秦南玥
2007-05-02, 01:48 PM
Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) notebook: Citing 'that shot,' Karl benches Smith for remainder of series
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050207.09D.BKNspurs.notebook.3414221.html
Web Posted: 05/01/2007 11:19 PM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
Nuggets coach George Karl, who said the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) had "out-tricked" the Nuggets in winning Game 3, is about to pull the dirtiest trick of the series on the Spurs: He's sitting mistake-prone J.R. Smith for as long as the series lasts.
"He's done," Karl said.
Asked if the ill-advised, 26-foot shot Smith launched when the Nuggets trailed by four points with 26.9 seconds remaining in Monday's Game 4 had been the "straw that broke the camel's back" for Smith, Karl nodded his head.
"That shot," Karl said, "I have no idea what planet that came from. And, of course, the one with eight seconds to go from 50 feet."
"I just love that," Karl said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, of Smith's heave near the end of the game. "I love the dignity of the game being insulted right in front of me."
Asked why he had played him in Game 4 after the costly mistakes Smith had made in Game 3, Karl defended his decision.
"He's a good-bad player," Karl said. "You evaluate his good and evaluate his bad. He had good plays in Game 3 and he had good plays in the game before that. But you've got to be mentally more secure and tougher than he showed in Game 4."
Iverson's struggles: Allen Iverson's shooting woes continued in Game 4. He made only 9 of 25 shots, and is now 36 of 92 in the series. Karl, however, said he continues to trust Iverson with the ball and said Game 4 was his best of the series distributing to teammates.
"He had his best passing game," Karl said. "I believe in him. I trust him"
Wild, wild West: Noting the tight nature of the Spurs-Nuggets series and Golden State's 3-1 lead on the 67-win Mavericks entering Tuesday's Game 5 of that series, Karl said the Western Conference is more fun than the East.
"Isn't it fun?" Karl said. "And it's only gong to be more fun next year. Memphis is going to come back, and Sacramento, too."
Parker OK, coach says: Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker) limped through part of Monday's game after banging his knee in a collision with Denver point guard Steve Blake. Parker finished the game without problem, and Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich thinks he should be fine for tonight.
"He got hit in the same spot knee-to-knee with Blake that he got hit in the other night," Popovich said. "For a moment there it really was sore and it hurt him. But it dissipates with a few minutes."
Horry's shot not in top 10: Robert Horry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/robert_horry) said his 3-pointer with 30 seconds left Monday wouldn't make his top-10 list of clutch shots.
"There was too much time left on the clock," Horry said, "and too many things that could have happened."
Horry did have to arch the shot higher than expected after Nuggets center Marcus Camby closed out on him in the right corner. Parker found Horry with a well-timed pass after penetrating into the lane.
Parker said he was looking to take a quick shot to leave enough time for the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to have another opportunity should Denver score.
"When I saw Marcus Camby, I was like, 'Oh, Robert is open,'" Parker said. "I knew it was going in: You can't leave Robert wide open in the corner."
Spurs' Elson on a roll: Francisco Elson had his best game of the series Monday with eight points and six rebounds.
Elson averaged only 11.7 minutes in the first three games, but Popovich stuck with him longer in Monday's first half. That allowed Horry, who played 14 of his 18 minutes in the final two quarters, a chance to rest.
"Rob had a little bit of a tougher start and Francisco was giving us some good minutes, getting some offensive boards," Popovich said. "We wanted to make sure we got as much out of that as we could knowing full well that Rob is ready whenever we need him."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050207.09D.BKNspurs.notebook.3414221.html
Web Posted: 05/01/2007 11:19 PM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
Nuggets coach George Karl, who said the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) had "out-tricked" the Nuggets in winning Game 3, is about to pull the dirtiest trick of the series on the Spurs: He's sitting mistake-prone J.R. Smith for as long as the series lasts.
"He's done," Karl said.
Asked if the ill-advised, 26-foot shot Smith launched when the Nuggets trailed by four points with 26.9 seconds remaining in Monday's Game 4 had been the "straw that broke the camel's back" for Smith, Karl nodded his head.
"That shot," Karl said, "I have no idea what planet that came from. And, of course, the one with eight seconds to go from 50 feet."
"I just love that," Karl said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, of Smith's heave near the end of the game. "I love the dignity of the game being insulted right in front of me."
Asked why he had played him in Game 4 after the costly mistakes Smith had made in Game 3, Karl defended his decision.
"He's a good-bad player," Karl said. "You evaluate his good and evaluate his bad. He had good plays in Game 3 and he had good plays in the game before that. But you've got to be mentally more secure and tougher than he showed in Game 4."
Iverson's struggles: Allen Iverson's shooting woes continued in Game 4. He made only 9 of 25 shots, and is now 36 of 92 in the series. Karl, however, said he continues to trust Iverson with the ball and said Game 4 was his best of the series distributing to teammates.
"He had his best passing game," Karl said. "I believe in him. I trust him"
Wild, wild West: Noting the tight nature of the Spurs-Nuggets series and Golden State's 3-1 lead on the 67-win Mavericks entering Tuesday's Game 5 of that series, Karl said the Western Conference is more fun than the East.
"Isn't it fun?" Karl said. "And it's only gong to be more fun next year. Memphis is going to come back, and Sacramento, too."
Parker OK, coach says: Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker) limped through part of Monday's game after banging his knee in a collision with Denver point guard Steve Blake. Parker finished the game without problem, and Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich thinks he should be fine for tonight.
"He got hit in the same spot knee-to-knee with Blake that he got hit in the other night," Popovich said. "For a moment there it really was sore and it hurt him. But it dissipates with a few minutes."
Horry's shot not in top 10: Robert Horry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/robert_horry) said his 3-pointer with 30 seconds left Monday wouldn't make his top-10 list of clutch shots.
"There was too much time left on the clock," Horry said, "and too many things that could have happened."
Horry did have to arch the shot higher than expected after Nuggets center Marcus Camby closed out on him in the right corner. Parker found Horry with a well-timed pass after penetrating into the lane.
Parker said he was looking to take a quick shot to leave enough time for the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to have another opportunity should Denver score.
"When I saw Marcus Camby, I was like, 'Oh, Robert is open,'" Parker said. "I knew it was going in: You can't leave Robert wide open in the corner."
Spurs' Elson on a roll: Francisco Elson had his best game of the series Monday with eight points and six rebounds.
Elson averaged only 11.7 minutes in the first three games, but Popovich stuck with him longer in Monday's first half. That allowed Horry, who played 14 of his 18 minutes in the final two quarters, a chance to rest.
"Rob had a little bit of a tougher start and Francisco was giving us some good minutes, getting some offensive boards," Popovich said. "We wanted to make sure we got as much out of that as we could knowing full well that Rob is ready whenever we need him."