Rummpd
03-18-2005, 10:15 PM
www.startribune.com Pardon me if posted before.
Playoff spot gets dimmer for Timberwolves
Steve Aschburner, Star Tribune
March 17, 2005 WOLF0317
SAN ANTONIO-- First, you used a ruler, quickly upgrading to a yardstick. Then it was time for the tape measure, followed in rapid desperation by an odometer and the old heel-and-toe, pace-it-off method of calculating a distance.
But by the time the Timberwolves' 89-73 loss to San Antonio was over Wednesday, the only feasible tools for measuring the distance between the two teams as playoff contenders were a globe, an atlas and a click on MapQuest.
Mind the gap? Normally, that's a cheerful caution from London's Underground, but in this case it was a sorry reminder of the premature burial awaiting the Wolves, really, whether they make the playoffs this spring or not. Should they happen to get the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference bracket -- right now, they're 1½ games behind Denver and a half game behind the Lakers -- their likely opponent would be the Spurs.
Wally Szczerbiak, right, and San Antonio's Tony Parker go after a loose ballBob OwenAssociated PressAnd that would give them a chance to repeat their performance from Wednesday at least four times in a week's time.
How would that be for deja P.U.?
"We didn't belong on the same damn floor with the Spurs," swingman Wally Szczerbiak said. "We kind of learned that about ourselves. Now we know what it takes to be the best in the West, like last year."
Interim coach Kevin McHale felt the same way, literally walking off to the tunnel, ahead of his team, as the final seconds ticked away. It wasn't McHale's version of a Randy Moss so much as a no mas, as the Spurs (49-15) beat the Wolves in a fashion about which, until next training camp at the absolutely earliest, McHale and his team can only daydream.
"They come out and establish that they're going to be more physical and smash you in the mouth," McHale said. "I respect this team as much as any team in the NBA.I think they play the right way. They move the ball. [Coach Gregg Popovich has] got them playing unselfishly. They know their roles."
Tangled like flies in the Spurs' spidery defensive web, the Wolves (33-33) fell way short of their previous scoring low (79) this season and shot a dismal 39.1 percent, their fifth sub-40 percent effort of the season.
San Antonio is the NBA's stingiest defensive team, leading the league in both opponents' scoring average (86.9 points) and field-goal percentage (42.2 percent). In fact, it has ranked no worse than fifth in either of those categories since Tim Duncan joined the club prior to the 1997-98 season.
The Wolves fell behind 21-9, watching as the Spurs hit 10 of their first 12 shots. By halftime they trailed 51-39, gaining all of two points in the second quarter. Then they opened the third by giving up two quick layups, a sequence that had McHale growling off the bench for another timeout.
Duncan had game highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds, contributing six assists and five blocks to the Spurs' cause too. Veteran forward Robert Horry did his damage from outside, hitting four of five three-pointers en route to a season-best 18 points off the bench.
Wolves forward Kevin Garnett struggled through a 5-for-15 performance, finishing with just 12 points, 11 rebounds and no assists. He also had three of what McHale termed "turnovers up the wahzoo," with Minnesota committing 20 overall.
"A lot of the credit for the job we did on Garnett goes to Rasho [Nesterovic] and Tim," San Antonio's Bruce Bowen said. "We tried to limit his shots and we did a pretty good job on him all night."
They did a pretty good job on all of the Wolves, frankly. With San Antonio's size inside, its perimeter players can pester the ball, cut off passing angles and make life miserable on the fringes for its foes.
"They're huge inside," Szczerbiak said. "Rasho and Duncan, they're so wide. They're so long. Big bodies. They don't give up anything easy in the paint, absolutely nothing. It all starts with that."
Said Garnett: "The key to their defense is their confidence. Individually, 1 through 13, they're not the best defensive players. But collectively, they make it fit."
Guard Sam Cassell played 11 minutes in the first half for the Wolves, then sat out with discomfort in his right leg, 24 hours after a solid return from the re-re-injured hamstring layoff. "Fatigued," he said. "Weak, that's it."
Kind of a theme Wednesday.
Steve Aschburner is at [email protected]
Playoff spot gets dimmer for Timberwolves
Steve Aschburner, Star Tribune
March 17, 2005 WOLF0317
SAN ANTONIO-- First, you used a ruler, quickly upgrading to a yardstick. Then it was time for the tape measure, followed in rapid desperation by an odometer and the old heel-and-toe, pace-it-off method of calculating a distance.
But by the time the Timberwolves' 89-73 loss to San Antonio was over Wednesday, the only feasible tools for measuring the distance between the two teams as playoff contenders were a globe, an atlas and a click on MapQuest.
Mind the gap? Normally, that's a cheerful caution from London's Underground, but in this case it was a sorry reminder of the premature burial awaiting the Wolves, really, whether they make the playoffs this spring or not. Should they happen to get the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference bracket -- right now, they're 1½ games behind Denver and a half game behind the Lakers -- their likely opponent would be the Spurs.
Wally Szczerbiak, right, and San Antonio's Tony Parker go after a loose ballBob OwenAssociated PressAnd that would give them a chance to repeat their performance from Wednesday at least four times in a week's time.
How would that be for deja P.U.?
"We didn't belong on the same damn floor with the Spurs," swingman Wally Szczerbiak said. "We kind of learned that about ourselves. Now we know what it takes to be the best in the West, like last year."
Interim coach Kevin McHale felt the same way, literally walking off to the tunnel, ahead of his team, as the final seconds ticked away. It wasn't McHale's version of a Randy Moss so much as a no mas, as the Spurs (49-15) beat the Wolves in a fashion about which, until next training camp at the absolutely earliest, McHale and his team can only daydream.
"They come out and establish that they're going to be more physical and smash you in the mouth," McHale said. "I respect this team as much as any team in the NBA.I think they play the right way. They move the ball. [Coach Gregg Popovich has] got them playing unselfishly. They know their roles."
Tangled like flies in the Spurs' spidery defensive web, the Wolves (33-33) fell way short of their previous scoring low (79) this season and shot a dismal 39.1 percent, their fifth sub-40 percent effort of the season.
San Antonio is the NBA's stingiest defensive team, leading the league in both opponents' scoring average (86.9 points) and field-goal percentage (42.2 percent). In fact, it has ranked no worse than fifth in either of those categories since Tim Duncan joined the club prior to the 1997-98 season.
The Wolves fell behind 21-9, watching as the Spurs hit 10 of their first 12 shots. By halftime they trailed 51-39, gaining all of two points in the second quarter. Then they opened the third by giving up two quick layups, a sequence that had McHale growling off the bench for another timeout.
Duncan had game highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds, contributing six assists and five blocks to the Spurs' cause too. Veteran forward Robert Horry did his damage from outside, hitting four of five three-pointers en route to a season-best 18 points off the bench.
Wolves forward Kevin Garnett struggled through a 5-for-15 performance, finishing with just 12 points, 11 rebounds and no assists. He also had three of what McHale termed "turnovers up the wahzoo," with Minnesota committing 20 overall.
"A lot of the credit for the job we did on Garnett goes to Rasho [Nesterovic] and Tim," San Antonio's Bruce Bowen said. "We tried to limit his shots and we did a pretty good job on him all night."
They did a pretty good job on all of the Wolves, frankly. With San Antonio's size inside, its perimeter players can pester the ball, cut off passing angles and make life miserable on the fringes for its foes.
"They're huge inside," Szczerbiak said. "Rasho and Duncan, they're so wide. They're so long. Big bodies. They don't give up anything easy in the paint, absolutely nothing. It all starts with that."
Said Garnett: "The key to their defense is their confidence. Individually, 1 through 13, they're not the best defensive players. But collectively, they make it fit."
Guard Sam Cassell played 11 minutes in the first half for the Wolves, then sat out with discomfort in his right leg, 24 hours after a solid return from the re-re-injured hamstring layoff. "Fatigued," he said. "Weak, that's it."
Kind of a theme Wednesday.
Steve Aschburner is at [email protected]