Blackjack
10-24-2009, 01:13 AM
Spurs fall in final preseason tuneup (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Spurs_fall_in_final_preseason_tuneup.html)
By Jeff McDonald - SAEN
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — There are myriad reasons why the NBA preseason can quickly begin to wear on many veteran players.
For Spurs center Matt Bonner, disenchantment with this exhibition season boils down to just one thing. He's tired of hanging out in the women's locker room.
For the second game in a row Friday night, the Spurs occupied a dressing room typically inhabited by a women's college team. This time, they dressed for a 114-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Assembly Hall locker room usually assigned to the Indiana University women's softball team.
“These are the only two times I've been in the women's locker room,” Bonner said, changing in a stall belonging to a senior outfielder named Jennifer Glueckert. “As far as I know.”
With the preseason now over and the regular season poised to begin Wednesday against New Orleans, Friday ought to be the last time for the Spurs in women's digs for quite a while.
Another “last” to happen Friday? It's probably the last time Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will close a game with a lineup that includes Keith Bogans, Marcus Haislip, Ian Mahinmi and Malik Hairston instead of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson.
Against a lineup composed mostly of Indiana's starters, that group of reserves — led by George Hill at point — brought the Spurs back from 10 points down in the fourth.
“The energy and activity was great,” Popovich said. “Those young guys are learning, making the right kind of mistakes. They gave us some good play on the road.
“Now it's over,” Popovich said. “And it's time to get ready for New Orleans.”
Popovich was in such a hurry to finish the preseason that he let Parker draw up the game's final play, to win it or lose it.
The Spurs were within a basket with 15.7 seconds left, when Bogans stole a Dahntay Jones inbound pass intended for Danny Granger. During the ensuing timeout, Parker sketched a play that would have gotten a potential game-winning 3-pointer for Hill, an Indianapolis native playing 45 miles from home.
The ball never made it to Hill. Jones harassed Bogans into picking up his dribble near the top of the 3-point arc, then swatted away a desperation fadeaway at the horn.
Still, the Spurs' comeback was nice for what it was.
“I think that shows we have depth,” Hill said. “We're looking forward to getting better so when the season comes, we can push forward and get our goal.”
On what amounted to George Hill Night in Bloomington, the man of the hour was brilliant again. Hill, a second-year backup guard, scored a team-leading 21 points and nearly orchestrated the fourth-quarter rally.
“His confidence has really skyrocketed,” Popovich said. “Obviously he feels more at home. He's not worried about making a team this year. He knows he's already part of the family.”
Duncan had 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in less than 23 minutes, while Parker scored 14.
Granger had 29 points and 14 rebounds for Indiana, but it took him 29 shots to get there.
The Spurs were 2 of 16 from 3-point range, after going 14 of 19 against the Thunder on Tuesday in Austin, where they also dressed in the women's locker room.
Still, the Spurs got what they came for Friday night — a painless end to the monotony of the preseason. They finished 4-3, a mark nobody will remember come Wednesday.
The next time they step on the court, it will be for a game that counts. They can be men again.
“We mostly just fine-tune during the preseason,” veteran center Theo Ratliff said. “Now the real season begins.”
By Jeff McDonald - SAEN
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — There are myriad reasons why the NBA preseason can quickly begin to wear on many veteran players.
For Spurs center Matt Bonner, disenchantment with this exhibition season boils down to just one thing. He's tired of hanging out in the women's locker room.
For the second game in a row Friday night, the Spurs occupied a dressing room typically inhabited by a women's college team. This time, they dressed for a 114-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Assembly Hall locker room usually assigned to the Indiana University women's softball team.
“These are the only two times I've been in the women's locker room,” Bonner said, changing in a stall belonging to a senior outfielder named Jennifer Glueckert. “As far as I know.”
With the preseason now over and the regular season poised to begin Wednesday against New Orleans, Friday ought to be the last time for the Spurs in women's digs for quite a while.
Another “last” to happen Friday? It's probably the last time Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will close a game with a lineup that includes Keith Bogans, Marcus Haislip, Ian Mahinmi and Malik Hairston instead of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson.
Against a lineup composed mostly of Indiana's starters, that group of reserves — led by George Hill at point — brought the Spurs back from 10 points down in the fourth.
“The energy and activity was great,” Popovich said. “Those young guys are learning, making the right kind of mistakes. They gave us some good play on the road.
“Now it's over,” Popovich said. “And it's time to get ready for New Orleans.”
Popovich was in such a hurry to finish the preseason that he let Parker draw up the game's final play, to win it or lose it.
The Spurs were within a basket with 15.7 seconds left, when Bogans stole a Dahntay Jones inbound pass intended for Danny Granger. During the ensuing timeout, Parker sketched a play that would have gotten a potential game-winning 3-pointer for Hill, an Indianapolis native playing 45 miles from home.
The ball never made it to Hill. Jones harassed Bogans into picking up his dribble near the top of the 3-point arc, then swatted away a desperation fadeaway at the horn.
Still, the Spurs' comeback was nice for what it was.
“I think that shows we have depth,” Hill said. “We're looking forward to getting better so when the season comes, we can push forward and get our goal.”
On what amounted to George Hill Night in Bloomington, the man of the hour was brilliant again. Hill, a second-year backup guard, scored a team-leading 21 points and nearly orchestrated the fourth-quarter rally.
“His confidence has really skyrocketed,” Popovich said. “Obviously he feels more at home. He's not worried about making a team this year. He knows he's already part of the family.”
Duncan had 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in less than 23 minutes, while Parker scored 14.
Granger had 29 points and 14 rebounds for Indiana, but it took him 29 shots to get there.
The Spurs were 2 of 16 from 3-point range, after going 14 of 19 against the Thunder on Tuesday in Austin, where they also dressed in the women's locker room.
Still, the Spurs got what they came for Friday night — a painless end to the monotony of the preseason. They finished 4-3, a mark nobody will remember come Wednesday.
The next time they step on the court, it will be for a game that counts. They can be men again.
“We mostly just fine-tune during the preseason,” veteran center Theo Ratliff said. “Now the real season begins.”