ducks
12-16-2005, 09:45 AM
Spurs notebook: Carlesimo waits patiently
Web Posted: 12/16/2005 12:56 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
MINNEAPOLIS — If things had gone a little bit differently this summer, Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo might have been coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.
Carlesimo was one of two finalists for the Timberwolves' head-coaching job. The team hired Dwane Casey.
Minnesota owner Glen Taylor and general manager Kevin McHale flew to San Antonio during the playoffs and interviewed Carlesimo at a private hangar.
"If anything I feel good about (Minnesota)," Carlesimo said. "They interviewed me and it was a good conversation ... but the fact is they hired a good guy.
"They could not have been more accommodating to not get in the way of what we were doing and, at the same time, keep me in the mix. They were great."
Carlesimo also interviewed with New York during the playoffs, though Knicks president Isiah Thomas told him the team planned to wait to see if Phil Jackson and Larry Brown were available.
Carlesimo previously served as head coach in Portland and Golden State. While he would like a chance at another job, he's also enjoyed serving as an assistant on the staff of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
"I think it's a goal that I'm probably not obsessed with," he said. "In a perfect world, I'd like to be a head coach in a good situation.
"There are only 30 jobs in the league, so there aren't bad ones, but there are some that aren't as attractive to me as they might have once been. I've learned from Golden State and certainly the San Antonio experience that if you're fortunate enough to get one of the good ones it's worth waiting for.
"What makes it easy for me, is we're so happy. Until Pop puts me on the street, things are very good."
Duncan trailing: The NBA released the first returns of All-Star ballots Thursday, and this much is clear: Tim Duncan faces his stiffest competition yet to be voted one of the Western Conference's two starting forwards.
Houston's Tracy McGrady, who was on the ballot as a guard last year, is now one of the forward nominees. He leads all Western Conference forwards with 600,507 votes.
Minnesota's Kevin Garnett is second with 469,497, narrowly ahead of Tim Duncan (456,017).
Manu Ginobili is a distant third at guard with 226,875 votes. He trails the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (664,744) and Phoenix's Steve Nash (562,846).
Tony Parker ranks fifth among guards with 158,326 votes.
Fans can vote at NBA arenas, online at NBA.com and at select movie theaters through Jan. 22. The All-Star Game will be played Feb. 19 in Houston.
You are so beautiful, to me: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had one of his more humorous exchanges with a reporter Thursday night when someone suggested the Spurs' victory was ugly.
"Every win is beautiful," Popovich said. "It's never not pretty enough.
"Where the hell are you from? You ever play? You win and it's not pretty enough? You need to coach for a while. Any win is gorgeous. There is no not pretty when you win. When you lose it's always ugly. When you win it's always good."
Popovich then broke into a smile.
"Tomorrow we'll see some ugly when we look at the tape," he said. "The night of the game, it's great."
Woeful Wolves: Minnesota's eight points matched the record low for a Spurs' opponent in a second quarter. They also were the second-fewest the Timberwolves have ever scored in any quarter.
Web Posted: 12/16/2005 12:56 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
MINNEAPOLIS — If things had gone a little bit differently this summer, Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo might have been coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.
Carlesimo was one of two finalists for the Timberwolves' head-coaching job. The team hired Dwane Casey.
Minnesota owner Glen Taylor and general manager Kevin McHale flew to San Antonio during the playoffs and interviewed Carlesimo at a private hangar.
"If anything I feel good about (Minnesota)," Carlesimo said. "They interviewed me and it was a good conversation ... but the fact is they hired a good guy.
"They could not have been more accommodating to not get in the way of what we were doing and, at the same time, keep me in the mix. They were great."
Carlesimo also interviewed with New York during the playoffs, though Knicks president Isiah Thomas told him the team planned to wait to see if Phil Jackson and Larry Brown were available.
Carlesimo previously served as head coach in Portland and Golden State. While he would like a chance at another job, he's also enjoyed serving as an assistant on the staff of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
"I think it's a goal that I'm probably not obsessed with," he said. "In a perfect world, I'd like to be a head coach in a good situation.
"There are only 30 jobs in the league, so there aren't bad ones, but there are some that aren't as attractive to me as they might have once been. I've learned from Golden State and certainly the San Antonio experience that if you're fortunate enough to get one of the good ones it's worth waiting for.
"What makes it easy for me, is we're so happy. Until Pop puts me on the street, things are very good."
Duncan trailing: The NBA released the first returns of All-Star ballots Thursday, and this much is clear: Tim Duncan faces his stiffest competition yet to be voted one of the Western Conference's two starting forwards.
Houston's Tracy McGrady, who was on the ballot as a guard last year, is now one of the forward nominees. He leads all Western Conference forwards with 600,507 votes.
Minnesota's Kevin Garnett is second with 469,497, narrowly ahead of Tim Duncan (456,017).
Manu Ginobili is a distant third at guard with 226,875 votes. He trails the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (664,744) and Phoenix's Steve Nash (562,846).
Tony Parker ranks fifth among guards with 158,326 votes.
Fans can vote at NBA arenas, online at NBA.com and at select movie theaters through Jan. 22. The All-Star Game will be played Feb. 19 in Houston.
You are so beautiful, to me: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had one of his more humorous exchanges with a reporter Thursday night when someone suggested the Spurs' victory was ugly.
"Every win is beautiful," Popovich said. "It's never not pretty enough.
"Where the hell are you from? You ever play? You win and it's not pretty enough? You need to coach for a while. Any win is gorgeous. There is no not pretty when you win. When you lose it's always ugly. When you win it's always good."
Popovich then broke into a smile.
"Tomorrow we'll see some ugly when we look at the tape," he said. "The night of the game, it's great."
Woeful Wolves: Minnesota's eight points matched the record low for a Spurs' opponent in a second quarter. They also were the second-fewest the Timberwolves have ever scored in any quarter.