(Today's preview is brought to us by reader Adam. If you're interested in doing the gameday preview, write it up and send an email to rufusonfireblog@gmail.com following the established format. Music. Big Picture. Keys to Victory. Detail. Include your username for proper credit. Deadline will be roughly 9am the day of the game.)
Pump Up Music: Ft. Minor -- "Remember the Name"
The Big Picture: The San Antonio Spurs are riding a 3 game win streak heading into tonight’s game, the last one coming in an overtime thriller against the Thunder. Against the Thunder the Spurs played without Tim Duncan, who Greg Popovich will occasionally sit just to give him a break. But they didn’t need him thanks to an outstanding performance from rookie DeJuan Blair, who had career highs of 28 points and 21 rebounds. They look like they will give the Bobcats some tough competition.
Our Charlotte Bobcats are riding a 2 game win streak while winning 7 of their last 10 games. Their last game against the Houston Rockets showed again how defense can prevail in the end limiting the Rockets to 34 second half points and overcoming a 10 point halftime deficit. The Bobcats look to continue their home dominance against a tough Spurs team tonight.
Keys to Victory:
1. Win the rebounding battle against Blair and The Big Fundamental. Whoever is playing center needs to pull down his share of the boards. With Diaw’s recent uptick past 5 a game, and Gerald and Captain Jack holding their own, we could do this.
2. Defense, Defense, Defense. Enough said.
3. This game will be a boring game. It won’t be fast paced. It will be about fundamentals and defense, but in the end we will need a big play or out of somebody (Flip Murray from three, maybe) to get us separated.
Detail That Might Interest .08% of You: Richard Jefferson and Luke Walton are such close friends (University of Arizona) that, apparently, Jefferson was at the Walton home the night Walton was drafted.