The most important stat in this series

[GSH]

The most important stat in this series so far IMO, is steals. In the last 2 games, the Jazz have averaged 13 steals per game vs. 7 per game in the regular season and Rounds 1&2. That's an extra 6 turnovers per game, most of which lead to easy points.

When the Jazz bring a double team to Duncan, the second man is not just coming over to trap, he is making contact every time. As long as reach-in fouls aren't being called the ball is going to come loose a lot.

But the turnovers are only part of the story. When a Spur player is backing towards the basket, the Jazz are reaching around and slapping at the ball. When they want the Spur player to go left, they reach around with the right arm - vice versa when the want the Spur player to roll right. Even when they don't get the steal, they are disrupting the offense and getting "deflections".

In a game where the refs call reachin-in fouls, that strategy would have gotten the Jazz into serious foul trouble. And they would have quit doing it. If that had happened, the second game wouldn't have been close to the end. In the third game, it got into Duncan's head, and he got frustrated.

Not complaining about the refs, or suggesting that the Jazz did anything wrong. When the refs are calling a game that way, it's a good strategy. But you can't ignore the fact that the Jazz had probably their 2 best games of the year, in steals, against the Spurs in the Western Finals. They are going to keep doing it until they hit an officiating crew who calls reach-in fouls. I would too.