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Texas two-step is double trouble
Spurs run all over Kings, who start the season 0-2
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, November 4, 2004
SAN ANTONIO - The Kings have only played two games, and already they need to shore up an amazingly glaring weakness - stopping opposing players from driving to the basket.
It's somewhat incredible the San Antonio Spurs didn't celebrate their season opener with a larger margin than the 101-85 victory they registered Wednesday night at SBC Center before a sellout crowd of 18,797.
Not with their ability and Sacramento's inability to prevent anybody and everybody who had the ball from just putting their heads down and going.
The Spurs shook off the long pre-game pageantry after a slow start, and no one shook it off better than Tim Duncan, who led everyone with 30 points and 14 rebounds.
He had enough help offensively, with Manu Ginobili scoring 24 points and grabbing nine rebounds, and Brent Barry scoring 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Kings guard Mike Bibby bounced back from a tough opener in Dallas on Tuesday by scoring a team-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. His only problem was getting shots.
Bibby clearly had the best shooting stroke going, but the Kings either appeared not to recognize it or were too impatient to get him the ball.
The Kings lost their second game in two nights partly because San Antonio had huge advantages in points in the paint (50-32) and second-chance points (26-6).
The Kings' defenseless defense must begin showing an ability to keep players from leaving them standing in their tracks.
Whether it was Tony Parker running by Bibby, or Duncan driving past Chris Webber, or whoever, it was rare to see the Spurs call a play in the first quarter because even their half-court offense looked like a fast break.
Everybody looked like the Roadrunner; forget the Coyote, the Spurs' mascot. It was straight down the lane and either continue on to the hoop, or pass back to the now-open perimeter players created by the drive and subsequent attempt to help.
Kings coach Rick Adelman was asked if his team was capable of playing better on-ball defense.
"It better be," Adelman said. "They hurt us a lot with penetration, and we'd better get better on defense. We got (beaten) off the dribble so much.
"Every guy needs to take it upon himself to keep his guy in front of him. ... We just have to take more responsibility and pride in keeping guys in front of us."
Webber, for the first time this season, admitted feeling slight pain in his surgically repaired left knee. But he said it had nothing to do with his poor shooting performance.
Webber made just 2 of 10 field goals in the first half and finished with 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting.
"There's a little pain, but nothing like last year," he said after grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. "But that's no excuse. That's not why my jump hooks kept rolling in and out all night long." However, a collective lack of jumping ability enabled Duncan and Spurs center Rasho Nesterovic to consistently use their length to keep rebounds alive. And a lack of Kings quickness enabled the Spurs to run down loose balls and contribute to a 54-36 pounding on the boards.
Texas two-step is double trouble
Spurs run all over Kings, who start the season 0-2
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, November 4, 2004
SAN ANTONIO - The Kings have only played two games, and already they need to shore up an amazingly glaring weakness - stopping opposing players from driving to the basket.
It's somewhat incredible the San Antonio Spurs didn't celebrate their season opener with a larger margin than the 101-85 victory they registered Wednesday night at SBC Center before a sellout crowd of 18,797.
Not with their ability and Sacramento's inability to prevent anybody and everybody who had the ball from just putting their heads down and going.
The Spurs shook off the long pre-game pageantry after a slow start, and no one shook it off better than Tim Duncan, who led everyone with 30 points and 14 rebounds.
He had enough help offensively, with Manu Ginobili scoring 24 points and grabbing nine rebounds, and Brent Barry scoring 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Kings guard Mike Bibby bounced back from a tough opener in Dallas on Tuesday by scoring a team-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. His only problem was getting shots.
Bibby clearly had the best shooting stroke going, but the Kings either appeared not to recognize it or were too impatient to get him the ball.
The Kings lost their second game in two nights partly because San Antonio had huge advantages in points in the paint (50-32) and second-chance points (26-6).
The Kings' defenseless defense must begin showing an ability to keep players from leaving them standing in their tracks.
Whether it was Tony Parker running by Bibby, or Duncan driving past Chris Webber, or whoever, it was rare to see the Spurs call a play in the first quarter because even their half-court offense looked like a fast break.
Everybody looked like the Roadrunner; forget the Coyote, the Spurs' mascot. It was straight down the lane and either continue on to the hoop, or pass back to the now-open perimeter players created by the drive and subsequent attempt to help.
Kings coach Rick Adelman was asked if his team was capable of playing better on-ball defense.
"It better be," Adelman said. "They hurt us a lot with penetration, and we'd better get better on defense. We got (beaten) off the dribble so much.
"Every guy needs to take it upon himself to keep his guy in front of him. ... We just have to take more responsibility and pride in keeping guys in front of us."
Webber, for the first time this season, admitted feeling slight pain in his surgically repaired left knee. But he said it had nothing to do with his poor shooting performance.
Webber made just 2 of 10 field goals in the first half and finished with 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting.
"There's a little pain, but nothing like last year," he said after grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. "But that's no excuse. That's not why my jump hooks kept rolling in and out all night long." However, a collective lack of jumping ability enabled Duncan and Spurs center Rasho Nesterovic to consistently use their length to keep rebounds alive. And a lack of Kings quickness enabled the Spurs to run down loose balls and contribute to a 54-36 pounding on the boards.
