Bruno
02-18-2007, 06:50 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA021807.1C.COLharvey.11bead6.html
Web Posted: 02/18/2007 01:41 AM CST
San Antonio Express-News
LAS VEGAS — Tony Parker isn't playing a game. He's playing an Elvis role.
Parker shows up as the humble and overlooked racecar driver (insert NBA career). He wins the heart of Ann-Margret (as played by Eva Longoria). He sings (albeit French rap). And in the final scene, he beats the obnoxious rich guy (as played by Mark Cuban) and wins the race (NBA title).
It's a cheesy script, all right, with an unlikely ending. But Parker has always seen his life in Hollywood terms. Even when he arrived from France as a bottom-of-the-first-round teenager, he shrugged and said, sure, he was here to beat the defending champion Lakers.
He believes that things go right for him, as they always did for Elvis in the movies, and it's an attitude that comes in handy for the Spurs once Parker leaves Vegas. After all, if the Spurs are to challenge this season, don't they need Parker to remain in character?
For now, Parker celebrates a game that means almost too much to him. He wouldn't trade another championship for this weekend, but he'd consider it.
Today, he's got his favorite hobby, poker, in the lobby of his hotel. He's got Eva and wedding plans in place, as well as a few 24-hour Vegas chapels down the street in case they get spontaneous. And he's got the stage he's always wanted, which is to be included among the world's best basketball players who make commercials and hang with celebs.
There are times he seems to be preoccupied with the trappings. Last spring during the playoffs, for example, these same elements came together. Then, Eva threw him a birthday poker party.
To some franchises, this would be scarier than Wayne Newton when his facelift unhinges. Too caught up in celebrity, Parker could indeed become Elvis — overweight and lounging in a sequined jumpsuit.
But Parker has eased all fears by working hard, and there are signs of the hours in the gym he's put in with shooting coach Chip Engelland. The European Championships interrupted their classroom that first summer, and a broken finger didn't help last summer. Still, his field-goal percentage has remained remarkably in the mid-50s.
If those numbers are mostly due to the amount of layups he shoots, his free-throw improvement comes without an asterisk. Parker was under 70 percent for his career coming into this season, and now he's close to 80. Given these results, the Spurs don't mind if Parker occasionally walks down the red carpet with Eva.
Now, the Spurs need more, however. Engelland originally said Parker's makeover would take until 2008, and that won't help this spring. If the Spurs are to get past the Mavericks, they need Parker to be better than Jason Terry and Devin Harris.
He is in reputation. Parker is an All-Star for a second consecutive time, and that means the Western Conference coaches think a lot of him. Jason Kidd and Steve Nash still rank higher, but both have also shown age recently.
After that, who is a better point guard? Some might take Chris Paul for his potential or Deron Williams for his pace and instincts. But none in this group is just entering his prime as Parker is.
No Spur is in this same place in his career, either. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili would be pressed to be better than they've been, but Parker has a few levels to go. One was evident in Detroit, the last game before this weekend.
Then, Parker went behind screens, effortless in his ability to get open, and threw in a series of jumpers. When he does this, he's unguardable. And if he could repeat this skill night after night, then teams would have to play him tighter with help in case he drove.
The same Gregg Popovich who has tried to redirect Parker would let him go. An accurate Parker would open up the middle for Duncan and the wings for everyone else, and he would turn a punchless team into what they have been.
Is Parker ready to do that now? Does he have the mental toughness to believe in his shot even in May? Could he be the one who gets both the girl and the prize?
Elvis would.
Web Posted: 02/18/2007 01:41 AM CST
San Antonio Express-News
LAS VEGAS — Tony Parker isn't playing a game. He's playing an Elvis role.
Parker shows up as the humble and overlooked racecar driver (insert NBA career). He wins the heart of Ann-Margret (as played by Eva Longoria). He sings (albeit French rap). And in the final scene, he beats the obnoxious rich guy (as played by Mark Cuban) and wins the race (NBA title).
It's a cheesy script, all right, with an unlikely ending. But Parker has always seen his life in Hollywood terms. Even when he arrived from France as a bottom-of-the-first-round teenager, he shrugged and said, sure, he was here to beat the defending champion Lakers.
He believes that things go right for him, as they always did for Elvis in the movies, and it's an attitude that comes in handy for the Spurs once Parker leaves Vegas. After all, if the Spurs are to challenge this season, don't they need Parker to remain in character?
For now, Parker celebrates a game that means almost too much to him. He wouldn't trade another championship for this weekend, but he'd consider it.
Today, he's got his favorite hobby, poker, in the lobby of his hotel. He's got Eva and wedding plans in place, as well as a few 24-hour Vegas chapels down the street in case they get spontaneous. And he's got the stage he's always wanted, which is to be included among the world's best basketball players who make commercials and hang with celebs.
There are times he seems to be preoccupied with the trappings. Last spring during the playoffs, for example, these same elements came together. Then, Eva threw him a birthday poker party.
To some franchises, this would be scarier than Wayne Newton when his facelift unhinges. Too caught up in celebrity, Parker could indeed become Elvis — overweight and lounging in a sequined jumpsuit.
But Parker has eased all fears by working hard, and there are signs of the hours in the gym he's put in with shooting coach Chip Engelland. The European Championships interrupted their classroom that first summer, and a broken finger didn't help last summer. Still, his field-goal percentage has remained remarkably in the mid-50s.
If those numbers are mostly due to the amount of layups he shoots, his free-throw improvement comes without an asterisk. Parker was under 70 percent for his career coming into this season, and now he's close to 80. Given these results, the Spurs don't mind if Parker occasionally walks down the red carpet with Eva.
Now, the Spurs need more, however. Engelland originally said Parker's makeover would take until 2008, and that won't help this spring. If the Spurs are to get past the Mavericks, they need Parker to be better than Jason Terry and Devin Harris.
He is in reputation. Parker is an All-Star for a second consecutive time, and that means the Western Conference coaches think a lot of him. Jason Kidd and Steve Nash still rank higher, but both have also shown age recently.
After that, who is a better point guard? Some might take Chris Paul for his potential or Deron Williams for his pace and instincts. But none in this group is just entering his prime as Parker is.
No Spur is in this same place in his career, either. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili would be pressed to be better than they've been, but Parker has a few levels to go. One was evident in Detroit, the last game before this weekend.
Then, Parker went behind screens, effortless in his ability to get open, and threw in a series of jumpers. When he does this, he's unguardable. And if he could repeat this skill night after night, then teams would have to play him tighter with help in case he drove.
The same Gregg Popovich who has tried to redirect Parker would let him go. An accurate Parker would open up the middle for Duncan and the wings for everyone else, and he would turn a punchless team into what they have been.
Is Parker ready to do that now? Does he have the mental toughness to believe in his shot even in May? Could he be the one who gets both the girl and the prize?
Elvis would.