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Good to hear about Sean...
And damn, Tony's gonna have a few extra hundred wind sprints to run.
Pesky free throws top Popovich's list
Web Posted: 10/22/2004 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....154a66de.html
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich didn't need long to answer when asked what he would like to see his team improve upon from last season.
"We earned the 29th spot out of 29 teams in free-throw percentage," Popovich said. "We were the worst. We were the worst in the whole league.
"You usually can't win a championship if you're the worst at something. You might have something that's not your strong suit, but being the worst is kind of scary."
The Spurs shot a franchise record-low 68.1 percent from the foul line last season. They have made 78.1 percent of their free throws through three preseason games.
Tim Duncan, who shot a career low 59.9 percent last season, has made 12 of his 14 attempts.
Despite last season's No. 29 ranking, Popovich was reminded that the league has since expanded to 30 teams.
"It looks better for us this year," he said.
Welcome back: Brent Barry will face his former team tonight at the SBC Center, though the Seattle SuperSonics should be forgiven if they fail to recognize him.
Barry finished second in the league in 3-point shooting in his final season in Seattle. Through three preseason games with the Spurs, he has made only 5 of 27 shots, including 2 of 14 3-point attempts. Barry's new teammates, needless to say, aren't worried.
"Once you get to a different team with different players, you have to adjust," Manu Ginobili said. "You can't expect Brent to have a great game right away or Beno (Udrih). They need (time) to try to understand our system. They're adjusting."
He'll be appearing at ... : Tony Parker appears to be as comfortable with a microphone in his hand as he is with a basketball.
For the third-straight year, Parker roasted his teammates as he introduced them at the Spurs' annual tip-off luncheon Friday afternoon.
Parker mocked Barry's shooting through the first three preseason games — "What is he, 3 for 60?" — as well as Malik Rose's reduced role last season.
Parker asked the crowd to name Popovich's favorite player. When someone shouted "Malik," Parker laughed.
"It can't be Malik!" Parker said. "He only played two minutes last season!"
After the introductions, Parker asked Popovich, Duncan and Sean Marks to take a picture with him. Though unsure why Parker made the request, they obliged and walked to the front of the room.
Just as the photographer was about to take the picture, Parker surprised Popovich, Duncan and Marks by pulling out Manu Ginobili's Olympic gold medal.
Said Parker: "Now they know what a gold medal looks like."
Popovich and Duncan were on the U.S. team that lost to Ginobili and Argentina in the semifinals. Marks played for New Zealand, which did not medal.
One more honor: In addition to receiving the NBA's Community Assist Award for the month of August on Thursday, Duncan also was named "Outstanding Young San Antonian" by the city's Rotary Club.
Originally established by the San Antonio Jaycees more than 70 years ago, the award is presented to a local resident under the age of 40 who "is making a difference to the city through his or her leadership."
Duncan and his wife, Amy, have raised more than $550,000 for breast and prostate cancer research.
On the air: Former Spurs forward Sean Elliott will serve as the team's TV analyst for 60 games this season.
Good to hear about Sean...
And damn, Tony's gonna have a few extra hundred wind sprints to run.
Tony took a leaf from Brents book by the sound of it, his got the comic routine going on
I remember a do entary that Canal+ from France did on Tony during the 02-03 season, it was very funny and Tony looked very much at ease during the whole thing. I actually thought it was either really well rehearsed or the guy is a natural in front of the camera.
A cure for this = play Rose, Manu and Barry more.
The law of averages is with this = these guys hit the FTs consistently. In my view the most dissapointing is Parker. If Stockton, Nash and other guards can hit 85 or 90+ why can't he?
MadDoc
Cold-blooded.Said Parker: "Now they know what a gold medal looks like."
parker is funny...like jerry lewis is funny.
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