duncan228
05-20-2008, 11:39 PM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052108.8E.BKNspurs.lakers.matchups.344cea8.htm l
Spurs vs. Lakers matchups
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
Point guard - Edge: Spurs
Spurs' Tony Parker - After scoring at least 30 points three times in the first round against Phoenix, Parker assumed a complementary role in the conference semifinals before hitting the game-sealing jumper in Game 7. ... Led Spurs in scoring against Lakers this season with 20.7 points per game and committed only five turnovers compared with 18 assists.
Lakers' Derek Fisher - Returned to L.A. before this season to enable his daughter to be closer to high-level medical attention and wound up providing the Lakers with the leadership and stabilizing force they needed. ... Will forever be known to Spurs fans as the man who needed just 0.4 seconds to win Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinal.
* * *
Shooting guard Edge: Lakers
Spurs' Manu Ginobili - Among the NBA's active playmakers, might rank second only to the Lakers' shooting guard. ... Won Sixth Man of the Year award but moved into the starting lineup before Game 3 of the conference semifinals. The Spurs won four of the next five. ... A calf injury has robbed him of some of his explosiveness in recent weeks.
Lakers' Kobe Bryant - Received his first Most Valuable Player award after averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists while leading the Lakers to the West's best record this season. ... Not only the most dominant offensive force of his era, Bryant also is an elite defender. ... Is one of the few Bruce Bowen targets who avoids showing frustration with the Spurs' defensive stopper.
* * *
Small forward Edge: Lakers
Spurs' Bruce Bowen - Perennial NBA all-defensive team member will once again get a chance to harass Bryant, the man he was brought to San Antonio to slow down. ... Helped turn the conference semifinals around when he switched from defending Chris Paul to Peja Stojakovic and essentially shut down Stojakovic for five games.
Lakers' Lamar Odom - Immensely talented athlete who hasn't always shown the knack or willingness to take over games. ... Has slightly increased his production in the postseason, improving from 14.2 to 15.6 points per game while still grabbing more than 10 rebounds and dishing out more than three assists per game. ... With Bowen on Bryant, should have chances to post up smaller defenders.
* * *
Power forward Edge: Spurs
Spurs' Tim Duncan - Three-time NBA Finals MVP and possibly the greatest power forward in league history. ... After a dominant series against Phoenix, was slowed by illness and double-teams against New Orleans but still made a big impact. ... Averaging better than 19 points and 13 rebounds per game in the playoffs, including a 40-point game vs. the Suns and a 23-board game vs. the Hornets.
Lakers' Vladimir Radmanovic - A solid 3-point shooter for a big man (40.6 percent in the regular season) but can be a liability in other areas, including on defense. ... Averages only 3.3 rebounds per game despite his 6-foot-10 frame. ... If guarded by either of the Spurs' two big men, Radmanovic's biggest contribution might be drawing a potential shot-blocker away from the basket.
* * *
Center Edge: Lakers
Spurs' Fabricio Oberto - The epitome of the “value not found in the stat sheet” player. ... Sparked each of the Spurs' final two victories against New Orleans with his work on defense, relentlessness in chasing loose balls, and precision in the high-low post game with Duncan. ... Depending on how the Spurs' staff sees the matchups, could start or come off the bench to spell Kurt Thomas.
Lakers' Pau Gasol - Averaging 20 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in the playoffs. ... Isn't known for his tenacity on the boards but made the play of the Lakers' postseason when he grabbed an offensive rebound and followed with a layup in Game5 of the conference semifinals against Utah.
* * *
Bench Edge: Spurs
Spurs - Playing in the conference semifinals for the first time, Ime Udoka arguably was the Spurs' most consistent performer against the Hornets. ... Veterans Robert Horry and Michael Finley have endured recent slumps, but both made huge shots to put away New Orleans. ... Rugged part-time starter Thomas will get plenty of minutes against Gasol. ... Brent Barry could get opportunities this series.
Lakers - The four-man “Bench Mob” of Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar and Ronny Turiaf, played a huge role in the Lakers' turnaround this season, combining for 29 points per game. ... Walton and Vujacic have thrived in the playoffs, while Farmar and Turiaf have seen their production fall off. ... The “Mob” is athletic and versatile but lacks the big-game experience the Spurs' bench boasts.
* * *
Coaching Edge: Even
Spurs' Gregg Popovich - Along with his adversary in this series, he's one of five coaches in NBA history with four or more titles. ... He earned his 100th playoff win by beating the Hornets in Game 7 of the conference semifinals, passing Red Auerbach for all-time playoff victories and tying him with Larry Brown. ... Is 2-3 in playoff series against the Lakers, with both victories leading to titles.
Lakers' Phil Jackson - Has won nine NBA titles as a coach — six with the Bulls and three with the Lakers. ... Has won more playoff series (46) than any coach in league history. Pat Riley is second with 40, and no one else has won more than 25. ... A longtime needler of the Spurs, Jackson famously suggested the Spurs' 1999 title deserved an asterisk.
* * *
Jeff McDonald's prediction: Spurs in 7
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052108.11E.BKNspurs.keys.397326c.html
Spurs' keys to victory
Tame the triangle
Phil Jackson's triangle offense became more fluid the day the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol. Gasol has the range to knock down midrange jumpers if defenders sag off him, and his passing skills — rare for a big man — make it difficult to double him.
If the Spurs are to have much success against the Lakers, they will have to tame the triangle offense. That begins by solving Gasol in the pivot.
Meet at the rim
Spurs guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker often had trouble getting to the rim in the New Orleans series because they were deterred by Tyson Chandler, the Hornets' shot-blocking center.
The Lakers have no such defender at the rim, which theoretically should make it easier for Ginobili and Parker to get there. That theory works only if the Spurs' guards are aggressive in their attempts to probe the paint.
Get some rest
The NBA schedule-makers did the Spurs no favors, scheduling Game 1 of the conference finals two nights after the end of their grueling seven-game series against New Orleans.The aviation gods didn't do the Spurs any favors either. Mechanical problems with their charter jet forced them to remain on the runway in New Orleans for 11 hours after Game 7, which put them in L.A. late Tuesday morning, tired and grumpy.
Realistically, it might take the Spurs until Game 2 to find their bearings. Game 1 could be a test of survival.
- Jeff McDonald
Spurs vs. Lakers matchups
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
Point guard - Edge: Spurs
Spurs' Tony Parker - After scoring at least 30 points three times in the first round against Phoenix, Parker assumed a complementary role in the conference semifinals before hitting the game-sealing jumper in Game 7. ... Led Spurs in scoring against Lakers this season with 20.7 points per game and committed only five turnovers compared with 18 assists.
Lakers' Derek Fisher - Returned to L.A. before this season to enable his daughter to be closer to high-level medical attention and wound up providing the Lakers with the leadership and stabilizing force they needed. ... Will forever be known to Spurs fans as the man who needed just 0.4 seconds to win Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinal.
* * *
Shooting guard Edge: Lakers
Spurs' Manu Ginobili - Among the NBA's active playmakers, might rank second only to the Lakers' shooting guard. ... Won Sixth Man of the Year award but moved into the starting lineup before Game 3 of the conference semifinals. The Spurs won four of the next five. ... A calf injury has robbed him of some of his explosiveness in recent weeks.
Lakers' Kobe Bryant - Received his first Most Valuable Player award after averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists while leading the Lakers to the West's best record this season. ... Not only the most dominant offensive force of his era, Bryant also is an elite defender. ... Is one of the few Bruce Bowen targets who avoids showing frustration with the Spurs' defensive stopper.
* * *
Small forward Edge: Lakers
Spurs' Bruce Bowen - Perennial NBA all-defensive team member will once again get a chance to harass Bryant, the man he was brought to San Antonio to slow down. ... Helped turn the conference semifinals around when he switched from defending Chris Paul to Peja Stojakovic and essentially shut down Stojakovic for five games.
Lakers' Lamar Odom - Immensely talented athlete who hasn't always shown the knack or willingness to take over games. ... Has slightly increased his production in the postseason, improving from 14.2 to 15.6 points per game while still grabbing more than 10 rebounds and dishing out more than three assists per game. ... With Bowen on Bryant, should have chances to post up smaller defenders.
* * *
Power forward Edge: Spurs
Spurs' Tim Duncan - Three-time NBA Finals MVP and possibly the greatest power forward in league history. ... After a dominant series against Phoenix, was slowed by illness and double-teams against New Orleans but still made a big impact. ... Averaging better than 19 points and 13 rebounds per game in the playoffs, including a 40-point game vs. the Suns and a 23-board game vs. the Hornets.
Lakers' Vladimir Radmanovic - A solid 3-point shooter for a big man (40.6 percent in the regular season) but can be a liability in other areas, including on defense. ... Averages only 3.3 rebounds per game despite his 6-foot-10 frame. ... If guarded by either of the Spurs' two big men, Radmanovic's biggest contribution might be drawing a potential shot-blocker away from the basket.
* * *
Center Edge: Lakers
Spurs' Fabricio Oberto - The epitome of the “value not found in the stat sheet” player. ... Sparked each of the Spurs' final two victories against New Orleans with his work on defense, relentlessness in chasing loose balls, and precision in the high-low post game with Duncan. ... Depending on how the Spurs' staff sees the matchups, could start or come off the bench to spell Kurt Thomas.
Lakers' Pau Gasol - Averaging 20 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in the playoffs. ... Isn't known for his tenacity on the boards but made the play of the Lakers' postseason when he grabbed an offensive rebound and followed with a layup in Game5 of the conference semifinals against Utah.
* * *
Bench Edge: Spurs
Spurs - Playing in the conference semifinals for the first time, Ime Udoka arguably was the Spurs' most consistent performer against the Hornets. ... Veterans Robert Horry and Michael Finley have endured recent slumps, but both made huge shots to put away New Orleans. ... Rugged part-time starter Thomas will get plenty of minutes against Gasol. ... Brent Barry could get opportunities this series.
Lakers - The four-man “Bench Mob” of Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar and Ronny Turiaf, played a huge role in the Lakers' turnaround this season, combining for 29 points per game. ... Walton and Vujacic have thrived in the playoffs, while Farmar and Turiaf have seen their production fall off. ... The “Mob” is athletic and versatile but lacks the big-game experience the Spurs' bench boasts.
* * *
Coaching Edge: Even
Spurs' Gregg Popovich - Along with his adversary in this series, he's one of five coaches in NBA history with four or more titles. ... He earned his 100th playoff win by beating the Hornets in Game 7 of the conference semifinals, passing Red Auerbach for all-time playoff victories and tying him with Larry Brown. ... Is 2-3 in playoff series against the Lakers, with both victories leading to titles.
Lakers' Phil Jackson - Has won nine NBA titles as a coach — six with the Bulls and three with the Lakers. ... Has won more playoff series (46) than any coach in league history. Pat Riley is second with 40, and no one else has won more than 25. ... A longtime needler of the Spurs, Jackson famously suggested the Spurs' 1999 title deserved an asterisk.
* * *
Jeff McDonald's prediction: Spurs in 7
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052108.11E.BKNspurs.keys.397326c.html
Spurs' keys to victory
Tame the triangle
Phil Jackson's triangle offense became more fluid the day the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol. Gasol has the range to knock down midrange jumpers if defenders sag off him, and his passing skills — rare for a big man — make it difficult to double him.
If the Spurs are to have much success against the Lakers, they will have to tame the triangle offense. That begins by solving Gasol in the pivot.
Meet at the rim
Spurs guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker often had trouble getting to the rim in the New Orleans series because they were deterred by Tyson Chandler, the Hornets' shot-blocking center.
The Lakers have no such defender at the rim, which theoretically should make it easier for Ginobili and Parker to get there. That theory works only if the Spurs' guards are aggressive in their attempts to probe the paint.
Get some rest
The NBA schedule-makers did the Spurs no favors, scheduling Game 1 of the conference finals two nights after the end of their grueling seven-game series against New Orleans.The aviation gods didn't do the Spurs any favors either. Mechanical problems with their charter jet forced them to remain on the runway in New Orleans for 11 hours after Game 7, which put them in L.A. late Tuesday morning, tired and grumpy.
Realistically, it might take the Spurs until Game 2 to find their bearings. Game 1 could be a test of survival.
- Jeff McDonald