| Show If No flash W Spurs win by returning to the basics J JA A Los Angeles Times Thank you Spurs for restoring that one element that's been missing in these t Finals basketball It has been easy to forget just how enjoyable the game can be in this series with a dreadful Game 1 sandwiched sandwiched sandwiched sand sand- between the elaborate sideshows and the threat of a lockout next month It was easy to forget there were any games at all during the two days o. o off to accommodate ABCs ABC's scheduling wishes Then Game 2 finally arrived and the San Antonio Spurs reminded us why their best efforts are the best the has to offer as they beat the Detroit Pistons 97 We all know the Phoenix Suns provide the most entertaining offense But they arent aren't capable of the kind of effort on defense that limited the Pistons to 36 percent shooting and 19 points in the first quarter when this game essentially was decided The Spurs stand as the model franchise right now Their front office is like a business seminar and for stretches such as ase the first half of Game 2 the team is like a basketball basketball basketball bas bas- clinic Sunday it was Manu the scoring star of Game 1 becoming a and setting the tone with seven assists and still managing to fall into 27 points It was their star player Tim Duncan retreating to the background to check for hum ho-hum just another double- double double with 18 points and 11 rebounds It was Bruce Bowen harassing Richard Hamilton into a for five shooting night and still having enough left in his legs to knock down four three-pointers three and score 15 points The Spurs had 23 assists on their 29 baskets Even the losing coach Larry Brown had to say That was beautiful to watch in terms of their ir e execution eS It was needed much-needed after a gloomy r when Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner Russ Gra Granik ik spent 45 minutes on the pessimistic pessimistic pessimistic pes pes- state of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement The two sides still cant can't reach an accord they dont don't have any meetings scheduled and if no deals deal's in place by July 1 there will be a lockout We dont don't have a lot of runway left Stern Stem said The union essentially wants to keep the current deal in place After the players play play- ers dropped to the floor and rolled over on their backs in the last labor war I As it turns out the ceremonies have presented more of a challenge than the Pistons dont don't blame them for not wanting to tomake tomake tomake make any more concessions But if Sterns Stern's side is to be believed this would simply be a recognition of the new economic economic economic eco eco- reality On the dollar side the leagues league's latest offer is not too much of a the players still get 57 percent of the revenue revenue revenue rev rev- and the maximum contract length drops from seven years to six five guaranteed according to Stern The league has compromised on the much-debated much minimum entry age dropping propping its demand from 20 years to tot r 1 19 9 t J it Aa m j Granik ir s ik-s said rd the thermion f union nt n wo wont won't t agree agree on ona ona a a testing drug policy The The players couldn't possibly blow up the whole golden goose just for for the freedom to blaze a few joints could they Stern seemed glum He zipped through his usual we-have-two-great- we teams teams- the teams h ere ere- the the- game s- s go i n g gl 0 bal bal- things great portion of his annual speech without any conviction He didn't didn't didn't did did- nt make any glib remarks and refrained from talking tough except to say that if the union lets this go to a lockout it would be a mistake of epic proportions All of the labor talk didn't leave any anytime anytime anytime time to discuss another league flaw Its It's need for supplementary entertainment for Game 1 was pushed back to almost pm Eastern time to accommodate a musical performance by Will Smith and an elaborate introduction introduction introduction tion that had the players stepping around giant replicas of the Larry OBrien O'Brien trophy Spur Coach Gregg told me he had about four guys almost trip over cords Brown said We had a couple guys almost stumble off the platform and somebody got mad at me because I was in the way of a cable It was the last thing the Spurs needed after an eight-day eight layoff I and the broken rhythm showed when they fell behind 4 17 at the start of Game 1 As it turns out the ceremonies ceremonies ceremonies have presented more of a challenge than the Pistons From midway through the first quarter quarter quarter ter of Game 1 through the first half of Game 2 the Spurs outscored Detroit Yes things are getting a little desperate desper desper- ate for the Pistons We cant can't take it one game at a time now Chauncey Billups said Weve got to play quarters Whoa I know its it's bad but this is no notime notime notime time for drinking games Weve got to be very focused on short spans quarters he said a nIl 4 The Spurs meanwhile might want to start putting the champagne on ice |
