PG Playoff Watch

We're a week into these playoffs, so here are some thoughts on five notable PG's:

Jameer Nelson (ORL) – The same guy who was said to be killed by The Great Calderon/Ford tandem (gotta be honest, there was a hint of sarcasm in that) has proven to be the Magic’s playoff barometer: In Orlando’s three wins he averages 20.3 points, while in their one loss (Game 3) he had just six, albeit with back spasms, while giving up 39 and 16 to CalderFord. Oddly enough, he’s gone Horry on us and played his best ball of the year after the regular season finishes.

Tony Parker (SA) – To be brutally graphic, there were traces of vomit in my mouth after watching Parker’s 41-point performance against the Suns in Game 3. I wasn’t sick from watching Parker, but rather, how the Suns chose to defend that suddenly-vaunted pick-n-roll that he and Duncan have made borderline unguardable. Parker is the top scorer in a series that involves Amare Stoudemire and Tim Duncan, and also has him matched with Steve Nash. Speaking of…

Steve Nash (PHO) – I’m in total denial about his decline, but Friday’s game was the first time in the four years that I’ve closely watched the Suns in The Nash Era where I’ve seen the Suns down, and have had doubts about whether Nashy – as he has done time and again – could bring them back. He couldn’t. He even claimed to being “an outsider” and that’s a good way to put it. He just seems a step slower, he’s not getting into the nooks-and-crannies of every defense as much, is finding it increasingly harder to get his shot off, has kept pushing the ball up to a minimum, and has had the unenviable task of trying to guard Parker with Grant Hill hobbled. I’m a firm believer in never writing off champions, and I’m not doing that here, but I think it’s time to get him a back-up that will allow him his 30 minutes (max) per night for the ’09 season. Of course, Phoenix drafted Rajon Rondo in 2006 and owner Robert Sarver – in a fit of rage that involved them burning draft picks in the name of luxury tax - gave him away.

Andre Miller (PHI) – It’s not every day that an underrated guy (like Miller) totally busts a perennial All-Star (Billups) in a playoff series. Of course, this series is basically still in its infancy; and a guy as good as Billups surely can’t continue to have this odor for an entire series – right? – so maybe I’m jumping the gun. All I know is this: Miller was the Sixers’ MVP this year, was the single biggest reason (Iguodala included) why Philly has thrived in the post-AI era, and is still known by less fans than ever.

Rafer Alston (HOU) – I have to give credit here. I stated, just last week, that with Alston or no Alston, Deron Williams was going to have his way with Houston in this series. Well, in the first two games – minus Alston – Williams was the key to Utah coming out of Texas up 2-0. However, Alston has returned to the series for the games in Salt Lake, and I honestly underestimated the impact that he had on these Rockets. Not only did he take the ball-handling responsibilities away from T-Mac in the fourth quarter of both games – believe me, giving McGrady one less thing to think about in crunch-time is huge – but he has given Houston hope. Yeah, they’re down 3-1, but they’re going back to Houston, and they have their PG back.