# Game 14: Wolves (2-11) at S.A. Spurs (13-3)



## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Tough one tonight...


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

McCants is inactive--no word yet on why.

Starters are:

PG: Telfair
SG: Jaric
SF: Gomes
PF: Jefferson
C: Madsen


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Duncan knocked Madsen down (bit of a flop), and coach Popp freaked out. He got a T and should've gotten kicked out. I mean, he was irate.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Telfair picks up his second PF with about 7.5 minutes left in the first--he's out, Buckner's in.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Late in the first quarter, a great hustle play seems to have injured Jaric. He dove onto the floor for a loose ball and tossed it behind his back/over his head to a breaking Buckner, who scored (goaltend). But Jaric got up hobbling, and while he's still in the game (Telfair has 2 PFs, remember), he's not moving properly.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

End of Q1, Wolves up 24-22.

And I just realized that I named the thread Wolves at Spurs, when it is Spurs at Wolves. Whoops.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Seems Marko actually might have tweaked his knee before diving on the floor (which makes that a more admirable, if dumber, move). But we're now down to zero PGs at the moment, unless you count Buckner. I don't.

Might Antoine Walker see time at the point tonight? It happened occasionally in the old days in Boston...


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Corey Brewer joins Walker, Smith, Telfair and Buckner at about 11:00 2Q. Hopefully he can get something going tonight. Check that--Gerald Green replaced Buckner.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Bad drives on consecutive possessions by Green and Brewer, but Smith had a defensive, then offensive rebound (the latter with a put-back). Weird lineup, though.

Oh, and yes, I can talk to myself all night, if necessary.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

The commentators said the team is going to x-ray Jaric's right foot; he's out for the half, undetermined for the second half. That's not good for the backcourt: we'd be out Foye, McCants and Jaric.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

A Brewer steal and coast-to-coast drive and dunk leave things at 38-32 in the 2nd.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

And a Brewer feed to Smith down low puts it to 40-32. 7-0 MN run. The Spurs keep tapping rebounds out, and the quick Wolves team on the court (Telfair, Green, Brewer, Smith and Jefferson at the moment) is just beating them to spots on the floor. That has led to at least half a dozen breaks with numbers here in the 2nd quarter. Things are looking up tonight--the kind of hustle and smart play that had us optimistic in the early games.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

And the signs of youth...they let S.A. go on a 7-2 run, and then after a few buckets, Smith began running back down court before a Spurs possession ended, allowing his man (Bonner) an offensive rebound and put-back. Would've been a simple box-out and Bonner would've had no chance...


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Rough final few minutes, and the half ends tied at 48.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Mad Dog draws a T from Duncan!


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

11-point lead for MN! Best game of the year so far. Hopefully none of those late-game problems tonight.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

75-62, Jefferson baby hook. He's been a beast. But Duncan answers, 75-64. Bassy hits another J, 15 for him.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

No turnovers since 2:13 of 2nd Q. It's very late 3rd now. 7 TO for the game by MN.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Ginobilli's flopping is really getting out of hand. And now he hits a 3 on the other end, 80-72, MN lead.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

These refs are really getting out of hand, too.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Shoot, this isn't going well. Tied at 80 with 9:50 to go.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

100-89. Spurs. 2:27 left. This has gone badly.


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## JuX (Oct 11, 2005)

Thank you for your game reporting. Sorta of. It was nice to have them lead the reigning Champion but everything went badly in the last quarter. Kind of expected this collapse, though.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

JuX said:


> Thank you for your game reporting. Sorta of. It was nice to have them lead the reigning Champion but everything went badly in the last quarter. Kind of expected this collapse, though.


"Sorta thank you," or thank you for the "sorta game reporting"? Wondering whether, or how, to take offense!


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## JuX (Oct 11, 2005)

The 2nd one.

That'd be thanks for the "sorta game reporting".


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

(btw, in case the sarcasm didn't translate, I wasn't really going to be offended regardless. Just kidding around.)

I must say, the team looked _so good_ for most of the game, it's a shame how it collapsed. And while I don't like to do it, I really blame the refs for some of it. They absolutely stole some momentum late in the third and early in the fourth with some very inconsistent calls. 

With so many negatives last night, though (McCants out, Jaric getting hurt), one real positive was the play of Corey Brewer. His stats may not reflect it because he shot, I think, 2-8. But he played very well, extremely assertive and successful on defense, and working on offense. His ball-handling is still almost comical and he can't shoot worth beans (relative to an NBA swingman). But his defense, length, hustle and athleticism were priceless last night. And when he was out there with Green, Smith and Telfair (along with Jefferson, Walker or Buckner, depending on the exact time), you could see what the team is building toward.


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## socco (Jul 14, 2002)

I turned this game on just as we were going up by 14 points near the end of the 3rd. We looked pretty crappy and the Spurs looked like the Spurs. I wish I would've seen how we were actually playing so good before that.


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