arthurracoon
The Cardinal Smiles
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0828diaw-ON.html
Jim O'connell
AP Basketball Writer
SAITAMA, Japan - Boris Diaw has always been considered versatile, and last season the Frenchman added the title of the NBA's most improved player.
With France in the quarterfinal round of the FIBA world championships for the first time 43 years, Diaw has been thrust into a new role - team leader.The day before the 24-team tournament began, the French lost star guard Tony Parker to a broken finger. Considered a medal contender with the San Antonio Spurs' Parker running the offense, France suddenly became a team looking for direction.
Diaw, fresh off a great playoff run with the Phoenix Suns, stepped up.
"He's taken so much weight off everyone else's shoulders," France forward Ronny Turiaf, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, said after Monday's practice. "He's trying to carry us through with his leadership on the court and off the court as far as talking to us with where we are supposed to go and what we are supposed to do. He especially has given us confidence that we can make it happen regardless of the situation."
The 24-year-old Diaw deflects credit for leading the team.
"I don't try to change much from what I was doing before," he said Monday. "I talk to my teammates, but I don't talk a lot in groups, just quick meetings to try to say something. But there have not been any other crises yet so everything is fine with the team so I don't have a lot to do off the court."
That changes when the game starts. The 6-foot-8 Diaw leads France (4-2) in scoring (12.8), is third in rebounding (5.7) and second in assists (2.3). He has logged the most minutes - more than 30 in these 40-minute games - and he has lent stability to an offense directed by backup Aymeric Jeanneau.
"On the court is different," Diaw said. "I just try to do what my coach is asking, sometimes playing the 3, sometimes playing the 4. Last game I played a bit at the 1, too. I just try to do what he asks and what it takes to win a game."
The game Diaw referred to was the 68-62 victory over Angola in the second round, when he had 14 points and five rebounds while helping Jeanneau run the team and settle down his teammates against the pressure of a more athletic opponent.
"We know Boris Diaw is a 1, a 2, a 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, any position you can invent on the court," France coach Claude Bergeaud said after the win over Angola when asked about replacing Parker. "Since we have Boris Diaw, our solution was Jeanneau and Boris Diaw."
France, which only got this far in a world championships when it finished fifth in 1963, faces Greece (6-0) on Wednesday night for a spot in the semifinals.
The France-Greece winner faces the winner of the game between the United States and Germany.
A meeting with the United States would give Diaw a chance to catch up with Mike D'Antoni, his coach in Phoenix, who is an assistant to U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Diaw, whom Phoenix acquired in a trade with Atlanta before last season, was the runaway winner of the NBA's most improved player in 2005-06, and that was before he averaged 24.2 points in the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
Diaw and D'Antoni haven't had much chance to talk since the tournament started with their teams in different first-round groups.
"It's tough because our cell phones don't work here," Diaw said.
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Jim O'connell
AP Basketball Writer
SAITAMA, Japan - Boris Diaw has always been considered versatile, and last season the Frenchman added the title of the NBA's most improved player.
With France in the quarterfinal round of the FIBA world championships for the first time 43 years, Diaw has been thrust into a new role - team leader.The day before the 24-team tournament began, the French lost star guard Tony Parker to a broken finger. Considered a medal contender with the San Antonio Spurs' Parker running the offense, France suddenly became a team looking for direction.
Diaw, fresh off a great playoff run with the Phoenix Suns, stepped up.
"He's taken so much weight off everyone else's shoulders," France forward Ronny Turiaf, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, said after Monday's practice. "He's trying to carry us through with his leadership on the court and off the court as far as talking to us with where we are supposed to go and what we are supposed to do. He especially has given us confidence that we can make it happen regardless of the situation."
The 24-year-old Diaw deflects credit for leading the team.
"I don't try to change much from what I was doing before," he said Monday. "I talk to my teammates, but I don't talk a lot in groups, just quick meetings to try to say something. But there have not been any other crises yet so everything is fine with the team so I don't have a lot to do off the court."
That changes when the game starts. The 6-foot-8 Diaw leads France (4-2) in scoring (12.8), is third in rebounding (5.7) and second in assists (2.3). He has logged the most minutes - more than 30 in these 40-minute games - and he has lent stability to an offense directed by backup Aymeric Jeanneau.
"On the court is different," Diaw said. "I just try to do what my coach is asking, sometimes playing the 3, sometimes playing the 4. Last game I played a bit at the 1, too. I just try to do what he asks and what it takes to win a game."
The game Diaw referred to was the 68-62 victory over Angola in the second round, when he had 14 points and five rebounds while helping Jeanneau run the team and settle down his teammates against the pressure of a more athletic opponent.
"We know Boris Diaw is a 1, a 2, a 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, any position you can invent on the court," France coach Claude Bergeaud said after the win over Angola when asked about replacing Parker. "Since we have Boris Diaw, our solution was Jeanneau and Boris Diaw."
France, which only got this far in a world championships when it finished fifth in 1963, faces Greece (6-0) on Wednesday night for a spot in the semifinals.
The France-Greece winner faces the winner of the game between the United States and Germany.
A meeting with the United States would give Diaw a chance to catch up with Mike D'Antoni, his coach in Phoenix, who is an assistant to U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Diaw, whom Phoenix acquired in a trade with Atlanta before last season, was the runaway winner of the NBA's most improved player in 2005-06, and that was before he averaged 24.2 points in the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
Diaw and D'Antoni haven't had much chance to talk since the tournament started with their teams in different first-round groups.
"It's tough because our cell phones don't work here," Diaw said.
