Zig Zags and Defense Alive and Well

Friday, April 24, 2009
By Jim Feist

Zig Zags are alive and well in the NBA playoffs -- it just took a few extra days to show up! Zig Zags are when a team plays poorly one game, then makes adjustments and comes back looking like a totally different team the next game. It has appeared already in these playoffs, just not always the normal bounce-back the next game. The Celtics looked terrible defensively in Game 1 as the Bulls pulled a huge upset. Game 2 was also at home and many expected the Celtics to come out with fire in their game, especially on the defensive end.

It didn't happen. The Bulls nearly pulled another upset, as Boston rallied late and needed a last second three-pointer to win. Now the questions were everywhere. Were the defending champs dead without Kevin Garnett? Did they have the same intensity? Or were the Bulls one of those young, up and coming teams that were blossoming with the whole world watching?

Well, we got an answer in Game 3. The REAL Celtic defenders showed up, attacking both Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon, the two sparkplugs the make the Chicago offense click. The Bulls, who averaged 110 points in the first two games, never led in Game 3. They also shot 37.5 percent and committed 22 turnovers, which the Celtics converted into 24 points. "They completely outplayed us, start to finish," Bulls captain Kirk Hinrich said.

There is an old wagering adage about going against the team being presented with awards or trophies before the game, such as the defending champs getting their rings and raising flags, or a player getting an MVP, 6th Man or Rookie of the Year award. It was interesting that the Bulls honored Derrick Rose before the game for winning Rookie of the Year by spreading rose petals on seats throughout the United Center. Rose then committed his season-high seven turnovers as he tried to dribble through double-teams. He finished with nine points, on 4-for-14 shooting. "Shocked, really," Rose said. "It really hurts to lose like this in front of our home crowd."

The Zig Zag playoff theory has been all over the Dallas/San Antonio series. The Mavs pulled the upset on the road in Game 1, the Spurs bounced back with a blowout win in Game 2, then the Mavericks bounced back with a blowout win of their own in Game 3, defending their home court. The Mavericks improved to 16-1 at home since the All-Star break and 7-1 in games following 20-point losses.

It was interesting that San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich pulled his stars in the third quarter. He explained the game was out of reach so he was resting them for Game 4. Inside that quote you can read something else: Absorb a little humiliation to help get their game faces on for Saturday.

Dallas slapped around San Antonio with tight defense, the return of Dirk Nowitzki's shooting touch and the energy of their home crowd, producing an 88-67 victory Thursday night and a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. And that's the other part of the playoffs that is beginning to emerge: Tougher defense. San Antonio made only seven of its first 22 shots. The Spurs went to the intermission hitting only 30.2 percent (13 of 43) from the floor. Boston was No. 1 in field goal shooting defense during the season, then played no defense the first two playoff games. But that changed in Game 3, the first one in the series to go under the total.

Out West, after two games over the total, the Utah Jazz played exceptional defense in attacking the boards and shutting down the LA Laker fast break in a Game 3 upset. That game sailed FAR under the total, which is common this time of the season. By the way, asked what his halftime speech was, Gregg Popovich said, "Probably something like, 'If it's not too much trouble, do you think it would be a good idea if maybe we made a few baskets and stopped a few?" Don't expect to see another half-hearted effort by the Spurs, a team that has won 4 titles over the last decade.