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05-11-2008, 12:28 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA051108.05C.BKNspurs.horry.351a01a.html
Spurs' Horry can tie all-time mark in Game 4
By Mike Monroe
Express-News
The Spurs' reserves had just finished a full-court scrimmage Saturday intended to keep shots sharp and sweat flowing among those used sparingly, or not at all, during the first three games against New Orleans.
As Robert Horry dragged his 37-year-old frame across the practice court to retrieve a sport drink from a cooler, shooting coach Chip Engelland implored tired players to finish their beverages, then put up 50 free throws.
Horry shot Engelland a wicked glance, and the coach said: “This is just a request, guys, but I'm serious.”
One playoff appearance shy of matching Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leader in postseason games played, Horry ignored Engelland's plea and ambled toward the locker room.
After 236 postseason games, Horry understands his own body and when his shooting stroke is right.
He is ready for Game 4, he said, and eager for what could be a historic call from Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, with one caveat: When, and if, Popovich puts him in the game, the veteran from Alabama wants it to be because Popovich has a real need for what he can give the Spurs.
“I don't want him to put me in just to get (the record),” Horry said. “That would be disrespectful to Kareem.”
Indeed, Horry's play in the Spurs' eight playoff games has been spotty, at best. He entered the postseason after missing the final 13 games of the regular season. He suited up for Game 1 of the first-round series against the Suns but did not play, the first time in 234 playoff games his coach chose not to use him.
Horry has played only 55 minutes in the seven playoff games in which he has seen action this season. He logged only 54 seconds in Thursday's Game3.
What has mattered to Horry is the fact he still has found a way to make meaningful contributions.
When the Hornets turned the ball over on an inbounds pass with 2.8 seconds left in the first half Thursday, Popovich called a 20-second timeout to set up a play for the eight-tenths of a second that remained on the clock. He also put Horry in the game as the trigger man for the inbounds pass.
Horry let the play develop and found Manu Ginobili, uncovered, leading him perfectly with a pass that led to a buzzer-beating basket.
“He made a great pass on that eight-tenths-of-a-second play,” Popovich said, “and he made a great steal from (Steve) Nash down the stretch of (Game 5) of the Phoenix series to help us win it. Because he has a good, intuitive sense of the game, he seems to figure out a way to do something good.”
Horry's teammates marvel that he stands on the brink of a remarkable record.
“His career has been amazing,” Tim Duncan said. “He's been in the league and hasn't missed the playoffs yet. That's an incredible run. I know people 10 years in the league still fighting to get to the second round, and he hasn't missed it yet. Just an unbelievable feat.”
Duncan, an accomplished needler, couldn't resist a barb.
“You play as long as he does,” he said, “and it's an eventuality.”
Horry has acknowledged wanting to pass Abdul-Jabbar, mostly because doing so will reflect the success the Spurs have had since he signed a free-agent contract with the club in the summer of 2004. Should he break Abdul-Jabbar's mark in Game 5 on Tuesday, 78 of his 237 playoff games will have been played in Spurs silver and black.
Popovich credits Horry's devotion to conditioning and his ability to make smart decisions, when given the chance to choose for which team he would play, for putting him in range of Abdul-Jabbar.
“His choices of teams to go to next have been really superior, compared to most people in the league,” Popovich said. “Secondly, he's done a great job of taking care of his body. He has skills that all of us who have had him on our teams believe we need to compete in playoff basketball.
“He's had the skills and done the work and had the smarts to know where to go.”
* * *
PLAYOFF VETERANS
Leaders in career NBA postseason games played:
•Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 237
•Robert Horry 236
•Scottie Pippen 208
•Shaquille O'Neal 203
•Danny Ainge 193
•Karl Malone 193
•Magic Johnson 190
•Robert Parish 184
•Byron Scott 183
•John Stockton 182
Source: NBA.com
Spurs' Horry can tie all-time mark in Game 4
By Mike Monroe
Express-News
The Spurs' reserves had just finished a full-court scrimmage Saturday intended to keep shots sharp and sweat flowing among those used sparingly, or not at all, during the first three games against New Orleans.
As Robert Horry dragged his 37-year-old frame across the practice court to retrieve a sport drink from a cooler, shooting coach Chip Engelland implored tired players to finish their beverages, then put up 50 free throws.
Horry shot Engelland a wicked glance, and the coach said: “This is just a request, guys, but I'm serious.”
One playoff appearance shy of matching Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leader in postseason games played, Horry ignored Engelland's plea and ambled toward the locker room.
After 236 postseason games, Horry understands his own body and when his shooting stroke is right.
He is ready for Game 4, he said, and eager for what could be a historic call from Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, with one caveat: When, and if, Popovich puts him in the game, the veteran from Alabama wants it to be because Popovich has a real need for what he can give the Spurs.
“I don't want him to put me in just to get (the record),” Horry said. “That would be disrespectful to Kareem.”
Indeed, Horry's play in the Spurs' eight playoff games has been spotty, at best. He entered the postseason after missing the final 13 games of the regular season. He suited up for Game 1 of the first-round series against the Suns but did not play, the first time in 234 playoff games his coach chose not to use him.
Horry has played only 55 minutes in the seven playoff games in which he has seen action this season. He logged only 54 seconds in Thursday's Game3.
What has mattered to Horry is the fact he still has found a way to make meaningful contributions.
When the Hornets turned the ball over on an inbounds pass with 2.8 seconds left in the first half Thursday, Popovich called a 20-second timeout to set up a play for the eight-tenths of a second that remained on the clock. He also put Horry in the game as the trigger man for the inbounds pass.
Horry let the play develop and found Manu Ginobili, uncovered, leading him perfectly with a pass that led to a buzzer-beating basket.
“He made a great pass on that eight-tenths-of-a-second play,” Popovich said, “and he made a great steal from (Steve) Nash down the stretch of (Game 5) of the Phoenix series to help us win it. Because he has a good, intuitive sense of the game, he seems to figure out a way to do something good.”
Horry's teammates marvel that he stands on the brink of a remarkable record.
“His career has been amazing,” Tim Duncan said. “He's been in the league and hasn't missed the playoffs yet. That's an incredible run. I know people 10 years in the league still fighting to get to the second round, and he hasn't missed it yet. Just an unbelievable feat.”
Duncan, an accomplished needler, couldn't resist a barb.
“You play as long as he does,” he said, “and it's an eventuality.”
Horry has acknowledged wanting to pass Abdul-Jabbar, mostly because doing so will reflect the success the Spurs have had since he signed a free-agent contract with the club in the summer of 2004. Should he break Abdul-Jabbar's mark in Game 5 on Tuesday, 78 of his 237 playoff games will have been played in Spurs silver and black.
Popovich credits Horry's devotion to conditioning and his ability to make smart decisions, when given the chance to choose for which team he would play, for putting him in range of Abdul-Jabbar.
“His choices of teams to go to next have been really superior, compared to most people in the league,” Popovich said. “Secondly, he's done a great job of taking care of his body. He has skills that all of us who have had him on our teams believe we need to compete in playoff basketball.
“He's had the skills and done the work and had the smarts to know where to go.”
* * *
PLAYOFF VETERANS
Leaders in career NBA postseason games played:
•Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 237
•Robert Horry 236
•Scottie Pippen 208
•Shaquille O'Neal 203
•Danny Ainge 193
•Karl Malone 193
•Magic Johnson 190
•Robert Parish 184
•Byron Scott 183
•John Stockton 182
Source: NBA.com