Try as they might, no one can seem to bottle up the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Boston Bruins thought they had Tampa Bay figured out. Their goalie, Tim Thomas, was coming off an impressive shutout performance in Game 3, and the Bruins had a stranglehold on Game 4 after the 1st period, leading 3-0. It was getting so lopsided that Tampa Bay pulled their starting goalie due to ineffectiveness. A win would have given Boston a 3-1 series lead, and put them a win away from the Stanley Cup Finals.
However, the Lightning had different ideas. After a brutal fight to end the first period, Tampa Bay came out scoring, with two goals a minute apart by Teddy Purcell to pull within one. Minutes later, Sean Bergenheim tied the game at 3 apiece. Bergenheim leads the NHL in goals this postseason with 9. He had only 14 the entire regular season.
In the third period, it was the stars who showed up for Tampa Bay. Simon Gagne netted the game-winner, and Martin St. Louis the game-clinching empty netter for a 5-3 win. Mike Smith, who played in 22 games all season, was perfect in relief, stopping all 21 shots he saw.
The Lightning have been an offensive juggernaut all postseason. Tampa Bay leads the NHL in goals/game, with 3.43. Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier are tied with Ryan Kesler for the second most points in the postseason with 16.
The Lightning, like their name implies, like the strike fast and hard. While most teams use a 1-2-2 as their basic forechecking system, Tampa Bay uses the aggressive 2-1-2. In a normal 1-2-2 system, the forward closest to the puck applies presser to the opposing player with the puck, and attempts to dislodge it. Another forward attempts to gain possession of the dislodged puck, and the third forward cuts off weak-side passing lanes.
The 2-1-2 is completely different. In this system, the team dumps a puck into the offensive zone and has two forwards immediately put pressure on the puck. The third forward supports the two attacking forwards, and the defensemen are pulled up from the neutral zone to the opposing blue line. If the strategy backfires, the opposition can have an easy run at the goal. But, when used effectively, it can be deadly, because it puts a ton of pressure on the defending team.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are attempting to be the make history. If they can somehow win the Stanley Cup, they would become only the second 5 seed in NHL history to capture the trophy. The New Jersey Devils won the cup as the 5 seed in the East in 1995. And unless Tim Thomas and the Bruins can figure out how to stop the aggressive scoring attack of the Lightning, Tampa Bay might just have their chance.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and Russell Westbrook
With the top two stars in the game putting on a show, the third best player's ugly performance decided the game.
Dirk Nowitzki had a game for the ages. 48 points, 80% shooting, 24 FT's without a miss. The unheralded European has really shown this postseason why he just might be the most unguardable player in the sport.
With all the attention going to Dirk, Kevin Durant had one of the quietest 40 point games I've ever seen. He was quite efficient himself, scoring on 56% from the field and 95% from the line. Durant's persistence to keep his team in the game is a good sign for OKC fans.
Yet it won't mean much if Russell Westbrook does not step up his game. Westbrook managed 20 points, but shot 20% from the field and managed only 3 assists. Far removed from the 14 he had in Game 7 against Memphis.
Credit the Dallas defense. The Mavericks spent a lot of time in the zone in an effort to keep Westbrook from getting easy looks off drives.Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood played outstanding defense at the rim, and the rotations in the zone were phenomenal.
With that being said, Westbrook needs to play a lot better if he is going to help his team advance to the Finals. Although Westbrook only took 15 shots, and only a few were questionable looks, he still needs to get his teammates involved. James Harden is a good shooter and playmaker, and should have taken more than 9 shots in 36 minutes against a zone. Durant should have started getting the ball as much as Nowitzki in the fourth quarter. Westbrook needs to get the ball to the right teammate, and earlier in the shot clock. He is doing too much dribbling around the perimeter; either get into the lane or give the ball up.
Westbrook should also take a lesson from Derrick Rose. Prior to this season, Rose was always content to shoot floaters and fadeaways in the lane. This year, he is taking that extra dribble, absorbing contact, and drawing more fouls.
Westbrook does this sometimes. His 18 FT's are evidence that he does get to the line. But if you watched the game, you could tell that he could get to the line even more if he took one extra dribble and got more contact. The Mavericks can't match his speed, and if he learns how to draw more contact, he'll be going to the line even more.
The Thunder need to come up with a better strategy of defending Dirk, because isolation coverage is definitely not working. Maybe the best way would be to front him some possessions and have a quick rotation inside. Mark Jackson's analysis seemed right on the money; OKC has to let Jason Kidd, DeShawn Stevenson, or J.J. Barea beat them with jump shots. But it won't matter much if Westbrook doesn't play better. He must play like the third best player in the series, or Dallas will be heading to the Finals.
Dirk Nowitzki had a game for the ages. 48 points, 80% shooting, 24 FT's without a miss. The unheralded European has really shown this postseason why he just might be the most unguardable player in the sport.
With all the attention going to Dirk, Kevin Durant had one of the quietest 40 point games I've ever seen. He was quite efficient himself, scoring on 56% from the field and 95% from the line. Durant's persistence to keep his team in the game is a good sign for OKC fans.
Yet it won't mean much if Russell Westbrook does not step up his game. Westbrook managed 20 points, but shot 20% from the field and managed only 3 assists. Far removed from the 14 he had in Game 7 against Memphis.
Credit the Dallas defense. The Mavericks spent a lot of time in the zone in an effort to keep Westbrook from getting easy looks off drives.Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood played outstanding defense at the rim, and the rotations in the zone were phenomenal.
With that being said, Westbrook needs to play a lot better if he is going to help his team advance to the Finals. Although Westbrook only took 15 shots, and only a few were questionable looks, he still needs to get his teammates involved. James Harden is a good shooter and playmaker, and should have taken more than 9 shots in 36 minutes against a zone. Durant should have started getting the ball as much as Nowitzki in the fourth quarter. Westbrook needs to get the ball to the right teammate, and earlier in the shot clock. He is doing too much dribbling around the perimeter; either get into the lane or give the ball up.
Westbrook should also take a lesson from Derrick Rose. Prior to this season, Rose was always content to shoot floaters and fadeaways in the lane. This year, he is taking that extra dribble, absorbing contact, and drawing more fouls.
Westbrook does this sometimes. His 18 FT's are evidence that he does get to the line. But if you watched the game, you could tell that he could get to the line even more if he took one extra dribble and got more contact. The Mavericks can't match his speed, and if he learns how to draw more contact, he'll be going to the line even more.
The Thunder need to come up with a better strategy of defending Dirk, because isolation coverage is definitely not working. Maybe the best way would be to front him some possessions and have a quick rotation inside. Mark Jackson's analysis seemed right on the money; OKC has to let Jason Kidd, DeShawn Stevenson, or J.J. Barea beat them with jump shots. But it won't matter much if Westbrook doesn't play better. He must play like the third best player in the series, or Dallas will be heading to the Finals.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Age or beauty?
Contrary to popular belief, the Western Conference didn't stop the playoffs when the Lakers lost. There is a series out west at the same time the Bulls and Heat square off, and it starts tonight. And, thanks to Oprah, it will be the only NBA game on tonight, so there is no excuse not to watch a young, flashy Oklahoma City Thunder team take on the red-hot Dallas Mavericks.
The Thunder got here by being a trendy underdog pick, which makes them not an underdog at all. Although they were a 4 seed, everyone knew going into the playoffs what this team was capable of doing. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are the second-best pair of teammates in the league behind LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Almost all of the offense goes through one of these two players. The Thunder are coming off a surprisingly easy series against the Denver Nuggets and a surprisingly difficult series against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Mavericks pulled off the biggest shocker in the playoffs. It was not just the fact that Dallas defeated the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers; it was how the Lakers were disposed. Dallas swept L.A. out of the playoffs after being tested in the first round by Portland. Continuing their superb play will be a must to advance to their first NBA Finals since 2006.
So, here are the keys to another series that has the potential to be very exciting.
Block Party People hardly ever think of shot-blocking as a potential difference-maker, but here it definitely could be. Oklahoma City likes to play an up-tempo game, especially against a team that doesn't run particularly well like Dallas. The Thunder have one of the best shot-blockers in the game in Serge Ibaka, an athletic monster from Congo. Ibaka is averaging a whopping 3.58 BPG in the playoffs. If Ibaka can get some blocks and keep them in play, it could lead to some transition baskets, which OKC needs to set the tempo.
Durant vs. Nowitzki This is a series that could be decided by the matchup of the stars. If Dallas wants to advance, Nowitzki needs to outperform Durant. That doesn't necessarily mean outscore Durant, but he needs to be more efficient. Dirk could be the hardest guy in the NBA to match up against. A 7 footer with a sweet stroke is almost impossible to guard. He compounds that frustration with the fact that he shoots the fadeaway (a shot most defenders try to force the offensive player into) at such a high percentage. The key is to not allow him to catch the ball where he is comfortable scoring. KD is no slouch himself. The deadliest scorer in the NBA has an arsenal of moves at his disposal, and his ability to shoot the 3 pointer makes him all the more dangerous. Durant will see a host of defenders spend time on him, including the underrated Shawn Marion. That being said, none are as good at guarding the perimeter as the man who guarded Durant in the last series, Tony Allen. The stars will get their points; whoever is more efficient while getting his buckets will give his team a huge boost.
Which Westbrook? Anyone who has watched the Thunder during these playoffs know that Russell Westbrook can be the difference in a series. If he is taking bad shots and outshooting KD by a vast margin, the Thunder are in trouble. If he is making good decisions, taking the drive when it is there, and setting up teammates, the Thunder are very dangerous. The trick in this series is that Westbrook needs to be more aggressive than he needed to be in Memphis. Dallas has no answer for the combination of speed and power that Westbrook presents, and he has to continually break down the Dallas D by getting into the lane. The Mavericks have not seen anyone as quick as Westbrook in the first two series, so it is remains to be seen whether the old team can adjust after Westbrook penetrates. However, Westbrook cannot force the issue too much, and must get teammates involved off the drive. If he forces up bad shots, it will be a huge benefit to Dallas.
Harden vs. Terry Both teams rely on a big boost from their 6th man. Jason Terry is the only player on the Mavericks other than Dirk that can create his own shot. The perennial 6th man of the year candidate is averaging over 18 PPG in the first two rounds of the playoff, and needs to be on the court for Dallas to combat the Thunder's potent offense. If Terry is on the floor, look for the Thunder to counter with James Harden, their dynamic 6th man. Harden is the only Thunder player other than Durant and Westbrook averaging double figures in the playoffs. If Terry is on the floor, playing Harden will force the Mavericks to put an undersized Terry on a scorer in a backcourt of Westbrook and Harden. My guess is he'll guard Harden for a lot of the series, and Harden can shoot right over him. Look for big scoring from both of the 6th men, and, if either doesn't produce, their teams offense will suffer immensely.
Tempo The most important part of this series will be who dictates the tempo. The Mavericks love to slow things down, get the ball to Dirk, and let him do his thing. If all goes well, they get a bucket and are able to set up their defense. The Thunder need to run to win this series. They are younger, faster, more athletic, and much better finishers at the rim. Oklahoma City needs to push the ball constantly to create mismatches on the break. Tempo is a simple thing, but it could be the most important factor in determining this series.
The Thunder got here by being a trendy underdog pick, which makes them not an underdog at all. Although they were a 4 seed, everyone knew going into the playoffs what this team was capable of doing. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are the second-best pair of teammates in the league behind LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Almost all of the offense goes through one of these two players. The Thunder are coming off a surprisingly easy series against the Denver Nuggets and a surprisingly difficult series against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Mavericks pulled off the biggest shocker in the playoffs. It was not just the fact that Dallas defeated the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers; it was how the Lakers were disposed. Dallas swept L.A. out of the playoffs after being tested in the first round by Portland. Continuing their superb play will be a must to advance to their first NBA Finals since 2006.
So, here are the keys to another series that has the potential to be very exciting.
Block Party People hardly ever think of shot-blocking as a potential difference-maker, but here it definitely could be. Oklahoma City likes to play an up-tempo game, especially against a team that doesn't run particularly well like Dallas. The Thunder have one of the best shot-blockers in the game in Serge Ibaka, an athletic monster from Congo. Ibaka is averaging a whopping 3.58 BPG in the playoffs. If Ibaka can get some blocks and keep them in play, it could lead to some transition baskets, which OKC needs to set the tempo.
Durant vs. Nowitzki This is a series that could be decided by the matchup of the stars. If Dallas wants to advance, Nowitzki needs to outperform Durant. That doesn't necessarily mean outscore Durant, but he needs to be more efficient. Dirk could be the hardest guy in the NBA to match up against. A 7 footer with a sweet stroke is almost impossible to guard. He compounds that frustration with the fact that he shoots the fadeaway (a shot most defenders try to force the offensive player into) at such a high percentage. The key is to not allow him to catch the ball where he is comfortable scoring. KD is no slouch himself. The deadliest scorer in the NBA has an arsenal of moves at his disposal, and his ability to shoot the 3 pointer makes him all the more dangerous. Durant will see a host of defenders spend time on him, including the underrated Shawn Marion. That being said, none are as good at guarding the perimeter as the man who guarded Durant in the last series, Tony Allen. The stars will get their points; whoever is more efficient while getting his buckets will give his team a huge boost.
Which Westbrook? Anyone who has watched the Thunder during these playoffs know that Russell Westbrook can be the difference in a series. If he is taking bad shots and outshooting KD by a vast margin, the Thunder are in trouble. If he is making good decisions, taking the drive when it is there, and setting up teammates, the Thunder are very dangerous. The trick in this series is that Westbrook needs to be more aggressive than he needed to be in Memphis. Dallas has no answer for the combination of speed and power that Westbrook presents, and he has to continually break down the Dallas D by getting into the lane. The Mavericks have not seen anyone as quick as Westbrook in the first two series, so it is remains to be seen whether the old team can adjust after Westbrook penetrates. However, Westbrook cannot force the issue too much, and must get teammates involved off the drive. If he forces up bad shots, it will be a huge benefit to Dallas.
Harden vs. Terry Both teams rely on a big boost from their 6th man. Jason Terry is the only player on the Mavericks other than Dirk that can create his own shot. The perennial 6th man of the year candidate is averaging over 18 PPG in the first two rounds of the playoff, and needs to be on the court for Dallas to combat the Thunder's potent offense. If Terry is on the floor, look for the Thunder to counter with James Harden, their dynamic 6th man. Harden is the only Thunder player other than Durant and Westbrook averaging double figures in the playoffs. If Terry is on the floor, playing Harden will force the Mavericks to put an undersized Terry on a scorer in a backcourt of Westbrook and Harden. My guess is he'll guard Harden for a lot of the series, and Harden can shoot right over him. Look for big scoring from both of the 6th men, and, if either doesn't produce, their teams offense will suffer immensely.
Tempo The most important part of this series will be who dictates the tempo. The Mavericks love to slow things down, get the ball to Dirk, and let him do his thing. If all goes well, they get a bucket and are able to set up their defense. The Thunder need to run to win this series. They are younger, faster, more athletic, and much better finishers at the rim. Oklahoma City needs to push the ball constantly to create mismatches on the break. Tempo is a simple thing, but it could be the most important factor in determining this series.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Keys to Bullying the Heat
Alright, Chicago. Take a breath. Enjoy what you saw last night, but, deep down, you know it won't be that easy.
The second half could not have gone any better for the Chicago Bulls and their fans. By clamping down their defense and revving up their offense, the Bulls dominated the Miami Heat and rolled to a 103-82 victory to take a 1-0 series lead.
This game was huge for the Bulls. It was as close to a must-win as it could be in a game 1 of a series between two evenly-matched teams.
Coming in, the Bulls were the ones with the question marks, not the Heat. The Bulls struggled out of the gate against the Indiana Pacers, then got taken to 6 games by the Atlanta Hawks. Carlos Boozer showed up for about 2 games in the first two rounds. Derrick Rose was being asked to do too much. The great defense, the one constant in their dominant regular season, was sporadic. Until Game 6 against the Hawks, the Bulls looked like a team that was meant for the regular season, and that they, along with their 1 seed partner, the San Antonio Spurs, would be watching the NBA Finals instead of playing in them.
Then, after disposing of the Hawks, the questions remained. Was the close-out game against Atlanta the sign of a team breaking out, or simply a mirage?
So, with all the questions, it was imperative Chicago win Game 1 and put the pressure back on Miami. The Bulls did just that, but the game had the makings of an aberration and not the norm.
It is unlikely LeBron James (15 points on 33% shooting) and Dwyane Wade (18 points on 41% shooting) will both be outscored and outperformed by Luol Deng (21 points on 47% shooting). It is even more unlikely that they will combine to take only 3 shots in the fourth quarter.
So, the Bulls won a game. For them to win the series, there is several things the team must do. Here's a list of the top 5...
Dominate the glass The Bulls are the superior rebounding team. That needs to show in order for them to win the series. Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Omer Asik and Boozer must exploit the Heat's bigs on the glass and get the Bulls some second chance points. The harder part will be keeping the Heat of the offensive glass. The Bulls will rotate quickly inside to combat LeBron and Wade. Just as important as the initial rotation to help on the drive is the rotation of the weak side player to the paint. This closes off offensive rebounding attempts. Chicago must stop easy putback attempts, or the initial defense will be for naught.
Get Boozer going Carlos Boozer has been the must talked about Bull during the playoffs, and not for good reasons. His ineffectiveness has been a lightning rod for controversy, and several have called for him to be benched for the more athletic Taj Gibson. Although Gibson needs to play well in his role, benching Boozer would be a mistake. Boozer is the only post player the Bulls have that can create his own shot, and the Bulls will need his presence to be felt to win the series. He needs to be dangerous enough to make the Heat's interior defense collapse on him down low, opening things up for Rose and the 3-point shooters.
Hit open 3 point shots Speaking of the 3-point shooters, they need to collectively step up for the Bulls to win this series. One scary thing for Chicago is that Kyle Korver, after playing very well against Indiana, lost his shooting touch against Atlanta. If he is not splashing jump shots with regularity, there is no need for him on the court, as he is a liability on the defensive end. Keith Bogans, Deng, and Korver are all going to get open looks from 3, be it off a Rose drive or an offensive rebound. Knocking down these shots will be crucial, as they can demoralize the Heat and make Erik Spoelstra adjust his defensive strategy.
Limit the Heat's 3 point shooters Just as the Bulls need to get their shooters going, they need to stop the Heat from long range as well. Although the help needs to come rapidly on LeBron and Wade, it should come from the big men inside. The perimeter players should not leave an open shooter. Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers, and, most importantly, James Jones all know their role in the offense. The Bulls need to take these shooters out of the game, and make LeBron and Wade take most of the 3 pointers for this team. Although they are dynamic scorers, neither one is a prolific jump shooter, and if they are taking 3 pointers, the Bulls can live with that.
Get Deng to score consistently This may be the biggest X-factor of all in what should be a very competitive series. Luol Deng has been the glue guy for this Chicago team all season. He's been asked to be Rose's compliment while Rose is in the game, and to be the go-to guy for the second unit. (Deng has routinely started the second and fourth quarter this season with CJ Watson, Ronnie Brewer, Gibson, and Asik). All of this is expected while he guards the best perimeter player on the opposing team. While he has been under-appreciated by the majority of the Bulls fan base, every person in the locker room knows what Deng means to his team, and he's never been more important than right now. Being the primary defender on LeBron James is a very taxing jobs, and some teams have a defensive specialist with this sole responsibility. The Bulls do not have this luxury. Deng must defend LeBron, but he also has to be the consistent offensive player that he has been the entire season. If he can't do that, the Bulls will be sent packing. If he can, Chicago just may be heading to its first NBA Finals since...well, you know.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Welcome!
This is the sports blog of Donnie Zeno Kolakowski, a Ball State journalism student who just finished his sophomore year of school. Let me tell you a little bit about myself...
I'm from Bolingbrook, IL, making me a suburban Chicago boy. My favorite sport is baseball, and my favorite team is the Cubs, making me one of the many masochists who hopes and prays every single day that they'll put it together one of these years and win a title.
My second favorite team is the Chicago Bulls, and I'm very upset I wasn't old enough to appreciate the Jordan era. Although I liked the team as a little boy, I didn't even begin to appreciate the glory of two three-peats (Do I have to pay Pat Riley for saying that?) in a decade.
My blogging will be about most sports, including basketball, baseball, football, hockey and even some tennis and soccer every once in a while just for fun. Maybe something else will pop up as well. If Gus Johnson announces something else, I'll be there.
Preference for blogging will go to local Chicago sports, but I won't force a story line on you if there isn't one. For instance, I could probably talk about how the Cubs can't hit in the clutch every day for the rest of the season. I'll probably only do it occasionally.
So, please follow me, as I'll post daily (or as close to daily as I can). If you're bored, and are tired of hearing what your friends think they know about sports, please check in and read what Zeno knows.
I'm from Bolingbrook, IL, making me a suburban Chicago boy. My favorite sport is baseball, and my favorite team is the Cubs, making me one of the many masochists who hopes and prays every single day that they'll put it together one of these years and win a title.
My second favorite team is the Chicago Bulls, and I'm very upset I wasn't old enough to appreciate the Jordan era. Although I liked the team as a little boy, I didn't even begin to appreciate the glory of two three-peats (Do I have to pay Pat Riley for saying that?) in a decade.
My blogging will be about most sports, including basketball, baseball, football, hockey and even some tennis and soccer every once in a while just for fun. Maybe something else will pop up as well. If Gus Johnson announces something else, I'll be there.
Preference for blogging will go to local Chicago sports, but I won't force a story line on you if there isn't one. For instance, I could probably talk about how the Cubs can't hit in the clutch every day for the rest of the season. I'll probably only do it occasionally.
So, please follow me, as I'll post daily (or as close to daily as I can). If you're bored, and are tired of hearing what your friends think they know about sports, please check in and read what Zeno knows.
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