Kori Ellis
06-16-2005, 12:35 AM
Damage report: Ginobili's injury 'fine' — and so is Spurs' psyche
Web Posted: 06/16/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA061605.1S.BKNspurs.pistons.adv4.1314c7eb.html
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Some 12 hours after leaving with their worst loss of the playoffs, the Spurs returned to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday afternoon to assess the damage.
As the team prepared to start practice, Manu Ginobili joked with an NBA public-relations official on the court. Ginobili had yet to run, shoot, stretch or otherwise test his bruised left quadriceps, but the smile he wore on his face was evidence to some his condition had already improved.
"Manu is one of the toughest guys we have in our league, so when you see him grimace and stuff, you know he's hurting," Brent Barry said. "And last night he was hurting.
"But we know he's going to come back (tonight) and we know he's going to be intense."
The Spurs could say the same about their opponent. Having found their fury, as well as their defense, the Detroit Pistons will try to even the NBA Finals at two games apiece tonight.
While Ginobili's latest contusion was only a fraction of what ailed the Spurs during their 96-79 loss in Game 3, team officials were nonetheless pleased he felt better than expected after awaking Wednesday morning. Ginobili participated in the team's light workout and had two more treatment sessions scheduled for later in the day.
"I'm going to be fine," Ginobili said. "It's not going to limit me."
Ginobili speaks from experience. He bruised his left quadriceps during a collision with Seattle's Reggie Evans in the final game of the conference semifinals and aggravated it during the series against Phoenix. He also injured it — as well as his right quadriceps — at least once in the regular season, which explains why Barry has nicknamed him "El Contusion."
Ginobili had worn a thigh pad for protection in the first two games of the Finals, but didn't use it Tuesday. On the game's second possession, he plowed into Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince. Prince's knee speared Ginobili above his left knee.
"He was just starting to get over (the previous contusion)," Barry said. "All the fluid and blood and bruising was just starting to flush itself out. When you get hit like that ... it just seems like all the progress you made takes a couple steps back."
As painful as Ginobili's injury was, the Pistons' defense deserved at least equal blame for his seven-point, six-turnover performance. Detroit's big men, led by center Ben Wallace, often blitzed the Spurs' pick-and-rolls, forcing Ginobili and Tony Parker wide. When the Spurs' guards did penetrate, the Pistons clogged the lane.
After watching Ginobili make 15 of 16 shots in a five-quarter stretch during the first two games, the Pistons decided that sagging off him probably wasn't the wisest choice. On Tuesday, they pressured Ginobili and Parker much more aggressively. While Parker led the Spurs with 21 points, Ginobili took only six shots.
"When you see a guy do that, you really have to say we have to shut the lane down," Pistons point guard Lindsey Hunter said of Ginobili's production in the first two games. "If he beats us over the top with a hand in his face, then, hey, he had a great night. But you can't give him dunks and uncontested layups. You can't win like that."
The Spurs, likewise, probably aren't going to dethrone Detroit if Tim Duncan continues to shoot as he did Tuesday. He made only five of his 15 shots in the game while scoring four points in the second half. The 21 points Duncan and Ginobili totaled Tuesday were the fewest the Spurs have received from their two All-Stars in a full game this season.
"I thought I was a little lackadaisical with the ball," Duncan said. "I got it knocked away a couple of times, telegraphed a lot of my moves and just made bad moves. It's about being a little more assertive on the offensive end, being a little more crisp on the offensive end."
Duncan and Ginobili weren't alone in their struggles. Nazr Mohammed wasted at least three scoring opportunities when he couldn't hang on to passes from Ginobili. The Spurs committed 18 turnovers and yielded 17 offensive rebounds, leading to 43 points for Detroit.
"When you turn the ball over and give up offensive rebounds, that team has more bullets in their gun," Barry said. "Last night, they reloaded many times over."
The Spurs looked particularly sloppy in the final two minutes of the third quarter. Barry, Ginobili and Beno Udrih combined for three turnovers as Detroit scored nine unanswered points.
"We didn't have very many people play well," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I thought we succumbed to their pressure. It wasn't like, you know, (the Pistons) played a good quarter here and a good quarter there. For 48 minutes, they played like a team that didn't want to go down 3-0. And we participated in that by not executing, for instance, press offense, by not making an extra pass, playing in the crowd, that sort of thing."
The Spurs hope to improve their decision making tonight.
If Detroit continues to jump the pick-and-rolls, the Spurs' big men plan to counter by slipping to the rim more quickly. If the guards can't find an opening to immediately attack, they figure to pull back or swing the ball.
"I think we're going to be fine," Ginobili said. "We've been through a lot of difficulties for the whole year. We just played a bad game. They played a good one. We're confident in ourselves. We know we can do it."
Web Posted: 06/16/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA061605.1S.BKNspurs.pistons.adv4.1314c7eb.html
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Some 12 hours after leaving with their worst loss of the playoffs, the Spurs returned to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday afternoon to assess the damage.
As the team prepared to start practice, Manu Ginobili joked with an NBA public-relations official on the court. Ginobili had yet to run, shoot, stretch or otherwise test his bruised left quadriceps, but the smile he wore on his face was evidence to some his condition had already improved.
"Manu is one of the toughest guys we have in our league, so when you see him grimace and stuff, you know he's hurting," Brent Barry said. "And last night he was hurting.
"But we know he's going to come back (tonight) and we know he's going to be intense."
The Spurs could say the same about their opponent. Having found their fury, as well as their defense, the Detroit Pistons will try to even the NBA Finals at two games apiece tonight.
While Ginobili's latest contusion was only a fraction of what ailed the Spurs during their 96-79 loss in Game 3, team officials were nonetheless pleased he felt better than expected after awaking Wednesday morning. Ginobili participated in the team's light workout and had two more treatment sessions scheduled for later in the day.
"I'm going to be fine," Ginobili said. "It's not going to limit me."
Ginobili speaks from experience. He bruised his left quadriceps during a collision with Seattle's Reggie Evans in the final game of the conference semifinals and aggravated it during the series against Phoenix. He also injured it — as well as his right quadriceps — at least once in the regular season, which explains why Barry has nicknamed him "El Contusion."
Ginobili had worn a thigh pad for protection in the first two games of the Finals, but didn't use it Tuesday. On the game's second possession, he plowed into Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince. Prince's knee speared Ginobili above his left knee.
"He was just starting to get over (the previous contusion)," Barry said. "All the fluid and blood and bruising was just starting to flush itself out. When you get hit like that ... it just seems like all the progress you made takes a couple steps back."
As painful as Ginobili's injury was, the Pistons' defense deserved at least equal blame for his seven-point, six-turnover performance. Detroit's big men, led by center Ben Wallace, often blitzed the Spurs' pick-and-rolls, forcing Ginobili and Tony Parker wide. When the Spurs' guards did penetrate, the Pistons clogged the lane.
After watching Ginobili make 15 of 16 shots in a five-quarter stretch during the first two games, the Pistons decided that sagging off him probably wasn't the wisest choice. On Tuesday, they pressured Ginobili and Parker much more aggressively. While Parker led the Spurs with 21 points, Ginobili took only six shots.
"When you see a guy do that, you really have to say we have to shut the lane down," Pistons point guard Lindsey Hunter said of Ginobili's production in the first two games. "If he beats us over the top with a hand in his face, then, hey, he had a great night. But you can't give him dunks and uncontested layups. You can't win like that."
The Spurs, likewise, probably aren't going to dethrone Detroit if Tim Duncan continues to shoot as he did Tuesday. He made only five of his 15 shots in the game while scoring four points in the second half. The 21 points Duncan and Ginobili totaled Tuesday were the fewest the Spurs have received from their two All-Stars in a full game this season.
"I thought I was a little lackadaisical with the ball," Duncan said. "I got it knocked away a couple of times, telegraphed a lot of my moves and just made bad moves. It's about being a little more assertive on the offensive end, being a little more crisp on the offensive end."
Duncan and Ginobili weren't alone in their struggles. Nazr Mohammed wasted at least three scoring opportunities when he couldn't hang on to passes from Ginobili. The Spurs committed 18 turnovers and yielded 17 offensive rebounds, leading to 43 points for Detroit.
"When you turn the ball over and give up offensive rebounds, that team has more bullets in their gun," Barry said. "Last night, they reloaded many times over."
The Spurs looked particularly sloppy in the final two minutes of the third quarter. Barry, Ginobili and Beno Udrih combined for three turnovers as Detroit scored nine unanswered points.
"We didn't have very many people play well," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I thought we succumbed to their pressure. It wasn't like, you know, (the Pistons) played a good quarter here and a good quarter there. For 48 minutes, they played like a team that didn't want to go down 3-0. And we participated in that by not executing, for instance, press offense, by not making an extra pass, playing in the crowd, that sort of thing."
The Spurs hope to improve their decision making tonight.
If Detroit continues to jump the pick-and-rolls, the Spurs' big men plan to counter by slipping to the rim more quickly. If the guards can't find an opening to immediately attack, they figure to pull back or swing the ball.
"I think we're going to be fine," Ginobili said. "We've been through a lot of difficulties for the whole year. We just played a bad game. They played a good one. We're confident in ourselves. We know we can do it."