Spaceman Spiff
04-23-2006, 09:33 PM
Link (http://spurs.realgm.com/articles/47/20060423/parker_sharp_shooting_send_message_in_game_1/)
Parker, Sharp Shooting Send Message in Game 1
Elliot Cole - 23rd April, 2006 7:56 PM
For more than a few moments in the Spurs 122-88 domination of the Sacramento Kings in game 1, it was like the Kings weren’t even on the court. Sure, for coach Pop and the rest of the Spurs, game 1 was a strategic, focused effort against the “darkhorse” Kings. They stopped the Kings pick-and-pop, prevented Ron Artest from pinning Bruce Bowen in the post, and found numerous ways to get penetration from the Spurs guards. But it also felt like the Spurs were playing for something more, playing to give a reminder to the entire league. And while it was nice to shut up Ron Artest, both on the scoreboard and on Manu Ginobili’s left elbow, game 1 went a long way to shut up a few other people as well.
Who? Read: every analyst who thought that Sacramento ever had a chance in this series. Read: each writer that had San Antonio struggling to get past Dallas or losing to Detroit. In their 34 point thrashing of a hot Kings team, the Spurs shut up every studio personality that forgot that the 2005 trophy sits squarely at the AT&T Center.
The game itself wasn’t about how the Spurs could stop the Kings, it was about whether or not anybody can stop the Spurs. When running on all cylinders, San Antonio is still the best team in the league, and the first half against the Kings showed how dominant they can be. Manu established the tone early by blowing by Artest on consecutive possessions before Parker took over, carving the Kings in every which way on his way to 25 points. The bench of Horry, Van Exel, and Finley proceeded to relieve the Spurs’ starters…but not the Kings, who were spectators for a shooting exhibition that looked more like a 3-point competition than a basketball game.
Were you watching, Greg Anthony? How about you, Steven A. Smith? How about anyone out there that thought the Kings would have a snowball’s chance in hell in this series?
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. “It’s just one game!” Even Denver took game 1 from San Antonio last year, and odds are the Kings won’t shoot under 40% this entire series. But this game was a little different. This year’s Spurs is a team that everybody has second-guessed to the point where people actually thought they could go to 7 in the first round. This is a team that was slated to fight through three long series on its way to the NBA Finals before falling to Detroit.
The thing is, this doesn’t look like that team. That team doesn’t reach 58% percent shooting, 65% from three, +19 on the glass with only 12 TO’s, including garbage time. All this with Tim Duncan taking only six shots. Talk about sending a message, they spammed the entire league to full capacity.
In the process, they shut a few mouths, too. With each Parker layup, Van Exel three, or Artest brick, a few typewriters stopped clacking. A few laptops turned off. For the national media, there won’t be any excitement in San Antonio in round 1, which is just the way San Antonio likes it. For Spurs fans, it’s time to dig the broom out of the closet. In fact, if the rest of the West has any dust at home, they might want to start cleaning up real fast
Elliot Cole may be reached at [email protected]
Parker, Sharp Shooting Send Message in Game 1
Elliot Cole - 23rd April, 2006 7:56 PM
For more than a few moments in the Spurs 122-88 domination of the Sacramento Kings in game 1, it was like the Kings weren’t even on the court. Sure, for coach Pop and the rest of the Spurs, game 1 was a strategic, focused effort against the “darkhorse” Kings. They stopped the Kings pick-and-pop, prevented Ron Artest from pinning Bruce Bowen in the post, and found numerous ways to get penetration from the Spurs guards. But it also felt like the Spurs were playing for something more, playing to give a reminder to the entire league. And while it was nice to shut up Ron Artest, both on the scoreboard and on Manu Ginobili’s left elbow, game 1 went a long way to shut up a few other people as well.
Who? Read: every analyst who thought that Sacramento ever had a chance in this series. Read: each writer that had San Antonio struggling to get past Dallas or losing to Detroit. In their 34 point thrashing of a hot Kings team, the Spurs shut up every studio personality that forgot that the 2005 trophy sits squarely at the AT&T Center.
The game itself wasn’t about how the Spurs could stop the Kings, it was about whether or not anybody can stop the Spurs. When running on all cylinders, San Antonio is still the best team in the league, and the first half against the Kings showed how dominant they can be. Manu established the tone early by blowing by Artest on consecutive possessions before Parker took over, carving the Kings in every which way on his way to 25 points. The bench of Horry, Van Exel, and Finley proceeded to relieve the Spurs’ starters…but not the Kings, who were spectators for a shooting exhibition that looked more like a 3-point competition than a basketball game.
Were you watching, Greg Anthony? How about you, Steven A. Smith? How about anyone out there that thought the Kings would have a snowball’s chance in hell in this series?
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. “It’s just one game!” Even Denver took game 1 from San Antonio last year, and odds are the Kings won’t shoot under 40% this entire series. But this game was a little different. This year’s Spurs is a team that everybody has second-guessed to the point where people actually thought they could go to 7 in the first round. This is a team that was slated to fight through three long series on its way to the NBA Finals before falling to Detroit.
The thing is, this doesn’t look like that team. That team doesn’t reach 58% percent shooting, 65% from three, +19 on the glass with only 12 TO’s, including garbage time. All this with Tim Duncan taking only six shots. Talk about sending a message, they spammed the entire league to full capacity.
In the process, they shut a few mouths, too. With each Parker layup, Van Exel three, or Artest brick, a few typewriters stopped clacking. A few laptops turned off. For the national media, there won’t be any excitement in San Antonio in round 1, which is just the way San Antonio likes it. For Spurs fans, it’s time to dig the broom out of the closet. In fact, if the rest of the West has any dust at home, they might want to start cleaning up real fast
Elliot Cole may be reached at [email protected]