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Spurs Team Report
Getting Inside
The Spurs have been in a lot of close games—just like their 108-106 win over Philadelphia on Saturday that was decided on Tony Parker’s 15-footer at the buzzer.
“We’ll take that any day,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “Tony hit a big shot and got it done for us. It was great effort on the back-to-back, even though they had a back-to-back, too. For us it was a little bit of a different story.
“That’s a of an athletic team. They score more fast-break points than anyone in the league. So, that athleticism is really tough for us and we hung in one second long enough to get it done. We’re thrilled to get the victory.”
The Spurs have been at their best in the close ones. San Antonio is 8-3 in games that go into overtime or are decided by four or fewer points.
Even though the 76ers own a losing record, the Spurs aren’t about to give the win back. Each “W” is crucial in the bunched-up Western Conference.
“To win in this league is always special,” guard Roger Mason said. “Sometimes it’s ugly, like (against Philadelphia), but we’ll take it. They’re a very athletic and talented team. On any given night they can give anybody problems. For us to get the win is huge.”
Spurs 91, Heat 84: Tim Duncan scored 19 and San Antonio was in control throughout in winning Monday night at Miami. The Spurs (23-11) won their third straight and trailed only once, for about 30 seconds, against the Heat.
Backup point guard George Hill added 15 points for the Southwest Division-leading Spurs. Roger Mason and Matt Bonner each scored 11, and Manu Ginobili had 10. Duncan also grabbed nine boards.
Dwyane Wade led Miami with 24 points and 12 assists. Shawn Marion scored 15, and rookie Michael Beasley had his first double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Notes, Quotes
• The Spurs raced to a 40-19 lead on Philadelphia on the strength of eight 3-pointers in the first quarter. The Sixers made the inevitable rally and it was anyone’s ballgame down the stretch.
“That happens to every team every now and again,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “A lead like that in the beginning, not always, but sometimes is a nightmare, because you know that shots like that are not going to fall like that for the entire game.
“The game isn’t that long, if the game was a 24-minute game, it would be great. In the NBA teams always come back and it’s a dogfight.”
• Roger Mason started a stretch of nail-biters with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Phoenix Christmas Day. Since then, the Spurs went to double-overtime to beat Memphis, had Tim Duncan miss a layup at the buzzer that would have sent a loss to Milwaukee into OT and beat Philadelphia on Tony Parker’s jumper at the horn.
The surge has San Antonio leading the Southwest Division as of Monday. But the uneven performances are cause for concern.
“Three of the last four wins were like this—at the last second, or a lucky bounce,” Manu Ginobili said before facing Miami. “It means we are not playing that well. We are winning, but we can’t be satisfied.”
Quote To Note: “It’s always hard when you get a great start. We shot the ball very well and we were up 20 really fast. It’s always hard to keep a lead like that, especially early in the game, because you know they are going to make a run.”—PG Tony Parker on squandering a 21-point first-quarter lead in the win over Philadelphia.
Roster Report
Rotation:
Starters—Point guard Tony Parker, Shooting guard Roger Mason, Small forward Michael Finley, Power forward Tim Duncan, Center Matt Bonner.
Bench—Forward Kurt Thomas, Guard Manu Ginobili, Forward Ime Udoka, Forward Bruce Bowen, Center Anthony Tolliver, Center Fabricio Oberto, Guard George Hill.
Player Notes:
• G Tony Parker not only hit the game winner over Philadelphia, but he teamed with G Manu Ginobili to set up the Spurs’ final possession. Ginobili deflected a pass from Sixers guard Andre Miller and Parker scooped it up.
Parker took it from there after looking over to Gregg Popovich on the sideline.
“We got the steal and I was going kinda fast,” Parker said. “I didn’t know if Pop wanted the timeout, so I just looked at him and he told me ‘Go, go!’ I just made sure we got a pick-and-roll and I got a shot for Manu.
“He missed it and I got the rebound and just tried to put it up there because I knew there were not a lot of seconds left on the clock. It was just a good shot and I was happy it went in.”
• F Tim Duncan banged his knee Friday night at Memphis, only to come back the next night to score 26 points and grab 12 rebounds in a win over the 76ers.
“Timmy plays hurt, tired, every which way,” Gregg Popovich said. “He competes defensively, rebounding-wise, every night. Some nights he defers offensively, some nights he’s the key, but it all starts with him.”
• G Roger Mason bounced back from a 1-for-11 shooting performance in a loss to Milwaukee to make all five of his 3-pointers in a win over Philadelphia.
“It’s always a challenge,” he said. “You had a rough night. It tests your character. It tests your will. For me, I take it as a challenge.”
Medical Watch:
• C Ian Mahinmi (sprained ankle) is inactive.
