San Antonio – Seattle’s advancement into the second round of the NBA playoffs never entered the Spurs’ minds in their quest to eliminate Denver.
“That’s not something that we really talked about,” San Antonio guard Brent Barry said before the Spurs clinched game. “(Coach Gregg) Popovich is really on us about the fact that the playoffs are about the next game and about the next moment.”
The SuperSonics eliminated Sacramento 4-1, winning their series Tuesday night. But the Spurs were adamant before tipoff of Game 5 against the Nuggets that Seattle was the last thing on their minds.
“You can’t worry about what goes on in other series,” guard Bruce Bowen said. “They are waiting. You can’t say, ‘Since they finished, we have to try and finish right now.’ It’s going to happen when it happens. And after it happens, then you start preparing for whoever else.”
The Western Conference semifinals start Sunday.
Longer than expected
Spurs guard Devin Brown expected to be more a part of the series against the Nuggets, but his back didn’t let him.
The herniated disc that caused him to miss the final 13 games of the regular season has been slow to respond. Brown is not sure when he’ll be cleared for extended play.
“(Coaches) want to see explosiveness, locking people up (on defense) and getting rebounds,” Brown said. “I’m kind of tentative in getting some rebounds. In playing two-on-two, I’m letting people get around me too easily. They want to see me definitely contain people and get rebounds.”
Brown played late in the fourth quarter of the Spurs’ Game 2 blowout, his only action in the playoffs.
“It’s not panic time,” Brown said, looking forward to a second-round series. “Each day I’m feeling better and better.”
Horry’s history
Wednesday was Robert Horry’s 180th playoff game in 13 seasons, allowing him to move out of a tie with Michael Jordan on the NBA’s all-time playoff games played list.
“I always say to people that I’m very fortunate that teams have allowed me to be on their championship teams,” said Horry, now tied for ninth with former Boston Celtics guard Dennis Johnson. “I’ve been fortunate in a lot of situations to be on teams that have gone further than the first round.”
Horry, second in career playoff 3-pointers made, has five championship rings – two with the Houston Rockets and three with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is one of three players – Ron Harper and Dennis Rodman are the others – to have won back- to-back titles with two teams.
Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
