Jimcs50
05-12-2005, 09:34 AM
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
Remember the Los Angeles Lakers.
That's what Jerome James wants everybody to do.
Remember when San Antonio won the first two games on their home court in last year's Western Conference semifinals.
Remember when guard Tony Parker was tormenting Los Angeles' Gary Payton and Kobe Bryant in Games 1 and 2.
And remember how the Lakers made one simple defensive adjustment, which allowed them to win four straight games and advance to the Western Conference finals.
"If we stop Tony Parker from getting to the paint, that shuts this team down," said the Sonics center while referring to the Lakers' success. "That's where all of their offense comes from — penetration. ... If we stop Tony Parker, that's the key to this game."
If it were only that simple.
James forgets the Lakers also had Shaquille O'Neal and Karl Malone to go along with Bryant and Payton and a miraculous game-winning shot by Derek Fisher in Game 5.
Still, every defensive strategy must begin somewhere and the Sonics will start with Parker tonight at KeyArena, trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven series against the Spurs.
When everyone else had long since vacated the practice court, there was Sonics coach Nate McMillan instructing James in a private tutorial on the art of defending the pick n' roll, which has dumbfounded Seattle in this series.
A few moments earlier, McMillan pulled Rashard Lewis to the side and spoke to the All-Star small forward about the importance of his role in tonight's game.
"I talked to a few guys," McMillan said. "They haven't been through anything like this before. This is a learning experience for these guys and we'll be better for it."
Sonics players spoke in soft tones yesterday, and the disappointment from lopsided defeats in Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio seemed to have dissipated.
If the Sonics are indeed grief-stricken, then they appeared to have skipped the first four stages of the classic definition — denial, anger, bargaining and depression — and gone straight to acceptance.
Yesterday, they spent an inordinate amount of time praising the Spurs and downplaying their dire position in the series.
"This is an excellent team," McMillan said. "This team was picked to win the title. This is a great team. We're going up against the best in the NBA right now.
"... The way they are playing, it would be tough for anybody to beat them. As hot as Denver was, they cooled them off. As much success as we had in the regular season, this is not the regular season. We're dealing with a different beast now."
Perhaps the flattery was intended to soften the Spurs and make them overconfident. Or maybe McMillan is witnessing a maturity in playoff-tested San Antonio that he doesn't see in his Sonics.
"Those players went through the same things my young players here are going through," he said. "Tony Parker learned how to become a stud in the playoffs and we just have to come in and re-adjust, keep working and see if it works."
The adjustments McMillan spoke of will likely involve a three-guard lineup the Sonics employed at various times in Game 2, which worked with varying degrees of success.
With rookie reserve Nick Collison at center and 6-foot-10 Lewis at power forward, Seattle used a lineup which reduced an 18-point deficit to nine late in the third quarter.
The small lineup puts the Sonics at a disadvantage against All-Star forward Tim Duncan, but it allows them to keep pace with quick-footed guards Parker and Manu Ginobili, who are averaging 25.5 points and 19 against them in the playoffs, respectively.
"I get caught up trying to defend Tim Duncan so much that I'm on the wrong side of the pick n' roll," James said. "I got to play Tim Duncan like I play everybody else. I can't give him the respect that I've been giving him. No doubt he deserves it, but you can't respect anybody at this time of the year. You have to play everybody the same."
Fortson ruffled
Danny Fortson played a pivotal role in two regular-season victories over San Antonio, but he has only played a total of 10 minutes in this series. He has two rebounds, zero points and six fouls in the two games.
The bruising power forward gives the Sonics a fear factor unlike anyone else on the team, but he believes a riff with McMillan has carried over from the regular season and is the cause for his limited role.
"It's very odd," Fortson said. "I don't want to say anything stupid. It's a business. The NBA is a business. I've been through it before. You have to play through it."
Fortson said McMillan has allowed other power forwards, including Reggie Evans and Collison, to remain on the court after collecting a few fouls, but the coach has a quick hook when it comes to him.
Even if he were to receive extended minutes tonight, Fortson said it would be difficult for him to be effective against Duncan because of his long layoff.
"Don't expect me to do it [today]," he said. "If I did, thank you Jesus, but c'mon now. That was then. That's when I was playing. This is the Western Conference semifinals. ... I'm not even really in great shape. I don't feel like it. You need your rhythm to play and I'm a rhythm player. When I have a rhythm, I'm very tough to stop."
Fortson has been suspended once by the Sonics and served a two-game suspension by the league for yelling at a referee, throwing a chair and not leaving the court promptly following his ejection during a victory over Sacramento on Feb. 10.
McMillan said Fortson hasn't played a large role in the series because of matchups.
"Danny has had some foul trouble, but it has been really some matchups for us," McMillan said. "When Danny was out there in the first two games, he was out there with [Vladimir] Radmanovic. ... Being able to have some success with four shooters being out on the floor."
The two met and discussed their differences, but Fortson is still upset about his role.
"I'm the new guy, just remember that," he said. "I don't know anybody. These guys been together for a long time. Sometimes the new person needs a little hug every now and then. Not to say I need a hug, but just some support. I really haven't seen none of that.
"The only support I got was from [team chairman] Howard Schultz and [CEO] Wally Walker during a little meeting after I got suspended. I'm a human being too. You got to support people and make them feel like they are a part of something."
Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or [email protected]
Seattle vs. San Antonio
1 San Antonio 103, Seattle 81
2 San Antonio 108, Seattle 91
3 Today at Seattle 7:30 p.m. (FSN, ESPN)
4 Sunday at Seattle 4 p.m. (TNT)
5* May 17 at San Antonio TBA (TNT)
6* May 19 at Seattle TBA
7* May 22 at San Antonio TBA
*If necessary
Seattle Times staff reporter
Remember the Los Angeles Lakers.
That's what Jerome James wants everybody to do.
Remember when San Antonio won the first two games on their home court in last year's Western Conference semifinals.
Remember when guard Tony Parker was tormenting Los Angeles' Gary Payton and Kobe Bryant in Games 1 and 2.
And remember how the Lakers made one simple defensive adjustment, which allowed them to win four straight games and advance to the Western Conference finals.
"If we stop Tony Parker from getting to the paint, that shuts this team down," said the Sonics center while referring to the Lakers' success. "That's where all of their offense comes from — penetration. ... If we stop Tony Parker, that's the key to this game."
If it were only that simple.
James forgets the Lakers also had Shaquille O'Neal and Karl Malone to go along with Bryant and Payton and a miraculous game-winning shot by Derek Fisher in Game 5.
Still, every defensive strategy must begin somewhere and the Sonics will start with Parker tonight at KeyArena, trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven series against the Spurs.
When everyone else had long since vacated the practice court, there was Sonics coach Nate McMillan instructing James in a private tutorial on the art of defending the pick n' roll, which has dumbfounded Seattle in this series.
A few moments earlier, McMillan pulled Rashard Lewis to the side and spoke to the All-Star small forward about the importance of his role in tonight's game.
"I talked to a few guys," McMillan said. "They haven't been through anything like this before. This is a learning experience for these guys and we'll be better for it."
Sonics players spoke in soft tones yesterday, and the disappointment from lopsided defeats in Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio seemed to have dissipated.
If the Sonics are indeed grief-stricken, then they appeared to have skipped the first four stages of the classic definition — denial, anger, bargaining and depression — and gone straight to acceptance.
Yesterday, they spent an inordinate amount of time praising the Spurs and downplaying their dire position in the series.
"This is an excellent team," McMillan said. "This team was picked to win the title. This is a great team. We're going up against the best in the NBA right now.
"... The way they are playing, it would be tough for anybody to beat them. As hot as Denver was, they cooled them off. As much success as we had in the regular season, this is not the regular season. We're dealing with a different beast now."
Perhaps the flattery was intended to soften the Spurs and make them overconfident. Or maybe McMillan is witnessing a maturity in playoff-tested San Antonio that he doesn't see in his Sonics.
"Those players went through the same things my young players here are going through," he said. "Tony Parker learned how to become a stud in the playoffs and we just have to come in and re-adjust, keep working and see if it works."
The adjustments McMillan spoke of will likely involve a three-guard lineup the Sonics employed at various times in Game 2, which worked with varying degrees of success.
With rookie reserve Nick Collison at center and 6-foot-10 Lewis at power forward, Seattle used a lineup which reduced an 18-point deficit to nine late in the third quarter.
The small lineup puts the Sonics at a disadvantage against All-Star forward Tim Duncan, but it allows them to keep pace with quick-footed guards Parker and Manu Ginobili, who are averaging 25.5 points and 19 against them in the playoffs, respectively.
"I get caught up trying to defend Tim Duncan so much that I'm on the wrong side of the pick n' roll," James said. "I got to play Tim Duncan like I play everybody else. I can't give him the respect that I've been giving him. No doubt he deserves it, but you can't respect anybody at this time of the year. You have to play everybody the same."
Fortson ruffled
Danny Fortson played a pivotal role in two regular-season victories over San Antonio, but he has only played a total of 10 minutes in this series. He has two rebounds, zero points and six fouls in the two games.
The bruising power forward gives the Sonics a fear factor unlike anyone else on the team, but he believes a riff with McMillan has carried over from the regular season and is the cause for his limited role.
"It's very odd," Fortson said. "I don't want to say anything stupid. It's a business. The NBA is a business. I've been through it before. You have to play through it."
Fortson said McMillan has allowed other power forwards, including Reggie Evans and Collison, to remain on the court after collecting a few fouls, but the coach has a quick hook when it comes to him.
Even if he were to receive extended minutes tonight, Fortson said it would be difficult for him to be effective against Duncan because of his long layoff.
"Don't expect me to do it [today]," he said. "If I did, thank you Jesus, but c'mon now. That was then. That's when I was playing. This is the Western Conference semifinals. ... I'm not even really in great shape. I don't feel like it. You need your rhythm to play and I'm a rhythm player. When I have a rhythm, I'm very tough to stop."
Fortson has been suspended once by the Sonics and served a two-game suspension by the league for yelling at a referee, throwing a chair and not leaving the court promptly following his ejection during a victory over Sacramento on Feb. 10.
McMillan said Fortson hasn't played a large role in the series because of matchups.
"Danny has had some foul trouble, but it has been really some matchups for us," McMillan said. "When Danny was out there in the first two games, he was out there with [Vladimir] Radmanovic. ... Being able to have some success with four shooters being out on the floor."
The two met and discussed their differences, but Fortson is still upset about his role.
"I'm the new guy, just remember that," he said. "I don't know anybody. These guys been together for a long time. Sometimes the new person needs a little hug every now and then. Not to say I need a hug, but just some support. I really haven't seen none of that.
"The only support I got was from [team chairman] Howard Schultz and [CEO] Wally Walker during a little meeting after I got suspended. I'm a human being too. You got to support people and make them feel like they are a part of something."
Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or [email protected]
Seattle vs. San Antonio
1 San Antonio 103, Seattle 81
2 San Antonio 108, Seattle 91
3 Today at Seattle 7:30 p.m. (FSN, ESPN)
4 Sunday at Seattle 4 p.m. (TNT)
5* May 17 at San Antonio TBA (TNT)
6* May 19 at Seattle TBA
7* May 22 at San Antonio TBA
*If necessary