Emotional Night Belongs to Spurs

L.A. Times Archives

May 8, 2001 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs used a player who wasn’t even in the building and a coach who was gone before halftime to help them win an emotion-filled game.

Derek Anderson, who was not in the Alamodome on Monday night as he starts to recover from a separated shoulder, was a big presence.

Facing Dallas two nights after Juwan Howard’s flagrant foul left Anderson with the injury, the Spurs beat the Mavericks, 100-86, to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Tim Duncan, who took the floor wearing a white armband with “DA, 1” written in black marker, led the Spurs with 25 points and 22 rebounds. Antonio Daniels, who started for Anderson, also wore an armband and had 12 points.

The best-of-seven series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Wednesday night.

“We were a little like a wounded animal tonight,” said David Robinson, who had 18 points for San Antonio. “We really did a nice job of banding together.”

The Spurs, who wanted Howard to be suspended for the midair collision that sent Anderson crashing to the floor, took the lead for good shortly after Coach Gregg Popovich was ejected late in the first half. Popovich flew onto the court screaming that a flagrant foul called on Danny Ferry--for a hard foul on Howard--was unfair.

“We knew tonight, because of what happened last game, the officials wanted to keep control,” Popovich said. “If anything happened at all, they were going to call it.

“Unfortunately, we were the first to make contact and we bore the brunt of it, which in some ways seems unfair because we didn’t do anything last game,” he said.

Howard, who started the game, was two for 14 from the field and had nine points and 11 rebounds.

Howard took the court to a roar of boos by Spur fans, who booed him every time he had the ball. One fan hoisted a sign reading, “This is the NBA, not the WWF.” Across the court, a cluster of fans held up signs with Anderson’s No. 1. And fans in the balcony unfurled a giant banner that read “Juwan Coward,” which was later taken down.

Duncan denied revenge was on his mind.

“We’re here to win the series,” he said. “Not settle any payback.”

Though they managed to close within eight points in the final quarter, the Mavericks were rocked by Duncan and Robinson’s aggressive defense, if not the unusually hostile atmosphere.

“All that does is light the fuel to the oven. Unfortunately, the oven didn’t get lit,” Howard said. “I didn’t play well tonight. I hope we can put the whole thing behind us.”

His teammates joined him in a poor night of shooting as they finished at 34%. Michael Finley had 24 points on eight-for-24 shooting and Dirk Nowitzki, who went 11 for 12 from the free-throw line, was four for 13 from the field and had 19 points. Steve Nash, who averaged 15.6 points during the regular season, shot four for nine and had 10 points.

“We need to shoot the ball well, especially if we hope to beat someone like the Spurs,” Finley said.

“They have two of the best shot-blockers in the game, and that makes it tough to get our shots,” Nowitzki said. “We haven’t had many open looks.”