duncan228
12-23-2007, 02:22 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA122307.01C.BKNspurs.clippers.gamer.29a9d8a.htm l
Duncan shares stage with No. 6 - Spurs top Clippers before retiring Johnson's jersey
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
The old Spurs point guard saw his jersey raised to the AT&T Center rafters on Saturday night. The current Spurs point guard saw his jersey returned to his back.
In between, as the Los Angeles Clippers threatened to ruin both Avery Johnson's jersey retirement and Tony Parker's return from injury, the Spurs turned the game over to the only player on the roster to have played with them both.
Tim Duncan responded with his greatest performance in five days.
Stealing the stage from point guards past and present, Duncan finished with 34 points and a season-high 18 rebounds to help the Spurs snap a two-game losing skid with a 99-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
"Timmy obviously had a great night," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He was able to pull it through for us. He was great."
It was Duncan's second monster night in three games, recalling his 36-point, 17-rebound masterpiece in a loss to Phoenix on Monday.
Almost immediately after it was over, Duncan hustled off to the post-game jersey retirement ceremony for Johnson, with whom he played from 1998-2001.
All told, he had a better night than the other two-thirds of the Spurs' so-called "Big Three."
Parker, in his first action after missing four games with a sprained left ankle, finished with 18 points but also seemed rusty. He made only 6 of 17 field goal attempts and turned the ball over four times.
At least Parker left the arena in relatively good health.
By contrast, Manu Ginobili became the latest Spurs star to flirt with the injured list when he left the game in the first quarter with a sprained left index finger.
The Spurs (19-7) have not played a full game with the Duncan-Parker-Ginobili triumvirate intact since Nov. 30. X-rays taken at the arena were negative on Ginobili's finger, which has been bothering him for nearly three weeks, but it is likely he will miss some time.
"It's frustrating, but we can't complain," Parker said. "I feel like we're lucky, because our injuries haven't lasted too long."
Little-used reserve Ime Udoka took advantage of Ginobili's early exit to post his best game as a Spur.
Providing a Ginobili-like spark off the bench, Udoka finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, both season highs.
"Obviously, (the difference) was a little bit more minutes and a little more opportunity," said Udoka, who has played in 19 of 26 games. "I felt we got the ball, shared the ball, and some things opened up for me."
The Clippers (9-17) have had a nastier time overcoming their bout with the injury bug throughout their snake-bit season.
They entered the season already down two starters, entered Saturday night without leading scorer Corey Maggette and reserve Paul Davis and then watched the top big man on their bench — Tim Thomas — limp off in the first quarter.
Rookie Al Thornton had 25 points to lead the Clippers in his second career start, while Chris Kaman rebounded from a 1-of-9 start to finish with 20 points and 10 rebounds for his 21st double-double of the year.
However, by the time they seemed to get their wits about them the Clippers were behind 60-36 late in the second quarter.
"You go through a lot of things psychologically — on the road trip, just before Christmas, guys going down," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We could have easily started feeling sorry for ourselves."
The Clippers did eventually rally, cutting their deficit to six on Dan Dickau's jumper with 1:40 remaining in the game.
When that happened, the Spurs turned to Duncan.
Duncan responded with a 3-point play to push the Spurs ahead by nine with 1:17 left, and then he hit a pair of free throws and had a tip-in down the stretch to hold off the Clippers.
Duncan shares stage with No. 6 - Spurs top Clippers before retiring Johnson's jersey
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
The old Spurs point guard saw his jersey raised to the AT&T Center rafters on Saturday night. The current Spurs point guard saw his jersey returned to his back.
In between, as the Los Angeles Clippers threatened to ruin both Avery Johnson's jersey retirement and Tony Parker's return from injury, the Spurs turned the game over to the only player on the roster to have played with them both.
Tim Duncan responded with his greatest performance in five days.
Stealing the stage from point guards past and present, Duncan finished with 34 points and a season-high 18 rebounds to help the Spurs snap a two-game losing skid with a 99-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
"Timmy obviously had a great night," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He was able to pull it through for us. He was great."
It was Duncan's second monster night in three games, recalling his 36-point, 17-rebound masterpiece in a loss to Phoenix on Monday.
Almost immediately after it was over, Duncan hustled off to the post-game jersey retirement ceremony for Johnson, with whom he played from 1998-2001.
All told, he had a better night than the other two-thirds of the Spurs' so-called "Big Three."
Parker, in his first action after missing four games with a sprained left ankle, finished with 18 points but also seemed rusty. He made only 6 of 17 field goal attempts and turned the ball over four times.
At least Parker left the arena in relatively good health.
By contrast, Manu Ginobili became the latest Spurs star to flirt with the injured list when he left the game in the first quarter with a sprained left index finger.
The Spurs (19-7) have not played a full game with the Duncan-Parker-Ginobili triumvirate intact since Nov. 30. X-rays taken at the arena were negative on Ginobili's finger, which has been bothering him for nearly three weeks, but it is likely he will miss some time.
"It's frustrating, but we can't complain," Parker said. "I feel like we're lucky, because our injuries haven't lasted too long."
Little-used reserve Ime Udoka took advantage of Ginobili's early exit to post his best game as a Spur.
Providing a Ginobili-like spark off the bench, Udoka finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, both season highs.
"Obviously, (the difference) was a little bit more minutes and a little more opportunity," said Udoka, who has played in 19 of 26 games. "I felt we got the ball, shared the ball, and some things opened up for me."
The Clippers (9-17) have had a nastier time overcoming their bout with the injury bug throughout their snake-bit season.
They entered the season already down two starters, entered Saturday night without leading scorer Corey Maggette and reserve Paul Davis and then watched the top big man on their bench — Tim Thomas — limp off in the first quarter.
Rookie Al Thornton had 25 points to lead the Clippers in his second career start, while Chris Kaman rebounded from a 1-of-9 start to finish with 20 points and 10 rebounds for his 21st double-double of the year.
However, by the time they seemed to get their wits about them the Clippers were behind 60-36 late in the second quarter.
"You go through a lot of things psychologically — on the road trip, just before Christmas, guys going down," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We could have easily started feeling sorry for ourselves."
The Clippers did eventually rally, cutting their deficit to six on Dan Dickau's jumper with 1:40 remaining in the game.
When that happened, the Spurs turned to Duncan.
Duncan responded with a 3-point play to push the Spurs ahead by nine with 1:17 left, and then he hit a pair of free throws and had a tip-in down the stretch to hold off the Clippers.