duncan228
04-09-2009, 09:37 PM
Spurs hope they won’t need Mason’s heroics (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_hope_they_wont_need_Masons_heroics.html)
Mike Monroe
Roger Mason Jr. is back in the starting big guard spot vacated this week when Manu Ginobili was declared out for the remainder of the season.
Mason understands he can't try to replicate Ginobili's game, but he knows he has been a player the Spurs turned to in crunch-time situations in the 34 games Ginobili has missed this season.
Mason said he is perfectly willing to have the ball in his hands at the end of games. The better solution, minus Ginobili, might be to avoid the need for the sort of last-second heroics that earned Mason the moniker “Big Shot Rog.”
“Hopefully, our defense can be solid enough we don't need those kinds of shots to win games,” Mason said. “But at this point in the season, everyone wants to do whatever they can to get wins. If that means taking big shots, that's what it is. But our focus really has to be on our defense.”
While acknowledging the ups and downs the Spurs have experienced since learning Monday that Ginobili won't be playing anymore this season, Mason dismissed the notion the team might have been emotionally spent in the second half of Wednesday's loss to the Trail Blazers.
In that game, the Spurs blew an early 19-point lead before falling 95-83.
“We only have a few games left, and we know how important each game is, and we're trying to get ourselves together for the playoffs,” he said. “I think everybody was ready for it, but it is what it is: back to back, and they're a young athletic team that is deep.”
Road kill: The Spurs aren't the only team entering tonight's game at the AT&T Center on the heels of a disappointing loss.
Utah arrives here directly from Dallas, where it was blown out 130-101 by the Mavericks on Wednesday.
It was the most points Utah has surrendered this season. The Jazz are 15-24 on the road, worst among Western Conference playoff teams.
“We looked like we'd been on the road for 10 months,” said Utah coach Jerry Sloan, whose team completes a three-game road swing tonight. “They just destroyed us.”
Fan appreciation: The Spurs will give away 65,000 prizes as part of Fan Appreciation Night at the AT&T Center tonight, among them a Dodge Dakota. In addition, each Spurs player will give a fan a personal gift before the national anthem.
Staff writer Jeff McDonald contributed to this report.
Mike Monroe
Roger Mason Jr. is back in the starting big guard spot vacated this week when Manu Ginobili was declared out for the remainder of the season.
Mason understands he can't try to replicate Ginobili's game, but he knows he has been a player the Spurs turned to in crunch-time situations in the 34 games Ginobili has missed this season.
Mason said he is perfectly willing to have the ball in his hands at the end of games. The better solution, minus Ginobili, might be to avoid the need for the sort of last-second heroics that earned Mason the moniker “Big Shot Rog.”
“Hopefully, our defense can be solid enough we don't need those kinds of shots to win games,” Mason said. “But at this point in the season, everyone wants to do whatever they can to get wins. If that means taking big shots, that's what it is. But our focus really has to be on our defense.”
While acknowledging the ups and downs the Spurs have experienced since learning Monday that Ginobili won't be playing anymore this season, Mason dismissed the notion the team might have been emotionally spent in the second half of Wednesday's loss to the Trail Blazers.
In that game, the Spurs blew an early 19-point lead before falling 95-83.
“We only have a few games left, and we know how important each game is, and we're trying to get ourselves together for the playoffs,” he said. “I think everybody was ready for it, but it is what it is: back to back, and they're a young athletic team that is deep.”
Road kill: The Spurs aren't the only team entering tonight's game at the AT&T Center on the heels of a disappointing loss.
Utah arrives here directly from Dallas, where it was blown out 130-101 by the Mavericks on Wednesday.
It was the most points Utah has surrendered this season. The Jazz are 15-24 on the road, worst among Western Conference playoff teams.
“We looked like we'd been on the road for 10 months,” said Utah coach Jerry Sloan, whose team completes a three-game road swing tonight. “They just destroyed us.”
Fan appreciation: The Spurs will give away 65,000 prizes as part of Fan Appreciation Night at the AT&T Center tonight, among them a Dodge Dakota. In addition, each Spurs player will give a fan a personal gift before the national anthem.
Staff writer Jeff McDonald contributed to this report.