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good read thanks
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailyd...dime-060408-09
SPECIAL WEEKEND EDITION Enjoying life in the fast lane
Editor's note: ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein supplies each item for this around-the-league notebook edition of the Daily Dime.
No one really catches up with Tony Parker. Not this season.
Moving faster than ever, and finally shaking what even he describes as "my not being consistent," Parker has already realized one goal with his season-long flurry of layups.
"The challenge," he told me back in December, "is to do this for the whole year."
It started early and has lasted for 75 games. We've gotten only occasional looks at Parker's improving jump shot because he continues to rack up points in the paint at a ridiculous rate for a point guard.
Yet when you ask Parker to stop and sit down for a chat, you learn that the Frenchman -- who also has managed somehow to domesticate a "Desperate Housewives" wild child -- isn't terribly impressed by all this. He confesses a need to do this throughout the playoffs, too, to validate his rise to All-Star status.
For himself.
Parker hasn't forgotten his late-round struggles in the past three postseasons ... or the Spurs' flirtations with Jason Kidd before awarding him a six-year, $66 million contract ... or the fact that San Antonio failed in its first two attempts to repeat as NBA champion.
"There's still another level to this," Parker says.
He spoke openly about his plans to get there in a recent chat in Los Angeles. Nine highlights of that conversation with No. 9:
Parker on how closely the Spurs have followed the Mavericks in the chase for the West's No. 1 seed:
"Every day. Basically every day. Every day we talk about Dallas and see what they did the game before, how they're playing, what's the ranking, are we still ahead? It's just fun. It's a good race."
On which of the two Texas rivals needs home-court advantage more in their forthcoming second-round showdown:
"I think Dallas. We proved in the past that we can win big games on the road. ... [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] always says, 'If we get it, fine.' But the main thing for us is that we stay healthy. If we can stay healthy, I think we can win big games on the road."
On being described by Popovich and Tim Duncan as San Antonio's most consistent player after four up-and-down seasons:
"I think I'm just getting more mature. I think that's the only reason. I know everybody now. I feel comfortable in the system. I feel comfortable with Pop. I just knew that, after we won the championship last year, the next level for me was the All-Star level. ... The Spurs, they didn't know if I can go to that next level. So I wanted to show them that they can have a lot of confidence in me, that I was not satisfied with my contract or [that] we've got two championships. I wanted to get their respect as a player."
On improving his jump shot with new shooting coach Chip Engelland:
"It's going to be a learning process. I did a lot of good stuff this year, [but] I still think I can do better to try to get to that Chauncey Billups level or that Steve Nash level. That's where I want to get and that's going to take, I think, three or four years. So when I'll be 26 or 27, I think that's when my shot's going to mature. But I feel more comfortable. Every shot I'm taking at least has a chance to make it."
On whether people forget that he's only 23:
"I think even Pop sometimes forgets. They want me to improve so fast, and sometimes you can't go [faster than] experience. [But] Pop did a great job with me, pushing me when I first came, [at] 19, being hard on me. So now we're seeing the results of it."
On how much he still has to prove to himself in the playoffs after poor showings in the late stages of San Antonio's last three postseason runs:
"There's always a lot of people [who are] going to criticize me for what I did [before]. ... I know a lot of people can't wait to see if I'm going to do the same thing I did in [past] playoffs. And I'll be ready. It's a good challenge for me."
On how much pressure the Spurs feel to win their first back-to-back championships after failing to do so twice before:
"I think Pop, he just told us right at the beginning [of the season], 'We need to repeat.' We're the only team that won a championship [that] didn't repeat, basically."
On how much grief he gets from teammates for the tabloid coverage of his relationship with Eva Longoria:
"My teammates never say nothing. They never tease me. They see her [all the] time, so they don't care that she travels with us. We're one of the only teams in the NBA [that] lets us travel with wives or girlfriends. They all talk to her, so they know she's not a crazy woman."
On his ability to shrug at the increased scrutiny that comes with his newfound celebrity ... on and off the floor:
"How do you want me to complain? I got a great life. Great basketball team, great teammates, winning championships and a great girlfriend. I can't complain."
good read thanks
Also found this on the same page:
One more question for No. 9: How far away from 100 percent is Tim Duncan?
"I think he's getting better and better," Tony Parker says. "The last couple games, he started dunking again. I think he's feeling better. I'd say he's, like, 85 percent. I don't see him going as fast as he used to with his pump fakes and when he's doing his moves. But I think he's improving. I think he's starting to get in playoff mode."
Actually...
We've got one more: Can San Antonio win it all if Duncan, plagued by a season-long bout with plantar fasciitis, is only 85 percent?
"That's a tough question," Parker said. "We need Timmy. We're going nowhere if Timmy's not 100 percent. If he's 85 percent, I don't know. It's going to be tough."
Duncan's 11 points and six rebounds in Wednesday's loss to Sacramento marked the sixth time this season that he was held below 15 points and 10 boards in a game in which he logged at least 30 minutes. It happened to Duncan only once in the five previous seasons.
Of course, as the Spurs are relieved to know, there are no back-to-backs in the playoffs, and Duncan's troubles are generally seen in the second half of back-to-backs.
oh crap, read 'Parker living life in the fast lane' and thought this thread was related to his well noted incident with cops in san antonio with his classless broad from the streets of corpus, eva, who talked down about mexicans to the hispanic cop,when Tony almost ran someone over. what a dissapointment.
eva is hispanic, from corpus christi, texas.
i know she is hispanic. maybe she doesn't. she is a trick from the streets of corpus with looks and money, reported she said something to the effect in arrogance that "the mexican cop just wants your autograph" to tony. talk about forgetting where you came from!
talk about ignorance you mean...... try thinking for yourself instead of what the TV says you should think.
I'll leave it to someone else to explain what happened.
Thanks for giving us the real lowdown on that whole Eva thing with the San Antonio cops.
^you will leave it to someone else to explain because..uh.. said person was there 1st hand to confirm none of these comments were made?
Tony is that you?
i know tony personally and that didnt go down like that
lol
another jealous Evan Longoria hater....
dont know who evan is but im not jealous at all. just stating EVA is a classless broad from the streets who forgets herself
So you know her personally?just stating EVA is a classless broad from the streets who forgets herself
shut the pie hole.
DO YOU? you can vouch for her character cause shes ing Parker? what a in homer. you shut your in sewer.
I can vouch for her, due to some people I know who know her.
Are you from Sacramento??
If so not suprising.
Im sure youll show your picture and youll be white with multiple tatoos tribal ear spacers and a hick accent complaining about your govt job.
at sewer.
Parker is a hall of famer. The best spur ever.
Did you in forget to wipe your ass or something. If you don't know about someone shut it. Your queens didn't get the job done after they were leading by what. 17?? That's too bad. If you want to vent, go to one of your Queenie boards and discuss. Thank You.
How many of you all smoke pot? Just wondering.
some people you know who know her huh? a friend of a cousin of a sister of a neighbor of an aunt of a in store clerk or something? I call bull on that one, homeboy. from sac town? nope. from ocean side/san diego area. living in austin. not surprising you couldnt be more wrong about my appearance either.. white? hardly, try hispanic. hick accent, you, your the goddamn texan so off. hope your more on point about your assessment of that eva than you think you are of me.
hey man, nice way to um... totally change the ing subject. whatever. off.
Not to be an asswipe... but Eva is Tony Parker's girl and I don't think it's ing cool for people to come in here calling her names.
I think that is bull . She is a very successful, talented Texan. I just ain't down with calling any player's wife or girl a or something like that.
Bull .
californian.some people you know who know her huh? a friend of a cousin of a sister of a neighbor of an aunt of a in store clerk or something? I call bull on that one, homeboy. from sac town? nope. from ocean side/san diego area. living in austin. not surprising you couldnt be more wrong about my appearance either.. white? hardly, try hispanic. hick accent, you, your the goddamn texan so off. hope your more on point about your assessment of that eva than you think you are of m
Same thing.
You all uppity heads are all the same.
Get the out of texas.
I respect your opinion. if there was not ammunition for such opinions of her I would completely agree. unfortunately last i checked there isen't a longoria spurs jersey. she doesn't play for the spurs. even if she did that would not exclude her from being critisized. maybe if you were the cop she talked down to you would understand.
does this really dignify further response?
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