Tuesday, May 15, 2007

"Cheap Shot" Bob

Last night, the San Antonio Spurs continued to exhibit nasty, cheap shot behavior when Robert “Big Shot Bob” Horry sent two-time MVP Steve Nash flying into the boards, making me double check to see if I was watching the Senators/Sabres hockey game on Versus. This gave Horry’s nickname a second meaning.

Though everyone agrees that this was the third incident where a Spurs player has committed a flagrant foul against a Suns player in three games. Bruce Bowen dished out two of those fouls, Nash was the recipient of two of those fouls.

After Game Two, Amare Stoudemire claimed that the Spurs were a “dirty team.”

Well, the Spurs really haven’t shown otherwise after Bowen’s intentional trip of Stoudemire which incited those comments, then Bowen’s follow-up act of kneeing Nash in his groin in Game Three, then Horry’s body check on Nash in Game Four.

Of course, nothing less should be expected of Bowen who has been a dirty player for a while since incident after incident after incident after incident after incident (and trust me, there are more, I just don't want to link to all of them...but this one is the best example of Bowen).

However, the rumors were flying after the game last night as to whether or not Stoudemire and teammate Boris Diaw were going to be suspended for leaving the bench in the altercation following the hard foul. In the NBA, the league states that it will suspend any player on the bench that leaves the bench during a fight.

The NBA, like the NCAA, known for notoriously being absent-minded when it comes to dishing out punishments, is expected to suspend the two Suns. But if they only take action against two guys who left the bench, but did not throw a punch or even come within 10 feet of the altercation, then let Horry go without suspension it would be ridiculous.

Even if they got equal suspension it would be ridiculous. How can you suspend someone who leveled a guy the same amount of time as two guys who didn’t come within 10 feet of the fight?

The NBA needs to suspend the two Suns, otherwise it would set a terrible precedence. But there is no rule limiting them to suspending Horry for one game; they need to suspend him for at least two.

The NBA needs to do the right thing in this situation and realize it wouldn’t be fair if Stoudemire and Diaw were suspended equally as Horry.

There is one thing lost in this: How can the Spurs, the former "good guys" of basketball, stoop so low?

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Forcing the shot: The Baron Davis story

To be a good team, your point guard needs to be in control. Unfortunately for the Golden State Warriors tonight, Baron Davis was out of control.

Look at some of the great NBA teams of past and present: the Utah Jazz of the 90s were led by John Stockton, the Detroit Pistons of the 80s were led by Isaiah Thomas. The Lakers in the 80s were led by Magic Johnson. Even today, the San Antonio Spurs (Tony Parker), Phoenix Suns (Steve Nash) and Detroit Pistons (Chauncey Billups) all are led by the top floor generals in the game today.

But Davis did three things tonight that none of those players would have done. Hog the ball. Force shots when it’s very apparent it’s not your shooting night. Throw a cheap shot elbow late in the game (okay, maybe Thomas would do that one).

Davis’ 6-of-16 shooting performance tonight was dismal to be easy on him. Late in the first half, protecting a three-point lead, Davis forced two shots that led to transition buckets for the Jazz, giving the Jazz a 50-49 lead.

What did Davis then do on the final possession of the half to top that performance? Dribble-drive, back out and force a jumper.

Clang.

Jazz go into the half leading by one.

Those last few minutes of the first half exemplified the whole game for the Warriors. In front of their loud and rowdy crowd, Golden State never looked even remotely comfortable in their offense, forcing bad shot after bad shot.

That’s the point guard’s fault.

He’s supposed to be running the show, instead Davis felt as if he was the show.

Once Davis didn’t “feel it” from the floor, his next job as point guard it to penetrate and create open looks for his teammates, something that must have slipped his mind. This created tough looks for this predominately three-point shooting team and it showed.

They shot 12-39 from behind the arc and didn’t fare much better at the charity stripe, only converting on 21 of their 34 attempts for a lackluster 61 percent. Keep in mind, Davis went two of eight from behind the arc and only one of four from the line.

Meanwhile, the Jazz hit 37 of their 43 free throws (86 percent). If that statistic doesn’t sum it up, I don’t know what does.

For the Warriors and their never say die attitude to come back and win games five, six and seven, Davis needs to be more of a floor leader and realize that when he’s not shooting so well, his job is to create open shots for his teammates. Not force them himself.