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Spurs’ win streak comes to blazing halt

By Mike Monroe

PORTLAND, Ore. — When Spurs coach Gregg Popovich announced a starting lineup for his team’s game against the Trail Blazers that didn’t include anyone named Duncan or Parker, there were Portlanders who believed he had lost his mind.

How could the coach of a team that had won 11 games in a row and already was short three regular members of his playing rotation possibly leave his two best players on the bench, with no intention to play either?

With shooting guard Manu Ginobili, center Tiago Splitter and point guard T.J. Ford injured and one-third of the Spurs’ offensive production ruled out of action, the streak hit a brick wall as the Trail Blazers scored a 137-97 victory that extended a streak of their own.

The victory was Portland’s seventh straight over the Spurs at the Rose Garden. It was also their largest margin of victory ever over the Spurs.

What the uninformed didn’t understand about Popovich’s banishment of his two stars was the utter lack of significance he places on anything as pedestrian as a win streak, even one that has reached double digits.

“We’ve had the same goal for 15 years: To be the best team we can possibly be come playoff time,” Popovich said before the game. “We’ve never ever talked about what our record should be, whether we are going to win a championship, or not. Never. It’s never come up in any practice or game for 15 years.

“We just try to get better every day, and whatever happens, happens.”

Nothing that happened on the court mattered to Popovich as much as his concern for the physical toll the season has been taking on Parker, who leads the Spurs in minutes played, and Duncan, his oldest player.

“(Tim) and Tony need a rest,” he said before tipoff. “Everybody’s played a lot of games, and somewhere along the line, everybody gives somebody a rest, and I think we’ve reached that point.

“Whether it’s three games in four nights or X nights before, I don’t know, I’ve lost track. But we’ve been going and going and going, and if we don’t do it now, I think we’re asking for trouble later.”

The fact Duncan had played 41 minutes and 20 seconds in Saturday’s overtime victory in Los Angeles over the Clippers and 37:52 in Monday’s win over the Jazz factored into Popovich’s thinking.

Replacing Duncan and Parker were 20-year-old rookies Kawhi Leonard and Corey Joseph, with Danny Green, DeJuan Blair and Richard Jefferson on the floor at tipoff.

The Spurs actually managed to hang with the Blazers through the first seven minutes and led 20-19 after a 3-point basket by Gary Neal.

Thoughts of stealing a 12th straight win were doomed when the Trail Blazers followed with a 22-0 run that included five 3-point baskets.

The Spurs’ biggest blowout loss since a 111-69 setback at Chicago on March 5, 1997, didn’t diminish what Popovich’s team had done in winning the first seven games of its annual rodeo road trip. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, teams have played at least seven consecutive road games more than 250 times, but the Spurs are one of only two teams to have a stretch of seven wins on such trips.

The other team: the 2002-03 Spurs, who won the first eight on the initial rodeo trip before losing the final one. The Spurs can match that Thursday in Denver.

Duncan and Parker are expected to be available.

mikemonroe@express-news.net

– Associated Press

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Trail Blazers 137, Spurs 97: Feb. 21, 2012

San Antonio Spurs’ Cory Joseph, right, shoots as Portland Trail Blazers’ Nicolas Batum (88) defends in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP)

Portland Trail Blazers’ Gerald Wallace (3) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs’ Matt Bonner, left, and teammate Eric Dawson (23) defends in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs’ DeJuan Blair (45) lays the ball up as Portland Trail Blazers’ Nicolas Batum, right, defends in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP)

Portland Trail Blazers’ Wesley Matthews (2) drives as San Antonio Spurs’ Eric Dawson (23) defends in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP)

Portland Trail Blazers’ LaMarcus Aldridge (12) shoots as San Antonio Spurs’ Eric Dawson (23) defends in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich shouts to his team in the fourth quarter during an NBA basketball game with the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Portland, Ore. The Trail Blazers defeated the Spurs 137-97. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker, left, looks on as teammate Tim Duncan, right, yawns in the fourth quarter during an NBA basketball game with the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Portland, Ore. The Trail Blazers defeated the Spurs 137-97. Both Parker and Duncan sat the game out on the bench. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs’ Richard Jefferson towels off in the second half during an NBA basketball game with the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Portland, Ore. The Trail Blazers defeated the Spurs 137-97. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (AP)

Blacktop aids Green’s NBA survival

NEW YORK — The shots went up one by one over the course of a week, all of them with the same result.

At one point over a four-game stretch, Spurs guard Danny Green had missed 17 in a row, the kind of misfiring streak that can crush a young player, much less a 24-year-old journeyman still playing for a contract and a career.

As the misses piled up, Green did not flinch. He did not blink. He did not betray much emotion at all.

“Just got to keep shooting,” Green said.

It is a fearlessness forged on the famed blacktops of New York City, where Green spent his formative years learning the game from basketball’s toughest crowd.

At Rucker Park, for example, the timid are eaten alive. Or worse, forgotten altogether.

“On a playground court, if you’re scared to shoot, you’ll be known as a non-threat,” Green said. “And then you won’t get picked up to play.”

Green grew up in the Long Island hamlet of North Babylon, equidistant between the posh celebrity hangouts of the Hamptons and the gray hardscrabble of the city.

There is no question where Green spent most of his time as a youth.

The tattoo on the inside of Green’s right wrist, one of scores etched across his body, says it all: “Made in New York.”

“The city,” he said, “is like Mecca.”

In his third NBA season, and second with the Spurs, Green has emerged as a key piece of coach Gregg Popovich’s rotation. In 22 games with star guard Manu Ginobili sidelined with a broken hand, Green averaged 24.4 minutes.

For the season, Green — a roster afterthought coming into training camp — has averaged 7.4 points, including games of 24 against Denver and 20 against Miami.

Now that Ginobili has returned, the 6-foot-6 Green — who has made two straight starts — aims to keep a grip on playing time.

He won’t go back to the end of the bench without a fight. From the time Green arrived in San Antonio late last season, Popovich admired his willingness to “let it fly.”

“It does show certain confidence in one’s abilities,” Popovich said. “He’s not awed by the challenge of making it in the NBA. It’s important you see someone has that in their system, that fire.”

Raised by a single father, Danny Sr., after his mother left, Green enjoyed a comfortable suburban existence on Long Island, where he starred at St. Mary’s High School before joining a future national championship team at North Carolina.

In 2006, just after Green’s freshman season at UNC, his father — a high school basketball coach — was arrested in conjunction with a massive drug raid, during which authorities confiscated 420 pounds of cocaine.

Green Sr. spent two years in prison for what the family says was a case of mistaken identity.

Perhaps the younger Green shows no fear on the basketball court because he knows what real fear is. There was a chance Green Sr. could have done 20 years.

Another of Green’s tattoos — an enormous portrait of him and his father together spanning the breadth of his back — commemorates that feeling.

“Just so I never forget,” he said.

Neither has Green forgotten the lessons of the New York City blacktop, which still guide him today.

“You’ve got to have a kind of attitude,” Green said. “Some of those guys are real dirty, physical. They talk a lot of trash. That’s what New York basketball is about.”

Green’s teammates have been equal parts surprised and impressed with his rapid ascension.

Brought to San Antonio twice last season on the recommendation of vice president of basketball operations Danny Ferry, who as general manager in Cleveland drafted him 46th overall in 2009, Green got his big break this season, on Jan. 4.

With Golden State’s Monta Ellis going nuts on the Spurs in Ginobili’s first game out, Popovich turned to Green, who at this time last season was in the Development League. Ellis finished with 38 points, but Green limited him to 4-of-11 shooting in the fourth quarter as the Spurs rallied for a victory.

“It couldn’t happen to a better person,” small forward Richard Jefferson said. “The only thing I ever tell him is to slow down a bit, because he gets so excited. He’s a young kid playing well.”

Defense got Green on the floor, and defense is what kept him there throughout an 0-for-17 shooting slump.

Having the courage to step up and shoot No. 18 only aided his cause.

When that shot finally went in Saturday in New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from where Green’s game was born, a weight was lifted.

Green finished with 10 points in the win over the Nets, making half of his eight field goals and a pair of 3-pointers.

He figures the inhabitants of the New York City playgrounds, the toughest crowd in sports, would approve.

“You don’t want to let anybody disrespect your game,” Green said. “That’s probably one of the biggest things you learn growing up in New York.”

jmcdonald@express-news.net

Westbrook, Durant lead Monday’s S&Ds efforts

Oklahoma City’s dynamic duo took advantage of a questonable late officiating call that helped boost them to a wild overtime victory over Portland.

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant came up with monster games Monday to pace the Thunder’s 111-107 triumph over the Trail Blazers.

Westbrook went for 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Durant provided 33 points, seven rebounds and five assists, including a key dunk with 2.9 seconds in overtime to ice the victory.

“I’m just glad we got the win, man,” Durant . “It was one of those wins where we come back in the locker room a little bit emotional.”

STUDS

Oklahoma City G Russell Westbrook: Tallied 28 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and was plus-1 in the Thunder’s overtime victory at Portland.

Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant: Notched 33 points, seven rebounds, five assists and was plus-3 in the Thunder’s triumph at Portland.

Los Angeles Clippers G Chris Paul: Filled the stat sheet with 29 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and two steals in the Clippers’ victory at Orlando.

Sacramento C DeMarcus Cousins: Muscled for 28 points, 19 rebounds, three blocks and was plus-8 in the Kings’ triumph at New Orleans.

San Antonio F Tim Duncan: Went for 19 points, 17 rebounds, five blocked shots, three assists, two steals and was plus-6 in the Spurs’ comback victory at Memphis.

Portland F LaMarcus Aldridge: Notched a season-high 39 points, six rebounds and three rebounds in the Trail Blazers’ overtime loss to Oklahoma City.

Orlando C Dwight Howard: Produced 33 points, 14 rebounds, two steals, two blocks and was plus-8 in the Magic’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

DUDS

Utah G Earl Watson: Missed all four shots with two turnovers and was minus-11 in the Jazz’s loss at New York.

Orlando F Hedo Turkoglu: Missed all six shots with a turnover in the Magic’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Utah F Paul Millsap: Went 3 for 10 from the field with five turnovers in the Jazz’s loss at New York.

Denver F Al Harrington: Clanked through a 5-for-16 shooting effort with four turnovers and was minus-8 in the Nuggets’ loss to Houston.

Memphis F Rudy Gay: Scored 18 points against the Spurs, but needed 26 shots to get them, along with four turnovers and was minus-4 in the Grizzlies’ loss to San Antonio.

Houston G Kevin Martin: Struggled through a 1-for-9 shooting night with three turnovers and was minus-1 in the Rockets’ victory at Denver.

Memphis G O.J. Mayo: Went 3 for 15 from the field with a turnover in the Grizzlies’ loss to the Spurs.