Kobe Bryant said that if he’d been told in training camp that Los Angeles would have to win three straight games to claim the Association title, he’d take it for sure. On the other hand, Phil Jackson felt that the Lakers hadn’t grasped the significance of their situation between Thursday and Sunday. In a sense, both were right. Boston was laying their bodies on the line, playing through pain. Doc Rivers told them to play every minute of Game 5 like it was their last. The Celtics had bought into a season-long philosophy of team play and personal sacrifice for …
Experience Matters?
Like the 1983 Edmonton Oilers lost the Stanley Cup to the New York Islanders and the 1998 Brazil team lost the World Cup to France, it appears that the 2008 Los Angeles Lakes will lose the Association title to the more experienced Boston Celtics. The gifted Oilers and Brazilians won the subsequent championships in fairly dominating fashion; it remains to be seen whether the 2009 Lakers will do likewise. Thursday’s Game 4 was disastrous for L.A.: the first half the manifestation of every possible lucky bounce followed by the second half which showcased Boston’s outstanding focus. Often, older teams rely …
The More Things Change…
San Antonio beat Dallas 97-94 last week. Same as usual (except for 2006). Tim Duncan scored the crucial points while Dirk Nowitzki fell short at crunch time. Each team demonstrated how the keys to success lie in the details. During the penultimate play, Bruce Bowen blocked Jason Terry’s shot. Duncan immediately took the ball out of bounds because he is the Spurs’ worst free throw shooter. He inbounded as soon as possible and since the Mavericks were ill-prepared, more time elapsed and San Antonio had the best chance for points from the line. Bowen deliberately missed the second shot with …
Trades
Whether Dallas improves their current playoff hopes by trading Jason Kidd for Devin Harris, they may have sacrificed their long-term outlook. Within a couple of seasons, Harris would have supplanted Jason Terry as the Maverick’s primary point guard. As the formed Wisconsin guard reaches his prime, Kidd will be entering his decline. Furthermore, Harris should have led a lineup featuring Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard, along with a shooter and formidable bigman, who would have been drafted with the ’08 and ’10 draft picks sent to New Jersey or signed with the cap room now consumed by Kidd. As Dallas …
Nurturing Nature
Last week, during a Cleveland win over San Antonio, Mike Brown and Gregg Popovich left three timeouts each on the table. Confident in the ability of veteran players to execute quality possessions, the coaches allowed the play to flow back and forth. The Spurs lost 90-88 but Manu Ginobli released a steady, open, and transition jumper from the foul line as time expired. After a 6-5 shootout win over Pittsburgh, Bruce Boudreau commented that one of the first moves that he became Washington coach was to make the Capitals a four-line team. Rather than over-emphasize match-ups – dumping the puck …
Patience is a Virtue (Most of the Time)
The Globe and Mail reports that Sam Mitchell has been keeping an even keel lately, amid the Raptors’ uneven performances. Somebody once told me – as I was raising my voice in a team huddle – that you can only feel embarrassed if you choose to feel that way. The observation was astute and memorable but all seasons reach a point when the coach needs to rise above modeling the way and make things better, as soon as possible. Intensity has its time and place. Players’ inner motivation is far more effective than any external forces exerted by the coach. …
Il Mago
Lately criticism has abounded concerning Raptors forward AndreaBargnani, initially justified, now provided by columnists seeking topics, attempting to feed a need. Evaluating Bargnani is challenging, on account of several injuries affecting his performance since late last season. Foot and knee injuries have deprived “Il Mago” of his quickness and first step. The first months of his career had been promising and raised everyone’s expectations. Now, the knives are out. But anyone who writes off a draft pick in their second year is asking to become a victim of other general managers, ignoring the precedent set by Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, …
Posts Do More Than Merely Hold Up Stop Signs
Down the stretch last night in Portland, the Toronto Raptors’ offence sputtered and stalled, ultimately failing. Aside from Anothy Parker’s awesome dunk (plus the harm) off a dribble-pick, execution was disastrous. José Calderon bounced the ball off his foot. I see the benefit of surprising the opposition by eschewing the timeout and subsequently exploding in transition to split two defenders but it’s a risky move that – given the situation – should only be attempted with supreme confidence and a high chance of success. Jason Kapono traveled while spotting up. I hate the quick score and foul play; eventually shooting …
Occam’s Razor
In two of their last three games, the Toronto Raptors have come from behind in the second half. The final result belying severe offensive difficulties, the stark contrast in first and second half performances providing a virtual manual regarding how to win basketball games. Truly it’s no mystery. For example, the Raptors took too many jumpers early in last night’s game with the Los Angeles Clippers. If Tim Thomas were guarding me, I would post him up. When Chris Bosh realized this and began attacking the basket, he began scoring, going to the line, and drawing the double-time. A rocker-step …
Reaching the Next Level
The Raptors failed another key test Sunday (the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors have established that the Dallas Mavericks are not yet a true test). Boston won a putrid game, the 90-77 score unsuccessful in describing the ineffectiveness of Toronto’s play. Boston is good, but not great. Three superstars anchor a solid rotation and the team has demonstrated the ability to play well without any one of the featured players. The Celtics played under control and relied on solid fundamentals.
Take Initiative
Sam Mitchell and the Toronto Raptors let the Phoenix Suns take a 139-123 victory last night. Earlier in the day, Mitchell boasted in the Fan 590’s morning show that the team had three ways to stop Steve Nash and the Suns. None of them worked. Help Defence José Calderon – and later Anthony Parker – guarded Nash relatively well. But the double-team to stop dribble penetration was disastrous, leaving deadly shooters like Leandro Barbosa open to make three pointers all night. Phoenix is tough to defend because every player possesses unique weapons. Perhaps Grant Hill is the best starter to …
Rising to the Occasion
Criticisms abound regarding Bob Delaney’s pass on the contact between LeBron James and Bruce Bowen during Cleveland’s last three-pointer Wednesday. Whilst Bowen’s physical defence straddles a fine line between fair and foul and his persistence on the perimeter is certainly a challenge that his opponent must overcome, the play in question was not particularly relevant to the outcome of Game 3. The Cavaliers’ poor execution throughout the encounter, including the three and a half minute scoreless stretch between 5:28 and 1:54 of the fourth quarter, is mostly responsible for their loss. The Spurs provided countless chances but the home team …
Ball Movement
Movement makes basketball players and teams succeed: move yourself, move the ball, and help teammates do likewise. As a result of this movement, the ball will get inside with quality shots and possessions abounding. Phil Jackson and Tex Winter believe that the Triangle Offence is not effective without penetration. Obviously neither are screen and roll plays, motion sets, nor zone offences which is why San Antonio blew Utah away in the fourth quarter of Game 4 Monday night. Jackson believes in a 60-40 split between possessions devoted to guards and posts. According to the Lakers’ coach, offences are more productive …
2005 Finals Redux
Both opening games of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals demonstrated the importance of mental training. I’m disinclined to blindly use the term “experience” but feel that a large component of the differences between the respective winners and losers can be described as the “mental training that comes from being there before and making use of that experience appropriately.” Self-confidence, team chemistry, pre-game planning, and court-sense are among other elements constituting the mental training. Utah was totally taken to the cleaners by San Antonio; like the 1998 Lakers, the Jazz were unprepared as to what to expect when playing a …
On the Subject of the Association, Generally
Rules Are Affecting My Enjoyment of the Game: Beyond the suspensions of Stoudemire and Diaw, which were preposterous. Bill Simmons wrote a great column and I share a number of the views that he expressed. Irrespective of flagrant fouls (if they were enforced correctly, Bowen would have about a dozen points in 2007), consistent application of the rules is becoming a huge problem. Offensive Fouls: it’s too easy to draw a foul on contact that is chiefly incidental and should be a pass (see the call Bell drew against Ginobli for the push off). The responsibility should fall on the …
On the subject of Phoenix and San Antonio’s Game 5, Specifically
Bruce Bowen Drills Baseline Threes: So do Morris Peterson, Joe Johnson, and Donyell Marshall. Given how awkward Bowen is from the wing or the top of the key, he must shoot very well from corner in order to maintain his 38% overall three point percentage. In fact, the baseline three Bowen attempted in the last minute of Game 5 provided the Spurs with a higher expected point value (1.26) than had any of the other four players on the court attempted a two-point field goal (1.04). Mike D’Antoni Occasionally Mismanages His Rotation: The Suns largely played six players, in light …