A Look at How S.A & Portland Played Against Each Other This Year

[cd021]

Lamarcus Aldridge- 3 Games-33 mpg, 56% FG, 8 rpg,1 BPG, 21.3 PPG

Nicolas Batum-4 Games-37.5 MPG, 36 FG%,30.8 % 3pt, 10 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1 SPG, 10.3 PPG

Damian Lillard-4 Games-46.7 FG%, 30.4% 3pt, 92% FT, 5.3 RPG,6.3 APG, 2.3 T.O 25.0 PPG

Robin Lopez-4 Games-35.5 MPG, 45.5% FG, 3.3 ORPG, 7.3 RPG,1.8 BPG, 2.8 PF, 8.8 PPG

Wesley Matthews-4 Games-35 MPG, 50% FG, 52% 3PT, 4.5 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 18.8 PPG

Mo Williams-3 Games, 25 MPG, 50% FG, 40% 3PT, 2.3 APG, 1.3 T.0, 15 PPG

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Tim Duncan-3 Games, 30.7 MPG, 47.9% FG, 8.3 RPG, 1 BPG, 16.7 PPG

Tony Parker-3 Games-32.7 MPG, 35.6 FG%, 5 RPG, 6 APG, 2.7 T.O, 12.7 PPG

Patty Mills-4 Games-19.8 MPG, 44.2 FG%, 35.3 3PT %, 14.5 PPG

Kawhi Leonard-3 Games-30.3 MPG, 61.9% FG, 33.3 % 3pt, 6.3 RPG, 2 SPG, 9.3 PPG

Manu Ginobili-4 Games-22 MPG- 48 % FG, 46.2 % 3pt, 4 RPG, 4 APG, 1.8 TO, 17.3 PPG

Danny-Green-3 Games-26 mpg, 43.5 FG, 46.7 % 3PT, 4.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 10 PPG

Boris Diaw-4 Games-30.8 MPG. 51.4 FG% 42.9 3PT, 4.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 10.5 PPG

Tiago Splitter-4 Games-23 MPG, 41.2 FG%, 7 FTA, 61.9 FT%, 6.7 RPG, 9 PPG

Marco Belinelli-29.8 MPG, 56% FG, 55% 3PT, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 15.5 PPG


Teams split season series 2-2, Aldridge missed 1 game and missed the 4th quarter in another. Parker and Duncan both missed a game along with Leonard.

Mills, Ginobili, Green, Duncan, Belinelli and Diaw each played particularly well, statistically, against Portland. Belinelli had his 3rd best scoring average against any team while facing the Blazers (He averaged 20 ppg VS. Detroit, and the Knicks)

Parker seemed to struggled, shooting 35% FG and averaging just 12 ppg.

For Portland, L.A., Lillard, Mathews, and Williams each played very well against the Spurs. Mathews averaged nearly 19 ppg, primarily off 3's. L.A. posted 21 PPG on 56% shooting. and Lillard torched the Spurs.

[Mugen]

:tu

[T Park]

big keys to this series will be Manu Ginobili, if he can bring what he brought against Dallas, that really hurts Portland's defense. Parker will be guarded by Batum, so they will need to run a bunch of PNRs with Tiago or Duncan when hes there. Or use someone else to switch their worse defender onto Parker.

Make lillard work. Whoever Stotts sticks Lillard on, make him work. if its Green, run green through a bunch of screens ALA Curry last year who guarded Green.

[Robz4000]

Good thing about Portland is they're just as bad as Dallas at guarding the PnR. Lopez isn't very mobile, and LA is an average defender at best. I'm not all that worried about how the Spurs play offensively, I'm worried about the D. If the Spurs defense doesn't play like it did in Games 4 and 7, they'll be in trouble. Luckily a lot of the woes are extremely fixable (Green given more minutes, less for Beli unless he's scoring, Tony giving a fuck, etc), so I have confidence going into the series. LA will be a nightmare, but if Splitter can defend him how he defended Dirk, they'll survive.

[jARS mEsH sEt]

What on earth did you bold?

[jARS mEsH sEt]

Like bolding is meant to distinguish or place emphasis, but you literally bolded like 70% of the stat lines. What are you distinguishing bold vs non-bold?

[sook]

Like bolding is meant to distinguish or place emphasis, but you literally bolded like 70% of the stat lines. What are you distinguishing bold vs non-bold?
And thats why you aren't bolded.

[jARS mEsH sEt]

And thats why you aren't bolded.

:lol nice try. I should mention that non-spurs fan bold names literally mean nothing other than to say that you're a fan of a non-spurs team.

For BNSFs who are "original members," a bolded name means nothing other than to say that they are "original members" of spurstalk.

For non-original member BNSFs, bolding allegedly means nothing, although kori and timvp will randomly elevate certain people to "bold" status.

[T Park]

Good thing about Portland is they're just as bad as Dallas at guarding the PnR. Lopez isn't very mobile, and LA is an average defender at best. I'm not all that worried about how the Spurs play offensively, I'm worried about the D. If the Spurs defense doesn't play like it did in Games 4 and 7, they'll be in trouble. Luckily a lot of the woes are extremely fixable (Green given more minutes, less for Beli unless he's scoring, Tony giving a fuck, etc), so I have confidence going into the series. LA will be a nightmare, but if Splitter can defend him how he defended Dirk, they'll survive.

Splitter won't see much time, might have to switch Diaw to the starting five. Aldridge can create space whereas Dirk cannot anymore.
Splitter however may be very usefull when against their second unit in with Manu.

I keep hearing how Portland is a very good defensive team, when their defensive metrics and numbers are almost as bad as Dallas's.


Alot of the Spurs problems vs Dallas were self induced. Lack of aggression, ball movement, bad shot selection and ball security.

Batum is a good defender. Lopez is as well. Is Matthews really that good? Aldridge?

Ive seen numbers where if you want to score on them you get LA in the PNR. most likely thats Diaw or Splitter with Parker or Ginobili.

Teams that have trouble guarding the PNR against the Spurs usually and do fail,again IE Dallas.

The Spurs showed, when they played, aggressive, smart defense, they are the best team in basketball. Now Portland will be a very tough test.
Way tougher than Golden State last year possibly, however, you can almost see a lot of similarities between Portland and Golden State, the only difference is that LA has more range on his shot than David Lee.

If Duncan can play smart, get Robin Lopez into foul trouble that helps a tremendous amount.

Ginobili will have to be aggressive Manu IE games 7 and 5. not passive game 6 manu.

the shooters like Green and Leonard and others have to be ready as well, as the Spurs seem to have gotten their offense semi back on track and will move that ball around.

Itll be tough. That said, if they give the same defensive effort like they did today, this can be done in 6, and maybe if they play smart, 5.

[Robz4000]

T Park Splitter will be their best bet against LA, not Diaw. When they tried Diaw this season he got murdered, while Splitter had some luck and just dominated the closest thing to him in Dirk (tho as you said he'll have an easier time getting separation).

[spurraider21]

And thats why you aren't bolded.
sook who are you pulling for here?

[Kidd K]

Thanks for the stats OP.

What concerns me about this list is that most of our "good" players on the list just had either a shitty series or terrible game 6 or 7, while some of our best players last series played Portland poorly this season. And Tony, who just played below par by his standards, also sucked against Portland.

So basically only Timmy played Portland well and has also been playing well lately. :\

[TampaDude]

Regular season doesn't mean shit. It's 0-0 right now.

[100%duncan]

And thats why you aren't bolded.

:lmao

[Raven]

the sad part is that belinelli is supposed to have had his best games against portland, only problem he was strictly THE reason why we lost those games. (said it at the time tbh)

[DarrinS]

Regular season doesn't mean shit. It's 0-0 right now.

[cd021]

What on earth did you bold?

The players who were the most effective on each team, i thought it was fairly straightforward...

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

This is where the I think the Spurs will win this series, their bench. I watched all the games and Portland had no answer for the Spurs bench. Yes, even Beli lit these guys up. If the Spurs starters can just hold their own and the bench can get a +10 to +15 each night in the 10-15 minutes when Portland starters are out, the Spurs should take this series. Pretty much the last two victories by the Spurs over the TB played out this way.

[Prime Time]

Huh, Patty averaged 15 points against Portland? Time to translate that to 15 shot attempts.

No, but Patty really does have to step it up. Averaging 6 points on .350% is Gary Neal bad.

[TacoCabanaFajitas]

I'd venture to guess that Duncan and Splitter start each game, and Timmy is subbed out 4 minutes in if there isn't a foul on Lopez by then. I think Tiago is our best bet against LA in this series and we could use Diaw's passing. The Duncan/Splitter combo could work, but I would rather see us space the floor with Tiago, Diaw, Parker, Green, Kawhi

[wildchild]

Thanks cd021!

Not sure if the RS stats indicate a tendency or a future game plan (after Mavs series, it's hard to say that) but it could be nice if the Spurs bench (Patty, Boris, Marco) can repeat their regular season performances against the Blazers.
Also, we need Boris shooting from behind the arc, if he can force Aldridge to defend him at the 3's line that could be great for the Spurs, a lot of space for Tony/Manu penetrations, Tim in the paint, and even Kawhi post ups.

[T Park]

T Park Splitter will be their best bet against LA, not Diaw. When they tried Diaw this season he got murdered, while Splitter had some luck and just dominated the closest thing to him in Dirk (tho as you said he'll have an easier time getting separation).

He may be, we shall see.

[jARS mEsH sEt]

The players who were the most effective on each team, i thought it was fairly straightforward...

How are you assessing effectiveness?

[jARS mEsH sEt]

Like Leonard's fg% is absolutely phenomenal. Why isn't that bolded? Is 60% fg% not effective?

[Johnny RIngo]

Thanks cd021!

Not sure if the RS stats indicate a tendency or a future game plan (after Mavs series, it's hard to say that)

My thoughts exactly. After the Mavs series, I'm not sure we can really make any type of prediction based on a couple meaningless reg-season games.

[wildbill2u]

Portland plays its starters the old NBA standard of around 30-35 mpg and aren't known for a great bench. This can play into the Spurs strengths in wearing them down in several ways.

If the bench stays active and plays up to their regular season standard, our starters stay fresher for the closing minutes if our bench can maintain a level of play that is competitive on defense and offense.

Another Spurs strategy that is a strength against the Blazer is our ball movement from side to side. It makes the oppponent work harder for longer seconds per possession as they have to run to defense our players while the ball is being passed around. Again, this tends to wear out players playing long minutes.

Our bench can be really effective when they are active on defense. It makes the opposing team work hard just to get the ball in play across the mid court line. Patty Mills is very good at being a pest on his man who is usually their ball handler.

[sook]

sook who are you pulling for here?

Tbh, its no secret that I have been pulling pulling for the spurs post-May for over a decade. The rockets make that quite easy.

[Mugen]

:lol Who's been saying that POR is a good defensive team tbh?

[spurraider21]

Tbh, its no secret that I have been pulling pulling for the spurs post-May for over a decade. The rockets make that quite easy.
Yeah I sensed that but I also understand teams like losing to the champs to save face, so just clarifying

[spurraider21]

:lol Who's been saying that POR is a good defensive team tbh?
Jon Ireland

[Mugen]

Jon Ireland

Don't you start. Not today....

[RD2191]

Don't you start. Not today....
:lol

[cd021]

How are you assessing effectiveness?

based on thee stats i posted, the players that had a strong season series.

[Boomersgold]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uie5ysRP4dU

Patty vs Lillard. Patty won. Not even Batum could guard him down the stretch.

[jARS mEsH sEt]

based on thee stats i posted, the players that had a strong season series.

That's circular reasoning and doesn't actually answer my question at all so never mind....

[moisaenz]

In Patty we trust

[Aztecfan03]

That's circular reasoning and doesn't actually answer my question at all so never mind....

I was thinking the same thing as you.