Marion guarding Parker again

[supernova]

The Suns cannot afford to watch Tony Parker shoot layups again in tonight's Game 2.

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 8, 2007 12:00 AM

An opposing player scored at least 30 points in 28 Suns games this season. Even then, Phoenix won 17 times.

Tim Duncan can have his 33 points, but the Suns can't handle Tony Parker's 32 points.

Phoenix will address both issues tonight in Game 2 of the second-round series, which San Antonio could lead 2-0, just as it did in the teams' 2005 playoff meeting.

The Suns on Monday planned to have Kurt Thomas start tonight in James Jones' place. The move seemingly would help keep Amaré Stoudemire out of foul trouble against Duncan and use a starting lineup that was 7-0 this season.

And although the Suns' intangible goal is to play with the non-stop energy of a circus, the most tangible change would be in defending Parker better. After averaging 28 points in three regular-season games against the Suns, Parker hit 14 of 22 shots Sunday.

Parker ranked second among NBA guards for points in the paint this season, but Phoenix's strategy overplayed that again. As Shawn Marion, who drew the assignment on Parker, went under screens set close to the lane, the Spurs point guard made the easy jumpers the Suns gave him.

"They don't want to see me in the paint," Parker said. "It's a quick decision for me. I have to knock down that shot if I want to be effective in the series.

"If they go over (screens), I'm going to be in the paint all night long, and they don't want to do that."

Proving his jump shot has improved in recent years, Parker hit nine jumpers, two floaters and three layups Sunday.

"It's too easy," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It's going to take a heroic effort from a couple people. Shawn has to got to up it. He's got to do it. I'm asking a lot from Shawn, and we ask a lot from him all the time. This is going to be a monumental task for him, and it's going to be a big key."

Marion starts as the defender on him because Parker's quickness is too much for Suns guards Raja Bell and Steve Nash.

"The idea is with Shawn's athleticism, length and quickness, that's a combination that he should really be able to pressure those shots and make it difficult," said Nash, who remained mystified Monday that some unnamed teammates did not bring sufficient energy or concentration to the season's grandest stage Sunday.

Nash knows his team needs all of that because of its disadvantages in size, experience and discipline that continue to show up against San Antonio. The Spurs are 3-1 against the Suns this season, 12-4 since Nash's 2005 return and 18-4 since the 2003 playoffs.

"It's incredible that we can still improve there, because that's the one place we can all control if you have the desire," Nash said of the effort.

That means more from a lot of Suns, but all eyes will be on Marion, who has been asked to go from lanky Lakers power forward Lamar Odom to all-NBA Kobe Bryant to Parker to Duncan. When asked what he was going to do to celebrate his 29th birthday Monday, Marion said he needed to get some rest.

"People don't understand sometimes that I'm the only one who probably has to go from one player to another during the sequence of the game or three players," said Marion, who was quiet offensively until an 11-point fourth quarter Sunday. "That means I've got to change my mentality or focus every time I switch to somebody else. That's more pressure. That's not easy for anybody. I'm trying to get that right and do everything else, too. Right now, all my focus is basically Tony."

 

[elindholm]

"People don't understand sometimes that I'm the only one who probably has to go from one player to another during the sequence of the game or three players," said Marion, who was quiet offensively until an 11-point fourth quarter Sunday. "That means I've got to change my mentality or focus every time I switch to somebody else. That's more pressure. That's not easy for anybody. "

Oh please. If it were easy, everyone would do it. There's supposed to be a reason you're making $15 million a year to play basketball.

 

[Covert Rain]

HUGE HUGE MISTAKE.

If this goes south by half time and D'Antoni doesn't make an adjustment, I will absolutely skewer D'Antoni after the game.

 

[Cheesebeef]

this headline might as well translate to: Suns lose to Spurs again.

ugh.

Get ready for another game where Shawn backpeddals all the way under the hoop as Parker mercilessly kills him over and over again.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

HUGE HUGE MISTAKE.

If this goes south by half time and D'Antoni doesn't make an adjustment, I will absolutely skewer D'Antoni after the game.

Disagree. Bell goes on Parker, Parker still gets 20, while Manu goes off for 30.

 

[jbeecham]

Parker is going to go around Duncan screens no matter who guards him so we need to do a better job of getting around screens and Duncan's defender needs to jump out on Parker to help slow him down until Shawn, Nash or Bell can recover. Also, do some flopping when Duncan starts snowplowing the guy going under the screen.......I doubt the ref calls it at first, but if we do it enough they might be forced to.

 

[Covert Rain]

Disagree. Bell goes on Parker, Parker still gets 20, while Manu goes off for 30.

Your going to have to switch it back up when they are both in the game at the same time. However, there are several stretches in which they won't be. I will take those stretches with Bell on Parker.

Not to mention the fact that Parker is the one averaging 30+ on us, not Manu. Will Manu score 30+??? Possibly but maybe not. We know that Parker will if Marion continues to guard him.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Parker is going to go around Duncan screens no matter who guards him so we need to do a better job of getting around screens and Duncan's defender needs to jump out on Parker to help slow him down until Shawn, Nash or Bell can recover. Also, do some flopping when Duncan starts snowplowing the guy going under the screen.......I doubt the ref calls it at first, but if we do it enough they might be forced to.

When KT was in the game, they switched the P&R. Parker was 2-5 from the field during the switching. Just having KT in the game should do wonders for our defense. Hopefully KT will be getting the rebounds, and passing a good outlet to get the fast break started.

 

[Covert Rain]

When KT was in the game, they switched the P&R. Parker was 2-5 from the field during the switching. Just having KT in the game should do wonders for our defense. Hopefully KT will be getting the rebounds, and passing a good outlet to get the fast break started.

It's time to prove that bringing Kurt in here was the key to getting the Suns past the Spurs. We brought him in just for a series like this. I say we either live or die by that move or what was the point?

 

[abomb]

"I wouldnt say he exactly guarded him in Game 1 Bob."

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[Mulli]

"I wouldnt say he exactly guarded him in Game 1 Bob."

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Excellent.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It's time to prove that bringing Kurt in here was the key to getting the Suns past the Spurs. We brought him in just for a series like this. I say we either live or die by that move or what was the point?

agreed.

 

[supernova]

Hasn't Coach D already said he doesn't plan on changing the minutes? There's people on the Spurs board saying KT is one of the best they've seen at defending Duncan. And we're gonna keep him on the bench all night?

Oh well, hope he smartens up and hope Marion brings it tonight. I'm pretty sure Amare and Nash will.

 

[TucsonDevil]

Has anyone watched the video on the suns.com site with the press interviews from yesterday? Watch the difference between Bell, Nash, Amare and Marion's interview....

Marion is so sensitive... so defensive... so many excuses for his lack of production. Shows a lack of self-confidence. He is just not as hungry as the other guys. What makes me sick is that he is a MAX Player... and a complainer.

 

[Mulli]

Isn't there a rule somewhere requiring positive thoughts before a playoff game?

 

[Greg Popovich]

How old is KT?

Is Coach D limiting his limits the way that Pop limits Robert Horry's?

 

[NastyOne]

How old is KT?

Is Coach D limiting his limits the way that Pop limits Robert Horry's?

No he limits his minutes because he wants to live and die using small ball tactics.

He figures that KT is to slow to get out on the break with the rest of the team so faster smaller players get more time over KT.

But D'Antoni forgets that you need the damn ball first before you can start running, and that aint happening with Duncan and others killing us on the offensive glass.

 

[nashman]

I think people need to relax a little bit parker shot out of his mind in game one! He is not that high of % jump shooter, we need to get some hands in his face but its not like he is gonna shoot that % every night! And Duncan made some very tough contested shots as well. All that said if nash is in the game and we dont have the distraction of the whole nose event the last 3 minutes of the game or I think about 20 min actual time. we probally would have won that game. you really think horry and finley gonna team up for 30 a night? I dont think so, get game 2 and get one in SA and we are good to go!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I think people need to relax a little bit parker shot out of his mind in game one! He is not that high of % jump shooter, we need to get some hands in his face but its not like he is gonna shoot that % every night! And Duncan made some very tough contested shots as well. All that said if nash is in the game and we dont have the distraction of the whole nose event the last 3 minutes of the game or I think about 20 min actual time. we probally would have won that game. you really think horry and finley gonna team up for 30 a night? I dont think so, get game 2 and get one in SA and we are good to go!

I agree with your post except for the Horry/Finley comment.

 

[Black Jesus]

if Marion doesnt perform today then the series is over and we should trade his arse, which is what i think he is going for anyway. He can take his cartoon collection to Toronto or Philadelphia, cause I HATE MARION!

 

[nashman]

Thanks DCR I meant if we put a hand in there face play some D Finley cant shoot unless hes standing still freakin gaurd the guy and Horry usually won't even get 10. Allowing those 2 to get 29 or 30 is one of the reasons we lost the game. If you even hold them to 20 combined we win!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Thanks DCR I meant if we put a hand in there face play some D Finley cant shoot unless hes standing still freakin gaurd the guy and Horry usually won't even get 10. Allowing those 2 to get 29 or 30 is one of the reasons we lost the game. If you even hold them to 20 combined we win!

I would much rather see Horry/Finley beat us than Parker at this point.

 

[RingtheBell]

if Marion doesnt perform today then the series is over and we should trade his arse, which is what i think he is going for anyway. He can take his cartoon collection to Toronto or Philadelphia, cause I HATE MARION!

All hail the Black Jesus!

 

[FArting]

Would the zone defense work against the Spurs?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Your going to have to switch it back up when they are both in the game at the same time. However, there are several stretches in which they won't be. I will take those stretches with Bell on Parker.

Not to mention the fact that Parker is the one averaging 30+ on us, not Manu. Will Manu score 30+??? Possibly but maybe not. We know that Parker will if Marion continues to guard him.

EXACTLY! i have no problem with marion on finley. when ginobili returns, switch them back.