Game 3 Preview :: Protect This House!

Really not much to say but we all know what needs to happen now.  We are down 2-0 do the Suns and the next two are at the AT&T Center.  As that Under Armour commercial goes, we must protect this house!

We should of won game two on Wednesday night but hell, what can we do now right?

It is Gameday folks and the series shifts to San Antonio where the Spurs are undefeated during the playoffs.  Continue on for the preview of tonights game.

WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS GAME 35.7.10 | 8:30PM | AT&T CENTERTV: ESPN | RD: 1200 WOAI

THE STARTING LINEUP:

Point Guards :: George Hill . Steve NashI was glad to see Hill pick up his game after being torched by Nash.  Hill finished the game with 14 points.  He hit two key three pointers late in the game, one of which put the Spurs up but as we know didn’t last.  Good thing for us is that we return home and Hill plays like a totally different player on our floor.  Remember, the last four games against Dallas he averaged about 20 points a game, we need him to step up big.

We stopped Nash for having the start he did in game one, Hill did a better job, with help from his teammates in stopping Nash from getting off to that start.  He finished the game with 19 points, remember in game one he had 17 in the first quarter on his way to 33.  We need to body up on Nash, bump him around, frustrate him.  He will not have the games he has been having in Phoenix.  So I hope.

Shooting Guards :: Manu Ginobilli . Jason RichardsonGinobilli didn’t have the game that I wish he would of had.  He finished with just 11 points and at times seemed to rush his shots.  Gino, come on, you know better than that.  Do what you do best, take the ball to the rack and get those fouls, don’t bail yourself out with a three.  Break out of the game two slump tonight!

Richardson continues his tear in the playoffs.  He also had 19 points.  We cannot let him rome free on the floor without finding where he is.  He snuck behind our defense a couple of times to get some easy baskets.  Hoping he hits a big wall tonight.

Small Forwards :: Richard Jefferson . Grant HillI am happy with RJ right now.  He came out in game two and was more aggressive than he has been through the whole playoffs. He scored 18.  He got to the rack, ran the floor and look what happened.  When he ran the floor he was looked to for those transition baskets.  It was the RJ when he was in New Jersey.  We need more of that from him.  Go after it RJ. 

The ageless wonder in Grant Hill has been playing some good ball as well.  He matched Jefferson with scoring 18 of his own.  I just don’t see Hill being that dominate still on the offensive end, but he will hit the open jumpers if we leave him open.  He has been playing tough defense.  At times he is on Ginobili and that caused Gino to have a tough game.

Power Forwards :: Tim Duncan . Amare StoudmireFoul trouble plagued Timmy in the game.  When he was not on the floor the Suns took advantage of it.  Duncan finished with another double-double, going for 29 and 10.  My gripe with Duncan is that he needs to help out more with the pick-n-roll.  We know Nash and Stat are going to do this all day long when they dont’ see any help.  We gotta stop this.  Timmy will put up his numbers as he has been doing during the series, I am not worried about that, PICK-N-ROLL defense needs to get better.

Stat gets most of his points around the rim.  He had 11 rebounds in the game four of which came at the offensive end.  I will give him jumpers all day long, he won’t be able to hit them, and if he does, we will live with it.  We know that he will get his points in the transition game and off of pick-n-rolls with Nash.  I know this is easier said than done, keep him out of the lane.

Centers :: Antonio McDyess . Jarron CollinsDyess had only six points, those coming in the first half I believe.  He should be taking Collins down low, post him up, get banged up, go to the foul line. 

Yeah, still nothing to report on Collins.

Bench and Role Players :: Tony Parker . Jared Dudley/Channing FryeParker came off again to give us a spark going for 20.  His jumper was falling, he hit two threes in the game, he was finding open teammates.  Everything was going for Tony and us when he was in the game.  No shot, no problem, he got others involved.  I wish for Tony to start in game three but am not sure what Pop has up his sleeve.  Maybe we will get the Hill of the Dallas series, if so that is good.

Dudley and Frye did a remarkable job for Phoenix when they needed.  Dudley from Pop’s point stated he was the game changer.  He was everywhere on the floor. His energy was shown, his hustle he left on the floor, he hit big shots, grabbed big boards.  Frye hit five three-pointers in the game for his 15 points.  If we don’t know by now, the guy can shoot the rock from threes.  That is what he looks for, we can’t leave him.

What We Have To Do To Win*Defense, Defense, Defense — When we give up 100 points, we lose.  Buckle down defense is needed in this series.*Keep them off the offensive boards —  The Suns were +11 on the offensive rebounding front.  We have to find a guy and put a body on them. *Take Care of the Ball — When can’t make mistakes.  When we do the Suns are great at capitalizing on them turning them into quick baskets.*Free Throws — I hate it when we go to the line. I know our chances of making them are not great. We were 15-22 in Game two. Easy points guys, easy points.*Three Pointers — Where has this been? It is not a factor in our game right now.  Spurs hit just 7 of 18 from beyond the arc.  Matt Bonner, 0-3.*One Game at a Time — In order for us to get back into this series we can’t look ahead, we need to go one at a time, we can do it.

Game Three Preview :: From Doug Collins and Kevin Harlan (NBA.Com)