some_user86
03-07-2008, 01:31 AM
Spurs rest for Denver in victory over Pacers
Web Posted: 03/06/2008 11:57 PM CST
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
With five minutes and 24 seconds left in the first quarter Thursday night, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich looked down his bench and motioned Matt Bonner, usually a human victory cigar, into the game.
Having not played in the first quarter in a matter of weeks, Bonner's first most pressing job at that point was to try and not look surprised.
"I was like, 'Did you say Fab?'" Bonner said, meaning Fabricio Oberto, "'Or Matt?'"
The method to Popovich's early rotation madness was evident: With a rugged obstacle course of four games in five nights on tap, he wanted to beat the Indiana Pacers without wearing anybody out.
Step 1 was accomplished as Manu Ginobili poured in 28 points and Tony Parker added 19 to key a 108-97 victory at the AT&T Center that wasn't that close for most of the fourth quarter.
Bonner and the rest of the Spurs' bench helped them take care of Step 2. Bonner chipped in 15 points in 24 minutes, by far his longest stint in weeks
No Spurs player played more than 28 minutes in the victory, which ran the team's season-best winning streak to 11 games. The short shifts ought to leave most of the Spurs in good shape for tonight's trip to Denver's thin air.
"They're such a good team, and so deep," said Indiana guard Danny Granger, who scored 22 to lead the Pacers. "They brought veterans off the bench. They were just too much for us tonight."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, meanwhile, should have fresh vocal cords for the game in Denver.
He was ejected in the second quarter for arguing a no-call against Indiana forward Mike Dunleavy.
Lead assistant Mike Budenholzer took over sideline duties for Popovich, and continued with the plan to substitute liberally.
"It will hopefully help us, but you're never sure how it's going to play out," Budenholzer said. "Hopefully we saved a little bit by playing a lot of guys."
Tim Duncan had just six points, shooting 3 of 11 from the field, but pulled down 12 rebounds, part of a 47-35 edge for the Spurs on the glass.
His most important number, however: 23 minutes, 45 seconds.
That's the amount of time the Spurs needed him in the game. Neither Duncan nor Parker nor Bruce Bowen played in the fourth quarter. Ginobili played three minutes, five seconds in the frame.
"We were talking before the game about it, how it would be great to have the opportunity to rest the fourth quarter," Ginobili said.
Bonner helped make that possible by eating minutes. He had more on Thursday than in his previous 13 games combined.
Also aiding the Spurs in their quest to transform the fourth quarter into a preseason game were Ginobili and Parker. They carried the Spurs through a first-half of mismatched lineups, throwing in 14 points apiece as their team edged to a 50-48 lead.
The Spurs blew the game open with a 13-4 run in the third quarter, building a 15-point lead that stretched as high as 23 in the fourth.
By then, Bonner was already running amok.
He was so effective, in fact, that by game's end one Pacer was threatening to kill him.
With 25.6 seconds to play, Indiana's David Harrison, apparently none too happy about taking an elbow to the face during one of Bonner's fourth-quarter drives, informed an official of his plan for dealing with the scrappy Spurs forward.
"I'm going to (expletive) kill him," Harrison said.
That earned Harrison a technical foul. Harrison continued to stare Bonner down from the sidelines before being escorted to the locker room, where he received medical attention for the blow to his head.
Afterward, Bonner was oblivious to all of this. Informed of Harrison's comments, Bonner asked, "You only get a technical for that?"
It was only the second-most surprised Bonner had been all night.
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Online at: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA030708.01C.BKNspurs.pacers.gamer.e6d381.html
Web Posted: 03/06/2008 11:57 PM CST
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
With five minutes and 24 seconds left in the first quarter Thursday night, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich looked down his bench and motioned Matt Bonner, usually a human victory cigar, into the game.
Having not played in the first quarter in a matter of weeks, Bonner's first most pressing job at that point was to try and not look surprised.
"I was like, 'Did you say Fab?'" Bonner said, meaning Fabricio Oberto, "'Or Matt?'"
The method to Popovich's early rotation madness was evident: With a rugged obstacle course of four games in five nights on tap, he wanted to beat the Indiana Pacers without wearing anybody out.
Step 1 was accomplished as Manu Ginobili poured in 28 points and Tony Parker added 19 to key a 108-97 victory at the AT&T Center that wasn't that close for most of the fourth quarter.
Bonner and the rest of the Spurs' bench helped them take care of Step 2. Bonner chipped in 15 points in 24 minutes, by far his longest stint in weeks
No Spurs player played more than 28 minutes in the victory, which ran the team's season-best winning streak to 11 games. The short shifts ought to leave most of the Spurs in good shape for tonight's trip to Denver's thin air.
"They're such a good team, and so deep," said Indiana guard Danny Granger, who scored 22 to lead the Pacers. "They brought veterans off the bench. They were just too much for us tonight."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, meanwhile, should have fresh vocal cords for the game in Denver.
He was ejected in the second quarter for arguing a no-call against Indiana forward Mike Dunleavy.
Lead assistant Mike Budenholzer took over sideline duties for Popovich, and continued with the plan to substitute liberally.
"It will hopefully help us, but you're never sure how it's going to play out," Budenholzer said. "Hopefully we saved a little bit by playing a lot of guys."
Tim Duncan had just six points, shooting 3 of 11 from the field, but pulled down 12 rebounds, part of a 47-35 edge for the Spurs on the glass.
His most important number, however: 23 minutes, 45 seconds.
That's the amount of time the Spurs needed him in the game. Neither Duncan nor Parker nor Bruce Bowen played in the fourth quarter. Ginobili played three minutes, five seconds in the frame.
"We were talking before the game about it, how it would be great to have the opportunity to rest the fourth quarter," Ginobili said.
Bonner helped make that possible by eating minutes. He had more on Thursday than in his previous 13 games combined.
Also aiding the Spurs in their quest to transform the fourth quarter into a preseason game were Ginobili and Parker. They carried the Spurs through a first-half of mismatched lineups, throwing in 14 points apiece as their team edged to a 50-48 lead.
The Spurs blew the game open with a 13-4 run in the third quarter, building a 15-point lead that stretched as high as 23 in the fourth.
By then, Bonner was already running amok.
He was so effective, in fact, that by game's end one Pacer was threatening to kill him.
With 25.6 seconds to play, Indiana's David Harrison, apparently none too happy about taking an elbow to the face during one of Bonner's fourth-quarter drives, informed an official of his plan for dealing with the scrappy Spurs forward.
"I'm going to (expletive) kill him," Harrison said.
That earned Harrison a technical foul. Harrison continued to stare Bonner down from the sidelines before being escorted to the locker room, where he received medical attention for the blow to his head.
Afterward, Bonner was oblivious to all of this. Informed of Harrison's comments, Bonner asked, "You only get a technical for that?"
It was only the second-most surprised Bonner had been all night.
[email protected]
Online at: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA030708.01C.BKNspurs.pacers.gamer.e6d381.html