Johnny Ludden : Spurs' defense stops T'wolves

[Bruno]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...r.2f7f2b2.html


Web Posted: 12/14/2006 12:20 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News


The Spurs knew what was coming. They had given up 56 points in the first half, trailed by as many as 16 and watched the Minnesota Timberwolves shoot better than 60 percent.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich often uses such occasions to deliver a blistering rebuke. The body count after this week's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers was particularly high.

On Wednesday, he simply gave his team a choice.

"I just asked the guys if it wasn't an inconvenience, that if we picked up the pressure and played a little more aggressively it might be a good idea," Popovich said. "But if they didn't want to, they didn't have to."

The Spurs agreed to the request, limiting the Timberwolves to just 26 points in the second half of their 95-82 victory at the AT&T Center.

Tim Duncan scored 24 points and Tony Parker added 23, but it was defense that carried the Spurs to their sixth victory in seven games.

Minnesota's second-half total was the lowest by a Spurs opponent this season. The Spurs' pressure also forced 17 turnovers in the final two quarters, producing 23 points.

"Obviously, that's where we got our energy," Popovich said. "It generated a lot of offense and we ended up having a good night."

Unfortunately for the Spurs, their evening didn't end quite as well. They were supposed to fly to New Orleans immediately after the game but had to deplane before takeoff when the pilot announced bad weather over the city would prevent them from landing.

As a result, the Spurs will be forced to fly this morning, putting them in the unusual predicament of playing the Hornets tonight less than 12 hours after arriving.

Whether the Spurs will be rested enough for their fourth game in five days remains to be seen. But they were happy to have at least summoned enough energy to beat Minnesota.

The Timberwolves brought their longest winning streak in a year into Wednesday, having run off victories over Philadelphia, Houston, Utah and Chicago. For much of the first half, they looked ready to add the Spurs to that list.

Minnesota shot 60.5 percent in the half and the Spurs were fortunate to go into the locker room down 56-48. The Timberwolves had hiked their lead to 16 with less than two minutes left in the second quarter.

"More important than the defensive effort in the second half was the lack of a defensive effort in the first half," Duncan said. "We were horrible in the first half."

Said Parker: "The first half was boring. No stops. No energy. No intensity."

Popovich gave the Spurs two instructions at halftime. He told Parker and Francisco Elson to start pressuring full court and he wanted the team to blitz all of Minnesota's pick-and-rolls.

With assistant Brett Brown yelling at Elson to "Pick up! Pick up!" every time he started to drift back, the Spurs forced the Timberwolves into six turnovers and six missed shots on their first 12 possessions of the third quarter. Minnesota didn't get its first second-half basket until 6 minutes, 31 seconds were gone.

Popovich "wanted us to be more aggressive, do something that changed the pace of the game," said Manu Ginobili, who had 12 points. "I thought it worked out really well."

Parker sent the Spurs into the fourth quarter with the lead by burying a 35-point 3-pointer at the buzzer. He punctuated the shot with a fist pump then — upset about a non-call on the previous possession when he thought the Timberwolves were intentionally trying to foul him — he screamed at referee Sean Wright, which earned him a technical.

"They had a foul to give and everybody knows every single game with a foul to give, they're going to foul," Parker said. "He admitted after he messed up. Sometimes refs are going to make mistakes and you have to live with it. But I had that three and I was just mad."

The Spurs continued their surge into the final quarter. With the game tied at 75 with 9:41 left, they reeled off 12 unanswered points over the next six minutes.

"The pressure that the Spurs showed us tonight," Minnesota coach Dwane Casey said, "was the best I've seen this year."

The Timberwolves' point guards struggled to initiate the offense. Double-teaming the pick-and-rolls also allowed the Spurs to bottle up Kevin Garnett, who scored just two points in the second half — both of which came on free throws.

"It wasn't really one guy guarding one individual," Popovich said. "It was a big-time team defensive effort without a doubt."

[Kori Ellis]

Popovich gave the Spurs two instructions at halftime. He told Parker and Francisco Elson to start pressuring full court and he wanted the team to blitz all of Minnesota's pick-and-rolls.

With assistant Brett Brown yelling at Elson to "Pick up! Pick up!" every time he started to drift back, the Spurs forced the Timberwolves into six turnovers and six missed shots on their first 12 possessions of the third quarter.

Brett Brown should yell to Elson every game

It was good to see the Spurs dominate defensively. But I hate them getting down early to teams.

[Bruno]

Unfortunately for the Spurs, their evening didn't end quite as well. They were supposed to fly to New Orleans immediately after the game but had to deplane before takeoff when the pilot announced bad weather over the city would prevent them from landing.

As a result, the Spurs will be forced to fly this morning, putting them in the unusual predicament of playing the Hornets tonight less than 12 hours after arriving.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...w.36317f4.html

Bobby Jackson, David West and Peja Stojakovic are out for today game.

Even if Spurs will be tired and play against a team that runs a lot, they wil face a team that is far from being at 100%.

[milkyway21]

Francisco Elson helped hold Kevin Garnett to two points in the second half, both coming on free throws.

pick-up, pickup works

[milkyway21]

while checking the halftime scores, i thought the Spurs were the next Wolves victim after their winning streak over Chicago, Philly, Houston, & Utah

[TDMVPDPOY]

brett brown, now thats a bloke who knows how to win, he was very successful in australia in the 90s coaching down under a league team in melbourne....

[phyzik]

Parker sent the Spurs into the fourth quarter with the lead by burying a 35-point 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Only Tony can make a 3-pointer worth 35 points

"I just asked the guys if it wasn't an inconvenience, that if we picked up the pressure and played a little more aggressively it might be a good idea," Popovich said. "But if they didn't want to, they didn't have to."

yeah, and Im sure they discussed it over a nice cup of tea.

[SAGambler]

I think that long three that Tony hit, lit a fire under the Spurs. And as we saw in that 4th quarter, when they decided to put the clamps on, they are the best in the business.

Garnett disappeared...Just shows what pressure can do to even a superstar. No wonder these other teams hate playing the Spurs. They know when the Spurs really decide to bring the D, the shooting sprees are over.