Kori Ellis
03-16-2007, 02:22 AM
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks had a new coach, Manu Ginobili and Brent Barry were back to eating solid food and, still, the Spurs looked up at the Bradley Center scoreboard late Thursday and wondered if anything had changed from two months ago.
Had they simply propped up their feet at home and plugged in a DVD of their last meeting with the Bucks, the Spurs could have saved themselves a little gas money and a lot of time.
With Michael Redd scoring 29 points and rookie guard Lynn Greer adding 14 in the fourth quarter, Milwaukee beat the Spurs 101-90, shredding their 13-game winning streak, along with their defense.
"It was a carbon-copy game of the first," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, and he didn't consider that a good thing.
The Bucks ripped the Spurs 114-107 on Dec. 26 at the AT&T Center. With Ginobili and Barry missing that game because of a stomach virus, Redd scored 36 points and Milwaukee shot 56.8 percent, a Spurs' opponent season high.
That had been one of the few memorable victories for the Bucks prior to Thursday, which partially explains why they fired coach Terry Stotts on Wednesday and replaced him with assistant Larry Krystkowiak. The Bucks made the former Spurs forward's NBA head-coaching debut memorable: In addition to shooting 53.4 percent, they outrebounded the Spurs 46-26.
"They were more aggressive; they exhibited more passion and desire for the game than we did, from bottom to top," Popovich said. "It was a really poor showing on our part, and a lot of it had to do with the energy and aggressiveness Milwaukee displayed."
The Spurs didn't get much from the top of their lineup. Tim Duncan (13 points and 13 rebounds) missed seven of his 12 shots and also clanged five consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter. Ginobili misfired on eight of his 10 shots and Tony Parker (15 points and eight assists) went 6 for 15 before being benched for Beno Udrih midway through the fourth quarter.
"We have to play well and we didn't," Duncan said of the collective performance of the team's three stars. "I'd love to make an excuse and say something about it, but bottom line is we have to play well if we want to win."
The Spurs figured they might be walking into a hornet's nest. A little more than four years ago, they were in Atlanta when Stotts began his head-coaching career, arriving in town the day the Hawks fired coach Lon Kruger.
Atlanta upset the Spurs the following night on Jason Terry's last-second shot.
"You see coaching changes throughout the history of the NBA, and if you look at it, a lot of times you get a little adrenaline, a little spark," Krystkowiak said. "I anticipated our guys playing pretty darn hard."
Krystkowiak also simplified the Bucks' offense and emphasized two things prior to the game: He wanted his team to share the ball and work harder defensively. Milwaukee began the day with its opponents shooting 47.8 percent, the second-highest percentage in the league.
"I want to play a game," Krystkowiak said, "where we're not constantly taking the ball out of the net."
Popovich likely feels the same way today. The Bucks shot 56.8 percent in the first half to take a 52-43 lead then weathered a 3-point flurry from Bruce Bowen and Barry (20 points) at the start of the third quarter.
Redd put the Spurs back on their heels by scoring 11 points in the final seven minutes of the third quarter. He made 13 of 20 shots for the game, repeatedly getting by Bowen before pulling up and shooting over the Spurs' help.
The Spurs drew within a point on six occasions in the fourth quarter, but could never push past the Bucks. Duncan had a chance to put the Spurs ahead when he went to the free-throw line with 7:09 left, but air-balled his first attempt then clanged his next off the rim.
Krystkowiak also dusted off Greer after Mo Williams was ejected early in the second half. Greer, who rarely played under Stotts, made three 3-pointers in the final quarter, the last of which put Milwaukee up 95-86 with 2:41 left.
"We played like we played probably two months ago," Ginobili said. "All the improvement we did in this month a half or whatever didn't (show).
"We just have to realize the streak doesn't matter and we have to keep giving our best effort every single night."
Popovich also wasn't pleased with the Spurs' performance in Tuesday's victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, chiding the team for blowing "an opportunity to progress and get better."
"Eventually you're going to have an off night, but that doesn't mean you like it or you accept it or you just kiss it off," he said. "To have that poorly a mental focus and aggressive attitude two games in a row is disappointing."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA031607.01D.BKNspurs.bucks.gamer.3622d40.html
Express-News
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks had a new coach, Manu Ginobili and Brent Barry were back to eating solid food and, still, the Spurs looked up at the Bradley Center scoreboard late Thursday and wondered if anything had changed from two months ago.
Had they simply propped up their feet at home and plugged in a DVD of their last meeting with the Bucks, the Spurs could have saved themselves a little gas money and a lot of time.
With Michael Redd scoring 29 points and rookie guard Lynn Greer adding 14 in the fourth quarter, Milwaukee beat the Spurs 101-90, shredding their 13-game winning streak, along with their defense.
"It was a carbon-copy game of the first," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said, and he didn't consider that a good thing.
The Bucks ripped the Spurs 114-107 on Dec. 26 at the AT&T Center. With Ginobili and Barry missing that game because of a stomach virus, Redd scored 36 points and Milwaukee shot 56.8 percent, a Spurs' opponent season high.
That had been one of the few memorable victories for the Bucks prior to Thursday, which partially explains why they fired coach Terry Stotts on Wednesday and replaced him with assistant Larry Krystkowiak. The Bucks made the former Spurs forward's NBA head-coaching debut memorable: In addition to shooting 53.4 percent, they outrebounded the Spurs 46-26.
"They were more aggressive; they exhibited more passion and desire for the game than we did, from bottom to top," Popovich said. "It was a really poor showing on our part, and a lot of it had to do with the energy and aggressiveness Milwaukee displayed."
The Spurs didn't get much from the top of their lineup. Tim Duncan (13 points and 13 rebounds) missed seven of his 12 shots and also clanged five consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter. Ginobili misfired on eight of his 10 shots and Tony Parker (15 points and eight assists) went 6 for 15 before being benched for Beno Udrih midway through the fourth quarter.
"We have to play well and we didn't," Duncan said of the collective performance of the team's three stars. "I'd love to make an excuse and say something about it, but bottom line is we have to play well if we want to win."
The Spurs figured they might be walking into a hornet's nest. A little more than four years ago, they were in Atlanta when Stotts began his head-coaching career, arriving in town the day the Hawks fired coach Lon Kruger.
Atlanta upset the Spurs the following night on Jason Terry's last-second shot.
"You see coaching changes throughout the history of the NBA, and if you look at it, a lot of times you get a little adrenaline, a little spark," Krystkowiak said. "I anticipated our guys playing pretty darn hard."
Krystkowiak also simplified the Bucks' offense and emphasized two things prior to the game: He wanted his team to share the ball and work harder defensively. Milwaukee began the day with its opponents shooting 47.8 percent, the second-highest percentage in the league.
"I want to play a game," Krystkowiak said, "where we're not constantly taking the ball out of the net."
Popovich likely feels the same way today. The Bucks shot 56.8 percent in the first half to take a 52-43 lead then weathered a 3-point flurry from Bruce Bowen and Barry (20 points) at the start of the third quarter.
Redd put the Spurs back on their heels by scoring 11 points in the final seven minutes of the third quarter. He made 13 of 20 shots for the game, repeatedly getting by Bowen before pulling up and shooting over the Spurs' help.
The Spurs drew within a point on six occasions in the fourth quarter, but could never push past the Bucks. Duncan had a chance to put the Spurs ahead when he went to the free-throw line with 7:09 left, but air-balled his first attempt then clanged his next off the rim.
Krystkowiak also dusted off Greer after Mo Williams was ejected early in the second half. Greer, who rarely played under Stotts, made three 3-pointers in the final quarter, the last of which put Milwaukee up 95-86 with 2:41 left.
"We played like we played probably two months ago," Ginobili said. "All the improvement we did in this month a half or whatever didn't (show).
"We just have to realize the streak doesn't matter and we have to keep giving our best effort every single night."
Popovich also wasn't pleased with the Spurs' performance in Tuesday's victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, chiding the team for blowing "an opportunity to progress and get better."
"Eventually you're going to have an off night, but that doesn't mean you like it or you accept it or you just kiss it off," he said. "To have that poorly a mental focus and aggressive attitude two games in a row is disappointing."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA031607.01D.BKNspurs.bucks.gamer.3622d40.html