duncan228
11-04-2009, 11:19 PM
Spurs come out of break bittersweet (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Spurs_come_out_of_break_bittersweet.html)
Jeff McDonald -
SALT LAKE CITY — Fresh off a four-day break without a game, the Spurs boarded their plane for Utah on Wednesday with mixed feelings about the rare early-season respite they had just received.
Sure, it was nice to have a couple of practices, but the downtime might have ruined any momentum the Spurs were building since the season began a week earlier.
“Every year, there are a couple times in the schedule where everybody gets those breaks,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “The time you don't want those breaks is now. It's too darn early in the season.”
Compounding the Spurs' perplexity with the false start of a schedule is the price they will now pay for the layoff. Four days off gives way to a rugged road back-to-back at Utah and Portland beginning tonight.
“Resting four or five days and then having to play Utah and Portland back-to-back on the road is not the ideal thing,” Manu Ginobili said. “Every team in the league goes through stretches like this. We've just got to face it, toughen up and try to win.”
Tim Duncan tried to look at the silver lining. Popovich had three teaching-intensive workouts during the break, a significant development for a team heavy on new faces.
“We've got a lot of new guys and a very deep system,” Duncan said. “We've got a lot of stuff to put in, a lot of stuff we need to work on.”
Testing the stopper: This road trip should provide a test for Richard Jefferson, the Spurs' new defensive stopper designate.
He will warm up tonight with a matchup against Utah's Ronnie Brewer, who has raised his scoring average to 14.8 points. Friday in Portland, Jefferson is expected to start on Brandon Roy, who averages 24.5 points.
Popovich said he has been pleased so far with the defensive work of Jefferson, who is typically assigned to the opponent's top perimeter scorer each night. Aside from Sacramento's Kevin Martin, who had 29 points, Jefferson has held his own.
“He's taking pride in it,” Popovich said. “He's trying to improve his game in that area and get it back to where it used to be when he was a heck of a defender.”
Fun with numbers: Duncan scored nine and seven points in the Spurs' two victories this season. It marked just the third time in his career that he had scored in single digits in two out of three games.
Throughout his 12-plus seasons, Duncan has scored in single digits 37 times. The Spurs are 23-14 in those games.
Jeff McDonald -
SALT LAKE CITY — Fresh off a four-day break without a game, the Spurs boarded their plane for Utah on Wednesday with mixed feelings about the rare early-season respite they had just received.
Sure, it was nice to have a couple of practices, but the downtime might have ruined any momentum the Spurs were building since the season began a week earlier.
“Every year, there are a couple times in the schedule where everybody gets those breaks,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “The time you don't want those breaks is now. It's too darn early in the season.”
Compounding the Spurs' perplexity with the false start of a schedule is the price they will now pay for the layoff. Four days off gives way to a rugged road back-to-back at Utah and Portland beginning tonight.
“Resting four or five days and then having to play Utah and Portland back-to-back on the road is not the ideal thing,” Manu Ginobili said. “Every team in the league goes through stretches like this. We've just got to face it, toughen up and try to win.”
Tim Duncan tried to look at the silver lining. Popovich had three teaching-intensive workouts during the break, a significant development for a team heavy on new faces.
“We've got a lot of new guys and a very deep system,” Duncan said. “We've got a lot of stuff to put in, a lot of stuff we need to work on.”
Testing the stopper: This road trip should provide a test for Richard Jefferson, the Spurs' new defensive stopper designate.
He will warm up tonight with a matchup against Utah's Ronnie Brewer, who has raised his scoring average to 14.8 points. Friday in Portland, Jefferson is expected to start on Brandon Roy, who averages 24.5 points.
Popovich said he has been pleased so far with the defensive work of Jefferson, who is typically assigned to the opponent's top perimeter scorer each night. Aside from Sacramento's Kevin Martin, who had 29 points, Jefferson has held his own.
“He's taking pride in it,” Popovich said. “He's trying to improve his game in that area and get it back to where it used to be when he was a heck of a defender.”
Fun with numbers: Duncan scored nine and seven points in the Spurs' two victories this season. It marked just the third time in his career that he had scored in single digits in two out of three games.
Throughout his 12-plus seasons, Duncan has scored in single digits 37 times. The Spurs are 23-14 in those games.