Help?

[Blackjack]

So I've noticed how much this team has been looking to double or bring help all year in some pretty innocuous situations and I've been thinking, "Good or bad?"

Anecdotally, I'd say opponents have been shooting as well as they have late in the clock as a direct result of the help -- teams swinging the ball, being patient and making the extra pass that leads to a quality shot -- and rebounding equally as well (the good teams or good offensive rebounding teams) because that help leaves too many players out of position or without their feet under them -- the Spurs have fallen to 12th in defensive rebounding percentage, something they've always been dominant in when contending for titles, and their offensive rebounding percentage has only gone from poor to mediocre (16th).

But the Spurs find themselves being undersized in both the front and backcourt a good amount of time in individual matchups and Duncan's decline makes the help understandable, to a degree -- the help creates pace -- turnovers -- which has been a big reason for the Spurs' early-season success.

Question is, the switching and helping -- at times -- excessively may be the best hope they've got on D with their current personnel (a lack of size and physicality doesn't allow them to play heads-up, man-defense as often as one would like), but is the personnel capable of executing it well enough, long enough -- consistently enough -- to beat the best of the best in a 7-game series?

They've managed getting to 33-6 doing it and as the game wears and the rotation tightens, they seem to get better and better defensively, but it just doesn't feel right. I'm not sure if it's because they're not the most athletic and youthful team on D that makes me question the type of play long-term (you just don't see a team of this composition -- age and athleticism -- go about playing D like this successfully) or what. ... It's just unfamiliar.

Thoughts?

[ajballer4]

It works for some teams, not for others I believe.

Side note: If we could land Mbah A Moute somehow, we would be golden. He is the perfect defender for the 3/4 tweeners we have problems with

[Bartleby]

Seems they are gambling a lot more, playing the passing lanes and going for steals, especially on the perimeter. I think that accounts for at least some of the switching.

[ElNono]

Pop is pulling all sorts of gimmicks this season. Swarming, blitzing, doubling, zone...
I think he's trying to change it up simply because we're not that good to play man to man all game.

[spurs1990]

The Cavaliers have gone 1-20 in their last 21 games.

The Heat have gone 21-1 in their last 22 games.

God watches all.

[spurspokesman]

I think our mentality to a degree is shut down the perimeter with hustle i.e hill neal rj and parker harrasing ball handlers and let the opposing interior players go off night in and out i.e love, bogut, amare, etc because alone they cant beat us. Im on the fence but my gut tells me we have to somehow improve our interior defense if we are to see #5. So far so good though

[Blackjack]

Pop is pulling all sorts of gimmicks this season. Swarming, blitzing, doubling, zone...
I think he's trying to change it up simply because we're not that good to play man to man all game.

Exactly; and I think he's smart to do it -- this team ain't gonna win playing D the way they used to.

It's just with all of the success they're having playing this way -- a way in which seems counterintuitive when a roster isn't all that youthful or athletic in their 8 to 9-man rotation -- you can't help but wonder how much of it is fool's gold . . .

[ElNono]

Exactly; and I think he's smart to do it -- this team ain't gonna win playing D the way they used to.

It's just with all of the success they're having playing this way -- a way in which seems counterintuitive when a roster isn't all that youthful or athletic in their 8 to 9-man rotation -- you can't help but wonder how much of it is fool's gold . . .

I think this is what we're rolling with... I think we'll suffer the most against good executing teams. Hopefully the offense can make up the difference.

[ElNono]

BTW, what I mean is that I don't think you can get picky with the personnel we have.

[Blackjack]

BTW, what I mean is that I don't think you can get picky with the personnel we have.

Yeah, have the same kind of feeling.

If the rest of the league -- the contenders, more specifically -- were what the elite used to be, I'd say with conviction this team just ain't capable of pulling this kind of thing off. But with the way things are ... I just can't rule it out -- and I'm typically a cynical sonbitch. :lol

[Mel_13]

Pop is pulling all sorts of gimmicks this season. Swarming, blitzing, doubling, zone...
I think he's trying to change it up simply because we're not that good to play man to man all game.


Exactly; and I think he's smart to do it -- this team ain't gonna win playing D the way they used to.

It's just with all of the success they're having playing this way -- a way in which seems counterintuitive when a roster isn't all that youthful or athletic in their 8 to 9-man rotation -- you can't help but wonder how much of it is fool's gold . . .


I think this is what we're rolling with... I think we'll suffer the most against good executing teams. Hopefully the offense can make up the difference.

Good points.

Pop's just making lemonade.

[Blackjack]

Good points.

Pop's just making lemonade.

Maybe Bonner's nickname should be 'Chicken Salad' . . .

[DMC]

The Cavaliers have gone 1-20 in their last 21 games.

The Heat have gone 21-1 in their last 22 games.

God watches all.
Karma is a bitch. I wonder if El BJ knows that karma flies directly into the face of faith?

[DMC]

Good points.

Pop's just making lemonade.

Pop should be a shoe in for CotY with the lemonade he's made.

Anyhow, I don't agree with the saying "if life gives you lemons, you make lemonade". Life also has to give you sugar and water. (ok I stole that)

[spurs1990]

Karma is a bitch. I wonder if El BJ knows that karma flies directly into the face of faith?

Lol. Never thought about that.

Well done DMC:toast

[Blackjack]

Karma is a bitch. I wonder if El BJ knows that karma flies directly into the face of faith?

Not sure how you've ascertained my pornstar name or why you're questioning my faith . . .

[FromWayDowntown]

The Cavaliers have gone 1-20 in their last 21 games.

The Heat have gone 21-1 in their last 22 games.

God watches all.

I'd be curious if there's ever been a season with two such diametrically opposed stretches of play.

If there have been, I can't imagine that they ran concurrent to each other.

[ChuckD]

The Cavaliers have gone 1-20 in their last 21 games.

The Heat have gone 21-2 in their last 23 games.

God watches all.
FIFY :smokin

[frodo]

Pop should be a shoe in for CotY with the lemonade he's made.

Anyhow, I don't agree with the saying "if life gives you lemons, you make lemonade". Life also has to give you sugar and water. (ok I stole that)

life also gives u a certificate of citizenship

[DeadlyDynasty]

life also gives u a certificate of citizenship

:lol

[Mel_13]

Maybe Bonner's nickname should be 'Chicken Salad' . . .

:lol

Chicken Salad can be a featured ingredient in a very good sandwich...