Spurs: Team hopes offensive outburst wasn't fool's gold
Web Posted: 01/08/2008 11:43 PM CST
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
In the 1840s, prospectors sojourned westward across the continent in the unquenchable search of gold.
One hundred and sixty years later, the Spurs trekked to California earlier this week in search of a commodity that, to them, seemed just as valuable.
As their scoring woes of December bled into January, the Spurs forged westward panning for points. Like the most fortunate among their prospecting predecessors, they appear to have found what they were looking for out west.
After scoring just 88 in beating the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, the Spurs exploded for 121 points in an overtime loss at Golden State on Monday night, by far their most prolific offensive outburst of the season.
"We improved a little bit," understated point guard Tony Parker said. "The flow is starting to come back."
That is the silver lining of the loss at Golden State. The Spurs, at long last, remembered how to put the ball in the basket.
Bedeviled by shooting struggles and chemistry problems exacerbated by injuries, the Spurs entered Monday night's game on the heels of a 10-game stretch in which their offense had averaged just 92.1 points — third-worst in the league.
Only twice during that span did they surpass 100 points.
During one particularly maddening five-game period, the Spurs begrudged a league-best 87.3-points per game — and still lost three times.
In Oakland on Monday night, the Spurs rediscovered their scoring mojo, albeit against a Warriors team not exactly renowned for its defensive stinginess.
Of course, the Spurs also allowed the Warriors to score 130 points, and lost for the seventh time in 13 games. But one problem at a time for now.
"When we've lost games this year, we've not made shots," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Our defense has been good, we just haven't generated much offense."
With Parker and Tim Duncan leading a scoring orgy, each topping 30 points, the Spurs had no such trouble against the Warriors. The 114 points they notched in regulation were their most since a 116-101 victory at Seattle on Nov. 25.
As defensive-minded Detroit heads to the AT&T Center on Thursday, the Spurs hope to bring the offensive firepower they found in California back home with them.
"(Before) shots just weren't going down for us," Duncan said. "But we always knew our offense would find its rhythm."
The best gauge of the Spurs' offensive proficiency — or lack thereof — this season has been their 3-point accuracy. They are shooting nearly 10 percentage points better from beyond the arc in victory (41.6) than in defeat (32.4).
Since the start of December, the Spurs are hitting 3-pointers at only a 31.8 percent clip.
"Shooting, it comes and goes," Parker said. "We know we can't count on that. We need to count on defense and rebounding."
At times, even that hasn't been enough.
Spurs players link their recent scoring slump — like most everything else that is bothering them these days — to a rash of injuries that dominated their December.
When Manu Ginobili came off the injured list Sunday, it marked the first time the Spurs had played a full game with their so-called "Big Three" complete since November. In all, six of the Spurs' 12 rotation players have spent time on the injury list this season.
In the meantime, Popovich was forced to play mix-and-match with makeshift lineups that gave rise to chemistry issues on offense. With key reserve Brent Barry still out with a torn calf muscle, the Spurs still aren't whole.
"We haven't had our entire club together for the last (several) games," Duncan said. "It will take us a while to get back in a rhythm with each other, and then the offense will come."
Against Golden State, the offense came for the Spurs in abundance. Ultimately, they found the points for which they were prospecting.
Whether that turns out to be more than just fool's gold remains to be seen.
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LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.2bd69bf.html
"When we've lost games this year, we've not made shots," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Our defense has been good, we just haven't generated much offense."
Since when did Pop turn into Flip Saunders?
In losses this season, the Spurs have allowed opponents to shoot 45% from the floor. Since when has Pop considered 45% "good defense" for the Spurs?
Disturbing quote. Hopefully Pop is just playing possum until he unleashes the soft speech.
He has been saying that the defense has been "OK" for the last two weeks now. I was surprised by that kinda statement from him at that time, but I figured, what the : "In Pop We Trust."
Since when did Pop turn into Flip Saunders?
In losses this season, the Spurs have allowed opponents to shoot 45% from the floor. Since when has Pop considered 45% "good defense" for the Spurs?
Disturbing quote. Hopefully Pop is just playing possum until he unleashes the soft speech.
scoring orgy
Does he use "so-called" because they haven't logged many games together this season? Because if anyone has the Big Three, it's the Spurs.
Ever since the trio won their first championship together, they've been referred to as "The Big Three". Now that Garnett, Allen and Pierce are together, the Spurs' trio gets "so-called" attached to them?!
I hope the Celtics reach the Finals where our Spurs will be waiting and beat the green out of Beantown.
"Shooting, it comes and goes," Parker said. "We know we can't count on that. We need to count on defense and rebounding."
QFT
I'm afraid that scoring outburst against Golden State was nothing but "fool's gold". , playing GS is akin to playing both Denver and Phoenix.
Those guys are worried about playing defense, they're more concerned about running back on you after either a made basket or missed shot.
That fact, and considering the fact that the game went into OT, is nothing to get excited about.
SICK!@!
Pop isn't too hard on the defense because the team hasn't played a game with everyone truly healthy in over a month. I'm sure that will change when (and if) the Spurs begin to maintain some consistent health. He's not going to blast the team when guys like Udoka have had to play minutes when Pop really would prefer to let them learn first. Right now is the time for building them up and getting healthy, not the time to beat them while they're down and injured.
They'll be OK come feb and march.
Spurs are in overall slump.
Their defense needs to improve (we got time). The offense is not clicking like it should. (take a look at Bostons one).
The spurs had their problems with the injuries, so accually Pop took some gambling and was trying to discover what is good at the moment what is not,
Interesting thing is with Oberto. I do not know if Pop gives him more rest right now in the middle of a season to keep him fresh or what. (haven't seen the latest games).
But we need this guy realy bad. Without him the only inside presents is TD and we can't allowe that.
I hope Elson will get into rotation.
Udoka - the guy realy can play the defense. Yup he has got some problems with spurs ofense and his shot selectin (as timvp mentioning in every game thoughts) but all in all he can be realy helpfull when the spurs would need to get some stops.
And damn I'm fat
Worst. Sports. Analogy. Ever.
I thought this was the most disturbing/interesting quote.
That game was entertaining. However, I don't like the Spurs chances when they're back and forth scoring with their oponents. I like their chances when score is in the high 80's or low 90's.
17-4 when Big Three are all in the game, 6-6 when not.
You gotta love how EVERYONE is ignoring those stats and instead writes about how we're "struggling" to score and so forth.
Why doesn't Elson play? He has more of an offensive game than Oberto
And both of them have more of a defensive game than Horry or Finley. That's the part I care about.
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