008-09 season, the Blazers have won 12 of 17 games in the matchup, including eight of nine in Portland during that span heading into this game. The Blazers shot 55.6 percent from the field in this game, got big scoring from Wesley Mathews, Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge. Nicolas Batum also chipped in a triple-double, while the Spurs struggled to get any defensive momentum going. Tim Duncan had 24 points and seven rebounds, but the rest of the team couldn’t match the Blazers hot shooting. This wouldn’t be the greatest of first-round playoff matchups for the Spurs.

Spur of the Moment: Marco Belinelli

With clutch moments against the Blazers and solid chemistry overall with the team, Marco Belinelli is already looking like a great fit. (NBA.com photo)

Though it came in a losing effort, Marco Belinelli had a fantastic fourth quarter against the Blazers and hit a couple late-game three-pointers, showing off his clutch gene for the first time in a Spurs jersey. He finished the game with 19 points, 15 of them coming in the fourth. His shot selection is similar to Manu Ginobili’s in the sense that he doesn’t hesitate a second to shoot if he’s feeling it. I’m curious to see what kind of reaction he’ll get out of Gregg Popovich on a night that those shots don’t fall.

Boris Diaw Is Shooting!
It seems that Boris Diaw is fed up with the reputation he’s built as being too passive and not taking shots when presented to him. Through the first three games, he’s averaging 14 points per game on nine attempts for 63 percent field goal shooting. Last season he only averaged 4.4 attempts per game. It’s a small sample size, but something to keep an eye on.

Looking Ahead

Nov. 5 @ Denver Nuggets (0-2):
Denver is still looking for its first win of the season, after losing to the Sacramento Kings and the Blazers as well. They struggle against teams with length in the frontcourt, but can also run the court as well as anybody in the league. With their shooting guard situation unclear, they’ll need scoring from the post.

Nov. 6 vs. Phoenix Suns (2-0):
Tanking hasn’t taken effect yet in Phoenix, but it may happen soon. They’re coming off the victory against the Utah Jazz with the Eric Bledsoe game-winner, but will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday and complete the back-to-back against the Spurs.

Nov. 8 vs. Golden State Warriors (2-1):
Facing the Warriors for the first time since knocking them out of the semifinals last season, the Spurs will get their first look at Golden State with Andre Iguodala. If he can gain attention and have it taken off Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson for easier shooting, that is a huge asset that can work in their favor.

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