ven of the Spurs 15 players were making their finals | Forum
Mitglied jcy123
Jan 26 '20
The Dallas Cowboys have already clinched a playoff spot, becoming the first team to punch their ticket to the NFL playoffs. Brian Bonner .A victory Sunday over the New York Giants (8-4) would lock down the NFC East title and keep the Cowboys (11-1) on the inside track for the No. 1 seed in the conference, which guarantees every Dallas postseason game would be played at AT&T Stadium.Oh yeah, the Cowboys also have payback on their minds.The Giants are the only team to beat the Cowboys this season, doing so 20-19 in Week 1. Dallas has run off a franchise-record 11 consecutive wins since to forge the leagues best record.Im looking forward to it a lot personally, and then I know this team (is), Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott said. Theyre the only blemish on our record right now. And just to be able to go up there at their place and be able to do what they did to us the first game, were excited for the opportunity.Prescotts first start in place of injured Tony Romo wasnt necessarily rookie-like. The fourth-round pick completed 25 of 45 passes for 227 yards, without a touchdown or interception.Prescott has progressed considerably since. Hes the leagues third-ranked passer and he has thrown for 19 touchdowns against just two picks.I watched the tape, and I shake my head sometimes at the things I did or the throws I didnt make because I wasnt trusting it, Prescott said of his first NFL game. But Ive definitely grown a ton since then, just being able to see the defenses faster, recognize whats going on, knowing and making confident decisions, and letting the ball go.Fellow rookie and NFL rushing leader Ezekiel Elliott ran for only 51 yards on 20 carries in his debut. It remains his lowest total of the season.It does seem like it was forever ago because weve been through so much more as a team, and weve grown so much. It does seem like it was a long time, but we have to use it as a learning experience.The Giants prevailed in the opener on Eli Mannings touchdown pass to Victor Cruz with 6 minutes left. It remains the only scoring catch this season for Cruz, who has seen his role reduced in recent weeks.Cruz and coach Ben McAdoo met this week to discuss the receivers role. Cruz expects to be a bigger part of the offense against Dallas.We had an honest conversation between both of us, Cruz said. He laid it to me straight and I gave him my thoughts as well, Cruz said. I think it was productive and it ended well. It was a conversation that I guess needed to be had and we had it.And now we can turn the page and move on.McAdoo wants to see more consistency out of the offense. The Giants havent totaled 300 yards in either of the last two weeks or scored at least 30 in any game this season. On Saturday, they activated dual-threat running back Shane Vereen, who has been out since Week 3 with a triceps injury.When you have been as inconsistent as we have on offense, its a challenge, McAdoo said. Victor, like everybody else, including myself, wants to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem, so my door is always open for any of these guys that want to come in and have a conversation.New Yorks defense took a hit this week with Jason Pierre-Pauls surgery for a sport hernia. The defensive end is out up to six weeks, meaning he cant return until deep in the playoffs.The Giants plan to have Pierre-Paul back on the field ... this season.JPP is an X-Man. Hes a mutant, linebacker Jonathan Casillas said. Dude came back from blowing his hand off in four months. He blew his hand off and was playing in a football game four months later.I mean, that is a mutant to me, so I think the guy is going to be back. The better we are, the deeper we get into January and February is the ultimate goal, of course. Hopefully we can get him back.The Giants plan to fill the Pierre-Paul void by committee, with defensive ends Romeo Okwara, Owa Odighizuwa and Kerry Wynn, and pass-rushing linebacker Devon Kennard possibly taking on bigger roles.The Cowboys have only faced two teams -- Washington (112) and Philadelphia (110) -- more than they have faced the Giants (108) in the regular season.Chuck ONeil . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants. Anthony Simmons . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. https://www.cheapnfljerseyschina.co/pervis-atkins-jersey-for-sale/ . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. MIAMI -- The San Antonio Spurs still have that winning NBA Finals formula of good defence and a little luck on offence. Tim Duncan overcame a slow start to finish with 20 points and 14 rebounds, Tony Parker banked in a desperation jumper on a broken play with 5.2 seconds left and the Spurs withstood LeBron James triple-double to beat the Miami Heat 92-88 on Thursday night in a thrilling Game 1. Parker ended up with 21 points after referees reviewed his shot to make sure it just beat the shot clock, giving San Antonio a four-point edge in the game that was close the whole way. "We got a little bit lucky in Game 1," Parker said. "Sometimes thats what it takes to win games." Playing for the championship for the first time since sweeping James Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007 for their fourth title, the Spurs improved to 5-for-5 in Game 1s, hanging around for three quarters and then blowing by the defending champions midway through the fourth. Manu Ginobili, the third member of San Antonios Big Three that has combined for 99 post-season victories together, finished with 13 points, and Danny Green had 12. "It doesnt matter how were categorized -- old, veterans, whatever you call us, were in the mix," the 37-year-old Duncan said. San Antonio turned up its defence in the fourth quarter, limiting Miami to seven points in the first 8 1/2 minutes in returning to the finals just the way it left -- with a victory over James. James had 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists in his second straight NBA Finals triple-double, but he shot only 7 of 16 against some good defence by Kawhi Leonard, and Miamis offence stalled in the fourth quarter. "The Spurs are the Spurs," James said. "Theyre going to put you in positions where you feel uncomfortable offensively and defensively, and every time you make a mistake, theyre going to capitalize on it." Game 2 is Sunday night. James became a champion on this floor last year in Game 5 against Oklahoma City, but he hasnt forgotten his first taste of the finals. The Spurs overwhelmed his Cavaliers and James spoke Wednesday like someone who had payback in mind. He was 22 then, a fourth-year player headed for greatness but with holes in his game that San Antonio exploited. Revenge wont come easily -- if it comes at all. Dwyane Wade scored 17 points for the Heat but was shut out in the fourth quarter. Chris Bosh had only two of his 13 in the final period. James shot an airball on a 3-pointer on his first shot attempt, then was soon back to the step-in-front- of-him-at-your-own-risk force that has made him the games best player. But San Antonio handled that and everything else Miami did, even while only shooting 42 per cent from the field. "This is a hell of a game to play because both teams are so good offensively and defensively," Bosh said. "You cant have any letdowns." Forced to seven grueling games by the rugged Indiana Pacers in the East finals, the Heat clearly enjoyed the more wide-open flow of this game, making 18 of their first 30 shots. But the Spurs defence simply got better as the game went along, forcing Miami into five turnovers in the final quarter. "I thought we were a little fatigued honestly in the fourth quarter," Wade said. "Looking around, we looked like a team that came off a seven-game series." Miami outshot and outrebounded San Antonio in the first half, yet led only 52-49. The Heat stayed ahead until Parkers free throws gave San Antonio a 77-76 edgee with 7:47 remaining. Dave Szott. James set up Bosh for a jumper on the next possession for his 10th assist, but Leonard made a follow shot and Parker turned James turnover into a spinning layup and an 81-78 lead exactly halfway through the fourth. "We were just trying to hang," Parker said. "In the third quarter, the same thing. In the fourth quarter we finally made some stops and made a couple of big shots." The lead grew to seven, but Miami was back within two and appearing ready to get the ball back when Parker lost control of the ball and his balance as the clock was set to expire. He gathered the ball and his footing, turning and tossing it in as the light above the basket turned red. "Tonys shot is one of those things that happens sometimes," Ginobili said. "We got lucky today." It was an entertaining start to a matchup that seemed years in the making between perennial contenders, the Spurs making their fifth appearance and the Heat their fourth. Commissioner David Stern called it "probably the most anticipated finals in who knows, 30 years," likely more a bit of hyperbole in his final state of the league address than a comment meant to slight fans of the Celtics, Lakers, or Michael Jordans Bulls. It came with the promise of beautiful basketball between two fluid offences who were built differently but share common beliefs and a healthy respect. The Spurs value system over stardom, never asking for attention -- and too often not getting it. The Heat have been never been out of the spotlight from the moment James and Bosh showed up to join Wade, James vowing multiple titles as lights flashed and music boomed, showing they were going to be loud and impossible to ignore. The Heat have a assembled a deep supporting cast loaded with 3-point shooters that turned them into a 66-win powerhouse this season, sending the Spurs to the finals in the unfamiliar role of underdog. They handled it just fine. The Spurs hadnt played since May 27, when they finished off a sweep of Memphis in the Western Conference finals, and even coach Gregg Popovich said he didnt know what to expect. San Antonio turned it over on its first possession, leading to Wades fast-break dunk. Then the Spurs ran off nine straight points, showing the rest helped more than any rust hurt. Only Duncan, who has remained among the NBAs best, looked out of sync. He missed all five shots in the first quarter before going to the bench late in the period with his second foul. The Heat had a 38-29 lead by the time he returned, and he quickly got on the board with an inside basket en route to a 12-point second quarter. Back in the arena where James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists in last years closeout game, fans arrived to white shirts reading "Witness Miami" draped over their seats. The Miami fans didnt like what they witnessed, many leaving as referees reviewed Parkers shot. Notes: Duncan joined Elgin Baylor, A.C. Green and John Salley as the only players in NBA history to make a Finals appearance in three decades. Salley is the only one to win titles in three decades. ... The teams combined for 12 turnovers, tying the record for the fewest in a playoff game. San Antonio had just four. ... Eleven of the Spurs 15 players were making their finals debuts. Only Duncan, Parker, Ginobili and Matt Bonner were on the 2007 team. ... The Spanish national soccer team was at the game, along with former Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, whose No. 13 jersey is retired in the arena. ' ' '
