THE SIXTH MAN
01-22-2008, 03:36 AM
Spurs Notebook: Richardson given surprise first start
Web Posted: 01/21/2008 10:45 PM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News staff writer
The Spurs needed a victory to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season, so Gregg Popovich shook up the lineup for Monday's game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
To the bench went Fabricio Oberto. To the inactive list went Robert Horry.
Making the first start of his NBA career: rookie Jeremy Richardson.
If you were surprised by Popovich's move, imagine how Richardson reacted.
"Yes," Richardson said after scoring three points in 11 minutes, 18 seconds against the Bobcats. "I was surprised when he told me, but I just tried to take it as just another basketball game and do whatever I could do to help out our team."
Sunday, Richardson had signed a second 10-day contract that ties him to the Spurs until the end of January. The Spurs will have to decide on Jan. 30 if they want to keep him for the remainder of the season. NBA rules don't allow them to sign him to another 10-day contract, so it will be a contract for the rest of the season, or he must be waived.
"I think I can stick," Richardson said. "I'm just going to try to do my part, take it one day at a time and work hard to try and get better."
If Popovich was worried that Richardson might be gun-shy as a starter, any such fears were allayed on the Spurs' very first possession. Open on the left side, Richardson launched a 3-point shot. He misfired on that one but nailed a 3-pointer 1:40 in for the Spurs' first points of the game.
"We wanted to play small," Popovich explained of his decision to start Richardson, "but we wanted to give him some time and take a look at him. He's on a 10-day contract, so we wanted to see what he can do."
And how did Popovich think he did on Monday?
"He did fine."
No nose jokes: Spurs guard Manu Ginobili had an ugly welt on his nose after getting hit in the face by Charlotte's Gerald Wallace with 7:48 remaining in the third period.
Ginobili sprinted back with Wallace as the Bobcats tried to finish a fast break, and after getting his hand on the ball as Wallace went up for a shot, the two players ended up in a heap under the Bobcats' basket.
"I didn't break it, I just bruised it," Ginobili said. "I don't know if it was an elbow or a knee. It was a confusing play. But it is nothing out of the ordinary."
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link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA012208.SpursNotebook.en.29b86ca.html)
Web Posted: 01/21/2008 10:45 PM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News staff writer
The Spurs needed a victory to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season, so Gregg Popovich shook up the lineup for Monday's game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
To the bench went Fabricio Oberto. To the inactive list went Robert Horry.
Making the first start of his NBA career: rookie Jeremy Richardson.
If you were surprised by Popovich's move, imagine how Richardson reacted.
"Yes," Richardson said after scoring three points in 11 minutes, 18 seconds against the Bobcats. "I was surprised when he told me, but I just tried to take it as just another basketball game and do whatever I could do to help out our team."
Sunday, Richardson had signed a second 10-day contract that ties him to the Spurs until the end of January. The Spurs will have to decide on Jan. 30 if they want to keep him for the remainder of the season. NBA rules don't allow them to sign him to another 10-day contract, so it will be a contract for the rest of the season, or he must be waived.
"I think I can stick," Richardson said. "I'm just going to try to do my part, take it one day at a time and work hard to try and get better."
If Popovich was worried that Richardson might be gun-shy as a starter, any such fears were allayed on the Spurs' very first possession. Open on the left side, Richardson launched a 3-point shot. He misfired on that one but nailed a 3-pointer 1:40 in for the Spurs' first points of the game.
"We wanted to play small," Popovich explained of his decision to start Richardson, "but we wanted to give him some time and take a look at him. He's on a 10-day contract, so we wanted to see what he can do."
And how did Popovich think he did on Monday?
"He did fine."
No nose jokes: Spurs guard Manu Ginobili had an ugly welt on his nose after getting hit in the face by Charlotte's Gerald Wallace with 7:48 remaining in the third period.
Ginobili sprinted back with Wallace as the Bobcats tried to finish a fast break, and after getting his hand on the ball as Wallace went up for a shot, the two players ended up in a heap under the Bobcats' basket.
"I didn't break it, I just bruised it," Ginobili said. "I don't know if it was an elbow or a knee. It was a confusing play. But it is nothing out of the ordinary."
[email protected]
link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA012208.SpursNotebook.en.29b86ca.html)