Please respond: What do the Spurs need to do to win?

[Kori Ellis]

What do the Spurs need to do to win? What simple advice would you give them or the coaching staff?

I'm going to put up a Fan's View article on WOAI.com/SpursZONE with your thoughts. So please respond to this thread with a simple, concise answer. Maximum four sentences in length, no profanity, sign your name (or pen name). Serious responses only, please.

Thanks.

:princess

[spur219]

The Spurs need to insert Manu Ginobili back into the starting line-up to have that energy from the start of the game. The Spurs also need to defend the penetration the Sonics were having in game 4 and get back on transition to defend the open jumpers. Finally the Spurs need to execute on the offensive side, they need to move the ball around and find the high percentage shot. Moving the ball around will get the Sonics defense tired, especially their big men.

Nataniel Garza

[Jimcs50]

1. Continue to concentrate on hitting FTs
2. Defend the pick and roll, they need to get better at this to prepare for possible matchup with Phoenix anyway.
3. Take care of the ball. Giving Seattle 20 extra stops(20 TOs) only gives them a better chance to win.
4. Start Manu, play Brown more.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

The Spurs need to get physical with the Sonics. Getting pushed around by Ray Allen, Potapenko, Fortson, Evans and James is simply not acceptable. Put somebody on their ass - even if it means getting Massenburg fouled out quickly.

No stupid turnovers. TOs will happen and are expected when some of the calls go against you, but to give it up as many times as they did in Seattle give the Sonics extra opportunities to score and build momentum.

- Joe Ruiz

[williemoonshine]

Back to basics! Its the "boring", ugly defensive games that got us to this point, Spurs need to dictate the pace and keep Seattle under 90 points.
JDG

[BigVee]

The obvious answers would be, take care of the ball, rebound, move the ball on offense, and make their free throws. However, this applies to every game they play. In the playoffs, they need something extra. They need to play smarter and tougher. Quit flopping, quit the fancy passes, stop looking for bail-outs, and play each defensive possession like their lives depended on their success. And on offense relax and let their ability take over.

[Extra Stout]

The Spurs need to show up and play, and not expect everything to be handed to them.

[rr2418]

Back to basics! Its the "boring", ugly defensive games that got us to this point, Spurs need to dictate the pace and keep Seattle under 90 points.
JDG

This is probably the best advice!! You're right willie, the Spurs need to slow the pace down. Sure, the Spurs can run when they need to, but their play is basically a half court type of game. I also would say that Manu needs to stop trying to make the perfect highlight type pass that led to TO's. As far as getting more physical, knocking their ass down, it's just not going to happen. As far as Duncan dunking more, that's not going to happen. A lot of things that were mentioned here are wishful thinking b/c the team is set in their ways, Pop has set the team in their ways already. Duncan, Manu, Parker, or anybody else, are not going to suddenly change the way they play overnight! Maybe take a look at the first two games, and figure out what worked and what didn't.

[Dre_7]

1. Put Manu back in the starting lineup.
2. MAKE THEIR FREE THROWS!!!!!
3. No silly turnovers!
4. Play hard, don't act like it'll be handed to them on a silver platter. If they play like they want it, they will win!!

(Andrae Martinez)

[LilMissSPURfect]

play SPURS basketball!

scrappy defense! gino and parker must have good offensive games!

[Kori Ellis]

So, I assume everyone who is not signing their name (or pen name) wants me to use their user name?

[Jimcs50]

So, I assume everyone who is not signing their name (or pen name) wants me to use their user name?


Kori, you know my name.

[BigVee]

So, I assume everyone who is not signing their name (or pen name) wants me to use their user name?

Sorry, Verne Chadwick aka BigVee

[Summers]

Calm down, play smart, and don't let the hard fouls mess with your heads. Pass well, rebound often, defend like crazy, and stick with the rotations that work. Start Manu and keep him, Tim, and Tony in the game as long as possible.

Jenifer Summers

[LilMissSPURfect]

Play Spurs Basketball!

Patricia Martinez

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

1. More pick and roll with Manu and either Tim or Horry setting the picks.

2. More motion offense, like the Spurs were running in the fall when they were steamrolling people.

3. Use Parker as an off guard and let Manu play "point."

4. Trap the guard on Seattle's middle pick and roll.

5. Get angry and put anyone who comes in the paint on the floor.

You know who I am :)

[slayermin]

Tony Parker needs to pass the ball out quickly, if the lane is clogged.

Brent Barry needs to be more aggressive with his shot.

To beat Seattle, they might have to resort to the "an eye for eye" philosophy regarding hard fouls.

[texbumTHElife]

Play with the heart of a champion. Play like they have something to prove, because now they do. Play like there is no tomorrow. Play as a team.

[polandprzem]

Play with agressivnes
Do not let them penetrate into the hoop
Limit their bigs in the offensive end
Limit turnovers (take care of the ball)
Start Manu and Rasho give more playing time to Big Dog and Devin Brown let them go off the screens and shoot in from the mid range. Do not penetrate on their frontcourt.
Maybe some baseline pick and rolls?
Better defend the screen rolls
Boards boards boards - Crash the board with everybody in defense
Tell Tim to make more pump fakes, try to force fauls not go brutal with the SEA bigs
(sorry for my English)

Przem

[texbumTHElife]

Just a reminder:

"maximum four sentences in length"

[Jimcs50]

You know who I am :)


Yeah a pussy quitter.

:)

[spurster]

1. Pass the ball intelligently. Stop trying to pass into congestion. Parker and Manu need to kick the ball out more when they get in the lane.

2. Stop the Sonics pick-and-roll. The Spurs need to show hard on the dribbler and rotate more quickly on D.

3. Start Manu and use Devin as the backup swingman.

[pseudofan]

What should the Spurs do? It's simple:

Unless you paid for a seat, you shouldn't be standing around watching the Tim Duncan show! When the infamous 4 down is run, the rest of the Spurs on the floor just stand there and wait to see what Duncan is going to do. That leaves him with no options because nobody is moving trying to get open. Move without the ball and Duncan has a better chance of kicking the ball out when the double or triple team comes, instead of turning it over.

- Lorie P

[Xolotl]

Tim does need to be aggressive to try and force more fouls on the Sonics' big guys. I also think the backcourt needs to do the same thing because the Sonics' frontline is thin

[tsb2000]

I heard on tv the other day during a timeout from the announcers that Pop had told Duncan "[they can't stop you, just play your game]." That goes for the entire team. Seems as though we played a lot of Sonic basketball on Sunday, when they should be playing Spurs basketball. It's time to get back to what got them here.

TSB :)

[CosmicCowboy]

I don't see making any radical personnel changes with the exception of giving Devin Brown some of Barrys minutes if Brents shot is not falling...

so far this series the Spurs have been slow to react and take advantage of what Seattle does give them...Sunday the Sonics concentrated on keeping Tony and Manu from driving the lanes...Ridnour especially (knowing he can't stop Parker off the dribble if he plays him close) backed off of Tony about 5 feet and challenged him to shoot...but instead of shooting Tony stuck to the game plan and kept forcing it in to Tim...this allowed Seattle to keep running their tag teams wearing away on Tim and clog the paint shutting down our backcourt cuts and making entry passes to Tim more difficult...

Parker especially but Manu, Barry, and Beno need to take the open shots when they are offered and the other Spurs need to know it is coming (even early in the shot clock) so they can crash the glass for rebounds...even a miss could result in an easy putback...Spurs need to make Seattle adapt and spread the floor instead of playing right into their defensive scheme...

Sonics big men are making it tough on Tim and hammering him on and off the ball...the refs are letting it go and I don't see this changing...the Evans/James tag team especially has caused problems...Pop might want to try going smaller when that duo is on the floor...Maybe using Tim/Horry in the front court and draw Evans away from the basket with Horry givung Tim more room to operate...

Obviously turnovers were a problem...easier said than done but Spurs just need to take care of the ball...just taking open shots when they are presented to them instead of making the extra pass just for the sake of the pass could help this some...

All in all I am not that worried about Tuesday...the Sonics can't shut down the paint AND the perimeter...Spurs just need to take advantage of whatever they give us...

[phyzik]

1. play agressive basketball, show some emotion out there!

2. Dont be afraid to introduce the sonics to the floor, we are already getting called for touch fouls, might as well make them count.

3. More Manu and less Barry. Barry has proven yet again that he cant seem to get his shot dialed in if it was ever there. Everyone knows he is, at best, a liability on defense.

4. More bigdog and Horry, we need someone out there who can hit from midrange and outside.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

Starting Ginobili will help the Spurs establish an agressive tone earlier in games--the matchups no longer dictate bringing him off the bench. Second, the Spurs need to take advantage of the fact that the refs are allowing very physical post play; Duncan, Nazr, Nesterovic and Horry need to stop penetration rather than trying to draw charges (Massenburg's 6 fouls would come in handy in this respect). Lastly, go back to defending the pick and roll like we did in the first three games--it worked well in games one and two, the Spurs would've won game three comfortably if they'd hit their free throws.

Vaughn Grisham aka bigbendbruisebrother

[mookie2001]

1. guard Luke Ridnour. his only skill is jumpshooting, stop him from making jumpshots

2. do not let a lineup with no Duncan and no Ginobili be on the floor for more than one minute




you can print that

[Experiment2100]

Get their heads out of their asses

On a serious note
Stop forcing the ball, they should let the game come to them. Both games Seattle started off with a quick pace and it looked like the Spurs tried to match that pace the entire game. Let the game evolve into a Spurs' type of game. Game four they forced alot and had too many turnovers, many from bad passes.

Anthony Herrera

[beirmeistr]

Start Ginobili and Rasho.
Play physical basketball---don't treat the Sonics as if they have AIDS.
Play with the passion and intensity that was so evident in the late third qtr and fourth qtr of 2003 playoff game 6 vs the Mavericks.
Beirmeistr

[SpursChampsIII]

This is all based upon Duncan "manning" up for the remaining games in the series (ala game 4): Pop needs to out-coach Nate, Manu needs to start, Bowen needs to sit (Allen is scoring big and Bowen is not scoring--Bruce is worthless right now--doesn't matter if spineless officials are sucking up to Barbie or not).

[MarkyMark]

The Spurs need to want it, the past two games they did not seem like they took the Sonics seriously. They need to get back to their hard-nose defense. I also think pop should consider playing Tony Massenburg to give the Spurs a more physical presence, Mohammed, Rasho, and even Timmy look afraid to commit a tough foul. Massenburg is someone who is not afraid to bang! and... START MANU!!!!!

Mark Bell

[MasterYoda]

balls, they must find. underestimate the sonics, they have.

bounce back, they better, or the biggest tankjob in spurs history, this will be.

[foodie2]

Jump on the Sonics early. At SBC especially, they will be vulnerable to the crowd and the crowd needs to get into it from the beginning.

Penetration is not working. Pass more, intelligent passes and not fancy ones.

Play Rasho more. Play Massenburg to set a tone.

Susan Buentello

[gospursgojas]

Play Spurs basketball: Keep the game under 90 points, make the "other" players on thier team beat you, know that nobody on thier team can stop Tim, Tony, or Manu. And most importantly PLAY WITH EMOTION.

[Jimcs50]

I don't see making any radical personnel changes with the exception of giving Devin Brown some of Barrys minutes if Brents shot is not falling...

so far this series the Spurs have been slow to react and take advantage of what Seattle does give them...Sunday the Sonics concentrated on keeping Tony and Manu from driving the lanes...Ridnour especially (knowing he can't stop Parker off the dribble if he plays him close) backed off of Tony about 5 feet and challenged him to shoot...but instead of shooting Tony stuck to the game plan and kept forcing it in to Tim...this allowed Seattle to keep running their tag teams wearing away on Tim and clog the paint shutting down our backcourt cuts and making entry passes to Tim more difficult...

Parker especially but Manu, Barry, and Beno need to take the open shots when they are offered and the other Spurs need to know it is coming (even early in the shot clock) so they can crash the glass for rebounds...even a miss could result in an easy putback...Spurs need to make Seattle adapt and spread the floor instead of playing right into their defensive scheme...

Sonics big men are making it tough on Tim and hammering him on and off the ball...the refs are letting it go and I don't see this changing...the Evans/James tag team especially has caused problems...Pop might want to try going smaller when that duo is on the floor...Maybe using Tim/Horry in the front court and draw Evans away from the basket with Horry givung Tim more room to operate...

Obviously turnovers were a problem...easier said than done but Spurs just need to take care of the ball...just taking open shots when they are presented to them instead of making the extra pass just for the sake of the pass could help this some...

All in all I am not that worried about Tuesday...the Sonics can't shut down the paint AND the perimeter...Spurs just need to take advantage of whatever they give us...

Hey James Michner, Kori said 4 sentences.

Damn, you can never just be succinct in your stories and points can you?

:)

[CosmicCowboy]

Hey James Michner, Kori said 4 sentences.

Damn, you can never just be succinct in your stories and points can you?

:)

fine bitch...

Take the open perimeter shots that Sonics give you, even if they are early in the shot clock. If you make them they have to honor the threat and man up on the perimeter spreading the floor and opening up the paint. Then kick and slash. Go hard after any sonics bigs in foul trouble.

happy now?

[Jimcs50]

happy now?


Ecstatic

:)

[desflood]

start ginobili, maybe barry can get going again.hard foul luke just like they did tony parker and ginobili in first 2 games. I like antonio daniels, don't hard foul him. give devin more minutes if he is okay.he has a lot heart, noticed he did not drive to the line on one instance,still recuping???. he's a got a great jumper. have pop call me if he needs any more help. haha

[GrandeDavid]

The Spurs need to start Manu Ginobili and jump on the Sonics from the first tip. Let Bowen take Allen one on one with no help. Let the rest of the Sonics beat you. Tony and Manu need to drive the lane hard and early. Odds are the calls will favor the Spurs tomorrow.

[GrandeDavid]

BigVee, I liked your reply.

[Kori Ellis]

Thanks. I'll put together everyone's responses.