Game 7: What The Spurs Must Do

[Kori Ellis]

Game 7: What The Spurs Must Do
By LJ Ellis
SpursZONE.com

http://www.woai.com/spurs/story.aspx?content_id=8E391AFA-1711-4EE7-9CBF-DD838E476032

Okay, Spurs fans. This is it. Game 7 of the NBA Finals is what we’ve all been waiting for. One way or another, the season is over after tonight. For all of us in San Antonio, we hope the good guys prevail. For the Spurs to do so, here are the top ten keys to the game.

10) The Spurs must force the Pistons into more turnovers.
The Spurs, although a great defensive unit, aren’t known as a team that generates a lot of turnovers. The Spurs were 17th in the league in steals and 11th in the league in forcing turnovers. A problem in the Finals is the Spurs aren’t interrupting the Piston’s offense at all. In the Pistons’ last two wins, they’ve had eight turnovers total. Forcing some turnovers would help the Spurs produce some easy baskets for themselves and limit the Detroit’s offensive opportunities.

9) The Spurs must limit turnovers of their own.
The Pistons are forcing the Spurs to turn the ball over 15.3 times per game in this series. That is the highest mark of any round of the playoffs this year for San Antonio. With the Pistons averaging only 11.7 turnovers in the series, the difference is part of the reason why the Pistons are shooting over ten shots more per game than the Spurs.

8) The Spurs must play superb transition defense.
Coming into the championship round, everyone was hailing the Spurs as the team capable of getting out and scoring easy buckets on the break. Surprisingly enough, it has been the Pistons who have dominated in this area. Going into Game 7, the Pistons have scored 35 more fast break points than the Spurs. In every game other than Game 2, Detroit has had more points on the break.

7) The Spurs must stop the Pistons from hitting three-pointers.
The Pistons hit eight three-pointers in Game 6. In the previous five games, Detroit had connected on eight shots from downtown. That explosion from beyond the arc can’t continue for the Pistons if the Spurs hope to hoist the trophy. The Pistons aren’t a prolific three-point shooting team to begin with and considering that the Spurs are the league’s best team at curbing three-point attempts, the Spurs have no excuse to be giving up wide open looks from deep.

6) The Spurs must win the rebounding battle.
The team with the most rebounds has gone 4-2. Late in Game 6, the Pistons had many offensive rebounds that kept offensive possessions alive. The Spurs can’t let that happen. They must clean up on the defensive boards and force the Pistons to only one shot per possession. This key will be especially vital late in the game.

5) The Spurs must get to the free throw line.
In Game 7, the nerves will be tight and these two tough defensive units will be locking down. Getting to the free throw line could provide some easy points for the Spurs. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker getting some freebies at the charity stripe would slow the game down and help the Spurs settle in defensively.

4) The Spurs must have crisp ball movement.
When the Spurs have struggled in this series, a main culprit as been a lack of ball movement. While offensively they’ll never be the Phoenix Suns, the Spurs can have success against the Pistons by sharing the ball and hitting the open man. San Antonio, who averaged 21.6 assists per game during the regular season, is averaging over 18 assists in games which they have won. The Spurs won’t beat the Pistons if they try to do it one-on-one.

3) The Spurs must have patience.
This was the key for the Spurs in their Game 5 victory. In the fourth quarter and in overtime, San Antonio was patient with each possession. Even if Detroit was making a run or the Spurs found themselves behind, the team never got flustered. San Antonio continued to execute on both ends of the court -- doing exactly what they wanted to do. In Game 6, the Spurs splintered near the end of the contest and tried to win in a hurry instead of taking it one play at a time.

2) The Spurs must feed Tim Duncan early and often.
Tim Duncan’s play in Game 7 will be the focal point of the media’s attention … and rightly so. If Duncan can carry the Spurs on his back and lead this franchise to its third NBA championship, he’ll join a select group of legends who can claim three Finals MVP awards. The Spurs have to get their superstar the ball early, often and consistently.

1) The Spurs must step up their defense.
The team that has shot the higher percentage from the field has won every game of the series. What does this mean? It means the Spurs need to play their best defensive game of the year. They can’t count on their offense dominating the Pistons, so the Spurs must turn to their bread and butter -– defense. It’s what the squad prides itself on. If the Spurs can play solid defense and hold the Pistons shooting percentage down, they’ll win the game and be crowned the 2005 NBA Champions.

[timvp]

Spurs must play Solid D.

If they do, they will win this damn game. No more giving up 95 freakin' points to the Detroit Pistons.

Step it up and shut them down.

[SWC Bonfire]

This guy is sportin' the silver & black:

http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/packer/img/news/jan03/davis122.jpg

JUST WIN, BABY. And emphasize #9.

[atlfan25]

Spurs must play Solid D.

If they do, they will win this damn game. No more giving up 95 freakin' points to the Detroit Pistons.

Step it up and shut them down.
aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh fuckin right:smokin

[sa_butta]

And when they do get to the free throw line please make them every point will count in this game.

[Shelly]

2) The Spurs must feed Tim Duncan early and often.
Tim Duncan’s play in Game 7 will be the focal point of the media’s attention … and rightly so. If Duncan can carry the Spurs on his back and lead this franchise to its third NBA championship, he’ll join a select group of legends who can claim three Finals MVP awards. The Spurs have to get their superstar the ball early, often and consistently.

My Laker lovin' daddy just told me this on the phone. Tim needs to touch the ball...A LOT.

[T Park]

1) The Spurs must step up their defense.
The team that has shot the higher percentage from the field has won every game of the series. What does this mean? It means the Spurs need to play their best defensive game of the year. They can’t count on their offense dominating the Pistons, so the Spurs must turn to their bread and butter -– defense. It’s what the squad prides itself on. If the Spurs can play solid defense and hold the Pistons shooting percentage down, they’ll win the game and be crowned the 2005 NBA Champions.


IMO, they near the end played good D, they gave up offensive boards.


Play Championship D, rebound the ball, get to the basket.

Thats all it takes.


NOW GO DO IT SPURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ginobilly]

It's going to be hard fought game with the pistons leading most of the game. Spurs catch up in the fourth to trail by 2 points with 5.8 seconds left. Manu drives and tries to throw it down on ben Wallace to tie it, Ben blocks him bad, But only to have horry cathing the ball at the 3 point line(ala game 4 2002 WCF) and shoots the desperation 3 to win it at the buzzer by 1!!!! Who wouldn't like that ending to win the championship?

[sa_butta]

It's going to be hard fought game with the pistons leading most of the game. Spurs catch up in the fourth to trail by 2 points with 5.8 seconds left. Manu drives and tries to throw it down on ben Wallace to tie it, Ben blocks him bad, But only to have horry cathing the ball at the 3 point line(ala game 4 2002 WCF) and shoots the desperation 3 to win it at the buzzer by 1!!!! Who wouldn't like that ending to win the championship?Save the heart attack and lets just win by like 10.

[ALVAREZ6]

If the Spurs do everything listed above, they deffinatly will win the game, without a doubt.

[AI-square]

10) The Spurs must force the Pistons into more turnovers.
- It's all about putting more pressure on the Pistons. Maybe Bruce Bowen could contain Hamilton better this time around. And somehow the Spurs have to stop Chauncey Billups from controlling the tempo of the game.

9) The Spurs must limit turnovers of their own.
- Yeah, especially the guards. Duncan is going to be Duncan, so Parker and Manu need to raise their game. The last thing you want is to give Detroit fastbreak points.

8) The Spurs must play superb transition defense.
- Detroit have been doing a great job in regrouping defensively whenever they lose possession of the ball. Tony Parker is key in this area. I think he's one of the better players on the fastbreak, but perhaps all that trying to guard is hurting his offensive game. The Spurs need to rebound well and look for him immediately.

7) The Spurs must stop the Pistons from hitting three-pointers.
- This must have been number 1 priority for Pop during practice. I agree that the Spurs have little hope if Detroit continue to shoot this well from beyond the arc. It wouldn't hurt if the Spurs could make more 3-pointers. But it's important that they use good ball rotation to get better looks from beyond the arc. They can't just throw it up and hope it goes in (Game 6).

6) The Spurs must win the rebounding battle.
- Definitely. Maybe some minutes for Glenn Robinson or Rasho may help in this respect. If Manu can get 10 like in Game 6, that would be great.

5) The Spurs must get to the free throw line.
- Yes, the must get to the free throw line more, but more importantly, they need to make their free throws count. Hopefully Duncan will be better from the line. I think Manu has a key role here too. Manu, if possible, should focus on getting to the foul line and shooting FTs.

4) The Spurs must have crisp ball movement.
- That's how the Spurs won Game 1 and 2. The fatigued Pistons had no answer for the Spurs' ball movement. They need more of that to get around the Pistons' defense. The Spurs going one-on-one is the ideal scenario for the Pistons, and we saw the results in Game 6.

3) The Spurs must have patience.
- That's when you need composure. Manu was trying to force things a little too much in the 4th quarter of Game 6. Although I believe he was just doing his thing and it works out more often than it doesn't. But both he and Parker need to move the ball more and faster. Except to Nazr.

2) The Spurs must feed Tim Duncan early and often.
- Yes. The Spurs offense does revolve around Duncan so he needs to get the ball more. It's Game 7 of the NBA Finals so they need to play the way they're used to, and that is through Duncan.

1) The Spurs must step up their defense.
- Yes. Some Rasho perhaps? Even Glenn Robinson? Personally I'd like to see Bowen on Billups in crunch time.

[duncan_21]

I don't think the spurs have to change a whole lot.

They need to do 2 things.

1. defend better so that there aren't as many mismatches on defense

2. Turn the ball over less then 10 times.

That's it, game over. That means manu can't be forcin the ball in the lane when it's not there, tp can't lose the ball with no one on him, and nazr has to learn to accept a pass instead of fumbling it.

Simple to say, harder to do. And if Timmy's hittin his fts they just have to do number 2.

[Brodels]

Hell, if they do seven of those ten things they should win.

Good take.

[boutons]

I figure better defense (Pistons under 90) and the Spurs shooting a diff +5% FG %age, ie. Spurs 46% and Pistons 41-42%. Spurs should continue to win RBs by 3 or 4, and win in the paint by 4 or 5, more if Duncan has an MVP game.

It would be a fantastic occassion for Nazr to play out of his his, RBs, put backs, defensive aggression/presence.

[Man In Black]

They just need better recognition. Some of those turnovers were due to situations that Detroit pushed at our perimeter players.

If anything, Manu needs to recognize when NAZR is wide-open and his hands are ready. His hands better be ready, I'm tired of watching that cat bumble nice entry feeds. Tony better recognize when it's best to attack and to pull back, when to score and when to move the ball. There have been times when he has overdribbled, Ginobili too, but Manu gives the team more options than TP just on the mere fact that he is better from the FT line and in his J.