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 2007-01-23 14:59  #1
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Spurs lose lead, fend off Celtics

Spurs lose lead, fend off Celtics

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA012307.01D.spurs.20e8e52.html

Web Posted: 01/23/2007 12:16 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News

BOSTON — By now, the Spurs have the script down cold: punish opposing team, preferably one already splintered by injuries, for better part of two quarters; allow large lead to almost completely evaporate; steady selves when necessary to win.

The Boston Celtics played the role of antagonists Monday, pushing the game to the final, tense seconds before the Spurs held on for a 93-89 victory at TD Banknorth Garden.

"It was great for the fans," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Tonight, they saw two games. I don't think it said that on the ticket."

While the Spurs beat Boston for the 18th consecutive time — keeping Tim Duncan unbeaten against the famed franchise for his career — neither the opponent nor the locale seem to matter anymore. The storyline remains the same.

On Friday against New Orleans, the Spurs let a 22-point lead dwindle to eight. On Sunday in Philadelphia, they were again up 22 only to watch the 76ers close within five.

One night later, it was more of the same. The Spurs' lead ballooned to 23 points midway through the third quarter. With a little less than two minutes left, it was down to three.

While the Spurs jetted home with a three-game winning streak, they had reason to wonder just how much progress they made during their two-night tour of the Eastern Conference basement.

"We're getting better for 24 minutes and worse for the other 24," Manu Ginobili said. "So we're always at the same point.

"But at least we're getting it done (in the end), and that's the only part of the game where we are kind of satisfied."

Duncan totaled 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four blocks and helped save the victory when he spun by Celtics forward Al Jefferson for a dunk and a foul with 1:18 left. Ginobili and Tony Parker scored 15 points each, and Francisco Elson provided some much-needed energy off the bench with 10 points and five rebounds, including a key offensive board late in the game.

"I thought Francisco was our most impressive player tonight," Popovich said. "Coming back from the injury, he's still not totally strong in that shoulder. But he ran the floor, hit the boards, scored a little bit, changed some shots."

With his roster shredded by injuries — Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak, among others, are out — Boston coach Doc Rivers did his best to change the game by going small. Very small.

At the end of the third quarter, the Celtics had four point guards on the floor. Jefferson, who totaled 26 points and 14 rebounds, was Boston's lone big man for much of the second half.

"The only way it worked was Al had to guard Duncan," Rivers said, "and he had to do a good job."

In spite of that, the Spurs took control in the second quarter with Brent Barry helping loosen the defense with a pair of 3-pointers. They looked ready to put the game away in the third, pushing their lead to 67-44 on a jumper by Parker.

But a turnover by Parker near the end of third quarter and two more by Beno Udrih to start the fourth started the Spurs' slide.

"We talk about what we did well and what we did poorly whether we win or lose a game," Popovich said. "And we did a lot of things great for quite a while, and we did a lot of things poorly for a shorter period of time.

"There were a couple decision-making things that weren't great."

Boston's Delonte West didn't help matters by scoring 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter. After Rajon Rondo stripped the ball from Duncan, Ryan Gomes followed with a layup to cut the Spurs' lead to 85-82 with 1:58 left.

Ginobili drove for a layup, and the Celtics committed a costly turnover when the shot clock expired with the ball still in Allan Ray's hands.

After Duncan posted just outside the left block, Jefferson gambled and tried to poke the ball from his hands. Duncan spun left to find a clear lane to the basket, took one dribble and threw down a one-handed dunk as Jefferson fouled him.

Jefferson came back with his own three-point play, and West hit another toe-on-the-line 23-footer to again bring the Celtics within three with 29 seconds left, but the Spurs made three free throws to leave with the victory.

"Wins are wins, but it's frustrating not to be able to close people out," Duncan said. "It shouldn't have been that close, and we allowed them to get back into the game.

"Just another thing to work on."


Pop asks Parker to shoot less

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA012307.05D.spursNOTES.20e932c.html

Web Posted: 01/23/2007 12:19 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News

BOSTON — Tony Parker attempted only nine shots in Monday's game, one more than he took Sunday in Philadelphia. The reduction hasn't been by accident.

Parker, who was averaging a team-high 14.9 shots per game entering Monday, said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has asked him to focus more on distributing the ball and helping his teammates get in rhythm.

"He wants me to try to do a better job of getting everybody involved and try to take less shots," Parker said. "I try to get more shots for Michael Finley and Brent Barry and to get their confidence going."

Parker had eight points and eight assists in Sunday's victory. He had 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting against Boston with five assists and five turnovers.

After averaging about 19 points a game for much of the season, Parker said he's had to change his natural instincts a bit.

"I'm trying to do my best to help my team out and get something going," he said. "My offense will always come back. I just try to be more as a passer these last two games and get everybody involved."

Jefferson looks strong: Boston forward Al Jefferson looked impressive in his matchup with Tim Duncan, totaling 26 points and 14 rebounds.

He also had a pair of blocks on Duncan, who finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four blocks. But Duncan got the best of him in the final minute, spinning by him for a dunk and a foul after Jefferson gambled for a steal.

"I'm not measuring myself against Tim Duncan," said Jefferson, who turned 22 earlier this month. "He's a three-time champion, an MVP. I'm just honored to be on the same court as him."

[url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner back in New England: Until New Hampshire lands an NBA franchise, Boston is as close as it comes to a homecoming for Matt Bonner.

[url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner, who grew up in the Granite State, filled about 20 ticket requests for Monday's game, including a pair for his parents. He also gave out more than 50 guest passes.

"I did some damage on the guest passes, that's for sure," [url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner said. "(I've) got luckily a lot of people who are responsible and can get their own tickets."

And that's just the amount of people who wanted to make the drive to see [url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner spend the evening on the inactive list.

[url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner missed his fifth consecutive game Monday since tearing his left medial collateral ligament on Jan. 13.

He was expected to be out at least a month — and coach Gregg Popovich still thinks he'll need that long — but [url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner said his rehabilitation is going well and hopes he can return in a couple of weeks.

"Everything is improving: range of motion, pain," [url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner said. "There's hardly any swelling, so it's just a matter of strengthening it and letting the ligament heal."

[url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner was happy to be back in New England, even if it was only for a night.

"I took a walk down Newbury Street by the hotel," he said, "and walked into Newbury Comics and bought a record — just for old times sake."

Popovich wasn't surprised "Matt New Hampshire [url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner][url=https://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner]Bonner," as he calls him, was in good spirits.

"He's 24 years old. He's getting a good paycheck," Popovich joked. "He doesn't have to do anything. Just travel around the country. He should be happy."
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