This is the latest in a series of columns submitted by the first-year radio voice of the Spurs, Bill Schoening. You can listen to all the Spurs games on SpursRadio 1200 WOAI. To review previous columns, please visit the 20-Second Timeout Archive.

Très Bien, Tony

Gary Payton tries to catch Tony Parker, who was a step ahead of the Sonics in Game 3. Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty Images

He's been slow to give the rookie too much praise, but Gary Payton may have given Tony Parker the ultimate compliment the other day without even trying.

He commented to reporters after the game that the Sonics defensive rotations were too slow, basically admitting that he needed some help guarding the 19-year-old from France.

Payton has been quiet since the end of game three, after all this is a player with a great deal of pride. He's a perennial member of the NBA All Defensive Team and an eight-time NBA All Star.

Parker, though, drove around him, through him, and took jump shots over him in game three. Parker has become a tough matchup for the man known as "The Glove."

If Tony Parker continues this sort of play throughout the playoffs, watch out. If Gary Payton is having a difficult time with him, how can Lindsey Hunter and Derek Fisher expect to contain him?