Chaz
observationist
Bill Fitch has two lines about how the Suns are mediocre when not shooting and maybe they should press.
Lakers get a novel on how they are just so properly suited to this or that.
The only other stories on this unbiased league site are about how bad is the Suns D and how far can Kobe carry the Lakers.
http://www.nba.com/playoffs2006/series_phxlal.html
Lakers get a novel on how they are just so properly suited to this or that.
Series Analysis: Phoenix Suns (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)
By Bill Fitch (as told to John Schuhmann)
Overview:
The beauty of a seven-game series is that it will change. Phil Jackson knows that Game 1 is much different than Game 2. That's the one thing that I love about the playoffs: it's a chess game. You've got two guys here that are pretty good coaches. Mike D'Antoni is no dummy. He's won on two continents.
I don't know who's got the depth here. These two teams haven't really had a game where everybody has been ready to play.
You've got to understand that if you've got a 10-point lead on L.A., Kobe Bryant can take that away from you. He can do one of those McGrady-on-San-Antonio deals. You don't even know how it happened.
What to expect from the Suns:
Obviously, they're going to run. The nights that they don't shoot the basketball, they're a very mediocre ballclub. Shawn Marion has to continue to score points.
Phoenix can press. They haven't done it a lot, but when they have had to press and put heat on, they were very good at it. It would make L.A. change a lot of the things that they do. Smush Parker doesn't have experience, and if they forced Kobe to do extra work bringing the ball up, it would help them in the fourth quarter.
I would definitely have that in my toolbox if I was coaching Phoenix in this series. The Lakers are so good in the halfcourt, that I would test their ability to play fullcourt.
What to expect from the Lakers:
Phil Jackson is a good teacher. The Lakers needed somebody that would really get their attention during the week, on the practice court.
They've developed a nucleus. They've had a season where they've grown. They just didn't have immediate success. They really haven't tasted a lot of continuous success. They've been off an on, but he has kept them together.
They're going to have to take the game inside and they have to set the pace.
The triangle offense is versatile and they're going to have to use more of the low post options against Phoenix than they would against other opponents.
The one thing about the trangle offense is that it gives you good balance. The spacing is good if you run it right and they're going to need that balance, because every time they miss, Phoenix is coming out of there. Defensive transition is really going to be important for them.
If they can set the pace and the tempo, they're going to get really good shots against this team if they work it inside-out. Phil may post Odom down low. You're going inside before you look outside.
I don't think Kobe is going to be the one to get it inside though. He's probably going to see double-coverage a lot. Smush Parker's going to have a lot of responsibility in running the offense. Kobe's going to probably have to be a bit of a decoy for a while.
They can't afford to lose Kwame Brown to foul trouble.
Their defense has to start with how they play Steve Nash. Phil's liable to let Steve Nash go. As far as his shooting, let him have anything that he gets from the outside. Just lay off of him enough that his penetration doesn't force you to leave other people open.
X-Factors:
The Lakers have got to have something out of Kwame Brown and he's got to stay foul-free. Chris Mihm coming back is important, but he didn't look too good Wednesday night.
Brian Grant has probably got a bone to chew with the Lakers. He's been getting a lot of minutes as they have rested people. I'm sure that he's figuring that this is his last hurrah.
How do you figure Eddie House? He's been shooting well. Scoring off the bench is important for them.
If Raja Bell gets in foul trouble early, the Suns would really be hurting.
Prediction:
If L.A. can go in and take the home-court advantage away early, it could be a short story, but if Phoenix holds serve in that first ball game, it's probably going to be a seven-game series.
Lakers in seven. They might have to it the hard way.
Bill Fitch coached 25 seasons in the NBA for the Cavaliers, Celtics, Rockets, Nets and Clippers. He accumulated 944 victories and won a championship with the Celtics in 1981. He was named one of the Top 10 Coaches in NBA History in 1996. Coach Fitch will be providing analysis for NBA.com throughout the playoffs.
The only other stories on this unbiased league site are about how bad is the Suns D and how far can Kobe carry the Lakers.
http://www.nba.com/playoffs2006/series_phxlal.html
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