Kori Ellis
06-17-2005, 05:37 PM
Udrih humiliated by Pistons' defense
Spurs' rookie point guard dominated by Billups, Hunter
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:09 p.m. ET June 17, 2005
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Beno Udrih’s family flew from Slovenia to San Antonio to watch him in the NBA Finals. His 82-year-old grandfather got on a plane for the first time, and his father and brother even followed him up to Michigan for the Spurs’ road games.
As if the rookie point guard wasn’t already facing enough pressure from Chauncey Billups and Lindsey Hunter.
Udrih has been embarrassed by the Detroit Pistons’ defense during the finals, though he’s hardly the only San Antonio player in that predicament. He has made eight turnovers in his 43 minutes of play in the series, largely because the Pistons have double-teamed and trapped him mercilessly during his brief stints spelling Tony Parker.
And though Udrih, who will turn 23 next month, acknowledges it’s tough to play such a big role under such a spotlight, he has been making successful adjustments to the NBA style for nearly a year — and he’s confident he can do it one more time.
“The finals are just so much more physical than the regular season,” he said Friday before the Spurs’ workout at the Pistons’ training complex. “I’m just trying to adjust as soon as possible. In (Game 1), I wasn’t happy with my game. In the third game, I didn’t do good. I was terrible. In Game 4, I did much better, but still, I’ve got work to do.”
Coach Gregg Popovich has been reluctant to remove Parker from games, even for short stretches, because he knows Larry Brown’s players are waiting to jump all over Udrih, who made three turnovers in Game 3.
In Game 4, Rasheed Wallace double-teamed Udrih near the scorer’s table in the second quarter, easily forcing a turnover that led to a key layup in the Pistons’ 14-0 run. Udrih looked a bit lost — but his teammates believe he’ll find his way.
“He just has to find a way to be strong on the ball and not make the same mistakes with their traps,” Parker said. “He’s our backup and he has to play well, and I think he will.”
Despite his struggles in the Detroit suburbs, Udrih also showed signs of his long-term potential in Game 4. He scored five quick points when he entered the game, including a 3-pointer.
And Udrih’s turnovers are just one of many factors contributing to the Spurs’ slump. The Pistons have scored 48 points off the Spurs’ turnovers in the last two games. In the series, San Antonio has made 68 turnovers — 25 more than Detroit.
His family’s presence could be a comfort to Udrih, who left Slovenia three years ago to pursue his professional dreams in Israel, Russia and Italy. The Spurs selected him as their latest international draft steal last summer — even though he hasn’t looked like a bargain in the finals so far.
Though Udrih was on Maccabi Tel Aviv’s national championship team two years ago, some international observers thought he was too young to be successful in the fast-paced NBA game when he left Italy’s Breil Milano to enter the draft.
But he excelled in pre-draft workouts and eventually adjusted to the pace, though the first few exhibition games were a blur. He’s now comfortable with “eight eyes on you all the time” — referring to Popovich and his three assistants, who constantly critique his game.
Udrih is averaging 12 minutes per game in the playoffs, mostly playing well in the first three rounds. Despite his difficulties in the finals, he hasn’t flinched in front of the Pistons’ raucous home crowd — because he’s seen worse.
“When we played in Serbia and Montenegro, they were doing crazy stuff,” he said. “If you win there, you’ve got to run out of the gym to the locker room. You don’t want stuff to hit you. Here, the fans are much more friendly. They really love basketball, and they come to watch basketball and cheer for the team.
“If you’re from Slovenia and they’re from Serbia and Montenegro, they were fighting. There was a war. They think it’s your fault, that you beat them, and they’re just throwing everything at you. So you’ve got to run.”
Now that the Spurs are guaranteed another game in San Antonio, Udrih is hoping he can finish the season with a ring at home — something that’s sure to delight his grandfather.
“It was his first time (in San Antonio), and he says he wants to stay there,” Udrih said with a grin. “Hopefully we can make him go back home.”
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8260455/
Spurs' rookie point guard dominated by Billups, Hunter
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:09 p.m. ET June 17, 2005
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Beno Udrih’s family flew from Slovenia to San Antonio to watch him in the NBA Finals. His 82-year-old grandfather got on a plane for the first time, and his father and brother even followed him up to Michigan for the Spurs’ road games.
As if the rookie point guard wasn’t already facing enough pressure from Chauncey Billups and Lindsey Hunter.
Udrih has been embarrassed by the Detroit Pistons’ defense during the finals, though he’s hardly the only San Antonio player in that predicament. He has made eight turnovers in his 43 minutes of play in the series, largely because the Pistons have double-teamed and trapped him mercilessly during his brief stints spelling Tony Parker.
And though Udrih, who will turn 23 next month, acknowledges it’s tough to play such a big role under such a spotlight, he has been making successful adjustments to the NBA style for nearly a year — and he’s confident he can do it one more time.
“The finals are just so much more physical than the regular season,” he said Friday before the Spurs’ workout at the Pistons’ training complex. “I’m just trying to adjust as soon as possible. In (Game 1), I wasn’t happy with my game. In the third game, I didn’t do good. I was terrible. In Game 4, I did much better, but still, I’ve got work to do.”
Coach Gregg Popovich has been reluctant to remove Parker from games, even for short stretches, because he knows Larry Brown’s players are waiting to jump all over Udrih, who made three turnovers in Game 3.
In Game 4, Rasheed Wallace double-teamed Udrih near the scorer’s table in the second quarter, easily forcing a turnover that led to a key layup in the Pistons’ 14-0 run. Udrih looked a bit lost — but his teammates believe he’ll find his way.
“He just has to find a way to be strong on the ball and not make the same mistakes with their traps,” Parker said. “He’s our backup and he has to play well, and I think he will.”
Despite his struggles in the Detroit suburbs, Udrih also showed signs of his long-term potential in Game 4. He scored five quick points when he entered the game, including a 3-pointer.
And Udrih’s turnovers are just one of many factors contributing to the Spurs’ slump. The Pistons have scored 48 points off the Spurs’ turnovers in the last two games. In the series, San Antonio has made 68 turnovers — 25 more than Detroit.
His family’s presence could be a comfort to Udrih, who left Slovenia three years ago to pursue his professional dreams in Israel, Russia and Italy. The Spurs selected him as their latest international draft steal last summer — even though he hasn’t looked like a bargain in the finals so far.
Though Udrih was on Maccabi Tel Aviv’s national championship team two years ago, some international observers thought he was too young to be successful in the fast-paced NBA game when he left Italy’s Breil Milano to enter the draft.
But he excelled in pre-draft workouts and eventually adjusted to the pace, though the first few exhibition games were a blur. He’s now comfortable with “eight eyes on you all the time” — referring to Popovich and his three assistants, who constantly critique his game.
Udrih is averaging 12 minutes per game in the playoffs, mostly playing well in the first three rounds. Despite his difficulties in the finals, he hasn’t flinched in front of the Pistons’ raucous home crowd — because he’s seen worse.
“When we played in Serbia and Montenegro, they were doing crazy stuff,” he said. “If you win there, you’ve got to run out of the gym to the locker room. You don’t want stuff to hit you. Here, the fans are much more friendly. They really love basketball, and they come to watch basketball and cheer for the team.
“If you’re from Slovenia and they’re from Serbia and Montenegro, they were fighting. There was a war. They think it’s your fault, that you beat them, and they’re just throwing everything at you. So you’ve got to run.”
Now that the Spurs are guaranteed another game in San Antonio, Udrih is hoping he can finish the season with a ring at home — something that’s sure to delight his grandfather.
“It was his first time (in San Antonio), and he says he wants to stay there,” Udrih said with a grin. “Hopefully we can make him go back home.”
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8260455/