ADSENSE Link Ads 200 x 90
ADSENSE 336 x 280
Championship defense, championship screenThis morning, ESPN had a version of the above photo on their front page. The difference was an angle and the photographer had a much better close up of Chauncey Billups hitting the game-winning three pointer last night against the Dallas Mavericks and of an anguished Jason Kidd attempting to fight through a Blake Griffin screen.
The Dallas Mavericks have had some ugly moments in their time. This was one of them.
Granted, no one really noticed it. I encourage you to find the highlight and replay it several times. It's a simple play that needed to take less than five seconds. The in-bounds pass goes right to Billups, 35, guarded by Kidd, 38, who sticks with the in-bounds passer a little too long allowing Billups to saunter to his left and hit the relatively uncontested jumper. Nothing but net.
I realize that all the buddies of Mark Cuban that reside in the media are insanely quick to point out the numbers the Mavericks are posting defensively. That's fine and all. Got to keep Cubes happy.
What the Mavericks were last night were outplayed and outmanned by the Los Angeles Clippers. This isn't such a bad thing anymore. Until you realize they were without Chris Paul and they were playing their third game in three days.
The Mavericks should have won that game. They didn't.
Kidd's look on his face says a lot. It shows how old he is. How hurt he is. The pair are not always exclusive. In this case, I think they go hand in hand. Kidd's age has everything to do with how many times he's injured and how he plays through the pain.
You don't need to be an expert to know Kidd isn't right. He's shooting 30 percent from the field. His assists are nearly cut in half. The rebounds are down. His slow feet on defense is even slower.
It wasn't just Kidd. At least Kidd has heart. It was another walk through with Lamar Odom and Brendan Haywood (50 minutes total, 15 rebounds total ... Shawn Marion had 10 rebounds by himself, Griffin had 17). Dirk Nowitzki had another poor shooting night. Jason Terry is off.
Speaking of, what sort of defense was Terry applying in that photo? The matador? The whiff? The limp wrist? Terry's been a poor defender his entire career. He also talks a lot of shit for being so one-dimensional. Still, Blake Griffin is a great basketball player, but I don't think he's good enough to screen two players coming from different directions. He can't against Terry and Kidd. At least he got a shoulder on Kidd. Terry's inability to jump and get a hand in the face is just inexcusable.
Yet, the trod on. We make excuses. We dig up favorable stats and get he Cuban seal of approval. We still relish in that championship trophy. It seems the fire is gone.
0 Response to "Poignant moment"
Posting Komentar