The "supposed" length weakness

[flipspursfan]

I've been talking to lots of people about the playoffs and their initial opinion is that the Spurs will find it hard to beat LA because of our lack of length. Specifically, our tallest players in Tiago Splitter and Tim Duncan are only 6'11" and the rest of our big men are under 6'10" (Blair, Diaw) or negates his height because of that T-Rex wingspan (Bonner). I did some research and I found that the pre-draft measurements for Tim Duncan listed him as 6'11" without shoes, making him a legit 7'0" when playing basketball. Tiago is even taller measuring a quarter inch taller without shoes. Aside from the other bigs, I really don't see why the Spurs are considered a "short" team by many when our tallest bigs have legitimate talent.

Thoughts?

[Mel_13]

Thoughts?


1. http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196157

2. Chipotle

[flipspursfan]

1. http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196157

2. Chipotle

thanks

[Halberto]

Pop has found a way to negate that length by keeping opposing bigs from receiving passes down low. The offensive rebounding is still a problem. It's going to take a team effort to rebound against the lakers (assuming we even play them).

[flipspursfan]

Pop has found a way to negate that length by keeping opposing bigs from receiving passes down low. The offensive rebounding is still a problem. It's going to take a team effort to rebound against the lakers (assuming we even play them).

The offensive rebounding's been week since I can remember and I think that's a part of Pop's gameplan. Good point though considering the passing lanes are being kept closed. Just don't see why most other people understate the Spurs' length, when a team like the Jazz's tallest big is Enes "the future" Kanter.

[024]

it's going to be a problem against a team like the grizzlies. watching the grizzlies play the last two games against the clippers, there's no reason to believe that they will not dominate the spurs on the boards. they swallowed up almost every defensive rebound last night and had a 16-4 offensive rebounding advantage against the clippers.

it's not like the clippers have mediocre rebounders either with a 7 ft athletic jordan, a 20-10 guy in griffin, and a rebounding specialist in reggie evans. this will be a problem for the spurs when they meet the grizzlies and will probably be a bigger problem if they meet the lakers.

[flipspursfan]

it's going to be a problem against a team like the grizzlies. watching the grizzlies play the last two games against the clippers, there's no reason to believe that they will not dominate the spurs on the boards. they swallowed up almost every defensive rebound last night and had a 16-4 offensive rebounding advantage against the clippers.

it's not like the clippers have mediocre rebounders either with a 7 ft athletic jordan, a 20-10 guy in griffin, and a rebounding specialist in reggie evans. this will be a problem for the spurs when they meet the grizzlies and will probably be a bigger problem if they meet the lakers.

Valid concerns, but the way the Spurs played these teams in the reg season. Those teams weren't really able to exploit the frontcourt weakness sans Bynum's fluke 30 rebs.

[Spurs da champs]

it's going to be a problem against a team like the grizzlies. watching the grizzlies play the last two games against the clippers, there's no reason to believe that they will not dominate the spurs on the boards. they swallowed up almost every defensive rebound last night and had a 16-4 offensive rebounding advantage against the clippers.

it's not like the clippers have mediocre rebounders either with a 7 ft athletic jordan, a 20-10 guy in griffin, and a rebounding specialist in reggie evans. this will be a problem for the spurs when they meet the grizzlies and will probably be a bigger problem if they meet the lakers.

Jordan isn't 7'0 and he's a mediocre rebounder but I agree with what you say. It's gonna be very interesting to see how Boris performs against Zbo.

[GSH]

1. Duncan is tall, but he can't get off the floor anymore. I could spend 4-5 paragraphs explaining why that is a problem. But if you don't know, you probably wouldn't understand the explanation. But he doesn't command the automatic double teams when he's on offense, like he used to. And he can't keep younger, athletic bigs off the offensive glass like he used to. Calling him 7", rather than 6'11" doesn't change the results.

2. Blair is short. Look at any replay of last year's playoffs.

3. Bonner is Bonner. Look at any replay of last year's playoffs.

4. Tiago has been a sub for Tim, with limited minutes. Talk to Pop if you don't like it.


It's not a "supposed" weakness. The one place this team is vulnerable is in the middle. The addition of Diaw has really helped - hopefully enough for them to go all the way. Maybe it's not just "length". I suppose if they could add a young Charles Barkley, they could shore up the middle without adding height.

[flipspursfan]

1. Duncan is tall, but he can't get off the floor anymore. I could spend 4-5 paragraphs explaining why that is a problem. But if you don't know, you probably wouldn't understand the explanation. But he doesn't command the automatic double teams when he's on offense, like he used to. And he can't keep younger, athletic bigs off the offensive glass like he used to. Calling him 7", rather than 6'11" doesn't change the results.

2. Blair is short. Look at any replay of last year's playoffs.

3. Bonner is Bonner. Look at any replay of last year's playoffs.

4. Tiago has been a sub for Tim, with limited minutes. Talk to Pop if you don't like it.


It's not a "supposed" weakness. The one place this team is vulnerable is in the middle. The addition of Diaw has really helped - hopefully enough for them to go all the way. Maybe it's not just "length". I suppose if they could add a young Charles Barkley, they could shore up the middle without adding height.

Noted then. Nothing to object here, good input :toast

[acoelho1]

This issue has been overblown in my opinion. There is not any team in the league that can match up with the Lakers in terms of size and ability. The Lakers have size and Kobe but not much else in my opinion. We are clearly the better team. Also, you wouldn't hear people talk so much about size if Diaw or Splitter had started the whole year instead of Blair. The issue is the player and not necessarily the height. If Diaw was the same height as Blair, he would still be the better player. I'm glad Pop made the move and the Spurs are primed for a 5th title run.

[Whisky Dog]

Where the lakers can match up in size they're deficient in lateral mobility. It's why the Spurs destroyed them in two straight games by isolating Bynum in pick and rolls and pulling Gasol away to cover the perimeter big. The key is Parker, if he's going like he is now he'll destroy the lakers or any team's bigs on high pick and rolls. When Parker has it rolling as a playmaker like he did in game 2 it's almost impossible to stop, opponents just have to hope guys miss wide open shots.

The last game against the Lakers the Spurs went to a lot of fronting and taking the height advantage away and making the bigs use quickness and mobility they don't really have to exploit that positioning.

Also, I see the Lakers this year as the 2008 Spurs. Old stars and not deep at all, so if Denver can take a game or two and OKC pushes them to the limit they'll be gassed by the WCF, especially if Kobe is having to go for 38 a night an max minutes just to edge out wins.

[Whisky Dog]

Triple post

[Whisky Dog]

......

[flipspursfan]

Where the lakers can match up in size they're deficient in lateral mobility. It's why the Spurs destroyed them in two straight games by isolating Bynum in pick and rolls and pulling Gasol away to cover the perimeter big. The key is Parker, if he's going like he is now he'll destroy the lakers or any team's bigs on high pick and rolls. When Parker has it rolling as a playmaker like he did in game 2 it's almost impossible to stop, opponents just have to hope guys miss wide open shots.

The last game against the Lakers the Spurs went to a lot of fronting and taking the height advantage away and making the bigs use quickness and mobility they don't really have to exploit that positioning.

Also, I see the Lakers this year as the 2008 Spurs. Old stars and not deep at all, so if Denver can take a game or two and OKC pushes them to the limit they'll be gassed by the WCF, especially if Kobe is having to go for 38 a night an max minutes just to edge out wins.

Solid take. One of the advantages I see for the Spurs is that when they rest Bynum and Pau, who are they sending out to match up any combination Splitter-Blair and Splitter-Bonner. At the very least, our bench bigs can adjust to a match up or be matchup problems themselves.

[Basketball Power]

wait till we play MEM and LAL before you talk about Spurs small big men not being an issue

[LongtimeSpursFan]

wait till we play MEM and LAL before you talk about Spurs small big men not being an issue

I believe we played them seven times during the regular season and our record against them was 6-1.

[SenorSpur]

Of all the Spurs bigs, Bonner scares me most of all - even more so than Blair - and especially against a team like the Jazz - and most certainly against the Grizz. Blair is undersized and struggles against taller opponents, but he plays with some degree of passion and grit. On the other hand, Bonner gets tossed around like a rag doll, cannot hold his position against most opponents and, worse yet, is mentally weak. A terrible combination.

[dylankerouac]

2. Chipotle

I had Freebirds earlier, I actually have half the burrito left along with a chocolate chip cookie. I look forward to hunger.

[rascal]

I believe we played them seven times during the regular season and our record against them was 6-1.

Can't look at those numbers and say that will extend into the playoffs because Memphis was missing Randolph and the Lakers Bryant for most of those games.

[freetiago]

memphis got blown out game 1 of the season with a completely healthy team
they also lost again with him while the spurs were playing 4th game of 5 nights after playing the lakers the day before
kobe lakers lost the worst out of all 3 meetings