The Rest of the Playoffs

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/sports/basketball/after-a-crusher-spurs-regroup-and-refocus.html?_r=0

After a Crusher, Spurs Regroup and Refocus
By HOWARD BECK
Published: June 19, 2013


MIAMI — The first order of business, after the most soul-crushing defeat in San Antonio Spurs history, was dinner.






Tony Parker, center, was consoled by Duncan, right, and Danny Green, left, after a play against the Miami Heat Tuesday. More Photos »

They gathered after midnight at a local Italian restaurant, players, coaches, staff members and their families, everyone shellshocked after the championship was ripped from the Spurs’ embrace Tuesday night. The stinging images of a 103-100 overtime loss to the Miami Heat were still fresh — the free throws they missed, the rebounds that eluded them, the possessions that slipped away, denying the Spurs a fifth title and extending these N.B.A. finals to a seventh game on Thursday.

As they all parsed the details, Coach Gregg Popovich moved from table to table, squeezing shoulders, whispering consolation, nudging, encouraging. These late-night outings have been a longtime Popovich tradition, in victory and defeat, and the need for group comfort was probably never more necessary.

“It helped,” Tim Duncan said Wednesday, back at the podium he had left 13 hours earlier. “The other option is a bunch of us go back to our rooms and sit in our rooms and sit there by ourselves and beat yourself up. So it’s always good to be around teammates and kind of get some stuff out in the open. We did exactly that.”

Tony Parker put it in almost therapeutic terms, saying it was a chance to “make sure everybody doesn’t stay sad too long.”

The Spurs vowed Wednesday afternoon to move past the sadness of Game 6, to reset their psyches and spirits for Game 7, although that task may prove exceedingly difficult under the circumstances.

Only three road teams have won a Game 7 in the finals, and none since 1978. The home team has won 14 of 17.

The Spurs expended every ounce of energy Tuesday night, with Duncan playing 44 minutes, Parker 43 and Manu Ginobili 35. Can they possibly get another 30-point, 17-rebound game from Duncan?

Then consider the emotional devastation from blowing a 5-point lead in the final error-filled 28.2 seconds of regulation. Kawhi Leonard and Ginobili each missed a free throw, either one of which might have sealed the championship. The Heat hit two 3-pointers after offensive rebounds — loose balls that the Spurs simply had to have. Duncan was on the bench in both instances, a strategic decision that seemed to backfire, exposing Popovich — one of the N.B.A.’s most revered coaches — to a torrent of second-guessing and biting criticism.

“If Spurs lose, it will be on Pop,” read the headline over Buck Harvey’s column in The San Antonio Express-News.
Popovich was testy on the subject immediately after the game, but he was in a more explanatory mood on Wednesday. It has been the Spurs’ policy, when defending against a 3-pointer, to bench the 37-year-old Duncan in favor of a more mobile big man, in this case Boris Diaw. The point is to have five defenders who can switch on the pick-and-roll and defend the perimeter.

“Reading and switching makes sense just to take away the 3,” Popovich said.

In both instances, the Heat missed a 3-point attempt but then regained possession, leading to the two critical 3-pointers from LeBron James and Ray Allen. In theory, Duncan might have grabbed one or both of those rebounds, but Popovich said: “It’s not that simple. That’s not why they got the 3s.”

Popovich said the problem came after each initial shot, when the Spurs had to scramble and pick up their men.
“On an offensive rebound, it’s one of the toughest things in the N.B.A., to pick up people,” he said. “And we had one guy who didn’t pick up.”

Two Spurs gravitated to James on the Heat’s last possession, leaving Chris Bosh free to snare the rebound and pass to Allen.

“So it has nothing to do with Duncan,” Popovich said.

Also worth noting: on the first Miami rebound in question, three Spurs had a chance at the ball, but they collided in midair. It squirted away, and Allen fed it to James for a 3-pointer.

There were, of course, several other factors that played into the loss. Duncan, who had 25 points at halftime, failed to score in the fourth quarter and overtime, going 0 for 5 from the field. The Spurs took a 3-point lead in overtime, but they failed to score in the final 2 minutes 42 seconds. Leonard and Parker shot air balls on the same possession, leading to a shot-clock violation. Ginobili coughed up the ball twice. Bosh blocked a shot by Parker.

“We all made mistakes,” said Danny Green, whose 3-point try at the final buzzer was also blocked by Bosh. “Let it go. We’re not going to pick on who did what. We know what we have to do to win.”

Instead of celebrating a championship — Duncan’s fifth, Parker and Ginobili’s fourth — the Spurs are preparing for one more game, possibly their last on the finals stage with this group. Duncan is in his career twilight, and Ginobili is a free agent this summer.

The Heat are trying to repeat as champions, to validate their place among the all-time greats, to secure James’s legacy, which seems to be in constant flux. With one win, the Heat would join the Los Angeles Lakers as the only back-to-back champions in the last 15 years. A loss would tarnish the era and spark new questions about the future of James, Dwyane Wade and Bosh.

“I understand the moment for me,” James said. “I’ve been pretty relaxed, though. I’ve been pretty relaxed throughout the playoffs. I’m going to be antsy. I’m going to be excited. I’m going to have some butterflies. I’ll be nervous. Everything. That’s how I should be.”

He added: “The moment is going to be grand. Like I said, I’m happy to be a part of it.”

steve,

   Thanks for the link.  Its always good to hear the other side of the story.

Swish

The Spurs can play better than in game 6 because Manu was garbage and Tony Parker, Danny Green, and Gary Neal all had off games. They may need to play better if Miami is energized by the way game 6 ended and by seeing the opportunity to win a title in front of them.

The biggest problem I have is that I have a ~!@#$%^&* boy scout committee meeting tonight, and being on the West Coast means I'll miss the second half. It may be the shortest meeting in history.

All right, this is it!!

And Sam, you know me, I was being very sarcastic, tongue in cheek as you put it.  Sarcasm doesn't translate well on a forum.  You know I am very happy just to be posting with all these hardcore Celtic fans.

Manu really sucks. He is a turnover machine. But now he scores.

Again manu turns it over.

Well, MIA was down by 4 with 28 seconds left.

Lebron's too good.

Ginobili's a turnover machine.

Manu SUCKS!

That will just about do it...

Green played like a scared rookie all night.

Crap!

4 will have to do for Tim.

Green went from potential MVP of the series to almost single-handedly costing Spurs the title shooting 2 for 19 the last two games.

Steve,

Green made a few mistakes, but Ginobili was far worse. He was constantly making turnovers throughout the game.

I didn't think SAS was going to win anyway, though.

RUSS!

Congratulations to the winners.  I've already forgotten who they were.

Sam

If someone told you Bosh, Ray Allen and Mike Miller would go 0 for 14 and neither would score a single point, you'd have to like your chances.  Lebron, Battier (6 for 8 on threes) and Wade killed the Spurs

Ray went scoreless in 20 minutes, missing all four of his shots, but I seem to recall he hit a fairly important shot in game 6.  

Would have loved to see the Heat go down.  And they should have.  This championship came gift-wrapped, courtesy of the Spurs.

k_j_88 - At least Ginobili scored 18 tonight, though he had four horrible turnovers.  And at the worst possible times.  Green missed shot after shot after shot to go along with his two turnovers.  Can't believe how on fire he was through four game to how ice cold he was in games 6 & 7.

This stings almost as much as a Celtic loss because of who won this thing.

Disappointed The Spurs couldn't close it out, but good for Ray at least.  He got what he went after.

So, Doc is next to get a ring? KG? PP?

NY,

I wish I could think the way you do on this one, just can't.

Pete

Ditto for me to Pete.  I just cannot stand the Miami Heat. Actually I have alot more respect for LeBron than I ever did, but that doesn't mean I have to root for him.

I couldn't even turn that game on last night.

Rosalie

Rosalie,

I turned it on long enough to see which way it was going, and that was it. Doesn't speak well for my sense of sportsmanship in this case, but just couldn't stand to see Miami celebrate.

What a wimp I am!

Pete