Kori Ellis
11-15-2004, 03:18 AM
Spurs get top-flight backup
Web Posted: 11/15/2004 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA111504.1D.BKNspursudrih.59f41d4a.html
What had been a 24-point deficit for Atlanta less than four minutes earlier was down to 11. The Hawks, appearing well on their way to another lopsided loss Saturday, were suddenly running the floor and shooting with confidence.
With more than nine minutes to play, the Spurs needed help.
Standing on the right wing, Beno Udrih took a couple of nonchalant dribbles. Royal Ivey, Atlanta's point guard, relaxed for a second.
That was all the time Udrih needed. He rifled the ball overhand, between two defenders, to Rasho Nesterovic, who was under the basket, 25 feet away. Nesterovic completed the layup as Hawks guard Jon Barry helplessly fouled him.
Atlanta's stat crew mistakenly gave the assist to Brent Barry, a deft passer himself. But there was little doubt among the Spurs who deserved credit.
"In practice, man, he put a couple of those right by my ear," Malik Rose said of Udrih. "In that offense, where he's playing his game, he just has a natural feel for it.
"I'm just glad he's on the second team with me."
With the season less than two weeks old, Udrih has shown to be a more than capable backup to Tony Parker. He had four assists in only 10 minutes in his second NBA game to help the Spurs beat the Los Angeles Lakers. In addition to his clever pass to Nesterovic on Saturday, Udrih also killed Atlanta's rally with a 3-pointer.
"He's definitely," Rose said, "somebody we can count on."
That the Spurs even have a No. 2 point guard shows how far they have come from a year ago.
Anthony Carter was signed to fill that role last season, but team officials soon discovered he had a pre-existing knee injury. Alex Garcia showed promise until he broke his foot the final week of the preseason. With Parker sidelined by a left ankle sprain and Shane Heal nursing a back injury, the Spurs signed Jason Hart after their second game and started him against New York two nights later.
Hart did a more than admirable job given the conditions under which he was working. His confidence also was infectious, but the Spurs, seeking a better shooter, picked up Charlie Ward midway through the season. They abandoned that experiment two months later when Ward couldn't stop 38-year-old Avery Johnson.
The season ended with Manu Ginobili assuming most of the minutes behind Parker. The Spurs, not surprisingly, looked for a point guard in the draft.
Fitting in well
Udrih has done nothing to convince the Spurs they should have taken someone else. His passing has fit well with the team's motion. In three of their five victories, they Spurs have totaled at least 23 assists.
"We're moving the ball real well," Tim Duncan said, "and we don't really care who's taking the shots."
Udrih said his right knee, which he bruised playing with the Slovenian national team in September, feels better. The Spurs want to get him stronger to improve his durability. Because he averages less than 12 minutes a game, he also is doing conditioning work to stay in shape.
On the court, he's still getting a feel for his teammates tendencies.
"It's just like what Tony had to do a few years ago," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's trying to figure out, where does Timmy like the ball? Where is Brent Barry going to go? Manu is all over the place, so where do I get him the ball?
"He's doing a good job of picking things up."
"I have really great teammates," Udrih said. "It's much easier with them helping me through this."
That's not to say he hasn't run into problems. He struggled to stay in front of Speedy Claxton in the first half of last week's victory against Golden State and drew two quick fouls. He fared better in the second half and slowed the Warriors' comeback.
After making a 15-footer early in the quarter, he answered Jason Richardson's 3-pointer with one of his own. He did the same to Antoine Walker on Saturday.
"I think his confidence is growing," Popovich said. "It's interesting because every game is obviously a new situation for him. He hasn't played against any of these guys, so he's at a real disadvantage. He doesn't know, defensively, what in the world the guy he's guarding is really going to do. He's seen him on TV or whatever, but that's it.
"Having said that, I think he he's done a good job of trying to figure things out."
Web Posted: 11/15/2004 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA111504.1D.BKNspursudrih.59f41d4a.html
What had been a 24-point deficit for Atlanta less than four minutes earlier was down to 11. The Hawks, appearing well on their way to another lopsided loss Saturday, were suddenly running the floor and shooting with confidence.
With more than nine minutes to play, the Spurs needed help.
Standing on the right wing, Beno Udrih took a couple of nonchalant dribbles. Royal Ivey, Atlanta's point guard, relaxed for a second.
That was all the time Udrih needed. He rifled the ball overhand, between two defenders, to Rasho Nesterovic, who was under the basket, 25 feet away. Nesterovic completed the layup as Hawks guard Jon Barry helplessly fouled him.
Atlanta's stat crew mistakenly gave the assist to Brent Barry, a deft passer himself. But there was little doubt among the Spurs who deserved credit.
"In practice, man, he put a couple of those right by my ear," Malik Rose said of Udrih. "In that offense, where he's playing his game, he just has a natural feel for it.
"I'm just glad he's on the second team with me."
With the season less than two weeks old, Udrih has shown to be a more than capable backup to Tony Parker. He had four assists in only 10 minutes in his second NBA game to help the Spurs beat the Los Angeles Lakers. In addition to his clever pass to Nesterovic on Saturday, Udrih also killed Atlanta's rally with a 3-pointer.
"He's definitely," Rose said, "somebody we can count on."
That the Spurs even have a No. 2 point guard shows how far they have come from a year ago.
Anthony Carter was signed to fill that role last season, but team officials soon discovered he had a pre-existing knee injury. Alex Garcia showed promise until he broke his foot the final week of the preseason. With Parker sidelined by a left ankle sprain and Shane Heal nursing a back injury, the Spurs signed Jason Hart after their second game and started him against New York two nights later.
Hart did a more than admirable job given the conditions under which he was working. His confidence also was infectious, but the Spurs, seeking a better shooter, picked up Charlie Ward midway through the season. They abandoned that experiment two months later when Ward couldn't stop 38-year-old Avery Johnson.
The season ended with Manu Ginobili assuming most of the minutes behind Parker. The Spurs, not surprisingly, looked for a point guard in the draft.
Fitting in well
Udrih has done nothing to convince the Spurs they should have taken someone else. His passing has fit well with the team's motion. In three of their five victories, they Spurs have totaled at least 23 assists.
"We're moving the ball real well," Tim Duncan said, "and we don't really care who's taking the shots."
Udrih said his right knee, which he bruised playing with the Slovenian national team in September, feels better. The Spurs want to get him stronger to improve his durability. Because he averages less than 12 minutes a game, he also is doing conditioning work to stay in shape.
On the court, he's still getting a feel for his teammates tendencies.
"It's just like what Tony had to do a few years ago," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's trying to figure out, where does Timmy like the ball? Where is Brent Barry going to go? Manu is all over the place, so where do I get him the ball?
"He's doing a good job of picking things up."
"I have really great teammates," Udrih said. "It's much easier with them helping me through this."
That's not to say he hasn't run into problems. He struggled to stay in front of Speedy Claxton in the first half of last week's victory against Golden State and drew two quick fouls. He fared better in the second half and slowed the Warriors' comeback.
After making a 15-footer early in the quarter, he answered Jason Richardson's 3-pointer with one of his own. He did the same to Antoine Walker on Saturday.
"I think his confidence is growing," Popovich said. "It's interesting because every game is obviously a new situation for him. He hasn't played against any of these guys, so he's at a real disadvantage. He doesn't know, defensively, what in the world the guy he's guarding is really going to do. He's seen him on TV or whatever, but that's it.
"Having said that, I think he he's done a good job of trying to figure things out."