Kori Ellis
06-06-2005, 12:06 AM
Watching, waiting, practicing, relating: As the East decides its victor tonight, Spurs attempt to stay sharp
Web Posted: 06/06/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Finger
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA060605.1D.BKNspurs.main.2e6b0f951.html
Tim Duncan's tender ankles didn't get much sturdier Sunday, and he didn't expect them to do so. Having played through various degrees of discomfort all postseason, Duncan said even a seven-day break before the NBA Finals isn't enough for nagging injuries that won't be fully healed until the summer.
But as he and the Spurs spent another day waiting for an opponent, Duncan realized things could be a lot worse. One of his potential championship adversaries, the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, is fighting a strained rib muscle that's already forced him to miss a game.
So with the memory of a missed 2000 playoff series because of an injured knee still in his mind, Duncan said he "absolutely" can sympathize with what Wade is going through.
"It's the time of year where you want to be 100 percent," Duncan said. "You want to give your all. You want to let your talent and your players decide the game and not have injuries decide something. So it's a tough situation."
And it's a situation the Spurs are glad not to be a part of this time. While they aren't exactly the picture of perfect health, the Spurs are using the time off to ensure they enter Thursday's NBA Finals opener as injury-free as possible.
Coach Gregg Popovich said Sunday his three biggest goals for his team this week are conditioning, staying sharp and "not getting anybody hurt."
The trouble, of course, is that it's difficult to ensure success in the third area without sacrificing the first two. So the Spurs threw caution to the wind in a 1-hour, 40-minute workout Popovich described as "full-blown, get-after-each-other."
"Maybe that's not smart on my part, maybe it is, I don't know," Popovich said. "But I think we have to stay sharp, and (practice) is the only way I know to stay sharp."
Because the Eastern Conference champion won't be determined until tonight's Game 7, the Spurs haven't been preparing specifically for either Miami or Detroit. Instead, they've been fine-tuning their own system without much emphasis on scouting reports.
"That's the good thing," forward Robert Horry said. "The bad thing is Pop throwing in about 50 other plays and confusing you."
If anything, the Spurs — who will take today off — are avoiding the inevitable hype of the NBA Finals with the combination of the layoff and their back-to-basics workouts. To them, it seems ludicrous to make a big show of what they're going through.
"When there's a lot of uncertainty, it's not even like it's the Finals," forward Bruce Bowen said. "Even though we're one of the teams that will be in the Finals this year, it doesn't feel that way, because we don't know who we're playing yet."
Wade will have a lot to say about that issue, and that's another way in which Duncan can relate. In 2002, Duncan missed a playoff game in Seattle because of the death of his father, and the Spurs were blown out and forced to return home for an all-or-nothing Game 5.
Duncan scored 23 points in his return and led the Spurs to an easy victory. He expects Wade to be similarly motivated tonight.
"He's a tough guy, and he's going to play in this next game and give it all he can," Duncan said. "I hate that he can't give it 100 percent and not worry about something. But they'll figure it out, and the best team will win."
Web Posted: 06/06/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Finger
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA060605.1D.BKNspurs.main.2e6b0f951.html
Tim Duncan's tender ankles didn't get much sturdier Sunday, and he didn't expect them to do so. Having played through various degrees of discomfort all postseason, Duncan said even a seven-day break before the NBA Finals isn't enough for nagging injuries that won't be fully healed until the summer.
But as he and the Spurs spent another day waiting for an opponent, Duncan realized things could be a lot worse. One of his potential championship adversaries, the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, is fighting a strained rib muscle that's already forced him to miss a game.
So with the memory of a missed 2000 playoff series because of an injured knee still in his mind, Duncan said he "absolutely" can sympathize with what Wade is going through.
"It's the time of year where you want to be 100 percent," Duncan said. "You want to give your all. You want to let your talent and your players decide the game and not have injuries decide something. So it's a tough situation."
And it's a situation the Spurs are glad not to be a part of this time. While they aren't exactly the picture of perfect health, the Spurs are using the time off to ensure they enter Thursday's NBA Finals opener as injury-free as possible.
Coach Gregg Popovich said Sunday his three biggest goals for his team this week are conditioning, staying sharp and "not getting anybody hurt."
The trouble, of course, is that it's difficult to ensure success in the third area without sacrificing the first two. So the Spurs threw caution to the wind in a 1-hour, 40-minute workout Popovich described as "full-blown, get-after-each-other."
"Maybe that's not smart on my part, maybe it is, I don't know," Popovich said. "But I think we have to stay sharp, and (practice) is the only way I know to stay sharp."
Because the Eastern Conference champion won't be determined until tonight's Game 7, the Spurs haven't been preparing specifically for either Miami or Detroit. Instead, they've been fine-tuning their own system without much emphasis on scouting reports.
"That's the good thing," forward Robert Horry said. "The bad thing is Pop throwing in about 50 other plays and confusing you."
If anything, the Spurs — who will take today off — are avoiding the inevitable hype of the NBA Finals with the combination of the layoff and their back-to-basics workouts. To them, it seems ludicrous to make a big show of what they're going through.
"When there's a lot of uncertainty, it's not even like it's the Finals," forward Bruce Bowen said. "Even though we're one of the teams that will be in the Finals this year, it doesn't feel that way, because we don't know who we're playing yet."
Wade will have a lot to say about that issue, and that's another way in which Duncan can relate. In 2002, Duncan missed a playoff game in Seattle because of the death of his father, and the Spurs were blown out and forced to return home for an all-or-nothing Game 5.
Duncan scored 23 points in his return and led the Spurs to an easy victory. He expects Wade to be similarly motivated tonight.
"He's a tough guy, and he's going to play in this next game and give it all he can," Duncan said. "I hate that he can't give it 100 percent and not worry about something. But they'll figure it out, and the best team will win."