game on Thurs Spurs VS Timberwolves [Archive]

milkyway21

12-15-2005, 12:24 AM

...BATTLE BETWEEN TWO TOP POWER FORWARDS IN THE GAME

DUncan vs Garnett

The Spurs head to Minneapolis to meet the Timberwolves on Thursday for the first time this season, thankful the game is not the second of a back-to-back set. Three of their four losses have come in the second game of back-to-backs, in large part because Tim Duncan has been much less effective in such games, averaging eight fewer points than when he has a full day of rest.

Duncan, coming off his 27-point, 22-rebound effort against the Clippers on Tuesday, expects a difficult game in Minnesota. Even during Minnesota's horrid 2004-05 season, the Wolves managed to beat the Spurs at Target Center, and handily, 95-73, though the Spurs already had locked up the second seed in the Western Conference at the time and rested some key players.

"Always a great game up there," Duncan said. "It doesn't matter what the record is, if they're 0-and-whatever or 20-0. They're going to come out and play hard at home. It's always a challenge going against those guys. They're playing pretty well right now. They're going to be hyped up to see us coming in there."

REPLAY
Tim Duncan, who had missed 10 of his first 11 free throws in regulation in Tuesday's game, including his previous seven, went to the foul line with 12.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter needing to make two in a row to tie the score at 84.

Some of his teammates professed afterward that they had complete confidence that Duncan would make both the shots ("No question," said Nick Van Exel. "I swear.":lol), but Duncan himself said all he wanted to do was give the shots a chance.

"(Just) hoping they went in," he said he was thinking as he stepped to the line. "There's nothing more to think. I had an awful night at the line. Just wanted to give it a chance. I just took my time and got lucky."

The Clippers nearly pulled out a win on a short hook shot by Chris Kaman that went in and out with 1.8 seconds left in regulation and then failed to make a shot in the overtime session, which the Spurs dominated.

--The Spurs committed only four turnovers, an all-time club low. The previous low was five, several times, most recently on Feb. 15, 1989, vs. Golden State.

--The Spurs also set a dubious all-time team record -- worst free throw percentage in a game. They made only 6-of-19 free throws, 31.6 percent. The previous brickfest had been a 37.5 percent night, six-for-16, against Phoenix on Nov. 7, 1999.

--Outrebounded in the first half, 30-18, the Spurs grabbed 19 rebounds in the third quarter, their best rebounding quarter of the season. Seven of the rebounds came on the offensive glass. :tu The Spurs finished with 58 rebounds, three fewer than the Clippers.

"Sometimes we need a kick in the butt," said Michael Finley, who had a season-high 10 rebounds, "and Coach (Gregg Popovich) gave us one at halftime." :lmao

QUOTE TO NOTE
"On any other team, if I make that drive I take that shot, but that's Tim Duncan out there. That's something I need to work on -- being a little less reluctant to take the shot when I've got it." -- Michael Finley, who scored a season-high 21 points and made 8-of-15 shots, on passing up a wide-open 12-foot jump shot to pass off to wide-open teammate Tim Duncan with the Spurs up five points in the overtime.

the last time Duncan & Garnett Met

1. Duncan bests fatigued Garnett
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer

What began as a classic matchup of the NBA's two most recent Most Valuable Players finished in a fizzle for those wanting to make Wednesday's Spurs vs. Timberwolves game at the SBC Center into Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Garnett.

Garnett, the reigning MVP, opened with a 10-point first quarter, making four of his seven shots. Duncan was even more accurate with his shooting, making four of five shots and scoring eight points. Garnett grabbed five rebounds, Duncan seven.

It was must-see TV for a national television audience. It just didn't last past the first period.

By game's end, Garnett was on the bench, clearly exhausted, having missed seven of his last eight shots. He scored only two more points in the final 36 minutes. Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale yanked him with 10 minutes, 6 seconds remaining, and he never returned to the court.

Duncan finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and a competitor's share of empathy for his ultra-competitive counterpart, who has been battling a sore right knee for much of a season gone bad for a Wolves team that made it to the Western Conference finals last spring but sits in 10th place in the conference after Wednesday's 89-73 Spurs victory.

2. the Coyote got Ejected :D

http://spursinfo.com/photos/spurs/051213/gallery1/051213_06.jpg

Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

The Coyote, the Spurs' furry and supposedly lovable mascot, was ejected after Wednesday's third quarter.

"That," Tim Duncan said, "is the greatest thing I've ever heard."

After Wally Szczerbiak cracked Spurs guard Beno Udrih with a hard foul at the Spurs' basket, the Coyote pretended like he was going to run at the Minnesota guard. It was a skit the mascot has used frequently, but one veteran official Jess Kersey apparently didn't find too funny.

Kersey, who didn't like how close the Coyote was to the court, walked over to the scorer's table and told Don Costante, the team's director of game operations and promotions he was ejecting the mascot.

"I want the wolf out of here!" Kersey said. "He's gone! Now!"

The Coyote never returned.

It's unclear whether the Coyote will be subjected to the $1,000 fine, or whether he even has a bank account.

"You can't get mad at the Coyote for doing that," Spurs forward Robert Horry said. "He was just trying to get the crowd hyped.

"That was another bad call."

howard2

12-15-2005, 05:51 PM

ESPN.com
Dec 15, 2005
Link: ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=251215016)
San Antonio (17-4) at Minnesota (12-8) 8:00 pm EST

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves hope to end their bad luck Thursday when they host the San Antonio Spurs in a clash of first-place teams.

The Northwest Division-leading Timberwolves have lost their last two games by a combined three points. After losing, 90-89, in overtime at Philadelphia on Monday, Minnesota lost, 93-91, against Sacramento here Tuesday when Bonzi Wells connected on a fallaway 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Wally Szczerbiak, who is averaging 24.2 points in his last seven games, collected 25 points and eight rebounds and Kevin Garnett added 22 points.

Troy Hudson missed his fourth straight game because of a sore knee for the Timberwolves, who lost two of the three meetings against the Spurs last season but won the only meeting here.

San Antonio, which leads the Southwest Division and has the Western Conference's best mark, is coming off a hard-fought, 95-87, overtime home victory over the Los Clippers on Tuesday.

Tim Duncan collected 27 points and 22 rebounds. He was just 3-of-13 from the line but two of them came with 12 seconds left in regulation to tie the game.

Tony Parker added 25 points and Michael Finley collected a season-best 21 and 10 rebounds starting in the place of injured Manu Ginobili, who is sidelined for at least one week with a bruised right foot.
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SAN ANTONIO 2 3 MINNESOTA 174