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While it may be used as to how the stat can still be BS at times, I thought Ime did a lot of the little things well. His rebound and putback were big tonight as well.
But they said on nbaTV that he was +17 last night.
True. Although signing Hill and playing him for 30+ mpg during the regular season and then expecting him to be healthy for the playoffs is a strategic flaw by Dan Tony in itself.
While it may be used as to how the stat can still be BS at times, I thought Ime did a lot of the little things well. His rebound and putback were big tonight as well.
But they said on nbaTV that he was +17 last night.
Did anyone see the interview with Pop in between the 3rd and 4th quarters? It was incredibly awkward, and just strange. I felt like something was brewing at that point. Pop was in CIA mode hardcore if I ever saw him, he was so focused he couldn't even come up with decent answers.
For some reason I agree with the Hack-a-Shaq. Shaq might make his free throws, or he might not. However I think the move is purely psychological. It stops them from playing basketball, and shows them that they are only as fast as their slowest man.
The Suns are a rhythm team, and fouling Shaq takes away what they love doing best: Free flowing offense. If they don't get to play offense, they sure as aren't going to shine playing defense, and I think throwing in the Hack-A-Shaq a little bit in the third s with their head.
Not to mention that it flusters D'antoni, and you could hear him in the huddle, "YOU SEE? HE MADE THE FREETHROWS!" He didn't know wtf was going on, and he lost control of his team in the 2nd half.
Besides all that, Tony Parker was brilliant. Enough said. I noticed Manu landing awkwardly as well, he shouldn't of tried to jump from so far away!
This series still isn't over, we need this same tough mentality to get through the rest of the playoffs not even to mention getting out of this round!
All I remember is Pop saying that Shaq made the "hack-a" strategy look dumb because he hit like 10 in a row.
Thanks again.
Manu was the Impact player of the game and he told Shoening that his groin was bothering him the day after game 1 but was fine yesterday.
He also said he tweak his ankle in the game. But he didn't say in what play
Shaq is actually playing the pick-and-roll relatively well. In the regular season, the Spurs went almost exclusively to the pick-and-roll against Shaq. They did that early on in Game 1 but he was moving his feet too well so the Spurs haven't used it nearly as much as they did in the regular season.
Great recap as usual.
Though the Hack-A-Shaq employed by Pop in game 1 worked to our advantage I felt in game 2 it seemed to hurt our momentum. It's kind of gimmicky for the Spurs. I tend to agree with Collins about changing the rule after this season concerning off the ball fouls like that. It seems to reward the team that is fouling rather than penalize them for the infraction. One shot and the ball out of bounds seems appropriate for this type of foul.
We need to come out strong in game 3. I feel that the Suns are going to be pumped and ready to go in front of their fans. Come out strong and weather the storm. In the second half we take over and go for the throat. I just think that Pop has totally schooled D'Antoni.
Liked what Kenny stated on TNT recently(paraphreased) - When games are won by double digits it means that the losing team just wasn't ready to play. Their hearts weren't in it but when you lose by less than ten then that's all about coaching.
We need Hill so badly...
Did anyone find it odd that with 48 seconds left the Suns let 20 seconds go off the clock instead of fouling? I can't remember how much exactly we were leading by, I think it was 8. I thought for sure Coach D would have the players fouls but he didn't and I thought that blunder helped seal the victory.
I can explain this one: D'Antoni is a moron.
Good recap, timvp. I'll just add...
Small Ball scoffers had returned to their s by the end of the 3rd quarter, if not by half-time...at least the ones paying attention.
Good point. Small ball last night was +17. Two bigs put up a -11.
Small ball has become an important weapon for the Spurs. Small ball was a weakness in 2006. After two years of working on it, the Spurs are actually good in small ball alignments.
I think Pop wanted to make sure the Suns didn't go on a run or get into a rhythm before entering the fourth, and that's why he went with Hack-A-Shaq. I think it was stupid but that's the only logicial reason to why Pop had to do it.
Great recap.
I think Pop just uses the Hack-a-Shaq to get into D'Antoni's head, and for no other reason. The timing of it, with Nash on the bench and Phoenix being like 2 for 17 from the floor in the quarter made no sense at all...but I think Pop knew this, he's too smart I believe, to not have made this move with the sole purpose being merely to give D'Antoni fits on the sideline.
If I were D'Antoni I'd of come back with Hack-a-Duncan and let them square off in a free throw shooting contest to end the third quarter.
Great recap, as always, timvp.
I am thrilled with the intensity and passion that our Spurs have shown in the first two games of this series. Tim, Tony and Manu have been playing out of their minds and if we could just get a little more help from Finley or Udoka or Barry or even Bruce, these games wouldn't even be close. The defensive energy has been impressive, especially in the second half. It is gonna take that same effort and then some to win in Phoenix. As we all remember, the fans were rabid last time we played there in the playoffs. I fully expect us to come out with intensity and drive. If we can win this next game, it will put the Suns in a bad situation. As it is they have to win 4 of 5 against us. There can't be any let down. I know Pop will have them ready to go on Friday.
BELIEVE.
What's weird is that last night Shaq went 5 for 6 with Hack-a-Shaq FTs and 2 for 8 with conventional FTs. It's like when he's fouled on purpose with no shot attempted, it really gets to his pride and he focuses extra hard because he doesn't want to be embarrassed but with a regular foul he goes back to his stupid ol' "I'm too much of a badass mother er to give a if I make these or not" self.
Personally I still don't think we should abandon Hack-a-Shaq. The 5-of-6 could just be a fluke. I still think it's a good idea to use it with a lead, a deficit, whenever. I'd just prefer to use it with Nash in the game. The less he has the ball, the better for us. I know he had a bad 3rd quarter, but I'm generally terrified of him.
And maybe we could try Bonner as the designated Hack-a-Shaqer. He could foul O'Neal six times on one end and we can abuse him with pick and pops that would leave Bonner wide open for 15 footers on the other end.
Spurs were +17 when Ime was on the floor
He was fortunate to be on the floor during runs. He sucked.
Shaq's foul on T. Parker was simply ridiculous!!!
SMAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL BALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
You now what?
I was so damn pissed at HackerShaqer tactic at game two that I said it out loud when I was watching the game at 4am. !
You may do it occasionaly but not last 4 or 5 actions of the quarter. It dirupted Suns a bit, it gave some breather to the players but damn, this game was so long because of FT that those O'neals was not necesseary.
I thought TP played one of the games when he wanted to prove something, but I can't find what it was. He just competed as hard as anybody, he had some mistakes like the one when Tm was on Nash downlow and he decided to finish himself and that one enden in a turnover or his foul I can't remember it right now.
As for manu - his shot was looking better and hopefully his shot will be absolutely outstanding in game 3.
Tim fought well.
I saw an old Kurt with desire, he looks like he lost some pounds and that's good cause you see he is in good condition, his defense was what we needed.
And Ime IMO had a good game- nothing more you want to expect from him then hustling some D and rebounding (well he could make some shots - the area he must to improve from the confidence point of view)
Bowen - I demand you to rewatch the game and what he did on Nash. That maybe was not the best Bowen showing of defense but he was realy realy realy good. I think that was one of the biggest reasons the spurs won the game. His D disrupted Steven.
Umm as for Shaq and his D on TD - I think Shaq is better one on one defender on Tim then he used to be when he was in his prime and I'm gonna tell you why. Because he is not jumping at all, and that closing TD, cause he can't get his opponet with fakes and going around the Big Fella is not that simple. Shaq when in his prime he was alway intimidated by the fakes and was going for the ball - then you could trick him. Now you can't in a low block 1-1 situation. The same thing was when Timmy was clogged in the FIBA when they sended 2 or 3 guys at him and when his defender was just standing with his hands reached.
That sucked Timmy wasn't it?
(esp. when americans could not spread the floor)
All in all good win and I was impressed by the spurs.
Game 3 will be the game of a chance to put Suns away 'three o' is quite big adventage.
Suns can easily be back in the series when they win game 3 and regain the momentum. Pop doeas not belive in the momentum thing, but Suns players do and they make positives of it.
That was actually a really good take. I hadn't thought of that but you are right on all counts.
Who knew Poland had televisions? Props for the best post of the day
His outside shooting was bad, to be sure, but otherwise he was good. He scored six straight points for us in one stretch and in the first quarter he rotated in the lane and came up with a steal off Amare that turned into a fast break lay-in for Tony.
That rotation to stop a big has been something that Fin has shown an inability or unwillingness to do all season long.
Unfortunately I had to go with stream.That was actually a really good take. I hadn't thought of that but you are right on all counts.
Who knew Poland had televisions? Props for the best post of the day
As for my post. Damn I am is such a hurry to write something that it is not pretty (easy) to read.
And thanks for that you are thinking that my post was the best
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