khandor’s sports blog

David West is simply a terrific under-sized Power Forward …

who plays the game the right way, and is a joy to watch.

It really does leave a sick feeling in the pit of one’s stomuch when a single, awkward play …

can fundamentally change the remainder of a player’s pro career and the fate of his team’s entire season.

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Up-date:

Hornets F West out for season with torn ACL

re: How an astute NBA observer might expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors this year

Game 5 – @ New Orleans [Fri Nov 06]

Q1. What’s the reason Chris Bosh should be playing Center for the Raptors rather than Power Foward?

A1. Difficult individual match-ups like this vs David West [PF].

Instead of being able to use his significant quickness advantage against an upright player like Emeka Okafor [C], Bosh is forced to bang with one of the best scoring under-sized PF’s in the league. CP3′s combination of quickness and strength makes him a difficult check for Jose Calderon. Very seldom will a rookie [i.e. DeRozan] outperform an established player like Peja Stojakovic, especially, in a road game. Byron Scott is a first rate head coach.

Raptors expected W-L Record: L, 2-3

Coming out of the annual All-Star Break and heading toward this week’s Trade Deadline  [Feb 19, 3:00 PM] … as different trade rumours swirl about the NBA [on-line & elsewhere] … it can be instructive to assess where certain marquee players rank amongst their brethren, at the specific position[s] they play the best.

When considering Big Men [i.e. Centers/C and Power Forwards/PF], it is also imperative to understand what their fundamental role is within the NBA game and what qualities are the most important for them to exhibit on a consistent basis, if their respective team’s are going to have a legitimate chance to win a League Championship, now or in the not-too-distant future.

Big Man Ranking Criteria

* Leadership
* Rebounding [which includes: i. Defensive; ii. Offense]
* Team Defense [which includes: i. Interior Rotations; ii. Perimeter Rotations; iii. Execution of Pick & Roll Techniques; iv. Transition Effectiveness; v. Shot blocking off the ball; Switching off the ball]
* Low-Mid Post Scoring
* Passing Effectiveness
* Individual Low-Mid Post Defense [which includes Shot blocking on the ball]
* Individual Perimeter Defense
* Screening Effectiveness
* Picking Effectiveness
* Perimeter Scoring
* Offensive Transition
* Physical Traits: i. Quickness; ii. Agility; iii. Explosive Power; iv. Size & Strength
* Psycho-Emotional Traits: i. Stability; ii. Intelligence; iii. Intensity; iv. Toughness 

These are the current rankings, according to this corner:

Use the “comments” section to provide your feedback.

FINAL SCORE: Raptors 92, Hornets 101
Game Info; Box Score; Full Play-By-Play; Video Highlights

When you only use 8 players, and your starting Center & Power Forward combine to make 10 Turnovers … 5 apiece, both with a negative AST:TO [3:5] … and their primary back-up off the bench also commits 2 Turnovers, for a total of 12 from these two positions; with the entire team committing just 16 [i.e. 12-16/75%] … there should not be any mystery, whatsoever, when a team is unable to play through its post players coming down the stretch of a close game, in the NBA, on the road.

When the Hornets are forced to play without Chris Paul [PG] and Tyson Chandler [C], and the Raptors still cannot close the deal, despite leading by 8 pts [83-75] at the 06:52 mark of the 4th quarter … and in spite of playing without Chris Bosh, themselves … by [i] losing the Turnover Battle, [ii] losing the Rebound Battle [34-36], yet again, and [iii] getting hammered from the 3PT Line, to the tune of 24 Pts [21-45] … it is a harbinger of troubled times ahead for the Dinos.

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To wit:

Failing and falling and finding blame
Action: Another late-game meltdown.

Reaction: When they have fallen completely apart, and it happens with shocking regularity, there’s always been a measure of, not calmness, but togetherness in the locker room.

But when does that fall completely apart like the team does? When do they start turning on each for the brain cramps that kill them night after night after night?

There were a few sideways glances and rolled eyes at times in the New Orleans game and a few in the locker room after.

Maybe Bargnani could pass the ball a wee bit more.

Maybe Jamario could not take silly jumpers.

Maybe Jose could feed O’Neal more and not try to get everyone else involved, or ask them to get the ball in the post.

I’m not saying they’re at each other’s throats but with each blown game, I get a sense an explosion is closer to reality. That might not be a bad thing, mind you, but the danger is that they really start getting on each other and it’s counter-productive. Some creative differences are good, a meltdown of any semblance of team chemistry is not.

This losing is getting to them, I can just tell by the terse answers, or lack of answers, we’re getting to innocuous questions. Nerves are frayed and this is a dangerous, dangerous time.

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There is now a solid chance that things will actually become even WORSE, in Raptorville, before they eventually end up getting BETTER.

RAPTORS SCHEDULE

Jan 30 vs Milwaukee L 85-96
Feb 01 vs Orlando L 90-113
Feb 03 at Cleveland L 83-101
Feb 04 vs LA Lakers L 107-115
Feb 06 at New Orleans L 92-101
Feb 07 at Memphis ?
Feb 10 at Minnesota ?
Feb 11 vs San Antonio ?
Feb 15 All-Star Game
Feb 18 vs Cleveland ?
Feb 19 Trade Deadline
Feb 20 at New York ?

10 reasons San Antonio is going to win tonight’s Game 7

10. The Tony Parker vs Chris Paul match-up will be played to a draw.

9. The Bruce Bowen vs Peja Stojakovic match-up will be won by the ‘Karate Kid’.

8. Joey Crawford is not on tonight’s officiating crew.

7. Michael Finley and Brent Barry are accustomed to making big shots in big games.

6. Tim Duncan has yet to play a good “away game”. Tonight, he’s due.

5. Three PFs (Thomas-K, Oberto-F & Horry-R) are better than one (West-D).

4. Ime Udoka is not going to waste valuable possessions by taking ill-advised shots.

3. When the Hornets “go small” the Spurs will counter, “going BIG” at the guard spots.

2. The Spurs are mentally tougher than this inexperienced Hornets team.

1. GINOBILI!!!

10 reasons New Orleans is going to win tonight’s Game 7

10. Chris Paul is a better PG than Tony Parker. This is his time to shine.

9. The 5/1 Wing Pick & Roll, with 2 (Peja) back-screening for Chandler, is a tough check for Bowen.

8. Joey Crawford is on tonight’s officiating crew.

7. One of Jannero Pargo, Bonzi Wells or MoPete is due for a BIG scoring night.

6. Tyson Chandler is the best 1-on-1 defensive match-up vs Tim Duncan, in the NBA.

5. 1 star PF (West-D) is better than 3 also-rans (Thomas-K, Oberto-F & Horry-R).

4. There’s no way Ime Udoka can duplicate his Game 6 performance for the Spurs.

3. The Hornets superior athleticism will generate key Stls, Blks, TO’s & Off-Rebs.

2. The Hornets are on post-Katrina mission, as the NBA’s feel-good story this year.

1. The Spurs are a dirty team whose ‘bad Karma’ will finally catch up with them!

Go ahead and take your pick.

Either way, it SHOULD be a terrific ballgame!

Hardwood Paroxysm is disappointed in the San Antonio Spurs and, specifically, with the way Robert Horry set his back screen on David West, during the 4th Q of last night’s Game 6 victory over the Hornets.

A Series of Unlikely Coincidences
What makes me the most angry about this is that they really don’t need to do these things. I don’t think the Spurs win because of these actions. They win because they play committed team defense, strike at their opponents’ weaknesses, shoot the lights out when they need to, adjust their phenomenally versatile offense to whatever attack faces them, and generally beat the crap out of teams with whatever is most effective. They don’t need to win like this. They can just go out, play their game, use their talent, and win championships. But for some reason, they don’t feel that it’s enough. Maybe it’s an obsessive need to hold on to their fading youth. Maybe it’s a simple dedication to winning at all costs. Maybe it’s spurred on (no pun intended) by their endlessly classy fan base that chanted “Horry, Horry, Horry” last night after Horry, intentionally or not, injured a star player for the other team. Whatever the reason, they have decided that this is how they will win. And they have won. And in the end, no one can take that away from them. They will always have the shine of championship rings to bask in, while the rest of us know the truth. This team’s legacy will always be slightly sullied by their dirty play.

If it looks like a rat, smells like a rat, and sounds like a rat, then you don’t need to make excuses about it acting like a tough hedgehog, or whatever else Mark Jackson wants to say. It’s a rat. Call it that.

And that’s the saddest part of all.

Spurs in 7.

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In sharp contrast, however … this corner could not possibly disagree more vehemently with that perspective.

Bruce Bowen and Robert Horry are neither thugs nor dirty players.

Since Gregg Popovich assumed control of the Spurs’ operation, San Antonio has played tough, physical, make no excuses, ask-for-no-quarter-and-give-none-in-return basketball (with the obvious, and nauseating, exception of Tim Duncan’s petulent whining after every Personal Foul call) … that is characterized by each and every other team that has ever won a championship, anywhere, and knows exactly what it takes to get the job done, come h*ll or high water.

This is who Coach Pop is.

This is what Coach Pop’s team believes in.

This is what Coach Pop’s team does … over, and over, again.

And, if your team has ever won a competitive major sports championship, anywhere … you know THIS to be a simple fact, based upon your own personal experience.

Mark Jackson (NBA Analyst) got it 100% correct during last night’s live broadcast.

The screen Robert Horry set was not designed to inflict injury to David West but it was the THE type a player makes who is committed to winning. 

The Spurs … led by Gregg Popovich … play hard, physical championship basketball, at all times … and, they play to win.

Yes, the Spurs are still THE pick in this series, down 2-3, heading towards this evening’s Game 6 … but reading a nice piece like this one:

Courtesy of Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports …

Driven West, Hornets show staying power
In the game of his life, with the Hornets moving within a victory of the NBA’s Final Four, [David] West has made himself a worthy heir to the Spurs dynasty. Three months ago, David Robinson, who started it all for the Spurs, told a young All-Star to think big this season, to dream beyond his wildest dreams.

about a young man like David West (NCAA D1, 2003 National Player of The Year) makes it just that much easier to entertain the (slight?) possibility that, just perhaps, this corner’s initial assessment might still turn out to be … something less than correct.

That said, however … one SHOULD also

“Never under-estimate the heart of a champion.” – Rudy Tomjonovich

especially with his back against the wall … and the ’Torches of Transfer’ being lit, in advance.

Yessirree, Robinson … to Duncan … to West … might have a nice circular ring to it and, in fact, might well happen sometime in the not-too-distant future … but the betting from, at least, this corner is that … it ain’t gonna be tonight.

Down 2-3 in their series against New Orleans, the San Antonio Spurs head home for Game 6 tomorrow night, facing elimination from the 2008 NBA Playoffs for the first time.

Dropping last night’s pivotal Game 5, on the road, the reigning NBA champs, again, let the play get away from them during the 3rd Quarter, allowing the Hornets to fight their way back from a 3-pt deficit at the half (44-47) to assume control … with a 14-pt margin in their favour … by the end of these 12 minutes (72-58).

Did the Spurs look old and tired, once again, during this specific stretch?

Yes, they did.

Did they make several costly turnovers?

Yes, they did … 4, in total.

Did they shoot a putrid percentage from the field … missing open shot after open shot, whether near or far?

Yes, they did … finishing 5-18 (27.8 %) for the quarter overall.

On the other hand, did the Hornets do a terrific job defensively?

Yes, they did … registering 3 Blocked Shots (West/2; Chandler/1) and 3 Steals (West/2; Chandler/1) during this quarter alone.

Is all now lost for the Spurs? … knowing that, should they manage a victory at home (in Game 6), to square the series (3-3), they will still need to get a W, in the Big Easy, where they have been thoroughly outplayed so far?

Not by a long shot … at least, if Gregg Popovich will only stop being so stubborn and refrain from playing certain players who have let the Spurs down, on the road, to this point in the series.

When the Spurs went to their bench during the 3rd Quarter last night, they were let down by two of their key reserves … i.e. Robert Horry & Ime Udoka … who were both over-matched when asked to defend or score versus either Tyson Chandler or David West during this important segment of the game, where the Hornets pulled away from San Antonio.

As suggested in this space last week … The answer for the Spurs … the key player in a San Antonio victory at New orleans will be Brent Barry (G/F, 6-7, 210), who is that much bigger than Udoka (G/F, 6-5, 220) … who is only in his 1st year with the Spurs and doesn’t know yet what it takes to win big games on the road in the Playoffs … and quicker than Horry (F, 6-10, 240) … who is no longer the same ‘Big Shot Bob’ that stuck the fatal dagger in so many playoff opponents of yesteryear.

Expect the Spurs to win Game 6, at home … but, the more significant question is …

“Will Coach Popovich have solved the individual match-up riddle that is David West (PF, 6-8, 240) by the 3rd Quarter of Game 7?“ 

The Spurs attempt to repeat as NBA champions, for the first time, might just hang in the balance.

This is what was written, last Tuesday, in this space, re: the Spurs vs Hornets, Western Conference Semi-finals match-up, after New Orleans went up 2-0 in their series.

The answer for the Spurs
Unless Gregg Popovich & Co. finally figures out that the Bruce Bowen vs Chris Paul match-up is NOT the way San Antonio SHOULD be playing this series … and creates the Tony Parker vs Chris Paul match-up, instead … the Spurs are going to be in serious of jeopardy of not getting past the Hornets in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

6 days later, the series is now tied at 2 games apiece, after Gregg Popovich came to his senses and elected to go head-to-head with the Tony Parker vs Chris Paul match-up, from a defensive perspective.

(I) As was mentioned last week, straight-up, Parker is not going to be able to prevent CP3 from putting up big numbers, individually, on the offensive end of the floor, but … whether or not this happens … this alone is not what will decide the eventual winner of this series.

Tim Duncan has recovered nicely from his bout with a fever … which (made him look old & tired and) dramatically effected his performance during Games 1 & 2, head-to-head vs Tyson Chandler … and the other 3 individual player match-ups … i.e. at the 2, 3 & 4 positions, regardless who is in the starting line-up for the Spurs … are now tilted toward the reigning champions.

(II) As was also mentioned last week, contrary to popular belief, as this series lengthens, it will increasingly favour the more veteran team, in this specific playoff match-up, as the Hornets will be swimming in uncharted waters for the first time, as a group, in the latter stages of an advanced playoff series against a very tough team.

It takes 4 W’s to win a Conference Semi-finals series and this specific collection of Spurs is particularly well-suited to wearing down (i.e. physically & emotionally) an inexperienced crew, like these Hornets … who are so heavily dependent on a young (and under-sized) Point Guard (CP3, who does not include among his many outstanding attributes the ability to single-handedly change the ‘Rebounding Differential Numbers’ for each team in this series, which is now beginning to exact a heavy toll on New Orleans … i.e. Game 3 – San Antonio/Rebs, +9) and his under-sized running mate (David West).

The Spurs were able to separate for good from the Hornets, in Game 3, when Byron Scott made the decision to go with a ‘small line-up’ at the 9:39 mark of the 2nd Quarter, San Antonio 30, New Orleans 24.

Replacing Tyson Chandler (C) with Peja Stojakovic (F) and leaving David West (PF) as the biggest Hornet on the floor – alongside Julian Wright (F), Bonzi Wells (G/F) and Jannero Pargo (PG) – resulted in New Orleans only scoring on 1 of their next 5 possessions; while San Antonio – with a line-up of Parker, Ginobili, Udoka, Finley & Oberto – converted on 4 of their next 5 possessions, to bump up their lead to 13 points … after which they were never headed again by the Hornets.

As the series shifts back to New Orleans, for Game 5, the Hornets will need to find answers to (i) the Parker vs Paul match-up and (ii) the ineffectiveness of their ‘small line-up’ … or this series will indeed be ending in 6 games, in favour of the Spurs.

The next move … if it’s coming at all … will be up to Byron Scott.

Q1. When was the last time you saw Manu Ginobili look & act like this?

A1. During the 2006 playoffs vs the Dallas Mavericks.

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Unless Gregg Popovich & Co. finally figures out that the Bruce Bowen vs Chris Paul match-up is NOT the way San Antonio SHOULD be playing this series … and creates the Tony Parker vs Chris Paul match-up, instead … the Spurs are going to be in serious of jeopardy of not getting past the Hornets in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Going with the Bowen-B vs Paul match-up unnecessarily is the same sort of ‘poor’ coaching decision that cost the Spurs dearly 2 years ago in their series vs the Mavericks … where Pop insanely tried to ‘go small’ against Dallas rather than rely on San Antonio’s tried & true Inside Finesse & Power Game (in their customary 3 out/2 in Offensive Attack alignment).

Over the years, Gregg Popovich has shown a tendency to excel when he’s got the better of the two teams in a contentious series … but, as well, to NOT necessarily make the correct adjustments in a series when he finds himself facing an opponent with more basketball talent than the Spurs have at the moment across the board.

Secondly … IF the Spurs would only realize that this is the rotation which they need to be using this series vs the Hornets …

STARTERS:
PG – Parker v Paul
OG – Barry v Peja
SF – Ginobili v Peterson
PF – Thomas v West
C – Duncan v Chandler

BENCH:
PG – Vaughn v Pargo
OG/SF – Bowen-B & Finley v Wells & Wright
PF/C – Oberto & Horry v Ely & Bowen-R

so that they can High-Low the Hornets to Death …

then San Antonio will still be able to get by New Orleans in either 6 or 7 games.

On the other hand, however, if Pop keeps overplaying Tony Parker and inserting Mr. Udoka into the game when he shouldn’t be (e.g. vs West or Peja or Wells) … the Spurs quest for back-to-back championships will be over quicker than you can say, Happy Chris Paul Blog Day.