Why does Pop get owned in the 3rd qtr so often?

[Fabbs]

Halftime ad-just-ments.
When coaches make ad-just-ments to give their team -not the opponent- a better chance.

Outplayed in the 3rd qtr of a loss -again, this time to the injury riddled Trailblazers.

[Sigz]

Because he forgot to take a shit at halftime.

[Quiet Strength]

He's twittering with Finley.

:lmao

[HarlemHeat37]

He's twittering with Finley.

:lol:lol:lol:lol:lol

[TD 21]

He's got Jefferson (under 32 minutes AGAIN) guarding Aldridge. The only way the Spurs could have lost this game was with deplorable coaching/effort. All they had to do was primarily use McDyess (under 18 minutes AGAIN) and Ratliff (DNP-CD AGAIN) on Aldridge, play him straight up (if ever there was a game NOT to double, it was this one...one-on-one who the fuck was going to beat the Spurs; Webster? Blake? Howard? Pendergraph?) and make him beat the Spurs by scoring well over 30. If he does that, you tip your cap to him. You don't double him though when their team sorely lacks scoring/shot creators and give them open looks or allow him to shoot up over the top over someone 4 inches smaller. Then in the end game, when Ginobili should have been stapled to the bench, he was out there providing absolutely nothing in any area of the game, with that woe is me look/body language that he has more and more, he's got Parker guarding Bayless, because no other Spur on the court had the quickness nor the defensive acumen to stick him.

[it's me]

small ball

[Ice009]

Well maybe Tim needs to be player/coach now like Bill Russell.

[Spursox]

No adjustments = shitty 3rd quarters

[z0sa]

Because he hates you, Fabbs

[xellos88330]

Spurs were burned for at least 20 points from jumpers from big men. They are switching the pick way too much. Perhaps someone should tell him to get their players to fight through the screens so they don't have to switch.

You CANNOT switch the pick and roll if you are playing small ball.

[hitmanyr2k]

He's got Jefferson (under 32 minutes AGAIN) guarding Aldridge. The only way the Spurs could have lost this game was with deplorable coaching/effort. All they had to do was primarily use McDyess (under 18 minutes AGAIN) and Ratliff (DNP-CD AGAIN) on Aldridge, play him straight up (if ever there was a game NOT to double, it was this one...one-on-one who the fuck was going to beat the Spurs; Webster? Blake? Howard? Pendergraph?) and make him beat the Spurs by scoring well over 30. If he does that, you tip your cap to him. You don't double him though when their team sorely lacks scoring/shot creators and give them open looks or allow him to shoot up over the top over someone 4 inches smaller. Then in the end game, when Ginobili should have been stapled to the bench, he was out there providing absolutely nothing in any area of the game, with that woe is me look/body language that he has more and more, he's got Parker guarding Bayless, because no other Spur on the court had the quickness nor the defensive acumen to stick him.

Well, may as well throw out the typical Popovich excuse when small-ball occurs. The PFs don't know the Spurs' defensive system/rotations so they're not going to play consistent minutes (or any at all) until they do learn which will be never. It's comforting to see a coach who's just as clueless as Vinny Del Negro :lol

[SenorSpur]

Having the oldest roster in the NBA is seeming Pop's goal every year. However, it seems that the rest of the NBA has caught up and gotten much younger. The Spurs made roster moves, but so far it has not helped. Talent, youth and energy are under-served and under valued.

No matter the age of the opponent, it's clear the Spurs have not been able to match up against the better teams of the Western Conference.

[draft87]

Because he hates you, Fabbs


New thread: Why does Fabbs get owned in his own threads so often?

[fyatuk]

Halftime ad-just-ments.
When coaches make ad-just-ments to give their team -not the opponent- a better chance.

Outplayed in the 3rd qtr of a loss -again, this time to the injury riddled Trailblazers.

Pop has pretty much always sucked at making half-time adjustments. Where he shines is evolving a game-plan in a playoff series, but in game adjustments have always been iffy with him.

[Fabbs]

Well maybe Tim needs to be player/coach now like Bill Russell.
:clap
Or starting in summer 2005.
Or even better yet summer of 2003.

[Fabbs]

Pop has pretty much always sucked at making half-time adjustments. Where he shines is evolving a game-plan in a playoff series, but in game adjustments have always been iffy with him.
He got away with that crap in 03 05 07 because he had the NBAs best roster including the true MVP. The rest of the years he is simply exposed.
Why does Duncan, GNob, and Parker, the true "veteran lockeroom leaders" condone Pops lack of adjustment crap?

[spurtech09]

worthless small BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pjjrfan]

The Blazers came out in the 2nd half and started to aggressively double team Tim who was killing them in the 1st half. He was a non factor after that, they began to attack the basket both Bayless and Miller so that team was prepared to win this game.

[Indazone]

Pop needs to put his energy reserves out there in the third. He's got a tired team that isn't executing in the third.

[dbestpro]

Pop feels he does not need to coach vets. He leaves them out there to figure things out on their own. Sean was talking about 8 plays in a row that Portland ran before the players made an adjustment. Pop doesn't even talk to the players during time outs. Then when the game is over he always blames the players and never takes the blame for anything. I would like to see Pop become a more aggressive coach. I would like to see him get in the vet's face when they fail on D. (Especially the big three). Its time for Pop to light a fire in the team and it starts by taking responsibility and lighting a fire under himself.

[EricB]

Still waiting on that list of 20.....

[TinTin]

He's twittering with Finley.


LMFAO :rollin:rollin

[admiralsnackbar]

When you tend to rely on the jumper as your offensive weapon while weakly defending the paint, you're asking too much of the percentages. Losses will come.

[poop]

WINE AT HALFTIME.

even though it looks like hes looking out on the court hes not really seeing anything.

[lefty]

WINE AT HALFTIME.

even though it looks like hes looking out on the court hes not really seeing anything.

Damn you beat me to it

I hate you :lol

[Fabbs]

What a pathetic display of coaching. :rollin
26-13 for Okc in the third. Cementhead Pop playing no one over 6'7 for how long?

[Fabbs]

Bobcats 26 Spurs 15

Part of a 19-2 run after the Spurs led at halftime.
Spurs went something like 9 minutes without a field goal.

[TJastal]

Bobcats 26 Spurs 15

Part of a 19-2 run after the Spurs led at halftime.
Spurs went something like 9 minutes without a field goal.

*rant on*

But... but.. but... its the players not making shots in the 3rd quarter.. if they would just make every shot we'd win a championship every year... damn players...

*rant off*

:rollin

[Fabbs]

please move ^^^ to The PopApologists Excuse Thread.


http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138817

[itzsoweezee]

The worst part is, even with the season halfway gone, the Spurs haven't shown any improvement on this blaring weakness. IMO, the coaching is letting the team down in this regard.

[Baseline]

Becasue he's an overrated coach in the first place.

He's having to do a lot of coaching this year - more than ever, it seems, because this group isn't clicking the way we would like yet.

My opinion is that the group isn't clicking because he has the new guys playing scared all the time. Neither RJ or Dyess are comfortable, and both of those guys are very good players. We know that. But not everybody is a very good player for Pop. That's because Pop is difficult.

RJ is a guy who has proven himself in this league, yet he plays in constant fear of getting benched for missing a defensive assignment. It's lunacy for a guy making 14 million a year to be constrained like that. If you to do that to Ian Mahinmi, then fine, do it. Oh yeah...Ian is never on the court, so he won't even be allowed to make mistakes.

When I say I love the Spurs, I mean that I love the players and the roganization's history. I don't love Pop and never have. Pop is a massive control freak and the Spurs are a dictatorship. That has only worked because of Tim Duncan. But because the landscape of the NBA has changed (i.e. David Stern allowing some teams like the Lakers to stack their lineups), it's not possible for Tim and a couple of supporting guys to win a title. You now need multiple guys who are dangerous. Well, we have multiple guys, but not all of them are free enough to be themselves right now.

When we brought RJ in, we heard Pop say that he wanted to RJ to return to the defensive stoppr that Pop thought he could be around 2002. Can I just say how idiotic that is? That's like Tony Parker saying that he will marry Eva Longoria, but she needs to go back to being little Eva from San Antonio, not the Hollywood television star and international cosmetic spokesperson who is on magazine covers every single month." We all know how relationships work when that happens. So effectively Pop said, "Hey RJ, I don't care who you think you are now, even though you're a 17-point per game career scorer...I need you to be Bruce Bowen."

Total insanity.

[Fabbs]

^^Thanks for weighing in, Baseline.

Poppycock worked again. This time by the Jazz, 29-20 after a hard earned 50-45 halftime lead.

[Slippy]

Spurs got some wide open looks but went cold. IF you had to fault Pop, maybe Mase should of been out there.

[TJastal]

More amazing coaching to get the players ready for the 3rd quarter. I'd love to know what POop says in halftime speeches.

[will_spurs]

Becasue he's an overrated coach in the first place.

He's having to do a lot of coaching this year - more than ever, it seems, because this group isn't clicking the way we would like yet.

My opinion is that the group isn't clicking because he has the new guys playing scared all the time. Neither RJ or Dyess are comfortable, and both of those guys are very good players. We know that. But not everybody is a very good player for Pop. That's because Pop is difficult.

RJ is a guy who has proven himself in this league, yet he plays in constant fear of getting benched for missing a defensive assignment. It's lunacy for a guy making 14 million a year to be constrained like that. If you to do that to Ian Mahinmi, then fine, do it. Oh yeah...Ian is never on the court, so he won't even be allowed to make mistakes.

When I say I love the Spurs, I mean that I love the players and the roganization's history. I don't love Pop and never have. Pop is a massive control freak and the Spurs are a dictatorship. That has only worked because of Tim Duncan. But because the landscape of the NBA has changed (i.e. David Stern allowing some teams like the Lakers to stack their lineups), it's not possible for Tim and a couple of supporting guys to win a title. You now need multiple guys who are dangerous. Well, we have multiple guys, but not all of them are free enough to be themselves right now.

When we brought RJ in, we heard Pop say that he wanted to RJ to return to the defensive stoppr that Pop thought he could be around 2002. Can I just say how idiotic that is? That's like Tony Parker saying that he will marry Eva Longoria, but she needs to go back to being little Eva from San Antonio, not the Hollywood television star and international cosmetic spokesperson who is on magazine covers every single month." We all know how relationships work when that happens. So effectively Pop said, "Hey RJ, I don't care who you think you are now, even though you're a 17-point per game career scorer...I need you to be Bruce Bowen."

Total insanity.

:tu

As much as we've been talking about Pop and developing young players, we now see the real problem is Pop vs players who already have NBA experience. He had a few of those in the past (Kerr or Horry come to mind) but they were role players, not players of the caliber that Pop got this year. Telling players "it's my way or the doghouse" is ok for players who are new to the NBA (and it seems to be working with Hill or Blair), but for players who already have a strong game like RJ it's a waste of time.

[Fabbs]

28-21 Houston being the latest team to outwork Popped in the 3rd. This after a 58-57 Spurs halftime lead.

[TDMVPDPOY]

lol pathetic

someone needs to get the blame for the losses

[it's me]

Seriously, we all know Pop is a smart guy (don't want to say was) but what is he doing this season?......It looks like you have to suck in order to get minutes......

Ian played a great game the other night, and it seems it was a mistake of his part...... no freaking more minutes for him and we desperately need size.

Mason was sucking a month or so ago... and was getting playing time, then when it looks like he's getting his shot back, Pop plays the guys sporadically to none.

Bogans defense is overrated and off is not existent, still get to play A LOT for what he does.

Manu's body is weaker than ever, still, it looks like Pop is making him play more minutes than ever.

Parker is injured? and we need him for PO... why is he playing heavy minutes too?

on the other hand..... I officially fucking stupidly hate small ball...... it can maybe help you get hot offensively or if you need a run.... but IMO no way you finish/close a game playing small ball, what happens... you freaking get raped in the paint.

I'm starting to think Pop is into something, we don't know with those lineups.....

[Sean Cagney]

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!!! SAME THING this game, clockwork tonight it was.

[Obstructed_View]

"corporate knowledge" = players smart enough and good enough to win in spite of the coach.

[Sean Cagney]

Here we have Adelman who lost his all star Center, his all star forward to injury. He wasn't expected to even have a winning team this year. However he has gotten the best out the the players he has had since Portland. Remember Duckworth? He was thrown away by the Spurs and then anchored the middle for some championship runs in Portland. While in Sacramento he turned a much traveled but mega talented Fab Fiver into a perennial contender for the MVP and if it weren't for the Screw Job of a corrupt NBA executive and Referee Corps Kabal the Nba Championship.

Pop Has had a Mega talented Duncan and David twin towers and only managed to get 2 NBA championships out of them in six years. HE then had the "Big three" and only got 2 out of them in Six years.

Now a coach that had "a perfect off season" has an underachieving bunch who appear Un energized, Dis interested, and out played...by the best teams in the league....



OVERRATED OVERRATED OVERRATED...

I'd trade Adelman For Pop in two seconds if that was allowed...

ON THE ONLY thing for POP, well how many rings Adelman get with that talented Sac team? Thats right NONE! So two in 6 for what he had and then two more in 6 with the rest is better than NONE IN how many?

Thats right he is a good coach but Pop has been better, not this year of course though lol.

Oh yeah not a Spurs fan I see, thats why such irrelevant crap in your post that has notta to do with Pop or Adelman all times, just some shyt before POP was there or what Adelman ALMOST did with his teams.


BTW lets talk about Minny letting Billups go and Pistons then go to two finals with him as the leader, speak on that there :rollin:rollin.

Oh yeah you traded someone too recently who is an up and coming scorer right? UMMMMMMMM........ Great franchise there lol.

[SouthTexasRancher]

Having the oldest roster in the NBA is seeming Pop's goal every year. However, it seems that the rest of the NBA has caught up and gotten much younger. The Spurs made roster moves, but so far it has not helped. Talent, youth and energy are under-served and under valued.

No matter the age of the opponent, it's clear the Spurs have not been able to match up against the better teams of the Western Conference.


Exactly right...! Sorry to say but, the NBA game has passed Pop by. His hardheadeness just keeps backfiring on him. The league is full of ex-Spurs who are now contributing for other teams. The Spurs are now a 'W' on everyone else's schedule.

[Fabbs]

ON THE ONLY thing for POP, well how many rings Adelman get with that talented Sac team? Thats right NONE!
I'd argue Adleman had one in 2002, the rigged year when the Fakers were gifted Game 6.

Poopycock nor no other coach was going to overcome that rig job.

[Fabbs]

3rd qtrs not lost on Manu GNob.
From his interview:
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4038688&posted=1#post4038688

The relationship in between us and the locker-room keep being spectacular. What is happening is that for moments we play very well and all of the balls go in, like against Atlanta that we scored 66 points at halftime and after that, we slow down and we lose confidence, we block ourselves mentally and maybe some times we fall into individualist kind of play. It’s been very difficult to find an answers to those melt downs. The strange thing is that it happens after coming back from the lockerroom in halftime. Well in the 2008 playoffs we lost the 3rd quarter on 6 straight games. That was unheard of.

[hater]

3rd qtrs not lost on Manu GNob.
From his interview:
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4038688&posted=1#post4038688

The relationship in between us and the locker-room keep being spectacular. What is happening is that for moments we play very well and all of the balls go in, like against Atlanta that we scored 66 points at halftime and after that, we slow down and we lose confidence, we block ourselves mentally and maybe some times we fall into individualist kind of play. It’s been very difficult to find an answers to those melt downs. The strange thing is that it happens after coming back from the lockerroom in halftime. Well in the 2008 playoffs we lost the 3rd quarter on 6 straight games. That was unheard of.

this is what I answered Manu


why Spurs go through rough stretches, Manu?
1. live by the 3 die by the 3
2. inconsistent D
3. old team
4. Richard Jefferson


I'm really shocked the Spurs players and maybe coaches don't know why

[rjv]

i actually think the spurs take naps during half time and it takes them a full quarter to wake up

[Fabbs]

The Poppycocks won a 3rd qtr! Against a .500+ team, the Memphis Lakers!
WooHoo!

24-20.

[The Truth #6]

Here we have Adelman who lost his all star Center, his all star forward to injury. He wasn't expected to even have a winning team this year. However he has gotten the best out the the players he has had since Portland. Remember Duckworth? He was thrown away by the Spurs and then anchored the middle for some championship runs in Portland. While in Sacramento he turned a much traveled but mega talented Fab Fiver into a perennial contender for the MVP and if it weren't for the Screw Job of a corrupt NBA executive and Referee Corps Kabal the Nba Championship.

Pop Has had a Mega talented Duncan and David twin towers and only managed to get 2 NBA championships out of them in six years. HE then had the "Big three" and only got 2 out of them in Six years.

Now a coach that had "a perfect off season" has an underachieving bunch who appear Un energized, Dis interested, and out played...by the best teams in the league....




Duckworth wasn't given away, he was traded for the college player of the year Walter Berry, one of the most magical scorers to play for the Spurs during that era.
Duckworth anchored many buffets lines and defended them with ferocity.



OVERRATED OVERRATED OVERRATED...

I'd trade Adelman For Pop in two seconds if that was allowed...

[spursncowboys]

Pop has pretty much always sucked at making half-time adjustments. Where he shines is evolving a game-plan in a playoff series, but in game adjustments have always been iffy with him.
+1
Every year the third is our Achilles heel.

[EVAY]

More amazing coaching to get the players ready for the 3rd quarter. I'd love to know what POop says in halftime speeches.

I asked this of Pop one time. It was in a "season ticket holders get to ask questions of Pop. I didn't want to criticize in the question itself, so I just asked, "What do you all do during the halftimes?" Pop got his usual smirk on his face when he feels he is being asked a stupid question, (and Pop thinks any question of him as stupid) and replied "Oh, Well, we go out for a few beers, kick back a little...no, really, we just do what we do in the timeouts. We talk with each other "

I really wanted to say, "Going out for beers is what it LOOKS like you do, because your play in the third quarters is always so lackluster, although I assumed you actually did some coaching," but my upbringing stopped me from being as rude as Pop, so I held my tongue. BTW, this all happened while the team was still back in the Alamodome. That's how long Pop has failed to spark his team at halftime with any energy.

The entire experience is also why I never bite when asked anymore to "ask Pop questions." I know exactly what he thinks of questions. His answers to
media folks on television always embarass me, because he is so sarcastic. He thinks he is being funny, and of course media questions are always stupid, but virtually every other coach in the league can discipline himself to answer with civility. Not Pop.

[Fabbs]

30-27 Denver.
At the At&t Center.

With his beloved Finley-Bonner back.
Denver with Carmelo Anthony out.

beautiful

[TJastal]

I asked this of Pop one time. It was in a "season ticket holders get to ask questions of Pop. I didn't want to criticize in the question itself, so I just asked, "What do you all do during the halftimes?" Pop got his usual smirk on his face when he feels he is being asked a stupid question, (and Pop thinks any question of him as stupid) and replied "Oh, Well, we go out for a few beers, kick back a little...no, really, we just do what we do in the timeouts. We talk with each other "

I really wanted to say, "Going out for beers is what it LOOKS like you do, because your play in the third quarters is always so lackluster, although I assumed you actually did some coaching," but my upbringing stopped me from being as rude as Pop, so I held my tongue. BTW, this all happened while the team was still back in the Alamodome. That's how long Pop has failed to spark his team at halftime with any energy.

The entire experience is also why I never bite when asked anymore to "ask Pop questions." I know exactly what he thinks of questions. His answers to
media folks on television always embarass me, because he is so sarcastic. He thinks he is being funny, and of course media questions are always stupid, but virtually every other coach in the league can discipline himself to answer with civility. Not Pop.

Cool real life experiences and I believe every word. Thanks for sharing them.

[Obstructed_View]

When Chauncey Billups comes in at the end of the game and says that the Spurs were switching on the pick and roll in the 4th quarter and they just feasted on it, you know all you need to know about Pop's coaching strategy, because they've been victimized by switching in the 4th for years.

[kace]

+1
Every year the third is our Achilles heel.

well, can't find the stat for this year, but last year the third was our second best quarter (the first being the best one).

http://www.82games.com/0809/QSORT10.HTM

[Sportsgodd99]

I dont no wat the records show but..I think the SPURS are the worst 3rd quarter team ever..and also..I had to break the news to my daughter that our fav sports team SUCKS..she missed school today..heartbroken.

[Fabbs]

well, can't find the stat for this year, but last year the third was our second best quarter (the first being the best one).

http://www.82games.com/0809/QSORT10.HTM
Would like to see those stats vs .500+ teams and then up it a notch to the elite 8 or so.

Yeah wonder why it's not up for this year. Or maybe it is and we just can't find it. If we can't find it I'll try to run this years.

[Fabbs]

Philly 28
Spurs 24

en route to 52-45 Spurs halftime lead become another L. :depressed

[Fabbs]

Was there any doubt 'Popped would become Phils bitty once again?

48-41 Spurs halftime lead becomes 71-66 Lakers after 3.

30-18 Lakers 3rd qtr :lol

[timtonymanu]

Starting since the OKC game, the Spurs have been winning the 3rd quarter (except the Lakers game).

@ OKC : 25-17
vs Cle: 24-20
@ BOS: 33-17

[pookenstein]

It was a great adjustment from Pop to put Manu back in the game with 1:10 in the third after the C's cut the lead to 10. Manu answered with an assist for Georges corner-3 and then beat the buzzer with his bank-3. So instead of leading by just 10 we got the 16pt lead. Not to mention the frustration in the eyes of the C-Players...

[TJastal]

Great 3rd quarter for Pop against the C's and of late, can't complain. Maybe he finally figured out his team has been getting its ass kicked all year in the 3rd and started giving the team some pep talks at halftime instead of excusing himself to the bathroom and chugging down his favorite wine.

Certainly helps having Manu in the starting lineup and playing awesome basketball, I think that has certainly had a positive impact.