Adjustments for Game 5

[roycrikside]

1. Start Manu and Blair. Bring Splitter and Diaw off the bench as the bigs. Mix and match to keep everyone active and engaged and energetic.

2. Only play small if they're small.

3. Play Manu over 30+ minutes. Seriously, what are you saving him for?

4. Pack the paint, make them beat you with jump shots, not dunks.

5. Make quick decisions on offense whether it's driving, passing or shooting. Don't let that defense get set.

6. Do not force passes inside in pick and roll, that's where they get their turnovers.

7. Go to the basket hard. The aggressor is getting the calls.


A couple adjustments worked. Westbrook and Harden didn't do much. We didn't have too many live-ball turnovers. But the interior defense was pretty pathetic and the rotations weren't there. They've got to find a way to free up Ginobili. Taking 5 or 7 shots is not gonna get it done. He has to be around the 13 to 15 range. I have no idea why Pop went small against big Thunder lineup and then switched everything. Made life way too easy on Durant. Spurs have to play a lot tougher and smarter. This finesse approach isn't gonna get it done.

[Mugen]

-Start Manu.

-Blair/Splitter off the bench. Matty back in the locker room.

- More Kawhi and Jack on the court together.

And the home teams have gotten the calls, not the aggressors.

[Horse]

Exactly how will this fix the shitty officiating?

[SA210]

8. Slap the fuck out of Pop

[Spurs21Fan4Ever]

I say keep the starting lineup the same, but if Green misses early and pouts and loses focus, pull him immediately and put in Ginobili. The biggest adjustment should be Bonner never seeing the court again and Blair finally seeing minutes.

[Kidd K]

Only adjustment needed:

Pay off Stern and beg him to tell his refs to call the game down the middle for once.

[Jumi]

8. Slap the fuck out of Pop
this

[ducks]

do not mess with the startes
shorten the roation
green shoots better at home if he is struggle take him out quicker

[Rapper]

1. Start Manu
2 play good defense
3 beached Banner & tigao
4 Neal and Blair deservs more minute

[Duncan2177]

A adjustment would be going over game film. Pop are you reading this.

[SanAntonioSpurs23]

You don't need to mess with the starting line-up IMO.

Green in theory should play better at home.
Ibaka won't go 11/11
Blair first big off bench with Manu
Tiago 4th big/Bonner bench

[SA210]

S-Jax needs to threaten Parker's life.

:rollin

[SenorSpur]

-Start Manu.

-Blair/Splitter off the bench. Matty back in the locker room.

- More Kawhi and Jack on the court together.

And the home teams have gotten the calls, not the aggressors.

^ This

[baseline bum]

I don't touch the starting lineup at all. The only change I make is Bonner out of the rotation, Blair in, and a quick hook for Splitter (in favor of Blair) if Tiago starts playing soft again. You can't shorten the rotation though; the depth is what got the Spurs to within 2 wins of the Finals, and the Spurs best players aren't good enough or young enough to be effective in 40-45 minutes a night like OKC's guys have been. You go with the system that has gotten you this far, and if Ibaka shoots 11-11 again, you lose.

[Capt Bringdown]

Blair had a nice showing today, but his defensive liabilities are catastrophic. Short leash minutes only.

Pace has been mentioned many times. Did the Spurs even have a fast break point tonight?

It's all about the defense. OKC seemed to score on every possession. And we've been coming from behind in 3 out of the 4 games.
Don't know what defensive moves we can make.

[Matty2Cool]

-Start Manu.

-Blair/Splitter off the bench. Matty back in the locker room.

- More Kawhi and Jack on the court together.

And the home teams have gotten the calls, not the aggressors.

i really like kawhi and sjax out there. blair was a huge spark, KD going god mode and some iffy calls got OKC the W.I just have lost all confidence

[SouthTexasRancher]

Tell Green, Bonner and Splitter that Game 5 has been changed to Tuesday Night and it'll be played at the Alamodome. Maybe even tell Pop the same thing as he has been outcoached by Brooks of late. And damn, if Presti isn't as good as or better than, RC when it comes to picking good players. Like others have said play the hell out of Manu, turn Tim and Tony loose and bring DB off the bench the minute Diaw is not helping. Tell Leonard and Neal to let it all hang out and shoot like there is no tomorrow.

What are we now, 10-3 vs. the Thunder in the past 13 games??? We need to get our mojo going Monday. It is pretty much imperative we win game 5. These young guns in Okie town have tons of confidence right now and we are slumped over in our chairs. We need to get back to the ol' when the going gets rough, the tough get going mentality and show 'em who is boss!

[racm]

Only one adjustment is needed: Blair as the third big.

Otherwise it's about Tony and Manu getting their cojones back.

[-21-]

1. Don't agree. The Spurs started off well until the bench came in. Taking Manu out of the 2nd unit doesn't really help. I say keep the starting lineup the same but play Blair instead of Bonner.

2. I think we can play with small with Tim, Kawhi, and Jax as the frontcourt.

3. Yeah, this is why you kept his minutes down all year long - to play well and play heavy minutes in the playoffs.

4. Agree.

5. Agree.

6. Agree, the Thunder defended it well but you can't completely go away from it, pick and roll is our game.

7. Agree. Tony and Manu should lead the charge in attacking the paint.

[AFBlue]

Contest shots, box out, drive to the hoop! These are the simple things that if done during the first 30 minutes of game four would've netted the Spurs a win. These are the things the Spurs MUST do to pull out game five. I'm not worried about anything else...like the play of superstar players.

[UZER]

Leave Bonner in OKC.

Manu needs to be offensive minded and stop trying to pass so much.

Blair needs a few minutes. The threat of him rolling got Manu some wide open layups.

Guys need to set SOLID picks for Parker and he needs to come off their hips and stop going so wide.

Fisher needs to take his daughter the the best doctor which we know is not in OKC.

[SamoanTD]

DONT PLAY BONNER AT ALL adjustments complete

[blizz]

More Blair no more Bonner? Where the f is mills?

[ploto]

And damn, if Presti isn't as good as or better than, RC when it comes to picking good players.

Presti is the one who convinced Pop to draft Parker.

[Legacy]

Leave Bonner in OKC.


Yes please. :bang

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Green starts, but if he fucks up twice in first two minutes pull him and never put him back on. Manu, Jax, Kawhi and Neal can hold down the swing spots.

No Bonner, use Blair instead. Don't over-play him: quick 3 or 4 minute bursts where he goes willd and crazy. Also, encourage him to lay down some hard fouls.

Get the offence moving again! Our success this year came from off-the-ball movement, passing, read and react kinda stuff, so USE IT.

Get back to setting tough screens - in games one and two our picks were nasty, in 3 and 4 it's as if they aren't even there.

[100%duncan]

Don't motherfucking put TP and Manu on Durant in crunch time.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Don't motherfucking put TP and Manu on Durant in crunch time.

Yeah, that was absurd. Two or three plays late i nthe 4th TP was on Durant while Jax and Kawhi were on the court and I was thinking WTF???

[texbumTHElife]

Ginobilli HAS TO start to counter the move of putting Sefolosha on Parker. Pop should have come with this in game four. Westbrook can not defend Manu with Tim and Tony on the court. Blair should start and roll with Diaw/Splitter off the bench.

When it is obvious Durant is in, "I am winning this bitch" mode, DOUBLE THE FUCK OUT OF HIM! he is not a facilitator. He will turn the ball over. It's been proven.

[100%duncan]

Yeah, that was absurd. Two or three plays late i nthe 4th TP was on Durant while Jax and Kawhi were on the court and I was thinking WTF???

That might be the dumbest move of Pop this season. I doubt he'll do it again.

[ViceCity86]

Starters
PG-Parker
SG-Neal
SF-Leonard
PF-Blair
C-Duncan

Bench
PG-Mills
SG/SF-Green/Manu-Keep Ginobili him on the bench to anchor 2nd unit
SF/PF-Green/Jackson
C-Splitter-playing weak-better pick it up

Abandoned Bonner

[DMC]

Adjustment: score more points than them

Do whatever it takes to get there.

[DMC]

Starters
PG-Parker
SG-Neal
SF-Leonard
PF-Blair
C-Duncan

Bench
PG-Mills
SG/SF-Green/Manu-Keep Ginobili him on the bench to anchor 2nd unit
SF/PF-Green/Jackson
C-Splitter-playing weak-better pick it up

Abandoned Bonner
I am guessing you traded Diaw.

[TD 21]

1. Start Ginobili and play him and the entire team with virtually no minute restrictions. I understand no one's going to go the entire way or even play 45, but if it takes 42 minutes out of Parker, 40 out of Duncan or 38 out of Ginobili, so be it. They've spent four years trying to get back here and they may not get back again. Risking going down to buy someone an extra 2-4 minutes because it's "ideal", is insane.

2. Do not play Bonner a meaningful second. Give Green and Splitter brief 1st half looks and see if they've received the message, because obviously they could really use both. Green is too much of a competitor to not respond. Maybe he still hesitates on his shot and shoot it poorly, but I expect him to be at his havoc wreaking best.

3. However, if for some reason neither Green nor Splitter respond, then cut them out of the rotation in the 2nd half, play Blair and go with a nine man rotation.

4. Tactical adjustment/rotation/speech-wise, coaching can only do so much. Ultimately, these guys have to play like their professional lives are on the line. The Thunder obviously don't want to lose, but baring debilitating injury, they'll be regulars here for the next decade. The Spurs, as we know, won't be. So they have to play with we-can't-afford-to-lose-this-game type focus and intensity. Basically, emulate what they did in the 4th quarter of game one.

[itzsoweezee]

SJax needs to start a power forward. He's truly capable of forcing Ibaka out of the lane due to his shooting ability.

Blair, Diaw, and Splitter (in that order) can come off the bench.

[PublicOption]

Easy,

BLAIR!

[Jumi]

More Manu
No Bonner
More Blair
Better Pop

Spurs win!!!

Pop really has been doing a horrible coaching job this series. I'm shaking my head laughing as I type this cuz Pop really is a stubborn bastard. He does some of the same dumb shit over and over again until he's 100% certain it doesn't work! I'm all for pounding the rock, but every now and then a jackhammer goes a long way!!

[Slippy]

Aside from starting Manu, the other adjustment needed to be made is clogging the paint. The best way of doing that is for Splitter and TD to get more burn together.

The ease at which OKC are able to make an interior pass after dribble penetration is killing the Spurs. The resistance offered from the likes of Diaw and Bonner is non-existant. Thunder players are simply jumping over them or lolly-popping a pass for the easy points. Also what happens when the Spurs respect Ibaka and he chooses to drive. It's a scary thought if they continue to depend on their under-sized bigs, guards or the red softy to help out. Splitter with his length and size offers best chance of filling the paint and being a presense.

[Nathan89]

Pop needs to increase the minutes of the best players now and drastically.

-Parker needs to match westbrook minute for minute.
-Manu needs to do basically the same with Harden.
-Time needs 36 minutes.
-Jack and Kawhi need to take up all sf and pf minutes(outside of Diaw)
-Pick one of Blair or Splitter. (Bonner is out)

[ace3g]

2 things:

- Try to force more switches on the PnR with Diaw on Westbrook in the post

- Have Parker get a running start at halfcourt and drive past Sefolosha, instead of waiting for PnR, then either finish the drive or kick out to open man

[therealtruth]

Start SJax. Put him on KD and Kawhi on Westbrook. Bring Manu and Green off the bench. Manu can help Green get back on track on offense.