Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
LOS ANGELES — Swept up by UCLA's comeback against Gonzaga on Thursday, Tony Parker didn't even notice Golden State pulled off its own improbable victory over Dallas.
The next morning, Parker flipped on ESPN to see Warriors guard Jason Richardson spin through two defenders and hit a last-second 3-pointer to beat the Mavericks. As a result, the Spurs temporarily reclaimed the Western Conference lead.
"I couldn't believe they lost," Parker said of the Mavericks. "But we can't count on them losing. We have to take care of our part and win games."
As Sunday night proved, that isn't always easy to do. Seattle guard Ray Allen negated Richardson's gift by burying a 25-footer with 5.4 seconds left to give the Sonics a 106-102 victory.
The Spurs' second loss in three games dropped them into a tie with Dallas. It also was a rare time when fatigue couldn't be cited: Not since Feb.15 had the team lost when given the previous day to rest.
"It would be different if we had played good (defense) and did the things we were supposed to do," Robert Horry said. "But when you lose a game that you thought you had in your hands ... that's the frustrating part."
And the Spurs still have to play the Los Angeles Clippers tonight and the Lakers on Thursday before returning home. Both teams beat the Spurs earlier this month, and both could be possible first-round playoff opponents.
The Spurs aren't sure whether they will take the court tonight without Parker for the first time. Parker, still sore Monday after suffering a right shin contusion when he was kicked by Sonics center Robert Swift, will be re-evaluated this morning.
The Spurs also are awaiting word whether the NBA will take further action against Bruce Bowen, who kicked Allen in the back when both were on the ground in Sunday's second quarter. A league spokesman said Monday evening the incident was being reviewed.
Bowen received a technical, but Allen and some teammates complained he should have been ejected. Allen said Bowen deserves to be fined and called the play "dirty basketball."
Regardless of who plays tonight, the Spurs know they'll need to defend better than they have. In the past 12 games, Spurs' opponents have shot an average of 47.2 percent from the field. That includes the Clippers, who shot 52.1 percent when they beat the Spurs at the Staples Center on March7.
After holding Seattle to 42 points in Sunday's first half, the Spurs surrendered 64 points on 59.5 percent shooting in the final two quarters. The 10 3-pointers the Sonics made were a season high for a Spurs opponent.
The Spurs regrouped long enough to erase a seven-point deficit in the final 2:30 by forcing four turnovers and two missed shots.
They twice stopped the Sonics on critical possessions before Allen made the winning 3-pointer. Horry intercepted Luke Ridnour's pass but stepped out of bounds when a timeout likely would have preserved the victory. Manu Ginobili also blocked Allen's layup attempt out of bounds with 13.8 seconds left.
"As bad as we played, in the last minute we got stops at crucial times," Bowen said. "If we had that at ude early on in the game, maybe it doesn't turn out the way it did.
"I think it's not sticking to the concentration that, hey, this is what gets it done for us. We can't lose sight of that."
Although Seattle is one of the league's worst rebounding teams, the Spurs managed only 27 rebounds, matching the season low they set two games earlier against Denver. Three weeks ago, the Clippers outrebounded them 40-28.
"There have been stretches where we've really been able to stop people, and then there are halves like Sunday," Tim Duncan said. "We're just inconsistent.
"Whether that be basics or focus, we just have to get back to the point where we're (defending) right over a longer period of time than we have been."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...s.d5d917d.html
Does Johnny Ludden come in here?? I posted this after the Seattle loss.
Yeah excactly.
Where is the defense? nad fricking rebounding?
Spurs thought they outrebounded Pho they can outrebound just like that other teams? The rebounds is the critical thing. And spurs seem to have trouble without them. All season they were incosistent.
We need a force inside when the playffs comes
As Justin Timberlake said, "CRY ME A RIVER"Bowen received a technical, but Allen and some teammates complained he should have been ejected. Allen said Bowen deserves to be fined and called the play "dirty basketball."
yeah?
I hear all over that Bowen is dirty, he is an idiot , a re who always want to ijure his rivals....
I know this has nothing to do with Nazr Mohammed starting....In the past 12 games, Spurs' opponents have shot an average of 47.2 percent from the field. That includes the Clippers, who shot 52.1 percent when they beat the Spurs at the Staples Center on March7.
Will finally be reviewed AFTER the Clips game - Bowen sits for Kobe.The Spurs also are awaiting word whether the NBA will take further action against Bruce Bowen, who kicked Allen in the back when both were on the ground in Sunday's second quarter. A league spokesman said Monday evening the incident was being reviewed.
Basically it appears to me that the Spurs decided to sacrifice Rasho's defense for Nazr's rebounding. I asked back then how it would work? How successful would it be as a tactic to have Nazr mostly stand there waiting for rebounds without the same kind of defense you get from Rasho. Pop seems to have followed a strategy of inserting Rasho only when the opponent's center is SCORING alot- like the last Lakers game, NO, Houston, ... but leaving Nazr if that center in not a scoring threat. The only thing- Rasho helps to stop other people besides the center score. He challenges more shots in the paint and is still the best big when it comes to guarding a pick-n-roll. People do not realize how much of the defensive presence Rasho was bringing, especially given Tim's foot. Tim has not been able to slide over and cover for Nazr's poor rotations like last year in the playoffs. And just for arguements sake, even with Nazr starting, we have still been outrebounded half of those games.
Horrible rebounding all year,
bad paint defense,
mental errors (eg: @Sonics)
defense already "gone fishin" IN MARCH !
It really sounds like the Spurs don't have the desire and fire to repeat.
Red Auerbach said they wouldn't.
It looks to like if the W comes easy, fine, Spurs'll take it.
If the W is a little hard go get, it.
This is clearly a season where the Spurs will have to turn it on in the playoffs since we aren't seeing much right now.
Too much coasting is costing us games we are meant to win, but fall short of the W.
I swear i hate this lotter bound teams who are not playin for playoff spots, why dont they just forfeit the games and try get a better lottery pick
If we lose our first game in the playoffs, expect pop to start pushin the buttons and thats when the spurs will show them whose ya daddy bball.
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