Parker sparks Spurs to win
Web Posted: 10/21/2007 12:07 AM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
Tony Parker returned to active duty Saturday night. Gregg Popovich did not.
With their floor general in the lineup for the first time and their bench general once again backstage, the short-handed Spurs crushed short-handed Detroit 104-80 on Saturday night at the AT&T Center, turning in perhaps their most complete performance of the preseason.
They did it, again, with an incomplete bench.
For the second game in a row, Popovich turned coaching duties over to assistant Mike Budenholzer, choosing instead to monitor the game from his office.
Both teams rested many of their veterans, to the point where the “did not play” list resembled a veritable all-star team: No Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Michael Finley orFabricio Oberto for the Spurs; no Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace or Lindsey Hunter for the Pistons.
“We were just trying to mix and match and keep some guys healthy,” Budenholzer said.
Of course, the Spurs still had Tim Duncan and perhaps even more notably, Parker. Parker had missed the Spurs’ first three preseason outings, resting on Popovich’s orders.
The last time he saw the floor in a Spurs uniform, Parker was en route to MVP honors in last season’s NBA Finals. He also was unmarried.
In his preseason debut Saturday, the newly wed Parker flashed much the same form that led to his magnificent dash through those playoffs.
See Parker direct a fast break. See Parker knock down a jumper. See Parker completely eviscerate the unfortunate soul sent to guard him on his merry way through the lane.
In a little less than 17 minutes, Parker scored seven points on 3-of-4 shooting and passed out four assists.
He even dressed quickly. By the time media arrived in the locker room after the game, Parker was already out the door.
“I think that rest did him good,” said center Francisco Elson, who continued what has been a breakout preseason for him with 14 points. “You miss that point guard with experience. With Tony out there, you saw we ran out quickly.”
Indeed, the Spurs (3-1) took a nine-point cushion into the half, a margin that ballooned to 21 early in the third quarter before both teams began emptying what was left of their benches.
Duncan ended the night with 13 points, hitting 6 of 9 field goals, while Brent Barry was 7 for 10 from the floor on his way to a team-leading 16 points.
Arron Afflalo, a first-round pick out of UCLA, paced the Pistons (3-4) with 20 points.
Yet the player who generated the most buzz — and the loudest ovation during pregame introductions — was Parker.
After an entire preseason on the bench, he was finally able to shake off some rust and, however briefly, return to form.
Spurs notebook: Udoka making most of minutes
Web Posted: 10/21/2007 12:10 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been taking it easy on some of his veteran players in the preseason. Manu Ginobili, Michael Finley,Fabricio Oberto and Bruce Bowen sat out Saturday’s game against the Detroit Pistons after Tim Duncan, Brent Barry and Bowen sat on Thursday against Golden State.
Ime Udoka is one Spurs player who figures to appear in all seven of the games that precede the regular-season opener Oct. 30. He was the Spurs’ only free agent signed this summer, so he understands he needs all the repetitions he can get before opening night.
Udoka played 29 minutes in the Spurs’ 104-80 victory at AT&T Center, making three of four 3-point shots on his way to 10 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds and had three assists. Several slick passes showed he is getting comfortable in the team’s offense.
“For sure, I need as many reps as I can get,” Udoka said. “I’ve been saying it all along: All the rest of these guys have been together a long time and know each other very well. I have to learn them as well as they have to learn me. I don’t want to miss any games.”
Fan favorite: Darius Washington, the point guard from the University of Memphis who is trying to make the roster, has become a fan favorite over the past two games. Washington followed his 18-point, nine-rebound, eight-assist game in a starting role against Golden State by scoring 12 on Saturday. He exited the game with several floor burns, too, a result of a nasty collision with Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey and diving on the floor to tie up Stuckey for a jump ball.
Washington, an alleged 6-foot-1, remains zero-for-jump balls. After not even jumping to contest a jump ball against Golden State’s 6-9 Al Harrington, he was beaten to the tap by Stuckey, who is 6-5.
“I need somebody else 6-1 to jump against,” Washington said.
Up next: The Spurs will head to Miami for their only extended preseason road trip. They are to play the Heat on Tuesday, then visit Orlando on Thursday.