Tony Parker is Pissed

I guess it's been such a gradual process of watching this guy come up that I overlook how much of a beast he really is. In game 3, he had the best game of his career on the road in a hostile environment, completely dominating Phoenix to the tune of 41 points on 17-26 shooting, 12 assists, and only 3 turnovers. Yes, everything is predicated on Duncan, and yes, Ginobili is one of the best isolation and clutch players in the NBA....but it was Parker who ground the Suns into submission.

He's showing a nasty streak that I didn't know he was capable of. Outside of hitting clutch shots, he was barking at everyone in the first half of game 5. He yelled at the refs constantly, argued with Pop about coming out of the game, and got in Raja Bell's face after a hard foul. It took me a second before I realized that this is TONY EFFING PARKER! He's Mr. Nice Guy, friends with everyone from Kobe to Chris Paul. But, somewhere in the midst of this series, Parker got downright nasty. You could see it in his face...he was pissed. He was angry at everyone.

It was (and I have no qualms with saying this) Jordan-esque. Jordan was always angry on the court, no matter what the situation. Even playing against his best friends, Jordan just seemed like you had run over his dog an hour before the game. That's the mean streak Parker had in game 5...just like his idol, Parker was going to rip into everyone within 10 feet of him. He was screaming, talking trash, and arguing every call. It was nasty...and it was what gave him the confidence to hit the shots that clinched the series and sent the Suns packing.