Spurs vs. Cavs Game 3 -- Grades

[romain.star]

Um, no. Did you actually watch the game last night?

i did... horrible game btw but when you're about to win your 3rd le in 5 years, everyone deserves an A+ (yes, even beno and jacques)

[ducks]

Spur Fans
Get A ing F

[timvp]

Ok, Manu had one of his worst games yesterday night.
But, how do you people explain that even so he had the second higher Spur's +/- of the night (after B. Barry)?

Confirm
http://www.popcornmachine.net/cgi-bi...12&game=SASCLE

He was pretty much riding the Barry wave last night. With Barry on the court, Manu was a +13. Without Barry on the court, Manu was a -6.

[timvp]

Eh, actually they played just as bad as Utah game 3

We must have watched different Utah Game 3's because the one I watched the Spurs were playing some of the worst defense of the season. The Spurs gave up almost as much points in the second half to the Jazz than the Cavs scored for the entire game.

The Cavs are hardly a juggernaut offensive team but the Spurs do deserve some credit for playing some of their best and most consistent defense of the season. Offensively they were pretty ugly last night but their D was rock solid.

[SpursWoman]

And when Barry made a 3 pointer he said he'd like to be known as Leandro Barry now...

[ChumpDumper]

I give spurfans an A- for their sunfan impressions in the game blog for three out of four quarters.

[gilmor]

What I'd like to see for MVP voting:

Bowen, Duncan, Tony

What it'll be:

Duncan, Tony, Bowen

On the grades, I have one gripe:



He was good defensively? He was a turnstile when guarding Pavlovic.

BTW, no apologies for Manu, he sucked last night.

How about a bet? I'd say Tony will get the Finals MVP..

[timvp]

I'm starting to warm up to the idea of Parker for Finals MVP.

1) He's played damn well this series. The Cavs defense is geared toward stopping him more than anyone on the Spurs. I rewatched Game 3 and the amount of pressure they threw at him was amazing. Brown has even played Big Z less than usual because Parker tears him up in pick and rolls. While the Cavs will sometimes single team Duncan, let Manu drive right and give shooters some open looks, they haven't given Parker an inch. Whatever Parker has done in this series is because he took it.

2) Parker has held the opposite starting point guard to 2-for-20 shooting this series. Yeah, Hughes was hurt but he wasn't as hurt as he was against the Pistons and he scored nine points in both Game 5 and Game 6 of that series. Plus Parker has been a monster defender all playoffs, shutting down AI, Barbosa, Fisher and now whoever the Cavs put across him.

3) It'd be some sort of justice for all the crap Parker has taken over the years for his play in the Finals in 2003 and 2005. If you listen to most Spurs fans, you'd think Parker pulled a Hedo in both of those series. No one remembers that Parker played well for the first three games of the 2003 Finals -- including being the best player in the most important game of that series (Game 3). And everyone overlooks the defense Parker played in Game 7 when no one scored on him all game until like 10 seconds to go. Winning the 2007 Finals MVP would be justice for all the trash that has been thrown his way over the years about how he disappears or whatever Spurs fans liked to say about him.

4) If the Suns series was the "real" Finals, Parker's Game 1 performance might have been the biggest singular performance of the playoffs. Parker seemed the most ready out of any player to come in and win in that series. If Parker has just a very good game instead of a great game, the Spurs lose that game and probably the series. Plus Parker's defense against Barbosa I think is the most underrated part about this run. If Barbosa plays 75% as well as he did in the regular season or against the Lakers in the first round, the Suns win that series. Instead Parker dominated him and basically took him out of the series.

5) Going into last night's game, Parker was the team leader in plus/minus for the playoffs. That's rather impressive because Parker has never been a great plus/minus player. And in the few games this postseason that Parker has played poorly, he has hit big shots at the end of virtually all the games despite his struggles. That's the sign of growth in his game.



Bottomline is I'd vote for Bowen for Finals MVP but whoever wins it I'm happy.

[T Park]

3) It'd be some sort of justice for all the crap Parker has taken over the years for his play in the Finals in 2003 and 2005. If you listen to most Spurs fans, you'd think Parker pulled a Hedo in both of those series. No one remembers that Parker played well for the first three games of the 2003 Finals -- including being the best player in the most important game of that series (Game 3). And everyone overlooks the defense Parker played in Game 7 when no one scored on him all game until like 10 seconds to go. Winning the 2007 Finals MVP would be justice for all the trash that has been thrown his way over the years about how he disappears or whatever Spurs fans liked to say about him

coughicecoldbrewskicough

[Obstructed_View]

I can't imagine not being really happy for whoever won the MVP. There are so many reasons to be glad for whoever wins it.

[TampaDude]

Last night was a prime example of why the Spurs are such a good TEAM...when some of their players struggle, others step up and keep them in the game.

[ducks]

I'm starting to warm up to the idea of Parker for Finals MVP.

1) He's played damn well this series. The Cavs defense is geared toward stopping him more than anyone on the Spurs. I rewatched Game 3 and the amount of pressure they threw at him was amazing. Brown has even played Big Z less than usual because Parker tears him up in pick and rolls. While the Cavs will sometimes single team Duncan, let Manu drive right and give shooters some open looks, they haven't given Parker an inch. Whatever Parker has done in this series is because he took it.

2) Parker has held the opposite starting point guard to 2-for-20 shooting this series. Yeah, Hughes was hurt but he wasn't as hurt as he was against the Pistons and he scored nine points in both Game 5 and Game 6 of that series. Plus Parker has been a monster defender all playoffs, shutting down AI, Barbosa, Fisher and now whoever the Cavs put across him.

3) It'd be some sort of justice for all the crap Parker has taken over the years for his play in the Finals in 2003 and 2005. If you listen to most Spurs fans, you'd think Parker pulled a Hedo in both of those series. No one remembers that Parker played well for the first three games of the 2003 Finals -- including being the best player in the most important game of that series (Game 3). And everyone overlooks the defense Parker played in Game 7 when no one scored on him all game until like 10 seconds to go. Winning the 2007 Finals MVP would be justice for all the trash that has been thrown his way over the years about how he disappears or whatever Spurs fans liked to say about him.

4) If the Suns series was the "real" Finals, Parker's Game 1 performance might have been the biggest singular performance of the playoffs. Parker seemed the most ready out of any player to come in and win in that series. If Parker has just a very good game instead of a great game, the Spurs lose that game and probably the series. Plus Parker's defense against Barbosa I think is the most underrated part about this run. If Barbosa plays 75% as well as he did in the regular season or against the Lakers in the first round, the Suns win that series. Instead Parker dominated him and basically took him out of the series.

5) Going into last night's game, Parker was the team leader in plus/minus for the playoffs. That's rather impressive because Parker has never been a great plus/minus player. And in the few games this postseason that Parker has played poorly, he has hit big shots at the end of virtually all the games despite his struggles. That's the sign of growth in his game.



Bottomline is I'd vote for Bowen for Finals MVP but whoever wins it I'm happy.

if james can not win it why not parker

[ducks]

LATE-NIGHT STUDYING: Tony Parker learned all about championship basketball while most of his countrymen were sleeping.

The San Antonio point guard said Wednesday he used to wake up at 3 a.m. while growing up in France to watch the Chicago Bulls play in the NBA finals. That helped Parker, who made his NBA debut at 19, get a feel for the league long before he played in it.

"You learn a lot watching that," Parker said. "When I first came in the league, a lot of people were surprised by my knowledge about the history of the game. You can ask me any question and I'll try to answer it the right way because I watched a lot of tapes and a lot of games."

He often did it without permission. Asked if he had to get his parents' OK to stay up so late, Parker said: "I didn't tell them. I was sneaking and watching them."

Parker recalled that Michael Jordan was the NBA finals MVP when the Bulls won all of their six championships. Tim Duncan has been the MVP in all three San Antonio victories, but Parker is playing well enough that he may beat out Duncan for the award this time.

And if he does?

"That would be unbelievable," Parker said. "I still think Timmy is going to get it because he's our franchise and he's a superstar. But if they want to change, why not?

"I'm joking. But still, there's one more game, and if we win the championship, I'll be very happy with that. And if it happened, I'd be the first one to be very happy."

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

First of all, I don't want to hear from the Manu apologists. He had an off game. Life goes on. Spurs up 3-0. All is good.

Second of all, I'm rooting for Duncan to be the MVP. Parker has had a nice series and Bowen has been fantastic but none of this happens without Duncan so he gets the MVP.

And thirdly, I'm damn proud of this team. They struggled throughout but showed great heart and gutted this victory out. Fantastic job and it's great to be a Spurs fan right now.

Amen, brutha.

The way this team gelled after the AS Break, turned up the D, intensity and execution on both ends as the playoffs have progressed, and the clinical fundamental dismantling they have laid on each team they've faced has been a sheer joy to watch.

People who call the Spurs "boring" don't love or understand basketball, they just root for a team. Sure, run'n'gun is fun, and executed well like the Suns play it, it is just as valid as the style we play, but from the perspective of a basketball purist, our basketball has been truly beautiful to watch for the last 2 months. Tough and uncompromising, composed and technically brilliant.



GO SPURS GO, I say!!!

[peskypesky]

No way Duncan gets just a C+ for 14pts, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks (that's just 1 rebound shy of a double double). Sure, he was in foul trouble, but that wasn't his fault. The refs are to blame for that. I know we all expect greatness from Tim on a nightly basis...but c'mon...he deserves a B.

Barry made some bone-headed plays, so I think you have to dock him down to an A- or B+.

And Pop? I think a B- for giving Manu so many minutes when he clearly had nothing to offer. I woulda given his minutes to the hot hand, Barry.

I agree with you on the rest.

[Strike]

Now that I think of it, I'm thinking maybe Bowen for MVP. This guy has been great the last couple years and has nothing really to show for it. No DPOYs, no All-Star appearances.

I could live with Bowen getting MVP because it'd finally be some recognition for the guy who always does the dirty work.

No pun intended, of course.

I'm thinking the same thing. Yes, Parker is leading the team in scoring, and Duncan is being Duncan in the finals. But Bowen has been phenominal on Lebron James.

And yes I understand that the Spurs play team defense and that Bowen has A LOT of help. But who else on the Spurs could even try to do what Bruce has done to James? Lebron has NEVER been in ANY kind of rhythm in the entire series. Not to mention Bowen played 44 minutes in game 3 and dude is HOW OLD? The dude is a ing gamer and needs to be recognized as such.

Contribution is more than points on the board. And Bruce Bowen has, in my opinion, been the most valuable player in this finals series.

Will he get it? NO!!! Does he at least deserve consideration? YES!!!

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Yeah seriously Bowen has no shot. I haven't even heard it mentioned that Bowen is even in the running.

I guess that means Duncan or bust. I think Parker is underrated and misunderstood by a majority of Spurs fans, but he doesn't deserve MVP. He can get a "shoulda been" MVP legend like Manu got in 2005.

Yup, that's the way I think it will go.

As for Parker, his defence has vastly improved this year, as has his jumper, FT shooting and distribution of the ball. He has taken the step into the elite class of PGs in the league... Kidd, Davis, Deron Williams and Parker - there were no better PGs in the league this year than those guys.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

If Tony has a good game tomorrow, he'll have earned the Finals MVP just as much as Tim.

The idea of Bowen, Tony, winning it over Tim, doesn't really bother me. Though 4 Finals MVPs over Shaq, makes me pull for Tim.

And Bruce winning it, would be cool for the unsung hero aspect...though realistically, he won't get it.

Tony winning it will hopefully put an end to the whole Tony hating gripes pulling up his performances in the past, and all the bitterness.

[peskypesky]

I still give the MVP to Duncan, but I wouldn't mind if Tony shared it with him. The only way you pick Parker over Duncan is if you only consider scoring. How about rebounds, assists, blocks and defense? Believe me, it's not just Bowen who's shutting down Lebron. If you watch closely, you'll see that Duncan's ALWAYS looming...intimidating anyone who tries to take it to the rim, and altering their shots when they do get past him.

Duncan's dominating on both ends of the court, so he should at least be co-MVP.

[Tommy G.]

LeBrick has been the spurs best player
3 games
64 pts
22of 60=36.6%
17turnovers, Thats right, 17
Bowen is MVP

[Fabricio Oberto]

Im the MVP.
End of discussion.

[carina_gino20]

It was funny watching the Argie feed. One of Manu's brothers was a commentator and he was very harsh on his brother.

- "Who is that guy wearing the balck shirt with the #20?"

- When Manu missed his first FT: "Man, he can't even help from the line!"

- The commentators were asking the audience to call in order to be part of a lotto to win a signed Manu shirt. At the end of the game, Leandro Ginobili says "We decided to give away a Bruce Bowen signed shirt!"

And the other commentators kept making fun of Leandro telling him to cut it out or Manu would make him sleep on the lawn.

Well, Manu deserved it. He played really horrible last night. When he was finally fouled, I thought, "Okay, he's gonna get this." And then he misses the first.

Anyway, an MVP for Bruce would be awesome and a major slap in the face to all the Ray Allens, etc. An MVP for Tony would be a sweet icing on his already unbelievable summer. But I still hope for Timmy so that he can surpass Shaq and will only be behind MJ on number of Finals MVPs.

[polandprzem]

Well as I saw Timmy also getting much of interest from Clevelands defense. Double teams and triple teams - that was the priority for Mike Brown going into this Finals. He had to do something with Parker which he did. Parker plays great series, but I think we can all look up the stats. Timmy leads in rebs blocks and I think he is even with TP.
And Tony makes some mistakes, like driving to the basket and losing the ball. I know that;s the risk you can take

[Obstructed_View]

If there's a Spur who hasn't made mistakes in this series, give his ass the MVP. Good luck finding him.

[ATXSPUR]

lol somebody has been posting these on buckeyeplanet.com