I'm not playing this but the First Half SA +135 ML is interesting to me because though I don't think SA has a great chance of winning straight up tonight, if they do I'd think winning the first half would be critical.
Jumping on Det early might be SA's best (?only) strategy tonight. That and hoping Ben and 'Sheed get in early foul trouble and if that happens we'll all be talking about referees again (still).
Excerpts from WOAI in SA story.
In Game 5 on Sunday night, Duncan and Ginobili believe they must improve to avoid a Michigan whitewash by the Pistons' powerful defense. After a spirited film session on Saturday, the Spurs seemed to feel they knew what might work against Detroit's dominance - but they weren't saying much.
From Duncan-
"Their adjustment has been to crowd and pack the lane, and it's been very difficult with the way they've been able to defend us," Duncan said. "We have to do a little bit better job understanding what they're going to do. They're going to get in that lane, and we're going to have to move the ball and make their bodies move."
About Manu-
Ginobili aggravated a bruise on his right thigh in the opening seconds of Game 3, hobbling him for the rest of the night.
He said he was "pretty comfortable" in Game 4, and he doesn't expect to be limited on Sunday night. Still, Ginobili hasn't figured out how to reprise his daredevil drives to the hoop in the first two games - drives that were repelled by Detroit's big men in the last two games.
"If you see ... their personnel, it's not that they are the all-time best defensive team," Ginobili said, "but when you go by the first line (of defense), then you've got to meet one of those guys, and they are very long and athletic. They make things harder."
And one more-
Detroit's reserves have outscored San Antonio's bench 86-69, even though Brown has largely stuck to a seven-man rotation, with only Lindsey Hunter and Antonio McDyess getting significant minutes. ... The volatile Pistons were called for four technical fouls for arguing in San Antonio - but just one in Detroit so far.
Jumping on Det early might be SA's best (?only) strategy tonight. That and hoping Ben and 'Sheed get in early foul trouble and if that happens we'll all be talking about referees again (still).
Excerpts from WOAI in SA story.
In Game 5 on Sunday night, Duncan and Ginobili believe they must improve to avoid a Michigan whitewash by the Pistons' powerful defense. After a spirited film session on Saturday, the Spurs seemed to feel they knew what might work against Detroit's dominance - but they weren't saying much.
From Duncan-
"Their adjustment has been to crowd and pack the lane, and it's been very difficult with the way they've been able to defend us," Duncan said. "We have to do a little bit better job understanding what they're going to do. They're going to get in that lane, and we're going to have to move the ball and make their bodies move."
About Manu-
Ginobili aggravated a bruise on his right thigh in the opening seconds of Game 3, hobbling him for the rest of the night.
He said he was "pretty comfortable" in Game 4, and he doesn't expect to be limited on Sunday night. Still, Ginobili hasn't figured out how to reprise his daredevil drives to the hoop in the first two games - drives that were repelled by Detroit's big men in the last two games.
"If you see ... their personnel, it's not that they are the all-time best defensive team," Ginobili said, "but when you go by the first line (of defense), then you've got to meet one of those guys, and they are very long and athletic. They make things harder."
And one more-
Detroit's reserves have outscored San Antonio's bench 86-69, even though Brown has largely stuck to a seven-man rotation, with only Lindsey Hunter and Antonio McDyess getting significant minutes. ... The volatile Pistons were called for four technical fouls for arguing in San Antonio - but just one in Detroit so far.