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May 1, 2005, 01:55
Coast to Coast: Part 2 – Bay Area Classic
By Rasheeb Shrestha
FullSportPress.com
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What happened to the San Antonio Spurs in the two and a half weeks following Tim Duncan’s third ankle sprain of the year was quite predictable. A few lopsided losses mixed in with a couple of surprising wins led to a 6-5 record. But it was much worse than just that. Devin Brown had injured his back and his status for the remainder of the year looked quite bleak. Manu Ginobili was trying to do too much in Duncan’s absence, thus wearing out his already worn-out body. And, of course, nobody knew when or if Duncan would return.
Such was the state of the Spurs when I got to see them in person again April 10th in Golden State. I had been in San Jose visiting my parents for the weekend and had not originally planned on making the hour and a half trip to Oakland, but after witnessing the energy of the Oakland crowd on television in the Warriors’ April 8 victory over the Phoenix Suns, I immediately bought tickets.
I wasn’t expecting much from the Spurs that night. They had just beaten the Clippers in double overtime the night before (a game in which Rasho Nesterovic re-sprained his left ankle), and Ginobili, after laboring for 40 points in LA, was going to be held out of action. On top of that, the Warriors were rolling – winners of eight straight.
I really wasn’t expecting much arena-wise, either, especially after I left Madison Square Garden three weeks earlier with mixed emotions. After all, if the great MSG couldn’t do it for me, what the hell is the Oakland Sports Arena gonna do?
My first impressions of the arena were not good. The Warriors franchise and the Bay Area in general have been very underrated as a basketball hotbed throughout the years, but unfortunately, hardly any of their history is displayed inside the Arena (besides the throwback “City” jerseys, which remain the best of its kind). Simply put, it is an old arena trying too hard to act like a new one.
The Warriors followed the recent trend of NBA teams by employing a live emcee during timeouts. I’m not sure exactly where this trend started, but it sure as heck needs to stop. The amount of advertising inside the arena is so ridiculous that plaques honoring the retired numbers of former Warrior greats get lost amongst it all. And, from where I was sitting, I didn’t see a banner honoring the 1975 Championship team. I’m assuming it’s on the other side of the arena – at least I hope it is.
The outside of the stadium leaves plenty to be desired. It’s right next to McAfee Coliseum, where the A’s and Raiders play, but the thing that comes to mind when thinking about the feel outside is old, white concrete – and lots of it.
But I didn’t go to Oakland to see the stadium; I went to experience the atmosphere. And boy, what an experience it turned out to be.
The passion of the crowd was unbelievable – every time the Warriors would make an exciting play, the entire lower level would rise to their feet and literally jump up and down with their arms raised high above their heads. Amazingly, they sustained their enthusiasm from the opening tip to the final buzzer of the second overtime. The arena was about 90% full – not bad for a 31-45 team – and almost all of the crowd was made up of middle class to lower middle class folks.
There were a few Spurs’ faithful sitting in our section, and the Warriors’ fans didn’t take it easy on us.
“Who the heck is number 34? You see, that’s why you guys ain’t winning it this year – I can’t recognize half your team.”
“Tony Massenburg is number 34.”
“Tony Mas-SEN-burg? Oh, I’ve heard of him – he’s a scrub.”
When Brent Barry went to the free throw line early in the fourth quarter someone shouted, “You’ll never be your father!” That was referring, of course, to Warrior great Rick Barry.
When a Spurs fan wearing a Tony Parker jersey five rows in front of us stood up and cheered a Parker basket a little excessively in the third quarter, all hell broke loose. Soon, a chant of “Parker Sucks!” resonated throughout the entire section. And as the duel between the Warriors’ Baron Davis and Parker escalated in the fourth quarter and into the overtime sessions, the chant escalated with it.
It wasn’t until Parker hit his game-winning layup in the second overtime when the chanting finally stopped. As we made our way to the exits, I spotted the fan with the Parker jersey.
“So Parker sucks, huh?” I said. He turned towards me, noticed I was wearing a Spurs beanie, and gave me a high five.
As we left the arena, I realized that this is the feeling I had been looking for when I made plans to go see MSG six months before. After all was said and done, I learned that the arena doesn’t make the atmosphere – the fans do. Now granted, Warrior fans have a lot more to be excited about than do Knick fans these days. However, I have been to many sporting events in my life – including playoff games - and this was by far the best experience of them all.
It just goes to show that when you plan something out very carefully, things may not always go right, and you may be forced to find an alternate path. But sometimes, this “alternate path” may prove to be even more fruitful than the original one would have been.
For the 2004-05 San Antonio Spurs, this theory may prove to be true. The late season injuries to Duncan, Brown and Nesterovic may have actually helped this team in the long run. It forced others to step it up a notch … and step it up they did.
The most important thing the Spurs showed in the last few weeks of the season was their resiliency. They’re going to need to fall back on that now more than ever as they enter the playoffs with seemingly more questions than answers. Whereas last year’s Spurs team crumbled after they felt their first bit of playoff adversity, this year’s edition seems to thrive on such pressure.
If the Spurs hit any speed bumps in their way to a title, all you have to do is go back a few weeks to that magical night by the Bay. There, on the second night of a back-to-back, without three starters and a key reserve, against the hottest team in the league, in a game they had no business winning, the Spurs found a way.
And, as they travel along their “alternate path,” they will find a way once again.
© Copyright ©2006 FullSportPress.com
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