duncan228
01-23-2010, 12:56 AM
Loss to Rockets mars Duncan's milestone (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Loss_to_Rockets_mars_Duncans_milestone.html)
Jeff McDonald
At a timeout not long after he had logged the 20,000th and 20,001st points of his career Friday night, Tim Duncan celebrated in Tim Duncan fashion.
He gave a brief wave to acknowledge the standing AT&T Center crowd. He accepted high-fives from teammates and handshakes from coaches.
Then Duncan wiped his face, took a swig of sports drink and engaged Tony Parker and George Hill in a serious discussion of the Spurs' pick-and-roll coverages.
It was an understated celebration for an understated superstar, who afterward reacted to the news that he'd hit an NBA milestone as if he'd just survived a trip to the dentist.
“It was just great to get it out of the way,” Duncan said after the Spurs lost to Houston, 116-109. “Wish I would have got it done last game, but it didn't happen.”
On hold at 19,999 points heading into the night, Duncan passed the magic number on his first attempt of the game, a 16-foot jumper. He finished with 25 points — giving him 20,024 for his career — and 14 rebounds, and it still wasn't enough.
The struggling Spurs couldn't give Duncan what he wanted most out of the night — a win.
Doomed by the same scoring lulls that have plagued them of late, and by the sort of defense that had their head coach wondering what in the name of Doug Moe he was watching, the Spurs (25-17) lost for the fourth time in five games.
That they lost to the Rockets while scoring 109 points, a figure that once would have signaled a runaway Spurs victory, gnawed on coach Gregg Popovich, as well as the 35th member of the NBA's 20,000-point club.
“You've got to play a lick of defense to win in this league,” Popovich said. “We're scoring more points than we've ever scored in our lives. But our defense is really sub-par, and it's killing us.”
Friday's final can be explained by one number — the 55.1 percent Houston shot from the field. Two other numbers help explain that one: Houston had 52 points in the paint and 27 in transition.
Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry took turns ruining Duncan's feel-good night, each scoring 23 points and directing the Rockets' layup parade. A game after allowing 60 second-half points in a loss to Utah, the Spurs gave up 61 to Houston (24-18).
“We're not that defensive team right now,” Duncan said. “We're built that way. Our state of mind is that way. We're just not getting the job done that way.”
The Spurs opened the game as if shot from cannon, scoring on each of their first eight possessions to take a 17-6 lead. One of those was Duncan's milestone, which led to a midgame standing ovation from the crowd that thoroughly confused the visiting Rockets.
“It was like, ‘Dang, why's everybody yelling?'” Brooks said. “Did Eva come in or something?'”
If Eva Longoria Parker had attended Friday's game, she might have eventually would up guarding Brooks or Lowry.
Houston took its first lead of the game with 1:11 left in the second quarter on Shane Battier's 3-pointer. A 12-3 Rockets run to start the third gave them control. Their 14-0 run straddling the end of the third and beginning of the fourth had the Spurs down 91-77 with 9:48 to go.
By game's end, Duncan was left to celebrate a career achievement on a night he didn't much feel like celebrating. Others did it for him.
“It is an incredible achievement,” Popovich said. “He's done it without fanfare. He's just gone to work like anybody else in any other job. He doesn't think it's anything special at all.”
Duncan didn't want a lavish party, but he could have done without how his landmark night ended. As he left the floor, many of the remaining fans were still chanting, “Let's go Rockets!”
*********************
Slideshow.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/Spurs_109_Rockets_116.html?c=n#1
Jeff McDonald
At a timeout not long after he had logged the 20,000th and 20,001st points of his career Friday night, Tim Duncan celebrated in Tim Duncan fashion.
He gave a brief wave to acknowledge the standing AT&T Center crowd. He accepted high-fives from teammates and handshakes from coaches.
Then Duncan wiped his face, took a swig of sports drink and engaged Tony Parker and George Hill in a serious discussion of the Spurs' pick-and-roll coverages.
It was an understated celebration for an understated superstar, who afterward reacted to the news that he'd hit an NBA milestone as if he'd just survived a trip to the dentist.
“It was just great to get it out of the way,” Duncan said after the Spurs lost to Houston, 116-109. “Wish I would have got it done last game, but it didn't happen.”
On hold at 19,999 points heading into the night, Duncan passed the magic number on his first attempt of the game, a 16-foot jumper. He finished with 25 points — giving him 20,024 for his career — and 14 rebounds, and it still wasn't enough.
The struggling Spurs couldn't give Duncan what he wanted most out of the night — a win.
Doomed by the same scoring lulls that have plagued them of late, and by the sort of defense that had their head coach wondering what in the name of Doug Moe he was watching, the Spurs (25-17) lost for the fourth time in five games.
That they lost to the Rockets while scoring 109 points, a figure that once would have signaled a runaway Spurs victory, gnawed on coach Gregg Popovich, as well as the 35th member of the NBA's 20,000-point club.
“You've got to play a lick of defense to win in this league,” Popovich said. “We're scoring more points than we've ever scored in our lives. But our defense is really sub-par, and it's killing us.”
Friday's final can be explained by one number — the 55.1 percent Houston shot from the field. Two other numbers help explain that one: Houston had 52 points in the paint and 27 in transition.
Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry took turns ruining Duncan's feel-good night, each scoring 23 points and directing the Rockets' layup parade. A game after allowing 60 second-half points in a loss to Utah, the Spurs gave up 61 to Houston (24-18).
“We're not that defensive team right now,” Duncan said. “We're built that way. Our state of mind is that way. We're just not getting the job done that way.”
The Spurs opened the game as if shot from cannon, scoring on each of their first eight possessions to take a 17-6 lead. One of those was Duncan's milestone, which led to a midgame standing ovation from the crowd that thoroughly confused the visiting Rockets.
“It was like, ‘Dang, why's everybody yelling?'” Brooks said. “Did Eva come in or something?'”
If Eva Longoria Parker had attended Friday's game, she might have eventually would up guarding Brooks or Lowry.
Houston took its first lead of the game with 1:11 left in the second quarter on Shane Battier's 3-pointer. A 12-3 Rockets run to start the third gave them control. Their 14-0 run straddling the end of the third and beginning of the fourth had the Spurs down 91-77 with 9:48 to go.
By game's end, Duncan was left to celebrate a career achievement on a night he didn't much feel like celebrating. Others did it for him.
“It is an incredible achievement,” Popovich said. “He's done it without fanfare. He's just gone to work like anybody else in any other job. He doesn't think it's anything special at all.”
Duncan didn't want a lavish party, but he could have done without how his landmark night ended. As he left the floor, many of the remaining fans were still chanting, “Let's go Rockets!”
*********************
Slideshow.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/Spurs_109_Rockets_116.html?c=n#1