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Be sure to check out the first five parts of the "best of" series.
The Best Boris Diaw passes of the playoffs.
Manu's best assists of the playoffs.
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While Ginobili is still capable of making your jaw drop with individual play, it's Tony Parker that is unquestionably the best creator on the Spurs at a consistently high level. Let's celebrate the brilliance of Tony with his best scores against the Mavs and the Blazers.
Number Eleven:
Watch Tony Parker as he dribbles under the basket and out into the left block before reversing directions and beating Calderon to the hoop for an easy score.
Number Ten:
This was one of my favorite plays of the postseason. Robin Lopez tries to go hard to the hole, but Timmy is there to block his shot, sending it into the hands of Manu Ginobili who gives it up to Parker. Tim Duncan, in his 220th playoff game and a veteran of 17 seasons, puts his head down and sprints the floor, in a 16-point game mind you, to help Tony Parker convert the layup.
Number Nine:
Here's Tony working from a Duncan pick, hesitating in front of Blair which freezes him, and then exploding around the ex-Spur to get a scoop shot to drop.
Number Eight:
This time we'll see TP do his damage before the defense can get set. He pushes the ball in transition, uses a Splitter drag screen and then beats Devin Harris to the rack. It won't show up in the box, but check out TD clear the lane for Tony. It's the little things.
Number Seven:
Here we see Tony Parker doing his thing. He works around a Tiago pick with Lillard going over it and then muscles his way through Lillard on his way to a really sweet right-hand layup off the left side of the glass. He puts a little French on it and the ball falls through the hoop.
Number Six:
Tony Parker is always dangerous-in-transition. He flies down the court and only Jose Calderon is between Parker and two points. Tony attacks Calderon and Jose takes away the angle for a TP spin move so Tony just goes right around him and finishes with a simple little layup on the left side of the basket.
Number Five:
Here we see Tony Parkier in transition. He attacks Mo Williams before the defense can get set, using the spin move he's mastered to draw a foul and finishes for the and-one. Tony is about as pumped up as he gets, letting out a yell with a double fist-pump. He had a nice game. Tim Duncan however, is not impressed.
Number Four:
Tony brings the ball up in transition. He's moving at a good clip and he doesn't wait for help, instead deciding to attack Devin Harris. He uses a devastating spin move to beat Harris which gives him a completely uncontested layup.
Number Three:
Tony loses Russell Westbrook on Timmy a screen, and then Nick Collison shows above the three-point line, but that's completely ineffective at preventing the dribble penetration from Tony. Once Tony turns the corner on Collison he uses a little misdirection and that spin-move to abuse the inexperienced Perry Jones and create a clean look at the rim.
Number Two:
The Frenchman went to work late in the fourth quarter of Game Six in the first round for the Spurs, scoring several times all on his own. Here he comes off of a Tim screen and attacks the paint, and uses a spin and fake to beat Dirk for the score.
Number One:
Tony Parker has such good awareness of the shot clock. It's crazy. I mean, he gets the ball at the top of the arc with four seconds left to shoot, abuses Dirk with a little hesitation and crossover, weaves through the lane, hangs in the air, and changes hands as he uses the rim to protect his shot. Not just that, but he starts left and finishes right, making it look easy in the process. He doesn't rush - it's like he knows he can do all of this and get the shot off with no problem. Very impressive.
