Solid D
10-21-2005, 06:57 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA102105.8C.BKNspurs.hornets.gamer.1d32e4ec.html
Carlesimo takes over as Spurs stop Hornets
Web Posted: 10/21/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
BOSSIER CITY, La. — The voice the Spurs hear all season, at varying decibel levels, almost always is the flat Midwestern intonation that characterizes coach Gregg Popovich.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/images/1021spurs_duncan_ap.jpg
(Robert Ruiz/Associated Press)
Hornets forward P.J. Brown tries to drive
around the Spurs' Tim Duncan during the
first half of the Spurs' victory.
More coverage
Box: Spurs 97, Hornets 90 Box Score (http://146.145.120.3/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=mysa&page=nba/scores/final/B7117.htm)
For one night at CenturyTel Arena, it was the gravelly East Coast-accented sound of assistant P.J. Carlesimo.
Popovich, who routinely spares the regular members of his playing rotation the drudgery of an exhibition schedule most players consider too long, spared himself Thursday night, skipping the Spurs' game against the New Orleans Hornets.
"He just felt they needed to hear another voice," said Carlesimo, who took Popovich's role for the Spurs' 97-90 victory, their first of the exhibition season.
Popovich didn't accompany the team to Bossier City after it practiced Wednesday in Indianapolis. Instead, he flew to Dallas to help honor one of his basketball mentors, Don Nelson. Nelson coached the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.
Carlesimo's voice must have had a soothing effect, because the Spurs had one of their most efficient stretches of the exhibition season in the first eight minutes of the third period. The team took a 26-point lead, with newcomers Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley doing their best work since becoming Spurs. Van Exel had six assists and Finley made 5 of 9 shots in 18 minutes.
"We filled lanes and got the ball to Timmy (Duncan)," Carlesimo said. "We'd told them we wanted to limit them to one shot, get some outlet passes and run, and they did that. It's always nice when they do what you ask them."
As for the long exhibition season, Carlesimo joked that he is taking the remaining three games off and guard Brent Barry offered a unique solution to the over-scheduling.
"If you win 50 or more games," Barry said, "you should only have to play two exhibitions. Forty to 49, you play three; 30 to 39, you play five; and under 30 you play eight. That way, the teams that really need the work will play more games."
Popovich likely would give that plan a ringing endorsement.
Oberto back: Argentine power forward-center Fabricio Oberto returned to action after missing the previous four games with a sprained left ankle. He played 11 minutes, and while he missed the three shots he attempted, he had six rebounds, four of them in the fourth quarter, when the Hornets were in process of trimming a Spurs lead that had been as large as 26 to as little as four.
"The bad thing about missing these exhibition games is I don't get a chance to adjust myself to the team," Oberto said. "But the good thing is I get to see the different things that we do. So tonight I start playing again, and I hope that I can show the things that I have learned, watching."
Parker sits: Starting point guard Tony Parker was given the night off, warming up before the game but not suiting up.
"My turn tonight," Parker said.
Since opening their first exhibition against the Miami Heat on Oct. 10 with their regular lineup of Parker, Manu Ginobili, Nazr Mohammed, Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen, the Spurs have given at least one starter the night off in each subsequent game. Duncan sat out the game Tuesday in Indianapolis.
"We'll start to get a little more of our regular rotation going when we get back to San Antonio for the last few (exhibition) games," Carlesimo said.
Paul impresses: New Orleans rookie Chris Paul made a believer of Van Exel, a veteran not easily impressed.
"He' s going to be pretty good," Van Exel said. "Just by hearing him talk out on the court, he can really lead a team. Point guards have to be vocal and have to be heard. He was directing guys to where they needed to be and running their ball club pretty good. Once he gets comfortable he's going to be a pretty good player."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]
Carlesimo takes over as Spurs stop Hornets
Web Posted: 10/21/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
BOSSIER CITY, La. — The voice the Spurs hear all season, at varying decibel levels, almost always is the flat Midwestern intonation that characterizes coach Gregg Popovich.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/images/1021spurs_duncan_ap.jpg
(Robert Ruiz/Associated Press)
Hornets forward P.J. Brown tries to drive
around the Spurs' Tim Duncan during the
first half of the Spurs' victory.
More coverage
Box: Spurs 97, Hornets 90 Box Score (http://146.145.120.3/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=mysa&page=nba/scores/final/B7117.htm)
For one night at CenturyTel Arena, it was the gravelly East Coast-accented sound of assistant P.J. Carlesimo.
Popovich, who routinely spares the regular members of his playing rotation the drudgery of an exhibition schedule most players consider too long, spared himself Thursday night, skipping the Spurs' game against the New Orleans Hornets.
"He just felt they needed to hear another voice," said Carlesimo, who took Popovich's role for the Spurs' 97-90 victory, their first of the exhibition season.
Popovich didn't accompany the team to Bossier City after it practiced Wednesday in Indianapolis. Instead, he flew to Dallas to help honor one of his basketball mentors, Don Nelson. Nelson coached the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.
Carlesimo's voice must have had a soothing effect, because the Spurs had one of their most efficient stretches of the exhibition season in the first eight minutes of the third period. The team took a 26-point lead, with newcomers Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley doing their best work since becoming Spurs. Van Exel had six assists and Finley made 5 of 9 shots in 18 minutes.
"We filled lanes and got the ball to Timmy (Duncan)," Carlesimo said. "We'd told them we wanted to limit them to one shot, get some outlet passes and run, and they did that. It's always nice when they do what you ask them."
As for the long exhibition season, Carlesimo joked that he is taking the remaining three games off and guard Brent Barry offered a unique solution to the over-scheduling.
"If you win 50 or more games," Barry said, "you should only have to play two exhibitions. Forty to 49, you play three; 30 to 39, you play five; and under 30 you play eight. That way, the teams that really need the work will play more games."
Popovich likely would give that plan a ringing endorsement.
Oberto back: Argentine power forward-center Fabricio Oberto returned to action after missing the previous four games with a sprained left ankle. He played 11 minutes, and while he missed the three shots he attempted, he had six rebounds, four of them in the fourth quarter, when the Hornets were in process of trimming a Spurs lead that had been as large as 26 to as little as four.
"The bad thing about missing these exhibition games is I don't get a chance to adjust myself to the team," Oberto said. "But the good thing is I get to see the different things that we do. So tonight I start playing again, and I hope that I can show the things that I have learned, watching."
Parker sits: Starting point guard Tony Parker was given the night off, warming up before the game but not suiting up.
"My turn tonight," Parker said.
Since opening their first exhibition against the Miami Heat on Oct. 10 with their regular lineup of Parker, Manu Ginobili, Nazr Mohammed, Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen, the Spurs have given at least one starter the night off in each subsequent game. Duncan sat out the game Tuesday in Indianapolis.
"We'll start to get a little more of our regular rotation going when we get back to San Antonio for the last few (exhibition) games," Carlesimo said.
Paul impresses: New Orleans rookie Chris Paul made a believer of Van Exel, a veteran not easily impressed.
"He' s going to be pretty good," Van Exel said. "Just by hearing him talk out on the court, he can really lead a team. Point guards have to be vocal and have to be heard. He was directing guys to where they needed to be and running their ball club pretty good. Once he gets comfortable he's going to be a pretty good player."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]