Kori Ellis
05-24-2005, 12:08 AM
Series notebook: Duncan 'in for the rest of the way'
Web Posted: 05/24/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052405.3S.BKNspurs.duncan.2a41b3d9e.html
Tim Duncan appears to have survived his 40-minute performance in Sunday's Western Conference final opener just fine.
Duncan's left ankle, while still sore, isn't bothering him enough to keep him out of tonight's game — or any other.
"I am in for the rest of the way," Duncan said.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had said he was concerned Duncan's ankle might swell overnight.
"It didn't blow up at all," Popovich said. "It didn't get any worse."
Popovich played Duncan for longer-than-usual stretches to keep his ankle from stiffening on the sideline. Duncan said he initially had some difficulty changing directions on the foot, but felt more confident with time.
"After that first quarter, after it really warmed up, I felt pretty much I could do anything," Duncan said.
Duncan has played at least 40 minutes in each of the past three games. He didn't play 40 minutes in consecutive games during the regular season.
Johnson still out: Phoenix guard Joe Johnson will not play tonight, the sixth consecutive game he has missed since fracturing his left eye socket.
Johnson is trying to get a protective mask fitted for his face. Suns officials have said they will not clear him until he has practiced and proven he's not at risk of re-injury.
After tonight, the teams will have three days off before Game 3. Phoenix hopes to evaluate Johnson then.
"We've got to get him under the gun and see how he plays because we can't just throw him out there and say, 'Oh my gosh, it's a disaster,'" Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We have to, from practice, have an inkling of the way he is going to play."
How to slow an MVP: In their efforts to contain Steve Nash, the Spurs think a good offense might be their best defense.
Tony Parker's goal is to attack Nash as much as possible in hopes of eventually wearing the league's MVP down. Parker scored 29 points in Game 1, matching Nash's total.
"Especially with our defense, and how we're going to pressure him," Parker said, "if I go back at him, by the fourth quarter hopefully he will be a little bit tired."
During the regular season, the Suns used Johnson to guard Parker and put Nash on Bruce Bowen. With Johnson out for at least one more game, they won't have that luxury tonight.
"Obviously the more layups he gets, the better team they are," Nash said of Parker. "Especially with Timmy putting so much pressure on our defense. You add the two of those together and it's a very difficult task."
Manu, myth, legend: Ever since Denver coach George Karl called Manu Ginobili a flopper in the Spurs' first-round series, the national media has continued to stick the label on the Spurs' guard.
"I really appreciate it," Ginobili said, laughing. "Good for my reputation."
What nickname would Ginobili give himself?
"I like Manu," he said.
Ginobili's long hair has only helped his image.
"He holds up his pantyhose and puts it around his head to keep his hair in place, and it still doesn't work," Brent Barry said. "I think it's helping him in his ability to draw fouls. It looks a lot more violent than it should."
Said Parker: "It's going to be like the Samson series. Everybody in Argentina has their hair like that."
Suns in unchartered waters: Monday morning, the Suns awoke to find themselves somewhere they hadn't been before — trailing in a playoff series.
Phoenix swept Memphis in the first round and never fell behind Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals. So does that make tonight's Game 2 different than anything they've seen this postseason?
"Yeah, I guess it is, obviously," Nash said. "But I think we've been in this situation before, where our backs are against the wall, and we feel like we have to come out and play a lot better. We put pressure on ourselves earlier in the playoffs, and we responded."
More Hunter: Suns reserve center Steven Hunter, who averaged only 10 minutes per game through the first two rounds of the playoffs, played 30 minutes in Game 1 against the Spurs, picking up nine points and eight rebounds.
D'Antoni said he was pleased with Hunter's effort but wasn't sure if he will continue to see as much playing time as he did Sunday.
Hearty endorsement: With the name of Spurs' assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo continuing to circulate in speculation about a number of vacant head coaching jobs — the New York Knicks' vacancy chief among them — Popovich gave Carlesimo a strong endorsement.
Popovich said he was happy the fallout from the incident in the 2000-01 season, when Latrell Sprewell choked Carlesimo while Carlesimo coached the Golden State Warriors, has passed.
"We all get labeled so quickly — coaches, players, organizations, GMs," Popovich said. "You're this or you're that, a very limiting sort of thing. Nobody is one thing.
"If he moves on, I will be disappointed, only in a selfish sense, for myself and my team."
Web Posted: 05/24/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052405.3S.BKNspurs.duncan.2a41b3d9e.html
Tim Duncan appears to have survived his 40-minute performance in Sunday's Western Conference final opener just fine.
Duncan's left ankle, while still sore, isn't bothering him enough to keep him out of tonight's game — or any other.
"I am in for the rest of the way," Duncan said.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had said he was concerned Duncan's ankle might swell overnight.
"It didn't blow up at all," Popovich said. "It didn't get any worse."
Popovich played Duncan for longer-than-usual stretches to keep his ankle from stiffening on the sideline. Duncan said he initially had some difficulty changing directions on the foot, but felt more confident with time.
"After that first quarter, after it really warmed up, I felt pretty much I could do anything," Duncan said.
Duncan has played at least 40 minutes in each of the past three games. He didn't play 40 minutes in consecutive games during the regular season.
Johnson still out: Phoenix guard Joe Johnson will not play tonight, the sixth consecutive game he has missed since fracturing his left eye socket.
Johnson is trying to get a protective mask fitted for his face. Suns officials have said they will not clear him until he has practiced and proven he's not at risk of re-injury.
After tonight, the teams will have three days off before Game 3. Phoenix hopes to evaluate Johnson then.
"We've got to get him under the gun and see how he plays because we can't just throw him out there and say, 'Oh my gosh, it's a disaster,'" Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We have to, from practice, have an inkling of the way he is going to play."
How to slow an MVP: In their efforts to contain Steve Nash, the Spurs think a good offense might be their best defense.
Tony Parker's goal is to attack Nash as much as possible in hopes of eventually wearing the league's MVP down. Parker scored 29 points in Game 1, matching Nash's total.
"Especially with our defense, and how we're going to pressure him," Parker said, "if I go back at him, by the fourth quarter hopefully he will be a little bit tired."
During the regular season, the Suns used Johnson to guard Parker and put Nash on Bruce Bowen. With Johnson out for at least one more game, they won't have that luxury tonight.
"Obviously the more layups he gets, the better team they are," Nash said of Parker. "Especially with Timmy putting so much pressure on our defense. You add the two of those together and it's a very difficult task."
Manu, myth, legend: Ever since Denver coach George Karl called Manu Ginobili a flopper in the Spurs' first-round series, the national media has continued to stick the label on the Spurs' guard.
"I really appreciate it," Ginobili said, laughing. "Good for my reputation."
What nickname would Ginobili give himself?
"I like Manu," he said.
Ginobili's long hair has only helped his image.
"He holds up his pantyhose and puts it around his head to keep his hair in place, and it still doesn't work," Brent Barry said. "I think it's helping him in his ability to draw fouls. It looks a lot more violent than it should."
Said Parker: "It's going to be like the Samson series. Everybody in Argentina has their hair like that."
Suns in unchartered waters: Monday morning, the Suns awoke to find themselves somewhere they hadn't been before — trailing in a playoff series.
Phoenix swept Memphis in the first round and never fell behind Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals. So does that make tonight's Game 2 different than anything they've seen this postseason?
"Yeah, I guess it is, obviously," Nash said. "But I think we've been in this situation before, where our backs are against the wall, and we feel like we have to come out and play a lot better. We put pressure on ourselves earlier in the playoffs, and we responded."
More Hunter: Suns reserve center Steven Hunter, who averaged only 10 minutes per game through the first two rounds of the playoffs, played 30 minutes in Game 1 against the Spurs, picking up nine points and eight rebounds.
D'Antoni said he was pleased with Hunter's effort but wasn't sure if he will continue to see as much playing time as he did Sunday.
Hearty endorsement: With the name of Spurs' assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo continuing to circulate in speculation about a number of vacant head coaching jobs — the New York Knicks' vacancy chief among them — Popovich gave Carlesimo a strong endorsement.
Popovich said he was happy the fallout from the incident in the 2000-01 season, when Latrell Sprewell choked Carlesimo while Carlesimo coached the Golden State Warriors, has passed.
"We all get labeled so quickly — coaches, players, organizations, GMs," Popovich said. "You're this or you're that, a very limiting sort of thing. Nobody is one thing.
"If he moves on, I will be disappointed, only in a selfish sense, for myself and my team."