THE SIXTH MAN
03-29-2007, 12:41 AM
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA032907.01D.BKNspurs.hornets.gamer.365d966.html )
Barry saves Spurs: Four 3-pointers in final quarter help stop Hornets' bid
Web Posted: 03/29/2007 12:26 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Spurs had launched enough 3-pointers to chip the paint off the AT&T Center's rims Wednesday night, so when Brent Barry misfired with less than 90 seconds left and the New Orleans Hornets leading, he simply banged his hands together, shook his head and shrugged.
Barry, who was minutes away from being traded to the very same Hornets last season, knows a few things about second chances. And when he got his with the clock running down?
Barry made nearly the same shot he had missed moments earlier, drilling a 3-pointer with 17.6 seconds left to push the Spurs past the Hornets for a 92-88 victory.
"I was happy to step back up," Barry said, "and have a shot at it."
Barry made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and five for the game, accounting for all 15 of his points. Tim Duncan scored 31, and Jacque Vaughn took over for a listless Tony Parker as the Spurs clamped down on the Hornets to overcome a 12-point deficit midway through the third quarter.
New Orleans point guard Chris Paul had 20 points and nine assists but missed four of his final five shots after Vaughn replaced Parker late in the third quarter.
"That game belonged to Jacque Vaughn," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His energy, his defense, his leadership on the court, his rebounding, everything. He really competed his ass off and brought this game home for us."
Barry and Michael Finley helped. With the Hornets leading by nine to start the fourth quarter and Paul having just stolen some momentum with an end-of-the-shot clock 3-pointer, Barry buried a 24-footer on the Spurs' opening possession. He hit two more to tie the game, and Finley followed with two of his own.
Before that, the Spurs had struggled to find the same stroke they displayed during their two-game trip to the West Coast. After making a combined 26 of 48 3-pointers in lopsided victories over Golden State and Seattle, they missed their first seven attempts behind the arc Wednesday.
Duncan made as many 3-pointers (one) in the first half as Barry and Manu Ginobili combined.
"We played two teams that basically allow you to shoot those shots because they want the ball back," Barry said. "The Hornets aren't made up that way, and I think we settled a little too much by just living at the 3-point line and not attacking."
As a result, the Spurs trailed 52-46 at the half. Popovich didn't even get to see the final 1 minute, 16 seconds of the second quarter after leaving the floor when he mistakenly thought he had been ejected.
Angry about a non-call against Duncan, Popovich yelled at official Pat Fraher, who gave him a technical. A moment later, referee Ron Olesiak also hit Popovich with a technical.
Popovich walked off the court before Olesiak explained that he hadn't heard Fraher make the initial call and that only one technical was warranted. A team official went to retrieve Popovich, but he elected to stay in his office.
"I saw two different referees call a technical, and I quickly added that in my head, and it came out two," Popovich said. "That means you're gone, and if you hang around, you get fined thousands of dollars. So I walked out the tunnel."
After watching New Orleans shoot 54.3 percent in the first half, Popovich could have been forgiven had he stayed in his office to watch "American Idol." Instead, he told his team he would make substitutions based on defense and effort, and he did just that, sticking with Vaughn long into the fourth quarter and using a small lineup that rallied the Spurs.
Despite the comeback, the Spurs still trailed 88-87 after Paul made a pair of free throws with 1:42 left. A missed 3-pointer by Barry and a blown entry pass by Parker, who had a forgettable performance with six points and three assists, gave New Orleans the opportunity to expand its lead.
But with Duncan helping Parker pressure Paul, Finley stepped in front of the point guard's pass. Popovich, forgoing a timeout, urged Finley to push the ball.
Finley initially was going to shoot himself, but when Ginobili made a hard cut to the basket, Barry's defender went with him. Barry took the pass from Finley and swished the shot.
After Rasual Butler missed a jump shot, David West missed another from the baseline. Vaughn, who ran behind West and Duncan, secured the rebound as he was knocked hard on his back with 1.2 seconds left.
He made the ensuing free throws to close out the victory.
"That one," said the 6-foot-1 Vaughn, "was for all the little guys out there."
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Barry saves Spurs: Four 3-pointers in final quarter help stop Hornets' bid
Web Posted: 03/29/2007 12:26 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Spurs had launched enough 3-pointers to chip the paint off the AT&T Center's rims Wednesday night, so when Brent Barry misfired with less than 90 seconds left and the New Orleans Hornets leading, he simply banged his hands together, shook his head and shrugged.
Barry, who was minutes away from being traded to the very same Hornets last season, knows a few things about second chances. And when he got his with the clock running down?
Barry made nearly the same shot he had missed moments earlier, drilling a 3-pointer with 17.6 seconds left to push the Spurs past the Hornets for a 92-88 victory.
"I was happy to step back up," Barry said, "and have a shot at it."
Barry made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and five for the game, accounting for all 15 of his points. Tim Duncan scored 31, and Jacque Vaughn took over for a listless Tony Parker as the Spurs clamped down on the Hornets to overcome a 12-point deficit midway through the third quarter.
New Orleans point guard Chris Paul had 20 points and nine assists but missed four of his final five shots after Vaughn replaced Parker late in the third quarter.
"That game belonged to Jacque Vaughn," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His energy, his defense, his leadership on the court, his rebounding, everything. He really competed his ass off and brought this game home for us."
Barry and Michael Finley helped. With the Hornets leading by nine to start the fourth quarter and Paul having just stolen some momentum with an end-of-the-shot clock 3-pointer, Barry buried a 24-footer on the Spurs' opening possession. He hit two more to tie the game, and Finley followed with two of his own.
Before that, the Spurs had struggled to find the same stroke they displayed during their two-game trip to the West Coast. After making a combined 26 of 48 3-pointers in lopsided victories over Golden State and Seattle, they missed their first seven attempts behind the arc Wednesday.
Duncan made as many 3-pointers (one) in the first half as Barry and Manu Ginobili combined.
"We played two teams that basically allow you to shoot those shots because they want the ball back," Barry said. "The Hornets aren't made up that way, and I think we settled a little too much by just living at the 3-point line and not attacking."
As a result, the Spurs trailed 52-46 at the half. Popovich didn't even get to see the final 1 minute, 16 seconds of the second quarter after leaving the floor when he mistakenly thought he had been ejected.
Angry about a non-call against Duncan, Popovich yelled at official Pat Fraher, who gave him a technical. A moment later, referee Ron Olesiak also hit Popovich with a technical.
Popovich walked off the court before Olesiak explained that he hadn't heard Fraher make the initial call and that only one technical was warranted. A team official went to retrieve Popovich, but he elected to stay in his office.
"I saw two different referees call a technical, and I quickly added that in my head, and it came out two," Popovich said. "That means you're gone, and if you hang around, you get fined thousands of dollars. So I walked out the tunnel."
After watching New Orleans shoot 54.3 percent in the first half, Popovich could have been forgiven had he stayed in his office to watch "American Idol." Instead, he told his team he would make substitutions based on defense and effort, and he did just that, sticking with Vaughn long into the fourth quarter and using a small lineup that rallied the Spurs.
Despite the comeback, the Spurs still trailed 88-87 after Paul made a pair of free throws with 1:42 left. A missed 3-pointer by Barry and a blown entry pass by Parker, who had a forgettable performance with six points and three assists, gave New Orleans the opportunity to expand its lead.
But with Duncan helping Parker pressure Paul, Finley stepped in front of the point guard's pass. Popovich, forgoing a timeout, urged Finley to push the ball.
Finley initially was going to shoot himself, but when Ginobili made a hard cut to the basket, Barry's defender went with him. Barry took the pass from Finley and swished the shot.
After Rasual Butler missed a jump shot, David West missed another from the baseline. Vaughn, who ran behind West and Duncan, secured the rebound as he was knocked hard on his back with 1.2 seconds left.
He made the ensuing free throws to close out the victory.
"That one," said the 6-foot-1 Vaughn, "was for all the little guys out there."
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