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01-11-2007, 01:28 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA011107.07D.BKNspurs.notebook.34c3a34.html
Spurs notebook: Popovich still holds Anthony as all-star
Web Posted: 01/11/2007 12:09 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News
DENVER — When Spurs coach Gregg Popovich casts his votes for reserves on the Western Conference All-Star team, he said he would not hold Carmelo Anthony's 15-game suspension against the NBA's leading scorer.
Wednesday's 92-83 loss to the the Spurs was the 11th game Anthony has missed since NBA Commissioner David Stern suspended him for punching New York's Mardy Collins in a Dec. 16 brawl at Madison Square Garden.
Popovich thinks most of the Western Conference coaches will look past Anthony's on-court indiscretion.
"I think we look more at how long a guy has played," Popovich said, "(to see) if he's missed most of the season; what kind of season he is having. No, I don't think it will affect it that much.
"He regrets what he did more than anybody. None of us wanted to see it, but he made a mistake. He gets over it. He moves on. He'll be fine, because he's a smart young man and he understands what happened and he knows how he wants to conduct himself. But you've got to put that away and just move forward. I don't think baggage is necessary."
No thanks: The Spurs have a history of signing veterans cut loose by other teams to minimum contracts — Glenn Robinson in 2005 and Nick Van Exel last season — but Popovich said there is no interest in Chris Webber, whose contract was bought out by the 76ers.
Philadelphia general manager Billy King confirmed the 76ers and Webber had agreed on a buyout, but would not disclose the amount.
Manu mania: Denver coach George Karl said the crackdown on flopping that began last season, along with the elimination of emotional outbursts, has eliminated the only negative aspect of Manu Ginobili's game.
Ginobili, Karl said, approaches being a perfect player.
"Love him," Karl said. "He plays the game perfect. I don't think Pop loves him as much as I love him. Sometimes Pop takes him out of a game, and I'm thinking, 'What did he do wrong?'"
Karl called Ginobili's game "unwatchable" during the Nuggets' playoff series against the Spurs in 2005, but that was mostly a playoff ploy.
"It's true I don't like floppers," Karl said. "A couple years ago when the rules just started to change, he took advantage of the rules. Smart guy.
"And that was a playoff series, and I was hoping he would have an emotional reaction, which he didn't."
Karl believes Ginobili has adapted well to the crackdown on flopping, which only serves to increase his admiration.
"He plays hard and goes to the rim with as much courage as anybody."
Lesson learned: Denver's J.R. Smth, who returned to action Wednesday after serving a 10-game suspension for his part in the Nuggets' brawl with the Knicks, learned a hard lesson from his punishment.
He said he would not react with similar anger or aggression if he were ever fouled hard again while headed to the basket for a dunk as he was by the Knicks' Mardy Collins on Dec. 16, which set off the ugliness at Madison Square Garden.
The threat that a similar action would be dealt with even more harshly than his just completed 10-game suspension is reason enough to react differently.
"I'm sure I wouldn't do what I did before," Smith said. "Ten games is long enough. I'm sure the rest of the season would be way too long for me."
So now George Karl loves MG :lol
Spurs notebook: Popovich still holds Anthony as all-star
Web Posted: 01/11/2007 12:09 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News
DENVER — When Spurs coach Gregg Popovich casts his votes for reserves on the Western Conference All-Star team, he said he would not hold Carmelo Anthony's 15-game suspension against the NBA's leading scorer.
Wednesday's 92-83 loss to the the Spurs was the 11th game Anthony has missed since NBA Commissioner David Stern suspended him for punching New York's Mardy Collins in a Dec. 16 brawl at Madison Square Garden.
Popovich thinks most of the Western Conference coaches will look past Anthony's on-court indiscretion.
"I think we look more at how long a guy has played," Popovich said, "(to see) if he's missed most of the season; what kind of season he is having. No, I don't think it will affect it that much.
"He regrets what he did more than anybody. None of us wanted to see it, but he made a mistake. He gets over it. He moves on. He'll be fine, because he's a smart young man and he understands what happened and he knows how he wants to conduct himself. But you've got to put that away and just move forward. I don't think baggage is necessary."
No thanks: The Spurs have a history of signing veterans cut loose by other teams to minimum contracts — Glenn Robinson in 2005 and Nick Van Exel last season — but Popovich said there is no interest in Chris Webber, whose contract was bought out by the 76ers.
Philadelphia general manager Billy King confirmed the 76ers and Webber had agreed on a buyout, but would not disclose the amount.
Manu mania: Denver coach George Karl said the crackdown on flopping that began last season, along with the elimination of emotional outbursts, has eliminated the only negative aspect of Manu Ginobili's game.
Ginobili, Karl said, approaches being a perfect player.
"Love him," Karl said. "He plays the game perfect. I don't think Pop loves him as much as I love him. Sometimes Pop takes him out of a game, and I'm thinking, 'What did he do wrong?'"
Karl called Ginobili's game "unwatchable" during the Nuggets' playoff series against the Spurs in 2005, but that was mostly a playoff ploy.
"It's true I don't like floppers," Karl said. "A couple years ago when the rules just started to change, he took advantage of the rules. Smart guy.
"And that was a playoff series, and I was hoping he would have an emotional reaction, which he didn't."
Karl believes Ginobili has adapted well to the crackdown on flopping, which only serves to increase his admiration.
"He plays hard and goes to the rim with as much courage as anybody."
Lesson learned: Denver's J.R. Smth, who returned to action Wednesday after serving a 10-game suspension for his part in the Nuggets' brawl with the Knicks, learned a hard lesson from his punishment.
He said he would not react with similar anger or aggression if he were ever fouled hard again while headed to the basket for a dunk as he was by the Knicks' Mardy Collins on Dec. 16, which set off the ugliness at Madison Square Garden.
The threat that a similar action would be dealt with even more harshly than his just completed 10-game suspension is reason enough to react differently.
"I'm sure I wouldn't do what I did before," Smith said. "Ten games is long enough. I'm sure the rest of the season would be way too long for me."
So now George Karl loves MG :lol