tinysands
2007-03-18, 02:40 PM
Celtics finally figure out a way to defeat Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA031807.01C.BKNspurs.celtics.gamer.3614101.html
Web Posted: 03/18/2007 12:14 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
As the closing seconds ticked away late Saturday at the AT&T Center, and history, finally, was within his grasp, Paul Pierce looked over the scorer's table at Boston announcer Tommy Heinsohn and smiled.
"It's about time," Pierce said.
Seventeen years and 31 days, to be exact.
Fueled by nearly two decades of losing here — and a season's worth of frustration — the Boston Celtics stared down what appeared to be another memorable comeback by the Spurs, beating them 91-85 behind Pierce's late-game heroics.
The Celtics' first victory in San Antonio since Feb. 14, 1990, and their first on any court against Tim Duncan (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tim_duncan), came appropriately enough on St. Patrick's Day. Boston didn't rely on the luck of the Irish — unless that was a leprechaun who put a lid over the Spurs' basket — as much as it did Pierce's talent.
Having never beaten the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) in his nine-year career, Pierce scored 30 points, made two tough shots in the final 86 seconds and drew a critical charge on Manu Ginobili (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/manu_ginobili), preserving the Celtics' victory after they surrendered a 19-point lead in the second half.
"It was more like getting a gorilla off my back," Pierce said.
The 260-pound load on Pierce's back was Duncan, who looked ready to extend his career victory total over Boston to 19 consecutive games when he tossed in a short hook shot with 1:34 left. Pierce, however, ended the Spurs' rally, answering with a tough fadeaway over Bruce Bowen (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/bruce_bowen).
Bowen then compounded matters by losing the ball as he tried to drive through the lane, leading to an easy dunk by Gerald Green. Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker), who led the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) with 30 points, banked in a shot only to have it waved off when he was called for traveling.
Pierce followed with another fadeaway over Bowen, then sealed the victory by absorbing a charge from Ginobili. After winning 13 consecutive games, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) now have a two-game losing streak.
"Paul's a good player, and he's been in that situation numerous times," Bowen said. "You don't want them taking something they're comfortable with. I know he likes to step back, and he hit the last two he took, going left and right.
"You just want to make sure you make it as tough as possible, and he made the big shots when he needed them."
Duncan looked poised to be the hero after helping lead the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) back from a 19-point deficit with less than a minute left in the third quarter. Unable to keep Boston off the boards even with two big men on the floor, Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich elected to go small and surround Duncan — who totaled 20 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks — with four guards.
The move allowed the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to get back in the game. Had those guards also been able to hit a shot, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) might have even been able to win.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) missed 16 of their 17 3-point attempts, including their first 14, and shot 37.3 percent overall. They also blew a number of layup attempts.
"We played poorly the first three quarters," Popovich said, "and they played hard and deserved to win the game."
Despite owning the NBA's second-worst record, the Celtics haven't seemed too intent on trying to better position themselves for the NBA's draft lottery. They entered Saturday with six victories in their past 10 games and nearly upset Dallas on Friday night.
Boston apparently took more fuel than satisfaction from its near-miss against the Mavericks. The Celtics made 10 of their first 13 shots, and the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) didn't find the other end of the floor any easier going.
Looking like the dead-legged team Boston was supposed to resemble while playing its fourth game in five nights, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) set a season low with 15 points in the first quarter.
Celtics guard Delonte West, who scored 23 points after spending much of the day sick in his hotel room, put the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) in a 15-point hole early in the second quarter. The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) drew within 45-40 at halftime only to watch the Celtics open the second half much like the first.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) didn't take their first rebound of the second half until only 5:18 remained in the third quarter. With a little more than three minutes remaining in the quarter, Rajon Rondo, the Celtics' long-armed point guard, had 13 rebounds, just one fewer than the Spurs' starting five had collected up to that point.
"That was just a bad start for whatever reason," Duncan said. "I don't have an explanation for any of that. It was what it was.
"It comes to the fourth quarter, and we have a chance to win or lose it, and it just didn't go our way."
The Celtics know the feeling.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA031807.01C.BKNspurs.celtics.gamer.3614101.html
Web Posted: 03/18/2007 12:14 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
As the closing seconds ticked away late Saturday at the AT&T Center, and history, finally, was within his grasp, Paul Pierce looked over the scorer's table at Boston announcer Tommy Heinsohn and smiled.
"It's about time," Pierce said.
Seventeen years and 31 days, to be exact.
Fueled by nearly two decades of losing here — and a season's worth of frustration — the Boston Celtics stared down what appeared to be another memorable comeback by the Spurs, beating them 91-85 behind Pierce's late-game heroics.
The Celtics' first victory in San Antonio since Feb. 14, 1990, and their first on any court against Tim Duncan (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tim_duncan), came appropriately enough on St. Patrick's Day. Boston didn't rely on the luck of the Irish — unless that was a leprechaun who put a lid over the Spurs' basket — as much as it did Pierce's talent.
Having never beaten the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) in his nine-year career, Pierce scored 30 points, made two tough shots in the final 86 seconds and drew a critical charge on Manu Ginobili (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/manu_ginobili), preserving the Celtics' victory after they surrendered a 19-point lead in the second half.
"It was more like getting a gorilla off my back," Pierce said.
The 260-pound load on Pierce's back was Duncan, who looked ready to extend his career victory total over Boston to 19 consecutive games when he tossed in a short hook shot with 1:34 left. Pierce, however, ended the Spurs' rally, answering with a tough fadeaway over Bruce Bowen (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/bruce_bowen).
Bowen then compounded matters by losing the ball as he tried to drive through the lane, leading to an easy dunk by Gerald Green. Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker), who led the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) with 30 points, banked in a shot only to have it waved off when he was called for traveling.
Pierce followed with another fadeaway over Bowen, then sealed the victory by absorbing a charge from Ginobili. After winning 13 consecutive games, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) now have a two-game losing streak.
"Paul's a good player, and he's been in that situation numerous times," Bowen said. "You don't want them taking something they're comfortable with. I know he likes to step back, and he hit the last two he took, going left and right.
"You just want to make sure you make it as tough as possible, and he made the big shots when he needed them."
Duncan looked poised to be the hero after helping lead the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) back from a 19-point deficit with less than a minute left in the third quarter. Unable to keep Boston off the boards even with two big men on the floor, Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich elected to go small and surround Duncan — who totaled 20 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks — with four guards.
The move allowed the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to get back in the game. Had those guards also been able to hit a shot, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) might have even been able to win.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) missed 16 of their 17 3-point attempts, including their first 14, and shot 37.3 percent overall. They also blew a number of layup attempts.
"We played poorly the first three quarters," Popovich said, "and they played hard and deserved to win the game."
Despite owning the NBA's second-worst record, the Celtics haven't seemed too intent on trying to better position themselves for the NBA's draft lottery. They entered Saturday with six victories in their past 10 games and nearly upset Dallas on Friday night.
Boston apparently took more fuel than satisfaction from its near-miss against the Mavericks. The Celtics made 10 of their first 13 shots, and the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) didn't find the other end of the floor any easier going.
Looking like the dead-legged team Boston was supposed to resemble while playing its fourth game in five nights, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) set a season low with 15 points in the first quarter.
Celtics guard Delonte West, who scored 23 points after spending much of the day sick in his hotel room, put the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) in a 15-point hole early in the second quarter. The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) drew within 45-40 at halftime only to watch the Celtics open the second half much like the first.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) didn't take their first rebound of the second half until only 5:18 remained in the third quarter. With a little more than three minutes remaining in the quarter, Rajon Rondo, the Celtics' long-armed point guard, had 13 rebounds, just one fewer than the Spurs' starting five had collected up to that point.
"That was just a bad start for whatever reason," Duncan said. "I don't have an explanation for any of that. It was what it was.
"It comes to the fourth quarter, and we have a chance to win or lose it, and it just didn't go our way."
The Celtics know the feeling.