The upcoming West Coast trip and the rest of Jan.

This is a pivotal month for the Spurs. <br>
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The West Coast road trip will be our most important so far this year, IMO. We MUST win at least 2 of 3. I think losing two or (God forbid) three would be terrible for us mentally. <br>
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All games on the trip will be tough and against possible playoff teams (LAC, SEA, POR). I'd love to see us make a statement by winning all three and then coming home for a <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>FIVE</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> game home stand. We must finish this month very strong. Home wins are imperative because after the five game home stand, we play the next 10 out of 11 on the road due to the Rodeo (Only three home games in Feb).<br>
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We need to be positioned well in the standings going into February. Currently there are three teams behind us in division within 2 games of us. If we can string together some wins, both in quality wins and in number of wins, maintain ground during the three weeks away from home (why don't we use the Alamodome during the Rodeo?) in February, then we have a chance to make some real noise in March with 11 home games.<br>
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So I'd say the next 10 games are very big.<br>
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@LAC<br>
@SEA<br>
@POR<br>
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BOS<br>
PHX<br>
ATL<br>
HOU<br>
MEM<br>
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@UTAH<br>
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Detroit<br>
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...then 9 straight on the road!<br>
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Time to get it done, SPurs. Go get 'em! <p></p><i></i>

Excellent commentary Pitter, as usual. How do you think we will do? I am pessimistic at this point.........<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :( --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/frown.gif ALT=":("><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

We better win a bunch of games before that long road trip or we can kiss our current standing goodbye. <p></p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>(why don't we use the Alamodome during the Rodeo?)<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br>
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I get asked this quite a bit.<br>
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Again, the reason the Spurs needed a new arena was to make more money. The Spurs lost money playing at the Dome, and won't play there again.<br>
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Even if the Spurs made it to the Finals, they wouldn't move the games to the Dome.<br>
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I still miss the Dome in some regards, but that era is over. <p></p><i></i>

The Spurs can't use the dome for games because of season tickets. Specifically, the configuration of the superbarn and 'dome has a different number of luxury boxes. <p></p><i></i>

That's right on the money, sisyphos.<br>
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Man, its couldent hurt the Spurs to go on a hot streak right now! <p><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.SpursCentral.com"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.imagemagician.com/images/spursfan78852/sa_pride1001.jpg "/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--><br>
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<!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.SAHoops.net"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.imgmag.org/images/saspot/SCsigAlamoBlack.bmp"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--><br>
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<!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.SAHoops.net"> Sprewell turns, shoots at the buzzer, And the Pride of the great Lone Star State, The San Antonio Spurs are NBA Champions.--Jay Howard, '99 NBA Finals Game 5 vs. Knicks</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--></p><i></i>

Well we got the Clipps out of the way. Both Seattle and Portland are teams we'd take in a playoff series but both are always pesky as hell in the regular season. However, the Spurs are now riding waves of momentum, so I can see the tide turning and them winning out this road trip then coming home and getting surprised by both Boston and Phoenix, them murdering Atlanta, Houston and Memphis. Damnit, I don't want to fall into the optimist homer trap, but I just think the Spurs got the major letdowns out of their system in the ATL, New York and Washington. I think they'll win out on all the games and will lose at home to either Phoenix or Boston, quite possibly both. No way they lose at home to Detroit during our GTG. <br>
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I remember last January I got together with a few of the guys and the Spurs were all but dead in Orlando, then Steve Smith hit a couple of heroic threes and we stole that game. We were all like "damn, we just won!"...just a quick flashback! <p><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.sahoops.net/"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0RwC7BM4UPN4vSzvW7PLtkWgZAuhj38V0TWfeUgTe5oMC4wVam*gsnDSWBHC8gBmc*VJHFg2ilkI*7kxgMXbp5uqYP9JIkWMH8B4h4FlPcaI/GD-final.jpg"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--> </p><i></i>

Good take, <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Pitter</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->. Now that we've got the Clippers safely tucked into the Win column, we have to prepare for two tough road games.<br>
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Seattle plays the Lakers tonight. Maybe the Lakers will make it a game and the Sonics will be a little winded tomorrow night. (I'm thinking the Sonics will win.)<br>
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I'm more worried about Portland. They are playing unbelieveably well. This would be a great 'statement game' for our guys. We've got to dig in and start winning on the road.<br>
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Go Spurs! <p></p><i></i>

The Spurs need to take the Portland game to defend in honor of their teammate, Danny Ferry. A win woudl make a huge statement and say a lot about their collective on-the-court manhood. <p><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.sahoops.net/"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0RwC7BM4UPN4vSzvW7PLtkWgZAuhj38V0TWfeUgTe5oMC4wVam*gsnDSWBHC8gBmc*VJHFg2ilkI*7kxgMXbp5uqYP9JIkWMH8B4h4FlPcaI/GD-final.jpg"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--> </p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>BOS<br>
PHX<br>
ATL<br>
HOU<br>
MEM<br>
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Tough homestand.<br>
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Spurs are generally pretty good against the Celtics, but with Walker and Pierce they can beat any team on any night.<br>
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Phoenix are very tough. Marbury has killed the Spurs over the last 2 years, and Marion and Stoudamire are both really good players.<br>
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Atlanta are dangerous ( Spurs lost to them last time) with all there offensive threats, and defensive bigman Ratliff.<br>
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Houston with Ming, Francis, Mobley etc etc are pretty deep, and Ming is a good bigman to give the Spurs trouble.<br>
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Memphis are improving, and I would hazard to guess they are .500 or close to it with Hubie at the Helm. They play the Spurs really well also.<br>
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Tough Homestand, and then the Long Trip because of the rodeo. Tough! <p><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>"When I grow up, I want to be a principal or a caterpillar." - Ralph Wiggum </strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>
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