Gregg Popovich | SAN ANTONIO SPURS TICKETS

Leonard conjures echoes of Bowen

By Mike Monroe
mikemonroe@express-news.net

On the bench at the ATT Center for the first time in his young life, Malcolm Thomas watched intently as fellow rookie Kawhi Leonard rendered helpless a serial Spurs tormenter during the critical minutes of an overtime victory against the Rockets.

Rockets guard Kevin Martin has tortured the Spurs a few times in the past, whether in Sacramento or Houston. Most recently, he made 10 of 17 shots and scored 25 points in Houston’s 105-85 win over the Spurs on Dec. 29.

But when Martin re-entered Wednesday’s airtight game with 7:29 left in the fourth quarter, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich countered immediately by getting Leonard back in the game with instructions to prevent Martin from another opportunity to dominate.

More than anyone in the arena, Thomas knew what to expect — a rough time for Martin.

Sure enough, barely able to get open long enough to get the ball, Martin didn’t score in either the fourth period or OT, going 0 for 3.

“I’d seen it all before, in college, too,” said Thomas, Leonard’s teammate for two seasons at San Diego State. “I was sitting there thinking, ‘It’s crunch time, and he’s going to get down and play defense really hard.’ He does it all game long, but when it matters most, he’s really going to make it count. In my opinion, he’s a monster.”

A monster?

It’s what a lot of Spurs foes called Bruce Bowen when the perennial all-defensive team forward was irritating the league’s most gifted scorers so often that some called him the NBA’s dirtiest player during his eight seasons in silver and black.

Now Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has referenced Bowen while discussing Leonard’s defensive versatility on the occasion of his performance in the first starting assignment of his career. Leonard’s second start is expected tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers at the ATT Center.

“It’s huge for us to have a guy on this team that can do similar things to what Bruce did in the past,” Popovich said after the forward’s defensive opus in crunch time Wednesday.

Popovich isn’t ready to declare Leonard his new Bowen, but it is clear he believes he has the potential to make a similar defensive impact.

“This young man’s got a lot to learn,” Popovich said. “But as I’ve said a lot of times, he’s very willing, he’s very versatile and I think he’s got the ability to be one heck of a player, and he wants to be. We’re very excited about him.”

Popovich didn’t give Leonard a chance to get overly excited about his first starting assignment. Not until he heard his named called out by PA announcer Kevin Brock did Leonard know he would be on the court for the opening tip.

Leonard doesn’t seem to get excited about much, and it’s not clear he understands the significance of Popovich’s implication he can be the defensive stopper Bowen once was.

“It just gives me a little more confidence to just go out there and do my job even better,” Leonard said.

Ask him what he knows about Bowen, and Leonard recalls 3-pointers from the corners, mentioning his defensive play as an afterthought.

When training camp opened, Leonard fell into the trap most often tripped by rookies — belief they must impress the coaching staff by scoring.

“He was trying to justify himself by shooting shots, taking threes, making an impact that way,” said Richard Jefferson, who knows how hard it is to adapt to Popovich’s approach to the game. “He didn’t understand exactly what Pop wanted from him. Now he knows that if he just goes and plays defense consistently, he’s going to get those minutes and those, in turn, are going to lead to some offense.”

Indeed, with his defensive work earning 34, 33 and 38 minutes in his past three games, Leonard has scored 13, 19 and 11 points.

Spurs find way to clear roadblock

By Jeff McDonald

ORLANDO — Dwight Howard snagged the rebound and swung the ball to J.J. Redick, only one of the purest shooters on the planet, who prepared to line up the game-winning 3-pointer from the top of the key.

Watching all this unfold from under the Amway Arena basket Wednesday, with visions of another Spurs road loss dancing in his head, Tim Duncan recalls having one distinct thought.

“Holy crap,” Duncan said.

Duncan held his breath, and he did not exhale until after the Spurs had survived an 85-83 overtime victory over Orlando, coming as close as possible to losing their sixth straight road game to start the season before finally winning their first.

Redick’s shot swished — of course it did — but, in an about-face of luck from the Spurs’ previous sojourns, the ball left his hand after time had expired. The dagger did not count.

“It shows our margin for error,” Richard Jefferson said. “We were point-five seconds away from having our hearts broken.”

Given the Spurs’ early struggles on the road this season — they started 0-5 for the first time since 1988-89 — they’ll take the win any way it comes.

Tony Parker scored 16 of his 25 points after the third quarter and had nine assists, while Duncan scrapped out 17 points and 10 rebounds against Howard. After starting 0 for 5, Gary Neal made the game’s biggest shot, a crucial 3-pointer to give the Spurs an 84-81 lead with 28.2 seconds left in OT.

The triumph was the Spurs’ first on the road since winning in Atlanta on April 5 of last season. It was their first in Orlando since March 25, 2008, after losing in their last three trips here by a combined 60 points.

It came against a Magic team (10-4) that had won five in a row but was playing its third game in as many nights. No matter.

“We needed one on the road,” Duncan said. “This was a good one to get.”

With the long-awaited away win, the Spurs (10-5) exited the not-so-exclusive club of teams still winless on the road. Only Milwaukee and Washington can still go 0-33.

The Spurs won despite shooting just 2 of 17 from 3-point range and despite 24 points and 25 rebounds from Howard, who had a pair of follow dunks in OT.

That was the best part of the win to coach Gregg Popovich. A night after the Spurs crumbled in the second half of a 120-98 loss at Miami, causing Popovich to bemoan the way his “soft” team had “folded,” they outlasted adversity Wednesday.

“More than anything, they just played through whatever was going to happen on the court,” Popovich said. “They just kept on plugging.”

One poster boy was Parker, who was 4 of 12 with nine points through the first three quarters. In the fourth, he connected on 7 of 8 to help get the game to OT.

“I was having great shots (early), they just weren’t going in,” said Parker, who is averaging 21.7 points and 7.7 assists in his last six games. “I knew that couldn’t last the whole game, so I just kept shooting.”

Neal knows the feeling. He had missed all four of his 3-point tries — and 16 of his previous 18 — when Popovich drew up a look for him with the score tied in the final 39 seconds.

“Being a shooter, my mentality is, ‘It’s not the last one, it’s the next one,’?” Neal said.

Neal’s lone basket of the game put the Spurs ahead for good, but they couldn’t chalk up road win No. 1 until after a frantic final possession by the Magic.

After Ryan Anderson missed from the corner, Howard rebounded and found Redick, who pump faked Danny Green, took one dribble and buried the jumper.

Luckily for the Spurs, it was just enough, but too late.

“It was one of those things — you just hold your breath and hope for the best,” Duncan said. “That horn went off, and we got lucky.”

After the misfortune that had been their baggage on the road so far, the Spurs aren’t about to complain about a little luck now.

jmcdonald@express-news.net

– Associated Press photos

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Spurs 85, Magic 83 (OT): Jan. 18, 2012

San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan loses his grip on the ball as he is fouled by Orlando Magic’s Von Wafer (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy directs his layers during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. San Antonio won in overtime, 85-83.(AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard (12) goes after a rebound in front of San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan (21) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. San Antonio won in overtime, 85-83. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

Orlando Magic’s J.J. Redick walks off the court after the Magic’s 85-83 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs in an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. Redick made a 3-point shot after the final buzzer. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

Orlando Magic’s Ryan Anderson, right, makes a shot past San Antonio Spurs’ Tiago Splitter, of Brazil, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. San Antonio won in overtime, 85-83.(AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker (9), of France, makes a shot over Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard (12) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. San Antonio won in overtime, 85-83. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

After sinking a 3-point shot in the closing seconds of overtime, San Antonio Spurs’ Gary Neal (14) gets a high-five from teammate Tony Parker (9), of France, in an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. San Antonio won 85-83. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs’ Richard Jefferson (24) pump-fakes and is fouled by Orlando Magic’s Quentin Richardson during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard, center, fights for a rebound with San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan, left, and DeJuan Blair (45) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard (12) grabs a pass while being guarded by San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich yells to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker (9), of France, passes the ball around Orlando Magic’s Ryan Anderson (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs’ Tiago Splitter (22), of Brazil, spins away from Orlando Magic’s Glen Davis (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP)

What the Spurs and Mavs said after Thursday’s game

The Spurs media service people were ready with their tape recorders after the Spurs’ victory over Dallas Thursday night.

Here’s a collection of comments from the Mavericks and the Spurs.

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich:

(Opening statement)

“They (the Mavericks) were four in five nights, we were three in four nights and neither team was very sharp. We happened to shoot well. We’re thrilled to have the win; we’re not going to give it away. Our guys played hard and we ended up with a good win. But both teams have a long way to go.”

(When asked if he had a good look at some of his players tonight)

“I thought T.J. (Ford) was great. T.J. was really good again. He was aggressive and energetic. He did a real fine job for us.”

(Comments on the job DeJuan Blair did on Dirk Nowitzki tonight)

“That’s a big challenge. You didn’t see the real Dirk (Nowitzki) tonight, that’s for sure. As the season wears on, all the teams will get into better shape and get sharper and look better. DeJuan is working hard at it and it’s an education no matter what the situation is to guard Dirk Nowitzki.”

(When asked if he liked what he got from Richard Jefferson on both ends of the court)

“I think Richard (Jefferson) was more aggressively minded tonight. We know he can shoot the basketball. I thought he was better at going to the board and getting down on defense all those sorts of things; that’s good to see.”

Spurs guard T.J Ford

(Was this a lockout game…)

“No, today I thought we were mentally tough coming in on a back-to-back against the defending champions. Our starters did a great job, they came out and set the tempo and carried us the whole game.”

(On winning back-to-backs…)

“We’ve got to dig deep. This season is about mental toughness. How can we prevail with mental toughness. It’s only going to get tougher. We have a lot of games this month. Tonight was a good test. We got to get ready for an up-tempo game against Denver with a lot of athletes, a lot of young kids and a lot of speed. They’re playing well. It’s going to be a tough stretch. We got one day to rest up and then prepare for them and get to playing again.”

(On playing with the second unit…)

“We know all the plays but for me, it depends the on the flow of the game. The coaches do a good job of helping me when we need to run a set. For the most part, we try to create our offense through our defense and get out and get easy buckets. We just run the motion offense and there are so many options with our early offense, everyone has an equal opportunity and that’s a good thing about it.”

Spurs forward Matt Bonner

(On hitting 3-pointers …)

“They felt the same. Just open shots and taking them like I have been all year. Tonight they were going in, which is a good thing. Just going to stick with the process and hope I can keep shooting like I did tonight.”

(On grinding the game out…)

“We were both coming off back-to-backs, they had to travel, but we had the homecourt advantage and tried to come out with energy and use to get us going. We made a lot threes in the first half and it got contagious. We did it with defense in the second half, because we didn’t shoot to well in the third quarter.”

Spurs forward Tim Duncan

(On winning in ugly fashion..)..

“Its kind of a change, we’ve had guys like Monta and K-Love come out and really light us up in the last couple games, the ones that we’ve lost. It was great to come out tonight where somebody didn’t make every shot out there. It was great to win. We did enough early on to get a lead and kind of put the pressure on them and they weren’t able to get back in to it.”

Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle:

(Was it just one of those nights where everything just went wrong for you?)

“San Antonio’s energy was better to start the game and in the first half and that was the difference in the game. We struggled, but their competitive level was higher and really the decisive part was the first half. We responded much better in the second half. We won the second half and that’s a positive, if you’re looking for positives. It’s a hit-first league, they hit us first, and we didn’t respond well enough in the second half.”

(on the Spurs 3-point shooting)

“Their shot making was there and we struggled all night with ours. You got to give them credit. They throw in sixteen threes and that’s shooting the heck out of it. Some of that is obviously we made some mistakes, but they put us in those positions so you give them credit.”

(on the Spurs hitting three field goals in the 3^rd quarter, but still up by 24.)

“I’m looking at that saying our defense is finally looking like it should. It’s a tough loss, it’s disappointing, and I don’t know if there is a lot of analysis beyond that. We got our butts kicked. That’s alright, we will take it like men and get ready for the next one.”

(on Jason Kidd’s back.)

“Lower back injury, we will evaluate it tomorrow, the next day, and see where we are.”

Mavericks guard Jason Terry:

(on tonight’s game and what happened to his team)

“They came out early and ran at us as we couldn’t recover from it. In the third quarter we did a better job but it was tough when you’re playing on the road in a tough environment. They came out and made shots early and it gives them a lot of confidence. There were guys tonight making shots that wouldn’t ordinarily make those shots.”

(on the Mavericks poor shooting tonight)

“It was tough. When they’re making shots and we’re not, it’s going to be a long ball game for us. Again, we’re a team that prides ourselves on getting stops defensively and making them pay on the offensive end. That didn’t happen tonight.”

(on if tonight was a lack of shot or the influence of the Spurs)

“Well again, defensively we didn’t get the stops we wanted early and offensively we definitely didn’t make the shots that we wanted. Anytime you do that it doesn’t matter who you’re playing, you’re not going to win, especially when you’re playing a tough San Antonio Spurs team.”

Mavericks forward Shawn Marion:

(On his team lacking momentum tonight against the Spurs)

“They came out aggressive as they hit their first seven shots, as most of those were threes. When you play a team that hot, we were able to finally slow them down. They came out playing with some high energy and hitting some shots but for the most part I think we were trying to get some stops. Together we weren’t able to capitalize on the stops as for us it seemed like the basket got smaller tonight. It was a rough stretch for us as it’s hard for us. This is our sixth game in eight days so that was tough stretch for us. Once we get down in the hole like that it’s too hard to pick yourself back up when you’ve been playing that much. At the same time, it is what it is, they struck first and they were able to pull out a good win.”

(On the toll of playing these six games)

“My body feels O.K. besides me feeling under the weather and my broken left finger. For the most part I’m cool as I’m just trying to do what I can to help the team by being effective.”

(On if comprised NBA schedule will lead to cold and hot streaks)

“Yeah, definitely as you’ve seen some already. There are going to be some games that don’t go our fans way. There is going to be some nights where it is just not going to go in, but it is what it is. We just have to stay out there and get better.”