Ludden: Spurs hope to get healthier at home

[Kori Ellis]

Spurs hope to get healthier at home
Web Posted: 03/25/2005 12:00 AM CST

Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...16f130d38.html

The Spurs returned to the comfort of their practice facility Thursday afternoon, reintroduced themselves to Tim Duncan and Devin Brown and held a spirited workout.

Somehow, they survived the day without losing not only another player but also any more ground to Phoenix.

Saddled with their first three-game losing streak and realizing the cavalry won't be riding in soon, coach Gregg Popovich said, simply, "We'll just move on."

Atlanta visits the SBC Center tonight, carrying the NBA's worst record and losses in 19 of its past 20 games, so the Spurs will start from the ground up. They began Thursday by trying to regain their focus, which they lost in New York, and their compe iveness, which they lost in Indianapolis.

Regaining Duncan, whom they lost in Detroit, will take at least another couple weeks.

"I saw a lot ... more understanding of our situation and what has to be done for us to win," Popovich said after practice. "No one is going to do it for us. Nobody cares, and nobody feels sorry for us."

That was evident Wednesday. Indiana, which was missing three starters, including Jermaine O'Neal, bullied the Spurs for much of the final three quarters. Two nights earlier in New York, the Spurs totaled only 28 second-half points.

Though the Spurs are 1-5 without Duncan, they've had an opportunity to win all but the past two games. Last season, they went 6-7 without him.

"It's not the first time we've played without him," Manu Ginobili said Wednesday. "That's what worries me.

"I want to make it clear: It's not a matter of losing the game; it's a matter of how you feel after the game. If you do everything and follow the plan and bust your (rear), you're going to feel better."

Ginobili, who participated in a third of Thursday's practice, is trying to regain his explosiveness and rhythm since straining his groin three weeks ago. He returned from his five-game absence by scoring 14 points in 16 minutes against Detroit but since has played with heavy legs.

"Admittedly, with Timmy out, Tony and Manu have to step up and play well for us," Popovich said, "and that hasn't been the case."

Parker has started well in each of the past three games but quickly faded. He scored eight points in the first quarter after Duncan was injured in Detroit and four in the second, but none after halftime. The following night in New York, he reeled off 12 of the Spurs' first 14 points in six minutes then didn't attempt another shot until the final possession of the half. He had only two points in the final two quarters and missed his last nine shots.

Parker also made the team's first two baskets against Indiana but went 2 for 11 after.

"It's a definite concern," Popovich said. "It's got nothing to do with Timmy's injury.

"It's something he has to really focus on himself. He doesn't come out with the same fire after the first quarter. He's got to face that and understand that before he can cure it."

Wednesday, much of the team had trouble sustaining energy.

"You look around the locker room, and we don't have anyone that is really outspoken," Robert Horry said. "We're looking to someone to push us."

Popovich primarily has assumed that responsibility, though Ginobili was especially candid with his comments Wednesday night.

"If everybody sees two or three guys busting their butts every night," Ginobili said, "they're going to start doing the same."

For now, the Spurs are more focused on themselves than tracking down Phoenix.

"If it happens, great; if not, we can win the championship without it," Ginobili said. "We have to really step up because if we keep doing the things we're doing now, we're not going anywhere."

[whottt]

"It's not the first time we've played without him," Manu Ginobili said Wednesday. "That's what worries me.

It worries me too..but what worries me even more is that this is the first time I have ever heard Manu sound even halfway defeated....he didn't care when Parker and Duncan were injured last season...he still thought he was going to beat the Lakers.

I think right now we will see the leadership abilities of Brent Barry start to emerge...this guy was a leader in Seattle and he was said to be the one player that could regin Payton in...

And you know what? Barry is used to playing without Tim Duncan...I am not going to say Barry's shot is going to improve, because it's due to the tempo of offense the Spurs run and the way Barry is used... and I don't have a problem with his ball handling anyway...

But he's used to being on teams that have to win without Tim Duncan...it may even help his game...This guy didn't need Duncan to shoot at high PCT and not having Duncan in there isn't going to phase Barry one bit. He was the leader in the clubhouse at Seattle and I expect him to step up and lead now if he is given the chance...and the haters will have to apologize for questioning his character.

Put the ball in Barry's hands and stick him out there with Manu and Parker, let him play free...and watch what happens to our teams play, not his 3 PCT.

Anyone can step up when Tim Duncan is on the court, and anyone can make the playoffs and shoot at high PCT when Tim Duncan is on their team drawing all the attention away from them....

The PRESSURE is doing it when you don't have Tim Duncan to get you open...good PRESSURE shooting is shooting 50% when Tim Duncan isn't there on your team.

I don't think Barry's problem has been the pressure...I think it's been being on a team where he isn't asked to do much and feeling unimportant for the first time in his career...being on a team where he isn't one of the 2 most talented guys on the team, where his all around offensive skill set isn't needed or even wanted...being on the same level as rookies and NBDL players and fighting them for minutes..A simple self questioning of his playing ability and his worth as a player...I think that was the culture shock.


Let's see who steps up now that Duncan isn't going to be here for a while...during the real gutcheck time. And some people need to get their apologies ready.

[timvp]

Amazing how Whottt can take a Manu quote and end up trying to prove that Brent Barry doesn't fold under pressure.

Classic.

[whottt]

You are gonna be wrong on this one TimVP

Get that ownership reciept ready

I have been trying to figure out what Barry's problem is all season and I think I just did. The pressure thing never made sense to me...it doesn't make any sense at all...He hasn't played for any NBA champions..but who the has lately that hasn't been playing with Shaq or Duncan. He has won though.


Guys who fold under pressure are the ones who shoot 50% with Duncan and then suck when he isn't there...they don't shoot 50% without Duncan and suck when he is there....

Any great player that works on his game and has confidence is going to have an ego it is going to get it shaken when he sees his team tear it up without him doing much of anything...I've even heard Tim Duncan(last season) and David Robinson(a lot towards the end of his career) make comments about that...Barry came here expecting to be a valued member of this team and he wasn't, in fact he was the oddball and he was the weak link in a lot of ways...and he lost his confidence...that's what happened. Had nothing to do with the pressure of winning...if so then why didn't he choke in the dunk contest?

You want pressure? Trying being a whiteboy and winning the ing dunk contest.

[timvp]

Got damn. I've never seen someone streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch something so far.

Barry folds when his team is a championship contender and the team is expecting to win. Other than a few instances here and there, it's been the case this season. You are fighting a losing battle. Pretty soon I'm going to have to question whattt your real name is. I'd guess Erin.



P.S.

Dunk contest ... Pressure? Oh man, you've lost it.

[whottt]

Even Samaki Walker has won an NBA championship...how many whiteboys have won dunk contests? UNO!

And ask Chris Andersen how easy it is to win the dunk contest...those judges are tough on whitey.

[timvp]

Wait. I think you just convinced me. FINALLY. I have proof that Barry isn't a choker.

He dunked from the free throw line ten years ago. How could I have forgotten? I was there!

Thanks, Whottt.

[alamo50]

"You look around the locker room, and we don't have anyone that is really outspoken," Robert Horry said. "We're looking to someone to push us."


Look at the visitor's bench tonight at the dude in street clothes............

[whottt]

That's just it...there is no proof Barry is a choker...About the only thing you can legitimately question is his agressiveness. BFD, that's just the way some guys are...that's the way Horry is(except when he's hitting the big shots at the end)..that's the way Kerr was to an extent until the end of his career...some people said Drob lacked agressiveness...didn't keep him from winning two les...some guys work better in the background playing a cerebral game and some guys work better in the foreground being demonstrative.


I just think you and I have a different definition of choke...in my book to choke you have to first be in a position to win and beat yourself, not be a 7 or 8 seed and lose to the top teams in the conference...You should be familiar with that definition since you are a SpurFan going back to the Avery Johnson years...

And if you aren't then go back and look at that Houston game where we had the lead and all Devin had to do was stand there and get fouled like he had been doing since jr highschool...that was a choke my friend and it's the only one done by any member of this team this season.

[whottt]

Got damn. I've never seen someone streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch something so far.

Barry folds when his team is a championship contender and the team is expecting to win.

And when in the has he been on a championship contender before this season for you to know that?

The 98 Bulls sans Pippen, Rodman and Jordan?

What the Heat? He was there for 17 games and they didn't put him on the playoff roster...

I might add that's the same Heat team that got beat by an 8 seed the year we won the le. Obviously they didn't know what a choker was or else they wouldn't have been a huge one.

Take Magic away from Riley and you have a choker.

The pressure argument is weak. Those who are afraid of pressure do not seek it out. Those who are afraid of the pressure of winning do not sign with favorites to win the le.

I am afraid of sharks...therefore I do not jump into shark tanks.

[whottt]

Since everyone is glossing Barry a choker because he isn't shooting 40% from 3...I went and looked at what it would take for him to be shooting 40% right now...

He's made 77 of 226 three point attempts to shoot 341%.

For him to be shooting 40% right now he would have had to have made 13 additional three pointers IN 68 GAMES...and be 90 for 226....

So after 68 games the difference between being a guy who folds under pressure and being a guy who does his job...is less than two tenths of a 3 pointer per game.

I am also pretty sure he's already broken the club record for hitting at least 1 3 pointer in consecutive games, I think Schoenig mentioned that...

WEAK.

[Jimcs50]

I think right now we will see the leadership abilities of Brent Barry start to emerge...this guy was a leader in Seattle and he was said to be the one player that could regin Payton in...

Seattle was lottery bound with Brent on their team. Some leadership.

[whottt]

Yeah? And Steve Francis is lottery bound this year and has been for every year but 1 of his career....

Your point?

[cherylsteele]

Seattle was lottery bound with Brent on their team. Some leadership.

Just because he was on a lottery team means little if anything in the way of leadership......so was DRob the year we got Timmy.....DRob was still part of the team as was Sean and Avery.....but they were never leaders.

There have been many players on lottery teams that are reguarded as leaders.

[Jimcs50]

After Barry leaves, Seattle wins division and gets 2 seed.

[Jimcs50]

Just because he was on a lottery team means little if anything in the way of leadership......so was DRob the year we got Timmy.....DRob was still part of the team as was Sean and Avery.....but they were never leaders.

There have been many players on lottery teams that are reguarded as leaders.

DRob was injured and had no chance to lead team.

[whottt]

Geez Jim...you act like Barry is 21-61 AJ or something...

He was injured last season and so was Ray Allen...Seattle had a winning record with him and a losing record without him...on top of that they had no interior rebounding last year. Plus the West was pretty good.

The previous year Seattle was @500% iwhen they traded Payton and added Allen...the previous years he was there Seattle had a winning record...

I'm not trying to say Barry is Duncan anyway.

And Seattle wouldn't be winning the division this season if Minny wasn't in the toilet...


Now what's your excuse for Francis?

He's in the East...

[Jimcs50]

Whottt, I am just ing with you....I feel frisky today.



I want Barry to kick ass too.

[ducks]

actually nelson is going to take steve's job and steve is history...

[Gerryatrics]

The Sonics tanked last year when Barry missed games with injuries. They were above .500 when he started, quite a bit under that when he didn't. In one stretch Brent missed 20 games with a broken finger, the Sonics went 5-15. On the flip side, the second best stretch of the season was with Ray Allen out injured with Barry leading the team, the best stretch was after Barry came back from the finger injury. So yeah, seeing as how the Sonics fell apart almost as badly as the Spurs without him on the floor, I think his leadership was pretty important for them.

But you have to remember that the Sonics had no center to speak of (they had to choose between Jerome James, Calvin Booth and Vitaly Potapenko every night), Radmanovich was playing out of position and struggling and managment was running the team (into the ground) instead of Nate McMillan.

This year Mac-10 is coaching his way, Ridnour has improved greatly, Nick Collison is playing after missing last season due to bum shoulders, Danny Fortson has toughened up the Sonics weak inside play, Jerome James finally figured out he's there to play basketball, not volleyball and the Sonics are playing as a whole with pride for once. If they remember to keep the tranqualizer gun nearby in case Fortson's meds wear off again, they might have a chance to go pretty deep into the playoffs.