Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Lakers - Jan. 14

[timvp]

In their first meeting since the 2008 Western Conference Finals, the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers had another epic battle. Thanks to another chapter of Roger Mason, Jr. heroics, the Spurs were able to escape with a 112-111 victory.

With ten seconds to go in the game and the Spurs trailing by two points, Mason took an inbounds pass from Matt Bonner and fired a jumper with a toe on the three-point line. Not only did he make the shot, he was also fouled by Derek Fisher. Following the free throw that put San Antonio up a point, the Spurs got a stop on the other end when Trevor Ariza traveled with under a second remaining in the contest.

As for the Lakers, there’s no doubt that they are for real. Kobe Bryant is at the top of his game, Pau Gasol is also in his prime and Andrew Bynum is oozing with potential. It’s going to be tough for any team in the Western Conference to eliminate the Lakers in the playoffs.

Overall, this was a big win for the Spurs, especially in terms of their confidence. They needed to prove to themselves that they can beat the Lakers. A loss would have been doubly demoralizing considering that the Spurs were up by 11 points with about seven minutes left in the game. Hanging on to defeat their biggest rival should serve this team well as they begin a stretch that has the Spurs on the road for much of the next six weeks.

Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
38 minutes, 20 points, ten rebounds, eight assists, two blocks
9-for-19 from the field, 2-for-4 from the line

At the beginning of the game, Tim Duncan was hardly playing like a Hall of Famer. He couldn’t buy a bucket offensively and was getting torched on the other end of the court. Eventually, Duncan settled in and played decently well. He came up with two key hoops late in the game and while his defense wasn’t exceptional, it was better than how he began the game. The one aspect of his game that was good throughout was his passing. Duncan did a great job of both finding cutters and finding open shooters, even when the Lakers weren’t double-teaming him. On the season, Duncan has been very smart with his decision making. He’s averaging more assists per minute than any season in his career and he’s also turning it over at the second lowest rate of his career.
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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
30 minutes, 27 points, three rebounds, two assists, three steals
9-for-15 from the field, 4-for-8 on three-pointers, 5-for-6 at the line

Manu Ginobili was waiting for a breakout game and it appears as he got just that Wednesday night against the Lakers. His 27 points tied a season-high mark and he did so with a number of difficult makes. The return of his three-point stroke was a crucial part to his offensive explosion, as it opened lanes to get to the basket and forced the Lakers to play closer to him on the perimeter. Defensively, Ginobili also played well – even when he had to defend Bryant. Both on the ball and as a help defender, he’s keeping his hands active and that has resulted in a flurry of steals as of late. Ginobili’s health looks to be as good as it has been all season, although he still looks relatively hesitant in some situations and his elevation when he jumps off of one leg is lacking.
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Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
34 minutes, 20 points, three assists, two rebounds, two steals, four turnovers
9-for-14 from the field, 2-for-4 at the line

With the offense running through Duncan and Ginobili scoring well, Tony Parker took on a different role than usual. Instead of being the main playmaker, he was called upon mostly to be a finisher. He shot the ball well and helped carry the offense, especially in the first quarter. However, late in the game his role switched back to playmaker and he had trouble finding open spots – specifically when he ran pick-and-rolls with Duncan. Defensively, he contested Derek Fisher well for most of the night, although Fisher was able to hit a number of difficult shots over him.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
36 minutes, 18 points
7-for-11 from the field, 3-for-4 on three-pointers, 1-for-1 at the line

Roger Mason, Jr. is starting to make a habit out of hitting game-winners for the Spurs. His latest game-winner was a difficult yet smart play. When Fisher ran by him, Mason leaned back to ensure he drew contact as he let go of the shot. It worked out perfectly and his three-point play was the difference in the game. Outside of that shot, he was very helpful throughout the game. He aggressively looked for his own shot – whether spotting up or off of pick-and-roll action. Mason didn’t help out in any statistical category outside of scoring but the threat of his offense helped spread the court. On defense, he did an adequate job against Bryant. Although no one is going to confuse Mason for being a Kobe Stopper, he competed and seems to have enough size to make Bryant work for his points.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
23 minutes, three points, three rebounds
1-for-4 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers, 1-for-1 at the line

Offensively, Michael Finley didn’t do much. He didn’t look as comfortable as he has in recent weeks. Although, to his credit, he wasn’t getting many open looks. Defensively, Finley stayed in position and didn’t allow the man he was defending to get much separation. He also helped out on the defensive glass and boxed out well. Overall, it wasn’t a very good game for Finley but he at least avoided being the huge negative factor he was last year in the playoffs against Los Angeles.
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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
34 minutes, ten points, five rebounds, four assists
4-for-7 from the field, 2-for-5 on three-pointers

In the most hyped game of the season to date, Matt Bonner played like he was oblivious to the pressure. He scored all ten of his points in the first half and had Phil Jackson altering his defense to account for Bonner’s range. His rebounding was still lacking but he also helped limit Bynum to only three boards. Bonner’s four assists were a season-high, with his final assist being the most important assist of the night. On the defensive end, Bonner was physical but was still usually overmatched in the post and his chemistry with Duncan on D is still a work in progress.
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Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
24 minutes, four points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals
2-for-2 from the field

Kurt Thomas was far from spectacular but he had a solid outing. He played physical post defense and rotated relatively well. On offense, he connected on both of his attempts and continues to look more and more comfortable on that end. In fact, he’s 10-for-11 from the field in his last three games. Thomas also mixed in a season-high three assists for good measure.
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George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
14 minutes, ten points, four rebounds, one assist
3-for-4 from the field, 1-for-1 on three-pointers, 3-for-5 at the line

George Hill quietly was a key ingredient to the victory for the Spurs. His ten points in 14 minutes helped keep the offense afloat as Parker rested. Defensively, he applied pressure and was helpful in the rebounding department. In his last four games, Hill appears to be figuring out how to contribute in a limited role off the bench. During that stretch, he's averaging 8.8 points while hitting 66.7% of his shots from the field (12-of-18) and beyond the three-point arc (4-of-6).
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Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
Six minutes
0-for-1 from the field, 0-for-1 on three-pointers

When the Spurs play the Lakers, one thing you could count on over the years is seeing a lot of Bruce Bowen. His six minutes on Wednesday night were a surprisingly low amount. While he was in the game, Bowen did a decent job defending Bryant – holding him to one field goal and two free throws. Additionally, two of Bryant’s four turnovers were while Bowen was on the court.
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Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg

Pop seemed to push all the right buttons against the Lakers – at least on the offensive end. His strategy of keeping Bowen on the bench and going with more offensively charged lineups paid off in the end. On the whole, I liked his rotations. He gave Mason and Bonner extended minutes and kept Finley off the court when it became apparent that it wasn’t his night. In the fourth quarter, it could have helped if Pop called a better variety of plays. And on defense, anything to shakeup that lackluster effort would have been appreciated.
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Offense

All things considered, the Spurs had one of their best offensive nights of the season. The Lakers aren’t a great defensive bunch but they are certainly capable of turning it on. For the game, the Spurs shot 57.1% from the field, hit 10-of-20 three-pointers, got to the line 21 times and had 22 assists to only 12 turnovers. Through the first three quarters, the Spurs were clicking on all cylinders offensively. But with 95 points heading into the fourth, the offense stalled a bit in the final stanza as the Spurs were only able to score 17 points. That said, 112 should always be enough for a San Antonio victory.

Defense

The defense showed potential for a few stretches but overall it was a disappointing performance on that end of the court. The Lakers were able to shoot 56.6% from the field, connect on 9-of-16 three-pointers, rack up 20 assists and turn the ball over only 11 times. The only bright spots for the Spurs were they kept the Lakers off the line (11 attempts) and kept the rebounding close (32-31 Lakers). While a number of individuals have room to improve, the help defense chemistry also has a lot of kinks to work out. Far too often the Spurs are giving up wide open three-pointers or clean looks near the basket when they are in the midst of rotating.

Drive to Five

It wasn’t the most Spurs-like win but there’s no denying that the victory over the Lakers was meaningful. Hopefully the Spurs can use the confidence gained to help take care of business on the three-game road trip they will embark on. First up is the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. The last time these two teams played, Parker needed to hit a miraculous game-winner for the Spurs to eek out a victory in front of their home fans. With that in mind, the Spurs will need to refocus quickly and concentrate on the new task at hand.

Believe.

[J.T.]

Solid take, timvp, but I think we need to get on the phone with Phoenix and see if we can work a trade for Amare. The Spurs could use a big who plays lockdown defense like him.

[Darkwaters]

This game had me pulling my hair out. Up by 11 in the 4th and then pissing it all away. I actually had an early morning meeting and had to stop watching the game after the late Kobe 3 in the 4th. I held off as long as I could though. So I came home to a welcome surprise of more Mason theatrics a few hours later.

[whottt]

Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
36 minutes, 18 points
7-for-11 from the field, 3-for-4 on three-pointers, 1-for-1 at the line

Roger Mason, Jr. is starting to make a habit out of hitting game-winners for the Spurs. His latest game-winner was a difficult yet smart play. When Fisher ran by him, Mason leaned back to ensure he drew contact as he let go of the shot. It worked out perfectly and his three-point play was the difference in the game. Outside of that shot, he was very helpful throughout the game. He aggressively looked for his own shot – whether spotting up or off of pick-and-roll action. Mason didn’t help out in any statistical category outside of scoring but the threat of his offense helped spread the court. On defense, he did an adequate job against Bryant. Although no one is going to confuse Mason for being a Kobe Stopper, he competed and seems to have enough size to make Bryant work for his points.


I rewatched the game and this kid wasn't even fazed that he made that shot. He didn't hesitate when he was knocking down that free throw either. He wanted that 3 shot, and he wanted to be the guy taking the FT, and it seemed first nature to him. Sometimes you can tell players are faking it in that situation...faking confidence and wanting the ball, especially young players...not so with him, in fact he seems to have more of that sort of swagger than some star players with a rep for burning to win.

He's impressive and I'd tip my hat to the Spurs for landing what appears to be a very clutch player, if they hadn't already said they didn't know he was like that. Plus it's still early..

Definitely seems to be a case of them getting more than they expected, and hopefully it'll hold up in the playoffs.

I've seen some Spur fans comparing him to Mario Elie and while I don't agree with that from a skill set perspective, I do agree that he has Mario's attitude. Game wise he's got a clean game and doesn't try to do more than he's capable of, and it's also pretty obvious that he's got a lot more going on upstairs than the typical NBA player. He plays Barry's kind of fill in the spaces game(minus the great passing), but he's got much more of an edge to him attitude wise. I don't want to jinx him by saying he's Jack reincarnated, but damned if the way he carried himself in that game wasn't impressive. He was the difference in winning and losing in a Spurs Lakers game. It was much more impressive watching the sequence the second time around...he just about that won that game all on his own while the rest of the team was losing confidence. He definitely reigned on Kobe's parade and ruined his victory script :lol




One thing I just saw recently that is completely awesome...he and Bonner rank 1-2 in the NBA in 3 shooting...that combined with the star talent of Parker, Manu and Duncan is one hell of an offensive unit...there's nowhere for NBA defenders to hide with that group on the floor together.


They will create problems for any NBA defense and I don't think the Lakers can match up with very well defensively when it comes down to it. Ariza can't guard any of them...and Kobe's never exactly been a Manu stopper himself, and Parker is a total mismatch for D-Fish. I think they'll matchup well with the Lakers all season. I thought they matched up well with them last year it's just that Manu was injured. I didn't expect Bonner and Mason to help them matchup even better with LA, and they just might. Hopefully some of Mason's edge will rub off on Bonner...and hopefully they'll keep knocking down those threes at that kind of clip all season long.

[timvp]

Solid take, timvp, but I think we need to get on the phone with Phoenix and see if we can work a trade for Amare. The Spurs could use a big who plays lockdown defense like him.Good idea. Vaughn and Oberto for Amare Stouemire.


This game had me pulling my hair out. Up by 11 in the 4th and then pissing it all away. I actually had an early morning meeting and had to stop watching the game after the late Kobe 3 in the 4th. I held off as long as I could though. So I came home to a welcome surprise of more Mason theatrics a few hours later.To be honest, I thought the game was over after that Kobe three-pointer. When he hit that shot, it was like the air was let out of the building.

But I forgot to account for the Mason factor :smokin

[benefactor]

The defense showed potential for a few stretches but overall it was a disappointing performance on that end of the court. The Lakers were able to shoot 56.6% from the field, connect on 9-of-16 three-pointers, rack up 20 assists and turn the ball over only 11 times. The only bright spots for the Spurs were they kept the Lakers off the line (11 attempts) and kept the rebounding close (32-31 Lakers). While a number of individuals have room to improve, the help defense chemistry also has a lot of kinks to work out. Far too often the Spurs are giving up wide open three-pointers or clean looks near the basket when they are in the midst of rotating.
I was impressed at the way we were able to keep them off the boards...especially with the size disadvantage we have. I'll take Kobe leading the team in rebounding any day of the week. That is a big step in the right direction, as we were killed on second opportunities during the playoffs.

I think the points in the paint are always going to be a problem though, even if we do add another big. I think our best shot is to play straight up in the post and concentrate on improving our defensive rotations on the perimeter. As we move into the playoffs we will have to count on Tim stepping up his game defensively to slow Gasol. If that happens and our guys on the perimeter work hard to make the Lakers take more difficult shots then I think we have a good chance in the playoffs.

[baseline bum]

I like the Barry comparison. He's got that same kind of quick release. Mason is pretty much everything we hoped Barry would be in 2004.

[J.T.]

Spurs still need another big. Like a Shawn Bradley type.

[diego]

hill's numbers look good but he was pretty spastic, i think he can do better if he collects himself

and if phil is going to stick kobe on manu (and take him out of his usual roamer role), pop needs to devise a way of taking advantage.

in general, pop needs to make better plans for the lakers. of the past 6 games against them, how many have we blown double digit leads? fatigue is a factor, but so are phil's adjustments, like throwing late doubles at tim and now sticking kobe on manu / ariza on parker.

I'm glad we won but with the way it ended it was more relief than joy. 2nd of a b2b for them, at home, we scored 110+ and got 60+ from the big 3, and it took last second heroics to get a 1pt victory.

[Rogue]

I watch some rockets games sometimes and I have found barry's depression. For start barry can't jump anymore, you can not even thruste a piece of paper under his feet during the mini second he jumps.

Mason is just an outlaw-type of guy who enjoys busting others but never explode during the other 45 minutes.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

While a number of individuals have room to improve, the help defense chemistry also has a lot of kinks to work out. Far too often the Spurs are giving up wide open three-pointers or clean looks near the basket when they are in the midst of rotating.

:tu

What do you think is causing that? There's been a rash of it lately, whereas we have mostly defended the 3pt line well until recently.


Solid take, timvp, but I think we need to get on the phone with Phoenix and see if we can work a trade for Amare. The Spurs could use a big who plays lockdown defense like him.


Spurs still need another big. Like a Shawn Bradley type.

:lmao

[J.T.]

:lmao

Maybe more along the lines of a Kwame Brown type, then?

[mrspurs]

hill's numbers look good but he was pretty spastic, i think he can do better if he collects himself

and if phil is going to stick kobe on manu (and take him out of his usual roamer role), pop needs to devise a way of taking advantage.

in general, pop needs to make better plans for the lakers. of the past 6 games against them, how many have we blown double digit leads? fatigue is a factor, but so are phil's adjustments, like throwing late doubles at tim and now sticking kobe on manu / ariza on parker.

I'm glad we won but with the way it ended it was more relief than joy. 2nd of a b2b for them, at home, we scored 110+ and got 60+ from the big 3, and it took last second heroics to get a 1pt victory.

Things would have been different had Famar and Walton been able to play.

[EricB]

I still think Roger Mason is a combo of Stephen Jackson's attitude and clutchness, with Brent Barry's skill set. I said that from day 1 from watching the guy and stick by it to this day.

[EricB]

Things would have been different had Famar and Walton been able to play.

Yeah Jordan Farmar clearly would've shut down George Hill :rolleyes

[Russ]

On the defensive end, Bonner was physical but was still usually overmatched in the post

Hard to see how that will work over a seven game series. If the Spurs take the Lakers in the playoffs and Bonner plays significant minutes, Pop should go directly to the HOF.:lobt2:

[MoSpur]

I thought for sure Bruce Bowen would come in the 1st quarter and play about 25+ minutes.

[z0sa]

Hard to see how that will work over a seven game series. If the Spurs take the Lakers in the playoffs and Bonner plays significant minutes, Pop should go directly to the HOF.:lobt2:

Bonner is a good part of the reason we just beat the Lakers, buddy... like I've said numerous times, all Bonner needs to do is hit open jump shots and he'll be a key contributor - I'm not sure I saw Pau or Bynum leave the paint once to contest a jumpshot out of it, even for KT at the circle, so ...

Oh, and did you forget who made the assist to Mason for the gamewinner? Fisher thought he could steal Bonner's pass, but it was perfectly sent to Mason with a bow on top. Whether or not Bonner read the play right, he made the right decision.


Things would have been different had Famar and Walton been able to play.

:lmao STFU. I bet you those two bitches hold LA down while we make our run in the 4th quarter and win by 10. LA played about as perfect as possible, including giving shots to Bynum he would never get late in the game with 3 other "rotation" players to defer to. Yet we still won.


I thought for sure Bruce Bowen would come in the 1st quarter and play about 25+ minutes.

As did I, but it doesn't surprise me he didn't. Pop was definitely testing Mason to see whether he would wilt under the pressure of guarding the biggest reason we might not make the Finals this year. Let's not talk about what he did on offense compared to what Bowen would have done, either.

[Phenomanul]

Bonner has been playing excellent and consistent basketball (within the confines of his capability and role)... That being said, I have noticed that he tends to shy away from taking open/semi contested threes in the clutch... and defers to the big three. I don't know whether that is by design, nevertheless I feel it's something that needs to be addressed. By deferring he essentially runs more time off the clock and forces one of the big three to take a more difficult shot.

This observation was prominent over the last two games (particularly the Orlando game).

[kace]

Bonner has been playing excellent and consistent basketball (within the confines of his capability and role)... That being said, I have noticed that he tends to shy away from taking open/semi contested threes in the clutch... and defers to the big three. I don't know whether that is by design, nevertheless I feel it's something that needs to be addressed. By deferring he essentially runs more time off the clock and forces one of the big three to take a more difficult shot.

This observation was prominent over the last two games (particularly the Orlando game).

+ 1

i still think he will overcome that while being accustomed to play the final minutes. but i noticed that too.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Very gutsy win. RMJ singlehandedly transformed a vintage spurs 4th quarter meltdown into a season highlight victory.

Prehps.

I was thinking going into this game, with the Lakers shorthanded, a key to victory would be how we use our 2nd unit players, like Manu and Hill. We seemed to do the damn thing pretty well with those guys, despite a careless turnover by the rookie

[FreeMason]

Bonner disappears in big games, huh assholes???

[Russ]

all Bonner needs to do is hit open jump shots and he'll be a key contributor -

This is my main problem with Bonner -- I don't think he will hit the big shot when the money's on the table.

There are two types of big game shooters, the Ellie, Mason, Jack, Horry type.

And the Hedo, Bonner, Odom type.

And that characteristic never changes or "improves" IMO.

[kace]

This is my main problem with Bonner -- I don't think he will hit the big shot when the money's on the table.

There are two types of big game shooters, the Ellie, Mason, Jack, Horry type.

And the Hedo, Bonner, Odom type.

And that characteristic never changes or "improves" IMO.

the difference is that Bonner didn't have the chance to prove he's a cold blooded shooter in clutch situation or a choker yet. How can you judge him yet ?

[z0sa]

This is my main problem with Bonner -- I don't think he will hit the big shot when the money's on the table.

There are two types of big game shooters, the Ellie, Mason, Jack, Horry type.

And the Hedo, Bonner, Odom type.

And that characteristic never changes or "improves" IMO.

Bonner taking the last shot of the game should never happen ... that's why we have Tony/Manu/Tim/Mason and Finley. But I'm sure he'll gladly hit the open jumpers LA will be forcefeeding him throughout the game, and has the ability to play a very good decoy at the end since he's adept at making the extra pass.

LA's entire gameplan is pack the paint on defense and beat you on offense - if you win on semi-contested jumpers so be it. It's a big part of the reason Parker developed a jumpshot, or why Phil has always been a fan of size over speed. However, Bonner is the ultimate Laker mismatch on offense, because they have to leave the paint to defend his shots, and that opens up the whole floor for everyone.

And Bonner is good enough defensively to make Bynum work for his points. Defense is always easier to fall back on in the PO than your offense, which is why those post moves Bynum were making will be that much harder in a REAL pressure situation and with other players looking for shots.

[Flux451]

Best game of year so far. Officiate was pretty damn good, other then couple bad calls, one on each side. I like how they let them play and the players were fine with it. I am tired of these tit for tat calls lately.

RMJ is now another option to close out games. It will be very tough to stop us now in close games.

Thanks for the read Timvp. Something I look forward to after games. A poor man's Tivo.

Hat's off to Lakers fan on here. I haven't seen a lot of complaining about missing players. As long as kobe is around Lakers are still on top.

[z0sa]

Best game of year so far. Officiate was pretty damn good, other then couple bad calls, one on each side. I like how they let them play and the players were fine with it. I am tired of these tit for tat calls lately.

RMJ is now another option to close out games. It will be very tough to stop us now in close games.

Thanks for the read Timvp. Something I look forward to after games. A poor man's Tivo.

Hat's off to Lakers fan on here. I haven't seen a lot of complaining about missing players. As long as kobe is around Lakers are still on top.

Is that DRob on Sesame Street with the count in your sig? :lmao

[timvp]

One thing I just saw recently that is completely awesome...he and Bonner rank 1-2 in the NBA in 3 shooting...that combined with the star talent of Parker, Manu and Duncan is one hell of an offensive unit...there's nowhere for NBA defenders to hide with that group on the floor together. I think that's what Pop is going for by playing Mason and Bonner so much with the Big Three. Pop sees the type of offense the Lakers can play and I don't think he thinks that the Spurs can beat the Lakers playing typical Spurs Basketball. Beating these Lakers 88-83 doesn't appear to be too likely of a scenario.

Pop is willing to give up some defensive aptitude if it means the Spurs can be a formidable offensive unit. It's an odd angle considering the history of this championship era but Pop may be onto something. The key will be for Pop to get this offensive unit to be able to defend better than it currently is. Thankfully, Pop has a history of turning bad defenders into decent defenders ... and a history of making sure the defense is somewhat sturdy come playoff time.

[DrHouse]

I think that's what Pop is going for by playing Mason and Bonner so much with the Big Three. Pop sees the type of offense the Lakers can play and I don't think he thinks that the Spurs can beat the Lakers playing typical Spurs Basketball. Beating these Lakers 88-83 doesn't appear to be too likely of a scenario.

Pop is willing to give up some defensive aptitude if it means the Spurs can be a formidable offensive unit. It's an odd angle considering the history of this championship era but Pop may be onto something. The key will be for Pop to get this offensive unit to be able to defend better than it currently is. Thankfully, Pop has a history of turning bad defenders into decent defenders ... and a history of making sure the defense is somewhat sturdy come playoff time.

Then the Spurs will lose. No team is going to beat LAL in a shoot out over the course of 7 games.

You have to make the game a low-scoring ugly affair and do whatever you can to harass Kobe and force him into taking impossible low percentage shots. It's the only way a defensive minded ball club will beat the Lakers.

[timvp]

:tu

What do you think is causing that? There's been a rash of it lately, whereas we have mostly defended the 3pt line well until recently.I think it's mostly just chemistry. When the Spurs are defending well, their pieces are moving in unison and the rotating defenders know exactly where they need to be. That comes from knowing the tendencies of which players rotate more often and the speed of the rotation. I've noticed that Mason, Bonner and Thomas haven't fully figured out that Manu is going to roam at almost every opportunity and that they have to be aware and be prepared to rotate.

It'll take a little while longer but the good news is these are all smart players so I'm pretty confident they'll figure it out. Plus once Duncan totally defrosts and starts protecting the rim with authority, that'll make everything easier defensively.

[timvp]

Then the Spurs will lose. No team is going to beat LAL in a shoot out over the course of 7 games.

You have to make the game a low-scoring ugly affair and do whatever you can to harass Kobe and force him into taking impossible low percentage shots. It's the only way a defensive minded ball club will beat the Lakers.Say that to the Celtics who put up about a buck and a half against the Lakers in the elimination game.

Plus, the Spurs have better parts to defend against the Lakers this season. Mason is a better Kobe defender than Udoka and a Thomas who knows the defensive system is a better interior defender than anyone the Spurs had next to TD last season.

The Spurs and Celtics held the Lakers to the same amount of points per game. This year the Spurs have better defensive parts to throw at the Lakers and more offensive firepower. As long as they're healthy, the Spurs will be able to give the Lakers a good series.

[EricB]

Say that to the Celtics who put up about a buck and a half against the Lakers in the elimination game.

Plus, the Spurs have better parts to defend against the Lakers this season. Mason is a better Kobe defender than Udoka and a Thomas who knows the defensive system is a better interior defender than anyone the Spurs had next to TD last season.

The Spurs and Celtics held the Lakers to the same amount of points per game. This year the Spurs have better defensive parts to throw at the Lakers and more offensive firepower. As long as they're healthy, the Spurs will be able to give the Lakers a good series.


The arrogance of the Laker fan from 2003 has reappeared apparently.

[Shastafarian]

Say that to the Celtics who put up about a buck and a half against the Lakers in the elimination game.

Plus, the Spurs have better parts to defend against the Lakers this season. Mason is a better Kobe defender than Udoka and a Thomas who knows the defensive system is a better interior defender than anyone the Spurs had next to TD last season.

The Spurs and Celtics held the Lakers to the same amount of points per game. This year the Spurs have better defensive parts to throw at the Lakers and more offensive firepower. As long as they're healthy, the Spurs will be able to give the Lakers a good series.

Right but Thomas will be helping on Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Lakers didn't have the same low posting scoring threat as they did last season in the playoffs.

[timvp]

Right but Thomas will be helping on Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Lakers didn't have the same low posting scoring threat as they did last season in the playoffs.Thank you Captain Obvious :tu

[Shastafarian]

Thank you Captain Obvious :tu

Is there ever a point in your day when you think, "maybe I won't be an asshole today"?

You said the Spurs have better options at low post defending but you neglected to mention the Lakers have *possibly* a better low post offensive threat.

[z0sa]

Thank you Captain Obvious :tu

I would be one to say, the more Bynum has the ball in his hands the less guys like Kobe and Pau get going.. Bynum's defense going to be the biggest new threat to the Lakers this season, but 112 points and a win later, I think its safe to say he had less of an impact than he may have liked on that end.

[Shastafarian]

I would be one to say, the more Bynum has the ball in his hands the less guys like Kobe and Pau get going.. Bynum's defense going to be the biggest new threat to the Lakers this season, but 112 points and a win later, I think its safe to say he had less of an impact than he may have liked on that end.

Bynum certainly had a few plays on the offensive end that were impressive. He has another half a season to work on his offensive game.

[gingerwave]

Solid take, timvp, but I think we need to get on the phone with Phoenix and see if we can work a trade for Amare. The Spurs could use a big who plays lockdown defense like him.

that's not a bad idea at all.

[EricB]

Is there ever a point in your day when you think, "maybe I won't be an asshole today"?

You said the Spurs have better options at low post defending but you neglected to mention the Lakers have *possibly* a better low post offensive threat.

Theres only one ball, and if they want to give it to Bynum instead of Kobe, thats fine.

[timvp]

Is there ever a point in your day when you think, "maybe I won't be an asshole today"? :violin


You said the Spurs have better options at low post defending but you neglected to mention the Lakers have *possibly* a better low post offensive threat.I'm on record as saying the Lakers are the favorite. I didn't know I had to spell out exactly why in each post I make on the subject. If this year's Spurs team were healthy, they'd be able to beat last year's Lakers in the playoffs pretty easily. But obviously, this isn't last year's Lakers team. Gasol is much more comfortable, Bynum has the potential to be a beast and their role players are better.

The Spurs are the underdogs and will likely remain the underdogs but if the Spurs can stay healthy, improve defensively and keep getting good production from the role players, I think they can give the Lakers a good series.

[Shastafarian]

Theres only one ball, and if they want to give it to Bynum instead of Kobe, thats fine.

Unless Bynum makes his shots.

[Shastafarian]

:violinI'll take that as a "no".


I'm on record as saying the Lakers are the favorite. I didn't know I had to spell out exactly why in each post I make on the subject.Well I would think when someone who takes pride in his analysis is talking about the Spurs ability to defend the low post, he should mention that as the Spurs got better defending the low post, the Lakers got better scoring in the low post. My mistake.

If this year's Spurs team were healthy, they'd be able to beat last year's Lakers in the playoffs pretty easily. But obviously, this isn't last year's Lakers team. Gasol is much more comfortable, Bynum has the potential to be a beast and their role players are better.

The Spurs are the underdogs and will likely remain the underdogs but if the Spurs can stay healthy, improve defensively and keep getting good production from the role players, I think they can give the Lakers a good series.
*gasp* we agree

[lefty]

Far too often the Spurs are giving up wide open three-pointers or clean looks near the basket when they are in the midst of rotating

We gave up 2 or 3 bad three pointers; the worst one was Mason being late on Kobe on an inbound play.

And who can forget Orlando hitting 17 3's? :bang


Hill appears to be figuring out how to contribute in a limited role off the bench. During that stretch, he's averaging 8.8 points while hitting 66.7% of his shots from the field (12-of-18) and beyond the three-point arc (4-of-6).

That's the good news I was waiting for. :hat
We knew he could deliver as a starter, and now he is getting comfy as a back-up

[Flux451]

Is that DRob on Sesame Street with the count in your sig? :lmao

yeah, I couldn't resist.

[tp2021]

Bynum certainly had a few plays on the offensive end that were impressive. He has another half a season to work on his offensive game.

Everyone has another half a season to work on everything. Even the Spurs defense.


We gave up 2 or 3 bad three pointers; the worst one was Mason being late on Kobe on an inbound play.

He wasn't late. He was respecting Kobe's ability to drive and gave him space. Kobe just made a clutch 3.

[Flux451]

Unless Bynum makes his shots.


Anyday, give the ball to Bynum instead of Kobe. Less touch for Kobe the better. Bynum is still very young and inconsistent. He is more about offense then defense. I would rather have Bynum out there then Odom come playoff time.

[Shastafarian]

Everyone has another half a season to work on everything. Even the Spurs defense.


Yeah but I don't think KT is getting quicker in the next few months.

[Shastafarian]

Anyday, give the ball to Bynum instead of Kobe. Less touch for Kobe the better. Bynum is still very young and inconsistent. He is more about offense then defense. I would rather have Bynum out there then Odom come playoff time.

Over the past 5 games Bynum has shot 58.3%, 80%, 61.5%, 41.7%, and 60% (spurs game). He has a lot of potential to be extremely dangerous down low. And I'd rather see Kobe take contested jump shots than a 7 footer get the ball in the paint.

[whottt]

Then the Spurs will lose. No team is going to beat LAL in a shoot out over the course of 7 games.

You have to make the game a low-scoring ugly affair and do whatever you can to harass Kobe and force him into taking impossible low percentage shots. It's the only way a defensive minded ball club will beat the Lakers.


Um..put the crack pipe down.

You guys were lucky to beat the Spurs last season and would not have done so had Manu been healthy instead of a liability. I mean figure it out...you guys eeked out several wins and the player that was hurting us the most was a guy who when healthy contends for Finals MVP.


Furthermore...you need to send Chris Paul and the Hornets a thank you note. Hopefully ya'll will get them in the playoffs this year before playing us.


The Lakers really don't match up that well with the Spurs....and I got news for you...you aren't going to beat the Spurs by outshooting them, especially now.

You may not want to hear this...but the Lakers are still a one star team, and that will be exposed against a healthy team with more stars...as it was in the finals last year.


Can't win a championship with a one star team unless your name is Hakeem.

[tp2021]

Yeah but I don't think KT is getting quicker in the next few months.

Bynum isn't running a fast break, he is playing with his back to the basket. KT mainly needs strength for that. And he could very well get stronger as he fully recovers from his early-season injury.

[tp2021]

Can't win a championship with a one star team unless your name is Hakeem.

Detroit. They really didn't have "stars."

[Shastafarian]

The Lakers really don't match up that well with the Spurs.


Agreed with pretty much everything until this. The Lakers match up very well with the Spurs.

[Spurminator]

Can't win a championship with a one star team unless your name is Hakeem.

Or Duncan.

[Mavs<Spurs]

This is my main problem with Bonner -- I don't think he will hit the big shot when the money's on the table.

There are two types of big game shooters, the Ellie, Mason, Jack, Horry type.

And the Hedo, Bonner, Odom type.

And that characteristic never changes or "improves" IMO.

It's not just that---

Bonner is a mediocre player--

what skill does he have? he can hit a wide open 3-- that's it.

He can't defend well. He's not a great rebounder. He's not a great shot blocker so he's doesn't help Tim defend in the paint.

Any team that has two quality bigs can take advantage of him.

He can't guard Bynum or Gasol to save his life.

He can't guard West.

He can't protect the rim or shot block. He doesn't rebound.

And he's not that productive on offense, even in the way that he does score -- wide open 3s.

So long as Bonner is one of our starters, a starting big, the Spurs have no chance at winning advancing to the WCF.

He is the weakest link because he can't defend the paint, doesn't rebound well enough, doesn't rotate well enough , and can't guard the quality 4s or 5s on the other good teams in the West.

We needed Mutombo or Alonzo Morning or some legitimate big (preferably younger obviously if available) who can defend the paint and rebound.

Unless or until that happens, our record is an illusion. We won't get to the Western Conference Finals.

I love the Spurs. I am still going to keep cheering for them, but that's reality and I think a lot of people here know it. We are a second tier team without a quality second big.

[Mavs<Spurs]

Or Duncan.

Tim did it in 03 for sure.

As Jeff Van Gundy says, out of Tony, Manu and Timmy, Timmy is the only sure HOFer right now.

Manu and Tony have outside shots at making it, but they have serious work to do and at best it's 50-50 and probably the odds aren't that good.

However, that doesn't mean that we can get by with Bonner posing as our second big this year. This year, we can't get away with that.

Bonner is no Robert Horry. He's not even a Rasho Nesterovich or Nazr Mohammed!

He just doesn't protect the rim well enough, rotate well enough, rebound well enough, he's too slow, he's not tall enough, and he can't make up for it in the ways that Robert Horry did who was a much better team defender!!!

Bonner is good as a player off the bench. Not as a starting big for a team that wants to a championship.

[DrHouse]

That's wonderful that you all keep mentioning that Manu was injured in the playoffs while neglecting to mention that both Bynum and Ariza were out for the Lakers. At least Manu played all 5 games.

Now, the Spur's problem against the Lakers is defending their front court. Whomever Duncan ISN'T guarding is basically going to have a field day posting up Bonner and Thomas who are woefully undersized to defend 7ft bigs. An Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol baby hook 3-4 ft from the rim is a very high percentage look. I will take that shot over Kobe jacking up a contested jumper any day of the week. The Lakers scored 56/111 pts in the paint, those shots are invariably easier to make than long range jumpers that the Spurs took.

The Spurs shot 57% from the field which most of you would have to agree is an extremely good percentage for them. And they only won by 1pt on a fluke Derek Fisher foul at the last second.

If this was last year's Laker team in the playoffs against your current team you would likely win as your offense is good enough now to have made the difference. But you're not facing last year's Lakers.

[TMTTRIO]

As Jeff Van Gundy says, out of Tony, Manu and Timmy, Timmy is the only sure HOFer right now.

Manu and Tony have outside shots at making it, but they have serious work to do and at best it's 50-50 and probably the odds aren't that good.
If it was for the NBA only I would agree but Manu has a pretty good chance of being there based on his all of his international accomplishments.

[Cry Havoc]

I rewatched the game and this kid wasn't even fazed that he made that shot. He didn't hesitate when he was knocking down that free throw either. He wanted that 3 shot, and he wanted to be the guy taking the FT, and it seemed first nature to him. Sometimes you can tell players are faking it in that situation...faking confidence and wanting the ball, especially young players...not so with him, in fact he seems to have more of that sort of swagger than some star players with a rep for burning to win.

He's impressive and I'd tip my hat to the Spurs for landing what appears to be a very clutch player, if they hadn't already said they didn't know he was like that. Plus it's still early..

Definitely seems to be a case of them getting more than they expected, and hopefully it'll hold up in the playoffs.

I've seen some Spur fans comparing him to Mario Elie and while I don't agree with that from a skill set perspective, I do agree that he has Mario's attitude. Game wise he's got a clean game and doesn't try to do more than he's capable of, and it's also pretty obvious that he's got a lot more going on upstairs than the typical NBA player. He plays Barry's kind of fill in the spaces game(minus the great passing), but he's got much more of an edge to him attitude wise. I don't want to jinx him by saying he's Jack reincarnated, but damned if the way he carried himself in that game wasn't impressive. He was the difference in winning and losing in a Spurs Lakers game. It was much more impressive watching the sequence the second time around...he just about that won that game all on his own while the rest of the team was losing confidence. He definitely reigned on Kobe's parade and ruined his victory script :lol




One thing I just saw recently that is completely awesome...he and Bonner rank 1-2 in the NBA in 3 shooting...that combined with the star talent of Parker, Manu and Duncan is one hell of an offensive unit...there's nowhere for NBA defenders to hide with that group on the floor together.


They will create problems for any NBA defense and I don't think the Lakers can match up with very well defensively when it comes down to it. Ariza can't guard any of them...and Kobe's never exactly been a Manu stopper himself, and Parker is a total mismatch for D-Fish. I think they'll matchup well with the Lakers all season. I thought they matched up well with them last year it's just that Manu was injured. I didn't expect Bonner and Mason to help them matchup even better with LA, and they just might. Hopefully some of Mason's edge will rub off on Bonner...and hopefully they'll keep knocking down those threes at that kind of clip all season long.

Great take Timvp and whottt.

[Cry Havoc]

That's wonderful that you all keep mentioning that Manu was injured in the playoffs while neglecting to mention that both Bynum and Ariza were out for the Lakers. At least Manu played all 5 games.

I'll see your Bynum and Ariza, and raise you a healthy Manu, a George Hill, and Roger F'in Mason.

[lefty]

Everyone has another half a season to work on everything. Even the Spurs defense.



He wasn't late. He was respecting Kobe's ability to drive and gave him space. Kobe just made a clutch 3.

Are you talking about the " Huevosdance " 3?

I was referring to the one he hit from the right corner, on an inbound play

[z0sa]

I'll see your Bynum and Ariza, and raise you a healthy Manu, a George Hill, and Roger F'in Mason.

And a rejuvenated Bonner in place of Robert "Dinosaur" Horry.

[gilmor]

That's wonderful that you all keep mentioning that Manu was injured in the playoffs while neglecting to mention that both Bynum and Ariza were out for the Lakers. At least Manu played all 5 games.

Now, the Spur's problem against the Lakers is defending their front court. Whomever Duncan ISN'T guarding is basically going to have a field day posting up Bonner and Thomas who are woefully undersized to defend 7ft bigs. An Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol baby hook 3-4 ft from the rim is a very high percentage look. I will take that shot over Kobe jacking up a contested jumper any day of the week. The Lakers scored 56/111 pts in the paint, those shots are invariably easier to make than long range jumpers that the Spurs took.

The Spurs shot 57% from the field which most of you would have to agree is an extremely good percentage for them. And they only won by 1pt on a fluke Derek Fisher foul at the last second.

If this was last year's Laker team in the playoffs against your current team you would likely win as your offense is good enough now to have made the difference. But you're not facing last year's Lakers.

This guy doesn't know Spurs basketball..

A healthy Manu is 10 times the player of both Bynum and Ariza combined..

Bottomline as Whott pointed out, Lakers is a one-star team. Once Kobe raped another girl, the season is gone..

[E20]

Very gutsy win. RMJ singlehandedly transformed a vintage spurs 4th quarter meltdown into a season highlight victory.

Prehps.

I was thinking going into this game, with the Lakers shorthanded, a key to victory would be how we use our 2nd unit players, like Manu and Hill. We seemed to do the damn thing pretty well with those guys, despite a careless turnover by the rookie

Prahps.

[whottt]

Detroit. They really didn't have "stars."


Unless you count the Finals MVP, the multiple NBA DPOY multiple rebounding and blocked shots champ, and the 4 of them that made the All Star Game the following season(plus Okur who went on to make one also)....5 All Star Caliber players on the same team...

And Billups, Wallace and Wallace have all been MVP candidates at one point or another in their careers.

Ben Wallace will be in the Hall Of Fame most likely too...

So it's probably a safe bet to say they had more stars than just about any team to win a championship...




Or Duncan.

Duncan had a HOF'er MVP caliber bigman(and another one who is borderline), the most accurate 3 point shooter in NBA history, a top 5 all time perimeter defender who made many many consecutive all NBA D teams(and lead the NBA in 3 shooting), a finals MVP, one of only two players to win an Olympic Gold Medal, NBA title and Euroleague titke, and along with all those achievements, a couple of guys that have a better than average shot at making the Hall Of Fame....

That team actually 3 NBA 3 point champs on it...that might be a record...

And I didn't even mention Jack, who played a pretty important role and has become an borderline All Star caliber player himself.




I'd rather you guys have just attacked Hakeem being a one star champion because he had guys like Sam Cassell who went on to be an All Star, Otis Smith who was All NBA at one point and a 20-10 player at least once...not to mention all those clutch shooters....

Anyway, I'd rather you guys have just attacked Hakeem than actually mention other teams that are one star champions, as that totally undermined the argument I was making towards the Laker fan...

Exactly whose side are you guys on?

[whottt]

Agreed with pretty much everything until this. The Lakers match up very well with the Spurs.

In that case I retract everything until that...and leave that :tu

[kace]

Unless you count the Finals MVP, the multiple NBA DPOY multiple rebounding and blocked shots champ, and the 4 of them that made the All Star Game the following season(plus Okur who went on to make one also)....5 All Star Caliber players on the same team...

And Billups, Wallace and Wallace have all been MVP candidates at one point or another in their careers.

Ben Wallace will be in the Hall Of Fame most likely too...

So it's probably a safe bet to say they had more stars than just about any team to win a championship...




well, if a team win it all, there will for sure be a finals MVP in this team, doesn't mean he's a star by himself.

When your team is so ahead of any other in the RS, you've got to be involved in the MVP race, it's still a team thing for the Detroit. who was in this team on the same level as KB, LBJ, CP3, Howard, Duncan, O'Neal.....

same thing for the ASG: the pistons were so great as a team, that they deserved severals all stars, but it doesn't mean that they were by themselves: where are all these all-stars now ?

Ben Wallace being a HOFer would be a disgrace.

Detroit had 5 good players, a great team chemistry, but any superstar. all the individual awards they had or were involved in was due to their excellence as a team.