Kori Ellis
05-03-2005, 03:38 AM
Overtime on Parker's side: Guard nets 11 in extra period; Spurs go up 3-1
Web Posted: 05/03/2005 01:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050305.1D.BKNspurs.gamer4.2386b8f4a.html
DENVER — For two days, Tony Parker vowed to be patient. It was Manu Ginobili's series, he said. Ginobili was too hot, the Denver Nuggets too focused on containing the Spurs' point guard off pick-and-rolls.
"I'm just going to wait," Parker said, "for my turn."
With the Nuggets having rallied from 12 points down to force overtime, with revitalized Tim Duncan forced to the bench, with Monday night about to become Tuesday morning and the Pepsi Center's frenzied crowd on its feet, Parker's opportunity finally arrived.
As he has for much of this season, Parker made the most of it. He scored 11 of his 29 points in overtime as the Spurs beat Denver 126-115 to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round, best-of-seven series.
The Spurs will try to close out the Nuggets in Game 5 on Wednesday night at the SBC Center.
"We played with a lot of poise," Parker said. "It was huge to win two games here. We wanted to go back to San Antonio with a two-game lead."
Duncan rebounded from his poor-shooting performance in Game 3 to finish with 39 points — one shy of his playoff high — and 14 rebounds. Booed from start to finish, Ginobili scored 24 points, ending his evening with a 3-pointer as he fell into the arms of his teammates.
Parker, who also finished one point shy of his postseason high, appeared to have won the game in regulation when he buried an 18-footer from the left corner with 27.4 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Carmelo Anthony drove baseline and missed. Duncan thought he had corralled the rebound only to realize official Bennie Adams had whistled him for a foul.
As Duncan shook his head in frustration, Anthony stepped to the line and made both his free throws to tie the game with 14.4 seconds remaining. The Spurs called timeout, then again isolated Ginobili above the key. Ginobili let the clock tick down and drove into the lane only to have Nuggets center Marcus Camby block his shot to send the game into overtime.
Duncan drew his fifth foul of the opening possession of overtime when he elbowed Nene. Duncan came back with a short hook. Parker followed with a runner. The next trip down the floor, he buried a 20-foot fall-away to extend the Spurs' lead to 113-107 with 3:11 remaining.
After a timeout, Anthony curled around the lane and slipped. Though TV replays appeared to show Duncan didn't make contact with the Nuggets' forward, Adams called him for his sixth foul.
Duncan jumped up and grabbed his jersey in frustration. Before leaving the court, he gathered his teammates together for a short pep talk.
Denver scored, but Parker followed with a pair of free throws. He added a 3-pointer to all but finish off the Nuggets.
"I lost my balance," Parker said. "But the shot felt good when it left my hand."
Denver received 32 points from backup guard Earl Boykins and 28 more from Anthony — the two players the Spurs pretty much had held in check for the first three games. Forward Kenyon Martin fouled out late in regulation.
After missing 14 of his 19 attempts in Game 3, Duncan pledged to keep taking the same shots. He did, with much better results. He scored 18 points in the first half while going 7 for 12.
Near the end of the third quarter, Duncan tossed in a one-handed fadeaway as Nene fouled him. The shot gave the Spurs an 87-75 lead.
Denver didn't wilt, reeling off nine consecutive points. Glenn Robinson, who didn't play in Game 3, slowed the run with a 3-pointer. Slowed by didn't stop. The Nuggets went on to take the lead late in the final quarter.
Ginobili had reason to feel like he was in Treviso, Italy, leading Kinder Bologna onto the court of rival Benetton. The Nuggets' fans jeered him every time he touched the ball. After he buried a 3-pointer for his first shot, the boos only grew louder.
One local columnist wrote Denver needed to "squish the pest like a bug." The pest? Ginobili.
The Nuggets didn't go that far, but they did lean their defense toward Ginobili in an effort to keep him out of the lane. Though Ginobili had averaged 24 points through the first three games, he seemed surprised by the attention he received.
"This team doesn't depend on me," Ginobili said. "I'm going to come from to the bench, trying to bring that same energy. Our go-to guy is Tim. They have to worry more about him than me."
Martin disagreed.
"Those other guys haven't beaten us," Martin said Monday morning. "It's been him."
The Nuggets won't be able to say the same today. The Spurs won Monday night because of the other guys.
Web Posted: 05/03/2005 01:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050305.1D.BKNspurs.gamer4.2386b8f4a.html
DENVER — For two days, Tony Parker vowed to be patient. It was Manu Ginobili's series, he said. Ginobili was too hot, the Denver Nuggets too focused on containing the Spurs' point guard off pick-and-rolls.
"I'm just going to wait," Parker said, "for my turn."
With the Nuggets having rallied from 12 points down to force overtime, with revitalized Tim Duncan forced to the bench, with Monday night about to become Tuesday morning and the Pepsi Center's frenzied crowd on its feet, Parker's opportunity finally arrived.
As he has for much of this season, Parker made the most of it. He scored 11 of his 29 points in overtime as the Spurs beat Denver 126-115 to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round, best-of-seven series.
The Spurs will try to close out the Nuggets in Game 5 on Wednesday night at the SBC Center.
"We played with a lot of poise," Parker said. "It was huge to win two games here. We wanted to go back to San Antonio with a two-game lead."
Duncan rebounded from his poor-shooting performance in Game 3 to finish with 39 points — one shy of his playoff high — and 14 rebounds. Booed from start to finish, Ginobili scored 24 points, ending his evening with a 3-pointer as he fell into the arms of his teammates.
Parker, who also finished one point shy of his postseason high, appeared to have won the game in regulation when he buried an 18-footer from the left corner with 27.4 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Carmelo Anthony drove baseline and missed. Duncan thought he had corralled the rebound only to realize official Bennie Adams had whistled him for a foul.
As Duncan shook his head in frustration, Anthony stepped to the line and made both his free throws to tie the game with 14.4 seconds remaining. The Spurs called timeout, then again isolated Ginobili above the key. Ginobili let the clock tick down and drove into the lane only to have Nuggets center Marcus Camby block his shot to send the game into overtime.
Duncan drew his fifth foul of the opening possession of overtime when he elbowed Nene. Duncan came back with a short hook. Parker followed with a runner. The next trip down the floor, he buried a 20-foot fall-away to extend the Spurs' lead to 113-107 with 3:11 remaining.
After a timeout, Anthony curled around the lane and slipped. Though TV replays appeared to show Duncan didn't make contact with the Nuggets' forward, Adams called him for his sixth foul.
Duncan jumped up and grabbed his jersey in frustration. Before leaving the court, he gathered his teammates together for a short pep talk.
Denver scored, but Parker followed with a pair of free throws. He added a 3-pointer to all but finish off the Nuggets.
"I lost my balance," Parker said. "But the shot felt good when it left my hand."
Denver received 32 points from backup guard Earl Boykins and 28 more from Anthony — the two players the Spurs pretty much had held in check for the first three games. Forward Kenyon Martin fouled out late in regulation.
After missing 14 of his 19 attempts in Game 3, Duncan pledged to keep taking the same shots. He did, with much better results. He scored 18 points in the first half while going 7 for 12.
Near the end of the third quarter, Duncan tossed in a one-handed fadeaway as Nene fouled him. The shot gave the Spurs an 87-75 lead.
Denver didn't wilt, reeling off nine consecutive points. Glenn Robinson, who didn't play in Game 3, slowed the run with a 3-pointer. Slowed by didn't stop. The Nuggets went on to take the lead late in the final quarter.
Ginobili had reason to feel like he was in Treviso, Italy, leading Kinder Bologna onto the court of rival Benetton. The Nuggets' fans jeered him every time he touched the ball. After he buried a 3-pointer for his first shot, the boos only grew louder.
One local columnist wrote Denver needed to "squish the pest like a bug." The pest? Ginobili.
The Nuggets didn't go that far, but they did lean their defense toward Ginobili in an effort to keep him out of the lane. Though Ginobili had averaged 24 points through the first three games, he seemed surprised by the attention he received.
"This team doesn't depend on me," Ginobili said. "I'm going to come from to the bench, trying to bring that same energy. Our go-to guy is Tim. They have to worry more about him than me."
Martin disagreed.
"Those other guys haven't beaten us," Martin said Monday morning. "It's been him."
The Nuggets won't be able to say the same today. The Spurs won Monday night because of the other guys.