Bruno
11-03-2006, 02:02 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA110306.01D.BKNspurs.mavs.gamer.30a3fc2.html
Web Posted: 11/03/2006 12:22 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
DALLAS — For a few moments, Thursday night felt like all those evenings in May. Jason Terry and Tony Parker traded jump shots. Dirk Nowitzki threw in a 3-pointer. Tim Duncan snatched away a rebound then ducked inside for a layup.
The Spurs and Dallas Mavericks slugged it out as the din of 20,416 fans filled American Airlines Center. Someone even cursed Bruce Bowen for old times' sake.
But in the end, after the Spurs walked off with a 97-91 victory, Thursday night wasn't about last season. Or righting a wrong. For the Spurs, it only meant they were starting over.
"We all believe we had a great opportunity last year," Manu Ginobili said. "But it's gone. We can't do anything about it. We just have to try to forget and learn from our mistakes.
"Probably the only thing that's going to make us forget is to have a great season."
The Spurs opened their new campaign well enough. Limiting Dallas to 16 points and 28.6 percent shooting in the fourth quarter, they did the one thing they didn't do at the end of the teams' memorable seven-game series last spring: They won.
Bowen buried a pressure-packed 3-pointer, Parker shrugged off his ankle sprain to score 19 points and Ginobili added 16 more. With Francisco Elson providing 10 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocks off the bench, the Spurs might have even found a center who can stay on the floor.
"It's one win," Duncan said, "but it's a great start to the season."
About an hour before tipoff, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked that it felt like the teams were preparing for "Game 8." In truth, however, the evening couldn't duplicate the pressure-packed atmosphere of last spring.
The crowd wasn't as lively. Neither were the two teams.
"I don't think either one of us are going to claim we played a great game," said Duncan, who struggled with his shot before finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. "We just kind of found a way to fight it out, tough it out."
After watching Dallas shoot 53.3 percent in the first half, the Spurs had to dig themselves out of a 10-point deficit early in the third quarter. The game started to turn when Duncan spun into Nowitzki and sent him to the bench with his fourth foul with 4:17 remaining in the third quarter.
Duncan, who had three shots blocked by Mavericks center DeSagana Diop during a two-minute stretch in the second quarter, followed with an 18-footer and a layup. He then poked the ball from Erick Dampier to set up another basket that gave the Spurs a 66-65 lead, their first since the opening possession.
The Spurs reduced their turnovers from nine in the first half to three in the second. They also limited Nowitzki to eight of his 21 points in the final two quarters.
"We looked like the Mavericks from the past," Avery Johnson said. "This is not a reflection of what we have been working on and how far we have come."
While Fabricio Oberto started at center, Elson showed why he could eventually take over the job. He punched in three emphatic dunks — one of which earned him a technical when he yelled — and ran the floor well enough to allow the Spurs to stay big.
"That's going to be his role," Duncan said. "He's going to come in there and use his athleticism."
Bowen's role remained the same: Harass whoever he's guarding and make timely shots. He did both. In addition to burying the biggest shot of the night — a 3-pointer with 2:17 left to extend the Spurs lead to four — he frustrated Josh Howard. Howard retaliated in the second quarter by shoving Bowen to the floor for a flagrant foul.
"I know I made a cut and he fell," Bowen said. "As I'm trying to step over him, he's grabbing me. Look at the film.
"I'm sick of all the stuff that takes place with me and Dallas. It always looks like it's something. And who gets the great label for that? Me."
The Spurs weren't sure Parker would be available until he convinced Popovich at the team's morning shootaround to let him start. Still, Popovich vowed to pull Parker "if it seems he's overrated his health."
Fortunately for the Spurs, Popovich didn't need to make the move. Parker lacked some of his usual explosiveness, but confidently knocked down his jump shot.
"I didn't feel like I'm at my best, you know," he said. "But it was pretty good for a first game."
Web Posted: 11/03/2006 12:22 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
DALLAS — For a few moments, Thursday night felt like all those evenings in May. Jason Terry and Tony Parker traded jump shots. Dirk Nowitzki threw in a 3-pointer. Tim Duncan snatched away a rebound then ducked inside for a layup.
The Spurs and Dallas Mavericks slugged it out as the din of 20,416 fans filled American Airlines Center. Someone even cursed Bruce Bowen for old times' sake.
But in the end, after the Spurs walked off with a 97-91 victory, Thursday night wasn't about last season. Or righting a wrong. For the Spurs, it only meant they were starting over.
"We all believe we had a great opportunity last year," Manu Ginobili said. "But it's gone. We can't do anything about it. We just have to try to forget and learn from our mistakes.
"Probably the only thing that's going to make us forget is to have a great season."
The Spurs opened their new campaign well enough. Limiting Dallas to 16 points and 28.6 percent shooting in the fourth quarter, they did the one thing they didn't do at the end of the teams' memorable seven-game series last spring: They won.
Bowen buried a pressure-packed 3-pointer, Parker shrugged off his ankle sprain to score 19 points and Ginobili added 16 more. With Francisco Elson providing 10 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocks off the bench, the Spurs might have even found a center who can stay on the floor.
"It's one win," Duncan said, "but it's a great start to the season."
About an hour before tipoff, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked that it felt like the teams were preparing for "Game 8." In truth, however, the evening couldn't duplicate the pressure-packed atmosphere of last spring.
The crowd wasn't as lively. Neither were the two teams.
"I don't think either one of us are going to claim we played a great game," said Duncan, who struggled with his shot before finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. "We just kind of found a way to fight it out, tough it out."
After watching Dallas shoot 53.3 percent in the first half, the Spurs had to dig themselves out of a 10-point deficit early in the third quarter. The game started to turn when Duncan spun into Nowitzki and sent him to the bench with his fourth foul with 4:17 remaining in the third quarter.
Duncan, who had three shots blocked by Mavericks center DeSagana Diop during a two-minute stretch in the second quarter, followed with an 18-footer and a layup. He then poked the ball from Erick Dampier to set up another basket that gave the Spurs a 66-65 lead, their first since the opening possession.
The Spurs reduced their turnovers from nine in the first half to three in the second. They also limited Nowitzki to eight of his 21 points in the final two quarters.
"We looked like the Mavericks from the past," Avery Johnson said. "This is not a reflection of what we have been working on and how far we have come."
While Fabricio Oberto started at center, Elson showed why he could eventually take over the job. He punched in three emphatic dunks — one of which earned him a technical when he yelled — and ran the floor well enough to allow the Spurs to stay big.
"That's going to be his role," Duncan said. "He's going to come in there and use his athleticism."
Bowen's role remained the same: Harass whoever he's guarding and make timely shots. He did both. In addition to burying the biggest shot of the night — a 3-pointer with 2:17 left to extend the Spurs lead to four — he frustrated Josh Howard. Howard retaliated in the second quarter by shoving Bowen to the floor for a flagrant foul.
"I know I made a cut and he fell," Bowen said. "As I'm trying to step over him, he's grabbing me. Look at the film.
"I'm sick of all the stuff that takes place with me and Dallas. It always looks like it's something. And who gets the great label for that? Me."
The Spurs weren't sure Parker would be available until he convinced Popovich at the team's morning shootaround to let him start. Still, Popovich vowed to pull Parker "if it seems he's overrated his health."
Fortunately for the Spurs, Popovich didn't need to make the move. Parker lacked some of his usual explosiveness, but confidently knocked down his jump shot.
"I didn't feel like I'm at my best, you know," he said. "But it was pretty good for a first game."