Kori Ellis
01-13-2005, 01:37 AM
Role player sparks roll: Massenburg does job off end of bench
Web Posted: 01/13/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA011305.1C.BKNspurs.bucks.gamer.169ab7b.html
For more than a month, the Spurs have waited as Karl Malone debates whether to join them for a run at his elusive championship.
As it turns out, the Spurs apparently already have a 6-foot-9, tough-minded forward on the roster.
Given an unexpected opportunity to play Wednesday night, Tony Massenburg showed he still has more than a little spring left in his 37-year-old legs. His spirited second-quarter performance jump-started the Spurs to a 94-79 victory in front of 16,754 at the SBC Center.
"That's the role of a role player," Massenburg said. "When your team is flat, you have to sort of hop into the mix ... and pick them up."
Of late, however, Massenburg's role primarily has been to sit. He had not played at all in the three previous games.
Massenburg played only 10 minutes against the Bucks, but he made the most of them, scoring six points and grabbing a pair of rebounds. All but 34.1 seconds of his time came in the second quarter when the Spurs took control of the game.
"You want to keep guys going," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of his decision to play Massenburg. "When they work hard in practice, if you can reward them, that's a good thing."
Massenburg's energy was needed against a Milwaukee team that showed considerably more fight than it did a night earlier during a 103-80 loss in Atlanta. Not that the Spurs should have been surprised. They lost on a last-second shot to the undermanned Utah Jazz on Monday.
As a result, Popovich spent part of Tuesday preaching to his team about the importance of maintaining its focus, regardless of whom it is playing. He particularly wanted to see improvement in the Spurs' play at the end of quarters and games.
As if on cue, the Spurs let an 18-point lead shrink to six before steadying themselves in the final few minutes.
Manu Ginobili, who scored 15 points, hit a 3-pointer to slow Milwaukee. When the Bucks made one final run, Tony Parker (20 points, eight assists) answered by tossing in a 3-pointer and making a pair of kick-out passes to Tim Duncan. Duncan knocked down the back-to-back jump shots for four of his 21 points.
Milwaukee guard Michael Redd, defended much of the night by Bruce Bowen, scored 24 points but needed 23 shots to get them. The Spurs limited the Bucks to 15 points in the final quarter.
"You want to respect your opponent," Massenburg said, "but you also want to impose your will on them."
Massenburg did just that. After Popovich called on him at the start of the second quarter with Milwaukee leading 23-22, he promptly threw down a dunk, triggering a run that saw the Spurs score 10 consecutive points.
"When you're 37 years old and you're coming in off the bench, and as soon as you get into the game somebody throws you the ball for a dunk, that's not always easy," Massenburg said. "But when you get your adrenaline going, you don't think about it as much."
Over the next nine minutes, Massenburg made a nifty give-and-go bounce pass to Ginobili for a layup, flushed another dunk, hit a 15-foot jumper, grabbed two rebounds and blocked a shot. By the time he exited with 2:59 left in the half, the Spurs had a 44-34 lead.
Massenburg's minutes came at the expense of Malik Rose, who did not play for the first time this season. For the past two weeks, Robert Horry has received the majority of minutes behind Duncan and Rasho Nesterovic.
"Everybody with a uniform on wants to play," Massenburg said. "You have to understand your role and understand the circumstances. This is a very good team.
"There are a lot of guys in the league who could make this team just because we're so deep at every position. When you understand that, it's a little bit easier to accept."
Considering he has extended an open offer to Malone, Popovich apparently wouldn't mind if his frontcourt became a little more crowded. Malone has indicated he would play only for the Spurs if he chooses to postpone retirement. Team officials continue to speak with Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, but have no reason to think a decision is imminent.
Massenburg isn't worried.
"Of course, I hear things on ESPN like everybody else," he said. "But this is a business the players cannot control. The only thing I can do is when Pop gives me an opportunity, is show him I have something to bring.
Web Posted: 01/13/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA011305.1C.BKNspurs.bucks.gamer.169ab7b.html
For more than a month, the Spurs have waited as Karl Malone debates whether to join them for a run at his elusive championship.
As it turns out, the Spurs apparently already have a 6-foot-9, tough-minded forward on the roster.
Given an unexpected opportunity to play Wednesday night, Tony Massenburg showed he still has more than a little spring left in his 37-year-old legs. His spirited second-quarter performance jump-started the Spurs to a 94-79 victory in front of 16,754 at the SBC Center.
"That's the role of a role player," Massenburg said. "When your team is flat, you have to sort of hop into the mix ... and pick them up."
Of late, however, Massenburg's role primarily has been to sit. He had not played at all in the three previous games.
Massenburg played only 10 minutes against the Bucks, but he made the most of them, scoring six points and grabbing a pair of rebounds. All but 34.1 seconds of his time came in the second quarter when the Spurs took control of the game.
"You want to keep guys going," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of his decision to play Massenburg. "When they work hard in practice, if you can reward them, that's a good thing."
Massenburg's energy was needed against a Milwaukee team that showed considerably more fight than it did a night earlier during a 103-80 loss in Atlanta. Not that the Spurs should have been surprised. They lost on a last-second shot to the undermanned Utah Jazz on Monday.
As a result, Popovich spent part of Tuesday preaching to his team about the importance of maintaining its focus, regardless of whom it is playing. He particularly wanted to see improvement in the Spurs' play at the end of quarters and games.
As if on cue, the Spurs let an 18-point lead shrink to six before steadying themselves in the final few minutes.
Manu Ginobili, who scored 15 points, hit a 3-pointer to slow Milwaukee. When the Bucks made one final run, Tony Parker (20 points, eight assists) answered by tossing in a 3-pointer and making a pair of kick-out passes to Tim Duncan. Duncan knocked down the back-to-back jump shots for four of his 21 points.
Milwaukee guard Michael Redd, defended much of the night by Bruce Bowen, scored 24 points but needed 23 shots to get them. The Spurs limited the Bucks to 15 points in the final quarter.
"You want to respect your opponent," Massenburg said, "but you also want to impose your will on them."
Massenburg did just that. After Popovich called on him at the start of the second quarter with Milwaukee leading 23-22, he promptly threw down a dunk, triggering a run that saw the Spurs score 10 consecutive points.
"When you're 37 years old and you're coming in off the bench, and as soon as you get into the game somebody throws you the ball for a dunk, that's not always easy," Massenburg said. "But when you get your adrenaline going, you don't think about it as much."
Over the next nine minutes, Massenburg made a nifty give-and-go bounce pass to Ginobili for a layup, flushed another dunk, hit a 15-foot jumper, grabbed two rebounds and blocked a shot. By the time he exited with 2:59 left in the half, the Spurs had a 44-34 lead.
Massenburg's minutes came at the expense of Malik Rose, who did not play for the first time this season. For the past two weeks, Robert Horry has received the majority of minutes behind Duncan and Rasho Nesterovic.
"Everybody with a uniform on wants to play," Massenburg said. "You have to understand your role and understand the circumstances. This is a very good team.
"There are a lot of guys in the league who could make this team just because we're so deep at every position. When you understand that, it's a little bit easier to accept."
Considering he has extended an open offer to Malone, Popovich apparently wouldn't mind if his frontcourt became a little more crowded. Malone has indicated he would play only for the Spurs if he chooses to postpone retirement. Team officials continue to speak with Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, but have no reason to think a decision is imminent.
Massenburg isn't worried.
"Of course, I hear things on ESPN like everybody else," he said. "But this is a business the players cannot control. The only thing I can do is when Pop gives me an opportunity, is show him I have something to bring.