Kori Ellis
03-24-2005, 01:14 AM
Spurs end trip with ways to go
Web Posted: 03/24/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA032405.1C.BKNspurs.pacers.gamer.16a4d3c7d.html
INDIANAPOLIS — Most of the 16,560 fans had long since streamed out of Conseco Fieldhouse by the time the Spurs walked to their locker room late Wednesday. Heads bowed, eyes glazed, they didn't say a word.
The Spurs' four-day trip was over, having culminated with a 100-93 loss to the Indiana Pacers and another uninspiring performance. Having begun their travels with the NBA's best record, they left carrying their first three-game losing streak.
In between, the Spurs also lost Tim Duncan and Devin Brown. And, according to their coach, their will to win.
"The competitiveness, in my opinion, as a group is not there," Gregg Popovich said. "A good number of players have to realize that they've got to step up their games because they're not that damn good without Tim Duncan.
"What makes them able to compete without Tim Duncan is a ferocity and a toughness, and I don't see that."
Popovich had hoped the team's shock of losing Duncan had worn off in its second-collapse in New York two nights earlier. He wanted to see if his players would play hard and physical, if they would show the same trust in each other and the system as they did when Duncan was on the floor.
As it turned out, Popovich saw just that. From Indiana.
The Pacers leaned on their veterans, getting 21 points from 39-year-old Reggie Miller and 18 apiece from Anthony Johnson, Austin Croshere and Stephen Jackson. They limited the Spurs to 38.4 percent shooting. They outrebounded them 44-32.
Ahead by five at halftime, Indiana needed a little more than eight minutes to /lead by 18.
The Spurs fell to 1-5 without Duncan, though Indiana took the floor without its leader, Jermaine O'Neal, and two other starters: forward Ron Artest and point guard Jamaal Tinsley.
In addition, Indiana lost in New Jersey on Tuesday night while the Spurs rested.
"We're used to all these injuries and to expect the unexpected," Croshere said. "It seems they aren't as prepared to play without (Duncan)."
Before the game, Jackson said he thought his former teammates could tread water without their best player.
"That's what they gave (Manu Ginobili) and Tony (Parker) all this money for, to see what they can do just in case something like this happened," Jackson said.
Ginobili tried but lacked the explosiveness he had before straining his groin. He scored 11 points and made only 2 of 9 shots. Still, Popovich couldn't fault his competitiveness.
"I think Manu is one of the few guys on the club who is playing with that ferocity," he said. "He's just happened to play two of the worst games I've seen him play."
Parker had 12 points and seven assists, but he missed 9 of 13 shots. Against New York, he scored only two points in the final three quarters.
Asked if his point guard might be fatigued, Popovich said: "Tony is totally healthy."
Said Parker: "I'm not going to try to find an excuse. I'm just not playing well."
Parker wasn't alone in his struggles. After going almost a full quarter without a basket in New York, the Spurs endured an 8-minute, 55-second drought in Wednesday's first half.
Rasho Nesterovic, Nazr Mohammed, Robert Horry, Tony Massenburg and Sean Marks combined for 11 rebounds, four fewer than Pacers forward Jeff Foster, a Madison High School graduate, had by himself. Duncan would have helped, but his absence, Ginobili said, wasn't the reason the Spurs lost.
"I just think we're not playing aggressive," Ginobili said. "We're not playing with our hearts like we were a week ago."
Web Posted: 03/24/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA032405.1C.BKNspurs.pacers.gamer.16a4d3c7d.html
INDIANAPOLIS — Most of the 16,560 fans had long since streamed out of Conseco Fieldhouse by the time the Spurs walked to their locker room late Wednesday. Heads bowed, eyes glazed, they didn't say a word.
The Spurs' four-day trip was over, having culminated with a 100-93 loss to the Indiana Pacers and another uninspiring performance. Having begun their travels with the NBA's best record, they left carrying their first three-game losing streak.
In between, the Spurs also lost Tim Duncan and Devin Brown. And, according to their coach, their will to win.
"The competitiveness, in my opinion, as a group is not there," Gregg Popovich said. "A good number of players have to realize that they've got to step up their games because they're not that damn good without Tim Duncan.
"What makes them able to compete without Tim Duncan is a ferocity and a toughness, and I don't see that."
Popovich had hoped the team's shock of losing Duncan had worn off in its second-collapse in New York two nights earlier. He wanted to see if his players would play hard and physical, if they would show the same trust in each other and the system as they did when Duncan was on the floor.
As it turned out, Popovich saw just that. From Indiana.
The Pacers leaned on their veterans, getting 21 points from 39-year-old Reggie Miller and 18 apiece from Anthony Johnson, Austin Croshere and Stephen Jackson. They limited the Spurs to 38.4 percent shooting. They outrebounded them 44-32.
Ahead by five at halftime, Indiana needed a little more than eight minutes to /lead by 18.
The Spurs fell to 1-5 without Duncan, though Indiana took the floor without its leader, Jermaine O'Neal, and two other starters: forward Ron Artest and point guard Jamaal Tinsley.
In addition, Indiana lost in New Jersey on Tuesday night while the Spurs rested.
"We're used to all these injuries and to expect the unexpected," Croshere said. "It seems they aren't as prepared to play without (Duncan)."
Before the game, Jackson said he thought his former teammates could tread water without their best player.
"That's what they gave (Manu Ginobili) and Tony (Parker) all this money for, to see what they can do just in case something like this happened," Jackson said.
Ginobili tried but lacked the explosiveness he had before straining his groin. He scored 11 points and made only 2 of 9 shots. Still, Popovich couldn't fault his competitiveness.
"I think Manu is one of the few guys on the club who is playing with that ferocity," he said. "He's just happened to play two of the worst games I've seen him play."
Parker had 12 points and seven assists, but he missed 9 of 13 shots. Against New York, he scored only two points in the final three quarters.
Asked if his point guard might be fatigued, Popovich said: "Tony is totally healthy."
Said Parker: "I'm not going to try to find an excuse. I'm just not playing well."
Parker wasn't alone in his struggles. After going almost a full quarter without a basket in New York, the Spurs endured an 8-minute, 55-second drought in Wednesday's first half.
Rasho Nesterovic, Nazr Mohammed, Robert Horry, Tony Massenburg and Sean Marks combined for 11 rebounds, four fewer than Pacers forward Jeff Foster, a Madison High School graduate, had by himself. Duncan would have helped, but his absence, Ginobili said, wasn't the reason the Spurs lost.
"I just think we're not playing aggressive," Ginobili said. "We're not playing with our hearts like we were a week ago."