I mean seriously, how the hell does he do it. He is 40 years old and still could dominate a game. I hate Stockton with a passion but you gotta hand it to the guy, he truly is amazing and a smarta$$.
I can't figure it out...I was watching the game last night trying to figure out how in the hell Bobby Jackson, a good defensive PG, couldn't stop 40 year old John Stockton from getting into the lane. The man recorded something like 12 assists with no turnovers. That is amazing. I hate the Jazz with a passion, but I must admit they have been good for 17 years for a reason... ...just not good enough.
The funny thing is that in game 2, the Kings were coming backin the 4th... and then the Jazz decided to go back to the pick and roll. They ran a basic pick and roll play five times in a row... they scored 4 out of 5 times. Stockton is just sooooooo good at that! He gets a solid pick from anyone on the team (because Sloan makes sure that everyone on the Jazz can set picks) then he can go around it and shoot, go the other way, go around it and pass to the guy that set the pick, drive to the hoop and shoot it, drive to the hoop and pass it out... You'd think that other teams would have learned how to guard this by now, but the fact is that Stockton has simply had far too much practice. In game two, there was a play where he got a pick from Malone high, drove to right about the free throw line, then HESITATED, drove a little farther, and passed off to Russell (I think) for a three. There's nothing fancy about it, but it sure as hell threw everyone off. And of course, Stockton's favorite tactic is simply getting right under the basket and then passing off, because when you think about it, it's far easier to pass away from the basket than toward it... plus that confuses defenses. Doing that, you're practically guaranteed to freeze two defenders... if you don't you have a layup. Now one off-topic rant... why did everyone point so hard to Utah's huge losses to Sacramento in the regular season without pointing out that MARSHALL WAS INJURED?! He's their third best player. Out of the Jazz's four losses, the first three came without Marshall, and the last one Marshall was back, but Malone was injured. What did you expect? While everyone says that the Jazz really don't match up well with the Kings, it may actually be the other way around. The Kings simply can't handle Marshall and Malone at the same time... those are two big guys with an outside shot, not to mention that both Marshall and Kirilenko have shown that they cause serious problems for Stojackovic. The only place where the Jazz don't match up well at all with the Kings is at center... and that's nothing new.
First the Jazz are GOOD at the pick and roll however The pick does not have to be SET. . it can move and often does. . the refs never call it The flopping sucks .. . . .Hard to stop EVEN a 40 yr old if you cannot impeded is progress in any way . . .even with good defense because you would be called for a foul Rocket River
