Kori Ellis
05-04-2005, 12:09 AM
Spurs follow star's lead: Duncan has look of complete player 'everybody fears'
Web Posted: 05/04/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050405.1C.BKNspurs.main.23cd4cc15.html
His hands resting on his shorts, his chest rising and falling with each breath, Tim Duncan stood hunched over on the Pepsi Center floor late Monday.
As Duncan glanced over at the Spurs' bench, his eyes met those of coach Gregg Popovich. Popovich wanted to give him a break. Duncan waved him off.
Duncan would go on to play 40 minutes, his most in more than two months. Before fouling out in overtime, he played through his fatigue, as well as the lingering soreness in his right ankle.
He scored 39 points. He took 14 rebounds. He made all but one of his 14 free throws.
All of which caused Bruce Bowen to shrug.
"That's who he is," Bowen said. "We're not going to give him kudos for that. He's supposed to do that."
Duncan's performance in Monday's 126-115 victory helped give his team a 3-1 lead over Denver in the first-round, best-of-seven series. It also provided a shot of confidence.
As the Spurs try to close out the Nuggets in Game5 tonight at the SBC Center, they have reason to believe their two-time MVP is starting to look more like himself.
"Tim played," Brent Barry said, "like the player everybody fears."
Even still, the Spurs almost left Denver with a split. With Earl Boykins and Carmelo Anthony combining for 60 points, the Nuggets erased the Spurs' 12-point lead in the second half to send the game into overtime.
Tony Parker took over from there, scoring 11 of his 29 points, and the Spurs leaned on their experience. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Monday night had yielded to Tuesday morning.
"I don't think I've ever walked out of a building at 1:15 before in my life, unless I drank a case of beer after the game or something," Denver coach George Karl said. "Then when I woke up this morning, the last thing I wanted to do is coach basketball on a basketball floor.
"It was a good day off. We'll find a way to get positive energy and go back to San Antonio and rock the world a little bit."
Duncan and his teammates will be happy if they can come close to duplicating their Game4 performance on short rest. The Spurs didn't return home Tuesday until about 5 a.m., then slept through part of the day.
Parker played 42 minutes on Monday, Manu Ginobili 37. Since returning from his 12-game stay on the injured list, Duncan hadn't played more than 35 minutes.
Whatever energy the Spurs left behind in Denver, they hope to regain tonight with a little help from their fans. At the least, Ginobili expects to receive a warmer welcome than he did Monday. Every time he touched the ball in Game 4, the sellout crowd booed him.
"Usually, I'm the good guy," Ginobili said.
The Nuggets had their pick of villains in Game 4. Though Denver collapsed harder on Ginobili when he drove into the lane, he still matched his series average with 24 points. Parker, in addition to his heroics in overtime, buried a go-ahead 18-footer off a nice pass from Ginobili with 27.4 seconds left in regulation.
"At different stretches of the game, each of those guys were big for us," Barry said. "It's very difficult for any team to figure out what's going to happen."
Duncan's response to his 11-point effort in Game 3 wasn't too hard to predict. After missing 14 of 19 shots Saturday, he took better advantage of Denver's decision to primarily defend him one-on-one. His 39 points matched his most of the season and were his third-highest playoff total, trailing only a pair of 40-point games.
"That's more natural than what happened in Game 3," Ginobili said. "That wasn't Tim Duncan (on Saturday). He was him today."
Duncan's biggest challenge Monday was staying on the floor. He picked up his fourth foul when Anthony drove to the rim with 14.4 seconds left in regulation. His fifth came on an offensive foul on the first possession of overtime.
Duncan disagreed with both calls, though not as much as he protested No. 6. With 2:55 left in overtime, Anthony slipped while curling around the lane and official Bennie Adams whistled Duncan for a push. TV replays showed Duncan never touched Anthony.
The foul was one of 73 called on the teams, who combined to shoot 91 free throws. Before leaving the floor, Duncan gathered his teammates together.
"This team has been through a lot this year and kind of pushed through all of it," Duncan said. "I don't think any one of us gave up at any point. We were just going to fight knowing there were so many possessions left. We were going to play through every one of them."
For much of the game, Duncan led, showing little of the tentativeness that limited him in the series' opener. When he had an open shot, he took it.
"I just love it when I see him like that when he's not thinking," Parker said. "He's just attacking the basket. That's the real Tim Duncan."
Web Posted: 05/04/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050405.1C.BKNspurs.main.23cd4cc15.html
His hands resting on his shorts, his chest rising and falling with each breath, Tim Duncan stood hunched over on the Pepsi Center floor late Monday.
As Duncan glanced over at the Spurs' bench, his eyes met those of coach Gregg Popovich. Popovich wanted to give him a break. Duncan waved him off.
Duncan would go on to play 40 minutes, his most in more than two months. Before fouling out in overtime, he played through his fatigue, as well as the lingering soreness in his right ankle.
He scored 39 points. He took 14 rebounds. He made all but one of his 14 free throws.
All of which caused Bruce Bowen to shrug.
"That's who he is," Bowen said. "We're not going to give him kudos for that. He's supposed to do that."
Duncan's performance in Monday's 126-115 victory helped give his team a 3-1 lead over Denver in the first-round, best-of-seven series. It also provided a shot of confidence.
As the Spurs try to close out the Nuggets in Game5 tonight at the SBC Center, they have reason to believe their two-time MVP is starting to look more like himself.
"Tim played," Brent Barry said, "like the player everybody fears."
Even still, the Spurs almost left Denver with a split. With Earl Boykins and Carmelo Anthony combining for 60 points, the Nuggets erased the Spurs' 12-point lead in the second half to send the game into overtime.
Tony Parker took over from there, scoring 11 of his 29 points, and the Spurs leaned on their experience. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Monday night had yielded to Tuesday morning.
"I don't think I've ever walked out of a building at 1:15 before in my life, unless I drank a case of beer after the game or something," Denver coach George Karl said. "Then when I woke up this morning, the last thing I wanted to do is coach basketball on a basketball floor.
"It was a good day off. We'll find a way to get positive energy and go back to San Antonio and rock the world a little bit."
Duncan and his teammates will be happy if they can come close to duplicating their Game4 performance on short rest. The Spurs didn't return home Tuesday until about 5 a.m., then slept through part of the day.
Parker played 42 minutes on Monday, Manu Ginobili 37. Since returning from his 12-game stay on the injured list, Duncan hadn't played more than 35 minutes.
Whatever energy the Spurs left behind in Denver, they hope to regain tonight with a little help from their fans. At the least, Ginobili expects to receive a warmer welcome than he did Monday. Every time he touched the ball in Game 4, the sellout crowd booed him.
"Usually, I'm the good guy," Ginobili said.
The Nuggets had their pick of villains in Game 4. Though Denver collapsed harder on Ginobili when he drove into the lane, he still matched his series average with 24 points. Parker, in addition to his heroics in overtime, buried a go-ahead 18-footer off a nice pass from Ginobili with 27.4 seconds left in regulation.
"At different stretches of the game, each of those guys were big for us," Barry said. "It's very difficult for any team to figure out what's going to happen."
Duncan's response to his 11-point effort in Game 3 wasn't too hard to predict. After missing 14 of 19 shots Saturday, he took better advantage of Denver's decision to primarily defend him one-on-one. His 39 points matched his most of the season and were his third-highest playoff total, trailing only a pair of 40-point games.
"That's more natural than what happened in Game 3," Ginobili said. "That wasn't Tim Duncan (on Saturday). He was him today."
Duncan's biggest challenge Monday was staying on the floor. He picked up his fourth foul when Anthony drove to the rim with 14.4 seconds left in regulation. His fifth came on an offensive foul on the first possession of overtime.
Duncan disagreed with both calls, though not as much as he protested No. 6. With 2:55 left in overtime, Anthony slipped while curling around the lane and official Bennie Adams whistled Duncan for a push. TV replays showed Duncan never touched Anthony.
The foul was one of 73 called on the teams, who combined to shoot 91 free throws. Before leaving the floor, Duncan gathered his teammates together.
"This team has been through a lot this year and kind of pushed through all of it," Duncan said. "I don't think any one of us gave up at any point. We were just going to fight knowing there were so many possessions left. We were going to play through every one of them."
For much of the game, Duncan led, showing little of the tentativeness that limited him in the series' opener. When he had an open shot, he took it.
"I just love it when I see him like that when he's not thinking," Parker said. "He's just attacking the basket. That's the real Tim Duncan."