Open thread: Regular season game 15

by Mike Prada on Nov 28, 2007 12:56 PM EST in Game Threads

The essentials:
Wizards (7-7) at Spurs (12-3)
8:30 p.m.
SBC Center
CSN

Last year:
January 13: Spurs 93, Wizards 80
February 7: Spurs 113, Wizards 80

Notable Spurs numbers this season (pound the salt):
3rd in expected winning percentage (.757).
28thin pace factor (88.6 possessions per game).
2nd in offensive efficiency/offensive rating (113.7).
10th in defensive efficiency/defensive rating (104.8)

Notable Spurs numbers last season
1st in expected winning percentage (.780).
27th in pace factor (88.3 posessions per game).
4th in offensive efficiency/offensive rating (111.1).
2nd in defensive efficiency/defensive rating (101.5).

Key links
Pounding the Rock.
Spur of the Moment.
Spurs Dynasty.
Post: Hail "role players."
Times: Wizards coming together (how original).
Pounding the Rock blog preview.
Spur of the Moment blog preview

Starting lineups:
Spurs
PG: Tony Parker
SG: Michael Finley
SF: Bruce Bowen
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Fabricio Oberto

Wizards
PG: Antonio Daniels
SG: DeShawn Stevenson
SF: Caron Butler
PF: Antawn Jamison
C: Brendan Haywood

Tonight's lines:
Wizards at Spurs: Spurs by 12.5
Over/Under on total points: 195.

We're basically playing with house money here. Sweeping Dallas and San Antonio on the road? That might be too much to ask.

Still, a win would be nice. I'll have more later, but for now, make your picks.

This is an open game thread, so flop when writing your comments.

GO WIZARDS!

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Comments

Picks

I'll take the Wiz +12.5, and I'll go with the under.

"Now, obviously individual production does not unilaterally equal better team production, but there's a high level of causation."

by Vanilla Gorilla on Nov 28, 2007 1:12 PM EST reply actions

wiz, under

this post is out of place, but i wanted it to be seen. with regard to the sean taylor home invasion, does anyone remember former bullet larry stewart and what happened to him? i haven't read too much of the stories circulating around about taylor, so maybe people have already touched on this, but the home invasion of star athletes doesn't look unprecedented...

hopefully this link will work:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E6DD1731F93BA35752C0A962958260

by DarrellWalkerFan on Nov 28, 2007 1:50 PM EST reply actions

It's a disturbing trend

Not only these two, but Antoine Walker and Eddy Curry both had their homes broken into this summer, while they were inside. I'm pretty sure there are other stories that have happened recently that aren't coming to mind right now but it can't be comforting to any athlete right now.

Bullets Forever: Your place for the very latest in Wizards news and PhD-level analysis.

by Jake Whitacre on Nov 28, 2007 3:12 PM EST up reply actions

Don't forget DeShawn Stevenson...

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 28, 2007 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

"Alledgedly"

I guess Andray Blatche also falls under this category, although it was a few years ago and it was a car-jacking, not a house-jacking. Then again, most people live in their cars more than their houses anyway, especially in D.C.

Bullets Forever: Your place for the very latest in Wizards news and PhD-level analysis.

by Jake Whitacre on Nov 28, 2007 6:16 PM EST up reply actions

True, true

Should have put that qualifier there.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 28, 2007 6:24 PM EST up reply actions

spurs, under

Usually I always pick the Wiz given a spread that big, but the Spurs are going to be the first excellent defense that the Gilbert-less Bullets have to face. I figure Bruce Bowen brings Caron down to earth for a night, Duncan gets four blocks against AD and NY drives in the lane, and Taser gets some court time in the fourth.

Being pleasantly surprised would be alright too.

by sierradave on Nov 28, 2007 2:02 PM EST reply actions

wiz, under

I smell a 90-80 game here...

The Washington Wizards: providing career scoring nights for unknown opposing bench players since 2004.

by mamemimo on Nov 28, 2007 2:59 PM EST reply actions

Sticking with the masses

Wizards
Under
Gregg Poppovich gets a technical

Bullets Forever: Your place for the very latest in Wizards news and PhD-level analysis.

by Jake Whitacre on Nov 28, 2007 3:16 PM EST reply actions

Spurs, under

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 28, 2007 3:21 PM EST reply actions

Spurs, over

Can't see the Spurs messing around too much after somehow allowing ex-backup Beno Udrih to drop 27 on them in an ugly loss in Sacto on Monday. But either way, they haven't been anywhere close to their best defensively lately, allowing 100+ in three of their last four. Big win for them but lots of scoring on both sides.

-sw

by Steve Weinman on Nov 28, 2007 5:16 PM EST reply actions