• Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant talks about the impact of former San Antonio Spurs front office guy Sam Presti on the Thunder:
“Going through it the way we have is a long process, and people might get impatient, but [Thunder general manager] Sam [Presti] is a very patient guy; he knows what it takes,” Durant said. “He’s seen it work in San Antonio. He took it one day at a time. We didn’t make one big-bang move to become a playoff team. We took our time and now we’re seeing the benefits of that.” (espn.com)
• ESPN.com puts Tim Duncan and Tony Parker on their All-NBA third team and says Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl as their 2011 NBA Coach of the Year:
There might have been room for both Randolph and Aldridge had we omitted Duncan, but the only team in the league to win 60 games (only Chicago can still join them) deserved two All-NBAers in my view, especially after seeing the mighty Spurs promptly lose four straight games as soon as Duncan twisted an ankle. Parker narrowly edged Manu Ginobili as the second Spur, which is bound to surprise those who haven’t been watching closely enough to see Parker hit a level of steadiness at 28 that meant as much this season as Manu’s flair for the spectacular.
First, Karl somehow churned out a 32-25 record to start the season, amid the suffocating Melo Drama that lasted more than six months and realistically should have splintered the Nuggets. Since the All-Star break, with all those new pieces from the Carmelo Anthony trade, Denver is 16-5 … and No. 2 in the league in offensive efficiency. The Nuggets, as a result, only need to split their final four games to reach 50 wins.
• Manu Ginobili says rest is more important that the Spurs’ playoff bonuses:
• Mormons will give former Spur Sean Elliott a framed family-tree in tonight’s Spurs-Utah Jazz game:
Elliott’s understanding of his ancestry has expanded recently thanks to research performed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During halftime of tonight’s Spurs game at the AT&T Center, members of the local church will give Elliott — now a Spurs broadcaster — a framed, poster-size family tree.
“It’ll be something I’ll cherish. I’ll hang it somewhere to display,” he said. “I’m sure it’ll make a great conversation piece.” (Express News)
• Express News’ Tim Griffin talks about the Spurs’ perimeter game.
• Hoopscritic.com hands out their end of the season awards and no Spur received a “Geltzie.”
