http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.3897b3f.html
Buck Harvey: Popovich joins the crowd; as he always preached, it won't matter
Gregg Popovich has crossed over into the land of George Karl and Phil Jackson. Give him another week, and he might wad up a stat sheet, as Mike D'Antoni once did at a postgame press conference in San Antonio, and hurl it in anger.
Popovich is now referring to how many free throws the Hornets shot compared with the Spurs, and by doing so he's complaining and sending out a message.
Popovich never believed this between-game spin worked. So what changed?
Ultimately, he did.
Popovich has always felt the same frustration that Karl, Jackson and others have before. Maybe he just can't hold it in anymore.
He did two years ago, the last time the Spurs came home facing elimination. A delay-of-game call was part of that equation, too.
Bavetta stuck the Spurs with their second delay in Game 4 in Dallas, resulting in a technical foul and free throw. The Spurs were also standing at the free-throw line then, and the opponent was also shooting. Then, however, the call came with just 3:43 left in the game.
One point mattered. The Spurs lost in overtime.
Popovich was still upset about the previous loss in Dallas. Then a ref whistled a sixth foul on Tim Duncan when Dirk Nowitzki drove and stepped on Duncan's foot.
The ref was Joey Crawford.
The Spurs complained through official channels then, as they likely did this week. But publicly Popovich stopped short in 2006.
“Let me just say that some things at the end of games are in the teams' control and some things aren't in the teams' control,” Popovich said at the time. “And it's best to probably concentrate on what can be controlled by us.”
That had always been Popovich's creed. He believed in what Jerry Sloan believed, that blaming refs only provides an out for the players. Popovich won four championships this way.
Popovich has always tried to limit his players from complaining on the court, too. Earlier this season, when Manu Ginobili kept arguing with a ref, Popovich told Ginobili to shut up and sit down.
Now Ginobili is the one more upset with how the Spurs played Tuesday. He was visibly angry after the game — and not because of the calls in the third quarter.
At least Ginobili learned his lesson from earlier in the season. “We talked too much,” Ginobili said of Game 5. “We've just got to let Pop do that.”
Popovich did enough talking for all of them in New Orleans, and that's nothing new. He has worked the refs during games for a decade.
But then came Wednesday. Composed and sarcastic-free in front of a media group, Popovich sounded as he never has.
“You know, Timmy took 18 shots and shot one free throw,” he said. “They (the Hornets) shot 13 free throws in the third quarter, and we shot zero. I thought we were at the rim as much as they were. So we have got to figure out how to get to the line.”
By the standards of Karl and Jackson, that's tame. None of these words will draw a fine, nor will they make headlines across the country. Furthermore, Popovich made sure to praise the Hornets, which was always part of the previous pattern.
Still, Popovich's approach Wednesday was a dramatic departure, and, knowing Popovich, he had thought this through. He figured, this time, he would make an exception because of Crawford.
This time Duncan didn't need to hear again how he had to ignore the refs. This was Crawford, after all. Popovich likely told himself that, this one time, he would cross over.
But that just made him another guy with a gripe. Other coaches complain for the same reasons, with the same frustrations, with other refs. Popovich's pitch was remarkable only in that it was a first for him.
None of it will matter tonight. The Spurs will win if they are as smart as they were in Game 4, and if Duncan is as active and as decisive as he was then. The Spurs will win if they play defense and rebound and attack, not because of a few words said in front of cameras.
Which is what Popovich always said before.
That's a desperation move by pop. I hope they wont lose anymore mental strength for game 6.
We are experiencing the end of an era.
One of the Spurs should have just thrown the ball at Joey's head while at the free throw line.
I was waiting for it.
The Joey Crawford Effect
SPURS FT ATTEMPTS
SAN ANTONIO
GAME 1 - 21
GAME 2 - 19
GAME 3 - 21
GAME 4 - 20
GAME 5 - 18
Pretty Consistent Huh,?
Then New Orleans
GAME 1 - 15
GAME 2 - 24
GAME 3 - 21
GAME 4 - 12
GAME 5 - 33
lol
that article tells of what i have been saying
the refs will dictate the pace of the game and can make a team get a lead wo it showing on the box score
Exactly.
The Spurs were playing like but when they are playing like AND getting called for touch fouls (while the other team is not) it is impossible to even hope at getting back in a game.
Worst officiating in pro sports.
It looks a little desperate, but Halle- in-lujah! Hopefully since Pop has never called out the officiating through the media it will carry a little more weight. If it gives the Spurs an edge, I'm all for it.
Eh, we are going to get game 6 tonight regardless. Pop should have saved the referee call out for before game 7.
I have a serious question for you bb experts - and I mean this.
If the Spurs are playing like and you have a ref like Crawford exercising his own personal hatred toward the team - as well as Pop - by making calls that keep them out of the game, how can the Spurs actually play any better? They can't get their rhythm, can they? They can't make good decisions because they lose their confidence, don't they? I actually got to the point where I couldn't even watch that game anymore - those foul whistles were driving me nuts.
You have a pic of Duncan throwing a temper tantrum - and I have to admit that's a funny pic - but what the else is he supposed to do? If he laughs, he gets thrown out of the game. If he questions anything, he's whining. He is, after all, only human and this man has been his nemesis for at least the last two years.
So, my real question is this: What the is Crawford doing calling a play-off game involving the Spurs? No matter which way it goes, it's a suspect game, isn't it? And doesn't it get into their minds - Crawford is calling this game, so are we gonna be allowed to play?
I think the whole thing is pathetic, and I'm glad Pop finally said something. He's only human, too.
Curious.
If we pull these next two out, somehow making a ballsy effort in Game 7, will that victory still feel as good, now?
I don't know. I have always tried to argue in favor of the refs, saying it was the players who play and the refs are passively calling the game.
Now, with the 2nd round Home Court advantage set at 20-1 (someone correct me if I'm off by a win or two on that), I really can't say that anymore. It is absolutely, 100% obvious that the home team in this round is allowed to play supremely physical defense to placate the home crowd and push the series, while the visitors are called for touch fouls and completely taken apart.
And guess what? If I see that officiating tonight in San Antonio, I'm not going to be happy. I will call it out. I will say, "The Spurs are getting this game handed to them by the officiating."
I have a feeling I might say that. And if I do, much of the joy of watching basketball will be gone. I'd like to think that the officials don't know who's going to win the game before it starts. But I am starting to think that there is a plan to this years playoffs, just like there was with Dwayne Wade in 2006.
It was a terribly officiated game, and there is no arguing that. It's probably the only game I have complained about the refs since 06 vs. Mavs, when Bowen got called for bodying Nowitzki 30 feet from the basket to set up game tying FTs.
OMG, funniest gif ever.
Skip Bayless reported this morning on ESPN's FIRST TAKE, that a trusted source he has in San Antonio confirmed that Tim Duncan allowed the presence of Joey Crawford to affect his approach to this game. He inferred that Duncan allowed Crawford's presence ot intimidate and frustrate him, which played right into the hands of the Hornets.
Anybody buying this?
I'm not buying it. If it had been the first Spurs game Crawford worked since the ejection, maybe I could believe there was some unease on Duncan's part. But it wasn't, Crawford has worked Spurs games since then. I think Duncan is fine with Crawford...Well, as fine as any player is with any ref.
Okay I don't recall exactly how many games on the road and at home hes officiated for us as of late, but I remember the fair officiating came when he was officiating on our floor here in San Antonio, whereas he gets all tough and puffed up on the road aka Dallas and recently New Orleans.I'm not buying it. If it had been the first Spurs game Crawford worked since the ejection, maybe I could believe there was some unease on Duncan's part. But it wasn't, Crawford has worked Spurs games since then. I think Duncan is fine with Crawford...Well, as fine as any player is with any ref.
Maybe I'm just noticing he does an okay job when the spurs play on their floor but he disregards them on the road because he won't have to listen to hundreds of angry irate fans.
Anyone who is still complaining about officiating at this point is a complete idiot. The refs are ing useless and are calling every game in favor of the home team. It's been like this for every team, every series.
Yep.
The only reason I know this stat is because it was in an article on Fox Sports...
but in the 3 games played in LA between the Lakers and Utah, LA has shot 131 FT's compared with 66 for Utah.
Here's the bigger question. The Spurs were up at that point in the game, the NO crowd was out of the game, and the game was being played at the Spurs' tempo.If the Spurs are playing like and you have a ref like Crawford exercising his own personal hatred toward the team - as well as Pop - by making calls that keep them out of the game, how can the Spurs actually play any better? They can't get their rhythm, can they? They can't make good decisions because they lose their confidence, don't they? I actually got to the point where I couldn't even watch that game anymore - those foul whistles were driving me nuts.
Why does Pop go and beat on the bee hive, get a T, get the crowd into it, and take his team out of their rhythm at that point? It was stupid.
Unless you are the Utah Jazz.
Yeah that 2 point lead was gigantic.
That is by far my favorite line of the whole article.
Duncan is sick...check....Duncan is intimidated by the ref....check. What else you got? This is fun.
Try reading, Tpark.
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