piratebg
04-26-2006, 07:31 AM
And I was up all night watching.:clap: :clap: :clap:
San Antonio 128, Sacramento 119, OT
San Antonio 128, Sacramento 119, OT
Preview - Box Score - Recap
By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer
April 26, 2006
AP - Apr 26, 1:54 am EDT
More Photos
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- With the San Antonio Spurs down by three points and time running out, Manu Ginobili drove the lane and made a perfect pass to wide-open Brent Barry in the right corner.
Remaining under the basket in case there was a rebound, Ginobili began going for the ball when it hit the rim. Then it hit another piece of rim. And then backboard.
And then, with 4 seconds left in regulation, the ball went through the net, tying the game and providing the break the defending champions needed to eventually beat the surprisingly resurgent Sacramento Kings 128-119 in overtime Tuesday night in Game 2 of their first-round series.
"I think it touched every part of the rim -- maybe the backboard, maybe the shot clock," Barry said, smiling. "I think there's still some chrome on the ball."
Barry's double-iron wonder instantly grabs a spot in Spurs playoff lore, alongside the Avery Johnson jumper that clinched their first title in 1999 and Robert Horry's series of clutch 3s in last year's title run.
The shot also left the Kings perhaps even more devastated that they were after Game 1, a 34-point rout that was the most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history.
Despite the suspension of emotional leader and defensive star Ron Artest, Sacramento came out tough and dominated the first half. The Kings got down by 10 in the third quarter, but led down the stretch, all the way until Barry's basket.
"We came out and responded the way we should have," said Sacramento reserve Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who had 27 points and nine rebounds. "It's just a heartbreak that we lost."
Game 3 is Friday night in Sacramento. With so many days off, Kings fans might start wondering whether the Spurs could possibly find another way to break their hearts.
Ginobili benefited from Artest's absence to score 32 points. He was at his best in overtime, losing a defender for a layup, making a steal and an assist on what proved to be the winning basket, then padding the lead with three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer.
"Probably if Ron is there, I score less points," Ginobili said. "But then somebody else is going to go off, like Tony (Parker) did in Game 1. We're confident in our scoring. We know how to move the ball and find the open man."
Parker was far from the speedy dominator he was in the opener, but still produced 22 points and 10 assists. He also had seven turnovers; Ginobili had nine assists and no turnovers.
Tim Duncan, playing on his 30th birthday, had 14 points and 13 rebounds. He went about 19 minutes between baskets in the first half and was in foul trouble the rest of the game, although he never fouled out after getting his fifth with 9:38 left.
Barry shot 8-of-12, including 4-of-7 on 3-pointers. Horry hit three 3s during a 12-0 run that helped San Antonio hang in during the first half.
Abdur-Rahim, Bonzi Wells and Artest's replacement, Kevin Martin, refused to let Sacramento go down 0-2 without a fight.
"We know we can play with this team, we can beat this team," said Wells, who set the aggressive tone for Sacramento and led the team with 28 points and 12 rebounds. "But when he hit that 3, they just took advantage of us."
With Abdur-Rahim leading the way in the fourth quarter, the Kings were up 106-103 with under a minute left. Then Michael Finley hit a long jumper to get San Antonio within a point. Sacramento's lead was back to 109-106 with 14 seconds left after a pair of free throws by Martin, who scored a career-high 26.
The Spurs could've gone for the quick basket, then fouled the Kings again. Sacramento appeared willing to give it up by the way Ginobili got to the rim so easily.
However, the play was designed to set up a 3-pointer, and Barry had lost his defender. His shot hit the far inside of the rim, came back to the front inside, flew straight up, hit the glass and dropped right down for the tie.
"When you have a wide-open look, bad things happen," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "That's the way it goes."
Abdur-Rahim took Sacramento's final shot of regulation, a longer jumper than he would've liked that missed wide.
Mike Bibby, who was 1-of-13 through four quarters, opened overtime with two jumpers that left the Kings ahead 113-112. But they couldn't make it last.
Sacramento came out intent on taking the ball to the rim and wound up getting 16 of its 22 first-half baskets in the paint and leading 56-51 at the break. San Antonio was only that close because it made eight 3-pointers.
After getting chewed out at halftime by coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs opened the third quarter with a 14-2 run and forced Sacramento to miss nine of its first 10 shots. San Antonio went up by 10 when Ginobili leaped to catch a deflected pass and threw a behind-the-back pass -- all in one motion -- to Finley for an open 3-pointer.
But Sacramento rallied again, tying the game at 82 going after three quarters and refusing to collapse. For instance, a crowd-pleasing, go-ahead layup by Parker was immediately answered by a powerful dunk from Abdur-Rahim.
While echoing Wells' contention that the Kings can beat the Spurs, Abdur-Rahim brought up a good point about the No. 8 seed going down 0-2 to the No. 1 seed.
"They did what they had to do," he said. "They took care of home court. We need to go into Sacramento and defend our home court, too."
Notes
This was Horry's 200th playoff game. ... Despite new rules that allow a 13-man roster with one inactive, Artest had to be among the 12 active players.
San Antonio 128, Sacramento 119, OT
San Antonio 128, Sacramento 119, OT
Preview - Box Score - Recap
By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer
April 26, 2006
AP - Apr 26, 1:54 am EDT
More Photos
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- With the San Antonio Spurs down by three points and time running out, Manu Ginobili drove the lane and made a perfect pass to wide-open Brent Barry in the right corner.
Remaining under the basket in case there was a rebound, Ginobili began going for the ball when it hit the rim. Then it hit another piece of rim. And then backboard.
And then, with 4 seconds left in regulation, the ball went through the net, tying the game and providing the break the defending champions needed to eventually beat the surprisingly resurgent Sacramento Kings 128-119 in overtime Tuesday night in Game 2 of their first-round series.
"I think it touched every part of the rim -- maybe the backboard, maybe the shot clock," Barry said, smiling. "I think there's still some chrome on the ball."
Barry's double-iron wonder instantly grabs a spot in Spurs playoff lore, alongside the Avery Johnson jumper that clinched their first title in 1999 and Robert Horry's series of clutch 3s in last year's title run.
The shot also left the Kings perhaps even more devastated that they were after Game 1, a 34-point rout that was the most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history.
Despite the suspension of emotional leader and defensive star Ron Artest, Sacramento came out tough and dominated the first half. The Kings got down by 10 in the third quarter, but led down the stretch, all the way until Barry's basket.
"We came out and responded the way we should have," said Sacramento reserve Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who had 27 points and nine rebounds. "It's just a heartbreak that we lost."
Game 3 is Friday night in Sacramento. With so many days off, Kings fans might start wondering whether the Spurs could possibly find another way to break their hearts.
Ginobili benefited from Artest's absence to score 32 points. He was at his best in overtime, losing a defender for a layup, making a steal and an assist on what proved to be the winning basket, then padding the lead with three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer.
"Probably if Ron is there, I score less points," Ginobili said. "But then somebody else is going to go off, like Tony (Parker) did in Game 1. We're confident in our scoring. We know how to move the ball and find the open man."
Parker was far from the speedy dominator he was in the opener, but still produced 22 points and 10 assists. He also had seven turnovers; Ginobili had nine assists and no turnovers.
Tim Duncan, playing on his 30th birthday, had 14 points and 13 rebounds. He went about 19 minutes between baskets in the first half and was in foul trouble the rest of the game, although he never fouled out after getting his fifth with 9:38 left.
Barry shot 8-of-12, including 4-of-7 on 3-pointers. Horry hit three 3s during a 12-0 run that helped San Antonio hang in during the first half.
Abdur-Rahim, Bonzi Wells and Artest's replacement, Kevin Martin, refused to let Sacramento go down 0-2 without a fight.
"We know we can play with this team, we can beat this team," said Wells, who set the aggressive tone for Sacramento and led the team with 28 points and 12 rebounds. "But when he hit that 3, they just took advantage of us."
With Abdur-Rahim leading the way in the fourth quarter, the Kings were up 106-103 with under a minute left. Then Michael Finley hit a long jumper to get San Antonio within a point. Sacramento's lead was back to 109-106 with 14 seconds left after a pair of free throws by Martin, who scored a career-high 26.
The Spurs could've gone for the quick basket, then fouled the Kings again. Sacramento appeared willing to give it up by the way Ginobili got to the rim so easily.
However, the play was designed to set up a 3-pointer, and Barry had lost his defender. His shot hit the far inside of the rim, came back to the front inside, flew straight up, hit the glass and dropped right down for the tie.
"When you have a wide-open look, bad things happen," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "That's the way it goes."
Abdur-Rahim took Sacramento's final shot of regulation, a longer jumper than he would've liked that missed wide.
Mike Bibby, who was 1-of-13 through four quarters, opened overtime with two jumpers that left the Kings ahead 113-112. But they couldn't make it last.
Sacramento came out intent on taking the ball to the rim and wound up getting 16 of its 22 first-half baskets in the paint and leading 56-51 at the break. San Antonio was only that close because it made eight 3-pointers.
After getting chewed out at halftime by coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs opened the third quarter with a 14-2 run and forced Sacramento to miss nine of its first 10 shots. San Antonio went up by 10 when Ginobili leaped to catch a deflected pass and threw a behind-the-back pass -- all in one motion -- to Finley for an open 3-pointer.
But Sacramento rallied again, tying the game at 82 going after three quarters and refusing to collapse. For instance, a crowd-pleasing, go-ahead layup by Parker was immediately answered by a powerful dunk from Abdur-Rahim.
While echoing Wells' contention that the Kings can beat the Spurs, Abdur-Rahim brought up a good point about the No. 8 seed going down 0-2 to the No. 1 seed.
"They did what they had to do," he said. "They took care of home court. We need to go into Sacramento and defend our home court, too."
Notes
This was Horry's 200th playoff game. ... Despite new rules that allow a 13-man roster with one inactive, Artest had to be among the 12 active players.