[外電] Griz vs. Spurs: Matchups by position

看板Grizzlies作者sixerskojiro (全民SMILE運動)時間21年前 (2004/04/18 03:00)推噓0(0推 0噓 0→)

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http://tinyurl.com/27rar Griz vs. Spurs: Matchups by position April 17, 2004 COACHING Hubie Brown No one has more respect for Brown than Gregg Popovich. Why? Because Brown's philosophy is predicated on defense and discipline. He's also good at making adjustments and often undeterred when it comes to trying to win a specific game. Brown plays whichever player is working hard for him that night. Plain and simple. He doesn't worry about ego or contracts. The bottom line is always winning the game. Gregg Popovich No one has more respect for Gregg Popovich than Hubie Brown. Why? Just the other day, Brown told a story that underscored Popovich's intelligence. Popovich studied Russian in college. The guy wanted to be a spy. "People think they know these guys," Brown said. A winner of two NBA titles, Popovich not only plays a major role in personnel decisions but he also has an excellent relationship with his superstar. CENTER Lorenzen Wright 6-11, 240 He's had to compensate for a lack of size at this position all season, so his role in this series is nothing new. Wright must fight in the paint for rebounds and protect the basket. He's averaged nearly seven rebounds in 25 minutes. He's part of the Grizzlies' best defensive front, and was on the floor when the Griz won, 81-80, at San Antonio on March 1. Wright scored the game-winner after putting back his own miss. Rasho Nesterovic 7-0, 248 Everyone has expected him to live up to the standard of excellence set by David Robinson. Everyone but the Spurs' coach. Nesterovic has quietly played his role, which has been to rebound, block shots and finish when he's open; all of those things take pressure off Duncan. Nesterovic's numbers may not be on par with Robinson's but they're enough. Consider these averages: 8.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 28 minutes. POWER FORWARD Pau Gasol 7-0, 240 This is the 7-foot Spaniard's first trip to the postseason. How he responds will be paramount to the Grizzlies' chances of winning. Gasol, who is the best player on his national team, has played on bigger stages but not at this level of competition. Still, the Spurs must worry about his length, varied offensive skills and underrated shot blocking. The offense runs primarily though Gasol, who also is a good passer. His defense and toughness in the paint are questionable, but no one wants to play well more than Gasol. Tim Duncan 7-0, 260 He's one of the best players on the planet along with Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. Duncan didn't play in three of the four meetings with the Griz. They know, though, that he's more than a handful in the paint. Defensively, Duncan averages 2.7 blocks and 12.4 rebounds. He does everything well because of strong fundamentals. A good portion of his scoring average (22.3 ppg) comes off a simple bank shot that he can make from 18 feet. He's the Spurs' quiet assassin. SMALL FORWARD James Posey 6-8, 215 Unsung when he walked onto the roster last summer, Posey is now one of the heroes from the regular season. He's proven to be more than just a hard-nosed defender and scrappy player. Posey's finest season has been characterized by clutch scoring, whether it's driving hard to the basket or burying 3-pointers. His athleticism and basketball IQ are important ingredients when playing the Spurs. He's the Grizzlies' quiet assassin. Bruce Bowen 6-7, 200 He's always a legitimate candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Some coaches and players have gone out of their way to call Bowen a cheap-shot artist this season. He's more of an in-your-face player than a dirty player. He's also not much of a scorer even though he will occasionally make 3-point shots. His biggest weakness is free-throw shooting. Opponents have employed the Hack-a-Bowen strategy because he connects on just 57 percent of foul shots. POINT GUARD Jason Williams 6-1, 190 The Grizzlies' floor general enters the fourth playoff series of his career more prepared than ever. His decision-making is improved. Combine that with his quickness and potentially deft 3-point shooting, and Williams is an offensive dynamo. He'll want to push the ball at every opportunity, and is at his best when threading seams to find teammates for easy baskets. His biggest weakness is defense - dealing with rough play and staying in front of opponents. Tony Parker 6-2, 180 There aren't many point guards in the league quicker than Parker from baseline to baseline. Tim Duncan is the unmistakable franchise player but Parker dictates tempo and is hard to defend in the open court. He's more of a scoring point guard and sometimes struggles to set up teammates. He's an underrated defender and will get in the lane for rebounds. His confidence sometimes wanes and that's something the Spurs can't afford. SHOOTING GUARD Mike Miller 6-8, 218 He's coming off a regular-season marred by a back injury but Miller remains the team's most versatile perimeter player. His defense is suspect, but Miller is an excellent 3-point shooter and can score off the dribble going toward the basket. He gets caught between overpassing and not looking for his shot enough. Still, the Griz like his ability to find shots for others. The Griz are counting on making tons of 3-pointers in the series, which means Miller must step up. Hedo Turkoglu 6-10, 220 Traded to the Spurs from the Sacramento Kings in the offseason, Turkoglu is much like his former teammate, Peja Stojakovic. He's difficult to defend because of his length and quick release. Although he hasn't shot well overall, his 3-point shooting percentage is above .410. His job is to primarily stretch the defense so that Tim Duncan has more room to operate in the paint. OTHER BIG GUYS Grizzlies Griz coach Hubie Brown has already challenged his big men. The Griz need production out the center position, which they play by committee. That means Stromile Swift (pictured) must be a consistent force on the boards and within the team's offense. There are times when Bo Outlaw will be needed to defend Duncan. Jake Tsakalidis is there to take up space. But he becomes a liability if he doesn't finish at the rim on offense. Spurs San Antonio won't use a 10-man rotation and will primarily call on Malik Rose (pictured) and Kevin Willis to backup Duncan and Nesterovic. At 6-7, Rose is incredibly strong and rugged in the paint. He's a good offensive rebounder who can also make midrange shots. Willis appeared in just 48 games this season but he's a proven veteran with championship experience. He'll defend the lane and rebound adequately. OTHER SMALL GUYS Grizzlies Earl Watson, Shane Battier and Bonzi Wells (pictured) are often called upon to change the game's tempo. Watson with his defense. Battier with his hustle. Wells with his scoring. With the exception of Watson's poor shooting, the Griz don't experience much of a dropoff with this trio at their respective positions. Wells is the most important reserve because he'll have the green light on offense. Spurs A major concern for the Grizzlies will be Manu Ginobili (pictured). He's a legitimate candidate for the NBA's Sixth Man award because he is a one-man wrecking crew. He's an underrated defender and opponents struggle with his dribble penetration. The Spurs will use Charlie Ward at times to spell Parker. But the Grizzlies can never lose sight of Robert Horry. The veteran is known for making clutch shots. INTANGIBLES Grizzlies Memphis has nothing to lose. It's an overused statement about young teams with an underdog tag. But never having been in this situation could help the Griz as much as hurt them. Although the Griz won three of four essentially without facing Tim Duncan, the regular-season series could give them confidence. Spurs Obviously, the Spurs have home-court advantage, meaning a deciding Game 7 would be played at SBC Center. Also, every key member of the Spurs has championship experience. This group knows what it takes to win big games and understands completely what playoff basketball is about. -- 這篇還好，只是講到的東西不多。這也是史上，我看過 Griz 地方報文章最多的一天XD -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 203.73.235.84 ※ 編輯: sixerskojiro 來自: 203.73.235.84 (04/17 19:01)