Cavaliers-Spurs Preview

By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
Posted Apr 21 2012 2:55PM

The San Antonio Spurs' average victory margin during their current six-game run is 19.1 points.

That figure pales in comparison to the margin of their rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this month.

The Spurs can take another step toward clinching the best record in the Western Conference on Sunday night when they host the Cavaliers.

San Antonio (46-16) is one-half game ahead of Oklahoma City for the West's best mark and owns the tiebreaker over the Thunder. The Spurs maintained that gap with Friday's 121-97 home win over the Lakers, although their focus is clearly on what lies ahead.

"We've been playing pretty well but the playoffs, that's a situation where you have to do it night after night for a while," coach Gregg Popovich said.

Tim Duncan had 21 points and eight rebounds, Tony Parker had 20 points and 10 assists, and Manu Ginobili added 20 points and seven assists Friday. Those three players have combined to log 18 fourth-quarter minutes over the last four games, with rest a priority.

"That's our goal, to try and play our best basketball when the playoffs start," Parker said. "The main key is to stay healthy and to make sure everyone's fresh and I think that's Pop's main focus right now."

Parker and Duncan sat out the entire fourth quarter of a 125-90 win in Cleveland on April 3. That remains San Antonio's most lopsided victory since beating Golden State 123-98 on Dec. 6, 2008.

While the Spurs' stars can be expected to see limited minutes Sunday, Cleveland (21-41) may rest Kyrie Irving. The leading Rookie of the Year candidate has played twice since a nine-game absence due to a shoulder injury, and coach Byron Scott wants to protect him even though the point guard's impact on the team is obvious.

"He's a difference-maker," Scott said. "When he's on the floor, I think guys feel a little more comfortable and they know he's going to get things done."

Irving made a difference Friday with a game-high 21 points, and Manny Harris had 19 and a career-high 12 rebounds as the Cavaliers ended a three-game slide with a 98-90 home win over New York.

"I'm happy to play, but if (Scott) pulls me out, I understand completely," said Irving, whose 18.6 scoring average tops all rookies by a wide margin. "Getting a chance to get back out there, competing with my teammates again, felt good. Especially with the fan turnout we had. It was an amazing thing."

Friday's contest marked Irving's first home game since the blowout loss to the Spurs earlier this month. San Antonio built a 14-point lead after one quarter and went on to outscore Cleveland 18-0 in fast-break points.

Parker had 19 points and five assists in 22 minutes in his first matchup with Irving, who made 5 of 15 shots for 13 points. The Cavs surrendered their highest point total all season in their fourth straight loss to the Spurs.

San Antonio shouldn't be any easier to slow down Sunday, having averaged 120.0 points in the past four games. The Spurs have shot 59.8 percent from the field over the last three after hitting a season-high 61.0 percent Friday.

Spurs win 7th straight, increase West lead

Posted Apr 22 2012 10:57PM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Tim Duncan rested, and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili called it an early night.

With another win Monday, the Spurs' veterans can take the remainder of the regular season off.

Ginobili scored 20 points Sunday to lead San Antonio to its seventh straight victory, 114-98 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

San Antonio (47-16) moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Oklahoma City, which lost to the Lakers earlier Sunday, in the race for the best record in the Western Conference. A victory in any of their final three games would secure the top spot in the West for the Spurs, who own the tiebreaker over the Thunder.

Ginobili said the Spurs were keeping an eye on the Lakers' double-overtime victory before their game. San Antonio hosts Portland on Monday.

"We want to clinch as soon as possible," Ginobili said. "Tomorrow we have a good game here, so we're going to trying to play our best and keep improving. We have room for improvement, where we can pick up the aggressiveness. We want to try and set the pace for the playoffs."

Cleveland (21-42) lost for the fourth time in its last five games despite the Spurs giving Duncan the night off. With the playoffs right around the corner, the 35-year-old Duncan was the only active Spur not to play.

Stephen Jackson scored 17 points for the Spurs, DeJuan Blair added 15 points and seven rebounds, and Danny Green had 14 points. Antawn Jamison led Cleveland with 21 points, Kyrie Irving had 19, and Manny Harris added 14.

"I thought it was a relatively sloppy game, but we managed to keep our lead," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sometimes in the NBA that's hard to do. We stuck with it and got the win."

Besides limiting Duncan's minutes this season, Popovich has given his star forward six nights off to rest. Thanks to another easy victory, their other veterans didn't play too much.

Ginobili and Parker each played just 22 minutes. The Spurs entered the game having won four straight games by at least 21 points. During that span, Ginobili has played 30 or more minutes only one time, and Parker has done so just twice.

"Any time we get a chance to rest Tim and Tony doesn't play that much, and we get away with a win, that's always a plus," Jackson said. "As long as we take care of business and continue to build and not take steps back, we'll be all right."

Parker had six points and nine assists for the Spurs, who swept the season series.

"When you have three Hall of Famers on one team, it's tough to beat them," Irving said. "A lot of people are downplaying them just because their age is up there a little bit. But they're still one of the best, if not the best, teams in all of basketball."

One of those potential Hall of Famers, Ginobili, showed off his full arsenal of plays, hitting layups, runners and step-back jumpers. The veteran forward was hampered by injuries earlier this season, but he's now looking like the Ginobili of old.

"For sure, I'm feeling better than a month ago," Ginobili said. "That's promising, and that makes me feel good and in a better mood."

The Spurs led only 52-44 at halftime behind 11 points from Green, but the starting forward left the game in the second quarter after a flagrant foul by Harris. Green was hit in the left eye by Harris while going up for a layup with 5:35 left in the second quarter. Green stayed on the ground for several minutes before getting up to hit one of two free throws. He then left for the locker room for the rest of the quarter before returning for the second half.

Notes: Spurs F Boris Diaw started for Duncan and had six points on 3-of-7 shooting. . Scott ranked third-lowest in a poll of players when asked which coach they would most like to play for, finishing ahead of Orlando's Stan Van Gundy and last-place Scott Skiles of Milwaukee. "The thing I know about both those guys is they're pretty demanding guys," Scott said. "So if that's the case, and I'm put in that category as being a very demanding coach, I don't mind that. You've got a lot of guys that want you to kiss their butts. I'm not doing that. That ain't happening. And I'm not going to tell them all the time what they want to hear." Popovich ranked third-highest.

Notebook: Spurs 114, Cavaliers 98

Posted Sunday April 22, 2012 10:45PM

By Danny Sanchez, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: San Antonio continues to head into the playoffs peaking at the right time. They are 18 of 20 since their March 21st win against Minnesota, and their margin of victory four of the last five games has been by 21 points or more. Close to clinching the top spot in the Western Conference, they've been more aggressive and closing out games like a top contender should.

The Spurs (46-16) were led by Manu Ginobili, who had 20 points in just 22 minutes and Stephen Jackson, who scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Cleveland (21-42), who lost to San Antonio 125-90 on April 3rd, were more competitive, as they were only down at halftime 52-44. The were led by Antawn Jamison who had 21 points on 8-of-20 shooting and Kyrie Irving with 19 points.

QUOTABLE: "Yeah, we want to clinch as soon as possible. Tomorrow we hope to have a good game here as we're trying to play our best and keep improving. We still have a little room for improvement and we want to become more solid and play a better game than today. If we can pick up the aggressiveness then we can try to set the pace for the playoffs."
-- Ginobili

THE STAT: One. With Oklahoma City losing to Los Angeles 114-106 in two overtimes, and coupled with the Spurs victory tonight, San Antonio needs a win tomorrow against Portland to clinch the Western Conference number one seed for the playoffs.

TURNING POINT: Only leading by 10, the Spurs quickly went on a 11-1 run in a three minute span. The spurt was led by Jackson,who had eight points during that run and his 25-foot 3-pointer with 5:11 gave the Spurs their largest lead 102-82.

QUOTABLE II: "Again, I just congratulated our guys. Obviously we want to win games, but just showing how hard they have been playing and not taking anything for granted. Not looking at the schedule, not looking at the fact that you have three games left in four nights. Just taking each game one game at a time and doing the first thing on the board every night which is compete and our guys have been doing that. You're playing against a team that has admirations of winning a championship. They're one of the best teams in the league. We competed for 48 minutes."
-- Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott.

HOT: Jackson had four points going into the fourth quarter. He tripled his production in the fourth scoring 13 points. He was 3-of-5 from the field, including 2-of-3 from the 3-point line. He was also perfect with his free throws going 5-for-5.

NOT: Cleveland's fourth quarter defense. They were in striking distance, cutting the Spurs lead down to 10, but let the Spurs bench, which scored all 33 of San Antonio's fourth quarter points, have their way. They were 11-of-18 (61 percent) from the field, 3-of-4 from the 3-point line (75 percent) and 8-of-9 (89 percent) from the free throw line.

ROOKIE WATCH: Cavaliers guard Irving returned to the Cavaliers' line-up on Wednesday after sitting nine games because of a right shoulder sprain. The front running candidate for NBA rookie of the year was 8-of-18 for 19 points with three assists and two rebounds.

NOTABLE: San Antonio sweep the two game series against Cleveland...Alonzo Gee returned to the Cavalier's line-up after missing three games because of a sprained left ankle. The former Spurs had 10 points in his return...Tim Duncan suited up, but did not play. It was the the sixth game that he has not played in this season.

UP NEXT: For the Cavaliers, Monday @ Memphis, Wednesday vs. Washington, Thursday @ Chicago. For the Spurs, Monday vs. Portland, Wednesday @ Phoenix, Thursday @ Golden State.

• Cavaliers: Erden, Gibson
• Spurs: Joseph

• Cavaliers: --
• Spurs: --

• Lead Changes: 4
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
• Officials: #36 David Jones, #38 Michael Smith, #79 Kevin Scott
• Attendance: 18581
• Duration: 2:09