Kori Ellis
12-24-2004, 03:19 AM
Popovich pushes right buttons with Nesterovic
Web Posted: 12/24/2004 12:00 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA122404.1C.BKNspurs.nesterovic.38dadae0.html
For the second time in the past eight games, Spurs starting center Rasho Nesterovic found himself on the bench at the start of a second half, this time against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night at the SBC Center.
It had nothing to do with foul trouble. Nesterovic was in coach Gregg Popovich's doghouse again after going scoreless, with a lone rebound, in 11 minutes of a first half dominated by his Minnesota counterpart, Michael Olowokandi.
"Pop likes to get you mad," said Spurs point guard Tony Parker, a doghouse resident on more than a few occasions since joining the Spurs.
If aggression born of anger was Popovich's intent, his plan succeeded. Given a second chance midway through the third quarter, Nesterovic was as effective as he had been inept in the first. He scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked three shots in 17 second-half minutes that reminded the rest of the Spurs that he can be a valuable teammate.
"Rasho played great the second half," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "(Pop) really got on him here at halftime and asked a lot of him, and he came out in the second half and responded very well. Hopefully, we can get him rolling and get his confidence up. He's going to help us tremendously if he can do that."
Nesterovic, who sat out the second half of the Spurs' Dec. 8 loss to Seattle, said Popovich's halftime pronouncement that Robert Horry would start the second half at center helped fuel him.
"It (ticked) me off because I tried from the start, (tried to be) aggressive from the beginning," Nesterovic said. "But it just didn't work out too good. You try, and the harder you try the deeper you sink, so it gets to you. And before Pop even says anything, you get ticked off at yourself."
Nesterovic's frustration continued to build when he missed two easy shots after finally getting back on the court in the third quarter. So when Parker found him alone, right under the basket, with 50 seconds left in the quarter, Nesterovic vented by dunking as forcefully as he has all season.
"I had before that dunk two or three open shots that just didn't go in," Nesterovic said. "They felt perfect on the release, but they just didn't go in. The dunk ... I was close enough and that was the only way probably I could put it in.
"Yes, it felt good."
Said Duncan: "I think that dunk got him going."
Popovich agreed, and repeated his admonition that Nesterovic continue to play aggressively, at both ends of the court.
"He has the ability offensively," Popovich said, "but not if he's not demonstrative."
Nesterovic opened Thursday's game guarding Minnesota's Kevin Garnett and Duncan credited him with taking the reigning MVP out of his comfort zone.
As for the halftime motivation Nesterovic needed, Duncan left that to Popovich.
"I try to stay away from him," Duncan said. "I let people find themselves."
Web Posted: 12/24/2004 12:00 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA122404.1C.BKNspurs.nesterovic.38dadae0.html
For the second time in the past eight games, Spurs starting center Rasho Nesterovic found himself on the bench at the start of a second half, this time against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night at the SBC Center.
It had nothing to do with foul trouble. Nesterovic was in coach Gregg Popovich's doghouse again after going scoreless, with a lone rebound, in 11 minutes of a first half dominated by his Minnesota counterpart, Michael Olowokandi.
"Pop likes to get you mad," said Spurs point guard Tony Parker, a doghouse resident on more than a few occasions since joining the Spurs.
If aggression born of anger was Popovich's intent, his plan succeeded. Given a second chance midway through the third quarter, Nesterovic was as effective as he had been inept in the first. He scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked three shots in 17 second-half minutes that reminded the rest of the Spurs that he can be a valuable teammate.
"Rasho played great the second half," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "(Pop) really got on him here at halftime and asked a lot of him, and he came out in the second half and responded very well. Hopefully, we can get him rolling and get his confidence up. He's going to help us tremendously if he can do that."
Nesterovic, who sat out the second half of the Spurs' Dec. 8 loss to Seattle, said Popovich's halftime pronouncement that Robert Horry would start the second half at center helped fuel him.
"It (ticked) me off because I tried from the start, (tried to be) aggressive from the beginning," Nesterovic said. "But it just didn't work out too good. You try, and the harder you try the deeper you sink, so it gets to you. And before Pop even says anything, you get ticked off at yourself."
Nesterovic's frustration continued to build when he missed two easy shots after finally getting back on the court in the third quarter. So when Parker found him alone, right under the basket, with 50 seconds left in the quarter, Nesterovic vented by dunking as forcefully as he has all season.
"I had before that dunk two or three open shots that just didn't go in," Nesterovic said. "They felt perfect on the release, but they just didn't go in. The dunk ... I was close enough and that was the only way probably I could put it in.
"Yes, it felt good."
Said Duncan: "I think that dunk got him going."
Popovich agreed, and repeated his admonition that Nesterovic continue to play aggressively, at both ends of the court.
"He has the ability offensively," Popovich said, "but not if he's not demonstrative."
Nesterovic opened Thursday's game guarding Minnesota's Kevin Garnett and Duncan credited him with taking the reigning MVP out of his comfort zone.
As for the halftime motivation Nesterovic needed, Duncan left that to Popovich.
"I try to stay away from him," Duncan said. "I let people find themselves."