When Cabrera won the US Open in '07 his picture was a small inset on the Spurs' championship Sports Illustrated cover.
Good omen?
Pop saves Duncan for Warriors
Jeff McDonald
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When Tim Duncan put together a suitcase for the Spurs' two-game road trip to northern California, he knew to pack a sport coat.
He was sure he'd sit out one of the two games on the itinerary. He just didn't know which one.
Turns out, Duncan's day off came Sunday against the Kings.
Playing the matchup odds, coach Gregg Popovich opted to sit Duncan on the front end of a back-to-back, saving his All-Star forward for today's trip to Golden State.
“In the past, he's been a difference-maker against Golden State, so we're going to opt to use him in that game,” Popovich said. “We're not going to play him in both. It's just not good for him.”
The small-ball happy Warriors don't have a player big enough to match up with Duncan. In three games against them this season, he is averaging 24.3 points.
In Duncan's absence, the Spurs had to rally from an early deficit to beat Sacramento 95-92.
Duncan has been battling soreness in his knees for more than a month. He said before Sunday's game that though he felt well enough to play, he understands the decision to rest him.
“They don't want me to play back-to-backs this late in the year,” Duncan said. “We're just going to try to be smart about it and do things the right way.”
Ole, ole, ole: Fabricio Oberto was warming up on the floor at Arco Arena when he saw a familiar face on the courtside TV monitors.
It was Angel Cabrera, his Argentine buddy, celebrating a thrilling victory at the Masters.
Cabrera, who won a two-hole playoff to beat Kenny Perry and become the first Argentine to don the green jacket, is from Oberto's hometown of Cordoba.
“All of Argentina is excited,” Oberto said. “Everybody was following it. I'm going to have to call and congratulate him.”
It was Cabrera's second big victory for Argentina to celebrate. He won the U.S. Open in 2007.
Hardly knew ya: Drew Gooden was a King for 12 days earlier this season. Sacramento interim coach Kenny Natt says he wished the organization could have talked him into staying.
Gooden sought and received a contract buyout after his trade from Chicago, which freed him up to sign with the Spurs.
“I was hopeful to have him,” said Natt, who was an assistant in Cleveland when Gooden was a Cavalier. “He's a legitimate inside post player.”
When Cabrera won the US Open in '07 his picture was a small inset on the Spurs' championship Sports Illustrated cover.
Good omen?
It can't be a bad one.![]()
That was definitely my thinking going into this back-to-back, hopefully it pays dividends.“In the past, he's been a difference-maker against Golden State, so we're going to opt to use him in that game,” Popovich said. “We're not going to play him in both. It's just not good for him.”
That might have only been the second best decision Pop made on the night, though...
I can't remember the last time we got a pre-game interview with Timmy on the local broadcast.
Timmy should fill in for Pop more often.(Someone should probably post it for 228, if at all possible
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I've been contemplating whether or not I should YouTube that interview. We NEVER see TD give that type of interview. This year, I don't even remember a one-on-one postgame interview.
Hmmmm . . .
Please do it.
I don't have it, LP doesn't give us pregame stuff. Even if they did it was Kings call tonight.
I'd really appreciate it.
do eet
Did I say please?![]()
Thanks for the thought. That's really sweet, I appreciate it.![]()
Thanks timvp.
Yeah, I actually had to do a double-take when I saw Tim with Bill "Ooh-druh" Land.![]()
I think I remember Tim having a sit-down with Monaco or Reinagel immediately after the game once or twice, but that's about it.
It's definitely a rare occassion.
No prob.![]()
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