McDonald: Late Shot By Chalmers Sinks Spurs

[duncan228]

Late shot by Chalmers sinks Spurs
By Jeff McDonald

On their way to the AT&T Center on Friday night, the Miami Heat's team bus passed a San Antonio landmark quite familiar to rookie guard Mario Chalmers.

Forget the Alamo. Chalmers wanted to remember the Alamodome.

It was in that building, just eight months before, that Chalmers hit the jump shot of his life — an 11th-hour 3-pointer that forced an unlikely overtime for Kansas against Memphis, and eventually made the Jayhawks national champions.

Driving past the Dome again, Chalmers remembered.

“It actually made my heart jump,” Chalmers said.

The stakes weren't nearly as high in Heat's preseason finale against the Spurs, when Chalmers offered up a second shining San Antonio moment.

Chalmers' 3-pointer as time expired, lofted from the same spot on the floor as his miracle in March, lifted the Heat to a 96-93 victory.

It wasn't until after the winning shot nestled through the net that Chalmers' internal GPS went off, and he remembered again where he was.

“It didn't register until after the game,” said Chalmers, who finished with 11 points and 10 assists. “I wasn't thinking about it. I just wanted to the help team win.”

Some people have a margarita on the Riverwalk. Chalmers has turned clutch 3-pointers into his San Antonio tradition.

“I guess we just have to tell him every place that we go that it's San Antonio,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

The Spurs weren't so shocked to see Chalmers taking the game-winner. They all saw the Final Four.

“We all watch TV, we know,” guard Roger Mason said. “But had this been a regular-season game we would have used a timeout. It would have been different.”

If Chalmers has his way, there will be more where that came from. He was still sitting on the draft board in June when the Spurs went on the clock for the 26th pick. He was expecting the phone to ring.

He had worked out twice for the Spurs, and in his own admittedly biased estimation, the workouts went well.

Instead, the Spurs went with another point guard, George Hill out of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. This, too, is something Chalmers won't soon forget.

Asked if his draft-day disappointment served as motivation, Chalmers nodded.

“Yeah, it definitely did, (with) the way everything went down,” Chalmers said. “But, you know, everything happens for a reason.”

The Spurs don't regret taking Hill. He has been a training-camp revelation, though he didn't play Friday because of a sprained left thumb.

Against Miami, the Spurs had more pressing concerns than reflecting on the June draft anyway. For them, the game was about getting their veterans into some semblance of a regular-season rhythm.

Tony Parker and Tim Duncan appear to already be there. Parker had 16 points, 12 of them in the third quarter, while Duncan had 11.

When it came time for the Spurs to rally from an 11-point second-half deficit, it was a pair of role players who brought them back.

Matt Bonner had all eight of his points in the fourth quarter, while Mason had eight of his 12 in the frame.

It was a show of resilience on the part of both players, who each began the game 1 of 6 from the field.

Mason scored the last five points for the Spurs, draining a 3-pointer to bring the Spurs within 92-91 with 24.4 seconds left, then driving past Chalmers for the game-tying layup with 16.5 left.

[Blackjack]

Asked if his draft-day disappointment served as motivation, Chalmers nodded.

“Yeah, it definitely did, (with) the way everything went down,” Chalmers said. “But, you know, everything happens for a reason.”

The Spurs don't regret taking Hill. He has been a training-camp revelation, though he didn't play Friday because of a sprained left thumb.

Having been one of the charter members of the Chalmers bandwagon, I hope the Spurs never live to regret that pick.

Hill has definitely been impressive so far though, let's just hope he can keep it up.

[Obstructed_View]

It took about 45 minutes of game time for Mason to finally look like he was comfortable as a Spur, and it was worth the effort.

[DMX7]

Chalmers got 2 workouts with the Spurs so it's not like they weren't aware of his abilities. They must have seen something in Hill. Although he was really bad in the summer league, we still haven't seen enough of him to even judge his talent level let alone his overall game.

[DPG21920]

It took about 45 minutes of game time for Mason to finally look like he was comfortable as a Spur, and it was worth the effort.

Amen. That is what I am saying. The Spurs are banking on Mason this year like it or not. He has to be very good. He had not been impressive at all up until this point. He needed it, the Spurs needed it and the fans needed it. Its go time.

[Harry Callahan]

It looks like the opposing point guards ripped throught Chalmers last night. The guy has also already before he even takes the court in a regular season game has had a brush with the law with some "stuff" in his car during the rookie orientation week.

Trouble tends to follow with guys like that.

Hill was able to be a disruptive force on the floor against Paul, considered in some quarters to be the best PG in the NBA.

We'll see.

[underdawg]

It looks like the opposing point guards ripped throught Chalmers last night. The guy has also already before he even takes the court in a regular season game has had a brush with the law with some "stuff" in his car during the rookie orientation week.

Trouble tends to follow with guys like that.

Hill was able to be a disruptive force on the floor against Paul, considered in some quarters to be the best PG in the NBA.

We'll see.

So, wait a second - are you saying the Spurs had a purpose in drafting Hill for his defense instead of choosing a guard that can only score? I think I understand now - we could always take on more scoring at the guard position, but a more important need was that at times the Spurs have had a hard time defending various guards penetrating the paint (i.e. Paul, DWill, Nash.) Hill addresses that need where maybe a player like Chalmers couldn't - sounds like the Spurs chose wisely.

[tlongII]

Hill was a dumb pick by the Spurs. That will be evident soon enough.

[underdawg]

Hill was a dumb pick by the Spurs. That will be evident soon enough.

you should be more concerned with the unimpressive pre-season that Oden's had.

[Ice009]

Hill was a dumb pick by the Spurs. That will be evident soon enough.

You're a dumb poster which is already evident.

[DMX7]

I rather have Chalmers any day of the week. Hill would have to surprise me just to be as good as Chalmers already is. I know one of the assistant coaches is an IUPUI alumnus and Hill will be the first IUPUI alumnus to play in the NBA but it just doesn't make sense. Doesn't Hill also have a history of injury problems? I think he missed his entire junior season in college (before the redshirt) too.

[Biggems]

Hill was a dumb pick by the Spurs. That will be evident soon enough.

but not Sam Bowie dumb right?

face it, we may have passed on a few solid players for Hill......but your team will always be known as the team that passed on Michael Jordan!!!!

[milkyway21]

but not Sam Bowie dumb right?

face it, we may have passed on a few solid players for Hill......but your team will always be known as the team that passed on Michael Jordan!!!!

[m33p0]

you walked right into that one, tlong.

[my2sons]

could oden be de ja vu all over again????????

[tlongII]

LOL! Hill has played better than I thought he would, but he still hasn't done much.

[Obstructed_View]

LOL! Hill has played better than I thought he would, but he still hasn't done much.

You're like the little inflatable clown that pops back up only to get punched in the big red nose again. Hark, is that inspiration calling me?