Penetration is key to Spurs' point binge

If the Jazz learned anything from Tuesday's Western Conference finals Game 2 loss to San Antonio, it's that they need a better plan for keeping Spurs point guard Tony Parker from driving to the lane.

"A big key," San Antonio swingman Manu Ginobili said after the Spurs' 105-96 win, "was Tony just getting to the paint."

It was by design that Parker drove like a semi making up lost time.

And when he did, one of two things happened.

If Jazz point Deron Williams, who simply isn't quick enough to stay in front of the speedy Frenchman, didn't get any help, Parker simply took the ball to the basket. When Williams did get aid, it came from teammates who were too slow getting back into defensive position — leaving Spurs open in the corners to shoot 3s.

"Pop (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich) got onto him about ... knowing they are packing the lane in, and that are our shooters are going to be open," Spurs power forward Tim Duncan said.

They sure were.

San Antonio, in fact, hit 13-of-26 from long distance — a franchise playoffs record for made treys — and had Jazz coach Jerry Sloan bemoaning Utah's woes afterward.

"We haven't been able to keep people off the penetration," Sloan said. "We had a difficult time keeping them in front of us. ... The natural reaction is 'I've got to help inside' — and as soon as they do, they threw it to the corners."

If there is counter in Saturday's Game 3, it may what veteran Jazz shooting guard Derek Fisher pinpointed after Game 2.

"We have to stop penetration," Fisher said, "and help guys when they are beaten off the dribble ... (and) we have to do it in a way that allows us to get back to the shooters and close the gap a little bit more.

"What we really have to try to figure out is how to stop the penetration a little higher up on the floor, a little bit earlier, and not down in the paint, where if you go to help you don't have time to get back to the shooters.

"We have to try to slow the ball down at the point of attack," Fisher added, "and see if that will help us as far as staying a little bit closer to the shooters."

ROOM FOR REST: With three full days off between Games 2 and 3 — it's all about TV — there will be plenty of time for tinkering.