duncan228
03-24-2009, 12:44 AM
Spurs close, but ... (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_close_but_.html)
Jeff McDonald
Heading into tonight’s game against the Warriors, the Spurs have dropped three of their past four by a combined eight points. In doing so, they’ve dropped from first place in the Southwest Division and second in the West by the narrowest of margins. Staff writer Jeff McDonald takes a hard glance at the Spurs’ white-knuckle week:
March 16: Thunder 78, Spurs 76
The Spurs had a 17-point edge in the first half and an 11-point lead in the second against Kevin Durant and the Thunder, but by the fourth quarter, it all had vanished. Oklahoma City took its first lead of the game on Chucky Atkins' 3-pointer with 7:37 to play and hung on as Tony Parker missed two shots in the waning moments, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer deflected by Thabo Sefolosha.
Friday: Celtics 80, Spurs 77
After a back-and-forth three quarters, this one came down to free throws for Tim Duncan and the Spurs. They went 0 for 6 from the line in the final 2:32, with Parker missing four foul shots in the last 48.6 seconds that could have tied the game. Those misses allowed the defending NBA champion Celtics to escape with a victory.
Sunday: Rockets 87, Spurs 85
Parker and the Spurs led by as many as seven points in the fourth quarter, but a series of defensive lapses allowed the Rockets to regain the lead. Yao Ming found a wide-open Luis Scola for a go-ahead layup with 11.2 seconds to go, and Matt Bonner missed a 3-pointer at the horn for the Spurs.
Jeff McDonald
Heading into tonight’s game against the Warriors, the Spurs have dropped three of their past four by a combined eight points. In doing so, they’ve dropped from first place in the Southwest Division and second in the West by the narrowest of margins. Staff writer Jeff McDonald takes a hard glance at the Spurs’ white-knuckle week:
March 16: Thunder 78, Spurs 76
The Spurs had a 17-point edge in the first half and an 11-point lead in the second against Kevin Durant and the Thunder, but by the fourth quarter, it all had vanished. Oklahoma City took its first lead of the game on Chucky Atkins' 3-pointer with 7:37 to play and hung on as Tony Parker missed two shots in the waning moments, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer deflected by Thabo Sefolosha.
Friday: Celtics 80, Spurs 77
After a back-and-forth three quarters, this one came down to free throws for Tim Duncan and the Spurs. They went 0 for 6 from the line in the final 2:32, with Parker missing four foul shots in the last 48.6 seconds that could have tied the game. Those misses allowed the defending NBA champion Celtics to escape with a victory.
Sunday: Rockets 87, Spurs 85
Parker and the Spurs led by as many as seven points in the fourth quarter, but a series of defensive lapses allowed the Rockets to regain the lead. Yao Ming found a wide-open Luis Scola for a go-ahead layup with 11.2 seconds to go, and Matt Bonner missed a 3-pointer at the horn for the Spurs.