In these troubled times, the San Antonio Spurs will take any pick-me-up that comes their way. So if Jason Kidd wanted to rest his ailing back Tuesday night, the Spurs decided that, for a change, they might as well make the most of the opportunity. With a winter storm approaching the Spurs got their work done early, routing the New Jersey Nets 107-82 at Continental Airlines Arena. San Antonio used a 20-0 run to start the second quarter and cruised from there. The Spurs outscored New Jersey 33-16 in the period.
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San Antonio's big three had a big night. Tim Duncan led the team with 21 points, eight rebounds, and was a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line. Tony Parker scored 19 and was also 7-of-7 from the stripe while Manu Ginobili dropped in 14 and four assists. Michael Finley added 15 for the Spurs, which led by as many as 28 points.
Vince Carter led the Nets with 18 points on 7-14 shooting. The Nets combined to shoot 39% from the field. New Jersey played without Kidd who was nursing a lower back strain. The Nets also were without center Nenad Krstic and forward Richard Jefferson, who have been injured for a while. Beating the New Jersey Nets has never been a problem for the San Antonio. With Kidd and the two other starters out of the lineup, this time it wasn't even much o####ame.
The Spurs had the perfect response for their two-game slide. T he team shined in several categories including 96% free throw shooting, 53% shooting, and a 41-34 rebounding advantage.
Tim Duncan Francisco Elson
"The Nets are in a bad way, injury-wise'' coach Gregg Popovich said after San Antonio beat the Nets for the eighth straight time. "It was a tough night with three of their top four not out there. It was pretty much a throw away game. They battled and did everything they could. It's impossible to be very successful with that many people out. Jason Kidd is the head of the snake on top of the whole deal."
The Nets hadn't played without Kidd in more than two years, and his absence quickly short-circuited their offense. The Spurs only needed 18 minutes to take control of the game. They used a 12-4 run at the end of the first quarter to take a four-point lead and then took advantage of 13 straight misses by New Jersey at the start of the second quarter to push the advantage to 24.
"We're trying to get better as a team,'' Duncan said after San Antonio avoided tying their season-high three-game losing streak with their third win in eight games. "Consistency hasn't been there. As fun as it was, that's the way we need to play all the time.''
Tim Duncan scored seven of his 21 during a 20-0 second-quarter run that lifted the Spurs to the win.
The Spurs have had problems this year against opponents who are missing key players. They lost to the Lakers with Lamar Odom out. They lost twice to Houston, once with Yao Ming out and once with Tracy McGrady sidelined. They also lost to Utah when the Jazz were without Carlos Boozer.
They did not have a similar letdown against New Jersey. "Not at all,'' Parker said. "We had a lot of letdowns earlier the season. It's about time we kept a lead.'' "It was definitely a must win for us."
Having lost four of their previous five games, the Spurs aren't in position to overlook any victory these days, regardless if it comes against another mangled opponent. And the Nets are more mangled than most. While Popovich called the victory a "throw-away game," he was at least happy to see the Spurs, who led by 21 at the half, not let up.
The Spurs' Michael Finley shoots over the Nets' Bostjan Nachbar
The Pussycat Dolls NBA promo is hot. In overtime of today's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs at The Forum of Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant and Michael Finley had the hot hands in the end.
With less than 10 seconds left in the game Bruce Bowen was all over Kobe Bryant. But Kobe was pure Kobe, putting up a 20 foot jump shot with Bowen's hand in his face and draining it giving the Lakers a one point lead with only seven seconds left.
However, the Spurs would not be denied. Inbounding from the sideline San Antonio got the ball into Tim Duncan. When the defense collapsed Duncan kicked the ball out to Finley who knocked the bottom out of a three pointer for a Spurs win 96 - 94.
Fourth Quarter
The Los Angeles Lakers had gone cold in the fourth quarter.
Once again the Spurs had let a team open up a lead on them after three periods. Once again San Antonio played good defense in the fourth, made a few more shots, and made a comeback. Basketball is a game of runs and when your ten points behind you need all the runs to go your way. That does not usually happen. But today it did.
Finley made his fourth three of the game. Tony Parker made back to back baskets. Manu Ginobile made a three. Duncan made a shot. Parker drew a foul and made two free throws. Ginobili passed it inside to Duncan who kicked it out to Bowen for a three.
San Antonio completed an 11 to one run and led by 2. Regulation ended with the teams tied at 80.
Third Quarter
The Lakers extended their lead over the Spurs in the third quarter of to eleven points early in the fourth quarter and led 67 - 57 after three. The Spurs shot only 29% from the field into the third.
Duncan attempted to bring the Spurs back. After one rebound he kicked the ball out to Parker who took off on the break. Duncan followed it, wrested the rebound from Parker's missed shot away from Smush Parker and put it back in for two. The Lakers obliged by making a few turnovers. The Spurs cut the Laker lead back to only four.
Lamar Odom then reminded everyone he was on the court by knocking down a three that gave Los angeles a nine point lead back. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called a timeout. Lakers fans were happy.
Second Quarter
The Lakers scored 28 second quarter points to lead the Spurs 44 to 36 at the half. Bryant warmed up after a slow start, scored 10 second quarter points, and led the Lakers with 14 at the half.
The Lakers took their first lead at 29 - 28 on a Smush Parker jump shot. A Bryant 3 extended it to four. The crowd rose to their feet in support. The Lakers went on to lead by nine before Popovich called a timeout for the Spurs.
Ginobil did a good job of driving to the basket creating shots for himself and his Spur teammates. Tony Parker was only 1 of 7 at one point. It seems like once again Popovich is putting unnecessary pressure on Parker and it is affecting Parker's comfort on the court and consequently his shooting as well.
First Quarter
Bryant got off to a slow start. Defense ruled and Duncan leaned on 19 year old Laker Andrew Bynum while scoring eight points staking the Spurs to a 19 - 16 lead over the Lakers after one quarter.
The most notable player was Odom. Odom grabbed one particular offensive rebound, put the ball on the ground, dribbled with his left hand the full length of the court and layed it in like a point guard for two of his eight first quarter points. It was a thing of beauty. Odom is a 6' 10" forward. Lamar also read that Kobe was open on another play and lobbed it up for Bryant to make a beautiful slam.
With his buyout from the Philadelphia 76ers on the verge of completion, Chris Webber has established a Fab Five wish list of high-profile teams he'd like to play for. Webber's wish list reads as follows.
Dallas Mavericks
Detroit Pistons
Los Angeles Lakers
Miami Heat
San Antonio Spurs
Webber told ESPN.com on Wednesday night that 17 of the league's 30 teams have already called to register interest in his services, but the free agent-to-be hopes to sign with one of the teams on his wishlist. His hometown is Detroit, thus there is more than one reason to consider the Pistons. He can play for his hometown and play for a ring. "This is the best I've felt in three years," Webber said in a phone interview. "Now the thing I want to do most is win a championship, put myself back on that kind of level."
Webber didn't divulge any order or preferences when listing those teams but did acknowledge that the Mavericks, believed to be offering less playing time than anyone in the group, was the least likely destination.
Early indications in San Antonio, meanwhile, suggest that the Spurs -- whose desire to get younger and more athletic and the swing positions is well-chronicled -- may be unlikely to pursue Webber. When asked before Thursday night's game by Bill Walton if the Spurs were interested in Webber, Spurs Coach Greg Popovich seemed cool to the idea. But, was that sincere or a poker face? This writer believes the Spurs might want Webber and may be willing to send Brent Barry packing to get him. Yes, Barrys a guard and Webbers a forward, but what the Spus need more than anything, if they are to get back up to the level that the Mavs and Phoenix Suns are at is points off of the bench that Webber may be able to deliver better than Barry.
Each of the other three teams on Webber's list appear to have an interest.
Miami has major depth issues even when Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade are healthy and pursued Webber's former Michigan teammate Jalen Rose when he was bought out by the New York (what the heck are) Knickerbockers in November. The Heat, possessing their full mid-level salary-cap exception worth in excess of $5 million, also have the ability to outbid any of the aforementioned suitors, although Miami will stray into luxury-tax territory if it spends, say, $2 million to bring Webber in for the rest of the season. But can Miami win another championship?
The Pistons, sources said, immediately thrust themselves into the running, intrigued by the idea of adding the local legend as they continue to revamp their front line in the wake of Ben Wallace free-agent defection to the Chicago Bulls.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Chris Webber complains about a call during the second half of their basketball game against the Orlando Magic in Orlando, Fla., in this Dec. 9, 2006 file photo. The 76ers completed the paperwork to buy out the remaining 1 1/2 seasons on Webber's contract Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/teams/photo?photo Id=1401288&team=phi
Webber's experience, size and game are also bound to appeal to the young Lakers, who recently lost two frontcourt starters to injury (Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown) and run an offense (coach Phil Jackson's triangle) that could make the most of Webber's passing skills. However, many question Webber's willingness to learn the triangle and if Phil will take a chance on that or want to add Webber's ego to a roster that already includes the strongheaded Kobe Bryant.
"My father said I haven't smiled on the court in about three years," Webber said. "I just want to get back to playing with a smile on my face and playing with a team that can really vie for a title. I want to be an integral part of a championship team." The 33-year-old added that he hopes to have his new address "by Monday, even though three or four teams want me by Friday."
A new deal can't happen that quickly because Webber must wait two business days to clear waivers once his buyout from the Sixers is made official. Webber said he expects paperwork on the buyout to be completed by Thursday morning at the latest.
Webber finished last season with solid averages of 20.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 75 games, the most games he'd played in the last six seasons. He said in training camp he was feeling as strong physically as he had since undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee in June 2003. But Webber appeared to fall out of favor with 76ers Head Coach Maurice Cheeks early this season, and was benched in several fourth quarters with little explanation. His minutes and production dramatically declined, and Webber eventually met with 76ers President Billy King to express his unhappiness over his situation.
Webber made it clear several times this season he wanted to end his career with a contender. With Allen Iverson traded to Denver last month, that's two all-stars off the roster in a matter of weeks. The Sixers have three first-round picks in the draft and are rebuilding through youth.
"I think he's been a total pro, done everything we've asked of him," King said. "This allows us to go in a different direction. Now I think there's clarity for the organization."
Webber reportedly agreed to a $5 million reduction in his contract, which pays him $20.7 million this season and $22.3 million next season. The buyout allowed the 76ers to drop below the league's luxury tax threshold of $65.4 million.
"I wish the 76ers organization the best and I thank the fans for their support during my time in Philadelphia," Webber said in a statement. "I appreciate Team Owner Ed Snider and Billy King for their cooperation with the buyout of my contract. I believe this is the best situation for both parties and I look forward to continuing my basketball career."
"He was a great teammate," Kyle Korver said after the Knicks beat the Sixers 106-99 on Wednesday night. "I'm going to miss him a lot. I wish I could have played with him more. He's a great person and if he gets put in the right spot he's going to do really well somewhere."
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