|
PRINT
THIS PAGE | E-MAIL THIS PAGE
Wednesday, January 21, 1998
Duncan, Van Horn spur each other on
By TOM CANAVAN / AP Sports Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- There was none of the hoopla
of Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley meeting in a game of aging
greats, or the emotion of Larry Bird returning to Boston as the
Indiana Pacers coach.
But the showdown Monday night between Tim Duncan and Keith
Van Horn, the top two draft picks, provided the NBA with a promising
glimpse down the road.
Forget that Van Horn shot a dismal 7 of 30 in the New Jersey
Nets' 95-84 victory or that Duncan committed a team-high seven
of the San Antonio Spurs' 19 turnovers.
The two rookies were the show at both ends of the court, overshadowing
the likes of San Antonio's David Robinson and New Jersey's Jayson
Williams.
Duncan, the No. 1 draft pick, had the better statistics with
24 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks. Van Horn, the second
pick, had 21 points and 10 rebounds, but he also ignited a key
run early in the second quarter by hitting three 3-pointers.
"This is the future of the league," said Williams,
who grabbed 18 rebounds and limited Robinson to 13 points. "Two
guys who stayed in college for four years, good guys who when
they're on the floor play with high intensity."
Not only did Duncan and Van Horn play well, they did it most
of the night playing in each other's face. It wasn't Jordan doing
his thing against an average player at one end and Barkley getting
his points against a mediocre millionaire at the other.
These were two outstanding, young players giving their all
to find an answer for the other's game. And the games they played
at power forward were very different.
The 7-foot Duncan is an athletic low-post player who also can
shoot a medium-range jumper. Van Horn, who is 2 inches smaller,
is more of a leaper down low but his game is at its best on the
perimeter.
"That's almost not really a matchup because of the style
differences," Robinson said. "I don't really consider
Keith a big guy, not in the style Tim is."
The differences gave both players an opportunity to show what
they could and couldn't do. It also will fuel arguments about
who deserves the rookie of the year award, for it surely will
go to one of them.
"I knew this would be a big deal but I didn't think it
would be this big of a deal," Duncan said. "I didn't
think y'all would blow it up this much."
Duncan was powerful inside, hitting 10 of 17 from the field
and working well on the boards at both ends. Van Horn proved a
difficult matchup although his shot just wasn't falling as the
Nets ended the Spurs' five-game winning streak.
"It was like they were about to drop and they'd come out,"
said Van Horn, normally a 42 percent shooter.
When asked about winning the individual battle, an irritated
Duncan paused and checked the box score.
"95-84," Duncan said. "I didn't win. I didn't
win that."
While Van Horn was just as frustrated with his shooting on
a night the Nets tied a season high with 101 shots, he also noticed
the bottom line.
"The only thing I'm concerned with and makes me happy
is to win," he said. "I don't care how good I play or
how bad I play as long as we win."
The real winner, though, will be basketball fans.
"For us it was just a game, and it's certainly not our
last," Duncan said.
Send a Letter to the Editor about This
Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
Send the URL (Address)
of This Story to A Friend:
|
