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Spurs notebook: Duncan once again selected as All-Star
Web Posted: 02/04/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Tim Duncan, who finished sixth among all players in fan balloting, was named Thursday as an All-Star starter for the sixth consecutive year.
Houston's Yao Ming, the overall vote leader (2,558,278), and Tracy McGrady, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett joined Duncan as West starters.
Duncan, who received 1,812,522 votes, will be playing in his seventh All-Star Game. He was co-MVP in 2000.
Miami's Shaquille O'Neal, Cleveland's LeBron James, Philadelphia's Allen Iverson, New Jersey's Vince Carter and Orlando's Grant Hill will start for the East.
The All-Star reserves will be announced Tuesday, leaving Spurs guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker five days to wonder whether they'll be joining Duncan in Denver.
The league's head coaches vote for seven players from their respective conferences. They can't vote for players on their own team and must select two guards, two forwards, a center and two at-large players.
Speaking from experience: Robert Horry played four seasons for Rudy Tomjanovich in Houston. He also spent parts of seven seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Knowing both the coach and the franchise, Horry still was surprised to hear about Tomjanovich's resignation.
"It had to be something really serious to make him step down," Horry said. "He's not like that."
Horry will be even more surprised if another of his former coaches, Phil Jackson, returns to the Lakers. Especially after Jackson criticized Bryant in his recent book, "The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul."
"It would be like me trying to go back and play in Phoenix again," said Horry, who, among other things, threw a towel in the face of coach Danny Ainge during his half-season with the Suns. "When you burn a bridge like that, you might say, 'Let bygones be bygones,' but I still think there's going to be that underlying (tension) there. Someone's always going to remember what you said about them."
Nesterovic on the mend: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he is hopeful Rasho Nesterovic will be able to play Tuesday against Charlotte.
Nesterovic still is experiencing some soreness in his ankle. His lateral movement is good in one direction, but not the other, Popovich said.
"We thought the four days off would do him some good, rather than him trying to force it (Thursday)," Popovich said.
Still waiting: Karl Malone's agent had hoped to have a firm decision on Malone's future in a week. That week is now at 11 days and counting.
Spurs officials, who think Malone is leaning toward retiring, haven't pressed him for a decision. But Popovich said the team can't wait forever, either.
"I think that (cutoff date) is getting close, probably," Popovich said. "I can't imagine it being too far past the All-Star break."
The Spurs will have only 30 games remaining after the All-Star break.
"We'd like to have him," Popovich said. "He's a leader and he's got the whole package."
Give them a break: The Spurs, who flew home after Thursday's game, likely will take today off. Their tentative plan is to have a shooting-only workout Saturday, a hard practice Sunday and a light practice Monday morning before flying to Charlotte on Monday afternoon.
