Pop goes the game...

[bigbendbruisebrother]

Is it just me, or is Pop really stubborn with his substitutions? When he sat Tim and Tony in the first, we were tied or ahead. Then, Pop kept trying different combinations off the bench for what must have been 7 or 8 minutes. Sometimes I think he loses sight of what he's doing--resting his starters--and gets hung up in "coachable moments", insisting that some combination of subs succeed until the starters come back in. I wish he'd stop screwing around and get the damns starters back in.

I thought the game turned for the worse when Pop got hung up on Manu's bounce pass that Barry wasn't looking for. When he called timeout, you could read Pop's lips as he said to Manu, "What the fuck were you doing?" If Barry hadn't slept walked through the lane, Pop wouldn't have said a word.

Of course, Manu did go on to lead the cough fest. Live by the Manu, die by the Manu I guess. What a shitty game. :depressed

[Solid D]

Not one of Pop's better nights.

Even the last play calling for Tim to take the elbow turnaround jumper was unusual. Of course, if Manu executes the play and Tim knocks it down to tie, then nobody complains. They needed two points and Tim makes 6 of every 10 FTs, so I'm not sure he gets a good shot off even if he gets the pass.

[kolko]

Manu scored 14 pts in the last quarter and he hadn't missed so he should have taken the last shot.

[Solid D]

I agree... but then again, Tim is the superstar. Execution is everything in games like this and the game ended on something that had happened 23 other times tonight for the Spurs. :(

[Que Gee]

I'm over Pop...The guys subustitution patterns all season have been horrible. If you watch the bench enough, you can see when guys come out at certain times they to are frustrated and often look "confused" at some of the reasoning. I don't think Pop is ever going to win any awards as one of the best "strategists" in the NBA, but sometimes, his patterns make him look absolutely LOST in what he is trying to get accomplished. Which I think translates to the floor. Tonight I felt was a good example in a few areas.

[xcoriate]

He has been Coach of year...................

He is the winningnest active coach as well I believe.

They are not bad acolades.

He is stuborn but he isn't a bad coach.

On the play, Tim is your superstar, as a result you run plays for him in the stretch, he is clutch so get him the ball (not force him the ball) so that he can execute.

Needless to say I wouldnt have been opposed to pop drawing up a play for Manu either.

[Que Gee]

Ya, I think there would be a few high winning percentage coaches out there with guys like David Robinson and Tim Duncan...See Stan Van Gundy and his winning percentage.

I don't care if he's stubborn, I don't necessarily think thats a bad trait...Its his ability to but the right people on the floor at the right times and who to plays together well enough so the most is pulled from each of the 5 players on the floor.