Spurs Brazil
06-06-2007, 05:28 PM
Popovich: Spurs 'fired up'
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/spursmoment/
Popovich: Spurs 'fired up'
The Spurs' long layoff since the end of the Western Conference finals apparently hasn't blunted their enthusiasm — even for yet another practice.
"They were fired up for shootaround today," Gregg Popovich said Wednesday of his team, which is gunning for its fourth NBA championship in nine seasons and third in the last five.
The Spurs haven't played since they wrapped up the Western Conference title on May 30 with a 109-84 blowout of the Utah Jazz.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven NBA Finals showdown between the Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers is set for 8 p.m. Thursday at the AT&T Center.
"It was longer than what we would have wanted," Popovich said of the layoff. "We wished we would have played sooner, but that's neither here nor there.
"So we'll see if we're rusty or if the emotion is gone or something like that. I don't know. I hope that doesn't show itself."
The Spurs are 3-0 in opening games of the Finals, winning by an average of 13 points.
Other highlights from Wednesday's practices and media sessions:
• Popovich credited David Robinson for setting a great example for Tim Duncan early in his career. "Tim may be the first person to tell you that having David there when he first came in the league was a tremendous influence in so many ways. Obviously, on the basketball court and through (Robinson's) work ethic. David played with pain a lot. He practiced every day. When I tried to boot him off the floor, he wouldn't go, and Timmy was privy to that sort of situation. David's personal life, the way he conducted himself with his teammates on the road, so on and so forth. Timmy was able to see how it's done.
"But Timmy began with great character. It wasn't like this was a troubled child that was brought in or anything like that. But just to have (Robinson) as a role model helped Timmy understand what it meant to have that responsibility, to show that kind of leadership once the team was turned over to him. So it was very significant for him."
• The Finals will feature two players that were the No. 1 overall pick of their respective drafts: the Cavs' LeBron James and Duncan.
Other than that, though, Duncan says the two have little in common as far as their formative NBA years go.
"I cannot relate to him in any way, honestly," Duncan said. "I was in a much different situation. I was on a veteran squad and I was more of a piece of the puzzle. I think he's a much bigger piece of this puzzle. I had guys like Avery (Johnson) and Dave (Robinson) and Sean (Elliott) and Mario (Elie). These were veteran guys that had been around the league that I could lean on follow."
• Much has been made of how the Spurs will defend James. But what about how the Cavs will defend Duncan?
Duncan says he's expecting a little bit of everything from Cavs coach Mike Brown.
"I'm guessing that Mike won't throw a steady diet of anything at me," Duncan said. "I'll have some opportunities to play a little bit of one-on-one basketball. I'll see a lot of double teams from different areas. I've got to imagine that he's got a bunch of things he'll throw at me and then try to change things up so I don't know what's coming."
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/spursmoment/
Popovich: Spurs 'fired up'
The Spurs' long layoff since the end of the Western Conference finals apparently hasn't blunted their enthusiasm — even for yet another practice.
"They were fired up for shootaround today," Gregg Popovich said Wednesday of his team, which is gunning for its fourth NBA championship in nine seasons and third in the last five.
The Spurs haven't played since they wrapped up the Western Conference title on May 30 with a 109-84 blowout of the Utah Jazz.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven NBA Finals showdown between the Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers is set for 8 p.m. Thursday at the AT&T Center.
"It was longer than what we would have wanted," Popovich said of the layoff. "We wished we would have played sooner, but that's neither here nor there.
"So we'll see if we're rusty or if the emotion is gone or something like that. I don't know. I hope that doesn't show itself."
The Spurs are 3-0 in opening games of the Finals, winning by an average of 13 points.
Other highlights from Wednesday's practices and media sessions:
• Popovich credited David Robinson for setting a great example for Tim Duncan early in his career. "Tim may be the first person to tell you that having David there when he first came in the league was a tremendous influence in so many ways. Obviously, on the basketball court and through (Robinson's) work ethic. David played with pain a lot. He practiced every day. When I tried to boot him off the floor, he wouldn't go, and Timmy was privy to that sort of situation. David's personal life, the way he conducted himself with his teammates on the road, so on and so forth. Timmy was able to see how it's done.
"But Timmy began with great character. It wasn't like this was a troubled child that was brought in or anything like that. But just to have (Robinson) as a role model helped Timmy understand what it meant to have that responsibility, to show that kind of leadership once the team was turned over to him. So it was very significant for him."
• The Finals will feature two players that were the No. 1 overall pick of their respective drafts: the Cavs' LeBron James and Duncan.
Other than that, though, Duncan says the two have little in common as far as their formative NBA years go.
"I cannot relate to him in any way, honestly," Duncan said. "I was in a much different situation. I was on a veteran squad and I was more of a piece of the puzzle. I think he's a much bigger piece of this puzzle. I had guys like Avery (Johnson) and Dave (Robinson) and Sean (Elliott) and Mario (Elie). These were veteran guys that had been around the league that I could lean on follow."
• Much has been made of how the Spurs will defend James. But what about how the Cavs will defend Duncan?
Duncan says he's expecting a little bit of everything from Cavs coach Mike Brown.
"I'm guessing that Mike won't throw a steady diet of anything at me," Duncan said. "I'll have some opportunities to play a little bit of one-on-one basketball. I'll see a lot of double teams from different areas. I've got to imagine that he's got a bunch of things he'll throw at me and then try to change things up so I don't know what's coming."