Tag: Utah

Spurs looking to close out Jazz

With the need to win game 3 in Utah, the Jazz have been taken out of their game by one of the NBA’s most fundamentally solid teams.  There are no Jazz players spouting the cliches such as “our backs are against the wall” or “we just need to hold serve.”  No instead it seems as though the Jazz are on a love fest.

“I just think we’re playing against a team that is at its peak,” Al  Jefferson said. “I don’t see nobody beating them. We ain’t given up trying. But this is a great team.”

For the Spurs, it is business as usual and the team knows just what it takes to win.  PG Tony Parker for one knows what it takes to move on.

“We can’t be satisfied with ourselves,” Parker said. “Make sure we keep the same mentality. Keep playing well. Keep playing with a lot of energy.”

Game 4 is scheduled for 8 PM Eastern time at Energy Solutions Arena is Salt Lake City.

Leonard, Anderson on Spurs’ Summer League roster

By Mike Monroe

LAS VEGAS — Three players who were on the Spurs roster through the 2011-12 season are among 18 players the team will take to Las Vegas for Summer League play that will begin for the Spurs on Sunday with a game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Kawhi Leonard, the 2011-12 first-team All-Rookie selection to started 39 games at small forward last season, will be the team’s featured player in Las Vegas. He has been in Las Vegas for six days as a member of USA Basketball’s select team that has been scrimmaging against the U.S. Olympic team as it prepares for London.

Swing man James Anderson, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2010, and point guard Cory Joseph, a first-rounder in 2011, also are on the summer roster. So is Missouri guard Marcus Denmon, selected in the second round (59th overall) on June 28th.

The Spurs also will get a look at seven-footer Alexis Ajinca, the 20th selection in the 2008 draft, by Charlotte. The French-born Ajinca has played 71 NBA games for three teams (Charlotte, Dallas and Toronto), averaging 3.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in limited playing time.

Among other noteable summer league signees: Eric Dawson, the former Sam Houston High School star who played four games with the Spurs on 10-day contracts last season; 6-11 Ryan Richards, the club’s 2010 second-round pick (49th overall); and former Texas Longhorns big man Alexis Wangmene, who played one season at UT with Joseph.

The Spurs are to play five summer league games, concluding with a July 21 game against the Mavericks.

Jacque Vaughn will serve as head coach of the summer Spurs.

SPURS SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER
No. Player – Pos. Ht. Wt. DOB From Yrs.
42 Alexis Ajinca – C 7-2 248 5/6/88 France 4th
25 James Anderson – G 6-6 215 3/25/89 Oklahoma State 3rd
10 Dwight Buycks – G 6-3 190 6/6/89 Marquette 1st
34 Derrick Byars – G/F 6-7 220 4/25/84 Vanderbilt 2nd
23 Eric Dawson – F 6-9 250 7/7/84 Midwestern State 2nd
1 Marcus Denmon – G 6-3 185 3/20/90 Missouri 1st
17 Moses Ehambe – G/F 6-6 215 5/22/86 Oral Roberts 1st
43 Darius Foster – G 6-3 210 1/12/88 Wilberforce 1st
11 JaMychal Green – F 6-8 228 6/21/90 Alabama 1st
7 Cedric Jackson – G 6-3 190 3/5/86 Cleveland State 2nd
5 Cory Joseph – G 6-3 190 8/20/91 Texas 2nd
2 Kawhi Leonard – F 6-7 225 6/29/91 San Diego State 2nd
14 Kalin Lucas – G 6-1 195 5/24/89 Michigan State 1st
19 Ryan Richards – F 6-11 230 4/21/91 England 1st
30 Alexis Wangmene – F/C 6-7 241 3/1/89 Texas 1st
27 Tyler Wilkerson – F 6-8 240 7/25/88 Marshall 1st
24 L.D. Williams – G 6-4 210 5/8/88 Wake Forest 1st
40 Luke Zeller – F/C 6-11 245 5/8/88 Notre Dame 1st
Head coach: Jacque Vaughn
Assistant coaches: Bret Brielmaier, Will Hardy, Taylor Jenkins, Alex Lloyd, Christos Marmarinos, Lele Molin, Darko Rajakovic
Athletic trainer: Dice Yamaguchi

SCHEDULE
Sunday: vs. Hawks, Cox Pavilion, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: vs. Lakers, Thomas Mack, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday: vs. Clippers, Cox Pavilion, 9 p.m.
July 20: vs. Heat, Cox Pavilion, 7 p.m.
July 21: vs. Mavericks, Cox Pavilion, 5 p.m.

Playoff musings: Thoughts from around the web about Game 1

It’s playoff time.

That means we will provide a daily digest of all of the observations from around the nation on the Spurs’ playoff doings.

Here’s a compendium of thoughts and opinions from the Spurs’ Game 1 triumph over Utah. 

  • NBA.com’s Fran Blinebury explains why “ to the Spurs.
  • Marc Stein of ESPN.com describes Parker’s circus shots and textbook runners along with his sentimental side in the Spurs’ Game 1 victory over Utah.
  • Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake City Tribune reports that Tyrone Corbin said Monday that Josh Howard Wednesday night in Game 2.
  • The Austin American-Statesman’s Cedric Golden opines about the in a title run this season.  
  • David Flores of KENS5.com described the in the Spurs’ opening victory over the Jazz.
  • Brian Smith of the Salt Lake City Tribune was busy Sunday. He writes of the experienced Spurs’ “,  Gregg Popovich’s compared to Utah and the Jazz’s need to do a  in Game 2.
  • Jody Genessy of the Salt Lake City Deseret News notes the the Spurs had for Utah in the Jazz’s first playoff game since 2010. Genessy also provides.
  • Salt Lake City Tribune columnist Kurt Kragthorpe opines the Jazzin order to be more competitive with the Spurs in Game 2. 
  • Brad Rock of the Deseret News opines that keeping Parker out of the lane is like . He also breaks down the at the end of the third quarter as a turning point in the team’s victory on Sunday. 
  • Scott D. Pierce of the Salt Lake City Tribune notes coverage of the Jazz that he called “ by ESPN in Sunday’s game broadcast.   
  • Rhett Wilkinson for the Deseret News gives the Jazz for their first-game performance.
  • David Smith for the Deseret News notes the ” in their Game 1 victory.