duncan228
11-22-2009, 12:59 AM
Spurs get back on track (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_get_back_on_track.html)
Jeff McDonald
In simple calendar time, it had only been 10 days since the Spurs last ended a game with more points than the opposing team.
In terms of an NBA season, that is the blink of an eye. It is a hiccup. In Spurs years, however, the winless drought seemed much longer than that.
“It felt like a year and a half,” Tim Duncan said.
A year and a half, a week and a half, it's all moot now. The Spurs squashed their three-game losing streak in resounding fashion Saturday night, thrashing the hapless Washington Wizards 106-84 at the AT&T Center.
It was, perhaps, the Spurs' most complete game of the season. They assisted on a whopping 32 of 40 field goals. They won the rebounding battle 59-44. They held the Wizards to 33.3 percent shooting, a low for a Spurs opponent this season.
It all added up to the Spurs' most lopsided victory of the season, and their first by any margin since beating Dallas on Nov. 11.
“It was good to win one,” Duncan said, “and good to play a complete game.”
Washington (3-9) proved to be a cure for whatever ailed the Spurs. A night after suffering what was to that point their worst loss of the season — 127-108 at Oklahoma City — the Wizards outdid themselves Saturday.
Duncan had 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists — denied a triple-double only by virtue of the Wizards' own ineptitude — while Tony Parker had 17 points and eight assists in his return from a two-game injury hiatus.
The Spurs (5-6) also got 15 points from Richard Jefferson, though he missed eight of 13 shots, and a productive 11-rebound, three-block night off the bench from Theo Ratliff.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was most impressed with the team's assist total, by far a season high.
“We're trying to emphasize attack and drive, not just settling,” Popovich said. “That's how you learn to play with your teammates. That's how trust develops offensively.”
Trust didn't seem to make the Wizards' charter flight to San Antonio. They managed just 12 assists, their offense usually devolving into a one-on-one jump-shooting contest.
Gilbert Arenas had 18 points, but harassed by Keith Bogans and George Hill, it took him 18 shots.
The loss was Washington's 10th consecutive in San Antonio, a streak dating to Dec. 11, 1999.
“It's very frustrating because our talent isn't winning out over our egos,” Wizards center Brendan Haywood said. “If you want to win, you have to check your ego at the door.”
For an example of how to do it, see Duncan, Tim.
Duncan's night didn't start out so well. He missed four of his first six shots, most of them open mid-range jumpers.
“I actually came out trying to shoot, and I found out I couldn't make a shot,” Duncan said. “I figured passing might work better.”
Picking apart the Wizards like a quarterback, Duncan had five assists by the end of the first quarter. At half, with the Spurs ahead 52-40, he had eight points, nine rebounds and seven assists, a triple-double waiting to happen.
The Wizards finally found a way to keep Duncan from dicing them. They gave up a 22-6 run to start the third quarter, after which the Spurs led by 26.
Not long after, Duncan was on the bench for good — a good thing, considering he had totaled 79 minutes the previous two games. Duncan did not, for the record, try to weasel his way back in the game.
“Timmy's not built like that,” Popovich said. “He doesn't care about stats, and obviously never will.”
All in all, it was a good night for Duncan, and a good night for the Spurs. After 10 days of losing that felt like an eternity, they needed it.
“It feels like forever when you're losing,” said Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr. “It feels good to be on the other side.”
*******************
Slideshow.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/slideshows/Spurs_break_losing_spell_vs_Wizards_106-84.html
Jeff McDonald
In simple calendar time, it had only been 10 days since the Spurs last ended a game with more points than the opposing team.
In terms of an NBA season, that is the blink of an eye. It is a hiccup. In Spurs years, however, the winless drought seemed much longer than that.
“It felt like a year and a half,” Tim Duncan said.
A year and a half, a week and a half, it's all moot now. The Spurs squashed their three-game losing streak in resounding fashion Saturday night, thrashing the hapless Washington Wizards 106-84 at the AT&T Center.
It was, perhaps, the Spurs' most complete game of the season. They assisted on a whopping 32 of 40 field goals. They won the rebounding battle 59-44. They held the Wizards to 33.3 percent shooting, a low for a Spurs opponent this season.
It all added up to the Spurs' most lopsided victory of the season, and their first by any margin since beating Dallas on Nov. 11.
“It was good to win one,” Duncan said, “and good to play a complete game.”
Washington (3-9) proved to be a cure for whatever ailed the Spurs. A night after suffering what was to that point their worst loss of the season — 127-108 at Oklahoma City — the Wizards outdid themselves Saturday.
Duncan had 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists — denied a triple-double only by virtue of the Wizards' own ineptitude — while Tony Parker had 17 points and eight assists in his return from a two-game injury hiatus.
The Spurs (5-6) also got 15 points from Richard Jefferson, though he missed eight of 13 shots, and a productive 11-rebound, three-block night off the bench from Theo Ratliff.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was most impressed with the team's assist total, by far a season high.
“We're trying to emphasize attack and drive, not just settling,” Popovich said. “That's how you learn to play with your teammates. That's how trust develops offensively.”
Trust didn't seem to make the Wizards' charter flight to San Antonio. They managed just 12 assists, their offense usually devolving into a one-on-one jump-shooting contest.
Gilbert Arenas had 18 points, but harassed by Keith Bogans and George Hill, it took him 18 shots.
The loss was Washington's 10th consecutive in San Antonio, a streak dating to Dec. 11, 1999.
“It's very frustrating because our talent isn't winning out over our egos,” Wizards center Brendan Haywood said. “If you want to win, you have to check your ego at the door.”
For an example of how to do it, see Duncan, Tim.
Duncan's night didn't start out so well. He missed four of his first six shots, most of them open mid-range jumpers.
“I actually came out trying to shoot, and I found out I couldn't make a shot,” Duncan said. “I figured passing might work better.”
Picking apart the Wizards like a quarterback, Duncan had five assists by the end of the first quarter. At half, with the Spurs ahead 52-40, he had eight points, nine rebounds and seven assists, a triple-double waiting to happen.
The Wizards finally found a way to keep Duncan from dicing them. They gave up a 22-6 run to start the third quarter, after which the Spurs led by 26.
Not long after, Duncan was on the bench for good — a good thing, considering he had totaled 79 minutes the previous two games. Duncan did not, for the record, try to weasel his way back in the game.
“Timmy's not built like that,” Popovich said. “He doesn't care about stats, and obviously never will.”
All in all, it was a good night for Duncan, and a good night for the Spurs. After 10 days of losing that felt like an eternity, they needed it.
“It feels like forever when you're losing,” said Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr. “It feels good to be on the other side.”
*******************
Slideshow.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/slideshows/Spurs_break_losing_spell_vs_Wizards_106-84.html