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06-17-2005, 05:48 PM
Last Updated: Jun 17th, 2005 - 18:01:37
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NBA Finals: Pop Needs to Make Moves
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By Emmett Shaw
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jun 17, 2005, 17:37
Advertisementwhat's this?
SPURS - Detroit
Series tied 2-2
-------------------
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The Spurs have had their reliable pattern of consistent success broken by blowouts at The Palace in Games Three and Four. Up until then, San Antonio had taken care of business all through the NBA Playoffs. Even their back-to-back stumbles in Seattle didn’t constitute a deep slump. A couple of factors here or there went against them in various rare games that they lost, but their play still had a lot of redeeming value in all 18 games they played before venturing here. The Spurs are not used to this kind of setback.
But the Pistons have been up and down – although mostly up – in their tournament run. They realize that some nights they don’t have it, but the next game they can reach back and use an “out pitch” like a great baseball pitcher who gets into the occasional jam. Their record of success doing this helps the Pistons stay calm, then they focus on playing their game when they need to get a win. The Spurs need to do the same, immediately. That said, they don’t absolutely need to win Game Five, but San Antonio must get back to playing well in the next game.
I’m saying San Antonio must get back to playing Spurs basketball, which starts with defense. Home court is still on their side, and it is for a reason. They fought hard through a lot of key injuries in the second half of the season, while Detroit was giving away games they should have won, finishing five games behind the eventual Western Champs. I still maintain that something isn’t quite “right” about the Detroit team that, self-proclaimed, plays “right”. At this point in the series, the Spurs need to “renew their vows” on the defensive end and get better shots on the offensive end.
It reminds me of when the Spurs lost back-to-back at Toronto and Memphis early in the season. Not that the Pistons don’t have those teams outclassed by many a lap, but after those two losses the Spurs responded by locking in, playing their most dominating defense of the year for several weeks. Some changes are required. You can’t convince me that the Spurs didn’t play hard in Game Four’s 31-point debacle. They just played poorly, and might not have as effective a half-court game as the Pistons, given what the teams usually run – at least since Tim Duncan probably just doesn’t have it at as a superstar scorer after playing on his sprained ankles for the last few weeks.
This is a huge and unexpected development. We knew that Detroit would contain Tim one-on-one better than any other team could, but to hold him in the teens for three games in a row is a stunner. I surmise that Coach Popovich was asking Tim, on the bench during garbage time of Game Four, if he was physically okay. A coach looking for some feedback, Pop has to know if his players are hindered or hurting. Duncan, Manu Ginobili – as well as David Robinson back in his playing days – seem the strong, silent types. Not only are Tim’s ankles taped tight, the edema itself is probably hardened to the point that he, in effect, is playing in twin casts on his feet. This means that the Spurs’ offense needs to change a bit. Should the Spurs go small?
I believe they should, at times, but I would look for Pop not to try that. They are already allowing a lot of second-chance points, and stubborn Pop would probably reason it could stay the same, or get even worse, if he goes small. Using the same evidence, I would argue that there’s nothing to lose on the boards. Detroit is the best rebounding team in the league whether the Spurs go big or small, but the potential for San Antonio’s offensive transition getting better, and for taking care of the ball much better, exists. Detroit has blown up on offense – 96 and 102 points in the last two games – by scoring big off 36 total turnovers. So limiting the turnovers is the first step toward shoring up the Spurs’ D.
With a lineup that includes any three of Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry, Devin Brown, and Glenn Robinson, the Spurs could press full-court and jumpstart their defense, and offense – including the running game. There’s no rule that says you can’t push the ball after made baskets, and that San Antonio combo would have to do that to be effective. They would just change up the game, and currently the Spurs look stale with their conventional game. They often can hardly complete a pass, much less get a good shot (37% from the field in Game four). The Spurs’ recovery method, over the last many years, is to turn up the D and to run. But against this Pistons team, it’s really hard to run. That is troubling to the Spurs’ chances at getting back on track.
Also, supposedly San Antonio has as deep a playbook as any team going. It’s time to set up some clean 15 to 18-foot catch-and-shoot jumpshots. Everything doesn’t have to be a layup, a three-pointer, or a post-up shot by Duncan, but that has been what they are looking for this series – and all season. Tim is very much included in the idea of shooting a medium shot. Given the situation, the Spurs need to get him off the block and let him face-up, jab-step, isolate his man, and do whatever is needed to score. Speaking of isolation plays, Glenn can do that on the wing. I’ve seen the Pistons lose plenty of games when players like Big Dog get hot. And certainly the high-low game with Nazr Mohammed and Robert Horry works with Tim getting good position as near the goal as possible.
Pop can’t just tell the guys to get out there and play their game. He needs to adjust the plan, at least to a certain extent. Give Detroit a different look. After LA made some adjustments to the Spurs last season, after the Spurs also took a 2-0 series lead, it was “Check” in Game Five, and “Checkmate” in Game Six. This series has the same look this afternoon. Pop has to do something. Not panic – not at all. Just handle the gears and show that he’s really a great coach, not just a guy with high-percentage systems that usually prevail. If Checkmate comes for Detroit, it kind of vindicates Larry Brown’s Athens loss. He’s showing that a coach really can use an exaggeratedly short rotation and beat a bunch of world-class foreigners. Coach just needed some best-of-sevens, instead of the FIBA format.
One brief, but important fact. Detroit still has to beat the Spurs in San Antonio. I believe the Spurs have some mighty pushes still in themselves, starting either here or back at SBC Center. The guys just have to be upbeat. And that is the nature of San Antonio’s players. Everything can change fast, as we’ve already seen in this series!
Emmett Shaw writes about the San Antonio Spurs for HOOPSWORLD.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA Finals: Pop Needs to Make Moves
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Emmett Shaw
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jun 17, 2005, 17:37
Advertisementwhat's this?
SPURS - Detroit
Series tied 2-2
-------------------
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The Spurs have had their reliable pattern of consistent success broken by blowouts at The Palace in Games Three and Four. Up until then, San Antonio had taken care of business all through the NBA Playoffs. Even their back-to-back stumbles in Seattle didn’t constitute a deep slump. A couple of factors here or there went against them in various rare games that they lost, but their play still had a lot of redeeming value in all 18 games they played before venturing here. The Spurs are not used to this kind of setback.
But the Pistons have been up and down – although mostly up – in their tournament run. They realize that some nights they don’t have it, but the next game they can reach back and use an “out pitch” like a great baseball pitcher who gets into the occasional jam. Their record of success doing this helps the Pistons stay calm, then they focus on playing their game when they need to get a win. The Spurs need to do the same, immediately. That said, they don’t absolutely need to win Game Five, but San Antonio must get back to playing well in the next game.
I’m saying San Antonio must get back to playing Spurs basketball, which starts with defense. Home court is still on their side, and it is for a reason. They fought hard through a lot of key injuries in the second half of the season, while Detroit was giving away games they should have won, finishing five games behind the eventual Western Champs. I still maintain that something isn’t quite “right” about the Detroit team that, self-proclaimed, plays “right”. At this point in the series, the Spurs need to “renew their vows” on the defensive end and get better shots on the offensive end.
It reminds me of when the Spurs lost back-to-back at Toronto and Memphis early in the season. Not that the Pistons don’t have those teams outclassed by many a lap, but after those two losses the Spurs responded by locking in, playing their most dominating defense of the year for several weeks. Some changes are required. You can’t convince me that the Spurs didn’t play hard in Game Four’s 31-point debacle. They just played poorly, and might not have as effective a half-court game as the Pistons, given what the teams usually run – at least since Tim Duncan probably just doesn’t have it at as a superstar scorer after playing on his sprained ankles for the last few weeks.
This is a huge and unexpected development. We knew that Detroit would contain Tim one-on-one better than any other team could, but to hold him in the teens for three games in a row is a stunner. I surmise that Coach Popovich was asking Tim, on the bench during garbage time of Game Four, if he was physically okay. A coach looking for some feedback, Pop has to know if his players are hindered or hurting. Duncan, Manu Ginobili – as well as David Robinson back in his playing days – seem the strong, silent types. Not only are Tim’s ankles taped tight, the edema itself is probably hardened to the point that he, in effect, is playing in twin casts on his feet. This means that the Spurs’ offense needs to change a bit. Should the Spurs go small?
I believe they should, at times, but I would look for Pop not to try that. They are already allowing a lot of second-chance points, and stubborn Pop would probably reason it could stay the same, or get even worse, if he goes small. Using the same evidence, I would argue that there’s nothing to lose on the boards. Detroit is the best rebounding team in the league whether the Spurs go big or small, but the potential for San Antonio’s offensive transition getting better, and for taking care of the ball much better, exists. Detroit has blown up on offense – 96 and 102 points in the last two games – by scoring big off 36 total turnovers. So limiting the turnovers is the first step toward shoring up the Spurs’ D.
With a lineup that includes any three of Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry, Devin Brown, and Glenn Robinson, the Spurs could press full-court and jumpstart their defense, and offense – including the running game. There’s no rule that says you can’t push the ball after made baskets, and that San Antonio combo would have to do that to be effective. They would just change up the game, and currently the Spurs look stale with their conventional game. They often can hardly complete a pass, much less get a good shot (37% from the field in Game four). The Spurs’ recovery method, over the last many years, is to turn up the D and to run. But against this Pistons team, it’s really hard to run. That is troubling to the Spurs’ chances at getting back on track.
Also, supposedly San Antonio has as deep a playbook as any team going. It’s time to set up some clean 15 to 18-foot catch-and-shoot jumpshots. Everything doesn’t have to be a layup, a three-pointer, or a post-up shot by Duncan, but that has been what they are looking for this series – and all season. Tim is very much included in the idea of shooting a medium shot. Given the situation, the Spurs need to get him off the block and let him face-up, jab-step, isolate his man, and do whatever is needed to score. Speaking of isolation plays, Glenn can do that on the wing. I’ve seen the Pistons lose plenty of games when players like Big Dog get hot. And certainly the high-low game with Nazr Mohammed and Robert Horry works with Tim getting good position as near the goal as possible.
Pop can’t just tell the guys to get out there and play their game. He needs to adjust the plan, at least to a certain extent. Give Detroit a different look. After LA made some adjustments to the Spurs last season, after the Spurs also took a 2-0 series lead, it was “Check” in Game Five, and “Checkmate” in Game Six. This series has the same look this afternoon. Pop has to do something. Not panic – not at all. Just handle the gears and show that he’s really a great coach, not just a guy with high-percentage systems that usually prevail. If Checkmate comes for Detroit, it kind of vindicates Larry Brown’s Athens loss. He’s showing that a coach really can use an exaggeratedly short rotation and beat a bunch of world-class foreigners. Coach just needed some best-of-sevens, instead of the FIBA format.
One brief, but important fact. Detroit still has to beat the Spurs in San Antonio. I believe the Spurs have some mighty pushes still in themselves, starting either here or back at SBC Center. The guys just have to be upbeat. And that is the nature of San Antonio’s players. Everything can change fast, as we’ve already seen in this series!
Emmett Shaw writes about the San Antonio Spurs for HOOPSWORLD.com.