Game 59 Preview: Spurs vs. Blazers

We just played the Spurs, so there's no need for a full recap.  If you want to read the snappy little number we put together a couple of days ago click here.

Besides, this game isn't really about preview-able stuff anyway, at least not if the Blazers are going to win it.  The Spurs are a better team.  I don't think there's much doubt about that.  As long as Tim Duncan plays (likely either today or tomorrow) they have almost everything going for them in this matchup:  proven talent, experience, commitment, execution, defense.  There are, however, certain advantages to being a young team.  One is that emotion carries you a long way.  Also you're too inexperienced to understand what you can't do...including beating an elite-level team.  The gap between the Blazers and the Spurs is still clearly defined but it's nowhere near as wide as it used to be.  You can easily foresee the time when it will be erased, then reversed.  Even now a good jolt of electricity is likely to arc across and bridge that gap.

And so now I present to you the reasons why the Blazers are going to win this game.

1.  Believe it or not, the Blazers are a legitimately good team this year.  For real.

2.  The Blazers are at home and are unlikely to repeat the flat-line performance of Wednesday night.

And most importantly of all, the lesson that the Spurs are about to learn...

3.  Nobody makes us bleed our own blood.  Nobody!

I expect to see a very good San Antonio team out there today.  I expect Tony Parker to be as much of a whiz-bang eye-opener as he was Wednesday.  I expect Tim Duncan will be cold-blooded efficient as always if he plays.  I expect the Spurs will get all physical and pushy just like they did before.  I also expect the Blazers will be ready for all of these eventualities.  I think they will fight harder, push back at San Antonio, keep their bodies between Parker and the basket more often, generate some quick-hitting offense, and bring energy that the Spurs will have a hard time matching.  San Antonio is going to win the overall season race.  There's no doubt about that.  But this little section of track is ours and there's no reason to think we can't match them stride for stride for 48 minutes of this marathon.

We saw the bad part of being a young team on Wednesday night.  We're likely to see the good part today.  Get ready for a fight.

Visit our friends at PoundingTheRock for the San Antonio perspective. 

Enter the first game of this month's Jersey Contest here.  This is the last month to claim a jersey and qualify for the playoffs so go hard!  Also don't forget this game begins at 5:00 p.m.

Reminder:  Blazersedge Night this Thursday at The Agency, across from PGE park.  We gather at 6:00 p.m. for conversation and then watch the road game against Denver on TNT at 7:30.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)