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ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz has written a top shelf breakdown of Dallas’ defense of Tony Parker. It’s simply excellent.

Dallas Runs Under the Screen
[1st Quarter, 10:14; 1st Quarter, 5:43; 1st Quarter, 4:48; 3rd Quarter, 7:35] Parker hits his two-point jumpers at a 42.2 percent clip — not terrible, but not Jason Terry’s 49.2 percent mark either — so it’s not a surprise that Dallas chooses to run under picks, and challenge Parker to shoot. It happens twice during Parker’s seven-field-goals-in-nine-possessions explosion. The first comes after a rub-handoff on the right side with Tim Duncan, after which Duncan gives Parker a screen. The second instance, Parker gets an elbow screen from Tim Duncan. Both Dallas defenders — first Jason Terry, then Jason Kidd — opt to run underneath, and both times, Parker has all kinds of space from about 20-feet to set and fire. Both shots are good.

Parker has always maintained a high field-goal percentage, but he did it primarily by finishing at the basket at an astonishingly high rate for a point guard. It took him a while to establish a consistent mid-range game. When his jumper is falling — as is true for most point guards off the screen and roll — this is a defensive tack that’s tough to maintain.

Stop what you’re doing. Go read the rest.

Related posts:

1. Dime Magazine on Paul and Parker
2. Are the Spurs Tony Parker’s Team?
3. Is Tony Parker the Man?
4. TrueHoop Network 2009-10 Season Preview: San Antonio
5. Spurs vs. Spurs, Training Camp Scrimmage