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11-20-2004, 11:56 AM
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Duncan extends mastery of Celtics
Web Posted: 11/20/2004 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
BOSTON — Having already enhanced his players' viewing pleasure this week by presenting each a copy of "The Complete History of the Celtics," Boston coach Doc Rivers informed the team Friday morning about one not-so-glorious nugget of franchise lore that wasn't included on the 19-hour DVD compilation.
More coverage
Duncan extends mastery of Celtics
Buck Harvey: Couple of outsiders star on the Spurs' ark
Parker puts up 16 points in Spurs' win
Spurs-Celtics slideshow
Game box: Spurs 92, Celtics 84
Tim Duncan, in his eight NBA seasons, has never lost to the Celtics.
"It's a streak that has to be broken, as far as I'm concerned," Rivers told the team at its shootaround. "Reverse the curse."
For now, at least, it appears any curse-reversing in Beantown best be left to the Red Sox. Duncan added one more notch on his belt Friday night as the Spurs rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat Boston 92-84 in front of 15,586 fans at the Fleet Center.
The Spurs' sixth consecutive victory, which looked somewhat similar to the one they carved out 24 hours earlier in Philadelphia, left them with an 8-1 record, their best nine-game start in 23 years. It also stretched their string of victories over the Celtics to 14, the last 13 of which have included Duncan.
"I think this year we have something good going," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "We don't waste any games like we did last year."
The Spurs didn't squander much Friday, despite trailing 66-53 with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter. Malik Rose and Robert Horry jump-started the comeback, leaving Manu Ginobili to serve as the closer for the second night in a row.
In the final 6:27, Ginobili made three 3-pointers, drew back-to-back offensive fouls on the Celtics and fed Duncan for an easy dunk. He finished with 21 points.
"He did what he usually does," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's a heck of a competitor. He does a lot of things to win basketball games."
After helping produce 11 consecutive points down the stretch in Thursday's victory over Philadelphia, Ginobili spent the hours leading up to Friday's game getting treatment for assorted bumps and bruises, most notably a sore right hip. Popovich, wanting to give Ginobili as much rest as possible, left him on the bench for almost seven minutes before reinserting him with 7:23 remaining and the Celtics leading 72-71.
"When I was on the bench in the fourth quarter, I saw we were not the aggressive team we should be," Ginobili said. "When we changed our mentality, our confidence went up."
The Spurs' reserves, Ginobili said, had a lot to do with that. After Boston hiked its lead to 13 points late in the third quarter, Popovich sat Duncan and Ginobili.
Rose (five points, four rebounds) and Horry (five points, two assists) — along with Brent Barry and Devin Brown — promptly provided the energy the team was missing as the Spurs reeled off 14 unanswered points. When Duncan returned with 9:41 remaining, the score was tied.
"I was refreshed, but I was a little nervous," Duncan said. "I didn't want to go in there and mess up all the work they did."
Duncan did just fine, scoring 10 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter.
"We had a 12-point lead and it didn't even look like it bothered him," said Al Jefferson, the Celtics' 19-year-old rookie forward. "He just kept playing."
For the better part of three quarters, Boston looked ready to end its eight-season drought against Duncan. The Celtics held a 28-16 rebounding edge at the half, including an 8-1 advantage on the offensive glass.
"They really took it to us," Popovich said. "I thought we didn't meet that very well. But as the second half wore on, we did a good job of handling it."
As the Spurs leaned on their experience, the Celtics unraveled. They committed eight turnovers in the fourth quarter, half coming on consecutive possessions. In the closing minutes, Paul Pierce delivered hard fouls to both Duncan and Parker.
Pierce had as much reason to be as frustrated as anyone. He has been with the Celtics for 11 of their losses to Duncan.
Duncan extends mastery of Celtics
Web Posted: 11/20/2004 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
BOSTON — Having already enhanced his players' viewing pleasure this week by presenting each a copy of "The Complete History of the Celtics," Boston coach Doc Rivers informed the team Friday morning about one not-so-glorious nugget of franchise lore that wasn't included on the 19-hour DVD compilation.
More coverage
Duncan extends mastery of Celtics
Buck Harvey: Couple of outsiders star on the Spurs' ark
Parker puts up 16 points in Spurs' win
Spurs-Celtics slideshow
Game box: Spurs 92, Celtics 84
Tim Duncan, in his eight NBA seasons, has never lost to the Celtics.
"It's a streak that has to be broken, as far as I'm concerned," Rivers told the team at its shootaround. "Reverse the curse."
For now, at least, it appears any curse-reversing in Beantown best be left to the Red Sox. Duncan added one more notch on his belt Friday night as the Spurs rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat Boston 92-84 in front of 15,586 fans at the Fleet Center.
The Spurs' sixth consecutive victory, which looked somewhat similar to the one they carved out 24 hours earlier in Philadelphia, left them with an 8-1 record, their best nine-game start in 23 years. It also stretched their string of victories over the Celtics to 14, the last 13 of which have included Duncan.
"I think this year we have something good going," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "We don't waste any games like we did last year."
The Spurs didn't squander much Friday, despite trailing 66-53 with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter. Malik Rose and Robert Horry jump-started the comeback, leaving Manu Ginobili to serve as the closer for the second night in a row.
In the final 6:27, Ginobili made three 3-pointers, drew back-to-back offensive fouls on the Celtics and fed Duncan for an easy dunk. He finished with 21 points.
"He did what he usually does," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's a heck of a competitor. He does a lot of things to win basketball games."
After helping produce 11 consecutive points down the stretch in Thursday's victory over Philadelphia, Ginobili spent the hours leading up to Friday's game getting treatment for assorted bumps and bruises, most notably a sore right hip. Popovich, wanting to give Ginobili as much rest as possible, left him on the bench for almost seven minutes before reinserting him with 7:23 remaining and the Celtics leading 72-71.
"When I was on the bench in the fourth quarter, I saw we were not the aggressive team we should be," Ginobili said. "When we changed our mentality, our confidence went up."
The Spurs' reserves, Ginobili said, had a lot to do with that. After Boston hiked its lead to 13 points late in the third quarter, Popovich sat Duncan and Ginobili.
Rose (five points, four rebounds) and Horry (five points, two assists) — along with Brent Barry and Devin Brown — promptly provided the energy the team was missing as the Spurs reeled off 14 unanswered points. When Duncan returned with 9:41 remaining, the score was tied.
"I was refreshed, but I was a little nervous," Duncan said. "I didn't want to go in there and mess up all the work they did."
Duncan did just fine, scoring 10 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter.
"We had a 12-point lead and it didn't even look like it bothered him," said Al Jefferson, the Celtics' 19-year-old rookie forward. "He just kept playing."
For the better part of three quarters, Boston looked ready to end its eight-season drought against Duncan. The Celtics held a 28-16 rebounding edge at the half, including an 8-1 advantage on the offensive glass.
"They really took it to us," Popovich said. "I thought we didn't meet that very well. But as the second half wore on, we did a good job of handling it."
As the Spurs leaned on their experience, the Celtics unraveled. They committed eight turnovers in the fourth quarter, half coming on consecutive possessions. In the closing minutes, Paul Pierce delivered hard fouls to both Duncan and Parker.
Pierce had as much reason to be as frustrated as anyone. He has been with the Celtics for 11 of their losses to Duncan.