McCallum on Game 2

[tekdragon]

Back to the drawing board

Phoenix faced with making adjustments for Game 2

Posted: Tuesday May 8, 2007 11:58AM; Updated: Tuesday May 8, 2007 12:53PM

The San Antonio Spurs' 111-106 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference series that began on Sunday most assuredly put the Phoenix Suns on the defensive ... and we know how much the Suns like to play defense. But it is in bent upon Phoenix to make a few adjustments for Tuesday's Game 2.

Now, pundits love to utter that word during the postseason -- adjustments -- as if every team carries around a reservoir of them, like little Scrabble tiles. Reach in and take out an adjustment. But adjusting is difficult. Not only do good teams get to this point precisely because they play the way they want to play throughout the season, but trying to adjust against tough-minded and intelligent teams is extremely difficult. And the Spurs are nothing if not tough-minded and intelligent.

But a tough loss will inevitably lead to change, particularly in the postseason. "You lose one game," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni always says, "and you feel like you're never going to win again. So the temptation is to go back and start stirring everything up. You've got to guard against changing too much."

That is the mistake Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson made before Game 1 of his first-round series when he changed his starting lineup to match up against Golden State. It smelled of panic before the first jump ball.

But though the Suns are unlikely to do something as basic as change their starters -- wait a minute, that's exactly what they're going to do -- let me reach into my box of adjustment tiles and pick out four of them:

Put far more pressure on Tony Parker
The Spurs' point guard has bedeviled the Suns as much as any player in the league in recent years. The old philosophy was to play off Parker and allow him to shoot from the perimeter, which he did with startling accuracy in averaging 28 points against the Suns in three regular-season games. So in Game 1 the Suns wanted to play him tight and put an excellent defender, the 6-foot-7 Shawn Marion, on him. But Parker slithered by Marion (and others) or stopped and shot jumpers on his way to 32 points.

Now, they have to start treating the guy like the prime point guard he is by running two defenders at him, blitzing him and getting the ball out of his hands. Not as a regular diet but on an intermittent basis. Parker is too quick for Raja Bell to handle one-on-one, but look for Bell to go over there from time to time and provide some help for Marion, who will still have the primary assignment. Phoenix knows that Manu Ginobili can make plays (although he didn't make many of them in Game 1), but they have to see if someone else, say, Michael Finley, can do something with the ball.

Be more Kurt with Tim Duncan
D'Antoni has reportedly decided to start veteran Kurt Thomas in place of James Jones, who was a non-factor on Sunday. This is not a desperation move a la Dallas -- Thomas started 50 of the 53 games he played last season and was a part-time starter this season. Amaré Stoudemire worships the defensive ground he stands on. The only reason Thomas hasn't remained a starter is that, while his workmanlike D is appreciated, he is not an up-and-down player and that slows down the offense.

But Thomas will be needed to apply some pressure to Duncan, who had a game-high 33 points on Sunday. The Suns figure they can weather big-scoring games by Duncan (just as the Spurs figure they can weather big-scoring games by Steve Nash), but what they can't weather is Stoudemire getting in foul trouble, which was the case on Sunday. Thomas provided a reliable 13 minutes and also threw in a couple mid-range jumpers, which is a strength of his.

Less meow from Diaw
Boris Diaw is the epitome of the complementary player. A starter last season who won the league's Most Improved Player award, Diaw cedes minutes to Stoudemire, sixth man Leandro Barbosa and even Thomas from time to time. And everyone knows his predilection for passing up shots near the rim and throwing it back out to the perimeter. It's just the way he plays.

But what often goes unnoticed is that the 6-8 Diaw is excellent at exploiting matchups. He can explode past bigger, lumbering players on the perimeter and is particularly adept at posting up smaller players when there are switches on pick-and-rolls. Diaw got only five shots in his 25 minutes in Game 1 -- part of that was his own fault, but the Suns have to get him more involved throughout the rest of the series.

Three-ball in the corner pocket
San Antonio defends the three-point shot as well as anyone. But for the Suns to allow the Spurs to take more threes (16-14) and make more threes (7-6) than they did in Game 1 simply won't get it done. Bell, Jones, Barbosa and even Nash will have to start flinging (and making) from the perimeter. This will probably happen most often in transition because the Suns' frontcourt players (except for Diaw) are not great at passing back out once they get it inside; forwards Marion and Jones and center Stoudemire combined for one assist in Game 1.

Having said all that, the essentials of the Suns' game -- Nash running the offense, Marion getting out on the fast break, Stoudemire dunking inside, Bell playing physical defense on Ginobili and Finley, Barbosa breaking down the D from the perimeter -- all of it will have to be in nearly perfect order to beat the Spurs. That's a tall order but still a doable one.

[nkdlunch]

Bell will be guarding Manu,Finley AND parker. they plan to clone his ass?

[dreamcastrocks]

There is a reason why McCallum is the best writer in the business.

[SAGambler]

I think Tony needs to start the game going quickly and directly at Amare. He will foul. And let the Suns know you can still put him in foul trouble, whether he is guarding Tim or not.

[dreamcastrocks]

I think Tony needs to start the game going quickly and directly at Amare. He will foul. And let the Suns know you can still put him in foul trouble, whether he is guarding Tim or not.

I wonder what would happen to the Suns if they saw a lineup with Amare due to foul trouble. A lineup of:

Nash, Barbosa, Bell, Marion, Thomas could cause some problems if the Suns are able to push the tempo.

[Extra Stout]

How are the Suns going to double Tony Parker with Bell and Marion, AND contain three-point shooting at the same time?

[The Truth #6]

If Parker can adjust and get other people involved when they double then we'll do fine. He's not the best passer but I think he can get it done.

If they switch Bell onto Parker, then that should free up Manu.

If they put Kurt in the game that should slow everything down.

I don't see either of their moves causing us huge problems. As long as either Manu or Tony is creating havoc then we'll be fine.

[Rummpd]

Spurs played bad (not up to their usual staunt defensive standards all game) and still won the past game.

D'Antoni is already reaching for desperation. He has a solid team at home and he is making at least one lineup change. He will be listening to McCallum who never gets it right especially his love for the Lakers each and every year. This is as far as he has ever come in praise for the Spurs but finally he has to write something about how to beat them.

The Truth - Suns fans not ready for the truth - they are not going to beat the Spurs in this series, period.

Watch for Pop to start his usual then counter with a surprise move that will befuddle the Suns.

Adios the setting Suns, per prediction this would be easier series than Denver (see previous thread) the dominaton of the over-hyped, Suns and their whining coach will continue. Suns will steal one game then Spurs will move on and rest for the WCF finals.