Jackson and Diaw could be Spurs’ missing pieces

This article is cross posted at Spurs On Fire and Spurs Basketball.

The San Antonio Spurs have played consistent basketball throughout this season, some believed they outdid themselves running out of the gates and claiming the second-best record in West despite injuries to key players like Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter.

People tend to forget that last season, the same Spurs team finished the season on top of the Western Conference. Credit should go to coach Gregg Popovich who has done a masterful job of juggling the roster, while giving some of his veterans the needed rest and still managed to pile up wins along the way.

However, San Antonio was still not considered a serious threat to the title this season.

A lot experts predicted that the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Los Angeles Lakers will come out of the West and for a reason — the Spurs have not advanced deep into the playoffs in the past three years.

But the trade and waiver deadlines may have changed the course of the story.

Duncan, Parker guide Spurs to 5th straight win

This article is cross posted at Spurs Basketball.

The San Antonio Spurs continued with their winning ways defeating the Phoenix Suns 100-107 on Tuesday night behind some familiar faces.

Tim Duncan scored 26 points and grabbed 11 boards, while Tony Parker scored eight points in a 10-0 run early in the fourth quarter, and finished with 24 points and seven assist to help the Spurs win their fifth in a row, eighth in nine games and 12th in the last 14 road games.

Kawhi Leonard added 14 points and seven rebounds, Manu Ginobili had 13 points, five assists and five rebounds, and Matt Bonner chipped in 10 points for San Antonio.

Shannon Brown, starting because Grant Hill was a late scratch with right knee inflammation, scored a career-high 32 for Phoenix.

Spurs less Parker rolled over Mavericks

This article is cross posted at Spurs Basketball.

With Tony Parker sitting out because of a strained left hamstring, Manu Ginobili started at the point and delivered 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes of action, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 104-87 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.

Jackson has provided an added spark since he came back in San Antonio (Photo via Spurs Nation).

Danny Green added 18 points, Tim Duncan 15 points and 12 rebounds and Matt Bonner added 14 off the Spurs bench to improve their team record to 31-14 and hold a tight grip at the second-seed on the West.

Parker,  missed his third game of the season, but his absence didn’t seem to distract the Spurs, who had seven assists in the first quarter alone and finished with 28 total.

San Antonio led 24-21 after the first quarter and maintained their advantage throughout the game with the exception of a two-minute spurt by Dallas.

Jason Terry’s 18-foot jumper with five minutes remaining in the third quarter gave the Mavericks a 60-58 advantage, their first lead since 4-2 two minutes into the game. The Spurs responded quickly, however, closing the quarter on a 12-3 run to gain a decisive advantage.

Spurs Frontrunner to sign Diaw?

This article is cross-posted at Spurs Basketball.

The Charlotte Bobcats and Boris Diaw have agreed to a buyout, making the versatile forward available once he clear waivers. According to league sources, the San Antonio Spurs might have emerged as frontrunner to sign Diaw.

Acquiring Diaw could be a coup for the San Antonio Spurs.

San Antonio is looking to bolster their frontcourt going into the playoffs, and getting a big man with Diaw’s talent should be a coup.

Earlier this month, Tony Parker expressed his interest of adding the soon to be 30 year-old forward to Spurs roster if he becomes available.

However, Diaw is clearly not in his best basketball shape at the moment.

In 37 games this season, including 28 starts, the former Bobcats forward has averaged 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 41 percent from the field and a woeful 26.7 percent from behind the arc.

Spurs could make move at waiver deadline

This article is cross-posted at Spurs Basketball.

The San Antonio made a good move last week acquiring Stephen Jackson in exchange for Richard Jefferson, it’s a deal that made more sense money wise.

Gregg Popovich and company has some work to do later this week at the waiver deadline.

However, roster tinkering won’t end with Thursday’s trade deadline. Playoff-bound teams including the Spurs will likely seek to add players who have been or will be bought out of their contracts before Friday’s waiver deadline.

A few players have been waived already, including Derek Fisher (Houston Rockets), Brian Cook (Washington Wizards), Ronny Turiaf (Denver Nuggets) and J.J. Hickson (Sacramento Kings).

The Spurs who currently hold the West second-best record, still need to add depth if they want to make a deep playoff push this season.

They have expressed interest in signing Patty Mills to replace T.J. Ford as the team’s backup point guard, but the development of the 23 year old guard’s signing has slowed down lately.

Spurs whipped Bobcats

This article is cross-posted at Spurs Basketball.

Tony Parker scored 15 points, and the San Antonio Spurs cruised past the Charlotte Bobcats in the second half for a 102-72 victory on Friday night.

Richard Jefferson scored 14 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in the Spurs victory over the Bobcats.

The Spurs (25-11) bounced back from a rare home loss earlier this week against the Chicago Bulls to win for the 13th time in their last 15 games.

The Bobcats (4-30), who were playing San Antonio for the only time this season, have lost four straight and 20 of their last 21.

Richard Jefferson scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds, while Tim Duncan had 14 points and eight boards for the Spurs.

Matt Bonner added 14 points, Kawhi Leonard had 10 and Gary Neal and Tiago Splitter chipped in nine points each off the bench.

Corey Maggette and Boris Diaw each scored 14 points for the Bobcats, who were held below 100 points for the 21st straight game.

San Antonio outrebounded Charlotte 55-37, with DeJuan Blair leading all players with 11 rebounds.

San Antonio, which was playing the second game of a seven-game homestand, never trailed after the first quarter.

Spain defeats Parker, France for EuroBasket title

After helping France gain a spot at the 2012 London Olympics, San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker knew that there is still a job to be done.

Tony Parker's 26-point effort weren't enough to lead France to a EuroBasket crown against defending champion Spain. (Photo via FIBA.com)

Win the 2011 EuroBasket title.

Against a tough opponent in defending champion Spain, Parker did his best scoring 26 points for France but got little help and could not bring his team its first continental title.

With both teams trading baskets in the opening quarter, Oklahoma City Thurder’s Serge Ibaka had five blocks in the second quarter helping Spain to build a 10-point lead and keep the French nationals at bay.

Rudy Fernandez of the Dallas Mavericks earned himself the wrath of the French nation, when he yanked Parker in mid-air as the French superstar was going for a layup.

Fernandez earned an unsportsmanlike foul leaving Parker lying momentarily motionless on the court. But to the relief of everyone (especially Spurs fans!) Parker got back to his feet, hitting the two subsequent free throws to put his team on a 7-0 run and bring France within, 46-41 late in the second quarter.

Spurs’ Parker gets a chance to put stamp on legacy

As France meets defending champion Spain for the 2011 EuroBasket title match on Sunday, aolsportingnews.com provided a feel good story about San Antonio Spurs guard and French superstar Tony Parker.

San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker is the unquestioned leader of the French national team. If he leads them to a EuroBasket crown, it will put a stamp on his legacy.

There will be familiar names up and down the rosters of the French and Spanish national teams — Pau and Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, Serge Ibaka, Rudy Fernandez, Boris Diaw, Joakim Noah, Nicolas Batum.

But other than seeing those guys in action, this will be a game worth watching, because it will tell us a lot about the guy who has come to define French basketball in the last decade, for better or for worse: Tony Parker.

Parker’s France, Lorbek’s Slovenia remained unbeaten at EuroBasket

San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker and the French national team needed a fourth quarter rally to beat a pesky Italian squad 91-84.

Tony Parker suffered a bruised thigh in France's win over Italy.

Italy led 23-20 after the opening period and held a 48-41 advantage over France at halftime.

Both teams scored just 19 points apiece in the third quarter and Italy had a 7-point lead going into the final quarter.

However, that is the time where Team France’s offense clicked.

The French national team outscored Italy 31-17 in the final quarter to stay undefeated at the EuroBasket.

Charlotte Bobcats’ Boris Diaw led Team France with 21 points, Portland Trail Blazers’ Nicolas Batum added 21 points and four steals, while Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah had 10 points and seven boards.

Parker’s 31 points powers France to victory over Bertans, Latvia

The French national team led by San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker entered the game on Wednesday at the 2011 EuroBasket opener against Latvia as the heavy favorites for a reason, they are loaded with NBA-talent.

France needed 31 points from Tony Parker to put away Davis Bertans and Latvia.

However, Spurs 2011 draftee Davis Bertans and the Latvian national team did not go down without a fight. Latvia surprised Team France during the opening period, that ended up 25-18 in Latvia’s favor.

France quickly tried to return the favor winning the second quarter 22-16 to cut Latvia’s lead 41-40 at the half.

It was a close game for the most part, Latvia shot 47.8 percent from behind the arc compared to just 31.6 from France that kept the Latvian’s in the game.

In the third period, France relied on top players to take the quarter 23-18 and held a 63-59 margin heading into the final period.

In the final quarter, France just proved too much for Latvia to handle, as Team France claimed the 89-78 victory.