duncan228
01-06-2009, 01:30 AM
Spurs' Hill produces in key minutes (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_Hill_produces_in_key_minutes.html)
Jeff McDonald
MIAMI — Midway through the second quarter of the Spurs' 91-84 victory Monday night at Miami, rookie guard George Hill found himself in a situation that could have been hazardous to his health.
Spurs forward Kurt Thomas had just been called for a loose ball foul, while scrambling for a rebound with diminutive Heat guard Chris Quinn, and was close to letting the official who had whistled it, Bob Delaney, have an earful.
So Hill did something he would not advise kids to try at home. He stepped between a perturbed bull (Thomas) and a flapping, red cape (Delaney).
“That's what a teammate is for,” said Hill, who not-so-gently prodded the veteran Thomas to midcourt. “When things go bad, to get him out of a situation where it could possibly hurt us. I just wanted to keep it peaceful.”
Hill wasn't just there to play peacemaker Monday. In an extended stint in reserve of Tony Parker, Hill scored 15 points in 17 minutes — including the first 6 1/2 of the fourth quarter — and made all four of his field goal tries.
It was his most prolific scoring night since posting 19 points against Chicago on Nov. 26.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he went into the game planning to give Hill some extra minutes. Hill made the decision to keep him in the game easy.
“We wanted to give him time, as a rookie, to play,” Popovich said, noting how Miami rookie Mario Chalmers has flourished while playing a starter's minutes. “Every minute he can get is going to help him down the stretch, and we love leaving him in there.”
Twice, the Heat (18-15) tied the game in the early stages of the fourth quarter. Twice, Hill answered with a big basket.
He followed Quinn's tying 3-pointer with a matching 3-pointer, then responded to Dwyane Wade's old-fashioned 3-point play with one of his own.
“Anything that helps our team win games,” Hill said. “If it's three minutes or two minutes or if it's the whole game.”
Still bombing: The Spurs were 10 of 22 from the 3-point stripe, which meant they had cooled off from their 15 of 26 clip in a victory against Philadelphia two nights earlier.
It was still enough to nudge the Spurs' league-leading season percentage up a tenth of a point to 40.7 percent — and leave Miami coach Erik Spoelstra impressed.
Spoelstra said the Spurs' 3-point attack begins with its Big Three of Tim Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili creating open looks.
“Those three guys create so many problems, and the shooters they leave open are deadly,” Spoelstra said. “They take advantage of that.”
Matt Bonner was the Spurs' best 3-point marksman against the Heat, making 3 of 4 attempts as part of an 11-point night.
Cook leaves game: Heat guard Daequan Cook left the game after banging knees with Thomas in the first half and did not return. Cook had been a key contributor for Miami, scoring in double figures in nine consecutive games before Monday night.
Jeff McDonald
MIAMI — Midway through the second quarter of the Spurs' 91-84 victory Monday night at Miami, rookie guard George Hill found himself in a situation that could have been hazardous to his health.
Spurs forward Kurt Thomas had just been called for a loose ball foul, while scrambling for a rebound with diminutive Heat guard Chris Quinn, and was close to letting the official who had whistled it, Bob Delaney, have an earful.
So Hill did something he would not advise kids to try at home. He stepped between a perturbed bull (Thomas) and a flapping, red cape (Delaney).
“That's what a teammate is for,” said Hill, who not-so-gently prodded the veteran Thomas to midcourt. “When things go bad, to get him out of a situation where it could possibly hurt us. I just wanted to keep it peaceful.”
Hill wasn't just there to play peacemaker Monday. In an extended stint in reserve of Tony Parker, Hill scored 15 points in 17 minutes — including the first 6 1/2 of the fourth quarter — and made all four of his field goal tries.
It was his most prolific scoring night since posting 19 points against Chicago on Nov. 26.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he went into the game planning to give Hill some extra minutes. Hill made the decision to keep him in the game easy.
“We wanted to give him time, as a rookie, to play,” Popovich said, noting how Miami rookie Mario Chalmers has flourished while playing a starter's minutes. “Every minute he can get is going to help him down the stretch, and we love leaving him in there.”
Twice, the Heat (18-15) tied the game in the early stages of the fourth quarter. Twice, Hill answered with a big basket.
He followed Quinn's tying 3-pointer with a matching 3-pointer, then responded to Dwyane Wade's old-fashioned 3-point play with one of his own.
“Anything that helps our team win games,” Hill said. “If it's three minutes or two minutes or if it's the whole game.”
Still bombing: The Spurs were 10 of 22 from the 3-point stripe, which meant they had cooled off from their 15 of 26 clip in a victory against Philadelphia two nights earlier.
It was still enough to nudge the Spurs' league-leading season percentage up a tenth of a point to 40.7 percent — and leave Miami coach Erik Spoelstra impressed.
Spoelstra said the Spurs' 3-point attack begins with its Big Three of Tim Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili creating open looks.
“Those three guys create so many problems, and the shooters they leave open are deadly,” Spoelstra said. “They take advantage of that.”
Matt Bonner was the Spurs' best 3-point marksman against the Heat, making 3 of 4 attempts as part of an 11-point night.
Cook leaves game: Heat guard Daequan Cook left the game after banging knees with Thomas in the first half and did not return. Cook had been a key contributor for Miami, scoring in double figures in nine consecutive games before Monday night.