E20
06-18-2005, 12:09 PM
***If this has already been deleted, then delete the thread, thanks
http://www.nba.com/finals2005/dazed_050617.html
Dazed and Confused
By Brad Friedman
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 16 -- When you're referred to as "the best player on the planet" by your teammates, a poor game in the NBA Finals has to feel like an aberration. Two bad games in row must feel like a wakeup call.
"It's just frustrating," said Spurs center Tim Duncan, who combined to score 30 points on 10-of-32 shooting in Games 3 and 4. "Especially at this time of the year and on this stage, I feel like those shots should be going down for me."
The Spurs' inability to establish an inside game with Duncan not only decreased their points in the paint in those contests, but also their shooting and penetration opportunities from the perimeter. The result was an all-around stagnant offense that failed to crack the 80-point mark in both games on the Pistons' home floor.
"Tim has not had the greatest of games in Games 3 and 4," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich at Friday's media availability session. "He's the center of what we do. We're going to have something inside going with Tim to space the floor. If we don't really have the inside out game, it takes a lot away from what we're doing."
Unlike Games 1 and 2, when the Pistons played poor team defense and primarily attacked Duncan with a choice of either Ben Wallace or Rasheed Wallace, in each of the last two contests the Pistons relied on a combination of defenders. As Detroit coach Larry Brown said, "You can't guard Timmy with just one guy."
"I think our guard play is really the big key to slowing Duncan down, because they are pressuring up the floor and then when he does catch the ball, he's got to fight against either me, Rasheed (Wallace), (Antonio) McDyess and the shot clock," Pistons center Ben Wallace said. "So I see him get a little frustrated doing that. We are not overreacting when they put the ball on the floor. That way we can keep a body on him and force him to shoot over the top.
"We've got a couple of guys that we can rotate in and out of the game and put on him."
Duncan acknowledged the Pistons' strategy has kept him from establishing a rhythm on the road.
"They throw a lot of different bodies at you," he said. "They have been effective, so yes, it does affect me."
If the Spurs are going to reverse their fortunes in Motown this Sunday in Game 5, Duncan's teammates will need the "best player on the planet" to start playing like one.
"I have to be a leader," Duncan said. "So it starts with me, and I understand that. I believe personally, and I think everybody believes it, it starts with me and it starts with what I'm doing for them."
Where's the D?
Prior to Game 3, the Spurs had never given up 90 points in a Finals game in franchise history. That 13-game streak came to a close Tuesday night with the Spurs' 96-79 loss in Game 3. In Game 4, the Pistons bettered that point total, breaking the century mark with 102 points against the NBA's regular season leader in points allowed. The turn of events begs the question, "What happened to the team that held the Pistons to 72.5 points per game in the first two contests?"
"Our halfcourt defense is very good," Popovich said. "If you would have told me before these games that we're going to handle Rasheed and Rip and Tayshaun the way we have, I would have been thrilled. What stinks are the boards and the turnovers. That's where their points are coming from.
"It's going on because we've succumbed to their physical play in my opinion. They have raised the bar in physicality. They do not want to give up the ring and we have not met that challenge to date in Games 3 and 4."
If the Spurs can limit Detroit's second-chance points by rebounding on the defensive end and decrease the Pistons' fast break opportunities by protecting the possession on offense, the resulting shortage of easy baskets should keep the Pistons below 90 points once again in Game 5.
Anything left in the reserves?
San Antonio's bench was badly outplayed by that of Detroit in Game 4, racking up just 21 points on 7-of-22 shooting, 12 rebounds and two assists. The Pistons, meanwhile, received strong performances from Lindsey Hunter (17 points and five assists) and Antonio McDyess (13 points and seven rebounds).
"The bench was awful," Popovich said. "You know, we got nothing off the bench last night in any way, shape or form at either end of the floor, and that's not going to work. We have several individuals that need to play better, without a doubt, both starters and bench people."
http://www.nba.com/finals2005/dazed_050617.html
Dazed and Confused
By Brad Friedman
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 16 -- When you're referred to as "the best player on the planet" by your teammates, a poor game in the NBA Finals has to feel like an aberration. Two bad games in row must feel like a wakeup call.
"It's just frustrating," said Spurs center Tim Duncan, who combined to score 30 points on 10-of-32 shooting in Games 3 and 4. "Especially at this time of the year and on this stage, I feel like those shots should be going down for me."
The Spurs' inability to establish an inside game with Duncan not only decreased their points in the paint in those contests, but also their shooting and penetration opportunities from the perimeter. The result was an all-around stagnant offense that failed to crack the 80-point mark in both games on the Pistons' home floor.
"Tim has not had the greatest of games in Games 3 and 4," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich at Friday's media availability session. "He's the center of what we do. We're going to have something inside going with Tim to space the floor. If we don't really have the inside out game, it takes a lot away from what we're doing."
Unlike Games 1 and 2, when the Pistons played poor team defense and primarily attacked Duncan with a choice of either Ben Wallace or Rasheed Wallace, in each of the last two contests the Pistons relied on a combination of defenders. As Detroit coach Larry Brown said, "You can't guard Timmy with just one guy."
"I think our guard play is really the big key to slowing Duncan down, because they are pressuring up the floor and then when he does catch the ball, he's got to fight against either me, Rasheed (Wallace), (Antonio) McDyess and the shot clock," Pistons center Ben Wallace said. "So I see him get a little frustrated doing that. We are not overreacting when they put the ball on the floor. That way we can keep a body on him and force him to shoot over the top.
"We've got a couple of guys that we can rotate in and out of the game and put on him."
Duncan acknowledged the Pistons' strategy has kept him from establishing a rhythm on the road.
"They throw a lot of different bodies at you," he said. "They have been effective, so yes, it does affect me."
If the Spurs are going to reverse their fortunes in Motown this Sunday in Game 5, Duncan's teammates will need the "best player on the planet" to start playing like one.
"I have to be a leader," Duncan said. "So it starts with me, and I understand that. I believe personally, and I think everybody believes it, it starts with me and it starts with what I'm doing for them."
Where's the D?
Prior to Game 3, the Spurs had never given up 90 points in a Finals game in franchise history. That 13-game streak came to a close Tuesday night with the Spurs' 96-79 loss in Game 3. In Game 4, the Pistons bettered that point total, breaking the century mark with 102 points against the NBA's regular season leader in points allowed. The turn of events begs the question, "What happened to the team that held the Pistons to 72.5 points per game in the first two contests?"
"Our halfcourt defense is very good," Popovich said. "If you would have told me before these games that we're going to handle Rasheed and Rip and Tayshaun the way we have, I would have been thrilled. What stinks are the boards and the turnovers. That's where their points are coming from.
"It's going on because we've succumbed to their physical play in my opinion. They have raised the bar in physicality. They do not want to give up the ring and we have not met that challenge to date in Games 3 and 4."
If the Spurs can limit Detroit's second-chance points by rebounding on the defensive end and decrease the Pistons' fast break opportunities by protecting the possession on offense, the resulting shortage of easy baskets should keep the Pistons below 90 points once again in Game 5.
Anything left in the reserves?
San Antonio's bench was badly outplayed by that of Detroit in Game 4, racking up just 21 points on 7-of-22 shooting, 12 rebounds and two assists. The Pistons, meanwhile, received strong performances from Lindsey Hunter (17 points and five assists) and Antonio McDyess (13 points and seven rebounds).
"The bench was awful," Popovich said. "You know, we got nothing off the bench last night in any way, shape or form at either end of the floor, and that's not going to work. We have several individuals that need to play better, without a doubt, both starters and bench people."