Solid D
10-10-2006, 12:52 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA101006.1D.spurs.2df4591.html
Web Posted: 10/09/2006 11:50 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
With his evening's work done and the Spurs less than three minutes from completing their victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv, Tim Duncan walked off the court Sunday in Paris and uttered the three words everyone wanted to hear:
We're going home.
The Spurs returned from their nine-day trip to France on Monday evening, happy to be back on familiar ground — and even happier to know they will be staying awhile.
"My biggest fear is trying to get back on my regular schedule and get my body feeling right," Robert Horry said. "That's going to be the biggest key."
The Spurs should have enough time to recover from their travels. They will take today off, don't play again until Saturday when Orlando visits the AT&T Center and then get another four-day break.
The Spurs also won't have to leave the state again until the first week of the regular season. Of their remaining five exhibition games, the lone one on the road is in Houston.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he was pleased with what the team accomplished in France. Training camp in Lyon proved rugged enough considering the gym the Spurs used was considerably warmer than their own practice facility.
Popovich's decision to prioritize winning the two games against international teams, Tony Parker said, also could accelerate the team's usual preparation process.
"It takes time to get over the jet lag," Duncan said, "but I think we did as good a job as we could."
The coaches got a decent look at the new players during practice, but Popovich played his starters a bit more than usual this early in the preseason. The personal appearances Parker and some of his teammates made for the NBA and its sponsors also cut back the team's usual workload.
"It was much easier to concentrate at the game," Popovich said, "than it was at the wax museum."
Now back home, the Spurs should be better equipped to focus on development.
"We didn't have the ability to do all the things the coaches really want us to do because of the travel and being in a foreign situation," Horry said. "I think it might have put us back a little bit, but it won't hurt us. We started (camp) earlier than most teams, so it will probably pan out in the end."
Matt Bonner played 23 minutes in the two games, but said he benefited as much from watching the Spurs' regulars. Popovich briefly chewed on him for being in the wrong place during a play in Sunday's fourth quarter, and told him to consult Horry for advice. After returning to the floor, Bonner helped close the game with a pair of late 3-pointers.
"Training camp isn't about me making those two shots," Bonner said. "It's about me trying to learn the system, on offense and defense. I'm just going to keep my eyes and ears open and be a human sponge.
"For me, I can learn just as much on the bench from Robert and everything he's doing out there. So when I get my chance to play, I can try to implement those things."
After traveling abroad for three of the past four years, the Spurs may be more likely to spend next season's training camp at home. But Popovich also appreciated participating in the first year of the NBA's Europe Live program.
"Some teams may not want to do it because they think they'll get too tired," he said. "But I think there's a definite benefit in the sense there's a chance for camaraderie. The team gets to know each other away from home.
"I think it pays dividends down the road."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]
San Antonio Express-News
Web Posted: 10/09/2006 11:50 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
With his evening's work done and the Spurs less than three minutes from completing their victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv, Tim Duncan walked off the court Sunday in Paris and uttered the three words everyone wanted to hear:
We're going home.
The Spurs returned from their nine-day trip to France on Monday evening, happy to be back on familiar ground — and even happier to know they will be staying awhile.
"My biggest fear is trying to get back on my regular schedule and get my body feeling right," Robert Horry said. "That's going to be the biggest key."
The Spurs should have enough time to recover from their travels. They will take today off, don't play again until Saturday when Orlando visits the AT&T Center and then get another four-day break.
The Spurs also won't have to leave the state again until the first week of the regular season. Of their remaining five exhibition games, the lone one on the road is in Houston.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he was pleased with what the team accomplished in France. Training camp in Lyon proved rugged enough considering the gym the Spurs used was considerably warmer than their own practice facility.
Popovich's decision to prioritize winning the two games against international teams, Tony Parker said, also could accelerate the team's usual preparation process.
"It takes time to get over the jet lag," Duncan said, "but I think we did as good a job as we could."
The coaches got a decent look at the new players during practice, but Popovich played his starters a bit more than usual this early in the preseason. The personal appearances Parker and some of his teammates made for the NBA and its sponsors also cut back the team's usual workload.
"It was much easier to concentrate at the game," Popovich said, "than it was at the wax museum."
Now back home, the Spurs should be better equipped to focus on development.
"We didn't have the ability to do all the things the coaches really want us to do because of the travel and being in a foreign situation," Horry said. "I think it might have put us back a little bit, but it won't hurt us. We started (camp) earlier than most teams, so it will probably pan out in the end."
Matt Bonner played 23 minutes in the two games, but said he benefited as much from watching the Spurs' regulars. Popovich briefly chewed on him for being in the wrong place during a play in Sunday's fourth quarter, and told him to consult Horry for advice. After returning to the floor, Bonner helped close the game with a pair of late 3-pointers.
"Training camp isn't about me making those two shots," Bonner said. "It's about me trying to learn the system, on offense and defense. I'm just going to keep my eyes and ears open and be a human sponge.
"For me, I can learn just as much on the bench from Robert and everything he's doing out there. So when I get my chance to play, I can try to implement those things."
After traveling abroad for three of the past four years, the Spurs may be more likely to spend next season's training camp at home. But Popovich also appreciated participating in the first year of the NBA's Europe Live program.
"Some teams may not want to do it because they think they'll get too tired," he said. "But I think there's a definite benefit in the sense there's a chance for camaraderie. The team gets to know each other away from home.
"I think it pays dividends down the road."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]
San Antonio Express-News