Kori Ellis
05-28-2005, 12:10 AM
Serious need to focus: Spurs hope home edge helps slow revitalized Suns
Web Posted: 05/28/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052805.1S.BKNspurs.suns.adv3.2b86fee59.html
Gregg Popovich already had waded into the media zone — more commonly known as "a corner" — at the team's practice facility Friday afternoon when Tim Duncan noticed his coach could use a little help fending off the unwashed masses.
Duncan put his arm on Popovich's shoulder and proposed a joint interview, likely hoping such a scenario would lesson his own query load by 50 percent. Popovich, envisioning the next day's headlines as well as his beamed-across-the-nation sound bites, shook his head.
"It's too silly," Popovich said. "I can see it now, 'Spurs Take Suns Lightly.'"
As Popovich walked off, Duncan stared at him, quizzically. "We're not taking the Suns lightly?"
All kidding aside, the Spurs insist the Phoenix Suns weigh just as heavily as they did before the Western Conference finals began. The two games the Spurs won in Phoenix provided a nice cushion but one they believe needs further padding when the best-of-seven series resumes tonight at the SBC Center.
"We can joke out here. We can take it lightly out here," Duncan said after Friday's workout. "But when the ball goes up and it hits the floor and the lights are on, we're going to take it seriously."
The Spurs have more reason to remain sober with Joe Johnson expected to return to the Suns' starting lineup. Johnson, who will relieve Steve Nash of his defensive duties on Tony Parker, was averaging 19 points in the playoffs (and making 56.5 percent of his 3-pointers) before he fractured his left eye socket in the conference semifinals against Dallas.
Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni expects Johnson, who will wear a protective mask, to play his usual minutes unless his production merits otherwise.
"I think with Joe, and I think with some different matchups and maybe just being a little bit more attentive on some rebounds and loose balls, then we're right there," D'Antoni said. "We're talking one bucket, two buckets max."
If Johnson's return isn't enough to temper the Spurs, the team received an unsolicited lesson about the importance of maintaining its focus only two weeks ago. After winning the first two games of their conference semifinal with Seattle, the Spurs heard the same things they hear now. They were too experienced, too poised, too deep to not win.
Four days later, they boarded a plane back to San Antonio, their series squared at 2-2. Last season, the Spurs went up 2-0 on the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round only to find themselves on vacation a little more than a week later.
"We use everything as learning experiences," Duncan said. "It's great to have a core of guys who have been together for a while and have experienced those things together. We keep those in the back of our mind."
The difference in both the Seattle and the Lakers series was the Spurs hit the road for Games 3 and 4. Against Phoenix, they're returning home.
Since March 1, 2004, the Spurs are 60-5 at the SBC Center, including the playoffs. This season, they have lost to only three teams at home: Seattle, Memphis and Denver. Tonight will be the Spurs' first game at the SBC Center in 11 days.
"I'm looking forward to seeing our fans again, to feel those goose bumps they make you feel," Manu Ginobili said. "They're going to be very excited. It's going to help us a lot.
"Many teams, after winning the first two games, can relax a little bit. But if you have great fans ... making you remember the situation you are in, it's going to help you."
The crowd also hopes to remind the Spurs of their long-lost defense. After watching the teams total 454 points in the first two games, the Spurs' marketing department will outfit each fan today with a "D-Rag."
"Both teams are scoring like crazy," Popovich said. "That's particularly troubling to us because quote-unquote we're a defensive team. We're supposed to be good at it, and we don't look very good at it."
While the Spurs have made stops when needed, they would like to make more: Phoenix is shooting 52.1 percent in the first two games. Amare Stoudemire is averaging 39 points. Nash is averaging 29 and 14 assists.
"Who wants to be satisfied with two guys scoring 30 points on you?" Robert Horry said. "That's really a slap on your defense, and that's what we take pride in."
The Spurs, instead, have won with fourth-quarter execution. With Duncan pounding the Suns inside and Parker, Ginobili and Brent Barry softening the defense with penetration and perimeter shooting, the Spurs have totaled 74 points in the two fourth quarters while making 28 of 39 shots (71.8 percent).
They would prefer, however, not to have to rely on such prolific production.
"This isn't the style we want to play, but it is what we're playing," Duncan said. "We're going to adjust. What we would like to do is have a game in the 80s and the 90s. That would be more to our liking."
What the Spurs would like even more is another victory. Popovich, it seems, already has forgotten the first two.
"In our minds there is no score; there is no 2-0," he said. "It's zip-zip, and there's one game in the series."
Web Posted: 05/28/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052805.1S.BKNspurs.suns.adv3.2b86fee59.html
Gregg Popovich already had waded into the media zone — more commonly known as "a corner" — at the team's practice facility Friday afternoon when Tim Duncan noticed his coach could use a little help fending off the unwashed masses.
Duncan put his arm on Popovich's shoulder and proposed a joint interview, likely hoping such a scenario would lesson his own query load by 50 percent. Popovich, envisioning the next day's headlines as well as his beamed-across-the-nation sound bites, shook his head.
"It's too silly," Popovich said. "I can see it now, 'Spurs Take Suns Lightly.'"
As Popovich walked off, Duncan stared at him, quizzically. "We're not taking the Suns lightly?"
All kidding aside, the Spurs insist the Phoenix Suns weigh just as heavily as they did before the Western Conference finals began. The two games the Spurs won in Phoenix provided a nice cushion but one they believe needs further padding when the best-of-seven series resumes tonight at the SBC Center.
"We can joke out here. We can take it lightly out here," Duncan said after Friday's workout. "But when the ball goes up and it hits the floor and the lights are on, we're going to take it seriously."
The Spurs have more reason to remain sober with Joe Johnson expected to return to the Suns' starting lineup. Johnson, who will relieve Steve Nash of his defensive duties on Tony Parker, was averaging 19 points in the playoffs (and making 56.5 percent of his 3-pointers) before he fractured his left eye socket in the conference semifinals against Dallas.
Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni expects Johnson, who will wear a protective mask, to play his usual minutes unless his production merits otherwise.
"I think with Joe, and I think with some different matchups and maybe just being a little bit more attentive on some rebounds and loose balls, then we're right there," D'Antoni said. "We're talking one bucket, two buckets max."
If Johnson's return isn't enough to temper the Spurs, the team received an unsolicited lesson about the importance of maintaining its focus only two weeks ago. After winning the first two games of their conference semifinal with Seattle, the Spurs heard the same things they hear now. They were too experienced, too poised, too deep to not win.
Four days later, they boarded a plane back to San Antonio, their series squared at 2-2. Last season, the Spurs went up 2-0 on the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round only to find themselves on vacation a little more than a week later.
"We use everything as learning experiences," Duncan said. "It's great to have a core of guys who have been together for a while and have experienced those things together. We keep those in the back of our mind."
The difference in both the Seattle and the Lakers series was the Spurs hit the road for Games 3 and 4. Against Phoenix, they're returning home.
Since March 1, 2004, the Spurs are 60-5 at the SBC Center, including the playoffs. This season, they have lost to only three teams at home: Seattle, Memphis and Denver. Tonight will be the Spurs' first game at the SBC Center in 11 days.
"I'm looking forward to seeing our fans again, to feel those goose bumps they make you feel," Manu Ginobili said. "They're going to be very excited. It's going to help us a lot.
"Many teams, after winning the first two games, can relax a little bit. But if you have great fans ... making you remember the situation you are in, it's going to help you."
The crowd also hopes to remind the Spurs of their long-lost defense. After watching the teams total 454 points in the first two games, the Spurs' marketing department will outfit each fan today with a "D-Rag."
"Both teams are scoring like crazy," Popovich said. "That's particularly troubling to us because quote-unquote we're a defensive team. We're supposed to be good at it, and we don't look very good at it."
While the Spurs have made stops when needed, they would like to make more: Phoenix is shooting 52.1 percent in the first two games. Amare Stoudemire is averaging 39 points. Nash is averaging 29 and 14 assists.
"Who wants to be satisfied with two guys scoring 30 points on you?" Robert Horry said. "That's really a slap on your defense, and that's what we take pride in."
The Spurs, instead, have won with fourth-quarter execution. With Duncan pounding the Suns inside and Parker, Ginobili and Brent Barry softening the defense with penetration and perimeter shooting, the Spurs have totaled 74 points in the two fourth quarters while making 28 of 39 shots (71.8 percent).
They would prefer, however, not to have to rely on such prolific production.
"This isn't the style we want to play, but it is what we're playing," Duncan said. "We're going to adjust. What we would like to do is have a game in the 80s and the 90s. That would be more to our liking."
What the Spurs would like even more is another victory. Popovich, it seems, already has forgotten the first two.
"In our minds there is no score; there is no 2-0," he said. "It's zip-zip, and there's one game in the series."