duncan228
05-09-2008, 01:39 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050908.01D.BKNspurs.hornets.gamer3.e1530637.ht ml
Don't write Spurs off yet
By Jeff McDonald
Early in the fourth quarter Thursday night, Manu Ginobili finally found a view he liked: Flat on his back, with Bonzi Wells on top of him, Ginobili looked up in time to see his 3-pointer swish through the net.
Jostled but joyful, Ginobili pumped both fists, providing the Kodak moment that captured the Spurs’ 110-99 victory over New Orleans in a Game 3 in the Western Conference semifinals.
Thanks in large part to their new starting shooting guard, the Spurs have picked themselves off the canvas in this series. Down 2-0 before they walked into the AT&T Center, the Spurs approached Thursday’s game as a must-win.
“Today was a Game 7,” Ginobili said, noting that no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 series deficit. “We knew if we didn’t win today, it was almost over.”
Ginobili and Tony Parker combined to make sure it wasn’t.
Ginobili, making his first start of the postseason, poured in 31 points, while Parker added 31 of his own and held ground against Chris Paul, as the Spurs outgunned the Hornets in the second half to fight their way back into the series.
Now, the Spurs have at least forced a Game 5, and ensured a return trip to New Orleans next week. In between, they face another challenge Sunday at home: It’s called Game 4.
“That’s the main thing, to get that first win,” said Parker, who added 11 assists. “Now the most important thing is the next one. That’s the hard one.”
Looking to muscle up his team’s offensive attack after two sub-par games in New Orleans, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich opted to insert Ginobili — the league’s Sixth Man of the Year — into the starting lineup in place of Michael Finley.
It worked for Ginobili, who almost doubled his average of 16 points in the series. And it worked for the Spurs, who nearly had as many points in three quarters (83) than they had in either of the first two games.
Big outings from his two starting guards played into Popovich’s formula for getting his team back into the series.
“Our stars have to play like their stars,” he said before the game.
Parker and Ginobili looked like a Chris Paul and a half. Tim Duncan had 16 points and 13 rebounds. For the Spurs, that was star power enough.
Paul, the MVP runner-up to Kobe Bryant, was brilliant with 35 points and nine assists — but was responsible for one point fewer than in Game 2, when he had 30 points and 12 assists.
Parker nearly outdueled him, while Ginobili shoved the Spurs over the top.
“Come playoff time, that’s when your stars shine, no pun intended,” Popovich said. “They’ve got to bring it.”
For the first time this series Thursday, the Spurs went into halftime behind. The Hornets led 56-54 at the break, and the Spurs had to score five points in the final 2.9 seconds to get that close.
After Bruce Bowen nailed a 3-pointer to pull the Spurs within 56-52, Mo Peterson turned it over at mid-court on a long inbounds pass. That gave the Spurs back the ball with 0.8 seconds left.
Ginobili provided the buzzer beater, sinking a fallaway jumper to send the Spurs into halftime within a basket.
For Ginobili, it was hint of things to come.
“They’ve got pride,” New Orleans’ Tyson Chandler said. “They’re the defending champs and they came out and played their game with their back to the wall.”
The second half brought more change from Games 1 and 2, and this wasn’t a good development for the Hornets.
Outscored by 30 points in two previous third quarters, the Spurs won that frame 29-22.
The Spurs seized control early in the fourth with a Ginobili-fueled surge that included a four-point play, a 3-pointer on the Spurs’ next possession and a slick assist to Parker for a layup.
By the time Parker hit a pull-up jumper with 6:25 to go, the Spurs were ahead 10.
This was the Ginobili that had carried the Spurs in their last victory over New Orleans — a 99-89 affair in February in which he had 30 points and 12 assists. This was also the Ginobili that had been absent so far in this series.
It all began with Wells on top of him. The New Orleans forward steamrolled Ginobili on a 3-point attempt, drawing a foul and a glare from coach Byron Scott.
Flat on his back, watching the ball pass through the net, Ginobili admired the view.
“The first two games, we’d get close, we’d miss big shots and they would make them,” Ginobili said. “Today it was our turn.”
Don't write Spurs off yet
By Jeff McDonald
Early in the fourth quarter Thursday night, Manu Ginobili finally found a view he liked: Flat on his back, with Bonzi Wells on top of him, Ginobili looked up in time to see his 3-pointer swish through the net.
Jostled but joyful, Ginobili pumped both fists, providing the Kodak moment that captured the Spurs’ 110-99 victory over New Orleans in a Game 3 in the Western Conference semifinals.
Thanks in large part to their new starting shooting guard, the Spurs have picked themselves off the canvas in this series. Down 2-0 before they walked into the AT&T Center, the Spurs approached Thursday’s game as a must-win.
“Today was a Game 7,” Ginobili said, noting that no team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 series deficit. “We knew if we didn’t win today, it was almost over.”
Ginobili and Tony Parker combined to make sure it wasn’t.
Ginobili, making his first start of the postseason, poured in 31 points, while Parker added 31 of his own and held ground against Chris Paul, as the Spurs outgunned the Hornets in the second half to fight their way back into the series.
Now, the Spurs have at least forced a Game 5, and ensured a return trip to New Orleans next week. In between, they face another challenge Sunday at home: It’s called Game 4.
“That’s the main thing, to get that first win,” said Parker, who added 11 assists. “Now the most important thing is the next one. That’s the hard one.”
Looking to muscle up his team’s offensive attack after two sub-par games in New Orleans, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich opted to insert Ginobili — the league’s Sixth Man of the Year — into the starting lineup in place of Michael Finley.
It worked for Ginobili, who almost doubled his average of 16 points in the series. And it worked for the Spurs, who nearly had as many points in three quarters (83) than they had in either of the first two games.
Big outings from his two starting guards played into Popovich’s formula for getting his team back into the series.
“Our stars have to play like their stars,” he said before the game.
Parker and Ginobili looked like a Chris Paul and a half. Tim Duncan had 16 points and 13 rebounds. For the Spurs, that was star power enough.
Paul, the MVP runner-up to Kobe Bryant, was brilliant with 35 points and nine assists — but was responsible for one point fewer than in Game 2, when he had 30 points and 12 assists.
Parker nearly outdueled him, while Ginobili shoved the Spurs over the top.
“Come playoff time, that’s when your stars shine, no pun intended,” Popovich said. “They’ve got to bring it.”
For the first time this series Thursday, the Spurs went into halftime behind. The Hornets led 56-54 at the break, and the Spurs had to score five points in the final 2.9 seconds to get that close.
After Bruce Bowen nailed a 3-pointer to pull the Spurs within 56-52, Mo Peterson turned it over at mid-court on a long inbounds pass. That gave the Spurs back the ball with 0.8 seconds left.
Ginobili provided the buzzer beater, sinking a fallaway jumper to send the Spurs into halftime within a basket.
For Ginobili, it was hint of things to come.
“They’ve got pride,” New Orleans’ Tyson Chandler said. “They’re the defending champs and they came out and played their game with their back to the wall.”
The second half brought more change from Games 1 and 2, and this wasn’t a good development for the Hornets.
Outscored by 30 points in two previous third quarters, the Spurs won that frame 29-22.
The Spurs seized control early in the fourth with a Ginobili-fueled surge that included a four-point play, a 3-pointer on the Spurs’ next possession and a slick assist to Parker for a layup.
By the time Parker hit a pull-up jumper with 6:25 to go, the Spurs were ahead 10.
This was the Ginobili that had carried the Spurs in their last victory over New Orleans — a 99-89 affair in February in which he had 30 points and 12 assists. This was also the Ginobili that had been absent so far in this series.
It all began with Wells on top of him. The New Orleans forward steamrolled Ginobili on a 3-point attempt, drawing a foul and a glare from coach Byron Scott.
Flat on his back, watching the ball pass through the net, Ginobili admired the view.
“The first two games, we’d get close, we’d miss big shots and they would make them,” Ginobili said. “Today it was our turn.”