duncan228
05-16-2008, 01:33 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA051608.05D.BKNspurs.udoka.1053df734.html
Udoka comes through in role of sixth man
By Mike Monroe
Bruce Bowen was deep into a discussion of the defensive work by Spurs teammate, Ime Udoka, during the Spurs’ 99-80 victory over the Hornets in Game 6 when assistant coach Brett Brown leaned in to whisper a pointed question.
“How many points did Peja score in the second half?” Brown asked, with no need to be told the answer.
Bowen rolled his eyes and smiled.
“He knows it was zero, or he never would have stuck his head in here to interrupt an interview,” Bowen said.
It was Brown’s way of bragging about Bowen while needling him, just a bit. Bowen had shared the defensive matchup on Stojakovic with Udoka in the second half after the Hornets’ forward torched the Spurs for 13 points in the first two quarters.
Udoka’s ability to hold Stojakovic in check in the second half allowed Bowen to spent more time defending Hornets point guard Chris Paul. Indeed, Udoka’s ability to handle bigger forwards was the biggest reason the Spurs signed him as a free agent last summer.
What nobody expected was that Udoka would become the Spurs’ most consistent scorer off the bench in this series after Spurs coach Gregg Popovich put Manu Ginobili back in the starting lineup after Game 2.
Udoka continued his torrid shooting in Game 6. He was perfect on five shots, including three from 3-point range, scoring 13 points. In the past three games he has made nine of 12 3-pointers and scored 37 points.
“He gave us a great lift, making big shots to get a lead of six to 10 points,” said Ginobili, who earned the NBA’s Sixth Man Award for giving the Spurs a lift off the bench for most of the regular season. “Then, defensively he was very steady, solid. He played great defense. He was a great contributor today.”
In fact, Udoka was the Spurs’ sixth man in Game 6. He was the first reserve to enter the game, replacing Bowen with 6:19 left in the first period after Stojakovic had scored seven of the Hornets’ first 15 points.
It was in the third period, though, that he put his imprint on the game. Entering the game with 4:44 left in the quarter and the Spurs ahead by eight, he ended a 21/2 minute Spurs drought with his second 3-pointer of the game.
Then, after the Hornets got a fast break rolling after a Tim Duncan miss, he sprinted back to block Jannero Pargo’s layup with 52 seconds left in the period. The block started a Spurs fast break that Duncan finished off with a layin, pushing the Spurs’ lead to 15 points.
“Whatever can help contribute, I do,” Udoka said. “Hustle plays like that contribute, but also knocking down shots takes pressure off guys.”
Popovich understood fully how much Udoka had contributed to a vital Spurs victory.
“Our best players played well and were supported by the bench,” Popovich said. “Ime was one of those guys. If you gain off the bench and not lose, it adds a lot. He played well at both ends of the floor.”
Udoka comes through in role of sixth man
By Mike Monroe
Bruce Bowen was deep into a discussion of the defensive work by Spurs teammate, Ime Udoka, during the Spurs’ 99-80 victory over the Hornets in Game 6 when assistant coach Brett Brown leaned in to whisper a pointed question.
“How many points did Peja score in the second half?” Brown asked, with no need to be told the answer.
Bowen rolled his eyes and smiled.
“He knows it was zero, or he never would have stuck his head in here to interrupt an interview,” Bowen said.
It was Brown’s way of bragging about Bowen while needling him, just a bit. Bowen had shared the defensive matchup on Stojakovic with Udoka in the second half after the Hornets’ forward torched the Spurs for 13 points in the first two quarters.
Udoka’s ability to hold Stojakovic in check in the second half allowed Bowen to spent more time defending Hornets point guard Chris Paul. Indeed, Udoka’s ability to handle bigger forwards was the biggest reason the Spurs signed him as a free agent last summer.
What nobody expected was that Udoka would become the Spurs’ most consistent scorer off the bench in this series after Spurs coach Gregg Popovich put Manu Ginobili back in the starting lineup after Game 2.
Udoka continued his torrid shooting in Game 6. He was perfect on five shots, including three from 3-point range, scoring 13 points. In the past three games he has made nine of 12 3-pointers and scored 37 points.
“He gave us a great lift, making big shots to get a lead of six to 10 points,” said Ginobili, who earned the NBA’s Sixth Man Award for giving the Spurs a lift off the bench for most of the regular season. “Then, defensively he was very steady, solid. He played great defense. He was a great contributor today.”
In fact, Udoka was the Spurs’ sixth man in Game 6. He was the first reserve to enter the game, replacing Bowen with 6:19 left in the first period after Stojakovic had scored seven of the Hornets’ first 15 points.
It was in the third period, though, that he put his imprint on the game. Entering the game with 4:44 left in the quarter and the Spurs ahead by eight, he ended a 21/2 minute Spurs drought with his second 3-pointer of the game.
Then, after the Hornets got a fast break rolling after a Tim Duncan miss, he sprinted back to block Jannero Pargo’s layup with 52 seconds left in the period. The block started a Spurs fast break that Duncan finished off with a layin, pushing the Spurs’ lead to 15 points.
“Whatever can help contribute, I do,” Udoka said. “Hustle plays like that contribute, but also knocking down shots takes pressure off guys.”
Popovich understood fully how much Udoka had contributed to a vital Spurs victory.
“Our best players played well and were supported by the bench,” Popovich said. “Ime was one of those guys. If you gain off the bench and not lose, it adds a lot. He played well at both ends of the floor.”