http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...s.1a9caf7.html
Web Posted: 02/11/2007 10:46 PM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
MIAMI — Sixteen days ago, the Spurs packed their bags, waved goodbye to their families and set off for the first of eight consecutive road games. As in past years, they hoped to use their annual rodeo trip as an opportunity to find themselves and build some momentum in their increasingly ragged season.
Who was it that said the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry?
The Spurs stumbled again Sunday afternoon, losing 100-85 to the Miami Heat after Dwyane Wade buried them in the fourth quarter with 18 of his 26 points. The loss was the fourth in six games for the Spurs, and this one didn't settle any better than the rest.
One day after coach Gregg Popovich criticized the team for its "soft" performance in Friday's loss in Orlando, the Spurs were outrebounded 46-31 and watched the Heat shoot 52.8 percent. It was the first time this season the Spurs have surrendered 100 points in consecutive games.
"We're still not playing physical enough, tough enough," Popovich said. "We're playing soft for too many minutes in the game.
"We're just hoping and begging rather than playing our ass off. We were beaten to loose balls, second shots, hard drives, hard cuts. We're too soft."
The question now is whether the Spurs are capable of improving enough to consistently beat the NBA's elite teams. While Sunday's nationally televised game was a Geritol-ready matchup between each conference's oldest teams, only the Spurs looked tired and slow once the fourth quarter arrived.
"We just didn't have the game to get it done," said Tim Duncan, who missed 6 of 10 shots and 6 of 11 free throws before finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds. "We compounded mistakes, we weren't good enough defensively. We're just going through a rough patch now."
The Spurs got 26 points from Manu Ginobili, but Tony Parker needed 19 shots for his 20. Bruce Bowen also missed all five of his attempts and Michael Finley went 1 of 7 behind the 3-point line.
The Spurs made only 5 of 17 shots in the fourth quarter; Miami went 12 of 18.
Some "games it's physicality, other games it's bad defense, other games it's missing shots," Ginobili said. "It's always something: turnovers, rebounds, whatever.
"The good thing is we know we can improve. And we will."
The Heat, who have endured their own struggles this season, appear to be on the rise. They won for the sixth time in seven games with Wade, as usual, leading them.
Wade spent much of the first half trying to get his teammates involved. He didn't take a shot until early in the second quarter and had four points, two assists and three turnovers in the half.
"I was just having patience, looking and watching the game and seeing how they play my teammates," Wade said. "It got to the point where coach (Ron Rothstein) came to me and said, 'You ready to be aggressive now?'"
Wade obliged once the fourth quarter started. He made 7 of 10 shots, only one of which was inside of 16 feet, burying one jump shot after another over the head of Bowen.
The Spurs trailed by four with seven minutes left but soon faded.
Wade buried a 20-footer, then a 16-foot turnaround on consecutive possessions. When the Spurs ran a second defender at him the next time down the floor, he passed to Antoine Walker, who made an open 3-pointer to hike Miami's lead to 91-78 with 3:37 to play.
Wade "just bided his time and showed great composure and pace about himself," Popovich said. "He just has a great feel for the game and, in the fourth quarter, he took it over."
Wade also showed off his defense, throwing back a pair of layup attempts by Parker in a nine-second span midway through the fourth quarter.
"It surprised me a little bit," Parker said, "but it was great defense."
The Spurs couldn't say the same about their own. Rothstein didn't even have to call on Shaquille O'Neal (16 points, seven rebounds) in the final quarter, electing to match down to the Spurs' small lineup.
Miami swingman Jason Kapono, who isn't likely to win any Mr. Rugged awards anytime soon, grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds.
"I think we're playing hard," Duncan said. "It's all about how it's defined. I don't think anyone's slacking off and that's where it starts. I think everyone's out there giving the effort."
All too often, however, that hasn't been good enough. Already frustrated by their last-second loss in Orlando, the Spurs can only hope for a 4-4 split of their trip. And they still have back-to-back games with New Jersey (which has won its past three games) and Detroit (which has the Eastern Conference's best record).
"These are good character-test moments where you just have to continue to work hard and believe in each other," Brent Barry said. "Nobody's happy about it. Our staff's not happy about it, and certainly we're not happy as players.
"But you have to see some response in the play. Hopefully, we'll do that in the next couple of games."
"The good thing is we know we can improve. And we will."
Isn't that what they've been saying for the past couple months?
The scary thing is that they are trying. I'd feel better if they weren't trying 100%, but if they really are trying 100%, then they won't have much more room to improve...they just don't have the talent & youth.
I think we split the remainder of the games and a trade will happen before the deadline.
Even if they were to win them both, I certainly hope they are trying to work a trade. There's just not enough talent to win a le right now. They need some new blood.
Nothing on this team to trade, unfortunetly.
Yup, and that is the most boring thing of all.
They are just not good enough to win with below .500 right now.
1st round exit
No sure to talk about trades, but sth need to be done; I don,t understand why POP trends to stop the guy who is hot and keep calling plays for TP when he´s missing; btw no tuser when but Bruce is gettint old to new agressive guards, what I´m saying is he did a great job the first half ... but couldn´t stop a bus in the second
win a le? there's no talent to even get past 1st round. And no possible trade either, we have no assets.
Im sick of them saying they WILL improve. And when WILL that happen?
I blame Finley. We should never have gotten him in 2006, more minutes for Barry.
Blame Finley,Elson,Oberto,Barry,Beno,horry etc etc ect
"We just didn't have the game to get it done," said Tim Duncan, who missed 6 of 10 shots and 6 of 11 free throws before finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds. "We compounded mistakes, we weren't good enough defensively. We're just going through a rough patch now."
We should have been I. Come on Timmy, be a real leader and accept the responsibility...you are getting paid way to much money to keep putting in these types of games all season...and you have no injury excuse...out of everyone Tim is the one that looks old and slow especially in the 4th quarter
until Tim decides he gonna be more dedicated to winning the losses will continue to pile up. After all isnt it Tim's job to make his teammates better? Well so far all he has done is make them look old and slow. It starts and ends with Tim, and right now he doesnt look hungry for a le any more. So take the money and give us the half ass performances...that should sell playoff and season tickets
I also feel this way. It was like saying "Robert Horry and Nick Van Exel WILL turn it on come playoff time" last year...did it happen?
I think the team overall is taking their talent for granted and not giving 100% every night. I choose to believe this because the alternative is that they're just not good enough to beat Orlando & Miami, let alone Phoenix or Dallas.
The reality is that it's probably a little of both.
Playing the soft card isn't working, Pop, the Spurs are soft, as we can see in blown big leads and ty 4th qtrs.
Got any other cards to play, Pop?
The Spurs are in real crisis, the biggest crisis I've seen in 5 years.
How will Pop and Timmy Franchise respond to the challenge?
I watched that entire game, and to say the least, I am surprised with the Spurs.
Tell me exactly, what offense are they running?!
They have one of the most dominant big men in the history of the game, yet repeatedly, unabashedly ignore that fact every time down the floor.
Detroit plays an inside-out game. They iso their big men on the wings (preferably paint), and work the game from there. If the defense doubles, you pass out and find the open man/cutter.
If they dont double, you let Duncan do what Duncan does.
Instead, you have the Manu and Parker show with plenty of camera time for Eva. Dont get me wrong, Parker is awesome. How a PG ranks in the top 3 annually in points-in-the-paint stat is ridiculous. And Manu has an all-around game most teams would die for.
But they are two players, and neither one of them is a pure shooter. Theyre both drive-and-kick guys not doing alot of kicking.
Sorry, but Bowen doesnt help in anyway. Hes the Ben Wallace of the Spurs, and even his defense is severly slipping. No tandem down low.
I just dont get what Pop is doing out there. I watched that Miami game with lumbering Snack and nobody to guard TD, yet all I seen was TP drive, drive, drive. Hey Tony, why not drive and get your teammates involved? Get TD or your other bigs some dunks, get them going, then throw it into the post once in awhile?
TP is great, but the nature of a shoot-first, pass-second point guard is starting to show. Trade TP and picks for CP3. Tell me why that would be dumb?
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