Author: katadmin

Spurs revitalized by shock therapy?

By Jeff McDonald
jmcdonald@express-news.net

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Seven months before the Spurs asked Gary Neal to save their season, they asked him to win a preseason game.

Befitting the laissez-faire nature of exhibition basketball, Manu Ginobili — and not Gregg Popovich — drew up the game-winning play for Neal that night in Mexico City, freeing the undrafted, unknown rookie to sink the buzzer-beating 3-pointer that toppled the Los Angeles Clippers.

“That’s where he began earning our trust,” Ginobili said.

That faith paid dividends again Wednesday night, when a much more meaningful Neal buzzer-beater — this time dialed up by Popovich — sent Game 5 against Memphis into overtime, where the Spurs claimed a 110-103 victory that felt like a pardon from the governor.

“You really don’t think about the magnitude of the situation,” Neal said. “You just think about trying to get the best shot you can get.”

Gifted new life by Neal’s miracle fling, the Spurs now aim to live it to the fullest.

Still down 3-2 in the series, the Spurs face another do-or-? die situation tonight in Game 6 at the FedEx Forum, where Memphis won Games 3 and 4. For the first time, they have a chance to push the upstart Grizzlies to the edge of elimination as well.

“I don’t know if we put a doubt in their mind,” Parker said. “But we won (Game 5) and now we get another shot to try and win on the road.”

Given the Grizzlies’ poise so far, it would be foolhardy to expect them to fold now. For much of the series, Memphis has not acted like a No. 8 seed devoid of much postseason experience.

It was not until overtime Wednesday that coach Lionel Hollins thought his team played down to its age.

“We had too many guys that were hurt and not mature enough at this stage to just let it go,” Hollins said.

The Spurs are not expecting their Game 5 magic to break the Grizzlies, who remain one win away from becoming just the second eighth seed to win a best-of-7 series.

Still, there is little question Neal’s shot has shifted the pressure in the series. For the first time, the Grizzlies find themselves in a game that feels like a must-win.

Lose tonight, and suddenly Memphis must come back to San Antonio for a Game 7, to confront the possibility of squandering an historic opportunity in a series they had all but won.

If that happens, those four championship banners hanging overhead at the ATT Center will begin to look more like guillotine blades.

“We don’t want to give this team too many chances,” Memphis’ Mike Conley said.

The Grizzlies’ worst fear is, perhaps, they have already given the Spurs a chance too many.

After being dominated for much of the series by Conley, Memphis’ 23-year-old point guard, Parker came to life in Game 5, posting 24 points and nine assists and — most importantly — one turnover.

Ginobili appears to be growing more at ease with the protective brace strapped to his sprained right elbow, as demonstrated by his 33-point night in Game 5 that included a memorable trick shot of his own.

The Spurs’ role players are beginning to become involved, with George Hill supplying 12 points, Neal a big shot and rookie center Tiago Splitter productive minutes off the bench Wednesday.

At last, the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed is beginning to look like a one seed.

The Spurs’ worst fear is that, perhaps, all of the above happened too late.

“Memphis put themselves in a great position to end this series, and we’re fighting to stay alive,” Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. “We’re not going to give up until that horn goes off in the end.”

Just before the fourth-quarter horn went off in Game 5, forward Matt Bonner glanced at the ATT Center scoreboard overhead. The Spurs were behind by three points, 1.7 seconds from the end of the season.

Where others saw desperation, Bonner saw hope.

“We still had time,” Bonner said. “And if you have time, you have a chance.”

Moments later, Neal’s 3-pointer bought the Spurs more time, in the game and then the season. Back in Memphis, they now feel like they have a chance.

ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO

The Spurs are one-third of the way to becoming the ninth team in NBA history to recover from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series. The others are:

2006 Suns: First round over Lakers, but lost in Western finals to Mavericks

2003 Pistons: First round over Magic, but lost in Eastern finals to Nets

1997 Heat: Eastern semis over Knicks, but lost in Eastern finals to Bulls

1995 Rockets: Western semis over Suns en route to NBA title

1981 Celtics: Eastern finals over 76ers en route to title

1979 Bullets: Eastern finals over Spurs, but lost to SuperSonics in Finals

1970 Lakers: Western finals over Suns, but lost to Knicks in Finals

1968 Celtics: Eastern finals over 76ers en route to title

Note: Rockets and 1968 Celtics had to win Games 5 and 7 on the road.

Source: Express-News research

Rondo’s triple-double leads Celtics to brink of New York sweep

Boston’s array of stars came up with huge performances Friday night to push the Celtics to the brink of a series sweep.

Rajon Rondo contributed a triple-double to support huge scoring efforts from Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in the Celtics’ 113-96 victory over the injury-depleted Knicks, pushing them to a 3-0 series lead in the first-round playoff series.

Rondo notched 15 points, 11 rebounds and a franchise playoff-record 20 assists. Pierce had 38 points and Allen added 32 as they became the first pair of Celtics to score 30 points in the same playoff game since Antoine Walker and Pierce accomplished the feat against New Jersey on May 27, 2002.

“After a while, I started feeding off of Ray. I mean he was making every shot and was putting pressure on me to make shots. I couldn’t let him down,” Pierce told the Associated Press. “I was looking at him saying how much on fire he was, but then everybody was saying I’m on fire. It was good to be a part of that.”

Rondo’s big game was his sixth career playoff triple-double, trailing only Larry Bird’s 10 triple-doubles in team history. His strong effort provided his team a unique boost, according to Boston coach Doc Rivers.

“When he gets in a rhythm it allows all of us to get into a rhythm, even the coaches, because we see the game through him,” Rivers told NBA.com.

And also enabled him to lead a parade of Celtic standouts on Friday’s Studs and Duds.
 

STUDS

Boston G Rajon Rondo: Contributed his sixth career playoff triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and a franchise playoff-record 20 assists and was plus-23 in the Celtics’ 113-96 Game 3 victory over New York.

Boston F Paul Pierce: Contributed 38 points on 14-for-19 shooting, provided three rebounds and three steals and was plus-23 in the Celtics’ impressive victory at Knicks. 

Boston G Ray Allen: Tallied 32 points, three rebounds and two steals and was a team-best plus-34 in the Celtics’ victory at New York.

Los Angeles Lakers G Kobe Bryant: Notched 30 points — his 80th career playoff game of at least 30 points — and also added six rebounds, three steals, a blocked shot and was plus-15 in the Lakers’ 100-86 Game 3 victory over New Orleans.

Atlanta G Jamal Crawford: Hit 18 of his 23 points in the second half, including an improbable bank shot with 5.7 seconds left, to clinch the Hawks’ 88-84 Game 3 victory over Orlando.

Atlanta G Joe Johnson: Went for 21 points, five rebounds, five assists and was plus-6 in the Hawks’ victory over the Magic.

Los Angeles Lakers F Pau Gasol: Turned around a recent slump with 17 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, a blocked shot and was plus-17 in the Lakers’ victory at New Orleans.

Atlanta F Josh Smith: Produced 15 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and was plus-5 in the Hawks’ triumph over the Magic.     

New Orleans F Carl Landry: Scored 23 points in the Hornets’ loss to the Lakers.

New Orleans G Chris Paul: Notched 22 points, five rebounds, eight assists and two steals in the Hornets’ loss to the Lakers.

Orlando C Dwight Howard: Scored 21 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, blocked three shots and was plus-3 in the Magic’s loss to Orlando.

New York F Shawne Williams: Came off the bench to notch 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocked shots and was plus-13 in the Knicks’ loss to Boston.

DUDS

New York F Amar’e Stoudemire: Struggled playing with an injured back as he went 2-for-8 from the field with only seven points and seven rebounds and was a team-worst minus-34 in the Knicks’ loss to Boston.

New Orleans G Marco Belinelli: Went 2-for-8 from the field, had a turnover and was a team-worst minus-13 in a five-point effort in the Hornets’ loss to the Lakers.

New York F Carmelo Anthony: Clanked  through a 4-for-16 shooting night with five turnovers  and was minus-27 in the Knicks’ loss to Boston. 

Orlando G Jameer Nelson: Had 13 points and 10 assists, but struggled through an icy 5-for-17 shooting effort with two turnovers in the Magic’s loss at Atlanta.

Orlando F Hedo Turkoglu: Struggled through a 3-for-11 effort from the field with nine points in the Magic’s loss  at Atlanta.

Last stand for Spurs’ Duncan?

By Jeff McDonald
jmcdonald@express-news.net

Maybe it’s the creak in his knees, warning him that the end is near. Maybe it’s the cold hand of Father Time on his back, nudging him toward the door.

Maybe Tim Duncan believes what the rest of the NBA seems to, that the Spurs’ title window is closing, if it hasn’t been slammed shut and padlocked already. There is a prevailing notion the playoff run that begins today against Memphis might be the venerable Spurs captain’s last good chance to pursue a fifth championship ring.

And maybe it is.

“Until the next one,” Duncan said. “Every year, we’re given our last chance. We’ll take this one as it is.”

On the precipice of another playoff, with the Spurs owning a No. 1 seed so unexpected their head coach never saw it coming, Duncan doesn’t deny a heightened sense of urgency.

In NBA years, the two-time MVP is straddling a line between older and old. He will turn 35 before the end of the first round, with a contract that might be wiped out by the league’s looming labor impasse.

If retirement isn’t imminent, Duncan can see the Barcalounger from here.

“Every game, every playoff run, everything is special right now,” Duncan said. “I’m not taking anything for granted.”

If these playoffs represent Duncan’s final last chance, it is a good one.

For the first time since 2006, the Spurs enter as the Western Conference’s top seed, ahead of the two-time defending champion L.A. Lakers, by virtue of a 61-21 record that was the second-best of Duncan’s 14 seasons.

It is something few could have imagined a year ago, when the Spurs struggled to a seventh-place finish they did well to parlay into a second-round playoff exit.

“I don’t think there’s anybody, in or out of the league, that thought this team would be the first seed in the West,” coach Gregg Popovich said.

As they head into Game 1 against the eighth-seeded Grizzlies at the ATT Center, the Spurs’ prime motivation is simply to not muck up what they’ve already earned.

Already, they have been reminded how tenuous a successful playoff run can be, with guard Manu Ginobili listed as doubtful for Game 1 with a sprained right elbow.

“Our window is closing,” said Tony Parker, the 10th-year point guard and Duncan’s sidekick for three titles. “I really feel like it’s our last chance to really do something.”

Before the season, with so much in doubt and a seventh-place roster a year older, Popovich for the first time distilled his goals to their most basic.

“We really were just hoping to make the playoffs,” Popovich said.

Now the Spurs can, with a straight face, talk about making a run for their first championship since 2007.

As they have for 12 postseasons, much of the Spurs’ hopes rest with Duncan, the Finals MVP in 1999, 2003 and 2005.

Duncan was at times a forgotten man during the regular season — as forgotten as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer can be — as Popovich capped his minutes to career lows. Duncan’s scoring (13.4 points per game) and rebounding (8.9 per game) dipped in tandem.

The object was to keep mileage off Duncan’s rising odometer, to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Now that they are here, Duncan’s teammates expect the All-Star to again be at the center of their game plan.

“Every time we play in the playoffs, Timmy’s going to be very aggressive,” Parker said. “You can see Pop call more plays for him. We’re definitely going to use him more.”

Duncan arrived here nearly 14 years ago, by lucky bounce of a lottery ball, to a small-market city he had never before considered. With the raising of four championship banners, he transformed one of the NBA’s hardest-luck outposts into an unexpected keeper of the basketball flame.

Beyond these playoffs, there is no telling what Duncan’s basketball future holds. If next season is completely erased by lockout, Duncan will stand to lose $21.2 million due the final year of his contract, more than any player in the league.

He will also stand to lose time, and that’s one commodity an NBA player in his mid-30s cannot replace.

So if this is it, if this playoff run is indeed Duncan’s final last stand, it is only fitting he makes it with the ball in his hands.

“We’ve been blessed,” Duncan said. “We’ve had a good run. Hopefully, we can make another one.”