The Morning Tip-Off

Good morning everybody.  It is another great day here in San Antonio and I hope all of you are off to a fantastic day.  As always, we are going to continue to kick off your day with some news from around the net.

Intriguing Series Ahead After Game 1 Classic – Rant Sports

The San Antonio Spurs got almost 20 points from five different players, including a double-double from Tim Duncan and a near triple-double from Tony Parker to hold off the Golden State Warriors for their 30th straight victory over Golden State at home. The Warriors were on a mission and played admirably, especially after allowing the Spurs to come back from a small first-half deficit, but their inexperience showed down the stretch.

Big Man, Small Man – Grantland

The natural move for Golden State after Lee’s injury would have been to start Landry, or perhaps even Green, in Lee’s spot. But they surprised most observers, including the Nuggets, by instead starting Harrison Barnes as a small-ball power forward, even though no such unit had logged more than 28 minutes the entire regular season.

Spurs Fans’s Shrill Scream Will Haunt You Forever – Crossover Chronicles

The Spurs came back from an 18-point deficit to win in double-overtime 129-27 and provided NBA fans with what can only be described as an instant classic which will be long remembered for Manu Ginobili’s clutch game-winning shot, Stephen Curry’s monster third quarter scoring barrage, and a Spurs fan’s piercing scream during the crucial fourth quarter for San Antonio.

How Klay Thompson Fouling Out Changed Game 1 – 48 MOH

In the midst of the Spurs’ 18-2 run to force overtime in San Antonio’s 129-127 Game 1 win over the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson’s absence loomed large. Thompson fouled out at the 3:57 mark of the fourth quarter when the Warriors held a 104-89 lead over the Spurs. Thompson finished with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting and five rebounds.

To that point, Tony Parker was practically a defensive liability for the Spurs. It seemed like whoever they put him on, the Warriors would force feed that player the ball and he would score. Jarrett Jack was the only player San Antonio could really hide Parker on. Thompson, Stephen Curry and Harrison Barnes would just rise up over Parker and get a good look at the basket. And with as good of shooters as Curry and Thompson are, a good look is all they need.

Manu Ginobili Proving He’s Biggest X-Factor Of 2013 NBA Playoffs – Bleacher Report

The 2013 NBA playoffs may well be remembered for the players who did not partake in the festivities, but San Antonio Spurs supersub Manu Ginobili is doing everything in his power to put the focus back on the hardwood.

Funny to think that only a few weeks ago he appeared as if he might be forced to endure his postseason from the trainers’ table.

Manu Ginobili, Gregg Popovich, Kent Bazemore Offer Great Breakdown Of Spurs Game-Winner – Ball Don’t Lie

We’ve already talked quite a bit about the game-winning 3-pointer that Manu Ginobili nailed in double overtime to push the San Antonio Spurs past the Golden State Warriors to a 1-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinals series. Let’s let three people involved in the play talk about it in their own words, thanks to the great Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.

Was Game 1 Best Playoff Game In NBA History – Blue Man Hoop

In the supposedly star-driven NBA, individual performances often stand above team results. We do not remember Game 6 of the 1980 NBA finals as the time the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers to clinch the series.  Instead, that game was made legendary by Magic Johnson’s brilliant performance in the absence of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Tales of Magic Johnson starting at center and playing every single position have persevered without regard to the team-level circumstances or results of the game, other than a basic knowledge of its importance and victor.