Tag: Houston

Hill still a defensive marvel at 39

Grant Hill is the second-oldest player in the NBA. But despite his advancing age, he’s still impressing opponents with his basketball skills.

Hill asked Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry Friday night if he could come off the bench and he responsed with some key defense down the stretch to help the Suns notch a key victory over Houston to bolster their playoff hopes.

Several Spurs said they they are enthralled by Hill’s resiliency. Hill is a day younger than Kurt Thomas of Portland, the league’s oldest player.

“You’ve got some guys who are playing and older. But they are playing at a different rate,” Spurs forward Boris Diaw said. “Grant Hill is always full speed and running up and down leading a lot of fast breaks. It’s amazing the way he’s playing.”

Spurs forward Stephen Jackson said he would like to emulate Hill in how he approaches his craft.

“That’s a credit to him to show how he prepares, how he takes care of his body,” Jackson said. “It’s somebody I definitely look up to. I’m happy for him because he’s a role model to a lot of guys.”

Hill has given indications he would like to return again next season with hopes of becoming the first 40-or-above NBA player since Dikembe Mutombo played when he was 42 with Houston in 2009.

Jackson, who turned 34 on April 5, said he hopes to have an extended career by Hill before he retires.

“I’ve been blessed, thank God, not  to have any serious injuries. No surgeries,” Jackson said. “Hopefully,  I can play that long. As long as the game is loving me, I’m going to love it back.”

Oldest players in NBA

Kurt Thomas, Portland                       Oct. 4, 1972

Grant Hill, Phoenix                              Oct. 5, 1972

Juwan Howard, Miami                        Feb. 7, 1973

Jason Kidd, Dallas                                March 23, 1973

Steve Nash, Phoenix                           Feb. 7, 1974

Marcus Camby, Houston                    March 22, 1974

Derek Fisher, Oklahoma City             Aug. 9, 1974    

Ben Wallace, Detroit                             Sept. 10, 1974 

Jerry Stackhouse, Atlanta                   Nov. 5, 1974

Anthony Carter, Toronto                     June 16, 1975

Anthony Parker, Cleveland                  June 19, 1975 

Mike James, Chicago                             June 23, 1975

Erick Dampier, Atlanta                          July 14, 1975 

Ray Allen, Boston                                    July 20, 1975 

Tony Battie, Philadelphia                       Feb. 11, 1976

Francisco Elson, Philadelphia                Feb. 28, 1976

Brad Miller, Minnesota                          Apr. 12, 1976 

Tim Duncan, San Antonio                       Apr. 25, 1976

Kevin Garnett, Boston                            May 19, 1976

Andre Miller, Denver                              May 19, 1976

Earl Boykins, Houston                             June 2, 1976 

Antawn Jamison, Cleveland                   June 12, 1976 

Eduard Najera, Charlotte                       July 11, 1976 

Raja Bell, Utah                                          Sept. 19, 1976

Chauncey Billups, L.A. Clippers             Sept. 25, 1976   

Vince Carter, Dallas                                 Jan. 26, 1977

Brian Cardinal, Dallas                              May 2, 1977

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio                    July 28, 1977

Nazr Mohammed, Oklahoma City          Sept. 5, 1977

Jason Terry, Dallas                                   Sept. 15, 1977

Paul Pierce, Boston                                   Oct. 13, 1977 

Kenyon Martin, L.A. Clippers                 Dec. 30, 1977

Game rewind: TD takes blame – or credit – for those ugly socks

The Spurs debuted their throwback Texas Chaparrals uniforms at home for the first time this season.

After earlier dusting them off in games at New Jersey and the Los Angeles Clippers, local fans finally were able to finally see the uniforms made famous by players like Donnie Freeman, Joe Hamilton and Glen Combs. 

But Tim Duncan didn’t want to stop just wearing the vintage ABA uniforms and warmups. The Spurs captain figured that knee-high compression tube socks would only add to the feel of a vintage ABA uniform.

While some of his teammates joked that Duncan neeed as much blame as credit as blame for his decision, he reveled in a look that looked like something Jackie Moon would have worn in the movie “Semi-Pro.”

“One or the other,” he said when asked about his decision. “I’ll take either.”

Spurs forward-guard Stephen Jackson said the long socks didn’t agree with him.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever worn socks that high and definitely the last,” Jackson said. “My calves were on rotisserie the whole game. They’re too big. But it was good team unity. Everybody did it and it’s bringing us closer as a team. It was fun.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a tart reaction to Duncan’s fashion sense, saying the socks “looked ridiculous.” But in playing along with the throwback theme, some media members wondered if Popovich would have been more historically correct if he had worn a leisure suit or mimicked some of his mentor Larry Brown’s infamous sweater or overall combinations worn during the ABA.

“Oh, that would have been sweet,” Duncan said. “I should have taken the fine. A jogging suit or something?”

The Spurs could laugh and critique their throwback clothing after their 112-103 victory over Indiana, stretching their winning streak to seven games.

Here’s a look at how they did it.

The game, simply stated: The Spurs had too many offensive weapons, most namely the “Big Three” of Manu Ginobili, Duncan and Tony Parker, who combined for a vintage game to lead the Spurs to a bruising victory over the improving Pacers.

Where the game was won: After George Hill’s layup had pulled the Pacers within 99-92 with 4:56 left, the Spurs answered with a 7-2 run that put the game away. DeJuan Blair started it with a free throw along with two baskets by Duncan and two more foul shots by Blair with 3:14 left that gave the Spurs a 106-94 lead.

Early surge: Lou Amundson’s bucket enabled the Pacers to climb within 25-20 23 seconds into the second quarter. The Spurs took control by erupting on a 30-13 spurt that including scoring from nine different players and 3-pointers from Ginobili, Jackson, Gary Neal, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Leonard’s 3-pointer gave the Spurs a 55-33 lead with 4:05 left in the second quarter and enabled them to match their largest lead of the game. During the run, the Spurs hit 10 of 12 from the field.

Too close for comfort?: The Spurs seemingly had control of the game after Neal hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 94-second span early in the fourth quarter to give them a 96-80 lead with 9:34 left. But Indiana climbed back in the game on a 12-3 run capped by Hill’s 3-pointer with 4:56 left. The Spurs missed five straight shots before Duncan’s critical hoop that started their closing run.

Player of the game I: Despite a heavy defensive effort from old pal Roy Hibbert, Duncan provided 23 points, 11 rebounds, two blocked shots and two assists. Duncan was particularly big in the fourth quarter with six points and five rebounds.

Player of the game II: After a slow start, Parker rebounded to notch 18 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals as he outplayed Darren Collison and Hill.

Player of the game III: Ginobili provided another boost off the bench by providing 18 points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals.

Most unsung: Tiago Splitter did the dirty work inside and also provided an offensive boost in limited playing time with 10 points and seven rebounds in 15:53.

Attendance: The Spurs continued their strong attendance surge with another sellout crowd of 18,581 attracted for Saturday’s game. It was the Spurs’ 19th capacity crowd in 25 home games this season, including 16 of their last 18 home games and 12th in a row. Their last non-capacity home game came Feb. 2 against New Orleans.

Did you notice I: A scary moment came late in the first half when a fan was stricken in the courtside seats and carried off the court to the dressing room by paramedics. Doctors who were involved in the treatment said the fan went into a diabetic shock but their condition improved after receiving treatment after leaving the court.

Did you notice II: Former Spur Hill got a warm welcome when he entered the game with 9:31 left in the first quarter. Several fans held banners greeting Hill, including one that read “Hill Always a Spur,” but the cheering was muted once play continued. Only one fan in the courtside seats stood to applaud for Hill and he quickly sat down when he saw other fans in his seating area didn’t join him.

Stat of the game I:The Spurs claimed an NBA-best seventh straight victory as they improved their record in March to 12-3. Making the record more impressive, the Spurs started the month at 2-2 with two home losses.

Stat of the game II: Duncan’s 23 points and 11 rebounds was his 18th double-double of the season and sixth in his last nine games.

Stat of the game III: It was Duncan’s 18th consecutive double-figure scoring game and 27th double-figure scoring game in his last 28.

Stat of the game IV: The Spurs set a season high for points in a quarter with 39 in the second quarter as they hit a season-best 76.5 percent from the field during that quarter. It topped their previous mark of 76.2 percent against the Los Angeles Clippers in the third quarter of their Dec. 28 victory. Their previous top scoring quarter came in that game with 38 points against the Clippers in the third quarter.

Stat of the game IV: The Spurs continued their strong surge from the perimeter by hitting 9 of 19 attempts from 3-point territory. In their last two games, the Spurs are 19 of 39 from 3-point range (48.7 percent). In their previous three games, they were 15 of 74 (20.3 percent).   

Stat of the game V: Parker finished with 18 points, but he scored only one point in the first quarter and didn’t hit his first field goal until 6:30 remained in the first half.

Stat of the game VI: The Spurs’ victory pulled them within 2½ games of Oklahoma City for the lead in the Western Conference.

Stat of the game VII: Since making the trade for Jackson, the Spurs are 7-1.

Stat of the game VIII: San Antonio’s victory was their ninth straight over the Pacers.

Weird stat of the night I: Duncan was 9 for 9 from the foul line and has hit 21 of his last 22 from the line, improving to 70.2 percent for the season. Before his recent surge, Duncan was hitting 67.2 percent from the line.

Weird stat of the night II: At one point in the game, the Spurs’ bench had a 21-2 edge over the Pacers’ bench. The Spurs finished with a 52-29 edge in bench points.

Weird stat of the night III: Gary Neal hit all four shots, including three 3-pointers, to account for 11 points against Indiana. Including the second half of the Sacramento game Wednesday night, Neal has hit eight consecutive shots, including four straight 3-pointers.

Weird stat of the night IV: Danny Granger converted the first four-point play of the season against the Spurs. His 3-pointer and a foul shot after he was hacked by Kawhi Leonard came with 5:38 left in the game.

Weird stat of the night V: The Spurs produced 22 assists, with all but two of the 10 players who saw action notching at least one.

Weird stat of the night VI: The Spurs never trailed for their ninth wire-to-wire victory this season, including two straight games and four in their last nine games.

Not a good sign: The Spurs allowed Indiana to hit 53.2 percent from the field after allowing Sacramento to hit 54.7 percent from the field on Wednesday. The Spurs permitted opponents to shoot 50 percent or better in five of their first 10 games and eight of their first 18 games. Since then, opponents have reached 50 percent or better in only six of their last 32 games. It also marked only the third time this season that Spurs’ opponents have hit 50 percent or better in back-to-back games. The only other times came in a three-game stretch against Dallas, Denver and Oklahoma City Jan. 5, 7 and 8, and against Houston and New Orleans on Jan. 21 and 23.

Best plus/minus scores: Leonard was at plus-11 and Duncan and Blair were at plus-7.

Worst plus/minus scores: Jackson was even and Neal and Splitter were at plus-2. No Spurs player had a negative score.

Quote of the game: “I had dinner with him and his family and he treated me like one of his own teammates during the summer. I’m going to continue to talk to him and learn from him,” Indiana center Roy Hibbert, on his friendship with Duncan.

How the schedule stacks up: The Spurs will take the next two days off before beginning a brutal end-of-the-season gauntlet with 16 games over the final 23 days of the season, including six back-to-backs. It starts Tuesday in Cleveland, Wednesday in Boston and Friday at home against New Orleans. The Pacers will visit Houston on Sunday before a back-to-back with a home game Tuesday against New York and a road game Wednesday at Washington.

Injuries: The Spurs had a complete roster, although DeJuan Blair was treated in the locker room early in the first quarter after receiving a bloody nose courtesy of a Hibbert elbow. Hibbert left the game for dressing room treatment later in the quarter when he appeared to injure himself after running into a group of courtside photographers. He was back to return to play in several minutes.

Game analysis: Wasn’t this homestand supposed to be much easier?

After matching the NBA’s winningest nine-game road trip in league history, the Spurs were expected to catch a breather when they returned home from the Rodeo Road Trip.

Manu Ginobili and T.J. Ford were coming back from lengthy stints on the injured list. The ATT Center was supposed to be the same formidable homecourt that saw the Spurs win 13 of their first 14 home games before the road trip.

But injury-plagued Denver’s surprising 99-94 victory over the Spurs Sunday night might inject some concern in Spurs Nation after San Antonio has started the second half of the season with two home losses sandwiched around a victory over lowly Charlotte.

For whatever reason, the Spurs never seemed in synch during Sunday’s loss. As they struggled to match Denver’s speed and athleticism, it looked like they had spent all afternoon in preparation for the game sitting around the fajita pit enjoying the sunshine rather than preparing for the late-starting game.

“They brought a lot of injury and we didn’t match it,” Spurs guard Tony Parker said. “We started the game very flat. I do not know why, but it was just one of those games.”

Gregg Popovich was more descriptive when he described how Denver was able to beat his team.

“I thought they did a great job of attacking the rim, being aggressive with the basketball and we responded to it in fits and spurts here and there,” Popovich said. “They were much more consistent with their aggressiveness than we were.”

It was the major reason the Spurs dropped their third home game of the season Sunday night.

The game, simply stated:  Despite missing four key players and losing another one during the game, Denver jumped on the Spurs early and dictated the tempo in a game where they never trailed.

Where the game was won: Denver hit four of its first six shots to claim an early 11-2 lead to put San Antonio on its heels from the start of the game. It also didn’t help the Spurs’ cause when DeJuan Blair, who torched the Nuggets for 28 points in the Spurs’ Feb. 23 victory in Denver, sustained a knee injury 17 seconds into the game that hampered him during the rest of the game.   

The clincher: After Tim Duncan’s dunk pulled the Spurs within 95-94 with 29.9 seconds left, Ty Lawson drained a 19-footer on the ensuing possession to give the Nuggets a 97-94 lead.

Almost don’t count at the end of games: Gary Neal had a chance to tie the score, but his 3-pointer with 6.9 seconds glanced off. Lawson grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws  to ice the victory.

Player of the game I: Lawson was masterful running the point, missing his first career triple-double by only a rebound as he blistered the Spurs for 22 points, nine rebounds, 11 assists and only one turnover.

Player of the game II: Rookie Kenneth Faried dazzled the Spurs with his athleticism all night, providing 11 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots and a presence that made ventured into the paint an adventure for them all night.

Player of the game III:  Parker didn’t miss a shot in the second half as he notched a game-high 25 points and a team-high seven assists as the Spurs’ most consistent offensive threat.

Most unsung:  The Spurs had a lot of difficulty getting anything going offensively most  of the game. Kawhi Leonard was effective getting to the basket picking up 13 points (including 8 of 9 from the foul line) and six rebounds in 22:32, and he was also a pest defensively.  

Attendance: Even the late tipoff mandated by ESPN couldn’t keep another sellout crowd of 18,581 at the ATT Center. It was the Spurs 11th sellout in 17 home games this season, including eight of their last 10 games and fourth in a row.

Did you notice I: Despite playing with what were called flu-like symptoms, Duncan was spry when he was playing. His most notable play came when he abused Chris Andersen on a dunk late in the second quarter, smacking him in the fact for good measure en route to the basket. It was a played that prompted an apology from Duncan to Anderson at the next timeout. 

Did you notice II: Maybe Popovich was concerned about throwing a still-recovering Ford against Lawson. Ford was the last of the 12 Spurs to enter the game when he checked in with 2:45 left in the third quarter.  And as soon as Lawson hit a 3-pointer on one of the first  times he was matched against him with 9:00 left in the game,  Popovich pulled Ford for the rest of the game.

Stat of the game I: Despite missing three starters and their backup center Denver never trailed and were tied with the Spurs only once in their victory.  It marked only the second time this season the Spurs never led in a game, joining their loss at Houston on Dec. 29 in the third game of the season.

Stat of the game II: At one point late in the first half, the Nuggets had a 15-0 edge in transition points and finished the game with a 24-8 advantage. It marked the second-most transition points the Spurs have yielded this season, topped only by the 28 the Nuggets scored on Jan. 7.

Stat of the game III: After winning 12 of their last 13 games before the All-Star break, the Spurs have lost two of three games after it.

Stat of the game IV: A game after notching a season-high 55 rebounds against Charlotte, the Spurs found much tougher sledding against the Nuggets. Denver grabbed 20 of their first 29 rebounds and held a 49-40 edge on the boards.

Stat of the game V: The Spurs limited Denver to 39.1 percent field goal shooting in the third quarter and 36.4 percent in the fourth quarter. It marked the fifth time this season the Spurs have limited opponents below 40 percent in both the  third and fourth quarters and first since a Jan. 18 overtime victory at Orlando. That game also was notable as the Spurs’ first road victory after five road losses to start the season.

Stat of the game VI: Denver guard Andre Miller started the game hitting four of his first five shots before missing 12 of his last 13. Miller was 1 of 10 from the field in the fourth quarter.

Weird stat of the night: Parker scored a game-high 25 points, although his first points in the game didn’t come until 7:14 was left in the first half. Parker missed his first four shots and six of his first seven before hitting his final nine field goal attempts of the game.

Weird stat of the night II: At halftime, the Denver starters outrebounded the Spurs starters, 16-3. But in the second half, starters’ rebounds were tied at 13-13.

Weird stat of the game III: Leonard has gone 14 of 15 from the foul line over the last two games (93.3 percent.) During the rest of the season, he was 27 of 41 from the line (65.9 percent).

 Weird stat of the night IV: Ginobili’s game was the first time he has played in a game at the ATT Center since Dec. 31 against Utah.

Not a good sign: The Spurs shot 37 percent from 3-point territory by hitting 10 of 27 from beyond the arc. It snapped a streak of eight games where the Spurs have hit at least 40 percent from beyond the arc. 

Best plus/minus scores: Tiago Splitter was plus-14, Ginobili was plus-6 and Leonard was plus-5.

Worst plus/minus scores: Duncan was minus-17, Richard Jefferson was minus-11 and Danny Green was minus-10.

Quote of the game: “I told the team after the game that I hate to break the news, but we can play better. I don’t know if we can play harder, but we can play better,” Denver coach George Karl on his team’s gutsy effort in their victory.

How the schedule stacks up: The Spurs’ homestand continues with games Wednesday against New York, Friday  against the Los Angeles Clippers and March 12 against Washington. The Nuggets will have three home games coming up beginning Monday against Sacramento, Wednesday against Cleveland, and Friday against New Orleans.

Injuries: The Spurs were at full strength without injuries for the first time since the Jan. 2 game at Minnesota — the game where Ginobili broke his left hand. Denver played without starting forward Danilo Gallinari (left ankle sprain), starting center Nene (left calf strain), backup guard Rudy Fernandez (lower back sprain) and backup center Kosta Koufos (tendinitis). And the Nuggets lost Sunday’s starting center Timofey Mozgov when he resprained his left ankle in the third quarter.