Free Throws: Spurs 5-6 Pacers 26-28.

[iManu]

We never should have traded Paul George.

What does this mean for us, exactly? Do we need to go to the bucket more? CAN we go to the bucket more?

If we're not in the bonus at the end of games, we're f-ed.

[TheGreatYacht]

Spurs were 28th or 30th in free throw attempts a game. Stern going out with a bang, IMO

[Mikeanaro]

We never should trade Michael Jordan but we did it, deal with it

[RD2191]

We never should trade Michael Jordan but we did it, deal with it
:lol

[TheGoldStandard]

No foul calls for a jump shooting team. Nobody puts there head down and goes into anyone they pull up and take contested shots

[rascal]

Spurs are a jump shooting team that relies on passing to get an open shot. Should be easy to defend by an aggressive young team that covers the perimeter to stop the easy looks the Spurs like to feast on.

[racm]

:lol soft Euro jumpshooters

[cd021]

Spurs are a jump shooting team that relies on passing to get an open shot. Should be easy to defend by an aggressive young team that covers the perimeter to stop the easy looks the Spurs like to feast on.

Our best player, Parker, has never been great at getting to the line. He is able to beat his defender to the rim and is a creative finisher who is able to maneuver in midair. 4.5 career free throws per 36 minutes. This season he is actually averaging only 3.9 FTA.

Duncan is only averaging 3.4 FTA a game . That 7.3 attempts from our two best players combined their hitting 72% FT,

[racm]

Our best player, Parker, has never been great at getting to the line. He is able to beat his defender to the rim and is a creative finisher who is able to maneuver in midair. 4.5 career free throws per 36 minutes. This season he is actually averaging only 3.9 FTA.

Duncan is only averaging 3.4 FTA a game . That 7.3 attempts from our two best players combined their hitting 72% FT,

They don't draw a lot of fouls because they prefer to get the shot over drawing contact, and don't do cheap stuff like the rip-through.

Plus, isolations are better for drawing fouls because they exploit overzealous defenders.

[PublicOption]

Standard nba bullshit about jump shooting. If you watch the film you will see that goy plentl of calls on jump shots too. This is either setting up indiana for a run or knowing SA had some rrst the league bailing them out.

[KaiRMD1]

So what you're saying is that in order to be the best, you gotta get to the line more? How the fuck is that a skill?

[will_spurs]

No foul calls for a jump shooting team. Nobody puts there head down and goes into anyone they pull up and take contested shots

That's not true at all. The thing is, at some point Parker entered the paint, a Pacers player brought down BOTH arms on Parker's arm... that's a "block" (Ibaka-style). It's clear just from that play that the Spurs weren't going to get any calls last night. Then Watson bumps into Diaw and it's a "foul".

We didn't lose because of the refs, but they were awful nevertheless.

[r0drig0lac]

Spurs are a jump shooting team that relies on passing to get an open shot. Should be easy to defend by an aggressive young team that covers the perimeter to stop the easy looks the Spurs like to feast on.
this ... end of thread

[Bruno]

It's on Manu.

[Ice009]

So what you're saying is that in order to be the best, you gotta get to the line more? How the fuck is that a skill?

Pop used to emphasize getting to the line back in the day. I think it was the 2003 season, especially in road games, he wanted the team to have more free throws than the home team. That was one of the keys to winning. This is insane relying on jumpers to win games and not having anyone that can draw contact and get to the line at all, even on a semi-consistent basis.

[rascal]

Just watch the spurs on offense. They camp most of the team on the 3 point line perimeter just standing around for an open look with ball movement passing. They are challenged athletically(been like that through all the Pop years- reason for the boring tag) with few players who can create their own shot off the dribble when the defense tightens like it is going to in the playoffs. It is the way Pop/RC has built his teams.

[dunkman]

Pop used to emphasize getting to the line back in the day. I think it was the 2003 season, especially in road games, he wanted the team to have more free throws than the home team. That was one of the keys to winning. This is insane relying on jumpers to win games and not having anyone that can draw contact and get to the line at all, even a semi-consistent basis.

The Spurs had a different roster back then. Duncan was capable of drawing contact he was doubled often, most of the time fouling was the only way to stop him. Manu also used to drive a lot too. Those two players are past their primes at this point.

Pop played differently in 2003, it was mostly 4 down, with Duncan operating in the paint commanding double teams, Robinson in the high post, Manu and Parker as slashers and Bowen in the corner, with many other jump shooters (Jack, Kerr, Smith, etc).

The Spurs now rotate a lot, usually start with a pick in the high post, then move the ball patiently searching for the open guy. Manu can't drive a lot without risking injuries, Duncan players further from the basket on offense, only Parker improved since then. Kawhi showed in the finals he's capable of driving, not sure why he doesn't do that more often.

Pop probably thinks that's not that efficient. The Spurs made the WCF and the finals the last two seasons, it seems he knows what he's doing.

[Russ]

The Pacers played their starters big minutes and the Spurs did not.

The Spurs were up eight after one quarter, then the Pacers starters feasted on the second unit (and Splitter was gone for good).

The Spurs can beat good teams when they need to -- the minutes go to the studs and the rotations get short. No need to do that in early December.

[Johnny RIngo]

Pacers get away with more contact because of their reputation as a rugged, defensive team. With that said, Pacers are younger and more athletic so it's not surprising that they draw more free throws than us. Duncan plays away from the basket, Tiago's soft, Parker has never been great at drawing free throws, Kawhi's in a funk right now. Manu's in TOSB mode and only shoots threes these days.

[Johnny RIngo]

The Pacers played their starters big minutes and the Spurs did not.

The Spurs were up eight after one quarter, then the Pacers starters feasted on the second unit (and Splitter was gone for good).

The Spurs can beat good teams when they need to -- the minutes go to the studs and the rotations get short. No need to do that in early December.

What I don't understand is why Pop chose tonight to experiment. They team had almost a week off. If there's a game they could afford to give more minutes to the starters it should have been tonight.

[DMC]

Getting to the line is fine if you cannot score any other way, and it gets your opponents bigs into foul trouble. It shows which team attacked the rim more as well. Teams have been waltzing to the rim on us, at will, all season. Until we can shut down the lane, that's going to keep happening and teams are going to keep getting to the stripe.

[DMC]

What I don't understand is why Pop chose tonight to experiment. They team had almost a week off. If there's a game they could afford to give more minutes to the starters it should have been tonight.

Because this game didn't matter in the seeding. We aren't going to fight for HCA against Indy by being tied, in any round but the Finals. It's too early in the season to worry about these things. We have enough weak matchups from both conferences to keep our record good enough. There's no need to kill your starters to try to beat a team that's on fire.

[TheGreatYacht]

Na FUCK that shit "Spurs don't get free throws because they shoot jumpshots" BS... Then why the fuck does Durant average 13 FTA's a game, more free throws than our team?!?! Parker is leading every guard in points in the paint but can barely get 4 a game... This is someeeeeee bullshit