duncan228
04-25-2009, 10:54 PM
Spurs' 3-point shooters can't find range (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_3-point_shooters_cant_find_range.html)
Mike Monroe
DALLAS — The Spurs led the Western Conference in 3-point precision this season, but in a playoff game in which point guard Tony Parker and power forward Tim Duncan needed some help at the offensive end, the team's ordinarily accurate long-range shooters came up short, long and sideways.
The Spurs made only 6 of 23 3-pointers Saturday. Parker made two, and George Hill went 2 for 2.
Matt Bonner, who finished eighth in 3-point accuracy at 44 percent, missed all three shots from beyond the arc. Roger Mason Jr., 15th in regular-season accuracy at 42.1 percent, missed both of his. Ime Udoka launched two and missed both.
Michael Finley, who shot 41.1 in the regular season, missed four of five. His final long-range attempt, with the Spurs trailing by seven with 36.5 seconds left, got wedged between the basket and the backboard, a fitting, frozen moment that epitomized the long-distance frustration.
“Me, personally, they all felt good and looked good,” said Bonner, scoreless for the second time in four games of the series. “I felt they were all going in, but they all rattled out.”
Udoka might have been one of the defensive heroes of the game had he not been part of the offensive problem. He had two key defensive plays late in the first half that helped send the Spurs into halftime with a 55-51 lead after they had trailed by nine in the second period.
Udoka sprinted downcourt after a Mavericks steal put Jason Terry on what seemed like an uncontested path to the basket. He forced a miss, and teammate Bruce Bowen got the rebound and passed ahead to Parker, who nailed a 3-pointer.
On Dallas' next possession, Udoka stole an errant pass in Dallas' frontcourt and passed ahead to Parker, who pulled up for a second straight 3-pointer.
“That's second nature,” Udoka said of his defensive plays. “That's what I do. But I was missing everything tonight myself. I felt I let my team down.”
Youthful impertinence: Mavericks forward Ryan Hollins averaged only 9.9 minutes in 46 games this season with the Charlotte Bobcats and the Mavericks, but he logged 19 minutes and 11 seconds Saturday and did some solid defensive work on Tim Duncan.
Hollins had one of the game's bigger plays when he grabbed an errant Jason Kidd shot and scored on a putback dunk over Duncan that eased the Mavericks' lead from four to six points with 4:20 remaining.
He followed with a scream and celebratory fist pump that earned him a technical foul for taunting Duncan.
Parker said he could not remember another player ever taunting Duncan.
“Young guys,” he said, laughing. “Taunt Tim Duncan? He's got four championships. He doesn't care.”
Perhaps Hollins might have been more respectful had he known Saturday was Duncan's birthday, his 33rd.
Mike Monroe
DALLAS — The Spurs led the Western Conference in 3-point precision this season, but in a playoff game in which point guard Tony Parker and power forward Tim Duncan needed some help at the offensive end, the team's ordinarily accurate long-range shooters came up short, long and sideways.
The Spurs made only 6 of 23 3-pointers Saturday. Parker made two, and George Hill went 2 for 2.
Matt Bonner, who finished eighth in 3-point accuracy at 44 percent, missed all three shots from beyond the arc. Roger Mason Jr., 15th in regular-season accuracy at 42.1 percent, missed both of his. Ime Udoka launched two and missed both.
Michael Finley, who shot 41.1 in the regular season, missed four of five. His final long-range attempt, with the Spurs trailing by seven with 36.5 seconds left, got wedged between the basket and the backboard, a fitting, frozen moment that epitomized the long-distance frustration.
“Me, personally, they all felt good and looked good,” said Bonner, scoreless for the second time in four games of the series. “I felt they were all going in, but they all rattled out.”
Udoka might have been one of the defensive heroes of the game had he not been part of the offensive problem. He had two key defensive plays late in the first half that helped send the Spurs into halftime with a 55-51 lead after they had trailed by nine in the second period.
Udoka sprinted downcourt after a Mavericks steal put Jason Terry on what seemed like an uncontested path to the basket. He forced a miss, and teammate Bruce Bowen got the rebound and passed ahead to Parker, who nailed a 3-pointer.
On Dallas' next possession, Udoka stole an errant pass in Dallas' frontcourt and passed ahead to Parker, who pulled up for a second straight 3-pointer.
“That's second nature,” Udoka said of his defensive plays. “That's what I do. But I was missing everything tonight myself. I felt I let my team down.”
Youthful impertinence: Mavericks forward Ryan Hollins averaged only 9.9 minutes in 46 games this season with the Charlotte Bobcats and the Mavericks, but he logged 19 minutes and 11 seconds Saturday and did some solid defensive work on Tim Duncan.
Hollins had one of the game's bigger plays when he grabbed an errant Jason Kidd shot and scored on a putback dunk over Duncan that eased the Mavericks' lead from four to six points with 4:20 remaining.
He followed with a scream and celebratory fist pump that earned him a technical foul for taunting Duncan.
Parker said he could not remember another player ever taunting Duncan.
“Young guys,” he said, laughing. “Taunt Tim Duncan? He's got four championships. He doesn't care.”
Perhaps Hollins might have been more respectful had he known Saturday was Duncan's birthday, his 33rd.