Bruno
12-17-2006, 05:38 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121706.01C.BKNspurs.sixers.gamer.30cf747.html
Web Posted: 12/17/2006 12:19 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
Manu Ginobili already had missed five shots and dumped a couple of passes into the arms of the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday evening. After another of Ginobili's pull-up jumpers glanced off the front of the rim early in the second quarter, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich thought something was amiss.
"It doesn't look like he has his legs," Popovich told his assistants.
As it turned out, Ginobili had more than enough energy left in his tank.
With Philadelphia on the brink of pulling off one of the season's biggest upsets, Ginobili buried a 3-pointer, produced a steal, ran down a loose ball and tossed in a back-to-the-basket shot as he was fouled. His 110-second flurry floored the Sixers and allowed the Spurs to slip out of the AT&T Center with a 103-98 victory.
"Manu was just unbelievable," Popovich said. "There aren't too many people in the league who can do that. He just wills wins at times."
Tony Parker led the Spurs with 24 points and Tim Duncan added 21, but it was Ginobili who saved the team's eighth victory in nine games. After missing 9 of his first 13 shots, he finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals.
With Philadelphia missing both Allen Iverson and Chris Webber and riding a 10-game losing streak, most observers would have expected Ginobili and the rest of the Spurs starters to have already retired to the bench by the game's closing minutes. The Sixers, however, had other plans.
Led by Andre Iguodala's season-high 27 points, Philadelphia erased the Spurs' 17-point lead in the second half. Samuel Dalembert's put-back dunk gave the Sixers a 95-93 lead with 3:53 left.
After Parker tied the game with a 22-foot jump shot, Ginobili took control. With the shot clock ticking down, he buried a 3-pointer. After Michael Finley missed a 3-pointer, Ginobili ran down Willie Green from behind and poked the ball away for a steal.
With the Spurs' still clinging a three-point lead, Duncan batted a rebound out to the perimeter and Ginobili scooped up the ball just before the Sixers could close on it. Without stopping, Ginobili bolted down the middle of the lane, twisted in the air and tossed in a shot as Dalembert fouled him.
"He does some things sometimes that you can't draw," Popovich said. "His extraordinary will just gets things done."
Ginobili made the free throw to complete the three-point play and hike the Spurs' lead to 101-95 with 55.7 seconds left. He closed out the game with two more foul shots, giving him the Spurs' final eight points.
"That was the difference in the game," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "The two loose balls at the end."
Duncan also made his own key hustle play. When Iguodala tried to bring Philadelphia within a point on a drive to the basket, Duncan met him outside the charge circle and drew an offensive foul.
"That was huge," Popovich said. "For a big guy to get all the way out of the circle and take that charge, that was game time right there."
Said Duncan: "I looked down and my feet were clear. I couldn't move anywhere else."
The Sixers, meanwhile, remained stuck at the bottom of the NBA standings. The loss was their 11th in a row and came eight days after the team placed Iverson on the inactive list, cleaned out his locker and announced they were trading their longtime star.
Sixers officials have discussed possible trades with Boston, Denver, Minnesota, Miami, Indiana and the Los Angeles Clippers — among others — but have yet to make a deal. In the meantime, Philadelphia has been forced to make do without a player who was averaging 31.2 points and 7.3 assists, nearly a third of its nightly production. Webber also missed his second consecutive game Saturday with a sprained right ankle.
"All I want to do is get one win," Cheeks said before the game.
Philadelphia nearly did just that. Though the Sixers had played the previous night in Dallas, they didn't lack for energy, shooting 48.8 percent and taking 14 offensive rebounds. Kevin Ollie, who took Iverson's place in the lineup, made his first nine shots and scored a career-best 19 points.
"I couldn't be more impressed with their approach and what they gave tonight," Popovich said of the Sixers.
He also felt the same way about Ginobili. Though Ginobili was playing his fourth game in five nights, he said fatigue wasn't a problem. He just couldn't get his shot to fall.
"That (3-pointer) really helped me," Ginobili said. "You make that and suddenly you feel like a different player."
Web Posted: 12/17/2006 12:19 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
Manu Ginobili already had missed five shots and dumped a couple of passes into the arms of the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday evening. After another of Ginobili's pull-up jumpers glanced off the front of the rim early in the second quarter, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich thought something was amiss.
"It doesn't look like he has his legs," Popovich told his assistants.
As it turned out, Ginobili had more than enough energy left in his tank.
With Philadelphia on the brink of pulling off one of the season's biggest upsets, Ginobili buried a 3-pointer, produced a steal, ran down a loose ball and tossed in a back-to-the-basket shot as he was fouled. His 110-second flurry floored the Sixers and allowed the Spurs to slip out of the AT&T Center with a 103-98 victory.
"Manu was just unbelievable," Popovich said. "There aren't too many people in the league who can do that. He just wills wins at times."
Tony Parker led the Spurs with 24 points and Tim Duncan added 21, but it was Ginobili who saved the team's eighth victory in nine games. After missing 9 of his first 13 shots, he finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals.
With Philadelphia missing both Allen Iverson and Chris Webber and riding a 10-game losing streak, most observers would have expected Ginobili and the rest of the Spurs starters to have already retired to the bench by the game's closing minutes. The Sixers, however, had other plans.
Led by Andre Iguodala's season-high 27 points, Philadelphia erased the Spurs' 17-point lead in the second half. Samuel Dalembert's put-back dunk gave the Sixers a 95-93 lead with 3:53 left.
After Parker tied the game with a 22-foot jump shot, Ginobili took control. With the shot clock ticking down, he buried a 3-pointer. After Michael Finley missed a 3-pointer, Ginobili ran down Willie Green from behind and poked the ball away for a steal.
With the Spurs' still clinging a three-point lead, Duncan batted a rebound out to the perimeter and Ginobili scooped up the ball just before the Sixers could close on it. Without stopping, Ginobili bolted down the middle of the lane, twisted in the air and tossed in a shot as Dalembert fouled him.
"He does some things sometimes that you can't draw," Popovich said. "His extraordinary will just gets things done."
Ginobili made the free throw to complete the three-point play and hike the Spurs' lead to 101-95 with 55.7 seconds left. He closed out the game with two more foul shots, giving him the Spurs' final eight points.
"That was the difference in the game," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "The two loose balls at the end."
Duncan also made his own key hustle play. When Iguodala tried to bring Philadelphia within a point on a drive to the basket, Duncan met him outside the charge circle and drew an offensive foul.
"That was huge," Popovich said. "For a big guy to get all the way out of the circle and take that charge, that was game time right there."
Said Duncan: "I looked down and my feet were clear. I couldn't move anywhere else."
The Sixers, meanwhile, remained stuck at the bottom of the NBA standings. The loss was their 11th in a row and came eight days after the team placed Iverson on the inactive list, cleaned out his locker and announced they were trading their longtime star.
Sixers officials have discussed possible trades with Boston, Denver, Minnesota, Miami, Indiana and the Los Angeles Clippers — among others — but have yet to make a deal. In the meantime, Philadelphia has been forced to make do without a player who was averaging 31.2 points and 7.3 assists, nearly a third of its nightly production. Webber also missed his second consecutive game Saturday with a sprained right ankle.
"All I want to do is get one win," Cheeks said before the game.
Philadelphia nearly did just that. Though the Sixers had played the previous night in Dallas, they didn't lack for energy, shooting 48.8 percent and taking 14 offensive rebounds. Kevin Ollie, who took Iverson's place in the lineup, made his first nine shots and scored a career-best 19 points.
"I couldn't be more impressed with their approach and what they gave tonight," Popovich said of the Sixers.
He also felt the same way about Ginobili. Though Ginobili was playing his fourth game in five nights, he said fatigue wasn't a problem. He just couldn't get his shot to fall.
"That (3-pointer) really helped me," Ginobili said. "You make that and suddenly you feel like a different player."