It's time to rodeo!!

[George Gervin]

Spurs embrace annual rodeo trek

Web Posted: 01/30/2006 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

SALT LAKE CITY — When Spurs officials told coach Gregg Popovich three summers ago the team would need to vacate its new arena for almost a month each season — to make room for calf roping, no less — he reacted as expected.


"I thought it was the worst thing I've ever heard of in my life," Popovich said. "How could we be away from our home court for that long? I was scared to death."

Three years, 23 games, 28,000 miles and one hefty room-service bill later, those fears have disappeared. Not only do the Spurs no longer dread their annual cross-country trek, they have embraced it, going a combined 19-4 in their three previous trips.

Two of those trips helped cut a path toward a pair of NBA championships, leaving the Spurs to hope this season's travels — which begin tonight at Utah's Delta Center — can do the same.

"I think this signals to the team that we want to make a run before the All-Star Game, continue after the All-Star Game and roll from there," Popovich said. "That's usually where we begin to be very focused. We'll see if the past holds true again."

With the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo moving into the AT&T Center on Sunday, the Spurs departed for the first stop of an eight-game, 8,251-mile journey that has them playing in three time zones, none of which is their own.

This season's trip is divided into two legs, the first of which includes games against Utah, Portland and Golden State. The Spurs will return home for five days to rest and practice before heading east to play Toronto, New Jersey, Indiana, Cleveland and Philadelphia.

The All-Star Game, like last season, comes at the end of the trip, affording the team another five-day break before it returns to the AT&T Center on Feb. 21.

"Everybody has been talking about it, but I don't know what to expect," newcomer Michael Finley said. "The first couple of games will be similar to what I'm used to. Down the line, I'll see whether it's a burden."

The Spurs have so far considered the trip to be more boon than burden. Robert Horry calls it "a blessing in disguise," allowing the players to sharpen their focus, depend on one another and develop the type of mindset needed to win in visiting arenas during the playoffs.

"To go on the road and know you're on the road for a while, you have to really pull the team together," Tim Duncan said. "And over the years we've used this to really get on a roll."

The Spurs are 13-7 on the road this season, third-best in the league behind Detroit (17-3) and Dallas (18-6). But four of those losses — at Washington, Atlanta, New Orleans and Milwaukee — were against teams that now have losing records.

"Part of it is recognizing that when you play on the road, sometimes it's the other team's biggest game of the year," Bruce Bowen said. "I think we're starting to understand that a little more now."

In most seasons, Popovich would worry that a five-day gap in the schedule a week before the All-Star break would slow any momentum the team has gathered. But with Duncan playing on a sore right foot, the Spurs are looking forward to the time off, provided they manage it properly.

"We're not confident that the short-term rest is going to do a lot," Popovich said. "But we're anxious to see if it helps."

Duncan responded well to last week's two-day break, totaling 28 points and 16 rebounds in Saturday's victory over Minnesota — his best performance in more than a month.

"You can see he has more energy, he's more involved," said Tony Parker, who made a detour to Los Angeles to accompany his girlfriend, Eva Longoria, to the Screen Actors Guild Awards. "I can't wait (until) after that first road trip. That's going to be huge for Timmy for the second part of the season."

The Spurs should have a better idea of not only Duncan's health, but also their strength as a whole, by the time they finish their travels in three weeks.

"It's usually the moment," Manu Ginobili said, "that we start looking like the team we're going to be."



Isn't this tjhe time where most Mav fans assume they will seperate themselves from the Spurs in the standings?