The Spurs keys to the title..

[HarlemHeat37]

What are your top 3 keys for the Spurs to win the title, this year?..

Ignore health, that's obvious and important to every team..

1. Bonner and Blair..

Unfortunately, this team's playoff life will be dictated by Blair and Bonner, whether it's their production, or their amount of playing time..

2. 3-point shooting..

This team is less reliant on 3s than the last few years of Spurs basketball, but 3-point shooting is an essential tool for Spurs victories..typically, the best players on the team create shooting opportunities for their role players..on this team, spacing creates playmaking opportunities for the big 3..

3. Tim Duncan..

We already know what we're going to get from Parker, and Ginobili is starting to get in a rhythm(excluding tonight's game)..we know what the shooters do for the Spurs, we know what the other role players will provide..what will Duncan give us, in the form of post scoring, during the playoffs?..

[100%duncan]

Defense. Manu. Bonner and Blair.

[crc21209]

1. Splitter and Diaw's minutes > Blair and Bonner's minutes

2. Ball movement. Ball movement that leads to 3 point shooting specifically.

3. Can TP continue to carry the Spurs in the Playoffs?

[ElNono]

Defense. Defense. Rotations.

Still not sure how Pop is going to go with the rotations for the playoffs. A regular 8 man rotation would include: Tony, Manu, Tim, Bonner, Blair, Jack, Green, Neal

Will Pop use 10 guys? Is there any room for Leonard, Tiago, Diaw?

I think this is the next thing to figure out

[HarlemHeat37]

I agree, rotations are a huge concern..

It's a good problem to have during the regular season, but it should cause some confusion in the post-season..

Leonard and Splitter are the 4th and 5th best players on the team, they both need to play 20+ minutes per game, in the playoffs IMO..

[MaNu4Tres]

I agree, rotations are a huge concern..

It's a good problem to have during the regular season, but it should cause some confusion in the post-season..

Leonard and Splitter are the 4th and 5th best players on the team, they both need to play 20+ minutes per game, in the playoffs IMO..

Not only that but I think the team needs a few wrinkles to get Splitter more involved by giving him touches on the block. The guy is so damn efficient down there and on top of that, he's a great passer that can see the court really well.

How Pop has not tapped into this other dimension in 2 years is mind boggling and maddening.

[therealtruth]

TP still hasn't shown me he can adjust when the other teams decide to clog the paint to prevent his penetration. Phil Jackson used it in '04 and the Grizzlies did the same thing last year. Hopefully we don't run into a team that uses that strategy.

[therealtruth]

Not only that but I think the team needs a few wrinkles to get Splitter more involved by giving him touches on the block. The guy is so damn efficient down there and on top of that, he's a great passer that can see the court really well.

How Pop has not tapped into this other dimension in 2 years is mind boggling and maddening.

I would run several Tiago pick and rolls over the course of a game. It's really tough for the other team to stop. And if they focus on stopping it that will open it up for the shooters.

[flox]

Don't let Amuseddaysleeper start gameday threads...

[NASpurs]

Going 8 deep in the playoffs was great when you could play Tim and Manu in their prime for 38 minutes but those days are long and gone. Yeah I know there's something to be said about the rest days in between in the playoffs but there's a fine line in riding your horses for so long yet avoiding the talent that you have when those work horses aren't firing. They're too late in their careers to ride 'em like he did in 2007.

[jestersmash]

Despite a relatively efficient scoring night (4-6 for 8 points and 6 rebounds in 14 min.), Splitter made a potentially costly error late in tonight's game when he went for a (failed) steal on K.G., resulting in an easy layup.

Expect Pop to detract from Splitter's already anemic playing time going forward :lol

What a shame. I thought Splitter's defense around the rim was otherwise fundamentally sound, even when his man scored on him.

[jestersmash]

Going 8 deep in the playoffs was great when you could play Tim and Manu in their prime for 38 minutes but those days are long and gone. Yeah I know there's something to be said about the rest days in between in the playoffs but there's a fine line in riding your horses for so long yet avoiding the talent that you have when those work horses aren't firing. They're too late in their careers to ride 'em like he did in 2007.

I'd like to see statistics on Manu's jump shot (3 point shot, especially) when he attempts them late in game after having played at least 30-35 minutes prior.

Is it even worth playing Manu 35+ minutes per game in the playoffs if he doesn't have the legs underneath him to properly explode to the rim or bury a 3 point shot? Granted, I haven't seen the statistics on his FG% efficiency late in game after playing "heavy" (for him) minutes, but my "eyeball" test tells me he throws up an awful lot of shot attempts (mostly 3s) that are just short of the rim if he plays really heavy minutes.

[T Park]

Defense and 3 point shooting. Same as how the first four were won.

[Hoops Czar]

What are your top 3 keys for the Spurs to win the title, this year?..

Ignore health, that's obvious and important to every team..

1. Bonner and Blair..

Unfortunately, this team's playoff life will be dictated by Blair and Bonner, whether it's their production, or their amount of playing time..

2. 3-point shooting..

This team is less reliant on 3s than the last few years of Spurs basketball, but 3-point shooting is an essential tool for Spurs victories..typically, the best players on the team create shooting opportunities for their role players..on this team, spacing creates playmaking opportunities for the big 3..

3. Tim Duncan..

We already know what we're going to get from Parker, and Ginobili is starting to get in a rhythm(excluding tonight's game)..we know what the shooters do for the Spurs, we know what the other role players will provide..what will Duncan give us, in the form of post scoring, during the playoffs?..

And 4th would be avoid the Heat, right?:lol

[nbaman99]

What are your top 3 keys for the Spurs to win the title, this year?..

Ignore health, that's obvious and important to every team..

1. Bonner and Blair..

Unfortunately, this team's playoff life will be dictated by Blair and Bonner, whether it's their production, or their amount of playing time..

2. 3-point shooting..

This team is less reliant on 3s than the last few years of Spurs basketball, but 3-point shooting is an essential tool for Spurs victories..typically, the best players on the team create shooting opportunities for their role players..on this team, spacing creates playmaking opportunities for the big 3..

3. Tim Duncan..

We already know what we're going to get from Parker, and Ginobili is starting to get in a rhythm(excluding tonight's game)..we know what the shooters do for the Spurs, we know what the other role players will provide..what will Duncan give us, in the form of post scoring, during the playoffs?..

if there is anyone in this team i'm not worried about producing when needed, specially in playoffs and when it cont, its Timothy Theodore Duncan

[Hoops Czar]

Defense and 3 point shooting. Same as how the first four were won.

The Spurs better find other means of scoring other than the three-ball. Credit Boston's defense tonight, but the Spurs were settling in the second half and it almost cost them the game. I'm beginning to think S-jax would be better served driving the lane rather than shooting bricks from downtown.

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

1. Defensive improvement. Vital. Yes, the old standards are impossible to reach with the current roster, but the D must improve (a lot) if the Spurs want a long playoff run. All the aspects of defending should reach higher levels: one-on-one, switchs, help, defensive rebounding, defensive transitions, energy, mental toughness, etc.. Otherwise, it will be a very short post-season.

2. The thin balance between rotation and players actually capable of producing in those minutes. Yes, the Spurs are deep, but I highly doubt that come playoffs time they will use all 12 players unless it's a blowout. So in these last games Pop surely will be taking notes on how players react from 20 minutes, to DNP-Coach decision- , to limited minutes. Can Diaw produce from the bench playing 10 minutes one given night and 26 the next? Could those in the bench be ready to contribute with less minutes in a matchup than the series before?

3. The realization that the wheels are really starting to fall off. TD, Manu, even Jack, how many more playoff runs do they have left in them? Two, maybe three? If they want another ring, they need to give whatever's left in the tank, raising their game, playing with that fire inside. They must lead the younger players and forcing them (by example) to improve and play as a team too.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Not only that but I think the team needs a few wrinkles to get Splitter more involved by giving him touches on the block. The guy is so damn efficient down there and on top of that, he's a great passer that can see the court really well.

How Pop has not tapped into this other dimension in 2 years is mind boggling and maddening.

Dont know if you are stating that Splitter is a good low post player but that would be incorrect. Splitter is great around the basket. Ideally when defense is moving/shuffling and assignments are not that clear. This type of situation he is gold because of his footwork, passing skills and overall headiness. However, Splitter with his back to the basket and big on him is disastrous. I don't which player is worse Blair or Splitter when in this situation. At least Blair has the ability to shoot from about 10 feet. If Splitter is anywhere beyond 8 feet he resorts to his hook shot and that is just not a good shot for him.

[TheSkeptic]

Dont know if you are stating that Splitter is a good low post player but that would be incorrect. Splitter is great around the basket. Ideally when defense is moving/shuffling and assignments are not that clear. This type of situation he is gold because of his footwork, passing skills and overall headiness. However, Splitter with his back to the basket and big on him is disastrous. I don't which player is worse Blair or Splitter when in this situation. At least Blair has the ability to shoot from about 10 feet. If Splitter is anywhere beyond 8 feet he resorts to his hook shot and that is just not a good shot for him.

Manu4Tres is right.

I think it was JAG who had the numbers but Splitter was shooting something like 42% from the post this season.
Marc Gasol was only better by about 3%.

Granted, that's not as good as the scintillating percentage he gets off the pick and roll but you're wrong to say that it's a toss up between him and Blair.

Statistically he's probably been the best post-up player on our team this season. Once he gets his reps in I'm pretty confident that he'll start doing even better.

[DMC]

3 Keys to the Title

1. To crush their enemies
2. See their enemies driven before them
3. Hear the lamentation of their women

[G-Dawgg]

3 Keys to the Title

1. To crush their enemies
2. See their enemies driven before them
3. Hear the lamentation of their women

Ok take it easy there Conan....

[lrrr]

1. 3pt shooting. particularly clutch 3pt shooting.
Was always important for championship spurs teams. When they didn't fall, they lost (eg. 2002, 2004). Do they Spurs have enough big time 3Pt shooters? I think so, Neal, Manu, SJax. If teams clog the lane to try neutralise TP and Manu (which is a guarantee), the Spurs need to counter by hitting the 3 - but not falling in love with it like tonight...

2. Defense

3. Rebounding
The Spurs controlled the boards against the Celtics, and that was one reason they were not blown out. Gotta give props to Bonner, he has been rebounding well as of late. Hopefully he can keep that up so even if he is not hitting 3's he is not a total waste of court space. I love how the team now has so many rebounders at different positions, SJax, Leonard, Tiago, it's no longer just up to TD (who is boarding really well lately).

[TE]

1. Defense

2. Slightly tweaking the current rotation (making Bonner a situational player rather than the second coming of Robert Horry, pulling the plug on Blair when he just downright is the weak link on a given night, playing Tiago Splitter more with any of the bigs, playing Diaw a helluva lot more).

3. Solidifying the aforementioned tweaked rotation which would allow the team to play with more consistent fluidity on both ends of the floor.

[siraulo23]

healthy parker

healthy duncan

healthy manu

[TDMVPDPOY]

the key is pop rotations and limiting the wankers who dont contribute siht but still gettin minutes ahead of guys whose waiting for their turn...

[DAF86]

1- Playing tough (Attack the basket with decision, box-out, don't hesitate when taking a jumper, take care of the ball, don't be a chicken)
2- Pop's rotation (I would love to see Diaw as a starter but I'm starting to fear that won't happen)
3- Matchups (we should really go for number one, having to face only one of either Thunder or Lakers would be huge).

[Cow Eye]

I'd really like to see Diaw and Splitter more than Bonner and Blair. I know that Bonner is for spreading the floor, but that only really works when he's nailing his 3s, and he, for whatever reason, seems to really come up flat in the playoffs.

I'm hoping that Manu really starts to hit his stride by the time the playoffs roll around, as it still doesn't seem like he's returned to his full game-form since he was out. Him and Splitter off the bench could be a deadly combination.

Our depth this year is our greatest weapon.

[emanueldavidginobili]

A time machine :lol

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I'm just worried at too much Bonner/Blair, Pop still not having a clue what his playoff rotation will be (the current rotation is screaming for a first round exit) and what the hell the Spurs will do when they face a strong defensive team.

[manufan10]

1. Defense. If they have clean defensive rotations, and play solid defense, then they have a good chance of winning a championship.

2. Ball movement. When the Spurs struggle on offense, it is usually due to a lack of ball movement. That extra pass is usually key in getting better shots, and when the ball is moving crisply, the Spurs are extremely hard to beat.

3. Dictating tempo. If the Spurs can dictate the tempo, and play their style of game, then the Spurs will be successful during the playoffs.

[FvckMavs]

1. health
2. defense
3. luck

[DBMethos]

I'm just worried at too much Bonner/Blair, Pop still not having a clue what his playoff rotation will be (the current rotation is screaming for a first round exit) and what the hell the Spurs will do when they face a strong defensive team.

Fortunately there don't seem to be any strong defensive teams in the West this year. If the Spurs do manage to make it all the way to the Finals, hopefully they'll have figured things out a bit better by then.

[Mal]

1. defense
2. consistency

[emanueldavidginobili]

Just a couple of the top of my head...rebounding, toughness, consistency throughout the game, cant afford to take a quarter off.

[timtonymanurich]

1) DEFENSE

2) Take smart, calculated shots. (I HATE rushed, poor shot selection)

3) Pop, Timmay, TParks, Manu

[sehui]

1. Health
2. shooting
3. ball security

[DeadlyDynasty]

Avoid the Lakers

[TheCerebral1]

1. Splitter and Diaw's minutes > Blair and Bonner's minutes

2. Ball movement. Ball movement that leads to 3 point shooting specifically.

3. Can TP continue to carry the Spurs in the Playoffs?

That's very true. Hitting open shots would be nice. Cough "Celts game".

[Horse]

What are your top 3 keys for the Spurs to win the title, this year?..

Ignore health, that's obvious and important to every team..

1. Bonner and Blair..

Unfortunately, this team's playoff life will be dictated by Blair and Bonner, whether it's their production, or their amount of playing time..

2. 3-point shooting..

This team is less reliant on 3s than the last few years of Spurs basketball, but 3-point shooting is an essential tool for Spurs victories..typically, the best players on the team create shooting opportunities for their role players..on this team, spacing creates playmaking opportunities for the big 3..

3. Tim Duncan..

We already know what we're going to get from Parker, and Ginobili is starting to get in a rhythm(excluding tonight's game)..we know what the shooters do for the Spurs, we know what the other role players will provide..what will Duncan give us, in the form of post scoring, during the playoffs?..
Besides maybe last season Timmy get better in the playoffs so I like our chances.

[Horse]

Fortunately there don't seem to be any strong defensive teams in the West this year. If the Spurs do manage to make it all the way to the Finals, hopefully they'll have figured things out a bit better by then.
We were beating the piss out of them the first half then the zebras decided they wanted a close game. I am not worried.

[Old School 44]

1. Health
2. Splitter/Diaw minutes greater than Bonner/Blair minutes.
If Bonner misses 2/3 open three pointers, bench him for the game.
Blair's just a token starter, continue letting him start, but limit his minutes.
3. Limit Neal's time at the point. Gary's clutch, but when running the point, his "chucking" becomes more pronounced. He sometimes kills the motion offense. Also, with the defensive intensity picking up in the playoffs, his TOs will go way up if he continues at this position.

[romain.star]

1. Great defense from EVERYONE
2. The Big 3 at full force
3. Splitter and Diaw taking over in the paint
4. 3s falling

[disciple]

Other than the obvious which is
Defense.

PET. PEK. PEN.

[mudyez]

I agree with most said...

not including Health...

1. Defense:...wins championships and that still true. This team doesnt look like the defensive Juggernaught of old times, but they seem to have that defensive switch! Use it!

2. Ballmovement: Most of the time this team plays the right way, playing the extra pass, finding the best options. The big 3 will deliver and the shooters will hit! Thats for sure. The offense just stalls from time to time when guys like Blair or Neal are forcing shots or Parker/Manu are rushing it. Stay focused and keep the ball touching a lot of hands!

3. Matchups: After all we need to beat the best to be the best...but a possible Grizzlies->Lakers->Thunder->Heat road might simply be to much and it would be great to meet only about two of these teams (no offense to teams like the Mavs or Clipps, but if we loose to them, we wouldnt go all the way anyway).

[Chewbacca]

1. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh!

2. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh!

3. Aaaaaaaarrrgh!

[therealtruth]

The key is if Pop can end the Bonner/Blair experiment.

[Sybok]

1. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh!

2. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh!

3. Aaaaaaaarrrgh!

Yeah... I'm going to go ahead and disagree with number two. Though it might be doable technically, it doesn't need to happen in order to win.

Keep it real

Sy

[mudyez]

The key is if Pop can end the Bonner/Blair experiment.

Always felt like there need to be at least 2 hated players on our team and since RJ is gone, we all know who they are.

Are Bonner and Blair perfect players? NO, of course not!
Are they servicable roleplayers on reasenable contracts? Absolutely.

Sure Splitter should get more time, but as much as I know he counts as injury prone, so why not limit his minutes?

I'd think, in the PO's we are playing Blair/Bonner/Diaw for like 3 quarters and that should work very well...then the last 12 minutes Splitter+Timmy will get the playing time with Leonard and Jax filling in for smaller lineups (hopefully at the same time as TP, Manu, Jax, Leo, Timmy may be our best lineup).

[TD 21]

1. Pop's rotation. I don't mind it now, but come playoff time, the mad scientist routine has got to stop. Obviously, some of it has to be dictated by match-ups and level of play, but there's also got to be a semblance of continuity. Forget championship, I can't remember seeing a team even going far by treating their rotation like it's an All-Star game.

2. Mental toughness. As witnessed in the Heat, Bulls and Celtics games, when a tough, physical defense get's into the Spurs' jerseys, they crumble. They lack direction and purpose offensively. Come playoff time, letting a team know that physical play bothers you is a death knell. Somehow, someway, they've got to remain poised when this happens.

3. 3-point shooting. For as much as this team is less reliant on it than last season, it's still a big part of their formula for success. And as nice as it is to say "to win championships, you need to win ugly", this team is not built to win consistently that way. Yesterday, they didn't win because they played phenomenal defense (they allowed their customary 45% shooting), they won because the Celtics labor to score and because they bludgeoned them on the glass. So generally, they'll need to shoot at least fairly well from deep to win.

[Seventyniner]

If you're not putting health #1 by a wide margin, you must be a new Spurs fan.

After that, defense is a clear #2. I think that goes hand-in-hand with a rotation change (more minutes for Splitter, fewer for Blair, perhaps fewer for Neal).

I'll put luck at #3. Basically, I agree with Fvck Mavs.

[Russ]

Ability to play half-court basketball. On both ends of the floor.

Against teams with legit bigs (if necessary).

If they can't do that, not much else matters.

[therealtruth]

2. Mental toughness. As witnessed in the Heat, Bulls and Celtics games, when a tough, physical defense get's into the Spurs' jerseys, they crumble. They lack direction and purpose offensively. Come playoff time, letting a team know that physical play bothers you is a death knell. Somehow, someway, they've got to remain poised when this happens.

Good defenses know the best way to stop a soft jump shooting team is by being physical with them and messing with their rhythm.