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I know I'll be switching back and forth between games...at least until I make sure USC is putting Texas in its rightful place![B] Even the most loyal of Spurs fans, those who will show up tonight, may find the game an occasional distraction.
By the way, Spurs play Portland tonight
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Web Posted: 01/04/2006 12:00 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
Gregg Popovich called the Spurs' Christmas afternoon date with the Detroit Pistons that day's "JV game," since ABC treated a matchup between last season's NBA finalists like a warmup for its Lakers-Heat telecast that followed.
What does that make tonight's Spurs-Portland Trail Blazers game at the SBC Center, scheduled to begin not long after kickoff of the Texas-USC Rose Bowl for college football's national championship?
The dozens of Spurs season-ticket holders who offered up seats for tonight's game on a ticket exchange must have regarded it as a nuisance. Even the most loyal of Spurs fans, those who will show up tonight, may find the game an occasional distraction.
Popovich no doubt understands that most of the eyes in Texas will be on the goings-on in Pasadena — California, not Texas — including quite a few of those at the SBC Center. Crowds around the TV sets in the concourses are apt to be tuned to the BCS le game.
Popovich's lone concern is that his players give their full attention to a game against the team with the worst record in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers have won only 10 of their 30 games. Even in the Northwest Division, which does not have a team with a record above .500, that puts them in last place.
"Like very other team, they're going to come after us," Popovich said. "They want to beat the Spurs, so we'll have to lace them up and come ready, or we're going to have a problem."
To that end, Popovich ran his players through a long practice Tuesday, the Spurs' first real training session in more than two weeks. The regimen, Popovich said, was a lot like training camp. He called it "a little fix-up."
For a veteran like Robert Horry, at 35 the Spurs' oldest player, having had two days away from basketball after the New Year's Eve game in Denver was a welcome break. He also welcomed the return to the gym.
"More days off helps me out more now than in the past," Horry said. "Then I wanted to practice so I could keep everything working, mechanically and skills-wise. Now I really like the days off. But we needed to work on some things, especially our rebounding and boxing out. So it was good to get back to work."
With Rasho Nesterovic healthy, Nazr Mohammed on the roster from the start of the season and Argentine veteran Fabricio Oberto added during the summer, Horry anticipated his regular-season playing time might diminish. In fact, he is averaging almost the same amount of playing time as last season, a difference of only a few seconds per game.
Matchups, Popovich explained, have determined the rotation among his big men as much as anything, with more teams using small lineups against the Spurs. That requires more of Horry's quickness and savvy.
Horry said there is no need to worry that he would wear down.
"Physically, I feel really good," he said. "It doesn't matter how much I play, as long as we're winning. You get to a point in your career where those off nights come more often, and you take them. I enjoy the nights I play, as well as the nights he gives me off, although your compe ive nature makes you want to be out there to help your team.
"The funny thing is, on this team you don't really care if you don't play. You like the guys on your team so well that you just want them to be able to go out and play and succeed. Any other time, any other team, you see guys be more selfish, and think, 'Why is he playing ahead of me?' But on this team, it's a bunch of all-around great guys, and the guys playing behind you and ahead of you are just as good as you, or better than you, so it doesn't matter who plays."
Horry's scoring average is down slightly, from 6.0 to 5.3 points per game, but he has not stopped making big shots. In Saturday's victory over Denver, his back-to-back 3-point shots in the final two minutes of the third period broke open a close game and allowed the Spurs to ease to their 24th victory.
"He understands the game well enough to know when he can impose himself on it," Popovich said. "In Denver the other night he knew we needed some offense and came out and let it fly. Other times, he won't even take those shots because he's trying to get into the flow of things and other people are rolling. But he senses things in a game and takes advantage of it."
I know I'll be switching back and forth between games...at least until I make sure USC is putting Texas in its rightful place![B] Even the most loyal of Spurs fans, those who will show up tonight, may find the game an occasional distraction.
Blaspemy!I know I'll be switching back and forth between games...at least until I make sure USC is putting Texas in its rightful place!
Go Horns. But I'm not missing any of the Spurs game.
Actually, I was just kidding. Not much of a Whiners...er...Longhorns fan. Not much of a USC fan, either. I really don't care who wins it, but it should be a good game.
One of my favorite Robert Horry moments came last season in the playoffs @ Denver. The Spurs were ahead by 2 points and Bowen nails a basket to go up by 4. Then Robert Horry steals the inbounds pass and with most of the other Spurs at the other end, Robert sensing the timing of his steal quickly maneuvers to the arc and in rhythm nails a dagger 3 to go up by 7....then pulls down a rebound and ends up nailing another 3 to go up by 10.
Robert's position is understandable for himself, with 6 rings playing besides numerous HoFers, at the end of his successful career, a well-deserved reputation, arguably a HoF candidate, and 25,000 minutes of career PT.
But younger players struggling to establish themselves cannot afford to be so indifferent to and unselfish about about playing time. No PT means no career advancement.
arguably a HoF candidate
No way is Robert Horry, a HOF'er.
I see your point in the younger players view, and I think on this Spurs team that may only effect Beno.
Girl, are you serious? I was going to offer you our Spurs seats but I thought no way would you miss the Rose Bowl!
Where are you going to be tonight? (Is this another trip-to-Austin day?). Vince Young is a stud and all, but miss Timmy?? What were you thinking?
I'll be at home, watching the gameI was thinking the Longhorns are up for a national championship and you're a UT fan! Besides, you can always Tivo Timmy for slowmo play later!
That's why you gotta love the Spurs...
Like I don't do that anyway!I'll be at home, watching the game
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