马刺1997-98赛季实录（680+篇）

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-23, By Kevin O’Keeffe

太阳队此次无需任何视觉辅助

菲尼克斯——对于太阳队来说，此次没有看到马刺队的战术手册让比赛变得更加艰难。

想必您还记得，上一次马刺队来到美国西部球场时，太阳队能够始终适时处于正确的位置，这要归功于一名粗心大意的（且仍未被点名的）马刺队成员将他的战术手册遗留在菲尼克斯教练组成员能够找到的地方。

借助 1 月份的那份教学辅助材料，太阳队在三节比赛后建立了 20 分的领先优势，在随后的比赛中以 100-79 大胜马刺队。在周日的比赛中，直到最后 5 分钟，太阳队才突然爆发，而马刺队则逐渐落败。

“在那之前，比赛相当激烈，”马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇说道。

是的，除了上述之外，林肯夫人，您喜欢比赛吗？

最后 5 分钟造成了比分上的悬殊局面。但最后 12 分钟才是马刺队陷入困境的真正原因。

不知何故，马刺队在三节比赛后获得了一分的优势，却变成了 18 分的失败——面对太阳队的三场比赛中第三场失利，而太阳队现在掌握了意义重大的平局终结者。

当然，西部每一支精英球队都在主导着马刺队，马刺队现在面对太阳队 (0-3)、超音速队 (0-2)、湖人队 (0-2) 和爵士队 (1-2) 的比赛中总战绩为 1-9。

当然，疲劳是周日晚上马刺队的一大不利因素。在阿拉莫圆顶体育场周六的比赛中以两分之差失利，是一场与犹他队的艰苦的身体对抗。

“但你不能找借口，”马刺队后卫文尼·德尔·内格罗说道，“你得到了报酬，所以你就要比赛。”

同意。

马刺队在最后一节比赛中表现得很糟糕，在 12 次投篮中只有 3 次命中，并且在最后的 4 分 50 秒中只投进了一个运动进球。他们在最后 3 分 17 秒内单次投篮命中。糟糕的决策和球的移动导致了马刺队在进攻中崩溃。

太阳队后卫杰森·基德策划了对马刺队的防守反击，他站出来，找到了空位球员。所有这些归咎于马刺队后卫艾弗里·约翰逊的失误，他是一个坚韧的人，然而在这一场比赛中，他遭遇了本赛季最糟糕的比赛，只得到 2 分，并且有 6 次失误。

马刺队新秀蒂姆·邓肯在 17 次投篮中只命中了 4 次，并且让沮丧的情绪驱使着他做出愚蠢的、明显的犯规。

邓肯是太阳队关注的对象。然而，邓肯对 NBA 的调整部分在于明确自己将成为焦点——并且有时不会得到裁判的同情。

尽管如此，邓肯的关键体现在罚球线上 11 投 9 中，而他在周六罚球失手让马刺队失去了在最后几秒内与犹他队持平的机会。这说明了邓肯的心理素质。

如果您在家里跟进比赛，太阳队在最近两次对决的第四节比赛中以 53-24 击败了马刺队。在本赛季的系列赛中，太阳队从马刺队的 48 次失误中得到了 53 分——周日晚上的 24 次失误中得到 22 分。

在没有罗宾逊、肖恩·埃利奥特和查克·普森的情况下，马刺队真的没有机会面对太阳队，而太阳队则派丹尼·曼宁、凯文·约翰逊和霍特罗德·威廉姆斯替补出场。

因此，底线是：太阳队更胜一筹。

我知道马刺队在周日晚上没有罗宾逊、埃利奥特和普森。但即使在 1 月 9 日有了罗宾逊和普森，马刺队也以 21 分输给了菲尼克斯队。

周日晚上的比赛通过第三节中的一场比赛得到了最佳总结，当时约翰逊无奈地看着基德将一记空接传球传给了安东尼·麦克迪斯。

用他那尖声的卡津腔调，约翰逊喊道：“小心！”

为时已晚。再次。

点击查看原文：Suns don't need any visual aids this time around

Suns don’t need any visual aids this time around

PHOENIX - For the Suns, it was a little more difficult this time without access to the Spurs’ playbook.

You’ll recall that the last time the Spurs were in America West Arena, the Suns were able to be in the right place at the right time all the time thanks to a careless - and still yet-to-be-named - member of the Spurs who left his playbook where a member of the Phoenix coaching staff could find it.

Given that teaching aid back in January, the Suns built a 20-point lead after three quarters en route to a 100-79 thrashing of the Spurs. On Sunday night, it wasn’t until the final five minutes that the Suns exploded and the Spurs faded away.

“It was a hell of a game until that point,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

Yes and, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, did you like the play?

The last five minutes accounted for the lopsided nature of the final score. But the final 12 minutes were really the Spurs undoing.

Somehow, a one-point Spurs advantage after three quarters turned into an 18-point defeat - the third loss in three outings against the Suns, who now own the all-important tiebreaker.

Of course, every one of the elite teams in the West is dominating the Spurs, who now stand 1-9 combined against the Suns (0-3), SuperSonics (0-2), Lakers (0-2) and Jazz (1-2).

Certainly, fatigue was a factor for the Spurs last night. Saturday’s two-point loss at the Alamodome was a tough, physical duel with Utah.

“But you can’t make excuses,” Spurs guard Vinny Del Negro said. “You get paid to play, so you play.”

Agreed.

The Spurs played terribly in the final quarter, going only 3 for 12 from the field and scoring just one field goal in the last 4:50. They did make a single shot from the floor in the final 3:17. Poor decision- making and ball movement contributed to the Spurs’ collapse on the offensive end.

Suns guard Jason Kidd orchestrated the downfall on the defensive end for the Spurs, posting up and finding the open man. All of that falls into the lap of Spurs guard Avery Johnson, a gritty soul who suffered his worst game of the season with two points and six turnovers.

Spurs rookie Tim Duncan sank just 4 of 17 from the field and allowed his frustation to goad him into silly, obvious fouls.

Duncan was the object of the Suns’ attention. Yet, part of the adjustment to the NBA for Duncan is knowing he’ll be the focus - and won’t get the benefit of the doubt from the officials at times.

A key for Duncan, though, was going 9 for 11 from the free-throw line after his miss from the line Saturday cost the Spurs a chance to tie Utah in the final seconds. That speaks to Duncan’s mental toughness.

If you’re keeping track at home, the Suns have outscored the Spurs 53-24 in the last two fourth quarters. In the season series, the Suns have 53 points on 48 Spurs turnovers - 22 points on 24 errors Sunday night.

Playing without Robinson, Sean Elliott and Chuck Person, the Spurs really had no chance against the Suns, who bring Danny Manning, Kevin Johnson and Hot Rod Williams off the bench.

Thus, the bottom line: The Suns are better.

I know the Spurs were without Robinson, Elliott and Person on Sunday night. But even with Robinson and Person on Jan. 9, the Spurs lost to Phoenix by 21.

Sunday night is best summed up by a play in the third quarter when AJ watched helplessly as Kidd lofted an alley-oop pass to Antonio McDyess.

In his squeaky Cajun drawl, AJ yelled, “Look out!”

It was too late. Again.

By Kevin O’Keeffe, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-24, By Jerry Briggs

马刺和森林狼，同病相怜，互为对手，惺惺相惜

圣安东尼奥马刺(San Antonio Spurs)希望避免连续第三场失利，而他们的对手明尼苏达森林狼(Minnesota Timberwolves)则拥有着自己的伤病困扰。

过去几周，马刺和森林狼都失去了球星和主力球员，由于伤病原因。两支球队都对阵容和球员轮换进行了调整，效果有好有坏。

尽管两支球队都没有处于最佳状态，但在今晚7:30在阿拉莫圆顶体育馆进行的中西部赛区强强对话中，总要有一支球队胜出。

马刺(36胜18负)将努力避免遭遇三连败。本赛季他们只在12月初经历过一次三连败。另一方面，森林狼(30胜23负)则希望取得三连胜。

“明尼苏达是一支优秀的球队，”马刺主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。“显然，他们不再被视为一支扩张球队。他们是一支季后赛球队，拥有很多天赋。”

马刺在上周末连续输给了犹他爵士和菲尼克斯太阳，他们将连续第三场比赛缺席三名主力球员。

伤病名单中最引人注目的当属球星中锋大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)，他在周一进行了右膝骨骼扫描。

“你做骨骼扫描是为了看看是否有应力性骨折，”波波维奇说，“但没有发现任何类似的情况。”

罗宾逊自2月14日以来一直没有上场。他被诊断出患有软骨软化症——膝盖骨下关节软骨粗糙，俗称“跳跃者膝”，他已经九天没有训练了。

马刺希望罗宾逊能够在周三尝试训练，看看他是否能在周四对阵多伦多猛龙的比赛中复出。如果他需要更多训练来恢复状态，那么他可能将在周六对阵费城76人的比赛中复出。

“希望他很快就能加入我们，”波波维奇说。“这取决于（球队医生）大卫·施密特(David Schmidt)医生的评估。”

除了罗宾逊连续第五场缺阵外，马刺还将缺席三分射手查克·珀森(Chuck Person)和肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)。

马刺在1月27日埃利奥特因股四头肌肌腱手术缺席后，能够弥补他的缺失。但当罗宾逊在情人节的比赛中在主场输给太阳，以及珀森在周五进入伤病名单后，马刺变得人手短缺。

森林狼对此感同身受。他们失去了队中得分王汤姆·古格里奥塔(Tom Gugliotta)，他因脚踝受伤赛季报销。古格里奥塔将在下周一或周二在纽约接受手术。

由于先发控卫克里斯·卡尔(Chris Carr)受伤，森林狼在过去10场比赛中输掉了5场。

与此同时，马刺在全明星赛后状态不佳，取得了2胜4负的战绩，跌至西部第五，中西部赛区第二。

幸运的是，西部的一些领头羊也经历了挣扎。例如，洛杉矶湖人队在全明星赛后五场比赛中输掉了四场。

同样，西雅图超音速队在周一晚些时候对阵洛杉矶快船队的比赛前，取得了3胜2负的战绩。

在周日晚上以97-79输给太阳后，马刺并没有理会如果他们在本赛季的某个时间点因为伤病而挣扎，现在可能是最好的时机这样的说法。

“我们无法控制其他球队，”波波维奇说。“我们只能控制我们自己的。”

目前，爵士和太阳在季后赛竞争者中表现最为强劲。但马刺后卫艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)并没有关注排名。

“湖人不是我们的标杆，”约翰逊说。“我不在乎湖人是否输球，也不在乎（西雅图）是否输球。我们正在努力赢得比赛。仅仅因为他们输球，这并不是我们输球的借口。”

在过去的两场比赛中，马刺在攻防两端表现不稳定。他们在周六晚上在阿拉莫圆顶体育馆与爵士的比赛中凭借强硬的防守限制了对手，并在第四节发起强势反击，但最终还是以79-77惜败。

在对阵太阳的比赛中，他们的防守在前三节依然稳固。但太阳在控卫杰森·基德(Jason Kidd)的带领下，在最后五分钟打出了一波17-2的攻势，最终赢得了比赛。

- 马刺新闻：肖恩·埃利奥特表示，他比去年康复进度更快，去年他接受了右股四头肌肌腱手术，直到8月下旬才恢复到最佳状态。

埃利奥特说，他上周开始进行轻负荷力量训练。

点击查看原文：Spurs, Wolves feel one another's pain S.A. out to avoid third straight loss against team with own injury woes

Spurs, Wolves feel one another’s pain S.A. out to avoid third straight loss against team with own injury woes

Both the Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves have lost stars and starters to injuries over the past few weeks. Both have improvised with new lineups and player rotations, with mixed results.

While neither team is at full strength, something will have to give in a matchup of Midwest Division foes at 7:30 tonight at the Alamodome.

The Spurs (36-18) will try to avoid their third loss in a row. They have lost three straight only one time this season, in early December. On the other hand, the Timberwolves (30-23) are looking for their third straight win.

“Minnesota is a fine basketball team,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Obviously, they are no longer looked at as an expansion team. They are a playoff team, with a lot of talent.”

Stung by consecutive losses over the weekend to the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, the Spurs will be without three of their top seven players for the third consecutive game.

Most noticeable among the wounded in street clothes will be star center David Robinson, who underwent a bone scan on his right knee Monday.

“You do a bone scan to see if there’s a stress fracture,” Popovich said, “and nothing like that showed up.”

Robinson hasn’t played since Feb. 14. Suffering from what is believed to be chondromalacia - a roughening of the articular cartilage under the kneecap, commonly known as “jumper’s knee” - he hasn’t practiced in nine days.

Tentatively, the Spurs want Robinson to try to practice Wednesday to see if he can play by Thursday against Toronto. If he needs a few more practices to work his way into shape, then it could be Saturday against Philadelphia.

“Hopefully, he’ll be able to join us soon,” Popovich said. “It depends on the evaluations by (team physician) Dr. (David) Schmidt.”

Besides Robinson missing his fifth game in a row, the Spurs also will be without three-point specialist Chuck Person and Sean Elliott.

The Spurs were able to compensate for the loss of Elliott on Jan. 27 to quadriceps tendon surgery. But when Robinson went down in a Valentine’s Day loss at home to Phoenix, and Person went on the injured list Friday, the Spurs were left extremely short-handed.

Minnesota can relate to the humbling experience. The Wolves have lost leading scorer Tom Gugliotta for the season with an ankle injury. Gugliotta is expected to undergo surgery next Monday or Tuesday in New York.

Also hurt by an injury to starting guard Chris Carr, the Timberwolves have dropped five of their last 10.

The Spurs, meanwhile, have stumbled out of the All-Star break with a 2-4 record, falling into fifth place in the Western Conference and into second in the Midwest Division.

Fortunately for the Spurs, some of the front-runners in the West have struggled, as well. The Los Angeles Lakers, for instance, have lost four out of five since the All- Star break.

Also, the Seattle SuperSonics were 3-2 following the break going into a game late Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.

After dropping a 97-79 decision Sunday night in Phoenix, the Spurs shrugged off the notion that if they were going to struggle with injuries at some point this season, this might be as good a time as any.

“We don’t have control over other teams,” Popovich said. “We only have control over ours.”

Currently, the Jazz and Suns are making the strongest second-half runs among playoff contenders. But Spurs guard Avery Johnson isn’t watching the standings.

“The Lakers are not our barometer,” Johnson said. “I don’t care if the Lakers lose or if (Seattle) loses. We’re trying to win games. Just because they’re losing, it’s not an excuse for us.”

In the past two games, the Spurs have been sporadic at both ends of the floor. They held down the Jazz with tough defense and made a strong run in the fourth quarter Saturday night at the dome, only to come up short 79-77.

The defense was solid again for three quarters at Phoenix. But the Suns, sparked by point guard Jason Kidd, went on a 17-2 run in the last five minutes to break it open.

- Spurs notes: Sean Elliott said he is ahead of last year’s rehabilitation schedule, when he underwent surgery on his right quadriceps tendon Feb. 18 and didn’t return to full speed until late August.

Elliott said he started light weight exercises last week.

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-24, By Buck Harvey

来自太阳的灼伤：劳动法

埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)的控球技巧远不及斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury)的十分之一。约翰逊也知道这一点。这就是为什么约翰逊会在今晚比赛开始前出来，像对待其他人一样准备迎接马布里。

约翰逊可能会重复一系列右手婴儿勾手，这是他两年前才开始尝试的动作。或者，他可能会练习一些运球投篮技巧，这是他梦寐以求的技能。

他花了近十年时间打造自己的NBA比赛，层层叠叠。这份工作让他在过去一周勉强收支平衡。他认为，如果再工作十年，他或许能赢得所有比赛。

但现在呢？约翰逊仅仅是马刺队第三有价值的球员。

这仍然无法阻止人们的普遍看法，那就是马刺队永远不可能在约翰逊的带领下赢得冠军。达蒙·斯塔德迈尔(Damon Stoudamire)上个月就说过，而且，在马刺队办公室深处，有些人可能也这么认为。

每个人都喜欢他的态度，但就像上周日菲尼克斯的比赛那样。在那场比赛中，面对一支拥有三个在自由市场上更有价值的控球后卫的球队——贾森·基德(Jason Kidd)、凯文·约翰逊(Kevin Johnson)和史蒂夫·纳什(Steve Nash)——约翰逊七次出手只命中一球。更糟糕的是，他的失误次数和助攻次数一样多。

“我不想指责任何人，”约翰逊事后说道。“但是这支球队不能指望他们的控球后卫像今晚这样打球。”

这就是AJ。如果他指责任何人，那个人就是他自己。没有人比他更了解自己的缺点。马布里今晚将会冲下球场，像呼吸一样自然地运球过人，不知道他的本能会将他带往何处。约翰逊会站在底角附近，距离篮筐大约14到18英尺，永远不会更近，也不会更远。

约翰逊在金州勇士队效力时，从唐·尼尔森(Don Nelson)那里学到了这一点。约翰逊并不是一个糟糕的射手；他只是当他脱离自己的舒适区时，投篮会变得很糟糕。他学会了，当他稳稳地站在正确的位置时，他的跳投就会命中。

一周前对阵底特律，比赛时间所剩无几，活塞队犯了一个所有人都会犯的错误。他们退缩了，因为约翰逊不会投篮，对吧？

约翰逊对此的反应是运球到他的位置并做好准备。“距离篮筐18英尺，”约翰逊说道。

就好像他亲手丈量过一样。这就是一个每天都在同一时间吃晚饭的男人的细致入微的思维方式。曾经他无法突破，总会出问题。现在，当格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)叫暂停，想要执行一个战术来扭转局势时，他十有八九会让AJ走后门。

但是，仅仅是在没有真正控球后卫的底特律队面前完成一个绝杀，与约翰逊自全明星赛后的生活相比，算不了什么。加里·佩顿(Gary Payton)第一个来了，然后是基德，然后是约翰·斯托克顿(John Stockton)，然后又是基德。

他挺过了前两次，部分原因是波波维奇改变了防守策略；基德上周得到29分，而约翰逊大部分时间都在追防纳什。但周六晚上，在蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)的强大力量和他罚球不中的掩盖下，出现了罕见的统计数据。约翰逊最终得到20分、7次助攻和1次失误；斯托克顿得到9分、5次助攻和6次失误。

马刺队的射手们本可以通过减少打铁来提高他的助攻总数。这也可能是对约翰逊争夺冠军最有力的辩护。如果拥有更好的侧翼球员，AJ可能会成为完美的组织者。

但这只是人们的看法，约翰逊从来不相信别人的想法。他在选秀大会上落选，五支球队要么裁掉他，要么让他走。约翰逊每次都做出相同的反应，就像今晚在菲尼克斯之后他会做出的反应一样。

在马布里上场之前，约翰逊会回到球场。有时候，更努力地工作能够改变一切。

点击查看原文：From a burn by a Sun: Labor law

From a burn by a Sun: Labor law

Avery Johnson doesn’t own one- tenth the shake of Stephon Marbury. And Johnson knows it. That’s why Johnson will come out before the game tonight and prepare for Marbury as he prepares for everyone.

Johnson might repeat a series of right-hand baby hooks, something he’d never tried until two years ago. Or he might run through a few dribble-shoot maneuvers, something he dreams of mastering someday.

He’s spent almost a decade building an NBA game, layer upon layer. The work allowed him to break even the past week. He thinks if he gets another decade of work, he might win them all.

But now? Johnson is only the third most valuable Spur.

That still doesn’t stop the popular opinion, that the Spurs won’t ever win a title with Johnson. Damon Stoudamire said it last month, and, deep down, some in the Spurs’ offices probably think the same.

Everyone loves his attitude, but then comes a night like Sunday in Phoenix. Then, against a franchise with three point guards more valuable on the open market - Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson and Steve Nash - Johnson scored one basket in seven tries. Worse, he had as many turnovers as assists.

“I don’t want to point fingers,” said Johnson afterward. “But this team can’t afford for their point guard to play the way he played tonight.”

That’s AJ. If he points a finger, it’s at himself. Nobody knows his flaws better than he does. Marbury will come down the floor tonight, dribbling between his legs the way others breathe, not sure where his instincts will take him. Johnson will spot up near the corners, from about 14 to 18 feet, never closer, never farther.

Johnson learned this from Don Nelson at Golden State. Johnson isn’t a bad shooter; he’s just bad when he gets out of his element. He learned his jumper falls when he’s set and standing in the right spots.

A week ago against Detroit, with the clock winding down, the Pistons got it wrong just as everyone does. They backed away from Johnson because he can’t shoot, right?

Johnson reacted by dribbling to his spot and getting set. “Eighteen feet from the basket,” Johnson said.

As if he’d stepped it off. And that’s the meticulous mindset of a man who eats his pregame dinner at exactly the same time every day. Once he couldn’t drive without something going wrong. Now, when Gregg Popovich calls time and looks to run one play to set things right, more often than not he calls for AJ to cut backdoor.

But a mere game-winner against a Detroit team without a true point guard is nothing compared to the rest of Johnson’s life since the All-Star break. Gary Payton came through first, then Kidd, then John Stockton, then Kidd again.

He survived the first two, partly because Popovich switched defensive assignments; Kidd got 29 points last week with Johnson mostly chasing Nash. But Saturday night, lost amid both Tim Duncan’s power and his missed free throw, were rare stats. Johnson ended with 20 points, seven assists and one turnover; Stockton with nine points, five assists and six turnovers.

The Spurs’ shooters could have helped his assist total by clanging less. And that might be the best defense of Johnson’s title chances, too. Given better swingmen, AJ might be the perfect distributor.

But that’s opinion, and Johnson never believed much in what others thought. He wasn’t drafted, and five franchises either cut him or let him go. Johnson reacted each time as he will react tonight in the wake of Phoenix.

Before Marbury trots out, Johnson will go back to the floor. Sometimes working harder changes things.

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-25, By Jerry Briggs

马刺比森林狼更饥渴——在邓肯的 26 分的带领下，圣安东尼奥重返正轨

蒂姆·邓肯本周二晚上拿下 26 分，帮助马刺队以 105-99 战胜明尼苏达森林狼，终结了球队的两连败。

在阿拉莫穹顶球场，14422 名观众见证了这场比赛，维尼·德尔·内格罗拿下 23 分，马利克·罗斯得到 12 分。

前锋凯文·加内特为森林狼队拿下最高的 25 分，控球后卫斯蒂芬·马布里得到 24 分。

随着这场胜利，马刺队的战绩提升至 37 胜 18 负。在全明星赛休息以来，他们已经取得了 7 场比赛中的 3 场胜利。森林狼队的两连胜被终结，战绩为 30 胜 24 负。

第四节开始后不久，当森林狼队将比分差距缩小到 11 分时，萨姆·米切尔和马布里为明尼苏达命中三分。

但德尔·内格罗在最后 23.7 秒命中 4 个罚球，挡住了反扑。

从缓慢的开局中恢复过来，马刺队团结一致，并在半场结束时以 54-46 领先。

加内特在第一节打出 11 投 7 中的 17 分，丝毫没有让马刺队做好准备。森林狼队狂轰滥炸，取得 8 分领先，但由德尔·内格罗带领的马刺队在比赛后期打出一波攻势，将比分差距缩小到 28-25。

第二节的亮点出现在马刺主教练格雷格·波波维奇将鲜有出场机会的马利克·罗斯换上场，试图阻止加内特。罗斯比森林狼队那名价值 1.26 亿美元的球员矮了五英寸以上，但他让其没有得到一个篮板。

在罗斯完成这项艰巨的任务后，马刺打出一波 10-0 的攻势，取得 11 分的领先。他们在中场休息时获得 8 分的优势，因为明尼苏达的马布里在还剩五分之一秒的时候命中了一记三分球。

凭借篮板球的优势，马刺队在第三节经受住了森林狼的冲击。马刺队在篮板球上以 19-10 碾压明尼苏达，从未让客队减少到少于 5 分的差距。

点击查看原文：Spurs hungrier than Wolves - S.A. back on track behind Duncan's 26

Spurs hungrier than Wolves - S.A. back on track behind Duncan’s 26

Tim Duncan scored 26 points Tuesday night as the Spurs snapped a two-game losing streak with a 105-99 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

A crowd of 14,422 at the Alamodome watched as Vinny Del Negro produced 23 points and Malik Rose 12.

Forward Kevin Garnett led Minnesota with 25 points and point guard Stephon Marbury had 24.

With the win, the Spurs improved to 37-18. They have won three of seven games since the All- Star break. The Timberwolves had a two-game winning streak end and fell to 30-24.

Sam Mitchell and Marbury hit three-pointers for Minnesota in the final minute as the Wolves, down by 11 early in the fourth quarter, cut the lead to four.

But Del Negro hit four free throws in the final 23.7 seconds to hold off the rally.

Recovering from a slow start, the Spurs rallied to take a 54-46 lead at halftime.

A first-quarter blitz by Garnett, who scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, left the Spurs stunned. The Wolves charged into an eight- point lead, but a late Spurs flurry led by Del Negro cut the margin to 28-25 .

A highlight in the second quarter came when Spurs coach Gregg Popovich inserted the little-used Malik Rose into the game to shut down Garnett. Rose, giving up more than five inches in height, didn’t allow a basket by the Wolves’ $126-million man.

With Rose doing the dirty work, the Spurs went on a 10-0 run and took an 11-point lead. They went into intermission with an eight- point advantage as Minnesota’s Marbury hit a long trey with five- tenths of a second left.

The Spurs withstood a Wolves charge in the third quarter on the strength of their rebounding. Hammering Minnesota 19-10 on the boards, the Spurs never let the visitors get closer than five points.

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-25, By Jerry Briggs

斯普雷维尔引起马刺队兴趣

马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)承认了长期以来一直传闻的事情——他正在考虑签下前金州勇士队后卫拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell)。

波波维奇，同时也是球队总经理，周一晚上在WOAI-AM电台的电话节目中表示，被禁赛的斯普雷维尔“是一个好人”，“一个非常棒的球员”，如果他本赛季可以复出，马刺队会考虑签下他。

“如果他能复出，我们肯定会考虑他，因为他是一个非常棒的球员，”波波维奇说。“我们是否会把他带到球队，我们只能拭目以待。”

目击者称，在12月1日加州奥克兰的一次训练中，斯普雷维尔掐住了金州勇士队主教练P.J.卡莱西莫(P.J. Carlesimo)的脖子，并威胁要杀了他。这位三次入选全明星阵容的球员还被指控几分钟后返回再次袭击卡莱西莫。

由于斯普雷维尔的所作所为，勇士队解雇了他，当时他的合同还剩三年2500万美元，NBA也介入并对他禁赛一年。

然而，就目前而言，斯普雷维尔的篮球未来取决于仲裁员约翰·菲里克(John Feerick)，他是福特汉姆大学法学院的院长。他在两个城市听取了21位证人的超过60个小时的证词后，将于3月18日公布裁决。他的决定具有约束力。

菲里克可以减少或取消禁赛，或者同意NBA总裁大卫·斯特恩(David Stern)的禁赛，该禁赛将让斯普雷维尔直到12月3日才能重返联盟。

此外，菲里克可以恢复斯普雷维尔与勇士队的合同。如果他只是允许斯普雷维尔复出，这位后卫可能需要在本赛季剩余时间里打球，而收入不到100万美元。

波波维奇说斯普雷维尔为发生的事情感到抱歉。

“他是第一个承认自己所做的事情不合适，错了的人，”波波维奇说。“这更多的是一种针对某个人的脾气和愤怒，这不是他的生活方式，也不像那样。

“……他并没有在球场外惹是生非，惹上麻烦，坐牢，继续胡闹。他与这个人有特殊问题，结果就爆发了。”

波波维奇在斯普雷维尔效力勇士队的两年里曾担任助理教练。

“他是一个好人，”他说。“他一点也不坏。我非常享受在他效力勇士队的两年里执教他。我跟他玩得很开心。他很棒。一个很棒的竞争者。他热爱胜利。他遇到了困难。部分原因是他的反应方式，而他也会第一个承认这一点。”

周二下午，当被问及他在电台的言论时，波波维奇拒绝重复他的言论。

“我不是那种喜欢谈论不存在的事情的人，”波波维奇告诉《快报》。 “我不知道他的状态会如何。和往常一样，我不会对球员的引进发表任何评论。”

彭博社周二公布的一项调查显示，近四分之一的NBA总经理表示，如果斯普雷维尔现在可以复出，他们会签下他。

7位总经理表示他们毫不犹豫地签下他，12位表示他们对签下他毫无兴趣，9位拒绝发表评论。除了勇士队之外，每个球队的管理层都被调查了。他们被允许匿名，并被问及是否会签下他，而不考虑薪资。

斯普雷维尔的经纪人阿恩·特勒姆(Arn Tellem)表示，当更多球队了解到斯普雷维尔与卡莱西莫争执的背景时，会有更多球队对他感兴趣。菲里克发布了禁言令。彭博社为本报道提供了资料。

点击查看原文：Sprewell drawing interest of Spurs

Sprewell drawing interest of Spurs

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich acknowledged what has long been rumored - that he is considering signing former Golden State Warriors guard Latrell Sprewell.

Popovich, also the team’s general manager, said on his WOAI-AM radio call-in show Monday night that the suspended Sprewell is “a good guy” and “a heck of a player,” and is someone the Spurs would consider signing if he becomes available to play this season.

“If he’s available, he’s certainly somebody we would consider because he is a heck of a player,” Popovich said. “Whether we bring him here or not, we just have to wait and see.”

Witnesses said Sprewell choked and threatened to kill Golden State coach P.J. Carlesimo during a Dec. 1 practice in Oakland, Calif. The three-time All-Star also is alleged to have returned a few minutes later to strike Carlesimo.

Because of Sprewell’s actions, the Warriors fired him with three years and $25 million left on his contract, and the NBA stepped in and suspended him for one year.

For now, though, Sprewell’s immediate basketball future rests with arbitrator John Feerick, dean of Fordham University law school, who, after presiding over more than 60 hours of testimony from 21 witnesses in two cities, will issue his ruling by March 18. His decision is binding.

Feerick could reduce or eliminate the suspension, or agree with NBA commissioner David Stern, whose ban would keep Sprewell out of the league until Dec. 3.

Also, Feerick could reinstate Sprewell’s contract with the Warriors. If he simply allows Sprewell to return, the guard likely would have to play the remainder of this season for less than $1 million.

Popovich said Sprewell is sorry for what happened.

“He’s the first guy to admit to you that what he did was inappropriate and wrong,” Popovich said. "It was more a temper and anger thing directed at one individual. It’s not his way of life or anything like that.

“… He’s not off the court raising hell and getting into trouble, and in jail and carrying on. He had a particular problem with this individual and it came out.”

Popovich was an assistant coach at Golden State for two years when Sprewell played there.

“He’s a good guy,” he said. “He’s not a bad guy at all. I enjoyed coaching him for the two years I was with him. I had a lot of fun with him. He’s great. A great competitor. He loves to win. He’s been in a tough situation. Part of it was because of the way he reacted, and he’ll be the first to admit that.”

Asked Tuesday afternoon about the comments he made on the radio, Popovich declined to repeat his remarks.

“I’m not a guy to talk about situations that don’t exist,” Popovich told the Express-News. “I don’t know what his status is going to be. As usual, I’m not going to say anything about player acquisitions.”

In a Bloomberg News poll released Tuesday, almost a quarter of NBA general managers said they’d sign Sprewell if he were available immediately.

Seven general managers said they wouldn’t hesitate to sign him, 12 said they have no interest in signing him and nine wouldn’t comment. Executives from every team except the Warriors were polled. They were granted anonymity and were asked whether they’d sign him without regard to salary.

Sprewell’s agent, Arn Tellem, said more teams will be interested in Sprewell when they learn of the circumstances surrounding the altercation with Carlesimo. Feerick imposed a gag order. Bloomberg News contributed to this report.

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-25, By Kevin O’Keeffe

伤兵满营？射手计划迅速回归

周二上午的投篮训练中，马刺队伤员们在阿拉莫穹顶的一个篮筐下进行训练。

大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和查克·珀森(Chuck Person)进行了一对一对抗，珀森在投篮时笑着把球从罗宾逊头上抛出，值得注意的是，罗宾逊没有跳起来。

抱歉，查克。

肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)加入，他选定珀森作为防守对象，两人进行了一些轻柔的对抗。

不幸的是，对于马刺队球迷来说，这三位球员在周二晚上明尼苏达森林狼队来访时都穿着正装。

查克·康纳斯·珀森(Chuck Connors Person)因伤缺阵，将在3月2日萨克拉门托的比赛中复出。珀森至少需要休息5场比赛。

不过，周二上午他感觉非常活跃，不想休息五分钟就回到球场上。

“休息完五场比赛后，我就会重返赛场，”珀森说。

因此，没有必要询问这位征战联盟12年的老将感觉如何。答案显而易见。

就像周四晚上在达拉斯，当时珀森没有那么活跃一样。

他没有笑。

他没有微笑。

他僵硬地坐在复兴球馆狭窄更衣室里的一把折叠椅上。他用两个靠垫垫在椅子上，但看起来似乎什么也无法减轻他的疼痛。

那天晚上，即使是国会法案也无法让珀森活跃起来。

他说他的背部有积液。他谈到他的第5节椎骨错位。他说他左臀部开始麻木，然后一直麻到腿上。

“我是一个斗士，我是一个战士，”珀森说。

那天晚上，他的表现证明了这位33岁的侧翼球员的精神和动力，他仍然是马刺队最强的三分射手。

珀森拒绝因疼痛而放弃任何投篮机会，他反而在达拉斯比赛之前去健身房进行了两次锻炼，做了两次按摩，在跑步机上走了走，并洗了个蒸汽浴。

“现在，我不需要每次都做那么多才能热身，”珀森说。

他希望如此。

珀森将最近身体虚弱归咎于全明星周末（2月7日至8日）在纽约的长时间坐着。

他在2月17日的底特律比赛结束后感到不适。

底限是什么？珀森整年都受到困扰。

为什么NBA历史上排名第四的三分射手现在的投篮命中率只有35.9%？

“但我不想每天都抱怨，”珀森说。“我的背部疼。我已经学会了忽略它。我知道我的疼痛阈值。”

周四晚上，他超越了这个阈值。

“我知道每次我踏上球场都会有风险，”珀森说。“我不会带着恐惧打球。”

珀森的背部问题可以追溯到1995-96赛季，球队前往丹佛开始客场之旅时，他的飞机座椅松动了。他的合同还有一年，本赛季的薪水为247万美元。

现在，虽然珀森在周二感觉很兴奋，但毫无疑问，马刺队签下威利·伯顿(Willie Burton)的10天合同是为了预防珀森长期缺阵。

“我是一个斗士，我是一个战士，”珀森重复道。“我不会悄无声息地走向美好的夜晚。”

马刺队的球迷们对此感到高兴。

点击查看原文：Missing Person? Rifleman plans on quick return

Missing Person? Rifleman plans on quick return

During Tuesday morning’s shootaround, the Spurs’ walking wounded were working on one basket in the Alamodome.

David Robinson and Chuck Person were doing a little one-on- one, with Person chuckling as he lifted a hook shot over Robinson, who, it should be noted, did not jump.

Sorry, Chuck.

Enter Sean Elliott, who drew Person as a defender for some gentle jostling.

Unfortunately for the Spurs’ faithful, that threesome were in business attire when the Minnesota Timberwolves came to call Tuesday night.

Chuck Connors Person, who is on the injured list, can’t play until March 2 in Sacramento. Person has to sit a minimum of five games.

Tuesday morning, though, he was feeling so frisky he didn’t want to sit five minutes before getting back on the floor.

“I’m going to be back out there after the five games are up,” Person said.

Thus, there was no need to ask the 12th-year pro how he was feeling. It was obvious.

Much as it was Thursday night in Dallas when Person wasn’t frisky.

He didn’t laugh.

He didn’t smile.

He sat stiffly on a folding chair in the cramped locker room at Reunion Arena. He was boosted by two cushions on his chair, but it looked as if nothing would help ease the pain.

That night, it would have taken an act of Congress to have Person clown around.

He said he had fluid in his back. He talked about his L5 being out of whack. He said he had a numbness that began in his left buttock and went down his leg.

“I’m a fighter, I’m a warrior,” Person said.

Playing that night gave proof of the spirit and drive that motivates the 33-year-old forward who remains the Spurs’ top three-point threat.

Refusing to ever take a shot for pain, Person instead made a couple of trips to the health club, had two massages, walked on the treadmill and took a steam bath before the Dallas game.

“Now, it’s not always going to take that for me to get loose,” Person said.

He hopes.

Person blamed a lot of sitting during All-Star Weekend (Feb. 7-8) in New York for his weakened condition of late.

He was bothered after the Detroit game here Feb. 17.

Bottom line? Person has been bothered all year.

Why else would the fourth- ranked three-point marksman in NBA history be shooting 35.9 percent from the floor as he is now?

“But I didn’t want to complain every day,” Person said. “My back hurt. I’ve learned to ignore it. I know my threshold of pain.”

Thursday night, he surpassed it.

“I understand there are certain risks every time I walk out on the floor,” Person said. “I won’t play scared.”

Person, whose back problems date to his airplane seat coming loose on the team’s flight to Denver to open the 1995-96 season road schedule, has another year remaining on his contract, which pays him $2.47 million this season.

Now, although Person was feeling chipper Tuesday, there seems little doubt that the Spurs’ signing of Willie Burton to a 10- day contract is a hedge against Person being out longer.

“I’m a fighter, I’m a warrior,” Person repeated. “I cannot go gently into the good night.”

And Spurs fans are glad.

By Kevin O’Keeffe, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-25, By Glenn Rogers

玫瑰的刺扎痛了森林狼

非凡的时刻需要非凡的举措。

马利克·罗斯(Malik Rose)，马刺板凳席上被遗忘的男人，周二晚上在阿拉莫圆顶体育馆听到了一个陌生的呼喊。

“我听到有人喊我的名字，我‘嗯’了一声，然后就进去了，”罗斯笑着说，他刚刚结束了与凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)和森林狼的战斗。

当时马刺有些麻烦，第二节还剩9分06秒，他们以31-32落后于森林狼。狼王加内特正在咆哮，啃噬着马刺的防守。

圣安东尼奥派出了6尺6寸的贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)去防守6尺11寸的加内特。结果并不奏效。

“他让加内特在身高上占了优势，”埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)谈到杰克逊时说。

“大概两英尺，”杰克逊反驳道。

“我们以为我们可以快速地双人包夹他。但他直接越过了贾伦，我开始为他感到难过，”约翰逊说。

第一个呼叫求救的对象是蒙蒂·威廉姆斯(Monty Williams)，他领到了个人第三次犯规，于是罗斯被派上场。

“我有点紧张，”罗斯说，“不是因为我需要防守凯文，而是因为我只想打好比赛，这样才能回到（常规比赛时间）。”

罗斯继续对加内特进行减速防守，后者在首节比赛中已经拿下了17分。最终他得到25分。

“我们的一些主力球员有点伤病，所以我们所有人都需要付出更多，”罗斯说，他并没有太多机会贡献，他在27场比赛中的平均上场时间只有7.4分钟。在周二晚上之前，他已经连续9场比赛没有上场。

“我只是想让凯文为他的投篮多付出一些努力。他错过了一些投篮，这让我看起来很不错，”他说。

加内特确实错过了一些投篮，因为罗斯用他那250磅的紧凑身躯压在了加内特那瘦削的220磅框架上。罗斯上场后，加内特在第二节没有得分。

“我开始质疑自己的一些投篮，”加内特说。“然后我试图让我的队友更多地参与进来。在我错过几次投篮后，我的心态就发生了变化。”

“马利克在防守加内特方面做得很好，”马刺主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。“他贴着加内特防守，没有让他突破。”

具有讽刺意味的是，一位在波波维奇周一晚上参加的电台节目中的听众询问为什么他不让罗斯上场。“我妻子一直在问我同样的事情，”波波维奇说。

马刺最终以105-99险胜森林狼，他们在比赛后期抵挡住了明尼苏达的进攻，这波进攻差点就吞噬了圣安东尼奥两位数的领先优势。

再次缺席比赛的大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)让蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)成为了主要的攻防核心，但这一晚他得到了许多额外的帮助。

罗斯在防守之外还增加了篮板和得分，他在一些漂亮的强力突破中得分。

点击查看原文：Rose's thorns prick Timberwolves

Rose’s thorns prick Timberwolves

Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures.

Malik Rose, the forgotten man on the Spurs’ bench, heard an unfamiliar shout Tuesday night at the Alamodome.

“I heard my name called. I went ‘huh,’ and I went in,” said Rose, smiling, after his battle against Kevin Garnett and the Timberwolves.

The Spurs were in a little trouble at the time, 9:06 of the second period, and trailing the Wolves 32-31. Main Wolf Garnett was snarling, chewing away at the Spurs defense.

San Antonio started 6-foot-6 Jaren Jackson on the 6-11 Garnett. It didn’t work.

“He gave up some height,” Avery Johnson said of Jackson.

“About two feet,” yelped back Jackson.

“We thought we could double down quickly. But he just jumped over Jaren. I started to feel sorry for him,” Johnson said.

The first call for first aid went to Monty Williams, who picked up his third foul, and the call went to Rose.

“I was a little nervous,” Rose said. “Not because I had to guard Kevin but I just wanted to play well so I could get back in (regular game minutes).”

Rose continued the slowdown work on Garnett, who had scored 17 points in the opening quarter. He finished with 25.

“Some of our top guys are a little banged up, so we all have to contribute a little more,” said Rose, who hasn’t had much chance to contribute at all, averaging just 7.4 minutes in 27 games. He had nine consecutive did-not-plays before Tuesday night.

“I just tried to make Kevin work a little for his shots. He missed some and that made me look good,” he said.

Garnett missed some because Rose was laying some of his 250 compact pounds on his slender 220- pound frame. Garnett did not score in the second quarter after Rose arrived on the scene.

“I started second-guessing some of my shots,” Garnett said. “Then I tried to get some of my teammates involved. My mindset just changed after a few missed shots.”

“Malik did a good job on Garnett,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He got out on the floor on him and didn’t worry about him driving.”

Ironically enough, a caller into Popovich’s radio show Monday night inquired why he wasn’t playing Rose. “My wife has been asking me the same thing,” Popovich said.

The Spurs just did slip by the Wolves, 105-99, holding off late Minnesota surges that threatened to swallow up double-digit San Antonio leads.

Again, without David Robinson, Tim Duncan became the prime defensive and offensive force, but this night he had plenty of additional help.

Rose added rebounding and points to his defensive work, scoring on some sweet-looking power runs.

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-25, By Glenn Rogers

教练 vs. 媒体：一场一场打

有时你得忍着笑，听听教练们如何努力地传递一种深刻的现实感。

“这只是一场常规赛。你们把它搞得太重要了，”很多教练都会摇摇头，装出一副困惑的样子说道。

当媒体大肆报道老将与超级新秀的对决时，你可能会听到：“你们为什么把这场对决看得这么重要？这场比赛是两支球队之间的较量，不是两个球员之间的较量。”

这算是明智而深刻的分析吗？

我时常在想，他们认为媒体应该宣传什么？难道应该是那些平淡无奇的新秀之间的对决，或者顶级中锋之间的对决，又或者是迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)与整个球队的对决吗？

我敢肯定，球队市场营销人员和联盟总裁大卫·斯特恩(David Stern)本人都会对这种做法感到非常高兴。

也许教练们觉得自己被冷落了。

我们可以更多地谈论和写作关于低位技巧的细微差别，掩护战术和钉人战术的精髓，以及让乔丹得分所需的整体编排，比如那种极其复杂的单挑。

也许教练们会允许媒体进入录像室，观看他们对即将到来的防守策略的分析。我们会了解到，“看，如果他们对三分线上的三名球员进行包夹，我们的球员就会在球场外围获得空位。”

好吧，我们有点夸大了。

但教练们有时会以这种方式表现得很有趣。他们不喜欢自己无法控制的事情。

当然，在取得一场大胜之后，他们不介意说这证明了他们的球员有能力与这支球队抗衡。有时，如果他们心情不错，他们甚至会承认即将到来的几场比赛将揭示球队的现状和需要改进的地方。

我想，当他们这么说的时候，媒体也有权提出来。

但不能在之前。

中部赛区

**雄鹿的担忧：**特雷尔·布兰登(Terrell Brandon)的伤病情况越来越糟糕。他本赛季第二次因左脚踝扭伤而进入伤病名单，但布兰登暗示这可能是赛季报销。

布兰登第一次扭伤脚踝是在 12 月 11 日，他因此缺席了七场比赛。他在 12 月 30 日复出，打了 18 场比赛，然后在 2 月 5 日再次受伤。雄鹿在 18 场比赛中赢下了 11 场，布兰登场均得到 19.1 分和 7.7 次助攻。当被问及他上次是否过早复出时，他说：“现在你可以这么说。但当时，很多因素促使我复出。我们输球了，我尽力尽快复出。”

毫无疑问，复出太早了。

中西部赛区

**内尔森的运作：**达拉斯教练唐·尼尔森(Don Nelson)长期以来一直被视为联盟中最精明的交易高手。在他上任后的第一个赛季，他就交易走了九名球员。除了埃德·奥班农(Ed O’Bannon)、德里克·哈珀(Derek Harper)和埃里克·蒙特罗斯(Eric Montross)以外，其他六名球员都在新球队获得了大量的上场时间，其中五名球员很可能将进入季后赛。

作为回报，尼尔森得到两名首发球员——肖恩·布拉德利(Shawn Bradley)和丹尼斯·斯科特(Dennis Scott)——以及三名在 10 胜 42 负的球队中获得上场时间的球员。在尼尔森的前四笔涉及 17 名球员的交易中，只有布拉德利、斯科特和哈里德·里夫斯(Khalid Reeves)获得了稳定的上场时间。

“我会让你们来评价我，”尼尔森说道，“但我可以这么说：我还会再次进行那些交易。当时，而且我认为将来也会这样，这些交易对我们来说是有效的。我们确实送走了几名优秀的球员。但在这个联盟中，你不可能既要鱼儿又要熊掌。”

到目前为止，我们打出“F”的评价。

太平洋赛区

**神谕：**湖人教练德尔·哈里斯(Del Harris)自己的球队也面临着尼克·范·埃克塞尔(Nick Van Exel)的伤病问题，他说西部联盟是一群实力相当的顶级球队。

“休斯顿击败西雅图，然后被波特兰击败，”哈里斯说道。“波特兰击败菲尼克斯，然后菲尼克斯击败圣安东尼奥。圣安东尼奥与西雅图战至最后时刻，然后西雅图被犹他队以 20 分的差距击败。”

当然，马刺队在没有大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)的情况下差点击败爵士队，然后在菲尼克斯被大比分击败。

“这些球队都很接近，”哈里斯说道。“这里有八支杰出的球队。赛季的收官阶段将会很激烈。如果你获得了第一名，你最好做好在首轮比赛的准备。如果你遇到了健康的休斯顿，你最好带上你的拳击手套。”

大西洋赛区

**- 马什布恩的粉丝：**迈阿密教练帕特·莱利(Pat Riley)似乎改变了对贾马尔·马什布恩(Jamal Mashburn)的看法。

莱利坚持说，在马什布恩的拇指受伤之前，他早就已经将他从交易市场上撤了下来。

“在过去的一个月里，我已经意识到我不准备交易贾马尔，”莱利说道。“我知道关于他的所有传闻。但我已经做出了决定，我不会让他在 25 岁的年纪离开。

“这就是为什么无论传闻有多少，最终都没有发生任何事。他对于我们来说太重要了。”

我们拭目以待帕特在季后赛之后会有什么想法。

有价值的信息

**- 哦，劳埃德：**前马刺球员劳埃德·丹尼尔斯(Lloyd Daniels)与老鹰队签署了一份 10 天合同，但在仅仅打了三天之后就被裁掉了，因为他在训练中迟到了。他说他的闹钟没有响。劳埃德的闹钟已经多年没响过了。

**- 达纳的现实：**凯尔特人队控球后卫达纳·巴罗斯(Dana Barros)在对阵灰熊队的比赛中砍下 29 分和 7 次抢断。当被问及他是否想以此向球队传达一个信息，希望获得更多上场时间时，巴罗斯回答说：“我们只是需要一场胜利。我还没厉害到可以向任何人传达信息——除了可能发送电子邮件。”

点击查看原文：A coach vs. media: One game at a time

A coach vs. media: One game at a time

Sometimes you have to get a kick out of the way coaches strain to convey a sense of profound reality.

“It’s just another game on the schedule. You guys make it something else,” so many will say, with a shake of the head and feigned perplexity.

When the media make a fuss about the wily veteran going against the super-talented rookie, you might hear, “Why are you guys making such a big deal out of this matchup? It’s about one team against the other, not just two players.”

That’s intelligent and penetrating analysis?

I sometimes wonder what they think the media should promote. Should it be ho-hum clashes between outstanding rookies, between premier centers, between Michael Jordan and an entire team?

I’m sure the teams’ marketeers and Commissioner David Stern himself would be mighty pleased with this approach.

Perhaps coaches feel left out.

We could talk and write more about the nuances of the post play, the essence of back picks and pin- downs, the overall orchestration that frees Jordan to score, like the enormously complicated one-on- one.

Maybe coaches would permit media inside the film room when upcoming defenses are dissected. We would learn, “See, if they double down off the three-man, our guy should be wide open on the perimeter.”

All right, we exaggerate.

But coaches can be funny this way. They don’t like things outside their control.

Of course, after a big win, they won’t mind saying that this proved their guys showed they could play with this team. Sometimes, if they aren’t in the ornery mood, they’ll even admit that an upcoming string of games will show where the team is and needs to get.

When they say this, I guess, the media also are entitled to mention it.

But not before.

Central Division

Bucks’ worry: The Terrell Brandon injury situation is getting messy. He is back on the injured list for the second time this season with a sprained left ankle but Brandon implies it may be a season-ender.

Brandon first sprained the ankle Dec. 11 and missed seven games. He returned Dec. 30 and played 18 games before injuring it again Feb. 5. The Bucks won 11 of the 18 games and Brandon averaged 19.1 points and 7.7 assists. Asked if he came back too early last time, he said, “You can say that now. But at the time, a lot of things played into me coming back. We were losing and I tried to come back as quickly as I could.”

Undoubtedly, too soon.

Midwest Division

Nellie’s moves: Dallas coach Don Nelson, long regarded as one of the league’s shrewdest deal-makers, has traded away nine players in his first year on the job. All but three - Ed O’Bannon, Derek Harper and Eric Montross - are playing big-time minutes for their new teams, and five likely are headed for playoff appearances.

In return, Nelson had acquired two starters - Shawn Bradley and Dennis Scott - and only three who received quality minutes on a team that is 10- 42. Of Nelson’s first four deals involving 17 players, only Bradley, Scott and Khalid Reeves saw consistent playing time.

“I’ll let you guys grade me,” Nelson said. “But I’ll say this: I’d make those deals again. At the time, and I still think in the future, they’re going to work out for us. We gave away some good players, sure. But it’s not often in this league you can have your cake and eat it, too.”

Thus far, we’ll grade it “F.”

Pacific Division

The Oracle: Lakers coach Del Harris, having his own injury problems with Nick Van Exel, says the Western Conference is a jumble of equally strong top teams.

“Houston beats Seattle, then gets beat by Portland,” Harris said. “Portland beats Phoenix, then Phoenix beats San Antonio. San Antonio takes Seattle down to one point and Seattle gets beat by 20 by Utah.”

Then, of course, the Spurs, without David Robinson, almost beat the Jazz and then got routed at Phoenix.

“These teams are all pretty close,” Harris said. "You’ve got eight outstanding teams out here. It’s going to be a tough finish. If you finish first, you best be ready to play in the first round. If you draw a healthy Houston, you better put your boxing gloves on.

Atlantic Division

- Mash fan: Miami coach Pat Riley seems to have changed his mind about Jamal Mashburn.

Mashburn, Riley insisted, had been taken off the trade market well in advance of his thumb injury.

“I had gotten to the notion in the last month that I was not going to trade Jamal,” Riley said. "I know what all the rumors are about him. But it had gotten to the point with me, that (Mashburn) at 25-years-old, I was not going to let him go anywhere.

“That’s why nothing happened, regardless of all the rumors out there. He’s too good for us.”

We’ll see how Pat feels after the playoffs.

For what it’s worth

- Oh, Lloyd: Former Spur Lloyd Daniels got a 10-day contract with the Hawks and was cut after three days because he missed a practice. He said his alarm clock didn’t go off. Lloyd’s clock hasn’t gone off in years.

- Dana’s reality: Celtics point guard Dana Barros scorched the Grizzlies with 29 points and seven steals. Asked if he was sending a message to get more time at the position, Barros replied, “We just needed a win. I ain’t good enough to send a message to nobody - except maybe e-mail.”

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-26, By Glenn Rogers

罗宾逊伤势未愈，能否复出仍未可知

坏消息接踵而至。

今天晚上 7:30 在阿拉莫穹顶体育场，马刺队将与多伦多猛龙队交锋，大卫·罗宾逊将再次在场边观战。

罗宾逊很可能在周六晚上球队主场与费城队比赛时也会缺席。而这位全明星中锋能否赶上马刺队从下周一在萨克拉门托开始的四连客之旅，目前还不得而知。

“大卫还在不断康复中，但还需要一点时间，所以他（今晚）不会上场，”马刺队主帅格雷格·波波维奇在周三上午马刺队在大穹顶球馆的训练结束后说道。“我们周五会再观察他的情况，但我认为他周六应该不会上场。我们要等到他完全康复才会让他上场。我们希望他能在四连客之旅中做好上场的准备，如果可能的话。”

四连客之旅的第一站是国王队，之后还将对阵金州勇士队、洛杉矶湖人队和波特兰开拓者队。

罗宾逊因右膝持续疼痛，周三与球队一起进行了轻度的训练。他没有参加对抗性训练，而是与恰克·佩森一起在边线上进行了冲刺训练。佩森因下背疼痛被列入伤病名单，最早将于下周一晚上才能上场。

马刺队训练师约翰·安德森和球队的力量和体能教练迈克·布伦加德特与罗宾逊一起站在场边。“大家的意见一致，认为大卫现在还没有准备好。”波波维奇说道。

罗宾逊拒绝接受媒体采访。他已经缺席了五场比赛，在这段时间里马刺队的战绩为 3 胜 2 负。

“我们希望他在状态恢复到接近 100% 的时候回来。”马刺队后卫艾弗里·约翰逊说道。“如果他身体健康，并且已经为剩下的赛季做好了准备，我宁愿他等到对阵公牛队的比赛（3 月 14 日）再复出。我们不希望出现密尔沃基雄鹿队特雷尔·布兰登那样的情况，他（因脚踝受伤）复出后又再次受伤，甚至可能缺席整个赛季。”

约翰逊表示，在罗宾逊、佩森和西恩·埃利奥特缺阵期间，球队表现得一直不错，埃利奥特因左股四头肌肌腱手术而缺席比赛。去年，罗宾逊只打了 6 场比赛，佩森缺席了整个赛季，埃利奥特打了 39 场比赛。

“我认为我们打得还行，因为我们这次看到了隧道尽头的曙光，这让我们松了一口气。”约翰逊说道。“去年，我们知道他们不会回来了。我真不在乎我们在季后赛中拿到哪号种子，因为我知道只要我们进入季后赛，我们就一定能有所作为。”

“你知道，到目前为止，本赛季西雅图超音速队、犹他爵士队等顶级球队都保持着相当健康的阵容。还没有一支球队不得不连续三场缺少三名主力球员。休斯顿火箭队饱受伤病困扰，你可以看到他们在积分榜上的排名（西部联盟第八，27 胜 28 负）。所以，尽管我们的主力球员缺阵，但我们表现得不错，而且我们知道他们什么时候能回来。”

佩森表示，自己的病情正在好转。

“我不关心什么时候才能复出。”他说。“我只是想在我复出的时候没有疼痛。”

在这三人缺阵的情况下，马刺队的其他球员挺身而出。

周二晚上对阵明尼苏达森林狼队的比赛中，威尔·帕杜作为首发中锋出场 40 分钟，抢下 19 个篮板，得到 12 分。蒂姆·邓肯得到 28 分，还有 19 个篮板。维尼·德尔·内格罗得到 23 分。马利克·罗斯得到 12 分，并对森林狼队的球星凯文·加内特进行了强有力的防守。

“时间因素的确对罗宾逊的预期复出有所帮助。”帕杜谈到罗宾逊的复出时说道。“去年一开始并不确定，但我们真的不认为他能复出。现在，我更容易融入比赛，因为我知道自己可能会打很多时间。”

“他们总是说，‘让比赛来找你’，但当你刚从替补席下来时，你不可能总是这样做。你会倾向于让事情发生。”

“现在我可以更放松地打我的比赛了。他们不希望我得分太多。我在进攻篮板上抢下篮板，得到了我的分数。当蒂姆被包夹时，我可以穿过防守线得到一些分数。我认为每支球队都想要我这样的人，承担我在场上所做的那类工作。”

点击查看原文：Robinson's return remains up in the air

Robinson’s return remains up in the air

The news isn’t too good.

David Robinson will watch again from the sidelines when the Spurs take on the Toronto Raptors at 7:30 tonight at the Alamodome.

Chances are, Robinson also will sit out when the team hosts Philadelphia on Saturday night. And it remains uncertain whether the All-Star center will be ready for the Spurs’ four-game road trip that begins Monday in Sacramento.

“David continues to improve, but it’s going to take a little more time, so he won’t play (tonight),” Coach Gregg Popovich said after the Spurs’ practice at the dome Wednesday morning. “We will look at him again Friday, but I would doubt he will play Saturday. We’re not going to go with him until he’s ready. We would like to see him ready for the road trip, if that is possible.”

The trip starts against the Kings, then continues against Golden State, the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland.

Robinson, suffering from consistent pain in his right knee, worked out lightly with the team Wednesday. He was held out of contact drills, then ran sprints up and down the sidelines with Chuck Person. Person is on the injured list with lower back pain and won’t be eligible to play until Monday night.

Spurs trainer John Andersen and Mike Brungardt, the team’s strength and conditioning coach, were on the sidelines with Robinson. “All agree that David is not ready yet,” Popovich said.

Robinson declined to talk with the media. He has missed five games and the Spurs are 3-2 during that stretch.

“We want him back when he’s near 100 percent,” Spurs guard Avery Johnson said. “I’d rather him come back for the Bulls game (March 14) if he’s healthy and ready for the rest of the year. We don’t want a situation like Milwaukee has with Terrell Brandon, where he came back (from an ankle injury) and now he’s out again, maybe for the rest of the year.”

Johnson said the team has been holding up well during the absence of Robinson, Person and Sean Elliott, who has been out of the lineup after undergoing surgery on his left quadriceps tendon. Last year, Robinson played in only six games, Person missed the entire season and Elliott played in 39 games.

“Yes, I think we’re playing OK because we see a light at the end of the tunnel this time and that eases things,” Johnson said. "Last year, we knew they weren’t coming back. I really don’t care what seed (in the playoffs) we get because I know we’re going to somewhere once we get there.

“You know, so far, Seattle, Utah, the top teams, have been pretty healthy this year. Nobody has had to go through stretches without three of their top guys. Houston has had its troubles with injuries and you see where they are in the standings (eighth in the Western Conference at 27-28). So we’re playing OK with our guys out and we see when they will be coming back.”

Person said his condition is improving.

“I’m not concerned about just when I will be back,” he said. “I just want to be pain-free when I do return.”

In the absence of the trio, other Spurs have been stepping up.

Will Perdue played 40 minutes as the starting center against Minnesota on Tuesday night and hauled down 19 rebounds and scored 12 points. Tim Duncan scored 28 points and also had 19 boards. Vinny Del Negro scored 23 points. Malik Rose had 12 points and played heavy-duty defense on Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett.

“The time element does help,” Perdue said of Robinson’s expected return. "It wasn’t definite at first last year, but we really didn’t think he would be able to return. Right now, it is easier for me to get into my game because I know I probably will be playing a lot of minutes.

"They always say, ‘Let the game come to you,’ but you can’t always do that when you’re just coming off the bench. You tend to want to make things happen.

“Now I can relax more and play my game. They don’t want me to score a lot. I get my points off putbacks, off the offensive boards. I can get some by going through the defensive seams when Tim is double-teamed. I think every team wants a guy like me, asked to do the type of things I do out there.”

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-27, By Glenn Rogers

Taking the roar out of Raptors - Second-half surge enough to lift Spurs

Tim Duncan scored 24 points to lead the Spurs past the Toronto Raptors 97-86 Thursday night at the Alamodome.

The Spurs, again playing without center David Robinson, are 38-18 and Toronto drops to 12-43.

San Antonio put Toronto on the ropes in the third quarter, scoring on eight consecutive possessions to build a 72-55 lead after a Vinny Del Negro three-pointer with five minutes left in the quarter.

The Raptors, misfiring through the period, managed to cut the deficit to 13, but the Spurs scored the last three points of the quarter.

San Antonio continued consistent pressure through the final period and led by as many as 19 points.

Del Negro had 18 points and Monty Williams added 16. Duncan also had 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots.

The Spurs led 49-45 after the first two quarters.

Duncan, who had 16 points in the first half, scored on a rolling drive to end the second quarter.

The Raptors hit 43.9 percent from the floor in the first half, but five of the hits came from long distance and kept the Spurs within reach.

The Spurs hit 54.5 percent but tried only two three-pointers and hit but one.

The Raptors couldn’t control Duncan and he hit six of his eight field goals and four of five free tosses.

Chauncey Billups led the Raptors with 13 points, nine coming on his three-pointers.

Will Perdue had nine boards, helping the Spurs control the rebounding 23-14. Spurs notes: The Spurs will open the entire upper level for the Saturday’s game against the Sixers at the Alamodome. Nearly 26,000 tickets have been sold for the contest, prompting the opening for more seats.

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

-0001-11-30, By Tim Price

Del Negro’s shots clear drive lanes

By hitting his first six shots in the Spurs’ 97-86 victory Thursday against Toronto, Vinny Del Negro took the pressure off himself.

“My dad’s in town, and if we would have lost and I didn’t play well, he would have been giving me a hard time,” Del Negro said. “Those Italian tempers. You don’t want any of that around.”

But Del Negro’s play - he didn’t miss a shot until two and a half minutes into the second half - took the pressure off the rest of the team, too.

“That’s been the rap on us all year,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "You just can’t drive the ball all night. His shooting gave us some other opportunities. It helped Monty (Williams).

“I thought Monty driving to the basket was key for us. Our plan was to drive to the basket, and Monty does that well for us.”

Del Negro hit 8 of 11 shots for the game and scored 18 points. Williams, starting at small forward for the first time this year, added 16 points - half of that from the free-throw line - to match his season-high in scoring for the year.

With Del Negro at shooting guard and Williams at small forward, it was the first time this year the Spurs had tried that combination in the starting lineup. But there’s not much else for San Antonio to do with Sean Elliott and Chuck Person still out of action because of injuries.

It’s the second straight game where Del Negro played a key part. In Tuesday’s victory over Minnesota, Del Negro scored a season-high 23 points in 38 minutes.

In his past two games, Del Negro is 15 of 23 - 65 percent - from the floor. He’s made all three of his three-point attempts.

After being slowed by a tricep muscle strain near his right elbow, Del Negro hasn’t been a regular starter this year. But he rejoined the starting lineup on Feb. 17.

“My rhythm’s back,” Del Negro said. "My elbow feels good and I’ve got my legs back under me.

“I think I came back (from the injury) too soon. Shooting had never been one of my problems. But it’s taken some time for me to get into the flow.”

By Tim Price, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-27, By Kevin O’Keeffe

重生后的伯顿：可能是关键

对于教练来说，"一次解决一个问题"这句话是老生常谈，几乎是他们手册第七页上的内容。

对于马刺队的新成员威利·里卡多·伯顿(Willie Ricardo Burton)来说，"一次解决一个问题"是他生活的方式。

作为一名正在康复的酒鬼，同时还与抑郁症作斗争，伯顿不再允许任何事情影响他的注意力。

"我每天都认真对待，"他在周四马刺队与猛龙队的比赛前在阿拉莫穹顶说道。

"我无法形容我在这里有多开心，"伯顿说，一周前他还为大陆篮球协会的四城雷鸣队(Quad City Thunder)出场20分钟，贡献了22分。

这引起了马刺队球员人事主管萨姆·舒勒(Sam Schuler)的注意，他联系了伯顿的经纪人，亚特兰大苏美尔体育公司的斯蒂芬·伍兹(Stephen Woods)。

伯顿迫不及待地想来到圣安东尼奥。他周二签了一份为期10天的合同，考虑到他的外线投篮能力，他很可能还会再签一份为期10天的合同。

这正是伯顿在明尼苏达大学成为明星的原因。

这也是让迈阿密热火队在1990年的选秀中选中这位身高6英尺8英寸的摇摆人，并让他成为第9顺位的选秀权。

伯顿的NBA生涯开局良好，在1990-91赛季表现出色，入选了最佳新秀第二阵容。

但是到了在迈阿密效力的第四个赛季，伯顿不再掌控自己的生活。酒精开始控制他，热火队在1994年11月3日放弃了这位曾经很有希望的球星。

"仿佛NBA是一列高速行驶的火车，"伍兹说，他当时并没有代理伯顿。"当威利跌落下来时，没有人关心他是否安好。

“无论是NBA还是NBA球员协会，都只是说，‘太可惜了，威利’。”

在被迈阿密裁掉五天后，费城76人队给了他一次机会，伯顿没有让人失望。他甚至在热火队身上砍下了53分。

但事情仍然不对劲，这从伯顿在接下来的一个赛季(95-96赛季)在意大利和CBA打球可以看出来。

"那是我触底的时候吗？"伯顿说。他笑着补充道：“我触过很多底。”

伍兹出现了。

伯顿开始接受心理咨询，定期参加戒酒互助会，并搬进了伍兹的家。

"我的能力从来不是问题，"伯顿说。“但我选择的生活方式让我失控。我坐在家里，心想，‘我到底在对自己做什么？’”

伯顿对戒酒的承诺让他获得了重返NBA的机会，在1996年11月与亚特兰大老鹰队签约。

他的标志性时刻是在圣诞节前夕的比赛中，将公牛队的迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)送下场，帮助老鹰队取得胜利。伯顿打了33分钟，但腿部受伤。

当伯顿伤愈时，圣玛丽学院的校友亨利·詹姆斯(Henry James)已经成为亚特兰大除了泰德(Ted)和简(Jane)之外最受欢迎的人。

伯顿出局了……但他没有倒下。

"我知道我只需要继续努力，好事就会发生，"他说。

如果他能重返巅峰，成为当年那个选秀状元，那么对于马刺队来说也是一件好事。

根据他的康复计划，伯顿不喜欢回顾过去。然而，他承认自己最糟糕的时刻是1996年夏天，当时他参加了一个训练营，希望给老鹰队的管理层留下深刻印象。

他的女儿早产去世了。

"那……,"他慢慢地说,“让我心灰意冷。我无法想象会有那种痛苦。”

尽管经历了这段极其脆弱的时期，伯顿并没有放弃。

"生活是一个不断学习的过程，"他说。"就像小孩子触碰炉子，想知道它是否烫一样。

“他会做一次，甚至可能会做两次。但他不会做第三次，因为他已经吸取了教训。”

伯顿也是一样。

点击查看原文：Bouncing back: Reborn Burton could be a key

Bouncing back: Reborn Burton could be a key

For coaches, the phrase, “Take 'em one at a time,” is a cliche that must appear on Page 7 of their manual.

For Willie Ricardo Burton, the newest member of the Spurs, “taking 'em one at a time” is the way he lives his life.

A recovering alcoholic, who also has battled depression, Burton doesn’t allow anything to cloud his focus anymore.

“I take every day as it comes,” he said before Thursday’s Spurs- Toronto fray in the Alamodome.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here,” said Burton, who one week ago was scoring 22 points in 20 minutes for the Quad City Thunder of the Continental Basketball Association.

That got the attention of Sam Schuler, the Spurs’ director of player personnel who contacted Burton’s agent, Stephen Woods of Sumerian Sports in Atlanta.

Burton couldn’t get to S.A. fast enough. He signed a 10-day contract Tuesday and likely will be around for at least another 10-day deal, given his ability to hit from the outside.

That’s what made Burton a star at the University of Minnesota.

That’s what drew the Miami Heat to the 6-foot-8 swingman, picking him No. 9 overall in the 1990 draft.

And Burton’s NBA life began well as he made the all-rookie second team following a strong 1990-91 campaign.

But by the fourth year in Miami, Burton was no longer in charge of his life. Alcohol began to rule and the Heat opted to waive the once- promising star on Nov. 3, 1994.

“It’s as though the NBA is this fast-moving train,” said Woods, who did not represent Burton at that time. "When Willie fell off, no one bothered to see if he was OK.

“Not the NBA. Not the NBA Players Association. It was, ‘Too bad, Willie.’”

Given a chance by the Philadelphia 76ers five days after being cut by Miami, Burton did not disappoint. He even rang up 53 points on the Heat.

But things still weren’t right as evidenced by Burton spending the following season ('95-96) in Italy and in the CBA.

“Is that when I touched bottom?” Burton said. He smiled and added, “I touched a lot of bottoms.”

Enter Woods.

Burton began to undergo counseling, regularly attended Alcoholic’s Anonymous meetings and moved into Woods’ home.

“There never was a question about my ability,” Burton said. “But I was out of control with the lifestyle I had chosen. I was sitting at home and wondering, ‘What have I been doing to myself?’”

Burton’s commitment to sobriety earned him another shot in the NBA, signing with Atlanta in November 1996.

His signature moment was checking the Bulls’ Michael Jordan en route to a Hawks victory before Christmas that year. Burton played 33 minutes but suffered an injured calf.

By the time Burton healed, St. Mary’s alum Henry James had become the biggest thing in Atlanta this side of Ted and Jane.

Burton was out … but not down.

“I knew I just had to keep working hard and something good would happen,” he said.

Should he ascend to the level that made him a lottery pick, something good will also have happened for the Spurs.

In accordance with his recovery program, Burton prefers not to look back. He did, however, admit his lowest moment came in the summer of 1996 when he was in a camp hoping to impress the Hawks’ brass.

His daughter, who was born prematurely, had died.

“That …” he said, slowly, “took the wind out of my sails. I didn’t imagine there could ever be the kind of pain I felt then.”

Despite what was an incredibly vulnerable time, Burton did not slip.

“Life is a continual learning process,” he said. "It’s like the little kid who touches the stove to find out if it is hot.

“He’ll do it once. He may even do it twice. But he won’t do it a third time because he’s learned.”

Ditto for Burton.

By Kevin O’Keeffe, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-02-28, By Jerry Briggs

马刺队裁掉亚历山大 - 罗宾逊仍存疑

周五，命运多舛的马刺队控球后卫科里·亚历山大(Cory Alexander)的职业生涯戛然而止，同一天，受伤的明星中锋大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)在训练中恢复了训练，希望重返赛场。

罗宾逊在周五晚上与马刺队其他球员进行了大约30分钟的全面对抗练习，为今晚在阿拉莫圆顶球场对阵乐透球队费城76人队的比赛做准备。

尽管马刺队认为罗宾逊对阵76人队的比赛存疑，但这位八届全明星球员坚持认为球迷不应该将他排除在外。

“他们把我列为存疑？”罗宾逊反问道，“对我来说，他们怎么列我无所谓。如果我（今天早上）感觉不错，我会看看我能做些什么。”

右膝疼痛导致罗宾逊缺席了最近的六场比赛，在这段时间里，马刺队取得了4胜2负的战绩。

周五上午，在圣安东尼奥大学的训练中，马刺队宣布他们已经裁掉了亚历山大，这位球员是他们1995年的首轮选秀。

亚历山大的经纪人表示，这位来自弗吉尼亚的6尺1寸身高、效力三年的后卫在2月19日交易截止日期前，马刺队无法将他交易到其他球队后，要求被释放。

“我们在交易截止日期后就要求被释放，”达拉斯的经纪人乔治·巴斯(George Bass)说。“我们只是问这是否有可能。然后他们就允许我们（与其他球队谈判）。”

巴斯表示，亚历山大本赛季剩余时间内将获得剩余的68.6万美元年薪。

巴斯说，多支球队对他的客户感兴趣。

“我们拭目以待，”他说。“甚至有人会在他在（放弃）之前签下他。”

巴斯说，如果另一支球队在两个工作日内签下亚历山大——或者在下一个星期二上午10点之前——那支球队将承担合同条款。

如果亚历山大被放弃，马刺队将欠他剩余的薪水。在这种情况下，另一支球队可以签下一份为期10天的合同或按比例分配的最低工资。

“科里将有机会去其他球队证明自己可以在控球后卫位置上有所作为，”马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。“我们希望他能被选中并继续比赛。这对我们来说是一个艰难的决定，我们祝他一切顺利。他是一位绅士。从他来到这里的那一刻起，他就一直如此。他真是个好人。”

这笔交易将马刺队的球员名单减少到13人——查克·珀森(Chuck Person)和肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)都在伤病名单上——为最近签约的前锋威利·伯顿(Willie Burton)赢得一个永久席位打开了大门。

伯顿是一位跳投高手，他作为76人队的球员，在老费城体育馆创造了单场53分的得分纪录，他在周二签署了一份为期10天的合同。

当被问及亚历山大的离队会如何影响伯顿时，波波维奇回答说：“我不能很好地告诉你未来。”

亚历山大是1995年选秀大会上的第29顺位，在圣安东尼奥效力两年多的时间里，他在177场比赛中场均贡献5.1分和2.5次助攻。本赛季，他在37场比赛中场均得到4.5分和1.9次助攻。

在过去的六周里，亚历山大的上场时间大幅减少。他最近21场比赛中缺席了15场，包括最近的连续6场比赛，因为雷吉·吉尔里(Reggie Geary)逐渐成为控球后卫艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)的替补。

“雷吉是最近一直获得上场时间的人，”波波维奇说。“自从我们做出这个决定以来，我们觉得让科里有机会在其他地方打球对他来说是最好的。”

与此同时，人们将注意力转向了前马刺队主教练拉里·布朗(Larry Brown)的回归，这是他作为76人队主教练在圣安东尼奥的第一场比赛。布朗在1990年代初带领马刺队获得了两个中西部赛区冠军。波波维奇在他的教练组工作。

罗宾逊说，他可能会尝试比赛，而不是等到球队从下周一在萨克拉门托开始的西海岸之旅。

“这取决于我的感觉，”罗宾逊说。“如果我不太疼，而且我还能（今天早上在投篮训练中）回来，我很有可能上场比赛。”

点击查看原文：Spurs waive Alexander - Robinson still doubtful

Spurs waive Alexander - Robinson still doubtful

The ill-fated Spurs career of point guard Cory Alexander came to an abrupt end Friday on the same day that injured star center David Robinson renewed his work at practice in hopes of returning to the lineup.

Robinson scrimmaged in a full- contact drill for about 30 minutes with the rest of the Spurs on the eve of tonight’s 7:30 game at the Alamodome against the lottery- bound Philadelphia 76ers.

Although the Spurs it’s doubtful Robinson will play against the Sixers, the Spurs’ eight-time All-Star insisted that fans shouldn’t count him out.

“They got me listed as doubtful?” Robinson asked rhetorically. “To me, it doesn’t matter what they’ve got me listed. If I feel pretty good (this morning), I’ll see what I can do.”

A sore right knee has caused Robinson to miss the last six games, a period in which the Spurs have posted a 4-2 record.

During a Friday morning workout at the University of the Incarnate Word, the Spurs announced they had waived Alexander, their 1995 first-round draft pick.

Alexander’s agent said the 6-foot- 1 third-year guard from Virginia had asked for a release when the Spurs couldn’t move him to another team on the Feb. 19 trade deadline.

“We did ask to be released right after the deadline,” Dallas-based agent George Bass said. “We just asked if that was a possibility. And that’s when they gave us permission (to talk to other teams).”

Alexander is guaranteed the remainder of his $686,000 annual salary for the rest of this season, Bass said.

Bass said several teams are interested in his client.

“We’ll just see what happens,” he said. “Someone could even pick him up before he clears (waivers).”

If another team signs Alexander within two business days - or before 10 a.m. next Tuesday - that team would assume the terms of the contract, Bass said.

If Alexander clears waivers, the Spurs would owe him the remaining portion of his salary. In that case, another team could sign him to a 10-day contract or a pro-rated minimum salary.

“Cory’s going to get an opportunity to go out there and prove he can do something at the point position for another team,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We’re hopeful he’ll get picked up and continue to play. It was a difficult decision on our part, and we wish him the best. He’s a class act. He’s been that way from the time he’s been here. He’s really good people.”

The transaction reduced the Spurs’ roster to 13 - with Chuck Person and Sean Elliott on the injured list - and opened the door for recently signed forward Willie Burton to earn a permanent spot.

Burton, a jump-shooter who holds the single-game, scoring record of 53 points at the old Philadelphia Spectrum as a member of the Sixers, signed a 10-day contract Tuesday.

Asked how Alexander’s release would affect Burton, Popovich replied, “I can’t tell you about the future real well.”

Alexander, the 29th overall selection in the 1995 draft, averaged 5.1 points and 2.5 assists in 177 games during his two-plus seasons in San Antonio. This season, he averaged 4.5 points and 1.9 assists in 37 games.

In the last six weeks, Alexander’s playing time diminished dramatically. He did not play in 15 of the last 21 games, including the last six in a row, as Reggie Geary emerged to assume his role as a backup to point guard Avery Johnson.

“Reggie’s the guy who’s been getting the minutes for a long time,” Popovich said. “Since we made that decision, we felt it was in Cory’s best interest to give him the opportunity to play elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, attention turned to the return of former Spurs coach Larry Brown in his first game in San Antonio as coach of the Sixers. Brown led the Spurs to a pair of Midwest Division titles in the early 1990s. Popovich worked on his staff.

Robinson said he might try to play, rather than wait until the team goes on a road trip to the West Coast starting Monday in Sacramento.

“It depends on how I feel,” Robinson said. “If I don’t get a lot of soreness, and I can still come back (at shootaround this morning), there’s a pretty good chance I might play.”

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-03-01, By Jerry Briggs

罗宾逊回归助马刺取胜 - 下半场爆发击败76人

马刺队在德里克·科尔曼(Derrick Coleman)得到全场最高的35分的情况下，克服了劣势，并在周六晚上在阿拉莫穹顶以100-88战胜费城76人队。

马刺中锋大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)在缺席两周后复出，在25分钟的比赛中贡献了17分和8个篮板。新秀前锋蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)以27分、17个篮板和8次盖帽领衔马刺队。

控球后卫埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)在与艾伦·艾弗森(Allen Iverson)的对决中贡献了20分和10次助攻。艾弗森为76人队贡献了19分。

凭借这场胜利，马刺队的战绩提升至39胜18负，在中西部赛区中仅落后于休战的犹他爵士队半场。由前马刺队主教练拉里·布朗(Larry Brown)率领的76人队则跌至19胜37负。

在首节比赛中，科尔曼与邓肯展开对决，76人队在下半场以53-43领先。

科尔曼在过去的10场比赛中手感火热，并在前两节比赛中继续火力全开，贡献了23分。他三分球3投3中，帮助76人队将领先优势扩大到第一节比赛中的14分。

邓肯和罗宾逊合力得到29分，帮助马刺队紧咬比分。

罗宾逊在上半场得到13分，但在中场结束前犯规被吹罚，这是他的第三次犯规。当时，他被判对费城队的斯科特·威廉姆斯(Scott Williams)犯规。

裁判的哨声引来了球迷的嘘声，并让马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)起身抗议。

罗宾逊在下半场开始时坐在板凳上，直到第三节比赛进行到中段，在埃弗里·约翰逊率领的马刺队反扑中才上场。

约翰逊在本节比赛中得到14分，帮助马刺队两次反超比分。但艾弗森在比赛结束前不到一秒钟投进了一记短距离跳投，76人队以70-69领先进入第四节。

**马刺队赛后：**费城76人队自从1986年1月6日以来，就没有在圣安东尼奥赢得过比赛。当时，朱利叶斯·欧文(Julius Erving)和摩西·马龙(Moses Malone)都为76人队效力，马刺队则在旧的赫米斯费尔体育场比赛。

这是他们连续第12次在阿拉莫城输球。

这场比赛中，出现了五位在选秀中被选中为状元秀的球员：罗宾逊(1987年)、科尔曼(1990年)、乔·史密斯(1995年)、艾伦·艾弗森(1996年)以及邓肯(1997年)。

在对阵邓肯和马刺队之前，科尔曼在之前的九场比赛中场均得到19.6分和11.9个篮板。邓肯在过去的七场比赛中场均得到26分和12.7个篮板。

前明星前锋拉里·肯尼恩(Larry Kenon)在第一节比赛结束后，在庆祝球队成立25周年之际获得了全场起立鼓掌。

76人队前锋蒂姆·托马斯(Tim Thomas)打了3分钟后便因双脚跟腱炎退出了比赛。

点击查看原文：Robinson returns for Spurs' win - 2nd-half surge downs 76ers

Robinson returns for Spurs’ win - 2nd-half surge downs 76ers

The Spurs survived a season- high 35 points from Derrick Coleman and rallied to whip the Philadelphia 76ers 100-88 Saturday night at the Alamodome.

Spurs center David Robinson played his first game in two weeks and contributed 17 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes. Rookie forward Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 27 points, 17 rebounds and eight blocked shots.

Point guard Avery Johnson added 20 points and 10 assists in a duel with Allen Iverson, who scored 19 for the Sixers.

With the win, the Spurs improved to 39-18 and moved to within a half game of the idle Utah Jazz in the Midwest Division. The Sixers, led from the bench by former Spurs coach Larry Brown, fell to 19-37.

Coleman won a shootout with Duncan in the first half as the Sixers took a 53-43 lead at intermission.

Red-hot over the past 10 games, Coleman continued his assault by ringing up 23 points in the first two quarters. He was 3 of 3 from three-point range and helped the Sixers push the lead to as many as 14 points in the first period.

Duncan and Robinson kept the Spurs in the game with a combined 29 points.

Robinson, who scored 13 in the half, picked up his third foul just before intermission when he was called for charging into Philly’s Scott Williams.

The whistle led to boos from the fans and brought Spurs coach Gregg Popovich out of his chair to protest.

Starting the third period, Robinson was on the bench. He didn’t enter the game until midway through the quarter during an Avery Johnson-led Spurs rally.

Johnson exploded for 14 points in the period as the Spurs came back to take the lead twice. But a short jumper by Iverson with less than a second left the Sixers with a 70-69 edge going into the fourth quarter. Spurs notes: Philadelphia has not won a game in San Antonio since Jan. 6, 1986, when both Julius Erving and Moses Malone played for the Sixers and the Spurs played at the old HemisFair Arena.

The loss was their 12th in a row in the Alamo City.

The game featured five players who were selected No. 1 overall in the draft - Robinson (1987), Coleman (1990), Joe Smith (1995) and Allen Iverson (1996) of the Sixers and Duncan (1997).

Coleman was averaging 19.6 points and 11.9 rebounds in nine games before going up against Duncan and the Spurs. Duncan was averaging 26 points and 12.7 in the past seven

Former star forward Larry Kenon received a standing ovation as the franchise honored him after the first quarter in conjunction with its 25th anniversary celebration.

Sixers forward Tim Thomas played three minutes before leaving the floor with Achilles tendinitis in both feet.

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-03-01, By Glenn Rogers

马刺内线控制比赛，邓肯和罗宾逊让疲惫的76人苦不堪言

教练拉里·布朗(Larry Brown)在周六晚上他的76人队以88-100输给马刺队后，需要好好思考一下。

“16次盖帽，这太难了，”布朗说，指的是马刺队的盖帽总数。

新秀蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)贡献了8次盖帽，大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)有4次。

“蒂姆的表现非常出色，”布朗说。他曾在邓肯来到圣安东尼奥之前几年执教过罗宾逊。

邓肯还贡献了17个篮板和27分，帮助马刺队克服了德里克·科尔曼(Derrick Coleman)的35分和12个篮板的爆发。

罗宾逊的出场情况一度存疑。“不，波波(教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich))今天早上告诉我大卫会打，”布朗说。这对布朗来说太可惜了，罗宾逊在24分钟的上场时间里得到了17分和8个篮板。

“10天打7场比赛，这并不容易，”布朗说，指的是76人队最近的艰苦赛程，包括过去5天打了4场比赛。

76人队本来不应该给马刺队带来太大的麻烦，尤其是在邓肯和状态不错的罗宾逊都上场的情况下。罗宾逊之前因右膝疼痛缺席了6场比赛。

费城队带着19胜36负的战绩来到圣安东尼奥，这几乎是圣安东尼奥队38胜18负战绩的反面。

费城队在首节最多领先14分，并带着10分的优势进入第三节，给阿拉莫圆顶的29,748名球迷带来了惊喜。

最近的密集赛程可能帮助马刺队在下半场耗尽了76人队的体力。

“毫无疑问，那是比赛节奏改变的时候，”科尔曼说。76人队的大前锋在上半场投进了3个三分球，也许是为了用远投来打开马刺队的内线防守。在之前的55场比赛中，他只投进了16个三分球。

但在最后一节，科尔曼的4次三分球尝试中只有1次命中。

“不，没人逼我投三分，”科尔曼谈到自己的外线出手时说道。“但对阵那样的阵容，在内线得分太难了，很难把球投出去。”

在第三节，科尔曼几乎被圣安东尼奥队的内线防守吞噬。他在最后一节几次突破，但只投进了6次出手中的2次，只获得了3次罚球机会。

“我们一直都在强攻内线，但我们没有得到哨声，”布莱恩·肖(Brian Shaw)说。“当他们强攻篮筐时，他们得到了哨声。当比赛势头改变时，这会让客队在下半场很艰难。”

马刺队的内线球员让76人队头疼，而艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)也带来了自己的麻烦。

艾伦·艾弗森(Allen Iverson)上半场得到11分，有可能在下半场爆发。

但约翰逊在下半场只得到2分的情况下，为马刺队点燃了火花。

马刺队的控球后卫在最后两节得到18分，凭借快攻上篮和接球后的转身勾手以及背切得分，为球队带来了活力。他毫不犹豫地突破艾弗森杀入篮下。

艾弗森最终得到19分。

“艾弗里一直都是一位伟大的领袖，”布朗说。“现在他拥有了一支伟大的球队，他有了一个发挥的机会。他今晚的精彩表现是在他传球给内线后，自己反切得分。”

“他很狡猾，”肖谈到约翰逊时说。“他显然是球队的领袖，当他在场上时，他们会更加有效。”

布朗说科尔曼打了一场很棒的比赛，但他还有更大的潜力。

“我见过他打得更好，”布朗谈到科尔曼时说道。“仅仅因为他得到了35分，并不意味着他打出了最佳状态。当他同时能抢到18个或20个篮板时，才是他打出最佳状态。”

点击查看原文：Spurs control the inside Duncan, Robinson make life tough for weary Sixers

Spurs control the inside Duncan, Robinson make life tough for weary Sixers

Coach Larry Brown had a few things to mull over after his Sixers fell to the Spurs 100-88 Saturday night at the Alamodome.

“Sixteen blocked shots, that’s tough,” said Brown, noting the Spurs’ total number of rejections.

Rookie Tim Duncan had eight of the blocks. David Robinson had four.

“Tim was tremendous,” said Brown, who coached Robinson in San Antonio several years before Duncan arrived in the Alamo City.

Duncan also had 17 rebounds and 27 points - enough to help the Spurs overcome a 35-point, 12-rebound explosion from Derrick Coleman.

Robinson’s appearance on the floor had been questionable. “Nah, Pop (Coach Gregg Popovich) told me this morning that David would play,” Brown said. Too bad for Brown. Robinson had 17 points and eight rebounds in just 24 minutes of action.

“Seven games in 10 days - it’s not easy,” said Brown, referring to the Sixers’ recent, grueling schedule that included four games in the last five days.

The Sixers weren’t supposed to present a major problem to the Spurs, certainly not with both Duncan and a reasonably healthy Robinson on the floor. Robinson had missed the previous six games with a painful right knee.

Philadelphia arrived with a 19-36 record, almost the reverse of San Antonio’s 38-18 mark.

Philadelphia threw a scare into the 29,748 fans at the dome by leading by as many as 14 points in the first quarter and taking a 10-point lead into the third period.

The recent grind may have helped the Spurs wear down the Sixers in the second half.

“That’s when the tempo changed, no doubt,” said Coleman. The Sixers’ power forward had three three-pointers in the first half, perhaps using the long shot to help loosen up the Spurs’ interior defense. He only had 16 three-pointers in the Sixers’ previous 55 games.

But Coleman was short on all but one of his four three-point attempts in the final period.

“No, nobody forces me outside,” said Coleman of his perimeter attempts. “But it’s tough to score inside against that big lineup. It’s tough to get the shot up.”

Coleman was all but swallowed whole by San Antonio’s interior defense during the third quarter. He barreled in a few times in the final period but hit only 2 of 6 from the field and went to the line for only three free throws.

“We were going inside strong, but we weren’t getting the calls,” said Brian Shaw. “When they went strong to the hoop, they got the calls. When the momentum changes, it makes it tough on the visitors in the second half.”

The Spurs’ big men gave the Sixers headaches, but Avery Johnson added his own brand of pain.

Allen Iverson had 11 points at the half and was possibly ready for a second-half explosion.

But Johnson provided the second-half sparks after scoring only two points in the first.

The Spurs’ point guard delivered 18 points during the last two quarters, sparking his team with fastbreak layups and running hooks off give-and-gos and backdoor cuts. He didn’t hesitate to drive past Iverson to the hoop.

Iverson finished with 19 points.

“Avery has always been a great leader,” said Brown. “Now he has a great team and he has a chance to play. His big play tonight was when he cut backdoor after feeding the post.”

“He’s pretty crafty,” Shaw said of Johnson. “He is obviously the floor leader and they are more effective when he is on the floor.”

Brown said Coleman enjoyed a tremendous game but is capable of much more.

“I’ve seen him play better,” Brown said of Coleman. “Just because he had 35 points doesn’t mean he played his best game. His best games come when he also has 18 or 20 rebounds on the board.”

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-03-01, By Jerry Briggs

马刺的外线希望寄托在伯顿身上

你几乎能听到机会之门缓缓打开时铰链的吱呀声，为前锋威利·伯顿(Willie Burton)打开了一扇窗。

上周五，马刺队裁掉了后卫科里·亚历山大(Cory Alexander)后，伯顿将自己的10天合同转变为与球队更持久关系的机会，变得更加明朗。

“当然，”伯顿说，“确实有一扇门正在打开。但我必须继续努力训练，做好防守，投篮——实际上，就是弄清楚发生了什么。”

自上周二以来，伯顿一直与马刺队在一起，作为从CBA签下的应急措施，以填补伤兵满营的阵容，仅仅是为了维持训练。

在周六晚上对阵费城的比赛之前，伯顿作为马刺队球员的投篮命中率为3投1中。一场比赛，对阵多伦多队的6分钟垃圾时间。3个篮板。2分。

这没什么好让球迷兴奋的。

伯顿是他在NBA七个赛季中的第四支球队，他的职业生涯平均得分是10.7分。

他曾在欧洲效力过一个赛季，他刚从CBA的夸德城雷霆队阵容中被选中，在那里他的平均得分不到12分。

再次，这些履历中没有什么会让人激动不已。

但如果你仔细观察伯顿，你会看到他在训练中投篮时完美的旋转。你会看到他那曾在20世纪80年代后期在明尼苏达大学让球迷兴奋的纯射手的光芒。

你也会想起他在1994年12月13日的时候是什么样子的，当时，效力于76人队时，他在费城体育馆以53分打破纪录，战胜了热火队。

他是怎么做到的？

很简单。他19投12中，其中三分球8投5中，并且他如此坚决地将球带到篮下，以至于获得了28次罚球机会。伯顿罚中了其中的24球。

“那只是一场我所有事情都进展顺利的比赛，”他回忆说。

这个赛季亚历山大什么事情都做不好。从一开始，这名身高6英尺1英寸的后卫就被期望为马刺队的外线进攻做出贡献。

但他防守做得不够好，而且他犯了太多失误，导致马刺队无法让他留在轮换阵容中。

现在，亚历山大已经被裁掉了，马刺队阵容中只剩下13人，包括伤病名单上的查克·珀森(Chuck Person)和肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)。

珀森预计在本周回归，但埃利奥特能否在明年秋天之前恢复健康并再次上场比赛尚不确定。

拉特雷尔·斯普雷维尔(Latrell Sprewell)？你当然不能指望仲裁员恢复他的参赛资格。你也不能指望马刺队即使他能恢复自由身也能签下他。

马刺队唯一可以增强他们外线进攻的希望是伯顿。

考虑到伯顿一直与个人问题作斗争，以至于他只能靠一份10天合同来维持他在NBA的职业生涯，这并不是一个令人安慰的想法。

另一方面，如果他能恢复体能，并找回一些昔日的状态，谁知道当他漫步在马刺队外线宽阔的空间时会发生什么？

“我必须利用我的能力融入这里每个人，”伯顿说。“我正在尝试选择。什么时候适合我冲抢篮板？谁在哪个位置投篮更准？什么时候我能找到空位投篮？

“实际上进展很快，因为三外两内的进攻——两名球员在内线，三名球员在外线找机会——可能是我最擅长的进攻方式。”

尽管机会之门敞开着，但伯顿是第一个承认自己还不能迈过这扇门的人。

“我有一份10天合同，”他说。“我必须先克服这一点。我现在还没有达到那个水平。我还有很多东西需要改进。”

点击查看原文：Spurs Beat: Spurs' perimeter hopes rest with Burton

Spurs Beat: Spurs’ perimeter hopes rest with Burton

You could almost hear the hinges creaking as another of opportunity’s doors opened slowly for forward Willie Burton.

In the wake of the Spurs’ release of guard Cory Alexander last Friday, Burton’s chances of turning his 10-day contract into a more lasting relationship with the team took a turn for the better.

“Definitely,” Burton said, “there’s definitely a door opening. But I have to continue to practice hard, play defense, shoot the ball - really, just figure out what’s going on.”

Burton has been with the Spurs since last Tuesday, signed as a stop-gap measure out of the CBA to shore up an injury-scarred roster that was in need of bodies merely to stage practice.

Going into Saturday night’s game against Philadelphia, Burton was 1 of 3 from the field as a Spur. One game. Six minutes of garbage time against Toronto. Three rebounds. Two points.

Nothing for fans to get too excited about.

Burton is with his fourth team in seven NBA seasons, and he has a career 10.7 scoring average.

He’s been to Europe for a season, and he just got plucked off the roster of the CBA’s Quad City Thunder, where he was averaging less than 12 points.

Again, nothing in that resume will likely raise the goosebumps on anyone’s arms.

But if you watch Burton closely, you see the picture perfect rotation on his jump shot during practice. You see flashes of the pure shooter that roused fans at the University of Minnesota in the late 1980s.

And you also think about how he might have looked on Dec. 13, 1994, when, playing for the 76ers, he poured in a Philadelphia Spectrum record 53 points on the Heat.

How did he do it?

It was simple. He hit 12 of 19 from the field, including 5 of 8 three-pointers, and he took the ball to the hoop so relentlessly that he was awarded 28 free throws. Burton sank 24 of them.

“It was just one of those games when everything was going for me,” he recalled.

Nothing has been going for Alexander this season. From the beginning, the 6-foot-1 point guard was expected to contribute to the Spurs’ perimeter game.

But he couldn’t do enough defensively, and he made too many ballhandling errors for the Spurs to keep him in the playing rotation.

Now that Alexander has been waived, there are 13 bodies on the Spurs’ roster, including Chuck Person and Sean Elliott on the injured list.

Person is scheduled to return to active duty this week, but nothing is certain in regard to Elliott getting healthy enough to play again before next fall.

Latrell Sprewell? You certainly can’t count on the arbitrator reinstating him. Nor can you bank on the Spurs being able to sign him even if he is set free.

The only tangible hope that the Spurs have to bolster their lukewarm perimeter game is Burton.

It’s not a comforting thought, considering Burton has battled personal problems to the point that he is hanging on to his NBA career with a 10-day contract.

Then again, if he can get in shape and regain at least some of his old form, who knows what could happen as he roams the wide-open spaces on the Spurs’ perimeter?

“I have to use my abilities to fit in with everyone here,” Burton said. "I’m trying to pick and choose. When is it right for me to crash the boards? Who shoots the ball better where? When can I find the open shots?

“It’s actually coming pretty quick because the three-out, two-in offense - with two men inside and three spotting up - is probably the one I’m best at.”

Even as the door of opportunity stands wide open, Burton is the first to admit that he can’t step through it just yet.

“I’m on a 10-day contract,” he said. “I’ve got to get through that first. I’m not there yet. There’s a lot of things I got to work on.”

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-03-01, By Glenn Rogers

银靴：最初的团队

詹姆斯·塞拉斯(James Silas)
概况: 身高6英尺3英寸的塞拉斯，现年49岁，在圣安东尼奥效力了540场常规赛和44场季后赛。他在1972-73赛季前与达拉斯响尾蛇队签约，并在球队在该城的最后一个赛季出战了78场比赛。在马刺队的三个ABA赛季，塞拉斯场均得到19.6分和4.7次助攻；而在NBA效力的五年里，他的场均数据分别是14.9分和7.4次助攻。塞拉斯参加了两场ABA全明星赛。在1974年和1975年，塞拉斯的场均得分分别为18.8分和18.9分。

现状: 塞拉斯现居奥斯汀，担任该市午夜篮球联赛的主任。他在洛杉矶和加拿大拥有一家唱片公司的股份。他经营着“詹姆斯·塞拉斯 3 对 3 灌篮大赛”，这是一个面向8岁及以上成年人和儿童的项目。该项目在全国各地的城市开展。

马刺队之后: 在圣安东尼奥的职业生涯结束后，塞拉斯在克利夫兰骑士队效力了一年。退役后，他专注于自己的生意——养鸡场、牛和出租房产。他于1984年出售了这些生意。1989年，他离开圣安东尼奥，与马克·希尔在洛杉矶的音乐行业合作。

“我负责办公室，他负责制作、编曲和作曲，”塞拉斯说。“生意做得很好。”

“我有一个遗憾，如果可以改变任何事，我会在我的职业生涯结束后在欧洲打球。当时我没有考虑过，但这是结束篮球生涯的一种非常好的方式。”

作为一名马刺队的回忆: 塞拉斯在整个职业生涯中都被称为“末节之王”。

“在10年的篮球生涯中，人们只是尊重我，因为我知道球场上发生了什么。所以我成了队长。然后，我们总是陷入需要在比赛结束时得分的情况。乔治（格文）会去板凳席说，‘我们为 Si 运行这个战术。’我说，‘好的。’鲍勃·巴斯设计了一个 1-4 配合，球员们分散站位，我持球。这真的太简单了，因为我身边有乔治或拉里（肯农）或其他射手，所以我有很多操作空间。这招有70%的成功率。要么我做些什么，要么把球传给乔治或拉里。我们从（教练）巴斯到道格·莫伊，再到斯坦·阿尔贝克，一直沿用这个战术。现在你会看到迈克尔·乔丹在跑同样的战术。

“我认为任何在圣安东尼奥效力过一段时间的人，都必须记住这座城市对我们有多好。我们永远不会忘记我们第一次来到这座城市时受到的欢迎。当我们赢得比赛时，球迷们非常兴奋，当我们输掉了一些本该赢的比赛时，他们会很担心。我还记得，联盟合并后，我们让NBA大吃一惊。我认为他们并没有真正意识到我们能够与他们竞争——甚至战胜他们。”

个人生活: 塞拉斯已婚，妻子名叫瓦妮莎，他们有一个10岁的儿子，名叫泽维尔。

点击查看原文：Silver Spurs: The Original Team

Silver Spurs: The Original Team

James Silas The lowdown: The 6-foot-3 Silas, 49, played in 540 regular-season games and 44 playoff games for San Antonio. He signed with the Dallas Chaparrals before the 1972-73 season and played 78 games during the team’s last season in that city. Silas averaged 19.6 points and 4.7 assists during the Spurs’ three ABA seasons and 14.9 points and 7.4 assists during his five years with the team in the NBA. Silas played in two ABA All-Star games. Silas averaged 18.8 and 18.9 points during the 1974 and 1975

Where is he now? Silas lives in Austin and is director of the city’s Midnite Basketball League. He has stock in a record company in Los Angeles and Canada. He runs James Silas’ 3 on 3 Hoop It Up, a program for adults and children ages eight and older. It operates in cities across the country.

History after the Spurs: Immediately after his San Antonio career, Silas played one year for the Cleveland Cavaliers. After basketball, he concentrated on his businesses - a chicken farm, cattle and rental properties. He sold the businesses in 1984. He left San Antonio in 1989 and formed a partnership with Mark Heal in the music business in Los Angeles.

“I ran the office and he was in charge of producing, arranging and writing music,” Silas said. "It went real well.

“One regret I have - if I could change anything - I would have played in Europe after my career here. I just didn’t consider it then, but it is and was a very nice way to end your basketball career.”

Memory as a Spur: Silas was known as Captain Late throughout his career.

"In 10 years of basketball, guys just kind of respected me in the sense that I knew what was going on the floor. So I was captain. Then, we kept getting into situations where we needed a basket at the end of the game. George (Gervin) would go to the bench and say, ‘Let’s run this one for Si.’ I said, ‘OK.’ Bob Bass designed a 1-4 play, where the guys were widened out and I had the ball. It was real easy, really, because I had George or Larry (Kenon) or some shooter on the sides so there was plenty of room to operate. It worked 70 percent of the time. Either I’d do something or get the ball to George or Larry. We carried the play from (coaches) Bass to Doug Moe to Stan Albeck. Heck, you’ll see Michael Jordan running the same play now.

“I think anybody who played in San Antonio for any period of time has to remember how well we were treated by the city. We’ll never forget the welcome we got when we first came to town. The fans were really up when we won games, then concerned when we lost some that we probably should have won. I remember, too, how we shocked the NBA when the leagues merged. I don’t think they really realized that we could play with them - and beat them.”

Personal: Silas is married to Vanessa and they have a 10-year-old son, Xavier. - Glenn Rogers

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-03-01, By Kevin O’Keeffe

波波维奇将前首轮秀科里·亚历山大裁掉

“他就是我们一直以来都在寻找的人。这难道不棒吗？”

• 马刺队主教练兼总经理格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在1995年6月28日选中弗吉尼亚大学的科里·琳恩·亚历山大(Cory Lynn Alexander)时说道。

“我们希望他成为球队领袖，而他也正在做到这一点。”

• 波波维奇在1997年7月28日谈论亚历山大时说道。

那么，到底发生了什么？

波波维奇是如何从对亚历山大——埃弗里·约翰逊的接班人——充满期待，到周五早上将他裁掉的？

为什么波波维奇在交易截止日期后八天就放弃了亚历山大，而休斯顿队当时对这位三年级球员有兴趣？

也许，波波维奇一心想要得到洛杉矶快船队的布伦特·巴里(Brent Barry)或者仍然希望以某种方式让萨克拉门托国王队的米奇·里奇蒙德(Mitch Richmond)成为马刺队的一员，以至于对亚历山大的交易被忽视了。

毕竟，如果我听说休斯顿队对亚历山大感兴趣，波波维奇肯定也听到了。

最讽刺的是：波波维奇和前主教练鲍勃·希尔(Bob Hill)之间众多矛盾之一，就是波波维奇希望希尔给亚历山大更多上场时间，而波波维奇在1996年12月不顾一切地解雇了希尔。

亚历山大的离开并不令人意外，因为他最近六场比赛都没有上场，并且在过去21场比赛中的15场比赛中都未能获得出场时间（教练决定）。

如果这些还不够说服亚历山大——一个好人，不要买任何大型电器的话，那么几天前与波波维奇的谈话肯定就足够了。

在那次会面中，波波维奇说了一些让亚历山大感到沮丧的话。据报道，波波维奇在谈话结束时告诉亚历山大，他计划将他裁掉。

事实上，有人认为亚历山大可能在周四晚上马刺队与多伦多猛龙队的比赛之前就被裁掉了。

当你回顾那晚发生的事情时，你会想知道为什么波波维奇没有这样做。

你会记得，当比赛还剩五分钟时，马刺队领先优势明显，雷吉·吉尔里(Reggie Geary)被对手肘击后不得不下场。

波波维奇没有让第三名后卫亚历山大上场，而是重新派上了约翰逊，这是一个非常糟糕的决定。

为什么冒险让AJ上场？因为波波维奇不想让亚历山大上场，因为他担心亚历山大可能会受伤，然后他就无法被裁掉了。

在比赛结束后，他们在JAlexander’s餐厅用餐，许多人走到亚历山大的桌子旁，几乎要向他表达哀悼，因为事情进展不顺利。

你可能会以为他得了什么绝症。

现在，丹佛掘金队将通过放弃球员认领程序获得亚历山大的优先权。这对亚历山大来说不是最好的情况。

如果亚历山大在周二上午10点之前没有被其他球队认领，他将可以自由地与任何球队签约。

马刺队将为他支付本赛季剩余时间68.6万美元的薪水，除非他被其他球队认领。如果发生这种情况，认领他的球队将承担他的合同。

就在一年前的这个时候，亚历山大似乎找到了自己的节奏。在3月20日对阵菲尼克斯太阳队的比赛中，他得到26分，在3月21日对阵萨克拉门托国王队的比赛中送出11次助攻，在3月14日对阵波士顿凯尔特人队的比赛中抢下7个篮板。

但当马刺队在休赛期没有试图与他协商合同时，亚历山大知道自己的未来在别处。

亚历山大从小就是个篮球迷，他说当他妈妈想惩罚他时，她不会让他打篮球。

一个杀手。

就像这位24岁球员在马刺队的经历一样，他在1995年的NBA选秀大会上以第29顺位被选中。

“我是一个球员，”亚历山大说道，“我喜欢做的事情就是打球。”

希望他很快就能在另一支球队继续打球。

点击查看原文：Popovich Cory-a-graphs exit of former first-round choice

Popovich Cory-a-graphs exit of former first-round choice

“He is the guy we’ve been looking at all along. Is this sweet or what?”

- Spurs coach/GM Gregg Popovich on drafting Cory Lynn Alexander of Virginia, June 28, 1995.

“We want him to be the take- charge guy and he’s doing that.”

- Popovich on Alexander, July 28, 1997.

So, what happened?

How does Popovich go from being sold on Alexander, the heir apparent to Avery Johnson, to jettisoning the 6-foot-1 point guard Friday morning?

And why does Popovich waive Alexander eight days after the trade deadline when Houston, for one, had an interest in the third- year pro?

Perhaps, Popovich was so consumed with trying to get the L.A. Clippers’ Brent Barry or still hoping there was some way to make Sacramento’s Mitch Richmond a Spur that a deal for Alexander fell through the cracks.

After all, if I had heard that Houston was interested in Alexander, surely Popovich did, too.

Oh, the biggest irony in all of this: One of the numerous bones of contention between Popovich and former coach Bob Hill, who Popovich unceremoniously dismissed in December 1996, was that Popovich wanted Hill to give Alexander more playing time.

The dispatching of Alexander wasn’t a surprise, considering he hadn’t played in the last six games and had been a DNP-CD (Did Not Play-Coach’s Decision) in 15 of the last 21.

And if that wasn’t enough to convince Alexander, one of the good guys, not to buy any large appliances, surely a conversation with Popovich several days ago was.

During that meeting, Popovich said some things that upset Alexander. Reportedly, Popovich punctuated that conversation by telling Alexander he planned to waive him.

In fact, there was some thought Alexander might have been waived before the Spurs’ game with Toronto on Thursday night.

Which, when you review what happened that night, you wonder why Popovich didn’t do so.

You’ll recall the Spurs were comfortably in front with five minutes left in the game when Reggie Geary took an elbow that sent him to the bench.

Instead of going to Alexander, the third guard, Popovich re- inserted Johnson, a questionable move at best.

Why risk AJ? Because Popovich didn’t want to use Alexander for fear that he might get hurt and could not be released.

At dinner in JAlexander’s Restaurant following the game, several people came by Alexander’s table and almost offered condolences to him on how things had been going.

You’d have figured he had some terminal illness.

Now Denver gets first dibs on Alexander through the waiver process. That’s not the best situation for him.

Should Alexander clear waivers - by 10 a.m. Tuesday - he would be free to sign with any team.

The Spurs will owe him $686,000 for the remainder of the year, unless he is claimed on waivers. If that happens, the team that claims him would assume his contract.

Just about this time last year, Alexander seemed to find his groove. He scored 26 points in Phoenix on March 20, dished out 11 assists in Sacramento on March 21 and grabbed seven rebounds against Boston on March 14.

But when the Spurs did not try to negotiate a contract with him during the off-season, Alexander knew his future was elsewhere.

A gym rat since his youth, Alexander said that when his mom wanted to punish him she wouldn’t let him play basketball.

A killer.

Much as the time with the Spurs has been for the 24-year-old, who was the 29th pick overall in the '95 NBA draft.

“I’m a player,” Alexander said, “It’s what I like to do.”

Hopefully, he’ll be able to do it for another team soon.

By Kevin O’Keeffe, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-03-01, By Buck Harvey

拉里定律：别担心，不开心就好

要理解拉里·布朗(Larry Brown)的快乐秘诀，就要明白他的基本前提：他乐于不开心。

所以当他在蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)的选秀中屈居第二时，他的内心可能在洋溢着喜悦。邓肯会太容易驾驭，太好训练了。

也许布朗对基思·范·霍恩(Keith Van Horn)也有相同的看法，所以他将联盟第二好的新秀交易了。他需要一个大学新生，蒂姆·托马斯(Tim Thomas)，另一个需要刻苦训练的超级球员。把托马斯和大家最喜欢的控球匪徒艾伦·艾弗森(Allen Iverson)以及德瑞克·科尔曼(Derrick Coleman)——那个登上《体育画报》的哭泣封面人物——放在一起，布朗带着兴奋的心情投入了工作。

如果他能把他们扭转过来，那……

有时布朗确实做到了。他在菲尼克斯和洛杉矶的胜利证明了这一点，这也是马刺队周六晚上紧张的原因。但当艾弗森和科尔曼强行出手了几十次——当判断力再次战胜天赋——布朗得到了他经常给自己带来的东西。

一场失利。不开心。以及迎接下一堂训练课的兴奋。

这都是矛盾的，但这就是拉里定律的精髓。毕竟，布朗一直说他骨子里其实是一个大学教练。但自从离开马刺队后，他已经第三次换工作了，他离校园最近的一次是在周六下午，他在圣安东尼奥的酒店房间里观看他心爱的北卡罗来纳大学输给杜克大学。

了解布朗的人都知道，他希望今天能飞到教堂山，练习一些比赛结束时的罚球。他喜欢教导，不是吗？

这就是他的说法。布朗在十年前的这个月赢得了NCAA冠军。戏弄了加州大学洛杉矶分校。然后听取了来自德克萨斯州南部一位名叫雷德·麦科姆斯(Red McCombs)的汽车经销商提出的离谱报价。布朗从堪萨斯州跳槽到圣安东尼奥后，就开始让许多圣安东尼奥人感到厌烦，因为他不断重复他“我是大学教练”的说法。布朗说，有时，他宁愿执教高中。

当时听他这么说，似乎只有在1998年3月他执教四强赛时，他才会出现在圣安东尼奥。那他为什么还留在NBA？

“我太蠢了，”他周六说。

钱改变了方程式吗？

“你需要多少钱？”

他还想执教大学吗？

“以我的年龄，我不知道我能不能……我打算完成这项工作，然后去执教高中。”

梦想仍在延续。但对于一个衣着讲究的人来说，高中并不适合他。桌子底下太多嚼过的口香糖。相反，布朗理想的职业选择是执教一所大学，在那里他可以进行一些交易。

他现在拥有的是第二好的选择。有合同的大学孩子。也许再加上每年500万美元的收入，这就是布朗找到一点不快乐的方式。

曾经认为自己可以重塑乔治·麦基尼斯(George McGinnis)和德韦恩·施钦齐斯(Dwayne Schintzius)的人，可能在训练中会列出上百个细节，并为第二天计划好上千个。费城如果不是一个教练挑战，那真是太奇怪了，尤其是现在乔·史密斯(Joe Smith)在交易截止日期前到来。

在所有这些球员中，布朗最爱/最恨艾弗森。埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)给艾弗森上了一堂效率课；AJ用比艾弗森少11次出手获得了1分，同时也获得了艾弗森两倍多的助攻。但在艾弗森身上，布朗看到了罗德·斯特里克兰(Rod Strickland)的影子，他可以让人惊叹，直到他决定将球盲目地传过你的头顶，这正是第七场比赛需要的。

所以当艾弗森认为在邓肯头上强行出手几次是明智之举时，当AJ切入篮下时，当艾弗森用一次技术犯规结束了比赛时，布朗有了一些工作要做。生活从未如此美好。

点击查看原文：Larry's law: Don't worry, be unhappy

Larry’s law: Don’t worry, be unhappy

To understand what makes Larry Brown happy, understand the basic premise. He’s happy being unhappy.

So when he finished second in the Tim Duncan Lottery, he probably glowed inside. Duncan would have been too easy and too coachable.

Maybe Brown thought the same about Keith Van Horn, so he traded the rights to the league’s second best rookie. He needed a college freshman, Tim Thomas, another super-body in need of exhaustive lessons. Put Thomas with everybody’s favorite point gangsta, Allen Iverson, and Derrick Coleman, the crybaby coverboy for Sports Illustrated, and Brown went to work with a hop in his step.

If he could turn them around, well …

Sometimes Brown has. Wins in Phoenix and Los Angeles indicate as much, the reason the Spurs sweated Saturday night. But when Iverson and Coleman forced a few dozen shots - when judgment again overwhelmed talent - Brown got what he often brings on himself.

A loss. Unhappiness. And a hop in his step to get to the next practice.

It’s all a contradiction, but that is Larry’s law in a nutty-shell. After all, Brown has always said he’s really a college coach at heart. But here he is on his third job since leaving the Spurs, and the closest he’s come to a campus was in his San Antonio hotel room Saturday afternoon watching his beloved North Carolina blow a lead against Duke.

Knowing Brown, he wishes he could fly to Chapel Hill today to work on some end-of-the-game free throws. He lives to teach, doesn’t he?

That’s what he says. Brown won the NCAA title 10 years ago this month. Teased UCLA. Then listened to an outrageous offer from a South Texas car dealer named Red McCombs. No sooner had Brown jumped from Kansas did he begin to irritate a lot of San Antonians by restating his I’m-a- college-coach schtick. Brown said, sometimes, he’d rather coach high school.

Listening to him then, it seemed the only way he’d be in San Antonio in March 1998 was to coach in the Final Four. So why is he still in the NBA?

“I’m dumb,” he said Saturday.

Did money change the equation?

“How much money do you need?”

Does he still want to coach college?

“At my age, I don’t know if I can … I’m going to finish this and go coach high school.”

The dream lives. But high school wouldn’t be a great fit for someone with his wardrobe. Too much chewing gum under desks. Instead, Brown’s ideal career choice would be to coach at a college where they’d let him make a few trades.

Second best is what he has now. College kids with contracts. Maybe that and a $5 million-a-year deal is how Brown found a little ray of unhappiness.

The same man who once thought he could remake both George McGinnis and Dwayne Schintzius probably rattles off a hundred details at practice with a thousand planned for the next day. Philly is nothing if not a coaching challenge, especially now that Joe Smith arrived before the trade deadline.

Of them all, Brown love/hates Iverson the most. Avery Johnson gave Iverson a clinic of efficiency; AJ scored one more point with 11 fewer shots, while also ending with more than twice as many assists. But in Iverson, Brown has Rod Strickland all over again, able to amaze until he decides that throwing a blind pass over your head is just what a seventh game calls for.

So after Iverson thought it smart to force a few fourth-quarter shots over Duncan, after AJ cut backdoor and after Iverson punctuated the night with a technical foul, Brown had some work to do. Life had never been so good.

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1998-03-02, By Jerry Briggs

罗宾逊计划复出 马刺球星保证膝盖问题“并不严重”

大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 周日下午表示，他疼痛的右膝感觉“相当好”，并计划在今晚马刺队四场客场之旅的第一场比赛中对阵萨克拉门托国王队时按计划出战。

周六晚上，在球队以 100-88 战胜费城队的比赛中，罗宾逊时隔两周首次出场后，关于他状态的疑问仍然存在。

但罗宾逊因膝盖持续疼痛而行动缓慢，当记者在机场停机坪上登上球队包机时询问他此事时，他表现得很无所谓。

“并不严重，”他说。

马刺队在最近的三个主场比赛中横扫了明尼苏达、多伦多和费城，自全明星赛后他们的战绩为 5-4。今晚 9:30 在拱顶球馆对阵国王队的比赛将产生多少势头还有待观察。

“蒂姆（邓肯）和其他球员在我缺阵期间一直打得很好，”罗宾逊说道，他是球队的全明星中锋和得分王。“现在轮到我来帮助球队提升了。”

马刺队后卫埃弗里·约翰逊表示，对于这次客场之旅，他们没有长远目标，这次客场之旅还将带队前往金州勇士队、洛杉矶湖人队和波特兰开拓者队。

“我们只想拿下第一场，”约翰逊说。“现在我们只考虑这个。”

国王队（24-35）在争夺西部第八名的最后一张季后赛席位中逐渐失去竞争力。他们在最近的客场之旅中输掉了全部六场比赛。

马刺队（39-18）位列西部第四，中西部赛区第二，落后于犹他爵士队。前四名的季后赛种子将在五场三胜制的首轮比赛中获得主场优势。

“这是一次重要的客场之旅，”约翰逊说道。“现在每一场比赛都至关重要，因为球队都在为季后赛席位争夺。”

罗宾逊在战胜 76 人队的比赛中贡献了 17 分、8 个篮板和 3 次盖帽。因背部疼痛而缺席五场比赛的前锋查克·珀森预计将复出对阵国王队。

“现在我们有机会以全速观察球队，看看我们处在什么位置，”约翰逊说。

马刺队的新秀前锋蒂姆·邓肯过去 13 场比赛场均得到 25.8 分和 12.5 个篮板，他对球队在罗宾逊逐渐恢复状态时能够取得成功充满信心。

“有他回来感觉很棒，”邓肯说道。“他会重回状态，我们会变得更强大。”

在这次客场之旅的前两场比赛中，马刺队根本不能出现失误。国王队和勇士队在西部正在迅速下滑，正朝着乐透区前进。

另一方面，马刺队非常需要在最后两场比赛中战胜湖人和开拓者队。这两支球队都是西部七支最有可能加入马刺队季后赛阵营的球队。

到目前为止，马刺队对阵这七支球队取得了 6-13 的战绩。他们对阵湖人队为 0-2，对阵开拓者队为 1-1，开拓者队两周前交易得到了有天赋的控球后卫达蒙·斯塔德迈尔。

尽管对阵湖人和开拓者队的比赛很重要，但约翰逊不认为马刺队可以提前考虑。

国王队本赛季在主场表现出色。他们在 2 月 1 日在拱顶球馆给马刺队制造了很大麻烦，最终以 6 分惜败，比赛一直持续到最后一分钟。

“他们结束了一次漫长的客场之旅，回到主场，球迷们会很高兴见到他们，”约翰逊说道。“他们的球迷总是支持他们。”

在邓肯的出色表现的推动下，马刺队终于从全明星赛后的低迷中走了出来。

“赢球总是好的，”后卫维尼·德尔·尼格罗说。“我们最近打得很好。每场比赛，我们似乎都能找到获胜的方式。现在，我们试图让戴夫重新融入，这决定了很多事情。”

这次客场之旅的一大考验将是罗宾逊的身体稳定性，他在战胜费城队的比赛后表示，他受困扰的膝盖还没有完全恢复，让他缺席了两周。

“基本上只是控制不适感，”他说。

点击查看原文：Robinson planning to go against Kings Spurs star assures knee problem 'not bad'

Robinson planning to go against Kings Spurs star assures knee problem ‘not bad’

David Robinson said Sunday afternoon that his sore right knee feels “pretty good” and that he planned to play as scheduled tonight in the Spurs’ first game of a four-game road trip against the Sacramento Kings.

Some questions lingered about Robinson’s status Saturday night after he played for the first time in two weeks during the team’s 100-88 victory over Philadelphia at the Alamodome.

But Robinson, slowed by consistent pain in the knee, was nonchalant when reporters questioned him about it as he walked across the airport tarmac to board the team’s charter flight.

“It’s not bad,” he said.

The Spurs swept all three games on a recent homestand against Minnesota, Toronto and Philadelphia, giving them a 5-4 record since the All-Star break. Just how much momentum has been generated heading into tonight’s 9:30 tipoff at Arco Arena against the Kings remains to be seen.

“Tim (Duncan) and the rest of the guys have been playing great since I’ve been out,” said Robinson, the team’s All-Star center and leading scorer. “Now it’s my job to help pick it up.”

Spurs guard Avery Johnson said there are no long-range goals for the trip, which will also take the team through stops at Golden State, the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland.

“We just want to get the first one,” Johnson said. “That’s all we’re thinking about right now.”

The Kings (24-35) are fading from contention in the chase for the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot. They lost all six games on a recent road trip.

The Spurs (39-18) stand fourth in the West and second in the Midwest Division, a game behind Utah. The top four playoff seeds earn home-court advantage in the best-of-five first round.

“It’s a big road trip,” Johnson said. “Every game now is so crucial with teams jockeying for playoff position.”

Robinson contributed 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the win against the Sixers. Forward Chuck Person, on the injured list for five games with lower back pain, is expected to return against the Kings.

“Now we’ll get a chance to look at the team at full speed, and see where we are,” Johnson said.

Spurs rookie forward Tim Duncan, averaging 25.8 points and 12.5 rebounds over the last 13 games, remains confident the team will prosper as Robinson works his way back into form.

“It feels great to have him back,” Duncan said. “He’ll get back into the flow and we’ll be a better team.”

In the first two games of the trip, the Spurs simply can’t afford to stumble. The Kings and Warriors are sinking fast in the West, falling toward the lottery.

On the other hand, the Spurs need wins badly in the last two games against the Lakers and Trail Blazers. Both teams are among the seven most likely to join the Spurs in the West playoff bracket.

So far, the Spurs are a combined 6-13 against those seven teams. They are 0-2 against the Lakers and 1-1 against the Blazers, who made a trade for talented point guard Damon Stoudamire two weeks ago.

Even though the games against the Lakers and Blazers will be important, Johnson doesn’t believe the Spurs can look ahead.

The Kings have been solid at home this season. They gave the Spurs a hard time at Arco Arena on Feb. 1 before falling by six in a game contested until the final minute.

“They’re coming home from a long road trip and their fans are going to be glad to see them,” Johnson said. “Their fans are always there to support them.”

Bolstered by the inspired play of Duncan, the Spurs are finally emerging from their post-All-Star- break funk.

“It’s always better to win,” guard Vinny Del Negro said. “We’ve played well enough lately. Each game, we seem to find a way. Right now, we’re tyring to mix Dave back in, and that determines a lot of things.”

A big test on the trip will be the physical stability of Robinson, who said after the Philadelphia game that he was less than 100 percent on the knee that caused him to sit out two weeks.

“It’s basically just a matter of managing the discomfort,” he said.

By Jerry Briggs, via San Antonio Express-News