http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14249812p-15066690c.html
Series notes: Popovich has short memory of Friday loss
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, April 30, 2006
The Kings bemoaned their tough-bounce loss after Game 2.
This time, it was the Spurs who went through their light drills at Arco Arena on Saturday afternoon with the frowns and collective sour tastes to their palates, thanks to Kevin Martin's dramatic game-winner.
And there was Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, so eager to move forward he didn't want to look back.
"A loss is a loss, a win is a win, and you go onto the next one," he replied when asked to gauge how tough Friday's 94-93 Game 3 setback was for himself. "There's no time to give it any more meaning than that. You'd go crazy (sizing every loss).
"It was tough at the time, I'll tell you that. But you've got to let it go really quick."
Still, Popovich knows the playoffs are all about drama. He once described Derek Fisher's game-winning buzzer-beater for the Lakers against his team in the 2004 playoffs as "cruel."
And this one?
"The basketball gods weren't with us," he said of Game 3. "You can't really plan on a turnover, a pass to midcourt (to Martin) and a layup to win a game. That's not a plan that you have. It just happened."
To foul or not to foul
In a theme that won't seem to go away, the Kings again were faced with a decision whether to foul late.
In Game 3, the Kings elected to go for a stop, and it paid off.
"(I wondered about fouling) a lot," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "But they have great clutch free-throw shooters. ... The thing I was worried about was Manu Ginobili or something throwing up a long jumper, and the clock runs out. It wasn't an easy decision to make. But it worked out.
"I don't know if I'd do it again (laughs). I think our team had to learn that we were going to get a stop here or not get a stop."
Big on Bonzi
Bonzi Wells continues to carve up the Spurs in the paint. The powerfully built guard followed his 28-point, 12-rebound effort in Game 2 with a 19-point, 14-rebound effort in Game 3. The 14 rebounds represented a career playoff high.
Any specific plans to slow the man, "Pop"?
"If you've got a good idea, I'll take it under advisement," Popovich said. "We've tried everything, and nothing's worked."
More Bonzi
Somewhat lost amid the Martin hysteria was the offensive rebound and dunk put-back by Wells with a little more than three minutes to play, cutting the Spurs' lead to two.
"That was the biggest play of the game, as far as getting us back in the game," Adelman said. "If we don't get that basket and they score, we're down six, and that's a hard team to come back against. Bonzi was a monster on the boards."
Motivational fuel
Ginobili noted that the Kings responded in Game 3 after losing such a heartbreaking contest three days before.
"Losses, most of the times (especially tough losses), they can fuel you," Ginobili said. "The kind of loss the Kings had in Game 2 fueled them. Hopefully, it'll be the same for us."
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
Series notes: Popovich has short memory of Friday loss
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, April 30, 2006
The Kings bemoaned their tough-bounce loss after Game 2.
This time, it was the Spurs who went through their light drills at Arco Arena on Saturday afternoon with the frowns and collective sour tastes to their palates, thanks to Kevin Martin's dramatic game-winner.
And there was Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, so eager to move forward he didn't want to look back.
"A loss is a loss, a win is a win, and you go onto the next one," he replied when asked to gauge how tough Friday's 94-93 Game 3 setback was for himself. "There's no time to give it any more meaning than that. You'd go crazy (sizing every loss).
"It was tough at the time, I'll tell you that. But you've got to let it go really quick."
Still, Popovich knows the playoffs are all about drama. He once described Derek Fisher's game-winning buzzer-beater for the Lakers against his team in the 2004 playoffs as "cruel."
And this one?
"The basketball gods weren't with us," he said of Game 3. "You can't really plan on a turnover, a pass to midcourt (to Martin) and a layup to win a game. That's not a plan that you have. It just happened."
To foul or not to foul
In a theme that won't seem to go away, the Kings again were faced with a decision whether to foul late.
In Game 3, the Kings elected to go for a stop, and it paid off.
"(I wondered about fouling) a lot," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "But they have great clutch free-throw shooters. ... The thing I was worried about was Manu Ginobili or something throwing up a long jumper, and the clock runs out. It wasn't an easy decision to make. But it worked out.
"I don't know if I'd do it again (laughs). I think our team had to learn that we were going to get a stop here or not get a stop."
Big on Bonzi
Bonzi Wells continues to carve up the Spurs in the paint. The powerfully built guard followed his 28-point, 12-rebound effort in Game 2 with a 19-point, 14-rebound effort in Game 3. The 14 rebounds represented a career playoff high.
Any specific plans to slow the man, "Pop"?
"If you've got a good idea, I'll take it under advisement," Popovich said. "We've tried everything, and nothing's worked."
More Bonzi
Somewhat lost amid the Martin hysteria was the offensive rebound and dunk put-back by Wells with a little more than three minutes to play, cutting the Spurs' lead to two.
"That was the biggest play of the game, as far as getting us back in the game," Adelman said. "If we don't get that basket and they score, we're down six, and that's a hard team to come back against. Bonzi was a monster on the boards."
Motivational fuel
Ginobili noted that the Kings responded in Game 3 after losing such a heartbreaking contest three days before.
"Losses, most of the times (especially tough losses), they can fuel you," Ginobili said. "The kind of loss the Kings had in Game 2 fueled them. Hopefully, it'll be the same for us."
About the writer: The Bee's Joe Davidson can be reached at jdavidson@sacbee.com.
