The Spurs are like an old prize fighter. He's been cut a bunch of times, he's not as fast as he used to be, but there is no way you are knocking him out. He's going to stay on his feet for 12 rounds if it kills him.
There is a strong likelihood that all of the Spurs players will stay conscious throughout the game and the series... not so sure about the fans though.
Spurs remind me of the Pistons of 2007 and 2008. They are aging and their further decline is inevitable. Duncan can not carry them any more. They have 35 year old Dyss and and undersized low draft pick in Blair. Sound familiar? Ginobli is game but can't carry them. They are lacking team speed. Piston fans have seen this story before.
I would have said that too, yesterday. Today it's all over except the shouting which Aurora is gladly providing, in technicolor no less. Alvin Gentry, who would have guessed it? Does kind of make you wonder how this team might have done without the Shaq trade and without D'Antonio running them out of the playoffs year after year. Guess little Stevie Kerr might have a plan after all.
This year was their last chance. Next year the competition will get tougher and the Spurs will be even one more step slower. The only way the Spurs can have one last run at a title next year is if they sign one of Bosh/Boozer/Amare. Given that they are over the cap, I don't see it happening. Although Jefferson might get excited about this summer and opt out. That'll be $15M off the books for the Spurs and they can then get creative. Phoenix will probably put up a better fight against the Lakers.
Although the Jazz were shooting the lights out (especially Kyle "Ashton Kutcher" Korber) they just ran into a hotter team with Artest, Kobe and Fisher hitting those key shots down the stretch. Good game though as the teams traded hoops all fourth qtr and as has been occurring all post season, if the Lakers are within 5 of the lead with less than 3 minutes less...they will win. maybe they should have set up that last prayer with 4.4 seconds with Korber taking the shot. Looks like a Suns vs Lakers WC Finals with both teams up 3-0 in the conference semi-finals.
I have been rooting for the Suns. Plus it's nice to see G.Hill finally advancing in the playoffs. Can't say that I hate the Spurs - more like just getting sick of them. Their whole team is pretty much based on Tim Duncan, if their GM's want to take the glory for that then whatever. Dyess really does have a knack for joining teams a year too late.
What a great game last night. And the greatest thing was neck and neck, down the stretch, neither coach called a timeout. Phil & Jerry prepared their teams beforehand, got the players they wanted into the game, and let them play. Beautiful basketball. If the Jazz had gotten that last second tip-in it would have been perfect. Everything a basketball fan needed. Including Kirilenko and possibly the world's worst haircut, possibly even his personal worst, which is saying a lot.
The closing stretch last night made me really miss the Pistons winning in the playoffs. That game was a ratings killer though. I was only watching with one eye for most of the game because it seems that Utah is just good enough to lose closely to LAL.
Amare Stoudamire and Carlos Boozer are 2 guys that have been bandied about as potential Pistons. Stoudamire has impressed me as an impact playoff player in both series. Boozer is just too short to make a difference against the top, top teams. He'd be a great match for Flip Saunders because he'd put up great numbers and play great throughout the year, but once the big dogs come out he'll struggle to get over the top.
If Alvin Gentry's team could play some D and stop Gasol and Odom in the paint, they may be able to steal at least one game. The Lakers are getting away (like the Celtics) with a lot of no call dirty play in the paint, but I guess the NBA knows they got to have Kobe playing in June if they want somebody to watch. Would be nice to see Grant Hill who had a great game tonight play in the finals, but this may be the closest he gets to the champaign.....
I think in much the same way, both series are shining a lot of light into the holes in the Magic and Suns. There are a lot of incomplete players with superstar status on both teams who are being shown up as above average guys with really good PR. And both the Suns and Magic are facing very well coached, very well prepared teams, and neither Van Gundy nor Gentry (nor their staffs) seem to be in the same league.
You might argue that from 2006 - 2009 they did. Good looking team on paper, able to win a lot of games in the regular season, but without what it takes to win in the post-season. I think we've been there. Not to suggest, that after the debacle that was this past season, I wouldn't be fine with one of those teams again. Losing sucks.
And so it is. So far, everybody protected their home court. Game 5 is a must-win for the Suns. Can they really beat LA three times in a row? I doubt it, but then again, I was predicting a sweep after the first two games. Intersting stat: all Suns starters were negative, and all bench players were positive in the +/- column. Starters: -24. Bench: +69. Some stuff from the game recap:
Take a look at Lopez reaction to Dragics drive if you missed it yesterday. YouTube - Goran Dragic Beautiful Layup vs Los Angeles Lakers (HD)
