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Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
The game was ugly. The Spurs at times looked more lottery-bound than championship-bound. But at the end of the contest, the Spurs were able to do just enough to edge the Suns 92-87 and advance to the second round of the playoffs.
The Suns had a lot to do with how much the Spurs struggled. Their defense was actually solid for most of the night, holding the Spurs to less than 40% shooting from the floor. Offensively, Phoenix’s main problem was Steve Nash’s inability to play up to his normal standards. The Suns don’t have much to be ashamed about in this series. The Spurs are the more experienced team and they have three star players that can dominant any given night. While this series ended in only five games, the Suns put up a good fight.
Although this wasn’t a very aesthetically pleasing game, the Spurs showed a lot of heart and championship experience down the stretch. They captured a game that would have been very easy to lose. They’ll need to play at a higher level to go on and win a championship but on this night, it was good enough.
Overall, the first round series was a huge success. Most league experts had the Suns winning the series. The Spurs not only won the series, they did it in five games. I guess San Antonio isn’t done, after all.
-Tim Duncan was determined to get the job done and he did just that. He was active on both ends of the court and he made sure that if the Spurs were losing this game, they were going down swinging. On the night, Duncan finished with 29 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots, while shooting 13-for-28 from the field. While Duncan also had five turnovers and missed a lot of clean looks, he was a force for the Spurs on Tuesday night. With the Spurs shooting under 40% from the field, Duncan’s nine offensive rebounds were huge in terms of giving the Spurs extra looks at the basket. It seemed like every time the Spurs missed a clutch shot, Duncan was there to grab the board.
-Manu Ginobili had his first poor game of the series. However, his game wasn’t as bad as a quick glance at his stats would indicate. Offensively, he wasn’t having much luck scoring the ball, but he also wasn’t turning it over. After having 15 turnovers in the first four games, Ginobili had only one turnover in Game 5. Defensively, Ginobili was the team’s only halfway decent defender against Boris Diaw. He battled on defense and helped the team get big stops at the end of the game. On the night, Ginobili finished with eight points, three rebounds and two steals, while shooting 2-for-11 from the field. Perhaps the most glaring hole in Ginobili’s stats was his lack of an assist – it was only his second game all season without an assist. He battled foul trouble and was obviously slowed by an injured groin and an injured ankle. For the Spurs to win the 2008 championship, they’ll need Ginobili to return to form. That said, he deserves credit for the effort and guts he exhibited on Tuesday evening.
-Tony Parker was fantastic for much the night. In a team-high 41 minutes, Parker had 31 points, eight assists and three rebounds, while shooting 9-for-21 from the field and 13-for-16 from the charity stripe. He relentlessly attacked the basket and created a majority of the good looks the Spurs got on the night. After missing his first seven perimeter jumpers, he knocked down his final two jumpers at the end of the game to help ensure victory. The Spurs leaned on him heavily, as evident by his team-high plus/minus of +14. Defensively, Parker was very good. He guarded Steve Nash for a majority of the game and Nash struggled mightily against his defense. It was truly a Herculean effort by Parker. While his Game 3 was more spectacular, in this contest he single-handedly carried the team even more than he did in that game. To close out the series, Parker assisted on or scored five of the final six baskets.
-Bruce Bowen had a relatively quiet game. Offensively, he went scoreless for the fourth time in this series. Other than missing his only two field goal attempts, he grabbed one rebound and blocked one shot. On the defensive end, Bowen set the tone against Nash. He flustered the Canadian and never gave him a clean look. At the end of the game, Bowen got his hand on an inbounds pass to create a game-clinching turnover. Bowen had his struggles throughout the game and throughout the series but at the end of the night, he got the last laugh.
-Michael Finley had a mostly invisible 31 minutes of action. He missed his three shots and went scoreless. On the other end of the court, Diaw had success early and often going against Finley in the low block. The best aspect of the game for Finley was his passing. He finished with three assists, which were as many as the whole team combined outside of Parker. The Spurs will need more scoring help from Finley in forthcoming series.
-Kurt Thomas again started at center and played a great game. He played 34 minutes and was a man possessed. Thomas finished with eight points, 12 rebounds, one steal and one block. He hit only 3-of-11 shots from the field, but he did knock down two big free throws at the end of the game. His post defense was outstanding all series and he was at his best in Game 5. Thomas’ 12 rebounds were instrumental in helping the Spurs outrebound the Suns 50-44. It was just a very, very good effort out of Thomas.
-Brent Barry played 15 minutes and wasn’t overly active. He didn’t attempt a shot and his only stats were two assists and three fouls. While it didn’t look like he did much based on the box score, I thought Barry was solid. He helped the ballmovement offensively and played smart defense. The best news regarding Barry is he seems to be about as healthy as could be expected.
-Fabricio Oberto came off the bench and played 13 minutes. Despite the limited minutes, Oberto made the most of his playing time. In the third quarter, he scored two hugely important baskets when the Spurs’ offense had completely stagnated. On the night, Oberto had eight points and three rebounds on 3-for-3 shooting from the field. With the Spurs struggling for points, Oberto’s eight-point outburst was extremely helpful.
-Ime Udoka saved his best game for last. He struggled for a majority of the first four games but in Game 5, he was arguably the team’s best player off the bench. With the Spurs down 43-40 in the second quarter, Udoka hit a three-pointer and a jumper to spark a 14-2 run to close out the first half. Besides those five points, Udoka also had seven rebounds in his 13 minutes of action. When Udoka is rebounding and knocking down perimeter jumpers, he’s a huge asset for this team. He seems to have gotten over his playoff jitters – which hopefully will remain the case going forward.
-Robert Horry played nine minutes and had a few good moments. Shortly after entering the game, Horry hit a three-pointer. Late in the game, Horry came up with a key steal against Nash. Between those two events, Horry honestly wasn’t too effective. His post defense against Diaw was lacking. His pick-and-roll defense was lacking. However, it’s good that Horry is getting minutes to get back into the groove. Having a player on your side who has a history of coming up with game-changing plays in the postseason isn’t a bad thing.
-Pop had a decent enough game. He didn’t quite have the magical touch that he had early in the series but he put his team into positions to succeed. Hack-a-Shaq was effective for the most part. He went with an odd rotation that was good enough to win the game.
He did have a couple of questionable coaching moves. Using a small player against Diaw wasn’t working too well, however Pop stuck to it. Late in the contest, Pop accidentally took Duncan out of the game for a one and a half minute stretch in a failed Hack-a-Shaq attempt. He also didn’t come up with many plays to help the perimeter shooters get going, as evidence by Finley, Bowen and Barry going scoreless in 62 combined minutes.
Although, for the series, Pop had a massive positive impact. He thoroughly outcoached Mike D’Antoni – both in preparation and in-game adjustments. With four titles in the bag, Pop now coaches like he’s playing with house money. If he has a gut feeling, he no longer will hesitate to see whether his gut is right or wrong.
The bottomline is the Spurs got the job done. The Spurs ended the series sooner than almost anyone expected. It was a hard fought five games but the better team came out on top. Game 5 was a rugged, scrappy cherry on top.
On to New Orleans.
Believe.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
You sure have high expectations. I wouldn't go as far as saying the team looked lottery-bound.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
First series win against Shaq where hack-a-shaq was extensively utilized?
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Spurs experience is quite an asset to them. No panicking. Suns on the other hand always seemed to, panic, or buckle under the pressure in the 4th.
Its been a pleasure(and sometimes a headache)to watch Parker's game develop over the years. He picked up in this years playoffs right where he left off in last years playoffs.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
2 quick questions, which aren't really related to each other very much...
1) I'm a little concerned with the Spurs midrange game, but then again I'm hoping it took a dip in games 4 and 5 more so due to Phoenix's defense, as Finley and Barry looking very hesitant to shoot the ball. Do you think the Hornet's defense is gonna cause huge problems for the Spurs or will NO's lack of perimeter D allow for Manu to go off? I think with West and Chandler in there, it'll make TP's penetration a little tougher, although Chandler is very foul prone.
and very quickly...
2) This is a bit random to ask in this thread, but do you agree with the potential firing/exit of Mike D'Antoni? I thought Phoenix played much better than the 4-1 series score would suggest. However, D'Antoni has made some really bad moves over the course of this series (Over using Diaw at the end of game 2 when that well ran dry) and not getting Stoudemire going enough in games 4 and 5.
Thanks :toast
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Originally Posted by
O-Factor
Its been a pleasure(and sometimes a headache)to watch Parker's game develop over the years. He picked up in this years playoffs right where he left off in last years playoffs.
I've been fairly tough on Parker over the years, but I honestly believe this is the greatest series he's ever played. Cleveland was great, but I thought Phoenix was a much more formidable foe, and for Parker to constantly take it to the rim undeterred, and to overcome 2nd half droughts that used to plague him in the past was very very impressive.
The dude was a total stud, and the biggest reason this series didn't extend to 6 or 7 games.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Amuseddaysleeper
I've been fairly tough on Parker over the years, but I honestly believe this is the greatest series he's ever played. Cleveland was great, but I thought Phoenix was a much more formidable foe, and for Parker to constantly take it to the rim undeterred, and to overcome 2nd half droughts that used to plague him in the past was very very impressive.
The dude was a total stud, and the biggest reason this series didn't extend to 6 or 7 games.
Very true. I fully expect him to play at the same level the rest of the playoffs. He's not the young kid he once was anymore. He's a battle tested and proven.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Amuseddaysleeper
I've been fairly tough on Parker over the years, but I honestly believe this is the greatest series he's ever played. Cleveland was great, but I thought Phoenix was a much more formidable foe, and for Parker to constantly take it to the rim undeterred, and to overcome 2nd half droughts that used to plague him in the past was very very impressive.
The dude was a total stud, and the biggest reason this series didn't extend to 6 or 7 games.
http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/sas_phx_rd1_08.html
TONY PARKER’S PLAYOFF SUCCESS: Tony Parker’s success in the playoffs at such a young age has put him in elite company. With 1,547 career playoff points before the age of 25, Parker trails only Kobe Bryant on the all-time list for most playoff points for a player under 25. Parker turned 25 during the 2007 playoffs on 5/17 and has scored 229 playoff points since his 25th birthday to give him a total of 1,776. He is also second all-time in postseason wins for a player under 25 with 56 playoff victories and is tied with Bryant in assists at 407.
:toast
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Kurt Thomas: was freaking huge in this game. His rebounding is just awesome. His defense was smart. I mean this guy just had a huge impact in this game that I don't think can be overstated. Mega props to Kurt Thomas and all those that saw what he was capable of providing. I wasn't sold on Thomas, but I definitely am after this game. I mean that was just a sweet controbution....his game may have been the best interior defense by a Duncan sidekick since Drob...
Ime Udoka: Welcome to the Spurs Ime. Game 5, there was a sequence where he seemed to completely turn the momentum of this game around. I haven't been able to decide if this guy is clutch or not...but he clearly made a statement that he is clutch in this game. Robert Horry clutch? Probably not...but this might have been his best game as a Spur.
I will say this about Ime...he is deadly when he dribbles and pulls up, and he is a bricklayer when he spots up. I mean it is clear as a bell that he's a much better PCT shooter when he puts it on the floor first and gets a rythym. Hopefully someone else has noticed that.
All in all...this was an awesome win.
Just smart heady plays by some unheralded vets like Udoka, Thomas, Bruce and Horry(that steal was huge) that weren't having particularly good games on the scoreboard, but still made the winning plays at the pivotal moments of this game.
I think we should call these guys the hardazz squad, what say you? :smokin
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Originally Posted by
bdictjames
You sure have high expectations. I wouldn't go as far as saying the team looked lottery-bound.
That third quarter, they could have lost to the Hawks . . .
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Originally Posted by
sabar
First series win against Shaq where hack-a-shaq was extensively utilized?
Yeah, as far as I know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Amuseddaysleeper
1) I'm a little concerned with the Spurs midrange game, but then again I'm hoping it took a dip in games 4 and 5 more so due to Phoenix's defense, as Finley and Barry looking very hesitant to shoot the ball. Do you think the Hornet's defense is gonna cause huge problems for the Spurs or will NO's lack of perimeter D allow for Manu to go off? I think with West and Chandler in there, it'll make TP's penetration a little tougher, although Chandler is very foul prone.
The Hornets did a really good job of limiting the Spurs' three-point shooting in the regular season. Their defense approach to defending the Spurs was similar to what PHX did -- don't leave shooters while trying to contain the Big Three as much as possible. They'll probably use that in this series which will mean more heavy lifting for the Big Three.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Amuseddaysleeper
2) This is a bit random to ask in this thread, but do you agree with the potential firing/exit of Mike D'Antoni? I thought Phoenix played much better than the 4-1 series score would suggest. However, D'Antoni has made some really bad moves over the course of this series (Over using Diaw at the end of game 2 when that well ran dry) and not getting Stoudemire going enough in games 4 and 5.
That's a tough question. I don't think D'Antoni is a very good coach but he's a good fit for that team. For the Suns to win a championship, it's going to have to be with offense. A team with that personnel isn't going to become a defensive-minded unit. You can't have Nash, Stoudemire and a 37-year-old Shaq and try to win with defense.
I don't think Kerr understands that. He wants the Suns to win with defense and I'm sure D'Antoni told him that's not possible -- which is true. If Kerr fires D'Antoni and replaces him with a guy who will preach only defense and take power away from Nash, they'll be even worse off. If he hires someone who will let the team continue to be run-and-gun but also try to get a few more stops, that'd be a better scenario for Suns fans.
Basically, I don't think much of D'Antoni but I think Kerr is even more clueless. We'll see, though. Kerr will fire D'Antoni and probably bring in someone like Rick Carlisle, which would likely blow up in his face because the Suns just aren't built to be a halfcourt, methodical, defensive team.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Originally Posted by
whottt
Kurt Thomas: was freaking huge in this game. His rebounding is just awesome. His defense was smart. I mean this guy just had a huge impact in this game that I don't think can be overstated. Mega props to Kurt Thomas and all those that saw what he was capable of providing. I wasn't sold on Thomas, but I definitely am after this game. I mean that was just a sweet controbution....his game may have been the best interior defense by a Duncan sidekick since Drob...
Yeah, at the end of the game, almost every turnover was caused by Thomas. Outside of Horry's steal and Bowen's tip away, it was pressure from Thomas that caused the Suns to lose the ball.
All series, Thomas was far and away the Spurs best post defender. Amare and Shaq both struggled against Thomas. I haven't seen post defense like what Thomas brought since DRob retired.
Also impressive was his rebounding in crowds. There'd be a rebound that anyone could get and with better athletes and taller players around him, he'd scrap and end up with the ball.
Offensively it'd be nice if he could hit his outside jumper a little more and also have a little bit better shot selection ... but overall his offense is decent enough.
Thomas already proved his worth in round one. That first round draft pick that was given away is now officially worth it.
Against the Hornets, I'm guessing Thomas will get first crack at slowing down West. If he can do even a passable job on West, that'd be huge.
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Ime Udoka: Welcome to the Spurs Ime. Game 5, there was a sequence where he seemed to completely turn the momentum of this game around. I haven't been able to decide if this guy is clutch or not...but he clearly made a statement that he is clutch in this game. Robert Horry clutch? Probably not...but this might have been his best game as a Spur.
His second quarter stretch was huge. The Spurs needed those five points to rev up their offense. His rebounding was also nice to see.
I'm still not sold on him being clutch. We'll see. He took a three later in the game and airballed it by a couple feet. He had a couple good games against the Hornets this year so hopefully he can provide something in this series. He'll likely be matched up against Bonzi when needed so if he can knock down a few threes here and there, that'd be huge.
Quote:
Just smart heady plays by some unheralded vets like Udoka, Thomas, Bruce and Horry(that steal was huge) that weren't having particularly good games on the scoreboard, but still made the winning plays at the pivotal moments of this game.
I think we should call these guys the hardazz squad, what say you? :smokin
Hardazz Squad:
C Thomas
PF Horry
SF Bowen
SG Udoka
PG Vaughn
No offense but ................ some rugged players. :smokin
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
I'm slightly more worred as the postseason progresses on where the Spurs offense is going to come from. It's been the Spurs problem all season long. An overreliance on the Spurs Big 3 to carry the offensive load.
There were too many games where no one outside the Big 3 even scored in double digits. Not getting points from your two starters (Finley/Bowen) is also not good. Finley needs to find his offense and be more aggressive with his shot selection. And Barry needs to attempt shots when he's in the game. That's why he's there, yes for his ball handling, but also his shooting ability.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
nice recap timvp !
No grades for the whole serie?
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Originally Posted by
timvp
I don't think D'Antoni is a very good coach but he's a good fit for that team. For the Suns to win a championship, it's going to have to be with offense. A team with that personnel isn't going to become a defensive-minded unit. You can't have Nash, Stoudemire and a 37-year-old Shaq and try to win with defense.
I don't think Kerr understands that. He wants the Suns to win with defense and I'm sure D'Antoni told him that's not possible -- which is true. If Kerr fires D'Antoni and replaces him with a guy who will preach only defense and take power away from Nash, they'll be even worse off. If he hires someone who will let the team continue to be run-and-gun but also try to get a few more stops, that'd be a better scenario for Suns fans.
I agree with that for an additional reason. It was unrealistic to expect a championship when you trade star players in the middle of the season. There is not enough time for the team to completely gel, especially for a player like Shaq where the team has to change a lot of how it plays. I think losing Games 1, 2, and 5 in crunch time reflect the lack of time the Suns have played together.
I think next year will be a very good year for the Suns if they can keep away from changing too much and if they can add another player to their rotation.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Great recap as usual, LJ. You should try to get these recaps published elsewhere because they are spot-on. :tu
Ime's spark in the 2nd, Oberto's spark in the third, were both crucial. KT was huge all game. So was TD, especially in the 4th Q up to the 5 minute mark - he hit that jumper and runner, defended almost perfectly and controlled the boards in PLAYOFF WARRIOR mode. And then there was TP - if he's not a top 3 PG in this league then I'm a monkey's uncle.
Bring on the Hornets!
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Originally Posted by
timvp
Overall, the first round series was a huge success. Most league experts had the Suns winning the series. The Spurs not only won the series, they did it in five games. I guess San Antonio isn’t done, after all.
Have not heard much from all the bitch-ass pundits and so-called NBA experts who all picked the Suns to win this series. Jalen Rose was one of the experts that I heard actually pick the Spurs.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
I like to read the game thoughts but i just dont like the overexageration of "lottery bound" thats stupid. just say they didnt play as well as games 1-3.......
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Originally Posted by
1Parker1
I'm slightly more worred as the postseason progresses on where the Spurs offense is going to come from. It's been the Spurs problem all season long. An overreliance on the Spurs Big 3 to carry the offensive load.
There were too many games where no one outside the Big 3 even scored in double digits. Not getting points from your two starters (Finley/Bowen) is also not good. Finley needs to find his offense and be more aggressive with his shot selection. And Barry needs to attempt shots when he's in the game. That's why he's there, yes for his ball handling, but also his shooting ability.
My hope is that the role players didn't score because of the Suns' defensive scheme. I'm pretty sure that's the case but not 100% sure. If the role players didn't score because they've all regressed, it'd be nearly impossible for the Spurs to win the championship riding three players.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by
timvp
Hardazz Squad:
C Thomas
PF Horry
SF Bowen
SG Udoka
PG Vaughn
No offense but ................ some rugged players. :smokin
Offense can mean 2 things here...:lol
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
The game was ugly...very ugly. I mean come on...Udoka hit at least 2 buckets!!!
I am just glad to be moving on...and whooping the Hornets now!
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
I don't like the idea of holding Ginobili's hand if he has a bad game, citing it off as "OK" because he gave "effort" and "guts."
The bottom line is he played like total shit. There's no getting around it.
I think Ginobili is great though don't get me wrong. He's one of my favorite players on the Spurs, but if he has a terrible game I'm sure as hell going to criticize him for it.
That said, I think he can definitely bounce back.
I certainly will give him credit for his brilliant games 1, 2, and 3, though (second only to Duncan and/or Parker).
I know he had a 7-11 20+ point game somewhere in there which is extremely efficient, so hats off to him for that.
But the bottom line is he played like shit in game 5 and he better step it up for the hornets.
I will say though that Ginobili does have a "cop out" due to his injury. I just hope he gets healthy for the Hornets. We definitely need him.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
To close out the series, Parker assisted on or scored five of the final six baskets.
I guess Tp is clutch now
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by
spurster
I agree with that for an additional reason. It was unrealistic to expect a championship when you trade star players in the middle of the season. There is not enough time for the team to completely gel, especially for a player like Shaq where the team has to change a lot of how it plays. I think losing Games 1, 2, and 5 in crunch time reflect the lack of time the Suns have played together.
I think next year will be a very good year for the Suns if they can keep away from changing too much and if they can add another player to their rotation.
Good points. I'm hoping the Suns don't panic and do anything too stupid during the off season. The shaq trade was big and they sacrificed homecourt in the first round to pull it off. I wouldn't mind seeing Dantoni stay, but keep in mind he's not the only person there that runs the team, I mean they have to have defensive coordinators and the likes working in the background too. Lack of cohesion kill them on offense and not figuring out how to guard the high pick killed them this time. Usually it's duncan in the post scoring or kicking it out to a shooter than beats the suns, but this time the Spurs killed them with penetration.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ducks
To close out the series, Parker assisted on or scored five of the final six baskets.
I guess Tp is clutch now
Parker had the best clutch stats of anyone on the team last year in the playoffs. He had really good clutch stats this year during the regular season. TP being clutch shouldn't be anything too new.
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by
timvp
That third quarter, they could have lost to the
That's a tough question. I don't think D'Antoni is a very good coach but he's a good fit for that team. For the Suns to win a championship, it's going to have to be with offense. A team with that personnel isn't going to become a defensive-minded unit. You can't have Nash, Stoudemire and a 37-year-old Shaq and try to win with defense.
I realize that Nash will never play defense and Shaq is too old and has no lateral quickness (and never did defend the P&R very well anyway), but couldn't a good defensive coach teach Stoudemire to play defense? From what I observed, if he were able to rotate properly and basically do anything on the defensive end besides highlight-reel blocks, it would be a giant plus for their team. Do you think he's trainable--or is he just too dumb to get it?
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Re: Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Suns Game 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by
foodie2
I realize that Nash will never play defense and Shaq is too old and has no lateral quickness (and never did defend the P&R very well anyway), but couldn't a good defensive coach teach Stoudemire to play defense? From what I observed, if he were able to rotate properly and basically do anything on the defensive end besides highlight-reel blocks, it would be a giant plus for their team. Do you think he's trainable--or is he just too dumb to get it?
He could get better, no doubt. However, he can't get better enough to the point that the Suns can win with defense. Him improving next year would probably be negated by Nash and Shaq aging another year.
But yeah, you're right, Stoudemire could get a lot better. He has everything other than the know-how to be a good defensive player. People say he's too dumb to play defense, but when I watch him play D he strikes me as a player who has never been coached properly ... at any level.
