tinysands
2007-04-08, 06:35 PM
Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) too fast for speedy Warriors: Duncan paves quick start with 28 points, 15 rebounds
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA040807.01C.BKNspurs.warriors.gamer.3582173.html
Web Posted: 04/08/2007 12:18 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
For Tim Duncan (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tim_duncan), the prospect of having to face Golden State's 6-foot-9 center, Al Harrington, and the rest of the Lilliputian Warriors on Saturday night was a "good-deal/bad-deal kind of thing."
Duncan figured he could take advantage of his size in the post. But he also knew he would spend much of his evening scrambling out to the 3-point line after Harrington.
As for how the Warriors felt about having to face Duncan? After watching him lead the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to a 112-99 victory with 28 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, they didn't take too many positives from the experience.
"To me, he's the most valuable player in the league," Golden State point guard Baron Davis said. "Hands down. He's the ultimate team player that goes unnoticed.
"I mean, yeah, he fills up the stat sheet ... but it's all the little stuff that he does and doesn't allow to happen."
Duncan anchored both ends of the floor for the Spurs, who held the Warriors to 42.6 percent shooting while outrebounding them 45-34. With Manu Ginobili (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/manu_ginobili) contributing his own impressive all-around performance (25 points, seven assists and seven rebounds), the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) followed Thursday's victory over Phoenix by beating another of the NBA's most difficult teams to defend.
The victory, coupled with Utah's loss to Seattle, assures the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) of entering the playoffs with no worse than the Western Conference's third playoff seed. Phoenix has a two-game lead over the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) for No. 2.
Golden State, which has lost 19 consecutive games in San Antonio, had its own postseason hopes bruised.
Since the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) throttled them 126-89 on March 25, the Warriors had won four consecutive games, keeping them alive for the West's eighth and final playoff spot. Golden State coach Don Nelson also had made one notable change to his starting lineup since the teams' last meeting, replacing 6-foot-11 center Andris Biedrins with Harrington.
The switch also allowed Nelson to start speedy guard Monta Ellis next to Davis in the backcourt, giving the Warriors arguably the league's fastest lineup.
"Phoenix doesn't even play like this," Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich said. "Lots of small bodies, everybody can shoot threes, everybody can penetrate. They're really tough to cover."
To avoid getting run off the court, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) knew they needed to take care of the ball and get back on defense. They also needed to take advantage of Golden State's decision to have the undersized Harrington defend Duncan.
Harrington tried to front Duncan, and the Warriors often brought another defender behind him, but Duncan still turned the first half into his personal layup drill. He missed only one of his nine shots, all of which were at the rim, while scoring 17 points in the half.
Michael Finley helped loosen the defense by making three 3-pointers in the opening quarter as the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) scored 40 points — their most in any quarter this season.
"We knew if they tried to play him one-on-one, he would have a career-night, easy," Finley said of Duncan. "And in the past, they would double-team him quickly, and the other guys would have to make plays for themselves or others. We were doing that when he was kicking the ball out.
"We were pretty much having our way offensively."
The Warriors began swarming Duncan with two and three defenders after the first quarter to limit his touches. On the other end of the floor, they continued to fire away, attempting 32 3-pointers, eight more than the previous high for a Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) opponent this season.
Davis' 3-pointer on the opening possession of the third quarter tied the game, and he added a running bank shot a minute later to give Golden State the lead. Ginobili, however, took over, making two 3-pointers and driving for another three-point play as the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) hiked their lead to 13.
"He was huge," Davis said.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) continued to play off Duncan, rotating the ball to open shooters while assisting on 30 of their 42 baskets. When Golden State pulled within 96-91 on Jason Richardson's reverse layup with 4:55 left, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) once again threw the ball to their star.
Duncan banked in a 10-foot shot as Harrington knocked him to the floor, then made the free throw. After Ginobili missed a 3-pointer on the following possession, Duncan flushed a two-handed put-back dunk, scoring one more victory for big men everywhere.
"Over the last couple years, the whole league has been going (small)," Duncan said. "A lot of teams love to get it up and down and put a lot of points on the board.
"So be it. We're going to stick to the way we play, and if need be, we'll match up the way we have to. I think we've been doing it well the last couple of years."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA040807.01C.BKNspurs.warriors.gamer.3582173.html
Web Posted: 04/08/2007 12:18 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
For Tim Duncan (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tim_duncan), the prospect of having to face Golden State's 6-foot-9 center, Al Harrington, and the rest of the Lilliputian Warriors on Saturday night was a "good-deal/bad-deal kind of thing."
Duncan figured he could take advantage of his size in the post. But he also knew he would spend much of his evening scrambling out to the 3-point line after Harrington.
As for how the Warriors felt about having to face Duncan? After watching him lead the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to a 112-99 victory with 28 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, they didn't take too many positives from the experience.
"To me, he's the most valuable player in the league," Golden State point guard Baron Davis said. "Hands down. He's the ultimate team player that goes unnoticed.
"I mean, yeah, he fills up the stat sheet ... but it's all the little stuff that he does and doesn't allow to happen."
Duncan anchored both ends of the floor for the Spurs, who held the Warriors to 42.6 percent shooting while outrebounding them 45-34. With Manu Ginobili (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/manu_ginobili) contributing his own impressive all-around performance (25 points, seven assists and seven rebounds), the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) followed Thursday's victory over Phoenix by beating another of the NBA's most difficult teams to defend.
The victory, coupled with Utah's loss to Seattle, assures the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) of entering the playoffs with no worse than the Western Conference's third playoff seed. Phoenix has a two-game lead over the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) for No. 2.
Golden State, which has lost 19 consecutive games in San Antonio, had its own postseason hopes bruised.
Since the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) throttled them 126-89 on March 25, the Warriors had won four consecutive games, keeping them alive for the West's eighth and final playoff spot. Golden State coach Don Nelson also had made one notable change to his starting lineup since the teams' last meeting, replacing 6-foot-11 center Andris Biedrins with Harrington.
The switch also allowed Nelson to start speedy guard Monta Ellis next to Davis in the backcourt, giving the Warriors arguably the league's fastest lineup.
"Phoenix doesn't even play like this," Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich said. "Lots of small bodies, everybody can shoot threes, everybody can penetrate. They're really tough to cover."
To avoid getting run off the court, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) knew they needed to take care of the ball and get back on defense. They also needed to take advantage of Golden State's decision to have the undersized Harrington defend Duncan.
Harrington tried to front Duncan, and the Warriors often brought another defender behind him, but Duncan still turned the first half into his personal layup drill. He missed only one of his nine shots, all of which were at the rim, while scoring 17 points in the half.
Michael Finley helped loosen the defense by making three 3-pointers in the opening quarter as the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) scored 40 points — their most in any quarter this season.
"We knew if they tried to play him one-on-one, he would have a career-night, easy," Finley said of Duncan. "And in the past, they would double-team him quickly, and the other guys would have to make plays for themselves or others. We were doing that when he was kicking the ball out.
"We were pretty much having our way offensively."
The Warriors began swarming Duncan with two and three defenders after the first quarter to limit his touches. On the other end of the floor, they continued to fire away, attempting 32 3-pointers, eight more than the previous high for a Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) opponent this season.
Davis' 3-pointer on the opening possession of the third quarter tied the game, and he added a running bank shot a minute later to give Golden State the lead. Ginobili, however, took over, making two 3-pointers and driving for another three-point play as the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) hiked their lead to 13.
"He was huge," Davis said.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) continued to play off Duncan, rotating the ball to open shooters while assisting on 30 of their 42 baskets. When Golden State pulled within 96-91 on Jason Richardson's reverse layup with 4:55 left, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) once again threw the ball to their star.
Duncan banked in a 10-foot shot as Harrington knocked him to the floor, then made the free throw. After Ginobili missed a 3-pointer on the following possession, Duncan flushed a two-handed put-back dunk, scoring one more victory for big men everywhere.
"Over the last couple years, the whole league has been going (small)," Duncan said. "A lot of teams love to get it up and down and put a lot of points on the board.
"So be it. We're going to stick to the way we play, and if need be, we'll match up the way we have to. I think we've been doing it well the last couple of years."