Kori Ellis
05-08-2005, 12:31 AM
Spurs notebook: Horry vows to go with flow vs. Sonics
Web Posted: 05/08/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050805.13C.BKNspurs.notebook.25150011d.html
Robert Horry, one of the heroes of the Spurs' 4-1 first-round series victory over the Denver Nuggets, vowed Saturday there would be no second-round dropoff in his performance as there was last season, his first with the Spurs after seven with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Horry last year was the Spurs' No. 3 scorer in their first-round sweep of the Grizzlies, averaging 11.0 points in four games. But against the Lakers, he made only 4 of 17 shots and averaged only 2.8 points in six games.
Horry is coming off a series against the Nuggets in which he averaged 10 points and 4.6 rebounds. He hit two critical 3-point baskets in the fourth period of the Spurs' Game 3 victory in Denver, when Tim Duncan was in foul trouble and played only 27 minutes.
The problem against the Lakers last May, Horry said, was emotion born of animosity. He was trying too hard to beat a Lakers team that had turned its back on him.
"It was a different situation last year," he said. "I think this year it's going to be (former Sonics player) Brent (Barry) pressing too hard, instead of me.
"You know how you can want to beat somebody so bad that it messes your game up? For me, I had so much energy and adrenaline flowing against (the Lakers), it threw me off. I wanted to beat them so bad. Every game, I tried to settle down and tell myself just to play basketball, but once you get out there, the animosity kicks in, and things start flowing so fast, it's hard to slow it down."
How's Duncan? The biggest question on the minds of Spurs fans as they await Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals is not the identity of the starter at shooting guard.
As always, it relates to the status of Duncan, whose right ankle remains sore from a Grade 2 sprain suffered March 20.
Horry, Duncan's backup, was asked if he had noticed improvement in Duncan's play since Game 1 against Denver.
"Not really," Horry deadpanned. "Tim sucks."
But seriously, folks.
"I'm so happy we could get a couple days in between series for him to get some recuperation time," Horry said.
Sonics against the world: Seattle is considered the underdog, and that's not a new role for the Sonics. They won the Northwest Division without much preseason fanfare, and guard Antonio Daniels said they've become comfortable when they feel they're not given a chance.
"Honestly, that's the way everybody sees it," Daniels said. "There's no way we're going to win, and so on and so forth. I just think we need to use that as motivation."
No reunion of ex-Spurs: Daniels, a former Spurs player who still has a home in San Antonio, said he expects to have a few fans cheering for him in the SBC Center. But former teammate Malik Rose won't be one of them.
"Malik's not coming," Daniels said. "I talked to him a couple days ago, and he said he's not coming."
Jerome X: Seattle center Jerome James said he feels he can be the ingredient the Sonics lacked in previous playoff losses to the Spurs.
"I hope so," James said. "I don't mind being an X-factor."
Web Posted: 05/08/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050805.13C.BKNspurs.notebook.25150011d.html
Robert Horry, one of the heroes of the Spurs' 4-1 first-round series victory over the Denver Nuggets, vowed Saturday there would be no second-round dropoff in his performance as there was last season, his first with the Spurs after seven with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Horry last year was the Spurs' No. 3 scorer in their first-round sweep of the Grizzlies, averaging 11.0 points in four games. But against the Lakers, he made only 4 of 17 shots and averaged only 2.8 points in six games.
Horry is coming off a series against the Nuggets in which he averaged 10 points and 4.6 rebounds. He hit two critical 3-point baskets in the fourth period of the Spurs' Game 3 victory in Denver, when Tim Duncan was in foul trouble and played only 27 minutes.
The problem against the Lakers last May, Horry said, was emotion born of animosity. He was trying too hard to beat a Lakers team that had turned its back on him.
"It was a different situation last year," he said. "I think this year it's going to be (former Sonics player) Brent (Barry) pressing too hard, instead of me.
"You know how you can want to beat somebody so bad that it messes your game up? For me, I had so much energy and adrenaline flowing against (the Lakers), it threw me off. I wanted to beat them so bad. Every game, I tried to settle down and tell myself just to play basketball, but once you get out there, the animosity kicks in, and things start flowing so fast, it's hard to slow it down."
How's Duncan? The biggest question on the minds of Spurs fans as they await Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals is not the identity of the starter at shooting guard.
As always, it relates to the status of Duncan, whose right ankle remains sore from a Grade 2 sprain suffered March 20.
Horry, Duncan's backup, was asked if he had noticed improvement in Duncan's play since Game 1 against Denver.
"Not really," Horry deadpanned. "Tim sucks."
But seriously, folks.
"I'm so happy we could get a couple days in between series for him to get some recuperation time," Horry said.
Sonics against the world: Seattle is considered the underdog, and that's not a new role for the Sonics. They won the Northwest Division without much preseason fanfare, and guard Antonio Daniels said they've become comfortable when they feel they're not given a chance.
"Honestly, that's the way everybody sees it," Daniels said. "There's no way we're going to win, and so on and so forth. I just think we need to use that as motivation."
No reunion of ex-Spurs: Daniels, a former Spurs player who still has a home in San Antonio, said he expects to have a few fans cheering for him in the SBC Center. But former teammate Malik Rose won't be one of them.
"Malik's not coming," Daniels said. "I talked to him a couple days ago, and he said he's not coming."
Jerome X: Seattle center Jerome James said he feels he can be the ingredient the Sonics lacked in previous playoff losses to the Spurs.
"I hope so," James said. "I don't mind being an X-factor."