ploto
04-28-2006, 05:53 AM
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gregg Popovich warned the Spurs. He told them, in spite of Saturday's lopsided victory, they weren't 34 points better than Sacramento. He said Ron Artest's suspension could reduce the pressure hanging over the Kings. And he knew someone was sure to step up in Artest's place.
So when the Kings surged ahead Tuesday night in Game2, playing fast, free and easy, repeatedly beating the Spurs down the floor, Popovich didn't look at his team with an I-told-you-so smirk. He slammed his hands against the scorer's table in frustration, yelled at Tim Duncan, then shotgunned through the huddle during a timeout. His rant continued into halftime.
Later, after Brent Barry's 3-pointer and a come-from-behind victory had soothed his soul, Popovich was in good enough spirits to call the Spurs' first-half transition defense the "most pathetic performance" he has seen from one of his teams.
"It shows a lack of respect for your opponent," Popovich said.
Sacramento should have the Spurs' full attention when the first-round series resumes tonight with Game3 at Arco Arena. Not only is Artest returning from his one-game suspension, he's bringing more than 17,000 friends with him to fill what many consider is the NBA's loudest facility.
With Barry having to bounce in a 3-pointer to force overtime Tuesday, the Spurs know they are fortunate to have arrived here with a 2-0 lead. They also know their own history: Each of the three previous times the Spurs won the first two games of a best-of-7 series at home, they went on the road and lost the next two games.
To reverse that trend, the Spurs will need to defend better than they did Tuesday. The Kings' 119 points, 10 of which came in overtime, were the most the Spurs had allowed in a playoff game in 14 years.
"That's way above where we need to be," Duncan said. "We need to get back down to our comfort zone."
Sacramento, meanwhile, would prefer the Spurs' offense also resume its usual production. The Spurs totaled 250 points in the first two games — their most in consecutive playoff games since combining for 260 in the final two games of their 1990 Western Conference first-round series against Denver.
The Spurs' shooters deserve a lot of credit for the outburst. After matching the franchise's playoff record with 11 3-pointers in Game1, the Spurs established a new one Tuesday with 12. Including the final two games of the regular season, the Spurs have made a combined 48 of 91 3-point attempts (52.7 percent) in their past four games.
"I did not anticipate them shooting threes that well," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "It seems like they've all got it going at once. If they're going to go 12 for 26 every game, it's going to be really tough."
Though aware of the old basketball adage that one who lives by the 3-pointer will eventually also die by it, the Spurs think most of their perimeter shots have come within the context of their offense. With Sacramento intent on keeping Tony Parker out of the lane, as well as occasionally double-teaming Duncan, the Spurs' shooters have often had good looks.
"When our guys are getting shots like that, we love 'em," said Duncan, who averaged 12.5 points in the first two games. "... But every once in a while, I tell them I'm still there."
The Spurs may have to lean on Duncan a bit more tonight. With Artest back, the Kings can throw their best defender on Manu Ginobili and still use Kevin Martin to guard Parker, if needed. Artest, who has pledged to focus on defending and rebounding, also enables the Kings to better match up with the small lineup the Spurs used for most of the fourth quarter and overtime in Game2.
Artest thinks Sacramento still has "a great chance" to win the series, and his confidence likely has a lot to do with the Kings being back on their own floor. Since his arrival, Sacramento has gone 15-3 at home.
Many of the Spurs have never played at Arco Arena in the playoffs when the Kings' cowbell-clanging fans are at their loudest. Popovich, however, has liked what he has seen from his team during its travels this season. The Spurs' 29-12 road record was the best in the league.
"We feel that appropriate sort of fear when our backs are against the wall," Popovich said.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042806.1D.BKNspurs.kings.1448fc8e.html
For all the moaning and groaning, the Spurs actually ended up with the best road record this season.
They need to turn the defensive intensity back up-- from start to finish.
So when the Kings surged ahead Tuesday night in Game2, playing fast, free and easy, repeatedly beating the Spurs down the floor, Popovich didn't look at his team with an I-told-you-so smirk. He slammed his hands against the scorer's table in frustration, yelled at Tim Duncan, then shotgunned through the huddle during a timeout. His rant continued into halftime.
Later, after Brent Barry's 3-pointer and a come-from-behind victory had soothed his soul, Popovich was in good enough spirits to call the Spurs' first-half transition defense the "most pathetic performance" he has seen from one of his teams.
"It shows a lack of respect for your opponent," Popovich said.
Sacramento should have the Spurs' full attention when the first-round series resumes tonight with Game3 at Arco Arena. Not only is Artest returning from his one-game suspension, he's bringing more than 17,000 friends with him to fill what many consider is the NBA's loudest facility.
With Barry having to bounce in a 3-pointer to force overtime Tuesday, the Spurs know they are fortunate to have arrived here with a 2-0 lead. They also know their own history: Each of the three previous times the Spurs won the first two games of a best-of-7 series at home, they went on the road and lost the next two games.
To reverse that trend, the Spurs will need to defend better than they did Tuesday. The Kings' 119 points, 10 of which came in overtime, were the most the Spurs had allowed in a playoff game in 14 years.
"That's way above where we need to be," Duncan said. "We need to get back down to our comfort zone."
Sacramento, meanwhile, would prefer the Spurs' offense also resume its usual production. The Spurs totaled 250 points in the first two games — their most in consecutive playoff games since combining for 260 in the final two games of their 1990 Western Conference first-round series against Denver.
The Spurs' shooters deserve a lot of credit for the outburst. After matching the franchise's playoff record with 11 3-pointers in Game1, the Spurs established a new one Tuesday with 12. Including the final two games of the regular season, the Spurs have made a combined 48 of 91 3-point attempts (52.7 percent) in their past four games.
"I did not anticipate them shooting threes that well," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "It seems like they've all got it going at once. If they're going to go 12 for 26 every game, it's going to be really tough."
Though aware of the old basketball adage that one who lives by the 3-pointer will eventually also die by it, the Spurs think most of their perimeter shots have come within the context of their offense. With Sacramento intent on keeping Tony Parker out of the lane, as well as occasionally double-teaming Duncan, the Spurs' shooters have often had good looks.
"When our guys are getting shots like that, we love 'em," said Duncan, who averaged 12.5 points in the first two games. "... But every once in a while, I tell them I'm still there."
The Spurs may have to lean on Duncan a bit more tonight. With Artest back, the Kings can throw their best defender on Manu Ginobili and still use Kevin Martin to guard Parker, if needed. Artest, who has pledged to focus on defending and rebounding, also enables the Kings to better match up with the small lineup the Spurs used for most of the fourth quarter and overtime in Game2.
Artest thinks Sacramento still has "a great chance" to win the series, and his confidence likely has a lot to do with the Kings being back on their own floor. Since his arrival, Sacramento has gone 15-3 at home.
Many of the Spurs have never played at Arco Arena in the playoffs when the Kings' cowbell-clanging fans are at their loudest. Popovich, however, has liked what he has seen from his team during its travels this season. The Spurs' 29-12 road record was the best in the league.
"We feel that appropriate sort of fear when our backs are against the wall," Popovich said.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042806.1D.BKNspurs.kings.1448fc8e.html
For all the moaning and groaning, the Spurs actually ended up with the best road record this season.
They need to turn the defensive intensity back up-- from start to finish.