Never Underestimate Certain Organs in a Champion
Sorry about the title but it was either that or “Spurs Sting the Hornets in 7” or “Bzzz Kill for New Orleans.”
The Spurs held off a late surge from the Hornets to win game 7 on the road, 91 – 82.
Manu Ginobili, bald and unorthodox, once again coldly euthanizes another opponent, scoring 26 and hitting four foul shots in the final 50 seconds.
San Antonio, making their fourth appearance in the Western Conference Finals in the last six seasons, will face Los Angeles in game 1 on Wednesday. Suck it.
As for the Hornets, they’re a classy young team that will likely wear a ring of their own someday if they can maintain this nucleus.
Gregg Popovich, quietly one of the greatest, got his 100th postseason victory, passing Red Auerbach. Popovich trails only Larry Brown, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson in playoff wins. Jackson has 186 playoff victories.
The Spurs – Lakers series will pit two of the four coaches in NBA history with four or more championships head to head. Jackson and Auerbach have nine. Pat Riley and John Kundla have five.
Say hello to the Hall of Fame, Pop.
The Lakers, not just explosive on the offensive end (that MVP guy and all), have played great defense. Kobe, and just a handful of other star guards, spends none of his time incessantly bitching about being guarded by Bruce Bowen. Being defensive-minded himself, he seemingly isn’t even slightly offended by having an opponent make honest attempts at breaching his space. So, it’ll be nice to watch two series in a row involving the Spurs without the tears over Bruce Bowen.
Even the defensive edge in this one might go to the Lakers. Derek Fisher leads the league in steals in the postseason. Pau Gasol, with 56.8% FG, is also 4th in the league in BPG for the postseason. Bryant was selected to the All-Defensive First team. None of this bodes well for a Spurs team that struggled all year in scoring.
The Lakers and the Spurs split the regular season series 2-2.
Go Spurs Go!
May 20, 2008 at 4:03 am
The Spurs are the late 90’s New Jersey Devils of the NBA. You appreciate their dominance, but only through the box scores because they make their game absolutely unwatchable at times.
May 20, 2008 at 5:38 am
Craig Sager asked Manu a long question after the game talking about Popovich taking the top 6th man in the NBA and having him start against New Orleans and would he be comfortable with continuing to start against the Lakers.
Manu simply replied, “I’m comfortable with winning.”
I thought that the pressure of a 7th game really did show up in the 4th quarter with the Hornets. I mean, Jennaro Pargo takes 14 shots in the 4th quarter?
San Antonio went into last night’s game already packed for the trip to Los Angeles.
May 20, 2008 at 5:49 am
The Spurs are an egoless machine.
May 20, 2008 at 6:04 am
I now find myself rooting for a Spurs/Pistons Finals just so ABC’s worst nightmare comes true and David Stern will end this Spurs run. I can’t take it anymore.
May 20, 2008 at 6:43 am
“… and David Stern will end this Spurs run.” I have no idea what this means.
May 20, 2008 at 7:34 am
No way will it be Spurs/Pistons…the powers that be will ensure this is a Lakers/Celtics epic seven game tilt with the winning shot coming from either ‘expensive beef’ or ‘precious gemstone.’
May 20, 2008 at 7:50 am
Where the F was Chris Paul in that 4th quarter?
May 20, 2008 at 8:53 am
The reason that the Spurs won last night is the same reason old people beat young kids in gyms across the country. They played better as a team, played D and didn’t quit on plays. The 3 point shooting and offensive rebouding didn’t hurt them either.
May 20, 2008 at 9:03 am
Popovich, as expected, was asked if veteran experience and age were the keys to pulling out game 7.
His response was basically “If we had lost you guys would say that it was because of their youth and athleticism and because we are too old. But since we won it’s because we’re old. You have to balance these things out yourself.”
I remember totally resenting Popovich for firing Bob Hill in mid-season immediately upon Robinson’s return. I remember screeching to everyone within reach that he just wanted to get some wins as a head coach with Robinson back only to justify his power grab. Yep. I’m stupid.
May 20, 2008 at 9:21 am
Alfredrick Hughes-throwback-jersey-wearing stupid?
May 20, 2008 at 9:39 am
Not that stupid, but I did see Vinny Del Negro in a bar once and yelled “Hey Vinny! Vinny Del Black!” I was more of a Jerry Tarkanian-will-be-great kind of stupid.
May 20, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Ginobli is a flopper. Bowen is a cheap shot artist and he’s got poor Robert Horry doing the same.
The Spurs org and its fans have been vile pieces of cat poop ever since they threw pennies at Moses Malone as he shot free throws.
And your first instinct about Popovich was correct. His success doesn’t eradicate that bit of douchebaggery.
May 20, 2008 at 6:07 pm
You MUST be a Mavericks fan. Relax, you still have the Stars … oh.
May 20, 2008 at 11:30 pm
“I remember totally resenting Popovich for firing Bob Hill in mid-season immediately upon Robinson’s return. I remember screeching to everyone within reach that he just wanted to get some wins as a head coach with Robinson back only to justify his power grab. Yep. I’m stupid.”
Wasn’t just you. I mean I had the excuse that I was 14 when it happened, but I was all WTF just like you. I thought it was a Pat Riley dick move.
May 21, 2008 at 5:40 am
Pop fired Hill early in the ‘96-’97 season and he took all those losses himself. If he was smart he’d have fired Hill AFTER that season. What I never understood was why Pop, a guy who always had head coaching aspirations, didn’t immediately name himself coach upon being named Spurs GM. With Pop coaching in ‘95 perhaps the Spurs choose to double Hakeem in the playoffs rather than hang Robinson out to dry. Who knows, had Pop been coach all along they might be going to title #6 or #7.
May 21, 2008 at 5:59 am
I thought it was outrageous at the time, but since Bob Hill has since proven himself to be less than stellar, it was the right move.
Pat Riley’s coup? Probably not as good…
May 23, 2008 at 5:57 am
Chooky
May 20, 2008 at 6:43 am “… and David Stern will end this Spurs run.” I have no idea what this means.
It means Bennett Salvatore is still on David Stern’s payroll.