Kori Ellis
11-30-2005, 02:12 AM
Bowen, Ginobili two bright spots as Spurs survive
Web Posted: 11/30/2005 12:14 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA113005.1C.BKNspurs.lakers.gamer.e0dc294.html
Kobe Bryant rimmed out a final 3-pointer, Tim Duncan added another free throw and the Spurs walked off the SBC Center floor Tuesday having survived another ragged effort.
With the 90-84 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers secure and the sellout crowd of 18,797 out of the arena, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich calmly ticked off the list of positives his team could take from the game: Bruce Bowen's defense on Bryant; and Manu Ginobili's aggressiveness.
"That's what got us through," Popovich said. "Those guys were really good for us."
The Spurs couldn't say the same about their collective effort. After running out to a 17-point lead after seven minutes, they struggled to close out the Lakers until Duncan made two free throws with 15.4 seconds remaining.
In between, the Spurs surrendered 38 points off 16 turnovers and the Lakers' 17 offensive rebounds. The extra chances allowed the Lakers to take 94 shots — the Spurs attempted 76 — climb within 87-84 when Lamar Odom drove for a layup with 23.4 seconds left.
Michael Finley, who helped slow Los Angeles' comeback with a couple of timely jump shots, nearly lost the ball in the backcourt before rifling a pass across midcourt to Duncan, who was intentionally fouled.
"We need to get better," Bowen said. "This isn't the way we played in the past. Pop's doing a fantastic job of keeping his cool. But we have to respond to that."
The Spurs couldn't have asked for more from Bowen. He provided 11 points on seven shots, but it was his defense on the NBA's leading scorer that proved to be the difference.
Bryant came into Tuesday averaging 40.2 points over his previous five games. Bowen held him to 25, and Bryant needed 33 shots to get those.
Bryant made only nine shots while missing all six 3-point attempts.
"He was in his face every shot he took," Duncan said. "Kobe made a couple of crazy layups in a row where had to really work, but other than that, Bruce did a heck of a job."
Bowen did his best to chase Bryant or herd him into the arms of the Spurs' help defense, which Popovich described as "sometimes really good, sometimes really poor."
The Spurs' overall performance was equally inconsistent, though they started the game crisply enough.
Tony Parker split through the Lakers for a couple of layups. Rasho Nesterovic followed his own missed shot with another layup. When Parker had the ball knocked from his hands, Ginobili plucked it out of the air and tossed in a short bank shot for two of his team-high 22 points.
Of the first nine shots the Spurs made, only one was taken from farther than 3 feet. As a result, they ran out to a 25-8 lead.
Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson never budged from his chair, allowing the Lakers to play through their mistakes or, perhaps, waiting for the Spurs to make their own.
The Spurs' execution deteriorated not long after Popovich went to his bench. Ten of the team's 16 turnovers came in the first half, including three during the final 4:26 of the second quarter — a particularly poor stretch that allowed Los Angeles to close within 43-38 at the half.
"The last three minutes of the first half were indicative of the way we played the whole game," Bowen said.
Parker, so effective at getting to the rim this season, looked like the player who couldn't make a shot when the Lakers packed in their defense two seasons ago in the playoffs. He finished with a season-low 10 points then left the locker room without speaking to reporters.
Duncan wasn't too much better, totaling 16 points and nine rebounds. Together, he and Parker had nine turnovers.
Odom, meanwhile, hurt the Spurs with a season-best 27 points and 16 rebounds.
"We got (the Spurs) mired in our style of play," Jackson said. "They were playing at a level above us, and we got them to come down to our level."
Ginobili had something to do with that. After the Lakers pulled within seven late in the third quarter, Ginobili spun through three defenders for a layup then found Finley for a 23-footer. On the next possession, he caught a pass from Nick Van Exel with his back to the basket then flipped in a layup.
"I think he's starting to come around pretty well," said Popovich, who only hopes the rest of his team will do the same.
Web Posted: 11/30/2005 12:14 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA113005.1C.BKNspurs.lakers.gamer.e0dc294.html
Kobe Bryant rimmed out a final 3-pointer, Tim Duncan added another free throw and the Spurs walked off the SBC Center floor Tuesday having survived another ragged effort.
With the 90-84 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers secure and the sellout crowd of 18,797 out of the arena, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich calmly ticked off the list of positives his team could take from the game: Bruce Bowen's defense on Bryant; and Manu Ginobili's aggressiveness.
"That's what got us through," Popovich said. "Those guys were really good for us."
The Spurs couldn't say the same about their collective effort. After running out to a 17-point lead after seven minutes, they struggled to close out the Lakers until Duncan made two free throws with 15.4 seconds remaining.
In between, the Spurs surrendered 38 points off 16 turnovers and the Lakers' 17 offensive rebounds. The extra chances allowed the Lakers to take 94 shots — the Spurs attempted 76 — climb within 87-84 when Lamar Odom drove for a layup with 23.4 seconds left.
Michael Finley, who helped slow Los Angeles' comeback with a couple of timely jump shots, nearly lost the ball in the backcourt before rifling a pass across midcourt to Duncan, who was intentionally fouled.
"We need to get better," Bowen said. "This isn't the way we played in the past. Pop's doing a fantastic job of keeping his cool. But we have to respond to that."
The Spurs couldn't have asked for more from Bowen. He provided 11 points on seven shots, but it was his defense on the NBA's leading scorer that proved to be the difference.
Bryant came into Tuesday averaging 40.2 points over his previous five games. Bowen held him to 25, and Bryant needed 33 shots to get those.
Bryant made only nine shots while missing all six 3-point attempts.
"He was in his face every shot he took," Duncan said. "Kobe made a couple of crazy layups in a row where had to really work, but other than that, Bruce did a heck of a job."
Bowen did his best to chase Bryant or herd him into the arms of the Spurs' help defense, which Popovich described as "sometimes really good, sometimes really poor."
The Spurs' overall performance was equally inconsistent, though they started the game crisply enough.
Tony Parker split through the Lakers for a couple of layups. Rasho Nesterovic followed his own missed shot with another layup. When Parker had the ball knocked from his hands, Ginobili plucked it out of the air and tossed in a short bank shot for two of his team-high 22 points.
Of the first nine shots the Spurs made, only one was taken from farther than 3 feet. As a result, they ran out to a 25-8 lead.
Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson never budged from his chair, allowing the Lakers to play through their mistakes or, perhaps, waiting for the Spurs to make their own.
The Spurs' execution deteriorated not long after Popovich went to his bench. Ten of the team's 16 turnovers came in the first half, including three during the final 4:26 of the second quarter — a particularly poor stretch that allowed Los Angeles to close within 43-38 at the half.
"The last three minutes of the first half were indicative of the way we played the whole game," Bowen said.
Parker, so effective at getting to the rim this season, looked like the player who couldn't make a shot when the Lakers packed in their defense two seasons ago in the playoffs. He finished with a season-low 10 points then left the locker room without speaking to reporters.
Duncan wasn't too much better, totaling 16 points and nine rebounds. Together, he and Parker had nine turnovers.
Odom, meanwhile, hurt the Spurs with a season-best 27 points and 16 rebounds.
"We got (the Spurs) mired in our style of play," Jackson said. "They were playing at a level above us, and we got them to come down to our level."
Ginobili had something to do with that. After the Lakers pulled within seven late in the third quarter, Ginobili spun through three defenders for a layup then found Finley for a 23-footer. On the next possession, he caught a pass from Nick Van Exel with his back to the basket then flipped in a layup.
"I think he's starting to come around pretty well," said Popovich, who only hopes the rest of his team will do the same.