To use another Will Ferrel movie, the Suns’ second quarter play couldn’t be captured more perfectly than by the Flint Tropics when they invented and implemented the the “alley-oop” play over-and-over again in the championship game, as “Coffee Black” is any Suns player that Steve Nash is tossing dimes to.
The Warriors have been unable to defend the alley-oop and if anything “alley-OOPS” is a better way to describe how the Warriors have been trying to defend it, which is by fouling in poor attempts at getting out of the way. On two specific instances, Channing Frye and Grant Hill, respectively, were rising up to snag the pass, only to be bumped on the way up en route to pointless fouls. Alley-oops can be game changing plays, but considering the Warriors fouling problem as of late, letting opponents kill you at the line doesn’t seem the best thing to do.
On the other end, Warriors attempts at alley-oops have hardly been successful. Monta Ellis through a poor pass to Rodney Carney. Watching the Warriors in transition has been ugly as a 4 on 2 ended in overpassing and brick by Charlie Bell from 3 feet out.
Jason Richardson and Grant Hill both have 14 points each. Hill has only missed one shot. The Suns are shooting 56% from the field.
The Warriors have 8 steals already, but they have not been able to capitalize on this, squandering, as I just mentioned, transition opportunities.
Leading the Warriors is Monta Ellis and David Lee, 16 and 14 points respectively. Stephen Curry has 7 assists and 3 steals against 2 turnovers.