Force the Issue

[Zarko]

I have been watching this fine board since the last month of the season and while I have enjoyed the banter of the regulars I have yet to post... until now.

I think 99% of us would agree that despite the Detroit dominance in game 4 in which their top 7 guys were in double figures, the Spurs are a much deeper and adaptable team. Our system allows us not to have a significant drop off if we are forced to go to our bench early as compared to the Pistons.

That being said, why don't we force the issue early with the officiating by setting the psychological and physical tone early by letting one of our expendable players (think Nazr, Rasho, or Massenberg) get into the head of one of the Wallace Brothers. A little shove here, some trash talk, anything to get them out of their comfort zone. I guarantee they will retaliate. No NBA official (save Salvatore) wants to dominate a Finals game with ticky tack calls unless he is forced to. Why not force them to take control of the game by escalating the series to the highest emotional level? The refs will be forced to call a much tighter game to regain control and in that wake most of both teams will be foul ridden. This favors the Spurs dramatically since we are a slash and drive team supported with an all NBA post player.

I really don't think Detroit wants to field a lineup of ronald dupree and elden campbell. Would it not be advantageous to do something outside of the box and use the Pistons strength (their emotions) to their disadvantage?

Push their buttons and make this a mental game. They have had zero composure with officiating and anything to induce more foul calls will give us a better shot of coming home with a 3-2 lead.

What do you think?

[Leetonidas]

Agree 100%

[boutons]

I think putting in a TMass to get up Ben's nose with some vicious blocking out, and some hard fouls (unlucky if more than one is are called flagrant too fast).

But I doubt Pop would ever do this. He plays straight ahead, with no such tactics, esp at this late stage of the Finals.

Basketball is ALWAYS mental, esp when the two teams are so evenly matched.

The Spurs have lost the last two games psychologically.

We'll see after the first 2 or 3 minutes, 6 minutes max, of 1st qtr whether the Spurs
are psychologiclally ready to win, eg, heart, desire, hustle, focus, concentration, all the cliches bandied around.

[Zarko]

But I doubt Pop would ever do this. He plays straight ahead, with no such tactics, esp at this late stage of the Finals.

You are certainly right about this... however, desperate times call for desperate measures.

I would much rather see some hard fouls early than the Spurs continue to shy away from contact after the early whistles are swallowed or don't go their way. When we settle for jumpers on the road, we are mediocre at best.

[boutons]

ALL the Spurs, across the board, have to fix their heads and hearts and everything will be ok.

Punishing, shut-down defense, aggressive but controlled offense, for 96 more minutes, and the Title is ours.

[JamStone]

The Wallace boys aren't really the types to get rattled by other players who shove or talk trash. They get rattled at the officials. When there are tough calls that don't go their way, Rasheed, Ben, Rip, and even Tayshaun and Lindsey allow that to affect their game. I'm pretty sure getting more physical with them wouldn't really bother them. And, I know if Rasho or Nazr tried to talk smack to Rasheed and Ben, Rasheed would just laugh at them.

[Brandon361]

The Wallace boys aren't really the types to get rattled by other players who shove or talk trash. They get rattled at the officials. When there are tough calls that don't go their way, Rasheed, Ben, Rip, and even Tayshaun and Lindsey allow that to affect their game. I'm pretty sure getting more physical with them wouldn't really bother them. And, I know if Rasho or Nazr tried to talk smack to Rasheed and Ben, Rasheed would just laugh at them.

they prolly wont be laughin when they are face first on the ground

[Zarko]

The Wallace boys aren't really the types to get rattled by other players who shove or talk trash. They get rattled at the officials. When there are tough calls that don't go their way, Rasheed, Ben, Rip, and even Tayshaun and Lindsey allow that to affect their game. I'm pretty sure getting more physical with them wouldn't really bother them. And, I know if Rasho or Nazr tried to talk smack to Rasheed and Ben, Rasheed would just laugh at them.

The intent was truly only to make the officials call a tighter game. Nazr or Rasho would simply force the whistle to be blown by escalating the intensity. You are right though, the Wallace boys are not intimidated, but they show time and time again that they can get rattled by the whistle. That is all I was saying. We need to force the refs to call the reach ins and body contact like they were calling in the first two games of the series.

[JamStone]

How do you force the refs to call a tighter game against the Pistons by Rasho, Nazr, and whoever being more physical? Seems to me your idea would only get those Spurs players in foul trouble more quickly.

[midgetonadonkey]

I think pushing the ball and getting the Wallace boys in foul trouble early is more important than sending in a goon. Pop may have to resort to that if the aggression is still in Detroit's favor at about halftime.

[exstatic]

Zarko, that's my thought, too. That, plus use our rotation of bigs to foul Ben. Putting him on the FT line is almost as effective as a fast break after a steal. We have enough bigs to do it and still have effective players for the end of the game. Nothing dirty, just HARD fouls, and don't let him get a shot up.

[NCaliSpurs]

Who knows, they may just let the Spurs play physical as well. In that case, maybe we can force some turnovers and disrupt their rhythm as well.

As far as I am concerned, this is the #1 strategy the Spurs should have in the first minute of the game. FORCE THE ISSUE.

[geerussell]

Zarko, that's my thought, too. That, plus use our rotation of bigs to foul Ben. Putting him on the FT line is almost as effective as a fast break after a steal. We have enough bigs to do it and still have effective players for the end of the game. Nothing dirty, just HARD fouls, and don't let him get a shot up.

Neutralize Ben Wallace's hi-octane offense. That'll get you somewhere in a hurry. Great plan.

:lol

[exstatic]

How is putting Ben on the on the line instead of letting him have a cheap putback a bad thing? I never said a word about high octane offense, you did. He's getting cheapies on putbacks, and he shouldn't. Hack a Ben.

Also, if you're fouling Ben on the rebound, he's not kicking it out to players who CAN score in bunches, his 50% ass is on the FT line.

[geerussell]

There's a reason good teams don't try gimmicks like that: it's a silly idea. Racking up fouls to put the pistons in the penalty is silly. Changing the rotation to get guys in just to hack ben is silly. Changing your lineup to stop a guy who might break 10 points on a good day is silly. Intentional fouling the defensive rebounder? That's laughable.

:fro

[weebo]

Exactly. Why would you want to foul a poor offensive player to set any kind of tone? The problem the spurs encountered was the same problem the pistons had in games 1 and 2. They lacked intensity. In order for the spurs to get a game in detroit, they'll have to superceed detroit's aggression. That being said, I'm hoping game 5 to be a real joy to watch for any basketball fan. Good luck to both teams.