May 26, 2008 by editor.

Home sweet home.  That is what San Antonio must have been thinking when got back to Texas after game two.  They played inspired basketball and drubbed the Lakers 103-84 in game three of their seven game series.  Manu Ginobili led the charge with 30 points, including a barrage of three pointers.

He has become the central figure on the Spurs because they can’t seem to win when he doesn’t play well.  San Antonio’s big three all had good games and their defense got back on track as well.  Tim Duncan had a monster game with 22 points and 21 rebounds, and once again out-played Pau Gasol.

With the Spurs trailing early, it was Ginobili who hit a couple of three’s to keep San Antonio close and change the momentum.  Kobe Bryant was his usual spectacular self, especially late when he tried to single-handedly bring the Lakers back, but it was too little too late.

San Antonio executed their game plan on defense as they kept Kobe off the foul line and made the league MVP work for his 30 points (23 shots).  The Spurs kept him from being a facilitator and held him to one assist, and made the other Lakers work hard for their shots.

Lamar Odom struggled for L.A., and he never got on track.  He was 3-8 from the foul line and 2-11 from the field.  San Antonio knows that Kobe cannot win the series by himself, so it is imperative that they shut down Odom and take him out of the equation.  The Spurs really don’t have anyone with Odom’s size and skill level that can effectively guard him one on one and keep him off the boards, so it will have to be a team effort.

Kurt Thomas has the experience to deal with him on his post-ups, but would struggle from the perimeter.  I liked the fact that Brent Barry got significant minutes and hit a couple of three pointers.  It is important that San Antonio have shooters on the floor at all times so that the Lakers pay when they decide to double Duncan.

The Spurs entire bench was energized, as they rebounded and defended well and kept Los Angeles at bay. 

Chances are we know that Duncan will dominate his match-up, and if Parker is aggressive then he will be effective, but the Spurs are in big trouble if Ginobili doesn’t show up.  He was their leading scorer during the year and he has to contribute for the Spurs to beat a very good Laker team.

He doesn’t have to score 30 every game, but he has to show up.  He showed up in a big way in game three.  Let’s hope this is a for-shadowing of things to come for the Spurs.

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May 25, 2008 by editor.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be hard pressed to play better than they did in game 2 as they completely dismantled the Spurs 101-71.  The surprising thing has not been that they beat San Antonio, it is the way they have been doing it. 

L.A. has played excellent team defense, especially against the pick and roll, which Tony Parker thrives on.  Individually, Sasha Vujacic has tormented Manu Ginobili into two very sub-par efforts.  He finished game two with only 7 points on 2-8 shooting.  The Lakers are prepared and Phil Jackson knows exactly how he wants to defend San Antonio, and so far they are executing their game plan.

The Spurs seem to be playing on their heels and look tentative.  Tony Parker in particular seems to be playing less aggressively than he was against the Hornets.  Derek Fisher is a good, experienced defender, but Parker doesn’t seem to be able to get to the basket consistently.  If San Antonio is to rebound at home, Parker is going to have to be one of the reasons why.

The Lakers have not lost much when their bench comes in either.  They have actually extended leads when they were on the floor.  When San Antonio’s bench was in the game they struggled to score points.  Gregg Poppovich may have to adjust his rotation because there were too many times in game two where there were just two Spurs on the floor who were legitimate scorers.

That gives Los Angeles the opportunity to double team off of guys like Robert Horry, Jacque Vaughn, and Bruce Bowen.  Bowen to his credit has been making a decent amount of his open shots, but the Lakers don’t fear him as a scorer.

After sub par performances in game one Fisher and Lamar Odom (20 points, 12 rebounds) set the tone in this game and were very active on offense and defense.  Along with Jordan Farmar (14 points) they continually pushed the ball up the floor with every opportunity, and the Spurs looked like they were playing with lead weights on their feet.

Kobe Bryant was his usual unstoppable self, but he didn’t have to be extra-ordinary this game.  They dismantled the Spurs as a team, and now San Antonio finds themselves in the same predicament they were in versus New Orleans.

In order for the Spurs to win, Poppovich will have to come up with schemes to free up their scorers so they get easier baskets.  The condition of Ginobili’s ankle will be key as well because if he cannot attact the basket he will become a jump shooter, and he has not been effective at that so far.  The Lakers have had success defending Ginobili during the season, so this is not new for them.

Parker will have to step up and put pressure on the Laker defenders and get to the basket, and when that isn’t happening he needs to set up Finley and perhaps Brent Barry for open threes.  Parker and Duncan need to get fifty points together to have a chance.

Defensively, San Antonio has to decide to take away something from L.A.  If they decide to let Kobe go one on one, they can’t let him set up his teammates for easy baskets.  They can let Kobe get forty points, but they have to limit the rest of his team.  Kobe has learned that setting up other players is just as important as scoring, and San Antonio must make a decision on how to limit the damage he is inflicting.

I wouldn’t count the Spurs out.  They have not looked good, but as they have shown us in past series, they will not go out with out a fight.  They have the heart of a championship and they are truly a team.  I look for them to win game three at home and generate some momentum.  It is really a must win game.

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May 24, 2008 by editor.

Officiating professional sports has always been a controversial subject because a fair outcome of the game depends on them doing a good job and enforcing the rules.  The point of the officials being there is to make sure that the players themselves decide the outcomes, not them.

Why then, are there always questions about rule interpretations, strike zones, fouls, penalties, and the like?  Simply because it is not that easy to officiate the sports we love.  The rules are intricate and many times the same rule is interpreted differently from game to game, and official to official.

Which sport is the most difficult to officiate?  It has to be professional football.  To understand why you have to understand all the moving parts that go into keeping control of a game.

First of all, you need a team of seven individuals to work the game, and they each have different functions:

Referee- he gives the signal for all fouls and makes all the penalty calls.  He is responsible for all the rule interpretations that occur in the game, and keeps track of what happens to the quarterback on pass plays as well as the legality of the snap.  He is normally about ten yards behind the line of scrimmage and checks for illegal motion, and on plays involving kickers, he determines whether illegal contact has been made.  Think that is a lot?  There is more.

Umpire - watches the offensive and defensive lines for false starts, legal contact, and also ensures that lineman don’t move down the field early on pass plays and that receivers  are not illegally held up on screen plays.  The Umpire also assists on legal and illegal pass receptions.

Head Linesman - works with the Referee to make sure down is correct, and that the chain crew effectively does their duties.  The Head Linesman also watches for illegal contact with receivers on his side of the field after the five yard limit, and has full responsibility for ruling on out of bounds plays on his side.  He has to rule on forward progress, pass interference, and any action involving any receiver on his side, in addition to watching for possible scrimmage line infractions.  Not exactly a walk in the park with the amount of pass happy teams in the NFL.

Line Judge - he straddles the line of scrimmage opposite the Lineman, and keeps the time on the field as a back-up.  Along with the Linesman he is responsible for offsides, encroachment, and other infractions on the scrimmage line prior to the snap.  He also has to make sure the passer is not beyond the line of scrimmage on pass plays, and has to rule whether a pass is a lateral or forward pass.  On punts, the Line Judge has to make sure the end men go down-field until the kick has been made.

Field Judge - Operates on same side of field as Line Judge, twenty yards deep. Keys on wide receiver on his side. Concentrates on path of end or back, observing legality of his potential block(s) or of actions taken against him. Will call holding or illegal use of hands by end or back or on defensive infractions committed by player guarding him. Has primary responsibility to make decisions involving the sideline on his side of field, such as inbounds/out of bounds calls.

The Field judge also rules on catches, recoveries, and illegal touching of the ball.

Side Judge - operates on the same side of the field as the Linesman twenty yards deep, and keys on the receiver on his side.  He will rule on blocking irregularities by the receiver and actions taken against him such as illegal use of hands, and holding, and pass interference.  The Side Judge also assists in covering actions by a runner with the football and blocks by teammates.  He has direct responsibility  for out of bounds plays on his side.

Back Judge - he is positioned twenty five yards down-field and for the most part keys on the tight end and follows his path.  The Back Judge will watch for holding and other illegal acts by the tight end as well as infractions against them in the passing game.  In addition he will rule on fair catch infractions, clipping on kick returns, and together with the Field Judge, whether or not field goals and extra points are good.

The Back Judge will also time the interval between plays, and keep track of the time between the two periods of each half.

Not only does each official have to remember their responsibilities, but they all have to work together as a team.  It has to be a coordinated effort, even though some of their responsibilities overlap. The game itself has gotten faster which necessitated the need for instant replay, but there is no doubt that it is the most difficult. 

There are almost too many things happening on every play.  You can have illegal motion, an illegal forward pass, pass interference, a personal foul, a hold, and a touchdown on the same play.  If you compare the other major sports there are not as many moving parts to keep track of.

Take baseball, for instance.  The home-plate umpire for most of the game is focused on calling balls and strikes.  Bang-bang plays at the plate and fly balls headed toward the foul pole don’t occur very often, so most of the time the home-plate umpire is dealing with the ball and strikes, and the other umpires are standing around. 

You can make a case for the first base umpire being busy because of the plays at first, but most games move along without any major intervention from the umpires.

With professional football, you know holding goes on every play, but the rules say if the lineman’s hands are inside, then they are fine.  The interpretation of a lineman’s hands being inside could vary from crew to crew.  Every play in the NFL has to be scrutinized by the whole crew, whether there are penalty’s or not.  Things happen underneath piles that have to be sorted out, in addition to the spot of the ball being so important.

For the NBA, it is easier to keep track of ten players on a basketball court than it is to keep track of 22 players on a football field.  I am not saying the NBA, and the NHL are easy, just easier than the NFL.   

As far as having the most influence over a game, that has to be the home plate umpire.  If they give a pitcher like Tom Glavine, or Greg Maddox the outside part of the plate (really off the plate) then that will make the difference between them being effective and being almost unhittable, or being ineffective and giving up five plus runs.

Most of the game of baseball is about the pitchers and the batters, which involves the umpire calling the balls and strikes.  If they are calling a bad game with a wide strike zone, hitters will swing at pitches they normally wouldn’t swing at.  If they are calling a tight strike zone, the hitters have the advantage.

However you slice it, the umpire behind the plate has a lot of influence over the game, but as far as difficulty goes, there is no doubt that NFL football is the most difficult.  Sometimes they get it wrong, most of the time they get it right, but it is not easy (see the Motor City Miracle, Troy Polamalou interception in Colts vs. Steelers playoff game, Patriots vs. Raiders ”Tuck Rule” playoff game). 

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May 21, 2008 by editor.

The San Antonio Spurs dispatched Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets 91-82 to advance to the conference finals against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.  The game seven win was significant for a number of reasons.

It was a road win, which the Spurs previously were unable to do.  All of the games in New Orleans were blow-outs, and San Antonio looked old and confused in those games.  Their detractors doubted whether they had enough in the tank to throttle the younger and more energetic Hornets.

San Antonio didn’t shoot well either in those road games and struggled to score, while New Orleans thrived in the second halves of the contests in their building.  They played like the team that was confident they would win.  We must not forget that winning on the road has been a rare commodity in these playoffs, so it is understandable that the pun-dents doubted the Spurs could get it done.

What happened to the Hornets in game seven is what happens to a lot of upstart teams when they realize they are on the cusp of doing something special, and have never been that way before.  They played scared, and panicked when San Antonio delivered the first hard shot.

In the first half, the Spurs, led by Manu Ginobili, were on fire shooting from the outside, and from three point land.  They took a nine point lead into half-time, and early in the second half found themselves down seventeen points.  The Hornet’s response was to rush shots, forget to run their half court sets on offense, and become completely unglued.

They wilted under the poised pressure the Spurs put on them, and they forgot that they were down at the half before and went on to win handily.  This is what happens to young teams in this position, and this is just part of the progression that New Orleans has to go through to get to the next level. 

Now they know how it feels, and mentally they won’t shrink in those situations in the future, and instead, use this as a springboard.  When you really look at this, what happened in this game was really predictable.

What was surprising to me was the fact that Jannero Pargo stepped up and took over the game for the Hornets in the fourth quarter and didn’t play afraid.  I would have thought that Chris Paul would have played that role but he actually deferred to Pargo.

In the end, the Spurs knew how to win, and wanted it more that the Hornets.  Under pressure they were the better team, and in this type of pressurized environment, poise and experience will win you some games.  I can’t help but think that the Lakers were secretly hoping that the Hornets would win.

San Antonio matches up very well with them, and they know the Spurs will not fold.  Spurs in six, and say good bye to that Celtics-Lakers match-up the media has been dreaming about.

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May 10, 2008 by editor.

The defending NBA champions finally showed why they will be a tough out in this years playoffs.  They beat Chris Paul and the Hornets 110-99 and avoided being down three games to none, which in effect would have ended the series.

Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili each had 31 points, and San Antonio played with an energy and passion that was missing in the first two games.  Tim Duncan chipped in with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Parker and Ginobili were finally able to attack the rim off the dribble and they kept New Orleans off balance for most of the game.  This was the big difference from the previous two games.  New Orleans looked a little confused at times as to their defensive assignments as the Spurs eclipsed the 100 point mark for the first time in the series.

Chris Paul did a lot of damage (35 points and 9 assists) as well as David West, (23 points and 12 rebounds), but this game belonged to San Antonio.  The Spurs stirred the pot a little and started Ginobili instead of bringing him in off the bench. 

He gave the Spurs the spark they needed to hold off New Orleans in the fourth quarter with a couple of threes early.  Another key to winning this game was their ability to prevent Peja Stojakovic from from being a major contributor.  They held him to seven points on 2-7 shooting.  Peja burned them in the first two games, but San Antonio was more focused defensively and didn’t give him many looks.

San Antonio showed the resolve and determination of a champion with their backs to the wall.  The big question is how will New Orleans respond?  The Spurs are hoping that they start doubting themselves and lose some of their confidence.

I can see that happening if San Antonio plays with the same resolve in game four.  Byron Scott will have to figure out a way to keep Parker and Ginobili in check if they want to take back the momentum. 

San Antonio still needs to hold serve and even the series up.  One good effort will not get them to the next round.  We will find out which one of these teams want to get to the next level more.  We know the Spurs are champions, but just how bad does New Orleans want it? 

San Antonio can’t do much with Chris Paul, but they can limit the damage the rest of the Hornets inflict.  That is their recipe for success.  The first game Peja doesn’t go for at least 20, the Hornets lose.  Defense, not offense, will be the key to the Spurs getting to the next round. 

The Hornets believe they are the next big thing, but as the saying goes, to be the champs, you have to beat the champs.

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May 7, 2008 by editor.

The New Orleans Hornets followed a familiar script as they won game two going away 102-84 over San Antonio.  Once again, the Spurs had a lead going into half-time, only to find themselves out worked and out-played in the second half.

Chris Paul ran circles around San Antonio in the second half and finished with 30 points and 12 assists.  The Hornets played with more energy than the Spurs, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

It is clear that the Hornet’s length and athleticism is bothering the Spurs.  Whether it is Julian Wright, Morris Peterson, or Bonzi Wells, they will not let Ginobili turn the corner going left, which is his signature move.  Tony Parker can’t get to the rim either.  He gets doubled as soon as he begins to make a move to the basket. 

When they try to pass out of the double teams, New Orleans is quick to recover and contest shots.  They have the Spurs thinking to much on offense instead of being creative and instinctive.

San Antonio has been uncharacteristically sloppy on defense.  Time and time again Peja Stojakovic (25 points, 5-7 on threes) found himself open for three point shots.  You would figure that the Spurs would be in good shape with David West going 2-11 with 10 points, but that was not the case.

Stojakovic has been their most steady scorer so far in this series, and you would think that he would be the most easy to defend.  That brings us back to Chris Paul.  He is so dangerous as a passer, scorer, and floor general that he forces teams to commit more than one defender to keep him in check. 

When you do, he beats you by setting up his teammates.  If you play him strictly man to man, he will be a scorer and get you in foul trouble.  Paul is also at his best in the open floor, and he can beat you in so many ways.

Going into game three, San Antonio’s game plan should be clear.  They have to get out on the break and run so they can get more fast break points.  Popovich must put his shooters on the floor at the same time if the Hornets continue to pack it in and keep Parker and Ginobili out of the lane, even if it means giving Brent Barry more minutes.  He can make the Hornets pay for leaving him alone.

Michael Finley needs to give the Spurs more than four points.  He has got to be part of the solution shooting from the perimeter.  In the half court, Duncan must score, or at least find cutters going to the basket.  They have got to get more aggressive and creative at getting to the rim in their half court sets.

On defense if you shut Stojakovic down, you are in both of those games.  We will find out if the Spurs can hold serve at home.  All of a sudden, all those years are showing up on San Antonio.

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May 4, 2008 by editor.

New Orleans came from behind in the second half and beat San Antonio 101-82 to take a one game lead in this best of seven series.  The Hornets didn’t look shell-shocked, nervous, or intimidated as they executed their game plan to perfection.

They double-teamed and harassed Tim Duncan into a five point three rebound night that doomed San Antonio.  The Spurs had no answer for David West as he destroyed Kurt Thomas and Fabrico Oberto to the tune of thirty points.  Oberto looked particularly helpless on defense. 

Look for an adjustment to be made as Popovich will either put Tim Duncan on West or employ another strategy to slow him down. 

Peja Stojakovic got loose for 22 points which does not bode well for the Spurs.  The one thing that they could not afford was for both David West and Stojakovic to thrive on offense. 

Chris Paul didn’t have his best game but he was good enough as he controlled the tempo of the game (17 points, 13 assists).  Tyson Chandler had 15 rebounds, 6 on the offensive end as he was very active.  San Antonio was out worked and out hustled, which rarely happens.

Tim Duncan passed enough out of the double teams but his teammates could not deliver.  San Antonio shot well in the first half, but cooled off in the second, and couldn’t force the Hornets into turnovers.  I look for Duncan to rebound and have a better game in game two.  The Spurs can’t win without him being a major contributor.

David West averaged 23 points against San Antonio in the regular season, and if the Spurs can’t figure out a way to slow him down they may not be defending their championship too much longer. 

The Hornets strategy is clear.  Make Duncan a passer and force his teammates to make plays.  They didn’t make enough of them in game one.  It is difficult to game plan New Orleans because of how Chris Paul runs the team.  Popovich pointed out that “he (Paul) runs an organized playground”. 

San Antonio must figure out how to get Duncan room to operate, and they can’t get pounded on the boards like they did in game one.  It may be too early to say game 2 is a must win for the Spurs, but they have to win at least one game in New Orleans.

It looks like we are in for a long series. 

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May 3, 2008 by editor.

The next series for San Antonio against the Hornets presents different challenges.  For starters New Orleans is more defensive minded than the Suns are, and they have enough big bodies to give Tim Duncan problems.

They split the season series with the Spurs this year, but as we all know, this is the playoffs, and as the previous series with the Suns taught us, you can’t predict the outcome of playoff games strictly by using regular season games as a gauge.   Let’s see how the teams actually match up.

Chris Paul vs. Tony Parker/Bruce Bowen

Chris Paul is as important to his team as any other player in the league.  He sets tempo, sets up his teammates, scores, and plays defense.  He also averages 2.71 steals per game. 

San Antonio will not be able to completely shut him down, but they have to limit the amount of damage he inflicts.  They must force Paul to be strictly a scorer so the rest of his team can’t feed off of him.

That’s easier said than done, but Gregg Popovich will find a way, and his players will execute it.

David West vs. Fabricio Oberto/Kurt Thomas

This is a match-up that New Orleans must exploit in order for them to win.  David West is an all-star and can get his own shots off the dribble.  He will be a much tougher guard than any of Phoenix’s bigs.

Thomas will have to rely on his veteran savy when he is matched up against West. 

Tim Duncan vs. Tyson Chandler

Chandler will be a lot more active on defense than Shaq was, but the down side to that is that he tends to get in foul trouble.  In light of that, how the Hornets choose to defend Duncan will be a key. 

They need Chandler on the floor to defend the paint against Parker and Manu Ginobili as they try to get to the rim.

Peja Stojakovic vs. Michael Finley/Bruce Bowen

The Spurs need to know where Stojakovic is at all times on the perimetter.  He is especially elusive in transition because Paul draws the defenders and finds Stojakovic all alone for uncontested threes. 

Finley will have to force Peja to defend him and make him a liability on that side of the ball.  The Spurs are confident that when Bowen is guarding Peja he will get the job done.  That is what Bowen does.  If the Spurs are focused mentally in this regard this will be a favorable match-up for them. 

Morris Peterson vs. Michael Finley

Morris Peterson has played well so far in the playoffs, but was pretty average against the Spurs in the regular season.  He played 20 minutes a game and averaged 6 points in those contests.  

Finley is a savy veteran who, as we saw against the Suns, is capable of hitting big shots in pressure situations.  Peterson has size at 6′7” so it won’t be easy for Finley to have his way, but San Antonio does have an edge here.

Benches

Jannero Pargo has thrived coming off the bench and spelling Paul.  He had a great series against Dallas and elevated his play.  If he can continue his aggressive play he will be a problem for San Antonio.  Bonzi Wells is also capable of coming in and providing instant offense for the Hornets. 

Julian Wright will be a factor because of his defense.  He may be asked to slow Ginobili down, and if he is successful that gives the Hornets an excellent chance to win. 

There is no better 6th man in the league than Manu Ginobili.  He will get a lot of minutes and do his usual amount of damage.  Kurt Thomas will provide defense and rebounding as well and will get his turn dealing with David West.

Brent Barry and Ime Udoka add depth to the Spurs bench, and Udoka has added a spark every time he has come into the game in these playoffs.    

The Hornets are looking to usher in their own era of dominance, and phase out the oldest team left in the playoffs.  They believe it is their time, but the Spurs have proven over and over again that they will not be denied and they step it up in the playoffs.  I think they get it done in this series as well.

Paul will play well, but the Spurs will win in 6 games. 

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May 3, 2008 by editor.

The Spurs put Phoenix out of their misery in Game 5 on Tuesday, 92-87.  The game was nip and tuck through out, but it was evident in the last three minutes of the game who the better team was.

Tony Parker finished with 31 points and 8 assists.  Even though his jumper was off for just about the whole game, he hit a key jump shot at the end to help win the game.  He did most of his damage going to the basket as usual.

Tim Duncan played tough and inspiring basketball and hurt Phoenix to the tune of 29 points and 17 rebounds.

Boris Diaw led the Suns with 22 points and 8 rebounds.  Amare Stoudemire, who has been their leading scorer in this series, didn’t seem like his head was in the game in the second half and wasn’t much of a factor.

These are the type of games San Antonio thrives in.  Nip and tuck struggles where they are not operating at full efficiency on offense, but their defense and game strategy keep them in the game. 

Manu Ginobili was not much of a factor because of foul trouble, and good defense being played on him.  The Suns couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to win this game.  Michael Finley was not a factor, Ginobili couldn’t score, and the Spurs struggling to find points.

Once again, Gregg Popovich’s game strategy didn’t allow the Suns to get into any rhythm on offense.  He used the hack-a-Shaq to perfection and O’Neal cooperated by only hitting 9 of 20 foul shots.  Mike D’Antoni needed to adjust his strategy get Shaq out of the game when the Spurs started to foul him.

Phoenix also chose to run a lot of their offense through Boris Diaw, instead of featuring Nash and Stoudemire.  Many of the Suns hinted after the game that they were out coached, and were not used to much of the offense going through Diaw, especially since they that is not how they are used to playing.

The Suns made 4 crucial turnovers down the stretch that did them in.  Nash made 2 of them, and Diaw threw the ball out of bounds at a crucial time as well.  The difference in this game was the difference in the series.  San Antonio is more disciplined, tougher, and they know how to finish games.

Phoenix must come to the realization that they cannot win a championship the way they are constructed, and with their run and gun style.  They have some hard decisions to make about their players.  Shaq and Nash are not getting any younger.

 The Spurs move on and look like they will be favorites to make it to the conference championship series.  The forgotten team in the West is forgotten no more.  The other teams left in the playoffs now remember that the San Antonio Spurs are the defending champions, and that they will be the toughest out in the playoffs.

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May 3, 2008 by editor.

Boris Diaw and Raja Bell provided the spark that Phoenix has been missing as they pummelled the Spurs 105-86, and the game was not that close.  The Suns were up by 21 at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.

They would not blow this lead or be seriously challenged by San Antonio this day.  If you knew that Amare Stoudemire would only score seven points before hand, you would automatically assume that Phoenix would lose, but the Suns played with the desire and precision that has eluded them and refused to fold.

Diaw exploited his match-up with Michael Finley inside and outside (20 points 10 rebounds, and 8 assists), while Raja Bell (21 points in the first half) shot the ball with confidence and thrived in transition as they could not be stopped.  Diaw also played excellent defense on Tony Parker as well who was held in check.  There-in lies the recipe for the Suns to get back in the series.

They found a way to keep Parker from getting to the basket at will.  Also, Stoudemire and Steve Nash can’t be expected to carry the whole scoring load and expect to win.  They need to exploit the match-up problems that Diaw creates, and get contributions from Bell and Barbosa in transition, and from being set up by Nash.  That way the Spurs can’t fixate themselves on Nash and Stoudemire only.

The other part of the equation is that the supporting cast of Phoenix has to deliver.  Diaw has been inconsistent at best in this series.  Barbosa has lacked confidence at times.  If he, Barbosa, and Bell don’t show up in a big way, they can’t win.

After a great shooting game three, San Antonio crashed and burned and couldn’t hit shots with any regularity.  This is not unusual for the Spurs.  They do have periods where their offensive execution leaves something to be desired.  Their defense usually bails them out because they normally don’t give up a lot of points.

The Suns need a repeat performance in game five, in San Antonio.  Diaw, Barbosa, and Bell will have a lot to say about the outcome.  The Spurs are still the better team, and know how to close out a series.  I will take my chances with San Antonio finding their way as opposed to Phoenix’s supporting cast playing lights out again.

Popovich will again make adjustments, and it will be interesting to see how Phoenix reacts.  Kudos to Mike D’Antoni for getting his team ready to play, and for putting Diaw on Parker.

Grant Hill sat out game four, and is still ailing.

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