H o o p s C o r n e r . c o m
-------------------- May 16, 2005 Days of Their Lives
by Tyson Wirth Steve Nash now plays for the Phoenix Suns, who are in a dogfight with Nash’s ex-team, the Dallas Mavericks, whose star player Dirk Nowitzki won Game 2 of their playoff series at the end of regulation, but lost out on the league’s MVP voting to Nash, who also happens to be Dirk’s best friend. Head spinning yet? Get used to it; heads are bound to spin in this match-up of the NBA’s most explosive teams. The second round series between Dallas and Phoenix has more subplots than a season of soap operas, and it’s easy to get caught up in the off court issues when analyzing the match-ups. Don’t despair; the on-court keys to the series have been broken down here, and you might be surprised at what was discovered: COACHING: If Mike D’Antoni is the NBA’s Coach of the Year, by definition it’s impossible to be out-coached, right? Not so fast. D’Antoni has done a great job of giving his MVP the ball and getting out of the way, but Avery Johnson’s coaching has been equally as admirable. When Avery took over for the exhausted Don Nelson mid-season, Dallas’s defense immediately turned it up about three notches, allowing just over 91 points per contest through the rest of the regular season. They haven’t had much success slowing down the Sun’s offensive attack, but then again no one has. D’Antoni is the Coach of the Year for a reason, but it will be interesting to see what adjustments he makes if another key part joins Joe Johnson in the trainer’s room. Winner: Phoenix. CENTER: It’s no secret that the edge at this position has to go to Phoenix. If he catches the ball within six feet of the basket, center-freak-monster-type Amare Stoudemire can only be stopped from dunking by being fouled, and now that he’s become a pretty decent free throw shooter (74.7% in the playoffs), that tactic isn’t exactly enticing for opponents. Amare plays with unmatched tenacity, and it shows through his 28.3 ppg, 11.7 rpg, and 2.4 bpg playoff averages. Dallas center Erick Dampier does some nice board work and has size, but it’s no contest here. Phoenix is already starting Amare’s MVP campaign for next year, and with good reason. Winner: Phoenix. POWER FORWARD: Perhaps the most delightful battle of the series to watch, both Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion are exceptionally difficult match-ups. Both are athletic and versatile, with Dirk having the size and scoring advantage, while Marion is the better defender and rebounder. Both have three point range, and neither the Mavs or Suns will win the championship if one of these guys goes down for good, regardless of Nash’s MVP status and Amare’s athleticism. The difference between them is that Dirk is relied upon to be Dallas’ big gun, and Marion’s offense is just another cog in the well-oiled machine that is Phoenix. The Matrix can at least contain Dirk, while Phoenix’s number one option, Amare, simply cannot be effectively guarded by anyone on Dallas’s roster. Winner: Even. SMALL FORWARD: This is another close call, with Dallas’s Josh Howard battling sharpshooter Quentin Richardson. Richardson is the superior shooter, with a sparkling 48.8% from downtown in the playoffs, but Howard has been quietly steady, averaging 13.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg while playing fourth fiddle to Dirk, Michael Finley, and Jason Terry this postseason. Neither one of these guys is going to draw a lot of ink in the papers, but don’t be surprised if one or both of them try their best Robert Horry impersonation and wind up with a game-winning shot when their teammates are drawing double and triple teams at the end of a tight game. Because he plays better defense, the slight edge goes to Q on this one. Winner: Phoenix. SHOOTING GUARD: Michael Finley is still the same steady and heady perimeter player he was when he came out of Wisconsin a decade ago, when he was drafted 21st overall by (you guessed it) the Suns. Finley’s not quite as explosive as he once was, but is still smart enough and a good enough shooter to be a very valuable second option. Besides, you have to love a guy who averaged less than one turnover a game during the regular season despite playing almost 37 minutes a game. Finley’s counterpart is battle-proven Jim Jackson, who stepped into the starting lineup after Joe Johnson took a nasty spill during Game 2. Losing Johnson was significant; not only was he averaging 19 ppg on 56.5% three point shooting in the playoffs, but the Sun’s bench loses its primary weapon in Jackson now. Things might have been different if Johnson was healthy, but with his loss for an undetermined length, the edge must go to Finley’s Mavs. Winner: Dallas. POINT GUARD: Okay, before I start heaping praise on Steve Nash, let me first give kudos to Dallas point man Jason Terry. Terry isn’t the biggest name on the court, but he will be if he keeps shooting like a professional rifleman, averaging 16.7 ppg on 52.3% from the field, 50.0% from downtown, and 94.1% from the charity stripe during the postseason. That being said… Steve Nash does more to make his teammates better than anyone in the league this year. No, he’s not going to drop 50 on anybody. But he creates more open shots for his guys than anyone realizes, even now after his MVP award. Not only are the gaudy assist statistics omnipresent (17.3 ppg, 12.6 apg this postseason), but if Nash isn’t making the assist, he’s making the pass that leads to the assist. He’s like a Grand Master of chess working at break-neck speed, directing his pawns perfectly around the board until the other team’s king (or basket, depending on how closely you’re following this metaphor) is exposed. It’s beautiful to watch, and although I was skeptical at first, I no longer doubt his MVP-value. Winner: Phoenix INTANGIBLES: Both teams have strong but not supreme intangibles. Much of Dallas’s roster is playoff-tested, as is Phoenix’s key point man. Both coaches are inexperienced at the NBA level however, and both are new to the playoffs. Still, both have their teams ready to play every night and both have proven their worth on the road (Dallas by winning their first round series against Houston despite dropping the first two games at home, and Phoenix by their league-best 31-10 road record). The difference is that the Mavs have already stolen a game in Phoenix and have a stronger bench. I’ll take Jerry Stackhouse and Marquis Daniels over Leandro Barbosa and Walter McCarty most days. Winner: Dallas Through the first three games we’ve seen explosive offenses, injuries, game winners, and road victories. If that’s not enough action for you, remember the off-court subplots; Steve Nash is Dirk Nowitzki’s best friend, and Nowitzki didn’t win the MVP but not at the expense of Nash… oh never mind. Phoenix held the advantage in the paper match-ups 4-2. Look for them to win the on-court series by the same score. -------------------- Next: 2005 NBa recap: Season in Review; Four Stars Previous: Playoff outlook: West, East Articles index © 2001-2005 H o o p s C o r n e r . c o m, All rights reserved Terms of service Privacy policy Contact |
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