Kori Ellis
05-17-2005, 12:07 AM
Spurs lean on lessons from back-to-back dramas of Game 5 finishes
Web Posted: 05/17/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA051705.1D.spurs.27feedcbd.html
Having relinquished their grip on the two-games-to-none advantage they carried with them to Seattle six days ago, as well as that fickle-as-the-wind concept called momentum, the Spurs return to the SBC Center tonight clinging to little more than their home-court advantage.
They have chased two convincing victories with a pair of unsettling losses, reducing their Western Conference semifinal to a best-of-three affair.
Win tonight and they are assured two opportunities to close out the series. Lose, and they've got an 1,800-mile flight to start mulling vacation plans.
"The confidence is there," Robert Horry said. "We realize we just hit a bump in the road, and we'll be fine once we get back in front of our fans."
At least they hope so. History tells the Spurs to brace for the unexpected. In each of the previous two seasons, their second-round series hinged on the final shot of Game 5.
Two years ago, the Spurs almost completely wasted a 25-point lead against the Los Angeles Lakers. Horry, then with the Lakers, watched as his potential game-winning 3-pointer fell three-quarters of the way through the rim before suddenly popping out. The Spurs followed with a victory in Game 6 to finish the series.
The Spurs considered themselves similarly fortunate last season when Tim Duncan's moonball with .4 seconds left gave them a one-point lead over the Lakers. Then Derek Fisher flung in his 16-foot prayer at the buzzer. Two nights later in Los Angeles, the Spurs' season ended with the team's fourth consecutive loss.
"It's not the first time in the NBA that a series starts 2-0 and then is tied 2-2," Manu Ginobili said. "I am not thinking about what happened last year. It's a whole different team, different opponent. So I think we are going to take care of business here."
If the Spurs intend to avoid a second consecutive second-round freefall, they can start by sharing the ball with each other instead of the SuperSonics. On Sunday, they committed 23 turnovers, 15 in the first half.
With Seattle fronting Duncan, the Spurs' passers sometimes weren't patient enough when feeding the ball into the post. Already employing a quicker three-guard lineup to compensate for the absence of forward Rashard Lewis, the Sonics used the Spurs' turnovers as opportunity to get out and run.
"We tried to look for great plays," Ginobili said. "Maybe you can do that at home because more things are going to go right. But on the road, when they were having a great game, the little mistakes become double."
While the SuperSonics made their share of difficult shots in Game 4, the Spurs continued to struggle with their pick-and-roll defense. In Game 3, they allowed Seattle's big men to get to the rim. On Sunday, they were lit up by the guards. Ray Allen, Luke Ridnour and Antonio Daniels combined for 71 points as the Sonics shot 50 percent.
"We have done some things poorly at the defensive end, (with) team defense," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "That's something we're not used to."
Monday's film session, Horry said, also reinforced Popovich's belief the team lacked its usual aggressiveness. Duncan scored 35 points — all in the first three quarters — but the rest of the Spurs' starters combined for 19 while missing 16 of 24 shots.
"I think that (Seattle) played harder than we did, for the most part," Popovich said. "Timmy Duncan was passionate in the sense he played hard and smart, but he didn't have anyone join him."
After opening Sunday's second half with Ginobili in place of Brent Barry, Popovich said he's thought about returning his high-energy guard to the starting lineup tonight. Ginobili might help the Spurs better match up with the Sonics if Daniels again starts in place of Lewis.
"Different game, different night," Popovich said. "I'm not sure which way we'll go."
Allen, meanwhile, encouraged his teammates also to have a short memory. Seattle, he cautioned, has only tied the series.
"What we did those last two games is over with, just like what they did those first two games is over with," Allen said. "We can't get ahead of ourselves thinking there will be carryover, because there never is."
The Spurs also may have learned that lesson.
"I'm very upset about what happened in Game 4," Ginobili said. "We know we missed two opportunities. We want to take care of business next game."
Web Posted: 05/17/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA051705.1D.spurs.27feedcbd.html
Having relinquished their grip on the two-games-to-none advantage they carried with them to Seattle six days ago, as well as that fickle-as-the-wind concept called momentum, the Spurs return to the SBC Center tonight clinging to little more than their home-court advantage.
They have chased two convincing victories with a pair of unsettling losses, reducing their Western Conference semifinal to a best-of-three affair.
Win tonight and they are assured two opportunities to close out the series. Lose, and they've got an 1,800-mile flight to start mulling vacation plans.
"The confidence is there," Robert Horry said. "We realize we just hit a bump in the road, and we'll be fine once we get back in front of our fans."
At least they hope so. History tells the Spurs to brace for the unexpected. In each of the previous two seasons, their second-round series hinged on the final shot of Game 5.
Two years ago, the Spurs almost completely wasted a 25-point lead against the Los Angeles Lakers. Horry, then with the Lakers, watched as his potential game-winning 3-pointer fell three-quarters of the way through the rim before suddenly popping out. The Spurs followed with a victory in Game 6 to finish the series.
The Spurs considered themselves similarly fortunate last season when Tim Duncan's moonball with .4 seconds left gave them a one-point lead over the Lakers. Then Derek Fisher flung in his 16-foot prayer at the buzzer. Two nights later in Los Angeles, the Spurs' season ended with the team's fourth consecutive loss.
"It's not the first time in the NBA that a series starts 2-0 and then is tied 2-2," Manu Ginobili said. "I am not thinking about what happened last year. It's a whole different team, different opponent. So I think we are going to take care of business here."
If the Spurs intend to avoid a second consecutive second-round freefall, they can start by sharing the ball with each other instead of the SuperSonics. On Sunday, they committed 23 turnovers, 15 in the first half.
With Seattle fronting Duncan, the Spurs' passers sometimes weren't patient enough when feeding the ball into the post. Already employing a quicker three-guard lineup to compensate for the absence of forward Rashard Lewis, the Sonics used the Spurs' turnovers as opportunity to get out and run.
"We tried to look for great plays," Ginobili said. "Maybe you can do that at home because more things are going to go right. But on the road, when they were having a great game, the little mistakes become double."
While the SuperSonics made their share of difficult shots in Game 4, the Spurs continued to struggle with their pick-and-roll defense. In Game 3, they allowed Seattle's big men to get to the rim. On Sunday, they were lit up by the guards. Ray Allen, Luke Ridnour and Antonio Daniels combined for 71 points as the Sonics shot 50 percent.
"We have done some things poorly at the defensive end, (with) team defense," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "That's something we're not used to."
Monday's film session, Horry said, also reinforced Popovich's belief the team lacked its usual aggressiveness. Duncan scored 35 points — all in the first three quarters — but the rest of the Spurs' starters combined for 19 while missing 16 of 24 shots.
"I think that (Seattle) played harder than we did, for the most part," Popovich said. "Timmy Duncan was passionate in the sense he played hard and smart, but he didn't have anyone join him."
After opening Sunday's second half with Ginobili in place of Brent Barry, Popovich said he's thought about returning his high-energy guard to the starting lineup tonight. Ginobili might help the Spurs better match up with the Sonics if Daniels again starts in place of Lewis.
"Different game, different night," Popovich said. "I'm not sure which way we'll go."
Allen, meanwhile, encouraged his teammates also to have a short memory. Seattle, he cautioned, has only tied the series.
"What we did those last two games is over with, just like what they did those first two games is over with," Allen said. "We can't get ahead of ourselves thinking there will be carryover, because there never is."
The Spurs also may have learned that lesson.
"I'm very upset about what happened in Game 4," Ginobili said. "We know we missed two opportunities. We want to take care of business next game."