Kori Ellis
06-17-2005, 01:26 AM
Spurs notebook: Carlesimo plans exit to be with ailing wife
Web Posted: 06/17/2005 12:46 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA061705.4S.BKNspurs.notebook.18b55cce.html
San Antonio Express-News
Spurs assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo planned to leave the Palace of Auburn Hills immediately after Thursday's Game 4 to return to San Antonio to be with his wife, Carolyn.
Carlesimo said his wife, who delivered the couple's second child — a boy, Casey — on June 6, had to be hospitalized after developing an infection.
He first planned to head home Thursday morning and was not at the team's morning shootaround at Seaholm High School in suburban Birmingham, Mich. Carlesimo opted to remain in Michigan after learning that Carolyn's condition was not as serious as he initially had feared.
Carlesimo said he did not know when he would rejoin the team.
Small consolation: Tim Duncan moved past David Robinson to become the franchise playoff leader in career rebounds when he grabbed a defensive rebound two minutes into the first period.
Duncan finished with 16 rebounds, giving him 1,317 for his playoff career. He also holds the franchise mark for most postseason points.
From bad ...: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told ABC-TV that he never had seen a team play as badly in the Finals as his team in the first half.
The Spurs were the first team in 40 years to be outscored in five consecutive quarters in the Finals by at least five points. They were outscored in the last three quarters in Game 3 and the first two Thursday in Game 4.
Other teams to be outscored by at least five points in five-straight quarters were Rochester in the 1951 series against New York, and the Los Angeles Lakers by Boston in 1965.
... to worse: The Spurs suffered two of their worst six losses this season in the past two games in Detroit, losing by 17 and 31 points.
The combined margin in Games 3 and 4 (48 points) was the largest by which the Spurs had lost consecutive playoff games since the final two games of the 2001 Western Conference finals, in which the Los Angeles Lakers won by a combined 68 points.
Thursday also marked the first time the Spurs had dropped consecutive games since losing the third and fourth games of the Western Conference semifinals against Seattle.
Two of a kind: Robinson, who brought his three sons to Detroit to cheer for the Spurs, talked with Hall of Fame center Bill Russell prior to the game. Robinson was wearing his 2003 championship ring.
Learning curve: Popovich has been pleased with point guard Beno Udrih's play this season, though he admits there have been nights when Udrih has looked like a rookie.
Tuesday was one of them. As soon as Udrih stepped onto the floor late in the third quarter of Game 3, Detroit began applying full-court pressure.
The Spurs committed three quick turnovers, including one by Udrih, as the Pistons scored nine consecutive points.
"He's done a heck of job, but he's a rookie," Popovich said. "He's learning a lot. ... But there are going to be games where he's a rookie. And, unfortunately, the last game, he showed a few of those tendencies."
Another Rodman? Former Pistons coach Chuck Daly said Bruce Bowen's disruptive defensive style reminds him of some of the tactics used by ex-Pistons and ex-Spurs forward Dennis Rodman.
"Dennis was exactly like Bowen but maybe even better at getting into your head," Daly told a Detroit television station. "The greatest players in the game had problems with Rodman, who I think was one of the league's all-time best defensive players. Bowen is like him because he makes a lot of contact. It bothers you."
Pistons guard Richard Hamilton said earlier this week that Bowen "gets away with a lot of stuff," a claim Bowen said he's tired of hearing.
"Just play," Bowen said. "I'm going to keep doing what I do. ... If I was as crafty as (Hamilton) says, officials would be calling a lot more fouls on me."
One at a time: Forward Robert Horry appeared shocked when a reporter asked him if he hopes to finish his career with more NBA championships than the six Michael Jordan earned with the Chicago Bulls.
"All I want to do is tie him," said Horry, who owns five rings. "I'm not even thinking about passing him. Six is all I'm thinking about."
Wishful thinking: Brent Barry's father, former NBA star Rick Barry, admits that he's jealous of his son.
"Am I jealous?" the elder Barry said, repeating a reporter's question. "Yes, because I see how the Spurs treat their players. If anybody can get me a genie so I can be 30 years old again and play for the Spurs, I'll do it."
Mike Monroe, Johnny Ludden, Tom Orsborn, Tim Griffin
Web Posted: 06/17/2005 12:46 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA061705.4S.BKNspurs.notebook.18b55cce.html
San Antonio Express-News
Spurs assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo planned to leave the Palace of Auburn Hills immediately after Thursday's Game 4 to return to San Antonio to be with his wife, Carolyn.
Carlesimo said his wife, who delivered the couple's second child — a boy, Casey — on June 6, had to be hospitalized after developing an infection.
He first planned to head home Thursday morning and was not at the team's morning shootaround at Seaholm High School in suburban Birmingham, Mich. Carlesimo opted to remain in Michigan after learning that Carolyn's condition was not as serious as he initially had feared.
Carlesimo said he did not know when he would rejoin the team.
Small consolation: Tim Duncan moved past David Robinson to become the franchise playoff leader in career rebounds when he grabbed a defensive rebound two minutes into the first period.
Duncan finished with 16 rebounds, giving him 1,317 for his playoff career. He also holds the franchise mark for most postseason points.
From bad ...: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told ABC-TV that he never had seen a team play as badly in the Finals as his team in the first half.
The Spurs were the first team in 40 years to be outscored in five consecutive quarters in the Finals by at least five points. They were outscored in the last three quarters in Game 3 and the first two Thursday in Game 4.
Other teams to be outscored by at least five points in five-straight quarters were Rochester in the 1951 series against New York, and the Los Angeles Lakers by Boston in 1965.
... to worse: The Spurs suffered two of their worst six losses this season in the past two games in Detroit, losing by 17 and 31 points.
The combined margin in Games 3 and 4 (48 points) was the largest by which the Spurs had lost consecutive playoff games since the final two games of the 2001 Western Conference finals, in which the Los Angeles Lakers won by a combined 68 points.
Thursday also marked the first time the Spurs had dropped consecutive games since losing the third and fourth games of the Western Conference semifinals against Seattle.
Two of a kind: Robinson, who brought his three sons to Detroit to cheer for the Spurs, talked with Hall of Fame center Bill Russell prior to the game. Robinson was wearing his 2003 championship ring.
Learning curve: Popovich has been pleased with point guard Beno Udrih's play this season, though he admits there have been nights when Udrih has looked like a rookie.
Tuesday was one of them. As soon as Udrih stepped onto the floor late in the third quarter of Game 3, Detroit began applying full-court pressure.
The Spurs committed three quick turnovers, including one by Udrih, as the Pistons scored nine consecutive points.
"He's done a heck of job, but he's a rookie," Popovich said. "He's learning a lot. ... But there are going to be games where he's a rookie. And, unfortunately, the last game, he showed a few of those tendencies."
Another Rodman? Former Pistons coach Chuck Daly said Bruce Bowen's disruptive defensive style reminds him of some of the tactics used by ex-Pistons and ex-Spurs forward Dennis Rodman.
"Dennis was exactly like Bowen but maybe even better at getting into your head," Daly told a Detroit television station. "The greatest players in the game had problems with Rodman, who I think was one of the league's all-time best defensive players. Bowen is like him because he makes a lot of contact. It bothers you."
Pistons guard Richard Hamilton said earlier this week that Bowen "gets away with a lot of stuff," a claim Bowen said he's tired of hearing.
"Just play," Bowen said. "I'm going to keep doing what I do. ... If I was as crafty as (Hamilton) says, officials would be calling a lot more fouls on me."
One at a time: Forward Robert Horry appeared shocked when a reporter asked him if he hopes to finish his career with more NBA championships than the six Michael Jordan earned with the Chicago Bulls.
"All I want to do is tie him," said Horry, who owns five rings. "I'm not even thinking about passing him. Six is all I'm thinking about."
Wishful thinking: Brent Barry's father, former NBA star Rick Barry, admits that he's jealous of his son.
"Am I jealous?" the elder Barry said, repeating a reporter's question. "Yes, because I see how the Spurs treat their players. If anybody can get me a genie so I can be 30 years old again and play for the Spurs, I'll do it."
Mike Monroe, Johnny Ludden, Tom Orsborn, Tim Griffin