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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12118086p-12988718c.html
Spurs bring NBA's best record into Arco
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, January 23, 2005
There's an overwhelming consensus around the NBA that the Kings will meet the league's best team tonight when they face the San Antonio Spurs at Arco Arena.
Of course, that status won't actually be determined until this spring in the playoffs. But the Spurs do have credentials.
They have the league's best record at 33-9 after Friday night's 128-123 overtime road victory over the Phoenix Suns (31-10). San Antonio, which was led by guard Manu Gino-bili's career-high 48 points, leads the league in fewest points allowed (86.1 points per game) and is second to Chicago in lowest defensive field-goal percentage (.415).
The Spurs have won 16 of their past 20 games and are doing their thing, led by coach Gregg Popovich, in different ways. They have 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes, and when center Rasho Nesterovic left the Phoenix game with an ankle injury and with veteran Robert Horry in street clothes with a right knee injury, Popovich used the 6-foot-6 Ginobili, 6-5 Devin Brown, impressive 6-3 rookie Beno Udrih and 6-7 Brent Barry - with Tim Duncan - primarily to erase a 17-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter.
Kings coach Rick Adelman's team has taken advantage of a favorable schedule with improved play despite being shorthanded in two games to win six straight and improve to 27-11. Only the Spurs, Suns, Seattle (27-11) and the Kings have fewer than 12 losses.
"Everybody says they are the best team in the league," Adelman said of the Spurs, "so this is a great opportunity for us. We've done a nice job on this homestand, and we'll play the best team in the league twice in (five) days. This would really be a big win for us."
The Kings conclude a stretch of seven of eight at home Tuesday, when they meet the New Jersey Nets. Thursday night, they'll end their four-game season series against the Spurs, which stands 1-1, in San Antonio to start a three-game road trip. The trip continues the next night in Houston and finishes Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis against the Timberwolves. Saturday morning, Cuttino Mobley was involved in his first Kings practice that included a five-on-five scrimmage. Peja Stojakovic (back), Chris Webber (knee) and Mike (Bibby) did not scrimmage, but Adelman said they were withheld for precautionary reasons. Mobley instead worked with the second unit, with which he'll likely share court time.
Spurs bring NBA's best record into Arco
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, January 23, 2005
There's an overwhelming consensus around the NBA that the Kings will meet the league's best team tonight when they face the San Antonio Spurs at Arco Arena.
Of course, that status won't actually be determined until this spring in the playoffs. But the Spurs do have credentials.
They have the league's best record at 33-9 after Friday night's 128-123 overtime road victory over the Phoenix Suns (31-10). San Antonio, which was led by guard Manu Gino-bili's career-high 48 points, leads the league in fewest points allowed (86.1 points per game) and is second to Chicago in lowest defensive field-goal percentage (.415).
The Spurs have won 16 of their past 20 games and are doing their thing, led by coach Gregg Popovich, in different ways. They have 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes, and when center Rasho Nesterovic left the Phoenix game with an ankle injury and with veteran Robert Horry in street clothes with a right knee injury, Popovich used the 6-foot-6 Ginobili, 6-5 Devin Brown, impressive 6-3 rookie Beno Udrih and 6-7 Brent Barry - with Tim Duncan - primarily to erase a 17-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter.
Kings coach Rick Adelman's team has taken advantage of a favorable schedule with improved play despite being shorthanded in two games to win six straight and improve to 27-11. Only the Spurs, Suns, Seattle (27-11) and the Kings have fewer than 12 losses.
"Everybody says they are the best team in the league," Adelman said of the Spurs, "so this is a great opportunity for us. We've done a nice job on this homestand, and we'll play the best team in the league twice in (five) days. This would really be a big win for us."
The Kings conclude a stretch of seven of eight at home Tuesday, when they meet the New Jersey Nets. Thursday night, they'll end their four-game season series against the Spurs, which stands 1-1, in San Antonio to start a three-game road trip. The trip continues the next night in Houston and finishes Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis against the Timberwolves. Saturday morning, Cuttino Mobley was involved in his first Kings practice that included a five-on-five scrimmage. Peja Stojakovic (back), Chris Webber (knee) and Mike (Bibby) did not scrimmage, but Adelman said they were withheld for precautionary reasons. Mobley instead worked with the second unit, with which he'll likely share court time.
