ShoogarBear
11-20-2004, 07:02 PM
Web Posted: 11/20/2004 12:00 AM CST
San Antonio Express-News
BOSTON ? The Spurs are versatile, especially when they open their mouths. Manu Ginobili and Rasho Nesterovic, in a postgame conversation Friday night, spoke Italian.
So what language does Nesterovic speak with fellow Slovenian Beno Udrih?
"Chinese," Nesterovic deadpanned.
That kidder. Nesterovic has Udrih this season, just as Tony Parker has Romain Sato, whose primary language in the Central African Republic is French. Next season, if the pattern follows, Ginobili will have an Argentine Olympic ally, Spurs draft pick Luis Scola.
But the most peculiar two-by-two, Noah's ark kind-of combination is not nearly as exotic. That would be Malik Rose and Robert Horry, fluent in both English and backup.
Friday, for once, they got to speak at the same time.
It happened because the Spurs' starting big men weren't saying much. The Celtics went out to leads by rebounding, and that's not easy to do with Raef LaFrentz and Mark Blount as your tall people.
Gregg Popovich took a common stance. In huddles, he kept asking with considerable sarcasm: "When are you going to start playing?"
An early answer came late in the first half. Then the Spurs left a timeout as if their one and only goal was to start moving their legs. Brent Barry ran across the baseline, gathered himself and threw in a 3-pointer off the play.
He later explained how the reserves were feeling. "The second unit needed to pick up the game," he said. "We hadn't been doing that, and we were disappointed in Philadelphia. Tonight was a start."
But nothing really changed until a quarter later, toward the end of the third period. Then Popovich made the move that great coaches make when trailing by double digits. He took out Tim Duncan, leaving a unit on the floor that also was without Nesterovic.
It may not happen often. "I'm not saying it's a bad combination," Rose said of he and Horry. "But there aren't many centers I can guard in the league."
There was a chance it was never going to happen, no matter the specifics. It's an old story that the Spurs tried to trade Rose. But there were times last summer when Horry, too, wondered if the Spurs wanted him back.
If the Spurs were hesitant to re-sign Horry, it was because of the final image of last season. Horry didn't match up well against his old team, the Lakers, in the playoffs. When he subbed for Nesterovic, Duncan had to move over to defend against Shaquille O'Neal.
But how did Horry end the regular season? And how did he play against Memphis in the first round? He was significant in the rotation when the Spurs played their best.
Thus far this season he's waited for his turn, and he's acted patient. "Our bench is so deep," Horry said, "I'm just cruising along."
But it's likely an act. He wants to play as much as Rose does.
Usually these two compete for the leftover minutes. Friday they just competed, combining with Barry, Parker and Devin Brown to change the game. Rose went inside immediately after Duncan left, grabbing an offensive rebound and score, and Horry opened the fourth quarter with a signature tone-setter.
When Barry tossed the ball out, there was Horry at the 3-point line, pulling the Spurs back within four points.
But it was more than made shots. Both scrambled on defense with their teammates, switching and confusing the Celtics. When Rose tied the game with a free throw, Duncan checked back in.
"I was a little nervous," Duncan said later with a smile. "I didn't want to mess up what they had going."
Duncan didn't. He picked up on the energy that was now on the court, and Ginobili joined in, too. He followed his spectacular fourth quarter in Philadelphia with another in Boston, all with a sore hip.
His night ended in the locker room, speaking some Italian with Nesterovic. And on either side of them, dressing at opposite ends of the room, were Rose and Horry.
Together, they'd had something to say.
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA112004.1C.COL.BKNharvey.73db6080.html)
San Antonio Express-News
BOSTON ? The Spurs are versatile, especially when they open their mouths. Manu Ginobili and Rasho Nesterovic, in a postgame conversation Friday night, spoke Italian.
So what language does Nesterovic speak with fellow Slovenian Beno Udrih?
"Chinese," Nesterovic deadpanned.
That kidder. Nesterovic has Udrih this season, just as Tony Parker has Romain Sato, whose primary language in the Central African Republic is French. Next season, if the pattern follows, Ginobili will have an Argentine Olympic ally, Spurs draft pick Luis Scola.
But the most peculiar two-by-two, Noah's ark kind-of combination is not nearly as exotic. That would be Malik Rose and Robert Horry, fluent in both English and backup.
Friday, for once, they got to speak at the same time.
It happened because the Spurs' starting big men weren't saying much. The Celtics went out to leads by rebounding, and that's not easy to do with Raef LaFrentz and Mark Blount as your tall people.
Gregg Popovich took a common stance. In huddles, he kept asking with considerable sarcasm: "When are you going to start playing?"
An early answer came late in the first half. Then the Spurs left a timeout as if their one and only goal was to start moving their legs. Brent Barry ran across the baseline, gathered himself and threw in a 3-pointer off the play.
He later explained how the reserves were feeling. "The second unit needed to pick up the game," he said. "We hadn't been doing that, and we were disappointed in Philadelphia. Tonight was a start."
But nothing really changed until a quarter later, toward the end of the third period. Then Popovich made the move that great coaches make when trailing by double digits. He took out Tim Duncan, leaving a unit on the floor that also was without Nesterovic.
It may not happen often. "I'm not saying it's a bad combination," Rose said of he and Horry. "But there aren't many centers I can guard in the league."
There was a chance it was never going to happen, no matter the specifics. It's an old story that the Spurs tried to trade Rose. But there were times last summer when Horry, too, wondered if the Spurs wanted him back.
If the Spurs were hesitant to re-sign Horry, it was because of the final image of last season. Horry didn't match up well against his old team, the Lakers, in the playoffs. When he subbed for Nesterovic, Duncan had to move over to defend against Shaquille O'Neal.
But how did Horry end the regular season? And how did he play against Memphis in the first round? He was significant in the rotation when the Spurs played their best.
Thus far this season he's waited for his turn, and he's acted patient. "Our bench is so deep," Horry said, "I'm just cruising along."
But it's likely an act. He wants to play as much as Rose does.
Usually these two compete for the leftover minutes. Friday they just competed, combining with Barry, Parker and Devin Brown to change the game. Rose went inside immediately after Duncan left, grabbing an offensive rebound and score, and Horry opened the fourth quarter with a signature tone-setter.
When Barry tossed the ball out, there was Horry at the 3-point line, pulling the Spurs back within four points.
But it was more than made shots. Both scrambled on defense with their teammates, switching and confusing the Celtics. When Rose tied the game with a free throw, Duncan checked back in.
"I was a little nervous," Duncan said later with a smile. "I didn't want to mess up what they had going."
Duncan didn't. He picked up on the energy that was now on the court, and Ginobili joined in, too. He followed his spectacular fourth quarter in Philadelphia with another in Boston, all with a sore hip.
His night ended in the locker room, speaking some Italian with Nesterovic. And on either side of them, dressing at opposite ends of the room, were Rose and Horry.
Together, they'd had something to say.
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA112004.1C.COL.BKNharvey.73db6080.html)