Horry keeping the Game Ball

[Dex]

Horry collects sixth ring
Web Posted: 06/24/2005 01:12 AM CDT

Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer

His sixth championship ring now on order, Spurs forward Robert Horry was asked what he had done with the five he already owned before helping the Spurs defeat the Detroit Pistons in Thursday's Game 7 of NBA Finals at the SBC Center.

Pointing down, where his young son, Cameron, was enjoying the turmoil of the Spurs' victorious locker room and getting his first tastes of champagne as it spewed occasionally from a shaken bottle, Horry said they all belonged to the youngster.

"I gave them all to that guy right there, gave them to my son," said Horry, who joined John Salley as the only NBA players to win a championship with three teams. "He doesn't know where they are just yet, but he has all of them."

The ball used in the Spurs' 81-74 victory, which he had the presence of mind to track down after time expired, is another story.

Horry doesn't intend for anyone to have that but him, and it's not likely any of his teammates, not even Finals MVP Tim Duncan, is going to try to fight him for it.

"Everybody was jumping up and down, and I ran out and got it. My last championship (with the Lakers, in 2002), I gave the ball to (veteran) Mitch (Richmond), because Mitch Richmond was a special player to me ... and it was his first championship.

"I thought about giving this one to T-Mass (Tony Massenburg), but I said, 'No, this one is for myself.'

"It's my sixth championship. I wanted to keep it for myself."

Horry, the hero of Game 5 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, which he won with a stone-cold 3-pointer with 5.8 seconds remaining in overtime, had another big game off the bench in Game 7.

In 32 solid minutes, Horry made 4 of 7 shots, including two of his four 3-point shots. He also grabbed five rebounds, blocked one shot, had one assist and took a charge from Detroit's Richard Hamilton with 1:31 remaining and the Spurs holding hard to a 72-66 lead.

Horry scored eight in the first quarter, three on his first shot, a 3-pointer from the left corner that gave the Spurs a 16-13 lead and prompted a Pistons timeout that gave the SBC Center crowd its first real chance to howl.

"It didn't just feel good to make that first three," Horry said, "it just felt good to make baskets. You've got to make baskets in this league, and especially in the Finals you've got to make baskets, so any time you can drop one you feel good."

Horry said he won't be able to put becoming the second player to win a le with a third team in perspective for a while.

"I really can't," he said. "It really hasn't set in right now. I'm happy right now, but it probably won't hit me until tomorrow and I wake up and it's all over the news."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich shortened his playing rotation in the final two games, essentially bringing only Horry and backup guard Brent Barry off the bench. Horry logged 32 minutes Tuesday, 10 more than starting center Nazr Mohammed, and Barry played 29 minutes.

Barry had a solid Game 7, as well. He made his only 3-point attempt, and 2 of 3 shots overall, and his defense, sometimes on Pistons shooting guard Richard Hamilton, was better than most observers believed him capable of playing. He even had two steals and a blocked shot in Game 7.

"I certainly would like to change some things from this season," Barry said, "but you can't. My effort was there all year, but the results weren't there. I liken it to a good hitter having a bad year. But winning a championship makes all those things go away real quick."

You earned it, Robert. Thank you for coming to San Antonio.

See you next year for another run.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Is it possible to use that ball for all of our games next year, you know kind of like how people bring their own basketballs to pick-ups games?

[Dex]

It's worth a shot, but I think the players might catch on to the Finals Logo that is burned onto the ball.