2008 NBA Playoffs

Kobe takes Melo to the rack

Image details: Los Angeles Lakers v Denver Nuggets – Game Three served by picapp.com

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers make you think of offense with Kobe and his jumpers raining down from up high.

Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs make you think of offense with Tim facing up and playing like a power forward and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker slicing through the defense.

Truth be told, both teams are very efficient on offense, but even more efficient of defense.

More truth to be told, the Suns and Nuggets do not play a lot of defense. In fact, one of the main factors in getting Shaq for the Suns was to guard Tim Duncan. Maybe they should guard the other four guys on the court too.

As for the Nuggets, they don’t guard much of anyone.

Phil Jackson

Like all good coaches; Phil Jackson was not satisfied with the Lakers latest effort.

Anthony and A.I. shot a combined 10-for-38 and finished with 16 and 15 points, respectively.

No thanks to the Lakers, either, suggested coach Phil Jackson.

“I thought our defense packed it in on them, but they missed some easy shots,” Jackson said. “I told the team at halftime, ‘They’re not going to shoot like this for the whole game. They missed some close shots, some shots they usually make. We’ll have to play better defense in the second half.’

“But they never showed up. They never got it going.”

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Spurs

Tony Parker was on fire for the Spurs in game 3.

The Spurs led from opening tip to final buzzer, playing what Manu Ginobili later called “almost a perfect game.” Parker never has been better, scoring a career-best 41 points, distributing 12 assists and peppering the Suns with jump shot after jump shot for the 40 minutes he spent on the floor.

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You wonder how many points Tony Parker would have had if any of the Suns had bothered to guard him?

Teams like Denver and Phoenix can cruise through the regular season winning on all offense, looking great, placing players on the All Star team, but it all becomes a joke when they try to win playoff games against good defensive teams.

NBA Basketball special comment You must have a balance between offense and defense to win big games.

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