ShoogarBear
01-21-2007, 05:52 PM
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2007/01/21/spurs_looking_for_a_spark/
Spurs looking for a spark
Listless San Antonio can't get untracked
By Peter May | January 21, 2007
Gee, what a perfect time for the Celtics to finally beat the Spurs! San Antonio's big three are struggling. The Spurs' bench is horrible. Their trademark defense is inconsistent. Their coach thinks he's going crazy.
How could the Celtics not finally put an end to this streak?
Oh, yeah. Never mind.
But seriously, folks, the Spurs make their only appearance in Boston tomorrow night and they are no better than a strong third in the West -- which means they're a strong third in the NBA. The problems cited by coach Gregg Popovich might be ones that 25 or so other coaches would gladly deal with, but for the Spurs, the standard is almost impossibly high.
As he put it last week, "It's hard for us to be as hungry as Phoenix or Dallas. They're very hungry. It's very difficult for us to be that hungry, and I understand that. We have what they want."
That would be NBA championships, as in three of them since the lottery balls went the right way in 1997 and delivered Tim Duncan to the Alamo City. It's basically been championship-or-nothing since then, the exceptions being perhaps Duncan's rookie year and 2000, when Duncan was hurt and didn't play in the postseason.
Duncan has never lost to the Celtics. Talk about curses. By extension, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have never lost to the Celtics, either. But the Spurs' Big Three are sputtering, says Popovich, trying to do too much, trying to go it alone.
"The ball isn't moving," Popovich said. "They each want to win it on their own. We're not sharing it. We're a little out of kilter right now. Our big three have to play better. We're not running on all pistons. When we do, we'll be fine. But when will that be?"
The bench -- mainly Michael Finley, Robert Horry, and Beno Udrih -- has been dreadful. Finley entered last night averaging a career-low 7.5 points on 37.5 percent shooting while Horry was even worse, averaging just 3.9 points on 34.1 percent shooting. If those guys aren't making shots, they're not much use.
Despite the apparent defensive inconsistencies, the Spurs entered last night ranked second in points allowed and ninth in field goal defense. (They usually are among the top three in the latter.) But, to listen to Pop, it's amazing the Spurs haven't morphed into the Grizzlies.
"For us, the bottom line is defense, and we've gotten a bit stale there," he said. "It's become almost taking it for granted. The focus just hasn't been there. We're a little out of rhythm there, not as committed as in the past. And if we don't have that personality, we're not the Spurs."
Popovich, who took over as coach 18 games into the 1996-97 season, said, "They think I'm a bit whacked because I'd like this to be a little bit more urgent than they do. Either they'll figure it out or they won't."
They also have been distinctly un-Spurlike at home, losing seven games already. They lost only seven home games all last season. Last Wednesday, they lost to the Lakers at home, 100-96, and Popovich said, "After that game, I told the coaches that if I had been a fan, I would have booed us, too. We waited until the final six minutes to play. You can't do that. We're not that good."
OK, but in Boston, a record of 28-13 looks pretty good. And with games against the 76ers and Celtics tonight and tomorrow night, there is a chance to get a winning streak going. And San Antonio-Boston is no longer a streak -- it's a ritual. The Spurs have beaten Boston 17 straight times and have not lost to the Celtics in San Antonio since March 1993. The Celtics will get a second crack at the Spurs in San Antonio in March.
By that time, all of the aforementioned inadequacies had better be rectified or Popovich figures he can make earlier-than-normal vacation plans. But he says there's still time and hope.
"Phoenix and Dallas are playing great; they're much better than anyone else right now," he said. "But, for me, the silver lining is that I don't think they are going to get any better and we have a ton of room for improvement. If we can do that, we can compete. If not, there's a 50-50 shot we'll go out in the first round."
Spurs looking for a spark
Listless San Antonio can't get untracked
By Peter May | January 21, 2007
Gee, what a perfect time for the Celtics to finally beat the Spurs! San Antonio's big three are struggling. The Spurs' bench is horrible. Their trademark defense is inconsistent. Their coach thinks he's going crazy.
How could the Celtics not finally put an end to this streak?
Oh, yeah. Never mind.
But seriously, folks, the Spurs make their only appearance in Boston tomorrow night and they are no better than a strong third in the West -- which means they're a strong third in the NBA. The problems cited by coach Gregg Popovich might be ones that 25 or so other coaches would gladly deal with, but for the Spurs, the standard is almost impossibly high.
As he put it last week, "It's hard for us to be as hungry as Phoenix or Dallas. They're very hungry. It's very difficult for us to be that hungry, and I understand that. We have what they want."
That would be NBA championships, as in three of them since the lottery balls went the right way in 1997 and delivered Tim Duncan to the Alamo City. It's basically been championship-or-nothing since then, the exceptions being perhaps Duncan's rookie year and 2000, when Duncan was hurt and didn't play in the postseason.
Duncan has never lost to the Celtics. Talk about curses. By extension, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have never lost to the Celtics, either. But the Spurs' Big Three are sputtering, says Popovich, trying to do too much, trying to go it alone.
"The ball isn't moving," Popovich said. "They each want to win it on their own. We're not sharing it. We're a little out of kilter right now. Our big three have to play better. We're not running on all pistons. When we do, we'll be fine. But when will that be?"
The bench -- mainly Michael Finley, Robert Horry, and Beno Udrih -- has been dreadful. Finley entered last night averaging a career-low 7.5 points on 37.5 percent shooting while Horry was even worse, averaging just 3.9 points on 34.1 percent shooting. If those guys aren't making shots, they're not much use.
Despite the apparent defensive inconsistencies, the Spurs entered last night ranked second in points allowed and ninth in field goal defense. (They usually are among the top three in the latter.) But, to listen to Pop, it's amazing the Spurs haven't morphed into the Grizzlies.
"For us, the bottom line is defense, and we've gotten a bit stale there," he said. "It's become almost taking it for granted. The focus just hasn't been there. We're a little out of rhythm there, not as committed as in the past. And if we don't have that personality, we're not the Spurs."
Popovich, who took over as coach 18 games into the 1996-97 season, said, "They think I'm a bit whacked because I'd like this to be a little bit more urgent than they do. Either they'll figure it out or they won't."
They also have been distinctly un-Spurlike at home, losing seven games already. They lost only seven home games all last season. Last Wednesday, they lost to the Lakers at home, 100-96, and Popovich said, "After that game, I told the coaches that if I had been a fan, I would have booed us, too. We waited until the final six minutes to play. You can't do that. We're not that good."
OK, but in Boston, a record of 28-13 looks pretty good. And with games against the 76ers and Celtics tonight and tomorrow night, there is a chance to get a winning streak going. And San Antonio-Boston is no longer a streak -- it's a ritual. The Spurs have beaten Boston 17 straight times and have not lost to the Celtics in San Antonio since March 1993. The Celtics will get a second crack at the Spurs in San Antonio in March.
By that time, all of the aforementioned inadequacies had better be rectified or Popovich figures he can make earlier-than-normal vacation plans. But he says there's still time and hope.
"Phoenix and Dallas are playing great; they're much better than anyone else right now," he said. "But, for me, the silver lining is that I don't think they are going to get any better and we have a ton of room for improvement. If we can do that, we can compete. If not, there's a 50-50 shot we'll go out in the first round."