some_user86
04-23-2007, 12:38 AM
Buck Harvey: If Duncan stays the anti-Nugget: Soothing pattern
Web Posted: 04/23/2007 12:28 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
Jack Nies?
One Spur smiled, and his eyes widened. "Was he necessary?" he said.
He was kidding. Nies might be Tim Duncan's second-least favorite referee, but this Spur wasn't making excuses for Duncan. Nies working Sunday night was less a conspiracy than a funny sight.
Duncan would shoot only two free throws in this post-Joey Crawford world, but that wasn't the issue, either. Duncan was. Duncan played as he occasionally has in early playoff games, and as he did two years ago against these Denver Nuggets.
But this history also makes the Spurs feel better than seeing Dallas lose, too. As they wonder if they can get control of both Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony — as they wonder if they are in trouble — they lean on what Duncan does after these failures.
Then he's been the anti-Nugget.
The refs, if anything, were invisible Sunday. Denver shot 15 more free throws, but no one ever said this stat was supposed to be even. Nies, who Duncan pushed out of the way three years ago, resulting in a one-game suspension, mostly stayed out of the way on his own.
The Nuggets instead played better, and that was partly out of default. At one point, Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were a combined 3 for 26, giving new meaning to the phrase "Big Three."
The slimmed-down Brazilian, Nenê, used his size and quick feet to defend Duncan, and he deserves some credit. And Duncan gave Nenê just that afterward. Some credit.
"He was solid," Duncan said. "He didn't do anything special, just kind of stayed in front of me and kind of relied on the weakside to help. I thought he did a very good job."
Translation: I stunk.
Duncan had a few moments, such as a clever flip under Nenê. But mostly Duncan looked like a guy who hadn't played a game in a week.
"Missed layups are a rhythm thing," Bruce Bowen said afterward, which might explain Duncan's rust. The previous time Duncan had worn a uniform in public was when Crawford tossed him.
Maybe that's why Duncan got to the rim and missed, and why he got stripped, and why he got confused. In the third quarter, for example, a teammate swung the ball to him about 18 feet from the basket. Without a Nugget nearby, Duncan hesitated — then oddly floated a pass that went directly to Denver point guard Steve Blake.
Crawford, if watching from his Philadelphia home, might have done what he decided Duncan couldn't do on the bench in Dallas. Crawford might have laughed loudly.
Those in Colorado were likely as giddy, and it's been this way in the first round in each of the Spurs' championship runs. The Spurs lost the second game of the playoffs to Minnesota in 1999 before re-establishing order. Duncan blocked five shots in Game 3, and among those officiating then, according to the box score, was Crawford, J.
The Spurs lost the opener to Phoenix in 2003, then rebounded to even the series with Duncan scoring 22 points and blocking another half-dozen shots. Among those officiating that Spurs' win was Nies, J.
So the pattern isn't about who is or isn't missing calls. It's about the one who misses shots, and that happened against Denver two years ago. Duncan, wobbling on a sprained ankle, shot 7 of 22 as the Nuggets stole the 2005 opener. He followed with 24 points in Game 2, leading a rout, and the Spurs won in five games.
Watching from the Denver bench then was Francisco Elson, which is perhaps why he's so confident in his teammate now. "Tim Duncan just didn't have a good night," Elson said. "He's been here before. He knows what to do."
Duncan is not the only one who needs to improve, and this goes beyond Parker and Ginobili. Elson, for example, had as many points as Nies did.
But this is ultimately on Duncan, as well as on his legacy. After all, Denver hasn't made it out of the first round since 1994. And Duncan has always — always — made it past the first round.
If the Spurs believe in anything today?
It's this.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042307.01D.COL.BKNharvey.spurs.3b84701.html
==========================================
^^ That made me feel much better. How about you guys?
Web Posted: 04/23/2007 12:28 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
Jack Nies?
One Spur smiled, and his eyes widened. "Was he necessary?" he said.
He was kidding. Nies might be Tim Duncan's second-least favorite referee, but this Spur wasn't making excuses for Duncan. Nies working Sunday night was less a conspiracy than a funny sight.
Duncan would shoot only two free throws in this post-Joey Crawford world, but that wasn't the issue, either. Duncan was. Duncan played as he occasionally has in early playoff games, and as he did two years ago against these Denver Nuggets.
But this history also makes the Spurs feel better than seeing Dallas lose, too. As they wonder if they can get control of both Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony — as they wonder if they are in trouble — they lean on what Duncan does after these failures.
Then he's been the anti-Nugget.
The refs, if anything, were invisible Sunday. Denver shot 15 more free throws, but no one ever said this stat was supposed to be even. Nies, who Duncan pushed out of the way three years ago, resulting in a one-game suspension, mostly stayed out of the way on his own.
The Nuggets instead played better, and that was partly out of default. At one point, Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were a combined 3 for 26, giving new meaning to the phrase "Big Three."
The slimmed-down Brazilian, Nenê, used his size and quick feet to defend Duncan, and he deserves some credit. And Duncan gave Nenê just that afterward. Some credit.
"He was solid," Duncan said. "He didn't do anything special, just kind of stayed in front of me and kind of relied on the weakside to help. I thought he did a very good job."
Translation: I stunk.
Duncan had a few moments, such as a clever flip under Nenê. But mostly Duncan looked like a guy who hadn't played a game in a week.
"Missed layups are a rhythm thing," Bruce Bowen said afterward, which might explain Duncan's rust. The previous time Duncan had worn a uniform in public was when Crawford tossed him.
Maybe that's why Duncan got to the rim and missed, and why he got stripped, and why he got confused. In the third quarter, for example, a teammate swung the ball to him about 18 feet from the basket. Without a Nugget nearby, Duncan hesitated — then oddly floated a pass that went directly to Denver point guard Steve Blake.
Crawford, if watching from his Philadelphia home, might have done what he decided Duncan couldn't do on the bench in Dallas. Crawford might have laughed loudly.
Those in Colorado were likely as giddy, and it's been this way in the first round in each of the Spurs' championship runs. The Spurs lost the second game of the playoffs to Minnesota in 1999 before re-establishing order. Duncan blocked five shots in Game 3, and among those officiating then, according to the box score, was Crawford, J.
The Spurs lost the opener to Phoenix in 2003, then rebounded to even the series with Duncan scoring 22 points and blocking another half-dozen shots. Among those officiating that Spurs' win was Nies, J.
So the pattern isn't about who is or isn't missing calls. It's about the one who misses shots, and that happened against Denver two years ago. Duncan, wobbling on a sprained ankle, shot 7 of 22 as the Nuggets stole the 2005 opener. He followed with 24 points in Game 2, leading a rout, and the Spurs won in five games.
Watching from the Denver bench then was Francisco Elson, which is perhaps why he's so confident in his teammate now. "Tim Duncan just didn't have a good night," Elson said. "He's been here before. He knows what to do."
Duncan is not the only one who needs to improve, and this goes beyond Parker and Ginobili. Elson, for example, had as many points as Nies did.
But this is ultimately on Duncan, as well as on his legacy. After all, Denver hasn't made it out of the first round since 1994. And Duncan has always — always — made it past the first round.
If the Spurs believe in anything today?
It's this.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042307.01D.COL.BKNharvey.spurs.3b84701.html
==========================================
^^ That made me feel much better. How about you guys?