If we had 50% of NO's defense, we'd have won against the Spurs!
tyson chandler was dominating on defense in the lane area. Melvin Ely has apparently practices against TD a bit. Chandler had TP, manu afraid to try a finish, was a monster on the boards. Chandler is long and athletic and bothers TD, a long earthbound center. Manu has been shrinking since the last 2 games of the suns series, Peja is his darth vader. Peja is healed now, and may be the most accurate 3pt shooter in the game under pressure. The hornets know how to take what the defense gives: spurs pay too much attention to CP3, west breaks out for 30 in game 1. Spurs refocus on west, CP3 hits peja for the outside shot. Now the spurs try to close out the shooter and CP3 drives and finishes. The hornets have adjusted and beaten the spurs with the adjustments. The suns had no prayer, their adjustments took 3 games to find the spurs weakness, and then amare and Nash tried to go into the teeth of the defense in crunch time. The spurs were giving diaw whatever he wanted, you gotta take it. The hornets take what is given and take advantage. Suns fans should be glad we didnt beat the spurs, it would be very embarassing right now if the suns were playing the hornets, esp without grant hill(sweep).
the reason you know this series is over is that the hornets have won the matchups, decisively, by adapting to the Pop strategy. Pop now says the answer is to "play better defense", not happening with this group of seniors against the live legs of the hornets, not gonna happen. The spurs have take 40% of their shots from 3pt range compared with 25% during the year. The lane is defended, and the spurs can only win if chandler is rung up with fouls and sat down. Then TP and manu will be able to gain access to the lane.