Kori Ellis
06-14-2005, 03:52 AM
Spurs Notebook: Part of Spurs' camp could be in Europe
Web Posted: 06/14/2005 12:00 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA061405.4S.spurs.notebook.8c13c9a.html
An unspecified number of NBA teams, most likely to include the Spurs, could conduct some portions of their training camps in Europe before the 2006-07 season.
The NBA will announce its plans at a news conference at the Palace of Auburn Hills before Game 3 of the NBA Finals tonight.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has made it clear that he favors the idea of having at least part of the team's training camp in Europe.
The Spurs have been at the forefront of scouting in Europe and have six players on their roster who were born outside the United States: Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), Tony Parker (France), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Rasho Nesterovic and Beno Udrih (Slovenia), and Sean Marks (New Zealand).
Not overconfident: Three times in the past three seasons, the Spurs have won the first two games of a best-of-seven series at home only to go on the road and drop the next two.
Which explains why they enter Game 3 worried only about tonight and not a sweep.
"We can't put the cart before the horse," Nazr Mohammed said. "We still have to go respond to a hostile environment in their gym."
The Spurs expect Detroit to feed off the energy of its fans. The Pistons never completely recovered after the Spurs outscored them 8-0 in the first 91 seconds of Game 2.
"Maybe they didn't expect that our energy was going to be that good," Tony Parker said. "So I'm sure they’re going to watch film and try to come back stronger next game. And they have three games at home now so everybody knows that they play better at home."
On the ball: Although Parker went to the bench after picking up his fifth foul with 7:26 remaining in Game 2, when he was on the floor he did a good job of pressuring Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups.
Billups finished with 13 points, almost half of what he scored in Game 1.
"Tony's doing the best job he possibly can on Chauncey," Popovich said. "He's a tough cover. He's so strong, he can take it to the bucket, he can shoot threes.
"We're not going to stop him, but Tony is at least trying to make him work very hard. He, along with Bruce (Bowen), are setting the tone for us defensively."
Long-range success: The Spurs took advantage of the Pistons' decision in Game 2 to use someone to help cut off the penetration of Parker and Ginobili. They made 11 of 24 3-point attempts.
Bowen and Ginobili each made four. Robert Horry added two, although he wasn't too pleased with his 4-of-10 shooting performance overall.
"As a team we did well," Horry said. "I sucked (laughter).
"We hit them with a bunch of threes and put us up 20 and I think that kind of sucked a little wind out. And then they made their run again and we hit them with a bunch of threes again."
Viewing party: Fans who pick up a free ticket at H-E-B will be able to watch tonight's game at the SBC Center.
Good advice: Udrih helped steady the Spurs after Parker picked up his fifth foul.
Brett Brown, the Spurs' director of player development, deserves credit for steadying Udrih. Brown has worked with the rookie point guard during the playoffs.
"It was more about trying to comfort him, saying you have played in very big games, just not on this turf," Brown said. "I told him the one thing I noticed is every play is significant. Every possession is significant and the oohs and ahs of the crowd confirm it. The emotion of the team and the physical play confirms it.
"The ante is up on everything."
—Mike Monroe, Johnny Ludden
Web Posted: 06/14/2005 12:00 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA061405.4S.spurs.notebook.8c13c9a.html
An unspecified number of NBA teams, most likely to include the Spurs, could conduct some portions of their training camps in Europe before the 2006-07 season.
The NBA will announce its plans at a news conference at the Palace of Auburn Hills before Game 3 of the NBA Finals tonight.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has made it clear that he favors the idea of having at least part of the team's training camp in Europe.
The Spurs have been at the forefront of scouting in Europe and have six players on their roster who were born outside the United States: Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), Tony Parker (France), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Rasho Nesterovic and Beno Udrih (Slovenia), and Sean Marks (New Zealand).
Not overconfident: Three times in the past three seasons, the Spurs have won the first two games of a best-of-seven series at home only to go on the road and drop the next two.
Which explains why they enter Game 3 worried only about tonight and not a sweep.
"We can't put the cart before the horse," Nazr Mohammed said. "We still have to go respond to a hostile environment in their gym."
The Spurs expect Detroit to feed off the energy of its fans. The Pistons never completely recovered after the Spurs outscored them 8-0 in the first 91 seconds of Game 2.
"Maybe they didn't expect that our energy was going to be that good," Tony Parker said. "So I'm sure they’re going to watch film and try to come back stronger next game. And they have three games at home now so everybody knows that they play better at home."
On the ball: Although Parker went to the bench after picking up his fifth foul with 7:26 remaining in Game 2, when he was on the floor he did a good job of pressuring Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups.
Billups finished with 13 points, almost half of what he scored in Game 1.
"Tony's doing the best job he possibly can on Chauncey," Popovich said. "He's a tough cover. He's so strong, he can take it to the bucket, he can shoot threes.
"We're not going to stop him, but Tony is at least trying to make him work very hard. He, along with Bruce (Bowen), are setting the tone for us defensively."
Long-range success: The Spurs took advantage of the Pistons' decision in Game 2 to use someone to help cut off the penetration of Parker and Ginobili. They made 11 of 24 3-point attempts.
Bowen and Ginobili each made four. Robert Horry added two, although he wasn't too pleased with his 4-of-10 shooting performance overall.
"As a team we did well," Horry said. "I sucked (laughter).
"We hit them with a bunch of threes and put us up 20 and I think that kind of sucked a little wind out. And then they made their run again and we hit them with a bunch of threes again."
Viewing party: Fans who pick up a free ticket at H-E-B will be able to watch tonight's game at the SBC Center.
Good advice: Udrih helped steady the Spurs after Parker picked up his fifth foul.
Brett Brown, the Spurs' director of player development, deserves credit for steadying Udrih. Brown has worked with the rookie point guard during the playoffs.
"It was more about trying to comfort him, saying you have played in very big games, just not on this turf," Brown said. "I told him the one thing I noticed is every play is significant. Every possession is significant and the oohs and ahs of the crowd confirm it. The emotion of the team and the physical play confirms it.
"The ante is up on everything."
—Mike Monroe, Johnny Ludden