Spurs Forecast: February 22
This past week was a rough one as we saw the Spurs go 1-2 against three of the very worst teams in the Eastern Conference. Things don’t get any easier this week as the Spurs take on three different opponents all over .500.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 7:30 PM vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (33-21)
The Thunder have been overlooked by analysts and teams alike. The team has yet to develop that intimidating presence to where their opponents mark their calendars when they come to town. Credit GM Sam Presti and Head Coach Scott Brooks for shaping their personnel and developing their youth so quickly. Kevin Durant has become a dark horse candidate for MVP honors this year and Russell Westbrook is starting to turn the corner in his maturation process. Slowing down Durant had been nearly impossible as evidenced by his consistent scoring. Perhaps the better approach to beating the Thunder is to limit the productivity of the rest of the team, namely Russell Westbrook.
Friday, February 26, 2010 7:30 PM @ Houston Rockets (28-27)
The Rockets made quite the splash last Thursday when they acquired former Sacramento King Kevin Martin. They remain optimistic about their future in their ability to compete both now and for years to come. With Martin manning the 2-guard slot, the Rockets’ starting line-up becomes all the more potent offensively. Furthermore, Martin’s presence will allow for Trevor Ariza to settle into his more natural Robin to Martin’s Batman. Limiting the offensive prowess of the three-headed monster of Brooks-Martin-Ariza will be paramount in escaping H-town with a victory.
Sunday, February 28, 2010 12:00 PM @ Phoenix Suns (34-23)
Will all the rumors swirling about Amare’s potential departure nothing ever materialized in the way of a trade getting done before the deadline last Thursday. As it stands, the Suns retained Amare and will look to make a playoff run as currently constructed. It’s no secret that the Suns are a team that thrives in the open court. They aim to get out on the fast break early and often. The Spurs will need to control tempo and limit turnovers in order to limit their fastbreak opportunities. The Spurs will need to capitalize on the time in which the Suns have their back-ups in the game. If the Spurs can exploit the fact that they have a substantially better bench, they’ll have a chance to win this one.
Prediction: 2-1
The Spurs will lose on Sunday to Phoenix but they’ll beat a tough Oklahoma City team in their homecoming on Tuesday. They will also take care of a Rockets team that is still is search of their identity. After a lackluster performance last week, a 2-1 record this week will go a long way in restoring some semblance of confidence moving forward.
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