Tag: San Antonio

Ellis’ big bounce-back game leads Tuesday’s S&Ds

Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles knew that it would only be a matter of time before new acquisition Monta Ellis started producing the big scoring numbers he was known for when playing for Golden State.

Ellis torched Atlanta for 33 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Bucks’ 108-101 victory over the Hawks.

Before the game, Skiles told reporters that he thought Ellis was close to a big game despite some recent struggles.

“You know when you make a move like that to get a significant player, there has got to be some period of time where you have got to allow for the guy to adjust and people to adjust to him,” Skiles told the Associated Press before Tuesday night’s game.  “It wouldn’t surprise me at all for him to have a big breakout game at any moment.”

Skiles’ prediction came correct only a night after Ellis had matched his season low with four points in a loss against New York on Monday night.

In Tuesday’s game, Ellis made 15 of 24 shots, including 7 for 9 in the fourth quarter. He wrapped up the victory with a 15-foot jumper with 1:27 remaining and also added a team-best eight assists.

“I was light on my feet. I was just moving. I went into one of my modes. It felt good,” Ellis told the AP. “I’m glad I was able to show the Bucks tonight. I want to take this game and build off it.”

His big effort helped him lead Tuesday’s Studs and Duds.

STUDS

Milwaukee G Monta Ellis: Erupted for 33 points, eight assists and four rebounds in the Bucks’ victory at Atlanta.

Oklahoma City G Russell Westbrook: Went for 32 points, eight assists, three steals, three rebounds and was plus-14 in the Thunder’s victory at Portland.

Philadelphia G Jodie Meeks: Tallied 31 points, including seven 3-pointers, and was plus-15 in the Sixers’ victory over Cleveland.

Atlanta F Josh Smith: Stuffed the box score with 30 points, 18 rebounds, five assists, two steals and was plus-3 in the Hawks’ loss to Milwaukee.

San Antonio F Tim Duncan: Went for 26 points and 11 rebounds in the Spurs’ triumph at Phoenix — their fifth straight triumph.

DUDS

Cleveland G Kyrie Irving: Clanked through a 4-for-13 shooting night with five turnovers and was a team-worst minus-13 in the Cavaliers’ loss at Philadelphia.

Houston F Patrick Patterson: Went 1 for 7 from the field and was minus-10 in the Rockets’ loss at Dallas.

Portland G Jamal Crawford: Went 1 for 7 from the field with two turnovers and was a team-worst minus-18 in the Trail Blazers’ loss to Oklahoma City.

Atlanta G Jeff Teague: Had seven turnovers and was minus-1 in the Hawks’ loss at Milwaukee.

Minnesota F Derrick Williams: Went 4 of 15 from the field with two turnovers and was minus-6 in the Timberwolves’ loss at Memphis.

Love’s big night spoils Mullin’s jersey retirement, leads S&Ds

Kevin Love prepared for his upcoming trip to San Antonio with another monster game to ruin Chris Mullin’s jersey retirement night.

Love muscled for  36 points and 17 rebounds to lead Minnesota to a 97-93 victory over Golden State as the Warriors honored one of their greatest players.

The All-Star Minnesota power forward had several late big plays, hitting a 16-foot jumper with 4 minutes left and then adding a critical tip-in late in the game to help the Timberwolves keep their  dimming postseason hopes alive.

“Down the stretch is where we won the game,” Love told the Associated Press. “We executed, got big stops and made plays.”

It enabled Minnesota to snap a three-game losing streak and pull within 1½ games of Houston for eighth place in the Western Conference playoff race.

Love and the Timberwolves have their chance to spoil another jersey retirement Wednesday night in San Antonio when the Spurs raise Bruce Bowen’s uniform to the rafters. They will be gunning for a  season sweep against the Spurs after beating them twice already this season.

His big game Monday night led Studs and Duds across the NBA.

STUDS

Minnesota F Kevin Love: Muscled for 36 points and 17 rebounds and was a team-best plus-6 in the Timberwolves’ victory at Golden State.

Dallas F Dirk Nowitzki: Erupted for 33 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in only 31 minutes and was a team-best plus-23 in the Mavericks’ victory at Denver.

Cleveland F Tristan Thompson: The rookie from Texas had 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds (eight offensive) in the Cavaliers’ victory at New Jersey.

Chicago F Carlos Boozer: Went for 24 points, 13 rebounds, four steals, two assists and was plus-19 in the Bulls’ victory at Orlando.

Boston G Rajon Rondo: Produced 10 points, 13 assists, six steals, three rebounds and was plus-3 in the Celtics’ victory at Atlanta.

DUDS

Chicago G C.J. Watson: Went 0 for 8 from the field with two turnovers in the Bulls’ victory at Orlando.

Orlando G Jason Richardson: Struggled through a 1-for-7 shooting effort with two turnovers and was minus-13 in the Magic’s loss to Chicago. 

Atlanta G Joe  Johnson: Went for 25 points in the Hawks’ loss to Boston, but had seven turnovers and was minus-1.

Orlando G Jameer Nelson: Struggled through a 4-for-11 shooting effort with five turnovers and was minus-2 in the Magic’s loss to Chicago.

Denver F Danilo Gallinari: Limited to four points on 1-for-7 shooting with three turnovers and was minus-10 in the Nuggets’ loss to Dallas.

Spurs’ Ford back from D-League

By Jeff McDonald

T.J. Ford thoroughly enjoyed being a D-Leaguer for a day.

Of course, the seven-year NBA veteran didn’t have to endure a long, cramped bus ride, sleep in a less-than-five-star hotel or endure any of the other spartan accoutrements that accompany life in pro basketball’s minor leagues.

“It was just a practice,” Ford, the Spurs’ backup point guard, said of his one-day rehab stint with the Austin Toros. “I haven’t played a lot. I’m coming back from an injury. I think I had enough days off.”

Ford missed 22 games after suffering a torn left hamstring Jan. 10 in Milwaukee. He has totaled less than 30 minutes in three games since his return.

Under an NBA rule new for this season, teams are permitted to send veterans to the Development League, with the player’s consent. In years past, players with more than two seasons of NBA service time were ineligible for the D-League.

The Spurs assigned Ford to the Toros on Monday, in order to get him extra practice time on a day coach Gregg Popovich gave his team the day off.

Ford didn’t even have to leave San Antonio to join the Toros. They held their practice at the Spurs practice facility.

“It felt good to just come in a play, get up and a down and condition my legs, because it’s still a work in progress,” Ford said.

As expected, the Spurs recalled Ford on Tuesday, allowing him to practice with the team. He will be available with the Spurs tonight when the Spurs face New York.

Full strength at last: For the first time since Jan. 2, the Spurs will list no players on the injury report for tonight’s game against the Knicks. The entire roster – sans rookie point guard Cory Joseph, who is playing in the D-League – participated in Monday’s practice.

That includes power forward Tim Duncan, who has recovered from the stomach bug that limited him in Sunday’s loss to Denver.

Starting center DeJuan Blair played just four minutes against the Nuggets after suffering a knee contusion less than a minute into the game, but his sparing use was due to performance issues, not injury.

Discount double think: When Knicks forward Steve Novak knocks down a few 3-pointers in a row, he’ll often punctuate his scoring with a “title belt” celebration maneuver lifted from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The move has become known as the “discount double check,” after Rodgers’ series of commercials for State Farm.

In San Antonio, where Novak finished last season and was briefly in training camp with the Spurs in December, his former teammates don’t have to wonder how such showmanship might have gone over with Popovich.

“Not very well,” Matt Bonner said with a laugh. “I’d expect to hear a (substitution) horn at the next dead ball, for sure.”

Bonner, who ranks just behind Novak as the NBA’s fourth-most accurate 3-point shooter, says he has no plans to develop his own signature celebration move.

“I thought about doing like a tai chi move, but that didn’t pan out,” Bonner said. “My first thought after I make a shot is to get back on defense.”


jmcdonald@express-news.net

Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN