Jonah BallowWolves Editor/Writer
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Wolves vs. Spurs 7 PM - Target Center
WHERE TO LISTEN: KFAN 1130
Scouting Report:
Big Picture:
  DOWNLOAD MP3 Corey Brewer DOWNLOAD MP3 Manu Ginobili DOWNLOAD MP3DeJuan Blair DOWNLOAD MP3
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All the Western Conference playoff chatter is missing a team that lurks in the weeds with a ton of championship experience. Barring a monumental collapse, the Spurs will not win the Southwest Division for the first time since 2006 when San Antonio captured the NBA title. The Spurs are not dominating teams and striking fear into opponents as seen in the past decade as one of the most decorated franchises in league history. This year, injuries have plagued San Antonio along with father age seeping into a locker room full of NBA veterans. On March 6, All-Star point guard Tony Parker suffered a fractured fourth metacarpal on his right hand against the Cavaliers. The Spurs hope Parker can return right before the postseason as the team holds the seventh spot in the West. A pivotal stretch of games is on the horizon for San Antonio with seven of its next 12 games on the road.
Last Meeting:
The first meeting this season resulted in a 117-99 victory for the Spurs at the AT&T Center. As a team, San Antonio combined for 32 assists, spreading the basketball and taking a 1-0 season series lead.
Backcourt:
23-year old George Hill stepped into the starting lineup in the Spurs first contest without Parker. Hill was impressive, recording 23 points, four assists, and three rebounds in 38 minutes. The biggest obstacle for head coach Gregg Popovich is to find a backcourt option with a similar type of focus on penetration. San Antonio relies on drive-and-kick basketball, which was predicated on Parker's ability to slice through the lane and open scoring opportunities for his teammates. Luckily for Popovich, Manu Ginobili is still sporting a black and silver uniform for at least one more season. Ginobili seems primed for an offensive explosion after scoring 38 points against the Cavaliers on Monday night. Two days later, the shooting guard dropped 28 in leading the Spurs to a victory over New York. Wolves' swingman Corey Brewer will draw the defensive assignment on Ginobili tonight. Brewer has spoken candidly about the difficulty in defending Ginobili's left-handed jumper, his quick first step, and athleticism to finish around the rim. Offensively, Brewer led Minnesota in scoring two nights ago against Denver on 8-for-19 shooting. Rookie Jonny Flynn was held to just 11 points but he should have an advantage against the backup Spurs point guard after he posted 17 in the first matchup on December 29.
Frontcourt:
Tim Duncan is one of the greatest power forwards in the history of the league but his impact on the offensive side of the floor has dipped this year. Averaging three-less points than his career average, Duncan continues to hit 51.4 percent from the field in 32 minutes per game. The Wolves should look to duplicate the defensive performance from Cleveland earlier this week. Without Shaq and LeBron James, the Cavaliers featured a small frontcourt lineup and limited Duncan to only 13 points. At the small forward spot, San Antonio is not receiving the expected production from offseason acquisition Richard Jefferson. On Wednesday night, Jefferson was scoreless and he is only averaging 6.8 points per game in the month of March.
What To Look For:
The Spurs rank 23rd in rebounding while Minnesota boasts the fourth best mark in the league on the glass. Al Jefferson and Darko Milicic will have to keep Duncan and rookie DeJuan Blair away from the boards to maintain a physical presence in the frontcourt. Milicic grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds against Denver while affecting numerous shots from the Nuggets. His defense against Duncan is key for the Wolves to win the points in the paint battle.
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