Praising Tony Parker's defense thread

[George Gervin's Afro]

I have to admit TP drives me nuts with his forcing bad shots or going 1 on 4 on a fast break. HOWEVER his defense on AI has been outstanding. I cannot sing him enough praise for his efforts in containing AI. I realize Bowen takes his turn on AI but TP by far defends him the best. I think this is the best defense I have ever seen Tony play. Props to him!

[spursfaninla]

Tony is keeping AI away from the basket. Let AI shoot long range 2's all day.

[spursfan09]

He can stay infront of him very well.

[bdictjames]

Yeah go Tony!!! Our defense has really helped us in this series.

[degenerate_gambler]

he's working very hard on the defensive end and doing a pretty damn good job of keeping iverson out of the lane.

[BeerIsGood!]

The series is 2-1. He's doing a great job so far, but let's not start becoming Mav fans and blowing the wad early here...

[George Gervin's Afro]

The series is 2-1. He's doing a great job so far, but let's not start becoming Mav fans and blowing the wad early here...


You are correct blowing your wad early is a very bad thing..! :nope

[timvp]

Outside of Game 1, Parker has played some of the best defense of his career. However, that needs to continue and he has to stay out of foul trouble ... which isn't an easy thing to do when guarding AI.

[1Parker1]

lol...if ever there was a jinx. Either way, I think AI is going off tonight. I predict Melo and AI have huge games tonight, it'll be up to the Spurs to weather it and come out on top.

[5ToolMan]

Outside of Game 1, Parker has played some of the best defense of his career. However, that needs to continue and he has to stay out of foul trouble ... which isn't an easy thing to do when guarding AI.

I agree with your post. Props to Tony for a great two game stretch against AI. But everyone needs to remember AI's greatness and motivation will not make Tony's job any easier as the series moves forward.

I love the growth Tony's defense is showing. Here is a big cheer to him ... and a bigger hope he can keep it up and even get better. :toast

[Leetonidas]

I think it's funny when people say Barbosa and Harris are the fastest point guards in the NBA when Tony is pretty damn lightning quick himself.

[Kori Ellis]

Freakin BUMP!

[slayermin]

I recall TP had a couple of sick drives in the 4th plus the kickout to Horry.

I think he might have even deked the Nuggets by not using up all the clock and penetrating right away, catching the defense off guard.

[jaespur21]

I think it's funny when people say Barbosa and Harris are the fastest point guards in the NBA when Tony is pretty damn lightning quick himself.
great minds think alike

[thekingrobert]

parker's D is simply amazing and thats why his O hasnt been up to par cause he's spending so much energy doing a GREAT job on D

[Testing]

Tony Parker has been your difference in this series. Ginobili is playing up and down, Duncan seems to be letting the refs get to him at critical moments.

Parker is the only one consistenly playing amazing defense on AI and is the reason why Bowen can afford to be put on Melo. If AI goes off in this series, it could easily have gone the other way.....

[boutons_]

At every chance, Tony has really been dragging his feet and grabbing his shorts this series, he was looking foggy. But he has been effective.

We need to finish the Suns off in 5 max so Tony is rested take on Baron in the WCF.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

TP has definitely stepped up for the task. He actually has made me more proud (and less frustrated) on the defensive end in the post-season (that one play he had on Rip in 2005 finals) than he has on the offensive end. (though his aggressiveness on the O end, hasn't been too shabby. He's been not afraid.)

I was pissed at him in Game 1. But now as the series has progressed, he's only wisened up and gotten better. That one difficult shot AI had in the 4th Q, Tony's attempts to stay in front and contest that was pretty cool. Though I wondered if he could have drawn the charge, if possible on that play.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

At every chance, Tony has really been dragging his feet and grabbing his shorts this series, his looking foggy. But he has been effective.

We need to finish the Suns off in 5 max so Tony is rested take on Baron in the WCF.
I like how you think. Definitely, if GS wins the first round. It'll only liven the playoff intensity, so I'd definitely root for them to go all the way to the WCF.

[ducks]

guarding ai is not easy and playing in high attitude is not easy

one game when pop played ai against tony when he was a sixer
tony did not score his job all night was to shut down ai
spurs won
when a plyer shots 20-25 shots and wants to drive
it wears on your body

[ducks]

if gs goes to the wcf
tp will have to guard
ai
nash
and baron davis
and then the pistons make it chauncy

[LilMissSPURfect]

if gs goes to the wcf
tp will have to guard
ai
nash
and baron davis
and then the pistons make it chauncy


"they call me tony montana"! :drunk

[spursfaninnewmexico]

In heaven over last night's game, but something stood out and I'd like yall's take on it.

Would Tony's D improve if he didn't hit the floor after almost every shot? I love the aggressiveness of going full out to the rim, but seems like he is always on the floor afterward, points or not. Then he is one of the last back down to play D. Is better balance the key? He's not getting fouls, so why all the floor kissing?

[ginobili fan]

"they call me tony montana"! :drunk

ha ha :drunk
who's next? :ihit

[Borosai]

I'm impressed at how well TP is staying in front of Iverson. AI tries to cross over and make quick moves, but Tony is right there. I'm surprised he has energy to score as well. Great job by him.

[AFBlue]

Amen to this thread...

Tony's defense on AI allowed Bowen to shift off of him and move to Carmelo. Even if Carmelo is making a sick number of shots, Bowen is making it tough as hell on him. That's all possible because Tony has been dominant against AI defensively....a BIG reason the Spurs are up 3-1.

[Spurs Brazil]

TP did a great job

[wildbill2u]

Tp is playing his ass off against AI on defense. AI never shoots a great percentage, but he gets on streaks that are hard to stop when he gets rolling. For the most part, Tony has prevented those streaks.

An all-around effort by an All Pro.

[beirmeistr]

I have to admit TP drives me nuts with his forcing bad shots or going 1 on 4 on a fast break. HOWEVER his defense on AI has been outstanding. I cannot sing him enough praise for his efforts in containing AI. I realize Bowen takes his turn on AI but TP by far defends him the best. I think this is the best defense I have ever seen Tony play. Props to him!
Well said. I agree that Tony is doing an excellent job on AI.

[ducks]

Allen Iverson has gone from almost invincible to nearly invisible.

In six trips to the playoffs with the Philadelphia 76ers, Iverson's 30.6 scoring average was second all-time to Michael Jordan's 33.4.

He scored in 31 in his Nuggets playoff debut, but he's gone in a deep funk since -- making just 25 of 70 shots in the last three games, all Spurs' wins.

Just 9-of-25 Monday night, he didn't score at all during the final 5:24 as the Nuggets watched their four-point lead evaporate in a 96-89 loss.
Iverson also missed 16 of 25 shots in Game 2, when he didn't get to the free-throw line, and he misfired on 13 of 20 shots in Game 3.

The Nuggets trust that "The Answer" will find a solution Wednesday night in San Antonio so that Denver doesn't get bounced from the playoffs in five games for the fourth straight season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview;_ylt=Ajk7N4nPwL91hkVYxeDlr945nYcB?gid=2007 050224

[GrandeDavid]

That's good he's building confidence, defensively, because in later series if he hits bumps he can be reminded by coaches, players (even fans) that he already did very well against one of the hardest guys in the Association to defend - Allen Iverson. Definitely good he's gotten an early test!

[frequency]

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/5643/25409981614f21be9c61fe5.jpg