W2W4: San Antonio Spurs vs Brooklyn Nets 2-6

gamblerspalace.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

February 6th, 2014

W2W4: San Antonio Spurs vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets will be hosting the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, as Brooklyn looks to keep the momentum from a win against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets will be entering Thursday’s game with a (21-25) record, and are 3.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

- Getting Healthy

In the win against the 76ers on Monday the Nets were without three of their normal rotation players, but on Thursday they should be back to full strength. Joe Johnson, Andray Blatche, and Andrei Kirilenko are all expected to be playing, which will be a big boost, as in the win on Monday their bench unit really struggled with the lack of depth. 



- Suiting Up

The Spurs unlike the Nets now are very banged up, and after a tough double-overtime victory on Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards, it seems that the Spurs will be without their “Big 3”. Manu Ginobili is expected to be out until late February with a hamstring injury and Kawhi Leonard has also been out lately with a fractured right hand. On Wednesday night Tony Parker was forced to leave the game early with a back injury and has been officially ruled out for Thursday’s game. Tim Duncan had a monster game against the Wizards, but being on the court for 40 minutes would make it seem likely that Greg Popovich will be giving the 37-year old a night off on Thursday.

- Ending the Drought

Thursday will present the Nets with their best chance of being able to beat the Spurs since 2010 due to all the injuries and the long game on Wednesday. When the Nets played in San Antonio on New Years Eve it was pretty much a mop up, as the Spurs won easily 113-92. In the Spurs victory that night it was a well balanced attack, with six players in double-figures that defeated the Nets, but this is a Nets team that is playing much better since then, and three of those players that scored in double-figures for the Spurs that night will most likely be out. 

Tonight is a great chance for the Nets to gain ground in the Atlantic Division, but they have to be careful not to overlook the Spurs without their “Big 3”. Popovich is a great coach and  has been able to win a game against the Golden State Warriors already this year without his three Hall Of Famers.