Duncan, Parker named to all-NBA teams

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan and Tony Parker have been selected to the 2012-13 all-NBA first and second team respectively.

Duncan received 45 first-team points and joined LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul on the first team. Parker is joined by Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol and Russell Westbrook on the all-NBA second team.

Duncan averaged 17.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.7 blocks during the regular season while Parker notched 20.3 points, 7.6 assists, and shot 52% on the season.

For Duncan this marks his 10th selection on the all-NBA first team and for Parker it marks his second selection to the second team.

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Stein: Leonard will likely be invited to Team USA mini-camp

Written by Quixem Ramirez on .

Kawhi Leonard may have slipped to the 15th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, where the San Antonio Spurs promptly grabbed him in a draft day deal, but he has already garnered league-wide respect for his rapid development -- improving upon his college 3-point percentage by nearly 13 points (37.5 percent shooting from behind the arc in his first two seasons). All of this, despite an inconsistent release and the athleticism of wing defenders capable of bearing down and eliminating his space to shoot.
 
According to ESPN's Marc Stein, Leonard will likely be invited to Team USA's July mini-camp, headed by Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Leonard will join 23 high profile young players including 2012 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Larry Sanders. 
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Conley: Parker's playmaking puts defense 'at its mercy'

Written by Trevor Zickgraf on .

The first two games served as a reminder that the Spurs' offense is a Tony Parker first offense and that when he's aggressive, it's a really good offense.  Game 2 was a prime example of how Parker, despite having a dreadful shooting night, stayed aggressive and found his teammates on his way to 18 assists.  Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley, Jr. said after the game that Parker's playmaking has put the Grizzlies defense on their heels.

"Well, on pick-and-rolls, they had such good spacing that it allowed him (Parker) to manipulate and move the ball different ways, get into the paint and draw-and-kick," Conley said. "When you have a guy that's able to create plays like that for other people, it really puts the defense at its mercy."

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Spurs-Warriors draw historically poor TV ratings

Written by Quixem Ramirez on .

Many people enjoy watching the San Antonio Spurs -- their convoluted motion-based system is capable of producing points in a hurry -- but there is still a sizable subsection of America that cannot stand the Spurs and their "boring" brand of basketball. (Ignoring the fact, of course, that they have finished among the top seven in offensive efficiency in three consecutive seasons.)
 
Without the allure of either Kevin Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder, Chris Paul's Los Angeles Clippers and Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers -- each were prohibitive favorites in the Western Conference prior to the regular season -- ABC TV ratings dropped significantly last week according to Sports Media Watch
 
Sunday's Game 4 tilt between the Spurs and Golden State Warriors registered a 3.4 rating (5.3 million viewers). Those numbers represent a 29 percent decrease in viewers from last year's Heat-Pacers series and 36 percent from the Lakers-Mavericks series in 2011 via Awful Announcing. Knicks-Pacers drew identical ratings on Saturday, too. The Players Championship on NBC, by comparison, received 7.6 million viewers.
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Ginobili: Grizzlies' late-game rally might inspire them in Game 3

Written by Quixem Ramirez on .

It took seven quarters, in which the Spurs outscored Memphis by 34 points, but the Grizzlies may have found a viable solution against San Antonio's pack-the-paint strategy -- spread the floor with Jerryd Bayless and Quincy Pondexter to make them pay for doubling Zach Randolph in the post.
 
Another fortuitous circumstance -- the nominally foul-averse Tim Duncan, averaging 2.5 fouls per 36 minutes this season, picked up his fifth personal foul with 7:36 remaining in the fourth quarter -- attributed to the Grizzlies' fourth quarter rally. With Duncan on the sidelines, they rattled off a 15-2 run in the final eight minutes to bring the game to overtime.
 
A well-rested Duncan scored six points in overtime to put the finishing touches on a narrow 93-89 victory in Game 2. But, instead of heading home searching for answers, Memphis already has tangible evidence that San Antonio is mortal.
 
If the Grizzlies late rally is the impetus behind an inspired Game 3 performance, don't be too surprised. Spurs guard Manu Ginobili wouldn't be surprised either.
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Video: Spurs' 'Big 3' speak on Game 3 vs. Grizzlies

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

The San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies will have two more days to rest and make adjustments heading into Game 3 this Saturday.

The Spurs held a practice yesterday and Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan spoke more on the overtime win versus Memphis in Game 2 including Memphis' late rally, and more.

Parker on MRI on aching calf, team role players, playing defense and more.

Duncan on crediting Parker in the series, team shooters, Grizzlies' playoff expereince and more.

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Video: Parker, Ginobili on Game 2 win vs. Grizzlies

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

The San Antonio Spurs edged the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals in overtime winning 93-89. After the game, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili spoke on the narrow win. 

Parker admits keeping a lead on Memphis is tough to do and runs like the Grizzlies made is expected. He also says the Spurs didn't do anything other than protect the home court. Ginobili says he noticed Parker was getting tired as the game progressed and says the series is not over until it is over.

Check out what else the two had to say after the Game 2 win.

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Report: Spurs' Budenholzer among top candidates for vacant Clippers' head coaching spot

Written by Quixem Ramirez on .

The Los Angeles Clippers may not look much different on the floor next season -- assuming Chris Paul re-signs with the club, which isn't a guarantee -- except for one notable exception. Vinny Del Negro will not be coaching the team. The Clippers, according to the Los Angeles Times, will not extend his contract, which expires June 30.

Del Negro inherited a 29-win team in the 2010-11 season. He and rookie phenom Blake Griffin infused the Clippers with excitement, but few wins. The Clippers nabbed Paul the next season, won 40 games, defeated the Grizzlies in a taut seven-game series before bowing out to the San Antonio Spurs in four games. Del Negro's Clippers, with a few ancillary pieces added to the mix, were even better this season, winning 56 games and clinching the fourth seed in the Western Conference. A first-round exit, especially one where the Clippers held a 2-0 lead, didn't assuage the prevailing sentiment that Del Negro simply doesn't have the coaching acumen to win consistently in the NBA. 
 
So how will the Clippers replace Del Negro, the most successful coach (.556 winning percentage) in franchise history?
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Grizzlies' Gasol won DPOY, but is Spurs' Duncan proving to be more worthy?

Written by Paul Garcia on .

AT&T Center – Four weeks ago, Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol was named the 2013 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Gasol and the Grizzlies were defensive juggernauts in the regular season as they won games with their style of play, “grit and grind.”USA Today Sports

Today, with Gasol’s Grizzlies down 0-2 to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, something was visible Tuesday that didn’t catch a lot of the spotlight. Game 2 was all about Tim Duncan’s offense in the headlines, but not much was mentioned in regards to his defense.

Going back to four weeks ago, Gasol won the DPOY award with a total of 212 points. His teammate Tony Allen even finished fifth in the voting with 102 total points. However, even after Duncan and the Spurs began to insert themselves in top defensive categories this season as they did in their prime defensive years, Duncan only received 94 total votes and finished 6th in voting.

“It was huge,” said Tony Parker Tuesday of Duncan’s scoring plays in overtime. “He made some big baskets for us. A big rebound and it was a great boost for us.”

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Tony Allen: Manu definitely committed a flagrant foul on me

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

That's Grizzlies' Tony Allen flailing on the court, apparently in agony as he is grabbing his head after San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili was called for a flagrant foul late in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. But was it more an outstanding overreacting job by Allen?

Clearly Manu went for his arm but no where did Allen hit his head during his fall yet there he was, clutching his head seemingly in agony.

When asked about Manu's foul postgame, Allen replied, "Yes, most definitely. He cannot pull me out the air."

However, this isn't the first time Allen showed off his flopping skills on the court.

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