CubanMustGo
05-20-2007, 08:57 PM
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5944223
Spurs send Jazz a message in Game 1
By Michael C. Lewis
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 05/20/2007 06:28:08 PM MDT
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - You could almost see the realization dawning on the Jazz, slowly at first, then with agonizing helplessness as the San Antonio Spurs ran back-cut after pick-and-roll after fast break right past them in Game 1 of the NBA's Western Conference finals:
Whoa . . . these guys really are good.
Actually, good might not be enough to describe the way the Spurs systematically dismantled the Jazz 108-100 in front of 18,300 at the AT&T Center on Sunday and cast renewed doubt on the possibility that the Jazz will be able to somehow survive the best-of-seven series.
"In the first game, you're supposed to send a message," the Jazz's Deron Williams said, "and I don't think we did that."
And if they did, it was the wrong one.
Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker combined to score 71 points for the Spurs, and the Jazz could not mount nearly enough of a rally in the fourth quarter to make up for a miserable first half in which they scored a playoff-low 16 points in the second quarter and basically gave the game away.
"We lost total concentration in trying to defend them," coach Jerry Sloan said. "We were running all over the place, giving them layups. The layups killed us. That's what a great team does, they take advantage of mistakes."
And the Jazz made plenty.
Unable to get the ball inside to leading scorer Carlos Boozer against Duncan and the best defense in the league, the Jazz had to settle for outside shots - and made precious few of them. They missed 20 of their first 26, in fact, which led to what Sloan called finger-pointing and allowed the Spurs to run away to a 19-point lead with all manner of slick passes and inside moves.
"That's something you can't do against a team like that," the Jazz's Deron Williams said. "Twenty points to a team like this is 40 points to another team. You might be able to make a couple of runs and get it down, but it's just tough to overcome that."
Impossible, perhaps.
The Jazz have lost 17 straight games to the Spurs on the road. And even with their improved effort in the second half, they neither looked anything like the inspired upstart that worked its way through two rounds of playoff basketball, nor had nearly enough to come all the way back against a veteran team that has won three championships in the last eight years.
Williams tried his best to lead the way, scoring 26 of his 34 points after halftime - "he was very aggressive," Parker said - and helping the Jazz create an opportunity to cut the lead to six with about two minutes left.
But Boozer missed a jump shot on one end - he was 7-for-17 shooting, and scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half - Parker hit one on the other, and the Spurs made 10 of 12 free throws in the final minute to avoid a close finish.
"At halftime, I told them they have to learn to compete," Sloan said. "I mean, we were shaking our heads at each other. If one guy made a mistake, you know, it was somebody else's fault. That's part of what a young team has to learn. We have to stay together, we have to fight together and bust your tail out there. I didn't think we did that. We were looking for excuses."
Theoretically, the Jazz were poised to enjoy an advantage, having had four days off while the Spurs were playing barely 36 hours after finishing off a physical series against the Phoenix Suns.
But that hardly worked out.
Parker spent the afternoon driving into the heart of the Jazz defense while Ginobili also flew up and down the floor, and even the role players whom coach Gregg Popovich used more than usual on account of the quick turnaround were making a difference. Francisco Elson, for example, blew by Boozer three times to score six points.
"I don't think it was an intimidation thing," the Jazz's Derek Fisher said. "But a lot of times, you have to learn what it takes in these situations, how to win these type of games. It's not an easy thing."
No, it sure didn't look like it.
Spurs send Jazz a message in Game 1
By Michael C. Lewis
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 05/20/2007 06:28:08 PM MDT
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - You could almost see the realization dawning on the Jazz, slowly at first, then with agonizing helplessness as the San Antonio Spurs ran back-cut after pick-and-roll after fast break right past them in Game 1 of the NBA's Western Conference finals:
Whoa . . . these guys really are good.
Actually, good might not be enough to describe the way the Spurs systematically dismantled the Jazz 108-100 in front of 18,300 at the AT&T Center on Sunday and cast renewed doubt on the possibility that the Jazz will be able to somehow survive the best-of-seven series.
"In the first game, you're supposed to send a message," the Jazz's Deron Williams said, "and I don't think we did that."
And if they did, it was the wrong one.
Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker combined to score 71 points for the Spurs, and the Jazz could not mount nearly enough of a rally in the fourth quarter to make up for a miserable first half in which they scored a playoff-low 16 points in the second quarter and basically gave the game away.
"We lost total concentration in trying to defend them," coach Jerry Sloan said. "We were running all over the place, giving them layups. The layups killed us. That's what a great team does, they take advantage of mistakes."
And the Jazz made plenty.
Unable to get the ball inside to leading scorer Carlos Boozer against Duncan and the best defense in the league, the Jazz had to settle for outside shots - and made precious few of them. They missed 20 of their first 26, in fact, which led to what Sloan called finger-pointing and allowed the Spurs to run away to a 19-point lead with all manner of slick passes and inside moves.
"That's something you can't do against a team like that," the Jazz's Deron Williams said. "Twenty points to a team like this is 40 points to another team. You might be able to make a couple of runs and get it down, but it's just tough to overcome that."
Impossible, perhaps.
The Jazz have lost 17 straight games to the Spurs on the road. And even with their improved effort in the second half, they neither looked anything like the inspired upstart that worked its way through two rounds of playoff basketball, nor had nearly enough to come all the way back against a veteran team that has won three championships in the last eight years.
Williams tried his best to lead the way, scoring 26 of his 34 points after halftime - "he was very aggressive," Parker said - and helping the Jazz create an opportunity to cut the lead to six with about two minutes left.
But Boozer missed a jump shot on one end - he was 7-for-17 shooting, and scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half - Parker hit one on the other, and the Spurs made 10 of 12 free throws in the final minute to avoid a close finish.
"At halftime, I told them they have to learn to compete," Sloan said. "I mean, we were shaking our heads at each other. If one guy made a mistake, you know, it was somebody else's fault. That's part of what a young team has to learn. We have to stay together, we have to fight together and bust your tail out there. I didn't think we did that. We were looking for excuses."
Theoretically, the Jazz were poised to enjoy an advantage, having had four days off while the Spurs were playing barely 36 hours after finishing off a physical series against the Phoenix Suns.
But that hardly worked out.
Parker spent the afternoon driving into the heart of the Jazz defense while Ginobili also flew up and down the floor, and even the role players whom coach Gregg Popovich used more than usual on account of the quick turnaround were making a difference. Francisco Elson, for example, blew by Boozer three times to score six points.
"I don't think it was an intimidation thing," the Jazz's Derek Fisher said. "But a lot of times, you have to learn what it takes in these situations, how to win these type of games. It's not an easy thing."
No, it sure didn't look like it.