Tony Parker and Chris Paul comparison to renew in the Game-2 of West Semis – NBA Feature
The Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs Western Conference Semi Final was anticipated as a matchup between two of the best point guard in the league at the moment.
Tony Parker and Chris Paul are as good as they come, and their showdown was to be a matchup for the ages. However, in the 108-92 game 1 stomping that the Spurs handed to the Clippers, both Parker and Paul had
an off night.
Tony Parker went 1 of 9 from the field for 7 points, while Chris Paul was 3 of 13 for 6 points. Both players have had a wonderful season, with Paul leading the turnaround of the Clippers team and Parker leading
the golden Spurs to title contention for one more time.
Paul was third in the NBA MVP list this season while Parker finished at 5th spot.
"I didn't play effectively. I've got to have a better game” said Paul
Parker is not worried about his performance on the other hand. He said:
"From the beginning of the game, they wanted to take me out. Trapping me and forcing me to give the ball up. If they want to do that strategy, Timmy (Duncan) is going to have a lot of wide-open shots and all
our shooters is going to have a lot of open shots”
Parker was accurate in his analysis of the game as the Spurs hit 13 three pointers in the game and Duncan was unstoppable, finishing with 26 points while Manu Ginobili had 22. The Spurs shot 48.8% from the field.
For the Clippers, it was a completely different story. This young team is neither that experienced, nor that technical to give the Spurs a run for their money without their leader, Chris Paul. The Clippers were
baffled by the Spurs defense and were waiting for Paul to make something happen and find them for open looks. Paul failed in the game and the Clippers fell. The presence of Paul in this series is more important for the Clippers, than Parker’s presence for
the Spurs.
Parker is now the leader of the Spurs but there are still a number of players that can get the job done on any given night. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are stars in their own right, and Kawhi Leonard is talented
forward.
Plus, the Spurs have depth in their roster, helping them to secure wins in games where one superstar plays below expectations. However, it will not be possible for the Spurs to win the series if Parker fails
to make an impression. He is the bloodline of this Spurs team and needs to get going soon. Parker led the spurs in scoring 22 times this season, and owned 8 of the Spurs 9 highest scoring games.
Chris Paul has been battling with an aching hip and groin, even though Paul says he has recovered completely.
“He's got to pick his spots, I think. I don't think he's healthy enough to be as aggressive as I think he would like on either end of the floor. It didn't get worse yesterday, but there's really no time for the
healing process because of the time element” said Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro on Chris Paul’s health.
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