Search Results for: parker
In a game of playoff intensity with numerous story lines and subplots, the headline is turnovers. The recent mediocre play of the Spurs might also be headlined by turnovers. The surest way to allow any team back in a game and/or prevent yourself from remaining in one is to have empty offensive possessions that lead to highly efficient ones for the opposing team. Tonight, there were just too many turnovers…
Last night’s game can be summed up in one word. Ewww. First off, that is terrible grammar. Second, it is accurate. This game felt like a high school game — a lot of craziness with a few oohs and ahhs that made it seem better than what it was. I wouldn’t have been surprised if there was a Homecoming Dance after the game. With the final score,…
The phrase in the NBA for tonight’s loss is “schedule loss”. As in, the schedule was so tedious, the team was more than likely going to lose the game. 4 games in 5 nights–with 3 on the road–will do that to you. Throw in the Knicks’ heightened defensive focus from their head coach, and this one was all but sewn up from the tip. The team fought hard through the…
After spending the last two recaps gushing about one of the Big 3, might as well make it a clean sweep and praise Duncan. But what can you say about Duncan that hasn’t already been discussed thousands of times amongst the Spurs faithful. He is the rare breed of brilliant player whose contributions show up in the box score and yet exceed what any metric could ever measure. He is…
Watching the game, I started writing a draft of the story in my head. On the heels of last game and the Manu love fest, it was going to be an article in appreciation of Tony Parker, how his game has matured, how he continues to grow and improve as a player, how he runs the most efficient offense in the NBA with a maestro’s touch, always knowing when to…
For the last 3 seasons, the Spurs have been a regular season machine, rolling to victory after victory despite down stretches from their best players, significant injuries, odd and horrible scheduling, and anything else that could be thrown at them. This is due in large part to the culture and consistency built up by a decade and a half of Pop and Duncan, and a decade with Parker and Ginobili….
Yowzers. Before both teams started running out of gas in the 4th quarter, I was having trouble catching my breath the action was moving so quickly. It was like the Phoenix Suns’ of D’Antoni-Nash, only quicker and more frenetic. The first half was nearly impossible to get a read on, but the Spurs made a few adjustments in the second half to very subtly take control of the game. The…
The vagaries of an NBA game are so interesting. In the 2nd and 3rd quarter of tonight’s game, Denver just completely overwhelmed the Spurs with quickness. The road-weary Spurs were fighting fatigue with every screen, every short shot. Missed shots–to say nothing of bad turnovers–were all being converted into fast break points, as San Antonio failed to get back for transition defense. Rather than work for great shots, the team…
Oklahoma City represents the Spurs biggest potential failings in the playoffs, and not just because they were that last year. The Spurs offense is predicated on using intelligence, design, and ball movement to free up as much possible room to create the best opportunities to succeed. At the professional level, every sport is a game of inches, and San Antonio gets the most inches. But Oklahoma City has the athleticism,…
I’ve said this before, and it bears repeating, especially given the Spurs amazingly difficult early season schedule: games are not played in a vacuum. Yes, these NBA teams travel in luxury most of us can not even dream about, and have not a professional care in the world outside of playing a game for a few hours every couple of days. But I would challenge anybody to traverse 4 time…
