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04-18-2008, 09:20 AM
http://www.sportClutch 3s: Trios will lead Celtics, Spurs to NBA Finals
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Posted: April 17, 2008
Winning time. Crunch time. Nail-biting time. Sweaty palms time. No matter what you call the closing minutes of a tight game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has a play for it. No team, in fact, has more options in the close-and-tight chapter of its playbook than the Spurs. "Hundreds," an advance scout says, "and I'm not exaggerating by much."
No team has had more chances to use them, either. In the 10 years since Michael Jordan gently nudged Bryon Russell out of his way and sank one of his most memorable baskets, the Spurs have made more big shots -- and, not coincidentally, won more playoff games -- than any other team. Even if you're not a Spurs fan, you probably remember some of them.
Game 4, 2007 Finals. After playing catch-up for nearly 44 minutes, the Cavaliers tie the game. Manu Ginobili breaks free for a long 3-pointer, and the Spurs close out the Cavaliers to win their fourth championship in nine years.
Game 5, 2005 Finals. With 5.8 seconds left in overtime and the Pistons up by two, Robert Horry delivers one of his biggest big shots. Ginobili, double-teamed in the corner, finds an open Horry, who steps in after making the inbounds pass and hits the basket that turns the series in the Spurs' favor.
Game 6, 2003 Finals. During a fourth quarter comeback, Tim Duncan fends off a double-team and finds Stephen Jackson for a 3-pointer that comes halfway through a 19-0 run and gives the Spurs the lead in the championship clincher over the Nets.
Game 5, 1999 Finals. From the corner, Avery Johnson nails an open jumper with 47 seconds left to beat the Knicks and wrap up the Spurs' first title.
Notice a trend? Well, yes -- the Spurs do seem to win championships in odd-numbered years. But a key to those championships is the Spurs' ability to make a bucket when they need it most.
The Spurs' crunch-time stars
1. Manu Ginobili
2. Tim Duncan
3. Tony Parker
Having three superstars doesn't hurt -- especially when the trio has proved itself as Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker have. All three increase their production in the playoffs. The lefty Ginobili, who most often is Popovich's pick to make a big play, already has come through with last-minute winners against the Grizzlies, Heat and Timberwolves this season. Like Kobe Bryant and others known for their lategame heroics, Ginobili can shoot 3-pointers, get to the basket and make free throws -- and he welcomes the pressure. He also is one of the game's best freelancers. More than once, Popovich has explained a key play by saying something along the lines of, "He's Manu. That's what he does."
NBA playoff coverage
McNeal: Top go-to guys
Some teams don't need trios
Marv Alberts' top shots
Playoff storylines
Greenberg: The List: Playoff guarantees
Fantasy playoff hoops: Sign up
Duncan's struggles at the free throw line make him a risk to handle the ball late, but he's still the game's best low-post scorer and the Spur most likely to be double-teamed. When he is doubleteamed, Duncan is one of the best at finding the open teammate.
When Ginobili is defended by a stopper such as Bryant, Popovich is likely to turn to point guard Parker to play hero. The MVP of last year's Finals is the player now considered the Spurs' No. 1 option by some teams. Parker's quickness makes him one of the league's most proficient guards at scoring in the paint. Sharing the responsibility makes all of the options more dangerous -- especially when the team is loaded with shooters. "This is a really unselfish team," says Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, a former Spur. "Pop has a lot of choices, and he will call on any of them."
Even though Brent Barry has missed the better part of the season with a calf injury, the Spurs resigned him last month for his 3-point shooting, which forces defenses to crowd the perimeter and open the floor for Ginobili and Parker. Michael Finley has had his ups and downs this season but already hit one last-second, game-tying 3-pointer that led to an overtime victory against the Knicks.
Then there's Horry, 37, who has hit more than his share of big 3-pointers. He has been limping with a left knee injury and could be limited during the playoffs -- but with three superstars and a playbook stuffed with winning calls, the Spurs are the rare team that can manage without a player nicknamed Big Shot Bob.
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Picture this tight-and-late scenario: Sam Cassell is 12 feet from the basket, back to his defender, pounding his dribble. Six seconds, 5 seconds, 4 ... . Paul Pierce, meanwhile, is set up on the opposite wing, twiddling his thumbs. Ray Allen is running around a double screen and Kevin Garnett is set up near the post. Cassell, playing with the arrogance of any great scorer, believes he can take his man. He ignores his teammates. He keeps backing down and, just as time runs out, takes his trademark turnaround jumper.
He misses. The Big Three walk off the court, shaking their heads.
"That's when Doc (Rivers) will be on the spot," says a scout who is convinced the above scenario will unfold at some point during the playoffs. "He will have to say the right things to keep their guys together and make sure it doesn't happen again."
Having too many go-to guys can have its downside if one thinks he's above the rest. That so far hasn't been the case with the Celtics, in large part because their best player, Garnett, also is their most unselfish. Pacers coach Jim O'Brien doesn't think Cassell will even have a chance to get in the way. "I don't know if Sam Cassell will be in at the end of games," he says. "They view him as a backup. Rajon Rondo has grown tremendously."
Game circumstances -- such as matchups, who's hot on a particular night and how much time remains -- all will factor into Rivers' call. If the Celtics have only a couple of seconds to work with, Rivers is more likely to want Allen in a catch-and-shoot. One play that worked perfectly last month in a close victory at Dallas begins with Allen on the right side, running along the 3-point line around two screens and catching the ball while moving to his left. No one is better in such situations, and Allen already has delivered two last-second game-winners this season.
The Celtics' crunch-time stars
1. Paul Pierce
2. Ray Allen
3. Kevin Garnett
Pierce is the preferred option whenever he has enough time -- 4 or more seconds -- to create a play. He likes to start with the ball on the wing, about 15 feet away, with his back to the basket. His ability to score from anywhere and get to the foul line has earned him a reputation as one of the game's top go-to scorers. "That guy has hit so many big shots against us -- how can (the Celtics) not want him to have the ball?" Nets president Rod Thorn says.
Garnett has become the wild card in Boston, says O'Brien. Unlike in Minnesota, where Garnett usually ended up with the ball in late situations, he is of just as much use to the Celtics going for the rebound. But ignore him at your peril. He can get off a shot against anyone.
"All of those guys have been called on throughout their career to make the clutch basket, which makes it difficult to prepare your defense," says O'Brien, who coached Pierce in Boston from 2000-04. "All Doc has to do is figure out the weakest defensive player on the court at the given time and get the ball to the guy he's defending."
The Celtics impressed the league from the start with how quickly they came together. No one is browbeating Rivers in the huddle expecting to get the last-second shot. After making a winning basket early this season, Allen told reporters, "A lot has been said about this team, what's going to happen at the end of games. Well, it's a joy to be out there offensively and for the coach to be able to draw up a play with three options."
Cassell has since come along -- he signed in early March after the Clippers released him -- to give the Celtics a fourth late-game shooter. Whether that's one too many remains to be seen.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at [email protected].
SPEAK OUT ON THIS ARTICLE
ingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=401050
E-MAIL PRINT COMMENTS 19 WATCH THIS TOPIC
Posted: April 17, 2008
Winning time. Crunch time. Nail-biting time. Sweaty palms time. No matter what you call the closing minutes of a tight game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has a play for it. No team, in fact, has more options in the close-and-tight chapter of its playbook than the Spurs. "Hundreds," an advance scout says, "and I'm not exaggerating by much."
No team has had more chances to use them, either. In the 10 years since Michael Jordan gently nudged Bryon Russell out of his way and sank one of his most memorable baskets, the Spurs have made more big shots -- and, not coincidentally, won more playoff games -- than any other team. Even if you're not a Spurs fan, you probably remember some of them.
Game 4, 2007 Finals. After playing catch-up for nearly 44 minutes, the Cavaliers tie the game. Manu Ginobili breaks free for a long 3-pointer, and the Spurs close out the Cavaliers to win their fourth championship in nine years.
Game 5, 2005 Finals. With 5.8 seconds left in overtime and the Pistons up by two, Robert Horry delivers one of his biggest big shots. Ginobili, double-teamed in the corner, finds an open Horry, who steps in after making the inbounds pass and hits the basket that turns the series in the Spurs' favor.
Game 6, 2003 Finals. During a fourth quarter comeback, Tim Duncan fends off a double-team and finds Stephen Jackson for a 3-pointer that comes halfway through a 19-0 run and gives the Spurs the lead in the championship clincher over the Nets.
Game 5, 1999 Finals. From the corner, Avery Johnson nails an open jumper with 47 seconds left to beat the Knicks and wrap up the Spurs' first title.
Notice a trend? Well, yes -- the Spurs do seem to win championships in odd-numbered years. But a key to those championships is the Spurs' ability to make a bucket when they need it most.
The Spurs' crunch-time stars
1. Manu Ginobili
2. Tim Duncan
3. Tony Parker
Having three superstars doesn't hurt -- especially when the trio has proved itself as Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker have. All three increase their production in the playoffs. The lefty Ginobili, who most often is Popovich's pick to make a big play, already has come through with last-minute winners against the Grizzlies, Heat and Timberwolves this season. Like Kobe Bryant and others known for their lategame heroics, Ginobili can shoot 3-pointers, get to the basket and make free throws -- and he welcomes the pressure. He also is one of the game's best freelancers. More than once, Popovich has explained a key play by saying something along the lines of, "He's Manu. That's what he does."
NBA playoff coverage
McNeal: Top go-to guys
Some teams don't need trios
Marv Alberts' top shots
Playoff storylines
Greenberg: The List: Playoff guarantees
Fantasy playoff hoops: Sign up
Duncan's struggles at the free throw line make him a risk to handle the ball late, but he's still the game's best low-post scorer and the Spur most likely to be double-teamed. When he is doubleteamed, Duncan is one of the best at finding the open teammate.
When Ginobili is defended by a stopper such as Bryant, Popovich is likely to turn to point guard Parker to play hero. The MVP of last year's Finals is the player now considered the Spurs' No. 1 option by some teams. Parker's quickness makes him one of the league's most proficient guards at scoring in the paint. Sharing the responsibility makes all of the options more dangerous -- especially when the team is loaded with shooters. "This is a really unselfish team," says Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, a former Spur. "Pop has a lot of choices, and he will call on any of them."
Even though Brent Barry has missed the better part of the season with a calf injury, the Spurs resigned him last month for his 3-point shooting, which forces defenses to crowd the perimeter and open the floor for Ginobili and Parker. Michael Finley has had his ups and downs this season but already hit one last-second, game-tying 3-pointer that led to an overtime victory against the Knicks.
Then there's Horry, 37, who has hit more than his share of big 3-pointers. He has been limping with a left knee injury and could be limited during the playoffs -- but with three superstars and a playbook stuffed with winning calls, the Spurs are the rare team that can manage without a player nicknamed Big Shot Bob.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Picture this tight-and-late scenario: Sam Cassell is 12 feet from the basket, back to his defender, pounding his dribble. Six seconds, 5 seconds, 4 ... . Paul Pierce, meanwhile, is set up on the opposite wing, twiddling his thumbs. Ray Allen is running around a double screen and Kevin Garnett is set up near the post. Cassell, playing with the arrogance of any great scorer, believes he can take his man. He ignores his teammates. He keeps backing down and, just as time runs out, takes his trademark turnaround jumper.
He misses. The Big Three walk off the court, shaking their heads.
"That's when Doc (Rivers) will be on the spot," says a scout who is convinced the above scenario will unfold at some point during the playoffs. "He will have to say the right things to keep their guys together and make sure it doesn't happen again."
Having too many go-to guys can have its downside if one thinks he's above the rest. That so far hasn't been the case with the Celtics, in large part because their best player, Garnett, also is their most unselfish. Pacers coach Jim O'Brien doesn't think Cassell will even have a chance to get in the way. "I don't know if Sam Cassell will be in at the end of games," he says. "They view him as a backup. Rajon Rondo has grown tremendously."
Game circumstances -- such as matchups, who's hot on a particular night and how much time remains -- all will factor into Rivers' call. If the Celtics have only a couple of seconds to work with, Rivers is more likely to want Allen in a catch-and-shoot. One play that worked perfectly last month in a close victory at Dallas begins with Allen on the right side, running along the 3-point line around two screens and catching the ball while moving to his left. No one is better in such situations, and Allen already has delivered two last-second game-winners this season.
The Celtics' crunch-time stars
1. Paul Pierce
2. Ray Allen
3. Kevin Garnett
Pierce is the preferred option whenever he has enough time -- 4 or more seconds -- to create a play. He likes to start with the ball on the wing, about 15 feet away, with his back to the basket. His ability to score from anywhere and get to the foul line has earned him a reputation as one of the game's top go-to scorers. "That guy has hit so many big shots against us -- how can (the Celtics) not want him to have the ball?" Nets president Rod Thorn says.
Garnett has become the wild card in Boston, says O'Brien. Unlike in Minnesota, where Garnett usually ended up with the ball in late situations, he is of just as much use to the Celtics going for the rebound. But ignore him at your peril. He can get off a shot against anyone.
"All of those guys have been called on throughout their career to make the clutch basket, which makes it difficult to prepare your defense," says O'Brien, who coached Pierce in Boston from 2000-04. "All Doc has to do is figure out the weakest defensive player on the court at the given time and get the ball to the guy he's defending."
The Celtics impressed the league from the start with how quickly they came together. No one is browbeating Rivers in the huddle expecting to get the last-second shot. After making a winning basket early this season, Allen told reporters, "A lot has been said about this team, what's going to happen at the end of games. Well, it's a joy to be out there offensively and for the coach to be able to draw up a play with three options."
Cassell has since come along -- he signed in early March after the Clippers released him -- to give the Celtics a fourth late-game shooter. Whether that's one too many remains to be seen.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at [email protected].
SPEAK OUT ON THIS ARTICLE
ingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=401050