Spurzilla
11-13-2005, 04:00 AM
Arenas burns Spurs as trip ends with loss
Web Posted: 11/13/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
LINK (http://www.mysanantonio.com/global-includes/printstory.jsp?path=/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA111305.1C.BKNspurs.wizards.gamer.20dcf84.html)
WASHINGTON — As if the Spurs hadn't already seen enough — the drive through four defenders; the countless jump shots raining over the top of their heads; Tim Duncan missing layup after layup — Gilbert Arenas provided one more reason why Saturday night belonged to him.
With 2.6 seconds left in the third quarter, Arenas took an inbounds pass, sped downcourt and pulled up in a crowd of four Spurs. He released his 29-foot shot then hung in the air just long enough to see the ball bank through the rim.
As the sellout crowd of 20,173 roared, Arenas and the rest of the Washington Wizards skipped off the MCI Center floor. Robert Horry cocked his head and stared into the stands. Duncan bowed his and trudged to the bench.
The shot accounted for only three of Arenas' 43 points in Washington's 110-95 victory. Yet, more than any other moment, it symbolized the Spurs' frustration.
No matter whom they threw on the Wizards' point guard, no matter from where he shot, they couldn't slow him.
"I was in the groove," Arenas said. "I'm a scorer and tonight I had it going, so I kept scoring."
Arenas scored more than any other NBA player has scored in a game this season. Although he fell a single point shy of his career high, his performance was as efficient as it was prolific. He made 15 of 20 shots, including 11 of his first 12.
As a result, the Spurs jetted home with another lopsided loss to bookend their five-game, eight-day trip. Routed in Dallas a week earlier, they strung together three consecutive victories before failing to keep pace with the Wizards in the fourth quarter.
One night after hanging 137 points on Seattle, Washington hardly cooled off against the Spurs. The Wizards shot 55.1 percent, including 68 percent in the third quarter when Arenas scored 18 of his points.
"Tonight it didn't matter who was playing defense," said Tony Parker, who had the misfortune of sharing much of that duty with Bruce Bowen. "He was on fire. I think he remembered that game last year when he went 0 for 13."
Arenas actually went 0 for 12 when the Wizards visited the SBC Center last season, but who's counting? Afterward, he shook his head in frustration and said, "Ever since I've been in the league, I don't think I've ever shot over 32 percent against that team."
So much for that stat. It was Duncan, instead, who saw his shooting percentage plummet Saturday. Errant as Arenas was accurate, he missed 15 of 18 shots. He even struggled somewhat at the foul line (5 of 8), where he began the evening shooting 90 percent.
The Wizards rarely double-teamed Duncan, instead rotating Brendan Haywood, Jared Jeffries and Michael Ruffin on him. Duncan grew increasingly frustrated not only with the officiating, but also with his inability to make even a layup: More than half his misses seemed to be at the rim.
"It was just a long night," Duncan said. "Things happen. ... We compounded them playing well with myself playing very badly."
Manu Ginobili, meanwhile, looked like his old self for the first time this season. He led the Spurs with 28 points on only 12 shots. Parker scored 23 points for the third game in a row, but that was barely half of Arenas' output.
At times, it didn't seem to matter not only which Spurs player was guarding Arenas, but also how many of them. Once, Arenas went by Bowen then split Parker and Duncan before banking in a reverse layup as Rasho Nesterovic lunged at him.
If Arenas wasn't shooting over the Spurs, he was usually running past them. Even after made shots, he relentlessly pushed the ball upcourt.
Parker drove for a layup with 2.6 seconds left in the third quarter to cut Washington's lead to 82-78. Arenas took that as his cue.
He raced downcourt and rose up. His 3-pointer banged off the backboard and through the rim. The crowd roared. The Spurs looked on in disbelief.
"We realized then," Ginobili said, "it was going to be really hard to win."
Web Posted: 11/13/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
LINK (http://www.mysanantonio.com/global-includes/printstory.jsp?path=/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA111305.1C.BKNspurs.wizards.gamer.20dcf84.html)
WASHINGTON — As if the Spurs hadn't already seen enough — the drive through four defenders; the countless jump shots raining over the top of their heads; Tim Duncan missing layup after layup — Gilbert Arenas provided one more reason why Saturday night belonged to him.
With 2.6 seconds left in the third quarter, Arenas took an inbounds pass, sped downcourt and pulled up in a crowd of four Spurs. He released his 29-foot shot then hung in the air just long enough to see the ball bank through the rim.
As the sellout crowd of 20,173 roared, Arenas and the rest of the Washington Wizards skipped off the MCI Center floor. Robert Horry cocked his head and stared into the stands. Duncan bowed his and trudged to the bench.
The shot accounted for only three of Arenas' 43 points in Washington's 110-95 victory. Yet, more than any other moment, it symbolized the Spurs' frustration.
No matter whom they threw on the Wizards' point guard, no matter from where he shot, they couldn't slow him.
"I was in the groove," Arenas said. "I'm a scorer and tonight I had it going, so I kept scoring."
Arenas scored more than any other NBA player has scored in a game this season. Although he fell a single point shy of his career high, his performance was as efficient as it was prolific. He made 15 of 20 shots, including 11 of his first 12.
As a result, the Spurs jetted home with another lopsided loss to bookend their five-game, eight-day trip. Routed in Dallas a week earlier, they strung together three consecutive victories before failing to keep pace with the Wizards in the fourth quarter.
One night after hanging 137 points on Seattle, Washington hardly cooled off against the Spurs. The Wizards shot 55.1 percent, including 68 percent in the third quarter when Arenas scored 18 of his points.
"Tonight it didn't matter who was playing defense," said Tony Parker, who had the misfortune of sharing much of that duty with Bruce Bowen. "He was on fire. I think he remembered that game last year when he went 0 for 13."
Arenas actually went 0 for 12 when the Wizards visited the SBC Center last season, but who's counting? Afterward, he shook his head in frustration and said, "Ever since I've been in the league, I don't think I've ever shot over 32 percent against that team."
So much for that stat. It was Duncan, instead, who saw his shooting percentage plummet Saturday. Errant as Arenas was accurate, he missed 15 of 18 shots. He even struggled somewhat at the foul line (5 of 8), where he began the evening shooting 90 percent.
The Wizards rarely double-teamed Duncan, instead rotating Brendan Haywood, Jared Jeffries and Michael Ruffin on him. Duncan grew increasingly frustrated not only with the officiating, but also with his inability to make even a layup: More than half his misses seemed to be at the rim.
"It was just a long night," Duncan said. "Things happen. ... We compounded them playing well with myself playing very badly."
Manu Ginobili, meanwhile, looked like his old self for the first time this season. He led the Spurs with 28 points on only 12 shots. Parker scored 23 points for the third game in a row, but that was barely half of Arenas' output.
At times, it didn't seem to matter not only which Spurs player was guarding Arenas, but also how many of them. Once, Arenas went by Bowen then split Parker and Duncan before banking in a reverse layup as Rasho Nesterovic lunged at him.
If Arenas wasn't shooting over the Spurs, he was usually running past them. Even after made shots, he relentlessly pushed the ball upcourt.
Parker drove for a layup with 2.6 seconds left in the third quarter to cut Washington's lead to 82-78. Arenas took that as his cue.
He raced downcourt and rose up. His 3-pointer banged off the backboard and through the rim. The crowd roared. The Spurs looked on in disbelief.
"We realized then," Ginobili said, "it was going to be really hard to win."