First of all, the Nuggets have an inside defense presence perhaps, in the Western Conference, only matched by the top seeded Dallas Mavericks. Dark horse defensive player of the year Marcus Camby continually altered or extinguished the myriad shots in the lane that Tony Parker and Manure Ginobili love to throw up. Camby's defensive dominance allows the Nuggets perimeter players to stay home on the 3 shooters of SA, thereby vitiating the effectiveness of Horry, Barry and Bowen. Secondly, Bruce Bowen cannot guard both Carmelo and A.I. Obviously, he cannot literally guard two men on the floor. However, in a larger sense, Bowen's ability to neutralize the star player often allows for double teaming of the other stars on a given team. Unfortunately for San Antonio, Iverson has no equal defensively on the floor. Even if you try to double him, he consistently proved tonight that he will abdicate from his formerly selfish ways and dish the ball to open teammates near the cup. Couple A.I's recent proclivities towards charity on the court with the presence of two monsters of the post in Camby and Nene, and you have a viable offensive strategy for Denver.
That said, Denver fired the proverbial "first shot across the bow" in 2005 against the Spurs, only to be crushed by 28 in the second game. Thereafter, San Antonio won the series in relatively easy fashion. One caveat: the 2007 Spurs are a shell of the 2005 team. Duncan looks totally inept on the offensive end at times, half of their players possess essentially one skill (3-point shooting) and their bench recently has decalcified to the point that it now has qualified for benefits under AARP's physical disability parameters. Needless to say, one game is not an accurate barometer for an entire season, but Denver's win tonight may portend success down the road, especially as the series traverses the country back to Denver for game 3.
Dallas is also being outclassed by the run and gun Warriors at present, 30-23. To no one's surprise except perhaps Mark Cuban, Dirk has come out shooting blanks. He nearly went the entire first quarter scoreless. More interestingly, Nowitski has managed to break the NBA record for "flops in a game" after a mere quarter tonight. Thus far, Dirk's histrionics on the court make Anna Nicole Smith's Quaalude-aided quivering exhibition on the floor of the Hard Rock in the Bahamas look placid. Nevertheless, there is still 3 quarters to go, and we'll see if Golden State can continue to make shots as the game progresses.
To qualify: my present conviviality over the misfortunes of Dallas and San Antonio arises entirely from the Suns victory over the Lakers today. If the Suns had fallen to the fighting Kobe's today, all other series would be moot in my mind. In fact, I'd go as far to admit that if the Suns had been defeated today, I likely would have driven to Phoenix (in diapers, of course, to save time) and self-immolated in front of U.S. Airways Center. Though that is a slight exaggeration, I tell you of my masochistic tendencies vis a vis the Suns to explain the reasons for devoting the balance of this blog to a recap of today's game. Essentially, I cannot speak to an attractive woman without copious quantities of distilled spirits. In the same vein, it is impossible for yours truly to be in a great mood, if the Suns lose. Given this, it's only natural to analyze today's game. Some thoughts:
--I really believed that "Kobe" ball would possibly steal the Lakers a game in this series. But, as today proved, it may only be sufficient for one half of basketball. The 2006-07 version of the Suns, offensively, has the firepower inside that their predecessors lacked. As a result, it's very difficult for the Lakers to relegate the Suns to a jump shooting team for an entire game. The only way the Lakers, as spectacular as Kobe's skills are, would be able to defeat the Suns with the offense unilaterally emanating from Mamba is if they can force the Suns into only shooting from the perimeter. With the dominance of Amare becoming more apparent as each game progresses, it's highly unlikely Phoenix would make the foolish mistake of settling for a glut of 18-20 footers. (Especially, after being down 9 at half largely as a result of that faulty strategy)
--Given the versatility of the Suns offense, the Lakers thus must, even if Kobe protests and pouts (for reference: Game 7 of last year's Western Conference Quarterfinals), offer a multi-faceted attack if they wish to win even a single game in this tete a tete. The problem is, and Kobe would likely explicate this further off the record, most of the Lakers are pathetic offensively. Lamar Odom has yet to recover from debilitating injuries to his shoulder and knee, Luke Walton's jump shot has abandoned him, Jordan Farmar has started 3 games in his professional career, and Kwame Brown makes Pat Burke look skilled with his feeble post moves. But, as the Suns and many other squads have proven during the Lakers' 12-22 stretch to close out the regular season, Kobe simply cannot carry a squad for 48 minutes without assistance. Hell, even His Airness couldn't do it, why should we expect Kobe to do it? Time and time again, the Mamba fades towards the end of the game, as any human being would, and then the Lakers , when they rely on the flotsam that surrounds 24, essentially become a glorified version of the Charlotte Bobcats. In short, the Lakers are damned if they do (let Kobe run roughshod and take 4o shots) but also damned if they don't (let players like Smush Parker, Brian Cook and Andrew Bynum get more than a few touches).
--As for the Suns, let's start with the positives:
1. In an aggregate sense, the team itself really showed a distinct sense of resiliency in this contest. Some might theorize that the Suns knew they would eventually pull it out, and therefore coasted for the first 42 minutes, but I strongly disagree. Quite the contrary actually: On two separate occasions, at the end of the second quarter when Kobe was unconscious with his 3-point range, and later, at the beginning of the third quarter when the Lakers started 5 for 5, with their role players appearing to get into the flow of the game, the Suns were made fully aware of the threat of this team. Given that, it's hard to fathom they simply played lackadaisically until the last 5 minutes. Don't get me wrong, they didn't play a perfect game, or even a serviceable game. But in the past, I am not sure if the team could have played as calculating and focused as they did down the stretch in this contest. For example, they still made the hustle plays to keep themselves afloat, (Amare diving on the floor for loose balls, Marion interpolating himself into the passing lanes time and time again) and eventually the overwhelming talent of MV3, Marion, Stat and the Blur shined through.
2. Speaking of the Blur, he finally declared himself, for all the national TV audience to see, to be of the highest caliber of player the NBA has to offer. If he were to lose the 6th man to Manure, that would be an utter mockery of what the award signifies. Barbosa, as many helpless Lakers found out yet again today, personifies the old platitude in sports that you "can't teach speed." His lethal combination of blinding speed and uncanny coordination with the ball (in any spot on the floor) is a weapon for which even a stalwart defensive squad like San Antonio or Detroit has no answer for. Furthermore, since he is a true sixth man (unlike Manure), and therefore, he enters the game at an optimum time, since reserves are generally his opponents. One particular play stands out from today that epitomizes Barbosa's brilliance: Late in the 4th, the Suns ran a backdoor cut from Nash to Barbosa, a play they have run to success countless times. However, in a bit of flukish bad luck, the Blur fumbled with the ball upon receiving it. Almost any other player would have either turned the ball over, or been forced to reset the offense without converting the easy lay up. Not Barbosa. Instead, the Blur, with his new found poise and presence, quickly regained the ball, instinctively gauged where he was on the court, and finished the play beautifully with a majestic reverse layup.
3. Shawn Marion typified the whirling durbish style of basketball that we have grown to love over the years here in Phoenix. Instead of trying to do an Eddie House impression as he had prone to do lately, Shawn stuck to what he excels at today (not shooting a lot of jump shots a la Mr. House), and it was possibly the catalyst for the Suns attack. Let's hope that he doesn't revert back to his recent form, because it may not adversely effect the Suns in this series, but it will be the silver bullet in later rounds against Dallas and San Antonio.
Back tomorrow with the negatives, and some other general thoughts....
--I really believed that "Kobe" ball would possibly steal the Lakers a game in this series. But, as today proved, it may only be sufficient for one half of basketball. The 2006-07 version of the Suns, offensively, has the firepower inside that their predecessors lacked. As a result, it's very difficult for the Lakers to relegate the Suns to a jump shooting team for an entire game. The only way the Lakers, as spectacular as Kobe's skills are, would be able to defeat the Suns with the offense unilaterally emanating from Mamba is if they can force the Suns into only shooting from the perimeter. With the dominance of Amare becoming more apparent as each game progresses, it's highly unlikely Phoenix would make the foolish mistake of settling for a glut of 18-20 footers. (Especially, after being down 9 at half largely as a result of that faulty strategy)
--Given the versatility of the Suns offense, the Lakers thus must, even if Kobe protests and pouts (for reference: Game 7 of last year's Western Conference Quarterfinals), offer a multi-faceted attack if they wish to win even a single game in this tete a tete. The problem is, and Kobe would likely explicate this further off the record, most of the Lakers are pathetic offensively. Lamar Odom has yet to recover from debilitating injuries to his shoulder and knee, Luke Walton's jump shot has abandoned him, Jordan Farmar has started 3 games in his professional career, and Kwame Brown makes Pat Burke look skilled with his feeble post moves. But, as the Suns and many other squads have proven during the Lakers' 12-22 stretch to close out the regular season, Kobe simply cannot carry a squad for 48 minutes without assistance. Hell, even His Airness couldn't do it, why should we expect Kobe to do it? Time and time again, the Mamba fades towards the end of the game, as any human being would, and then the Lakers , when they rely on the flotsam that surrounds 24, essentially become a glorified version of the Charlotte Bobcats. In short, the Lakers are damned if they do (let Kobe run roughshod and take 4o shots) but also damned if they don't (let players like Smush Parker, Brian Cook and Andrew Bynum get more than a few touches).
--As for the Suns, let's start with the positives:
1. In an aggregate sense, the team itself really showed a distinct sense of resiliency in this contest. Some might theorize that the Suns knew they would eventually pull it out, and therefore coasted for the first 42 minutes, but I strongly disagree. Quite the contrary actually: On two separate occasions, at the end of the second quarter when Kobe was unconscious with his 3-point range, and later, at the beginning of the third quarter when the Lakers started 5 for 5, with their role players appearing to get into the flow of the game, the Suns were made fully aware of the threat of this team. Given that, it's hard to fathom they simply played lackadaisically until the last 5 minutes. Don't get me wrong, they didn't play a perfect game, or even a serviceable game. But in the past, I am not sure if the team could have played as calculating and focused as they did down the stretch in this contest. For example, they still made the hustle plays to keep themselves afloat, (Amare diving on the floor for loose balls, Marion interpolating himself into the passing lanes time and time again) and eventually the overwhelming talent of MV3, Marion, Stat and the Blur shined through.
2. Speaking of the Blur, he finally declared himself, for all the national TV audience to see, to be of the highest caliber of player the NBA has to offer. If he were to lose the 6th man to Manure, that would be an utter mockery of what the award signifies. Barbosa, as many helpless Lakers found out yet again today, personifies the old platitude in sports that you "can't teach speed." His lethal combination of blinding speed and uncanny coordination with the ball (in any spot on the floor) is a weapon for which even a stalwart defensive squad like San Antonio or Detroit has no answer for. Furthermore, since he is a true sixth man (unlike Manure), and therefore, he enters the game at an optimum time, since reserves are generally his opponents. One particular play stands out from today that epitomizes Barbosa's brilliance: Late in the 4th, the Suns ran a backdoor cut from Nash to Barbosa, a play they have run to success countless times. However, in a bit of flukish bad luck, the Blur fumbled with the ball upon receiving it. Almost any other player would have either turned the ball over, or been forced to reset the offense without converting the easy lay up. Not Barbosa. Instead, the Blur, with his new found poise and presence, quickly regained the ball, instinctively gauged where he was on the court, and finished the play beautifully with a majestic reverse layup.
3. Shawn Marion typified the whirling durbish style of basketball that we have grown to love over the years here in Phoenix. Instead of trying to do an Eddie House impression as he had prone to do lately, Shawn stuck to what he excels at today (not shooting a lot of jump shots a la Mr. House), and it was possibly the catalyst for the Suns attack. Let's hope that he doesn't revert back to his recent form, because it may not adversely effect the Suns in this series, but it will be the silver bullet in later rounds against Dallas and San Antonio.
Back tomorrow with the negatives, and some other general thoughts....
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