Legendary 'Coach Pop' to oversee Wembanyama's NBA start

NEW YORK -- Victor Wembanyama's early NBA days will be overseen by one of the league's most legendary coaches, outspoken Gregg Popovich, who helped transform another French teen, Tony Parker, into a superstar.

Popovich, the 74-year-old son of a Serbian father and Croatian mother, is the longest-tenured coach in any major American sports league, having guided the Spurs since 1996.

With discipline and priorities formed while at the US Air Force Academy in the 1960s, Popovich has become a five-time NBA champion head coach, a three-time NBA Coach of the Year and in August will be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

"What makes a great coach is getting a lot of young men and helping them become men, adding to their life," said NBA guard Dwyane Wade. "Coach Pop has done an amazing job of helping young men become grown-ass men."

Golden State coach Steve Kerr, who won two NBA titles playing under Popovich, praised his impact.

"He's amazing," Kerr said. "There are just so many people like me whose lives have been impacted so dramatically and so positively by Pop. One of the most influential people ever in my life. I owe him so much."

Popovich mentored top draft pick Tim Duncan in 1997 and Parker when he came to the NBA in 2001.

"I loved playing for Pop," Parker said. "Pop was huge. I always trust Pop's judgment."

Popovich accepts the challenge of a new generation with Wembanyama, the most talented prospect since LeBron James with size like Duncan and Parker-esque skills.

"He has still got it. He can do this for a lot longer," said Kerr. "One of Pop's great abilities has been his willingness and eagerness to adapt.

"He really understood what was happening around the league with speed, pace and ball movement. He was ahead of the curve all the time."

The Spurs, who made the playoffs 22 straight years under Pop, have missed the playoffs for four seasons, going 20-62 this past campaign.

A grizzled, gritty and sometimes grumpy Popovich will try to teach Wembanyama to maximize his unique talents as he did with Parker.

"At one of (Parker's) first practices, I brought a few guys to get in his face," Popovich said. "I wanted to see what he had in the belly. I was impressed with him. So I told him, 'The ball is yours, find solutions, I'll love you and yell at you at the same time.'"

Popovich embraced global talent early, bringing more than 40 players from beyond US borders onto the Spurs roster, and made Becky Hammon the NBA's first female assistant coach.

Popovich passed Lenny Wilkens to become the NBA's all-time winningest coach in 2019 with his 1,413th career triumph in playoff and regular-season games.

In 2022, he won an NBA record 1,336th regular-season game, accepting the feat with sarcasm.

"What I could do in my retirement, what kind of wine I could drink, all these things become bland when I think about the number of victories I have," Popovich deadpanned.

Humor is one of the ways Popovich measures people, saying in 2015 that those "who don't appreciate funny moments won't be able to give their all for a group."

- Social justice champion -

Popovich, a noted wine collector, is also outspoken on social justice.

Popovich spoke out about reparations for Black people in 2020, saying protests helped "get all the way to the reparations discussion and not just wait for legislation and laws."

Last July, Popovich ripped "rampant" US racism, saying, "I had no idea it was to this level... it pisses me off, it hurts me, it confounds me."

After 21 people were killed in a Texas elementary school shooting, Popovich railed against officials sending "thoughts and prayers" without changing gun laws.

"They're the same statements after every massacre," he said. "They think we're stupid so they'll keep bringing it up, but they'll listen to us if we're angry enough and we're committed enough."

Agence France-Presse

Nowitzki, Gasol, Parker head star-studded Hall of Fame class

LOS ANGELES -- Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will be ushered into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year, the organization confirmed on Saturday.

The star-studded class of 2023, who will be enshrined at a ceremony in August, also include trailblazing WNBA player and coach Becky Hammon, the Hall of Fame announced.

German star Nowitzki, former Los Angeles Lakers Spanish ace Gasol and France's Parker are three of the most successful international stars ever to grace the NBA.

Parker won four NBA championships during the Spurs' dominant reign between 2003 and 2014, while Gasol was a key part of the Lakers team that won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.

Nowitzki, who is sixth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 31,560 points, was named NBA Most Valuable Player in 2007 and Finals MVP four years later after helping the Dallas Mavericks win the title.

Reacting to Saturday's announcement, Nowitzki paid tribute to international players who had paved the way for his generation in the NBA.

"I think there were a few guys who blazed the way for us a little bit," Nowitzki said. "And then the next wave came with Pau, Tony and myself. And if we help to make the game truly global and help some kids along the way that's obviously truly humbling for all of us."

Barcelona-born Gasol, meanwhile, recalled how watching the US 'Dream Team' at the 1992 Olympics staged in his hometown had helped inspire his basketball journey.

"I always had in mind the effect that the 'Dream Team '92' had on my life and how basketball and sports can affect and inspire kids' lives, so I just wanted to do that," Gasol told ESPN.

The 6ft 2in (1.88m) tall Parker reflected how people had doubted his ability to be successful in the NBA due to his height.

"Growing up the NBA dream was very far away," Parker said.

"When I was telling people my dream they were all laughing at me saying 'You're too small, you're too skinny, you will never make it in the NBA'. Now I'm the one laughing."

Wade was a three-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat in 2006, 2012 and 2013 and won finals MVP in 2006.

The 41-year-old, who retired from the NBA in 2019, also won Olympic gold with the United States in the 2008 Beijing Games.

The 74-year-old Popovich, meanwhile, is one of the NBA's elder statesmen, one of only five NBA coaches in history to have won five championships.

- 'Out of body experience' -

Popovich also led the United States to gold in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

"Those of us who've ended up in this position -- it's incredible," Popovich said in a recorded message on ESPN on Saturday.

"It's an honor, and something that one does not think about when going through your years in this game. It's an awesome thought to think about all the players that I've had the honor to coach, who are the ones who won the games.

"I sit here amongst people who I've always been in awe of myself. So to be in this situation is kind of an out of body experience."

Nowitzki, Wade, Parker, Gasol and Popovich are all being inducted into the basketball pantheon at the first attempt, a rarity under the Hall of Fame's eligibility rules which reflects their stellar achievements in the sport.

Joining Popovich in the Hall of Fame will be former assistant Hammon.

Hammon is a six-time All-Star and coached the Las Vegas Aces to the WNBA Finals crown in 2022. The 46-year-old was also Popovich's assistant coach in San Antonio from 2014 -- the first woman assistant coach in the NBA.

She remains the only woman to take charge of an NBA team during a regular season game after stepping in when Popovich was ejected during a clash with the Lakers in 2020.

Agence France-Presse

Aldridge leads Spurs past Pelicans

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points in 26 minutes of play and Manu Ginobili added a season-high 17 points off the bench as the San Antonio Spurs manhandled the New Orleans Pelicans 113-100 on Sunday at the AT&T Center, winning their fourth straight game.

Kawhi Leonard added 13 points for San Antonio (22-5) while Tony Parker and Jonathan Simmons had 12 points and Patty Mills scored 11 points for the Spurs, who have won 8 of 19. Pau Gasol pulled down a season-high 14 rebounds in 24 minutes of play.

After the game, the Spurs retired the No. 21 jersey of former power forward Tim Duncan in a typically understated ceremony.

Duncan's 19-year career, all with San Antonio, featured five championships and a 1,072-438 regular-season record. The Spurs' .710 winning percentage during Duncan's tenure was the best 19-year stretch in NBA history and was the best in all of the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB over that time.

Alexis Ajinca led the Pelicans (9-20) with 16 points while Buddy Hield added 14. Anthony Davis and Langston Galloway scored 12 points each and Tim Frazier had 11 for New Orleans.

The Spurs outrebounded New Orleans 49-37 and went to the free throw line 22 times (making 18) while the Pelicans were just 8 of 14 from the charity stripe.

Five points from Ginobili and a 3-pointer from Patty Mills in a 90-second span of the first quarter allowed the Spurs to turn a 19-18 deficit into a 26-19 lead at the 2:58 mark. New Orleans responded with a spurt of its own, tying the game at 26 before a Gasol jumper and a Leonard layup handed San Antonio a 30-26 advantage after 12 minutes.

The Pelicans owned a 44-42 lead at the 6:25 mark of the second quarter after a driving layup by Hield, until San Antonio forged a 9-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Danny Green, to sweep past New Orleans and assume a 51-42 advantage. The Spurs led 61-49 at the half.

Aldridge led all scorers with 16 points in the first half while Ginobili hit for 12 and Leonard added 11. Gasol had 12 rebounds in 18 minutes of play before halftime as the Spurs owned a 29-18 edge on the boards.

Davis and Ajinca led the Pelicans with 10 points each at intermission, but Davis picked up his third foul with 1:07 to play in the second quarter.

New Orleans got back to within 72-62 on a Hield jumper at the 6:39 mark of the third quarter, but then the Spurs kicked things into another gear again, reeling off an 11-2 run that was highlighted by another Ginobili 3-pointer.

Three free throws by Mills with 14.4 seconds to play in the quarter pushed the San Antonio lead to 21 points, 92-71, and allowed the Spurs to play mostly their reserves for the final quarter.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Spurs edge Knicks to keep home win streak alive

(The Sports Xchange) - San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points and grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds as the Spurs shaded the New York Knicks 100-99 to win their 22nd straight home game this season.

The Spurs (32-6) are just the second Western Conference team to open a season 22-0 at home. Portland won their first 26 home games in 1977-78.

San Antonio led 79-74 after three quarters and opened the fourth with seven straight points to give them some breathing room in a game that featured two ties and eight lead changes.

New York made a final run in the last 5 1/2 minutes, cutting the Spurs' lead to one point on an alley-oop dunk by Kristaps Porzingis with 32.3 seconds to play.

Spurs guard Tony Parker missed a floater with 15.9 seconds left and the Knicks had a shot to win.

New York forward Carmelo Anthony drove into the lane but was well defended by Leonard and reserve guard Manu Ginobili and passed to guard Jose Calderon, whose three-point attempt with .8 of a second to play bounced off the rim as time expired.

"We got a good shot, and that was the most important thing, no matter who took the shot," Knicks coach Derek Fisher said.

"These kinds of games teach you that really have to completely empty yourself in order to be your best.

"Sometimes you still come up short and we did tonight. We had an opportunity to win the game and we didn't -- there are no moral victories."

Ginobili said he came over to help Leonard defend Anthony on the final possession in an attempt to "make things crowded."

"You know Carmelo is a guy who can shoot over almost anyone in the league," Ginobili said.

"I tried to make it crowded and then close out on Jose (Calderon) as good as I could. It was not an easy shot and Jose is a great shooter, especially from the corner."

Calderon is a 41 percent shooter from beyond the arc but said he put a little more on the shot to make sure it would not be blocked.

"In the last second, Melo (Anthony) saw me in the corner and I had a good look at the shot," Calderon said. "I thought Ginobili was close to touching it, so I shot it a little harder and I missed.

"We've grown up a lot as a team in the past few weeks and we trust each other. We did a lot of good things out there tonight that we have to continue to grow from."

The victory allowed the Spurs to pad their best home start ever and extend their win streak in AT&T Center to 31 games dating back to the final nine home games of 2014-15.

San Antonio got 16 points apiece from Ginobili, forward LaMarcus Aldridge and Parker.

The Knicks (18-20) were led by Porzingis, the rookie who poured in a game-high 28 points with a dizzying mixture of shots from long distance and in the paint and had 11 rebounds.

"(Porzingis) is a hell of a young player," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's got drive, he's got intelligence, he's got skills and he competes."

Anthony added 20 points and 12 rebounds for New York, while Robin Lopez scored 12 points, Langston Galloway had 11 and Lance Thomas 10.

San Antonio missed three of their first four shots of the third quarter and the Knicks jumped at the chance to retake the lead at 56-54 on Anthony's deep three-pointer.

The Spurs responded behind three baskets by Parker and a ringing three-pointer from Ginobili to take a 79-74 lead to the fourth quarter.

"It's not bad to win games like that," Ginobili said.

"Nothing is easy in the NBA and we knew that the Knicks were playing great and feeling good about themselves and that we had to play much better than we have been to get this win -- and I think we did."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Warriors, Spurs take their revenge

The Golden State Warriors avenged their only defeat of the NBA season on Friday, rallying for a 121-112 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Six nights after the Bucks ended the Warriors' season-opening winning streak at 24 games, Milwaukee threatened to hand Golden State a first defeat on their home floor in Oakland, California, since last January.

But shooting guard Klay Thompson had a game-high 27 points and Stephen Curry added 26 along with 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Warriors notched their 30th straight regular-season home win and their 12th this season.

The score was knotted at 108-108 when Curry drove for a basket with 2:16 to play and then added two free throws.

Andre Iguodala drained a three-pointer to give Golden State their biggest lead of the game at 115-108 with 1:21 remaining.
Point guard Michael Carter-Williams had 24 points for the Bucks, who led by as many as 15 in the third quarter but endured their fifth defeat in their last six starts.

Milwaukee led 100-89 five minutes into the final period.

But Warriors forward Draymond Green scored eight consecutive points to ignite a surge that saw Golden State pull level at 100-100 with 6:08 to play.

The hosts seized the lead for the first time since the first quarter when Festus Ezeli's dunk with 5:11 to go made it 103-102.

Bucks tied it three times after that, but never led again.

The San Antonio Spurs, who have labored quietly in the shadow of the Warriors building the second-best record in the league, improved to 15-0 at home this season with a 115-107 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

In their first meeting since the Clippers eliminated the Spurs in a sensational first-round playoff duel last season, San Antonio produced an 11-0 scoring run to open the fourth quarter and held on for the victory.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead San Antonio, who improved to 23-5.

Veteran French point guard Tony Parker scored 21 points for the Spurs. Ten of those came in the fourth quarter, including a three-pointer that closed the 11-point run and gave San Antonio a 96-88 lead with 9:17 to play.

Forward Kawhi Leonard added 19 points, center Tim Duncan 14 and forward Danny Green 10.


- Quadruple-overtime epic -
In Chicago, the Detroit Pistons outlasted the Bulls 147-144 in a rare quadruple overtime marathon.
It was just the eighth quadruple overtime contest since the NBA-ABA merger in the 1970s, and Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy called the experience "excruciating."

"It was an epic game," Van Gundy said. "You don't play too many four-overtime ones. I've never been in one. It was incredible, but it's only fun if you're on our end of it at the end. It's excruciating if you're on their end of it, and it's excruciating while you're going through it."

Andre Drummond led the Pistons with 33 points and 21 rebounds before fouling. Reggie Jackson added 31 points and 13 assists for Detroit.

Jimmy Butler's career high of 43 points led Chicago, with Derrick Rose adding a season-high 34 points while taking a career-high 34 shots from the floor.

Chicago's Spanish center Pau Gasol added 30 points and 15 rebounds, but the Bulls were unable to complete their first 5-0 homestand since 2005.

- Knicks beat 76ers -

The New York Knicks handed the Philadelphia 76ers their 27th defeat of the season, a solid 20-point performance from rookie Jahlil Okafor proving too little for the one-win Sixers.

Arron Afflalo had 22 points and seven assists as the Knicks won their third straight.

Rising star Kristaps Porzingis didn't win the duel of top rookies with Okafor, but he finished with eight points, four rebounds and three blocked shots, a contribution that had Knicks coach Derek Fisher saying the Knicks are "a better team when he's on the floor."

The 76ers took Okafor at number three overall in this year's draft, with the Knicks selecting Latvia's Porzingis fourth.

"It's exciting to go up against the guys who I went through the draft process with," Porzingis said. "It's a chance to check yourself."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs beat Pacers sans Coach Pop

SAN ANTONIO -- Assistant coach Ettore Messina guided San Antonio over the Indiana Pacers 106-100 Wednesday, becoming the first Italian to coach an NBA game while replacing Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Popovich, the NBA's longest-tenured coach, missed the game with what the team called a minor medical procedure. The coach who guided the Spurs to last season's NBA title will miss an undisclosed period of time.

"He will be back soon," said Messina, an Italian Basketball Hall of Fame member and two-time Euroleague Coach of the Year.

French guard Tony Parker and forward Kawhi Leonard each scored 21 points for San Antonio, while Leonard also contributed 13 rebounds for the Spurs, who improved to 10-4.

Tim Duncan added 17 points for the Spurs, who were two games behind Southwest division leader Memphis.

Rodney Stuckey scored 22 points to lead Indiana, which also had 13 points from Luis Scola and 12 from reserve Chris Copeland.

The Pacers fell to 6-9, three games behind pace-settler Chicago in the Central division.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs kick off title defense by edging Mavericks

LOS ANGELES -- Tony Parker scored 23 points as the San Antonio Spurs began their title defence with a 101-100 win over Dallas in one of three opening-night NBA contests Tuesday.

The Spurs, despite their superb record in ring ceremony games, needed every minute of the contest to hold off their Texas-state rivals, who gave them their most difficult challenge of last year's playoffs.

The Spurs rolled to their fifth title in June by dismantling the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. But first they had to get past the Mavericks in an epic seven-game series in the Western Conference semi-finals.

"We moved the ball much better in the second half," said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who came off the bench to score 20 points. "The defense was great. Tony had a couple of big baskets it was a very close game. Anything could have happened."

Tuesday's three-game set to start the 2014-15 regular season also saw Anthony Davis fall one block shy of a triple-double as the New Orleans Pelicans pulled away from the Orlando Magic for a 101-84 home win.

Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers were taking on the Houston Rockets in the late contest.

San Antonio received their championship rings in a pre-game ceremony which also included raising their fifth championship banner in franchise history. The Spurs are now 5-0 in games where they received their championship rings.

"The ring ceremony got me emotional," said Ginobili. "This is a great start. I can't complain."

Parker scored the go ahead three-pointer with under a minute left. Ginobili also had six assists off the bench and Tim Duncan totaled 14 points and 13 rebounds for San Antonio.

Monta Ellis led Dallas with 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting and Dirk Nowitzki added 18 points with six rebounds in the loss.

San Antonio returned almost everyone from last year's team but they had to play the season-opener without NBA finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who is sidelined by a right eye infection.

Tiago Splitter also sat with a calf injury and Australian Patty Mills will miss the first few months after shoulder surgery.

San Antonio has now won 10 straight regular-season games over the Mavericks, including eight straight at home.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Parker gets contract extension with Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs signed point guard Tony Parker to a multi-year contract extension on Friday.

The team did not disclose terms of the deal. Parker was due to make $12.5 million next season, the final year of his contract.

Parker, 32, scored a team-high 16.7 points per game last season. It was the fourth straight season he has led the Spurs in scoring.

Parker has helped the Spurs win four of their five NBA titles. He averaged 17.4 points per game in the playoffs last season. He was the 2007 NBA Finals MVP.

The six-time All-Star has spent his entire 13-year NBA career with San Antonio since he was the No. 28 overall draft pick in 2001.

- - -

Second-round draft pick Cleanthony Early signed with the New York Knicks.

Terms of the deal were not announced by the team, but it was believed to be a two-year contract for the NBA minimum of $507,336 for 2014-15 and $845,059 the following season.

Early was the Knicks' first selection with Phil Jackson in charge of basketball operations.

The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 16.4 points last season for Wichita State.

- - -

The Miami Heat signed forward Shawne Williams, the team announced.

The 6-foot-9 Williams, a six-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 251 career regular-season games (36 starts) averaging 5.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 17.1 minutes.

Williams, 28, split the 2013-14 season between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League.

- - -

The Denver Nuggets signed guard Erick Green. The deal is reportedly for three years.

The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Green was the 46th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft after leading the NCAA in scoring (25.0 points per game) as a senior at Virginia Tech. (Editing by Gene Cherry)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Championships define legacy of Spurs' Big Three

SAN ANTONIO -- Ever since they joined forces 12 years ago, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have been able to put personal goals aside and focus on winning championship rings.

The San Antonio Spurs' Big Three did just that Sunday, collecting their fourth championship together by beating the Miami Heat in five games in the 2014 NBA finals.

Theirs is a legacy that is built on titles and not egos, said Ginobili.

"It's very unique. I don't think it's happened to many teams in history where three players have played together for so long and in a successful manner like this where no one is egotistical and trying to demand things," Ginobili said.

The core group combined for 49 points in game five as the Spurs defeated the Heat 104-87 Sunday at the AT&T Center arena to claim their fifth title in franchise history.

Winningest trio in playoff history

The three became the winningest trio in post-season history these playoffs, and now have 117 playoffs victories.

"They've gotten over themselves. (That) is what we always talk about," said Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich. "It's absolutely not about any one of them, and they know that.

"If you have three people on your team that lead the way in that manner, it's to be enjoyed on a daily basis. So that's probably the first thing I've enjoyed about them. It makes my job so much easier."

Their leader through all the ups and downs since the 2002-03 season has been Duncan, who is also the first player in league history to win championships 15 seasons apart with the same team.

Duncan is 38 years old and Ginobili is 36, so there is a chance one of them might not play next season. But with the depth the Spurs' lineup showed in these finals there is also a good chance they could get back here and go for a fifth title together.

Duncan, who suggested on Saturday that he would be back next season, said he has been feeling more reflective during these playoffs.

"I think the last couple of years, I have really taken a step back and stopped to enjoy what the journey means," said the player, a native of the Virgin Islands.

"I appreciate every game more. I appreciate every accomplishment and everything we get to go through and every experience, knowing it might be the last time I do it."

These playoffs have been especially gratifying for three-time finals MVP Duncan. He recorded the 158th career playoff double in game four to pass Magic Johnson for the most all-time.

And his 30 minutes of playing time in game four allowed him to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most all-time career playoff minutes.

Asked about his accomplishments after game four, the soft-spoken Duncan said he was honored.

"I can appreciate you saying the names and having passed them in anything," he said. "It is an honor to be in that position. But the focus is on winning one more and once that is done I can look back and say 'Hey, that's truly an honor.'"

Still explosive

The French-born, five-time NBA all-star Tony Parker made his debut with the Spurs at age 19.

Parker, now 32, showed all series long that he is still explosive and his ability to get to the basket hasn't diminished.

His presence in the finals however was a bit of a surprise because of his repeated injuries.

The Spurs' guard suffered a hamstring strain in game five of the league quarter-finals against Portland, and did not play the second half of game six of the semi-finals with an ankle problem.

The 2014 finals have given new life to Argentine star Ginobili, who is in his 10th season.

He struggled in last year's playoffs and even talked of retirement after one of the worst seasons of his NBA career.

But the talk didn't last long as the Spurs sixth man eventually signed a two-year, $14-million contract.

And it turned out to be money well spent, as Ginobili averaged 14.5 points and 4.2 assists per game in the regular season, and scored 19 points in the game five clincher on Sunday.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs crush Heat again, move one win from NBA title

MIAMI - The visiting San Antonio Spurs dominated the Miami Heat again, crushing the two-time defending champions 107-86 in Game Four of the NBA Finals on Thursday to move within one victory of clinching the championship.

The one-sided win gave the Spurs, who routed the Heat by 19 points in Game Three in Miami, a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and put them in position to claim a fifth championship in 15 years when the series shifts to San Antonio for Game Five on Sunday.

Kawhi Leonard led San Antonio's balanced, ball-sharing attack with 20 points and Tony Parker added 19 as all 13 players joined in the scoring spree for the Spurs, who led 55-36 at the intermission.

James, a shadow of himself during the first half, came alive in the third quarter in scoring 19 of Miami's 21 points but it was not enough to slow the dazzling Spurs. James led the Heat with 28 points, with Chris Bosh next highest with 12.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs rout Thunder to take 2-0 series lead

The San Antonio Spurs put the Oklahoma City Thunder to the sword with a spectacular exhibition of shooting in the second half to tighten their grip on the Western Conference finals with a 112-77 win in Game Two on Wednesday.

With All-Star point guard Tony Parker scoring a team-high 22 points and Danny Green pouring in a dazzling array of seven three-pointers, the Spurs sizzled on their home court to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Veteran forward Tim Duncan contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds while Manu Ginobili and Boris Diaw tallied 11 points apiece off the bench as San Antonio had five players in double-figures.

The Spurs, aiming for a return to the NBA Finals, outshot their opponents by 50 percent to 39 from the field.

"In the second quarter, we moved the ball much better, got to our shooters," Duncan, a 14-time All-Star who has won four NBA championship titles with the Spurs, told reporters.

"Danny was obviously hot tonight and TP (Parker) was great just attacking, going straight by people."

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 15 points each but, for the second straight game, they sorely missed the shot-blocking skills of forward Serge Ibaka, who is out for the rest of the playoffs with a calf injury.

League MVP Durant and dynamic guard Westbrook, Oklahoma City's one-two knockout punch, were restricted to a combined 13-for-40 from the field, and Duncan was delighted.

"Work, work for everything," Duncan said of San Antonio's strategy against the usually high-scoring duo. "Keep them off the free throw line, make their shots as tough as possible.

"Those guys are great scorers, we know that, but we want to make them work for everything they get."

MORE PHYSICAL

The Thunder, adopting a more physical approach than in Monday's Game One which they lost 122-105, made a fast start and withstood a sizzling 12-2 run by the Spurs to lead 26-24 after the first quarter.

However, San Antonio then turned on the style to take control as Green poured in three three-pointers and Ginobili added one of his own from beyond the arc to put the home team 58-44 up at halftime.

Roared on by increasingly vocal fans, the Spurs pulled further ahead with a stunning display of shooting from the field, a driving layup by Kawhi Leonard giving them a 29-point advantage before they ended the third quarter leading 91-62.

There was no way back from there for Oklahoma City as the San Antonio bench players maintained control.

"I hope our locker doesn't feel good," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "You shouldn't feel good. We got our butts kicked, but we have a good opportunity to come back and win Game Three."

The series shifts to Oklahoma City where Game Three will be played on Sunday.

Two years ago, the Spurs took a commanding 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals before losing to the Thunder in six games, and that remains a bitter memory for Duncan and his team mates.

"We will remind everybody of that situation," said Duncan. "We go into Oklahoma for that first game with the focus that we will need to win two games there."

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Ian Ransom/Patrick Johnston)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Dominant Spurs move to brink of sweeping Blazers

Guard Tony Parker scored 29 points as the San Antonio Spurs whipped the Portland Trail Blazers 118-103 on Saturday to move to the cusp of the Western Conference finals.

Forward Tim Duncan collected 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Spurs, who took a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series that continues in Portland on Monday.

Five players scored in double figures for San Antonio, which again got great production from a bench that combined for 40 points, compared to six points from Portland's reserves.

The Spurs, behind 20 points on 9-for-12 shooting from Parker, held a 60-40 edge at halftime after San Antonio shot 56 percent from the field in the first half.

Portland made a run after the long break, outscoring San Antonio 17-4 in the first five minutes of the third quarter to draw within 64-57, but the Spurs steadied the ship and pulled away for the emphatic win.

Portland has led for only 33 seconds over the first three games of the series, such has been the dominance of the Spurs, who have won by a combined total of 56 points after being taken to seven games by Dallas in the first round of the playoffs.

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich paid tribute to Parker, as well as his bench.

"Tony, he's been the engine for us and he started out really well tonight, he made shots and involved everybody else," Popovich told reporters. "He played great 'D' (defense) at the other end. He's really playing a complete game.

"We achieved home court advantage because the bench played so well all year long and allowed us to keep guys at 30 minutes or less the entire season. They've continued to be big for us this series."

Portland coach Terry Stotts acknowledged his team were guilty of leaving themselves too much to do after making poor starts.

"In some ways this is very similar to Games One and Two," he said. "We get down big in the first half and then play hard in the second half but the hole's too big.

"Against San Antonio, if you put your guard down they take advantage of it. They're good because they have a lot of options. Everybody's a threat.

"This is as well as I've seen them play all season. Game Seven against Dallas they came out of gate and they haven't stopped since then."

San Antonio, who finished the regular season with the best record in the league, last won the NBA championship in 2007.

(Editing by John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs stay hot to blaze trail in Portland series

The San Antonio Spurs continued their run of hot form to trounce the Portland Trail Blazers 114-97 on Thursday and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semi-finals series.

The Spurs, enjoying home-court advantage throughout the playoffs courtesy of the best regular-season record in the league, have won their last three playoff games by an average of 21 points.

Portland trailed by 20 points in the second quarter but rallied briefly to cut the deficit to just eight with 5:37 left in the game.

The Trail Blazers, however, were unable to respond a second time after San Antonio regained control on consecutive jump shots by guard Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard, the latter a three-pointer.

Leonard, in his third NBA season, often defers to Parker, Manu Ginobili and forward Tim Duncan, veterans who have won three NBA championships together.

Those three, plus coach Gregg Popovich, are trying to get Leonard to shoot more with Popovich saying that newer players needed some time to accept a freedom to shoot.

"Even Timmy (Duncan) deferred when he first came here to David (Robinson) - for about 2 1/2 days," Popovich said.

"David understood who Timmy was. In Kawhi's case, he's got three veteran players out there. He has come into his own, so to speak."

Portland coach Terry Stotts said the early San Antonio run had proved too much to overcome.

"The onslaught at the beginning of the second quarter was obviously the turning point in the game," Stotts said.

"Boris Diaw during that stretch was making plays that kept that group (of reserves) afloat. Their bench does a great job of coming in and having an impact on the game."

The Spurs were taken to seven games by Dallas in the first round of the playoffs but have suddenly hit form as they head to Portland for Game Three on Saturday.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs spank Blazers in game one

The San Antonio Spurs continued their return to top form with a 116-92 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday in Game One of their Western Conference semi-final.

Tony Parker blazed the trail with 33 points and nine assists to give San Antonio the 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

It was the second consecutive blowout win for the number one seed Spurs, who blasted Dallas by 23 points on Sunday in the deciding seventh game of their surprisingly tough first-round series.

Parker set the tone against Portland with his aggressive play, insisting he was not motivated by his premier point guard matchup against young Blazer Damian Lillard who had 17 points.

"Lillard is a top guard in the NBA. I just try to be (San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich's) favorite point guard," Parker told reporters.

"I'm always going to try to do my job and be aggressive."

The Trail Blazers entered the night riding high, having eliminated Houston 4-2 in their opening matchup to reach the second round for the first time in 14 years.

But the home Spurs pounded Portland in the first half to take a 65-39 lead into the halftime and the Blazers could not recover.

LaMarcus Aldridge sustained his great play during the post-season with 32 points and 14 rebounds, but it was far from enough for the Blazers.

"Most of our guys haven't been (this far into the playoffs) so this lets us know how it's going to be," Aldridge said. "It's a learning process, the intensity that championship teams play with."

San Antonio reserve Marco Belinelli had 19 points and Tim Duncan added 12 and 11 rebounds in a complete team effort.

Game Two is on Thursday in San Antonio. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs rout Mavs to set up clash with Trail Blazers

SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs ended a hard-fought first-round series in emphatic style Sunday, routing the Dallas Mavericks 119-96 to advance in the NBA playoffs.

The Spurs, top seeds in the Western Conference, were pushed to a decisive seventh game by the eighth-seeded Mavs, but with their season on the line responded with the runaway win that gave them a four-games-to-three triumph in the first-round series.

"I think our best game was tonight," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of his team that had led the league in the regular season with 62 victories.

"We played very, very well, and I think it was one our best games of the year."

Tony Parker scored 24 of his 32 points in a first half, when San Antonio connected on a sizzling 68.4 percent of their shots from the field to build a comfortable cushion.

"We have a lot of respect for Dallas, they're a great team," Parker said. "They made it very hard on us. The whole series it was a hard fight."

Manu Ginobili finished with 20 points, five assists and six steals and Danny Green added 16 points for the Spurs, who will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday in game one of their second-round series.

"I think our movement was good today and I think we're getting back to playing Spurs basketball," Parker said. "We're going to need it against Portland, they're a very good team."

The Mavericks were trying to become just the sixth number eight seed to knock off a top seed.

But on Sunday they struggled offensively, with Dirk Nowitzki's 22 points leading the way and Devin Harris contributing 17 points off the bench.

Monta Ellis, who had averaged 24 points over the previous five games, contributed only 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Nowitzki opened the scoring with a jump shot, but San Antonio promptly won 18 of the next 23 points and never looked back.

Dallas, who trailed 46-68 at halftime, opened the second half with back-to-back three-pointers.

The Mavericks cut the lead to 14 late in the third quarter, but San Antonio closed out the period on a 14-5 scoring run.

"We got hit by a tidal wave early," said Dallas coach Rick Carlisle. "They had their best game today. They're the best of the best, and they've been great for a long time. They've got a great chance, obviously."

The Mavericks haven't made it out of the first round since beating the Miami Heat for the NBA crown three years ago.

The game was the last of a record five game sevens in the opening round of the playoffs.

The total already matches the NBA record for the most seventh games in all rounds in any playoff year.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs struggle to beat Magic at home

Spurs 121, Magic 112

Tony Parker scored 30 points as the San Antonio Spurs battled to beat the lowly Orlando Magic at home.

Two nights after a dazzling performance that crushed the Miami Heat, the Spurs struggled against the Magic, but ultimately did enough to win their sixth successive game.

Parker, in his fourth game back after being out with various aliments, made 11 of 19 shots from the field as San Antonio (46-16) moved into a tie with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the Western Conference.

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Jazz 104, 76ers 92

Swingman Gordon Hayward scored 22 points and guard Alec Burks added 19 off the bench as the Utah Jazz beat the Philadelphia 76ers, extending the Sixers' losing streak to 16 games.

Burks' three-pointer with 2:36 remaining broke a 91-91 tie and Hayward added two three-point plays in the final minute for Utah.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Spurs rout Heat in NBA finals rematch

SAN ANTONIO - Tim Duncan tallied 23 points and 11 rebounds to power San Antonio to a 111-87 victory over Miami in a rematch of the two NBA finalists from last season.

Tony Parker finished with 17 points and four assists for the Spurs who snapped their five game regular season losing streak against the Heat.

Miami beat the Spurs 113-101 on January 26 at home in the first meeting between the clubs since the Heat beat San Antonio last season to win their second consecutive league title.

San Antonio came close to beating the Heat in the finals but Miami prevailed with a dynamic game-seven win.

Boris Diaw tallied 16 points, eight boards and five assists on Thursday for the Spurs, who have won five straight and eight of nine overall.

Chris Bosh finished with 24 points with seven rebounds and LeBron James contributed 19 points and eight rebounds for Miami at AT&T Center.

The Spurs have now won 13 of their last 15 regular season games against the Heat at home.

San Antonio will host the Orlando Magic Saturday on this homestand, then visit Chicago on Tuesday.

Miami had an eight-game winning streak halted Tuesday with a 106-103 road loss to the Houston Rockets.

It doesn't get any easier for the Heat who visit the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.

James, who had a superb month of February, also had seven assists against the Spurs after scoring 22 points against Houston earlier in the week.

It was the worst loss of the 2013-14 season for Miami, marking the first time they lost consecutive games since losing three straight in mid-January.

James shot six-of-18 from the field and played a good portion of the second half in foul trouble, while Dwyane Wade finished with 16 points on seven-of-15 shooting.

Miami also shot just 44 percent from the field and committed 20 turnovers, including 10 in the final quarter.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Parker shines in return from injury

SAN ANTONIO - San Antonio point guard Tony Parker made a seamless return from a six-game injury absence on Sunday, scoring 22 points to lead the Spurs to a 112-106 NBA win over Dallas.

Parker had been sidelined since just before the All Star break two weeks ago with what Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called a "variety of maladies."

That included different leg injuries as well as hand soreness, but he showed no sign of trouble on Sunday as he connected on 10 of 15 shots from the floor and handed out seven assists in just under 32 minutes on the floor.

Tim Duncan scored 17 points and pulled down nine rebounds, Kawhi Leonard added 16 points and Manu Ginobili had 15 points and seven assists for the Spurs, who have won six of their last seven to keep Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City in their sights.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 points, Vince Carter chipped in 21 and Monta Ellis added 17 points and eight assists for the Mavericks, who have now lost two straight.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Parker lifts Spurs over Pelicans; Mavs rout Magic

Spurs 101, Pelicans 95

Tony Parker scored a game-high 27 points, including three driving layups in the final six minutes, to lift the San Antonio Spurs to a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

In winning their fifth consecutive game, the Spurs (30-8) hung tough after losing power forward Tim Duncan, who picked up his sixth foul with 6:08 left and the Spurs clinging to an 89-88 lead. Duncan finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.

The Pelicans (15-22) lost their sixth straight despite a strong game from Anthony Davis, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds for his 17th double-double of the season.

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Mavericks 107, Magic 88

The Mavericks found little resistance from the hurting Orlando Magic as they blew them out in an easy win.

Monta Ellis scored 21 points in the Mavericks' third straight win.

Dallas (23-16) is a season-high seven games over .500.

The Magic (10-28) finished up a forgettable five-game road trip through the Western Conference without a win, and their overall losing streak is up to eight.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Parker powers Spurs over Mavs

SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs led wire-to-wire by cruising to a 112-90 victory over the Dallas Mavericks behind a 25-point performance from Tony Parker on Wednesday.

Parker also finished with seven assists and Marco Belinelli came off the bench to score 17 points for the Spurs who snapped the Mavericks' four game National Basketball Association win streak.

The Spurs had to play without star Manu Ginobili, who skipped the contest due to a hamstring injury.

Tim Duncan added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs who held Germany's Dirk Nowitzki to eight points on three-of-14 shooting.

Monta Ellis had a solid game with 21 points and four assists.

Dallas got to the free throw line just eight times while San Antonio shot an impressive 23-of-26 from the foul line.

The Spurs started quickly, building a 12-point lead in the first quarter and cruising into halftime on top, 45-38.

Parker and Duncan then went to work. They scored on the opening five possessions of the third quarter to extend San Antonio's lead to 55-42.

A 15-2 run near the end of the third helped seal the Mavs' fate. Parker opened the run with a three-point play and Belinelli had seven points during it, comprising a three-pointer, a drive to the rim and two free throws to give the hosts a commanding 80-59 lead in the closing seconds.

The Spurs led by as much as 29 in the final quarter.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com