spurschick
09-25-2005, 08:11 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA092505.1C.COL.BKNharvey.parker.1e74528.html
Tony Parker edged closer to Tim Duncan on Saturday. Then Parker missed a couple of free throws and watched his country lose a lead.
As a result, France plays for the bronze today in the European Championship. Just as Duncan's United States did a year ago in the Olympics.
But the ties between these Spurs run deeper now. Parker, despite his French accent and European roots, is now seen as an American.
In Europe — in these times — that isn't a compliment.
The Americanization of Euro-basketball has been the theme in Europe the past few weeks, and the carriers of the virus are clear. Europe's best went to the NBA and then brought back the disease.
It's not as awful as it sounds. Whereas European countries once put together rosters of similar minds, now they mix NBA players with those who stayed behind to play in Europe. Some jealousy and tension follow, as well as a confusing pecking order.
Sometimes the NBA guys feel the need to prove their status. Sometimes a one-on-one play that fails grates on the Europeans more than it should. And sometimes the egos can't take it.
Such as on the Turkish team. Last week one of them told Mehmet Okur, who plays for the Jazz, that if he keeps acting like a spoiled NBA prima donna, he might have to break something.
Arm, hand, something.
The Serbs didn't just threaten. They went after each other with limb-breaking zeal after being upset by France last week.
Were there three fights in their locker room, or just two? They weren't sure. With the most NBA talent of all the teams in the European Championships, the Serbs played the role of the Americans in this tournament.
The entire European continent hasn't been overtaken by Blazers and Clippers. Dirk Nowitzki, the best player in the championships, has led Germany with an unselfish but firm hand he doesn't always show in Dallas.
Slovenia advanced Saturday, too, with the magic that is Rasho Nesterovic. And then there's Parker. When he agreed to come off the bench for France, wasn't he being as selfless as Manu Ginobili was last season in the playoffs?
Not exactly. Parker sunk to a level that had some wondering if Nick Van Exel was ready to go 35 minutes a night next season. Parker admitted he lost his legs somewhere in the summer, mostly because of injuries, and he agreed to the benching for the good of France.
Spurs execs said last week, in the midst of his struggles, they weren't worried. They know Parker is tired, and they know him too well to believe he suddenly lost something.
If anything, they've been more worried about Boris Diaw, Parker's French teammate and roommate this summer. Diaw has emerged as a versatile athlete who could flourish in the Suns' system next season.
Diaw amazed at times, but France surged when Parker responded as the sixth man. His 13 points and five assists were crucial in the upset of Lithuania, and he played well in the loss to Greece on Saturday, too.
Without many big bodies, the French did well to get as far as they did.
Still, Parker and his NBA habits were seen as an issue. French coach Claude Bergeaud sent a message early that his NBA players were not there to score 30 points a night.
Parker rarely has had that impulse with the Spurs, but, remember, this is still the European theme. So when asked if his NBA players were staying within the French team system, Bergeaud said: "For Boris it was easier because he played for the national team last year, so the European style of play is not that distant a memory for him."
And Parker? "He's played about 220 NBA games since his last appearance for France," Bergeaud said. "The one thing that some people may not be able to see by just watching a game is that it's not easy to switch between NBA style of play and European style of play just like that.
"It doesn't happen overnight."
That's not necessarily a critical assessment. But it's still telling about how the Europeans see the Americans now. Once awed by Dream Team power, they see this NBA generation as beset with liabilities.
It's telling about Parker, too. He came west as half European and half American, and he dreamed of becoming an NBA player.
This month, officially, he became one.
Tony Parker edged closer to Tim Duncan on Saturday. Then Parker missed a couple of free throws and watched his country lose a lead.
As a result, France plays for the bronze today in the European Championship. Just as Duncan's United States did a year ago in the Olympics.
But the ties between these Spurs run deeper now. Parker, despite his French accent and European roots, is now seen as an American.
In Europe — in these times — that isn't a compliment.
The Americanization of Euro-basketball has been the theme in Europe the past few weeks, and the carriers of the virus are clear. Europe's best went to the NBA and then brought back the disease.
It's not as awful as it sounds. Whereas European countries once put together rosters of similar minds, now they mix NBA players with those who stayed behind to play in Europe. Some jealousy and tension follow, as well as a confusing pecking order.
Sometimes the NBA guys feel the need to prove their status. Sometimes a one-on-one play that fails grates on the Europeans more than it should. And sometimes the egos can't take it.
Such as on the Turkish team. Last week one of them told Mehmet Okur, who plays for the Jazz, that if he keeps acting like a spoiled NBA prima donna, he might have to break something.
Arm, hand, something.
The Serbs didn't just threaten. They went after each other with limb-breaking zeal after being upset by France last week.
Were there three fights in their locker room, or just two? They weren't sure. With the most NBA talent of all the teams in the European Championships, the Serbs played the role of the Americans in this tournament.
The entire European continent hasn't been overtaken by Blazers and Clippers. Dirk Nowitzki, the best player in the championships, has led Germany with an unselfish but firm hand he doesn't always show in Dallas.
Slovenia advanced Saturday, too, with the magic that is Rasho Nesterovic. And then there's Parker. When he agreed to come off the bench for France, wasn't he being as selfless as Manu Ginobili was last season in the playoffs?
Not exactly. Parker sunk to a level that had some wondering if Nick Van Exel was ready to go 35 minutes a night next season. Parker admitted he lost his legs somewhere in the summer, mostly because of injuries, and he agreed to the benching for the good of France.
Spurs execs said last week, in the midst of his struggles, they weren't worried. They know Parker is tired, and they know him too well to believe he suddenly lost something.
If anything, they've been more worried about Boris Diaw, Parker's French teammate and roommate this summer. Diaw has emerged as a versatile athlete who could flourish in the Suns' system next season.
Diaw amazed at times, but France surged when Parker responded as the sixth man. His 13 points and five assists were crucial in the upset of Lithuania, and he played well in the loss to Greece on Saturday, too.
Without many big bodies, the French did well to get as far as they did.
Still, Parker and his NBA habits were seen as an issue. French coach Claude Bergeaud sent a message early that his NBA players were not there to score 30 points a night.
Parker rarely has had that impulse with the Spurs, but, remember, this is still the European theme. So when asked if his NBA players were staying within the French team system, Bergeaud said: "For Boris it was easier because he played for the national team last year, so the European style of play is not that distant a memory for him."
And Parker? "He's played about 220 NBA games since his last appearance for France," Bergeaud said. "The one thing that some people may not be able to see by just watching a game is that it's not easy to switch between NBA style of play and European style of play just like that.
"It doesn't happen overnight."
That's not necessarily a critical assessment. But it's still telling about how the Europeans see the Americans now. Once awed by Dream Team power, they see this NBA generation as beset with liabilities.
It's telling about Parker, too. He came west as half European and half American, and he dreamed of becoming an NBA player.
This month, officially, he became one.