# Game 68: San Antonio Spurs @ Indiana Pacers



## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

* March 23rd, 2005 6:00 PM (Central Time)*


*San Antonio Spurs (50-17)* @ *Indiana Pacers (33-33)* 



Previous Meetings - 
Spurs 111, Pacers 98 


*Projected Starting Lineups: *

















































































*Reserves:*


































































Two of the games' best PF's will be missing in this game as the injury depleted teams go head-to-head in the final matchup of the season. Indiana has the motivation to win this game, but they're coming off two losses and will be on the 2nd night of back-to-backs. The Spurs are also coming off two straight losses, and finish a miserable 3-game road trip. Reggie Miller and Stephen Jackson have been carrying this team, and with one of our best wing defenders not playing (Devin Brown), we've got to manage to defend these guys well. Tinsley has missed quite a few games as well and he's questionable for this game, I assume. If I don't see any kind of effort out of the Spurs again tonight, I'll stop watching as soon as it gets bad. Seriously.I can't go through another performance like the last one. Hopefully Bowen remembers how to defend, and hopefully the depleted bench contributes something.





*Koko's Key's to Victory:*



- Parker. He needs to play 4 quarters for crying out loud. It's apparent how miserable our offense is when he decides to sit back and watch. Attack the basket consistently, create for teammates, and push the ball on the break.


- Points in the paint. We need to get some points in the paint, and prevent Indiana from doing likewise. Fingers are pointed at Mohammed and Nesterovic. 


- Defend their three pointers. The more and more three pointers Indiana makes, the less and less chance we have of winning. 





Prediction: Spurs 92, Indiana 88


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

*Re: Game 68: San Antonio Spurs @ Imdiana Pacers*



KokoTheMonkey said:


> *Koko's Key's to Victory:*
> 
> - Parker. He needs to play 4 quarters for crying out loud. It's apparent how miserable our offense is when he decides to sit back and watch. Attack the basket consistently, create for teammates, and push the ball on the break.
> 
> ...


Do you mind if I steal the Koko's key to winning and put it in my Mavs game threads as Theo's key to winning?

Ginobili will need to guard his man tightly here, whether it be Reggie or Stephen Jackson (depending on who Bowen marks). Both have been playing great ball lately

Spurs: 91
Indiana: 90

BTW: Where is Imdiana


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

*Re: Game 68: San Antonio Spurs @ Imdiana Pacers*

Go ahead, it's no problem for me. 



Oh, and Imdiana is somewhere in Indiana I believe.


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

the pacers just got beat two times in a row by the nets so i feel we can take them there should be no pf problem so i think we can handle it umm we win a very important victory to get ahead of big d.
ezealen rember our bet lol

99spurs
93pacers


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Spurs won't dissapoint again. Pop will see to it. A whole new team today, I can feel it.

Spurs-101
Pacers- 95


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## texan (Jul 10, 2003)

If we play like we did against the Knicks, we are gonna get beat by the Pacers. However, I think we will come out with something to prove. We need Parker to have a good game, and AT LEAST two big men to have productive games. DB is out as well, so Barry needs to step up for his lost production. If we can cut down on the turnovers, and have a high FG% along with good perimeter defense, this game is ours.

Prediction: 
Spurs- 97
Pacers- 91


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

this doesnt look so well. gm is to close and making unforced areas plus nazi is down ouch


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

dang second 3pt play we need to take him out for a few min


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## Camaro_870 (Mar 12, 2005)

i waiting for manu to explode...hes mah boy


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

i think he might just be a boubto but on the other hand this doesnt look goo we down by 6 in the 2nd


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## texan (Jul 10, 2003)

I can't watch the game, but how are we doing? From the sound of your posts we are playing sloppy, unsmart basketball. What are we doing good? And what are we doing bad?

PS- theRoc, add me to your Pop club


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

this is horrible we are loosing by 12 and this is just new york all over again i cant beilve that we having dumb plays tos and we cant seemed to make a shot even a few air balls


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

texan said:


> I can't watch the game, but how are we doing? From the sound of your posts we are playing sloppy, unsmart basketball. What are we doing good? And what are we doing bad?
> 
> PS- theRoc, add me to your Pop club


no coyote lol :biggrin:


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

man no ones here prob goo /c were getting woped again gosh this sux


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

well half time not to great but we caught up alil. man when does tim come bak. we need him. anyone think were going to win lol im not to sure anymore cause this is like mon..... dnt no if we can hang our fg percent cant be good we missed everything man. owell we can still win this
down by 5 second half boubt to begain


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

If we lose this we're freakin done. If these guys don't want to play, we're not going anywhere. Again, leave the injury BS at home, these guys aren't playing with their hearts. That should be the one constant. Always play with guts and heart, and that's been missing for awhile now. 



Before I go on a gigantic rant, I'll hold off until the final results.


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

KokoTheMonkey said:


> If we lose this we're freakin done. If these guys don't want to play, we're not going anywhere. Again, leave the injury BS at home, these guys aren't playing with their hearts. That should be the one constant. Always play with guts and heart, and that's been missing for awhile now.
> 
> 
> 
> Before I go on a gigantic rant, I'll hold off until the final results.


ditto


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

We ****ing stink.




This is just embarassing. I can't even put into words how disgusted I am to see this crap.


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## XxMia_9xX (Oct 5, 2002)

dang this sux... for once i'm kinda glad i can't really watch games or else i'd be way mad!


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

no heart no win why the f*** arnt we playin wth any balls im so mad why the heck cant the spurs defend crap or most important score we lost 3 in a row yes im positive we loose this were already down by 15


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

52-66. Just when you think the Spurs are going to get back into the game they pull themselves rite back out of it.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

THREE BALL!...from Parker?...Wierd game


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

:curse:


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Very next play, Pacers get a three


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Pacers get another three...73-55


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

ill b so happy if we win ill give ezealen 1000 pt things 4 free :biggrin:


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## LineOFire (Apr 20, 2004)

This is so pathetic. Where are the Duncan-less Spurs that battled with heart against Phoenix and Detroit?

I am completely disgusted with the team right now. I can't even watch this game we are playing so bad.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

TheRoc5 said:


> ill b so happy if we win ill give ezealen 1000 pt things 4 free :biggrin:


I don't need them...if we win I'll get 1,600 from this bet alone


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

brent barry take over the gm


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Bowen causes the TO. If we can get the lead down to single digits I think we mite have a pretty decent chance to pull this off


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

u think he hurd me lol


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

BRENT AND1! Bout time he became the player to step it up with Duncan out.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

TheRoc5 said:


> u think he hurd me lol


lol I was thinking that...he mite be carrying a laptop . Another TO caused!


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

dang it just wen i thought we were gonna come bak ahaha man o well there mite b alittle chance of comen back yall think its possible


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Pacers got a three at the buzzer...but Spurs took off 5 points in that little 2 minute run. 67-80 after 3. If Barry plays like he did in the last two minutes of the third we can win.


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

my lil hope is about to go down the drain


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Spurs shot of the quarter for the Spurs is missed. Pacers go to the line for 2, Makes one


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Nazr picks up his fifth foul


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

its not so much hca its dallas can get with in 3 gms if they win this sux


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

when is our nxt gm?


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## Nephets (Jul 15, 2004)

It's over.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Nephets said:


> It's over.


Spurs start a 9-0 run, and brings the lead down to nine points in one minute!
Charg on the Pacers! Stephen Jackson gets his 6th!


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

man yet another horrable lost


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

we deserve to lose congrats to reggie


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

got a little too exited...Spurs still down by 11 with 1:24 left and Pacers just made 2 frees to end the spurs' 10-0 run


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

Pacers win the jump ball. It's over


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

weres tmac anyone lol


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

100-93 Pacers. First time we lost three in a row this season, but atleast it wasn't two back-to-back blowouts like it was shaping out to be. If the Spurs played the entire game like they did the last 3 minutes it would have been a totally different story.The one thing Iwas pleased with today was Marks. He entered the game with 5:30 left in the fourth and played very well the entire 5:30. The 10-0 run we had, I give credit to Marks. He played with great heart and I hope he gets more minutes next game.


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

who thinks we can win a championship without duncan lol i dont but im still a lil mad about the gm wutever cant wait til nxt one so we can get a win just hope dallas loses tonite man if we get the fourth seed i will be so mad dang that would suck so bad


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

TheRoc5 said:


> who thinks we can win a championship without duncan


 OH! OH! NOT ME! NOT ME!


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

who thinks we can win 10 gms with out duncan lol not to sure of that one haha but fo reel yall still think once duncan comes back were gonna win it all right


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

TheRoc5 said:


> who thinks we can win 10 gms with out duncan lol not to sure of that one haha but fo reel yall still think once duncan comes back were gonna win it all right


Of course we will


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

Defense was absolutely terrible tonight. Indiana was hitting some tough shots, but you can't trade baskets when you're down by 10 points. Hey, we only had 5 TO's, but our butts got kicked on the boards, pretty much the difference in the game along with the FG%. 



On the surface, you look at Parker with 12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and only 1 TO, but he's got to do more than that. Ginobili has stunk. Maybe he's hurt, maybe not. He's not playing good ball right now. We certainly can't play the "injury" card losing to a team like the Pacers, who are missing O'Neal, Artest, and Tinsley. Damn shame. We're in trouble the rest of the way. 8 total rebounds from our starting backcourt. Mohammed was terrible, Barry actually played well, and the rest of the bench really isn't even worth mentioning. 




San Antonio Leaders:


Points:


Brent Barry - 17
Robert Horry - 15
Tony Parker - 12


Rebounds:


Bruce Bowen - 7
Tony Parker - 5
Robert Horry - 4
Rasho Nesterovic - 4


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## Nephets (Jul 15, 2004)

It was a huge night for Indiana, Reggie scored 25,000 total points. The crowd was pumped and that's why they won. I think they would have beaten ANYBODY tonight.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

KokoTheMonkey said:


> and the rest of the bench really isn't even worth mentioning.


Not even Marks? I thought he did very well considering he only played 5 minutes


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## TMTTRIO (Mar 10, 2005)

I'm very angry that we lost tonight. I expected TP and MG to help our team get a win and all they did was stink. Manu has played awful ever since he's gotten back from his injury besides the first game he was back  . I don't know if he's still hurting or not (PJ said before the game that if Tim didn't go down with the injury Manu would've probably sat out during the New York game), I just hope we get the high energetic Manu that makes things happen back. The only positive thing I got out of this game is Brent Barry scored 17 points :clap: . Let's see if this last.


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## XxMia_9xX (Oct 5, 2002)

damn... this really sucks. i mean like come on! parker and manu? i just think that they really need to do more than that... i was so confident the spurs can take it all the way this season, but now it's very shady. i know duncan will be good once play-off starts, well hopefully, but i just dont see them getting the job done. yes duncan is very important to the team, but others has to do more than what they're doing now, 'cuz they can't go far in the play-offs playing like that!


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## TMTTRIO (Mar 10, 2005)

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...32405.1C.BKNspurs.pacers.gamer.16a4d3c7d.html

*Spurs end trip with ways to go 
Web Posted: 03/24/2005 12:00 AM CST * 

Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer 

INDIANAPOLIS — Most of the 16,560 fans had long since streamed out of Conseco Fieldhouse by the time the Spurs walked to their locker room late Wednesday. Heads bowed, eyes glazed, they didn't say a word. 

The Spurs' four-day trip was over, having culminated with a 100-93 loss to the Indiana Pacers and another uninspiring performance. Having begun their travels with the NBA's best record, they left carrying their first three-game losing streak. 

In between, the Spurs also lost Tim Duncan and Devin Brown. And, according to their coach, their will to win. 

*"The competitiveness, in my opinion, as a group is not there," Gregg Popovich said. "A good number of players have to realize that they've got to step up their games because they're not that damn good without Tim Duncan. 

"What makes them able to compete without Tim Duncan is a ferocity and a toughness, and I don't see that." * 
Popovich had hoped the team's shock of losing Duncan had worn off in its second-collapse in New York two nights earlier. He wanted to see if his players would play hard and physical, if they would show the same trust in each other and the system as they did when Duncan was on the floor. 

As it turned out, Popovich saw just that. From Indiana. 

The Pacers leaned on their veterans, getting 21 points from 39-year-old Reggie Miller and 18 apiece from Anthony Johnson, Austin Croshere and Stephen Jackson. They limited the Spurs to 38.4 percent shooting. They outrebounded them 44-32. 

Ahead by five at halftime, Indiana needed a little more than eight minutes to /lead by 18. 

The Spurs fell to 1-5 without Duncan, though Indiana took the floor without its leader, Jermaine O'Neal, and two other starters: forward Ron Artest and point guard Jamaal Tinsley. 

In addition, Indiana lost in New Jersey on Tuesday night while the Spurs rested. 

*"We're used to all these injuries and to expect the unexpected," Croshere said. "It seems they aren't as prepared to play without (Duncan)." * 
Before the game, Jackson said he thought his former teammates could tread water without their best player. 

*"That's what they gave (Manu Ginobili) and Tony (Parker) all this money for, to see what they can do just in case something like this happened," Jackson said. * 
Ginobili tried but lacked the explosiveness he had before straining his groin. He scored 11 points and made only 2 of 9 shots. Still, Popovich couldn't fault his competitiveness. 

*"I think Manu is one of the few guys on the club who is playing with that ferocity," he said. "He's just happened to play two of the worst games I've seen him play." * Parker had 12 points and seven assists, but he missed 9 of 13 shots. Against New York, he scored only two points in the final three quarters. 

*Asked if his point guard might be fatigued, Popovich said: "Tony is totally healthy." * 
*Said Parker: "I'm not going to try to find an excuse. I'm just not playing well." * 

Parker wasn't alone in his struggles. After going almost a full quarter without a basket in New York, the Spurs endured an 8-minute, 55-second drought in Wednesday's first half. 

Rasho Nesterovic, Nazr Mohammed, Robert Horry, Tony Massenburg and Sean Marks combined for 11 rebounds, four fewer than Pacers forward Jeff Foster, a Madison High School graduate, had by himself. Duncan would have helped, but his absence, Ginobili said, wasn't the reason the Spurs lost. 

*"I just think we're not playing aggressive," Ginobili said. "We're not playing with our hearts like we were a week ago." * 


http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...es/MYSA032405.1C.COL.BKNharvey.16a460286.html

*Buck Harvey: Ginobili as savior? One who will, can't 
Web Posted: 03/24/2005 12:00 AM CST * 

San Antonio Express-News 

INDIANAPOLIS — *Manu Ginobili dribbled the ball off his leg early in the third quarter, and that was it. He couldn't take any more. 

He came to the bench for a timeout, slamming a chair, then went back to the court determined to slam everything else. He would yell at refs, scrape for a rebound, come up with a steal, then drive into contact. jawdrop: 

But two things were working against him this night. 

His body. 

And his teammates. 

He didn't point fingers afterward. Instead, Ginobili sounded more like the voice of this team than he ever has. He sat in an empty locker room and said: "I see it in our faces ... that's why I'm going to stay awake until 5 this morning trying to figure out what's happening." * 
Gregg Popovich doesn't need that long. He ripped into his players as a group immediately after the game, pulling out the "soft" tag again. But it was clear he was talking about certain players. 

Rasho Nesterovic. Nazr Mohammed. And Tony Parker. 

Asked about Parker specifically, Popovich responded with a deliberate tone: "Tony is totally healthy." 

As in contrast to Ginobili. 

The Tim Duncan-less Spurs can't win without Parker and Ginobili playing well, and neither has been. But maybe it simply comes down to Ginobili and his sore groin, sore quads, sore right shoulder and sore left calf. 

If he's playing full-bore, wouldn't the Spurs follow his lead? 

This Ginobili wouldn't have won the gold medal for Argentina in Athens. *He couldn't have led his country in the condition he is in now, and he admits as much. "I don't feel like I can go by anyone right now," he said. 

Usually, Ginobili can go by anyone. * 
This Ginobili also didn't win gold here in this same building, when the 2002 World Championships were in Indianapolis. Then his body also gave out. He twisted his ankle nearly as badly as Duncan did his Sunday, coming down on Dirk Nowitzki in the Argentina-Germany semifinal game. 

But whereas Duncan flew home, unable to put pressure on his ankle, Ginobili came back 20 hours later to try to win the championship for Argentina. His limp through the loss was painful to watch. 

It was also a costly decision. The ankle, injured in August, bothered Ginobili through half of his rookie season with the Spurs. Not coincidentally, when he recovered is when the Spurs began their run to the championship. 

So the same Ginobili who tried to play when he shouldn't have in the World Championships *is the same Ginobili who tried to rage himself through his pain Wednesday night. It's a signal of who he is and why the Spurs need him healthy. 

It's also a signal of his future. He's always thrown his body around as if it is disposable, and it's effective but damaging. * 
Standing Wednesday as the contrast was Reggie Miller. He's spent his career damaging others, running defenders through picks, then rising up with shooting skills that Ginobili doesn't have. 

Miller has played a cleaner, safer game, the reason he could score a game-high 21 points Wednesday night at age 39. He's retiring, but there's really no reason he should. 

He crossed the 25,000-point threshold against the Spurs. And when asked about coaching against Miller for the last time, Popovich said with some respect and humor: "Thank God." 

*Ginobili's career will never be as long, and it won't be the same. He needs contact, and he needs to be fearless. And when his body doesn't play along? He's not the same, and neither are the Spurs. 

That doesn't stop him from burning inside, or from saying what the other Spurs need to hear. Asked about not having Duncan, Ginobili said defiantly: "I really don't care about Tim Duncan. We should play the same with or without him. And that is what worries me. There is no reason for this." 

The one with the will to lead the Spurs without Duncan is the one who is hurt, and it's a bad combination. If the Spurs can't beat Atlanta on Friday night at home, when will they beat anyone? 

Ginobili is ready, no matter the details. "I can't wait to play the next game." 

And his teammates? *


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## mr_french_basketball (Jul 3, 2003)

TMTTRIO said:


> ...Rasho Nesterovic, Nazr Mohammed, Robert Horry, Tony Massenburg and Sean Marks combined for 11 rebounds, four fewer than Pacers forward Jeff Foster...


Tell me it's a joke! Don't find too far the reasons we lost, and don't blame too much Tony and Manu. They could have been better but our inside players were just ridiculous...


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## mr_french_basketball (Jul 3, 2003)

*my ratings*

Barry : 8/10
Horry : 8/10
Parker : 5/10
Ginobili : 5/10
Bowen : 5/10
Udrih : 4/10
Nesterovic : 4/10
Mohammed : 4/10
Massenburg : 3/10

That's ugly...


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

*Re: my ratings*



mr_french_basketball said:


> Barry : 8/10
> Horry : 8/10
> Parker : 5/10
> Ginobili : 5/10
> ...


Marks : 10/10 :yes:
I was really pleased with what I saw and I hope he gets more palying time tomorrow.


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