2centsworth
05-12-2006, 01:31 PM
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA051206.5D.BKNspurs.vanexel.21c7070a.html
Nick Van Exel goes into Saturday's Game3 against the Dallas Mavericks knowing the NBA doesn't assign the same officials to two consecutive games in one series.
If only the Spurs could be as certain Van Exel won't take himself out of Saturday's game with another poor shooting performance.
Through the first eight playoff games, Van Exel has made 4 of 23 shots. He made three in the second quarter of the first-round opener against the Sacramento Kings but did not play in Game4 of that series. He logged fewer than six minutes Tuesday in Game2 against the Mavericks before referee Steve Javie called two technical fouls and ejected him.
"That's ridiculous to be in the league this long and get that kind of technical," Van Exel said. "I don't even know what I said. I don't think I said that many words. I know I wasn't cussing."
Van Exel had only enough court time to get up one shot, a missed 3-pointer. His 17.4 percent shooting in the playoffs leads to concerns about his left elbow, which contains debris from old injuries and occasionally was painful enough to land him on the inactive list.
"Everything's fine," Van Exel said. "I'm not worried about stuff like that. With me, to be effective, I need to be playing. It's hard for me to justify anything I'm doing playing spot minutes.
"Four for 23? Man, that's one game for me."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich insists Van Exel remains his choice to back up point guard Tony Parker, no matter how poorly he has shot.
"Nick's a playoff player, and I'm going to stick with him," Popovich said. "That's all I'm going to say."
One reason the Spurs signed Van Exel last summer was the memory of his clutch shooting against the Spurs in the 2003 Western Conference finals. Van Exel averaged 19.5 points in the Mavericks' 20 playoff games that season, seven points above his regular-season average.
Van Exel said a lack of aggression offensively is most responsible for his poor shooting this playoff season.
"I just need to take the shots that are good shots," he said. "I'm not being aggressive enough. I'm passing first and attacking second. I've got to get my mind frame right going into the game, and that (shooting) will take care of itself.
"Four for 23? I'm not concerned about that. I haven't had good looks, so I'm not really concerned about that at all."
Van Exel says it has been difficult adjusting to sporadic playing time with the Spurs. Too often, he said, he has played "like a robot."
"I'm going out there and being aggressive when I'm out there, no matter how much time it is," he said. "I say that very easily, but most nights, I don't do that. I just go out there and play like a robot.
"On Saturday I'm going to go out there and just play."
It will be easier knowing he won't have to look over his shoulder for Javie, whom Van Exel contends once called him a "miserable person" while ejecting him from a game in 2001.
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA051206.5D.BKNspurs.vanexel.21c7070a.html
Nick Van Exel goes into Saturday's Game3 against the Dallas Mavericks knowing the NBA doesn't assign the same officials to two consecutive games in one series.
If only the Spurs could be as certain Van Exel won't take himself out of Saturday's game with another poor shooting performance.
Through the first eight playoff games, Van Exel has made 4 of 23 shots. He made three in the second quarter of the first-round opener against the Sacramento Kings but did not play in Game4 of that series. He logged fewer than six minutes Tuesday in Game2 against the Mavericks before referee Steve Javie called two technical fouls and ejected him.
"That's ridiculous to be in the league this long and get that kind of technical," Van Exel said. "I don't even know what I said. I don't think I said that many words. I know I wasn't cussing."
Van Exel had only enough court time to get up one shot, a missed 3-pointer. His 17.4 percent shooting in the playoffs leads to concerns about his left elbow, which contains debris from old injuries and occasionally was painful enough to land him on the inactive list.
"Everything's fine," Van Exel said. "I'm not worried about stuff like that. With me, to be effective, I need to be playing. It's hard for me to justify anything I'm doing playing spot minutes.
"Four for 23? Man, that's one game for me."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich insists Van Exel remains his choice to back up point guard Tony Parker, no matter how poorly he has shot.
"Nick's a playoff player, and I'm going to stick with him," Popovich said. "That's all I'm going to say."
One reason the Spurs signed Van Exel last summer was the memory of his clutch shooting against the Spurs in the 2003 Western Conference finals. Van Exel averaged 19.5 points in the Mavericks' 20 playoff games that season, seven points above his regular-season average.
Van Exel said a lack of aggression offensively is most responsible for his poor shooting this playoff season.
"I just need to take the shots that are good shots," he said. "I'm not being aggressive enough. I'm passing first and attacking second. I've got to get my mind frame right going into the game, and that (shooting) will take care of itself.
"Four for 23? I'm not concerned about that. I haven't had good looks, so I'm not really concerned about that at all."
Van Exel says it has been difficult adjusting to sporadic playing time with the Spurs. Too often, he said, he has played "like a robot."
"I'm going out there and being aggressive when I'm out there, no matter how much time it is," he said. "I say that very easily, but most nights, I don't do that. I just go out there and play like a robot.
"On Saturday I'm going to go out there and just play."
It will be easier knowing he won't have to look over his shoulder for Javie, whom Van Exel contends once called him a "miserable person" while ejecting him from a game in 2001.