|
|
|
|
|
|
San Antonio Spurs 96, Minnesota Timberwolves 82
San Antonio, TX Dec. 23 / Brett Dvorak --
When it mattered most, the San Antonio Spurs turned to their defense. The Spurs held one of the best shooting teams in the
league to three fourth quarter baskets and twenty-seven percent shooting in the second half. Manu Ginobili scores eight of
his game high 22 points in the fourth quarter as San Antonio defeats the Timberwolves 96-82.
Oh to be a fly on the wall during Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s halftime speech. Popovich had just witnessed his team be
completely outplayed by a Minnesota team that had lost it’s three previous road games. Minnesota shot a staggering 53%
against the league’s best defensive unit, dominated the paint, scoring more than half of it’s fifty-three points inside,
and out rebounded the Spurs 24-14.
“It was a lot of Pop,” Said a joking Ginobili when asked about the second half turnaround. “He was pretty upset at
halftime. He was reminding us, in his own way, that we had to be more aggressive and play tougher. When we got those eight
quick points it made things much easier for us.”
Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders couldn’t have agreed more; “We lost the game in the first two minutes of the second half.
Instead of controlling the tempo, we let them take control of the game and get back in it and they made it difficult to play
them."
San Antonio opened the second half employing a half court trap, hoping to force the Wolves out of their rhythm offense. The
results were immediate as Kevin Garnett turned the ball over twice and missed two shots in less then two minutes. Four quick
points forced Saunders to call a timeout, but that didn’t work because when they returned to the floor another missed shot,
a bad pass, and Michael Olowokandi’s fourth foul allowed the Spurs to finish an 8-0 run, erasing the halftime deficit,
evening the score at fifty-one.
Thanks to their defensive intensity, the momentum had swung to the Spurs side as Minnesota struggled to score. Despite five
turnovers in the quarter, Minnesota managed to score the final five points of the quarter thanks to a Fred Hoiberg three
pointer as the quarter wound down, evening the score at sixty-five heading to the final twelve minutes.
After a Rasho Nesterovic jumper started the quarter, the Spurs began to tighten the clamps. The penetration of Tony Parker
left the Wolves dazed and confused. First it’s Parker penetrating and scoring on a floater. Then he penetrates, forces
Olowokandi into his fifth foul, and then makes both his free throws. On the Spurs next possession Parker penetrates, all the
Wolves collapse inside leaving Ginobili alone where he calmly nails his third three pointer of the game. Three possessions,
three different Tony Parker highlights. Parker goes to the bench with the Spurs up 75-69.
"Sometimes Xs and Os are relative," said Ginobili. "If you are aggressive and show them that it won't be easy, I think
that's where the game changed."
If not for Wally Szczerbiak, the Spurs would have already wrapped this one up. Szczerbiak scored the Wolves first eight
points of the quarter, six coming from the free throw line as the Spurs struggled keeping him out of the lane. Enter Duncan
back into the game.
Duncan struggled most of the night, making just eight of twenty-three shots from the floor, but he scored five straight
points upon his return to the lineup, all coming while being guarded by Garnett, as the Spurs lead continued to
grow.
Duncan wasn’t the only one having a hard time scoring. Garnett, the reigning MVP managed to make just four of sixteen shots
from the floor, including just one basket in the second half, a long range three pointer in the third quarter. At crunch
time, KG managed just two points on four free throw attempts.
A subdued Garnett seemed to second-guess himself afterwards; “I take it upon myself to get guys shots and get guys in a
rhythm. Maybe I sacrificed a little bit too much tonight."
The Spurs blew this one open by getting hot at the right time. San Antonio opened the quarter making eight of their first
nine shots, including a trio of three pointers, two from Ginobili.
Arguably the top two contenders for the Western Conference crown, the Wolves and Spurs started the game scoring from the
outside. Ginobili connected on a pair of early three pointers while back court mate Parker made three of his first four
shots, but Minnesota used a 12-4 run, with six points coming from Szczerbiak, to take their first lead of the night
(22-20).
After missing five of their first seven shots, Minnesota roasted the top defensive team in the league, making twelve of
their next thirteen shots, shooting 63% in the first quarter as all five starters scored at least four points, but the Spurs
managed to hang close, trailing by just three points (29-26) after twelve minutes.
Sam Cassell, a Spurs killer for many years was held in check in the opening quarter so the Spurs had to be breathing a sigh
of relief. That could be the only logical explanation for them falling asleep on Troy Hudson. After scoring three first
quarter points, Hudson scored eight points and assisted on another during an 11-2 start to the second quarter as the home
team found themselves down double figures (40-28).
During the ensuing Spurs timeout, Popovich implored his team to start playing better defense. In addition to Hudson, another
player the Spurs forgot to guard was Michael Olowokandi. The former Clipper scored all nine of his points in the opening
half, while grabbing ten rebounds.
Popovich talked about the lack of inside play; “We were making him (Olowokandi) look like a world beater.”
After the timeout, the Spurs began ratcheting up their defensive intensity. Parker began penetrating, and the Spurs shooters
began to knock a few down, but the lead remained at eight heading into Popovich’s speech.
Ginobili’s 22 points came on seven of nine from the floor, including four of six from three-point range. Joining him in
double figures was Duncan (19 points and 10 rebounds) and Parker (19 points and 8 assists). Bruce Bowen also dished out
eight assists while scoring nine points. Minnesota was led by the 22 points of Szczerbiak, but he had little help as the
“Big Three” of Garnett, Cassell, and Latrell Spreewell combined to score 22 points on eight of twenty-nine shooting.
Garnett did manage double figures with 15 points, and just missed out on a quadruple double with his 10 rebounds, 9 assists,
and 7 turnovers. Hudson was the only other T-Wolves player reaching double figures, scoring fourteen, but just three in the
second half.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
