In The News | SAN ANTONIO SPURS TICKETS

New team, same results for ex-Spurs guard Hill

Walking across the stage at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on draft night last June, Kawhi Leonard fitted an Indiana Pacers cap carefully over his braids, then shook hands with commissioner David Stern as photographers captured his first moments as an NBA player.

Within minutes he got an early lesson in the business of the league. He could keep the blue and gold Pacers cap as a souvenir if he liked, but his rookie uniform would be silver and black.

The Pacers had used their 15th pick in the first round to select him for the Spurs, the small forward from San Diego State was told. Leonard was the biggest piece of a package sent by the Pacers so they could acquire George Hill, a combo guard who had become one of the most popular Spurs, both to his coach and the team’s fans.

The stoic Leonard, 20 years old at the time, accepted the news with a shoulder shrug, determined to stay in a moment he described as “living the dream.”

For Hill, that moment was a nightmare, even if it meant returning to Indianapolis, where he had been a high school and college star. Hill could think only of his three seasons with the Spurs, during which he had gone from a relative unknown out of a mid-major college to a key reserve on a 60-win team.

Embracing San Antonio as if he had been born in the shadow of the Alamo, he envisioned a long career as a Spur.

The player Gregg Popovich called “Indiana George” returns tonight to ATT Center, playing much the same role for the Pacers he had with the Spurs: a backup at both guard spots and defensive stopper whose true value defies quantification.

Indicative of the respect he had earned from a coach not given to sentimentality, Hill got a phone call from Popovich alerting him about the draft night trade hours before it was announced.

The conversation was difficult on both ends.

“Emotions were bare,” Hill recalled. “Coach Pop explained the nature of the business, which I respected, and explained how difficult the decision was and how bad he felt. At the time, he said it was something he had to do for the betterment of the team.

“It was difficult to swallow, but from Day 1 he had been honest with me. It meant a lot that he had the respect to give me a heads-up.”

Popovich described the difficulty of the decision to send Hill to Indiana.

“On a scale of one to 10,” he said, “it was a 10 and a half.”

Fully recovered from a Jan. 31 chip fracture of the left ankle that sidelined him for 12 games, Hill enters tonight averaging 9.4 points on 46 percent shooting and 40.4 percent 3-point shooting for a Pacers team with the fourth-best record (30-20) in the Eastern Conference.

That he is playing well in an important role with his hometown team offers some solace for Popovich.

“We’re thrilled for him,” Popovich said. “I want nothing but for him to be successful, and our players want the same for him, and he has been.

“One thing that gave us a little bit of peace about it is that we were sending him back home. He’s back in his hometown, and he was doing some great community work there, just like he was here. It made it a little more palatable, knowing he was going back home.”

No Spur misses Hill more than DeJuan Blair, the starting center who found a best friend in the locker next to his at the ATT Center.

“I was in a cab in New York City when I heard the news,” Blair said. “I was devastated. I said a few curse words.”

Before tipoff tonight, Hill will share a hug with Blair and the other teammates left from his three seasons in black and silver.

“It’s going to be kind of weird,” Hill said. “You know I’m going to have fun out there. It will be good to see everyone again and see everyone smile, but emotional because you miss those guys. You’ve created a bond with them, but now you understand it’s a business, so you play it like a regular game and have fun.”

mikemonroe@express-news.net

Twitter: @Monroe_SA

Spurs 50-win streak ranks as NBA’s longest

Several e-mailers were interested in where the Spurs’ streak of 50-win seasons, mentioned in a post yesterday, ranks among teams and current streaks in the NBA.

The Spurs’ current streak of 12 50-win seasons leads the nine NBA teams with a current 50-win season streak after last season.

Here’s a listing of the teams and their current 50-win season streaks.

San Antonio 12

Dallas 11

Boston 4

Denver 4

L.A. Lakers 4

Orlando 4

Oklahoma City 2

Chicago 1

Miami 1

Chicago is the only team in the league that appears to be able to stretch its current streak with the compacted 66-game season caused by the lockout. The Bulls’ .768 winning percentage prorates to 50.688 wins over 66 games.

The current winning percentages of the rest of the teams in the league won’t reach 50 victories if they play at their current pace.

The Spurs will have to win 12 of their final 14 games to reach 50. And with the playoffs approaching, it’s not a feat that Coach Gregg Popovich will be very interested in extending compared to getting his team ready for the NBA’s second season.

Kobe-less Lakers too tall a task for Spurs

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Lakers 98, Spurs 84: April 11, 2012

Spurs’ Tim Duncan (21) fights for a rebound with Los Angeles Lakers’ Devin Ebanks (03) in the first half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Danny Green (04) gets a reverse layup against Los Angeles Lakers’ Andrew Bynum (17) and Metta World Peace (15) in the first half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard (02) attemps a shot against Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol (16) in the first half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown (center) talks to his players Ramon Sessions (07) and Devin Ebanks (03) during a pause in the game against the Spurs in the first half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Andrew Bynum (17) contends for a rebound with Spurs’ DeJuan Blair (45) in the first half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant (center) smiles whiles sitting out the game against the Spurs at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Manu Ginobili (20) attempts a shot against Los Angeles Lakers’ Devin Ebanks (03) in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Lakers’ Metta World Peace (15) ponders an official’s call during their game against the Spurs in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Stephen Jackson (03) and Manu Ginobili (20) apply defensive pressure against Los Angeles Lakers’ Metta World Peace (15) in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Lakers’ Kobe Bryant applauds his team on the floor during their game against the Spurs in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Bryant did not suit up to play due to a shin injury. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich appear less than pleased by his team’s play against the Los Angeles Lakers at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Manu Ginobili (20) gets a steal against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Tim Duncan (21) attempts a shot against Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol (16) in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Danny Green (04) takes a hard foul by Los Angeles Lakers’ Metta World Peace (15) in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Patty Mills (08) gets pressure from Los Angeles Lakers’ Steve Blake (05) in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard (02) puts up a shot against Los Angeles Lakers’ Andrew Bynum (17) in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Laker’s Metta World Peace (15) during the game against the Spurs at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ James Anderson (25) attempts a shot over Los Angeles Lakers’ Ramon Sessions (07) in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard (02) defends against Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol (16) in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Stephen Jackson (03) and Los Angeles Lakers’ Metta World Peace (15) meet to chat after their game at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Jackson and World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) played together on the Indiana Pacers in 2004. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs’ Silver Dancers perform during a timeout in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half at the ATT Center on Wednesday, Apr. 11, 2012. Spurs lose to the Lakers, 84-98. Kin Man Hui/Express-News. (San Antonio Express-News)

By Jeff McDonald

There was a moment, late in the second quarter of the Lakers’ 98-84 ransacking of the Spurs on Wednesday night, that told the tale.

Pau Gasol missed an 8-footer, and he and Andrew Bynum spent the next 30 seconds trying — and trying again — to tap it back in.

The Lakers didn’t get points on that trip, but it was their relentlessness — on the boards, in the paint, on the road and without star guard Kobe Bryant — that sent the Spurs sprawling to a meek defeat that ranked as their most lopsided at the ATT Center this season.

“They beat us to death,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “There’s nothing else you can say about it.”

Given the way the Spurs ended last season — manhandled by Memphis in the first round of the playoffs — it was alarming to watch the Lakers’ muscular frontline lead the way to a 60-33 rebounding advantage.

Bynum, the Lakers’ 7-foot center, had 16 points to go with a career-best 30 rebounds, and did everything but steal the Spurs’ milk money.

Gasol, a fellow 7-footer, added a 21-point, 11-rebound line that paled next to Bynum’s field day.

The Lakers (37-22) limited the Spurs (40-16) to one offensive rebound — on a Tony Parker putback with 7:33 left in the third quarter that was the All-Star point guard’s second and final field goal.

L.A.’s ownership of the glass was doubly concerning, considering the aforementioned Grizzlies are headed to town tonight in hopes of handing the Spurs their first three-game losing streak.

“They had a lot more guys play better than we did,” said Tim Duncan, who had 14 points but just two rebounds. “Not to simplify it too much, but that’s the bottom line.”

It can be folly to ascribe too much significance to one game, but the season’s first meeting between these two Western Conference contenders seemed to signal a shot across the Spurs’ bow.

The Lakers, who also got 26 points and five 3-pointers from Metta World Peace, never trailed past the 3:16 mark of the first quarter and led by as many as 26.

It all combined to enliven the sizeable Lakers’ portion of the 18,581 fans who packed the Spurs’ home arena.

“It was kind of embarrassing,” Manu Ginobili said. “We didn’t play well enough, or hard enough, to beat them.”

The Spurs’ 11-game winning streak, halted Monday when Popovich declined to bring Duncan, Parker or Ginobili to Utah, seemed a remnant of the past.

Even without Bryant, out for the third straight came with a sore left shin, the Lakers proved powerful enough to body-slam the Spurs, who three days earlier were perched atop the West standings.

Bynum became one of five players in Lakers history to grab at least 30 rebounds in a game, joining a Hall of Fame list that includes Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Mikan and Elgin Baylor.

He came within three of matching the Spurs’ rebound total by himself.

“I think we’ve got matchups against this team that are favorable for us,” Bynum said. “They have to come double the pick-and-roll. We finally have a point guard (Ramon Sessions) who is getting into the paint, makes floaters and collapses defenses. A lot of ways to attack.”

Not only did the Lakers’ size bar the Spurs from the boards, it made life hazardous for guards entering the paint. Parker, especially, had a rough night, going 2 of 12 for four points — though he did rack up eight assists.

“I played very bad,” Parker said. “I just missed shots.”

Despite Wednesday’s outcome, the second-place Spurs still lead L.A. by 5 1/2 games in the West. With Oklahoma City’s loss to the Clippers, the Spurs remained within a game of the top spot.

There is plenty of time for the Spurs to regroup, and given their sterling record, reason enough to write off Wednesday as “one of those nights.”

But for 48 minutes, the Lakers were bigger, stronger and tougher than the Spurs. This one is going to leave a mark.

“They beat us in every facet of the game,” Popovich said. “It was really a poor performance, execution-wise and competitiveness-wise.”

jmcdonald@express-news.net
Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN