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Rasho Nesterovic added after Wednesday night’s 100-93 loss to the Indiana Pacers, “Our focus should not be on homecourt advantage, it should be on how we’re playing and right now I have a bad feeling.”
OH OH RASHO MIGHT DUNK NOW!
San Antonio feeling heat from Dallas for division lead
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:38 p.m. ET March 24, 2005
SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs clinched a playoff spot last Friday and visited Detroit two days later with the best record in the NBA.
Just moments after tipoff against the Pistons, Tim Duncan went down with a sprained ankle and the Spurs haven’t won since, dropping three straight games for the first time in more than a year.
Now the Spurs — 1-5 this season without Duncan — trail both Phoenix and Miami in the quest for homecourt advantage through the postseason, and they’re even feeling heat in their division from Dallas, winners of four straight and seven of its last nine.
“It seems like we are feeling sorry for ourselves with Tim and that we don’t expect to win these games,” said swingman Manu Ginobili, whose playing time is limited by a groin strain that shelved him for five games this month. “We need to fix it. Even without Tim we should be able to execute better and play harder, and we’re not doing that.”
Center Rasho Nesterovic added after Wednesday night’s 100-93 loss to the Indiana Pacers, “Our focus should not be on homecourt advantage, it should be on how we’re playing and right now I have a bad feeling.”
San Antonio now trails the Suns by 1˝ games for the best record in the Western Conference.
Duncan, the Spurs’ leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker, crumpled to the floor after coming down on Rasheed Wallace’s foot in the opening minutes of Sunday’s 110-101 loss to Detroit.
San Antonio placed the two-time MVP on the injured list Monday, saying he could miss as many as four weeks. Under that worst-case scenario, Duncan would miss 12 of the Spurs’ final 14 games.
Making matters worse, Ginobili is hobbled and reserve guard Devin Brown will miss at least two weeks with a back injury aggravated in a road loss to the New York Knicks. Brown averaged 15 points and nearly six rebounds over his last eight games.
Coach Gregg Popovich said Thursday that the team’s play has slipped since Duncan and later Brown were hurt. He said the Spurs played well against the Pistons, played hard but poorly against the Knicks, and then fell flat at Indiana.
“I thought we played soft,” he said. “I didn’t see the compe iveness that I’m used to seeing with this group and was very disappointed.”
Asked how that might happen with a team known for its disciplined play, Popovich had no real explanation.
“People are people,” he said, “and sometimes they don’t react well.”
The Pacers know what the Spurs are going through. Indiana has endured a season-ending injury to All-Star Jermaine O’Neal, their version of Duncan, along with the season-long suspension of Ron Artest and shorter suspensions of other players for November’s fight in Detroit.
“We’re used to all these injuries and to expect the unexpected,” Croshere said. “It seems that they aren’t as prepared to play without (Duncan).”
All aspects of San Antonio’s game are affected by Duncan’s absence.
The team’s scoring is down, as is its shooting percentage, rebounding and assists. The Spurs also allowed an average of 99.3 points in the three games, more than a dozen points above its league-leading average of 87.1 ppg.
Without the reliable Duncan inside, San Antonio threw up more 3-point attempts during the three losses, and its 29 percent success rate was well below the season average of 36 percent.
The funk is apparently so deep that even Friday night’s home game against Atlanta, with the worst record in the league, is no sure thing for the Spurs.
The Spurs are 31-3 at the SBC Center, while the Hawks have lost six straight and 19 of their last 20.
“They’re a scary team to play right now because they have nothing to lose and they can just play freely,” said Robert Horry, who has started at power forward in Duncan’s place.
“We probably have to take that at ude,” he continued. “Play freely, go out and have some fun and not worry about making mistakes.”
Rasho Nesterovic added after Wednesday night’s 100-93 loss to the Indiana Pacers, “Our focus should not be on homecourt advantage, it should be on how we’re playing and right now I have a bad feeling.”
OH OH RASHO MIGHT DUNK NOW!
Does he remember how??
beleive it or not rasho dunked 2 in a game
Well, at least they're saying the right things. . . .
Maybe a bit of home cooking will do them some good. They obviously can play well without Tim -- now they just have to do it again. This team looked dazed last night, almost as if it was just waiting for something else bad to happen.
Pops excuse is softness. Go figure.
How about your team is not prepared or doesn't execute without Duncan.
What a head.
I'm looking at this nighmare stretch as on opportunity for Manu to become the team leader that he was in Italy and for the Argentinian national teams. Tim is is not a natural or willing leader, even if the Spurs is "his" franchise. Tony is too young.
Come on, Manu, the Spurs need a leader, you are the prime candidate, now is the prime time.
Carpe Diem!
Seize the moment!
Last edited by boutons; 03-24-2005 at 08:47 PM.
I know I was being somewhat sarcastic.
What would you have done the past 3 games differently?
I guess it has not occured to you that maybe he has seen it and tried to get them to execute but they just are unable to......Do you think he really likes what he is seeing on the court?.......you do you just criticize with no real thought or input/substance?
From the article in the E-N today, it sounds like Manu's stepping up into the leader role.
I guess the thing to watch is how everyone responds.
Horry said today that he has been asked to take the leadership role on the team and do a lot of talking to the other players. He said he had agreed to do it but it was going to be wierd because it was not his nature.Just call Will Smith Robert! He'll give you some good one liners!
I think the right things are being done. The right players are in the right spots. Horry has been there done that and will be a good guy to guide some of these guys through the rough times.and he will definitely keep things loose and fun, which is what the spurs need at this point, they just need to play.
if horry is going to be a leader hopefully the spurs can resign him for the vet min next year
If Manu is stepping up, hopefully hes healthy enough to get more minutes.
If Manu isn't healthy, this team aint winnin.
Were payin 9 mill a year to a point guard whos a third wheel pretty much.
do you actually think with no tp or duncan manu would have this team winning?
also throw in the fact the spurs just traded for a new big and got rid of a player that knew the system
YES.do you actually think with no tp or duncan manu would have this team winning?
If everyone else (role players) do their thing and Manu was healthy, he could carry this team until Duncan came back.
you have to throw in the fact rose was a leader
he did not play that way on the court all the time but he was a leader
spurs are just now trying to figure out who their new leader is
also spurs are missing devin brown
and barry is just plain awfull
duplicate post
yeah every playing is playing well the spurs could win now
but they are not (even with a hurt manu)
It certainly isn't helping things that Devin got hurt and Tony is le absentee.
I think that Manu is going to step up as the vocal leader and Horry as the locker room/humor guy.
yeah I think so to
hopefully horry does not get greedy and want more then the vet min
Horry has a player option for next season.
It is amazing how badly the press, in particular AP, treats SA. Suns lose 6 no slam. Lakers on 7 game tailspan no slam.
They never run the Spurs winnning = then a little tailspin and long, state the obvious stories.
"Gee the Spurs miss a 2 time MVP" Duh!!!!
The worst thing about AP is that they do not give a reporter or an e-mail or even an address to respond to some of the BS they write (not that this particular story so off base but part of a pattern".
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