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 The will to win Spurs nearing another sweep in the West
Posted: Saturday June 05, 1999 08:32 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- For two rounds, the Portland Trail Blazers were the bullies of the West, shoving out Phoenix, then Utah. In Round 3, big met bigger, tough met tougher. The San Antonio Spurs aren't pushed around by anybody. They are too big, too smart and way too together for that to happen. Instead, they have been beating all comers. After their 85-63 thrashing of the Blazers on Portland's homecourt Friday night, a win Sunday would give the Spurs a sweep in the Western Conference finals and their first trip to the NBA Finals. "We can't wait to hit the floor tomorrow," Mario Elie said before the Spurs' practiced on Saturday. "When you have a team down like that, you want to finish them off. You can't give them no hope." History says this series might as well be over. No team has come back from 0-3. And after they shot 25 percent on Friday night, with an NBA playoff-record-low 19 field goals, the Blazers didn't look like a team ready to make that kind of postseason history. Still, Portland coach Mike Dunleavy was trying to stay positive. "We have a lot of young guys who aren't that far from the NCAA tournament," he said. "That's the mentality we have to take, that it's a one-game elimination." Besides, Dunleavy said, "Just because it's never been done doesn't mean somebody can't do it for the first time." The Spurs have dominated the postseason. They've won nine playoff games in a row and are 10-1 overall. They swept the Los Angeles Lakers and are on the brink of doing the same to Portland. "I never thought we'd be 10-1 and on the verge of sweeping another team," Elie said. "I mean, we're just on a major roll." The Blazers were so sure they could beat San Antonio, especially after they played the Spurs so close in the first two games. Now they're singing the praises of the Spurs' unity and sense of purpose. "They seem to have the will to win," Isaiah Rider said. David Robinson just smiles that big smile when told of the Blazers' newfound admiration. "It was the same way against the Lakers," he said, "that slow, grudging realization. That's OK. In this league, you've just got to earn your respect. You've just got to go get it done." Robinson reminded everyone on Friday just how important he is to his team. With Tim Duncan in foul trouble, Robinson took charge, especially on defense. "No. 50 is having a blast," Elie said. "He's jumping around like a little kid. He's showing a lot of emotion. You can see the passion in his game, especially with that terrific defensive display he put on yesterday -- seven blocks and that didn't even count the shots he changed. "He saw when Tim went out it was his responsibility to lift the team and he did that." The Blazers were left to ponder what would have been if Damon Stoudamire hadn't picked this week to spout off about his lack of playing time, if someone besides Rasheed Wallace could get some offense going, if Sean Elliott's 3-point prayer hadn't been answered at the end of Game 2. "If Sean doesn't make that shot, it's a different series," Rider said. "Yeah, I'm shocked that we're down 3-0. I'm stunned. It's all about pride now." With the way Elliott, Jaren Jackson and Avery Johnson are playing, there isn't much the Blazers can do defensively, Elie said. "They've got a tough job. They double-team our big guys, and our other guys know down the outside shots," Elie said. "Who knows what they're going to do tomorrow? If they play our outside guys, it gives Tim and Dave room to operate down low." No one expects Duncan to have two bad games in a row. "What's scary is Tim Duncan played 20 minutes and had five points," Elie said. "He's disappointed. He's mad. I expect a big performance out of him. He feels he let the team down." Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is especially pleased with Jackson, an NBA castoff who tied a team record with six 3-pointers on Friday night. Jackson has become a major weapon on the road. He also had big games in San Antonio's two road victories against the Lakers. "He's played for about 19 teams but he's found a home here. He's comfortable here," Popovich said. Stoudamire's outburst had an obvious effect on his game. After complaining about his lack of fourth-quarter playing time, Stoudamire was 1-for-12 Friday night and was roundly booed by the hometown fans. It's all part of the learning experience good teams must go through to become title contenders, Elliott said. "The way you build a team is through trials and tribulations, going through some heartache and growing together," he said. "It takes time." And time is running out for Portland. The Spurs are 5-0 away from home in the playoffs and have beaten the Blazers six times in a row.
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