ShoogarBear
12-14-2005, 11:36 AM
Couple of interesting tidbits here . . .
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121405.1C.BKNspurs.clippers.gamer.12d14b20.htm l)
Duncan hits key pair from line in solid outing
Web Posted: 12/14/2005 12:26 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
Tim Duncan had missed short, far and wide. Ten free throws total. Seven in a row.
He had watched a handful of his attempts glance off the rim. After two mysteriously popped out, he shook his head.
So when Duncan stepped to the foul line one more time late Tuesday, with the Los Angeles Clippers leading by two points and only 12.6 seconds remaining, the sellout crowd of 18,797 nervously rose to its feet. The SBC Center fell silent.
Well, almost.
"Sam (Cassell) was screaming at me," Duncan said laughing, "so it wasn't that quiet."
Duncan hushed the Clippers' point guard soon enough. He swished his first free throw and rattled in the second to help send the game into overtime. Michael Finley took it from there, scoring seven of his season-high 21 points in the extra period as the Spurs won 95-87.
"I don't know how many people have ever even been in that position and could be able to step up and make two free throws with the night he had," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Duncan. "I thought he was fantastic."
Popovich could have used the same word to describe Duncan's overall performance.
With the Clippers sometimes sending two and three defenders at him, he totaled 27 points, a season-high 22 rebounds and five assists. He also helped force Clippers forward Elton Brand into missing 10 of 12 shots after halftime.
Tony Parker, who often has struggled against Cassell, contributed 25 points, seven assists and only one of the Spurs' franchise record-low four turnovers. The Clippers committed only six; the 10 total was the fewest ever in an NBA game. :wow
"It was a good game to watch," Popovich said.
Unless you happened to be looking for good foul shooting. The Spurs (17-4) went 6 of 19 at the foul line, for a franchise-record low 31.6 percent. Duncan was 1 for 11 before he made his final two attempts.
"I just wanted to give myself a chance," Duncan said. "I had five or six up there on the rim, and I just wanted to do the same thing — get them up on the rim."
Clippers center Chris Kaman missed inside, and Duncan followed with an errant turnaround jumper as the teams ended regulation tied 84-84.
Finley, who was starting in place of Manu Ginobili, helped the Spurs take control, hitting a 17-footer at the elbow of the lane and following with a 3-pointer from the left corner.
Finley made 8 of 15 shots overall, including 3 of 6 3-pointers. Nick Van Exel added eight points off the bench.
"Tim as usual got a lot of attention through double teams, triple teams," Finley said. "He was finding open guys, and it was just up to us to knock them down."
Cassell has long troubled the Spurs, no matter the uniform he's wearing. Tuesday's first half was no different. If Cassell wasn't shooting over the Spurs, he was yapping at them or pulling on Duncan's shorts.
Los Angeles (14-7) entered as the NBA's top-ranked team in rebounding and field-goal percentage defense, two categories the Spurs also prioritize. (As Dana Carvey[sic] would say, "I did not know that!")
"Most people have no clue how good they are," Popovich said. "They're for real. They're one of the best teams in the league."
The Clippers took control in the second quarter when they outrebounded the Spurs 15-7. Popovich made it clear at halftime that he wasn't happy with the team's defense or rebounding.
The Spurs got the message.
The Clippers shot only 20.8percent after the first half. For the game, their rebounding advantage shrunk to 61-58.
And still, the game came down to Duncan going to the foul line.
"You always get a chance to redeem yourself," Van Exel said. "We were fortunate he had that opportunity and came through."
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121405.1C.BKNspurs.clippers.gamer.12d14b20.htm l)
Duncan hits key pair from line in solid outing
Web Posted: 12/14/2005 12:26 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
Tim Duncan had missed short, far and wide. Ten free throws total. Seven in a row.
He had watched a handful of his attempts glance off the rim. After two mysteriously popped out, he shook his head.
So when Duncan stepped to the foul line one more time late Tuesday, with the Los Angeles Clippers leading by two points and only 12.6 seconds remaining, the sellout crowd of 18,797 nervously rose to its feet. The SBC Center fell silent.
Well, almost.
"Sam (Cassell) was screaming at me," Duncan said laughing, "so it wasn't that quiet."
Duncan hushed the Clippers' point guard soon enough. He swished his first free throw and rattled in the second to help send the game into overtime. Michael Finley took it from there, scoring seven of his season-high 21 points in the extra period as the Spurs won 95-87.
"I don't know how many people have ever even been in that position and could be able to step up and make two free throws with the night he had," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Duncan. "I thought he was fantastic."
Popovich could have used the same word to describe Duncan's overall performance.
With the Clippers sometimes sending two and three defenders at him, he totaled 27 points, a season-high 22 rebounds and five assists. He also helped force Clippers forward Elton Brand into missing 10 of 12 shots after halftime.
Tony Parker, who often has struggled against Cassell, contributed 25 points, seven assists and only one of the Spurs' franchise record-low four turnovers. The Clippers committed only six; the 10 total was the fewest ever in an NBA game. :wow
"It was a good game to watch," Popovich said.
Unless you happened to be looking for good foul shooting. The Spurs (17-4) went 6 of 19 at the foul line, for a franchise-record low 31.6 percent. Duncan was 1 for 11 before he made his final two attempts.
"I just wanted to give myself a chance," Duncan said. "I had five or six up there on the rim, and I just wanted to do the same thing — get them up on the rim."
Clippers center Chris Kaman missed inside, and Duncan followed with an errant turnaround jumper as the teams ended regulation tied 84-84.
Finley, who was starting in place of Manu Ginobili, helped the Spurs take control, hitting a 17-footer at the elbow of the lane and following with a 3-pointer from the left corner.
Finley made 8 of 15 shots overall, including 3 of 6 3-pointers. Nick Van Exel added eight points off the bench.
"Tim as usual got a lot of attention through double teams, triple teams," Finley said. "He was finding open guys, and it was just up to us to knock them down."
Cassell has long troubled the Spurs, no matter the uniform he's wearing. Tuesday's first half was no different. If Cassell wasn't shooting over the Spurs, he was yapping at them or pulling on Duncan's shorts.
Los Angeles (14-7) entered as the NBA's top-ranked team in rebounding and field-goal percentage defense, two categories the Spurs also prioritize. (As Dana Carvey[sic] would say, "I did not know that!")
"Most people have no clue how good they are," Popovich said. "They're for real. They're one of the best teams in the league."
The Clippers took control in the second quarter when they outrebounded the Spurs 15-7. Popovich made it clear at halftime that he wasn't happy with the team's defense or rebounding.
The Spurs got the message.
The Clippers shot only 20.8percent after the first half. For the game, their rebounding advantage shrunk to 61-58.
And still, the game came down to Duncan going to the foul line.
"You always get a chance to redeem yourself," Van Exel said. "We were fortunate he had that opportunity and came through."