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That dunk was awesome!
Emotional Elson content with bench booster role
Web Posted: 06/09/2007 10:17 PM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.31635d4.html
Mike Monroe
Express-News
The text message on Francisco Elson's cell phone after Game 1 of the NBA Finals was from former teammate Marcus Camby, the Denver Nuggets center and reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
"He told me to stop making that face after you get the lucky dunk," Elson said. "Camby isn't going to give you your props right off the bat. He's going to say something smart so you don't get big-headed or carried away."
Said Elson: "He always clowns around. I had to laugh when I got the message. I can hear his laugh — ha, ha, ha, ha — so I was laughing. As soon as I turned on the phone, he was the first one of 30-something text messages."
The face Elson made was one of pure joy and enthusiasm. No wonder — it was the first Finals basket of an eight-year pro career that has included stops in Europe and Denver. It may have been an un-Spur-like thing to do, but nobody in the organization was upset, especially since it was part of a critical 9-0 run that re-established control of the game after the Cavs had taken a brief lead.
"It even seemed to get the crowd really back in the game," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said, "so that was great."
Elson went into the Finals unsure what role he might — or might not — play against the Cavaliers. He had lost his starting center position to Fabricio Oberto during the Western Conference semifinals against Phoenix. He dropped out of the rotation altogether for the final two games of the Western Conference finals, although he played the entire fourth quarter of a blowout victory in the series-clinching Game 5 against Utah.
Elson sat the entire first quarter of Game 1 against Cleveland, but Spurs coach Gregg Popovich put him in with 8:37 left in the second quarter, and his energy and rebounding kept him on the floor the rest of the quarter. He got another shift in the second half and ended the game with five points and six rebounds in 15:47.
Popovich liked Elson's energy, but it was his dunk that electrified the crowd.
"I was just trying to get my emotions out," Elson said of the histrionics that accompanied his power dunk off a slick feed from Tony Parker with 3:22 left in the first half. "Coming off the bench, you have to try to give a spark. Like Marcus said, I got a lucky dunk. I'm glad it was a lucky dunk. I got the crowd and the team going a little bit. That's what we need. I was trying to start something."
Elson's length and foot speed make him a good matchup against the Cavaliers' big men and he hopes for more opportunities to play in the rest of the Finals. Though he started 54 games during the regular season, he has no problem coming off the bench.
"I don't think they are going to change," he said. "We're here and we're playing well. Fabricio has been playing well since the Utah series. He's been doing a good job since Phoenix. He's been rolling. There is a chemistry he has going on right now. It's better to have my energy coming off the bench."
Elson is one of three Spurs on the 12-man active roster Popovich has used throughout the playoffs who never had played in the Finals. The weight of the occasion did not hit Elson until he saw the large NBA championship trophy likenesses stenciled on the AT&T Center court when he arrived Wednesday for practice.
"When I came the first day we had practice, I was like, 'What the ?'" Elson said. "I saw all the TV cameras. All the (Finals) stuff was all put up. I walked out here and said, 'Wow.' That's when it hit me, walking on the trophy, that sticker on the floor."
That dunk was awesome!
More of those 'energy' plays are needed, especially at home. Nothing wrong with firing up the crowd.
-Mars
showing some emotion is not a bad thing. spurs should do it more often.
ploto was right, we are really missing Rasho right now.
Well Rasho prob didn't spill some gatorade handed out like Elson did after he came out.we are really missing Rasho right now.
Elson's a pretty good match against Cleveland. Their bigs, outside of Z, are more athletic than any group we've seen since Denver.
it shocked me that he actually finished that sequence. i hope he builds on that
Yep. Having the two headed monster of Oberto and Elson is paying dividends. Against Utah we needed someone who was crafty and could make them pay for doubling Tim. Now we need someone more athletic that can get out and run the court, and Elson is perfect for that.
Wheres Ploto?
I thought that the Spurs were gonna be playing small ball by now cause both centers were crap....
I think Elson is bound to be more effective than Oberto oddlly enough. Just a hunch.
It really depends on the matchups. Oberto is perfect for a team like Utah. Elson is a better matchup against Cleveland. Being able to have the flexibility to go either way with two players who together make around what Rasho made is great cap management.
So Elson is crying now too?
the 2007 timvp/whottt saga continues
I was very impressed with what Elson gave us the other night. If he can give us 15 quality minutes a night then this finals tour will be much easier. Better yet, it will likely give him confidence for next year. With a year under his belt and a succesful NBA finals performance I think he could be a solid backup for us.
Then again, I'm open to moving him. But performances like the other night make me rethink that position.
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