Duncan's rare mistake is costly
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Web Posted: 01/25/2007 12:41 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News
Tim Duncan, a patient man, gave in to an impulse in the final seconds of the Spurs' 90-85 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at AT&T Center.
Trailing, 88-85, and knowing a quick two-point basket with 15 seconds left would have put the
Spurs in position to complete a comeback from a 13-point deficit in the final 4:50, Duncan opted to kick the ball outside to 3-point shooter
Brent Barry, hoping for an instantly tied score.
It was one of Duncan's few miscues on a night he scored a season-high 37 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but he regretted it nonetheless.
"I was thinking three at that point," Duncan said. "Honestly, that was a mistake on my part. We should have been attacking, seen if we could get a quick two and then fouled and set a play on the side if they made one and missed one, or whatever would have happened. It was just a missed communication on my part. I just didn't understand what we were trying to do."
Barry said he thought briefly about attempting the 3-point shot. Instead, he kicked the ball right back to Duncan, still open. When Duncan missed a 5-foot bank shot from the left side and Houston's Rafer Alston grabbed the rebound, only 9.5 seconds remained. The
Spurs had to foul Alston, and when he made both free throws, the Spurs' eighth home-court loss of the season was sealed.
"I thought we were going to look for a quick two there, but I probably should have pulled the trigger on that shot," Barry said. "In my mind, I thought we still had enough time for a quick two, and I was more or less reading a play for Tim, because when he first caught it, he had a shot. But he threw it to me, and I threw it right back because there was still nobody there.
"In hindsight, I probably should have tried to look at that (3-point) shot, but it was a bang-bang play and something we just have to learn from."
Barry said he and his teammates knew Duncan had given them an opportunity to steal a victory in a game in which they had been outplayed for most of three quarters. Duncan took a season-high 28 shots, and the
Spurs ran most of their offense through his position in the post.
"That's a good sign for us," Barry said, "just to see that kind of focus from Tim on a night where we needed it. Hopefully, that's a good sign from Tim and he will stay after that."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich lauded both Duncan's effort and his patience.
"Timmy was fantastic," Popovich said. "He's got the patience of Job in a lot of different ways. He's been magnificent."
Duncan has had to be patient with teammates whose defensive effort has been spotty. The Spurs, according to
Manu Ginobili, still lack the requisite "fire edge" on defense.
"You can see that we have had it when we are in deep trouble," Ginobili said. "The team that you saw the last five or six minutes is the team we are trying to be. The only way to find it is when we are desperate, and that's what we are trying to change."
"The patience has to be there," Duncan said. "We're still up and down right now. We have to stick with what we have here and find a way to win with the guys we have here. We've won in years past with the same system and the same way we're doing it. ... I always talk about getting to the point we can play 40 minutes the right way, and right now, we're not anywhere close to that."
Spurs' Popovich stoic, says trade not a solution
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Web Posted: 01/25/2007 11:13 PM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
If the
Spurs are going to emerge from their current funk in time to make a serious run at another title, they're going to do so with their current roster.
That, according to players, is what coach Gregg Popovich told the team after Wednesday's loss to Houston. The question now is whether that holds true.
"He made a statement last night that he wasn't trading anybody, that we were going to do it together, that this group of guys is going to do it as a team,"
Robert Horry said. "But you know how that is. I'm not saying he won't do that, but it's the nature of the business.
"If somebody came up and said, 'We'll give you Tracy McGrady,' he would be foolish not to do that."
The
Spurs don't expect McGrady to fall into their laps. But Popovich's comments to the team were somewhat surprising considering the
Spurs have aggressively looked to upgrade their athleticism on the perimeter and probably will continue to do so.
And the Feb. 22 trade deadline is nearly a month away.
"This team is a veteran team and most guys understand that you never know what can happen," Horry said. "If a good trade could come up, you'd be foolish not to take it. Most guys know that. He just said that to try to get guys to relax.
"I just think with all these trade rumors going around it's put people on edge, and that's one thing you hate about the business. But it happens. Guys just need to relax and play."
Brent Barry and Beno Udrih, according to league sources, have been mentioned prominently in trade discussions.
Barry ranks third in the NBA in 3-point accuracy, and is one of the few players aside from
Tim Duncan,
Manu Ginobili and
Tony Parker with value to other teams. Udrih, meanwhile, has struggled in a season in which the
Spurs had hoped he would lock down the backup point-guard job.
The
Spurs had discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers about forward Corey Maggette, but team officials were reluctant to include both Udrih and Barry in a possible deal because it would cost them two of their best ball-handlers. The Clippers have fielded several offers for Maggette, but have remained patient while debating whether to trade him.
Barry was nearly traded last season to New Orleans, and his defense and occasionally daring passing has sometimes tested the patience of Popovich, who hit him with a particularly harsh rebuke during the team's Jan. 10 victory in Denver. Barry, however, has handled the current speculation about as well as possible while remaining the team's most productive reserve.
Some
Spurs officials also think it will be difficult to find a more skilled backup point guard than Udrih, whose inconsistency has repeatedly raised Popovich's ire.
Popovich has a policy of not commenting publicly on trade talks but has previously said team officials will do their "due diligence" while looking at ways to improve the roster.
In the meantime, the
Spurs hope to regain some of the edge they've lost over the past month.
Wednesday's loss to the Rockets appeared nearly identical to that of a week earlier when they lost to the Lakers. Both games were at home and both opponents were missing their second-best player. In each, the
Spurs fell behind big in the fourth quarter before starting an energetic comeback that came up short.
"I think we have to understand that we're not playing with the same physicality and focus for as many minutes of the game as we have in the past," Popovich said. "Along with that, there are some individuals who just have to pick their games up — some starters and some people off the bench."
The
Spurs have increasingly looked tense, which isn't much of a surprise considering they're 7-6 this month. Parker, in particular, has had a difficult time, saying Popovich has asked him to focus less on scoring and more on setting up his teammates.
"The last three or four games is hard," said Parker, who is averaging 11.0 points and 6.3 assists in the past three games. "I'm not having fun and if I don't have fun, it's hard."
Parker said Popovich wants him to shoot less. Popovich said he wants only for Parker to make good decisions. In either case, Parker has labored while trying to strike a balance.
"I have to try to please him and at the same time stay myself," Parker said. "If I'm not myself, I play bad, and I know it."
Parker isn't alone. Michael Finley has missed 28 of his past 35 3-point attempts and
Bruce Bowen 13 of his past 16. Ginobili has remained the team's constant motor, but also has recently struggled with his shot.
The
Spurs haven't endured such a tough stretch in recent seasons. Parker thought Popovich's comments after Wednesday's loss were aimed at reducing some of the pressure.
"If Pop thinks we'll stay with the team, that's great," Parker said. "But we have to believe we can do it."