3.24 Spurs hold off Pistons: Ginobili's late surge downs best in East

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Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) hold off Pistons: Ginobili's late surge downs best in East

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA032407.01C.BKNspurs.pistons.gamer.368a34b.html

Web Posted: 03/24/2007 12:20 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News

Manu Ginobili (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/manu_ginobili) drilled a 3-pointer, split the lane for a finger roll, and just when it looked like the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) had finally separated from Detroit late Friday, he sailed a 12-foot pass over Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker)'s head and into a fan's lap.

Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich sighed, shook his head then did what he normally does in such situations. He put the ball back in Ginobili's hands.

And when Ginobili made all four of his free throws in the final 16.4 seconds? The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) closed out a gritty 90-89 victory over the Pistons at the AT&T Center.

After taking only three shots — all of which he missed — Ginobili scored nine of his 10 points in the final 3:46.

"Vintage Manu," Popovich said. "All aspects — the good and the bad.

"It's all out of competitiveness. None of it is out of lack of effort."

The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) needed Ginobili's heroics, along with Parker's 22 points and seven assists, to hold off Detroit. Tim Duncan (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tim_duncan) also provided 17 points and 14 rebounds, Brent Barry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/brent_barry) made four 3-pointers and Francisco Elson delivered his second strong performance (nine points and 10 rebounds) against the Pistons.

After fattening their record on a steady diet of struggling opponents, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) were more than happy to beat the Eastern Conference's top-ranked team. No matter how hard they had to work to do it.

"It was kind of a playoff atmosphere," Popovich said. "Both teams were getting after it, and we were fortunate enough to come out on the winning side."

Ginobili deserved more than a little of the credit for that. Having missed 20 of his past 25 shots dating to last week's loss in Milwaukee — including the only three previous looks he received Friday — he drilled a 3-pointer to stake the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to a 82-74 lead with 3:46 left.

"It felt very good," Ginobili said, "especially after the kind of night I was having."

Ginobili's evening took another adventurous turn when he airmailed a pass into the stands with 58.9 seconds left. Chauncey Billups, whose strained groin had loosened up, followed by drilling a 22-foot shot to bring Detroit within 85-82.

"At the beginning, I thought it was Tony's fault; that he didn't jump," Ginobili said. "But everybody told me I wasn't right, so I could see it was just a bad pass."

After Antonio McDyess blocked Parker's layup attempt, Billups heard Popovich tell Parker to foul him, so he quickly hoisted a 3-pointer that fell short. As McDyess turned the rebound into a layup, Billups argued that Parker had hit him on the right elbow. TV replays supported his complaint.

"I felt there were some bad calls tonight," Billups said. "However, it is what it is."

With the Pistons forced to foul him, Ginobili made both free throws. Richard Hamilton went to the line with a chance to again make it a one-point game, but missed both attempts.

Duncan added another free throw before Billups' runner brought Detroit within 88-86. Ginobili made both his foul shots with 3.8 seconds left, rendering Tayshaun Prince's 3-pointer at the buzzer meaningless.

With the Pistons having lost the previous night in Houston, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) looked ready to put them away early, running out to a 27-16 lead at the end of the first quarter. But Rasheed Wallace found motivation from his 18th technical of the season — which likely will result in his second one-game suspension — and scored 17 of his 21 points in the first half to put Detroit back in front.

"I think that fired him up," Robert Horry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/robert_horry) said.

The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) also wasted most of a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter when the Pistons went to a zone defense.

"I've never seen worse execution against a defense than our zone offense for the period we were in it," Popovich said. "It was all I could do to keep from going out on the court and grabbing a couple of guys."

Popovich calmed down soon enough. Ginobili buried his 3-pointer, made his finger roll. And when he threw away the pass?

Popovich called his number again.

"I was very glad that Pop really trusted me," Ginobili said. "That shows the kind of respect he really has for me."

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Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) notebook: Webber content with Detroit

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA032407.15C.BKNspurs.notebook.3c8b83a.html

Web Posted: 03/24/2007 12:25 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News

Pistons power forward Chris Webber said he was not surprised or even disappointed when he did not hear from the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) after negotiating a buyout of his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in January.

"I turned it over to my agent," Webber said of his post-buyout free agency, "and I didn't really hear what was going on with (the Spurs). They've got a great system and a winning tradition, and I'm sure they felt everything was all right with them.

"I felt I could have helped anyone, but coming from the situation I was in with Philly, maybe that was hard for them to see."

Webber, in his 13th NBA season, has played 32 games with the Pistons and become one of their most productive players, averaging 13.6 points and 7.5 rebounds with his new team.

"This was the best situation for me, anyway," said Webber, a star on the University of Michigan's "Fab Five" teams. "I do not regret anything that happened."

Neither does Pistons coach Flip Saunders. He said Webber has been "everything we've asked for, and even more."

Saunders said he may have asked Webber to carry a little too much of the Pistons' offense during a stretch when Chauncey Billups was ailing with a groin strain and Lindsey Hunter was suspended.

"Right now we've gone through a little stretch when we lost Chauncey and Lindsey Hunter both, and we've run our offense through him a lot and he's logged some more minutes," Saunders said. "He's probably a little more fatigued right now with the long road trip."

Fair ball? Detroit's Rasheed Wallace, whose technical foul in the second quarter will cost him another one-game suspension per NBA rule, is known for yelling "Ball don't lie," when opponents miss free throws after a foul he believes was undeserved.

The Spurs' Bruce Bowen (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/bruce_bowen) became a believer after he was called for a block on the Pistons' Richard Hamilton with 11.4 seconds remaining in the game, with the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) leading 87-84.

Referee Ed F. Rush admitted to Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich that he would not have made the call had not Hamilton fallen. Hamilton missed both free throws, and Bowen later called it "justice."

Popovich finds Wallace's contention perplexing.

"I've never really ascribed to that philosophy," Popovich said. "I've always felt inanimate objects would have a hard time telling the truth or lying. That's just me."

Hannibal Hamilton: Hamilton picked up his 13th technical foul of the season in Houston on Thursday and now is just three from earning an automatic one-game suspension.

Saunders said the plastic mask Hamilton wears to protect his face — he once suffered a fractured cheek and has retained the mask he wore afterward — makes it difficult to tell when his emotions are running hot.

"We've tried," Saunders said of the team trying to keep Hamilton calm. "We've talked to him about it. He's the silent one. He gets mad, and you don't even know. You look around to see what's going to happen.

"Maybe we've got to put a piece of tape over (the mask), like 'Silence of the Lambs.'"

Saunders' emotions tend to run a tad hot, too.

He picked up a technical foul in the second period Friday night.

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Spurs' Popovich commends Barry for his defense

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA032407.15C.BKNspurs.barry.3c8b867.html

Web Posted: 03/24/2007 12:27 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News

It was a Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) version of man bites dog.

In this case it was Pop praises Brent Barry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/brent_barry)'s defense, and it was enough to make a grown man cry, if only for the laughs.

Barry's defense on Detroit's Tayshaun Prince was instrumental in the Spurs' 90-89 victory at the AT&T Center, and coach Gregg Popovich didn't mind saying so.

"His defense has gotten better," said Popovich, for whom defense is paramount. "He's concentrating on it. He's never going to be the best defender in the league, but he's definitely improving at it, and that's what's important."

You can call that a backhanded compliment if you like. Barry called it praise effusive enough to feign tears for a TV crew in the Spurs' locker room.

"Give me a minute, will you guys," Barry said, putting his head in both hands and faking a couple of sobs.

Prince scored 12 points, but three of them came on a meaningless shot launched with one second left and the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) ahead by four. Time expired with Prince's shot in the air, and no Spur had tried to prevent him from taking it.

"We did some things defensively for Tayshaun where we were just trying to make it tough for him to catch the ball," Barry said. "Some of the situations were the fact they weren't really going to him that much. I don't mind that one bit. It makes my defense look a lot better."

Barry, who has been starting since Jan. 28, says the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) are beginning to defend in the aggressive manner that will be required in the playoffs.

"As a team, I think in the last few weeks we've gotten better. Aside from the Milwaukee and Boston games, I think our defense has been very consistent through a 16- or 17-game stretch. We're going to need to keep that up."

Barry knows he did not replace Manu Ginobili (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/manu_ginobili) in the starting lineup because of his defensive work. The league's No. 4 3-point shooter heading into Friday's game, Popovich wants him to look for his shots early. Barry made two 3-pointers in the first period and four of five for the game.

Barry was active in the Spurs' offense, and that earned him a longer run than normal in the first quarter. Ginobili, who usually comes in after no more than six minutes, didn't replace Barry until the 2:14 mark of the first period.

"I thought Brent played very confidently," Popovich said. "He's looking for his shot, as he has. But he's playing a good floor game, too. He's moving the basketball."

Barry didn't know what to make of the extended first-period time.

"Usually, we're pretty much on the clock," he said, "but we didn't make the change, so I went over to Manu at the four-minute mark and said, 'What's wrong, are you hurt?'

"He got a good chuckle out of that."