duncan228
03-21-2009, 10:47 PM
Downturn from downtown hits Spurs (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Downturn_from_downtown_hits_Spurs.html)
Jeff McDonald
Matt Bonner was a business administration major at the University of Florida, which meant he had to take a mathematics course or two.
Over the past few days, Bonner has been pondering the mathematical law of averages. In terms of the Spurs' three-game 3-point shooting slump, it means what goes down must come up.
That's the hope anyway. During the past three games, the Spurs have made just 12 of 57 3-point tries.
“It's just a bad stretch of shooting,” Bonner said. “There's ups and downs every season. Everybody had been shooting pretty well.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has always maintained that the Spurs must shoot the 3-pointer well to be a championship-caliber team. Even after their recent long-range troubles, the Spurs stand tied with Boston as the most accurate 3-point team in the NBA (39.2 percent).
Still, the Spurs are finding 3-point shooting to be a little more difficult, as opponents have begun to make running their shooters off the arc a game-plan priority.
Bonner, Roger Mason Jr. and Michael Finley — the team's best 3-point marksmen — are a combined 10-of-39 over the past three games. It is a trend the Spurs hope will correct itself soon.
“We've still been getting good looks,” Mason said. “When you're one of the best 3-point shooting teams, other teams are going to try to contest harder. That's part of basketball. There are nights when shots just don't fall.”
The cruelest month: March has been unkind to Tim Duncan. Since missing the final three games of February with tendonosis in his right knee, Duncan is averaging 15.1 points and shooting 42.8 percent from the field.
Those numbers are well below his season averages of 19.8 points and 50.5 percent.
Duncan, who has not produced a 20-point game since a Feb. 17 loss at New York, admits he is still battling soreness in his knees.
“I'm fighting through it,” Duncan said. “It's getting a little better every game.”
Popovich has acknowledged concern about Duncan's health with the playoffs looming, and says he will look for ways to rest his All-Star power forward when he can.
“I think whenever we have a chance to give a player like Tim a couple of days, we should do it,” Popovich said. “Because we know the most important thing at the end is when people are healthy and energetic.”
Jeff McDonald
Matt Bonner was a business administration major at the University of Florida, which meant he had to take a mathematics course or two.
Over the past few days, Bonner has been pondering the mathematical law of averages. In terms of the Spurs' three-game 3-point shooting slump, it means what goes down must come up.
That's the hope anyway. During the past three games, the Spurs have made just 12 of 57 3-point tries.
“It's just a bad stretch of shooting,” Bonner said. “There's ups and downs every season. Everybody had been shooting pretty well.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has always maintained that the Spurs must shoot the 3-pointer well to be a championship-caliber team. Even after their recent long-range troubles, the Spurs stand tied with Boston as the most accurate 3-point team in the NBA (39.2 percent).
Still, the Spurs are finding 3-point shooting to be a little more difficult, as opponents have begun to make running their shooters off the arc a game-plan priority.
Bonner, Roger Mason Jr. and Michael Finley — the team's best 3-point marksmen — are a combined 10-of-39 over the past three games. It is a trend the Spurs hope will correct itself soon.
“We've still been getting good looks,” Mason said. “When you're one of the best 3-point shooting teams, other teams are going to try to contest harder. That's part of basketball. There are nights when shots just don't fall.”
The cruelest month: March has been unkind to Tim Duncan. Since missing the final three games of February with tendonosis in his right knee, Duncan is averaging 15.1 points and shooting 42.8 percent from the field.
Those numbers are well below his season averages of 19.8 points and 50.5 percent.
Duncan, who has not produced a 20-point game since a Feb. 17 loss at New York, admits he is still battling soreness in his knees.
“I'm fighting through it,” Duncan said. “It's getting a little better every game.”
Popovich has acknowledged concern about Duncan's health with the playoffs looming, and says he will look for ways to rest his All-Star power forward when he can.
“I think whenever we have a chance to give a player like Tim a couple of days, we should do it,” Popovich said. “Because we know the most important thing at the end is when people are healthy and energetic.”