Kori Ellis
05-02-2005, 12:28 AM
Push comes to shove: Spurs' aches feeling better with 2-1 lead
Web Posted: 05/02/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050205.1D.BKNspurs.game4.adv.23292378c.html
DENVER — The Spurs had just finished their brief workout Sunday afternoon at the Pepsi Center, and Manu Ginobili was already soaking his sore body in a pool elsewhere in the arena. Nazr Mohammed sat on the bench, receiving treatment for an injury to his left calf.
Tim Duncan stood on the court, answering a question about the escalating tensions in the Spurs' playoff series against Denver, saying how "hopefully, no one gets hurt."
Almost on cue, Robert Horry half-heartedly heaved a 35-foot shot at the basket near his teammate. The ball hit the backboard support and dislodged a 4-foot piece of PVC tube, which swung down in a violent arc behind Duncan's head before crashing loudly into the stanchion.
Duncan, startled, spun around. As Horry sheepishly waved in apology, Duncan motioned to the large stepladder near the team's bench,
"I knew I shouldn't have been sitting under there," he said.
While the Denver Nuggets spent the afternoon trying to calm their own sky-is-falling fears, the Spurs didn't need an errant chunk of pipe to convince them their 2-1 grip on the best-of-seven series is tenuous, at best.
"Handling wins well is as important as handling losses," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I'm anxious to see how we handle two wins in a row and if we take nothing for granted."
How the Spurs fare in Game 4 tonight might have more to do with their physical state than mental. For the first time in the series, the teams have only one day to recuperate.
Duncan, limited to 27 minutes Saturday because of foul trouble, said his right ankle should be OK. Rasho Nesterovic's left ankle also was no worse Sunday after he played his most minutes (17) in three weeks. Mohammed is listed as probable to play tonight.
Asked if Ginobili was fine, Popovich laughed.
"Sure, you could say that," Popovich said. "Just like a boxer."
Ginobili absorbed a pounding, during and after his 32-point, off-the-bench performance in Game 3. More than once, he had to peel himself off the floor after driving to the basket. With 22.5 seconds remaining, Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony was ejected for clubbing Ginobili across his face. Greg Buckner and Kenyon Martin also cracked him on the same play.
"It was just a hard foul," Ginobili said. "You just have to stand up again, take your free throws, go back to the hotel, rest, take care of (your) body, and that's it."
Ginobili said he felt fatigued but vowed not to change his approach.
"If I am on the floor, I have to do my best," he said. "And that means going to the basket hard."
Denver coach George Karl likely won't take that as good news. During his amusing postgame rant late Saturday, Karl complained about the officiating, Bruce Bowen's defense on Anthony and, curiously, Ginobili's "difficult to watch" style of play.
"Put your head down and run into people," Karl said after the Spurs' 86-78 Game 3 victory. "I guess that's the new brand of basketball. Every five to 10 years, there's a new style that comes in. I don't think it's very pretty for basketball.
"He just goes in, throws his arms up and throws his elbows into us. He's so quick, you don't necessarily get great body position. But he hits you as much as you hit him. I just think it's very difficult to defend, to referee and watch unless you're the San Antonio Spurs."
Said Bruce Bowen: "It's always easy to talk about other guys when it's not going your way."
Not much has gone the Nuggets' way the past two games. The Spurs have held them to 76 and 78 points, their lowest totals under Karl. For the series, Denver is averaging 82.3 points, fewest of the 16 playoff teams.
"Manu had one great game, Andre (Miller) had one great one, and we threw one away because we got too happy," Karl said. "I think the series is even, right where it's supposed to be. Now we're in a must-win situation for the first time in the series."
With the exception of the play of their bench, the Spurs weren't all that pleased with their own performance in Game 3. For all the talk about Duncan's sore ankle, his shot is ailing even worse. He missed 14 of 19 shots Saturday, including 12 of 15 in the second half. He played only six minutes in the first half because of foul trouble.
"I'm glad with every shot I'm getting," said Duncan, who is shooting 41.1 percent in the series. "I'd love to have one or two more go down to get a little more rhythm and confidence going, but I will take those shots again (today) if I have them."
Duncan thinks the team is more equipped than ever to survive those stretches when he's not playing well or not even on the floor. Ginobili has had something to do with that, so the Spurs suspect the Nuggets — who, Marcus Camby said, will "fight, scratch and claw to even this thing up" — will try to get even more physical with him tonight.
"People don't like when they get dominated," Tony Parker said, "and that's what Manu has done in the series."
Web Posted: 05/02/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050205.1D.BKNspurs.game4.adv.23292378c.html
DENVER — The Spurs had just finished their brief workout Sunday afternoon at the Pepsi Center, and Manu Ginobili was already soaking his sore body in a pool elsewhere in the arena. Nazr Mohammed sat on the bench, receiving treatment for an injury to his left calf.
Tim Duncan stood on the court, answering a question about the escalating tensions in the Spurs' playoff series against Denver, saying how "hopefully, no one gets hurt."
Almost on cue, Robert Horry half-heartedly heaved a 35-foot shot at the basket near his teammate. The ball hit the backboard support and dislodged a 4-foot piece of PVC tube, which swung down in a violent arc behind Duncan's head before crashing loudly into the stanchion.
Duncan, startled, spun around. As Horry sheepishly waved in apology, Duncan motioned to the large stepladder near the team's bench,
"I knew I shouldn't have been sitting under there," he said.
While the Denver Nuggets spent the afternoon trying to calm their own sky-is-falling fears, the Spurs didn't need an errant chunk of pipe to convince them their 2-1 grip on the best-of-seven series is tenuous, at best.
"Handling wins well is as important as handling losses," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I'm anxious to see how we handle two wins in a row and if we take nothing for granted."
How the Spurs fare in Game 4 tonight might have more to do with their physical state than mental. For the first time in the series, the teams have only one day to recuperate.
Duncan, limited to 27 minutes Saturday because of foul trouble, said his right ankle should be OK. Rasho Nesterovic's left ankle also was no worse Sunday after he played his most minutes (17) in three weeks. Mohammed is listed as probable to play tonight.
Asked if Ginobili was fine, Popovich laughed.
"Sure, you could say that," Popovich said. "Just like a boxer."
Ginobili absorbed a pounding, during and after his 32-point, off-the-bench performance in Game 3. More than once, he had to peel himself off the floor after driving to the basket. With 22.5 seconds remaining, Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony was ejected for clubbing Ginobili across his face. Greg Buckner and Kenyon Martin also cracked him on the same play.
"It was just a hard foul," Ginobili said. "You just have to stand up again, take your free throws, go back to the hotel, rest, take care of (your) body, and that's it."
Ginobili said he felt fatigued but vowed not to change his approach.
"If I am on the floor, I have to do my best," he said. "And that means going to the basket hard."
Denver coach George Karl likely won't take that as good news. During his amusing postgame rant late Saturday, Karl complained about the officiating, Bruce Bowen's defense on Anthony and, curiously, Ginobili's "difficult to watch" style of play.
"Put your head down and run into people," Karl said after the Spurs' 86-78 Game 3 victory. "I guess that's the new brand of basketball. Every five to 10 years, there's a new style that comes in. I don't think it's very pretty for basketball.
"He just goes in, throws his arms up and throws his elbows into us. He's so quick, you don't necessarily get great body position. But he hits you as much as you hit him. I just think it's very difficult to defend, to referee and watch unless you're the San Antonio Spurs."
Said Bruce Bowen: "It's always easy to talk about other guys when it's not going your way."
Not much has gone the Nuggets' way the past two games. The Spurs have held them to 76 and 78 points, their lowest totals under Karl. For the series, Denver is averaging 82.3 points, fewest of the 16 playoff teams.
"Manu had one great game, Andre (Miller) had one great one, and we threw one away because we got too happy," Karl said. "I think the series is even, right where it's supposed to be. Now we're in a must-win situation for the first time in the series."
With the exception of the play of their bench, the Spurs weren't all that pleased with their own performance in Game 3. For all the talk about Duncan's sore ankle, his shot is ailing even worse. He missed 14 of 19 shots Saturday, including 12 of 15 in the second half. He played only six minutes in the first half because of foul trouble.
"I'm glad with every shot I'm getting," said Duncan, who is shooting 41.1 percent in the series. "I'd love to have one or two more go down to get a little more rhythm and confidence going, but I will take those shots again (today) if I have them."
Duncan thinks the team is more equipped than ever to survive those stretches when he's not playing well or not even on the floor. Ginobili has had something to do with that, so the Spurs suspect the Nuggets — who, Marcus Camby said, will "fight, scratch and claw to even this thing up" — will try to get even more physical with him tonight.
"People don't like when they get dominated," Tony Parker said, "and that's what Manu has done in the series."