In The News | SAN ANTONIO SPURS TICKETS

Spurs’ bench nearly steals one

By Jeff McDonald

DALLAS — As soon as the ball left his hand, Danny Green had a plan.

It is one he lifted from one of the most painful chapters of Spurs history, from a player who made a similar shot facing similar odds nearly eight years ago.

Even before Green pulled a Derek Fisher — swishing a turnaround jumper that appeared to give the Spurs a breathtaking buzzer-beating victory over Dallas — he had mapped his escape from the American Airlines Center.

“I was going to run out of the gym, just like Derek did,” said Green. “I said, ‘Guys, let’s go. Let’s get the heck out of here.’

“Nobody wanted to follow my lead.”

That was a stark contrast to what had happened for the previous quarter-plus, when the Spurs rode their young bench players to the brink of an improbable comeback victory against the defending NBA champs before falling in overtime 101-100.

Officials reviewed, then disallowed Green’s shot, launched with 0.5 seconds left — more time than Fisher had for his 0.4 dagger for the L.A. Lakers in the 2004 playoffs. The game went to OT, where Dallas — ahead by 18 points in the third — dodged more bullets.

“The one thing I’m not going to allow to happen is to have our team feel bad about a win,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “Wins are hard to get.”

With his starters stumbling into a 67-49 hole late in the third quarter, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich took the unorthodox step of benching them all.

Aside from 1.1 seconds logged by Kawhi Leonard in OT, no Spurs starter appeared after the 2:44 mark of the third.

Dallas (13-8) led 67-53 at that point, but behind a barrage of bench 3-pointers — three from Gary Neal and two apiece from Green, James Anderson and Matt Bonner — the Spurs clawed back.

Popovich said he never contemplated putting his starters back in the game, even as the deficit shrank.

“That group was playing great,” Popovich said. “Why would I?”

Implausibly, a game that seemed headed toward a blowout quickly took on the tenor of the most memorable Spurs-Mavericks playoff clashes.

Albeit, instead of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili battling Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, it was Neal, Anderson and Green.

Neal ended with 19 points, though he missed a free throw that could have tied the game with 12.6 seconds left in OT. Green scored 12 points, while Anderson added eight points, three assists and five rebounds.

In all, the Spurs’ reserves accounted for the team’s final 51 points and were largely responsible for the 24-6 run that had the Spurs (12-9) up nine with 5:33 to go in the fourth.

“Those guys got us back out of a hole,” said Duncan, who had 12 points in 23 minutes. “You ride with what’s going good. It was the right call.”

With the Spurs ahead by four with 37.8 seconds left, Dallas’ Rodrigue Beaubois answered with a drive. Then Terry — who finished with 34 points — took the ball coast-to-coast after a Neal miss to drill a game-tying 12-footer with 0.5 seconds left.

That set the stage for Green to reprise Fisher, with one notable exception.

“His goes in the books,” Green said. “Mine doesn’t.”

Referees originally ruled Green’s shot good, then disallowed it after replays showed the ball still on his fingertips as the horn blared. Afterward, Duncan joked he wished that same crew had been around for Fisher’s shot in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinals.

“I don’t know if the clock started early, or Danny’s release is slower, or what,” Duncan said.

Still, even with Green going anti-Fisher, the Spurs had a chance to win in OT. They were ahead 98-95 on Green’s drive with 1:18 left but again could not close.

In the end, it came down to the Spurs behind by one, the ball again in Green’s hands. A discombobulated final play led Green to try a desperation 3-pointer that was no good.

So when Green finally left the floor at the American Airlines Center, he did not run. He walked.

“I guess it was just too good to be true,” he said.

jmcdonald@express-news.net

– Associated Press photos

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Mavericks 101, Spurs 100 (OT) – Jan. 29, 2012

Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry (31) shoots against San Antonio Spurs forward Matt Bonner (15) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

Dallas Mavericks guard Vince Carter (25) shoots against San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) looks to shoot as San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair (45) watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles past Dallas Mavericks guard Vince Carter (25) as Spurs center Tim Duncan watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) dribbles against Dallas Mavericks center Brendan Haywood (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs guard Daniel Green (4) tries to block a shot by Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry (31) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The Mavericks won in overtime. 101-100. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry (31) spreads his arms as the crowd cheers after Terry scored, forcing overtime in an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The Mavericks won 101-100. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan raises his arms as he and fellow starter Tony Parker, left, watch from the bench with other teammates during overtime against the Dallas Mavericks in an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The Mavericks won 101-100. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter (22) shoots over Dallas Mavericks center Ian Mahinmi (28) during overtime in an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The Mavericks won 1010-100. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs forward Richard Jefferson (24) and Dallas Mavericks guard Vince Carter (25) greet each other after an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The Mavericks won 101-100. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs guard Daniel Green (4) shoots against Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry (31) as time expires in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The shot went in, but a replay showed that he still has the ball when the buzzer sounded. The Mavericks won 101-100 in overtime. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle calls a play during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The Mavericks won 101-100 in overtime. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) looks to shoot against Dallas Mavericks center Brendan Haywood (33) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The Mavericks won 101-100 in overtime. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) closes his eyes and listens to coach Gregg Popovich during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The Mavericks won 101-100 in overtime. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

With Wade absent, weight of Miami’s offense falls on LeBron

Before the Spurs headed to Florida for back-to-back games against the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was asked about his approach to defending the Heat and its Big Three of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

His response: “As soon as either Dwyane or LeBron catches the ball, I cover my eyes.”

Popovich can keep his eyes open more often tonight. It appears the right ankle sprain Wade suffered Friday night in Denver is going to keep him on the sidelines. Coach Erik Spoelstra won’t give a timetable for his return, but it is almost certainly not for tonight’s game.

Of course, that means more touches for James, the two-time Most Valuable Player who enters tonight’s game averaging 29.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists.

For James, the burden of carrying the Heat for however long they are without Wade becomes one more measure of his value to a team that polarized NBA fans last season after James helped orchestrate the construction of a roster some believed would dominate the league for several years.

This season’s team returned after being humbled by the Mavericks in the NBA Finals and reeled off victories in eight of its first nine games, but comes into its game against the Spurs on a three-game losing streak that revealed, yet again, James’ tendency to shrink from the challenge of the fourth quarter.

Here’s a look at the latest dilemma for James, Wade and the Heat:

LeBron James

The good

• In 11 games (he sat out one game with a sore left ankle, a road win in Atlanta), he is averaging 29.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 40.1 minutes per game.

• In the two games he played during the three games Wade missed, he scored 65 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out 22 assists.

The bad

• Until he made 3 of 5 3-point shots in Friday’s loss to the Nuggets, he had not made a shot from long distance all season, going 0 for 5.

• He has committed 23 turnovers in his last four games.

The ugly

• He did not attempt a shot in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s overtime road loss to the Warriors last Tuesday; also failed to get a rebound or an assist in the fourth quarter.

• Acutely aware of the criticism leveled at him for his passivity in the fourth period at Golden State, he scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds in the fourth quarter of what would be another overtime loss, this time to the Clippers, the next night in Los Angeles. However, he also missed 4 of 10 fourth-quarter free throws in that one, including two in the final 16.7 seconds.

Dwyane Wade

The injuries

Today is Wade’s 30th birthday, and he reached this milestone with evidence mounting that time is taking a toll on a player whose game is based on athleticism and reckless abandon. Thus far this season, he has missed two games with a sprained right mid-foot, one with a strained left calf and, in all likelihood, several more with an ankle sprain that hurt so badly when it happened, he feared a broken bone.

The quandary

Playing hurt already had limited Wade’s effectiveness this season, his shooting percentage (43.9) and scoring average (19.6) down significantly from last season (50.0 and 25.5). Spoelstra insisted he was not being coy with the media Sunday when he maintained he could not give a timetable for Wade’s return. The safest course may be to shut him down for a while to allow all his injuries to fully heal, but in a compressed season, that might mean losing a lot of ground to the Bulls in the battle for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

mikemonroe@express-news.net

Bucks rein in high-octaine Heat

Milwaukee coach figured the most logical way to win in Miami would be to keep the Heat from running in their typical high-octane style.

Fortunately for the Bucks, the weary-legged Heat cooperated with that plan.

Brandon Jennings scored 23 points, Ersan Ilyasova added 16 off the bench and the Bucks — despite shooting 35 percent — snapped Miami’s three-game winning streak with a 91-82 victory on Sunday night. It was the second straight road win for Milwaukee, which started 0-8 away from home and held Miami to a season-low 37 percent from the floor.

“Huge,” said Milwaukee guard . “Especially for us being winless on the road and going 2-0 against two good teams, especially the quality team like the Heat, it’s huge for your confidence.”

Andrew Bogut scored 13 points for the Bucks, who got 10 apiece from Livingston and .

LeBron James finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, which had won three straight. scored 23 for the Heat, who got 12 from . Milwaukee turned 22 Miami turnovers into 22 points and the Heat tied an season-low with nine assists, matching their second-lowest total in the franchise’s 1,870-game history.

Miami had wins over the Spurs, the and Philadelphia in a five-day span ending Saturday.

“We can make no excuses for ourselves,” James said. “But no one had energy from the start of the game to the end.”

It was the first time Miami lost this season in seven games without , out with a sprained right ankle.

Pacers 98, Lakers 96: Roy Hibbert scored eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter playing with a broken nose, and six of his teammates also scored in double figures to help Indiana beat the Los Angeles Lakers on their home court.

Kobe Bryant scored 33 points for the Lakers, but missed what would have been a tying 3-pointer from 30 feet from the top of the key with 3.5 seconds to play and the Pacers clinched it at the free throw line.

The Lakers, coming off road losses to Miami and Orlando, failed to reach 100 points for the 11th straight game — their longest streak since a 12-game stretch in 2003-04.

Hibbert, the Pacers’ second-leading scorer, left the court with the broken nose after fouling Bryant with 6:46 left in the first quarter.

Clippers 103, Raptors 91: Mo Williams scored 19 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Blake Griffin had 18 points and nine rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers sent the visiting Toronto Raptors to their eighth straight loss.

DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 16 rebounds and Chauncey Billups had 14 assists for the Clippers, playing their fifth straight game without point guard Chris Paul because of a left hamstring strain.

Caron Butler finished with 15 points for Los Angeles.

Williams scored Los Angeles’ first 17 points of the final quarter to give them a 93-73 lead with 7:22 remaining, after the Raptors trimmed a 22-point deficit to 13 on Leandro Barbosa’s 3-pointer with 8:25 to play.

Barbosa scored 19 points and Linas Kleiza added 16 for the Raptors, who began a five-game road trip by missing their first 15 shots and were 35.8 percent from the field overall.

Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan had 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Raptors leading scorer Andrea Bargnani missed his sixth game in a row with a left calf strain. Guard Jerryd Bayless returned to the lineup after sitting out 13 games due to a sprained ankle. He scored seven points in 18 minutes.

Nets 97, Bobcats 87: In Newark, N.J., Deron Williams had 19 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Nets over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Williams’ near triple-double would have been the first of the season for the Nets, who improved to 5-12 on the season.

MarShon Brooks added 20 points for the Nets, while Anthony Morrow added 19 points.

Rookie Kemba Walker led the Bobcats with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Gerald Henderson had 15 points while Bismack Biyombo and Derrick Brown had 11 each.

Without the injured Brook Lopez, New Jersey has relied on its perimeter shooting.

The Nets shot 38 of 86 from the field, including 7 of 27 from three.

Charlotte shot 46.8 percent from the field and 35.7 percent on 3-pointers.

Bobcats guard D.J. Augustin played the first quarter before leaving the game because of an inflamed big right toe.

The Bobcats’ youth coupled with the abbreviated season has Bobcats coach Paul Silas concerned about how his team will respond to the challenge.

“It’s tough because you don’t have the practice time,” Silas said. “Playing as many games as we do, you’re not used to it.”