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04-20-2008, 01:47 AM
Duncan's clutch shot helps Spurs sink the Suns
Web Posted: 04/19/2008 10:34 PM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
Their Western Conference first-round game against Phoenix was hanging in the balance Saturday afternoon, when the Spurs accidentally turned to Tim Duncan for three.
What Duncan remembered most immediately afterward was time standing still.
"I had all the time in the world to line it up," Duncan said. "I just threw it up there and hoped for the best."
Duncan got the best, sending Saturday's thriller sprawling into a second overtime from which the Spurs would emerge, white-knuckled and nauseous, with a 117-115 Game 1 victory.
The shot echoed a previous Duncan prayer, launched four years earlier not far from the same spot on the AT&T Center floor. It was not unlike the one he floated over Shaquille O'Neal in the 2004 conference semifinals, with one notable exception.
This time, Duncan's heroics would still be remembered the morning after.
Manu Ginobili made sure of that, driving for a layup over Raja Bell with 1.8 seconds left in the second OT to — finally — put an end to 31/2-hour thrill ride that couldn't have been good for anybody's blood pressure.
Duncan finished with 40 points, one shy of his career postseason high. His best came in Game 7 of the 2006 conference finals against Dallas — a game the Spurs lost.
"It doesn't matter how many points I score, if we go out there and they get the edge over us," Duncan said. "It's just great to get the victory whether I score 40 or I score two."
Duncan's biggest points came on his first 3-pointer of the season, a deep jumper from beyond the right arc that the Suns never could have seen coming.
It might have been the biggest postseason basket of Duncan's career. In 2004, it took the Lakers' Derek Fisher all of 0.4 seconds to erase his second-biggest.
This time, the Spurs held on to make Duncan's basket count.
It was an easy-does-it-victory for the Spurs. All it took was a double-digit comeback, game-saving 3-pointers from Michael Finley and (against all odds) Duncan, and one last Ginobili kamikaze drive.
The series resumes Tuesday, assuming the participants' vital signs have returned to normal.
"That's enough to kill you if you play every game like that," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Duncan added 15 rebounds to supplement his first 40-point effort in nearly two years, while Ginobili had 19 of his 24 points after halftime. Shaking off an early bump to the head, Tony Parker had 26 for the Spurs before fouling out in the second OT.
Amare Stoudemire had 33 points to lead the Suns, but did not play in the second overtime after he fouled out. Foul trouble was an issue for Phoenix, which saw its top three big men — Stoudemire, O'Neal and Boris Diaw — saddled with it.
For this, O'Neal blames the Spurs.
"The floppers prevailed today," he said, adding this suggestion: "Hopefully, those guys will compete rather than just fall down."
The Spurs trailed for all of the first three quarters, by 16 points in the first half and by three late in regulation.
Finley was the first to play Spurs savior. His 3-pointer with 15.1 seconds left in regulation forced OT No. 1.
Then, it was Duncan's turn.
Behind 104-101, Popovich called a play that would have Kurt Thomas screen for Ginobili, who would either drive for his own shot or kick to an open man.
At the last moment, Popovich made Duncan the screener instead. Duncan was the third scoring option, but Ginobili wheeled the ball to him anyway.
"You can imagine my horror when it went that direction," Popovich said.
Moments later, the Suns were experiencing a different kind of horror. They were forced to face another overtime without their leading scorer.
"All I could think was, 'Happy Birthday, Tim,'" said Stoudemire, obviously in no mood for a party.
Duncan, who turns 32 this week, was glad for the gift.
"I just tried to get some air underneath it and see what happens," Duncan said.
Just as he did on another postseason night, four years earlier. This time, the Spurs made it hold up.
[email protected]
LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042008.01C.BKNspurs.suns.gamer1.3815844.html
Web Posted: 04/19/2008 10:34 PM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
Their Western Conference first-round game against Phoenix was hanging in the balance Saturday afternoon, when the Spurs accidentally turned to Tim Duncan for three.
What Duncan remembered most immediately afterward was time standing still.
"I had all the time in the world to line it up," Duncan said. "I just threw it up there and hoped for the best."
Duncan got the best, sending Saturday's thriller sprawling into a second overtime from which the Spurs would emerge, white-knuckled and nauseous, with a 117-115 Game 1 victory.
The shot echoed a previous Duncan prayer, launched four years earlier not far from the same spot on the AT&T Center floor. It was not unlike the one he floated over Shaquille O'Neal in the 2004 conference semifinals, with one notable exception.
This time, Duncan's heroics would still be remembered the morning after.
Manu Ginobili made sure of that, driving for a layup over Raja Bell with 1.8 seconds left in the second OT to — finally — put an end to 31/2-hour thrill ride that couldn't have been good for anybody's blood pressure.
Duncan finished with 40 points, one shy of his career postseason high. His best came in Game 7 of the 2006 conference finals against Dallas — a game the Spurs lost.
"It doesn't matter how many points I score, if we go out there and they get the edge over us," Duncan said. "It's just great to get the victory whether I score 40 or I score two."
Duncan's biggest points came on his first 3-pointer of the season, a deep jumper from beyond the right arc that the Suns never could have seen coming.
It might have been the biggest postseason basket of Duncan's career. In 2004, it took the Lakers' Derek Fisher all of 0.4 seconds to erase his second-biggest.
This time, the Spurs held on to make Duncan's basket count.
It was an easy-does-it-victory for the Spurs. All it took was a double-digit comeback, game-saving 3-pointers from Michael Finley and (against all odds) Duncan, and one last Ginobili kamikaze drive.
The series resumes Tuesday, assuming the participants' vital signs have returned to normal.
"That's enough to kill you if you play every game like that," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Duncan added 15 rebounds to supplement his first 40-point effort in nearly two years, while Ginobili had 19 of his 24 points after halftime. Shaking off an early bump to the head, Tony Parker had 26 for the Spurs before fouling out in the second OT.
Amare Stoudemire had 33 points to lead the Suns, but did not play in the second overtime after he fouled out. Foul trouble was an issue for Phoenix, which saw its top three big men — Stoudemire, O'Neal and Boris Diaw — saddled with it.
For this, O'Neal blames the Spurs.
"The floppers prevailed today," he said, adding this suggestion: "Hopefully, those guys will compete rather than just fall down."
The Spurs trailed for all of the first three quarters, by 16 points in the first half and by three late in regulation.
Finley was the first to play Spurs savior. His 3-pointer with 15.1 seconds left in regulation forced OT No. 1.
Then, it was Duncan's turn.
Behind 104-101, Popovich called a play that would have Kurt Thomas screen for Ginobili, who would either drive for his own shot or kick to an open man.
At the last moment, Popovich made Duncan the screener instead. Duncan was the third scoring option, but Ginobili wheeled the ball to him anyway.
"You can imagine my horror when it went that direction," Popovich said.
Moments later, the Suns were experiencing a different kind of horror. They were forced to face another overtime without their leading scorer.
"All I could think was, 'Happy Birthday, Tim,'" said Stoudemire, obviously in no mood for a party.
Duncan, who turns 32 this week, was glad for the gift.
"I just tried to get some air underneath it and see what happens," Duncan said.
Just as he did on another postseason night, four years earlier. This time, the Spurs made it hold up.
[email protected]
LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042008.01C.BKNspurs.suns.gamer1.3815844.html