http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...v.36e09a6.html
Spurs seek to cure shooting ills
Jeff McDonald
Tim Duncan missed a free throw early in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, then did something curious.
Before he attempted his next one, Duncan wandered to the baseline, took the ball from an official and, from a foot away, flipped it into the basket.
Apparently, he just wanted to make sure the ball still fit through the rim.
“That's basketball for you,” Duncan said. “I felt like we had some pretty good looks at it, but the shots didn't go down for us.”
There are myriad reasons why the Spurs flew back from Los Angeles in a 2-0 hole in this series — fatigue, a blown 20-point lead in Game 1 and Kobe Bryant among them, in no particular order.
But perhaps the No. 1 reason for the Spurs' dire straights is this: Aside from Duncan's between-foul-shot freebie, they haven't been able to find a way to consistently put the ball in the basket.
The Spurs shot 37.4 percent in the first two games, made just 11 of 43 3-point attempts and averaged 78 points. They mustered just 71 points in Game 2, losing by 30 in the third-most lopsided playoff defeat of the Gregg Popovich era.
If they didn't know better, the Spurs would have left L.A. convinced the rims at the Staples Center had been pre-sealed for the Lakers' protection.
“You are not going to win a game that way,” point guard Tony Parker said.
The Spurs return to the familiar confines of the AT&T Center for a crucial Game 3 tonight, in hopes that some home cooking will cure what ails their sputtering offense.
Dating to last season, they have won 12 consecutive playoff games at home, the longest active streak in the NBA. In six home playoff games this season, the Spurs are averaging 103.3 points per game — compared to 86.7 on the road.
“Hopefully, we can go home and get a little rhythm,” Spurs reserve Robert Horry said. “Get in our comfort zone, get our fans behind us, go out and win some games.”
It has happened before.
The last time the Spurs faced a 2-0 deficit in the playoffs — 16 days ago against New Orleans — they responded with consecutive blowout victories to even the series.
After managing 84 and 82 points in Games 1 and 2 against the Hornets on the road, the Spurs scored 110 and 100 in Games 3 and 4 at home, and eventually won the series in seven games.
For this reason, the Lakers are treading lightly on their way to San Antonio, for fear the Spurs might again be playing possum.
“They missed some shorts that they are very capable of making,” Lakers guard Derek Fisher said. “We can expect all of those shots to go in Sunday.”
The Spurs' conference-finals shooting slump has been more or less a team effort. The player most roundly affected, however, has been Manu Ginobili.
The Spurs' leading scorer in the regular season, Ginobili has totaled just 17 points in the two games and made just 5 of 21 shots. He has been plagued by various nagging injuries, none of which he opts to use as an excuse.
“I just played terrible,” Ginobili said.
Popovich, meanwhile, refuses to let any one player shoulder the blame for the Spurs' scoring woes.
“I think the common denominator, the bottom line, really isn't about X's and O's,” Popovich said. “We have to have more people playing better.”
The Lakers' defense certainly deserves its share of the credit for the Spurs' slump. Dealing from a grab bag of various traps and switches, the Lakers forced the Spurs out of their offensive element in Games 1 and 2.
Still, even the Lakers know they have had help in clamping down on the Spurs.
“It's tough to hold a team to such a low score by ourselves,” Bryant said. “It has to be a combination of them not shooting the ball well, and us rotating accurately.”
For the Spurs' shooters in this postseason, there has been no place like home. They can only hope the trend continues.
“Obviously, you go home and you play in front of your home crowd, and shoot at your home baskets, and get with your family,” Duncan said. “And hopefully that changes how we put the ball up and how it goes in.”
So it's come to this for the Spurs. They are hoping a night with the wife and kids might fix their wayward shooting stroke.
At this point, any answers are welcome.
A big part of that is Fin. He needs to have more confidence and be wise in taking his shots. He is a shooter and he's been doing it all his life so he shouldnt have to build up rhythm in order to hit his shots. He needs to relax and stop thinking too damn much!
spurs missed 16 layups last game
duncan 4 tp 4
Hopefully it won't be just Eva, Parker will be penetrating sunday night
Indeed!
If you see him make that catch and shoot mid-range jumper it will be a good day. However, if you see him miss it early--time to ride the pine!
Finley needs to get going. But I'd also like to see Barry in to hit a few from behind the arc.
Playing better defense against guys like Odom, Fisher, Radmonovic, and Vuijic may also help.
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