Kori Ellis
05-30-2005, 03:13 AM
Commentary: Horry gives great teams that special something
By Karen Crouse
Palm Beach Post Columnist
Monday, May 30, 2005
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2005/05/30/a12c_crouse_0530.html
SAN ANTONIO — Robert Horry was rebounding the misses and kicking the ball back out to the shooter Sunday before the formal start of the Spurs' practice. That's Horry. No one's better at doing the little things to help his team win the big games.
The 6-foot-10 forward will appear in his 190th playoff game tonight when San Antonio tries to close out the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. The first time he lopes down the SBC Center court, Horry will catch former Lakers great Magic Johnson, who sits fifth on the NBA's all-time list of post-season appearances.
Horry is five victories from a sixth NBA championship ring that would tie him with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the most bejeweled basketball players since the Celtics teams of the '50s, '60s and '70s.
The only other Robert we can think of who so unexpectedly found himself in such esteemed company was a writer named Benchley, who hung out at the Algonquin Round Table in New York with Dorothy Parker.
Like Benchley, Horry's credentials are impeccable. He wasn't just along for the rings in Houston and L.A. and it's more of the same thing in San Antonio. In 13 NBA seasons, Horry's teams always have advanced past the first round of the playoffs.
People can talk themselves hoarse about how Horry has played alongside some of the best big men in the history of the game — Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston, Shaquille O'Neal in L.A. and now Tim Duncan. But as the Spurs' veteran forward Bruce Bowen pointed out, "Look at how he's played with those different guys. There's one constant there in all of that and that's that Rob continues to perform well with that caliber player."
If it's May, everything must be going Horry's way. Whenever the Spurs have needed somebody to make a three-pointer or take a charge or grab a rebound, Horry has been there. Against the Suns he's shooting 46.2 percent from beyond the three-point arc and averaging 9.7 points. He's pulling down an average of 3.3 rebounds in the fourth quarter alone.
"I hate talking about it because I'm really superstitious about it," Horry said, referring to his post-season success. "I think I'm going to get jinxed or stuff like that. I'm just happy that I've been on some good teams. I always look back at people like (Charles) Barkley, (Patrick) Ewing, great players who never had a chance to get rings and here I am with five and trying for another one. "
Horry was surprised to hear he's about to catch Magic. "I don't keep track of that kind of stuff, to be honest," he said.
You can understand why milestones tend to sneak up on Horry, who would be a shoo-in for this or any post-season's Most Valuable Role Player, if only there was such an award. He's generally not the first, second or third story option on a team that contains the most fundamentally sound big man in the game in Duncan and two-ring-circus of a backcourt in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Much of what Horry does gets overlooked and we don't mean just by outsiders. The shooter on the floor putting up the air balls that Horry was patiently rebounding before practice was Horry's 6-year-old son, Cameron. He was wearing his father's No. 5 jersey but Horry said that doesn't mean anything.
"I always ask him if he wants to go to the gym with me," Horry said. "He usually says no. He said yes today because he likes to come and watch Manu and Tim Dumpkin." Horry laughed. "Manu and Tim Dumpkin. Those are his two favorite players."
We're not so sure. Horry was talking to a reporter when Cameron made his first basket of the morning. A scream rose from clear across the court. Horry's son wasn't trying to get Ginobili's attention or Duncan's.
"Daddy," Cameron cried out. "I made one."
Horry paused long enough to give his son a thumbs-up signal. Horry returned his attention to the interview somewhat reluctantly.
He hates talking about himself but loves this time of year. It puts him in a bit of a bind since his play this time of year invariably leaves everyone wanting to talk to him.
"Even when I was 'the Man' in high school and college, it wasn't my thing," Horry, a former standout at Alabama, said. "I like doing my stuff on the slow-low. It's a lot easier on you."
This year, for the 11th time in his 13-year career, Horry has improved upon his regular-season scoring average in the post-season. You wonder how he does it until, in three simple sentences, he makes it perfectly clear.
"I think it just becomes a tad bit more fun in the playoffs," Horry said. "The pressure makes you focus more. It gives you a lot more adrenaline."
The playoffs don't have that effect on everybody. Which is what makes Horry special.
By Karen Crouse
Palm Beach Post Columnist
Monday, May 30, 2005
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2005/05/30/a12c_crouse_0530.html
SAN ANTONIO — Robert Horry was rebounding the misses and kicking the ball back out to the shooter Sunday before the formal start of the Spurs' practice. That's Horry. No one's better at doing the little things to help his team win the big games.
The 6-foot-10 forward will appear in his 190th playoff game tonight when San Antonio tries to close out the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. The first time he lopes down the SBC Center court, Horry will catch former Lakers great Magic Johnson, who sits fifth on the NBA's all-time list of post-season appearances.
Horry is five victories from a sixth NBA championship ring that would tie him with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the most bejeweled basketball players since the Celtics teams of the '50s, '60s and '70s.
The only other Robert we can think of who so unexpectedly found himself in such esteemed company was a writer named Benchley, who hung out at the Algonquin Round Table in New York with Dorothy Parker.
Like Benchley, Horry's credentials are impeccable. He wasn't just along for the rings in Houston and L.A. and it's more of the same thing in San Antonio. In 13 NBA seasons, Horry's teams always have advanced past the first round of the playoffs.
People can talk themselves hoarse about how Horry has played alongside some of the best big men in the history of the game — Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston, Shaquille O'Neal in L.A. and now Tim Duncan. But as the Spurs' veteran forward Bruce Bowen pointed out, "Look at how he's played with those different guys. There's one constant there in all of that and that's that Rob continues to perform well with that caliber player."
If it's May, everything must be going Horry's way. Whenever the Spurs have needed somebody to make a three-pointer or take a charge or grab a rebound, Horry has been there. Against the Suns he's shooting 46.2 percent from beyond the three-point arc and averaging 9.7 points. He's pulling down an average of 3.3 rebounds in the fourth quarter alone.
"I hate talking about it because I'm really superstitious about it," Horry said, referring to his post-season success. "I think I'm going to get jinxed or stuff like that. I'm just happy that I've been on some good teams. I always look back at people like (Charles) Barkley, (Patrick) Ewing, great players who never had a chance to get rings and here I am with five and trying for another one. "
Horry was surprised to hear he's about to catch Magic. "I don't keep track of that kind of stuff, to be honest," he said.
You can understand why milestones tend to sneak up on Horry, who would be a shoo-in for this or any post-season's Most Valuable Role Player, if only there was such an award. He's generally not the first, second or third story option on a team that contains the most fundamentally sound big man in the game in Duncan and two-ring-circus of a backcourt in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Much of what Horry does gets overlooked and we don't mean just by outsiders. The shooter on the floor putting up the air balls that Horry was patiently rebounding before practice was Horry's 6-year-old son, Cameron. He was wearing his father's No. 5 jersey but Horry said that doesn't mean anything.
"I always ask him if he wants to go to the gym with me," Horry said. "He usually says no. He said yes today because he likes to come and watch Manu and Tim Dumpkin." Horry laughed. "Manu and Tim Dumpkin. Those are his two favorite players."
We're not so sure. Horry was talking to a reporter when Cameron made his first basket of the morning. A scream rose from clear across the court. Horry's son wasn't trying to get Ginobili's attention or Duncan's.
"Daddy," Cameron cried out. "I made one."
Horry paused long enough to give his son a thumbs-up signal. Horry returned his attention to the interview somewhat reluctantly.
He hates talking about himself but loves this time of year. It puts him in a bit of a bind since his play this time of year invariably leaves everyone wanting to talk to him.
"Even when I was 'the Man' in high school and college, it wasn't my thing," Horry, a former standout at Alabama, said. "I like doing my stuff on the slow-low. It's a lot easier on you."
This year, for the 11th time in his 13-year career, Horry has improved upon his regular-season scoring average in the post-season. You wonder how he does it until, in three simple sentences, he makes it perfectly clear.
"I think it just becomes a tad bit more fun in the playoffs," Horry said. "The pressure makes you focus more. It gives you a lot more adrenaline."
The playoffs don't have that effect on everybody. Which is what makes Horry special.