Big leads..

[HarlemHeat37]

I'm not necessarily mentioning this because of the loss tonight, but the Spurs are #2 in the NBA in the best 'average biggest lead' this season..so our peak leading margin in every game on average is #2 only to the Lakers..

Every team gives up leads, the Spurs have done it for years, but what can this team do to stop this?..it seems like there HAS to be a huge drought every game and every team HAS to make a big comeback against us while the Spurs players don't show any resistance..

Frustrating as hell..what can potentially be done to help this?..

[mexicanjunior]

Trades...lots of them.

[BanditHiro]

Trades...lots of them.


f you and your teeth

small ball is probably the reason and only one good Big defender

[Chomag]

They only seem to want to play in short spurts, while the rest of the game they just want to coast.

[DynastySpurs210]

hmm..

[midnightpulp]

Spurs also seem to get turnover happy when they build big leads.

[easy7]

Pop needs to go back to "No excuses allowed" and start sitting people up who don't even try. Cruise control is good when you drive, not so good in actual games. They are also underestimating a lot of teams.

[mexicanjunior]

f you and your teeth

small ball is probably the reason and only one good Big defender

You think either of those is going to change anytime soon? Eff you for believing otherwise....

[BanditHiro]

You think either of those is going to change anytime soon? Eff you for believing otherwise....


no i don't think any of those things are going to change i didn't say that i just said reasons why teams are coming back. But something that can change is your avatar...

[Budkin]

It's because when the other team gets desperate and starts hustling the Spurs don't up their defensive game accordingly... instead they panic and shrivel.

[mexicanjunior]

no i don't think any of those things are going to change i didn't say that i just said reasons why teams are coming back. But something that can change is your avatar...

I'll get right on that...

[murpjf88]

I'm not necessarily mentioning this because of the loss tonight, but the Spurs are #2 in the NBA in the best 'average biggest lead' this season..so our peak leading margin in every game on average is #2 only to the Lakers..

Every team gives up leads, the Spurs have done it for years, but what can this team do to stop this?..it seems like there HAS to be a huge drought every game and every team HAS to make a big comeback against us while the Spurs players don't show any resistance..

Frustrating as hell..what can potentially be done to help this?..

The Spurs can't stop it. Their defense can't stop the opposition. The Spurs crack under pressure. Its almost as if the Spurs are waiting for their opponents to make a run, and when they do, the Spurs can't hit shots.

In other games, where the Spurs should dominate, they get out to big leads and get complacent. They throw the ball around, take shitty shots, and then allows the opponent to take uncontested jump shots.

This is without a doubt the WORST defensive team in the Duncan era. A trade is not going to bring a lot of resolution to what is slowly becoming a train wreck.

[alchemist]

I think blowing big leads will continue to be an issue for 1 reason. When the Spurs go up big, the oppossing coach calls a timeout. Pop subs in the "hot" unit with a "cold" unit and shit begins to fall apart. Or the "hot" unit comes back in thinking they can just cruise with the lead.

They obviously know it's a problem, they're not blind. What they will do to solve it? I have no idea, these guys have blown huge leads in 3 weeks to good teams.

[ElNono]

Intensity would be a good start. Taking pride on defense. Some guys are scored on and just don't seem to give a shit. They turn around and go play offense. That can't happen. In part Pop is to blame for not shortening the leash in some of these guys. Pop just isn't the guy that he used to be either.

[L.I.T]

Intensity would be a good start. Taking pride on defense. Some guys are scored on and just don't seem to give a shit. They turn around and go play offense. That can't happen. In part Pop is to blame for not shortening the leash in some of these guys. Pop just isn't the guy that he used to be either.

I agree. I mentioned it in the game blog before I had to leave at the half...so I missed the second half. But from the first half, and other games, this team seems to me to be the streakiest of any Spurs team. They also seem to be missing a key mental component...and I think it is that intensity and aggressiveness.

All of the championship teams have had one key component: some tough as nails, clutch hardass on the wing. 1999 had AJ and Elie (along with Jerome Kersey and even Jaren Jackson). 2003 had Bowen and Horry (and to a lesser extent SJax and Willis). 2005-2007 had Bowen and Horry as well (with Manu/Barry filling in for the clutch side). They had very willful players.

This team, while on paper more talented, seems to lack that instinct to stomp on another team and relish it. I think that also plays into when you see other teams go on these massive runs. The old Spurs teams were consistent in their inconsistent scoring. But they always had the stones in the backcourt, when push came to shove or when necessary to clamp down and make the other team weep (even if it meant hipchecking a superstar onto some journalists).

[HarlemHeat37]

Pretty much..

This team used to have balls, we had a lot of guys that would do anything to win..they loved to play a grind-out style, tough basketball..

Now we have a bunch of nice guys like RJ, McDyess, Mason, Bonner, old version of Finley..and sadly, Pop has become a nice guy too..

[z0sa]

Any team in this L can manufacture runs, especially one as offensively gifted as the Spurs (yet the Spurs still go through long scoring droughts, which must be blamed on coaching considering the personnel). So the Spurs go on their big runs and overwhelm teams on O.. It's manufacturing stops that the Spurs simply fail time and time again.

[L.I.T]

Pretty much..

This team used to have balls, we had a lot of guys that would do anything to win..they loved to play a grind-out style, tough basketball..

Now we have a bunch of nice guys like RJ, McDyess, Mason, Bonner, old version of Finley..and sadly, Pop has become a nice guy too..

:depressed

The problem is there are very few players left as well who fit the profile of the old Spurs. The one guy who I like in that mold (front court) is Noah. He's pretty much an old-school bastard (at least from what I've seen) and that's fine with me. Alas, he's a building block for the Bulls.

Quite honestly, I think it's time for someone (Pop?) to go old-school on the team.

[SouthTexasRancher]

Pop needs to go back to "No excuses allowed" and start sitting people up who don't even try.

Amen to that. Dice and RJ would start averaging about 1 minute per game. Damn those two have to go. They are a cancer that is spreading all over San Antonio.

[xellos88330]

Probably pressure to perform.

[Bukefal]

Giving up the leads, that's killing us. Its just a motivation thing, they need to realize and change that.

[Spurs Brazil]

Spurs D sucks, that's why they give leads so easy

[timtonymanu]

I agree. I mentioned it in the game blog before I had to leave at the half...so I missed the second half. But from the first half, and other games, this team seems to me to be the streakiest of any Spurs team. They also seem to be missing a key mental component...and I think it is that intensity and aggressiveness.

All of the championship teams have had one key component: some tough as nails, clutch hardass on the wing. 1999 had AJ and Elie (along with Jerome Kersey and even Jaren Jackson). 2003 had Bowen and Horry (and to a lesser extent SJax and Willis). 2005-2007 had Bowen and Horry as well (with Manu/Barry filling in for the clutch side). They had very willful players.

This team, while on paper more talented, seems to lack that instinct to stomp on another team and relish it. I think that also plays into when you see other teams go on these massive runs. The old Spurs teams were consistent in their inconsistent scoring. But they always had the stones in the backcourt, when push came to shove or when necessary to clamp down and make the other team weep (even if it meant hipchecking a superstar onto some journalists).

Best post I've seen about this. I 100% agree with this statement. The reason why Spurs are struggling so much is cause of the lack of intensity. Guys like Bowen, Horry, AJ, Oberto were classy guys but on the court they meant business. Like Harlem said, the Spurs are just nice off and on the court. The two nicest guys are the two guys that we need to be aggressive in order to win: RJ and Dice. The Spurs role players look like guys who are afraid to break a leg. The only role players that play with intensity are Blair, Hill, Mason, and sometimes Bogans. Unfortunately those guys alone cant help the Spurs win the title. It all rests on RJ and Dice, but i dont see these guys playing any better (mainly RJ) and it sucks because both of their salaries this year nearly equal Tim and also Tony and Manu's combined. I hope I'm wrong but this team isnt winning a title this year.

[SenorSpur]

How do the Spurs protect their big leads?

Focus on defending the opposition - getting stops goes a long way
Reduce turnovers - Spurs are often too careless with the ball, which leads to opp points.
Limit 2nd chance points for the opposition
When outside shots grow cold - get to the FT line. This will ensure they continue to score points.
Maintain focus and concentration