duncan228
10-05-2008, 11:35 PM
Pivotal campaign awaits Spurs' Bonner (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Pivotal_campaign_awaits_Spurs_Bonner.html)
Jeff McDonald - Express-News
The final buzzer of the Western Conference Finals last May might as well have been the starting gun for one of the busiest summers of Matt Bonner's life.
The Spurs forward spent two weeks of it at home in New Hampshire, running his charity basketball camp. He spent another fortnight in Africa, as part of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program.
And then came the big date on his summer calendar: On Aug. 1, Bonner married his girlfriend in Toronto.
The wedding wasn't exactly as highly anticipated as the Tony Parker-Eva Longoria “I-dos” of the summer before. Paparazzi, for instance, weren't quite the nuisance at the Bonner nuptials.
“The biggest celebrity there,” Bonner said, “was probably my little brother.”
It was only after the wedding that Bonner was able to take a breath. He and his new bride, Nadia, embarked on a relaxing honeymoon to Bora Bora.
Hopefully, the short vacation left Bonner refreshed.
Back in Spurs training camp, and back on the job, Bonner is facing perhaps the most pivotal season of his basketball-playing life.
Robert Horry, the primary obstacle in Bonner's path to playing time the past two seasons, has been shipped off to the NBA's version of the old folks home. Entering his third season with the Spurs, Bonner stands first in line for those Horry minutes as a shooting big man off the bench.
As such, Bonner, 28, should finally have ample opportunity to justify the three-year, $9-million contract the Spurs awarded him last summer.
“This is really the first time he's going to be the lead character in the play at his position,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He's always kind of been in the shadow of Robert Horry. He's got a chance to step out of the shadows and show he deserves those minutes.”
By most accounts, last season was supposed to be Bonner's big breakout. A 6-foot-10 gunner with legitimate 3-point range, Bonner was expected to be key piece of the Spurs' bench.
There were some bright spots: Most notably the 25-point, 17-rebound effort he logged at Golden State in December, starting in place of an injured Tim Duncan.
As a whole, however, Bonner's second season in San Antonio was somewhat of a disappointment.
His scoring average and shooting percentage dropped from the year before, even as his minutes rose. He ended the year averaging 4.8 points per game, and shooting 33.6 percent from 3-point range.
By season's end, Bonner had fallen completely out of Popovich's rotation.
Heading into a new season, the expectations have reset for Bonner. No less an authority than Duncan has singled him out as a player whose development is paramount to the Spurs' success this season.
“Matt Bonner is going to have to step up and play a lot better for us,” Duncan said. “And he's going to have the opportunity to.”
For the newlywed Bonner, the honeymoon is over in more ways than one. If he doesn't make a dramatic leap forward, he could find himself on the trading block as the season progresses.
Down to his last good chance, Bonner has primed himself to prove himself to the Spurs. He spent whatever downtime he had during his hectic summer working out in San Antonio, enduring a regimen that included, among other things, flipping truck tires.
“If a fan throws a giant tractor tire on the court, I'll be the first one to help,” Bonner said, obligingly.
When the topic turns to the crucial season ahead, the Spurs' happy-go-luckiest player turns serious.
Bonner realizes the significance of the campaign to come in the arc of his career. His hope is to perform well enough to make his season as busy as his summer.
“Looking at the big picture, there is an opportunity there for me,” Bonner said. “I'm going to do everything I can to be ready to take advantage of it.”
Jeff McDonald - Express-News
The final buzzer of the Western Conference Finals last May might as well have been the starting gun for one of the busiest summers of Matt Bonner's life.
The Spurs forward spent two weeks of it at home in New Hampshire, running his charity basketball camp. He spent another fortnight in Africa, as part of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program.
And then came the big date on his summer calendar: On Aug. 1, Bonner married his girlfriend in Toronto.
The wedding wasn't exactly as highly anticipated as the Tony Parker-Eva Longoria “I-dos” of the summer before. Paparazzi, for instance, weren't quite the nuisance at the Bonner nuptials.
“The biggest celebrity there,” Bonner said, “was probably my little brother.”
It was only after the wedding that Bonner was able to take a breath. He and his new bride, Nadia, embarked on a relaxing honeymoon to Bora Bora.
Hopefully, the short vacation left Bonner refreshed.
Back in Spurs training camp, and back on the job, Bonner is facing perhaps the most pivotal season of his basketball-playing life.
Robert Horry, the primary obstacle in Bonner's path to playing time the past two seasons, has been shipped off to the NBA's version of the old folks home. Entering his third season with the Spurs, Bonner stands first in line for those Horry minutes as a shooting big man off the bench.
As such, Bonner, 28, should finally have ample opportunity to justify the three-year, $9-million contract the Spurs awarded him last summer.
“This is really the first time he's going to be the lead character in the play at his position,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He's always kind of been in the shadow of Robert Horry. He's got a chance to step out of the shadows and show he deserves those minutes.”
By most accounts, last season was supposed to be Bonner's big breakout. A 6-foot-10 gunner with legitimate 3-point range, Bonner was expected to be key piece of the Spurs' bench.
There were some bright spots: Most notably the 25-point, 17-rebound effort he logged at Golden State in December, starting in place of an injured Tim Duncan.
As a whole, however, Bonner's second season in San Antonio was somewhat of a disappointment.
His scoring average and shooting percentage dropped from the year before, even as his minutes rose. He ended the year averaging 4.8 points per game, and shooting 33.6 percent from 3-point range.
By season's end, Bonner had fallen completely out of Popovich's rotation.
Heading into a new season, the expectations have reset for Bonner. No less an authority than Duncan has singled him out as a player whose development is paramount to the Spurs' success this season.
“Matt Bonner is going to have to step up and play a lot better for us,” Duncan said. “And he's going to have the opportunity to.”
For the newlywed Bonner, the honeymoon is over in more ways than one. If he doesn't make a dramatic leap forward, he could find himself on the trading block as the season progresses.
Down to his last good chance, Bonner has primed himself to prove himself to the Spurs. He spent whatever downtime he had during his hectic summer working out in San Antonio, enduring a regimen that included, among other things, flipping truck tires.
“If a fan throws a giant tractor tire on the court, I'll be the first one to help,” Bonner said, obligingly.
When the topic turns to the crucial season ahead, the Spurs' happy-go-luckiest player turns serious.
Bonner realizes the significance of the campaign to come in the arc of his career. His hope is to perform well enough to make his season as busy as his summer.
“Looking at the big picture, there is an opportunity there for me,” Bonner said. “I'm going to do everything I can to be ready to take advantage of it.”