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Damn. Can the Spurs do this? It seems like there are too many players injured. It seems like they are going into the playoffs with little team concept and more questions than answers. Can they do it?
Believe.
Spurs' loss doesn't hurt
Web Posted: 04/21/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...1fa443398.html
MINNEAPOLIS — For one fleeting moment, Wednesday evening looked like any of the three-plus dozen other mano-a-mano battles between Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
Duncan, ball in hand, turned and faced his longtime rival. Garnett stayed on Duncan's hip. Together, they went to the rim.
On this night, however, Duncan's stride was cautious. His jump hook was short. He watched the shot clang off the rim, turned and ran down the court.
Duncan's lack of frustration summed up the state of the Spurs as they completed their final playoff tune-up with a 95-73 loss to Minnesota: They're limping yet persistent.
With Brent Barry joining Devin Brown and Rasho Nesterovic on the bench in jeans and Duncan nursing his tender right ankle, the Spurs survived the 82nd and final game of their schedule, which was about as much as they hoped to accomplish. They open the playoffs against Denver on Sunday night at the SBC Center.
"We have a couple guys banged up. Devin's still not healthy," Manu Ginobili said. "Of course, we're concerned. But that's what we got.
"Nobody's going to feel sorry for us. We just have to keep working and try to go through it."
Barry missed his first game of the season after suffering a deep thigh bruise in Monday's loss in Memphis. Coach Gregg Popovich thinks he will be fine to play Sunday but doesn't share the same optimism for Nesterovic.
Nesterovic, who has missed the past six games with a sprained left ankle, had hoped to get some minutes against Minnesota but didn't look ready during Tuesday's practice. Popovich called him doubtful for Sunday's opener. The team also will decide today whether to include Brown on the playoff roster, knowing he probably won't be healthy enough to play in the first round.
The Spurs did receive some good news Wednesday: They will have two days off after each of the first two games in the best-of-seven series, affording their injured more of an opportunity to rest.
"I like the schedule," Popovich said. "Any other year I'd want to just play the games, but we can use the time. Hopefully we can use it to our advantage."
Bruce Bowen (26), Ginobili (22), Tony Parker (22) and Robert Horry (eight) all played limited minutes. Duncan played 23 while totaling three points, six rebounds and two blocks. He missed all but one of his eight shots.
"It's just something he's going to have to work through," Popovich said. "Working through the pain, just getting it loose again, mentally feeling confident on (his ankle). It's not going to be a quick process, but he's going to get through it, he's a compe or and he's going to do what he can do."
Duncan estimated he is playing at 75-80 percent of his full strength.
"There's still a couple of things I'm tentative doing," he said, "but a lot of it is just trying to protect myself."
Neither team had much invested in the outcome of a game that, at the beginning of the season, looked like it might determine first place in the Western Conference. The loss gave the Spurs a 59-23 record, identical to that of Eastern Conference-leading Miami. Should the teams meet in the NBA Finals, the Spurs would have home-court advantage because they have a better record against the opposing conference.
Minnesota, meanwhile, already had earned the distinction of being the eighth team in NBA history to miss the playoffs after advancing to the conference finals the previous season. And the locals, apparently, aren't too happy with the turn of events.
An editorial in the Minneapolis Star Tribune this week chided the Timberwolves for their performance, saying they "played basketball abysmally this season" After watching Garnett rim out one too many shots in the first quarter, a courtside fan shouted, "Remember KG, Kevin? He was the MVP."
Garnett, who missed 11 of 17 shots and finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, played on a sore right knee much of the season while producing comparable numbers to his MVP season of a year ago. He exited early in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation.
"Knowing how compe ive he is, I know it kills him" not being in the playoffs, Duncan said. "He pours his heart and soul into this team and every game he plays. I know it hurts tremendously."
While Duncan doesn't share the same pain, he admits the Spurs aren't in the best of health heading into the playoffs.
"That's one of our major concerns: Guys are dinged up; guys are hurt," he said. "We're just going to have to play through that."
Damn. Can the Spurs do this? It seems like there are too many players injured. It seems like they are going into the playoffs with little team concept and more questions than answers. Can they do it?
Believe.
They seem pretty banged up. But when it comes down to it, I think they can sack up.
Duncan is just about getting comfortable. I think Rasho will be fine.
I also think you have to leave Devin on the roster even if it's just for the latter rounds. I can't see Marks/LJIII/Wilks making that much of a difference -- I guess you could argue that Wilks could guard Boykins.
I think Round 1 should be a big round for Manu.
believe I think is about as tested right now as you can get.
Almost as much as after game 1 in 03 in the the first round.
This is 180 degree from how they went into the playoffs last year, in health, in synchronization, and in on-the-court results.
The first round will be a bigger struggle than people think.
I have gone into the same zone that the Spurs have obviously entered. I don't care! I just don't care at all!
I watched tonight's game with this laissez-faire at itude and I have to admit that I came away with a settled stomach. I used to fret and stress when the Spurs were being trashed by a team that hadn't managed to find itself in the playoffs!
What a jerk I must have been. My team obviously doesn't give a damn, so why should I?
I guess I'll have to turn it on in a few days, but this lazy-dazy at ude is kinda catching... I just might keep this up. Sure beats the stress I experienced during the season.
Thank you, Pop, with your Eye-Exam tie. You have shown me the way...
so sallie, should they have played everyone 40 minutes tonight and worn everyone out for a worthless win against Minnesota?
So Tpark, are you saying she should care about winning or losing when the Spurs themsevles don't care about it?
She's just saying the teams going through the motions is obvious...she's right, I didn't even watch last nights game because I knew what it was going to be like.
This team hasn't had an intense game since the GS game...even the loss to Memphis was a snoozer.
Transitioning from the regular series to the playoffs is going to be very much a case of the Spurs thinking they can "flip a switch" like we used to criticize the Lakers for...
She's dead on about the way the Spurs have played and the lack of emotion has been noticable...are you saying she should be rah rah rah about things when the Spurs themselves haven't been?
For all my bravado, I know it will not be an "easy" series by any means.
But I still believe in my heart the Spurs are Champions and will find a way to win.
The more different they are from the last year, the better IMO.
Maybe this year the struggles through injuries will somehow help us win!
As far as Rasho goes, I'm not falling for it anymore. He starts on Sunday.
Thats not the point Tpark, the minutes that the starters were out there was pathetic. As I stated on another thread lack of concentration, bad passes, blown defensive rotations etc., etc.
This was a team that mailed in the final game and no one cared.
Of course I didn't expect them to win, I knew the starters would sit out at least the second half, but jeez..... This team should have at least looked like they were getting fine tuned before the playoffs start.
Like Whott stated if you think they can just flip a switch and jump into playoff mode fine.
I hope your right and I'm wrong.
But this is the NBA and if you give any team a free day someone will take advantage of that, especially come playoff time. If any one team should know about that it should be the Spurs.
Anyone remember Golden State in '91??????
jeez, Johnny Zero, can you at least wait until the Playoffs before you start in' about how the Spurs are playing?
I swear, the Spurs get the Number 2 seed with 2 starters injured for most of the month, and people still find reasons to about meaningless games the Spurs were obviously not trying to win.
Does no one believe anymore?
nuggets are banged out
is camby a go on sunday
duncan is still getting comfortable out there
but he will play or equal camby + martin
spurs debth will beat denver
^^^^ I'm not in' Muttdog I'm just concerned. Don't confuse the two.
BTW I believe we still can win the trophy but at the same time I'm not going to let my high school spirit dissillusion me.
, I'm concerned, too. But not about how we played last night, 'cause that DOESN'T MATTER.
^^^^^ cool.
Bill Walton on Mika and Mike this morning picked Phoenix to win the West.
He said Denver could beat SA if SA does not get TD healthy.
Bad times indeed.
Isn't that a good thing? They got hammer ed in the playoffs last year...This is 180 degree from how they went into the playoffs last year, in health, in synchronization, and in on-the-court results.
The GOOD news is that the second round will probably be easier than the first, with either a SEA or SAC matchup. Just win those four games, Spurs, and advance...
Yeah, I agree 100% exstatic. This will be a trial by fire for the Spurs. When the beat the Nuggets, that will give them the boost to take the whole thing.
Please don't tell me you value Bill Walton's opinions!?????
[walton] Thuh PhEEnix Thunth are the CLAHASS of th NBA. Lehd by this theathonth MVP THTEEve Nayushh they've brought the FUHN back into the NBA.[/walton]Please don't tell me you value Bill Walton's opinions!?????
I'm so relieved Walton and SAS are picking someone other than the Spurs.
"Bill Walton's opinions"
Walton's opinion on Duncan's bad health meaning elimination for the Spurs is not unique to Walton.
"Believe" all you want, but I bet Tim still won't be anywhere near 100% on that ankle by the end of round one, May 8, seriously weakening the Spurs on both ends. And I bet Pop will sit Tim early and often, putting a lot of pressure on the others. Everybody will have to take up the slack and try to finish the Nuggets in 5 games so Tim can give the ankle a rest.
Last edited by boutons; 04-21-2005 at 11:36 AM.
Yes, yes, the Spurs are not 100%... but neither are the Nuggets.
, all these commentators could be saying the same thing about other teams!
Duh. Tell us something we don't know...
We're screwed. I don't have a good feeling about this.
50 cent - what do you mean we're screwed? Do you think ANY team is feeling super confident at this point? If they are, they probably shouldn't be. No, not even the Suns vs. the Grizzlies.
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