THE game-within-the-game that often decides close encounters was plentiful Sunday in the three NBA matchups that got my undivided attention down the stretch.
Who says there isn’t coaching constantly going on in the NBA?
First up was the defensive switch of LeBron James (whose 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists wouldn’t have been enough to beat the Pacers) onto Jamaal Tinsley for the last four or five possessions of Cleveland’s ultimate afternoon victory.
Until James’ gunite mass and block-long tentacles intervened, Tinsley had the hips of Cavaliers wardens spinning off their hinges in an attempt to stay in front of his exotic crossovers and swirling sequences.
Not that Tinsley (24 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds) was unable to infiltrate on James; he did it at least twice, setting up a teammate once for an open shot, missing a contested layup the other time. Still, when it mattered most, James blunted Tinsley’s back-to-the-basket path and the result was a critical turnover, his eighth, in the closing moments.
James, who’s thinking as brilliantly as he’s playing and leading lately, may very well have asked for the as signment, but until I know dif ferently, I’m taking a timeout to commend coach Mike Brown. At the very least he’s smart enough to know when he hears a good idea.
The second crucial game-within-a-game scheme was manipulated by Gregg Popovich, whose Spurs came into Seattle looking at the Sonics as if they were a side order.
In the first half, the defending champs gave up an unbecoming 64 points to an opponent that came into the game leading the league in turnovers and committed one.
Overall, the Sonics shot 53 percent from the field against the NBA’s stingiest defensive outfit that’s more organized than crime.
Yet when P.J. Carlisemo’s team was desperate for a late fourth quarter basket to remain in the hunt, Popovich sprung a subtle and swift double team trap on rookie Kevin Durant (25 points) on the sideline and the Spurs converted the turnover into a victory-icing layup.
The last game-within-the-game theater involved the leading men of the Nets and Lakers.
In the fourth quarter, when both teams staged spectacular comebacks/malfunctions, the best part was Lawrence Frank attaching Jason Kidd to Kobe Bryant at crunch time and watching Bryant get even more down and dirty on Vince Carter, his stakeout all evening.
As it turned out, in the clash of titans, the offensive man was unstoppable; because Bryant didn’t miss (that is, until he forced the game-loser as Kidd got great help from Bostjan Nachbar) and the whistle blowers evidently believe a tie goes to the shooter.
Bryant appeared to get shafted twice on calls that sent Carter to the welfare line in the closing curtain. Then, following a timeout huddle by yet another crackpot LA jury, the three referees went into the “make up” room for some mascara.
Bryant was awarded three free throws for the tie when, clearly, Kidd purposefully fouled him before his feet left the floor or his right arm was in motion.
Even Lakers TV analyst Stu Lantz remarked a couple times, “I’m very surprised by that call.”
Hey, now! Who says there’s no justice on an LA court? Bryant misfired his third try, the shot he shouldn’t have been entitled to take.
As me and Julio used to say down by the schoolyard, “Cheating shows.”
My, what a difference three road wins by a total of a dozen points makes.
The Nets began their annual Thanksgiving Week pilgrimage out west where usually they have a shelf life of a stray drumstick at the Jerome James household. Their ensuing 27-point nail-biter at Utah to begin the business trip incited a “sky is falling” forecast and had Kidd groping . . . for answers.
Having meandered back to mediocrity (7-7) by virtue of wins against the Blazers, Sonics and Lakers, the Nets must now take care of home hijinks against the downtrodden duo of Memphis (tonight) and Philadelphia (Saturday).
Otherwise, I retain the right to mock mercilessly.