Marion's performance : Match fact or Spurs plan?

[stéphane]

According to the press conference, I understood that Nash and Stoudemire took a lot of shots so Marion not taking a lot of shots is just kinda normal. There is only one ball etc etc...
But i thought it's just what happened and it was not the Spurs plan to shut down Marion in particular.

BUT here is a quote from TP's last interview on his website (personnal translation) :

Concerning Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire was unstoppable (41 points). Is there a way to contain this guy ?

He's tough to stop, just like Steve Nash. The Suns PG is a so good shooter that he can do whatever he decides. It's why we have to do a choice between Stoudemire, Nash and Marion. Today, we gave everything to stop Shawn Marion and we succeeded (3 points). If we could stop one of these three guys each game, it would be perfect.

It sounds to me that they decided to stop Marion in particular but I didn't hear CIA Pop or any other players saying that they decided to stop Marion in particular. What do you think?

[2centsworth]

I love Marion's game. I think the guy has an injury to his wrist. Also, having Bruce draped all over you and guarding Tim Duncan does no favors to your offense.

[stéphane]

I love Marion's game. I think the guy has an injury to his wrist. Also, having Bruce draped all over you and guarding Tim Duncan does no favors to your offense.
Yes that's the point. I wouldn't be surprised to hear Pop says : "hey guys Marion is not 100%, be very tight on him in particular, and we will have to deal with only 2 primary scorers then" (the 2 involved in the pick & rolls...).

[Clandestino]

there is no way in hell we'd stop amare either. he is a beast...

[Solid D]

The strategy to stop Marion may have been singular of nature. "Bruce Bowen". Since Marion plays the 4, Timmy has defended him in the past and PJ said prior to game 1 that they didn't want Timmy (with his ankles) chasing Marion around...they were going with Bowen on Shawn.

[Spurminator]

Bowen did well, but Marion was on the floor for 11 more minutes than he was and still produced nothing in that time... I think it was a combination of a team focus to keep the ball from him and limitations from his injury.

[SPARKY]

Here is where the value of a Joe Johnson comes in for them.

[timvp]

The Spurs have a history of shutting down Marion since Bruce's arrival. Marion used to kill the Spurs like few players in the league, but Bruce is able to guard him well. In the 2003 playoffs, he held Marion to like 37% shooting throughout the series, IIRC.

[T Park]

he held Marion to like 37% shooting throughout the series

and it really carried over, Marion had a horrible year shooting the ball last year.



I think you stick with it, and also put Ginobili on Jim Jackson, no way that MFer should go off like that.

The Spurs D on him in the 3rd was atrocious.

[DDS4]

I think if the Spurs wanted to make a conscious effort to shut down Amare they could, but with limited success. Amare was hitting jumpers from 12-15 ft. also. Tough to stop.

Maybe they felt Marion was the weakest link among the 3.

[MiNuS]

Marion 38min 1-6 made/att 0-1 3pt att 1-2 ft 2 9 1 1 1 0 4 3pt


Welcome to the real world. Matrix vs Rash

[boutons]

"Amare was hitting jumpers from 12-15 ft."

His FG %age from there, with a hand in his face, will be necessarily lower than his dunk %age.

I'd like to see Spurs guard or forward sag at the low block and anticipate trying to take a charge on Amare as he comes down the lane on a pnr. The problem with that is it could leave the other opponent open in the corner. But Amare ain't much of a passer. When he wants to go to the basket, kicking out is way down his list of options

But again, a 3G% is a lot lower than Amare's dunking %age.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Well anyone watching that game could see that the Spurs wanted to turn that game into a two on five matchup, so I think just as much of Marion's struggles were due to the Spurs forcing Nash to funnel the ball elsewhere, as well as Bowen sticking to him like a silver and black cape. With that said, I wouldn't count on him staying this quiet. This guy was trouble for the Spurs back in the 2003 series too and he's a few years better now. I'm sure that the Suns are sitting in the film room trying to cook up a game plan that will get the ball in his hands better. I think the big reason why they need him on his game is because of that freaky ass jumper of his. It's quick and seemingly impossible to block. So in situations where the Spurs force them into a less than ideal shot he'd be the guy they want with the ball in his hand.

[beirmeistr]

Why did Marion have a bad game? Two reasons---(1)recovering from an injury to his hand, and (2) he had a Rash all over his body.