马刺1998-99赛季实录（780+篇）

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-05, By Johnny Ludden

大修后的国王队迎战‘99赛季首战 - 马刺队也迎来了新面孔

在这个非比寻常的赛季，NBA将在没有全明星赛、迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)和沙龙·赖特(Sharone Wright)的情况下继续进行，马刺队今晚选择了完美的对手来开启他们陌生的新赛季。萨克拉门托国王队，背负着15年失败的历史，如今只剩下名字和地址可以识别。

马刺队后卫史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)，同样在努力适应新的环境，他总结了联盟对国王队的球探报告：“我对他们不太了解。”

还有很多东西要学。首先是新教练的名字。里克·阿德尔曼(Rick Adelman)在波特兰和金州待过之后，接替了埃迪·乔丹(Eddie Jordan)的位置，后者在国王队输掉了最后21场比赛中的20场后被解雇。

全明星后卫米奇·里奇蒙德(Mitch Richmond)，过去六个赛季都是国王队开幕战的首发阵容，被交易到华盛顿，换来了全明星前锋克里斯·韦伯(Chris Webber)。萨克拉门托随后选秀了佛罗里达控球后卫杰森·威廉姆斯(Jason Williams)，从海外引进了他们的1996年首轮签球员普雷德拉格·斯托亚科维奇(Predrag Stojakovic)，并与夏洛特中锋弗拉德·迪瓦茨(Vlade Divac)签下了一份为期六年的6250万美元的合同。

小前锋科利斯·威廉姆森(Corliss Williamson)，上赛季最有进步球员的亚军，是国王队唯一一位回归的正式首发球员。前马刺队后卫弗农·麦克斯韦尔(Vernon Maxwell)和经验丰富的中锋奥利弗·米勒(Oliver Miller)被引进，以增强替补阵容。

球队的所有权也易手，归属了马卢夫兄弟，他们三年前就对收购马刺队感兴趣。就连得分后卫塔里克·阿卜杜勒-瓦哈德(Tariq Abdul-Wahad)在上赛季开始之前也把名字从奥利维尔·圣让(Olivier Saint-Jean)改成了现在的名字。

“一切都完全不同了，”马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。“场上都是新面孔。新教练。新体系。我们必须做好应对一切的准备。”

虽然国王队可能需要一段时间来熟悉彼此，但几乎没有人会质疑他们实力的提升。迪瓦茨取代了奥尔登·波利尼斯(Olden Polynice)，他的外线投篮能力会造成很大的麻烦。尽管韦伯场外麻烦不断，但他仍然是联盟最有天赋的球员之一。洛杉矶湖人队等球队都对威廉姆斯表示了兴趣，斯托亚科维奇也是一位出色的射手。

“我认为他们比去年有了很大的进步，”波波维奇说。

马刺队已经观看了国王队的两场热身赛——都战胜了金州勇士队——但就像这个匆忙的赛季的大多数球队一样，他们会继续专注于提升自己。

“你不知道会发生什么，”前锋肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)说。“你会试着观看他们热身赛的录像，但就目前而言，我们只需要关注自己的比赛。

“在这个赛季的每场比赛中，我们都是不变的因素。我们是共同的点。我们每天都必须保持一致。”

随着科尔、马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)和杰罗姆·柯西(Jerome Kersey)的加入，马刺队的补充球员仅限于替补阵容。尽管马刺队在周六78-70战胜休斯顿的热身赛下半场投篮命中率达到50%，但控球后卫埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)表示，球队需要时间来磨合进攻。

“我们有点乱，”约翰逊说。“这不是因为我们不熟悉彼此。而是因为要重回比赛状态。你打夏季联赛，那完全不一样。

“希望节奏能尽快找回来。”

在这个压缩的50场比赛赛程中，没有哪支球队可以承受太长时间的落后。从今晚的比赛开始，马刺队将在10天内打七场比赛。在三场主场比赛结束后，他们在周六对阵明尼苏达森林狼队，周一对阵湖人队，然后将在周二开始四场客场之旅。

• 马刺队消息：NBA将在今晚的比赛中为每位球迷免费提供多媒体光盘。这些光盘包含音乐和NBA Live '99电子游戏的演示版本。

点击查看原文：Overhauled Kings first '99 visitors - Spurs also welcome newcomers

Overhauled Kings first '99 visitors - Spurs also welcome newcomers

In this oddest of years, when the NBA will plow ahead without either an All-Star game, Michael Jordan or Sharone Wright, the Spurs have picked the perfect opponent tonight to open their unfamiliar season. The Sacramento Kings, dogged by a 15-year history of failure, are now recognizable in name and address only.

Spurs guard Steve Kerr, who likewise has been busy adjusting to new surroundings, summed up the league’s scouting report of the Kings: “I don’t know much about them.”

There’s plenty to learn. Beginning with the name of the new coach. Rick Adelman, after stays in Portland and Golden State, replaced Eddie Jordan, who was fired after the Kings lost all but one of their last 21 games.

All-Star guard Mitch Richmond, who was in the Kings’ opening- night lineup the past six seasons, was traded to Washington for All- Star forward Chris Webber. Sacramento then drafted Florida point guard Jason Williams, lured swingman Predrag Stojakovic, their 1996 first-round pick, from overseas and signed Charlotte center Vlade Divac to a six-year, $62.5- million contract.

Small forward Corliss Williamson, last year’s runner-up for most improved player, is the Kings’ only returning full-time starter. Former Spurs guard Vernon Maxwell and well-traveled center Oliver Miller have been brought in to bolster the bench.

The team’s ownership has also changed hands to the Maloof brothers, who were interested in buying the Spurs three years ago. Even shooting guard Tariq Abdul-Wahad changed his name from Olivier Saint-Jean at the start of last season.

“Everything is totally different,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “New people on the court. New coach. New system. We’re just going to have to be ready for anything.”

Though it may take the Kings a while to get acquainted, there is little debate Sacramento is more skilled. Divac replaces Olden Polynice and can cause problems with his outside shot. Despite his off- court troubles, Webber remains one of the league’s more talented players. The Los Angeles Lakers, among others, courted Williams, and Stojakovic is a great shooter.

“I think it’s a large improvement over what they had last year,” Popovich said.

The Spurs have scouted the Kings’ two exhibition games - both wins over Golden State - but, like most teams this rushed season, will continue to focus on improving themselves.

“You don’t know what to expect,” forward Sean Elliott said. "You try to watch film of their exhibition games, but for the most we just have to worry about being good.

“We’re the constant in every game this year. We’re the common denominator. We have to be the same every day.”

With the acquisition of Kerr, Mario Elie and Jerome Kersey, the Spurs’ additions are limited to the bench. And though the Spurs shot 50 percent from the field during the second half of Saturday’s 78-70 exhibition win over Houston, point guard Avery Johnson said it will take time to smooth out the offense.

“We’re a little raggedy,” Johnson said. "It’s not because we’re not familiar with each other. It’s just getting back into game-type situations. You play summer-league ball and it’s just not the same.

“Hopefully the timing will come back sooner than later.”

With the crammed 50-game schedule, no team can afford to fall back for too long. Beginning with tonight’s game, the Spurs will play seven games in 10 days. After the three-game homestand wraps up with Saturday against Minnesota and Monday against the Lakers, the Spurs begin a four-game road trip Tuesday.

- Spurs notes: The NBA will give out free multimedia CDs to every fan at tonight’s games. The CDs include music and a demo version of the video game NBA Live '99.

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-05

前进，银黑军团！

圣安东尼奥马刺队：总是陪伴在冠军旁边，却始终与冠军无缘。但今年会是不同吗？这支饱经磨难的球队会给他们的忠实球迷们带来一个缩水赛季的NBA总冠军吗？

希望永存，在这个缩短的赛季开始之时，现实的希望也随之而来。犹他队的球星们老了，休斯顿的也是。洛杉矶队则由口无遮拦的沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)领衔，他最近对马刺队放言，称他们太软弱，无法赢得冠军，此言无疑给马刺队增添了额外动力。

而且，如果马刺队能够战胜西部所有的对手，那么在没有迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)的芝加哥公牛队，东部也并没有明显的统治者。

一个担忧是：马刺队的一些人，比如大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和球队老板彼得·霍尔特(Peter Holt)，正在通过鲁莽地预测夺冠来给自己制造失望。体育界的规则是，要有自信，但不要通过夸下海口让对手更有动力去击败你。

NBA球员停摆和劳资纠纷期间充满了矛盾和争议，但这些都已成为过去。马刺队将打一场缩水到50场的比赛，他们的战斗口号是：“每一场比赛都至关重要”。

究竟是哪些比赛在过去几年中没有那么重要？也许是马刺队在赛季末未能赢下的那些比赛。但前进吧，银黑军团！今年，只要赢得最后一场比赛。

点击查看原文：Onward, silver and black

Onward, silver and black

The San Antonio Spurs: often a bridesmaid, never a bride. But could this be the year? Will the Spurs give their long-suffering, loyal fans an NBA championship this strike-shortened season?

As hope springs eternal, there is good reason for realistic hope as this abbreviated season begins. Utah’s stars are aging, as are Houston’s. Los Angeles is led by bigmouthed Shaquille O’Neal, who recently gave the Spurs extra incentive by charging that they are too soft to win a title.

And, if the Spurs get past all those Western Conference teams, there is no clear power in the East now that the Chicago Bulls are without Michael Jordan.

One worry: Some of the Spurs - David Robinson and owner Peter Holt to name two - are setting themselves up for disappointment by rashly predicting a championship season. The rule in sports is to be confident, but don’t give your foes incentive to beat you by making bold vows.

There was much acrimony during the NBA player lockout and labor strife, but that’s settled now. The Spurs play a shortened 50-game season, and their battle cry is: “Every game counts.”

Wonder which ones did not in past years? Maybe the ones the Spurs failed to win at the end of the season. But onward, silver and black. This year, just win the last one.

via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-05, By Kevin O’Keeffe

佩杜高兴，但惊讶，他还能留在这里

他的房子是租的。所以威廉·爱德华·佩杜三世(William Edward Perdue III)随时可以走。

但自从1997-98赛季之前，他就已经做好了迅速离开的准备。

仿佛“佩杜”这个词无法写出来，而“交易”这个词不会在几分钟后出现。

哦，在2月19日NBA交易截止日期过后，他享受了一段喘息时间。

但在季后赛结束和7月1日老板对球员的停摆之间，佩杜再次成为最有可能从后视镜中看到圣安东尼奥的人。

当然，交易的传言是对佩杜的赞美，这位身高7英尺、拥有冷幽默的球员于1995年10月2日从芝加哥公牛队来到圣安东尼奥，与丹尼斯·罗德曼(Dennis Rodman)交换。

“我知道仍然有球队对我有兴趣，”佩杜在周四晚上在阿拉莫圆顶球馆对阵萨克拉门托国王队的赛季揭幕战前的最后准备结束后说道。

“我知道，如果马刺队觉得他们可以进行一笔交易来让球队变得更好，他们会这样做的。”

也就是说：如果贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)在得分后卫位置上的首发实验不成功，佩杜将再次成为最有可能不在城里参加圣安东尼奥节的人。

但直到任何事情发生……

“我很高兴能留在这里，”佩杜说，他的膝盖和左大腿在训练后被包裹在冰块中。“即使，是的，我对仍然能留在这里感到有些惊讶。”

这是马刺队从未做过的最好的交易。

佩杜很可能成为今年球队中最重要球员之一。

随着NBA将50场比赛压缩到13周内进行，繁重的赛程将考验大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)的膝盖。

虽然罗宾逊只比佩杜大23天——他们都是32岁——但罗宾逊的身体已经多跑了50000英里。

想想看：佩杜的职业生涯比罗宾逊多打了39场比赛，但他只打了12965分钟。

上个赛季，罗宾逊场均上场33.7分钟。佩杜是18.9分钟。

可以说，教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)本赛季最重要的任务将是密切关注罗宾逊的上场时间，因为马刺队将在10天内打7场比赛。

“而且，我们两次会在三天内打三场比赛，”佩杜说。“所以，我认为我现在获得的比赛时间会比在82场比赛的赛季中更多。”

佩杜喜欢这支马刺队——这也是他很高兴还能留在这里的另一个原因。

他相信马刺队有机会打进NBA总决赛。

“因为蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)、大卫·罗宾逊、一个健康的肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)，当然我们有机会，”佩杜说。

但他赶忙补充说：“因为沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)，湖人队有机会。因为（卡尔）马龙(Karl Malone)和（约翰）斯托克顿(John Stockton)，爵士队有机会。”

与马刺队一直以来的情况一样，季后赛将是他们表现的衡量标准。太多50胜以上的常规赛以季后赛的失望告终，使其成为另一种方式。

佩杜很可能是今年季后赛突破的关键人物，无论是亲自上场……还是通过他在交易中带来的球员。

点击查看原文：Perdue glad, but surprised, to still be here

Perdue glad, but surprised, to still be here

His house is a rental. So William Edward Perdue III is ready to go at a moment’s notice.

But then, he’s been ready for a quick departure since before the 1997-98 season.

It was as though “Perdue” couldn’t be written without the word “trade” coming moments later.

Oh, he enjoyed a breather after the passage of the NBA trade deadline last Feb. 19.

But between the end of the playoffs and the July 1 lockout of the players by the owners, Perdue again was the runaway favorite to be looking at San Antonio through his rearview mirror.

The trade talk, of course, is a compliment to Perdue, a 7-footer with a dry wit who came to San Antonio from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Dennis Rodman on Oct. 2, 1995.

“I know there still are teams interested in me,” Perdue said after Thursday’s final prep for tonight’s season opener in the Alamodome against the Sacramento Kings.

“And I know, if the Spurs feel as though they can make a trade to better the team, they will.”

To wit: Should the Jaren Jackson-starting-at-shooting- guard experiment not pan out, Perdue again will be the man most likely not to be in town for Fiesta.

But until anything happens …

“I’m glad to be here,” said Perdue, his knees and left thigh wrapped in ice after the workout. “Even though, yes, I am somewhat surprised to still be here.”

It was the best trade the Spurs never made.

Perdue easily could wind up being one of the most important players on this year’s team.

With the NBA cramming 50 games into 13 weeks, the arduous schedule will tax David Robinson’s knees.

And while Robinson is only 23 days older than Perdue - they are both 32 - Robinson’s body has about 50,000 more miles on it.

Consider this: Perdue has played in 39 more games in his career than Robinson, but Perdue has played 12,965 fewer minutes.

Last season, Robinson averaged 33.7 minutes per game. Perdue was at 18.9.

Arguably, Coach Gregg Popovich’s most important duty this season will be to closely monitor Robinson’s playing time as the Spurs open with seven games in 10 days.

“And twice, we have three games in three nights,” Perdue said. “So, I would think I will get more time now than I would in an 82-game season.”

Perdue likes this Spurs team - another reason why he’s glad to still be around.

He believes the Spurs have a chance to reach the NBA Finals.

“Because of Tim Duncan, David Robinson, a healthy Sean Elliott, sure we have a chance,” Perdue said.

But, he hastened to add, “because of Shaquille (O’Neal), the Lakers have a chance. Because of (Karl) Malone and (John) Stockton, Utah has a chance.”

As always has been the case with the Spurs, the postseason will be the gauge of their performance. Too many 50-plus-victory regular seasons have ended in playoff disappointment for it to be any other way.

And Perdue just may be the difference in breaking through in the playoffs this year, either in person … or by who he brings in a trade.

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

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-06, By Johnny Ludden

振奋人心的回归——马刺状态出色，轻取国王

两百零四天。马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)经历了长达 204 天的停摆期，一次又一次地修改着他的愿望清单。

周五晚上，当这个缩水赛季的帷幕终于拉开时，他只用了两个小时就展示了他为何要进行这些新的引援。

投篮？

没问题。

韧性？

没问题。

经验？

没问题。

防守？

没问题。没问题。没问题。

在阿拉莫穹顶体育馆 19,002 名观众面前，马刺队以 101-83 的比分横扫萨克拉门托国王队，他们的新援也悉数亮相：史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)、马里奥·艾利(Mario Elie)、杰罗姆·科尔西(Jerome Kersey)、安东尼奥·丹尼尔斯(Antonio Daniels)以及肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)的左膝。所有人的表现都高于及格线。

“看到这些家伙上场，拉开空间，然后投进他们被带到这里来投进的球，感觉真的很好，”波波维奇说，“除此之外，他们还帮助球队提升了领导力。他们让球场上的每个人都变得更好，不仅仅是因为他们的投篮。”

“他们知道如何把篮球打好。”

蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)一如既往地稳定，贡献了全队最高的 19 分和 17 个篮板。大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)以及马刺队其他球员的防守也同样出色，他们将国王队的命中率限制在 96 投 35 中（36.5%）。国王队首发锋线——克里斯·韦伯(Chris Webber)、科利斯·威廉姆森(Corliss Williamson)和弗拉德·迪瓦茨(Vlade Divac)——合计 40 投仅 13 中。

“我们的防守从一开始就非常稳固，”波波维奇说，“这将是我们整个赛季乃至季后赛的依靠。”

埃利奥特也能提供帮助。在过去两个赛季因膝伤缺席了 89 场比赛后，他在复出后继续展现出令人印象深刻的状态。

埃利奥特在 22 分钟内得到 14 分，帮助球队将威廉姆森的得分限制在仅有的两球，并展现出让他在 1996 年入选全明星阵容的快速第一步。更重要的是，埃利奥特的 6 分来自第三节中段，当时国王队一度将分差缩小到 2 分，而马刺队正是在这一节彻底击溃了对手。

“他很快就融入了球队，”波波维奇说，“我认为他打了一场出色的比赛。他投篮，他突破，他还防守。”

“他真的是我们今晚的亮点。”

替补席上的球员表现也不错。科尔在 20 分钟内得到 11 分，投进一记三分球，并在另一次进攻中被犯规后三罚三中。他还造成了韦伯的进攻犯规，后者 21 投才得到 20 分。

艾利在 20 分钟的上场时间里得到 14 分，并投进了两记三分球。

“就像一片开阔的海洋，”马刺队控球后卫埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)说，“球场上有很多空间，我可以轻松突破。我们引进了一些有射程的球员。”

就连科尔西都投进了一记三分球。威尔·珀杜(Will Perdue)在 14 分钟内得到 7 分和 7 个篮板。丹尼尔斯在防守端表现稳固，并展现了乔治·格文(George Gervin)式的动作，从罚球线内一步起跳上篮得分。

国王队控球后卫贾森·威廉姆斯(Jason Williams)在自己的 NBA 首秀中拿下全场最高的 21 分，他尽力帮助国王队紧咬比分。第三节开始后，他连得 8 分——一记三分球、一次抢断后的上篮和一记 17 英尺的跳投——将一度达到 13 分的分差缩小到 2 分。

但也仅此而已。埃利奥特命中一记 19 英尺的跳投。约翰逊断球后上篮得分。邓肯补篮命中贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)的投失，随后在罗宾逊抢断后又添一球。埃利奥特两罚全中后，以一记扣篮结束了这波得分高潮。

在 3 分 30 秒的时间里，两分的领先优势变成了 59-45 的大比分领先。然后比赛就失去了悬念。马刺队在第三节结束时打出了一波 15-2 的攻击波，将领先优势扩大到 31 分。

比赛中，珀杜曾经一个转身传球给科尔，后者迅速将球传给艾利，后者命中一记三分球。在看到这样的表现后，马刺队的首发球员在第四节舒舒服服地坐在替补席上观看了比赛。

“这真是太棒了，”罗宾逊说，他贡献了 12 分、10 个篮板、4 次助攻和 3 次盖帽，“我需要尽可能多地休息。”

不出所料，两队在比赛开始时都像是过去七个月里一直在为 20 亿美元的篮球相关收入讨价还价，而不是在打球。同样不出所料的是，国王队看起来就像是在赛前介绍时才刚刚认识彼此。

马刺队在开场两分钟内就出现了三次传球失误。国王队的问题则持续了更长时间。

“他们可能拥有联盟中最顶级的防守之一，”国王队教练里克·阿德尔曼(Rick Adelman)说。

点击查看原文：A resounding revival - Spurs return in fine form, drill Kings

A resounding revival - Spurs return in fine form, drill Kings

Two hundred four days. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a 204- day lockout to write and rewrite his list of wants and needs.

And Friday night when the curtain finally, finally lifted on this shortened season, he needed all of two hours to show why he made his new purchases.

Shooting?

Check.

Toughness?

Check.

Experience?

Check.

Defense?

Check. Check. Check.

In front of an Alamodome audience of 19,002, the Spurs used their 101-83 opening-night blowout of Sacramento to trot out their new acquisitions: Steve Kerr, Mario Elie, Jerome Kersey, Antonio Daniels and Sean Elliott’s left knee. All received better-than-passing grades.

“It definitely felt good to see those guys come in, space the floor and knock down the shots they were brought here to knock down,” Popovich said. "Beyond that, they help with leadership. They just make people better on the court. Not just because they shoot.

“They know how to play basketball well.”

Tim Duncan was his steady self, contributing a team-high 19 points and 17 rebounds. So was David Robinson and the rest of the Spurs’ defense, which held Sacramento to 35-of-96 shooting (36.5 percent). The Kings’ starting frontline - Chris Webber, Corliss Williamson and Vlade Divac - finished a combined 13 of 40.

“We were pretty sound defensively right off the bat,” Popovich said. “That’s what’s going to carry us through the season and into the playoffs.”

Elliott also could help. After missing 89 games over the last two seasons with knee problems, he continued to look impressive in his comeback.

Elliott scored 14 points in 22 minutes, helped hold Williamson to only two baskets and showed the quick first step that made him an All-Star in 1996. More importantly, six of Elliott’s points came in the middle of third quarter when the Spurs buried the Kings after Sacramento had closed to within two.

“He just jumped right in,” Popovich said. "I thought he had an outstanding game. He shot. He drove it. He played defense.

“He really was the bright spot for us.”

The bench didn’t look bad, either. Kerr scored 11 points in 20 minutes, knocked down one three- pointer and sank all three free throws when he was fouled on another. He also took a charge from Webber, who needed 21 shots to get his 20 points.

Elie used his allotted 20 minutes for 14 points and canned a pair of three-pointers.

“It was like an ocean out there,” Spurs point guard Avery Johnson said. “There was so much space on the floor I could penetrate. We brought in some guys with range.”

Enough that Kersey even dropped in a three-pointer. Will Perdue added seven points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes. Daniels played solid defense and showed off a George Gervin-like move, taking off from just inside the free-throw line for a lay-in.

Sacramento point guard Jason Williams, making his NBA debut with a game-high 21 points, did his best to keep the Kings close. To start the third quarter he scored eight consecutive points - a three- pointer, layup off a steal and a 17- footer - to cut what once was a 13- point deficit to two.

And that was it. Elliott drained a 19-footer. Johnson stripped Williams for a layup. Duncan tapped in a miss by Jaren Jackson, then added another basket after a steal by Robinson. Elliott, after knocking down a pair of free throws, fittingly finished off the flurry with a dunk.

In 31/2 minutes, a two-point lead mushroomed into a 59-45 cushion. And then it got ugly. The Spurs, who led by as many as 31, put away the game by scoring all but two of the final 15 points of the third quarter.

At one point Perdue flipped an over-the-shoulder pass to Kerr who whipped it to Elie who drained a three-pointer. After that type of production the Spurs starters watched the final quarter comfortably from the bench.

“That was great,” said Robinson, who contributed 12 points, 10 boards, four assists and three blocks. “I need as much rest as possible.”

As expected, both teams came out looking like they had spent most of the past seven months haggling over $2 billion of basketball- related income instead of playing. And as expected, the Kings continued to look like they had just met during pregame introductions.

The Spurs threw away three passes in just over two minutes to open the game. Sacramento’s problems lasted a little longer.

“They probably have one of the top defenses in the league,” Kings coach Rick Adelman said.

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-06, By Buck Harvey

烟消云散？为什么马刺现在可以松一口气了

杰森·威廉姆斯(Jason Williams)说他很干净，说他吸取了教训。

当你被一支可能选中你的 NBA 球队面试时，这些都是明智的说法。

然后，这支东部联盟球队的教练问威廉姆斯他现在是否能通过毒品测试。

威廉姆斯想了一下：“这取决于你们检测的是哪种毒品。”

这位教练没有选中威廉姆斯。萨克拉门托抢先一步选了他。这就是你所需要了解的关于这个曾经与兰迪·莫斯(Randy Moss)是高中队友的球员的一切。这个孩子在上个赛季佛罗里达大学被停赛三次，这个新秀正在向维尔纳·麦克斯韦尔(Vernon Maxwell)和克里斯·韦伯(Chris Webber)这样的老奸巨猾的球星学习联盟的规则。

威廉姆斯非常了解球场，没有人会在意他是否红着眼。

威廉姆斯星期五没有令人失望。他用两只纹身的手臂投出传球，然后在下半场初独自将国王队拉近到落后两分的距离。“他差点让我退休了，”艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)事后笑着说。

这正是马刺队担心的。在短暂的训练营后，一个鲁莽的新秀能在一晚上成为最棒的吗？

但格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)招手让他的新替补上场，史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)和马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)走进了球场。他们是通过了 NBA 历来所有测试的人，包括毒品测试和其它测试。

你知道他们会来。你读过相关报道，听过相关消息。但是当他们带着指向冠军戒指的手指走上球场时，即使在这场奇怪的 2 月份揭幕战的浓烟中，这一切难道还不够明显吗？在大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)时代，难道这不是最深厚、最聪明、最可靠的轮换阵容吗？

肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)点点头。“我们一直都有有潜力的球员，”他说。“但我们从未有过这种类型的经验。在这么多人身上没有过。”

多克·里弗斯(Doc Rivers)会出场，与 J.R·里德(J.R. Reid)和摩西·马龙(Moses Malone)并肩作战。马刺队一直依赖于太年轻和太老的球员，有时也依赖于太迷糊的球员。马刺队经常在麻烦中冒险，尤其是在鲍勃·巴斯(Bob Bass)执教时期。而今天巴斯在夏洛特也一样，他赌博了德里克·科尔曼(Derrick Coleman)。

每个特许经营权最终都会冒险（比如凯尔特人的金发球员德怀恩·施特恩茨(Dwayne Schintzius)）。但也许没有哪个球队像萨克拉门托队本赛季那样冒险。他们不吸入的东西，奥利弗·米勒(Oliver Miller)会吃掉。

克里斯·韦伯(Chris Webber)就是一个例子。在星期五的揭幕战之前，在他为球队打任何比赛之前，他就重申了想要被交易的愿望。他认为自己会花一些时间提高自己的市场价值，如果他遵循一个简单的策略，他就能做到这一点：避免重复自己在一天中犯下 9 次违规的个人记录。

疯狂的麦克斯自然会指导他。还有另外一个前佛罗里达大学球员威廉姆斯，他太出色了，他的过去并不重要。“我只见过两个人像（威廉姆斯）一样能控制球，并且像他一样了解球场，”国王队主教练里克·阿德尔曼(Rick Adelman)赞叹道。“魔术师·约翰逊(Magic Johnson)和约翰·斯托克顿(John Stockton)。”

每个人都是下一个什么，马刺队对此已经厌倦了。他们想要现在的什么。他们想要杰罗姆·科西(Jerome Kersey)和威尔·珀迪(Will Perdue)一起打球，他们拥有 20 多年的经验。他们想要科尔和埃利，在掩护中滑行，冲抢篮板，有时像他们在马刺队首秀中那样投篮。合计 13 投 9 中的命中率让冠军戒指看起来更加耀眼。

这只是一场比赛，今晚还有另一场。而他们的成功将取决于最基本、最枯燥的因素，健康。

但如果这是一场测试，对于马刺队来说，最好的消息是他们不用担心另一种类型的测试。马刺队终于干净了。他们吸取了教训。

点击查看原文：Up in smoke? Why Spurs can now exhale

Up in smoke? Why Spurs can now exhale

Jason Williams said he was clean. Said he’d learned his lesson.

These are smart things to say when you are being interviewed by an NBA team that might draft you.

Then the coach of this Eastern Conference franchise asked Williams if he could pass a drug test at that moment.

Williams thought about it. “Depends on which drugs you test for.”

That coach didn’t draft Williams. Sacramento beat him to it. And that’s all you need to know about a onetime high school teammate of Randy Moss, a kid who was suspended three times last season at Florida, a rookie who is learning the ways of the league from such wily vets as Vernon Maxwell and Chris Webber.

Williams sees the court so well, no one cares if he does it with red eyes.

Williams didn’t disappoint Friday. He snapped passes with both of his tattooed arms, then pulled the Kings within two all by himself early in the second half. “He about put me in retirement,” kidded Avery Johnson afterward.

And it was precisely what the Spurs feared. After a short camp, could a brash rookie be the best for one night?

But then Gregg Popovich waved for his new subs, and into the game came men who have passed every test the NBA has ever offered, drug and otherwise. Steve Kerr and Mario Elie.

You knew they were coming. You read about it, heard about. But when they checked in with their ring fingers pointing the way, wasn’t it clear even in the smoke of an odd February opener? Isn’t this the deepest, smartest and most reliable rotation in the David Robinson era?

Sean Elliott nods. “We always had guys with potential,” he said. “But we never had this kind of savvy. Not in these numbers.”

Doc Rivers would check in - with J.R. Reid and Moses Malone next to him. The Spurs always depended upon the too-young and too-old, and sometimes the too- confused. The Spurs often gambled on trouble, especially under Bob Bass. And Bass does today in Charlotte, too, having gambling on Derrick Coleman.

Every franchise eventually takes risks (meet Dwayne Schintzius, the blond Celtic). But maybe no team went so far as Sacramento did this season. What they don’t inhale, Oliver Miller eats.

Chris Webber is Example A. Before Friday’s opener - before he’d played a game for this team - he restated his desire to be traded. He figures he’ll spend some time getting his market value up, and he could do just that if he follows a simple strategy: Avoid repeating a personal record of nine misdemeanors in one day.

Mad Max will counsel, naturally. And then there is the other ex- Gator, Williams, so good his past didn’t matter. “There are only two people I’ve seen come into the league who can handle the ball like (Williams) can and also see the floor as well as he does,” gushes the Kings coach, Rick Adelman. “Magic Johnson and John Stockton.”

Everybody is the next something, and the Spurs are sick of it. They want the current something. They want Jerome Kersey and Will Perdue banging with over 20 years experience. They want Kerr and Elie, slipping off screens, taking charges, sometimes shooting as they did in their Spurs’ debut. A combined 9- of-13 night makes the ring fingers look even better.

It’s only one game with another tonight. And their success will come down to the most basic and boring factor, health.

But if this was one test, the best news for the Spurs is that they don’t have to worry about the other kind. The Spurs are finally clean. They’ve learned their lesson.

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-07, By Johnny Ludden

马刺舞动击败森林狼 - 明尼苏达无法找到答案破解圣安东尼奥的窒息防守

仅仅两场比赛，但已经完成了这个快节奏赛季的1/25，马刺已经短暂地证明了至少这一点：在七个月的停摆之后，他们还没有忘记如何打出他们标志性的蓝领防守。

经历过两次膝盖手术和无数个小时的康复之后，肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)也没有忘记如何打球。

在埃利奥特得到22分，以及防守端将明尼苏达的投篮命中率限制在30.6%的帮助下，马刺在周六晚上在阿拉莫穹顶以 96-82 的比分击败了森林狼，现场有21,319名观众。

“我们2-0，”马刺主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说道，“这比其他结果都要好。”

明尼苏达在周六发现了另一面。在周五对阵掘金时得到110分之后，森林狼遇到了大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)。他整场比赛都在驱赶着森林狼球员，最终得到7次盖帽和13个篮板，外加19分。

艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)也帮助限制了斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury)的发挥，后者在对阵掘金时得到21分和9次助攻，而今天22投仅5中。乔·史密斯(Joe Smith)在周五11投10中，而在周六只投进了17投5中。凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)需要23投和5个罚球才得到全队最高的19分。

现在下结论还为时过早，但马刺看起来有能力打破上赛季他们创造的NBA纪录，当时他们将对手的投篮命中率限制在41.1%。马刺在周五的揭幕战中将萨克拉门托的投篮命中率限制在36.9%。

“我们的防守非常重要，因为这是我们唯一不变的因素，”蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)说道。“当投篮不进的时候，我们必须依靠防守。”

邓肯当然做到了。他抓下了14个篮板，并送出了3次盖帽，但他只投进了18投7中，得到22分。

与此同时，埃利奥特看起来比大多数人预期的要好。他帮助防守加内特。他的6个进球中，有一半是扣篮。最关键的一次扣篮发生在第四节还剩不到四分钟的时候，当时森林狼将之前一度领先23分的优势缩小到了10分。

“你看到的和我看到的一样，”波波维奇说道。“太棒了。”

罗宾逊说道：“回归需要付出很多努力。(埃利奥特)做到了。在双重训练中，他看起来很不错。在整个训练营期间，他都表现出色。现在他在比赛中也打出来了。”

马刺看起来似乎可以连续第二个晚上让主力球员休息，直到森林狼在第四节采用压迫防守将比分追近。

“我认为我们在比赛的各个方面都打出了8分（满分10分），”约翰逊说道。“除了我们的压迫进攻。”

波波维奇说道：“当你领先20分的时候，无论你面对的是谁，这几乎都是一种诅咒。”

唯一另一个让人不爽的事情是威尔·珀杜(Will Perdue)在比赛还剩11分34秒的时候扭伤了右脚踝，被送往更衣室。他在比赛中得到11个篮板和8分，上场时间只有13分钟。珀杜被列为每日观察。

马刺利用明尼苏达首发阵容的犯规困扰，在第二节打出一波14-0的高潮，拉开了比赛的差距。

史密斯在比赛开始不到四分钟的时候就领到了两次犯规，他连续得到5分，将明尼苏达的比分追至23-19，开始了第二节的比赛。然后，杰罗姆·克西(Jerome Kersey)替补出场，帮助迅速阻止了这场反扑。

克西替补邓肯打了6分钟，他压制了史密斯，抢下了5个篮板，并投进了一个17英尺的跳投。然后，明尼苏达将近4分钟的时间里没有得分。

“我们不应该给自己挖这么大的坑，”明尼苏达后卫鲍比·杰克逊(Bobby Jackson)说道。“我们把他们的领先优势缩小到10分，但从落后追赶很困难。

“我们必须忘记这场比赛。”

罗宾逊帮助马刺打出了一波高潮，他完成了一记扣篮，也让加内特领到了第三次犯规，当时距离中场休息还剩不到9分钟。中锋迪安·加勒特(Dean Garrett)在不到3分钟的时间里就领到了第三次犯规。

“这对我们来说是一个糟糕的夜晚，”加勒特说道。“这不是停摆的原因，只是糟糕的夜晚。”

罗宾逊利用他们的缺席，投进了一个11英尺的转身跳投。埃利奥特接着完成了一记扣篮，并投进了一个20英尺的跳投，将马刺的领先优势扩大到19分。

“他们总是打出侵略性的防守，”森林狼主教练弗利普·桑德斯(Flip Saunders)说道。“这就是他们为什么那么难对付。”

明尼苏达不用等太久就能再次与马刺交手。在今天休息一天之后，马刺将在周一晚上在阿拉莫穹顶迎战洛杉矶湖人，然后在周二飞往明尼苏达，开始四场客场比赛之旅。

“我们希望在这段主场之旅中保持强势，”约翰逊说道。“并不是每个人都能在主场打三场比赛来开始赛季。

“如果我们能像过去一样在客场比赛中打出好表现，我们将会迎来一个很棒的赛季。”

点击查看原文：Spurs dance past 'Wolves - Minnesota can't find an answer for San Antonio's smothering defense

Spurs dance past 'Wolves - Minnesota can’t find an answer for San Antonio’s smothering defense

It’s only two games. But having already reached the 1/25th point of this breakneck season, the Spurs have briefly proven at least this: After a seven-month lockout, they still haven’t forgotten how to play their trademark blue-collar defense.

After two knee surgeries and countless hours of rehab, Sean Elliott hasn’t forgotten how to play.

Behind Elliott’s 22 points and a defense that held Minnesota to 30.6-percent shooting, the Spurs dumped the Timberwolves 96-82 in front of 21,319 at the Alamodome on Saturday night.

“We’re 2-0,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “It beats the alternative.”

Minnesota discovered the flip side Saturday. After hanging 110 points on Denver on Friday, the Timberwolves ran into David Robinson. He spent the evening shooing away the Timberwolves, finishing with seven blocks and 13 rebounds to go along with his 19 points.

Avery Johnson also helped hold Stephon Marbury, who had 21 points and nine assists against the Nuggets, to 5-of-22 shooting. Joe Smith, who went 10 of 11 Friday, made just 5 of 17 baskets Saturday. Kevin Garnett needed 23 shots and five free throws for his team-high 19 points.

It’s too early make definitive plans for anything, but the Spurs look capable of breaking the NBA record they set last season when they held opponents to 41.1-percent shooting. The Spurs held Sacramento to 36.9-percent shooting in Friday’s season-opening win.

“Our defense is very important because it’s the one constant we have going,” Tim Duncan said. “When shots aren’t falling we have to rely on our defense.”

Duncan, of course, exemplified that. He grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked three shots, but made only 7 of 18 baskets en route to his 22 points.

Elliott, meanwhile, looked better than most expected. He helped defend Garnett. Half of his six baskets were dunks. The pivotal one coming along the baseline with less than four minutes left after the Timberwolves trimmed what was a 23-point lead at the start of the quarter to 10.

“You saw the same Sean I did,” Popovich said. “It was sweet.”

Said Robinson: “It takes a lot of work to come back. (Elliott’s) put that in. During two-a-days he looked good. All through camp he looked great. Now he’s got it going during the games.”

The Spurs looked like they would be able to rest their starters for the second straight night until the Timberwolves employed a press to climb back in the fourth quarter.

“I would say in every aspect of the game, we were an eight (on a 10-point scale),” Johnson said. “Except our press offense.”

Said Popovich: “When you go up by 20 points - no matter who you play - it’s almost a curse.”

The only other downer came when Will Perdue, who had 11 boards and eight points in 13 minutes, was taken to the locker room with 11:34 left in the game after spraining his right ankle. Perdue is listed as day-to-day.

The Spurs took advantage of foul trouble to Minnesota’s starting frontline to break open the game with 14 unanswered points in the second quarter.

Smith, who drew a pair of fouls less than four minutes into the game, scored five straight points to pull Minnesota within 23-19 to start the second quarter. Jerome Kersey then came off the bench to help quickly put a stop to the rally.

Spelling Duncan for six minutes, Kersey bullied Smith, pulled down five rebounds and drained a 17-footer. Minnesota then went scoreless for almost four minutes.

“We shouldn’t have dug ourselves that hole,” Minnesota guard Bobby Jackson said. "We cut their lead to 10, but it’s tough coming from behind.

“We just have to forget about this one.”

Robinson helped jump-start the Spurs with a dunk that also picked up Garnett’s third foul with almost nine minutes left before halftime. Center Dean Garrett followed with his third foul less than three minutes later.

“It was a bad night for us,” Garrett said. “It wasn’t the lockout or anything. It was just a bad night.”

Robinson took advantage of their absence to knock down an 11- foot turnaround. Elliott followed a dunk with a 20-footer to push the Spurs’ lead to 19.

“They play aggressive defense all the time,” Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said. “That’s what makes them tough.”

Minnesota won’t have to wait long for its next meeting with the Spurs. After taking today off, the Spurs meet the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night at the Alamodome before flying to Minnesota on Tuesday for the start of a four-game road trip.

“We expect to stay strong during this homestand,” Johnson said. "Not everybody is getting to open the season with three games at home.

“If we play on the road as well as we have in the past, we’re in for a great season.”

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-07, By Tom Orsborn

狼群怒吼：裁判判罚引发争议 - 明尼苏达队对判罚倾向圣安东尼奥感到不满

马刺队球迷可能将他们球队以96-82战胜明尼苏达队的胜利归功于圣安东尼奥的防守，但森林狼队将他们的失利归咎于其他因素。

比如糟糕的裁判判罚，以及他们认为自己错失了大量空位投篮。

“我们没有得到任何判罚，”明尼苏达后卫鲍比·杰克逊(Bobby Jackson)说道。“我们得到的唯一判罚都是明显的。他们得到的判罚简直是荒谬。裁判判罚严重倾向一方，但这种情况有时就是这样。”

马刺队获得了50次罚球机会，命中34球。森林狼队获得了24次罚球机会，命中15球。

明尼苏达队主教练弗利普·桑德斯(Flip Saunders)也质疑了裁判罗恩·加雷特森(Ron Garretson)、加里·本森(Gary Benson)和肖恩·科宾(Sean Corbin)的判罚。

“他们的三个内线核心（蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)、大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)）获得了41次罚球机会，而我们的三大核心（凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)、乔·史密斯(Joe Smith)和迪安·加勒特(Dean Garrett)）只获得了8次，”桑德斯说道。“我们几次突破篮下都没有得到判罚，但当你落后时，就会发生这种情况。”

桑德斯还质疑加雷特森在第一节结束时取消明尼苏达后卫斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury)的进球的决定。科宾最初表示马布里的投篮是在哨声响起之前投出的。

第一节结束时，马刺队以23-14领先。

“在那之后，从情绪上来说，我们的球员感觉像是背负着沉重的包袱，而且他们得不到任何判罚，”桑德斯说道。“他们心里想着，‘我得不到判罚，我得不到判罚。’”

并非所有森林狼球员都选择将失利归咎于裁判判罚。明尼苏达队上赛季场均得到101.1分，在NBA排名第二，仅次于洛杉矶湖人队（105.5分）。

“他们得到很多判罚，但我不会说这是导致我们输球的原因，”前锋汤姆·汉蒙兹(Tom Hammonds)说道。“我们没有像我们想要的那样打比赛。我们挖了一个坑，很难爬出来。”

森林狼队上半场投篮命中率仅为26%（46投12中）。

加内特全场得到全队最高的19分，上半场6投仅1中。马布里全场22投5中，上半场8投仅1中。

“他们是一支防守非常出色的球队，中间有戴维斯·罗宾逊和蒂姆·邓肯，”加内特说道，他还抢下了全场最高的16个篮板。“但今晚我们无法把球投进篮筐。”

桑德斯表示：“他们是一支优秀的防守球队。他们会封盖很多投篮，而且他们会迫使你投出很低的命中率。”

桑德斯表示，他的球员在周二在明尼阿波利斯再次对阵马刺队时需要更加强硬地突破篮下。

“你不能改变你的投篮方式，”他说。“你必须主动制造身体接触，让裁判做出一些判罚。我认为我们在周二的内线表现会好很多。”

森林狼队前锋萨姆·米切尔(Sam Mitchell)没有花太多时间考虑马刺队的防守。

“如果你直接把球带到他们喉咙里，他们（防守）就很好，”米切尔说道。

米切尔还表示，阿拉莫穹顶也影响了他们的投篮命中率。森林狼队在周六早上从丹佛飞抵圣安东尼奥后，并没有在穹顶进行晨练。

明尼苏达队在周五晚上以110-92战胜了丹佛队。

“这个（脏话）地方真是个糟糕的投篮地方，”米切尔说道。“你需要时间来适应这个球馆。”

点击查看原文：Wolves howl about officiating - Minnesota upset that calls seemed to go S.A.'s way

Wolves howl about officiating - Minnesota upset that calls seemed to go S.A.'s way

Spurs fans might attribute their team’s 96-82 victory over Minnesota on Saturday to San Antonio’s defensive effort, but the Timberwolves chalked up their defeat to other factors.

Like poor officiating and their belief that they missed a ton of open shots.

“We weren’t getting calls,” Minnesota guard Bobby Jackson said. “The only calls we got were obvious ones. The calls they got were ridiculous. The refereeing was way lopsided, but that’s the way it is sometimes.”

The Spurs took 50 trips to the free-throw line, hitting 34. The Timberwolves had 24 fouls shots, nailing 15.

Minnesota coach Flip Saunders also questioned the judgment of officials Ron Garretson, Gary Benson and Sean Corbin.

“Their three big inside guys (Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Sean Elliott) shot 41 free throws, and our big three (Kevin Garnett, Joe Smith and Dean Garrett) shot eight,” Saunders said. “We went to the basket a few times and didn’t get calls, but that’s what happens when you fall behind.”

Saunders also questioned Garretson’s decision to take away a basket by Minnesota guard Stephon Marbury at the end of the first period. Corbin initially said Marbury’s shot beat the buzzer.

The first period ended with the Spurs holding a 23-14 advantage.

“After that, emotionally, our guys felt like they had a chip on their shoulders and they couldn’t get a call,” Saunders said. “In the back of their minds, it was like, ‘I can’t get a call. I can’t get a call.’”

Not all of the Timberwolves chose to use the officiating as an excuse for the loss. Minnesota averaged 101.1 points per game last season, finishing second in the NBA to the Los Angeles Lakers (105.5).

“They got a lot of calls, but I’m not going to say that cost us the game,” forward Tom Hammonds said. “We didn’t come out like we wanted to. We dug a hole, and it was hard to get out.”

The Wolves hit just 26 percent (12 of 46) of their shots in the first half.

Garnett, who finished with a team-high 19 points, hit just 1 of 6 shots in the first half. Marbury hit just 5 of 22 for the game after canning only 1 of 8 in the first half.

“They are a good team defensively with David Robinson and Tim Duncan in the middle,” said Garnett, who also had a game-high 16 rebounds. “But tonight we couldn’t put it in the hole.”

Said Saunders: “They are a good defensive team. They contest a lot of shots, and they make you shoot a poor percentage.”

Saunders said his players need to go stronger to the basket when they play the Spurs again on Tuesday in Minneapolis.

“You can’t change your shots,” he said. “You have to initiate contact and make the referee make some calls. I think we will be a lot better inside on Tuesday.”

Wolves forward Sam Mitchell didn’t spend much time dwelling on the Spurs’ defensive efforts.

“They are good (defensively) if you bring the ball right down their throats,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell also said the Alamodome had something to do with his team’s poor-shooting effort. The Wolves did not have a morning shootaround at the dome after flying in to San Antonio from Denver early Saturday morning.

Minnesota ripped Denver 110-92 Friday night.

“This is a (expletive) of a place to shoot in,” Mitchell said. “You need time to get used to the building.”

By Tom Orsborn, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-07, By Glenn Rogers

马刺队可能正在寻找得分后卫

如果马刺队能在赛季前几周打出一波连胜，他们可能会安心地保留目前的阵容。

然而，据悉，球队对于得分后卫的位置还没有完全满意。

在吉米·杰克逊(Jimmy Jackson)与波特兰开拓者队签约前的最后几天，马刺队是四支仍在追逐他的球队之一。

消息人士透露，圣安东尼奥愿意与金州勇士队进行先签后换交易，并将肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)送往勇士队。但勇士队对埃利奥特合同剩余的三年，约1600万美元的价值犹豫不决，他们想要其他球员。

马刺队方面，他们也不愿意签下杰克逊要求的长期合同。圣安东尼奥仍然希望看到合同在1999-2000赛季结束后到期，届时大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)的合同将不再计入工资帽。

勇士队可能对杰克逊的要价过高，无法完成任何先签后换交易，最终杰克逊以175万美元的例外条款签下了波特兰提供的三年的合同。

• 糟糕。科里·亚历山大(Cory Alexander)是一位好人，在圣安东尼奥期间他通常把内心想法藏在心里，现在他可能很快就会后悔说了一些过分的话。

亚历山大现在是一名掘金球员，他告诉记者，丹佛现在是他效力过的天赋最强的球队。新教练迈克·德安东尼(Mike D’Antoni)很想相信这一点，但看看马刺队的各种阵容可能会让他想起一些事情。

亚历山大说道：“我们有蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)和大卫·罗宾逊，他们都是伟大的天才，但球队整体天赋远不如现在。从一号位到十五号位，我们都有真正热爱比赛的球员。在这个短赛季，我们的天赋不输联盟中的任何球队。”

科里在圣安东尼奥并没有得到太多上场时间，在丹佛他可能也会面临同样的问题，因为那里有昌西·比卢普斯(Chauncey Billups)和尼克·范·埃克塞尔(Nick Van Exel)。

• 马刺队在周五晚上对国王队的内线防守非常强悍，但萨克拉门托糟糕的投篮命中率很大程度上是由于国王队错失了很多空位投篮。

• 奇怪但真实：夏洛特黄蜂队和华盛顿奇才队在拒绝了球员和经纪人提出的价值数千万美元的长期、保障性合同时，遭到了一些球迷的强烈批评。

一方面，旁观者指责工资上涨是老板造成的。另一方面，他们又指责老板没有接受经纪人的第一个提议。

黄蜂队的鲍勃·巴斯(Bob Bass)拒绝屈服于弗拉德·迪瓦茨(Vlade Divac)每年1100万美元的要求，最终迪瓦茨离开了球队。迪瓦茨在周五晚上证明了他为什么不值这么多钱。

奇才队努力争取，最终将大卫·福尔克(David Falk)代理的罗德·斯特里克兰(Rod Strickland)要求的约6000万美元降至约4500万美元。

福尔克喜欢决定所有球员的价值，他认为斯特里克兰应该得到五年保障，无论他在最后一个赛季的年龄多大（37岁）。

现在，如果斯特里克兰能够带领奇才队至少进入季后赛第一轮，那么球队就可以开始收回一些支出。

• 史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)有一些想法，可以使比赛更加精彩，并将其从令人窒息的半场进攻中解救出来。

“我希望他们取消非法防守，让球队打联防，”科尔说，他回想起大学时代。“这将消除很多单打和背身进攻。”

• 夏洛特的戴夫·考文斯(Dave Cowens)将发现，坏事有时远远超过好事。上个赛季，这位教练一直在与他的球星格伦·莱斯(Glen Rice)和安东尼·梅森(Anthony Mason)争吵不休。

现在，梅森因为肱二头肌撕裂而赛季报销，莱斯也因为肘部手术缺席几周。

“这就是我真正想要的，在新赛季开始前没有格伦和梅森，”考文斯打趣地说。现在，他只能依靠德里克·科尔曼(Derrick Coleman)，而乔·沃尔夫(Joe Wolf)也被招募来补充阵容。

“我曾经在夏洛特或威斯康星州谢博伊根瀑布的DQ冰激凌店工作过，”沃尔夫说，他在威斯康星州拥有这家店。

点击查看原文：Spurs could be shopping for shooting guard

Spurs could be shopping for shooting guard

The Spurs may settle down and stay put with their current roster if they can ring up a nice series of wins during the first weeks of the season.

But, the team apparently isn’t yet completely sold on its shooting guard situation.

The Spurs were one of four teams still in the Jimmy Jackson hunt in the final days prior to Jackson’s signing with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Sources indicate that San Antonio was willing to offer Sean Elliott in a sign-and- trade deal with the Golden State Warriors. But Golden State balked at the three years remaining on Elliott’s contract, worth about $16 million, and wanted something else on the table.

The Spurs, for their part, balked at handing out the length of contract Jackson was talking about. San Antonio still would like to see contracts terminate after the 1999-2000 season, when David Robinson’s deal no longer counts against the cap.

The Warriors, probably looking for too much for Jackson, were unable to complete any sign-and-trade deal and Jackson wound up taking a three year package from Portland starting at the $1.75 million exception figure.

- Oops. Cory Alexander, a nice guy who usually kept his innermost thoughts to himself during his stay in San Antonio, may soon regret loosening his tongue a bit.

Alexander, now a Nugget, told reporters that Denver now is the most talented team he has been on. New coach Mike D’Antoni would love to believe the same, but a check of various Spurs rosters might provide a gentle reminder or two.

Said Alexander: “We had Tim Duncan and David Robinson, who were both great talents, but the all-around talent of the team was nowhere near as good as this. One through 15, we’ve got guys who just really play the game. In a short season, we’ve got as much talent as anybody in the league.”

Cory couldn’t get much playing time in the Alamo City, and he might face the same problem in Denver, where Chauncey Billups and Nick Van Exel reside at the point.

- The Spurs’ inside defense was smothering against the Kings on Friday night, but that woeful Sacramento shooting percentage had a lot to do with the incredible inability of the Kings to hit wide open shots.

- Strange but true: The Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards took some heavy hits from fans when the clubs held up the stop sign on players and agents demanding longterm, guaranteed pacts worth tens of millions.

One minute, onlookers blamed the rising salaries on the owners. The next, they battered the owners for not giving in to the agents’ first proposals.

The Hornets’ Bob Bass let Vlade Divac travel elsewhere rather than cave into his $11 million yearly demands. Divac showed exactly why he isn’t worth the dough Friday night.

The Wizards fought hard and managed to get Rod Strickland, represented by David Falk, down from the $60 million or so he demanded into the $45 million range.

Falk likes to determine all players’ worth, and he figured Strickland should be guaranteed for five years regardless of how old he might be (37) during the final season.

Now, if Strickland can lead the Wizards at least into the first round of the playoffs the club can begin to get back some of the cash expended.

- Steve Kerr has a few ideas on how to brighten the game and nudge it out of the stifling half-court contests.

“I’d like to see them abolish the illegal defense, let teams play zone,” Kerr said, harking back to college days. "It would eliminate a lot of the isolation and post-up offenses.

- Charlotte’s Dave Cowens will find out that the bad sometimes far outweighs the good. The coach battled endlessly with his stars Glen Rice and Anthony Mason last season.

Now Mason is out for the season because of a torn biceps muscle, and Rice is gone for a few weeks after elbow surgery.

“This is what I really wanted, to start the season without Glen and Mase,” Cowens quipped. Now he’s stuck with Derrick Coleman, and Joe Wolf has been brought aboard to round out the roster.

“I had Charlotte or the Dairy Queen in Sheboygan Falls,” said Wolf, who owns the shop in Wisconsin.

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-07, By Johnny Ludden

备忘录

大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 和肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott) 可能因比赛而休息 由于赛程紧凑，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich) 表示，他可能会考虑让大卫·罗宾逊或肖恩·埃利奥特整场比赛都坐在板凳上，而不是仅仅限制他们的出场时间。

罗宾逊和埃利奥特过去两个赛季都受到伤病困扰，他们可能需要在赛季中休息。50 场比赛的赛程意味着球队平均每周要打四场比赛。

波波维奇表示，让一名球员整场比赛都坐在板凳上可能比让他们一次出场 10 或 20 分钟更有效。

艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson) 去年因髋部受伤缺席了七场比赛，他可能需要打满整个赛季。

“他不会让我把他换下场的，”波波维奇说。

• 固执的家伙：马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie) 毫不掩饰自己的强硬性格，即使这会让一些新队友感到反感。

“这些家伙都是家庭型、悠闲的家伙，”埃利说。“抱歉，但这不是我的打球方式。”

• 欢迎回来：周五的观众人数为 19,002 人，比上赛季对阵克利夫兰队的揭幕战少了近 6,000 人。马刺队在对阵骑士队的比赛中吸引了 24,793 名球迷。

停摆可能对观众人数下降有所影响。萨克拉门托国王队也可能有所影响。

点击查看原文：Notes

Notes

Robinson, Elliott may rest for game Because of the crammed schedule, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he would consider sitting David Robinson or Sean Elliott for an entire game instead of limiting their minutes.

Robinson and Elliott, who have both been bothered by injuries the past two seasons, probably will need rest during the season. The 50-game schedule has teams playing an average of four games a week.

Popovich said it might be more effective to have a player sit out an whole game rather than playing 10 or 20 minutes at a time.

Avery Johnson, who missed seven games with a hip injury last season, may have to work the full schedule.

“He won’t let me take him out of the game,” Popovich said.

- Tough guy: Mario Elie makes no apologies if his in-your-face personality rubs some of his new teammates the wrong way.

“These guys are all family- type, laid-back guys,” Elie said. “I’m sorry, but that’s not the way I play.”

- Welcome back: Friday’s attendance of 19,002 was almost 6,000 less than last season’s home opener against Cleveland. The Spurs attracted 24,793 fans against the Cavaliers.

The lockout may have had something to do with the falloff. So might the Sacramento Kings. - Johnny Ludden

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-07, By Buck Harvey

有“回来”，也有“回来回来回来回来”

前一天晚上在丹佛，凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett)用电影《鬼驱人》里的台词来调侃他的新队友乔·史密斯(Joe Smith)。“他回来了！”加内特嚎叫着。

在丹佛击败掘金的确很有趣，同样，看到像史密斯这样的前状元秀再次证明自己为什么是状元秀也同样有趣。在兴奋的更衣室里，森林狼队开始讨论他们高大的前锋，以及他们将如何在联盟中制造麻烦。

比如，他们预计周六晚上会发生的事情。“谁去防守肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)，”加内特说，“谁就会被顶到篮下。”

于是，加内特和史密斯就展示了他们新发现的力量，然后就被提醒了埃利奥特在篮下有怎样的队友。大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)是另外两位前状元秀，他们总是提醒人们为什么他们是状元秀。到了第二节，加内特和史密斯看起来就像萨克拉门托国王队的球员，他们强投，对自己的封锁式进攻感到不确定，并想知道为什么裁判不帮助他们摆脱那些讨厌的臂膀。

但更令人震惊的是，当埃利奥特把加内特和史密斯顶到篮下时发生了什么。单手扣篮，双手扣篮，甚至偶尔抢个篮板。当马刺需要有人在明尼苏达的压迫式防守让他们陷入混乱时，他们就会去找埃利奥特。

森林狼队是真正有理由感到疲惫的，因为他们在前一天晚上在丹佛打完比赛后，周六早上才抵达。角色将在周二改变，届时马刺队将在前一天晚上与湖人队比赛后前往明尼苏达州。马刺队届时不会再领先14分了。

不过，周六对埃利奥特来说是一次考验。比尔·柯利(Bill Curley)也在场，他曾被马刺队选中，后来被交易到活塞队，换来了埃利奥特，还有加内特和史密斯这样年轻健康的悍将。那么埃利奥特在背靠背的第二场比赛中会如何表现呢？

细节比他的22分更重要。比如他的健康状况。一名裁判在他倒地之前就倒下了。然后是他的著名第一步，那一步让他成为了全明星，现在仍然很管用。“他并没有因为休息而僵硬，”格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。然后他逐字逐句地说，以表明这意味着什么。“他就像其他任何球员一样。”

另一个细节：在一个换防中，埃利奥特最终对上了斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury)，在三分线顶端一对一。埃利奥特移动着脚步，就像他很久以前在拉里·布朗(Larry Brown)让他防守凯文·约翰逊(Kevin Johnson)时那样，阻止了马布里的突破。

然后还有没人会注意到的细节。一次失误。“我的腿仍然会做出一些让我吃惊的事情，”埃利奥特说。“下半场一开始，我太快地杀入篮下。我太急躁了，其实没必要，结果轻松的抛投没进。”

诸如此类的问题。如果他不小心，他会在扣篮时肩膀撞到篮筐。

然而，比任何细节都更引人注意的是，在比赛还剩大约六分钟的时候，波波维奇不情愿地让埃利奥特重新上场。波波维奇宁愿让埃利奥特休息，为周二对阵湖人的比赛保存体力，因为届时埃利奥特要追防科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)。

埃利奥特说他的腿很僵，但不是膝盖僵硬。然后，他做了一件马刺队梦寐以求的事情。埃利奥特拿下了 9 分，主要是因为他突破了防守并获得了罚球机会。在此过程中，加内特和史密斯都被罚出场，回到了替补席。

他们离开时还说了一些愤怒的话，埃利奥特说他理解。森林狼队在丹佛取得了开门红，然后就遇到了这种情况。“但恕我直言，”埃利奥特说，“我们不是丹佛。”

点击查看原文：There's back, then there's baaaaaaaaack

There’s back, then there’s baaaaaaaaack

The night before in Denver, Kevin Garnett used the Poltergeist line on his new teammate, Joe Smith. “He’s baaaack,” howled Garnett.

Dunking on the Nuggets can be fun, all right, as well seeing a former No. 1 pick such as Smith remind why he was a No. 1 pick. In that giddy locker room, the Timberwolves began to talk about their tall forwards and how they would create problems around the league.

Such as what they saw coming Saturday night. “Whoever draws Sean Elliott,” said Garnett, “will go down low.”

So Garnett and Smith trotted out their new-found power - and then were reminded about the company that Elliott keeps down low. David Robinson and Tim Duncan are two former No. 1 picks who always remind why they were No. 1 picks. By the second quarter Garnett and Smith looked like Sacramento Kings, forcing shots, unsure of their lockout offense, wondering why refs wouldn’t help them get through the annoying arms.

But more startling was what happened when Elliott took Garnett and Smith down low. One- hand dunk, two-hand dunk, even an occasional rebound. And when the Spurs needed someone to rescue them after a Minnesota press confused, they went to Elliott.

The Timberwolves were the ones with a reason to be tired, having arrived early Saturday morning after the game in Denver the night before. The roles will change Tuesday, when the Spurs go to Minnesota after playing the Lakers the night before. The Spurs won’t win by 14 then.

Still, Saturday was a test for Elliott. On hand was Bill Curley, once drafted by the Spurs and traded head-up to Detroit for Elliott, as well as young, healthy stallions in Garnett and Smith. So how would Elliott do on the second game of a back-to-back?

The details mean more than his 22 points. Such as his health. A ref went down before he did. And then there was his famous first-step, the one that made him an all-star, sticking around late. “He wasn’t stiff after sitting,” said Gregg Popovich. He then said each word slowly to signify what that meant. “He was like every other guy out there.”

Another detail: On a switch Elliott ended up with Stephon Marbury, at the top of the key and isolated. Elliott moved his feet as he did long ago when Larry Brown would put him on Kevin Johnson, stopping Marbury’s penetration.

And then there were the details no one would notice. A miss. “My legs still do things that surprise me,” Elliott said. “I opened the second half by getting to the basket too quickly. I rushed it, when I didn’t have to, and blew an easy layup.”

Such problems. If he’s not careful, he’ll cut his shoulder on the rim while dunking.

Yet more noticeable than any detail was what happened with about six minutes left, when Popovich reluctantly sent Elliott back in. Popovich would rather have let Elliott rest for the Lakers, when Elliott will have to chase Kobe Bryant.

Elliott’s legs were stiff, he said, but not knee stiff. And then he did precisely what the Spurs dream he will do. Elliott went for nine points, mostly because he broke down the defense and went to the foul line. Along the way both Garnett and Smith fouled out and headed baaaack to the bench.

They tossed out some angry words as they left, and Elliott said he understood. The Timberwolves had come off a good opening win in Denver, then came this. “But with all respect,” said Elliott, “we’re not Denver.”

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-08, By Arthur Garcia

Doc给出诊断：马刺队是西部最佳

道格·里弗斯深谙NBA，对于本地NBA球队发表的评论足以让久旱逢甘霖的马刺队球迷兴奋不已。

里弗斯在13年的职业生涯中以精湛的比赛著称，其中包括在圣安东尼奥度过的最后两个赛季，他从内行的角度为Turner Sports和马刺队网络担任评论员。

里弗斯认为圣安东尼奥是西部联盟中最好的球队，而从前两场比赛的表现来看，马刺队似乎有望成为最好的球队。他将在今晚为Fox Sports Southwest报道马刺队与洛杉矶湖人队的比赛。

“我认为犹他队、圣安东尼奥队、湖人队和休斯顿队之间的差距非常小，”1995-1996赛季退役的里弗斯说道，“我认为很多人已经忘记了超音速队和太阳队。我认为西部联盟由这六支球队主宰。波特兰队和明尼苏达队都会变得更好，但那六支球队有合法的机会。

“但我认为马刺队在那份榜单上排名第一。”

里弗斯转述了赛季前夕与Turner广播合作伙伴休比·布朗关于马刺双塔大卫·罗宾逊和蒂姆·邓肯的谈话。布朗和里弗斯在奥兰多参加了TNT本年度第一场比赛，即周五纽约对阵奥兰多的比赛。

“我说，‘休比，给这些中锋评分。’他给四个中锋打了分，提到了马刺队的两个，”里弗斯说道。“当你在NBA拥有两个顶级中锋时，在一个没有中锋的联盟中，你们必然是领跑者。”

里弗斯还指出了对圣安东尼奥替补阵容的补充，特别是马里奥·埃利。

他说：“我确实认为他们会怀念文尼·德尔·内格罗及其带来的某些无形资产，但他们也带来了许多其他球员。我认为马里奥·埃利是关键，因为他可以胜任许多位置。他可以担任得分后卫和前锋。除大卫和蒂姆之外，他可能是球队中最好的防守球员，这得益于他的体型。在整个职业生涯中，他都投进过重要的球，并且进入过总决赛。”

可以肯定地说，里弗斯非常了解马刺队。除了为银黑军团效力并在这里生活之外，里弗斯在冗长的休赛期内与这支球队的核心成员度过了相当长的时间。而这并不是阿玛德·拉沙德和乔丹类似的消磨时间的方式。

应威尔·珀杜的要求，里弗斯开始与马刺的替补大个子合作，开展各种训练。邓肯看到后也想参与，“然后是蒙蒂（威廉姆斯）、蒂姆、威尔和肖恩（艾略特）开始过来。人数多达12人左右，其中马刺队大约有9人。”

里弗斯将在马刺网络报道大约28场比赛，他让球员参加训练和组织对抗赛。事实证明，为未来成为联盟主教练或总经理而盛传已久的这位球员，进行了充分的准备。

他说：“这是我将来要做的。这对我来说是一次很好的经历。但当威尔给我打电话时，我并没有考虑到这一点。我只是觉得能够训练一个人并尝试一些方式会很酷。”

里弗斯从训练中脱颖而出，赞扬了邓肯不断进步和艾略特在经历了两个伤病困扰的赛季后重生。

里弗斯说：“最让我印象深刻的是蒂姆，显然他有天赋，还有他对比赛的热爱。你可以看出他喜欢打篮球。”

“肖恩·艾略特有着非常出色的职业道德。肖恩早上在一个俱乐部工作，下午过来和我们一起玩，然后晚上去锻炼。他真的投入了很多时间，你正在看到成果。人们已经放弃了肖恩，他觉得这里的人已经放弃了他，现在人们必须重新考虑这件事。而肖恩喜欢这样。”

至于东部联盟，里弗斯认为迈阿密队、纽约队（“如果他们可以反弹”）和步行者队是他的最爱，亚特兰大队和新泽西队则以替补的方式入围。

决赛呢？

“如果我现在必须预测，我会说圣安东尼奥队和步行者队。”

谁会赢？

“由于经验，我可能会选择步行者队，但圣安东尼奥队由于某种原因，至少去年两次击败印第安纳，并且给了他们惨痛的教训。”

点击查看原文：Doc gives diagnosis: Spurs best in West

Doc gives diagnosis: Spurs best in West

Doc Rivers knows the NBA and what he has to say about the local NBA franchise should be enough to excite the championship-starved Spurs fan.

Known for his heady play throughout his 13-year career, including the last two here in San Antonio, Rivers brings an insider’s viewpoint to his job as color analyst for Turner Sports and the Spurs network.

Rivers has pegged San Antonio as the best in the Western Conference, and judging by its play after the first two games, it looks like the Spurs could be. He’ll be doing tonight’s Spurs-Los Angeles Lakers game for Fox Sports Southwest.

“I think it’s so close between Utah, San Antonio, the Lakers and Houston,” said Rivers, who retired after the 1995-96 season. "And I think what a lot of people have forgotten about is the Sonics and the Suns. I think that the West is those six teams. Portland is going to be better, Minnesota is going to be better, but those six teams have a legitimate shot.

“But I’d put the Spurs at the top of that list.”

Rivers relayed a conversation he had with Turner broadcast partner Hubie Brown on the eve of the season about Spurs twin towers David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Brown and Rivers were in Orlando for TNT’s first game of the year, New York at Orlando on Friday.

“I said, ‘Hubie, rate the centers.’ And he rated four and he mentioned two of the Spurs,” Rivers said. “When you have two of the top centers in the NBA, in a league that doesn’t have centers, you have to be the frontrunner.”

Rivers also points to the additions made to the San Antonio bench, especially Mario Elie.

“I do think they’ll miss Vinny Del Negro and some of the intangibles he brought, but they also brought in so many other guys,” he said. “I think Mario Elie is the key because of the positions he can play. He can play the two (off guard) and three (small forward). He’s probably their best defensive player, besides David and Tim, on the team because of his size. He’s made big shots throughout his career and been to the finals.”

It’s safe to say Rivers knows the Spurs well. Other than finishing his career for the Silver and Black and living here, Rivers spent quite a bit of time with the core of the team during the elongated off-season. And it wasn’t the Ahmad Rashad-hanging- with-MJ-kind-of-time.

At the request of Will Perdue, Rivers began working with the Spurs’ backup big man on a variety of drills. Duncan saw what was going on and “then the next thing you know it was Monty (Williams) and Tim and Will and Sean (Elliott) started coming. It got up to about 12 guys and about nine of the Spurs’ guys.”

Rivers, who will call about 28 games for the Spurs network, put the players through practices and organized scrimmages. It proved good preparation for a man long rumored to be a future head coach or general manager in the league.

“That is something I want to do someday,” he said. “It was a good experience for me. But I didn’t look at that when Will called me. I just thought this would be neat that I could work one guy out and try some things on him.”

Rivers came away from the practices with glowing praise for Duncan’s continued improvement and the rebirth of Elliott after two injury-plagued seasons.

“What impressed me more about Tim, obviously he has talent, is his love for the game. You can see that he loves to play basketball,” Rivers said.

“Sean Elliott had a tremendous work ethic. Sean was working at one club in the morning, come over and play with us in the afternoon and then go work out at night. He really put some time in and you’re seeing the results. People had given up on Sean and he felt people here had given up on him, and now people have to go back on that. And Sean loves that.”

As for the Eastern Conference, Rivers rates Miami, New York (“if they can rebound”) and Indiana as his favorites, with Atlanta and New Jersey sneaking in as wild-cards.

And in the finals?

“If I had to predict now, I’d say San Antonio and Indiana.”

And the winner?

“I’d probably pick Indiana because of experience, but San Antonio, for whatever reason, at least last year, beat Indiana both times and beat them pretty bad.”

By Arthur Garcia, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-08, By Buck Harvey

穿着牛仔裤的柴油机？为什么奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)选择口头攻击？

奥尼尔最好说话注意点。

或者说唱也行，或者开个派对，或者——纯粹为了制造廉价的噱头——在多米尼克买套房子，每天早上出门拿报纸的时候跟你挥手。

奥尼尔最好做点什么，别在周日的比赛里把那张大嘴塞进你的客厅。看奥尼尔慢三步上篮就像看他穿紧身牛仔裤一样。他最终会成功的，你只是不想近距离观摩这长达两小时的过程。

所以，当奥尼尔拿起麦克风，怒喷马刺的时候，别跟他计较。他只是想给本来乏味的比赛增添一些色彩，并在后乔丹时代成为联盟中唯一一个真正的票房保证。

听到这种说法，他可能会笑着低声反驳几句。这就是他一贯的作风。奥尼尔说的话并非句句当真。

你真的认为他因为森林狼不同意与湖人交易而对他们怀有“私人恩怨”吗？他和丹尼斯·罗德曼(Dennis Rodman)之间的唇枪舌剑不过是和同行玩的一场世界摔跤锦标赛式的炒作，而现在湖人队对罗德曼表现出了一些兴趣，这一点就更加明显了。奥尼尔说他会和这个他曾经称之为“流浪汉”的人一起打球。

至于他对蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)和大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)的评论：记者们采访奥尼尔的时候，他心情不好，否则他会想出更好的说辞。

过去，他对罗宾逊的评价更糟糕。而当奥尼尔说邓肯“太瘦弱”时，他违反了垃圾话最基本的规则：要么有趣，要么刻薄，要么两者兼而有之。照奥尼尔这样下去，他今晚一定会说出一些刻薄的话，比如邓肯的衣服该熨一熨了。

但奥尼尔至少努力了，NBA 也为此感谢他。没有了迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)来做招牌，周日的比赛只剩下纽约的斯派克·李(Spike Lee)和洛杉矶的杰克·尼科尔森(Jack Nicholson)可以关注。除了乔丹复出之外，大卫·斯特恩(David Stern)梦寐以求的就是一些令人憎恨的竞争，而这正是奥尼尔发挥作用的地方。只有他能与他所效力的每一支球队都制造出令人憎恨的竞争关系。

“我开始变得像迈克·泰森(Mike Tyson)了，”他最近表示，这可不是一个拳击手会承认的事情。奥尼尔甚至还把这个角色演绎得淋漓尽致，有时会扇格雷格·奥斯特塔格(Greg Ostertag)耳光，有时还会扇他的队友科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)的耳光。

他唯一一次“干掉”的马刺球员是艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)，那次是在篮下的一次意外，但奥尼尔可能会说他是想把约翰逊像虫子一样踩死。奥尼尔欣然接受了“巨人”这个称号。他认为，作为这一代人的威尔特，会有一些乐趣，也可能会带来一些收益。

他没有让人失望，因为他对比赛的影响力比现在任何人都大。与人们的看法相反，奥尼尔一直在努力训练，他已经练就了娴熟的脚步和精准的投篮。在停摆期间，他甚至得知了一个惊人的消息，在罚球时弯曲膝盖是合法的。

但是，邓肯的步伐像游泳一样优雅，罗宾逊的冲刺速度极快，腰身看起来像奥尼尔的脖子一样细，而柴油机的步伐却让人不忍直视。谁喜欢他的比赛？谁喜欢看他周日和奥斯特塔格碰撞，得到乏味的 37 分，最终失去体力，输掉比赛？他总是步履蹒跚，汗流浃背。

所以奥尼尔开始说话了。“他们没有一个人能防住我，”奥尼尔谈到马刺时说，“如果他们不喜欢，他们可以在场上或场下来找我。”

这番话很有煽动性，今晚将有超过 3 万人来到阿拉莫穹顶体育馆观看比赛。有些人甚至可能会发出嘘声。

于是，马刺队和其他所有球队一起，异口同声地大声说道：没错，奥尼尔，你最好说话注意点。

点击查看原文：Diesel in denim? Why Shaq opts for a talk attaq

Diesel in denim? Why Shaq opts for a talk attaq

Shaq had better talk.

Or rap. Or throw a party. Or - just for cheap shock value - buy a house in the Dominion and wave to you in the morning when he walks out to get his newspaper.

Shaq had better do something besides bull his gape-mouthed beef into your living room on Sundays. Watching Shaq drop-step is like watching Shaq pull on a pair of tight jeans. He’s eventually going to get it done, you just don’t want a two-hour, close-up view of the procedure.

So when Shaq takes the microphone and tears into the Spurs, cut him some slack. He’s just trying to add a few colorful pebbles to an otherwise plodding load and thus become, in the post- Jordan era, the league’s one legitimate draw.

He might smile at that opinion, then mumble a comeback. That’s the reality of his shtick. Shaq doesn’t mean everything he says.

Do you think he really has “a personal vendetta” with the Timberwolves for not agreeing to a trade with the Lakers? His back-and-forth with Dennis Rodman is nothing more than WWF salesmanship with a fellow rassler, and that’s more evident now that the Lakers show some interest in Rodman. Shaq says he will play with the same man he once called “a bum.”

And as for his comments about Tim Duncan and David Robinson: Reporters caught Shaq on a bad day, or he would have thought of something better.

He’s uttered worse about Robinson in the past. And when Shaq called Duncan “too light,” he violated the most basic trash- talking rule. Be funny, harsh or both. The way Shaq is going, he will say something really mean tonight, about how Duncan’s clothes could use some touch-up ironing.

But Shaq tries, and the NBA thanks him. Without Michael Jordan to sell, the league was left Sunday focusing in on Spike Lee in New York and Jack Nicholson in Los Angeles. What David Stern dreams about - besides another Jordan return - is for some hated rivalries to develop, and that’s where Shaq comes in. Only he can create a hated rivalry with every franchise he plays.

“I’m starting to get like Mike Tyson,” he said recently, and that’s something not even a boxer would admit to anymore. Shaq even acts out the role, sometimes slapping Greg Ostertag and sometimes Kobe Bryant, his own teammate.

The only Spur he’s ever taken out is Avery Johnson, then by accident at the basket, but Shaq would probably say he tried to step on AJ as if he were a bug. Shaq embraces Goliath. He sees some fun and probably some revenue in being this generation’s Wilt.

He doesn’t disappoint, because he impacts games more than anyone now. Shaq works on his gifts, contrary to the perception, and he’s developed good footwork and a decent touch. During the lockout he even learned some astonishing news, that it’s legal to bend your knees during free throws.

But whereas Duncan slides with swimming-stroke grace and Robinson sprints with a waist as seemingly narrow as Shaq’s neck, the Diesel jars the eye. Who loves his game? Who loved watching Shaq bump into Ostertag Sunday for 37 tedious points, losing steam and eventually the game, usually flat-footed and always dripping with sweat?

So Shaq talks. “None of them do nothing with me,” said Shaq about the Spurs. “They don’t like it, they can come to me on the court or off the court.”

It’s a good sell, and more than 30,000 will be in the Alamodome tonight for the occasion. Some might even boo.

And so the Spurs join with the rest of the league to heartily say in chorus: Yes, Shaq had better talk.

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-08, By Johnny Ludden

老调重弹，奥尼尔对阵大卫：一场像职业摔跤一样真实的对抗

很少有人知道它是怎么开始的。它是怎么开始的。谁对谁说了什么。或者，更重要的是，这一切是否还有意义。

沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal) 对战大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 的奇特案例——或者是大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 对战沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)？——已经持续了如此令人恼火的长久时间，以至于第一个需要问的问题是：为什么？

“我一点都不在乎，”罗宾逊说。“这是篮球的一部分。你有竞争对手。你也有对手。

“我多年来一直忍受着查尔斯·巴克利(Charles Barkley) 的垃圾话。这就是你必须处理的。不是每个人都会喜欢你。而且他们是否喜欢你并不重要。”

奥尼尔也知道这一点：竞争对手会卖门票，写故事，提高电视收视率。随着迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan) 退出舞台，奥尼尔——他曾经说过 NBA 代表“除了演员什么都不是”——不仅成为了 arguably 最具统治力的球员，而且也是最伟大的表演者。

不到两周前，他重申了对罗宾逊的厌恶，并称蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan) 太轻。四天前，他告诉一个广播电台他正在罗宾逊先生的街区买房子。周日晚上，他在当地的一个市民中心举办了一个派对。

所有这些都加起来，在今晚奥尼尔带领湖人队对阵罗宾逊和马刺队之前，带来了大量的节目时间和头条新闻。无论他是在这场被认为是这座城市两名最著名运动员之间的“恩怨”中扮演反派角色，似乎都无关紧要。

“如果人们想把它演成像 WWF 一样的东西，那很好，”奥尼尔的经纪人莱昂纳德·阿尔马托(Leonard Armato) 说。“沙克非常擅长宣传和销售东西。而且很明显大卫和沙克是两种不同的人。

“但是任何认识沙克的人都知道他并不恨任何人。他只是在像往常一样胡闹。我真的认为他对大卫没有任何意见。”

阿尔马托说，奥尼尔可能最初在科尔高中(Cole High School) 时，因为一件关于罗宾逊的签名事件，心存怨恨。罗宾逊不记得有这样的事件，但在奥尼尔在奥兰多期间，两人通过报纸间歇性地互相攻击。

罗宾逊没有对奥尼尔的表现给予全面的赞扬。奥尼尔认为罗宾逊自以为是。

但据阿尔马托说，两人在 1996 年亚特兰大奥运会上梦之队(Dream Team) 中打球时，化解了他们的历史恩怨。罗宾逊也认为他和奥尼尔相处得很好。

“在我看来，我们确实相处得很好，”罗宾逊说。“我想我可能不太敏锐。

“我只是说，很多事情都是媒体炒作出来的。当你面对面地与某人交流时，十有八九，你对他们的问题都会烟消云散。沟通解决了其中的许多问题。”

奥尼尔的幽默感并不总是能很好地体现在印刷品中，这一点也无济于事。在乔丹退役后，奥尼尔对着镜头说：“我迫不及待地想告诉我的 10 个孩子——来自 9 个不同的女人——和乔丹一起打球是什么感觉。”然后他眨了眨眼。

当湖人队在去年 4 月抵达阿拉莫穹顶(Alamodome) 时，奥尼尔问记者罗宾逊——五天前被卡尔·马龙(Karl Malone) 的肘击击倒——是否会出场。

当被告知罗宾逊计划上场时，奥尼尔咧嘴一笑。“很好，”他说，然后夸张地拉紧了他的鞋带。

“你可以从他说的一些话中看出，无论是关于大卫，还是关于蒂姆，还是关于丹尼斯·罗德曼(Dennis Rodman)，他都喜欢扮演这种角色，”与奥尼尔在奥兰多打过半个赛季的史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr) 说。“但他以一种非常玩世不恭的方式这样做。我认为他是一个好人，在联盟中很受欢迎。”

在罗德曼曾在《今夜秀》(The Tonight Show) 上称他收入过高后，奥尼尔在广播中说：“让这个广播电台知道，我会把他打得屁股开花。”

但最近几周，奥尼尔表示他会欢迎罗德曼加入湖人队，称他和奥兰多的霍勒斯·格兰特(Horace Grant) 是联盟中最好的两位大前锋。至于他自己竞争对手，奥尼尔说：“其他所有人都只是模拟信号。我是数字信号。”

“人们需要明白，”阿尔马托说，“沙克是一个爱玩乐的 4 英尺 2 英寸的孩子，被困在了一个 7 英尺 1 英寸、325 磅的身体里。”

场外花絮常常掩盖了这两位未来名人堂球员在他们职业生涯中几乎势均力敌的事实。罗宾逊赢得了前四场比赛，奥尼尔赢得了后五场比赛，他们九次交锋中只有一场分差超过 10 分。

罗宾逊场均得分 28.4 分，篮板 12.0 个，助攻 4.7 次，盖帽 2.44 次，抢断 2.67 次。奥尼尔的统计数据是：场均得分 26.0 分，篮板 12.7 个，助攻 1.8 次，盖帽 2.0 次，抢断 0.67 次。

“当你上场时，你无法忍受你对位的那个家伙，”罗宾逊说。“这是你作为球员的一部分。我不知道，也许有些人无法将比赛与现实生活分开。但这是比赛的一部分。

“当我对他比赛时，他是我的敌人。我无法忍受他。但是当我下场时，我会努力将比赛和生活分开。”

点击查看原文：Same old song, dance - Shaq vs. David: A rivalry as real as pro wrestling

Same old song, dance - Shaq vs. David: A rivalry as real as pro wrestling

Few know when it started. How it started. Who said what to whom. Or, more importantly, if any of this even matters anymore.

The curious case of Shaquille O’Neal vs. David Robinson - or is it David Robinson vs. Shaquille O’Neal? - has run so exasperatingly long that the first question that begs asking is: Why?

“I could care less,” Robinson said. "It’s a part of basketball. You got rivalries. You got people that you play against.

“I’ve been dealing with Charles Barkley talking his smack for all these years. It’s just what you deal with. Everybody isn’t going to like you. And it doesn’t matter whether they do or not.”

O’Neal also knows this: Rivalries sell tickets, write stories and drive TV ratings. And with Michael Jordan having exited stage left, O’Neal - who once said the NBA stood for Nothing But Actors - towers not only as arguably the game’s most dominating player, but also its greatest showman.

Less than two weeks ago he repeated his dislike for Robinson and called Tim Duncan too light. Four days ago he told a radio station he was buying a house in Mr. Robinson’s neighborhood. Sunday night he held a party at a local civic center.

All of which adds up to a lot of air time and headlines leading up to tonight, when O’Neal returns to lead the Lakers against Robinson and the Spurs. Whether he’s cast in the bad-guy role in this supposed feud between the city’s two most famous athletes seems to matter little.

“If people want to play it up as a WWF type of thing, that’s fine,” said Leonard Armato, O’Neal’s agent. "Shaq is very good at promoting and selling things. And it’s obvious David and Shaq are two different kinds of people.

“But anybody that knows Shaq knows that he doesn’t hate anybody. He was just fooling around as usual. I really think he doesn’t have anything against David.”

Armato said O’Neal might have initially harbored a grudge from his days at Cole High School over an autograph issue with Robinson. Robinson doesn’t recall such an incident, but during O’Neal’s stay in Orlando the two periodically sniped at each other through the papers.

Robinson didn’t wholeheartedly praise O’Neal’s game. O’Neal thought Robinson was self-righteous.

But, according to Armato, the pair put their history to rest when they played on the 1996 Dream Team in the Atlanta Olympics. Robinson also thought he and O’Neal got along fine.

“It seemed to me we did,” Robinson said. "I guess I’m not very perceptive.

“I just say a lot of this stuff is media-driven. When you come face to face with somebody, nine times out of 10 most of the problems you had with them are going to go by the wayside. Communication solves a lot of that stuff.”

It doesn’t help that O’Neal’s sense of humor doesn’t always translate well in print. Upon Jordan’s retirement, O’Neal looked into a camera and said: “I can’t wait to tell my 10 children - from nine different women - about what it was like to play with him.” Then he winked.

When the Lakers arrived at the Alamodome last April, O’Neal asked reporters if Robinson - who had been knocked cold by an elbow from Karl Malone five days earlier - was going to play.

Told that Robinson was scheduled to suit up, O’Neal grinned. “Good,” he said, before making an exaggerated tug to tighten his shoe laces.

“You can tell by some of the things he says, whether it’s about David or Tim or Dennis Rodman, that he likes to play that role,” said Steve Kerr, who played half a season with O’Neal in Orlando. “But he does it in a very playful way. I think he’s a good guy and well- liked around the league.”

After Rodman once called him overpaid on “The Tonight Show,” O’Neal took to the air waves, saying, “Let it be known on this radio station, I will knock his ass clean out.”

But in recent weeks O’Neal said he would embrace Rodman’s addition to the Lakers, calling him and Orlando’s Horace Grant the two best power forwards in the league. As for his own competition, O’Neal said: “Everybody else is analog. I’m digital.”

“What people need to understand,” Armato said, “is that Shaq is a fun-loving 4-foot-2 kid trapped in this 7- foot-1, 325-pound body.”

The off-court antics often overshadow that the two future Hall of Famers have played almost to a standstill in their careers. With Robinson winning the first four games and O’Neal the last five, only one of their nine meetings was decided by more than 10 points.

Robinson has averaged 28.4 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2.44 blocks and 2.67 steals. O’Neal’s line: 26.0 points, 12.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.0 blocks and 0.67 steals.

“When you get on the floor you can’t stand the guy that you’re playing against,” Robinson said. "It’s just a part of who you are as players. I don’t know, maybe some guys can’t separate that from real life. But that’s a part of the game.

“When I play against him, he’s the enemy. I can’t stand him. But when I step off the floor I try to separate that.”

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-09, By Johnny Ludden

奥尼尔沉默马刺 - 奥尼尔压制圣安东尼奥带领湖人取得胜利

他侧身撞倒了大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)。称肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)是个废物。说他不介意马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)带着包扎过的鼻子回家。

沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)完成了他的营销工作，然后走进了第四节，领先一分。他比以往任何时候都更加高耸。如果马刺的“2 Lite Crew”之前没有复仇之心，那么现在他们有了明确的指示：砍、拍、打、肘击、拳打或戳。

他们的意图不是给洛杉矶湖人队的这位大块头传达一个信息，而是把他送上罚球线。当他们神秘地无法触碰奥尼尔或篮球时，马刺空手离开了阿拉莫穹顶。

在他们对湖人的五连败中——在阿拉莫穹顶 33,788 名球迷面前以 80-75 获胜——马刺（2-1）也带着他们在本赛季的第一场失利离开了这座城市。

奥尼尔当然也参与其中，他全场比赛贡献了全场最高的 26 分和 13 个篮板。更重要的是，他的 4 分是在最后 3 分钟的关键时刻得到的。他甚至没有获得一次第四节的罚球机会。

即使这样，马刺仍然有机会赢得比赛。直到他们在周一晚上遇到的另一个难题在比赛还剩 5.5 秒时再次露出丑陋面目。当马刺以 78-75 落后时，科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)从罗伯特·霍里(Robert Horry)投失的 20 英尺跳投中抓下了湖人本节的第七个进攻篮板。

肖恩·埃利奥特对布莱恩特犯规。布莱恩特两罚全中。赛季第一败。

“我们的二次进攻得分和篮板球今晚毁了我们，”马刺主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说。“这是我们无法恢复的东西。尤其是当大多数发生在比赛的最后阶段的时候。

“这真的很令人抓狂。我们在防守端做出了防守，并对他们进行了限制。我们只是抓不住篮板球。”

他们也抓不住奥尼尔。在邓肯将比分缩小到 72-71，比赛还剩 3 分 41 秒时，霍里抢下了布莱恩特投失的球，然后传球给奥尼尔，后者完成灌篮。

“我不投跳投，”奥尼尔说。“我不投后仰跳投。我不会打细腻的比赛。

“这是我最擅长的事情。这也是球迷们花钱来看的东西。”

然而，奥尼尔的一记 7 英尺投篮也帮助压制了马刺。在埃利的上篮将湖人队的领先优势缩小到 74-73 之后，奥尼尔再次做出回应。

“我们只能说奥尼尔在最后时刻本可以被犯规，”波波维奇说。

“他投的那一球，我应该对他犯规，”罗宾逊说。“很明显，当比赛进入最后几分钟时，你想要让他在罚球线上投篮。”

奥尼尔说他批评了罗宾逊和邓肯——并在他们批评他之后讽刺了埃利奥特和埃利——所有这些都是开玩笑。在比赛结束后，他变得严肃起来。

“我以言行一致而闻名，”奥尼尔说。“你们都知道我每晚都全力以赴。

“我们意识到他们在阅读了我的声明后会全力以赴。我故意这样做是为了让自己兴奋起来。”

马刺看起来也有时需要更多活力。尽管他们将湖人的投篮命中率限制在 41.6%，但马刺却丢掉了 16 个进攻篮板球和无数的篮板球。

“你必须拿到球，”埃利说。“你必须把它看作是珍宝。他们是一支优秀的球队，他们一直都在抢球。

“你不能给一支优秀的球队第二次和第三次机会。他们太棒了，太强了，不能这样做。”

马刺也无法凭借他们自己的投篮帮助自己。邓肯全场比赛得到 21 分和 15 个篮板，但他 24 投 8 中。

“他也是人，”波波维奇说。“他不会每晚都能 24 投 20 中。”

罗宾逊在之前与奥尼尔的 9 次交手中场均得分超过 28 分，但他本场比赛 11 投 4 中，得到 11 分和 7 个篮板。贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)也继续在首发位置上挣扎，4 投全失，在下半场开始 3 分钟后便领到了他本场的第四次犯规。

“我必须在这支球队中找到好的节奏，”罗宾逊说。“我必须感受一下在哪里可以投篮，在哪里不能投篮。

“我认为我还没有适应。”

身高 7 英尺的威尔·珀迪(Will Perdue)缺阵对马刺没有帮助。珀迪在周一早上右脚踝肿胀后没有参加本场比赛。珀迪在周六对阵明尼苏达森林狼的比赛中扭伤了脚踝，他今天留在圣安东尼奥接受了 X 光检查。他将在下午 2 点飞往明尼阿波利斯，但今晚对阵森林狼的比赛很可能缺席。

“每一场比赛都很重要，”波波维奇说。“尤其是在你将在赛季后期与他们竞争的时候。

“这是你想要赢的比赛。而且是渴望赢得的比赛。”

点击查看原文：Shaq silences Spurs - O'Neal overwhelms San Antonio to lead Lakers to victory

Shaq silences Spurs - O’Neal overwhelms San Antonio to lead Lakers to victory

He blindsided David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Called Sean Elliott a bum. Said he wouldn’t mind if Mario Elie walked home with a bandaged nose.

Shaquille O’Neal completed his marketing work then walked into the fourth quarter, leading by one. Looming larger than ever. If the Spurs’ 2 Lite Crew didn’t have revenge on their minds before, they had clear instructions now: Hack, smack, slap, elbow, punch or poke.

The intent wasn’t to send the Los Angeles Lakers’ big heavy a message. But to send him to the line. And when they mysteriously couldn’t get their paws on either O’Neal or the ball, the Spurs left the Alamodome empty-handed.

With their fifth consecutive loss to the Lakers - 80-75 in front of 33,788 fans at the Alamodome - the Spurs (2-1) also jetted out of town with their first loss of the season.

O’Neal, of course, had a hand in that, finishing with a game-high 26 points and 13 rebounds. More importantly, four of his points came in the pivotal final three minutes. Without courtesy of a single fourth-quarter trip to the free- throw line.

Even then the Spurs still had a chance to pull out the game. Until their other Monday-night dilemma reared its ugly head again with 5.5 seconds left. With the Spurs down 78-75, Kobe Bryant grabbed the Lakers’ seventh offensive rebound of the quarter off a missed 20-footer by Robert Horry.

Sean Elliott fouled Bryant. Bryant sank both free throws. Perfect season over.

“Our second-chance points and loose balls just murdered us tonight,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "It was something we couldn’t recover from. Especially when most of them happened down the stretch.

“It was really maddening. We made the stops and got on them defensively. We just couldn’t get the rebounds.”

They also couldn’t get O’Neal. After Duncan cut the lead to 72-71 with 3:41 left, Horry rebounded a miss by Bryant and fed O’Neal for a dunk.

“I don’t shoot jumpers,” O’Neal said. "I don’t take fadeaways. I don’t play a finesse game.

“That’s what I do best. And that’s what the fans pay to see.”

It was a 7-footer by O’Neal, however, that also helped pin the Spurs. After Elie’s basket trimmed the Lakers’ lead to 74-73, O’Neal again answered.

“Let’s just say O’Neal could have been fouled at the end,” Popovich said.

“The one shot he made, I should have fouled him on that,” Robinson said. “Obviously when the game comes down to the last couple minutes you want to make him make them at the line.”

O’Neal, who said he criticized Robinson and Duncan - and took shots at Elliott and Elie after they criticized him - all in fun, turned serious after the game.

“I’m known for backing up what I say,” O’Neal said. "You all know I come out to play every night.

“We realized that they were going to come out strong after reading my statement. I do that on purpose to get pumped up.”

The Spurs looked like they, too, could have used a little more life at times. Though they held the Lakers to 41.6-percent shooting, the Spurs gave up 16 offensive rebounds and countless other loose balls.

“You’ve got to get the ball,” Elie said. "You have to treat that like a prized possession. They’re a good team and they kept coming up with the ball.

“You can’t give a good team second and third chances. They’re too good and too tough for that.”

The Spurs also didn’t help themselves with their own shooting. Duncan, who finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds, missed 16 of 24 shots.

“He’s human,” Popovich said. “He won’t be 20 of 24 every night.”

Robinson, who had averaged better than 28 points in nine previous meetings with O’Neal, shot 4 of 11 en route to 11 points and seven rebounds. Jaren Jackson also continued to struggle in his starting role, missing all four of his attempts and picking up his fourth foul three minutes into the second half.

“I’ve got to get a good rhythm with this team,” Robinson said. "I’ve got to get a feel for where I can shoot it and where I can’t shoot it.

“I still don’t think I’m comfortable with that yet.”

The absence of 7-foot Will Perdue, who did not suit up for the game after his right ankle swelled up Monday morning, didn’t help the Spurs. Perdue, who sprained the ankle against Minnesota on Saturday, remained behind in San Antonio today to have x-rays. He has a 2 p.m. flight to Minneapolis scheduled, but is doubtful to play tonight against the Timberwolves.

“Every one of these games is big,” Popovich said. "Especially when it’s somebody you’ll be competing against later in the year.

“This is the type of game you want to win. And win badly.”

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-09, By Buck Harvey

人性与非人时间？马刺队在等待

格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)走上赛后发布会讲台，宣布蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)“是人”。一些记者放下笔记本。邓肯打了一场糟糕的比赛，波波维奇就说出这样糟糕的话？

但邓肯最好习惯批评。在这个快速变化的阵容中，大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)可以得到11分，没有人眨一下眼。但马刺队不再等待罗宾逊。他们等待邓肯。

马刺队也在等待其他一些事情，比如有人记得在第四节犯规沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)。他们也等待着长篮板落到他们手中，他们等待着贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)从新奥尔良的沙发上站起来。

难道不应该有人告诉杰克逊，比利·亨特(Billy Hunter)和大卫·斯特恩(David Stern)已经达成协议，现在可以复出了吗？

但马刺队并不指望杰克逊会亲自击败湖人，也不指望他们能经常让“大嘴巴先生”低于“30分先生”。如果说有什么不同的话，那就是马刺队从他们的防守、史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)、马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)和33000名球迷那里得到了他们想要的东西。

然而，当他们把球传到内线给邓肯，让他在湖人队的最薄弱环节面前发挥作用时，他们得到的却出奇地少。邓肯错失了16次投篮，这对于一个在上赛季NBA投篮命中率领先的人来说是不正常的。

邓肯没有找借口，但他有借口，因为在这个停摆后的世界里，每个人都有借口。马刺队今晚在明尼苏达州会遇到另一个对手，他们将在输给湖人队后迎战休息的森林狼队。

然而，借口是真实的，因为，在任何其他年份，马刺队都会有三个季前赛。在任何一年，邓肯都会进行跳步投篮，并找到他的节奏和感觉。“还有舒适区，”邓肯说，“我现在没有这些。”

这是很自然的。埃弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)上周说，他通常在1月份达到巅峰。需要这么长时间。

那么科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)周一为什么找到了舒适区？也许和邓肯在揭幕战对阵国王队的比赛中找到舒适区的方式一样。在特定的夜晚，它就在那里。

然后又消失了，比如周一第四节的最后时刻。肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)用一个三分球缩小了湖人队7分的领先优势，埃利在布莱恩特面前快速突破上篮。经过几次球权转换后，邓肯发现自己身处内线，霍里(Horry)紧贴着他。

“我必须在比赛结束时完成进攻，”邓肯说。这场比赛中，他没有做到。

邓肯当时没有借口。但他最近两场比赛（总计42投15中）的表现充分说明了重复对他意味着什么。科比在单挑中可以自由地在外线挥洒，他可以在停摆期间回到意大利进行练习。但马刺队更加依赖微妙的执行，依赖AJ为科尔打挡拆，科尔用正确的空间找到邓肯。

“你无法在街头篮球中模拟它，”邓肯说。你也不可能指望在没有练习的情况下，在对阵强队时也能顺利运行它。

难怪马刺队错过了一些任务，忘记了一些其他任务。但这种解释也解释了为什么埃利在承认自己的一些错误后，仍然可以说道：“我仍然感到乐观。”

周一，在全美电视观众的注视下，邓肯并不是场上最好或第二好的球员，更不是联盟中最出色的球员。但邓肯仍然是马刺队的得分、篮板和理由相信的领头羊。一个月后，他会不会像玩电子游戏一样，戏弄霍里和布朗特(Blount)？

所以马刺队在等待，他们对此感觉良好。就人类而言，邓肯是一个值得等待的人。

点击查看原文：Human touch, inhuman time? As Spurs wait

Human touch, inhuman time? As Spurs wait

Gregg Popovich stepped to the postgame podium and announced Tim Duncan “is human.” Some dropped their notebooks. Duncan has one bad game, and Popovich goes and says something awful like that?

But Duncan had better get used to the criticism. On this rapidly mutating roster, David Robinson can score 11 points and nobody blinks. But the Spurs don’t wait for Robinson anymore. They wait for Duncan.

The Spurs also wait on a few other things, such as someone who can remember to foul Shaquille O’Neal in a fourth quarter. They wait, too, for a long rebound to come their way, and they wait for Jaren Jackson to get off his New Orleans couch.

Shouldn’t someone get word to Jackson that Billy Hunter and David Stern came to an agreement, and it’s OK to play again?

But the Spurs weren’t counting on Jackson to personally beat the Lakers, nor do they expect to hold Mr. Big Mouth under Mr. Thirty often. If anything, the Spurs got what they wanted from their defense, Steve Kerr, Mario Elie and 33,000 fans.

Yet when they dumped the ball inside to Duncan and let him work against the weakest link of the Lakers’ line, they got surprisingly little. Duncan missed 16 shots, which is not typical for a man who was among the NBA’s leading percentage shooters last season.

Duncan didn’t offer excuses, but he has them, because everyone does in this post-lockout world. The Spurs will have another tonight in Minnesota, coming off this Lakers loss while the Timberwolves rested.

Still, the excuses are real, because, in any other year, the Spurs would have three preseason games to go. In any year Duncan would be drop-stepping and getting his wind and a feel. “And a comfort zone,” said Duncan. “That’s what I don’t have now.”

It’s natural. Avery Johnson said last week he usually peaks some time in January. It takes that long.

So why did Kobe Bryant find a comfort zone Monday? Maybe the same way Duncan found his on opening night against Sacramento. On a given night, it’s there.

Then gone again, such as late in the fourth quarter Monday. Sean Elliott cut a seven-point Lakers lead with a trey, and Elie took a fast break to the basket over Bryant. After an exchange of possessions, Duncan found himself inside, with Horry on his hip.

“I gotta finish at the end of games,” said Duncan. On this one, he didn’t.

Duncan had no excuse then. But the package of his last two games (a combined 15 of 42) says volumes about what repetition means to him. Kobe swings freely on the outside in one-on-one matchups; he could have gone back to Italy for the lockout to practice this. But the Spurs rely far more on subtle execution, on AJ playing a pick- and-roll to Kerr, who finds Duncan with the right spacing.

“You can’t simulate it in pickup games,” said Duncan. You also can’t expect to run it against good teams without some practice.

No wonder the Spurs missed some assignments and forgot some others. But that explanation is why Elie, after confessing to a few of his own sins, can say “I’m still encouraged.”

Monday, with a national TV audience watching, Duncan wasn’t the best or second-best player on the floor, much less in the league. But Duncan still led the Spurs in points, rebounds and reasons to believe. A month from now, won’t he toy with guys named Horry and Blount as if they were buttons on one of his video games?

So the Spurs wait, and they feel good about that. As far as humans go, Duncan is a good one to wait for.

By Buck Harvey, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-09, By Johnny Ludden

备忘录

带伤作战： 马刺队和湖人队在周一比赛中都缺少了关键球员。

马刺队的替补中锋威尔·珀杜(Will Perdue)因脚踝扭伤缺席比赛。他被列为今晚对阵明尼苏达队的比赛存疑。

马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)说：“他疼痛比较剧烈，无法负重。”

湖人队前锋里克·福克斯(Rick Fox)也因脚部骨刺缺席比赛。替补前锋/中锋特拉维斯·奈特(Travis Knight)在周日输给犹他队的比赛后因流感被送回家，没有随队前往客场。

触手可及： 西恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)在周一晚上追平了查克·珀森(Chuck Person)保持的球队三分球总数纪录。

埃利奥特在比赛还剩 7 分 03 秒时命中了一记 23 英尺的三分球，将湖人队的领先优势缩小到 67-63。这是他职业生涯的第 457 个三分球。

大红： 明尼苏达维京人队老板雷德·麦克唐纳(Red McCombs)在周一比赛前获得了荣誉，他被选入德克萨斯州商业名人堂。

麦克唐纳，前马刺队老板，观看了他的维京人队晋级 NFC 锦标赛，最终不敌亚特兰大。

客场之旅： 马刺队在周一晚上的比赛结束后乘坐包机飞往明尼阿波利斯，在三天内第二次对阵森林狼队。

今晚的比赛是马刺队四场客场比赛的开始。在明尼苏达之后，马刺队将前往克利夫兰、费城和芝加哥。

他们下一场主场比赛是 2 月 16 日对阵底特律。

点击查看原文：Notes

Notes

Barely walking wounded: The Spurs and Lakers both had key players miss Monday’s game.

Spurs backup center Will Perdue did not suit up because of a sprained ankle. He is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game against Minnesota.

“He’s in a moderate amount of pain,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He couldn’t put weight on it.”

Lakers forward Rick Fox also sat out with bone spurs in his foot. Backup forward/center Travis Knight, who was sent home from Sunday’s loss to Utah with the flu, did not make the trip.

Almost there: Sean Elliott tied Chuck Person’s all-time franchise record for three-pointers Monday night.

Elliott knocked down a 23-footer with 7:03 left to cut the Lakers’ lead to 67-63. It was his 457th career three-pointer.

Big Red: Minnesota Vikings owner Red McCombs was honored before Monday’s game for being inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame.

McCombs, a former Spurs owner, watched his Vikings advance to the NFC Championship before losing to Atlanta.

On the road: The Spurs took a charter flight to Minneapolis after Monday night’s game to play the Timberwolves for the second time in three days.

Tonight’s game is the start of a four-game road trip for the Spurs. After Minnesota, the Spurs will travel to Cleveland, Philadelphia and Chicago.

Their next home game is Feb. 16 against Detroit. - Johnny Ludden

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-09, By Arthur Garcia

湖人队“清扫垃圾”，搞定比赛

没有鼻子骨折。没有恶意犯规。没有拳头打脸。

除了一个球砸到了肖恩·埃利奥特(Sean Elliott)的头上，赛前垃圾话预言的丑陋场面并没有发生。

只是强硬、顽强的季后赛级别的篮球比赛。想象一下。

周一晚上马刺队对洛杉矶湖人队的比赛，很大程度上是由于沙奎尔·奥尼尔(Shaquille O’Neal)的嘴炮。除了制造新闻素材和报纸谈资外，奥尼尔的言论是为了激励他的队伍，他们在周日下午输给了犹他爵士队。

效果不错。湖人队在奥尼尔、科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)和状态复苏的埃迪·琼斯(Eddie Jones)的带领下，在阿拉莫圆顶球馆，在33,788名观众面前，以80-75战胜了圣安东尼奥马刺队，送给了他们本赛季的首败。

“沙克会激励我们，”布莱恩特说，他拿下了本赛季的第三个两双——也是他职业生涯的第三个两双——得到19分和10个篮板。“而且他会用行动来证明。”

奥尼尔全场最高得到26分，抢下13个篮板，并压制住了马刺队的内线球员。大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)两人一共只命中了他们35次投篮中的不到三分之一。

“他们是伟大的球员，当我和伟大的球员对抗时，我会发挥出最好的水平，”奥尼尔外交地表示。

但他并没有回避自己的言论，包括称埃利奥特为“废物”，以及不介意马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie)在抢篮板后“鼻子骨折”。

“我以言出必行著称，你们都知道我每晚都会全力以赴，”奥尼尔说。“我们意识到，他们会在读完我的声明后全力以赴。我故意这样做是为了让自己充满斗志。”

湖人队也终于从琼斯那里得到了他本赛季的第一场好球。这位6英尺6英寸的得分后卫全场得到21分和4次抢断，此前他在湖人队的两场比赛中只得到14分。

“埃迪是一个起伏不定的球员，”湖人队主教练德尔·哈里斯(Del Harris)说。“如果球运转得很好，他经常能打出热手，但如果球运转不好，他要么状态很好，要么状态不好。当场上有很多活动时，他是一个很棒的球员。”

琼斯开局不错，首节6投3中。此前他在对阵休斯顿火箭队和犹他爵士队的比赛中只投进了22投3中。

“其实并没有什么不同，”琼斯说。“我知道这会发生。我会找回状态。”

布莱恩特开局稍慢，首节只得到2分。大部分时间都与埃利奥特对位，布莱恩特在第二节开始发力，利用他标志性的突破得分，给马刺队造成了不少麻烦。

在比赛还剩5.5秒时，他抢下了一个进攻篮板，随后两罚全中，锁定了胜局。

“感觉棒极了，”他说。“我知道我必须站在罚球线上，两罚全中，拿下胜利。”

这场胜利让湖人队以2-1的战绩迎来了周三在丹佛的客场比赛。

“这只是一段艰难的时光，”哈里斯在谈到本赛季前三场对阵西部联盟三支豪门球队的比赛时说。“我认为能拿到两胜一负已经很不错了，幸运的是，我们今晚打得足够好，拿下了比赛。”

点击查看原文：Lakers took out trash, took care of business

Lakers took out trash, took care of business

There were no broken noses. No flagrant fouls. No punches in the face.

Other than a ball thrown off Sean Elliott’s head, there was none of the ugliness predicted in the pregame trash talk.

Just tough, hard-nosed playoff-intensity basketball. Imagine that.

Much of the buildup for Monday night’s Spurs-Los Angeles Lakers showdown came courtesy of Shaquille O’Neal’s mouth. Other than make for sound bites and newspaper fodder, O’Neal’s comments were meant to inspire his troops, which lost Sunday afternoon in Utah.

It worked. The Lakers, behind O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and a rejuvenated Eddie Jones, gave San Antonio its first loss of the year, 80-75, before 33,788 in the Alamodome.

“Shaq is going to pump us up,” said Bryant, who picked up his third straight double-double of the year - and third of his career - with 19 points and 10 rebounds. “And he’s going to back it up.”

O’Neal scored a game-high 26 points, pulled down 13 boards and held the Spurs big guys in check. David Robinson and Tim Duncan combined to hit less than a third of their 35 shots.

“They’re great players and when I play against great players, it brings out the best in me,” a diplomatic O’Neal said.

But he wasn’t going to back down on his statements, which included calling Elliott a "bum’ and not minding if Mario Elie ended up with a "broken nose’ after a rebound.

“I’m known for backing up what I say and you all know I come out to play every night,” O’Neal said. “We realized that they were going to come out strong after reading my statement. I do that on purpose to get pumped up.”

The Lakers also got their first decent game out of Jones. The 6- foot-6 slasher finished with 21 points and four steals after scoring 14 in Los Angeles’ first two games.

“Eddie is a streaky player,” Lakers coach Del Harris said. “He can get into a hot spell quite often if the ball is moving well, but it it’s not moving well, he is either on or off. He’s a great player when there is a lot of activity on the floor.”

Jones got started early, hitting 3 of 6 shots in the first period. He had only made 3 of 22 in games against Houston and Utah.

“It’s not really anything I did different,” Jones said. “I knew it was going to happen. It’s going to come to me.”

Bryant started a little slower, scoring just two in the opening quarter. Matched up mostly with Elliot, Bryant began to catch fire in the second, hurting the Spurs with several signature drives to the basket.

He also iced the win with an offensive rebound and subsequent two foul shots with 5.5 seconds left.

“That felt great,” he said. "I knew I had to go to the free-throw line and make two and chalk up a ‘W.’

The ‘W’ leaves the Lakers with a 2-1 record heading to Denver on Wednesday.

“It was simply a tough, tough time,” said Harris on playing three of the Western Conference’s favorites to open the season. “I thought it would be good to get two out of three, and fortunately we played well enough tonight to get that done.”

By Arthur Garcia, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-10, By Johnny Ludden

狼群在自己的地盘上更强 - 马刺输给森林狼，熟悉的剧情再次上演

马刺队在凌晨 2:30 抵达明尼阿波利斯，按下了闹钟的暂停键，并跳过了上午的投篮训练。任何关于他们是否会睡过头错过周二比赛的担忧都在赛前烟火表演时烟消云散了。

即使是那些睡过头错过马刺 74-70 输给森林狼比赛的人，也没错过多少。看看周一输给洛杉矶湖人的录像，你就能了解全部。

蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan) 对阵湖人 24 投 8 中。蒂姆·邓肯对阵森林狼 10 投 2 中。

罗伯特·霍里(Robert Horry) 和科比·布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant) 在最后几秒钟抢下进攻篮板，并罚球命中。湖人队获胜。萨姆·米切尔(Sam Mitchell) 在最后几秒钟抢下进攻篮板，将球传给斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury)。马布里在篮下命中跳投。森林狼队获胜。

马刺队将湖人的投篮命中率限制在 41.7%。然后输了。马刺队将森林狼的投篮命中率限制在 38.2%。然后输了。

哈欠。

“我们没有去争抢球，”马刺主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich) 说。“这是我们昨晚对阵湖人时遇到的同样的问题。他们得了 74 分。我们防守到位。但我们没有去抢球。”

确实如此。当他们得到球时，马刺队却无法控制住它。他们在最后七分钟内犯下了 22 次失误中的 7 次，浪费了 64-61 的微弱领先优势。其中两次是违反了24秒进攻时间。

“球队要抢篮板，”波波维奇说。“球队要减少失误。这是我们的克星。”

还有马布里的后期爆发。马布里全场 19 投 6 中，但他在最关键的时刻命中了那一球。比赛还剩 43.3 秒时，他投进了制胜球。

“在比赛结束时，每个人都知道我会投那球，”马布里说。“十次中有九次都会进。我之前手感不好。从迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan) 身上学到的一点就是，你必须继续投篮。”

马里奥·埃利(Mario Elie) 和其他马刺球员认为，这一球本不应该出手。马布里是在凯文·加内特(Kevin Garnett) 错失投篮后，米切尔抢下长篮板后传球给他的。

“所有这些都是努力，”埃利说。“谁更想要球，这就是关键。这是教不出来的。萨姆·米切尔冲着球跑。他想要球。我们必须开始这样做。”

马刺队还需要一些得分。尤其是来自他们的“双塔”。

邓肯打破了连续 55 场得分上双的纪录，周二的比赛中只有 8 分，追平了他的职业生涯最低得分。直到第三节开始几分钟后，他才罚球得分。

“他们给了我很大麻烦，”邓肯说。“我无法完成投篮。我无法获得很多干净的投篮机会。”

森林狼队 (2-1) 快速采取包夹战术，在罗宾逊不在场时，三个人同时盯防邓肯。邓肯终于找到了一个不会弹框的投篮，他在第三节还剩不到四分钟时扣篮得分。

“他必须适应这种身体对抗，”波波维奇说。“这是他的第二个赛季，他们对他非常凶狠。他必须想办法解决。”

邓肯在过去三场比赛中 52 投 15 中 (28.8%)。大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson) 11 投 7 中，得到全队最高的 16 分，但在比赛还剩 9 秒时，他被加内特盖帽，错失了扳平比分的投篮机会。在之前的两个回合中，他还传给了邓肯，但传球过高了。

“我们的内线球员必须在篮下更加强势，”埃利说。“我们一直依赖他们。我的意思是，他们必须得分。

“那些家伙是我们的内线领袖。如果他们无法做到这一点，那么我们必须找到其他人。”

罗宾逊并不反对。

“我们没有投篮，”他说。“我们还没有充分利用我们的内线优势。我和蒂姆在中间，我们必须创造更多的机会。”

马刺队 (2-2) 没有太多时间休息。但明尼苏达州在周五战胜丹佛后，第二天对阵马刺队时也经历了同样的艰难转变。

“任何把这作为借口的人都是傻瓜，”波波维奇说。“因为他们的对手也面临着同样的困难。”

任何想把马刺队糟糕表现归咎于疲劳的人，只需要看看前一天。当时马刺队有休息一天的时间，并且拥有主场优势。

“肯定不是 70 年代的尼克斯，”波波维奇说。“我不认为任何人会把我们误认为是他们。”

点击查看原文：T-wolves tougher in their den - Spurs' loss to Minnesota follows familiar storyline

T-wolves tougher in their den - Spurs’ loss to Minnesota follows familiar storyline

The Spurs rolled into town at 2:30 a.m., hit the snooze button and skipped the morning shootaround. Any worry they wouldn’t wake up in time for Tuesday’s game ended during the pregame fireworks show.

Even those who slept through the entirety of the Spurs’ 74-70 loss to the Timberwolves at the Target Center didn’t miss much. Pop in a tape of Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and you’ll be caught up.

Tim Duncan misses 16 of 24 shots against the Lakers. Tim Duncan misses 8 of 10 shots against the Timberwolves.

Robert Horry and Kobe Bryant grab offensive rebounds in the final seconds and sink free throws. Lakers win. Sam Mitchell grabs an offensive rebound in the final seconds, passes to Stephon Marbury. Marbury drains jumper in the lane. Timberwolves win.

The Spurs hold the Lakers to 41.7- percent shooting. And lose. The Spurs hold the Timberwolves to 38.2-percent shooting. And lose.

Yawn.

“We didn’t pursue the basketball,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “It was the same problem we had against the Lakers last night. They scored 74 points. We made stops. But we didn’t go get the damn basketball.”

So true. And when they did have the ball, the Spurs couldn’t take care of it. They wasted a slim 64-61 lead by committing seven of their 22 turnovers in the final seven minutes. Two of them came on shot-clock violations.

“Teams rebound,” Popovich said. “Teams turn the ball over. That was our nemesis.”

Along with a late appearance by Marbury. Marbury, who made only 6 of 19 shots, hit the one that counted most. With 43.3 seconds left, he dropped in the game-winner.

“At the end of the game, everyone knows that I am going to take that shot,” Marbury said. “Nine out of 10 times, it’s going to go in. I wasn’t hitting early. The one thing I learned from Michael Jordan is that you have to keep shooting.”

It was a shot Mario Elie and the rest of the Spurs believe never should have been fired. Marbury was fed by Mitchell after he corralled a long rebound off a miss by Kevin Garnett.

“All that is effort,” Elie said. “It’s who wants it more. That’s the bottom line. You can’t teach that. Sam Mitchell ran the ball down. He wanted the ball. That’s what we’ve got to start doing.”

The Spurs also need some scoring. Especially from their “Twin Towers.”

Breaking a string of 55 consecutive double-digit games, Duncan matched his career low Tuesday with eight points. He didn’t score until he sank a free throw in the opening minutes of the third quarter.

“They gave me trouble,” Duncan said. “I couldn’t finish shots. I couldn’t get a lot of clean looks.”

The Timberwolves (2-1) were quick with their double-teams and ran three men at Duncan when Robinson wasn’t playing. Duncan finally found a shot that wouldn’t rim out when he dunked with just under four minutes left in the third quarter.

“He’s got to get used to that physical play,” Popovich said. “It’s his second year, and they’re really coming after him hard. He’s going to have to figure it out.”

Duncan has shot just 15 of 52 (28.8 percent) in his last three games. David Robinson made 7 of 11 shots for a team-high 16 points but had a potential game-tying shot blocked by Garnett with nine seconds left. He also overthrew Duncan two possessions earlier.

“Our big fellows have got to get a little more aggressive down there,” Elie said. "We’re going to them religiously. I mean, they have to score.

“Those guys are our leaders down there. If they can’t get it done, then we’ve got to find someone else.”

Robinson didn’t disagree.

“We’re not making shots,” he said. “We’re not taking very good advantage of our inside game yet. With me and Tim in the middle, we’ve got to make more things happen.”

The Spurs (2-2) didn’t have much time to rest. But Minnesota experienced the same rugged turnaround when they played the Spurs the day after winning at Denver on Friday.

“Anybody who uses that as an excuse is a fool,” Popovich said. “Because their opponent is suffering the same hardship.”

Anyone else who wanted to blame the Spurs’ ugliness on fatigue need only go one day back. Then the Spurs had a day of rest and the home crowd.

“It wasn’t the Knicks in the '70s, that’s for sure,” Popovich said. “I don’t think anyone would have mistaken us for them.”

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-10, By Johnny Ludden

伤病报告

伤病报告：周二对威尔·珀杜(Will Perdue)右脚进行的X光检查结果为阴性，但珀杜没有随队前往明尼苏达州。

珀杜将在今天于克利夫兰与球队汇合。他在周六对阵森林狼队的比赛第四节扭伤了脚踝。

珀杜，他的脚踝有轻微的骨挫伤，目前被列为每日观察。

森林狼队的后卫安东尼·皮勒(Anthony Peeler)也因左膝肿胀而没有参加周二的比赛。

伤病迫使皮勒缺席了两场季前赛，但他已经连续两场对阵掘金队和马刺队的比赛中出场超过30分钟。

旧日情谊：马刺队的后卫贾伦·杰克逊(Jaren Jackson)和森林狼队的教练弗利普·桑德斯(Flip Saunders)在1992年一起赢得了CBA总冠军，当时桑德斯执教拉克斯克罗斯猫鸟队。

杰克逊在桑德斯手下效力了两年。杰克逊已经效力过8支NBA球队、4支CBA球队和已解散的世界篮球联盟的代顿之翼队。

电视明星：明尼苏达队的后卫马利克·西利(Malik Sealy)将于周一出现在派拉蒙电视公司的“守卫者”节目中。

西利与休斯顿大学的教练克莱德·德雷克斯勒(Clyde Drexler)、波特兰队的后卫达蒙·斯塔德迈尔(Damon Stoudamire)、洛杉矶快船队的中锋洛伦森·赖特(Lorenzen Wright)和金州勇士队的后卫穆格西·博格斯(Muggsy Bogues)一起，在剧中扮演虚构的NBA季后赛球队——瀑布美洲豹队的一名球员。

美洲豹队的比赛被一个极右翼民兵组织暴力接管。当恐怖分子试图乘坐潜艇逃脱时，球员们通过一个敞开的舱口扔了一个装满催泪弹的球。

点击查看原文：Notes

Notes

Injury report: X-rays taken of Will Perdue’s right foot Tuesday were negative, but Perdue did not make the trip to Minnesota.

Perdue will meet the team in Cleveland today. He sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter against the Timberwolves on Saturday.

Perdue, who has a slight bone bruise, is listed as day to day.

Timberwolves guard Anthony Peeler also did not suit up for Tuesday’s game because of a swollen left knee.

The injury forced Peeler to miss both preseason games, but he played more than 30 minutes in back-to- back games against Denver and the Spurs.

Old ties: Spurs guard Jaren Jackson and Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders won the 1992 CBA championship together when Saunders coached the La Crosse Catbirds.

Jackson played for Saunders for two seasons. Jackson has played for eight NBA teams, four CBA teams and the Dayton Wings of the defunct World Basketball League.

TV star: Minnesota guard Malik Sealy will appear on an episode of Paramount Television’s “The Sentinel” Monday.

Sealy - along with University of Houston coach Clyde Drexler, Portland guard Damon Stoudamire, Los Angeles Clippers center Lorenzen Wright and Golden State guard Muggsy Bogues - plays a member of the fictional NBA playoff team, the Cascade Jaguars.

The Jaguars’ game is violently taken over by a far right militia group. When the terrorists try to escape by submarine, the players throw a ball of teargas canisters through an open hatch. - Johnny Ludden

By Johnny Ludden, via San Antonio Express-News

[这也将成为过去]

1999-02-10, By Glenn Rogers

新赛季，西部依然如故

西部联盟的球队似乎已经进入了赛季中期状态。

领跑两个赛区的球队，那些准备争夺季后赛席位的球队，都是去年二月时的那些：犹他爵士(Utah Jazz)、休斯敦火箭(Houston Rockets)、圣安东尼奥马刺(San Antonio Spurs)、菲尼克斯太阳(Phoenix Suns)、西雅图超音速(Seattle Supersonics)和洛杉矶湖人(Los Angeles Lakers)。

甚至担忧也依然如故。

马刺队看起来又准备赢得70%以上的比赛，但明智之举是希望季后赛首轮和第二轮不要遇到爵士队。

湖人队依然以强势的表现让对手感到震惊，但他们依然表现出患有致命性迷糊病的症状。

火箭队一直密切关注着哈基姆·奥拉朱旺(Hakeem Olajuwon)的老化进程。

太阳队凭借着进攻火力燃烧着，但他们仍然需要证明自己不会受到前锋球员的压制。

与此同时，爵士队一直在稳步前进，他们的进攻和防守像最精密的钟表一样精准。

到目前为止，西部没有出现重大的意外。

中部赛区

还记得三角进攻吗？公牛队突然发现自己面临着一个与大约十年前类似的问题。当时，迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)喜欢独霸球权，投大量的球，并且能够得到40分以上。公牛队输球了。

当公牛队最终说服迈克尔更多地分享球权，并加入“三角进攻”时，他们才赢球了。

现在，托尼·库科奇(Toni Kukoc)决心接管球队，并展示为什么他在欧洲能成为明星球员。助理教练兼三角进攻大师泰克斯·温特(Tex Winter)并不喜欢库科奇的得分狂潮。

“让他(平均)得到20分左右，然后让其他球员来弥补差距，这会更好，”温特说。“在这种情况下，我们更有机会赢球。”

这听起来不错，但托尼，就像之前的迈克尔一样，直到芝加哥提升他的支援阵容，他才能够看到这种情况实现。

• 所以我胖了？肖恩·坎普(Shawn Kemp)拖着303磅的庞大体格走进了克利夫兰。自然而然地，当地媒体开始了狂欢。

坎普显然不是一个愿意道歉的人，他说他已经成熟到不会再理会这些批评了。

“几年前，我可能会感到受伤，”他说。“我会把它理解错了。现在，这对我来说是一种激励因素。”

骑士队应该想到，他们给这位前超音速球员的9600万美元合同已经足够沉重，可以加几条节食条款了。

中西部赛区

另一个梦想创造者：哈基姆·奥拉朱旺似乎在他的“梦幻步伐”中失去了什么，但也许火箭队的球迷会在他们最喜欢的得分后卫身上再次看到这个动作。

在火箭队的一次训练中，旁观者发现斯科蒂·皮蓬(Scottie Pippen)正在练习一些看起来很熟悉的东西。他在低位背身单打，助理教练吉姆·博伊伦(Jim Boylen)向这位前公牛球员展示了奥拉朱旺招牌动作的一些脚步。

“我正在努力开发它，”皮蓬说。“在秒表快要到零的时候，这将帮助我更容易地投篮。”

大西洋赛区

安心了：新泽西网队在伤病方面得到了一些好消息。凯里·基特尔斯(Kerry Kittles)的伤势没有预期的那么严重。他并不是软骨撕裂，而是膝盖内侧骨头上的挫伤。

“当我告诉(教练约翰·卡利帕里)卡尔时，他欣喜若狂，”基特尔斯回忆说。“他都快疯了。我说，‘嘿，卡尔，还是有问题。’”

伤势将让基特尔斯缺席几周。

- 长短之争：波士顿凯尔特人队的主教练里克·皮蒂诺(Rick Pitino)喜欢像玩扑克牌一样评估他球员的合同。

凯尔特人最近与沃尔特·麦卡蒂(Walter McCarty)签署了一份三年续约合同，他们认为他们可以获得这位前锋职业生涯中最棒的几年。

皮蒂诺说麦卡蒂有很大的潜力，但以防万一，最好不要签署六七年期的合同——那些把凯尔特人绑在珀维斯·埃利森(Pervis Ellison)、格雷格·迈诺(Greg Minor)、迪·布朗(Dee Brown)和迪诺·拉德雅(Dino Radja)身上的合同。

“当你签署短期合同时，你就会有有市场价值的球员，”皮蒂诺说。“不是说我们要交易他们，但你从短期合同中获得的价值最大。当你签下六七年期的合同，而他们又不是你的明星球员时，那就会有问题。我们都会犯错，如果他们没有达到预期，你就不可能交易他们。”

太平洋赛区

曼宁乐观：丹尼·曼宁(Danny Manning)在去年四月进行了第三次膝盖重建手术，像往常一样，关于他职业生涯结束的故事被写了出来。但这位前锋目前跑得很好，而且很轻松。

这一次，他用了一具尸体上的韧带移植，而不是髌腱移植。康复时间更快，因为没有切除髌腱，而且腱鞘炎的发生率更低。

曼宁希望能够锁定首发位置。

“我整个夏天都在拼命训练，我不想成为第六人，”他说。“但是替补出场也是一门艺术。说我能打完所有比赛，这有点猜的成分。我可能会扭伤脚踝，或者再次伤到膝盖。谁知道呢？但我相信我能做到。”

值得一提的是

- 克劳斯让卡尔担忧：雄鹿队的主教练乔治·卡尔(George Karl)不同意公牛队对待他们冠军球队的做法。“我会让他们死，让他们一直打到死。他们都赢得了一份权利，那就是一直打到有人击败他们为止，”卡尔说。

“但杰里(公牛队副总裁杰里·克劳斯(Jerry Krause))是一个非常聪明的人，他让我对他的下一步行动感到不安。”

• 以赛亚安全吗？自从波特兰开拓者队签下了吉姆·杰克逊(Jim Jackson)后，关于这位古怪但有天赋的以赛亚·莱德(Isaiah Rider)的交易传闻就一直不断。

莱德有权在赛季结束后选择退出合同，但他表示不会。

“如果我离开这里，我会很愚蠢，因为这里有联盟中最富有的老板和最年轻的球队，”他说。

莱德说球队总裁鲍勃·惠特西特(Bob Whitsitt)告诉他不要担心自己的地位，因为“嘿，你是我们的人。”但惠特西特大约一年前也对肯尼·安德森(Kenny Anderson)说过同样的话，而他现在在波士顿打球——距离波特兰尽可能远的地方，同时还留在美国本土。

点击查看原文：It's a new season, but same West

It’s a new season, but same West

The Western Conference teams seem to be in midseason form, so to speak.

The teams on top of the two divisions, ready to make moves for playoff seedings, are the ones that were there last February - Utah, Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix, Seattle and Los Angeles.

Even the worries are the same.

The Spurs again look ready to win 70 percent or more of their games, but the wise will hope the playoff brackets don’t include the Jazz in the first two rounds.

The Lakers still stomp and dazzle opponents but continue to show symptoms of the fatal scatter-brained disease.

The Rockets are keeping a watchful eye on Hakeem Olajuwon’s aging process.

The Suns burn with offensive fireworks but still have to prove they are not susceptible to the power guys up front.

Utah, meantime, keeps grinding along, its offense and defense ticking as precisely as the finest- made watches.

So far, no major surprises in the West.

Central Division

Remember the triangle? The Bulls suddenly find themselves confronting a problem similar to what they faced about 10 years ago. Back then, Michael Jordan was prone to dominating the ball, taking bushels of shots and scoring 40 or more points. Chicago was losing.

The winning came when the Bulls finally convinced Mike to spread it around a litte more and buy into the “triangle offense.”

Now comes Toni Kukoc, determined to take over the team and show why he was such a star in Europe. Assistant coach and triangle guru Tex Winter isn’t ecstatic with Kukoc’s scoring sprees.

“It would be nice to see him (average) around 20 points and let the other players make up the difference,” Winters said. “We have a better chance of winning under that scenario.”

Sounds fine, but Toni, like Mike before him, won’t see that scenario come to fruition until Chicago upgrades his support crew.

- So what, I’m fat? Shawn Kemp waddled into Cleveland lugging 303 pounds on his huge frame. Naturally, the local media had a feeding frenzy.

Kemp, apparently not one to offer an apology, said he had matured to the point where the criticism didn’t bother him.

“A couple of years ago, I probably would have been hurt,” he said. “I would have taken it the wrong way. Now it’s a motivational factor for me.”

The Cavs should have figured the $96 million contract they gave the former Sonic was weighty enough to put in a couple of dieting clauses.

Midwest Division

Another dream-maker: Hakeem Olajuwon seems to have lost something on his “Dream Shake,” but maybe Rockets fans will see that move again on their favorite small forward.

Onlookers at a Rockets practice spotted Scottie Pippen working on something that looked familiar. He was posting up and assistant coach Jim Boylen was showing the former Bull some of the footwork that goes into Olajuwon’s trademark move.

“I’m trying to develop it,” Pippen said. “The times when the shot clock is running down, it’ll help me get off an easier shot.”

Atlantic Division

Breathing easier: The New Jersey Nets got some good news on the injury front. Kerry Kittles won’t be out as long as feared. Instead of a cartilage tear, he has a bruise on the bone inside the knee.

“When I told (Coach John Calipari) Cal, he was ecstatic,” Kittles recalls. “He was going crazy. I was like, ‘Hey, Cal, there’s still a problem.’”

The injury will keep Kittles sidelined for another couple of weeks.

- The long and short of it: Boston coach Rick Pitino likes to evaluate his players’ contracts like a poker hand.

The Celtics recently signed Walter McCarty to a three-year extension, figuring they could get some of the best years of the forward’s career.

Pitino says McCarty has great up side but, just in case, it’s best to avoid six or seven-year deals - the type that tied the Celtics to Pervis Ellison, Greg Minor, Dee Brown and Dino Radja.

“You have marketable players when you have short-term contracts,” Pitino said. “Not that we’re looking to trade them, but you get the most value out of them with short terms. When you sign guys to six or seven years and they’re not your star players, that’s a problem. We all make mistakes and if they don’t pan out, you can’t possibly trade them.”

Pacific Division

Manning optimistic: Danny Manning had his third reconstructive knee surgery last April and, as usual, career-ending tales were written. But the forward is running well and easily so far.

This time, he had the ligament from a cadaver transplanted instead of a patellar tendon graft. The recovery time is quicker because the piece of patella tendon isn’t sliced out, and there is less tendinitis.

Manning would like to nail down starter duties.

“I didn’t bust my butt all summer trying to get ready thinking I want to be the sixth man,” he said. “But there is somewhat of an art to coming off the bench. It would be a guess saying I’ll be able to play in all the games. I might twist an ankle, blow out another knee. Who knows? But I believe I can do this.”

For what it’s worth

- Krause worries Karl: Bucks coach George Karl disagrees with the Bulls’ treatment of their title- winning team. “I would have let them die, play them until they’re dead. They all earned that right, the right to play until somebody beat them,” Karl said.

“But Jerry (Bulls vice president Krause) is an excellent mind and it makes me nervous what he’s going to do.”

- Is Isaiah safe? Since Portland brought Jim Jackson aboard, trade rumors have been floated regarding the eccentric but talented Isaiah Rider.

Rider has the option to opt out of his contract at season’s end, but he says he won’t.

“I’d be a fool to leave here, with the richest owner in the league and one of the youngest teams,” he said.

Rider says team president Bob Whitsitt told him not to worry about his status because “Hey, you’re our man.” But Whitsitt told Kenny Anderson the same thing about a year ago, and he now plays about as far as you can get from Portland and remain stateside - in Boston.

By Glenn Rogers, via San Antonio Express-News