Spurs whistle while they work, and the results show

[Jimcs50]

June 24, 2005, 10:55PM

Spurs whistle while they work, and the results show
By MICKEY HERSKOWITZ
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

In the native language of Tony Parker, the French member of San Antonio's foreign legion, "Laissez les bon temps rouler" — let the good times roll.


For the Spurs, the times have been rolling, rolling, rolling for most of the last seven years, and Friday the fans were still dancing in the streets, celebrating their third NBA championship in that span. The mariachis were swinging, the margaritas were chilling, the River Walk was overflowing.

So what are we to make of these Spurs, this series, these teams? One has to be careful when chasing a concept as big and elusive as truth. In sports, this is like talking about the occult. But Gregg Popovich may have been nothing but truthful when he said, "I don't know how we did it. I'm just glad we did."

The Spurs surprised us because we thought they had lost their mojo after romping to victories in the first two games of the NBA Finals. In losing twice at Detroit, then winning, then losing, they seemed hesitant and edgy at their worst and methodical at their best.

Did you see the look in Tim Duncan's eyes when he clanked a follow shot off the iron that would have won Game 5 in regulation? He was, what, six inches from the basket? As he left the court, he raised his fists to his eyes, as if he could hide behind them.

It was a misplay by the Spurs' best player, and teams don't come back from that kind of pratfall. Except that San Antonio did, on Robert Horry's 3-pointer in the final six seconds of overtime.

And darned if they didn't give us an encore in Game 7, falling nine points behind in the third quarter, when the teams were scoring so infrequently that nine points looked like Mount Everest.

But the Spurs took it to the Pistons with the kind of resolve you didn't know they had. We should have, but they are a deceptive bunch. Duncan won't let you see what is behind those eyes, those fists. We should have guessed what the outcome would be when Duncan hit his free throws.

You reflect that it must be wonderful to be part of a team that can curse the officials in several languages. Except that these are not your usual NBA bullies or circus acts. They are — dare we say it? — sportsmen, and you find it hard to imagine one of them uttering a profanity.

Not that we would understand if they did it in, say, their native tongues. This le was unique because it was the first won by a team that included two players from Slovenia and one each from Argentina and France. Duncan didn't exactly arrive here holding a green card, but he spent the early months of his life in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and speaks fluent English, when he speaks at all.

You could find a splendid moral in San Antonio's triumph, if you needed one. If this mix of performers can get along, why can't the rest of us?

There was a tender moment when Popovich yanked Parker out of the game, after the point guard came out of the locker room with an adrenaline overload and threw up two wild shots. After a minute or two, Popovich asked Parker if he was all right. Tony said, "Oui," and the coach reminded him to calm down by giving him two noogies on the head.

Is San Antonio worthy of the glory and adulation that goes with the trophy? Of course. The Spurs beat the defending champions, the next-best team in the league. Larry Brown is a terrific coach, and the Wallaces — Rasheed and Ben — hold back nothing. Nor can you appreciate the skills of Chauncey Billups just from reading the box score.

It gave the finals a touch of class to have a player called Chauncey, a name you usually find in the British Parliament.

Yes, the series seemed elevated because the opposing players were so respectful, and Popovich once coached for Brown. It was as if one of them felt like apologizing when his team won.

And I am trying to recall the last time I saw an athlete play as joyously as Manu Ginobili, smiling, laughing, screaming, waving his arms to stoke the crowd. The Spurs all have familiar faces. Manu resembles the actor Andy Garcia, and Robert Horry is a dead ringer for Will Smith. Tim Duncan looks exactly like Tony Parker's taller, smarter, older brother.

Four years ago, the Spurs were the oldest team in the league. Now Duncan, at 29, is their most-seasoned starter. This is a team that reinvented itself.

Bonjour, Spurs. You earned it.

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[Jimcs50]

June 25, 2005, 12:38AM


Reuters
The Spurs just won their third championship in seven seasons, but now they really are ready to roll.




Prospects are good for Spurs to repeat
Unlike previous les, key players will stick around
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
THE NEXT SPUR?

The Spurs hold the draft rights to Luis Scola, a team-
mate of Manu Ginobili's on the Argentine national team.
• Who is he?: A 25-year-old forward from Buenos Aires.
• What has he done?: Sixth man of year in Spanish pro league in 2001. ... Drafted 56th overall by Spurs in 2002. ... Won an Olympic gold medal in 2004. ... Led his team, Tau Ceramica, with 21 points in European final loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv on May 8.
• What San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich says: "He's the best forward in Europe right now."


SAN ANTONIO - The disclaimer came first, before Tim Duncan could be asked about the Spurs' future.

"You're not the GM, I don't think," Duncan was told before the inevitable question about the roster and the moves to be made could be asked.

The line of questioning was predictable, so Duncan, filled with the elation of the occasion and the confidence that comes with a third championship in seven seasons, jumped in.

He heard he was not the general manager so he cracked, "Not officially at least."

Sure, Shecky Duncan would take the job now. The Spurs just won their third championship in seven seasons, but now they really are ready to roll. The Finals MVP might as well be back-seat driving a race car. Presumably, R.C. Buford, the actual general manager, and coach Gregg Popovich will find things to do to kill time before and after today's championship parade.

By Friday's team meeting, they had already spent time working out prospects for Tuesday's draft and the No. 28 pick.

But as the Spurs look toward the one accomplishment they have not reached in the Duncan era — a repeat — they are far more set than after their previous les.

Every player but Duncan has been replaced since the first Spurs le in 1999. After the 2003 le, much of the team around him was headed for free agency or retirement.


Big Three will be back
But now, the Spurs have Duncan and Manu Ginobili locked up until 2010 and Tony Parker for another year.

Robert Horry can opt out of his contract but has been talking about next season and the pursuit of his seventh le, which would be more than any player who was not part of the Celtics dynasty.

"It's a great feeling," Duncan said. "It's a great feeling. In years past, we've lost six, seven, eight, nine guys in a year and rebuilt. I think we've really got a core here that we're in love with."

The Spurs and Pistons are the only champions since 1986 Celtics that did not have back-to-back les.

The Showtime and Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant Lakers, Michael Jordan's Bulls, Hakeem Olajuwon's Rockets and the Bad Boys Pistons all were able to repeat at least once.

But if the Spurs can collect championships at the rate they have since drafting Duncan, they can take a place among the all-time great champions.

The Spurs can consider such possibilities in part because Ginobili has shown potential to become a long-time complement to Duncan.

"Manu is unbelievable," Duncan said. "I don't think we've even scratched the surface with him. He's got so much to him. He just plays with reckless abandon. He doesn't care about the time or the situation. He doesn't care if it's a preseason game or it's a Finals game. He plays the same way."


Far from satisfied
Even in the exhaustion and euphoria of the moment, Ginobili sounded hungry for more.

"It's been an unbelievable year," Ginobili, who won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina before taking his second NBA championship, "but, you know, this continues and we're going to try to repeat it."

With history and legacies in mind, Horry was asked if Duncan has moved up on his list of championship teammates.

"No," Horry said, with a smile and a plan. "I won two with Hakeem, three with Shaq. Now if he wins it for me next year, we'll talk."

They might even lean back in leather chairs and put their feet on the desk in the general manager's office and chat — unofficially, of course.

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[Summers]

Duncan didn't exactly arrive here holding a green card, but he spent the early months of his life in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and speaks fluent English, when he speaks at all.

Really nice article, but this line had me scratching my head.

[MannyIsGod]

That line is just saying that while he's technicaly forgien, he's really not.

[Summers]

That line is just saying that while he's technicaly forgien, he's really not.

He doesn't have an accent--He *can't* be a foreigner!

But seriously, did this guy not do any research at all? I mean, even I know what Lexus Nexus is, and I'm not a writer (although I'm sure I don't know how to spell it). He makes it sound like Tim's parents immigrated here when he was two and he learned English as a second language. Weird.