Jimcs50
05-02-2005, 08:08 AM
Karl hits talking points
He rips Ginobili, Bowen, officials; Game 4 'must-win'
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News
May 2, 2005
Last time, it was the players sounding off. This time, it is the coach.
In the playoffs last year, Denver Nuggets players were running their mouths at the Minnesota Timberwolves while then-Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik cringed.
But in the first-round Western Conference playoff series this year against the San Antonio Spurs, while several Denver players have been heard to say "no comment" on controversial matters, their coach is dispensing bulletin board fodder.
Before the start of the playoffs, George Karl warned against such tactics, saying, "I'm not against a little verbal exchange, but I'm not sure I'd want to take the San Antonio Spurs on that way" because they "know how to control that." But Karl apparently has changed his thought process.
After an 86-78 loss Saturday in Game 3, Karl ripped Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, saying he "throws his arms up and throws his elbows into us" and his style is ugly to watch. He ripped Spurs forward Bruce Bowen, who is defending Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, saying Bowen "gets away with stuff . . . walks under you, he holds and grabs on cuts."
And Karl also criticized the officiating. But that is a concern primarily for the NBA office, which today will announce any possible fine.
Karl will find out tonight at the Pepsi Center how the Spurs, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1, will respond to his comments, saying Game 4 is a "must win."
The Spurs traditionally just shrug when teams take shots at them, then take charge on the court. Sunday, they began the shrugging process.
"We've heard enough of it," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "We've been through that. We don't respond to stuff like that."
"Another dig just doesn't do that much to me," Bowen said.
Added Ginobili: "We don't (care what is being said). We know what we do."
Ginobili knew what to do Saturday, scoring 32 points as a reserve. After the Spurs trailed by seven points in the first quarter, they took control even though Duncan played only 27 minutes because of foul trouble and shot 5-for-19 for 11 points.
Ginobili, averaging 24.0 points, has been the key in the series, especially since Spurs coach Gregg Popovich moved him to a reserve role before Game 2.
Karl believes a key has been Ginobili getting away with rough play while he goes to the free-throw line on touch fouls by the Nuggets.
"I've been watching the film," Karl said Sunday when asked if he thought his comments after Game 3 might have been too strong. "I thought we were wearing the black hats and they were wearing the white hats. . . . The champions (the Spurs won titles in 1999 and 2003) do get benefits. But I thought on our home court we're supposed to have the white hats."
At least the Nuggets did not get "our hat handed to us." That is how forward Kenyon Martin described a 28-point loss in Game 2.
Still, the loss Saturday was disappointing for the Nuggets.
They failed to take advantage of a raucous crowd of 19,913, the largest for a basketball game in Colorado. And they lost despite controlling Duncan.
"We've had him have two bad games," said Karl, referring to the Nuggets' Game 1 win in which Denver held Duncan to 7-for-22 shooting.
"Not bad games, but average games. I think he's going to have a better (game tonight)."
To have any chance to win the series, the Nuggets must have a better game tonight.
They need to somehow get their running attack going after the Spurs held them to 22 fewer points than the 100 Karl was hoping to score Saturday.
"Gotta win," Martin said. "Bottom line. First must game. We must win. Gotta go out and get it. Ain't no in between."
The Nuggets spoke of not wanting to return to San Antonio down 3-1. That would create a near impossible situation of winning three consecutive games, two at the SBC Center.
"We've got to fight, scrap, claw to try to even this thing," Nuggets center Marcus Camby said.
Sounds like what the Spurs have been doing.
But Nuggets players did not have a lot of agreement with Karl when talk turned to whether they are getting a fair shake from the officials.
"He's beaten me up," Anthony said of Bowen's play. "I wouldn't say too physical."
So what about Ginobili's style?
"If he's getting the calls, that's great basketball," Anthony said.
It appears Karl is trying to get into the heads of the officials who show up tonight. That did not slip by Spurs forward Robert Horry, a 13-year veteran.
"It's an old tactic," he said. "All coaches do that. The refs read the papers. . . . There's nothing really happening with that situation. He's just trying to get them to look at something.
"So I want to make a statement now. I want them to look at Carmelo Anthony's post-up. He's doing a lot of holding and a lot of 3 seconds in the lane."
Horry was perhaps the only Spurs player to respond strongly to Karl's comments.
That might not be San Antonio's style, but, with five championship rings on his résumé, Horry is no novice when it comes to gamesmanship.
[email protected] or 303-892-5125
He rips Ginobili, Bowen, officials; Game 4 'must-win'
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News
May 2, 2005
Last time, it was the players sounding off. This time, it is the coach.
In the playoffs last year, Denver Nuggets players were running their mouths at the Minnesota Timberwolves while then-Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik cringed.
But in the first-round Western Conference playoff series this year against the San Antonio Spurs, while several Denver players have been heard to say "no comment" on controversial matters, their coach is dispensing bulletin board fodder.
Before the start of the playoffs, George Karl warned against such tactics, saying, "I'm not against a little verbal exchange, but I'm not sure I'd want to take the San Antonio Spurs on that way" because they "know how to control that." But Karl apparently has changed his thought process.
After an 86-78 loss Saturday in Game 3, Karl ripped Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, saying he "throws his arms up and throws his elbows into us" and his style is ugly to watch. He ripped Spurs forward Bruce Bowen, who is defending Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, saying Bowen "gets away with stuff . . . walks under you, he holds and grabs on cuts."
And Karl also criticized the officiating. But that is a concern primarily for the NBA office, which today will announce any possible fine.
Karl will find out tonight at the Pepsi Center how the Spurs, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1, will respond to his comments, saying Game 4 is a "must win."
The Spurs traditionally just shrug when teams take shots at them, then take charge on the court. Sunday, they began the shrugging process.
"We've heard enough of it," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "We've been through that. We don't respond to stuff like that."
"Another dig just doesn't do that much to me," Bowen said.
Added Ginobili: "We don't (care what is being said). We know what we do."
Ginobili knew what to do Saturday, scoring 32 points as a reserve. After the Spurs trailed by seven points in the first quarter, they took control even though Duncan played only 27 minutes because of foul trouble and shot 5-for-19 for 11 points.
Ginobili, averaging 24.0 points, has been the key in the series, especially since Spurs coach Gregg Popovich moved him to a reserve role before Game 2.
Karl believes a key has been Ginobili getting away with rough play while he goes to the free-throw line on touch fouls by the Nuggets.
"I've been watching the film," Karl said Sunday when asked if he thought his comments after Game 3 might have been too strong. "I thought we were wearing the black hats and they were wearing the white hats. . . . The champions (the Spurs won titles in 1999 and 2003) do get benefits. But I thought on our home court we're supposed to have the white hats."
At least the Nuggets did not get "our hat handed to us." That is how forward Kenyon Martin described a 28-point loss in Game 2.
Still, the loss Saturday was disappointing for the Nuggets.
They failed to take advantage of a raucous crowd of 19,913, the largest for a basketball game in Colorado. And they lost despite controlling Duncan.
"We've had him have two bad games," said Karl, referring to the Nuggets' Game 1 win in which Denver held Duncan to 7-for-22 shooting.
"Not bad games, but average games. I think he's going to have a better (game tonight)."
To have any chance to win the series, the Nuggets must have a better game tonight.
They need to somehow get their running attack going after the Spurs held them to 22 fewer points than the 100 Karl was hoping to score Saturday.
"Gotta win," Martin said. "Bottom line. First must game. We must win. Gotta go out and get it. Ain't no in between."
The Nuggets spoke of not wanting to return to San Antonio down 3-1. That would create a near impossible situation of winning three consecutive games, two at the SBC Center.
"We've got to fight, scrap, claw to try to even this thing," Nuggets center Marcus Camby said.
Sounds like what the Spurs have been doing.
But Nuggets players did not have a lot of agreement with Karl when talk turned to whether they are getting a fair shake from the officials.
"He's beaten me up," Anthony said of Bowen's play. "I wouldn't say too physical."
So what about Ginobili's style?
"If he's getting the calls, that's great basketball," Anthony said.
It appears Karl is trying to get into the heads of the officials who show up tonight. That did not slip by Spurs forward Robert Horry, a 13-year veteran.
"It's an old tactic," he said. "All coaches do that. The refs read the papers. . . . There's nothing really happening with that situation. He's just trying to get them to look at something.
"So I want to make a statement now. I want them to look at Carmelo Anthony's post-up. He's doing a lot of holding and a lot of 3 seconds in the lane."
Horry was perhaps the only Spurs player to respond strongly to Karl's comments.
That might not be San Antonio's style, but, with five championship rings on his résumé, Horry is no novice when it comes to gamesmanship.
[email protected] or 303-892-5125