duncan228
05-03-2008, 02:29 PM
http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-37/1209792085137960.xml&coll=1
Spurs buoyed by playoff experience
Whether it'll be big advantage vs. N.O. is question of the series Saturday
By Dan McCarney
SAN ANTONIO -- Young or old, age is just a number.
That was the argument San Antonio Spurs sixth man Manu Ginobili tried to make when asked to evaluate his veteran-laden team and their second-round opponent, the comparatively callow Hornets.
Yet even as he complimented Chris Paul and company on their supply of fresh legs -- a luxury the grizzled Spurs can only dream of -- Ginobili noted that there are other ways to win basketball games.
"We both have different strengths and weaknesses," he said. "It's not like Peja (Stojakovic) hasn't been through a lot of the same things I have. But as a team, they're probably kind of young. So we'll see if that turns into a big advantage for us."
Of the many factors involved in this second-round series, which tips off tonight at the New Orleans Arena, few will bear closer scrutiny than the vast discrepancy in playoff experience between the two teams.
The Hornets had little trouble navigating a similar mismatch in the opening round, dispatching Finals veterans Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd and their Dallas Mavericks teammates in five games.
San Antonio, however, promises to be an entirely different challenge.
Seeking their fifth championship in 10 seasons, the Spurs are defined as much by their veteran savvy as Tim Duncan's bank shot or Ginobili's winding drives through the lane.
Their 12-man roster has combined to play in 1,036 playoff games, by far the highest figure in the league. In comparison, Hornets players have appeared in 242 postseason games.
San Antonio's experience stretches far beyond the NBA.
Point guard Tony Parker drew his first professional paycheck at 16 in his native France.
Ginobili, a two-time Italian League MVP, spent four seasons dodging batteries and heated coins in Europe before coming to San Antonio.
Duncan, the top pick in the 1998 draft, was the last No. 1 selection to play four college seasons.
"We've been in every situation possible," Ginobili said.
And they aren't even the most seasoned player on the team.
Robert Horry, San Antonio's resident graybeard at 37, has played in more playoff games than any player except Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. With five more appearances, Horry will sit atop the list at 238.
"That's something I take a lot of pride in," said Horry, a member of seven championship teams -- two with the Houston Rockets, two with the Spurs and three with the Los Angeles Lakers.
While not good enough to guarantee victory -- "You still have to make shots, play good defense, play with concentration," Ginobili said -- San Antonio's experience manifests itself in numerous ways.
The Spurs boast a 27-18 road record in the postseason since 2003, a testament to their ability to block out distractions and succeed in hostile arenas.
As their trophy case proves, they've also become masters in the art of disciplined, grind-it-out playoff basketball.
"There's no substitute for experience," said Duncan, who has played in 143 playoff games. "Guys don't panic. We execute, we make the right plays, and we take the right shots."
Such grace under pressure is a primary reason the Spurs were able to pull themselves out of 16- and 14-point deficits in Games 1 and 2 against the Phoenix Suns.
"We fell behind, but we didn't get desperate," Ginobili said. "We kept digging. Those are things that result from experience."
And that, far more than any strategic preference, is the biggest difference between the two teams.
"We're going to try to use it to our advantage," Ginobili said.
GINOBLI HOBBLED: As Parker struggles with various aches and pains, Ginobili has spent the past week dealing with what he described as a "jammed" left ankle.
He said he aggravated the injury during San Antonio's Game 2 victory over Phoenix in the first round on April 22. His production dropped steadily as the series wore on, from 29 points in Game 2 to eight in Game 5.
"It could be better," said Ginobili, who sat out three late regular-season games with an unrelated groin strain. "It's still not healed. It's something that concerns me, but hopefully in 24 hours, it'll get better. It's not something that's painful during the day. It limits me because I can't push off."
As part of his treatment, Ginobili wore an unusual blue tape job on his calf during workouts Wednesday and Thursday. Not even he understood how the spidery pattern was designed to work.
"Who knows?" he said. "It's supposed to help the ankle. Whatever they tell me to do, I do it. I just want to play."
Hornets-Spurs playoff experience comparison, D-9
Spurs buoyed by playoff experience
Whether it'll be big advantage vs. N.O. is question of the series Saturday
By Dan McCarney
SAN ANTONIO -- Young or old, age is just a number.
That was the argument San Antonio Spurs sixth man Manu Ginobili tried to make when asked to evaluate his veteran-laden team and their second-round opponent, the comparatively callow Hornets.
Yet even as he complimented Chris Paul and company on their supply of fresh legs -- a luxury the grizzled Spurs can only dream of -- Ginobili noted that there are other ways to win basketball games.
"We both have different strengths and weaknesses," he said. "It's not like Peja (Stojakovic) hasn't been through a lot of the same things I have. But as a team, they're probably kind of young. So we'll see if that turns into a big advantage for us."
Of the many factors involved in this second-round series, which tips off tonight at the New Orleans Arena, few will bear closer scrutiny than the vast discrepancy in playoff experience between the two teams.
The Hornets had little trouble navigating a similar mismatch in the opening round, dispatching Finals veterans Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd and their Dallas Mavericks teammates in five games.
San Antonio, however, promises to be an entirely different challenge.
Seeking their fifth championship in 10 seasons, the Spurs are defined as much by their veteran savvy as Tim Duncan's bank shot or Ginobili's winding drives through the lane.
Their 12-man roster has combined to play in 1,036 playoff games, by far the highest figure in the league. In comparison, Hornets players have appeared in 242 postseason games.
San Antonio's experience stretches far beyond the NBA.
Point guard Tony Parker drew his first professional paycheck at 16 in his native France.
Ginobili, a two-time Italian League MVP, spent four seasons dodging batteries and heated coins in Europe before coming to San Antonio.
Duncan, the top pick in the 1998 draft, was the last No. 1 selection to play four college seasons.
"We've been in every situation possible," Ginobili said.
And they aren't even the most seasoned player on the team.
Robert Horry, San Antonio's resident graybeard at 37, has played in more playoff games than any player except Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. With five more appearances, Horry will sit atop the list at 238.
"That's something I take a lot of pride in," said Horry, a member of seven championship teams -- two with the Houston Rockets, two with the Spurs and three with the Los Angeles Lakers.
While not good enough to guarantee victory -- "You still have to make shots, play good defense, play with concentration," Ginobili said -- San Antonio's experience manifests itself in numerous ways.
The Spurs boast a 27-18 road record in the postseason since 2003, a testament to their ability to block out distractions and succeed in hostile arenas.
As their trophy case proves, they've also become masters in the art of disciplined, grind-it-out playoff basketball.
"There's no substitute for experience," said Duncan, who has played in 143 playoff games. "Guys don't panic. We execute, we make the right plays, and we take the right shots."
Such grace under pressure is a primary reason the Spurs were able to pull themselves out of 16- and 14-point deficits in Games 1 and 2 against the Phoenix Suns.
"We fell behind, but we didn't get desperate," Ginobili said. "We kept digging. Those are things that result from experience."
And that, far more than any strategic preference, is the biggest difference between the two teams.
"We're going to try to use it to our advantage," Ginobili said.
GINOBLI HOBBLED: As Parker struggles with various aches and pains, Ginobili has spent the past week dealing with what he described as a "jammed" left ankle.
He said he aggravated the injury during San Antonio's Game 2 victory over Phoenix in the first round on April 22. His production dropped steadily as the series wore on, from 29 points in Game 2 to eight in Game 5.
"It could be better," said Ginobili, who sat out three late regular-season games with an unrelated groin strain. "It's still not healed. It's something that concerns me, but hopefully in 24 hours, it'll get better. It's not something that's painful during the day. It limits me because I can't push off."
As part of his treatment, Ginobili wore an unusual blue tape job on his calf during workouts Wednesday and Thursday. Not even he understood how the spidery pattern was designed to work.
"Who knows?" he said. "It's supposed to help the ankle. Whatever they tell me to do, I do it. I just want to play."
Hornets-Spurs playoff experience comparison, D-9