ace3g
05-08-2008, 12:13 AM
Monroe: Off days give Ginobili chance to rest sore ankle
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said two days off between Games 2 and 3 has his sore left ankle feeling much better, and just in time.
Faced with an 0-2 deficit in the best-of-7 series, tonight’s Game 3 is a “must-win.”
“Tomorrow is a Game 7,” Ginobili said after Wednesday’s lengthy practice, “and we just have to treat it as if it were the last one.”
Ginobili knows the statistics are against the Spurs. In NBA history, only 13 of 211 teams that started out 0-2 in a best-of-7 series have survived the start to win the series. No NBA team has survived an 0-3 start.
“Less margin of error,” Ginobili said. “But we’ve been in the 3-3 situation, too, and that was a lot of pressure.
“We’ve never been in an 0-2 before. Not many teams come back from a situation like this, but we are going to try to do it.”
Ginobili is happy there will be another two-day break after Game 3 and then a three-day break after Game 4 if the Spurs win a game and send the series back to New Orleans.
“I’m doing much better,” Ginobili said. “Since the series has started, I start feeling a little better each game.”
Defending Paul: Spurs point guard Tony Parker said he would like a crack at defending Chris Paul, his Hornets counterpart, in tonight’s game.
He hinted that the game plan may include just that.
“Oh, definitely,” Parker said. “And maybe that’s what we’ll do next game. We’ll see. I’ll talk to Pop, and we’ll see what we do.”
Parker opened Games 1 and 2 matched up defensively against 6-foot-7 guard Morris Peterson, who made all five of his shots in Game 2. Parker, though, didn’t feel the Hornets exploited Peterson’s size advantage.
“They didn’t go at him that much,” Parker said. “They went to him two or three times. He got me one time in the post-up.”
Picking tunes: Spurs guard Brent Barry, an avid amateur guitarist, spent some off-day time in New Orleans ogling beautiful guitars in a vintage guitar shop on Tchoupitoulas Street, a few blocks from the team’s hotel.
“Of course, we need to win these two (Games 3 and 4),” Barry said. “And it will be a nice fringe benefit to get back there to buy one of those guitars. There’s a Les Paul (model) with my name on it somewhere in the Big Easy.”
Tickets remain: A club spokesperson said about 1,300 tickets for tonight’s game are available, including tickets in the lower bowl. Ticket prices range from $18 to $325. Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster locations, including select H-E-B and Macy’s stores; charge by phone at (210) 225-TEAM; or online at spurs.com.
Playoff tickets also are available at the AT&T Center Southeast Box Office, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and weekend event days only, beginning at 10 a.m.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA.050808_SpursNotes.en.dbb76dc3.html
Parker try your hardest to let Pop have you guard Paul, that way there will be no height advantages for the Hornets, and Bowen can guard Peja
.
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said two days off between Games 2 and 3 has his sore left ankle feeling much better, and just in time.
Faced with an 0-2 deficit in the best-of-7 series, tonight’s Game 3 is a “must-win.”
“Tomorrow is a Game 7,” Ginobili said after Wednesday’s lengthy practice, “and we just have to treat it as if it were the last one.”
Ginobili knows the statistics are against the Spurs. In NBA history, only 13 of 211 teams that started out 0-2 in a best-of-7 series have survived the start to win the series. No NBA team has survived an 0-3 start.
“Less margin of error,” Ginobili said. “But we’ve been in the 3-3 situation, too, and that was a lot of pressure.
“We’ve never been in an 0-2 before. Not many teams come back from a situation like this, but we are going to try to do it.”
Ginobili is happy there will be another two-day break after Game 3 and then a three-day break after Game 4 if the Spurs win a game and send the series back to New Orleans.
“I’m doing much better,” Ginobili said. “Since the series has started, I start feeling a little better each game.”
Defending Paul: Spurs point guard Tony Parker said he would like a crack at defending Chris Paul, his Hornets counterpart, in tonight’s game.
He hinted that the game plan may include just that.
“Oh, definitely,” Parker said. “And maybe that’s what we’ll do next game. We’ll see. I’ll talk to Pop, and we’ll see what we do.”
Parker opened Games 1 and 2 matched up defensively against 6-foot-7 guard Morris Peterson, who made all five of his shots in Game 2. Parker, though, didn’t feel the Hornets exploited Peterson’s size advantage.
“They didn’t go at him that much,” Parker said. “They went to him two or three times. He got me one time in the post-up.”
Picking tunes: Spurs guard Brent Barry, an avid amateur guitarist, spent some off-day time in New Orleans ogling beautiful guitars in a vintage guitar shop on Tchoupitoulas Street, a few blocks from the team’s hotel.
“Of course, we need to win these two (Games 3 and 4),” Barry said. “And it will be a nice fringe benefit to get back there to buy one of those guitars. There’s a Les Paul (model) with my name on it somewhere in the Big Easy.”
Tickets remain: A club spokesperson said about 1,300 tickets for tonight’s game are available, including tickets in the lower bowl. Ticket prices range from $18 to $325. Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster locations, including select H-E-B and Macy’s stores; charge by phone at (210) 225-TEAM; or online at spurs.com.
Playoff tickets also are available at the AT&T Center Southeast Box Office, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and weekend event days only, beginning at 10 a.m.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA.050808_SpursNotes.en.dbb76dc3.html
Parker try your hardest to let Pop have you guard Paul, that way there will be no height advantages for the Hornets, and Bowen can guard Peja
.