Links: Playoffs Diary Day Seven
Pick and Roll….
By: Holly MacKenzie
Before we get started talking about these games, I’ll be doing my best Lang impersonation (I know, I know, there can only be one), and I’ve got the Lakers/Denver recap coming. Soon. Before game three. I promise. I’ve been working on some “real life” stuff for the past few days and you don’t need to remind me how much more fun it is to write about the NBA, so let’s get on with it.
Lang will be back with you all very soon. To continue on something he had mentioned the other day, how has it not even been a week since the playoffs started? I am already so deeply into this that I cannot imagine keeping up this pace for three more rounds. Of course I will and I’ll continue to love every second of it, but this season has just been so great that I’ve got a ton invested in every series, even Toronto and Orlando.
It would happen that one of the guys I’ve been praising all season had to go and join the crazy club last night. I’m just waiting to see what JR Smith has in store for us in game three. I’m talking about Josh Howard. In case you missed it, for some inexplicable reason, he felt the need to clarify his stance on marijuana and to tell the world that he smokes weed in the offseason “as do most of the players in the league”. Not a huge surprise, but why?
As for the game, the biggest thing to me was the energy that Dallas had from the opening tip. They had their crowd behind them and an extra bounce in their step and it seemed every lose ball, every foul call and every break went their way. While Dirk had 32 and 19 to go with 6 assists, Paul and West were unable to knock down anything and finished a combined 10-38 from the floor. Jannero Pargo was the only guy who could get things going offensively and it was not a nice game for the Hornets. The two teams got a little heated in the final minute of the game when Dampier decided to put a little extra into his foul on Chris Paul. The game was already over for the Hornets, why bother incensing them for game three?
I don’t understand some of these guys. Focus. Focus. Focus.
Still, the Mavs did what they were supposed to do, they got the 97-87 win at home after New Orleans had taken care of the home court that they had earned during the regular season.
The Sixers also did what they were supposed to do in winning game three on their home floor, but what they have done, I don’t think anyone expected. After grabbing the game one victory in Detroit, they were blown out in game two and I kinda figured this would be the trend for the rest of the series. Not so, says Philadelphia and the team went home to return the favor, dropping the Pistons 95-75. Yes, Detroit looked horrible and managed only 75 points. Nothing more to say.
I love how the crowd groans in unison as Sammy Dal throws up a jumper and it swishes solftly through the net.
My favorite part of the Suns/Spurs game? JVG. How did the most exciting series in the playoffs turn out to be predictably awful? Damn Spurs. TP absolutely killed the Suns, again. Van Gundy continued to be fantastic:
“Shiloh has turned two and Suri is the cutest kid I’ve ever seen.”
“They should start drug-testing writers.”
“I know we lost a 2-0 lead. I was there.”
He might be my favorite part of this postseason, after Chris Paul, Kobe’s 49 and the continued emergence of Rondo. Oh yes, the Sixers also. Okay, so not my favorite, but they are up there.
I don’t really wanna talk about the game because it was beyond frustrating to see the Suns get killed and be unable to make a defensive adjustment, play after play, quarter after quarter and now game after game. 41 points for Tony Parker. 41?! Yes, 12 assists, too. Shaquille O’Neal was also 9-17 from the foul line. He makes them when they count though, so don’t worry about game four. Yes, I’m in the bitter barn when it comes to the Suns right now. The look on Amare’s face killed me.
From Myles: “Steve Kerr has been getting high with Josh Howard.” Just so you all know where he stands on the Suns, in case you forgot.
Okay, enough from me. Go ahead and get your discussion on!
89 Responses to “Links: Playoffs Diary Day Seven”
Apr.26 at 2:00 am
RV says:
amazing game by Parker, only shot three 3 ptrs and still threw up 17-26, its unbelievable how he shortens the court for himself by not shooting 3s and with the defense knowing he wont shoot them he still finds space for that many shots..
Apr.26 at 2:03 am
jay says:
what the hell is wrong with the suns, i know they cant defend and all but spurs ran the same play back to back and suns were unable to defend. also Holly i dont know if you’ve read this, but pretty funny http://www.serioussportsnewsnetwork.com/2008/04/karl-vows-to-put-somebody-on-that-bryant-kid-in-game-three.html
Apr.26 at 2:04 am
RV says:
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/3716/dsc07639et3.jpg
Apr.26 at 2:05 am
RV says:
holly, i posted a link to Landry’s toothless pic incase you want to post it up there
Apr.26 at 2:07 am
The Life and Times of Roger Rabbit says:
I hope Mark Jackson doesn’t get the Knicks job so he can call games with JVG because they are very good together.
Apr.26 at 2:07 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
RV, I’m not entirely sure how to post photos, or I would for sure, I’ll moderate the link though, so people can check it out. Love that Dikembe originally knocked it out. ha
Apr.26 at 2:09 am
The Life and Times of Roger Rabbit says:
Why did first post about the Pistons disappear? If it comes back then never mind but if it doesn’t then what I said was that I hope the Pistons lose the series because of their superiority complex.
Apr.26 at 2:11 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
Which post about the Pistons?
Apr.26 at 2:15 am
Hursty says:
sup holly,rabit and of course RV!
Apr.26 at 2:17 am
The Life and Times of Roger Rabbit says:
I basically reposted it in the second post (hoping the Pistons lose) Holly.
Apr.26 at 2:17 am
Hursty says:
hack a shaq is BS, needs to be cut out, in Aus if you intentionally foul the player without the ball its an unsportsmanlike (similair to flagrant/technical) also techs are 2 freebies as more of a punishment.
Apr.26 at 2:17 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
I loved Mo Cheeks and his pregame talk with the guys. He’s bringing the confidence and it shows with his guys.
Apr.26 at 2:18 am
Co Co says:
Look at you Holly!
Apr.26 at 2:19 am
RV says:
holly, if you want you can try this html code
Apr.26 at 2:19 am
The Life and Times of Roger Rabbit says:
Hursty it’s like A Pimp Named Slickback said on Boondocks you have to say the whole name.
Apr.26 at 2:19 am
Hursty says:
the PHX defenders have no idea what to do with TP on the P’R. he would curl off then hit the J or go to the bucket. and since when can he shoot mid range jumpers?
Apr.26 at 2:20 am
Hursty says:
meh…
Apr.26 at 2:20 am
RV says:
Apr.26 at 2:20 am
The Life and Times of Roger Rabbit says:
Holly didn’t write something or was suppose to write something for paradoxysm.com or whatever it’s called?
Apr.26 at 2:21 am
Hursty says:
Is Nash injured?
Apr.26 at 2:23 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
I will be starting up very soon at HP. It’s pretty cool to take over the Links for tonight. haha I’m no Lang but this is fun. CoCo! I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow…. hopefully AFTER the Lakers go up 3-0!
Apr.26 at 2:24 am
RV says:
nevermind, now wordpress won’t let me include it anymore
Apr.26 at 2:24 am
Hursty says:
Barbossa decided to show up, he scored 10 straight to start the 2nd and 8 straight in the 4th, Amare had good stats (as usual) but went MISSING when the suns needed a basket and the game swung in their direction.
Apr.26 at 2:24 am
RV says:
i didn’t watch the game, but from the box score he might as well been injured
Apr.26 at 2:25 am
Hursty says:
Holly, wasnt it your dream to do the Links like Lang? Like in your essay?
Apr.26 at 2:27 am
Hursty says:
I watched and he couldn’t do anything significant (maybe it was Bowen and his ‘defense’), he was running OK, but had like, 10 points or something and couldnt get into the key to set up guys. Duncan boomed on Amare TWICE! and then on Hill AND Diaw!
Apr.26 at 2:28 am
The Life and Times of Roger Rabbit says:
Hursty, if Nash is injured he will have a lot of time to rest. It will be so nice to have Steve Kerr back as a commentator next year as Charles Barkley said.
Apr.26 at 2:33 am
Ben Osborne says:
Shaq should play for the Pistons next year so two very good, but way too arrogant entities, can be together.
Apr.26 at 2:34 am
Hursty says:
funny link Jay, thats pretty much it in a nutshell.
Apr.26 at 2:35 am
Hursty says:
Aaron Aflo(sp?) is arrogant?
Apr.26 at 2:35 am
Mehmet says:
you know the hornets are in trouble when pargo scores 30.
Apr.26 at 2:36 am
Hursty says:
‘Sixers shock the basketball world and take game 1!’ and 3.
Apr.26 at 2:37 am
Hursty says:
he took only 45 shots mehmet.
Apr.26 at 2:40 am
Myles Brown says:
A notoriously bad defensive team trades for a player who damn near broke the record for consecutive disqualifications this season. A notoriously bad defensive team who has struggled with their interior defense trades for a player who couldnt keep a sunset in front of him. A notoriously bad defensive team trades for a player who has NEVER been able to defend the pick and roll to help them get over the hump against a team who runs that play as well as anyone in the league? Who could have seen this coming? Maybe a bunch of nerds. Is it possible that Shaq has now killed two teams in one season?
Apr.26 at 2:41 am
Hursty says:
damp got a little physical with Paul, avery Johnson is muttering in his high pitched groan of a voice. Paul was up in his face though, not backing down with the little dude.
Apr.26 at 2:43 am
Hursty says:
shaq cant move his legs myles, thats why Timmy’s pick for TP was so effective, cos shaq doesnt hedge and stays in the key. ‘thanks’ another two for Parker.
Apr.26 at 2:44 am
Captain America says:
Kept waiting for Suns to break out of their slumber. Spurs aren’t THAT good.
Apr.26 at 2:44 am
Hursty says:
he killed whoever the spurs play next round because with PHX at least they might have had a chance to go through, spurs play like this the rest of the playoffs i can only see the lakers stopping them-and it’ll take some big efforts from them to do it.
Apr.26 at 2:46 am
Hursty says:
neither are the suns capt.
Apr.26 at 2:48 am
Tekno says:
Ah the playoffs…Spurs just vapourised the Suns in the Valley!
Glad you didn’t make a big deal about the Hack-Shaq strategy Holly. I’m sick of reading from all these media personalities (I’m talking to you Mr. Bill Simmons) deploring those tactics and concentrating on the team employing them to gain an advantage. Gee…how convenient to overlook the giant elephant in the room. You know, that big elephant that goes by the name of Shaquille. If he hits those darn FREE throws at a decent rate the strategy would be made to (in the words of Pop) “look stupid”. But no. Don’t blame the guy who has not really cared to improve his free throw shooting one iota since coming into the League even though he’s being paid millions upon millions to give his best. Blame the team who takes adavantage of that.
Anyway, my venting is done.
TP!!!!
Finally…Although I really want to see a Pistons V Celtics ECF because it could very well be an almighty epic…a very large part of me is not sad at all to see the 76′ers hammer that Motown crew.
Ah playoffs, its during this time of the year I wish I was over there not here in Australia.
Apr.26 at 2:49 am
Hursty says:
“i coulda been a contender, coulda been a someone, now im caught up in the ratrace, and lookin like an also run’
‘Coulda been a champion, coulda been a legend, I coulda been the heavyweight champion of the world’.
Apr.26 at 3:12 am
Co Co says:
What Myles said.
Apr.26 at 4:10 am
Russ Bengtson says:
FIRE DAN-TO-NEE! P.S. This shoulda been called The Post-Up, Playoff Edition.
Apr.26 at 4:36 am
Tariq says:
Jake’s Slowpoke Gonzalez metephor is still poignantly accurate. For Game 4, to avoid the sweep, I think D’Antoni should have Nash guard TP.
Apr.26 at 4:40 am
Tariq says:
I don’t particularly like Dirk, and I hope Dallas lose, but I was impressed with the guy’s line. He’s starting to grow on me.
Apr.26 at 4:42 am
Tariq says:
Van Gundy is the Anti-Screech. And for those of you who don’t know, Screech is Reggie Miller.
Apr.26 at 4:51 am
Tariq says:
I like Kenny Smith’s term for the Suns’s problem from Game 2: Denver Nuggetitis. I like it for two reasons: 1- It’s accurate.
2- It technically means that they have an inflammation in their nuggets.
Apr.26 at 4:58 am
Tariq says:
The Pistons are a joke. And Chauncey “Mr. Big Mouth” Billups is fast becoming one of my least favorite players. You’d think he’s Oscar Robertson’s mentor the way he talks about the Sixers. Aloof punk.
Apr.26 at 5:02 am
Tariq says:
By the way, post-game, Amare called Tony Parker a “queen”. But in a good way.
Apr.26 at 5:39 am
Blinguo says:
Lang(Lang) is talented and bold (x2). Dirk and Tony FrenchP aren’t bold(Ok TP is but not later in his whole name and stats post up) but both won their games and were “Toyota BMW Ford everything else + ESPN MVP of the game.” Holly Favoritism?!
Apr.26 at 5:40 am
Blinguo says:
That other MJ, Mark Jackson was good too, dropping knowledge and respect about where he learned teardrop floaters in the lane segueing into Tony Parker’s display of them. JVG put the blame on D’Antoni and PHX’s suits for Shaq’s deal, not just Steve Kerr as well.
Apr.26 at 6:24 am
peteb80 says:
So TADOne, wherever you are, do you now believe me when I say these Pistons are not contenders? (Unless, of course, you count the league’s best 7 -9 teams as contenders)
Apr.26 at 6:31 am
Tariq says:
pete: They have the quality to contend: Their capable of playing excellent defense, they have a good inside/outside balance, they have a deep young bench, and they have a dude who can sink the big shot. Unfortunately for them, though, all that doesn’t matter, because they’re punks.
Apr.26 at 6:31 am
Tariq says:
*They’re
Apr.26 at 6:33 am
Tariq says:
The worst-kept secret in the NBA is now official: The Suns’ window has closed forever.
Apr.26 at 6:52 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
I’m with you on this, Holly. Everyone was raving about how great Game 1 of Suns-Spurs was, but I hardly noticed since I was just dying inside ’cause the Suns kept sticking to their frustrating ways. (Which I knew they would, but still…) I said this before the Playoffs, and it still holds true: there aren’t 7 or 8 contenders in the West. Only 3 teams have a legitimate chance: the Spurs, Jazz and Lakers.
Apr.26 at 6:54 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
The feel-good story of these Playoffs is obviously the youthful Sixers slapping the arrogant, boring, over-the-hill Pistons around. Refreshing.
Apr.26 at 7:04 am
Solito says:
The suns are in trouble, because Shaq doesnt rotate out of the zone on the pick and roll. So even if the Suns use Bell, Hill or Barbosa to do a high trap on the pick, Shaq will stay in the zone when the extra pass goes to the open man on the side. Bad Idea with all those shooters the Spurs have.
Apr.26 at 7:10 am
Tariq says:
Solito: “The Suns are in trouble” is the understatement of the year.
Apr.26 at 7:45 am
Nick says:
RIP phoneix suns.
Apr.26 at 7:48 am
Eboy says:
Maybe the Spurs are just that good.
Apr.26 at 8:48 am
WhaHuh says:
I wonder if this will silence the Tony Parker haters? Probably not, because everyone seems to hate europeans. Avery made some good changes- Kidd couldn’t guard Paul so Terry guarded him all night, he had the speed and strength to cope with him.
Apr.26 at 9:16 am
SOUSS says:
Once again the “limited talent” of TP destroys the NBA
Apr.26 at 9:18 am
LSA says:
i think thats the first time in a long time ive seen JET dunk, he doesnt look like much of a high flier but made a nice dunk look easy
Apr.26 at 9:55 am
Tariq says:
WhaHuh: I never thought there were that many Parker haters.
Apr.26 at 10:10 am
Adrian Zapata says:
hey RV what do you think of 4-1 now? or do you think it’ll be a sweep??? I knew this Suns team didnt have a heart after that game 1 loss.
Apr.26 at 11:40 am
TADOne says:
I’m here ya’ll. It’s cool, i’ll take my medicine. Detroit is f*cking dead to me right now. I’m not even going to get into what the hell is wrong with them, cause if I knew, I would be a rich man. Honestly, I hardly paid attention to the game last night, because I hvae better things to do, like take a sh!t and watch as I flush it.
P.S.- Fire Flip Saunders.
Apr.26 at 11:48 am
dre baldwin says:
in honor of JVG and Mark Jackson, Holly is, pound-for-pound, the best writer on SLAMOnline.com!
Apr.26 at 12:16 pm
DP says:
TAD, I mean, hey………….what can you say? But I’m not going to say anything about the Pistons right now………….I’ll get back at you in two games! co-sign on the Firing of Lil Flip. Billy Donavon?
Apr.26 at 12:30 pm
RV says:
yeah 4-1 or a sweep seems very likely now, i was hopping for a much better series and had the Suns taken game 1 it probably would have gone 7, but the Spurs are unbelieveable, they know what they have to do and go out there and stick to it. I still wouldn’t be surprised if the suns won 2 in a row though
Apr.26 at 12:48 pm
Tariq says:
TAD: The problem is obvious: they think they’re all that, when in fact they’re not.
Apr.26 at 12:55 pm
RV says:
Sloan says Utah needs to be more physical in game 4, so i guess they’re gonna be able to foul more now without it being called since he put it out there like that, great coaching
Apr.26 at 1:01 pm
DP says:
History says it is impossible, but I have a feeling the Suns can do it.It is a very weak feeling but they have a PRAYER.
Apr.26 at 1:08 pm
DP says:
Sloan is a genius, RV. I have another feeling in my gut though……………..Houston will win game 4. It is good to have the Rafer back.
Apr.26 at 1:23 pm
namik says:
As much as I wanted the Lakers to beat the Suns, this is very satisfying. I might have been a bit drunk but I have never seen Duncan look so athletic. Atleast not for a while. The way he was punking the “Deisel” was crazy considering he is 7 feet. Greatness. The Spurs really do look like they’re going to repeat.
Apr.26 at 1:57 pm
Cheryl says:
I know I’m late to this party, but did Nash just age 10 years in front of our eyes? Shaq was not the Spurs killer they though he’d be. I coulda told them that.
Apr.26 at 2:15 pm
RV says:
i hope so DP, but this last game was too close, but maybe that was a good thing, had the rockets blown them out Utah would definitely be looking to destroy them in Game 4, this way maybe they think they only need minor adjustments.
Apr.26 at 2:20 pm
RV says:
If luther gets benched again, Rafer doesn’t go 2 for 15 and Scola calms the f*ck down, then a W is likely……Scola iw frustrating the hell out of me lately, he’s so damn competitive that not only does he want to make a good play everytime, but he wants it perfect, he doesnt want to get go up and get fouled for freebies, he wants to fake and get a clean lay up, that last free throw in game 3 he was suppose to miss was a perfect example, he shot it the same except for a lil push at the end, he wanted the miss to be perfect off the back of the rim, he forgets its better to make it a sure thing than a pretty one
Apr.26 at 2:28 pm
Tom says:
Nice to see you Holly…….Sixers are one of the few teams who just don’t give a f*ck about detroit and their swagger, they’ve played them well all year…its sad that the pistons even need a wake up call like this.
Apr.26 at 2:30 pm
Tom says:
As for the Suns, I don’t think they’re coming back from this. The only reason the Lakers did it when they were down 0-2 is because each and everyone of them felt they were better than the spurs. San an has an air of invincibility about them these days and i don’t think most of the suns truly believe they are better than them. An Cheryl, when Parker plays like that, he makes anyone who is guarding him look 10 years older.
Apr.26 at 2:47 pm
thasam says:
As far as Suns/Spurs goes, David Stern needs to put the fix in NOW! It would be a terrible shame if a wonderful NBA season ends in a boring ass, unwatchable Finals, and that’s exactly what we will get if the Spurs (or the Jazz for that matter) end up in the Finals - and we all know that. Would anyone really complain if the refs made the remaining games in the Suns/Spurs series (or a Lakers/Spurs series if it gets that far) is a officiated in a way that makes Game 6 of the ‘02 Lakers/Kings WCF look like an evenly called game? Seriously , for once I and a lot of other fans want to be entertained and enjoy and NBA Final series, which is why I’m so pissed at the Suns right now.
Apr.26 at 6:09 pm
Free Vick says:
Your a bad basketball fan. All you want is piss poor fundamentals and bad defence. And your ignorant too if you call the jazz boring seeing as how they play the same way the Suns do. If you don’t like real basketball go watch that Euro garbage. This is the NBA. We don’t want those soft players like Nash and Amare in the finals.
Apr.26 at 6:59 pm
Holly MacKenzie says:
Dre Baldwin: I think that was the best compliment I’ve ever been given, thanks. Love bringing JVG and Mark Jackson into this. Also anything that relates me to Iverson is more than okay with me. hahaha
Apr.26 at 7:00 pm
Tekno says:
Thasam, I’ll tell you what. You obviously don’t like real basketball so why don’t you just skip the playoffs altogether and I’ll splice together a highlight reel package for you full of dunks and other forms of ‘entertainment’ from all the rounds and you can just loop that over and over again and drift off into a surreal happiness in the offseason (sort of like Josh Howard). I mean, are you saying what the Spurs did yesterday was unwatchable? Sheesh.
Apr.26 at 7:58 pm
peteb80 says:
Wow, the Nuggets suck.
Apr.26 at 9:15 pm
Hursty says:
so does the raptors, they never got their swagger back after Bosh went down even after he came back.
Apr.26 at 9:58 pm
Ryan Jones says:
If the Suns still had Shawn Marion, they’d definitely be up 3-0 right now.
Apr.26 at 11:06 pm
Adrian Zapata says:
hey thasam: We enjoy the Spurs down here in South Texas, does anyone else matter? hahaha.
Apr.27 at 12:23 pm
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
TheVick said: “If you don’t like real basketball go watch that Euro garbage.” In actual fact, the best European teams play just the kind of defense-oriented game with sound fundamentals you were referring to. Plus, they actually play defense all year long, not just in the Playoffs.