Express News: The George Hill All-Stars and Tony Parker plays futbol

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/2009/06/the-george-hill.html

By Jeff McDonald

Couple of odds and ends here at Courtside today.

First, the NBA's Summer League schedule is out. For those of you diehards planning on making the trip to Vegas next month, the Spurs' entry will play five games:

July 12 -- vs. the Hornets at 1 p.m.
July 14 -- vs. the Nuggets at 7 p.m.
July 16 -- vs. the Thunder at 5:30 p.m.
July 18 -- vs. the Trail Blazers at 7:30 p.m.
July 19 -- vs. the Grizzlies at 5 p.m.

All games will be played at the Thomas and Mack Center or the adjacent Cox Pavilion. All times are Vegas time.

The roster for the Spurs entry, which will be coached by assistant Don Newman, is still in flux. George Hill and Ian Mahinmi, summer league veterans both, are expected to headline the team.

Also today, it was announced that Tony Parker will play in a celebrity soccer game hosted by Steve Nash later this summer. The so-called "Showdown in Chinatown," held June 24 in New York, features Nash and U.S. soccer star Claudio Reyna. Proceeds benefit the Steve Nash Foundation and the Claudio Reyna Foundation.

Other NBA stars slated to participate, along with Nash and Parker, are Jason Kidd, Grant Hill, Chris Bosh and Raja Bell.

The Examiner: Spurs, Ginobili enter offseason with questions

http://www.examiner.com/x-14479-San-Antonio-Spurs-Examiner~y2009m6d19-Spurs-enter-offseason-with-questions

Michael Chartier

The San Antonio Spurs face a crossroads entering the 2009-2010 NBA offseason. Besides coming off a first-round exit from the NBA playoffs for the first time in the Tim Duncan era (when playing), uncertainty surrounds the status of Manu Ginobili.

Ginobili said he expects to be 100 percent after a right ankle stress fracture caused him to miss the final six games of the regular season and the playoffs. Still, San Antonio has twice shelved contract negotiations with the shooting guard who has only one year left on his current deal. The soon-to-be-32-year-old All-Star recently told the Argentine press that the idea of San Antonio trading him "could happen."

Head coach Gregg Popovich, however, while not ruling it out completely also called it unlikely.

"I can't imagine a scenario where he would be traded," Popovich told reporters.

Despite Duncan turning 33 this past April and some questioning his general health, the two-time league MVP, three-time Finals MVP and four-time NBA Champion was close enough to "playoff Timmy" to suggest that adding a piece or two is all that stands between him and his fifth ring.

While some fans may be hoping for a big free agent splash or draft day blockbuster, the biggest acquisition for the Spurs will be the healthy return of Ginobili. The seven-year NBA veteran doesn't boast the kind of eye-popping career stats of a Kobe and Lebron or even oft-injured stars like Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. But when comparing the best twos and threes in the NBA, who is really more explosive or effective than Manu?

If you need a reminder, here's what they were saying just a few years ago.



An ESPN article ranked Ginobili second in career regular season winning percentage among the likes of Bob Cousy, Bill Russell and Shaquille O'Neal, coming in behind only Larry Bird. His playoff winning percentage ranked only below Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

In Spike Lee's movie Kobe Doin' Work, Bryant referred to Ginobili as "a bad boy." In case you don't know, that means the 2009 Finals MVP thinks he's really good.

Ginobili brings intangibles that are hard to measure in statistics alone. And unlike the aforementioned foursome, he's not a volume shooter. He's a deceptively strong, athletic slahser that finishes at the rim, shoots the three and defends at an elite level. His greatest asset, however, may be that he makes the players around him better -- a quality associated with the very best in the game. In the discussion of best wing players this decade, Manu has to be somehwere in the top five.

Despite All-NBA point guard Tony Parker just entering his prime and the presumed good health of Duncan and Ginobili, the Spurs will once again fly under the radar. It may seem like a while to a ravenous fan base and so-called experts, but the Spurs did win the title just two seasons ago.

Granted, San Antonio doesn't enjoy "team to beat" status as they did from 2004 to 2008. But signing a contributing free agent in July or finding a hidden gem in any one of their three second-round draft picks could quickly tilt the discusssion back to the Spurs. But as Popovich ominously foreshadowed before last year's playoffs, San Antonio is going nowhere without Manu.

ESPN: NBA's 65 In 65: George Gervin

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/26144

Welcome to The Show! On Tuesday, we continue our 65 in 65. That's 65 NBA chats in 65 days. We will hold an NBA chat each day through the end of the NBA Finals. We'll bring you players, analysts, writers, anyone who can help you fill your NBA fix.

Tuesday's guest is former NBA player George Gervin.

Nicknamed "Iceman" for his cool demeanor on the court, Gervin was known mostly for his scoring talents. His first scoring crown, in 1978, was one of the most memorable moments in NBA history, as he defeated Denver Nuggets forward David Thompson by seven hundredths of a point (27.22 to 27.15). Prior to Michael Jordan, Gervin had the most scoring titles of any guard in league history with four.

Gervin had his No. 44 jersey retired by the San Antonio Spurs and was also named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team.


Kevin (Jersey)
Happy belated Ice Man- keep it cool.

George Gervin
(laughing) Thank you very much, I appreciate that!

Jacob Bloomington Illinois
Do you think the Bulls have a chance to beat the Celtics?

George Gervin
If the Bulls keep playing they way that they have been and if the Celtics continue to slip, then the Bulls have a good chance to take this series.

Afonso (Portugal)
Do you think Spurs will get past Mavericks?

George Gervin
That's tough especially being down 3-1. The Spurs will have to play perfect basketball to come back. I remember back it 1978 when we had Washington down 3-1 and they came back to beat us so it is possible.

Quincy (Dayton)
Iceman, how would you compare LeBron's NBA progress to that of Kobe and Jordan at the age of 24?

George Gervin
LeBron's progress has been sensational! All of these guys are phenoms. I don't think we can compare them we just need to appreciate these guys showing dominance at an early age.

Wesley (Gainseville)
Which current NBA player do you think is most comparable to yourself?

George Gervin
I guess I would say Kevin Durant because he is long, he can put the ball on the floor, and he can shoot from anywhere.

Tyron (Delta City)
Who did you pattern your game after?

George Gervin
I didn't really pattern my game after anybody. I'm famous for the finger roll and everybody thinks that I invented it. But I watched guys like Dr. Jay, Wilt Chamberlain and Connie Hawkins and took different pieces of their finger rolls and made it into my own.

Rodney (Sane Fe)
How many more years do you think the Spurs have before they will need to rebuild?

George Gervin
In my opinoin, I think they will start rebuilding in the next year or so. But you have to give it to them, they have won four championships in the years that Tim Duncan has been there but you can only squeeze but so much juice out of an orange.

Jerson Chicago (Illinois)
George, you were my favorite player to watch, I was wondering who you thinks going to win the NBA Championship??

George Gervin
That's a toss up. The Cavs are playing well in the East and the Lakers in the West. It's hard for me to say but I think it will be between the Cavs and the Lakers.

Justin Behling (Boyceville, WI)
Hey George, who is your favorite player of all time and your favorite current player?

George Gervin
Of all-time Julius Erving and current its between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James but I'm going with Kobe.

timmy c. (lancaster, pa)
Ice! Thanks for chatting. What current NBA star has the coolest nickname?

George Gervin
Wow! It would have to be King James. All the real cool nicknames are in the past like Dr. J, Chocolate Thunder, Ice Man ...

George Gervin
Thank you to all the fans for your support. I'll always love the fans because you make the game what it is today.

Express News: So much for young and athletic

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/buckharvey/2009/06/so-much-for-young-and-athletic.html

By Buck Harvey

Jameer Nelson backed up as Derek Fisher dribbled toward him. Then Mickael Pietrus drove to nowhere with Orlando's best shooter, Rashard Lewis, open in the corner.

And in various living rooms around San Antonio, Spurs coaches remembered why they have erred on the side of experience these last few years.

How many stupid teams win championships?

Coaches can err, too. Maybe Gregg Popovich should have put a defender on Gary Payton's inbounds pass to Fisher in 2004. Maybe Stan Van Gundy should have instructed someone to foul before a Laker could launch a 3-pointer at the end of regulation Thursday.

But those are basic options that coaches argue in staff meetings, and there's another side even when their way of doing things doesn't work. By pulling a defender off of Payton in order to double Kobe Bryant in 2004, Popovich made sure someone else would take the last shot; Fisher did. And had Van Gundy ordered an intentional foul Thursday night, there was still a lot of time left. Besides, the intentional foul could have turned into a 3-point attempt and three free throws.

What usually decides these moments are the on-court decisions, such as when Nelson stepped back as if trying to prevent Fisher from driving. Stealing an autographed Michael Jordan jersey from Tony Parker and listing it on Craigslist the next day made as much sense. Fisher's only option was a 3-pointer.

When Pietrus followed by panicking with the clock running down, he played to his reputation. The Spurs have been impressed with him in this postseason; at times he has looked exactly like the kind of young and athletic wing the Spurs have needed. But he's never been known as a smart player, and this play confirmed that.

____________

"This is going to sound crazy," a Los Angeles Times columnist wrote about Fisher, "but even Robert Horry never hit consecutive shots this big."

That does sound crazy -- to anyone who saw Game 5 in the 2005 Finals.

_____________

Fisher said this night was "even greater than .4," and he's right. The Lakers didn't win the title in 2004.

They will now.

FanNation: Wizards-Spurs deal in works?

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/106273-wizards-spurs-deal-in-works

The Wizards are said to have an offer for Manu Ginobili on the table, but the details are not known. A deal that makes a lot of sense for both sides is a swap that consists of Mike James, Etan Thomas, the fifth pick in this year's draft, and Nick Young for Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto. Nick Young would provide the Spurs with the promising young shooting guard they tried to acquire in J.R. Smith and with the fifth pick they could go a number of different ways. Jordan Hill or DeMar DeRozan would look awfully nice in a Spurs' uniform.

Lots of trade talks concerning the Wizards and Manu Ginobili lately. This is just the latest in a string of reports, but I don't give it much substance. Pop has already stated that unless someone just throws a ridiculous deal at the Spurs, Ginobili isn't going anywhere.

Express News: Person of interest: Jermaine Taylor

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/2009/06/person-of-inter-3.html#more

By Jeff McDonald

We continue our look at draft prospects the Spurs have auditioned with a glance at Central Florida's Jermaine Taylor.

As we have noted before, one of the Spurs' priorities for this offseason is to get younger and more athletic on the wing -- particularly at small forward, but also at shooting guard. Taylor, a 22-year-old, 6-foot-4 scorer, would help there.

Taylor was a breakout star at the Portsmouth pre-draft camp in April, and worked out for the Spurs in May. Possessing a heaping helping of athleticism, a precocious slashing ability and a decent-enough jump shot, Taylor is a scorer's scorer. The MVP of Conference USA last season, Taylor averaged better than 26 points as a senior at UCF, the third-best scoring average in the nation.

Taylor can be a defensive liability, which certainly doesn't help his stock with the Spurs. And he will have to work to develop NBA 3-point range.

Still, Taylor has had an impressive set of workouts over the past several weeks, and there is talk he could jump into the bottom of the first round. If that's the case, the Spurs would have to trade up to get him, if they want him.

Spurs.com: Spurs to Celebrate 10th Anniversary of 1999 Championship

http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/090612_99championship.html

Spurs.com will take fans on an insiders look back at the Championship run with a different feature each day during the 10-day run.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs won their first NBA Championship in 1999 and to celebrate the 10th Anniversary, Spurs.com will highlight 10 days of exclusive content beginning Monday, June 15 and running through Wednesday, June 24.

Spurs.com will take fans on an insider’s look back at the Championship run with a different feature each day during the 10-day run. Highlights include exclusive interviews with Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson and Brandon Williams, the 14th man on the 1999 Championship team. The site will also feature a 4-part video series highlighting the Spurs 1998-99 season and playoff run to the 1999 NBA Championship, as well as a ‘where are they now’ section and photo gallery.

Log on to spurs.com starting Monday, June 15 to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Spurs first NBA Championship.

Spurs 2009-10 season tickets are on sale now by calling 444-5050 or by visiting spurs.com.

MassLive.com: Robinson Tough To Coach Against, But Garry St. Jean Admires Man As Much As Superstar

http://www.masslive.com/basketball-hall-of-fame/index.ssf/2009/06/david_robinson_tough_to_coach.html

David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs, a member of the incoming Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2009, and teammate Tim Duncan get ready for tip-off during a game in 2003 in San Antonio.

By Ron Chimelis

Over the course of Garry St. Jean's NBA career, he faced the challenge of coaching against David Robinson, who will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September.

St. Jean's memories of Robinson, though, have as much to do with the man as the superstar.

"I hate to be cliché-ish, but David is just a beautiful person," St. Jean said. "He never tooted his own horn, and he was comfortable in his own skin.

"A beautiful player, too. So graceful."

St. Jean, who coached at Sacramento (1992-97) and Golden State (2000), and also served as the Warriors' general manager, saw Robinson's San Antonio Spurs often in Western Conference games.

The Chicopee High School and Springfield College graduate could not help but notice the personal character and presence of an admired opponent.

"I used to get a cold chill, just watching David stand at rigid attention at for the national anthem. A simple thing like that," St. Jean said.

Robinson was a proud Navy man. Long after his 1987 graduation from the Naval Academy at Annapolis, he represented it well, St. Jean said.

Robinson's NBA career was delayed for two years after graduation, while he fulfilled his Navy commitment. Later, he served the military branch as a reserve.

He had a kindred spirit in San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, an Air Force Academy graduate and a man St. Jean knows well from NBA circles.

Popovich was briefly a member of Golden State's staff in the early 1990s. By 1997, he was coach of the Spurs when Duncan came out of Wake Forest.

That gave Robinson the support he needed to help San Antonio win two NBA titles before "The Admiral," as Robinson was called (even though his actual Navy rank had been Lieutenant, Junior Grade) retired.

"Gregg used to say that when you've got David Robinson and Tim Duncan, it's a great life," St. Jean said.

St. Jean's description of Robinson portrayed not only a great player and a Renaissance man, but a family man, too.

"I met his dad, who had as big a smile as David," St. Jean said. "We were doing some charity function, and I mentioned it would be nice if we could auction off a pair of David's shoes.

"He took my address, and sure enough, about a week later, the shoes were there."

Express News: Paris-Bound Parker Promises To Stay Healthy

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Paris-bound_Parker_promises_to_stay_healthy.html

By Mike Monroe - Express-News

Spurs All-NBA point guard Tony Parker is headed to France in a few weeks to begin training with Les Bleus, the French national team that will attempt to earn the final berth in EuroBasket 2009 in an additional round of qualifying next month.

During a stopover in San Antonio after a lengthy European vacation, Parker took time to visit the team's youth basketball camp, where he engaged in some spirited pickup games with youngsters barely topping 4 feet in height, and in spirited commentary on reports that Manu Ginobili believes a trade away from the Spurs no longer seems impossible.

“I don't know why he said that, but I don't think he's going nowhere,” Parker said. “Everybody loves him here, and I love playing with him, and I don't think he's going anywhere.

“If I was him, I wouldn't second-guess anything. He's like God here. Come on, man. He speaks Spanish and everything. He's not going anywhere.”

Parker is going back to France soon, where he will conduct his own youth basketball camp. During his visit to the Spurs' youth camp, at University of the Incarnate Word, he discovered a nemesis wearing a Dirk Nowitzki No. 41 Mavericks jersey, a youngster with a sweet perimeter shot he used to beat Parker in a game of H-O-R-S-E.

The Spurs star didn't mind. At the end of the day he hollered, “Hey, Nowitzki, come here.”

Then Parker invited the young man, and two other campers, to attend his basketball camp in Paris in July.

“I love spending time with kids, teaching them and having fun,” Parker said. “I'm going to do the same thing in Paris, between July 4-14. Pop (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich) is coming, too, between July 7-12.”

Parker joked with a local sports anchor that he could come to cover the camp if he would pick up the tab for the kids. He got an instant turndown.

“I guess I'll have to pay,” Parker said, laughing.

Parker will be in France for another camp too: In mid-July, he'll train with the French national team, seeking to claim the final berth for EuroBasket 2009 in an additional qualifying round next month.

Parker will be the only Spurs player involved in international play this summer, and he's confident he is young enough to compete for his homeland and still be fresh through an 82-game NBA season.

“Maybe after I'm 30 years old I will worry about it ... 31, 32. Then it might be tough to play a full season. But right now I'm young. Hopefully, everything will be fine.”

Parker said he was encouraged by the pronouncement this week that Ginobili, his teammate who suffered a stress fracture in his right distal fibula in early April, believes he will be 100 percent healthy by the start of training camp.

“I'm sure, I'm sure,” Parker said. “It's just one season. Everybody gets injured. Even Michael Jordan missed (most of a season) with his foot. ... So I'm not worried about anything. It will be good for us. It will be good for everybody.”

He recently returned from a European vacation that included stops for French Open tennis and a Spanish soccer tournament to watch his friend, soccer star Thierry Henry. Parker said there was one sports event that had not gotten much attention from him: the NBA Finals.

“I haven't even watched,” he said. “I know (the Lakers) are up 2-1. I'll watch Game 4 tonight.”

HoopsWorld: Fixing The San Antonio Spurs

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12922

It's an odd-numbered year, and for the first time since 2001 the San Antonio Spurs are not competing for a championship in the NBA Finals. In fact, they didn't even make it out of the opening round as they fell to the Dallas Mavericks in five games.

It's hard not to overreact, but when you consider everything that the Spurs went through this season it was actually a year that many other franchises would kill for right now. However, the Spurs are not content with anything other than being a championship contender.

Looking at the Western Conference in its entirety, the Spurs are quickly starting to slip down the rankings. Currently the future in Denver, Portland, Houston, and Los Angeles looks brighter than it does in South Texas. With that in mind, we make our attempt at fixing the San Antonio Spurs:

What Went Wrong

There's nowhere else to start other than the Beijing Olympics. Against the will of the Spurs, Manu Ginobili suited up with the aspirations of leading Argentina to a gold medal as he did in 2004. Argentina settled for the bronze and Ginobili headed back to the states in need of surgery on his left ankle. While the Spurs were far from pleased, they were hopeful that it would lead to Manu having his first 100% healthy season in years.

Manu only missed 12 games to start, but it became a recurring theme throughout the season that just as everyone thought he was peaking Manu would suffer another setback. Early in April Manu was ruled out for the rest of the season because of lingering pain in his right ankle.

Tim Duncan struggled with injuries of his own, especially late in the season. By the time the playoffs came around Tony Parker claimed Duncan was basically playing on one leg.

Ian Mahinmi, although not as vital to the team's success as Duncan and Ginobili, was unable to play a single game this season because of persistent ankle pain. Coach Popovich had high hopes for Mahinmi this year and was undoubtedly planning on giving him a chance to be an impact player for the team.

For years the Spurs have always been amongst the oldest teams in the league, but their age never played as big of a factor as it did this year. Usually reliable veterans Kurt Thomas, Jacque Vaughn, Bruce Bowen, and Fabricio O'Berto (mainly due to various health ailments) were nowhere near as productive as they were the year prior.

What Went Right

This past season was a career-year for Tony Parker, who put the rest of the league on notice as to just how good he really is. For years Parker's talent has been slighted because he played alongside two other superstars, but there is truly no denying now that he is one of the league's biggest stars. With Duncan's retirement just a few years away the Spurs can rest safely knowing in Parker they have another franchise player.

The Spurs also managed to add two nice young pieces in Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill. The two were major bright spots this season despite the fact that their play tailed off somewhat towards the end of the season. They did play the most minutes of their short careers this past season, so it's logical to think that they hit the proverbial wall late in the year.

At the trade deadline several names were thrown around in association with the Spurs including Richard Jefferson, Rasheed Wallace, and Vince Carter. Unable to find a deal to their liking they decided to stand pat. Thankfully they were able to add a very valuable piece for nothing in Drew Gooden after he was bought out by the Sacramento Kings.

Gooden had some great moments for the Spurs, but was too banged up to change their fortunes.

Michael Finley played especially well down the stretch, providing some much needed offense in Ginobili's absence but the Spurs as a whole just didn't have enough this year.


Where The Spurs Go From Here

It's been years since the Spurs appeared to be this far away from contention. They've always found a way to make minor tweaks that make a major difference, but it may take more than that to get back in the mix in the West.

The Spurs are fully prepared to make some drastic changes though. They have over $30 million expiring contracts, including Manu's deal worth $10.7 million alone. Manu certainly has value around the league and although it's hard to imagine the Spurs parting ways with someone who has helped them accomplish so much, it may be time.

The Wizards are said to have an offer for Ginobili on the table, but the details are not known. A deal that makes a lot of sense for both sides is a swap that consists of Mike James, Etan Thomas, the fifth pick in this year's draft, and Nick Young for Manu Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto. Nick Young would provide the Spurs with the promising young shooting guard they tried to acquire in J.R. Smith and with the fifth pick they could go a number of different ways. Jordan Hill or DeMar DeRozan would look awfully nice in a Spurs' uniform.

Considering their track record though it's hard to imagine the Spurs pulling the trigger on a deal of that magnitude without getting more proven talent in return. Word is that the Spurs do have strong interest in purchasing their way into the first round of this month's draft. Should the trade up into the 20-30 range expect them to look a proven collegiate player like Eric Maynor, Wayne Ellington, or Danny Green. Omri Casspi was someone who they were very impressed with, but he's unlikely to stay in the draft.

This summer the Spurs will have the mid-level exception at their disposal, which they could use to try to convince a proven veteran like Rasheed Wallace to accept. Wallace is said to want $8 milion, but when he sees how down the market is and the opportunity the Spurs present he could be persuaded to take their offer.

Whatever direction the Spurs do go in don't expect them to jeopardize their salary cap space in 2010 unless something spectacular comes along. Only Duncan, Parker, and Hill are under contract for the 2011 season, making them big-time players for some of the top free agents. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are the big names, but don't be surprised if Chris Bosh is really intrigued by the idea of playing with Tony Parker closer to home.