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Good win by the Spurs.
A woman Spurs fan who also likes BSG !!!! Estoy enamorado !!
Good win by the Spurs.
True but according to the boxscore he did not have such a good game today.
Duncan 20+10 wow
Son of a Friggin biscuit, i suck at vbookie. At least we won.
Good win by the guys.
Side note: Does anyone besides me feel that Yao has improved a lot since last season?
He was not easy to handle.
ABC still sucks
wow there was NO reason in the world for a crap team like houston to push us to the limiot the way that they did. its great that we got the win, but these team only seems to be going backwards as the playoffs near. Pop has to do something to motivate these guys
Houston is 14 and 5 since feb. 1st, how many other "crap teams" can pull that off?wow there was NO reason in the world for a crap team like houston to push us to the limiot the way that they did. its great that we got the win, but these team only seems to be going backwards as the playoffs near. Pop has to do something to motivate these guys
It was a game where the Spurs had to find themselves, and they found a way. The best thing about this game for me was seeing Manu attacking Yao and the basket in his old kamikaze style, which to me is great, hopefully as the playoffs near he will become as dangerous as he was last year, and that has to be great news if your a Spurs fan.
houston doesn't even have their best player and we should be FIRED up after the lakers debacle. a win is a win, but if this is the team thats going to the playoffs we may not even get past round 2. this SPAM theory has yet to be proven THIS season
Yao is wayyy better...Good win by the guys.
Side note: Does anyone besides me feel that Yao has improved a lot since last season?
He was not easy to handle.
If TMac was there today to take some pressure off him, they would have been A LOT tougher.
Manu said after the game that he was really tired. That this had been a very hard week playing 4 games in 5 days with PHX running at such a fast pace and then the early afternoon game today. He said their energy just wasn't there the last 2 games.
He also said the even without McGrady Houston is tough because Houston's defensive system is very similar to the Spurs and their team D was very good.
People should remember that Yao is a big part of the middle of their team defense and that Houston has been one of the best defensive teams system-wise since JVG took over as Head Coach. David Wesley going out today hurt them in the 2nd half.
The highlights of the game and dunks are on NBA.com.
Haven't been following the rockets lately. What's up with TMac? Injured his back again?
Yes.
could be out 5 weeks
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...r.8225eff.html
Finley helps Spurs dunk Rockets
Web Posted: 03/13/2006 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
Michael Finley celebrated his 33rd birthday one week ago, and, so far, 33 feels a lot better than 32.
At this time last season, Finley was playing with bone chips in his right ankle and nursing a strained left calf.
"Now, to be as healthy as I can," Finley said, "I'm able to go out there and produce and not have fatigue or injuries as an excuse of not getting up to my potential."
Finley's potential, these days, apparently stretches a good 11 feet. On Sunday afternoon, Finley woke up his teammates — as well as the 18,797 fans filling the AT&T Center — with a vicious dunk in front of Houston's 7-foot-6 center, Yao Ming, helping to send the Spurs to an 88-81 victory.
"He saves it up," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Finley's sudden explosiveness, "so he can dig down there and get it once in a while."
The Spurs, likewise, had to reach deep to prevent their third loss in four games. Run off their own floor by the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday and playing for the sixth time in 81/2 days, they found enough energy in the second half to hold off the Rockets, who were missing All-Star forward Tracy McGrady.
Finley scored eight of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a 3-pointer with 39.9 seconds left that all but closed out the victory. Tim Duncan (20 points and 10 rebounds) and Manu Ginobili (14 points and seven rebounds) overcame their poor shooting, and Nazr Mohammed helped hold Yao to eight points in the second half while contributing 11 points and eight boards of his own.
"It was a tough couple of days for us to let a game like the Lakers one slip by," Finley said. "But Coach emphasized before the game, 'Let's put that behind us, move forward and attack this one.'"
Finley did just that. After Rockets point guard Rafer Alston trimmed what had been an 11-point lead for the Spurs to 79-77 with 2:52 remaining, Finley received the ball in the left corner, used a screen from Mohammed to lose his defender and rushed toward the rim.
Yao tried to slide over to challenge the shot, but Finley had soared too high, too quickly. As he punched the ball through the rim, the Spurs leaped off the bench. Mohammed ran downcourt shaking his head.
"It reminded me of when Mike was in Phoenix (from 1995-96)," Brent Barry said, "and he used to go over three, four guys."
The dunk energized the Spurs. Finley picked off a pass from Alston and Ginobili drove into the lane and hit a one-handed runner, forcing Houston to call a timeout.
After Houston closed within four, Ginobili again went down the lane. This time, he used a crossover dribble to get by Yao before throwing down a dunk, no less of a surprise than Finley's.
Slowed much of the season by injuries to his right foot, Ginobili said the last time he remembered dunking was "probably the (NBA) Finals."
"I'm glad it happened," said Ginobili, who made only five of 15 shots. "It helps me feel better to go strong again."
The Rockets were at decidedly less than full strength. In addition to missing McGrady, who could be out until the final week of the regular season because of a back injury, they lost starter David Wesley. He injured his ribs late in the first half and didn't return.
The Rockets compensated by keeping Tony Parker out of the lane and limiting him to eight points and four assists. The Spurs shot just 34.1 percent in the first half. With Yao providing 17 points, Houston led 42-38.
"The kid's 7-6, so when he turns around he can look right in the basket," Duncan said. "And he's got a great touch."
The Spurs double-teamed Yao more quickly in the second half and Mohammed, Duncan and Rasho Nesterovic guarded him more closely. He had only two points in the third quarter when the Spurs outscored Houston 26-11.
"They dominated us," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said of the third quarter. "They just out-competed us."
Duncan fought through his own struggles. He missed nine of 13 shots in the first half but scored on three-straight possessions midway through the final quarter, following his missed shot, spinning by Juwan Howard for a layup and hitting a runner as Yao fouled him.
Duncan looked aggressive all night, even twice trying — albeit unsuccessfully — to dunk over Yao. "I'm just trying to play and find my way back," he said.
Finley, meanwhile, seems to be settling into his role. In the past eight games, he's averaged 13.4 points and shot 53.4 percent.
His health? He's feeling good enough to think he can still jump with some of the league's best.
"Maybe not over an extended period of time," Finley said. "But if I get an opportunity, especially with the fresh legs I have at this time of year, I like my odds."
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