We are not closing games out because...

[aal04]

We are managing minutes.

Simple as that.

Whilst this is fine for the majority of the season, id like to see us running the core players into the ground a few weeks out before finals. We need that hard high altitude training for our players. Give them 36-40 minutes and train their endurance for the hard slogs in the finals.

IMO.

1-3 weeks before finals - play core players 40 minutes.

Then give the core players a week of light games to keep their touch and rest up and be ready for finals basketball.

Injuries is a risk i think we have to take to make sure everyone is ready to play long minutes in the finals. I dont want to be hoping the lead our core players make is "enough". I want them there ready to extinguish any runs the opponent may take.

[313]

Ova hur in 'murica it's called the playoffs









But good idea m8

[freetiago]

Pop pulls out shitty D-league rotations in the 2nd quarter which turns a would be blowout into a tie game
if he didnt do that the game would be over in the 3rd
then he does the same thing in the 4th quarter after we have a 15 point lead
then the other team puts out their starters vs our scrubs and play the hardest theyve ever played in their life to make it a close game

[ElNono]

too many games... hard to get up and play the league's fodder...

[DMC]

I watch some of the decisions late in games and wonder if the Spurs are trying to keep it close. In Memphis, Marco bringing the ball up when Tony is on the floor. Tonight, Leonard bringing the ball up near the end of the game, same thing... Tony is on the floor.

When Tony was attacking the rim it was all he could eat, but he stopped. I think that's by design. Suddenly the Spurs can't hit a shot, no one is cutting to the basket, opponent getting free trips down the lane untouched... seems planned to me.

[james evans]

Pop pulls out shitty D-league rotations in the 2nd quarter which turns a would be blowout into a tie game
if he didnt do that the game would be over in the 3rd
then he does the same thing in the 4th quarter after we have a 15 point lead
then the other team puts out their starters vs our scrubs and play the hardest theyve ever played in their life to make it a close game
basically. and i don't mind him doing it in the regular season, but when you're do it so much that you're doing it in a fukin closeout title game, that's what pisses me off(i know i'm beating a dead horse, but i don't care)

[Spanklin]

BECAUSE AGE! Who gives a fuck? We're still winning. All we have to do is run on fumes until the top east teams get injuries. OKC is already out, LA, Memphis.... Bulls... who else? Oh yeah, Golden State is one injury away from making us wipe their ass in six and us sweeping them in four. You really think Curry is going to hold up all year? We got this, we got luck on are side people.

[james evans]

even if GS is healthy, we won't get beat by a 3pt shootnig team. denver is just horrible. i'm looking at this game right now and their interior defense is trash

[Hoops Czar]

even if GS is healthy, we won't get beat by a 3pt shootnig team. denver is just horrible. i'm looking at this game right now and their interior defense is trash

Most of the elite teams can shoot the three-ball.

[Sean Cagney]

BECAUSE AGE! Who gives a fuck? We're still winning. All we have to do is run on fumes until the top east teams get injuries. OKC is already out, LA, Memphis.... Bulls... who else? Oh yeah, Golden State is one injury away from making us wipe their ass in six and us sweeping them in four. You really think Curry is going to hold up all year? We got this, we got luck on are side people.

It's only game 39 slow downnnnnnnnnnnnnn. Damn.

[Chinook]

Beli's not a closer, simple as that. Gonna have to weather the storm until Green comes back.

[Dex]

Spurs are 31-8, lead the West by 1.5 games, and are the league's hottest team on a 6-game winning streak.

Christ, some of you are hard to please.

[look_at_g_shred]

Boredom/Coasting/Careless when having the lead.

[ThaBigFundamental21]

I watch some of the decisions late in games and wonder if the Spurs are trying to keep it close. In Memphis, Marco bringing the ball up when Tony is on the floor. Tonight, Leonard bringing the ball up near the end of the game, same thing... Tony is on the floor.

When Tony was attacking the rim it was all he could eat, but he stopped. I think that's by design. Suddenly the Spurs can't hit a shot, no one is cutting to the basket, opponent getting free trips down the lane untouched... seems planned to me.

I truly believe Pop didn't want to blow Utah out. It was pretty obvious. Tim came out of the game and never came back in until what, a minute in the fourth? I cannot tell you why Pop is doing this, but I think it has to do with our younger players. I think he is teaching them. Look at Pop's lineups. I think Pop views these times as valuable learning experience. We are doing just fine with no Splitter, and or Green. Ayres is improving, still has a long way to go. Leonard is getting the ball more. We keep winning with these injuries. A real test comes against Portland, and the road trip...

[ThaBigFundamental21]

Beli's not a closer, simple as that. Gonna have to weather the storm until Green comes back.

This has been one hell of a storm hasn't it? LMFAO.

[Chinook]

This has been one hell of a storm hasn't it? LMFAO.

Is this another one if those "31-8" posts? I get the Spurs have a good record, and I am not worried about the playoffs. But I am just looking at the facts that missing Splitter and Green destabilizes the team. Those are good players, and their defensive impact is apparent when less-competent players take their place.

[ThaBigFundamental21]

Is this another one if those "31-8" posts? I get the Spurs have a good record, and I am not worried about the playoffs. But I am just looking at the facts that missing Splitter and Green destabilizes the team. Those are good players, and their defensive impact is apparent when less-competent players take their place.

Considering the D has played quite well lately without them...Debbie Downer Chinook, the sky is falling, the Pacers are balling. Run inside, run and hide.

[Chinook]

Considering the D has played quite well lately without them...Debbie Downer Chinook, the sky is falling, the Pacers are balling. Run inside, run and hide.

No, the D is terrible especially comparatively. The offense is good. But if you think allowing over 100 points to the Jazz without their bwst scorer is pretty good, I'd have to think this is your first season watching the team.

Again, the Spurs will be fine in the post-season, but they have a lot lower ceiling than you think without Green and Splitter.

[Hoops Czar]

No, the D is terrible especially comparatively. The offense is good. But if you think allowing over 100 points to the Jazz without their bwst scorer is pretty good, I'd have to think this is your first season watching the team.

Again, the Spurs will be fine in the post-season, but they have a lot lower ceiling than you think without Green and Splitter.

Only in the context of Belinelli's defense is Green worth talking about. His offense and defense is nowhere near last year's and if you just ignore the fact that Green can't hit a shot from the field, he's had some flat out laughable defensive sequences that would leave the most novice fans scratching their head........ constantly out of position, always falls for the pump fake, poor to pathetic rotations, etc. There isn't much Green has done right all season.

[AntiChrist]

Spurs are 31-8, lead the West by 1.5 games, and are the league's hottest team on a 6-game winning streak.

Christ, some of you are hard to please.


this

[Chinook]

Only in the context of Belinelli's defense is Green worth talking about. His offense and defense is nowhere near last year's and if you just ignore the fact that Green can't hit a shot from the field, he's had some flat out laughable defensive sequences that would leave the most novice fans scratching their head........ constantly out of position, always falls for the pump fake, poor to pathetic rotations, etc. There isn't much Green has done right all season.

Still leading the team in defensive efficiency (not DRtg). That means he allows the fewest points pet attempt. So don't go around blindly assuming that him allowing a couple of long twos means he's been a bad defender. There's a reason why literally every one of the Spurs smalls jump past the man when running him off the line-that's what they're coached to do.

Even in DRtg, Green is top-20 in the league. That's incredibly hard to do for a small. His defensive on/off numbers are good, too.

[cd021]

Considering the D has played quite well lately without them...Debbie Downer Chinook, the sky is falling, the Pacers are balling. Run inside, run and hide.

Misleading. We've played good offenses ,who are missing key players & you're acting as if we wrecked them at full strength.

New Orleans is a top 12 offense who was missing Evans and Holiday (who combine for 40 points and 10 assists) nearly beat us.

The Jazz are 23rd in offense and scored 105 on the road against a team that is a top defensive team (with Green and Splitter)

we did play well against Minnesota.

[james evans]

Most of the elite teams can shoot the three-ball.
most of the elite teams don't shoot as many 3's as golden state. when i say 3 point shooting team, i mean guys coming down on fast breaks pulling up for 3's or using a 3 as a first option

[21209]

Pop either took his main players out too early or played them sparingly in the late stages of the fourth quarter.

Manu and Timmy were on the bench for nearly the entire fourth quarter since Pop assumed the game was easily won. They only came back in on the final couple of possessions when Utah made it too close for comfort.

[exstatic]

Pop either took his main players out too early or played them sparingly in the late stages of the fourth quarter.

Manu and Timmy were on the bench for nearly the entire fourth quarter since Pop assumed the game was easily won. They only came back in on the final couple of possessions when Utah made it too close for comfort.
Actually, it was THE final posession.

[ThaBigFundamental21]

No, the D is terrible especially comparatively. The offense is good. But if you think allowing over 100 points to the Jazz without their bwst scorer is pretty good, I'd have to think this is your first season watching the team.

Again, the Spurs will be fine in the post-season, but they have a lot lower ceiling than you think without Green and Splitter.

Way to use stats to paint a false picture. Pop sat Duncan out the whole 4th quarter until there was about a minute left.

[wut]

game last night was another example of managing minutes despite the obvious, they should've kept Manu in the game long enough to get a lead and finish the game...instead he sits, the energy dies and Blazers start to pull a lead.