Another Perspective on Spurs Lost

[024]

1/14
Gasol 10-14 FG, 21 pts
Bynum 9-15 FG, 18 pts

1/25
Gasol 4-6 FG, 8-9 FT, 16 pts
Bynum 4-10, 7-8 FT, 15 pts

3/12
Gasol 10-15 FG, 23 pts
Bryant 9-21 FG, 23 pts

this last game, gasol scored 23 points in 15 Fg attempts but bryant scored the same with 21 attempts. while guarding bryant may be a concern, the spurs have a bigger problem guarding the lakers' frontline. having gasol and bynum score this easily whether through very high FG% or at the free throw line is unacceptable.

gasol has been scoring against the spurs with extreme efficiency when he's supposed to be guarded by one of the best low post defenders in duncan. instead of focusing attention on bryant, the spurs need to throw gasol out of rhythm in future games. i've seen bryant go for 40 and 50 while still losing because gasol could not hit a shot to save his life. gasol and maybe even bynum is way too comfortable against the spurs.

[anonoftheinternets]

the worst part is, he never scores in a half court set (1 on 1) most of the time. Its always an offensive putback, or wide open jumpers. Hence the high %. So TD being a great post defender has nothing to do with it.

Methinks Gooden/Thomas will have to play a HUGE role with rebounding. Bonner has to come off the bench against lakers. He does do great against other teams though.

[tonylongoriafan]

box out motherfuckers!

[m33p0]

there's very little the defense can do against bryant coz most of his points are from jumpers and he happens to be a terrific jumpshooter. it's the fakers' big frontline that is the concern.

[RedsLakers24]

all the attention kobe gets lets gasol get easy points, its not like when he was in Memphis and he was the man

[lefty]

all the attention kobe gets lets gasol get easy points, its not like when he was in Memphis and he was the man

Good point

[crc21209]

Let Kobe get his, guard the rest of the bunch.

[NFGIII]

all the attention kobe gets lets gasol get easy points, its not like when he was in Memphis and he was the man

Agreed. Pau is loving it in this system since he doesn't have to carry the team. His points are much easier to come by in LA than Memphis.

You will never really stop Kobe and he is going to get his points. This guy is on stop of his game and he makes it seem so easy. That's just how great a player he is. All I want is for the Spurs to make him work for them.

The point made is valid - concentrate on the LA frontline and make them work for their points. Come PO time I think you will see more Gooden/KT and less Bonner if we play the Lakers. Cut down on the offensive rebounds by the Laker frontline and life wont be that easy.

Easier said than done though.

[anonoftheinternets]

if we could figure this out, im so sure pop knows this and make an adjustment for PO. Imo he was fine tuning his rotations this game. Hill is awesome, but doesnt have length for Kobe, Bonner is great at 3 pt shooting, but is too much of a liability on rebounds to offset it. He confirmed this in a close game, and will defintely make good adjustments come PO time. This is going to be one heck of a battle.

[hater]

when Mbenga shoots 100% FG, Lakers are unbeatable

[poop]

1/14
while guarding bryant may be a concern, the spurs have a bigger problem guarding the lakers' frontline..

this is what ive been saying for the past year, its clear as day. their frontline has been slaughtering us, especially gasol and even duncan cant seem to do much about it.
this is why im so upset about POPS being waived, his rebounding, length and quickness were exactly what we need, sticking with oberto and even thomas(against LA) is not going to cut it, we need Gooden to be a monster. imagine having a frontline rotation of duncan-gooden-POPS, much more effective against LA's bigs than duncan-thomas-oberto-THEN if pop feels like it gooden.

[HarlemHeat37]

Pops would have been raped in his ass against Gasol..

Pau isn't a problem to me, he's an all-star player that will get his points..when Duncan goes at him(which we saw in the playoffs), he can shut him down..as we saw when he was with Memphis too..

When Gasol isn't being guarded by one of our non-Duncan bigs, most of his points are actually coming from wide open mid-range Js from penetration..

[Yorae]

I think Oberto is the best match against Gasol. Maybe to frustrate him. Cro-Magnon vs Java Man.

[raspsa]

Why not try guarding both?