Monroe: For Spurs, home is where the heartache is

[duncan228]

For Spurs, home is where the heartache is
Mike Monroe

Tim Duncan never has seen this, so it's not surprising he doesn't know quite how to explain what has made the Spurs so vulnerable on their home court this season.

The last time the Spurs lost three straight, their home court was the Alamodome and Duncan was college Player of the Year at Wake Forest.

Then, consecutive homecourt losses to Portland, Seattle, Phoenix and Houston were part of a six-game losing streak that closed out the 1996-97 season and enhanced the Spurs' chances in the Duncan draft lottery.

Now, Duncan ponders why even a solid defensive strategy against Chicago backfires and keeps the losses coming at the AT&T Center, where the Spurs have dropped the first three of a six-game homestand some players had declared vital.

The book on defending the Bulls is simple: Make one of the East's most athletic young teams beat you from the perimeter. Derrick Rose is a great scorer but a mediocre perimeter shooter. Kirk Hinrich? No reason to let a clever passer penetrate and dish when he's shooting only 38 percent.

That Hinrich and Rose would make 9 of 10 first-quarter shots, all perimeter jumpers, left Duncan shaking his head.

“They're so athletic, you want them to shoot jump shots, and contest jump shots,” Duncan said after Monday's disheartening 98-93 loss.

“When they make everything and you have to open up lanes for them, that's when they get dangerous.”

This is how the season has gone for the Spurs, who awoke Tuesday sixth in the most compe ive Western Conference playoff race this century, and 11/2 games from a spot on the outside looking in.

There is panic aplenty in South Texas, where worried fans yearn for a trade before Feb. 18 to turn a season the most feckless believe already is beyond redemption.

But trades have to make sense for both teams, and NBA player personnel professionals insist the Spurs have only one truly marketable player. Trouble is, Tony Parker remains vital to the Spurs' offensive scheme. They built a big early lead over the Bulls because he played the first quarter like it was the 2007 Finals, scoring 11 with five assists.

Now plantar fasciitis makes him less tradeable, and you wonder if Gregg Popovich is ready to turn his offense over to George Hill even if he could be moved for someone not nicknamed CP3.

So the Spurs cling to what Popovich calls “the process” and count on adherence to his defensive principles to turn future tight games into wins capable of feeding belief.

Monday's blown opportunity hurt more than most because the Spurs showed defensive dedication missing from losses last week.

“Pills are easier to swallow when you've got a little something to go with it,” Duncan said. “That ‘W' would help our confidence, help us start to believe in what we're doing. We're playing hard, we're fighting hard. Things just aren't going our way.”

Only 15 home games remain for the Spurs, beginning with tonight's matchup against one of the East's best, athletic and (mostly) young Atlanta. The eight-game rodeo road trip looms. Only two of 11 February games will be at the AT&T Center.

That could be a blessing for the Spurs, who seem to get every visitor's best shot. Only six contributing Spurs remain from the team that won the 2007 NBA le, but the Bulls celebrated in the locker room Monday as if they had beaten the Lakers in the Staples Center.

[Kori Ellis]

But trades have to make sense for both teams, and NBA player personnel professionals insist the Spurs have only one truly marketable player.

It's dumb to think that Tony is the only marketable trading piece. Manu is really marketable because of his expiring contract. That said, I hope they both stay with the team until they retire.

[spurtilldeath]

This guy doesnt deserve his job. He just writes non-sense when it comes to content.

[DesignatedT]

parker isnt/shouldnt go anywhere. ing stupid article once again.