Harvey: If Van Exel is another Horry: Deep in daring

Buck Harvey: If Van Exel is another Horry: Deep in daring
Web Posted: 10/04/2005 12:00 AM CDT

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...y.d600abc.html

San Antonio Express-News

Robert Horry knows Nick Van Exel, and not just because they were once Lakers teammates.

Horry knows Van Exel because Horry is Van Exel. Horry says he, too, could have reacted badly to losing situations as Van Exel did at times. "Because I once did," Horry said Monday.

But the comparison goes beyond that. This is about how athletes react to tension, and how some don't mind, and how Horry threw in the shot that changed last season.

Van Exel, Horry says, can do the same.

Van Exel and Horry were just two of the bodies who drifted through a San Antonio hotel Monday on their way to the Virgin Islands. Some of the others were taller, most were younger — and as a group they were as impressive as any the Spurs have ever had.

Three centers, three point guards, two Argentines, two ex-Mavericks and one Tim Duncan. The Spurs are loaded, with more depth than they've ever had, and the power is so undeniable that Gregg Popovich admits to all of it.

But, in October, it's just promise. As Duncan said when asked how the Spurs looked on paper, "Paper doesn't mean anything."

Popovich naturally agrees. "The same, important stuff will determine if we win," he said. "If the big boys step up, if you are healthy, if everyone accepts their roles, if our defense is solid, if we get a few breaks."

The Spurs got some breaks last year. Every playoff series came down to a sequence or two, whether in overtime against Denver or a Duncan shot that eliminated Seattle.

"And we really kicked Detroit's rear end, didn't we?" Popovich said sarcastically.

Still, this depth is different than anything Popovich has ever had. He says he's daydreamed this summer about the possibilities, and one idea is this: Instead of shaving minutes here or there, he might sit players for an entire game in back-to-back situations.

Why not give Manu Ginobili a night off, for example, if he's wearing down? Popovich will have that luxury, since his second team (Horry, Van Exel, Michael Finley, Rasho Nesterovic and Brent Barry) would make for a serviceable first.

But Popovich won't be merely inserting talented pieces. He will be finding big moments for guys who have had them.

Horry says last year's group will feel even more confident this year because, he says, "What we did carries over." Horry lived that when he repeated once with the Rockets and twice with the Lakers.

But not even those Lakers added players such as Van Exel and Finley, and this is what excites Horry. "They will fit perfectly," he said.

Finley already impresses. In workouts the past week, he's made shots and an impression.

Van Exel arrived later and with a less solid resume. He could push a ref, yell at a coach, act like a quitter. As one West Coast columnist said recently, Van Exel can be a con man, too.

But Horry sees it like this: Van Exel often played for losing teams, and losing brought out the worst. Horry suspects he might have been the same, but he was lucky to end up on three franchises that won titles.

The one time Horry didn't? Then, in Phoenix, Horry threw a towel at his coach during a game, and he was soon traded. "Sometimes guys react like that," he said, "because of their competitive fires."

He sees Van Exel as the same, albeit with one difference. "Nick," said Horry, "has even bigger turnips than I do."

Horry didn't actually use the word "turnips," but that term plays better in a newspaper.

When told what Horry said, Van Exel didn't raise an eyebrow. "Robert has hit bigger shots," Van Exel said, "but he's been in bigger games."

Bigger games. That's what Van Exel and Finley came to San Antonio for. And Van Exel says he can't wait. "Me and Fin," he said, "we're going to fill a void."

If Van Exel is healthy, he will make a Clippers game in February easier. Then he will shoot 9 for 11, turning a close game into a rout, and Popovich's job will be to limit the 3 for 11s.

And in May or June? When Ginobili turns the corner, and the defense collapses on Duncan, and the clock ticks down?

Then Horry says there will be two of him on the court.

And that's depth.

yup
that's depth.

I hope NVE will be healthy for the playoffs

I can't wait to see their roles in the Spurs (finley, nick and brent).
Interesting season.

The whole team seems to be a people in a mission.
One goal, one team, 4th .........

One thing better then Robert Horry in that down to the wire play..... is two Robert Horry's.

nice article.

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"Nick," said Horry, "has even bigger turnips than I do."

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damn......

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He sees Van Exel as the same, albeit with one difference. "Nick," said Horry, "has even bigger turnips than I do."

Horry didn't actually use the word "turnips," but that term plays better in a newspaper.

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:lol thats great

I still can't believe this team.... they're adding 2 sixth man of the year candidates to a team on pace for 65 wins before the Duncan injury. I think the people predicting 58-62 win seasons are seriously underestimating just how devastating of a team this is. This isn't the 2004 Lakers with a done Gary Payton, a declining Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone on his last legs, and Kobe Bryant out of shape from a summer spent on the other court. This is a team whose top 3 are in their primes, with ridiculous depth at every position with proven winners.

The Spurs 2 biggest weaknesses have been answered in spectacular fashion: solid backup PG play for games when Parker is off, and bench scoring with Finley... and I don't think Pop will let them get cocky about it either. This is the roster we've been dreaming for years about.

One big thing I am looking foward to with Van Exel and Finley, is making those random road games against average teams that little bit easier. Both of those guys are capable of having 15pt quarters to get the team out of a little offensive rut that our Spurs sometimes find themselves in. NVE and Fin should make things so much easier in so many different ways, I can not wait.

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

I still can't believe this team.... they're adding 2 sixth man of the year candidates to a team on pace for 65 wins before the Duncan injury. I think the people predicting 58-62 win seasons are seriously underestimating just how devastating of a team this is. This isn't the 2004 Lakers with a done Gary Payton, a declining Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone on his last legs, and Kobe Bryant out of shape from a summer spent on the other court. This is a team whose top 3 are in their primes, with ridiculous depth at every position with proven winners.

The Spurs 2 biggest weaknesses have been answered in spectacular fashion: solid backup PG play for games when Parker is off, and bench scoring with Finley... and I don't think Pop will let them get cocky about it either. This is the roster we've been dreaming for years about.

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Very well said. I agree alot of people are greatly underestimating what this team can do, and as you pointed out all they have to do is look what the team was on track for last season before Duncan got injured. Ohh what could have been, and even better, what could be this coming season.

Im not going to come out and say Spurs will break 70 wins but anyone who thinks its not possible is seriously diluding themselves.

Of course, it all will boil down to how well the team gels. Knowing Pop, Spurs fans are in for a surreal and blissfull season, probably the likes of which will never be matched again within the Spurs franchise.



(ok, maybe Im taking it a litte to far but I can dream dammit!!! :lol )

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Three centers, three point guards, two Argentines, two ex-Mavericks and one Tim Duncan.

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i am straight up loving that right there....they should make that line their banner on thier website

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Still, this depth is different than anything Popovich has ever had. He says he's daydreamed this summer about the possibilities, and one idea is this: Instead of shaving minutes here or there, he might sit players for an entire game in back-to-back situations.

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that is the answer, give manu 65 games max

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

I still can't believe this team.... they're adding 2 sixth man of the year candidates to a team on pace for 65 wins before the Duncan injury. I think the people predicting 58-62 win seasons are seriously underestimating just how devastating of a team this is. This isn't the 2004 Lakers with a done Gary Payton, a declining Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone on his last legs, and Kobe Bryant out of shape from a summer spent on the other court. This is a team whose top 3 are in their primes, with ridiculous depth at every position with proven winners.

The Spurs 2 biggest weaknesses have been answered in spectacular fashion: solid backup PG play for games when Parker is off, and bench scoring with Finley... and I don't think Pop will let them get cocky about it either. This is the roster we've been dreaming for years about.

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Indeed.

All that without mentioning a fully rested Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili along with Nazr Mohammed, Brent Barry and Beno Udrih getting experience in the Spurs system in the best possible way, a championship run. Also, we must not forget the addition of Oberto, the guy could be a real nice piece and from what we hear about his passing skills, could really compliment the offensive minded players on our team.

Right now feels such a long way away from the 2001-2002 squad :hat

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three centers, three point guards, two Argentines, two ex-Mavericks and one Tim Duncan.

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Forget a banner, that should be one of Mouses signature quotes for the season :lol

I found myself humming "on the first day of Christmas" to that list. :spin

BB,

I want to agree with you and for the most part I do. But that being said, I'm giong to want to see it in action before I call this my Spurs dream team.

God I can't wait for the season to start though.

One other point: Everybody's saying how much Finley's been declining. Yes, his stats were down a bit from the year before, but they were also trying to integrate both Jason Terry and Stackhouse into the mix for perimeter shooting. The guy's only what, 32? He has plenty of burn left in him. That's easily within the prime of an athlete in this sport.

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Originally Posted by MannyIsGod

BB,

I want to agree with you and for the most part I do. But that being said, I'm giong to want to see it in action before I call this my Spurs dream team.

God I can't wait for the season to start though.

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You saw it in action last year. This isn't the 2004 Lakers overturning their roster after a humiliating loss. This is the champs, plugging their two weakest (and only) holes while only losing one rotation player whose replacement is better in every imaginable way on the floor.

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

You saw it in action last year. This isn't the 2004 Lakers overturning their roster after a humiliating loss. This is the champs, plugging their two weakest (and only) holes while only losing one rotation player whose replacement is better in every imaginable way on the floor.

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I still cant understand why people compare this team to the 2004 Lakers, even if they unknowingly do so.

BB is right, this is NOTHING like the 2004 Lakers.

Last year Spurs where kit from Knight Rider, we had all the gizmo's and doodads and our turbo boost (Tim Duncan) barely got us through the episode.

This year, we are Kit on steroids, a full compliment of Nuclear warheads and weapons of mass distruction complete with an attitude to use them without remourse and pissed off at every sears autocenter for treating us like crap!!

(ok, maybe I actually started talking about my car with that last part there but you get the idea)

This is last years Spurs team with bigger guns and more ammunition. :devil

"his stats were down a bit from the year before"

It was said last spring that Fin's stats have been declining for the past 5 years. But his "stat" is just his PPG, since he really doesn't do much else. He's a scorer, but Dallas/Nelson probably didn't demand much more from him. He could be a different player from the Spurs putting different demands on him.

their is too side to me for depth and the second one is not discussed, but it is a coach DREAM:

when your second units is so strong that it makes your first work Harder than ever and improve. player like parker should really benefit from this. and so does the teajm chemistry. they will be tough!

"makes your first work Harder"

In theory, yes, but when everybody talks about how long and exhausting is the season, I expect challenging practice scrimmages occur less and less as the season advances, for fear of injury, and to give the rotation every opportunity to rest, rather than work harder outside of the games.

but this is a two headed monster: you can work harder to start the season anad after your players so not need to play 82 games.

for me it is a win-win. the player turnover is really common in soccer in europe. teams are resting their best player for the euro champions cup when they play in national leagues.

spurs mission - the rich get richer :D:D

If only Holt Cat weren't such a cheap SOB we could have filled out our bench with some players this summer[/Marcus Bryant]

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Why not give Manu Ginobili a night off, for example, if he's wearing down? Popovich will have that luxury, since his second team (Horry, Van Exel, Michael Finley, Rasho Nesterovic and Brent Barry) would make for a serviceable first.

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Y'all probably missed it in the new CBA but there's a rule in there now that you can't mention Rasho in an article without having the word "serviceable" in the same sentence. Weird.

This feels somewhat like last summer...when we got Brent. We all thought our prayers had been answered and there would be no stopping us. But unfortunately Brent took longer to adjust than really expected. I'm not saying that Fin and NVE won't be the missing pieces to our puzzle or that they'll take too long to adjust like Brent did, but I'd rather wait and see everyone in action before I give them more than a 62 win season.

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Originally Posted by Ginofan

This feels somewhat like last summer...when we got Brent. We all thought our prayers had been answered and there would be no stopping us. But unfortunately Brent took longer to adjust than really expected. I'm not saying that Fin and NVE won't be the missing pieces to our puzzle or that they'll take too long to adjust like Brent did, but I'd rather wait and see everyone in action before I give them more than a 62 win season.

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There was no stopping us until Tim went down. 50 of the first 65, man. After Tim came back from injury the team squeaked out a title, but until his injury they were absolutely destroying the league.

Yeah - we were 43-13 and then went 16-10 to end the season after Duncan's injury. Lets say we'd have gone 21-5 instead of 16-10 with Duncan not injured - thatd be 64 wins right there. I dont see why people are underestimating this team.

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Originally Posted by grjr

Y'all probably missed it in the new CBA but there's a rule in there now that you can't mention Rasho in an article without having the word "serviceable" in the same sentence. Weird.

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:lol

"Well, I certainly find him servicable . . . " --angel luv

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Originally Posted by ShoogarBear

:lol

"Well, I certainly find him servicable . . . " --angel luv

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:lol

By the way, I've changed my avatar in honor of this article.

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Originally Posted by Summers

:lol

By the way, I've changed my avatar in honor of this article.

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:lol I was wondering what the hell that was about.


Carie