Payton's No Match For Parker

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Earlier this week, I was reading a story out of Los Angeles about the frustration and struggles of Lakers point guard Gary Payton -- which to me seems redundant, but that is another story.


In any case, Payton, who has been benched in the fourth quarters of several games against the Houston Rockets, was quoted as saying about the Lakers' upcoming semifinals series with the San Antonio Spurs: "Hopefully I can shine in that series. I know I can play at another level. I can do a lot of things. It's not happening right now. Next series may be my series."


And I thought: Against Tony Parker? Good luck.


This is going to sound like an indictment of Payton, though it is not meant to be. Instead, it is a glowing tribute to the ever-improving Parker, who has become one of the top three point guards in the league and is on the verge of becoming the elite player at his position.


In order to do that, I must go back to Payton, who still fancies himself as one of the best players in the league, only because he is too stubborn to consider the reality.</div>
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Payton can't guard Parker. But that shouldn't have been a surprised. Tony Parker made Jason Kidd look silly in the finals last year. Its odd though cause Stehpon owns Parker.

Marbury>Parker
Parker>Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd>Marbury

Payton not even in the mix anymore. Quit your griping GP and just <strike>fucking</strike> play. Take tonight for example 35 minutes and he goes 1/8 FG's. And he wonders why he doesn't play in the 4th.

<font color="Blue">Cursing is not allowed. Consider yourself warned.--Rudeezy</font>

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chump:</div><div class="quote_post">Payton can't guard Parker. But that shouldn't have been a surprised. Tony Parker made Jason Kidd look silly in the finals last year. </div>

Parker disappeared in the second half of the finals last year.

 

If Phil uses Payton to his advantages and has him post up on Parker, then GP would be much more efficient on the offensive end. We all saw Payton get burned by Parker, but it doesn't mean that the Glove still can't make Tony look silly on occasion.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheGameShutDown:</div><div class="quote_post">If Phil uses Payton to his advantages and has him post up on Parker, then GP would be much more efficient on the offensive end. We all saw Payton get burned by Parker, but it doesn't mean that the Glove still can't make Tony look silly on occasion.</div>Until I see it, I don't think he can. He is not quick enough or smooth enough anymore to shake Parker. He could possibly overpower him in the post though.

 

All you had to do was watch the first quarter of the Lakers-Spurs to see that Payton could still slip by Parker; it's just his shots that weren't falling. He came out looking to shoot and he made some nice moves. The shots just didn't drop for him.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheGameShutDown:</div><div class="quote_post">All you had to do was watch the first quarter of the Lakers-Spurs to see that Payton could still slip by Parker; it's just his shots that weren't falling. He came out looking to shoot and he made some nice moves. The shots just didn't drop for him.</div>

His shots haven't fallen since the 2004 playoffs began, and if he's not careful, he can easiy lose his starting point guard spot to Derek Fisher. What he has to prevent doing is penetrating to the middle of the key and shooting those horrific looking turn around jumpshots ot hook shots. They aren't falling and if you ask me, they won't be falling anytime soon. His advantage is in the low post spinning to his left for an easy layup that wouldn't be as contested as his outside shots.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheGameShutDown:</div><div class="quote_post">All you had to do was watch the first quarter of the Lakers-Spurs to see that Payton could still slip by Parker; it's just his shots that weren't falling. He came out looking to shoot and he made some nice moves. The shots just didn't drop for him.</div>Its all about finishing playa. "Million dollar move, 10 cent finish."

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Laker_Fever_834:</div><div class="quote_post">His shots haven't fallen since the 2004 playoffs began, and if he's not careful, he can easiy lose his starting point guard spot to Derek Fisher. What he has to prevent doing is penetrating to the middle of the key and shooting those horrific looking turn around jumpshots ot hook shots. They aren't falling and if you ask me, they won't be falling anytime soon. His advantage is in the low post spinning to his left for an easy layup that wouldn't be as contested as his outside shots.</div>

But that move along with his post game has always been GP's offensive style. If you take that away from him, then he will never be affective in this series. GP can isolate Parker in the post a few times. But if the Spurs feel that is becoming to affective, they will send a help defender. Or maybe even switch Manu(a better defender than Parker) on to GP. So then GP post up game really wont be affective.

I think GP needs to stay aggressive. And continue to take his kind of shots. After the 1st quarter on sunday, he stop being aggressive. But he got some good looks in the 1st quarter. Like someone said earlier, they just didnt fall.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">It's "2 cent" finish!</div>8 cents is not that much Shape, Mr. Perfect.