Spurs-Lakers: Narrow Win Gives San Antonio Hope Against Its Los Angeles Nemesis

Writer's note: This is not a game recap. If you would like one of those, please visit www.latimes.com or www.mysanantonio.com. This is a two-team analysis, so prepare for that.

Hope. That's all Wednesday night's win gives the Spurs. That one word helped the country's first black presidential candidate get elected, and a few months down the line, it could help South Texas' four-time champions in the postseason.

This one game settles nothing. It will not change what happened in May when the Spurs know they gave away a shot at a fifth Finals berth. It offered a glimpse into how they might fare should the teams meet again in a playoff joust.

When the Spurs see Roger Mason Jr.'s miracle fall-away swoosh after contact and a bad call on Trevor Ariza seal a tight 112-111 win, they will likely conclude that a rematch in May is not a good idea. For now, at least.

The Spurs own sole possession of first place in the Southwest Division and the second best record in the Western Conference. The Lakers are sleepwalking through many games against ho-hum teams and still beating them. The Lakers certainly did not sleepwalk against The Spurs.

In perhaps the wildest nationally televised contest of the season, rested San Antonio edged a tired Los Angeles squad with just enough poise and some well-timed luck.

The Spurs needed this game. The Lakers did not. They needed to know that they could blow a double digit fourth-quarter lead at home and hit enough shots down the stretch to eke out a victory.

After a heartbreaker Sunday night, in which the Orlando Magic beat the Spurs at their own inside-out game with 14 three-pointers, the win showed them in stretches what they could be and at other times how much work they still need to get there.

Words like “revenge” and “frustration” were thrown around tonight by announcers like dice on a craps table in a Vegas casino. No team can avenge a crushing playoff loss or alleviate the pain caused by that exit in early January.

Every team in the Western Conference is still chasing the 31-7 Lakers. With hard work stemming from a big win, the Spurs could become the hunted again in a few months.

This is a win to build on, but it does not mean the Spurs should want to face The Lakers again in April or May. They know better, and maybe after tonight, others will, too.

Here's a look at the players and schemes propelling the success of the reigning Western Conference finalists, and a candid exploration of each squad's flaws.

At 25-12, the Spurs maintain a slight lead in the brutal Southwest Division and their second place status in the airtight Western Conference. Several players in silver and black played critical roles in the win.

 

MANU GINOBILI—9-15, 27 points, 4-8 from the arc, three steals, three rebounds, two assists

Perhaps the biggest argument in this continued rivalry is one that a single game cannot answer. Which was more important in that five-game ouster: Andrew Bynum's absence or Manu Ginobili hobbling on a bum ankle?

Bynum and Ginobili each offered strong cases, but this time, "El Contusion" won. He torched the Lakers trapping defense in the first half for 19 of his 27, and at times, looked unconscious from beyond the arc. Three of his four trey makes were not guarded, but he had been slumping of late, shooting a career low 33 percent.

He needed to find his stroke to compliment the explosive drives that have gradually returned. In many moments, he looked like the Manu that has scored 13 points in each of the Spurs last two championship clinching fourth quarters.

Early in the fourth quarter, he spun past Trevor Ariza and Vladimir Radmanovic for a nifty twisting layup. He also dunked on the break off a miscued Kobe Bryant pass in the first half.

The Spurs need this Manu to have any chance against the Lakers in May.

ROGER MASON—7-11, 18 points

The Spurs’ summer free agent steal drilled the game-winner and ensuing free throw, but his suffocating defense on Bryant and his torrid shooting made Bruce Bowen expendable.

He made the Lakers’ scrambling defense pay for leaving him open behind the arc three-out-of-four tries. His firepower fueled a team known more for its offensive lulls than its scoring bonanzas.

Much like Shane Battier did Tuesday night in Houston, Mason braced for the three-pointer he knew Bryant would take with 12 seconds to go and defended it superbly. Because Bryant is the best player on the planet, he nailed it.

Popovich will review Mason's job on Bryant and offer no complaints. Sometimes great players make incredible shots.

TIM DUNCAN—9-19, 10 points, eight assists

With the Lakers’ length up front bothering Duncan for most of the game, he morphed into a quarterback, setting up his teammates with excellent looks.

In the third play of the game, he drew a double-team at the top of the key and hit a streaking Parker for an easy layup.

In typical Duncan fashion, he found ways around Bynum and Gasol's molestation, and willed in two clutch baskets, one after he lost control of the ball to give them the lead again, and another with a double-team in his grille. His greatness in big games cannot be oversold nor can his leadership or perseverance.

His decision making in the final minutes remains the biggest reason San Antonio has a chance at a fifth title.

GEORGE HILL—3-4, 10 points, four rebounds

Hill has a lot to learn on the defensive end despite his greatest efforts. He was repeatedly burned by any Lakers guard or forward who ran at the basket, and though he did not pick up any fouls, Popovich will give him an earful during the next video session.

His two turnovers were also unsightly.

Still, Hill was a positive because he ran the offense without crashing it and quenched the Spurs’ thirst for points with three timely shots. He continues to impress with his willingness to learn and his hunger to become everything Popovich and R.C. Buford thought he could be when they drafted him last summer.

He allowed Parker an extended rest—from the end of the third until the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarter.

TONY PARKER—9-14, 20 points, three assists

Continuing his case for a berth in the All-Star game next month, Parker imposed his will in the first half on several drives to the hoop. The Lakers struggled to contain him as he torpedoed them with long-range jumpers, several floaters and his trademark teardrop.

While Fisher, with help from Bynum, Odom, and Gasol, controlled his penetration in the second half, he found other ways to contribute.

The Spurs will need this Parker to have any chance against the Lakers in May.

MATT BONNER—4-7, 10 points, 2-5 from the arc

Popovich's ultimatum to Bonner is simple: “shoot or be yanked.”

Bonner committed five fouls and was victimized by Pau Gasol's first quarter deluge. Still, he hustled his buttocks off and threw in 10 points for a team that needed every one of them.

His zone and double-team busting shooting continues to give opposing defenses headaches and it often forces the other team's center to run out to arc, leaving the hoop less protected against drives.

NO BUENO: The Spurs still have a mountain of work to do to reach that familiar championship level and here is some of it:

Defense:

As Mason said in his post-game interview, the overall defense was disappointing. Both teams allowed more than 110 points on better than 55 percent shooting. Since the Lakers are the ones with the conference crown, the Spurs will have to adjust.

Bynum pushed and muscled his way into the lane, several key three-point makes were not contested and many closeouts were late.

The defenders must be precise when deciding to either double or harangue the outside shooters. Too often Wednesday night, indecision led to open looks or silly fouls.

The Spurs will not win four games against the Lakers, one of those on the road, allowing 111 points on 56 percent shooting.

It should concern ZZ Pop that Josh Powell, a sparsely played support player, amassed his own scoring run in the final frame.

The San Antonio defense can be a lot better, and that nugget alone, gives them more hope.

Offense:

The Lakers took advantage of the Spurs’ inability to control Gasol or Bynum with nine three-point makes in 16 tries. The Spurs, though hitting 10-20, a great percentage, did not do it often enough.

Michael Finley was 1-4, and his lone bucket was a three-point play. For most of the night, he was a useless body struggling to find a purpose.

This, of course, is the danger Popovich should know he will face when he shifts a shooting guard with size to the small forward position.

The Spurs only coughed up the rock 11 times, a manageable number, but all of those miscues were humongous. Against a Lakers team with seemingly limitless scoring options, the margin of error is slim.

One consecutive possession early in the fourth quarter, when Bryant was sitting on the bench, and the Spurs had a chance to flummox the Lakers reserves, they heaved up bricks. A few more buckets would have afforded some valuable breathing room and might have damaged the spirit of a team dog tired after a tough finish the previous night in Houston.

Summary:

With a monster winning percentage since an abysmal 1-4 start, and injuries to Parker and Ginobili, does this win give the Spurs the right to say, "We have a chance?" Of course it does.

However, a rematch with the frisky and flashy Lakers remains inadvisable. The Spurs milked All-Star efforts from three Hall of Famers and beat a team without a guard on its bench or fresh legs by a point.

The Spurs still have to prove they can win at the Staples Center and will get that chance in the next two weeks.

This team's two greatest allies will be there as long as Duncan helms the ship: appropriate fear and no egos, just guys who want and know how to win big games.

But, a fifth title in 10 years? Not yet.

The Lakers edged the banged-up Houston Rockets 105-100 in Houston Tuesday night and then trudged to San Antonio to meet a rested and motivated Spurs squad. They lost by a point, with a bogus travelling call ruining a last chance to win the game.

At 31-7, the Lakers can still look down at the 29 other teams. LeBron James and Dwight Howard await them this weekend, but for now, they are still the best thing going this season.

It must have pained Popovich to fawn over a Lakers team whose porous defense might send him to the nuthouse. It is frustrating to watch the Lakers allow mediocre clubs like the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers to rack up points against them. The Pacers and Heat displayed tremendous heart and grit in Los Angeles this weekend and still lost.

A closer look at what the NBA's best collection of talent did Wednesday tells the tale.

KOBE BRYANT—11-19, 29 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists, one block

The league's best closer was up to his unguardable self in a grueling back-to-back against perhaps the only two teams equipped to beat the Lakers in a playoff series.

Tuesday, Bryant drilled a three from Houston's City Hall with Shane Battier flossing his teeth. Wednesday, after Tim Duncan's out-of-control floater dropped to give the Spurs a lead, he calmly stopped behind the arc, with Roger Mason giving him an eye exam, and swooshed another one.

The NBA's most courageous player delivered another sensational performance having played 40-plus minutes in Houston. He played nearly 42 minutes in San Antonio.

His end of game decisions may not always be correct, but they will be deliberate and precise.

Everyone in the AT&T Center knew Bryant was going to chuck up that potential game-winning three. I knew it, you knew it. A Neanderthal from the Stone Age could have seen that one coming. That shot will sometimes drop in and out, but as he exhibited this week, he will never leave it short or hesitate.

Whereas Dirk Nowitzki is too hard on himself and indecisive to ever be a consistent clutch performer, Bryant possesses the killer instinct, confidence and the will to be spontaneously brilliant.

His decision making was superb in other big moments. He faked a three that prompted a double-team and dished a crisp pass to a wide-open Lamar Odom for a dunk.

It is also facile to overlook that Bryant is playing with a bad pinkie and with little rest after playing big minutes with the U.S. Olympic team.

He did everything he could to pull out a win, but bad luck and the will of the Spurs sank his heroic efforts.

PAU GASOL—10-14, 21 points, five rebounds

He may never become a physically tough player, but Gasol is a multi-talented, finesse big guy that most teams would love to have.

He pummeled Matt Bonner's attempt at defense in the first quarter and took advantage of every week perimeter show by hitting the 12 to 15-foot jumpshots he could not on the road last year.

If the coaches omit him from the All-Star team in February, it will be the dumbest mishap since Krispy Kreme introduced its donut-in-a-shake concept.

And to one particular Golden State Warriors fan and the Boston Celtics nation, your opinions mean squat here.

He helped Bynum harass Duncan into a tough night. Credit Duncan's greatness, not lackluster defense, for a near triple-double performance.

Is Gasol the George to Bryant's Weezie, as purported by the NBA advertisement you have now likely seen? You bet.

TREVOR ARIZA—4-8, 10 points, six rebounds

A guy who averages less than 11 points per game has no chance at an All-Star berth, but if the NBA assembled an all-impact player squad, Ariza would be a first-team selection.

The box score says "two steals."

No box score could encapsulate the hustle and competitiveness he brought against both the Rockets and Spurs.

He has been the Lakers most consistent defender other than Bryant and has rarely hosed Phil Jackson on effort. He is a terror in the passing lanes, and because the Lakers are loaded with offensive weapons, his thievery usually leads to a quick score.

JOSH POWELL—3-5, six points, two rebounds

With the Spurs threatening to blow the game open in the fourth quarter, it was Powell who rifled in two open 15-footers to keep the Lakers close. His 14 minutes of play was spirited and far better than the box score indicates.

Other teams watching this game must have thought: “Christ, now Josh Powell is going off?”

ANDREW BYNUM—9-15, 18 points, one block

Not so fast with that funereal, the extension-was-a-mistake talk.

Forget for a moment that both Ariza and Bryant out-boarded Bynum and Gasol. What other team starts two bigs with this level of talent?

The answer and reason why only seven teams have beaten the Lakers: none.

Wednesday night, Bynum shoved and muscled his way to the hoop against Duncan, Bonner, and Kurt Thomas. He manufactured points with his sheer size and strength and was impossible to guard once he secured deep post position.

He also defended Duncan admirably but fell victim to clutch plays from the greatest to ever suit up at his position.

DEREK FISHER--5-10, 16 points, 4-4 from the arc, two assists

Like Bryant, Fisher also logged heavy minutes against the Rockets then played 36 against the Spurs. His intelligence, floor leadership, and steady hand are the backbone of the Lakers' success.

His acumen in close games is a godsend, and not even climbing age can stifle it. One of his treys was part of the Lakers' furious run to take back the lead late in the fourth quarter, and the other three shut up the raucous crowd for a few moments.

Now in his mid-30s, Fisher struggles to keep any guard in front of him, but he can still provide adequate help defense and bother long-distance shots.

WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT FLAWS?

It's hard to believe that a 31-7 team sports flaws that have banished many teams to the lottery, but it's true.

The on-again, off-again defense should have cost the Lakers at least four more losses. The basketball gods must be playing some cruel joke on all that is fair and just.

Tuesday night, the Lakers scrambled after a late loose ball scrum and no one covered Shane Battier in the corner, who had all day and a trip to the spa to nail the shot.

The Lakers have benefited from the late-game idiocy of their opponents. Rafer Alston missed two free throws that would have tied that game in Houston.

Yao had Von Wafer and Aaron Brooks wide open in the corners to tie the game and send it to overtime but instead flung up a rainbow that had no chance. Who knows what would have happened had Yao run the play Rick Adelman drew up in the timeout.

It is difficult to hang for 48 minutes with a team that boasts as many as eight to nine players who have to be guarded as passers as well as scorers.

If that last play against the Rockets sounds familiar, flashback to a Sunday squeaker against the Heat. Chris Quinn, one of the league's best long-distance gunners, missed a wide open look off dribble penetration that would have given Miami a late lead.

Most teams get burned in that situation. The Lakers have been lucky and should praise their good fortune.

Could this be the first team to win a championship just because of its sheer talent?

Many Lakers fans agree that Lamar Odom's rocky play makes him overpriced garbage, and even broadcast team Stu Lantz and Joel Meyers have commented in many games that the defense is woeful.

"How is that guy so open after he just hit that same shot?"

It seems like a foolish gameplan to sneak by mediocre have-nots and only play complete games against contenders, but the Lakers appear to embrace that route and it's working. While the Spurs did shoot 57 percent, the Lakers defense in the second half was decidedly better than in the first.

When every rotation player has length, can pass, and can score from multiple areas, how can the Lakers lose?

Summary:

The Lakers look like a team capable of breaking the mold of the last 20 years. Whereas power and lockdown defense has won for most of my lifetime, it appears that reign could end.

Basketball aficionados will have to settle for a defense that at its best is better than average, and a high-octane offense that trumps anything other teams are throwing out there.

Gasol and Bynum give the Lakers dangerous length up front, Fisher is a smart ace at the point, the bench, even without Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, still pours in points, and Bryant is a cold-blooded killer.

Bryant's fearlessness in close games remains the number one reason the Lakers should frighten every opponent. As Mason and Battier proved with back-to-back stingy defensive stands, even the best traps cannot foil a great assassin.

The Lakers will likely lose one or both games this weekend and then resume their pattern of letting inferior teams hang around. Is there any reason to believe otherwise?

We'll see in a few months if it's enough.