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Parker plunders Thunder

By Jeff McDonald

Tony Parker arrived in San Antonio in the summer of 2001 a skinny, unknown French point guard in an era when European players were still more novelty than necessity.

All Spurs coach Gregg Popovich asked him to do was replace the only championship point guard the franchise had ever had.

On a Saturday night more than a decade later, in the Spurs’ 107-96 victory over NBA-leading Oklahoma City, Parker replaced Avery Johnson in the record books. With nine assists, Parker passed Johnson as the team’s all-time leader with 4,477.

Popovich, ever the whip to Parker’s backside, feigned being unimpressed.

“He’s been here a long time,” Popovich said with a shrug and, if you looked closely enough, a smile. “He should have a lot of assists.”

In passing Johnson on the Spurs’ assist chart, however, Parker did something his predecessor could never do.

On his record-breaking night for giving, Parker also pumped in 42 points, his highest total in three seasons, to send the Spurs (16-9) off on their annual rodeo road trip on a season-best four-game winning streak.

For Parker, it was the first 40-point game since the 2008-09 campaign, when he had three, including a 55-point opus at Minnesota. It was one point shy of the ATT Center record of 43, set by Manu Ginobili against Orlando in 2010.

“I was rolling tonight,” said Parker, making a case to coaches voting for West All-Star reserves. “Every time I popped, I felt better in my head. I was in attack mode.”

For that, Parker again credits Popovich.

When he rolled into the ATT Center on Saturday night, Parker knew he needed seven assists to pass Johnson, now coach of the New Jersey Nets. His quest met with stiff resistance from his coach.

“Pop comes in before the game and says, ‘You need to take 25, 30 shots or we’re not going to win,’?” Parker said.

When Parker opened the game a little too pass-happy for Popovich’s liking, the coach gently reminded him of the pre-game orders.

“The first timeout, Pop screamed at me, ‘Shoot the ball!?” Parker said.

It didn’t take much prodding after that. Parker eventually got his record-breaking assist on a pick-and-pop jumper from Tim Duncan with 4:57 left in the third quarter.

Parker met his quota for field-goal attempts, going 16 of 29. Outside of the points, and the record, the most impressive number on Parker’s box score was zero — as in no turnovers.

“We knew we had to score a lot of points against these guys,” Popovich said. “(Parker) went into the game with that in mind. He was aggressive all night.”

Before the game, Popovich announced plans to have rookie Kawhi Leonard defend Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, the two-time NBA scoring champion.

“If he keeps him below 40, I’m gonna slap him on the ass and say, ‘Great job young man,’?” Popovich said.

Leonard earned his kudos. Durant finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Little did Popovich know he would have a 40-point scorer in his own huddle.

Outdueling Russell Westbrook, perhaps not coincidentally another scoring point guard up for All-Star consideration, Parker punctuated his record-snapping third quarter with 16 points.

When Parker hit a pair of free throws with 2:02 left in the frame, the Spurs led the Thunder (18-5) by 24.

Duncan, who played with both Johnson and Parker, laughed when asked if he could think of two point guards more dissimilar than the Little General and the French Blur.

“Yeah, I can’t imagine that,” Duncan said. “Knowing (Parker) is a scoring point guard more than anything, but he’s evolved over the years. He knows how to do it all, and you saw that tonight.”

Having changed places with Johnson in the Spurs’ record book, having at last replaced the irreplaceable, Parker can one day look forward to joining him in the ATT Center rafters.

jmcdonald@express-news.net

– Photos by Tom Reel

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Spurs 107, Thunder 96: Feb. 4, 2012

SPORTS Spurs center Tim Duncan puts up a shot against Kendrick Perkins as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs guard Tony Parker gets Nazr Mohammed (8) and a teammate hanging in there as he fakes to the basket as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs guard Tony Parker makes a quick spin move to get to the hoop on Nazr Mohammed as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs forward Matt Bonner is rejected at the net by Kendrick perkins as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs guard Tony Parker continues the move against Reggie Jackson which gets him to the bucket in the second half as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs forward Tiago Splitter puts up a layup against Nick Cllision as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs guard Tony Parker returns to play for the fourth quarter as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs center Tim Duncan rips down a defensive rebound in the second half as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs guard Tony Parker threatens to go in the lane against Reggie Jackson as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs guard Danny Green causes havoc under the hoop as he pushes the ball through on a pass as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs forward Matt Bonner cranks up a three pointer as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs center Tiago Splitter works against Kendrick Perkins under the hoop as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs guard Tony Parker twists under Kendricks Perkins for a bucket in the first half as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Thunder forward kevin Durant is forced to pass by tough defensive applied by Kawhi Leonard as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Spurs guard Tony Parker slips inside of Reggie Jackson for a clear look at the bucket as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Thunder guard Russell Westbrook gets smothered by Tony Parker and DeJuan Blair trying to control a loose ball in the first half as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Thunder guard Russell Westbrook gets kicked and stepped on trying to control a loose ball in the first half as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Tony Parker passes off after driving into the lane as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Thunder forward Nick Collision dives for a loose ball in front of Danny Green and Matt Bonner as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS Thunder center Kendrick Perkins pivots on Tim Duncan as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS The Silver dancers perform as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

SPORTS The Silver Dancers perform as the San Antonio Spurs play the Oklahoma City Thunder at the ATT Center on February 4, 2012 Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs notebook: Splitter’s lessons crafted on court

NEW ORLEANS — A student of the NBA game long before he ever played in one, Spurs center Tiago Splitter spent many a night in Spain watching whatever film from America he could get his hands on.

It’s a practice he continued last season after coming over from the Spanish League.

Finally a fixture in coach Gregg Popovich’s rotation in his second NBA season, Splitter is learning something that he long suspected about the American game: Playing it is more beneficial than watching it.

“You learn more when you play,” said Splitter, the 27-year-old Brazilian who appeared in just 60 games as a rookie. “You learn from what you see every day and get a feel for the game.”

A trip around the league has made Splitter more comfortable and confident on the court, particularly in the low block. He is learning how certain defenders — such as Houston’s Luis Scola and Jordan Hill on Saturday — want to attack him, and, as importantly, how to counterattack.

With Tim Duncan out of the lineup for a 105-102 loss to the Rockets, Splitter exploded for a career-high 25 points off the bench, going 11 of 13 from the floor.

Heading into tonight’s game at New Orleans, Splitter is averaging 8.6 points and five rebounds — up from 4.6 points and 3.4 boards as a rookie. He has already logged seven double-digit scoring nights, after posting nine all of last season.

“He basically didn’t play last year, so it’s all new to him,” Popovich said. “He’s a student. He watches film, he understands players. He’s a quick learner.”

No pressure: Duncan earned his first day off of the season Saturday against the Rockets, benched by Popovich for rest reasons. The Hornets are unlikely to be as lucky tonight.

Looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season, Spurs players disputed the notion that the loss to the Rockets created added pressure to beat the 3-13 Hornets once Duncan returns.

“We’ve got 49 games left,” said Matt Bonner, who started in Duncan’s spot at power forward. “Every night we come in trying to win. I wouldn’t say we’re putting any extra pressure on ourselves because we lost one game.”

Rest for the weary: In light of Duncan’s DNP, Popovich admitted the lockout-compressed schedule, with few natural breaks built in, has made resting players a difficult chore.

“It’s more difficult to manage than usual,” Popovich said. “You have to constantly filter in how many minutes your players are playing, how many games you just played, and when’s the last time you had a day off.”

The Spurs have not had more than one day off between games this season, and won’t until the middle of next month’s rodeo trip, when they go Feb. 9 and 10 without a game.

“It’s a little easier with the regular (82-game) schedule,” Popovich said. “You get some breaks here and there, and it kind of takes care of itself to a large degree. This year, you don’t have any of those respites that help you manage.”

jmcdonald@express-news.net

Duncan no All-Star? Don’t tell the Hornets

By Mike Monroe

When the Spurs played the Hornets in New Orleans on Jan. 23, a well-rested Tim Duncan turned back the clock and authored his best game of the season, a 28-point burst of energy punctuated by a game-winning hook shot.

Facing the Hornets again Thursday, this time after a hard win over Houston the night before, Duncan proved he can still dominate a game while weary. In 22 minutes and 28 seconds, he produced an extraordinarily efficient 19 points and nine rebounds, helping the Spurs secure a 93-81 victory.

When Duncan wasn’t torturing the shorthanded Hornets in the post, backup big man Tiago Splitter was doing the same, making 7 of 9 shots and scoring 16.

The Spurs, now 15-9, ran their home-court record to 12-1.

Before the game there was speculation aplenty that Duncan might not suit up for the Spurs’ fourth in five nights. Coach Gregg Popovich had vowed he wouldn’t let Duncan play all four games in such a compressed stretch.

Even when Popovich an? nounced Duncan would be in his starting lineup there was concern about how much the 13-time All-Star would have left in his legs.

Duncan wasted no time proving he felt good. He scored seven points in a first quarter when his teammates made only 6 of 16 shots and had 11 by halftime.

Teammate Matt Bonner knew Duncan was on his way to a standout game.

“He was wicked spry out there,” Bonner said, flattening his vowels as only a New Englander can.

Duncan could sense fatigue, not in himself but in the legs of his perimeter-shooting teammates.

“I just felt I had to be aggressive, try to attack them a little bit,” he said. “We didn’t have shots falling from the outside or shoot the 3-ball real well, so opportunities were there and I just took them when I could.”

As he had in Wednesday’s comeback win over Houston, Duncan did most of his scoring against the Hornets in the low post. Only two of his eight shots were launched outside 10 feet, and his aggression around the basket put him on the foul line for seven free throws, all of which he converted.

“He feels really good,” Popovich said. “He feels like he’s got a good balance and that’s always a good sign when he wants the ball down on the block.”

Even with Duncan dominating inside, the game was close going to the fourth quarter because the Spurs were horrid from beyond the 3-point arc. They missed 13 of their first 14 long-range attempts; Bonner clanked his first four.

A 71-68 lead at the start of the fourth grew quickly to nine points because the Spurs locked down their defense and allowed just one Hornets basket in the first 4:20 of the period.

By the time point guard Tony Parker whipped a wraparound pass from the top of the key to a wide-open Bonner, alone outside the 3-point line on the left side, the momentum of the game decreed Bonner’s first hit from long range.

Popovich understood the importance of his team’s defensive excellence in crunch time.

“The defense generated offense for us as the game went on into the fourth quarter,” he said. “I thought Tony was really good in the second half forcing the issue, and I thought Tiago had a great run there, defensively and offensively, and the two of them really got us going, and that was it.”

Thursday’s victory means the Spurs will take a three-game winning streak into Saturday’s game against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder in their final home game before playing nine straight on the road.

mikemonroe@express-news.net

– Photos by Billy Calzada

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Spurs 93, Hornets 81: Feb. 2, 2012

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs shoots over Carl Landry of the New Orleans Hornets during NBA action at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Richard Jefferson of the San Antonio Spurs dunks during first-half NBA action against the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Spurs guard Tony Parker penetrates as the New Orleans Hornets defend during NBA action at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Danny Green of the San Antonio Spurs shoots over Carl Landry of the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

DeJuan Blair of the Spurs, right, shoots over Emeka Okafer of the New Orleans Hornets during NBA action at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs (9) shoots a layup as Emeka Okafor, left, of the New Orleans Hornets, and Trevor Ariza, right, defend on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs dunks after stealing an inbound pass from Carl Landry of the New Orleans Hornets in the second half at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Tiago Splitter of the San Antonio Spurs (22) battles Carldell Johnson of the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Tiago Splitter of the Spurs shoots over Gustavo Ayon (15) and Al-Farouq Aminu of the Hornets during NBA action at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs greets teammate Tony Parker with a pat on the head during a timeout of their game against the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Tim Duncan signals to his Spurs teammates during their game against New Orleans on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

The San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers perform during a timeout at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

San Antonio Spurs fans are jubliant as the Spurs pull away to a 93-81 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Matt Bonner (15) of the Spurs defends Marco Belinelli of New Orleans looks to pass off during NBA action on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Tim Duncan (21) and Spurs teammates leave the court after their 93-81 victory over New Orleans on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

DeJuan Blair, right, and Tim Duncan of the Spurs go through a pre-game ritual before their game against New Orleans at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)

Tim Duncan of the Spurs hangs, as is his custom, from the rim when the lights are turned down for players introductions at the ATT Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Billy Calzada / San Antonio Express-NewsNew Orleans Hornets at San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Express-News)