DENVER | SAN ANTONIO SPURS TICKETS

Six quick takes: Why Pop’s decision was the right one

Sure, the 11-game winning streak was fun while it lasted.

But the NBA is all about positioning for the playoffs. And playing starters for extended minutes in February doesn’t make much sense, particularly when injuries and back-to-back games start piling up during the most difficult road trip of the season.

Gregg Popovich can’t be faulted for resting Tim Duncan and Tony Parker in his team’s 137-97 blowout loss Tuesday night at Portland.

The Spurs are already struggling without Tiago Splitter, Manu Ginobili and T.J. Ford. Those injuries led to Duncan playing nearly 79combined minutes in his last two games. You don’t ask a 35-year-old player to play those minutes and then demand much on the back end of a back-to-back.

During the month of February, Parker has played at least 38 minutes in five games. His minutes in the last two games ranked among his top 11 games of the season. It made sense to give him a chance a night of rest on Tuesday night, too.

“Those guys are out and I can’t run our other guys into the ground,” Popovich told reporters after the game. “When it’s time for them to rest based on the schedule and the time they’ve been playing, that’s what’s got to happen if you want to put some money in the bank for later.”

The Spurs were going to have trouble in Portland anyway after bringing a six-game losing streak at the Rose Garden before Tuesday’s game. They had failed to break the century mark against the Blazers in 13 straight games. If Popovich was going to pull back on the reigns in any game during the Rodeo Road Trip, Tuesday’s game made the most sense of any to concede.

“Every team is going to do this at some point with this season,” Popovich said. “Tonight was our night.”

After a day off the Spurs should be about as well rested as possible playing at the end of a nine-game road trip Thursday night in Denver. The Nuggets will play Wednesday night, so the Spurs get an edge there. Parker and Duncan should be ready to go if asked. It will be the last game before the All-Star break.

The Spurs will have a better chance of winning Thursday night in Denver than Tuesday night in Portland.

Popovich’s personnel movements only helped his chances.

Here are a few other quick takes from perhaps the best example imaginable why a running clock is needed in the NBA when a margin is greater than 30 points in the fourth quarter.

Kawhi Leonard was the brightest spot in an otherwise dismal one for the Spurs in his best professional game. Leonard erupted for team-high totals of 24 points, 10 rebounds and five steals. He was as active and hustling during his latter minutes at the end of the game as at the beginning. Popovich has to be charged thinking about the opportunity to work with Leonard during the summer, building his offensive game and his strength on an otherwise intriguing skill set. Leonard can become a special player under Popovich’s tutelage.
Two days ago, Eric Dawson was a member of the Austin Toros and hoping for a chance at the NBA. He received more of an early opportunity than he probably ever would have expected when he arrived with the Spurs, notching nearly32 minutes in his career debut and scoring nine points. The Spurs still need some depth inside and Splitter will be out of action for a couple of weeks. Dawson will have a chance to show what he can do during that time.
James Anderson’s wishes to be traded probablyo didn’t get much of a lift as he struggled through a miserable shooting effort. And when his shooting is struggling, Anderson sometimes goes into a funk defensively that harms his entire game. If he’s going to get a shot somewhere in the NBA, he needs to make the most of opportunities like the one he had on Tuesday night.
Even if they were playing the Spurs’ junior varsity team, Portland made a complete turnaround from earlier in the season. The Trail Blazers were struggling offensively, hitting only 32.9 percent from 3-point territory and ranking 18th in the league. They hit 53.6 percent of their 3-pointers in the first quarter to effectively blow the game open and never looked back.
Even with the huge lead, Gerald Wallace and Wesley Matthews were surprisingly playing early in the fourth quarter with the game already settled. Matthews hobbled off the court early in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle. It should have made Portland coach Nate McMillan realize the ramifications of playing his top players too much in blowout games. If he needed any rationale, maybe he should have looked at Duncan wearing a suit along the Spurs’ sidelines for inspiration.

Spurs hit rocky patch despite Manu’s return

1 of 7 | Share

Nuggets 99, Spurs 94: March 4, 2012

Matt Bonner guards Denver’s Al Harrington in the first half Spurs vs Nuggets, Sunday, March 4, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY) (special to the Express-News)

Manu Ginobili tries to maintain control of the ball in the first half Spurs vs Nuggets, Sunday, March 4, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY) (special to the Express-News)

Tim Duncan gets the dunk guarded by Denver’s Kenneth Faried in the first half Spurs vs Nuggets, Sunday, March 4, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY) (special to the Express-News)

Richard Jefferson is fouled by Denver’s Timofey Mozgov in the first half Spurs vs Nuggets, Sunday, March 4, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY) (special to the Express-News)

Tiago Splitter manages to maintain control and pass to Duncan after a fall guarded by Denver’s Timofey Mozgov in the first half Spurs vs Nuggets, Sunday, March 4, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY) (special to the Express-News)

Mnu Ginobili shoots guarded by Dnever’s Chris Andersen in the first half Spurs vs Nuggets, Sunday, March 4, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY) (special to the Express-News)

Tim Duncan gets the dunk guarded by Denver’s Chris Andersen in the first half Spurs vs Nuggets, Sunday, March 4, 2012. (JENNIFER WHITNEY) (special to the Express-News)

By Jeff McDonald

Manu Ginobili paced himself through a brief pregame workout Sunday night, testing his left oblique strain one last time before a nationally televised game against Denver.

Satisfied, he finally wandered to the bench area to dribble around with his twin 2-year-old sons, Dante and Nicola.

Until that point, it was the most action Ginobili had seen inside the ATT Center in 2012.

Ginobili made his second return from injury in a 99-94 loss to the Nuggets. He hopes to make this comeback his last.

“Here we go again,” Ginobili said before his first game in the Spurs’ gym since New Year’s Eve. “I haven’t played in this arena since December. I missed it. It’s been too long.”

Ginobili, who had his brief comeback from a broken hand aborted by a strained oblique, hadn’t played anywhere since Feb. 18.

The return of the Spurs’ catalyst, playing in only his 10th game this season, wasn’t enough to lift them to victory.

Ty Lawson had 22 points and danced with a triple-double as the Nuggets rode a big first quarter to a wire-to-wire win.

After falling behind by 16 points in the first half and never leading, the Spurs had a chance to tie in the final 10 seconds, but Gary Neal’s 3-pointer hit the back of the iron.

Three games into a seven-game homestand, the Spurs (25-12) have already notched more defeats (two) than they did during the whole nine-game rodeo trip that preceded the All-Star break.

“We competed well and played together on the road,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose team is 1-2 since the break. “We’ve got to try to duplicate that at home.”

Ginobili’s return did put the Spurs at full strength for the first time since the opening tip of a Jan. 2 game in Minnesota, but only technically.

Just as Ginobili came back, Tim Duncan came down with a stomach illness. Duncan played, but had to dig deep for 14 points and nine rebounds, including four dunks.

His slam off a pass from Tony Parker with 29.3 seconds left brought the Spurs within 95-94, but Lawson buried a 19-footer on the other end to push Denver’s edge back to three.

Parker had 25 points and seven assists to lead the Spurs, who have already lost more games at home post-All Star break than before it.

The Nuggets (21-17) won despite playing without regular starters Danilo Gallinari and Nene and key reserve Kosta Koufos. Denver was further depleted in the second half, when center Timofey Mozgov collided with DeJuan Blair and had to leave the game.

The Nuggets won behind Lawson, who added 11 assists and nine rebounds. He was one of five players who scored in double figures for Denver.

Denver is 3-0 since the All-Star break, a run of success coach George Karl traces to a 114-99 loss to the Spurs leading into it.

“We played the right way with a passion and intensity, and it’s carried over,” Karl said.

For the Spurs, the most positive development Sunday involved Ginobili. He thought he could have played in Friday’s win over Charlotte but woke up that morning a little tight in the rib cage region.

“We all got a little worried,” Ginobili said. “I said, ‘No big deal. We’ve waited so long, let’s wait two more days.’?”

The Argentine star was not his sharpest Sunday but did show flashes.

Twenty-eight seconds after checking in in the first quarter, he drilled an open 3-pointer. He added another late in the third to pull the Spurs within two.

All told, Ginobili logged nearly 24 minutes and notched eight points, five assists and four rebounds. He lacked his natural explosion to the basket, twice being blocked at the rim in the first half.

All in all, however, it was a productive night for the 34-year-old. He got on the floor, and got away without hurting anything.

“I think I’m better than when I came back previously,” Ginobili said. “We’ll see.”

jmcdonald@express-news.net
Twitter: JMcDonald_SAEN

Revenge-minded D-Will snuffs out ‘Linsanity’ at least for one night

After helping create ”Linsanity” in its earliest stages, Deron Williams was ready to show what he could do Monday night.

The veteran New Jersey point guard outplayed Jeremy Lin, leading New Jersey to a 100-92 victory over New York.

“This all started on me,” Williams told the Associated Press after of Lin and the Knicks. Lin had helped the Knicks win eight of nine coming into the game.

Williams erupted for a season-best 38 points, including eight 3-pointers, as he outscored Lin 36-11 through three quarters.

The New Jersey All-Star had noted some of Lin’s recent publicity and his early role in helping create it.

“I don’t really watch too many games, but I do see Twitter, people tweet me and every, you know, three lines it was Jeremy Lin destroyed Deron Williams,”’ said Williams, who singed the Knicks’ leaky defense for 16 points in the third quarter. “So I definitely took offense to that in the first game and definitely, like I said, I had it circled.”

Lin went for 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but Williams had the stronger performance to exact a measure of revenge after the first game.

“Deron was on fire,” New Jersey coach Avery Johnson . “I told him even this morning, if you’ve got some looks at threes, just take them. We know you can make them, but just be aggressive, and if their point guard’s not on you, we’ll figure out a way to get him back on you, and we want you to attack.”

Williams’ big game catapulted him to the top of Monday’s Studs and Duds.

STUDS

New Jersey G Deron Williams: Went for 38 points on eight 3-pointers and produced six assists, four rebounds and was plus-12 in the Nets’ victory at New York.

Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant: Produced 31 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and was plus-4 in the Thunder’s victory over New Orleans.

Houston G Kyle Lowry: Tallied 24 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, four steals and was plus-4 in the Rockets’ victory over Memphis.

San Antonio G Tony Parker: Produced 23 points and 11 assists — his third consecutive 20-10 game — along with six rebounds, three steals and was plus-4 in the Spurs’ victory at Utah.

Dallas F Dirk Nowitzki: Muscled for 26 points, 16 rebounds, two blocks and was a game-high plus-27 in the Mavericks’ victory over Boston.

Orlando C Dwight Howard: Notched 28 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, three steals and was plus-6 in the Magic’s victory at Milwaukee.

DUDS

New York F Carmelo Anthony: Struggled in his return to the lineup with 4-for-11 shooting, six turnovers and was minus-10 in the Knicks’ loss to New Jersey.

Minnesota G Ricky Rubio: Clanked through a 5-for-16 shooting night with five turnovers in the Timberwolves’ overtime loss to Denver.

Denver G Andre Miller: Missed all eight field-goal attempts and had four turnovers in the Nuggets’ overtime victory over Minnesota.

Washington G John Wall: Hit 4 of 11 from the field with four turnovers and was a game-worst minus-26 in the Wizards’ loss at Phoenix.

Denver C Timofey Mozgov: Went 2 for 5 from the field with four turnovers in 11 minutes and was a team-worst minus-17 in the Nuggets’ overtime victory over Minnesota.

New Orleans C Chris Kaman: Clanked through a 4-for-17 shooting night with three turnovers and was minus-14 to match the game low in the Hornets’ loss at Oklahoma City.