National Basketball Association

How will Lakers handle Suns' zone?

Published May. 23, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Phoenix Suns’ 118-109 drubbing of the Los Angeles Lakers was all about something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.

The “old” part of this scenario was the Suns’ perfect execution of what they’d been doing all season long: Steve Nash masterfully orchestrating the offense, Amare Stoudemire attacking the basket and Jason Richardson making shots.

The “something new” was the emergence of Robin Lopez as a jump-shooting, hard-driving, aggressive presence in the middle.

The 2-3 zone that turned and then won the game for Phoenix was “borrowed” from the playbooks of virtually every high school team in the country.

The zone effectively prevented the taller Lakers front line from gaining possession of the prime real estate in the low post. It closed most of the driving lanes that usually put the Suns’ bigs in foul trouble and got the Lakers to the free-throw line.

Also, by squeezing the cutting lanes, the zone jammed the Lakers' spacing and distorted their normal passing angles while denying L.A. the use of the various screens and curls that are such a large part of their triangle offense.

Kobe Bryant’s opportunities to play isolation basketball were limited, and he was also prevented from spinning and whirling his way to the rim. The zone allowed the Suns to easily double-team the ball in all four corners of the attack area.

The Lakers were forced into thinking they absolutely had to win the game from the perimeter.

The zone also worked to maximize the Suns’ speed and quickness while minimizing the Lakers’ size and length. Because full-time zones are so rarely employed in the NBA, the Lakers offense became hesitant. They were forced to think instead of react and never developed any semblance of a consistent offensive rhythm.

Having to diligently work the ball and choreograph their movements in patterns that were beyond the limits of their respective comfort areas, several of the Lakers became impatient and began casting up quick three-pointers — 32 in all.

The Lakers’ failure to solve the zone got them frustrated and confused and negatively affected every aspect of their game — particularly their defense. Credit Alvin Gentry’s willingness (born of desperation) to gamble on the zone for limiting the defending champs to a mere 109 points after they’d averaged a colossal 126 during the first two games.

Here’s how to beat a 2-3 zone:

The onus is now on the Lakers coaching staff to make the proper adjustments. Knowing that Phil Jackson & Co. will certainly tweak their zone offense, the Suns coaching staff must stay ahead of L.A.’s adjustments by making its own. Perhaps by occasionally shifting into another borrowed alignment — the good, old 2-1-2 zone.

Finally, because their on-court intelligence and resourcefulness were found wanting, the Lakers most definitely have the blues.