degenerate_gambler
05-31-2007, 09:23 AM
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6867400?MSNHPHMA
Spurs nearly perfect in series clincher
Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 7 hours ago
This one was won and done in the first quarter. The tell-tale sign was Gregg Popovich sitting on the bench early in the second quarter with his legs crossed, as relaxed as though he was in his own living room.
In fact, the Spurs' 109-84 thumping of the Jazz in Wednesday's series-clinching Game 5 was more like an instructional clinic than a competitive ball game. Watch closely, everybody: Here's how to move without the ball, set and use screens, make the so-called extra pass, post up (which is actually a necessity), shoot, battle for rebounds, rotate on defense, scramble for loose balls, and so on.
Analysis:
Playoff Basketball 101.
The Spurs knew exactly what they wanted to do, and they simply went out and did it. For example, with Derek Fisher attending to his sick daughter in New York and unable to get to the arena until halftime, Michael Finley went right after Fish's replacement (Gordan Giricek) on the Spurs' very first possession. An iso on the left wing for a pull-up 19-footer that made the net dance.
And where the Jazz had been able to dig into Tim Duncan's dribble whenever he posted on the left box, TD opened his assault on Mehmet Okur with successful powerhouse moves that began on the right box.
Also, since Deron Williams was noticeably gimpy with an injured foot, Tony Parker wasted no time in taking the young man to the cup.
If Carlos Boozer is prone to turn his head on defense, there went Fabricio Oberto on a backdoor baseline cut to clutch a clever pass from TD and score an easy layup.
Among other skills, the Spurs can recognize an opponent's weak spots and unfortunate tendencies, and then relentlessly exploit them all.
And that was just on offense.
At the other end of the court, the Spurs' syncopated defense once again closed up all the interior spaces in which Boozer loves to operate. For the game, Boozer scored only one bucket after setting up in the pivot.
For some reason, Jerry Sloan was so anxious to get Okur going that he ran too many plays for him in the opening minutes. Okur responded with several off-balance shots and was hoopless in three attempts. The Jazz would have been better served by employing the same back- and diagonal-screen for Boozer that once created prime post-up positions for Karl Malone.
In the real world, however, none of these stratagems would have made any difference. The Spurs were healthy, playing in front of the home folks, and absolutely certain that the game, and the series, belonged to them. While the Jazz were injured, short-handed and spitting against the wind.
The true indication of how good the Spurs are could be observed in the last 12 minutes. With the game already in hand, Pop had five bench-warmers on the court: Matt Bonner, Jacque Vaughn, Brent Barry, Beno Udrih and Francisco Elson. Even with the Spurs 25-plus points to the good the scrubs shunned garbage time. Instead they didn't miss a screen, didn't make sloppy passes, always undertook aggressive cuts, hustled after every loose ball, never forced a shot or botched a defensive rotation, and played with the kind of precision, awareness and unselfishness that would be characteristic of a good team playing in a tight ball game.
Now that's discipline.
Both the Spurs' reserves and starters understand and fully embrace their various roles. What's more, every player respects every contribution made by his teammates, no matter how insignificant these may appear. The cut that opens up a driving lane for someone else. The pass that leads to an assist pass. The screen that creates a half-step advantage. For the Spurs, the angels are in the details.
That's why there are no prima donnas on the squad, and no surprises.
But let me back up for a minute. Actually, Manu Ginobili's superlative talents once were a huge surprise to both his coaches and his teammates.
The occasion was the start of the 2002-03 season. Ginobili had been San Antonio's second-round selection (57th pick overall) in the 1999 NBA Draft. Before finally agreeing to play with the Spurs, he'd been playing in Italy. But the trick was that Ginobili had a severely injured ankle when he reported to the Spurs' pre-season training camp, and wasn't able to play all out until the second week of the NBA season.
Until then he had been something of a mystery player.
Imagine everybody's surprise and delight when they finally got a chance to eyeball Ginobili's high-octane lefty slants, madcap hustle and deadly perimeter shooting. Even now, Ginobili does something in virtually every game that causes his mates to break into happy grins. Like the two sudden step-back jumpers he drilled in the first quarter. Or the righty drive and layup that he almost converted in the second quarter. Like the third-quarter defensive rebound he ripped away from Utah's huge front-line.
And that's why Ginobili was, and still is, the Spurs' X-factor and not-so-secret weapon.
For several seasons the Spurs have been justly celebrated for their poise, their grit, their versatility and intelligence, plus the unselfishness of their superstars. But Game 5 demonstrated two other qualities that are equally as vital to their continued success:
Prompted by Pop, their perpetual quest to achieve perfection. The perfect play. The perfect quarter. The perfect game. The perfect series.
Plus a collective character trait lacking in several of their contemporaries (most notably the Pistons) — a ruthless killer instinct.
That's why from the opening tipoff in Game 5 the Spurs refused to allow the Jazz to even dream of extending the series.
It's a mind game all right, and the Spurs are by far the most mindful NBA ball club still standing.
Spurs nearly perfect in series clincher
Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 7 hours ago
This one was won and done in the first quarter. The tell-tale sign was Gregg Popovich sitting on the bench early in the second quarter with his legs crossed, as relaxed as though he was in his own living room.
In fact, the Spurs' 109-84 thumping of the Jazz in Wednesday's series-clinching Game 5 was more like an instructional clinic than a competitive ball game. Watch closely, everybody: Here's how to move without the ball, set and use screens, make the so-called extra pass, post up (which is actually a necessity), shoot, battle for rebounds, rotate on defense, scramble for loose balls, and so on.
Analysis:
Playoff Basketball 101.
The Spurs knew exactly what they wanted to do, and they simply went out and did it. For example, with Derek Fisher attending to his sick daughter in New York and unable to get to the arena until halftime, Michael Finley went right after Fish's replacement (Gordan Giricek) on the Spurs' very first possession. An iso on the left wing for a pull-up 19-footer that made the net dance.
And where the Jazz had been able to dig into Tim Duncan's dribble whenever he posted on the left box, TD opened his assault on Mehmet Okur with successful powerhouse moves that began on the right box.
Also, since Deron Williams was noticeably gimpy with an injured foot, Tony Parker wasted no time in taking the young man to the cup.
If Carlos Boozer is prone to turn his head on defense, there went Fabricio Oberto on a backdoor baseline cut to clutch a clever pass from TD and score an easy layup.
Among other skills, the Spurs can recognize an opponent's weak spots and unfortunate tendencies, and then relentlessly exploit them all.
And that was just on offense.
At the other end of the court, the Spurs' syncopated defense once again closed up all the interior spaces in which Boozer loves to operate. For the game, Boozer scored only one bucket after setting up in the pivot.
For some reason, Jerry Sloan was so anxious to get Okur going that he ran too many plays for him in the opening minutes. Okur responded with several off-balance shots and was hoopless in three attempts. The Jazz would have been better served by employing the same back- and diagonal-screen for Boozer that once created prime post-up positions for Karl Malone.
In the real world, however, none of these stratagems would have made any difference. The Spurs were healthy, playing in front of the home folks, and absolutely certain that the game, and the series, belonged to them. While the Jazz were injured, short-handed and spitting against the wind.
The true indication of how good the Spurs are could be observed in the last 12 minutes. With the game already in hand, Pop had five bench-warmers on the court: Matt Bonner, Jacque Vaughn, Brent Barry, Beno Udrih and Francisco Elson. Even with the Spurs 25-plus points to the good the scrubs shunned garbage time. Instead they didn't miss a screen, didn't make sloppy passes, always undertook aggressive cuts, hustled after every loose ball, never forced a shot or botched a defensive rotation, and played with the kind of precision, awareness and unselfishness that would be characteristic of a good team playing in a tight ball game.
Now that's discipline.
Both the Spurs' reserves and starters understand and fully embrace their various roles. What's more, every player respects every contribution made by his teammates, no matter how insignificant these may appear. The cut that opens up a driving lane for someone else. The pass that leads to an assist pass. The screen that creates a half-step advantage. For the Spurs, the angels are in the details.
That's why there are no prima donnas on the squad, and no surprises.
But let me back up for a minute. Actually, Manu Ginobili's superlative talents once were a huge surprise to both his coaches and his teammates.
The occasion was the start of the 2002-03 season. Ginobili had been San Antonio's second-round selection (57th pick overall) in the 1999 NBA Draft. Before finally agreeing to play with the Spurs, he'd been playing in Italy. But the trick was that Ginobili had a severely injured ankle when he reported to the Spurs' pre-season training camp, and wasn't able to play all out until the second week of the NBA season.
Until then he had been something of a mystery player.
Imagine everybody's surprise and delight when they finally got a chance to eyeball Ginobili's high-octane lefty slants, madcap hustle and deadly perimeter shooting. Even now, Ginobili does something in virtually every game that causes his mates to break into happy grins. Like the two sudden step-back jumpers he drilled in the first quarter. Or the righty drive and layup that he almost converted in the second quarter. Like the third-quarter defensive rebound he ripped away from Utah's huge front-line.
And that's why Ginobili was, and still is, the Spurs' X-factor and not-so-secret weapon.
For several seasons the Spurs have been justly celebrated for their poise, their grit, their versatility and intelligence, plus the unselfishness of their superstars. But Game 5 demonstrated two other qualities that are equally as vital to their continued success:
Prompted by Pop, their perpetual quest to achieve perfection. The perfect play. The perfect quarter. The perfect game. The perfect series.
Plus a collective character trait lacking in several of their contemporaries (most notably the Pistons) — a ruthless killer instinct.
That's why from the opening tipoff in Game 5 the Spurs refused to allow the Jazz to even dream of extending the series.
It's a mind game all right, and the Spurs are by far the most mindful NBA ball club still standing.