Harvey: Parker As Isiah: In This Series, Just A Start

[duncan228]

Parker as Isiah: In this series, just a start (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Parker_as_Isiah_In_this_series_just_a_start.html)
Buck Harvey

There’s a reason Tony Parker always wanted to be the guy.

Because he could be.

He never saw himself as the next John Stockton. He saw himself someday becoming another Isiah Thomas, a blur with a jump shot. And as he began by playing within Gregg Popovich’s system, and he started his career as a teenager passing to 7-footers, he waited for the time when he could display everything he had.

Monday, he did. The catch, now, is that he has to do this three more times in this series for the Spurs to win.

The Spurs had more than Parker on Monday. Matt Bonner found some openings, as did Drew Gooden. The Spurs can survive when they combine for 24 points.

The Spurs’ defense raised a few notches from Game 1, too, and the Dallas defense showed leaks. Rick Carlisle tried a zone in the second quarter, and that only added to the Mavericks’ problems.

But at least Carlisle tried. As Parker sped through the Mavericks, a zone made as much sense as anything.

Parker had it all. The mid-range jumper, the floater, the runner, the layup. He had 27 points at the half and could have had 50 for the game had he wanted 50. He instead ended with merely 38.

He had similar bursts through a regular season that should earn him an All-NBA second team berth. That’s not bad, considering Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade are the first-team locks at guard.

But maybe none of this would have happened if Manu Ginobili was in uniform for all 82 games. With him, Parker would have had to worry whether it was his turn. Instead, he’s free now, and he can probe the defense until he sees what he likes.

x Better yet, he does this with Popovich’s blessing. Just a few years ago, it wasn’t this way. Then, Parker went to Popovich, and he used a phrase he’d heard around the league.

“When do you want me to take over games?” he asked.

Popovich growled. “Never.”

That changed this season, especially in games when both Ginobili and Tim Duncan were out. And, at the time, Parker enjoyed himself.

“I love these opportunities,” Parker said then. “I’m not saying I want to play every game like that, but if it’s one or two games, you show what you can do.”

Now he has to play every game like that. It’s clear the 24 points he had in Game 1 isn’t enough.

Parker said he tried to stay aggressive, and the team reaction meant something, too.

“We didn’t panic,” he said. “We went and watched film and made adjustments.”

The key adjustment was for Parker to become what he’s always wanted to be. He began by missing a drive, and then he missed a 17-footer, and he gave no thought of stopping.

By the middle of the first quarter, he was getting whatever he wanted, and by the second he was, in a playoff moment, Isiah. He took off on a fastbreak, with three Mavericks in front of him, showing no signs he would slow down.

Parker readied to spring to the basket again, and that’s when Jason Terry turned a shoulder into him. Terry got the flagrant, and the moment defined frustration.

“We give up 23 (19) first-quarter points to Tony Parker,” Terry said afterward. “It’s unacceptable. We have to adjust our game plan and really hone in on him. He’s the head of the snake.”

Actually, he’s the whole snake. It’s his series to win, and he will need these kinds of nights for it to happen.

There’s a reason Parker wanted it to be this way.

[MannyIsGod]

Good article. Not really a ST remix either.

[Yuixafun]

“When do you want me to take over games?” he asked.

Popovich growled. “Never.”


-- It's funny, I can picture Tony going up to Pop eager and unleashing the term he picked up, and then Pop's look at him before replying.

[timvp]

I don't like this article. It makes Parker sound like a Allen Iverson-type douchebag.

Anytime Parker has said it's fun to have big games when he has to carry the load, he always repeatedly lets the media know that he wouldn't like it over the long haul and wants the Big Three back and healthy ASAP.

Buck kinda took his past comments out of context to make him sound like Gilbert Arenas or some sort of player who would love to just be a gunning stat whore.

[HarlemHeat37]

Isiah is a great comparison to the Tony we've seen so far in the 2nd half of the season..

I also completely agree that TP should never be mistaken for a chucker..he takes good shots for the most part, he runs the plays, he makes good decisions for the most part, he doesn't fall in love with the J..

[EricB]

Just a few years ago, it wasn’t this way. Then, Parker went to Popovich, and he used a phrase he’d heard around the league.

“When do you want me to take over games?” he asked.

Popovich growled. “Never.”



What a stupid ass quote to use.

[Obstructed_View]

Funny, I didn't get that from the article. I'll read it again later.

[MannyIsGod]

I don't like this article. It makes Parker sound like a Allen Iverson-type douchebag.

Anytime Parker has said it's fun to have big games when he has to carry the load, he always repeatedly lets the media know that he wouldn't like it over the long haul and wants the Big Three back and healthy ASAP.

Buck kinda took his past comments out of context to make him sound like Gilbert Arenas or some sort of player who would love to just be a gunning stat whore.

Eh - thats not what I got at all. I think it points out that Tony is capable of being a superstar in this league, not merely an all star and that he's coming of age.

[50Bestspurever]

Good article. Love the comparisons to Isiah, lets just hope parker runs the league he has an ownership stake in better than Isiah did with cba, knicks etc etc. Never understood the hate for buck on this message board or how funny it is that posters actually think he is stealing their ideas. That is freaking crazy. The man can be flaky but he always delivers solid columns. I mean he isn't some dude posting on a message board he is an award winning journalist. I have been reading him since his days at the light. I used to email him when I was active duty down range in Iraq. Dude always got back to me. Oh well solid takes. Hope tony can help timmy deliever our 5th title.

[porscha]

I don't like this article. It makes Parker sound like a Allen Iverson-type douchebag.

Anytime Parker has said it's fun to have big games when he has to carry the load, he always repeatedly lets the media know that he wouldn't like it over the long haul and wants the Big Three back and healthy ASAP.

Buck kinda took his past comments out of context to make him sound like Gilbert Arenas or some sort of player who would love to just be a gunning stat whore.

agreed

[whottt]

I get out of it that Tony likes to do it every once in a while but doesn't want to have to do it every night...I don't think that idea is fun to him at all, and that's got as much to do with the fact that he just doesn't want to have to work that hard every night as it does any sort of unselfishness.

You have to have be bordering on arrogant to be a great PG in this league.

Anyway, I think Tony is miscast as pure scorer, I think he is more than willing to pass and likes to get assists as well. I think score first is what is encouraged by Pop, it's pretty much what he's encouraged every other PG to do in his tenure.


I don't think Tony has Chris Paul type passing skills but that's got more to do with types of passes than anything else, not really numbers. Tony can't hit those basket lobs like Paul does(against us 50 times a game), but he can pass better than he gets credit for.


Tony could get 10 assists per game with his abiliity to draw defenders if the team was designed to do it.




Btw, props to Tony...he's 26(for a little while longer), he's also now the Spurs all time leader in playoff assists :tu

[Obstructed_View]

His team first sensibility seems to override everything else, but he likes being Michael Jordan on occasion if it helps the team win. That's how it reads to me.

[timvp]

I might have read the article wrong. I'll read it again later. Buck is by far the best Spurs writer still remaining so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.


Anyway, I think Tony is miscast as pure scorer, I think he is more than willing to pass and likes to get assists as well. I think score first is what is encouraged by Pop, it's pretty much what he's encouraged every other PG to do in his tenure.Yeah give Parker a few players who can actually dunk the ball and the number of touches he gets right now and he could average 9-10 assists per game. Plus something that skews his numbers is the Spurs' slow pace.

A pretty amazing stat (well amazing to me, anyways :smokin) is that Parker's assist percentage in 2008-09 was higher than Avery Johnson's best as a Spur.

All-Time Spurs Assist Percentage Leaders
1. John Lucas 45.1 1983-84
2. Johnny Moore 41.5 1981-82
3. Johnny Moore 40.9 1983-84
4. Tony Parker 40.1 2008-09
5. Avery Johnson 39.1 1995-96
6. Avery Johnson 39.1 1992-93
7. Johnny Moore 38.9 1984-85
8. Johnny Moore 37.8 1982-83
9. Avery Johnson 37.4 1998-99
10. Avery Johnson 36.2 1997-98

That's impressive considering all AJ did was pass the ball ... and Johnny Moore too for that matter. Duncan is a great player obviously but he's not too assist-friendly. Give TP a faster pace and either DRob or Gervin to pass to and no one would call him a scoring point guard.

[Obstructed_View]

Didn't AJ average double figures in assists both those years?

[Freeze]

I don't like this article. It makes Parker sound like a Allen Iverson-type douchebag.

Anytime Parker has said it's fun to have big games when he has to carry the load, he always repeatedly lets the media know that he wouldn't like it over the long haul and wants the Big Three back and healthy ASAP.

Buck kinda took his past comments out of context to make him sound like Gilbert Arenas or some sort of player who would love to just be a gunning stat whore.

I agree.

http://www.tp9.net/fr/itw.php?id=307

the last question :

On a aujourd’hui le sentiment que l’avenir des Spurs en play-offs dépend de tes performances. Tu partages cet avis ? It's seems today that the Spurs futur in these play-offs rely on your performances. Do you agree ?


Non, je ne suis pas obligé de marquer 30 points à chaque fois. Mais il est certain que je dois répondre présent et me montrer agressif. Comme j’étais chaud tout au long de la soirée, Tim s’est fait un peu plus discret. Mais la victoire ne dépend pas que de moi. Je dois également faire jouer mes coéquipiers pour mener les Spurs au succès.
No, I don't have to score 30 everytime. But I have to be there, and be agressive. As I was hot all the game, Tim has been more quiet. But the win doesn't only belong to me. I have to involve my team mates to lead the Spurs to success.

:flag:

[whottt]

I might have read the article wrong. I'll read it again later. Buck is by far the best Spurs writer still remaining so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Yeah give Parker a few players who can actually dunk the ball and the number of touches he gets right now and he could average 9-10 assists per game. Plus something that skews his numbers is the Spurs' slow pace.

A pretty amazing stat (well amazing to me, anyways :smokin) is that Parker's assist percentage in 2008-09 was higher than Avery Johnson's best as a Spur.

All-Time Spurs Assist Percentage Leaders
1. John Lucas 45.1 1983-84
2. Johnny Moore 41.5 1981-82
3. Johnny Moore 40.9 1983-84
4. Tony Parker 40.1 2008-09
5. Avery Johnson 39.1 1995-96
6. Avery Johnson 39.1 1992-93
7. Johnny Moore 38.9 1984-85
8. Johnny Moore 37.8 1982-83
9. Avery Johnson 37.4 1998-99
10. Avery Johnson 36.2 1997-98

That's impressive considering all AJ did was pass the ball ... and Johnny Moore too for that matter. Duncan is a great player obviously but he's not too assist-friendly. Give TP a faster pace and either DRob or Gervin to pass to and no one would call him a scoring point guard.


That is impressive because both Moore and AJ were NBA players because of their passing ability first and foremost.

And yeah seriously...Drob and Gervin were 1A and 1B the easiest assists in team history, and among the easiest in NBA history, especially when they were on uptempo teams, especially Gervin's teams.

Duncan OTOH is probably one of the hardest scoring bigmen to get an assist off of ever...because he's so good at putting it on the floor. It's part of what makes him Duncan. I'd definitely say Tony needs to take Bonner and Mason out for dinner for this achievement. If Bowen had been on the court(who I'd be willing to bet a hell of a lot of Parker's career assists have come from) Tony might have hit the 8 mark this season....

[SenorSpur]

As brilliant as Tony was on Monday night, let's be real about one thing. He can't be expected to average 30+ or to carry such a huge offensive workload for the duration of this series. If he isn't already worn out, he will be.

There has to be some production from the other players on this team, if the Spurs want to win this series.

[NewJerSpur]

Good article. Not really a ST remix either.

I actually made this comparison in another thread when I said, "TP and George Hill would be the Isaiah(sp?) Thomas and Joe Dumars of the Spurs' future backcourt." I would've said something earlier but my PC was preventing me from getting on this site, but I'm back now thanks to Kori!!!

[1Parker1]

I don't like this article. It makes Parker sound like a Allen Iverson-type douchebag.

Anytime Parker has said it's fun to have big games when he has to carry the load, he always repeatedly lets the media know that he wouldn't like it over the long haul and wants the Big Three back and healthy ASAP.

Buck kinda took his past comments out of context to make him sound like Gilbert Arenas or some sort of player who would love to just be a gunning stat whore.

That's exactly what I was thinking. This is a very misleading article.

[Chris Fall]

I would have gotten a few more free throws and dropped 40. But good job, Tony mon ami.

[Russ]

If only the Spurs can get to the Lakers this year. That's the true test for TP -- they stop him like no one else. I'd love to see the look on PJ's face if Parker went off on Kobe and Co. :)

[Nikos]

At this point I would like Parker to simply take over like he has been. Keep scoring as much as possible. His best asset is his ability to score the ball AND rack up assists at the same time. Basically he is a playmaker and the teams #1 offensive option. He should be dominating the ball. As long as he doesn't make too many turnovers and miss too many shots, who cares if he puts up Iverson or Arenas like field goal attempts? Its a given that he will create several looks for his teamattes anyway.

Let him play his game. The team will be better off for it.

[boutons_deux]

Tony wouln't go off on the Lakers because they would deny him the lane.

[jcrod]

Eh - thats not what I got at all. I think it points out that Tony is capable of being a superstar in this league, not merely an all star and that he's coming of age.

Thats what i got out of it.