duncan228
01-11-2009, 12:32 AM
Spurs' Parker looking like an all-star (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Spurs_Parker_looking_like_an_all-star.html)
Jeff McDonald
Every NBA player, every season, has a night or two he'd rather forget. For Spurs guard Tony Parker this season, Dec. 18 at Orlando was one of those nights.
With a national television audience looking on, Parker went 3 of 17 from the field, scored just nine points and had as many turnovers as assists (four) in the Spurs' 90-78 loss. To make matters worse, his Orlando counterpart, Jameer Nelson, had 24 points, inviting his Magic teammates to ride him piggyback to victory.
To Parker, the whole night seemed like a bad dream. Or a bad joke. And the charter flight home was no picnic either.
“It's impossible to play good every game,” Parker said, philosophical now that the worst night of his season is so far in the rearview. “We play so many, sometimes you're going to have one of those bad games. The key is to bounce back and come back even stronger.”
In the 10 games since leaving Orlando, Parker has taken his own words to heart.
When the white-hot Magic arrive at the AT&T Center for tonight's repeat engagement, they can expect to find a very different Parker than the one who left Amway Arena in December disgusted with himself.
Since transforming the Magic's kingdom into his unhappiest place on Earth, Parker has done much to bolster his All-Star credentials, averaging 21.7 points and 7.3 assists. He has boosted his season numbers to 20.9 points and 6.7 assists per game, both of which will be career highs if he can keep it up another three months.
Beyond the numbers, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been impressed with Parker's decision-making, the No. 1 skill required of any point guard.
“He's a scoring point guard, but he's got to make sure he keeps everybody involved, too,” Popovich said. “He could try and get something done (by himself) all the time, but he realizes it's a team game. The decisions he's made this year have been really, really good in that regard.”
One moment in Parker's post-Orlando All-Star audition stands out.
On Christmas Day in Phoenix, the Spurs were behind by a point on their final possession. Driving toward the basket, Parker sensed Phoenix's Jason Richardson had wandered a little too far from the man he was supposed to be defending.
Parker threaded a pass to a suddenly open Roger Mason Jr., in the corner, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the horn.
Mason got the glory, but his “SportsCenter” highlight wouldn't have been possible without Parker.
“He's trying to make himself an all-around point guard,” Spurs swingman Michael Finley said of Parker. “He has the scoring down. Now he's trying to better distribute the ball.”
The Spurs will need the best of both worlds from Parker tonight, as they face an Orlando team playing as well as anyone in the league. The Magic have won 12 of their past 14 games and have quietly surpassed the Boston Celtics for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Parker wasn't the only reason the Spurs struggled in their earlier meeting with the Magic. When a team falls into a 23-point hole, as the Spurs did in Orlando, there is much blame to go around.
As such, today's expected pre-rematch film session wasn't exactly highly anticipated among Spurs players.
“You have to face it,” Mason said. “At the end of the day, when you play, it's recorded. Hopefully, you don't make too many mistakes, because Coach Pop will let you know.”
As a point guard, Parker's mistakes at Orlando were more visible than those of his teammates, making him an easy scapegoat for the Spurs' national-TV pratfall.
Before tipoff tonight, Parker will watch many of his misses and mistakes unfold again on the big screen in the team's film room. Maybe, just maybe, he might be able to muster a smile.
It turns out, Parker is thankful for the night he'd rather forget.
“It was good,” Parker said. “It's like a wake-up call ... and then you play better than you were before.”
Jeff McDonald
Every NBA player, every season, has a night or two he'd rather forget. For Spurs guard Tony Parker this season, Dec. 18 at Orlando was one of those nights.
With a national television audience looking on, Parker went 3 of 17 from the field, scored just nine points and had as many turnovers as assists (four) in the Spurs' 90-78 loss. To make matters worse, his Orlando counterpart, Jameer Nelson, had 24 points, inviting his Magic teammates to ride him piggyback to victory.
To Parker, the whole night seemed like a bad dream. Or a bad joke. And the charter flight home was no picnic either.
“It's impossible to play good every game,” Parker said, philosophical now that the worst night of his season is so far in the rearview. “We play so many, sometimes you're going to have one of those bad games. The key is to bounce back and come back even stronger.”
In the 10 games since leaving Orlando, Parker has taken his own words to heart.
When the white-hot Magic arrive at the AT&T Center for tonight's repeat engagement, they can expect to find a very different Parker than the one who left Amway Arena in December disgusted with himself.
Since transforming the Magic's kingdom into his unhappiest place on Earth, Parker has done much to bolster his All-Star credentials, averaging 21.7 points and 7.3 assists. He has boosted his season numbers to 20.9 points and 6.7 assists per game, both of which will be career highs if he can keep it up another three months.
Beyond the numbers, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been impressed with Parker's decision-making, the No. 1 skill required of any point guard.
“He's a scoring point guard, but he's got to make sure he keeps everybody involved, too,” Popovich said. “He could try and get something done (by himself) all the time, but he realizes it's a team game. The decisions he's made this year have been really, really good in that regard.”
One moment in Parker's post-Orlando All-Star audition stands out.
On Christmas Day in Phoenix, the Spurs were behind by a point on their final possession. Driving toward the basket, Parker sensed Phoenix's Jason Richardson had wandered a little too far from the man he was supposed to be defending.
Parker threaded a pass to a suddenly open Roger Mason Jr., in the corner, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the horn.
Mason got the glory, but his “SportsCenter” highlight wouldn't have been possible without Parker.
“He's trying to make himself an all-around point guard,” Spurs swingman Michael Finley said of Parker. “He has the scoring down. Now he's trying to better distribute the ball.”
The Spurs will need the best of both worlds from Parker tonight, as they face an Orlando team playing as well as anyone in the league. The Magic have won 12 of their past 14 games and have quietly surpassed the Boston Celtics for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Parker wasn't the only reason the Spurs struggled in their earlier meeting with the Magic. When a team falls into a 23-point hole, as the Spurs did in Orlando, there is much blame to go around.
As such, today's expected pre-rematch film session wasn't exactly highly anticipated among Spurs players.
“You have to face it,” Mason said. “At the end of the day, when you play, it's recorded. Hopefully, you don't make too many mistakes, because Coach Pop will let you know.”
As a point guard, Parker's mistakes at Orlando were more visible than those of his teammates, making him an easy scapegoat for the Spurs' national-TV pratfall.
Before tipoff tonight, Parker will watch many of his misses and mistakes unfold again on the big screen in the team's film room. Maybe, just maybe, he might be able to muster a smile.
It turns out, Parker is thankful for the night he'd rather forget.
“It was good,” Parker said. “It's like a wake-up call ... and then you play better than you were before.”