Kori Ellis
12-10-2005, 01:44 AM
Duncan, depth add up to Spurs victory
Web Posted: 12/10/2005 12:12 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121005.1C.BKNspurs.celtics.gamer.22373ad1.html
With their charter jet warming its engines on the tarmac at San Antonio International Airport and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker stretching their legs on the bench, the Spurs showed off the depth of their roster Friday night.
And as the Boston Celtics know well by now, having Tim Duncan along for the ride doesn't hurt, either.
Duncan scored eight of his 20 points in the final quarter, and the Spurs' reserves helped him close out a 101-89 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 18,797 at the SBC Center.
With the Spurs scheduled to play tonight in Atlanta, coach Gregg Popovich gave Robert Horry the evening off and rested Ginobili and Parker in the final quarter even though the game's outcome was still somewhat in doubt.
Down the stretch, the Spurs used a lineup of Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry, Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley. It was good enough to preserve the team's season-high sixth consecutive victory.
"That's the great thing about this team," said Ginobili, who had 14 points in 24 minutes. "Imagine if Tony's not playing, you got Nick Van Exel. If I'm not playing, you have Brent Barry and Michael Finley.
"You really can go to the bench and trust your teammates are going to take care of business."
Duncan had more than a little to do with that. He added 11 rebounds and five blocks to keep his unbeaten streak against Boston alive. The Spurs have beaten the Celtics 17 games in a row.
Boston hasn't won in San Antonio since Feb.14, 1990, midway through David Robinson's rookie season. Guided that night by coach Jimmy Rodgers, the Celtics received a combined 64 points and 36 rebounds from their Hall of Fame frontline of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.
Nearly 16 years later, the Spurs extended Boston's misery thanks to contributions from players with more modest credentials.
With Parker laboring through his worst shooting performance of the season (5 of 15) and Boston doing its best to limit Duncan's scoring opportunities, the Spurs looked to their reserves for help.
Nazr Mohammed provided a spirited nine minutes in the first half with five points, four rebounds and one assist, which came after he grabbed an offensive rebound, tight-roped the sideline and found Ginobili cutting to the basket. Finley and Barry combined for 19 points. Van Exel had six points and six assists, and Fabricio Oberto, the team's seldom-used rookie forward, even got on the floor for 14 minutes.
"We had a lot of guys participate, and that's always good on a back-to-back," Popovich said.
Bowen and Ginobili helped keep Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis in check for most of the first three quarters. Pierce had averaged 30.2 points in the previous five games, but with Bowen hounding him, he missed six of his first eight shots and finished 7 of 17 for 24 points.
The Spurs' perimeter defenders did a good job of sending Pierce and Davis into the long arms of the team's shot blockers. Rasho Nesterovic swatted a season-high six shots.
"I see their team, and some day, they are what we want to be," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "We have a lot of work to do."
Still, the Spurs weren't at their sharpest, and Rivers admitted the Celtics caught the NBA's defending champions on a night when they were "beatable."
The Spurs frustrated their own coach by allowing layups at the closing buzzer of each of the first three quarters.
Boston, having trailed by 14 points late in the second quarter, went on to close within 56-53 on Raef LaFrentz's 3-pointer, though that only seemed to get the Spurs' attention.
Nesterovic blocked LaFrentz at the rim, then helped force Kendrick Perkins into a traveling violation. Bowen made a 20-footer, followed by a 3-pointer. Parker drove for a layup, bounced to his feet, ran down Delonte West, poked the ball away from him and found Barry for a dunk.
The basket hurried the Celtics into a timeout and brought the crowd to its feet.
"They withstand runs, they don't get rattled, and that's why they are the defending champs," Pierce said.
The Spurs' long bench also helped. With two of the team's three losses coming on the second night of a back-to-back, Popovich didn't want to expend his regulars' energy, if possible.
"Coming into the season, we wanted depth to be one of our strong qualities," Finley said. "In games like tonight, it showed."
Web Posted: 12/10/2005 12:12 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121005.1C.BKNspurs.celtics.gamer.22373ad1.html
With their charter jet warming its engines on the tarmac at San Antonio International Airport and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker stretching their legs on the bench, the Spurs showed off the depth of their roster Friday night.
And as the Boston Celtics know well by now, having Tim Duncan along for the ride doesn't hurt, either.
Duncan scored eight of his 20 points in the final quarter, and the Spurs' reserves helped him close out a 101-89 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 18,797 at the SBC Center.
With the Spurs scheduled to play tonight in Atlanta, coach Gregg Popovich gave Robert Horry the evening off and rested Ginobili and Parker in the final quarter even though the game's outcome was still somewhat in doubt.
Down the stretch, the Spurs used a lineup of Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry, Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley. It was good enough to preserve the team's season-high sixth consecutive victory.
"That's the great thing about this team," said Ginobili, who had 14 points in 24 minutes. "Imagine if Tony's not playing, you got Nick Van Exel. If I'm not playing, you have Brent Barry and Michael Finley.
"You really can go to the bench and trust your teammates are going to take care of business."
Duncan had more than a little to do with that. He added 11 rebounds and five blocks to keep his unbeaten streak against Boston alive. The Spurs have beaten the Celtics 17 games in a row.
Boston hasn't won in San Antonio since Feb.14, 1990, midway through David Robinson's rookie season. Guided that night by coach Jimmy Rodgers, the Celtics received a combined 64 points and 36 rebounds from their Hall of Fame frontline of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.
Nearly 16 years later, the Spurs extended Boston's misery thanks to contributions from players with more modest credentials.
With Parker laboring through his worst shooting performance of the season (5 of 15) and Boston doing its best to limit Duncan's scoring opportunities, the Spurs looked to their reserves for help.
Nazr Mohammed provided a spirited nine minutes in the first half with five points, four rebounds and one assist, which came after he grabbed an offensive rebound, tight-roped the sideline and found Ginobili cutting to the basket. Finley and Barry combined for 19 points. Van Exel had six points and six assists, and Fabricio Oberto, the team's seldom-used rookie forward, even got on the floor for 14 minutes.
"We had a lot of guys participate, and that's always good on a back-to-back," Popovich said.
Bowen and Ginobili helped keep Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis in check for most of the first three quarters. Pierce had averaged 30.2 points in the previous five games, but with Bowen hounding him, he missed six of his first eight shots and finished 7 of 17 for 24 points.
The Spurs' perimeter defenders did a good job of sending Pierce and Davis into the long arms of the team's shot blockers. Rasho Nesterovic swatted a season-high six shots.
"I see their team, and some day, they are what we want to be," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "We have a lot of work to do."
Still, the Spurs weren't at their sharpest, and Rivers admitted the Celtics caught the NBA's defending champions on a night when they were "beatable."
The Spurs frustrated their own coach by allowing layups at the closing buzzer of each of the first three quarters.
Boston, having trailed by 14 points late in the second quarter, went on to close within 56-53 on Raef LaFrentz's 3-pointer, though that only seemed to get the Spurs' attention.
Nesterovic blocked LaFrentz at the rim, then helped force Kendrick Perkins into a traveling violation. Bowen made a 20-footer, followed by a 3-pointer. Parker drove for a layup, bounced to his feet, ran down Delonte West, poked the ball away from him and found Barry for a dunk.
The basket hurried the Celtics into a timeout and brought the crowd to its feet.
"They withstand runs, they don't get rattled, and that's why they are the defending champs," Pierce said.
The Spurs' long bench also helped. With two of the team's three losses coming on the second night of a back-to-back, Popovich didn't want to expend his regulars' energy, if possible.
"Coming into the season, we wanted depth to be one of our strong qualities," Finley said. "In games like tonight, it showed."