Bruno
10-28-2006, 03:31 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA102806.01C.BKNspurs.mavs.gamer.392af06.html
Web Posted: 10/28/2006 01:10 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
The Spurs found little to complain about in their final dress rehearsal Friday evening. Now they only hope opening night goes half as easy.
With Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili combining for 36 points, the Spurs completed their exhibition schedule by routing Dallas 100-79 in front of 17,294 at the AT&T Center.
Though the Spurs hadn't seen the Mavericks since losing to them in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, the NBA is making sure the teams quickly get reacquainted. They'll meet again Thursday in Dallas when the score matters.
"We knew that if either we won by 20 or they won it, it was just one more practice," Ginobili said. "But we feel good about ourselves."
The Spurs have more than a few reasons to leave the preseason with confidence:
Beno Udrih needed only 24 minutes to show why he would likely be the backup point guard on opening night. Sidelined by a sore right hamstring for all but the final week of the preseason, he made good use of his only exhibition game, totaling 10 points, three rebounds and two assists while making 5 of 6 shots.
Asked if he felt comfortable enough to play Udrih on Thursday, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, "Oh, yeah. He'll be there."
Despite his lengthy absence, Udrih looked poised. After turning the ball over on a drive late in the first quarter, he immediately picked off Austin Croshere's outlet pass to turn his own turnover into a layup.
"I know what I can do or what I can't do yet," Udrih said. "I'm still scared to tweak (the hamstring) again, but because I have those two, three good practices, I was trying to do exactly the same thing in the game."
The coaching staff has been leaning toward making Fabricio Oberto the opening-night starting center, but Francisco Elson turned in his best performance of the preseason with 14 points and nine rebounds.
"He's obviously an athletic player and he has some good skills that we'll be able to use," Popovich said. "I like his ability to not just play his role, but to really blend with Timmy and everybody else to quickly understand how we're playing."
Elson aggressively took the ball to the rim on a couple of occasions — one of which ended with Mavericks center DJ Mbenga turning him back — and showed off his midrange shot.
"Right now, I'm not shooting it the way I shot it in Denver, but it's just a matter of time before it starts coming the way it should," Elson said. "I'm not saying I'm a prolific shooter, but I can knock it down."
Elson, like Oberto, said he isn't concerned whether he starts. Popovich also downplayed the significance.
"It's not quite a quarterback controversy," Popovich said. "We're pretty vanilla around here."
Parker's streak of 22 consecutive made free throws ended when his first attempt went halfway through the rim and popped out. But that was about all he missed. He finished with 20 points and four assists while making 9 of 11 shots.
Eight of Parker's points came in the final 2:29 of the second quarter when the Spurs broke open the game. He has shown increased confidence in his jump shot, shooting 69.6 percent in six exhibition games.
"He's got it down," Popovich said. "He's ready to take it, willing to take it and when he misses, it doesn't affect him anymore. He realizes, what the hell? He'll come right back and shoot it again."
Tim Duncan's bank shot made its first appearance. He knocked down a 15-footer high off the glass midway through the first quarter, then banked in a 7-footer on the next possession after getting DeSagana Diop to bite on an up fake.
Ginobili and Popovich both said the Spurs accomplished about as much as they could have hoped in the preseason. But they also know Thursday will be considerably different. So do the Mavericks.
"I bet in the back of (Dallas coach Avery Johnson's) mind, he wanted this to happen because now everybody has to focus in and know that there's work we have to do before next Thursday," Mavericks guard Jerry Stackhouse said. "To beat teams like the one we're opening up with, we got some work to do.
"Most of our stuff that we use, we aren't using now. But we'll have it by next week.'"
Notebook: Michael Finley has the flu and remained at home Friday. ... Sight one doesn't see every night at the AT&T Center: former Spurs general manager Bob Bass sitting next to tennis legend Boris Becker. Becker was in town to meet with his fellow German export, Dirk Nowitzki. ... The shot of the night belonged to Matt Bonner, who threw in a 15-foot jump hook off the glass near the end of the third quarter.
Web Posted: 10/28/2006 01:10 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
The Spurs found little to complain about in their final dress rehearsal Friday evening. Now they only hope opening night goes half as easy.
With Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili combining for 36 points, the Spurs completed their exhibition schedule by routing Dallas 100-79 in front of 17,294 at the AT&T Center.
Though the Spurs hadn't seen the Mavericks since losing to them in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, the NBA is making sure the teams quickly get reacquainted. They'll meet again Thursday in Dallas when the score matters.
"We knew that if either we won by 20 or they won it, it was just one more practice," Ginobili said. "But we feel good about ourselves."
The Spurs have more than a few reasons to leave the preseason with confidence:
Beno Udrih needed only 24 minutes to show why he would likely be the backup point guard on opening night. Sidelined by a sore right hamstring for all but the final week of the preseason, he made good use of his only exhibition game, totaling 10 points, three rebounds and two assists while making 5 of 6 shots.
Asked if he felt comfortable enough to play Udrih on Thursday, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, "Oh, yeah. He'll be there."
Despite his lengthy absence, Udrih looked poised. After turning the ball over on a drive late in the first quarter, he immediately picked off Austin Croshere's outlet pass to turn his own turnover into a layup.
"I know what I can do or what I can't do yet," Udrih said. "I'm still scared to tweak (the hamstring) again, but because I have those two, three good practices, I was trying to do exactly the same thing in the game."
The coaching staff has been leaning toward making Fabricio Oberto the opening-night starting center, but Francisco Elson turned in his best performance of the preseason with 14 points and nine rebounds.
"He's obviously an athletic player and he has some good skills that we'll be able to use," Popovich said. "I like his ability to not just play his role, but to really blend with Timmy and everybody else to quickly understand how we're playing."
Elson aggressively took the ball to the rim on a couple of occasions — one of which ended with Mavericks center DJ Mbenga turning him back — and showed off his midrange shot.
"Right now, I'm not shooting it the way I shot it in Denver, but it's just a matter of time before it starts coming the way it should," Elson said. "I'm not saying I'm a prolific shooter, but I can knock it down."
Elson, like Oberto, said he isn't concerned whether he starts. Popovich also downplayed the significance.
"It's not quite a quarterback controversy," Popovich said. "We're pretty vanilla around here."
Parker's streak of 22 consecutive made free throws ended when his first attempt went halfway through the rim and popped out. But that was about all he missed. He finished with 20 points and four assists while making 9 of 11 shots.
Eight of Parker's points came in the final 2:29 of the second quarter when the Spurs broke open the game. He has shown increased confidence in his jump shot, shooting 69.6 percent in six exhibition games.
"He's got it down," Popovich said. "He's ready to take it, willing to take it and when he misses, it doesn't affect him anymore. He realizes, what the hell? He'll come right back and shoot it again."
Tim Duncan's bank shot made its first appearance. He knocked down a 15-footer high off the glass midway through the first quarter, then banked in a 7-footer on the next possession after getting DeSagana Diop to bite on an up fake.
Ginobili and Popovich both said the Spurs accomplished about as much as they could have hoped in the preseason. But they also know Thursday will be considerably different. So do the Mavericks.
"I bet in the back of (Dallas coach Avery Johnson's) mind, he wanted this to happen because now everybody has to focus in and know that there's work we have to do before next Thursday," Mavericks guard Jerry Stackhouse said. "To beat teams like the one we're opening up with, we got some work to do.
"Most of our stuff that we use, we aren't using now. But we'll have it by next week.'"
Notebook: Michael Finley has the flu and remained at home Friday. ... Sight one doesn't see every night at the AT&T Center: former Spurs general manager Bob Bass sitting next to tennis legend Boris Becker. Becker was in town to meet with his fellow German export, Dirk Nowitzki. ... The shot of the night belonged to Matt Bonner, who threw in a 15-foot jump hook off the glass near the end of the third quarter.