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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
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		<description>RUWT? News for San Antonio Spurs</description>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:18:15 GMT</pubDate>
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			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Wizards-Spurs Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MATT BEARDMORE
STATS Writer

Washington (3-7) at San Antonio (4-6), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The San Antonio Spurs aren't ready to panic, but they're
definitely not thrilled with how their season has played out so
far.

Off to their worst start in 13 years, the injury-plagued Spurs
try to avoid their longest losing streak in two seasons Saturday
night, when they go for their 10th straight home win over the
Washington Wizards.

San Antonio (4-6) dropped its third straight game Thursday -
90-83 to Utah to open its four-game homestand.

The Spurs, who had won 20 straight at home versus the Jazz, have
not lost four straight since March 12-17, 2008.

"It's tough," first-year Spur Antonio McDyess said of the team's
worst 10-game start since opening 2-8 in 1996-97, the season
before Tim Duncan's rookie year. "When you've got a good team
expecting to win a lot of games and you're not in the beginning,
it's kind of disappointing."

Injuries have added to that disappointment as Duncan, Manu
Ginobili and Tony Parker have combined to miss seven games with
a variety of ailments.

Parker has been sidelined for four of the last five contests
with a sprained ankle and is questionable for Saturday. Ginobili
missed his first game of the season Thursday with a strained
left groin and is expected to be out for a week.

"(Injuries are) a part of the league, and I believe that's why
(the Spurs) brought in some more people to try and weather those
storms when you do have injuries," said San Antonio forward
Richard Jefferson, who was acquired from Milwaukee in the
offseason. "Right now, it's our job to bear down and get it
right."

Taking on Washington could be what the Spurs need to get back on
track. San Antonio has won seven straight over the Wizards since
a 111-95 loss in the nation's capital Nov. 11, 2005.

The Spurs won the two matchups last season by an average of 26.5
points, while holding Washington to 37.7 percent shooting from
the field.

This season, opponents are averaging 98.8 points and shooting
45.8 percent against San Antonio.

"If the playoffs started tomorrow, I think we'd be in trouble,"
said Duncan, who missed two games earlier this month due to a
swollen left ankle. "But we've got a long way to go."

So do the Wizards (3-8), who have lost seven of eight.

Washington dropped its fifth straight on the road Friday,
127-108 to Oklahoma City.

It was the most points allowed by the Wizards since a 128-96
loss at Phoenix on March 21.

"We need to start coming out aggressive," guard Gilbert Arenas
said Friday. "I don't know what it is, but we need to come out
and start getting stuff going."

Arenas did not play in Washington's last four games versus the
Spurs due to lingering knee problems. After missing 80 games in
2008-09 and 69 the previous season, Arenas continues to struggle
with his shot, hitting 39.0 percent from the field.

He shot 7 for 20 Friday and finished with 23 points.

In his second game back after missing the first nine of the
season due to a right shoulder injury, two-time All-Star Antawn
Jamison had 22 points and 12 rebounds against the Thunder.

Jamison averaged 15.0 points and 6.0 boards in two losses to the
Spurs in 2008-09.

Washington's last victory in San Antonio was a 99-89 win Dec.
11, 1999.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135892-Wizards-Spurs-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135892-Wizards-Spurs-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:20:14 GMT</pubDate>
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			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Revamped Spurs stumbling to meet expectations]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By PAUL J. WEBER
Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- Manu Ginobili swatting down a wayward bat on
Halloween is one thing. But who saw this coming?

The San Antonio Spurs emerged from the offseason with some big
additions, refreshed and a favorite to seriously contend for a
fifth NBA championship. Instead, they are 4-6 and off to their
worst start through 10 games since 1996.

"It's crazy," Spurs newcomer Antonio McDyess said.

Unprecedented is more like it.

Never in the Tim Duncan era had the Spurs carried a losing
record at the 10-game mark until the Utah Jazz - which hadn't
won a regular-season game in San Antonio since 1999 - finally
beat the Spurs on their home court 90-83 on Thursday night.

The Spurs will take a three-game skid into Saturday's game
against Washington, without Ginobili and possibly without Tony
Parker. Ginobili is out at least a week with a strained left
groin, and Parker is still trying to shake off an ankle sprain
that has sidelined him in four of the last five games.

Injuries, however, don't worry the Spurs this early in the
season.

Nor does their record. Yet.

"It's pretty hard to go in (the locker room) and say, 'What's up
with this record? What are you guys doing around here?"' Spurs
coach Gregg Popovich said. "I don't think that's very
appropriate."

Not when the locker room has only half the same faces from last
season, according to Popovich, who is being patient with a new
cast that he says is still learning the system and adjusting to
playing together.

An hour before the Jazz game, an upbeat Popovich fretted more
about the world's dwindling populations of honey bees and
plankton than the sputtering start. And 15 minutes after the
loss, he even chuckled as he said, "and we do know what our
record is. We won't forget."

Levity aside, there are problems. San Antonio's usually solid
defense has been shaky, ranked around the middle of the league
(98.8 points per game) instead of its customary perch near the
top. Injuries have delayed finding out what combinations work.

More Duncan has yet to be the answer, since the Spurs are 0-4
when he scores 20 points or more. The Spurs are 3-0, on the
other hand, when newcomer Richard Jefferson reaches that
threshold.

Jefferson has so far provided what the Spurs paid $29.2 million
over the next two years to get: an athletic swingman who can
create offense, particularly when the Big Three aren't around to
do so. Already this season, Duncan (swollen ankle), Ginobili and
Parker have missed a combined seven games.

Ginobili is of particular concern. The 32-year-old missed half
of last season and the playoffs because of bad ankles, and
Popovich said it would be disingenuous to say he wasn't
disappointed that Ginobili is already hurt after resting all
summer.

The injury is a reminder why the Spurs sought out Jefferson, who
hasn't missed a game the past two seasons.

"It's a part of the league, and I believe that's why (the Spurs)
brought in some more people to try and weather those storms when
you do have injuries," Jefferson said. "Right now, it's our job
to bear down and get it right."

History shows the Spurs usually do. San Antonio started 5-5 a
year ago but was tied atop the Southwest Division by Christmas.
The Spurs lumbered to an even shakier 6-8 record in 1998, only
to straighten up and win their first NBA title in the
strike-shortened season.

All the same, the Spurs figured they would be better than this.

"It's tough," McDyess said. "When you've got a good team
expecting to win a lot of games and you're not in the beginning,
it's kind of disappointing."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135707-Revamped-Spurs-stumbling-to-meet-expectations</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135707-Revamped-Spurs-stumbling-to-meet-expectations</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:22:47 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Jazz get first win in San Antonio since 1999]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By PAUL J. WEBER
Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- A decade of misery for the Utah Jazz in San
Antonio is over.

But the Spurs' early struggles show no sign of ending.

Deron Williams scored 21 points and Carlos Boozer scored 10 of
his 18 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Jazz to their
first regular-season victory in San Antonio since 1999 - a 90-83
win on Thursday night.

That's 10 years and 20 games since 30 points from Karl Malone on
Feb. 28, 1999, carried the Jazz to their previous win in San
Antonio. No player in Utah's loose locker room Thursday night
was even in the NBA back then.

"We've been to this building a lot of times, had some close
games and had some blowouts," said Boozer, who also had 11
rebounds. "To get the win, the first one in this building, is
big-time for our organization. We're proud of ourselves."

Tim Duncan scored 21 points, and he has seldom seen San Antonio
struggle at the start of a season like this. The Spurs revamped
their roster this summer with sights set on a fifth NBA title
run, but they are 4-6 and have their first losing record after
10 games since 1996.

The Spurs have dropped three straight.

"(We have to) worry more about improvement and understanding
more than our record - and we know what our record is," Spurs
coach Gregg Popovich said.

Paul Millsap added 20 points for the Jazz, who won back-to-back
games for the first time this season. They did so with only nine
players for the second consecutive night, after beating Toronto
at home on Wednesday.

Taking over Malone's role, Boozer played the foil to the Spurs
this time. He was 4-of-6 from the field in the fourth. His
second of two and-ones in the period with 1:08 left put Utah up
87-83 and provided a big two-possession cushion.

Ronnie Brewer added 13 points for the Jazz, who shot 60 percent
in the fourth quarter. Williams had six of his 10 assists while
playing the entire fourth quarter along with Millsap and Andrei
Kirilenko, who finished with 13 points.

"We did all the right things down the stretch, which we've
struggled with in this building," Williams said. "I still want
to beat them when they're not short-handed."

The Spurs certainly were.

Like the Jazz, they were also playing their second game in two
nights after falling in overtime at Dallas. The Spurs hobbled
home Thursday perhaps not weary, but certainly more banged up.

Manu Ginobili, who sprained his left groin against the
Mavericks, is expected to miss at least a week. He sat out along
with Tony Parker, who has missed four of five games because of a
nagging ankle sprain.

Parker, San Antonio's third-leading scorer, remains day-to-day.
The All-Star point guard originally hurt the ankle Nov. 6, then
re-aggravated the sprain Saturday in a loss to Oklahoma City.

George Hill, starting in place of Parker, had 18 points but on
7-of-17 shooting. Richard Jefferson added 16 points, and Roger
Mason had 12.

After spending big dollars to bring in Jefferson and Antonio
McDyess this summer while dumping half their roster, the Spurs'
sputtering start isn't what the team had in mind. But it's also
not the first time San Antonio has started slow: the Spurs began
5-5 last season, and still won the Southwest Division.

"If the playoffs started tomorrow, I think we'd be in trouble,"
Duncan said. "But we've got a long way to go."

NOTES: Jazz G Ronnie Price will not need surgery on his injured
left toe, the team announced before the game. Price has
undergone two MRIs since spraining his big toe Nov. 9 in a win
against the Knicks. ... Utah C Mehmet Okur didn't make the trip,
staying home because of flulike symptoms.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135557-Jazz-get-first-win-in-San-Antonio-since-1999</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135557-Jazz-get-first-win-in-San-Antonio-since-1999</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:22:51 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Spurs' Ginobili expected to miss 1 week]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- Manu Ginobili is expected to miss about a week
for the San Antonio Spurs because of a strained left groin.

Ginobili and Tony Parker were both inactive for Thursday night's
game against Utah. Ginobili left the first quarter of
Wednesday's overtime loss at Dallas and didn't return.

Parker re-aggravated a sprained left ankle in a loss Saturday
against Oklahoma City and didn't play against the Mavericks.
Parker, who sat out Thursday and has missed four of San
Antonio's last five games, rolled his ankle in a loss on Nov. 6
at Portland.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135377-Spurs-Ginobili-expected-to-miss-1-week</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135377-Spurs-Ginobili-expected-to-miss-1-week</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:06:27 GMT</pubDate>
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			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Jazz-Spurs Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MATT BEARDMORE
STATS Writer

Utah (5-6) at San Antonio (4-5), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The Utah Jazz haven't won in San Antonio in more than a decade,
but the way they're shooting the ball lately, that streak could
end Thursday night.

Looking for consecutive wins for the first time this season, the
Jazz will try to snap a 20-game road losing streak against the
Spurs, who could be without two of their star guards as they
open their four-game homestand.

Before opening its own six-game homestand Saturday, Utah (5-6)
will try to win its first game in San Antonio since a 101-87
victory on Feb. 28, 1999.

While Utah has shot better than 50 percent just once in its last
23 games in San Antonio, the Jazz are hitting 50.8 percent from
the field in their last three games.

Utah shot a season-best 53.0 percent and scored 60 first-half
points in a 113-99 home win over San Antonio on Nov. 5. Carlos
Boozer scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and Deron
Williams added 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds as the
Jazz beat the Spurs for the first time in five overall meetings.

Boozer posted his third straight double-double with 22 points
and a season-high 18 rebounds in Wednesday's 104-91 victory over
Toronto. After missing the previous two games due to a family
issue, Williams scored 20 points and handed out nine assists.

Rookie point guard Eric Maynor, who averaged 18.5 points and 7.5
assists during Williams' absence, scored 11 of his 15 points in
the fourth quarter and had six assists off the bench against the
Raptors.

"He continues to impress me," Williams said. "He's playing
great. He's composed, he's making plays. He takes a lot of
pressure off a lot of people."

Tony Parker does the same for San Antonio (4-5), but the
three-time All-Star point guard is questionable after missing
Wednesday's 99-94 overtime loss to Dallas with a sprained left
ankle he aggravated Saturday versus Oklahoma City.

"He hasn't been able to practice since then," said Spurs coach
Gregg Popovich, whose team is hoping to avoid its first
three-game slide of the season.

Manu Ginobili, who sat the fourth quarter of the 101-98 loss to
the Thunder with a tight left hamstring, made his first start of
the season Wednesday but left after the first quarter with a
strained left groin.

Popovich said after the game that Ginobili would not play
Thursday.

Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 22 points, 14 rebounds and six
assists against the Mavericks. He scored the game-tying layup
with 2.3 seconds left in regulation and blocked Jason Terry's
potential game-winning jumper, but Dallas used an 8-0 run in
overtime to drop the Spurs to 0-4 on the road.

"With Tony out and then how Manu went out, it hurt not having
them in there," said Duncan, who had 15 points and 13 boards in
the Nov. 5 loss in Salt Lake City. "But I thought we did a good
job keeping it together."

George Hill, who started for Parker on Wednesday, scored 15
points. He is averaging 16.5 on 49.0 percent shooting in his
last four games.

First-year Spur Richard Jefferson bounced back from a season-low
four points versus Oklahoma City with 13 and a season-high 11
rebounds Wednesday.

Williams led the Jazz with 25 points and 10 assists in the
team's last game in San Antonio, a 105-99 loss April 10. Parker
had 31 points and seven assists for the Spurs, and Duncan added
14 points and nine boards while committing six turnovers.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135310-Jazz-Spurs-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135310-Jazz-Spurs-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:39:54 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Nowitzki's 41 points lead Mavs over Spurs in OT]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[DALLAS(AP) -- The Dallas Mavericks needed a big game from Dirk
Nowitzki to compensate for the loss of three injured starters,
and that's exactly what he gave them.

Nowitzki scored 11 of his season-high 41 points in overtime and
the Mavericks held on to beat the injury-depleted San Antonio
Spurs 99-94 on Wednesday night.

Drew Gooden added 17 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out
late in the fourth quarter, and Dallas extended its winning
streak to four games.

Gooden, who finished last season with the Spurs before signing
with the Mavericks on July 20, started at center with Erick
Dampier out because of an unknown illness. Dallas was also
without starters Josh Howard and Shawn Marion because of left
ankle injuries.

"With Josh out and Marion out, I've just got to keep going
offensively and make things happen," Nowitzki said after his
14th career game of 40 or more points.

Nowitzki's three-point play with 2:28 left in overtime put
Dallas in front for good, 92-91. After Jason Terry hit a
15-footer, Nowitzki made a 3-pointer on Dallas' next possession
to stretch the lead to 97-91, closing out the Spurs.

"He's playing great basketball and (I) think he's one of the top
guys right now in the league," Gooden said. "He's really playing
at a high level. We need that because of all the injuries we
have right now and he's doing everything he can to carry this
team."

Nowitzki went 15 for 29 from the field, converted 10 of 12 free
throws and pulled down 12 rebounds to continue a big week for
the German superstar.

Nowitzki's buzzer-beating overtime jumper gave Dallas a 115-113
victory at Milwaukee on Monday night after he scored 25 in a
95-90 road win over Detroit on Sunday.

"I hoped he was having an off night," said Matt Bonner, one of
several Spurs who tried to guard Nowitzki. "I can play perfect
defense and jump as high as I can and he can still score."

Tim Duncan had 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Spurs, winless
in four road games this season.

Duncan missed all three shots and went scoreless in overtime,
and afterward he blamed himself for the loss.

"I know I played badly in the overtime," Duncan said. "The OT
wasn't good for us and Dirk really took over and won it for his
team."

The Spurs were without starting guard Tony Parker, who
aggravated his sprained left ankle in Saturday night's loss to
Oklahoma City. San Antonio also lost guard Manu Ginobili in the
first quarter due to a strained left groin.

"We definitely needed this win because they were without
Ginobili and without Parker," Nowitzki said.

The Spurs certainly missed two of their stars, but the Mavericks
were equally short-handed.

"With Tony out and then how Manu went out, it hurt not having
them in there," Duncan said. "But I thought we did a good job
keeping it together."

With the game tied at 80, Gooden was credited with a basket on a
goaltending call against Antonio McDyess with 1:58 left in
regulation to put Dallas ahead.

Duncan drove to the basket on the next possession and Gooden
picked up his sixth foul. Duncan knocked down both free throws
to knot the score at 82 with 31 seconds remaining.

Nowitzki's tip-in 17 seconds later gave Dallas an 84-82 lead,
but Duncan's jump-hook with 2.3 seconds remaining drew San
Antonio even.

The Mavs had a shot to win in regulation, but Duncan blocked
Terry's 19-footer at the buzzer.

NOTES: Ginobili started and scored two points in eight minutes
of the first quarter, then went to the locker room before the
start of the second quarter and was done for the night. Coach
Gregg Popovich said Ginobili would sit out Thursday night's home
game against Utah. ... Marion was hurt in a game at Milwaukee on
Monday night. ... Howard missed his eighth game as he recovers
from offseason surgery. ... Dampier has been undergoing tests to
determine the nature of the illness, and results won't be known
until next week. ...Thomas made his debut for Dallas after
sitting out the first 11 games while he completed his recovery
from offseason surgery on his right knee. Thomas, who finished
with two points in 14 minutes, was signed as a free agent on
July 28.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135267-Nowitzkis-41-points-lead-Mavs-over-Spurs-in-OT</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135267-Nowitzkis-41-points-lead-Mavs-over-Spurs-in-OT</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:43:05 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Spurs' Parker out after aggravating ankle injury]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[DALLAS(AP) -- Tony Parker sat out San Antonio's game against
Dallas on Wednesday night after aggravating his sprained left
ankle, and the Spurs also lost guard Manu Ginobili in the first
quarter with a strained left groin.

Parker rolled the ankle in a game at Portland on Nov. 6 and sat
out the next two games. Parker was back in the lineup Saturday
night in a 101-98 loss to Oklahoma City, scoring 17 points in 32
minutes.

Coach Gregg Popovich said Parker had a setback against Oklahoma
City.

"He hasn't been able to practice since then," Popovich said.

George Hill started in Parker's place.

Ginobili started and scored two points in eight minutes of the
first quarter, then went to the locker room before the start of
the second. The Spurs announced that Ginobili was done for the
night.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135192-Spurs-Parker-out-after-aggravating-ankle-injury</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/135192-Spurs-Parker-out-after-aggravating-ankle-injury</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:38:37 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Spurs-Mavericks Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
STATS Senior Writer

San Antonio (4-4) at Dallas (8-3), 9:30 p.m. EDT

The San Antonio Spurs are 0-3 on the road, but should have some
confidence playing an opponent they beat at home a week ago
while short-handed.

There's little question that the surging Dallas Mavericks are
confident after winning the final three games of a road trip.

The Southwest Division rivals meet for the second time in eight
days Wednesday night when the Mavericks begin a three-game
homestand.

San Antonio (4-4) has yet to win on the road and is 2-4 overall
with Tony Parker and Tim Duncan in the lineup. Both superstars
missed two victories last week before returning for Saturday's
101-98 loss to Oklahoma City.

Richard Jefferson, acquired in an offseason trade with
Milwaukee, had a season-low four points in 35 minutes after
averaging 26.5 in the two games without Parker and Duncan. The
newcomer feels it is difficult to judge the Spurs through eight
games.

"We still haven't played that many games together yet,"
Jefferson said. "And I think everyone's always looking for that
8-2 start, everything's going great. Well that's not how the NBA
works sometimes."

Jefferson's best game with San Antonio came last Wednesday in a
92-83 win over Dallas (8-3) with Parker and Duncan out. He
scored 29 points in the first game between the rivals since the
Mavericks eliminated the Spurs in five games in the first round
of the playoffs last season.

Playing Dallas again so soon gives this matchup a bit of a
postseason feel.

"I played home-and-homes before with teams where you play them
on a Friday and you turn around and play them back-to-back on a
Saturday," Jefferson said. "It's interesting, but I think it's
good for us to get these good, competitive games against a
quality team."

The Mavericks have won three straight since that loss, winning
115-113 in overtime at Milwaukee on Monday. Dirk Nowitzki capped
a 32-point, 11-rebound performance with the winning 18-foot
jumper as time expired.

"We feel fortunate," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We played hard
enough to deserve the game and they did too. It's a great win
for us and a tough loss for them."

The winning streak has coincided with Carlisle inserting
Rodrigue Beaubois into the lineup after the rookie did not see
action last week against the Spurs. Beaubois is averaging 11.7
points on 63.6 percent (14 of 22) shooting.

Beaubois has formed a quality backcourt tandem with Jason Kidd,
Jefferson's former teammate at New Jersey. Kidd had a
season-high 17 assists on Monday.

"This is a big win. ... We've given some away and tonight, it
was kind of looking like that, but we stayed involved and made
some plays down the stretch," Kidd said.

The short-handed Mavs lost forward Shawn Marion to a sprained
left ankle in the second quarter. Owner Mark Cuban said Marion
is day to day, but should be fine.

Erick Dampier's status is uncertain. The center was hospitalized
after warmups ahead of Sunday night's 95-90 victory in Detroit
and Drew Gooden has posted two double-doubles in his place.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/134756-Spurs-Mavericks-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/134756-Spurs-Mavericks-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:29:44 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Durant's 25 leads Thunder over Spurs 101-98]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By PAUL J. WEBER
Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- By the time the Oklahoma City Thunder finally
reached five wins last season, New Year's Day had come and gone.

They've got five wins again, and it's not even Thanksgiving.

Kevin Durant scored 25 points and Oklahoma City held off San
Antonio for a 101-98 win on Saturday night, hitting another
small milestone for the vastly improved Thunder and handing
their Spurs their first home loss in five games this season.

"We were just talking about that," Durant said about Oklahoma
City's fifth win, which last season came Jan. 6. "It feels
really good. ...If we continue to work like this, you never know
what'll happen."

Jeff Green added 21 points for the Thunder, who spoiled the
return of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker back in the lineup after
missing two games with ankle injuries. Russell Westbrook had 19
points, and his one-handed runner with 45.9 seconds left that
gave Oklahoma City a crucial two-possession lead down the
stretch.

Duncan had 22 points and 10 rebounds but attempted just one shot
in the fourth.

Parker scored 17 and missed a 3-point heave at the buzzer, just
past midcourt, that would have forced overtime.

Oklahoma City shot 56 percent from the floor in the second half
after shooing 39 percent before halftime.

"We controlled the first half defensively and in the second half
they just shot the ball well," Duncan said.

Manu Ginobili scored seven points for the Spurs but sat out the
fourth quarter because of a tightened hamstring.

Trailing 97-94 with 26.9 seconds left, the Spurs recovered a
botched inbound pass by Thabo Sefolosha and Richard Jefferson
went full steam the other way. But Jefferson lost control of the
ball and turned it over in the end of a low-key night for the
San Antonio newcomer.

Jefferson finished with four points and took just four shots in
35 minutes. With Duncan and Parker out earlier this week,
Jefferson averaged 26.5 points in victories over Toronto and
Dallas.

Durant was just 6 of 18 from the floor but made 13 of 15 free
throws.

"I'm just being aggressive," Durant said. "My shot wasn't
falling the way I wanted to, so I got to the line and helped us
out there. Like I said, this is a big win for us."

Westbrook, who also had 11 assists, scored 14 of his points in
the second half, including nine in the third quarter when the
Thunder came back from a seven-point halftime deficit. Nenad
Krstic added 11 points from the Thunder, who played the first of
four games in five days.

The Thunder will go home Sunday to play the Los Angeles
Clippers, then head east to play at Miami on Tuesday and at
Orlando on Wednesday.

Parker and Duncan had not played since losing at Portland on
Nov. 6, when both suffered injuries to their left ankles.

Duncan answered any doubts about his health with three dunks -
usually a few game's worth for the reserved future Hall of
Famer. Duncan shot 9 of 14 from the field in 37 minutes, while
Parker shot 7 of 18 and had five assists.

George Hill scored 18 off the bench for the Spurs.

Fortunately for the Spurs, they won't be packing their bags much
over the next three weeks. The Spurs play seven of their next
nine at home, with their only road games during that stretch at
Dallas and Houston.

In other words, the Spurs won't be leaving the Lone Star State
again until Dec. 7.

NOTES: Ginobili announced earlier this week that wife Many is
expecting twins. Considering what Ginobili has given the Spurs
over the years, might Spurs coach Gregg Popovich stick around to
coach his kids? "I think they might play for Jerry Sloan,"
Popovich quipped. ... Westbrook had his fourth game with 10 or
more assists this season.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/134110-Durants-25-leads-Thunder-over-Spurs-101-98</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/134110-Durants-25-leads-Thunder-over-Spurs-101-98</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:29:50 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Parker, Duncan back for Spurs after 2-game absence]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are back for the San
Antonio Spurs.

The All-Star duo returned to the starting lineup Saturday night
against Oklahoma City after missing two games with injuries to
their left ankles. Neither had played since a loss at Portland
on Nov. 6.

Parker was averaging 14.8 points entering Saturday's game.
Duncan was averaging 14.6 points and 11.8 rebounds.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/134016-Parker-Duncan-back-for-Spurs-after-2-game-absence</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/134016-Parker-Duncan-back-for-Spurs-after-2-game-absence</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:41:57 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Parker, Duncan practice, game status questionable]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- Tim Duncan and Tony Parker appear closer to
returning to the San Antonio Spurs after missing two games with
ankle injuries.

Parker and Duncan practiced Friday and were listed as
questionable for Saturday's game against Oklahoma City. Neither
has played since hurting their left ankles in a loss last week
at Portland.

The Spurs beat Toronto and Dallas earlier this week despite
missing their All-Star duo.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/133526-Parker-Duncan-practice-game-status-questionable</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/133526-Parker-Duncan-practice-game-status-questionable</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:06:08 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Thunder-Spurs Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
STATS Senior Writer

Oklahoma City (4-4) at San Antonio (4-3), 8:30 p.m. EDT

Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are out with sore left ankles. One of
them should return Saturday night, but coach Gregg Popovich
won't say which.

The Spurs, looking to improve to 5-0 at home, hope one of their
superstars will be back when they face the Oklahoma City
Thunder.

San Antonio (4-3) played without Duncan and Parker on Wednesday,
but still managed to beat Dallas 92-83. Popovich said one will
likely return Saturday, although he didn't hint as to who it
would be.

Both missed the first two games of this three-game homestand,
but San Antonio hasn't missed a beat.

Richard Jefferson, acquired in the offseason from Milwaukee, has
averaged a team-high 26.5 points in the last two games. He had
29 on Wednesday.

"I remember walking out in the second half and we were starting
four guys that are new for this team," he said. "To have a
little success, to give some new guys some extra minutes in the
season, is good."

Manu Ginobili has averaged 24.5 points per game without Duncan
and Parker.

Popovich has rotated his frontcourt starters in Duncan's
absence, using Michael Finley and Theo Ratliff in Monday's win
over Toronto and Antonio McDyess and rookie DeJuan Blair on
Wednesday. Blair leads all rookies with a 7.3 rebounding
average.

Perhaps the most surprising development for San Antonio has been
the emergence of Keith Bogans, who signed with the team Sept. 25
and started the last three games. He scored 13 points Wednesday
and has developed into a defensive stopper, replacing the
retired Bruce Bowen.

"My job is defense, first and foremost - when a shot is there I
will take it," Bogans said. "I'm always ready to go whether I
start or not. Without Tim and Tony, there is a big chance for
others to play."

Bogans could have his hands full Saturday if he matches up with
fellow Washington, D.C.-area native Kevin Durant, who is
averaging 27.0 points per game for Oklahoma City (4-4). That's
the same average Durant had against the Spurs last season as the
teams split four meetings.

Durant scored 30 points and hit the winning jumper with 38
seconds to go in an 83-79 road victory over the Los Angeles
Clippers on Wednesday. He added 10 boards for his third
double-double.

"It feels good to know that my team has the confidence in me to
take those," Durant said. "The last game and a couple of games
before that I didn't hit them, but tonight they fell for me."

Point guard Russell Westbrook suffered an ankle injury that he
played through Wednesday, but it doesn't appear he will miss any
action. Westbrook averaged 18.2 points in his first six games
before scoring a total of 11 the last two.

The Thunder beat the Clippers despite posting their
second-lowest point total of the season.

"It was just toughness. We didn't score a lot of points, and I
don't think we shot good from the field," guard Kevin Ollie
said. "Our starting point guard was out there limping a little
bit, so we just gutted out and we did it on the defensive end,
which we've been doing a lot in our games this season."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/133479-Thunder-Spurs-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/133479-Thunder-Spurs-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:04:54 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Jefferson leads short-handed Spurs past Mavs]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By PAUL J. WEBER
Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- Tim Duncan and Tony Parker couldn't get San
Antonio past Dallas in the playoffs, but the Spurs didn't even
need their All-Star duo this time.

Richard Jefferson scored 29 points and the Spurs won again
without their two biggest stars, beating the Mavericks 92-83 on
Wednesday night in the first rematch since Dallas swiftly booted
its division rivals from the playoffs last season.

Back then, Parker and Duncan had virtually no supporting cast
while the Mavs ousted them from the first round in five games,
San Antonio's earliest playoff exit since 2000.

If this was payback, most of the Spurs' starting lineup had no
score to settle.

"I remember walking out in the second half and we were starting
four guys that are new for this team," said Jefferson, who had
his best game since being traded from Milwaukee this summer. "To
have a little success, to give some new guys some extra minutes
in the season, is good."

Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points and 12 rebounds, but the Mavs
were done in by awful shooting. Nowitzki was 9 of 27 from the
floor, Josh Howard was 2 of 11 to finish with eight points, and
the Mavs shot 35 percent as a team.

Nowitzki, who scored 29 points in the fourth quarter a week ago
in a win over the Utah Jazz, had 10 in the fourth when Dallas
cut a 15-point deficit down to four with under four minutes
left. But the rally stalled when Matt Bonner's 3-pointer pushed
the lead back to seven.

Bonner's shot came after a missed jumper by Nowitzki, who said
he "pressed a little bit" in the second half.

"I probably took a couple of shots that I shouldn't have taken,"
he said. "But hey, we still had a chance."

Jason Terry added 19 points for the Mavericks and Shawn Marion
had 11.

Jason Kidd, who had five points on 2 of 6 shooting and nine
assists, said too much fell on Nowitzki.

"We asked him to do way too much tonight," Kidd said. "We asked
him to carry the load offensively, defensively and that was just
not right for us as a teammate and as a team to put him in that
position."

Manu Ginobili had 13 points off the bench while Parker and
Duncan continued to rest their sore left ankles. Both were
injured Friday night in a loss at Portland and sat out their
second consecutive game.

Duncan participated in shootaround about an hour before
Wednesday's game but, like Parker, sat on the bench in street
clothes. At least one of them is likely to play Saturday against
Oklahoma City, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, though he didn't
hint as to which one.

The injuries are considered mild.

George Hill scored 11 points in his second start for Parker for
the Spurs, who watched the Mavs celebrate advancing to the
second round following an easy Game 5 win the last time Dallas
came to town.

This one didn't look much like last time.

Aside from four members of San Antonio's starting lineup being
new to the Spurs there was Ginobili, who was 3 of 8 from behind
the arc after sitting out the Mavs series last spring with two
bad ankles.

Ginobili's shot at the halftime buzzer - a 3-pointer heaved in
front of the scorer's table - finished a 22-8 run that put
Dallas at arm's length until the fourth quarter.

The traditionally defense-first Spurs have been anything but so
far, entering Wednesday's game allowing an average of 102.5
points per game, putting them in the bottom third of the league.
Popovich struggled to explain the slack defense before the game
but noted it was slow to catch on last season, too.

He'll feel better about this effort: the Spurs held the Mavs to
their fewest points this season.

Keith Bogans had 13 points for the Spurs and was 3-of-6 from
behind the arc.

NOTES: The Spurs trotted out their third different starting
lineup in three games. ... Mavs F Drew Gooden, benched in his
final game during his brief Spurs stint last season, scored two
points in 9 minutes. Gooden was playing his second consecutive
game since missing four because of a strained rib cage muscle.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/133117-Jefferson-leads-short-handed-Spurs-past-Mavs</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/133117-Jefferson-leads-short-handed-Spurs-past-Mavs</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:30:34 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Mavericks-Spurs Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By DAN PIERINGER
STATS Editor

Dallas (4-2) at San Antonio (3-3), 8:30 p.m. EDT

With two All-Stars sitting out because of injuries, the San
Antonio Spurs delivered their best offensive performance of the
young season. To beat the Dallas Mavericks, however, the Spurs
will likely need a better defensive effort.

It's unclear if Tim Duncan or Tony Parker will be available
Wednesday night when the Spurs host the Mavericks in the teams'
first meeting since Dallas ousted San Antonio from the first
round of the playoffs in April.

Parker and Duncan were both sidelined by ankle injuries Monday
night. Parker has a mild sprain the team has said could keep him
out for a week, and Duncan is considered day-to-day with
swelling in his left ankle.

Despite missing two of their top players, the Spurs (3-3) beat
Toronto 131-124, recording their highest point total since a
133-126 double-overtime win at Dallas on Dec. 9. Manu Ginobili
scored 36 points off the bench, Richard Jefferson added 24, and
George Hill had 22 in his first start of the season. All three
point totals were individual season highs.

San Antonio is averaging 119.0 points in its wins, and has been
held to 89.3 points per game in its losses. The Spurs, though,
feel that stepping up their defense is the key to staying on
track. They're giving up 102.5 points per game after holding
opponents under 94.0 each of the last 12 seasons.

"I think we're going to score, we just got to play better
defense," said Ginobili, who made six of San Antonio's
season-high 14 3-pointers and had eight assists and a
career-high four blocked shots against the Raptors. "We were
talking before the season about trying to be the best team in
the league defensively, and so far we're not even close."

The Spurs struggled on defense in their last meeting with the
Mavericks on April 28. Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 to lead six
Dallas players in double figures as the Mavericks eliminated the
Spurs from the first round of the playoffs with a 106-93 victory
in Game 5 in San Antonio.

Dallas has won five of six against San Antonio, dating to the
teams' final regular-season meeting of 2008-09. Ginobili didn't
play in any of those games because of ankle problems.

The Mavericks (5-2) have shown they're capable of big offensive
performances lately. After averaging 96.2 points over their
first five games, they've averaged 125.0 in winning their last
two.

Like San Antonio, however, Dallas is more focused on being
effective on the other end of the floor. After giving up 61
points in the first half Tuesday night, the Mavericks allowed
just 42 in the second as they overcame a 17-point deficit to
beat Houston 121-103.

"There's no secret what's going to get us wins," said top
reserve Jason Terry, who led Dallas with 24 points against the
Rockets. "When we didn't play defense, we got down by 15. We
have to continue to lock in, get stops and run."

Terry has helped spark the Mavericks' offensive surge, averaging
26.0 points and going 27 for 38 (71.1 percent) from the field
over the last three games.

Dallas has also gotten a boost from the return of Josh Howard,
who missed the first five games while recovering from offseason
ankle surgery. Howard, an All-Star in 2007, has averaged 15.0
points in 24.0 minutes in his first two games.

Howard averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 50.0
percent from the field in eight total games against San Antonio
last season.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132894-Mavericks-Spurs-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132894-Mavericks-Spurs-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:11:45 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Ginobili's 36 carries Spurs without Parker, Duncan]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- With Tim Duncan and Tony Parker out, the San
Antonio Spurs needed scoring. They did better against Toronto
than just keep up.

Manu Ginobili scored 36 points without Parker and Duncan in the
lineup, and the Spurs beat the Raptors 131-124 on Monday night
in a shootout despite San Antonio's two leading scorers sitting
out with sore ankles.

Ginobili hit four 3-pointers in the fourth, but afterward, the
Spurs were less impressed with their offense than disappointed
in the dent to their defensive reputation.

"I think we're going to score, we just got to play better
defense," Ginobili said. "We were talking before the season
about trying to be the best team in the league defensively, and
so far we're not even close."

Chris Bosh had 32 points and nine rebounds for Toronto, but his
third 30-point game of the season wasn't enough after another
soft defensive game for the Raptors.

Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points and Andrea Bargnani had 17 points
for Toronto, which gave up more than 125 points for the third
time this season. Though off to their best offensive start in
team history, the Raptors are also among the worst defensive
teams in the NBA.

"You can't give them any confidence. We did the opposite, we
gave them confidence," Bosh said. "We gave them points right off
the bat. They scored a lot of points."

Richard Jefferson scored half his 24 points in the fourth
quarter and George Hill added 22 for the Spurs, who reignited
their offense after scoring 84 in a loss at Portland on Friday -
and lost their two biggest stars in the process.

Duncan hurt his left ankle against the Trail Blazers after
playing a season-high 35 minutes and scoring 14 points. He
finished the game, and coach Gregg Popovich said he was unsure
when the injury occurred.

MRI tests revealed no structural damage. Parker was also hurt
against Portland after rolling his ankle in the second quarter
and did not return to that game.

Neither injuries are considered serious, and both players are
listed as day-to-day.

Ironically, the Spurs have kept a close eyes on minutes around
this season in hopes of lessening the wear-and-tear and keeping
players healthy down the stretch.

Entering Monday's game, the Spurs were the only team in the
league without a player averaging at least 30 minutes a game.
Duncan is averaging 29 minutes and Parker 26.

The Raptors led by as many as 10 in the second quarter and shot
better than 63 percent in the first half. But Toronto - which
entered Monday as the third-highest scoring team in the NBA -
couldn't match the Spurs shot-for-shot in the fourth quarter.

Ginobili hit four of San Antonio's six 3-pointers in the fourth,
when Jefferson also scored 12 of his 24. Without Duncan in the
lineup, Jefferson found himself in an unusual position to start
the game - the frontcourt.

"That first six minutes for me was a little bit of a struggle
trying to find my way," Jefferson said. "I'm still trying to
figure out the three spot."

Bosh, who had nine points, was 8 of 16 from the field and hit 15
of 17 foul shots.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before the game he's not rattled
by slow starts, particularly since the Spurs are still working
in seven new players acquired in their offseason overhaul.
Still, San Antonio avoided starting a second consecutive season
at 2-4.

Marco Belinelli had 12 points off the bench for Toronto.

Notes: Bonner is a 3-point specialist whose role is to spread
the floor, but just before halftime he stormed down the paint
for a rare one-handed dunk that appeared to leave Duncan in
saucer-eyed disbelief from the bench ... In the first quarter,
Raptors G Jose Calderon eclipsed the 2,000-assist mark in his
298th NBA game. He is Toronto's all-time assist leader.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132657-Ginobilis-36-carries-Spurs-without-Parker-Duncan</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132657-Ginobilis-36-carries-Spurs-without-Parker-Duncan</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:40:48 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Spurs' Duncan, Parker sidelined by ankle injuries]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- Tim Duncan has a swollen left ankle that will
keep him on the bench with Tony Parker.

The Spurs announced before Monday's game against Toronto that
MRI tests on Duncan revealed no structural damage. Duncan played
a season-high 35 minutes and 14 points in a loss at Portland on
Friday.

Parker was already out with a left ankle injury of his own. He
rolled the ankle in the second quarter against the Trail Blazers
and did not return to the game.

Duncan and Parker are expected to be day-to-day following the
Raptors game.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132607-Spurs-Duncan-Parker-sidelined-by-ankle-injuries</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132607-Spurs-Duncan-Parker-sidelined-by-ankle-injuries</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:07:11 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Ankle sprain may sideline Spurs' Parker for week]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- Spurs guard Tony Parker is not expected to play
Monday against Toronto because of a sore left ankle.

The Spurs said Sunday that Parker's injury was a mild sprain
that could sideline him for a week. Parker rolled his ankle
Friday night in the second quarter of a loss at Portland. He did
not return to the game.

Parker is averaging a team-high 14.8 points and four assists. He
hurt the same ankle at the start of last season and missed three
weeks.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132399-Ankle-sprain-may-sideline-Spurs-Parker-for-week</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132399-Ankle-sprain-may-sideline-Spurs-Parker-for-week</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:03:22 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Raptors-Spurs Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By BRETT HUSTON
STATS Writer

Toronto (3-3) at San Antonio (2-3), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The San Antonio Spurs had one of the league's best road records
last season, but they're off to a woeful start away from AT&T
Center and will be without Tony Parker for the next week.

Perhaps a lengthy stretch back home will get coach Gregg
Popovich's team back on track.

The Spurs look to avoid their first three-game losing streak
since the beginning of last season Monday night when they open a
stretch of 10 of 12 at home against the Toronto Raptors.

San Antonio (2-3) lost three in a row to open the 2008-09 season
- two at home - but their current struggles have come on the
road. The Spurs, who were 26-15 on the road last season, have
won their two home games by an average of 18.0 points, but are
0-3 away from home.

They were in trouble from the outset in consecutive losses at
Utah and Portland last week, falling behind by 10 after one
quarter in a 113-99 loss to the Jazz on Thursday, then trailing
by 15 after 12 minutes in a 96-84 defeat to the Trail Blazers
one night later.

"We committed too many mistakes from the get-go," said guard
Manu Ginobili, who's averaging 13.8 points but shooting just
39.2 percent. "It's too bad. It shouldn't be happening. We've
really got to step out and try to play 48 minutes."

San Antonio outscored Portland the final three quarters, but
also played most of the final 36 minutes without Parker. The
three-time All-Star sprained his left ankle in the second - the
same ankle he hurt nearly a year ago to the day - and expects to
miss about a week.

Parker said this sprain isn't as severe as the one that caused
him to miss three weeks last season, but the Spurs will
certainly miss him considering he averaged 23.0 points and 7.0
assists in two games against the Raptors (3-3) in 2008-09.

Each team won on its home floor, with Toronto overcoming 32
points from Ginobili and injuries to Chris Bosh and Jose
Calderon to win 91-89 on Feb. 11.

Bosh is among the league's top five scorers through six games,
averaging 28.5 points, and he's also among the NBA's rebounding
leaders with 11.8 per contest.

The Raptors, however, have given up 108.2 points per game, and
had one of their worst defensive efforts in years their last
time out. Toronto allowed Dallas to shoot 62.4 percent Saturday
- the best field-goal percentage by an opponent against the
Raptors in more than six years - in a 129-101 loss.

"I'm disappointed in the way that we played, but they had more
energy, they had more movement, they had better confidence
shooting the basketball and that's why you get a result like
this," coach Jay Triano said.

Toronto has made 40.0 percent of its shots from beyond the arc
thus far, with Andrea Bargnani emerging as a consistent 3-point
threat. The former No. 1 overall pick seems to have made some
big strides in his game, shooting 52.4 percent overall and 51.6
percent from 3-point range - both significant improvements over
last season.

He's also averaging 20.7 points, a 5.3-point increase.

For the Raptors to have a chance, though, they'll need Bosh to
play better than he typically has against Tim Duncan. The
four-time All-Star has averaged 13.0 points on 35.1 percent
shooting in his last four games versus Duncan, while the Spurs'
big man has averaged 20.3 points on 60.0 percent shooting with
three blocks.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132353-Raptors-Spurs-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/132353-Raptors-Spurs-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:14:47 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Roy scores 24 to lift new-look Blazers over Spurs]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[PORTLAND, Ore.(AP) -- A new-look lineup worked wonders for the
Portland Trail Blazers, and coach Nate McMillan plans to keep it
for a while.

With Andre Miller joining them in the backcourt, Brandon Roy had
24 points, Steve Blake added 15 and the Portland Trail Blazers
beat the San Antonio Spurs 96-84 Friday night.

"It was a change of pace, maybe something we need," Roy said.

Richard Jefferson had 19 points, Manu Ginobili had 17, and Tim
Duncan added 14 points and eight rebounds, but San Antonio lost
Tony Parker to a sprained ankle and couldn't overcome a
lethargic first half, playing one night after a loss at Utah.

The Spurs (2-3) haven't won on the road yet this season.

In an effort to shake up the Blazers' stagnant offense, McMillan
inserted Miller into the starting lineup, placing him in an
expanded backcourt along with Blake and Roy.

"I looked at the schedule," McMillan said. "With the schedule
the next week or two I am going to stay with it and look at it.
It was a good unit tonight."

With 2:36 left in the first half, Parker appeared to come down
awkwardly, called timeout and left the floor for the locker
room. He did not return.

Portland (3-3) had lost two in a row at the Rose Garden and had
struggled on offense, with only Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and
Travis Outlaw averaging in double figures. Portland also entered
the game 23rd in the NBA in scoring with a 94.2 average.

Greg Oden had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Blazers, and
Miller, who signed with Portland in July, had 10 points and six
rebounds and four assists.

The Blazers bench accounted for 23 of Portland's first 41 points
and keyed a late first quarter 13-2 run.

Oden muscled past Duncan for a driving layup to put Portland up
62-47 with 6:56 left in the third quarter. Roy added a jumper to
extend the lead to 17. But the Spurs put together an 13-3 run,
with Antonio McDyess hitting a 20-footer to cut the lead to
69-62.

San Antonio went on an 8-0 run, with Ginobili making four free
throws, to get to 77-72. Shortly after, Jefferson scored to make
it 80-77, but Blake answered with a 3-pointer and Oden converted
two free throws for the Blazers.

"We committed too many mistakes from the get-go," Ginobili said.
"It's too bad. It shouldn't be happening. We've really got to
step out and try to play 48 minutes."

NOTES: Joel Przybilla had 13 rebounds for Portland. ... The
Blazers wore for the first time in the regular season their new
alternate home jerseys with "Rip City" on the front. ... The
Spurs started Keith Bogans at shooting guard, in place of
Michael Finley. ... Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is 32-17 as a
head coach against the Blazers.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/131983-Roy-scores-24-to-lift-new-look-Blazers-over-Spurs</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/131983-Roy-scores-24-to-lift-new-look-Blazers-over-Spurs</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:14:41 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Spurs-Trail Blazers Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MATT BEARDMORE
STATS Writer

San Antonio (2-2) at Portland (2-3), 10:30 p.m. EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers had one of the best home records in
the NBA last season.

It's been a different story for them at the Rose Garden in
2009-10.

The Trail Blazers look to avoid their third straight loss there
Friday night, when they continue their three-game homestand
against a San Antonio Spurs team without a road win.

Portland (2-3) went 34-7 at home in 2008-09 - the fourth-best
mark in the league behind Cleveland, the Lakers and Boston -
while never losing more than two straight at the Rose Garden.

Despite leading by as many as 12 points in the second quarter,
the Trail Blazers dropped their second in a row at home Tuesday
- 97-91 to Atlanta.

"Regardless of where you are, you've got to work," coach Nate
McMillan told the Trail Blazers' official Web site. "I really
felt our level of intensity needed to be better for pretty much
all of the games."

Portland's last three-game slide at home was March 29-April 6,
2008.

The Trail Blazers had lost five straight at home - and 12
overall - to San Antonio, prior to their 100-99 victory on Oct.
31, 2008.

Spurs guard Michael Finley missed a shot as time expired and
Portland won its first home game in this series since Jan. 24,
2005.

"When he missed the shot, I couldn't believe it. I was thinking
overtime or something because it just didn't feel right," guard
Brandon Roy said. "But I looked up and realized that we had
finally beaten the Spurs."

The Trail Blazers won three of four against San Antonio last
season - including both meetings at the Rose Garden - after
losing 19 of the previous 20 matchups.

Roy averaged 23.0 points against the Spurs in 2008-09, scoring
26 in each of the victories.

Center Greg Oden, who leads the Trail Blazers with 9.8 rebounds
and 2.2 blocks, was injured for the first three matchups with
San Antonio last season.

In his first career game against fellow first-overall pick Tim
Duncan, Oden had eight points, eight boards and two blocks in a
95-83 victory on April 8 that snapped Portland's 11-game skid in
San Antonio.

Duncan, averaging 21.4 points and 10.8 boards in 23 career games
in Portland, had 15 and 13 in Thursday's 113-99 loss at Utah
that dropped the Spurs (2-2) to 0-2 on the road.

San Antonio hasn't lost its first three road games since
1993-94.

The Spurs, who held their first three opponents this season to
96 points or fewer, allowed its most points in a loss since a
113-94 defeat at Seattle on Nov. 7, 2004.

"We've got a lot of work to do to become a good defensive team
and Utah obviously took advantage of that tonight," coach Gregg
Popovich said. "They are always an aggressive club and they do a
great job of fighting for 48 minutes."

Tony Parker led San Antonio on Thursday with 21 points, four
coming in the second half. He averaged 19.5 points and 7.5
assists at Portland in 2008-09.

Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and a
season-high 14 rebounds Tuesday, despite leaving Sunday's win at
Oklahoma City with a bone contusion on his right knee.

Aldridge averaged 24.5 points and 6.0 rebounds as Portland swept
its home games versus San Antonio last season for the first time
since 1996-97.

The Trail Blazers are scoring 93.7 points per game on 39.9
percent shooting at the Rose Garden this season.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/131730-Spurs-Trail-Blazers-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/131730-Spurs-Trail-Blazers-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:33:52 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
	
			
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