Simple solution to the pick & roll...

[Tom_Foolery]

Put them on their butts and get physical.

Right now, when we switch of to their bigs, the guards are shooting with confidence.

When we switch off to the guard, the bigs are getting dunks.

Right now, I say we play their guards very physical, put them on the ground, put some doubt in their heads the next time we rotate to them.

THEN maybe they'll be hesitant to shoot.


Spurs soft interior defense = Sonics guards playing with confidence.

[samikeyp]

The Spurs run the pick and roll all the time, you would think by now their players would have seen it.

[Extra Stout]

They just aren't willing to get physical, and Tim can't bail them out every time or he'll just rack up fouls.

Allen scored some buckets against great defense by Bowen and Duncan. Other shots were easy -- Daniels, Ridnour, Allen all getting to the rim, usually when Parker or Udrih were guarding them.

For a guy who is supposed to be so quick, Parker is remarkably easy to break down off the dribble.

[FromWayDowntown]

I haven't watched any video of the game, but it sure looked like they started with a strategy of hedging any screen/roll that Allen was involved in early, and ended up switching almost every thing at the top in the second half. When the Spurs have played the screen/roll in more traditional ways, the Spurs bigs have been too slow to step out on shooters and have given up way too many in-between runners and jumpers, which is right in the Sonics wheelhouse. The commitment to switching the screen/roll in the later stages seemed to help and the Sonics finally started to miss a few of the shots that they got, which helped. It's not great, but it's better than it has been. The Sonics aren't a one trick pony, but if you can neutralize their pick and roll game, you've gone a long way to stopping their offense. The Spurs need to keep working to deny good looks in the pick and roll game and they'll be successful. Easier said than done.

[Kori Ellis]

Allen scored 15 of his 19 points in the second quarter. He got nothing in the first, a free throw in the third, and three in the fourth.

I'm not sure exactly what was wrong in the second quarter, or maybe Ray just got hot. But in the second, I did see Bowen give up on him a couple times because he had two fouls and didn't want to get his third. Unfortunately the guy who was helping was Tim and he had two fouls as well and just Ole'd him to the basket. I thought this was an error by Pop for having both Duncan and Bowen in at the same time in the middle of the 2nd with two fouls each.

I'll re-watch the tape and see what else happened exactly.

[T Park]

unfortunately Kori, I think putting Ginobili on him wouldve been a mistake, and also Devin Brown is about a mile away from being competitive.

[Kori Ellis]

unfortunately Kori, I think putting Ginobili on him wouldve been a mistake, and also Devin Brown is about a mile away from being competitive.

I agree. I'm just trying to figure out what Bowen was doing so wrong in the second quarter compared to the other three quarters ... I know he was playing a little less aggressive because of the fouls, but I was trying to see what else.

[T Park]

well, Forston and Collison were setting great picks, and Duncan wasnt coming out to defend Allen like he was in the 3rd and 4 th quarters.


Thats another part.

ALso rotations were pathetic.



They still have to freaking address Duncan just letting people go by and not trying to block shots.

Antonio is still getting too many good looks. That HAS to stop in game 6 to win.

[Kori Ellis]

They still have to freaking address Duncan just letting people go by and not trying to block shots.

Well in the second quarter he wasn't playing D at all -- because of the two fouls. That's why I'm saying that both he and Bowen in the game with two fouls was a bad thing.

[T Park]

My defense to that is.

Who the fuck you gonna bring in lmao....


Rasho I think is gonzo, hes practically gone, the guy is getting zero burn, hes not producing anymore, its practically written on the wall.

I think Barry and Nesterovic are gone this offseason.

[Kori Ellis]

My defense to that is.

Who the fuck you gonna bring in lmao....

I'm guessing that they could have played Nazr and Horry in together for a few more minutes.

[T Park]

Nazr couldve used more minutes I agree....

only 20 some odd minutes tonight.

He oughtta play about 35 thursday.