Spurs looking for some defense

Web Posted: 05/15/2006 12:19 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA051506.1D.BKNspurs.mavs.main.d40d100.html

DALLAS — Spurs coach Gregg Popovich didn't want to talk about Saturday's loss. ("That's gone.") Or Tony Parker's health. ("He's fine.") Or even how well Tim Duncan has played. ("He's been brilliant.")

After the Spurs wrapped up practice Sunday afternoon, suddenly having found themselves two losses from a mid-May vacation, Popovich had little interest in discussing small lineups, forgotten centers, sprained ankles or missed calls. His attention, instead, had returned to his favorite subject: defense.

As in: The Spurs better start playing some. Preferably tonight, when they return to the American Airlines Center, trailing Dallas 2-1 in the Western Conference semifinals.

After winning the series opener 87-85, the Spurs have yielded 113 and 104 points the past two games.

"Our defense has not been good enough to date, that's the bottom-line story with us," Popovich said. "People score 100 points or more, we're probably going to lose that game. That's the way history has been and that's the way it was this season for us, too."

The Spurs are 3-12 when allowing at least 100 points. Three of those losses have come in the postseason. After holding opponents to an average of 88.8 points during the regular season, the second-fewest in the league, the Spurs have given up almost 10 more per game (98.4) in the playoffs.

The Spurs also shouldn't count on Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki giving them a break, either. Despite spraining his right ankle late Saturday, Nowitzki said he plans to play tonight unless "I lose a leg."

Nowitzki had some swelling in his ankle Sunday. But regardless of how much, if at all, the injury limits him, the Mavericks pose several matchup problems.

If the Spurs put their best perimeter defender, Bruce Bowen, on him, they run the risk of Josh Howard going off, as he did in Game 2 when he led Dallas' rout with 27 points. Robert Horry started on Nowitzki on Saturday, but he picked up three fouls in his first five minutes. Nowitzki also drew Duncan's last two fouls, sending him to the bench for good with 1:05 left.

"No defense is perfect," Manu Ginobili said. "Sometimes you are going to make their star have less points, but you risk the others."

Devin Harris is among the "others" that concern the Spurs. He's totaled 44 points the past two games after moving into the starting lineup. Normally Dallas' backup point guard, Harris has used his quickness to break down the Spurs off middle pick-and-rolls.

"He's kind of a Tony Parker look-alike in a lot of ways," Dallas coach Avery Johnson said.

With one difference: In this series, Harris has looked faster than Parker. On one possession Saturday, he blew by Parker with a behind-the-back dribble.

Parker has been playing with a pair of bruised thighs but insisted Sunday he is "OK." He said the Spurs have tried to pressure Harris too much instead of backing off and forcing him to shoot jumpers or drive into them.

"Back in the Detroit Pistons' Bad Boys days, we would probably have nailed him a long time ago," Horry said. "But we just play basketball. He's just getting to the rack. Hopefully, we can do something to deter him from getting there so easy."

Sending Harris to the free-throw line probably isn't the answer. The Spurs did enough of that Saturday. The 33 fouls they collected matched their season high and were about 12 more than they average.

Although the Spurs disputed some of the calls — particularly the sixth foul Duncan earned for having Nowitzki step on his foot — they also admitted they weren't always in proper position. Harris had three three-point opportunities in the first half, two of which came when the Spurs fouled him at the rim after failing to get back on defense.

The Mavericks shot 50 free throws, making 18 in the fourth quarter alone, and scored 15 fast-break points.

"All of it ties into defense," Bowen said. "Transition. Them getting offensive rebounds. Me not blocking out. Those are the things that have sustained us for a great period of time here and it's important that we get back to those types of basics."

If nothing else, the Spurs feel optimistic they might have found a counter to Dallas' defense. With the Mavericks focused on staying on the 3-point shooters, the Spurs surrounded Duncan with a small lineup, spread the floor and let him go work.

Depending on whether Dallas double-teamed him, Duncan either scored himself or kicked the ball to teammates, who usually drove to the rim. The Spurs shot 76.5 percent in the fourth quarter while using a small lineup. During one stretch, they scored on nine consecutive possessions, seven of which came on shots at the rim.

Duncan finished with a season-high 35 points. For the series, he's averaging 31.3 points and 11.3 rebounds while shooting 61.4 percent.

"He's played like MVP Timmy," Popovich said. "Without that, we'd be in a lot of trouble because Dallas' defense is such that we've got to be an inside-out team to score."

jludden@express-news.net