It's all about personnel issues. Where is Fox? Bench. Fisher? He can't guard big guards. He's good a guarding little guards. Parker and Ginobli are outsmarting Fisher (not athletically). I mean Fisher couldn't even guard Troy Hudson. And Hudson had smarts AND athletic ability. You can't beat Fisher with brute force (like Iverson tried). You have to outsmart Fisher and crew. I mean, who else will guard Ginobli? Shaw? Sure, you can put Kobe on him. That's what the Spurs want. Before the series is over, the Lakers will up the defense. Then, we'll see what the Spurs are made of. But, the one thing the Spurs can always count on is that they've already experienced hard-nosed defense. The Suns played with pure quickness and speed. And that's a form of defense. It's the speed and quickness that gave the Spurs such a hard time with the Suns. Are the Lakers supporting cast as quick and fast as the Suns? I think not.
and i don't see how it can be argued the spurs are just outsmarting them to use their energy against them. LAL wasn't even trying. it was a layup drill down the middle of the lane for a while (from passes from the post), that is all on the help defense. the lakers weren't playing it, they weren't playing it but just being outsmarted. i was putting out more defensive effort trying to keep my roommate away from my junior mints than the lakers were.
The Lakers role players weren't not trying or refusing to play help defense. The fact is that they CAN NOT. They were dead last in 3-pt FG% D for all season and this is not a coincidence, not something you can suddenly turn up and do better. They are old and injuried, not quick and athletic enough to rotate and cover the way quicker and more athletic Spurs role players. Half a step slower made a world of difference.
Did Phillip complain about the refs after this game also? I didn't get a chance to catch any post game stuff.
``What he's doing he's done his whole career,'' Jackson said of O'Neal's physical play on offense. ``They're taking away his game.''
Considering you answered your own question, I'll add. Hudson having "both" doesn't equate that Parker and Ginobli have "none." Those guys are quick, but they use their brains before they use their physical ability. They are able to compensate for their weaknesses. Also, Hudson (he became a target) had it harder than Parker and Ginobli because the Lakers *knew* that he was the 2nd option, and they tried to pressure him after the the first few Wolves wins. And even after the Lakers pressured Hudson, they still weren't able to stop him. This gives you an idea how hard it was for Fisher to guard him. The Wolves just ran out of talent (supporting cast; what happened to Wally? ). I've been listening to Smith and Barkley talk about Ginobli vs Kobe. But, it's not about Ginobli "stopping Kobe." Ginobli can't guard Kobe one-on-one. But I'll tell you what! Kobe is having a hard time keeping Ginobli in front of him. Why is that? Could it be that Ginobli *knows* how to bait players to over-pursue? Use the pick? Pass to the open man when Kobe is trapping? I mean, the guy (Ginobli) has no ego. He drives when needed, shoots when open, and passes when pressed. He's not going to go head-to-head with Kobe. He can't win that way (Parker either). But Ginobli can try to out think Kobe. If Kobe presses Ginobli, he passes. Smart! And guess who will be matched up with Fisher and Shaw after the pass? Parker and Bowens (or Jackson).
this still isn't about help D, the original point of contention. this has nothing to do with duncan catching the ball in the post, and then passing to a guy cutting down the middle who gets an easy layup or a guy beating his man off the dribble and continuing uncontested, which happened all first half. either an individual laker is falling asleep on every possession or they are playing some of the worst help D this side of the grizzlies i've seen all season. no one came over to help on anything once someone was beaten, all help D. this isn't about one on one, it's about rotating and helping, lakers weren't doing it, and they have done it before. as for Newgirl's point about they can't, well they have been one of the best 3 pt fg% teams each of the last 3 years. they had virtually the same personnel (except shaq missed 15 games this year) this year as in the past. what changed, i'd say complacency. they aren't putting in the effort like they used to. watch sometimes, they'll turn up the D, and they can be almost as suffocating as in the past, but they turn it up essentially never. they certainly didn't put forth any effort tonight. as an avid laker-hater, i hope they continue to put forth no effort, it's a huge key to beating them.
Players play D. Not phantoms. Fisher can do only so much. Same with Kobe. Fox and George are on the IR. I mean, when will it be that the Spurs are just playing better, as opposed to the Lakers not playing D? Teams other than the Lakers DO get better. It has been known to happen.
I just wanted to see "quicker and more athletic Spurs..." in a post ONE more time. It's almost comical.
In the next 5 years, guess who will be filling up first round draft? International players. And the NBA is getting better because of it. And just so I don't hurt your feelings, just because international players are smart, doesn't mean that SOME American players are not. But in the last 12 years, it's been that way. Athleticism over basketball IQ. It's due to the NCAA coach/player rules, American culture, and what sells (ESPN Highlights). Hakeem could not "brute force" Shaq, but he was able to beat him with his complex array of moves and better team work. Joe Dumars wasn't as fast as Jordan, but he was able to beat him in other ways. Jordan couldn't stop Dumas either, even though Jordan was faster and quicker than him. The Dumars and Jordan example is a little different because BOTH players used their heads. By the way, when you said, "Euros smart americans brute force/athleticism, blah, blah, blah..." It really does seem like you are saying, "blah, blah, blah..." because there are a lot of Americans (coaches and journalist) that are looking overseas in search of talent over American talent. It's just a fact.
Euros who can make it in the NBA are all smart, or else they would have still stayed in Europe. So the stereotype of Euros are smart and Americans are brute athletic is not totally correct. That said, there is clearly a difference of philosophy between European basketball and American basketball. European basketball emphasizes on team work and all-around skills, regardless of your physical attributes. Athleticism, on the other hand, is valued highly in America, to the degree that it sometimes overshadows the importance of smart, team concept, and fundamental skills. The facts that Darius Miles was so highly tauted and Rudy salivated so much over Nachbar BECAUSE HE LIKED TO DUNK are testimonies of what American coaches are looking for. In the past, basketball was very popular in America and not as much in other countries. Thus America had (still does) a much larger pool of young talents to develop into great players. Now, the gap of popularity between the US and the rest of the world is shrinking. And the overvalue of athleticism over team work and all-around skills has finally caught up with American basketball. I think the superiority of American basketball will be challenged in the next decade. Ironically, the influx and success of foreign players in the NBA who bring a different approach to the game will evetually change the emphasis of American basketball, thereby pushing it back to the top again.
HAHA!!! HARHAR!!! No WAY Man, no freakin' way. Americans rule Basketball and will for a long time. oh yeah, great game last night!
