duncan228
03-19-2009, 12:50 AM
Udoka reappears for Spurs' stretch run (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Udoka_reappears_for_Spurs_stretch_run.html)
Mike Monroe
For a stretch of 13 games, spanning more than a month, forward Ime Udoka found himself relegated to the end of the Spurs' bench.
Between Jan. 20 and Feb. 24, Udoka played only 61 minutes. Thirty-one of those minutes came in the game at Denver, when Spurs coach Gregg Popovich rested key contributors Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Michael Finley after an overtime victory the previous night, at Golden State.
In six games during his month in near-exile, Udoka did not leave the bench at all.
Through his time away from the regular playing rotation, Udoka maintained the professional approach the Spurs' coaches had admired during his first season with the club.
Lately, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound combo forward has found he is back in Popovich's game-to-game plans. He has appeared in 14 straight games, averaging slightly more than 17 minutes per game and producing 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds.
It is a bit of déjà vu, all over again, reminding Udoka of his experience in 2007-08, when Popovich gave him a regular portion of playing time during the stretch run of the regular season, and on into the playoffs.
“(Popovich) hasn't said anything to me,” Udoka said after scoring seven points, with five rebounds, in the Spurs' 93-86 victory over the Timberwolves on Tuesday night at the AT&T Center. “They just throw me in there, and I've responded, so I've seen my minutes increase. But I know it can go up and down. I just want to be consistent and take advantage of my opportunities.
“This kind of reminds me of last year. Toward the end of the season, and in the playoffs, I did the same thing,”
A rugged defender often asked to guard power forwards when Popovich goes to a small lineup, Udoka took a long defensive turn Tuesday on Minnesota's Mike Miller, a longer player with catch-and-shoot skills.
“I tried to muscle him a little and bother him, but we have certain schemes we use, sending him to his weak hand,” he said. “Basically, I just tried to stay with him. He's such a great shooter you have to be there on the catch, or it's gone. I just tried to force him to where we want him on the court.”
Udoka understands his playing time is directly proportional to his defensive efficiency, but also knows he has to keep his offensive skills honed.
“Of course, it starts at the defensive end for me,” he said. “Once we get our full complement of players back, offense isn't going to be a problem, so I've got to focus on defense, and doing different things.
“There are certain matchups that I can help the team with, like guarding (Houston's Ron) Artest last week. That's how they can use me, so I just try to be ready.”
Udoka, Fabricio Oberto, Malik Hairston and Jacque Vaughn regularly stay late after practice and play one-on-one or two-on-two to maintain their skills and conditioning. The payoff, Udoka said, comes on nights when one, or more, of them contribute to victories.
The thrill of Tuesday's victory?
Watching Oberto get a rare opportunity to display the offensive skills Udoka often sees after practice.
Oberto's season-high 12 points may have shocked some. Not the after-practice crew.
“Fabby was being aggressive down there,” Udoka said, “looking for his shot a little more, knowing we were coming off a back-to-back and Tony (Parker) and those guys played a lot of minutes the night before.
“All of us knew we had to assert ourselves, and Fabby took that on himself, too.
“Definitely, we're all pulling for each other. If you can get a helping hand from other guys after you see all the work they put in, you're always happy when that work gets rewarded.”
Mike Monroe
For a stretch of 13 games, spanning more than a month, forward Ime Udoka found himself relegated to the end of the Spurs' bench.
Between Jan. 20 and Feb. 24, Udoka played only 61 minutes. Thirty-one of those minutes came in the game at Denver, when Spurs coach Gregg Popovich rested key contributors Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Michael Finley after an overtime victory the previous night, at Golden State.
In six games during his month in near-exile, Udoka did not leave the bench at all.
Through his time away from the regular playing rotation, Udoka maintained the professional approach the Spurs' coaches had admired during his first season with the club.
Lately, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound combo forward has found he is back in Popovich's game-to-game plans. He has appeared in 14 straight games, averaging slightly more than 17 minutes per game and producing 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds.
It is a bit of déjà vu, all over again, reminding Udoka of his experience in 2007-08, when Popovich gave him a regular portion of playing time during the stretch run of the regular season, and on into the playoffs.
“(Popovich) hasn't said anything to me,” Udoka said after scoring seven points, with five rebounds, in the Spurs' 93-86 victory over the Timberwolves on Tuesday night at the AT&T Center. “They just throw me in there, and I've responded, so I've seen my minutes increase. But I know it can go up and down. I just want to be consistent and take advantage of my opportunities.
“This kind of reminds me of last year. Toward the end of the season, and in the playoffs, I did the same thing,”
A rugged defender often asked to guard power forwards when Popovich goes to a small lineup, Udoka took a long defensive turn Tuesday on Minnesota's Mike Miller, a longer player with catch-and-shoot skills.
“I tried to muscle him a little and bother him, but we have certain schemes we use, sending him to his weak hand,” he said. “Basically, I just tried to stay with him. He's such a great shooter you have to be there on the catch, or it's gone. I just tried to force him to where we want him on the court.”
Udoka understands his playing time is directly proportional to his defensive efficiency, but also knows he has to keep his offensive skills honed.
“Of course, it starts at the defensive end for me,” he said. “Once we get our full complement of players back, offense isn't going to be a problem, so I've got to focus on defense, and doing different things.
“There are certain matchups that I can help the team with, like guarding (Houston's Ron) Artest last week. That's how they can use me, so I just try to be ready.”
Udoka, Fabricio Oberto, Malik Hairston and Jacque Vaughn regularly stay late after practice and play one-on-one or two-on-two to maintain their skills and conditioning. The payoff, Udoka said, comes on nights when one, or more, of them contribute to victories.
The thrill of Tuesday's victory?
Watching Oberto get a rare opportunity to display the offensive skills Udoka often sees after practice.
Oberto's season-high 12 points may have shocked some. Not the after-practice crew.
“Fabby was being aggressive down there,” Udoka said, “looking for his shot a little more, knowing we were coming off a back-to-back and Tony (Parker) and those guys played a lot of minutes the night before.
“All of us knew we had to assert ourselves, and Fabby took that on himself, too.
“Definitely, we're all pulling for each other. If you can get a helping hand from other guys after you see all the work they put in, you're always happy when that work gets rewarded.”