The NBA playoffs: Moves & Countermoves
A look at the adjustments that NBA playoff teams will make going into Game 7 of their respective Western Conference semifinal series Monday night:
Dallas Mavericks (4) at San Antonio Spurs (1)
Game 7: Monday night, 8 ET, TNT
Series: 3-3
Pressure point: The Mavericks get Jason Terry back, and that changes everything. With Terry missing Game 6 because of a one-game suspension, the Mavericks were without one of their top shooters — and that put a lot of pressure on point guard Devin Harris. The Spurs pressured Harris and forced him into 3-for-14 shooting and four turnovers.
Countermove: Harris has to go back to being a penetrator, and that should happen with Terry back. Tony Parker has to have a big game for the Spurs, as he was only 3-for-15 in Game 6. He is the quickest Spur and has to take advantage of that. He needs to get into the paint but also has to make the medium-range jump shot the Mavericks are going to let him have.
The big fundamental: Tim Duncan is averaging 30.8 points and 11.2 rebounds and is shooting 56.7%.
Countermove: The Mavericks are reluctant to double-team Duncan all of the time, but he is not only eating them up inside but getting them into early foul trouble as well. They have to try to force him a step farther from the basket, and whenever he puts the ball on the floor, they have to go after him. At the other end, Dallas has to attack him and try to get him into foul trouble.
Small ball: The Mavericks have a huge advantage in the quickness department and have to take advantage. They have made the Spurs adjust to them and play a smaller lineup, basically four guards and Duncan.
Countermove: Dallas has to force the tempo as much as possible and not let the Spurs walk the ball up and get it to Duncan whenever they feel like it. San Antonio cannot afford to let Dirk Nowitzki get off to a hot start. If he is making shots early, that opens up everything else.
***
Los Angeles Clippers (6) at Phoenix Suns (2)
Game 7: Monday night, 10:30 ET, TNT
Series: 3-3
Brand name: Elton Brand has been the dominant force of the series, averaging 30.0 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.5 blocked shots while shooting 58.5% from the field.
Countermove: Brand is getting good position down low and just turning and shooting over whomever is guarding him. The Suns have to deny the ball more and make him get it as far from the basket as possible. He has to be double-teamed, but they have to mix it up and make Brand make a decision. He is averaging so many assists in the series because he is reading where the double team is coming from. They still have to attack him and try to get him into foul trouble, at least. Also, Tim Thomas, the Sun he is guarding much of the time, has to start making shots to draw him away from the basket.
Board game: The Clippers are outrebounding the Suns by an average of 23 a game in their three wins.
Countermove: The Clippers are taking advantage of their size by pounding the ball inside and crashing the boards. Phoenix is so eager to run that it isn’t dedicating itself to screening out the Clippers and getting the ball first.
MVP attack: The Clippers are attacking Steve Nash at the defensive end, using Sam Cassell and Shaun Livingston to post him up. With Nash down low, it means he is the double-teamer a lot on rotations inside, and that is keeping the Suns at a disadvantage. That strategy is also not permitting the Suns to run because Nash is on the baseline so much that the outlet passes to him are more shallow, giving the Clippers a chance to get back in transition defense.
Countermove: The Suns still have to force the tempo and take those opportunistic three-pointers. They also cannot let Nash get stuck on the baseline. They might even have to put him on a bigger man to keep him outside, but whomever he guards just goes down to the low post.
