Series notebook: Spurs learn lesson from last season

[Kori Ellis]

Series notebook: Spurs learn lesson from last season
Web Posted: 05/12/2005 12:00 AM CDT

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...265e79f0e.html

The Spurs were in this position last season. Up 2-0 in the Western Conference semifinals. Feeling pretty good about themselves.

Then they boarded their charter flight to Los Angeles.

The Spurs lost the next two games at the Staples Center, Derek Fisher threw in his miracle shot at the buzzer to win Game 5, the Lakers closed them out two nights later. After winning 17 consecutive games, the Spurs ended their season with four-straight losses.

The Spurs are using that experience to keep from feeling too confident about their current situation. In the final minutes of Tuesday's victory, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich chided Tony Parker for celebrating a little bit too much.

"What I'm concerned about is we just have to stay humble," Manu Ginobili said. "Nobody cares if we won the first two. We have to keep the same focus, go there and try to get one win, at least."

Since they opened the playoffs by losing on their own court to Denver, the Spurs have won six consecutive games. It matches last season's six-game streak as the team's second-longest in the postseason. The Spurs won 12 consecutive games during their march to the 1999 championship.

"I always tell guys, no matter how many games you win, you should play as if you're one game away from elimination," Robert Horry said.

Allen rests: Seattle guard Ray Allen didn't practice Wednesday. He played 42 minutes Tuesday after spraining his right ankle in Game 1.

"He's fine," Sonics coach Nate McMillan said. "It's real sore, but he should be able to go."

Home sweet home? McMillan said the Sonics can't rely on tonight's sellout crowd at KeyArena to turn the series in their favor.

The Spurs won twice in Denver in the first round.

"This team (the Spurs) has been in this position before, so they have been able to win on the road and being at home is not going to save us," McMillan said. "Solid play, good execution, good defense, shooting the ball and knocking down some shots — that's what we need to do."

Giving back: Tim Duncan seemed to take exception to a couple of hard fouls the Sonics delivered to Ginobili on Tuesday.

He exchanged words with Rashard Lewis on one occasion and glared at Jerome James on another.

"It makes me really glad that the leader of the team, the All-Star, is going to step up for you and try to defend you," Ginobili said.

Finding the range: No one was more surprised by Nazr Mohammed's 3-pointer in the final seconds of Tuesday's victory than Mohammed himself.

The Spurs were running down the clock when Mohammed received the ball above the key. Rather than let the shot clock expire, he hoisted the 25-foot jumper, which bounced high off the rim before rattling in.

Mohammed turned to the Spurs' bench and shrugged.

"It was my first," Mohammed said. "And probably my last."

In his seven seasons in the NBA, Mohammed had attempted only three 3-pointers, missing all of them.

He's been there before: McMillan, regarded as a tough, defensive-minded point guard during his playing days, has told Seattle's Luke Ridnour he needs to give Parker and Ginobili some more space to cut off their penetration.

"Parker is one of the fastest guards who plays in this league, and you got to give him two steps as opposed to a step," McMillan said. "Then we have got to get help. There are times when he gets buy Luke one or two times, and then he's going by our big men, too. Everybody has to do a better job of helping to contain their guards."

[Horry For 3!]

Yup that is true, you can't be too y because things happen. I don't think they are like that as of being experienced with the playoffs and knowing what happened to them against the Lakers last year.

[Gummi]

Winning this Game 3 will be vital. If the Spurs win tonight, it's over. A loss however will open the series up. Lets take the air out of Seattle tonight a then finish them off in Game 4.

[Gerryatrics]

So is anyone else going to the game?

[SilverPlayer]

I'm going to game 4.....Needed a weekend game.