TP interview: a matter of Honor

[kace]

http://www.tp9.net/fr/itw.php?id=309

Tp's french interview after game 4. no link for an english one, i'm doing a quick translation.

« Une question d’honneur »

Tony, avec cette nouvelle défaite face à Dallas (99-90), la situation devient délicate…

C’est le moins qu’on puisse dire. Désormais, nous n’avons plus le choix. Il faut gagner les trois derniers matchs pour continuer l’aventure. Sinon, pour la première fois de ma carrière, les play-offs s’arrêteront dès le 1er tour. Mais nous n’en sommes pas là. Donnons nous déjà une chance en gagnant le match de mardi à domicile. C’est une question d’honneur de s’imposer devant notre public. On veut retourner à Dallas la semaine prochaine pour un Game 6.


Encore une fois, le 3e quart-temps a pratiquement scellé le sort du match.

Le match avait très bien commencé. Nous avons rejoint les vestiaires en tête (55-51), nous étions bien en rythme. Mais Dallas nous a passé un15-5 au début du 3e quart-temps. Nous avons malgré tout réussi à revenir à –3 mais ça n’a pas suffit. Quand on perd la bataille des rebonds (49 à 35) et qu’on tourne à 65 aux lancers-francs (22-34), il est difficile d’aller chercher la victoire. On peut avoir des regrets. Ce match, on pouvait le gagner.


Avec Tim Duncan, vous marquez 68 des 90 points des Spurs. Il y a réel déséquilibre sur le plan offensif.

Comme quoi, si je marque 43 points et que Tim en met 25, la victoire n’est pas garantie. C’est de toute façon notre problème depuis le début des play-offs. Nous manquons d’options offensives. Après mes 31 points en 1ère mi-temps, Dallas a fait systématiquement des prises à deux ou à trois sur moi en seconde période. Je n’ai pas pu shooter autant. Tim a donc pris le relais mais il aurait fallu un peu plus d’aide en attaque.

[kace]

"A matter of honor"


Tony, with this new loss, it's becoming very delicate

Definitely. We don't have any choice: we need to win three in a row. Otherwise, for the first time of my career, the PO will stop at the first round. But let's win the G5. it's a matter of honor for our fans on our homecourt. We want to go back to Dallas for a G6.


Once again, the 3rd QT killed you.


The game began well. We were ahead at the half. but Dallas had a 15-5 run to start the third QT. We managed to come back at -3 but it wasn't enough. When you lose the battle of rebounding (49-35) and shoot your FT at 65 % (22-34), it's hard to take the win. We can have some regrets. This game was winnable.


With Tim Duncan, you scored 68 out of the 90 spurs points. There is a really unbalanced offense for the Spurs.

Yes. That proves that even with me scoring 43 pts and tim 25, a win is not sure. Anyway, that's our problem since the beginning of the PO. We're lacking offensive options. After my 31 first half points, Dallas threw systematically 2 or 3 defenders at me. I couldn't shoot as much as in the first half. Tim took over the offense a little bit but we needed more help on offense.

[romain.star]

ok kace thanks i was about to translate it
your english's much better though

[stéphane]

He won't say it but you can sense some bitterness upon the team productivity.
If he can't say it, let's do it for him. WAKE THE F*** UP.

[romain.star]

He won't say it but you can sense some bitterness upon the team productivity.
If he can't say it, let's do it for him. WAKE THE F*** UP.

Duncan said he and Tony were to be blamed for the role players not delivering

[stéphane]

Duncan said he and Tony were to be blamed for the role players not delivering

Of course he did. Series not over.
When you play with guys that CAN'T deliver under pressure you're not going to add some. But seriously, I didn't see either of these two going psychic on their teamates shots so they clanked all of them or just brainwashed them to make them forget that you have to screen out for rebounds.

[romain.star]

Of course he did. Series not over.
When you play with guys that CAN'T deliver under pressure you're not going to add some. But seriously, I didn't see either of these two going psychic on their teamates shots so they clanked all of them or just brainwashed them to make them forget that you have to screen out for rebounds.

yeah he did but TP didn't... that's where you can see that it's still Duncan team

[will_spurs]

Before the game TP said "Dallas has more offensive options" and after "The Spurs are lacking offensive options". Basically the message is: could we get ONE player who can score a few points apart from TD and TP? Just one.

[kace]

yeah he did but TP didn't... that's where you can see that it's still Duncan team

well, you know i kinda like the two behaviors.

Tim is Tim. Obviously, the role players sucked badly but he won't blame them. He will say it's his fault. and the fact that he added it's he and Tony's fault show as much he considers Tony as the team's co-leader too.

tony kinda puts some pressure on his teamates with his comments. but nothing really bad. i'm not even sure he said it on purpose. It's not Dirk bashing Dampier or Kobe showing anger against his teamates on the court. but he said many times they need more offensive options.

so i like the overall message from the two leaders: ok, guys, we are the first ones responsible for the team's results but you need to get your heads out of your asses.

hope they'll take the challenge, even if it doesn't seem so.