RobinsontoDuncan
05-28-2005, 01:52 PM
Ready or not, here they come
By Sean Deveney - SportingNews
Story (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpYTg2ZTBwBF9TAzk1ODYxOTQ4BHNlYwN0 bQ--?slug=readyornotheretheycome&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
Also see:
1, not 1A:
Dwyane Wade turns up the Heat
The first goal of playoff defense (or any NBA defense) is to keep the offense out of the paint. It's simple, really -- shots taken from close to the basket are more likely to go in than shots taken from farther away.
But it's not that simple to accomplish, especially not when the opponent has a ballhandler capable of snapping his defender's ankles like dry twigs. Dealing with a penetrator is the most difficult task because it forces help defense into the lane and leaves the guy who is driving with the choice of finishing at the rim or kicking the ball to an open teammate.
Every team in the conference finals has a penetrator who knows how to drive, how to kick and how to finish.
Suns vs. Spurs
STEVE NASH, PG, Suns
DRIVE: Nash is quick and has great instincts. He rarely gives up his dribble too early -- he often drives from the 3-point line to the baseline, and if no opportunities open up, he pulls the ball back to the perimeter and tries again. He sometimes puts himself into difficult situations but has an uncanny ability to get out of them.
KICK: Nash is simply the best, most creative passer in the game and has unbelievable floor vision. Not only does he pass on the drive, but he delivers the ball to teammates in optimal spots. He is a great bounce passer, a great alley-oop passer and a great passer from under the basket, but his best passes often are the simple ones to the perimeter.
FINISH: Because he passes so well, Nash's ability to finish gets overshadowed. He hits pull-up jumpers and loves to shoot a step-back, fadeaway jumper in the lane over bigger players. He uses the glass as well as any guard and is dangerous with his reverse layup.
SCOUT'S VIEW: "With the way he's playing now, I am not sure you want to make him a shooter," says a Western Conference scout. "But that still seems to be the best way to try to contain him."
MANU GINOBILI, SG, Spurs
DRIVE: He is lefthanded but will drive to either side. His ballhandling is average, but he has great body control and loses defenders easily with wild changes of direction. He possesses a deadly first step. He uses one speed (fast) and one method (hard). He attacks the basket from all angles.
KICK: His passing is hit or miss. Ginobili takes some risks with passes (though not as many as he did in past years), but most often he puts his head down and tries to get in position for his own shot.
FINISH: Ginobili has harnessed his athleticism and uses it to pressure defenses, draw fouls and finish plays. He has cut down on silly turnovers and is an exciting dunker who makes good decisions at the rim.
SCOUT'S VIEW: "Get the ball out of his hands," says a Western Conference assistant coach. "He can take over a game if you let him get confidence in his drive. He is not very dangerous as a passer, so if you pressure him, you can make him uncomfortable."
TONY PARKER, PG, Spurs
DRIVE: He is incredibly quick -- when he wants to be. He handles the ball with both hands, has an excellent crossover move and is deadly coming off pick-and-rolls with Tim Duncan. But Parker never has established a good balance between being aggressive and using his smarts. He sometimes stops attacking the basket.
KICK: Parker is seeing the floor better as he gains more confidence in finding Duncan on pick-and-rolls and passing to the Spurs' spot-up shooters for 3s. But passing still is not his strength.
FINISH: One knock on Parker has been his inability to get to the rim and finish. He is quick but not strong and not much of a leaper. Still, he has developed a good reverse layup and can rely on his floater.
SCOUT'S View: "It's easy to forget how young he is (23)," says a Western Conference assistant coach. "Point guard is a tough position, but he is getting better and better."
Heat vs. Pistons
DWYANE WADE, SG, Heat
DRIVE: He is perhaps the best athlete in the league and is a polished ballhandler with either hand. He can lull defenders to sleep by slowing his dribble, then blow past them in an instant.
KICK: Wade makes more than his share of turnovers (4.2 per game this season, second in the league), and his floor vision is only so-so. But he is able to dump passes to Shaquille O'Neal, and Wade has improved his ability to get the ball to perimeter shooters.
FINISH: There is no one better at finishing a drive than Wade. He is only 6-4, but he is an incredible leaper and an unstoppable dunker. He is creative in midair, so even when defenses react, he makes circus shots.
SCOUT'S VIEW: "I know his shot has gotten better," says an Eastern Conference assistant coach, "but I would rather sag off of him and let him shoot from outside because when he gets by his guy and gets into the lane, that's it -- it's over."
CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, PG, Pistons
DRIVE: Speed isn't Billups' game -- he's not going to make a lot of stop-and-start moves. He can shoot from the perimeter, and that sets up his drives (he prefers to go left) to the hoop. He is the strongest point guard in the league, and that allows him to bull past defenders.
KICK: Billups has moved away from his shoot-first tendencies and now focuses on passing. But when there is a need for penetration with the shot clock winding down, he still is unlikely to kick the ball out to a teammate.
FINISH: Because of his strength, Billups can draw contact and still give himself a good chance at finishing the play. He was more restrained in his drives this season and did not get to the free throw line as often, but he shot 89.8 percent when he did.
SCOUT'S VIEW: "What you see is what you get," says an Eastern Conference assistant coach. "He is not going to sky into the lane and dunk. But he goes in there with no fear."
Sean Deveney is a staff writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at [email protected].
By Sean Deveney - SportingNews
Story (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpYTg2ZTBwBF9TAzk1ODYxOTQ4BHNlYwN0 bQ--?slug=readyornotheretheycome&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
Also see:
1, not 1A:
Dwyane Wade turns up the Heat
The first goal of playoff defense (or any NBA defense) is to keep the offense out of the paint. It's simple, really -- shots taken from close to the basket are more likely to go in than shots taken from farther away.
But it's not that simple to accomplish, especially not when the opponent has a ballhandler capable of snapping his defender's ankles like dry twigs. Dealing with a penetrator is the most difficult task because it forces help defense into the lane and leaves the guy who is driving with the choice of finishing at the rim or kicking the ball to an open teammate.
Every team in the conference finals has a penetrator who knows how to drive, how to kick and how to finish.
Suns vs. Spurs
STEVE NASH, PG, Suns
DRIVE: Nash is quick and has great instincts. He rarely gives up his dribble too early -- he often drives from the 3-point line to the baseline, and if no opportunities open up, he pulls the ball back to the perimeter and tries again. He sometimes puts himself into difficult situations but has an uncanny ability to get out of them.
KICK: Nash is simply the best, most creative passer in the game and has unbelievable floor vision. Not only does he pass on the drive, but he delivers the ball to teammates in optimal spots. He is a great bounce passer, a great alley-oop passer and a great passer from under the basket, but his best passes often are the simple ones to the perimeter.
FINISH: Because he passes so well, Nash's ability to finish gets overshadowed. He hits pull-up jumpers and loves to shoot a step-back, fadeaway jumper in the lane over bigger players. He uses the glass as well as any guard and is dangerous with his reverse layup.
SCOUT'S VIEW: "With the way he's playing now, I am not sure you want to make him a shooter," says a Western Conference scout. "But that still seems to be the best way to try to contain him."
MANU GINOBILI, SG, Spurs
DRIVE: He is lefthanded but will drive to either side. His ballhandling is average, but he has great body control and loses defenders easily with wild changes of direction. He possesses a deadly first step. He uses one speed (fast) and one method (hard). He attacks the basket from all angles.
KICK: His passing is hit or miss. Ginobili takes some risks with passes (though not as many as he did in past years), but most often he puts his head down and tries to get in position for his own shot.
FINISH: Ginobili has harnessed his athleticism and uses it to pressure defenses, draw fouls and finish plays. He has cut down on silly turnovers and is an exciting dunker who makes good decisions at the rim.
SCOUT'S VIEW: "Get the ball out of his hands," says a Western Conference assistant coach. "He can take over a game if you let him get confidence in his drive. He is not very dangerous as a passer, so if you pressure him, you can make him uncomfortable."
TONY PARKER, PG, Spurs
DRIVE: He is incredibly quick -- when he wants to be. He handles the ball with both hands, has an excellent crossover move and is deadly coming off pick-and-rolls with Tim Duncan. But Parker never has established a good balance between being aggressive and using his smarts. He sometimes stops attacking the basket.
KICK: Parker is seeing the floor better as he gains more confidence in finding Duncan on pick-and-rolls and passing to the Spurs' spot-up shooters for 3s. But passing still is not his strength.
FINISH: One knock on Parker has been his inability to get to the rim and finish. He is quick but not strong and not much of a leaper. Still, he has developed a good reverse layup and can rely on his floater.
SCOUT'S View: "It's easy to forget how young he is (23)," says a Western Conference assistant coach. "Point guard is a tough position, but he is getting better and better."
Heat vs. Pistons
DWYANE WADE, SG, Heat
DRIVE: He is perhaps the best athlete in the league and is a polished ballhandler with either hand. He can lull defenders to sleep by slowing his dribble, then blow past them in an instant.
KICK: Wade makes more than his share of turnovers (4.2 per game this season, second in the league), and his floor vision is only so-so. But he is able to dump passes to Shaquille O'Neal, and Wade has improved his ability to get the ball to perimeter shooters.
FINISH: There is no one better at finishing a drive than Wade. He is only 6-4, but he is an incredible leaper and an unstoppable dunker. He is creative in midair, so even when defenses react, he makes circus shots.
SCOUT'S VIEW: "I know his shot has gotten better," says an Eastern Conference assistant coach, "but I would rather sag off of him and let him shoot from outside because when he gets by his guy and gets into the lane, that's it -- it's over."
CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, PG, Pistons
DRIVE: Speed isn't Billups' game -- he's not going to make a lot of stop-and-start moves. He can shoot from the perimeter, and that sets up his drives (he prefers to go left) to the hoop. He is the strongest point guard in the league, and that allows him to bull past defenders.
KICK: Billups has moved away from his shoot-first tendencies and now focuses on passing. But when there is a need for penetration with the shot clock winding down, he still is unlikely to kick the ball out to a teammate.
FINISH: Because of his strength, Billups can draw contact and still give himself a good chance at finishing the play. He was more restrained in his drives this season and did not get to the free throw line as often, but he shot 89.8 percent when he did.
SCOUT'S VIEW: "What you see is what you get," says an Eastern Conference assistant coach. "He is not going to sky into the lane and dunk. But he goes in there with no fear."
Sean Deveney is a staff writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at [email protected].