Kori Ellis
02-09-2006, 05:04 AM
Spurs notebook: Popovich chooses to rest Horry in overtime
Web Posted: 02/09/2006 12:08 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
TORONTO — Robert Horry didn't know whether Spurs coach Gregg Popovich planned to limit his minutes Wednesday. Then overtime arrived and he found himself still sitting on the bench.
After missing eight of the past nine games with a lower abdominal strain, Horry started in place of Tim Duncan and totaled three points and two rebounds in 24 minutes.
Worried about Horry's health, Popovich kept him on the bench even after Rasho Nesterovic and Sean Marks fouled out 45 seconds into overtime. With Duncan out and Fabricio Oberto sidelined by a sprained left ankle, the Spurs finished the game with eight players, only one of whom (Nazr Mohammed) stood taller than 6-foot-7.
"I was looking (at Nesterovic and Marks) thinking, 'OK, he fouled out and he fouled out,'" Horry said, laughing.
Popovich thought Horry might have re-injured himself when he tried to take a charge in the second half.
"Obviously he looked like he didn't have a lot of energy," Popovich said. "He had a couple of open shots and he didn't even think about taking them, so he didn't really want to stretch out.
"When he got hit down there, I thought that's probably it. We better get him off (the floor)."
Horry said he bumped his shoulder when he fell backward into Manu Ginobili on the play. His abdominal strain, he said, didn't bother him too much.
"I actually felt pretty good," Horry said. "I was more impressed with my wind than anything."
Infirmary row: Nick Van Exel also made his return Wednesday, two days after receiving another cortisone injection for his sore left elbow. He played five minutes and made one of two shots.
Ginobili banged his knee in the first quarter when he was knocked to the floor on a drive, but stayed in the game.
"It swelled up a little bit," he said. "But it's fine."
Bowen left out: The NBA announced the six participants for the All-Star 3-point shootout Wednesday. Bruce Bowen wasn't among them.
In addition to New York's Quentin Richardson, who won last season's event, Seattle's Ray Allen, Phoenix's Raja Bell, Detroit's Chauncey Billups and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry were selected.
Though Bowen wanted to participate, he figured he probably wouldn't get picked.
"It is what it is," he said. "Now I'll just get to go to Miami and spend more time with my family."
Through Tuesday, Bowen had made 45.0 percent of his 3-point attempts, third-best in the league and better than the six players selected for the shootout.
The NBA, which doesn't have a set formula for selecting the participants, seems to put more weight on volume than accuracy. Bowen's 59 3-pointers trailed Allen (151), Bell (114), Billups (104), Terry (95) and Nowitzki (69).
Richardson, who is 40 of 128 (31.3 percent) this season, was picked because he is the defending champion.
Bowen also wasn't selected when he led the league in 3-point shooting in 2002-03.
Bowen was glad to see Bell was chosen. The two used to work out together in Miami and Bell, like Bowen, had to play in the minor leagues for a while before making the NBA.
Scouting report on Scola: Toronto rookie point guard Jose Calderon played with Spurs draft pick Luis Scola the previous two seasons in Spain.
And he thinks Scola shouldn't have too much trouble transitioning to the NBA.
"He is one of the best players in Europe," Calderon said. "I think he's ready to play in the NBA for sure."
The Spurs also think he's ready. Their only problem: Scola has a $14.5 million NBA buyout in his Tau contract, which lasts another two seasons.
Scola might be able to eventually negotiate a lower buyout with Tau's owners, but there was little chance of that last summer when Calderon left to sign with the Raptors and Arvydas Macijauskas went to New Orleans.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA020906.4C.BKNspurs.notebook.b71480d.html
Web Posted: 02/09/2006 12:08 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
TORONTO — Robert Horry didn't know whether Spurs coach Gregg Popovich planned to limit his minutes Wednesday. Then overtime arrived and he found himself still sitting on the bench.
After missing eight of the past nine games with a lower abdominal strain, Horry started in place of Tim Duncan and totaled three points and two rebounds in 24 minutes.
Worried about Horry's health, Popovich kept him on the bench even after Rasho Nesterovic and Sean Marks fouled out 45 seconds into overtime. With Duncan out and Fabricio Oberto sidelined by a sprained left ankle, the Spurs finished the game with eight players, only one of whom (Nazr Mohammed) stood taller than 6-foot-7.
"I was looking (at Nesterovic and Marks) thinking, 'OK, he fouled out and he fouled out,'" Horry said, laughing.
Popovich thought Horry might have re-injured himself when he tried to take a charge in the second half.
"Obviously he looked like he didn't have a lot of energy," Popovich said. "He had a couple of open shots and he didn't even think about taking them, so he didn't really want to stretch out.
"When he got hit down there, I thought that's probably it. We better get him off (the floor)."
Horry said he bumped his shoulder when he fell backward into Manu Ginobili on the play. His abdominal strain, he said, didn't bother him too much.
"I actually felt pretty good," Horry said. "I was more impressed with my wind than anything."
Infirmary row: Nick Van Exel also made his return Wednesday, two days after receiving another cortisone injection for his sore left elbow. He played five minutes and made one of two shots.
Ginobili banged his knee in the first quarter when he was knocked to the floor on a drive, but stayed in the game.
"It swelled up a little bit," he said. "But it's fine."
Bowen left out: The NBA announced the six participants for the All-Star 3-point shootout Wednesday. Bruce Bowen wasn't among them.
In addition to New York's Quentin Richardson, who won last season's event, Seattle's Ray Allen, Phoenix's Raja Bell, Detroit's Chauncey Billups and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry were selected.
Though Bowen wanted to participate, he figured he probably wouldn't get picked.
"It is what it is," he said. "Now I'll just get to go to Miami and spend more time with my family."
Through Tuesday, Bowen had made 45.0 percent of his 3-point attempts, third-best in the league and better than the six players selected for the shootout.
The NBA, which doesn't have a set formula for selecting the participants, seems to put more weight on volume than accuracy. Bowen's 59 3-pointers trailed Allen (151), Bell (114), Billups (104), Terry (95) and Nowitzki (69).
Richardson, who is 40 of 128 (31.3 percent) this season, was picked because he is the defending champion.
Bowen also wasn't selected when he led the league in 3-point shooting in 2002-03.
Bowen was glad to see Bell was chosen. The two used to work out together in Miami and Bell, like Bowen, had to play in the minor leagues for a while before making the NBA.
Scouting report on Scola: Toronto rookie point guard Jose Calderon played with Spurs draft pick Luis Scola the previous two seasons in Spain.
And he thinks Scola shouldn't have too much trouble transitioning to the NBA.
"He is one of the best players in Europe," Calderon said. "I think he's ready to play in the NBA for sure."
The Spurs also think he's ready. Their only problem: Scola has a $14.5 million NBA buyout in his Tau contract, which lasts another two seasons.
Scola might be able to eventually negotiate a lower buyout with Tau's owners, but there was little chance of that last summer when Calderon left to sign with the Raptors and Arvydas Macijauskas went to New Orleans.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA020906.4C.BKNspurs.notebook.b71480d.html