| Ginobili Rebounds, Spurs’ Big Three Take Over Authored by Elliot Cole - May 3, 2006 - 6:50 am
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In two games at Sacramento’s Arco Arena, the physical play of Bonzi Wells and Ron Artest dominated the Spurs. Ginobili and the smaller Spurs guards were overwhelmed by the interior play of Wells, who collected 31 rebounds in the two games (11 more than Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry, and Michael Finley combined).
The Kings closed out on the perimeter to limit the three-point shooting of the Spurs and allowed Tim Duncan to go to work down low. While Duncan averaged 23 points and 10 boards over the two games, the strategy paid off. Finley, Barry, and Robert Horry weren’t as effective as they were in games 1 and 2, finding more hands in their faces than open shots.
But it was Ginobili that struggled the most, being limited to just 11 points in the two games, thanks in large part to Artest. A game 3 turnover led to Kevin Martin’s buzzer-beating layup, one of seven turnovers Ginobili had in the game. By taking just four shots in game 4, his lack of confidence and aggression looked obvious. Collectively, the Spurs looked shaken.
With a lift from Tony Parker and Duncan, Ginobili made sure that confidence wouldn’t be an issue in game 5.
The trio of Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan dominated the Kings defenders, culminating in a crucial 109-98 victory at the AT&T Center and giving the Spurs a 3-2 series advantage. Parker was solid in his midrange game, Duncan finished at the rim and created for his teammates, and Ginobili slashed through the lane as if games 3 and 4 were distant memories.
The big three combined for 26-40 shooting (65%) and took over the game in the fourth quarter. Parker sniped two buzzer beating threes from near halfcourt at the end of the first and second quarters (although only the first counted), but it was a pair of back-to-back jumpers in the fourth that were the most important.
Duncan also provided clutch play, scoring on a tough layup to break a 93-93 tie with 2:47 left in the game. The Spurs would never look back, and Ginobili’s sharp shooting from the line sealed the deal.
When it was all said and done Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan accounted for a staggering 25 of the Spurs’ 29 fourth quarter points. Of Ginobili’s 27 points, 13 came in the fourth quarter. Parker and Duncan finished with 21 and 24, respectively.
The effort of the Spurs’ big three overcame a dominant showing from Wells, who scored 38 on 13-20 shooting and collected 12 rebounds. When the Spurs scrambled to stop Wells from getting easy shots in the paint, he became uncharacteristically consistent from the outside. While Wells was on fire, no other Kings player other than Shareef Abdur-Rahim (2-3) shot over 50%. Mike Bibby continued to struggle with 8 points. Artest was the only other viable scoring option for the Kings, shooting a modest 8-21 on his way to 24 points.
While the Kings rode Bonzi Wells to a late run in the fourth quarter, the Spurs proved that they couldn’t be beaten by a one-man show. While coach Popovich and company will plan on how to limit Wells, the Kings’ coaching staff has a few more worries. As elimination looms, Wells may have to score 50 by himself to keep Sacramento competitive. For the Spurs’ balanced big three, that’s simply not the case.
Crunching the Numbers:
3: Starting lineups for the Spurs in the series after starting Rasho Nesterovic and Robert Horry in the last two games over the ineffective Nazr Mohammed.
11: Number of steals by the Kings, 8 more than the Spurs.
27: Assists by the Spurs, 10 more than the Kings.
9: Rebounds by Manu Ginobili, tying his total for games 2, 3, and 4.
Elliot Cole can be contacted at elliot.cole@yahoo.com |
