McDonald: Third victory in a row not easy for Spurs

[timvp]

Third victory in a row not easy for Spurs
Jeff McDonald
Express-News

WASHINGTON — Robert Horry grabbed a pass deep in the corner Wednesday night, instigated that slow, effortless wind-up of his and let fly a 3-pointer.

As it burrowed through the bottom of the net, most everyone on the Spurs' bench shared the same simultaneous thought: Is it May already?

Horry, meanwhile, was thinking something different. Like, it's about time.

"I was just happy to make a shot," Horry said after helping to spark the Spurs' 85-77 victory over Washington. "I haven't been able to make a shot in ages."

Horry only scored nine points, but — in the vintage game-changing fashion that has defined his career — seven of them came during a 17-4 second-half run that helped the Spurs wrestle the game from the undermanned Wizards.

With the triumph, the Spurs (31-16) boast a three-game road winning streak for the first time this season, as well as a 3-2 mark on their infamously brutal rodeo road trip, a nine-game odyssey that pulls into New York on Friday.

After a season spent somehow looking older than his 37 years, Horry — the grizzled veteran world famous for his postseason heroics — turned the clock back against the Wizards. Or, perhaps, he turned it forward.

As has often been the case for the past few weeks, Tim Duncan did most of the heavy lifting for the Spurs, totaling 23 points and nine rebounds. But Wednesday's victory might not have been possible without a second-half binge from the man known as "Big Shot Rob."

Horry came into the game shooting 22.2 percent from the field and sporting a scoring average (1.6) that, had it been his GPA, would have gotten him kicked out of school at Alabama. He finished the night with a new season scoring high.

"It's good to see Robert hitting some shots and getting into a rhythm," guard Manu Ginobili said. "He's such a big part of what we do."

Both teams were playing Wednesday on no rest after out-of-town engagements the night before. The Spurs had won in Indiana; the Wizards had lost at Philadelphia.

The difference for the Spurs was in their finishing kick.

Leaning on their steel-trap defense, the Spurs outscored Washington 28-19 in the fourth quarter to lock down the game.

Antawn Jamison scored 18 points to pace the Wizards, who were playing without leading scorer Caron Butler, injured the night before in Philadelphia. Andray Blatche, a wildly athletic third-year forward, did his best to make up for Butler's absence with 16 points and a career-best 15 rebounds.

Still, the Spurs held the Wizards (24-24) to a season-low 77 points, which was also a season low for a Spurs opponent. On offense, they picked Washington apart, assisting on 26 of 32 field goals (Ginobili had 10).

"It's not only a confidence-builder but a team-builder," Duncan said. "When things aren't going well and we're missing shots, we still persevere through it."

The oldest member of the NBA's oldest team, Horry was an unlikely candidate to ignite the Spurs on the second night of a back-to-back. Typically, coach Gregg Popovich opts to rest him in such instances.

Yet there he was in the second half against the Wizards, looking all of 35 again.

All of his points came during a four-minute stretch in which the Spurs transformed a five-point deficit into an eight-point lead with 8:26 to go. His 3-pointer, which gave the Spurs a 64-60 edge with 10:20 remaining, was his first since Jan. 6.

Asked if it was time to get excited about the possibility of Horry's re-emergence, Duncan knowingly laughed and shook his head.

"It's way too early," he said, "to start getting excited about Rob."

After the season he's had so far, however, Horry knows better. He hopes he's finally flipped the calendar page back — or forward — for good.

"I was excited to get some playing time," Horry said. "I was happy to get some kind of rhythm going."

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...r.3823f9c.html

[timvp]

His 3-pointer, which gave the Spurs a 64-60 edge with 10:20 remaining, was his first since Jan. 6.

Uh, McDonald, Horry hit a three-pointer last game against the Pacers. If you aren't going to watch the games, at least fact check.

Thanks.

[Manu-of-steel]

I'm glad robert is finally showing signs of life with the way he played in the last 2 games. to think that this game against the wizards is the 2nd of back-to-back. I also liiked the way manu played-though he did not have a great shootin night, his 10 assists,with only 1 turnover really helped the spurs cause.. Another observation is that fabricio had his 2nd straight good game. I can't help but be excited with the upcoming games vs the celts and mavs. BUT- i'm pleading to my spurs not to sleep on the lowly knicks.

[polandprzem]

Looks like an Horry thread.
first positive one in a decade.

Uh, McDonald, Horry hit a three-pointer last game against the Pacers. If you aren't going to watch the games, at least fact check.

Thanks.

He in not reading ST I assure you


As for Rob, I do not know if to be a happy spurs fan.
having Horry in theplayoffs as the main rotation guy is quite risky esp. when he will be the only frontcourt guy of the bench.

But it seems that the choice is between him and Elson,Bonner. Bonner hopes out of the window. Old farts are coming into the youngsters game.
Someone persuade me that we are matching our bench with LA's one. And we have frontcourt as good as LA have. That we have now domination in the paint against shooting Suns.

I need to reload myself.

thanks

[ricketts]

"looking all of 35 again"

[Radiosparks]

ESPN NBA analyst Tim Legler snubbs Spurs on Mike and Mike. He has the Lakers, Mavericks, Utah, Hornets and Suns finishing ahead of the Spurs. In fact, the only time he mentioned the Spurs is when they were discussing how the West is so deep.

[Das Texan]

I keep hoping McDonald makes it through his first year. I'm running out of fingers and toes to count all his glaring factual errors this year.

[m33p0]

I keep hoping McDonald makes it through his first year. I'm running out of fingers and toes to count all his glaring factual errors this year.

its only glaring when people point them out.

[Dex]

its only glaring when people point them out.

If your job is to report facts to people, and you're getting facts wrong, then you're not doing your job. It's like those McDumbasses who can't remember to put the chicken on a chicken sandwich.

That goes for you too, Monroe.

Personally, I'm hoping for a better beat writer next season.