duncan228
10-17-2010, 08:36 PM
San Antonio Spurs looking to rebound in more ways than one (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/)
by Jesse Blanchard
48 Minutes of Hell
On the rare night this preseason in which the San Antonio Spurs newest starting center was not among the team’s leading scorers, DeJuan Blair’s impact was still felt in last night’s 108-85 victory over Caja Caja Laboral (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/10/16/preseason-san-antonio-spurs-caja-laboral/#more-10210), leading the way to the Spurs 18 rebound advantage.
For the Spanish League team making it’s way through the NBA, Tim Duncan (10 points, 11 rebounds) might have been expected, and Matt Bonner (15 points) no different than most big men they see overseas, but the (generously listed) 6-7 rebounding machine known as DeJuan Blair certainly breaks most molds basketball coaches could hope to prepare for.
And so far this preseason Blair is certainly breaking the Spurs mold, as explained by The Point Forward’s Zach Lowe (http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2010/10/13/key-questions-for-the-five-title-contenders/#):
The Spurs have won the same way for a decade: with low-risk basketball. On offense, they want one good shot. That means no turnovers and (mostly) no crashing the offensive glass for fear of giving up a transition bucket on the other end. On defense, they want to force you into taking one bad shot. They don’t gamble for steals, and they don’t give you second chances.
The Spurs stretched that model to its breaking point two years ago, when they ranked last in offensive rebounding, drawing fouls on offense and forcing turnovers on defense. They topped the league in the opposite categories — defensive rebounding, protecting the ball and avoiding fouls. It was low-risk hoops, as if implemented by a computer system.
Keep Reading... (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/)
by Jesse Blanchard
48 Minutes of Hell
On the rare night this preseason in which the San Antonio Spurs newest starting center was not among the team’s leading scorers, DeJuan Blair’s impact was still felt in last night’s 108-85 victory over Caja Caja Laboral (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/10/16/preseason-san-antonio-spurs-caja-laboral/#more-10210), leading the way to the Spurs 18 rebound advantage.
For the Spanish League team making it’s way through the NBA, Tim Duncan (10 points, 11 rebounds) might have been expected, and Matt Bonner (15 points) no different than most big men they see overseas, but the (generously listed) 6-7 rebounding machine known as DeJuan Blair certainly breaks most molds basketball coaches could hope to prepare for.
And so far this preseason Blair is certainly breaking the Spurs mold, as explained by The Point Forward’s Zach Lowe (http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2010/10/13/key-questions-for-the-five-title-contenders/#):
The Spurs have won the same way for a decade: with low-risk basketball. On offense, they want one good shot. That means no turnovers and (mostly) no crashing the offensive glass for fear of giving up a transition bucket on the other end. On defense, they want to force you into taking one bad shot. They don’t gamble for steals, and they don’t give you second chances.
The Spurs stretched that model to its breaking point two years ago, when they ranked last in offensive rebounding, drawing fouls on offense and forcing turnovers on defense. They topped the league in the opposite categories — defensive rebounding, protecting the ball and avoiding fouls. It was low-risk hoops, as if implemented by a computer system.
Keep Reading... (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/)