Top 10 Playoff Truths: Pain, blood not factors in semis
1. Stitches and controversy are a requirement for any great series, so the developments late in Game 1 shouldn't be all that surprising. After knocking heads with Tony Parker resulted in a nasty gash on the nose that will need medical attention, Steve Nash needed a cut man. Where was the cut man? I know of two good ones available that could've made the short trip in from Vegas.
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| Steve Nash 'nose' he needs stitches. (AP) |
"It would've been great if he would've just been allowed to play," Gregg Popovich lamented, even in victory. "If we took Tim (Duncan) out there at the end I'm sure we'd feel the effect, too."
2. As far as what that New Skin is, I believe sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya referred to it as a blood-stop, and I'm very familiar with what that is. It was described correctly as a type of rubber cement that coats the skin, and when you put it on, it burns like oh, 67 simultaneous paper cuts. How Nash could withstand that on that open wound on his nose without his voice raising several octaves is a testament to how gutsy he is. He made his first two shots after the treatment, too. Incredible.
3. It wasn't exactly a flu-ridden Michael Jordan dropping 38 points on Utah in Game 5 of the 1997 Finals, but give LeBron James credit for a strong sickly playoff debut.
He didn't want to talk to television reporters prior to the tip because he didn't feel up to it, but he came out and scored the game's first points. His performance wasn't extraordinary, but that just goes to show how much we expect out of this kid already. He finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. If that was anyone's stat-line but LeBron's, everyone would be talking about it. James played excellent defense, too. He played a grown man's game, getting the job done despite running a temperature.
4. Duncan turned his game up to a level not even Stoudemire could touch, and his eight offensive rebounds matched Phoenix's total as a team, contributing to a commanding 49-35 edge on the boards. Duncan outplayed Stoudemire one-on-one by consistently getting better positioning on both ends of the floor. Certainly, Stoudemire's 20 points and 18 rebounds are proof of his activity, but he shot 6-for-19 and it was obvious Duncan was the more polished performer, and indicated through his 33-point outburst that he's getting serious. Duncan didn't score more than 23 points in any one of the first-round games against Denver.
5. Warning shot No. 1 that the Nets are in trouble in this series: Cleveland snatched 20 offensive rebounds. The Cavs' 20-9 edge in that category didn't result into a substantial edge in second-chance points (19-17) but forced New Jersey to expend a lot of extra energy on the defensive end. The Nets knew they had to rebound as a collective unit to counter James, Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao, and it looked like Vince Carter and Jason Kidd did get that memo. They grabbed 23 boards between them. The starting front line of Richard Jefferson, Mikki Moore and Jason Collins combined for nine. Off the bench, Bostjan Nachbar didn't have a single rebound in 21 minutes. This series could get ugly if that doesn't change.
6. Shawn Marion isn't in for the happiest of 29th birthdays on Monday given that his team is down 1-0, but it could've been worse. A big fourth quarter helped mask a very slow start, allowing him to avoid any questions about his contributions being limited by the likes of Duncan and Bruce Bowen. He ended up with 16 points and six rebounds in 42 minutes, both below his averages, but did show up with the game on the line, knocking down timely shots as the teams went back and forth down the stretch.
7. Larry Hughes stayed active for 45 minutes on both ends, making sure that Kidd worked. Forget about the 7-for-20 shooting performance. What was most important is that he made the jumper that counted most, and that he never took the foot off the pedal. He finished with four steals, six assists, and in his own way, supplied what's required of a No. 2 option.
8. Another bit of potential controversy to be on the look out for in the San Antonio/Phoenix series hinges on how the league views Raja Bell's fourth-quarter foul on Manu Ginobili, who it looked like he knocked in the head with a forearm as both fell to the ground. Bell was whistled for nothing other than a foul, but Stu Jackson and the NBA office have been known to look at events like these after the fact and levied fines or suspensions. Mike D'Antoni was critical of what he considered one-sided officiating in his press conference, but was probably vague enough to avoid discipline.
9. Sasha Pavlovic's hustle contributed to one of the more memorable plays of the postseason, a vital block coming up from behind to prevent a Kidd breakaway layup. That highlight, combined with a strong 6-for-11 shooting performance, bodes well for his frame of mind following a poor series against Washington. The Cavs would love for him to give Carter something to think about.
10. I understand boys are boys and what not, but if I'm a Nets fan, I'm livid that partial owner Jay-Z was sitting in seats where LeBron's people normally sit. What's up with that? That's like Mark Cuban taking in the Warriors/Mavs with Kate Hudson while wearing a "We Believe" T-shirt. You can't condone that. What, it's not like Jigga can't get his own seats at the Q.
