Tag: San Antonio Spurs

Bad memory No. 9: Spurs squander fourth-quarter lead in Black Friday collapse to Mavs

In our continuing look at the best and worst moments of the 2010-11 Spurs’ season, we look at the Black Friday tumble where they saw their early 12-game winning streak snapped by Dallas.

No.  9: Black Friday fourth-quarter collapse snaps Spurs’ 12-game winning streak.

When:  Nov. 26, 2010

Where: ATT Center, San Antonio.

What happened: The Spurs’ offense fell apart down the stretch as they were held without a field goal for a four-minute stretch late in their 103-94 home loss to Dallas on the day after Thanksgiving. Despite 31 points from Manu Ginobili, the Spurs saw Dallas take control as they scored nine straight points late in the game. It enabled the Mavericks to earn a a small measure of revenge for their 2010 playoff series loss to San Antonio. Dirk Nowitzki went 12-for-14 from the field en route to a team-high 26 points and Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion each scored 19 points for the Mavericks. Tony Parker was limited to nine points and was minus-17 in plus/minus. And Richard Jefferson clanked through a miserable shooting night with only two points as he missed all four field-goal attempts.

What was said:  ”Dallas did a great job tonight. As a group they executed better than we did. I think they were a bit hungry and a bit more competitive than we were tonight. And it showed up in the fourth quarter,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, describing the late collapse.   

What was said, Part II:  ”The last few games we were executing great down the stretch and making shots, but today they did. It was pretty clear they made all the shots they needed and we didn’t,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, describing the end of the Spurs’ 12-game winning streak.

What was said, Part III: We didn’t know what the streak was. It was just a matter that they’ve been playing well. We’ve been playing pretty good and we know this is our rival. And this is what the rivalry is all about,” Dallas guard Jason Terry on snapping the Spurs’ 12-game winning streak.

What was said, Part IV: “I guess it’s a magnet (for Nowitzki’s elbow). Things happen and you’ve just got to be tough and be ready to keep playing,” Ginobili, who sustained a bloody nose early in the fourth quarter, courtesy of an elbow from Nowitzki. Ginobili’s nose was broken by Nowitzki in the 2010 playoffs.

The upshot: The victory snapped San Antonio’s 12-game losing streak which was their longest of the season. But it was the Spurs’ last home loss in a long time as they immediately started a 22-game home winning streak that would stretch through March 6 and finish as the longest home winning streak in team history. And after that loss to Dallas, the Spurs would beat the eventual Western Conference champions in each of the three remaining games against them during the regular season.

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People Magazine reportedly paying $1 mil for Kardashian-Humphries scoop

The juiciest details of Kim Kardashian’s upcoming marriage to New Jersey forward Kris Humphries apparently are coming with a very steep price.

The New York Post reported that sources indicate that People Magazine for exclusive coverage of her marriage with Humphries.

Her engagement graced the magazine’s cover last week, which was touted by People’s banner headline touting “the incredible proposal — and the 20.5 carat ring.”

The Post reports that the magazine paid  Kardashian $300,000 for that shot and story and has now made a second deal for coverage of the reality star’s wedding for about $1 million.

The public’s fascination with Kardashian has spilled over into her relationship with Humphries, who averaged career-best total of 10.4 points and 10.0 rebounds for the Nets this season.

The Post also reported that sources at People claim they are a little disappointed with their contract with Kardashian. The magazine sold more than a million copies, but it wasn’t as much as they would have hoped considering the steep contract.

Draft prospect: Shelvin Mack

The Spurs own the 29th pick in Thursday’s draft, one of the lowest slots of the Tim Duncan era. This year’s draft pool is considered to be uncommonly shallow, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Spurs either deal the pick or select a future prospect to stash overseas. Over the coming days, the Courtside blog will profile selected players who could be wearing silver and black, should the Spurs elect to keep their pick.

Three summers ago, the Spurs took a combo guard from a mid-major Indianapolis college with the 26th overall pick. Based on his production, and the spot at which he was taken, George Hill has worked out pretty well for them.

In many ways, Butler’s Shelvin Mack comes with the same kind of resume Hill did in the summer of 2008. He’s 6-foot-3 combo guard from a mid-major school in Indianapolis.

Thanks to Butler’s appearance in two consecutive NCAA national title games, however, Mack comes with a bit more name recognition than Hill did coming out of  IUPUI.

Much like Hill before him, Mack has a nice build for an NBA point guard, but a game better suited to playing off the ball. He averaged 16 points for the Bulldogs as a junior last season, second to Matt Howard, along with 3.4 assists, but saw his shooting percentage dip to 40.8 percent.

Mack showed improvement in running the pick-and-roll game last season, which ought to boost his stock in the eyes of the Spurs, whose offense is famously pick-and-roll heavy.

The biggest thing that might keep the Spurs away from Mack at the tail end of the first round is what happened three summers ago. In Hill, the Spurs already have a 6-foot-3 combo guard from Indianapolis.

However, the Spurs do have a need for a third point guard behind Tony Parker and Hill, and if Parker at some point winds up on the trading block — as even Parker himself as speculated this summer — that need would only increase.

If Mack is still available at 29 — and he’s been projected to go anywhere from late first round to early second — the Spurs might take a look at him.