To Pop’s chagrin, romp doesn’t look like fluke
SAN ANTONIO — Twenty-two years ago, Hakeem Olajuwon faked one way and spun another, causing David Robinson to slip and stumble. Considering the stage and the rivalry, no one had witnessed such humiliation. That was nothing. What transpired Monday night at the AT&T Center was nothing short of a 48-minute Dream Shake. And this one was more embarrassing because this time every Rocket juked and every Spur bit, over and over and over again.
Sure, it might turn out to be an aberration, eventually forgotten once it gives way to a series that draws closer and maybe even turns around completely over the next week and a half.
But throughout a 126-99 Rockets romp that highlighted every conceivable edge they own over the methodical, plodding Spurs, it sure didn’t look like a fluke.
In the first postseason meeting of these franchises since 1995, it looked like a matchup disaster for Gregg Popovich, who has no obvious countermove.
What can he do now, tell Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili to get younger? Tell Pau Gasol to get faster? Double-team one Rockets sharpshooter only to leave another one wide open?
If there is an answer, it almost certainly has something to do with finding Kawhi Leonard some help. During the regular season, he was supposed to be the Most Valuable Player candidate who benefited from the best system, the best sidekicks and the best team.
But for one night, at least, it sure seemed like everyone got that part backwards. No matter where he turned Monday night, James Harden found a teammate not only capable of swishing 3-pointers from all over the floor but also blowing by defenders at will.
Where are the Spurs supposed to push the Rockets around? It was supposed to be inside, where LaMarcus Aldridge was going to feast on smaller defenders as his reward for banging against Memphis’ Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph for six games.
His Rockets opposition is Ryan Anderson, a stretch forward known better for shooting than for post defense. And everyone from Popovich to the fans in the top row figured that is where the Spurs would attack.
“One might think we have an advantage in that area,” Popovich said. “That didn’t work out for us at all.”
Instead, Aldridge was abysmal. He shot 2-of-7 from the floor, finishing with four points and two turnovers, and inexplicably chose to pass the ball out of situations in which he had Anderson on his hip.
If the Spurs want to turn this into a competitive series, the post is where they will need to begin. If Dwayne Dedmon can control himself enough to stay on the court, he probably will get more run, and maybe his old spot in the starting lineup.
Slowing the Rockets down would help, and so would making a few jump shots. As bleak as things looked Monday night, a turnaround wouldn’t be unprecedented.
Only two years ago, the Spurs were on the other end of a Game 1 conference semifinals rout, shellacking Oklahoma City by 32 points. The Thunder rallied to win the series in six games.
This team, of course, will be rescued by neither Kevin Durant nor Russell Westbrook. The Spurs’ hope lies with Leonard and a supporting cast that needs to be much, much better than it was in Monday’s onslaught of errors.
Still, there were moments when even Popovich had some fun with the absurdity of it all. Midway through the fourth quarter, with the game long out of hand, Dedmon was ejected before he had the chance to shoot a pair of free throws.
In that situation, the opposing coach selects a player from the bench to shoot, and D’Antoni picked David Lee. Popovich, grinning, shouted down the sideline at D’Antoni, “That’s rude!” Perhaps. But just like 22 years ago, discourtesy was in the air. And in this extended, reanimated version of the Dream Shake, there was plenty of it to go around.