Yorae
03-03-2009, 02:13 AM
Spurs return to old selves
By Mike Monroe - Express-News
LOS ANGELES — Just about the only sort of shot the Portland Trail Blazers did not make in their blowout victory over the Spurs on Sunday night was one launched from beyond half court.
The Los Angeles Clippers' Fred Jones tossed in a 62-footer at the end of the first quarter Monday night at Staples Center, and the most pessimistic of Spurs fans could be forgiven for wondering what sort of negative mojo had stricken the team when it left Texas on Saturday.
Jones' amazing make turned out to be nothing the Spurs could not survive.
By the end of their 106-78 victory over the 15-46 Clippers, the Spurs had held another opponent under 40 percent shooting. Then, they headed off to Dallas to close out their three-game road trip with renewed swagger and key starters well rested after watching their bench players close out the game.
“It's great to be able to stay off my legs in the fourth quarter and get some rest,” Tim Duncan said.
Duncan also was happy with the Spurs' return to their coach Gregg Popovich-preached defensive intensity.
“After Sunday night's poor effort, Pop told us we had to come out with more effort and we did that,” he said. “We were a lot better on the defensive end and in transition. Every shot, we contested.”
After giving up 61 percent shooting in the first half against the Trail Blazers, the Spurs were back to their stingy, post-All-Star ways against the Clippers.
Even with Jones' buzzer-beating heave, roughly from the Spurs' 3-point line, the Clippers made only 11 of 37 shots (29.7 percent) in the first half of a game Duncan was grateful to have on the schedule so quickly after the thoroughly humiliating evening in Oregon.
Duncan, who had trouble on Sunday shaking off the rust of a week of inactivity caused by a sore right knee, looked more like an 11-time All-Star and two-time MVP on Monday. Matched up against 2007 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby, Duncan made 7 of 11 shots and scored 18 points.
Duncan also had 12 rebounds in just 28 minutes of work. Tony Parker scored 26 with 10 assists. He logged 34 minutes after Popovich got him back in the game for four minutes in the fourth period when the Clippers trimmed what had once been a 26-point Spurs lead to 16.
The Spurs' 40th victory of the season, their 20th road victory, snapped a two-game losing skid.
What happened during the game, as thorough a blowout as the Spurs suffered 24 hours earlier, was less intriguing than the conversation that preceded it.
Popovich spent his pregame media session adroitly dodging questions about his team's reported interest in free agent power forward Drew Gooden, waived on Sunday by the Sacramento Kings after negotiating a contract buyout.
Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, his team hardly a potential landing spot for a player seeking a contending team to finish out the season, had no compunction when it came to analyzing how Gooden might be able to help the Spurs.
Matt Bonner's 3-point shooting, Dunleavy said, gives the Spurs an offensive dimension that is tough to guard. Bonner's offensive value is diminished, Dunleavy reasoned, because he can be exploited by bigger, more physical power forwards.
But if the Spurs had Gooden?
“There you go,” Dunleavy said. “That's probably what they're trying to do. Now, it gives them a bigger, better rebounder and a physical guy, so they can mix and match, based on who they're playing a little bit better for sure.
“That's no trade secret, but if I was looking at them, that's the focus I'd take.”
Bonner was not privy to Dunleavy's pregame comments, but he played a pretty physical interior game against the Clippers. He opened the second half by muscling inside Camby to tip in a Parker shot that bounced off the rim. Bonner made only 2 of 6 shots from 3-point range but finished with 14 points.
By Mike Monroe - Express-News
LOS ANGELES — Just about the only sort of shot the Portland Trail Blazers did not make in their blowout victory over the Spurs on Sunday night was one launched from beyond half court.
The Los Angeles Clippers' Fred Jones tossed in a 62-footer at the end of the first quarter Monday night at Staples Center, and the most pessimistic of Spurs fans could be forgiven for wondering what sort of negative mojo had stricken the team when it left Texas on Saturday.
Jones' amazing make turned out to be nothing the Spurs could not survive.
By the end of their 106-78 victory over the 15-46 Clippers, the Spurs had held another opponent under 40 percent shooting. Then, they headed off to Dallas to close out their three-game road trip with renewed swagger and key starters well rested after watching their bench players close out the game.
“It's great to be able to stay off my legs in the fourth quarter and get some rest,” Tim Duncan said.
Duncan also was happy with the Spurs' return to their coach Gregg Popovich-preached defensive intensity.
“After Sunday night's poor effort, Pop told us we had to come out with more effort and we did that,” he said. “We were a lot better on the defensive end and in transition. Every shot, we contested.”
After giving up 61 percent shooting in the first half against the Trail Blazers, the Spurs were back to their stingy, post-All-Star ways against the Clippers.
Even with Jones' buzzer-beating heave, roughly from the Spurs' 3-point line, the Clippers made only 11 of 37 shots (29.7 percent) in the first half of a game Duncan was grateful to have on the schedule so quickly after the thoroughly humiliating evening in Oregon.
Duncan, who had trouble on Sunday shaking off the rust of a week of inactivity caused by a sore right knee, looked more like an 11-time All-Star and two-time MVP on Monday. Matched up against 2007 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby, Duncan made 7 of 11 shots and scored 18 points.
Duncan also had 12 rebounds in just 28 minutes of work. Tony Parker scored 26 with 10 assists. He logged 34 minutes after Popovich got him back in the game for four minutes in the fourth period when the Clippers trimmed what had once been a 26-point Spurs lead to 16.
The Spurs' 40th victory of the season, their 20th road victory, snapped a two-game losing skid.
What happened during the game, as thorough a blowout as the Spurs suffered 24 hours earlier, was less intriguing than the conversation that preceded it.
Popovich spent his pregame media session adroitly dodging questions about his team's reported interest in free agent power forward Drew Gooden, waived on Sunday by the Sacramento Kings after negotiating a contract buyout.
Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, his team hardly a potential landing spot for a player seeking a contending team to finish out the season, had no compunction when it came to analyzing how Gooden might be able to help the Spurs.
Matt Bonner's 3-point shooting, Dunleavy said, gives the Spurs an offensive dimension that is tough to guard. Bonner's offensive value is diminished, Dunleavy reasoned, because he can be exploited by bigger, more physical power forwards.
But if the Spurs had Gooden?
“There you go,” Dunleavy said. “That's probably what they're trying to do. Now, it gives them a bigger, better rebounder and a physical guy, so they can mix and match, based on who they're playing a little bit better for sure.
“That's no trade secret, but if I was looking at them, that's the focus I'd take.”
Bonner was not privy to Dunleavy's pregame comments, but he played a pretty physical interior game against the Clippers. He opened the second half by muscling inside Camby to tip in a Parker shot that bounced off the rim. Bonner made only 2 of 6 shots from 3-point range but finished with 14 points.