Sonics Tonight: Pretty Couple, Ugly Game
The Spurs' Tony Parker is a good-looking, 6-2 23-year-old with a French accent who will make $1.5 million this year. One would expect him to have an attractive girlfriend, and he does--Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria, who portrays Gabrielle (a.k.a. the hot one, although Seattlest thinks she is too skinny) on that popular ABC show.
He also scored 29 points against the Sonics in Game One of the Sonics-Spurs Western Conference Semifinals series. The KJR jocks lay the blame for this at the feet of Luke Ridnour, who, they say, can't guard Parker one-on-one. This is true. But the fact is, no one can guard Tony Parker one-on-one.
The only way to stop Parker is to exploit his primary weakness--his looks. Parker is a pretty boy, and the way to stop a pretty boy is to endanger his prettiness by having large men foul him violently.
Toward the end of Sunday's game, the Sonics started to realize this. Early in the fourth quarter, Vitaly Potapenko whacked Parker in the chest on a drive. Yes, it was called a flagrant foul, and the Spurs got two shots and the ball, but Parker didn't drive the lane again.
Tonight's game will not be pretty. With Vladimir Radmanovic out, and Ray Allen in pain (if he plays at all), the Sonics can only win if the game is low-scoring. Thus, Parker is in for an unpleasant evening. Watch for the Sonics to grab him in places that even Eva Longoria hasn't touched.
