Is it a coincidence that Leonard went off when Parker only played 10 minutes tonight?

[MoSpur]

What do y'all think?

[AFBlue]

No...he was aggressive and determined from the tip, even during the stretch where Tony played.

[DAF86]

Of course not. When the number one offensive option is out other guys have to step up.

[Chinook]

No, just like it wasn't a coincidence Green went off while not really spotting up much. They play better when they're aggressive. Pop needs to figure out how to integrate them into the offense. They can't just be break-glass options.

[Pound the rock]

Not really, everyone knew that they had to look in the mirror and make a commitment to bring the intensity tonight

[MoSpur]

So does Parker hold Leonard back then?

[mVp]

So we need to trade Parker?

[Malik Hairston]

So does Parker hold Leonard back then?

Technically, the entire big 3 holds him back, tbh..

[jag]

The offense isn't designed to have an aggressive 4th option. No offense is.

He just has to be more aggressive..which will probably take away from Manu or Tony (preferably Manu), which is fine if he continues being efficient.

[MoSpur]

Trade Parker? Nope. Not at all. I've never understood those who have suggested trading Parker.

Just wondering if Parker needs to defer more to Leonard or even Green at times when guys like Batum or Thabo guard him.

[DAF86]

Technically, the entire big 3 holds him back, tbh..

Pop, tbh. Why cant he come up with some plays for Leonard and call them a little bit more often?

[Kool Bob Love]

:lmao

[Johnny RIngo]

Pop, tbh. Why cant he come up with some plays for Leonard and call them a little bit more often?

Pop's gonna live and die by the big three unfortunately

[Pound the rock]

Leonard getting steals resulting in fastbreak points for him have nothing to do with Parker

[Malik Hairston]

Pop, tbh. Why cant he come up with some plays for Leonard and call them a little bit more often?

I agree..I meant the Spurs system isn't designed for a player with Leonard's style, which is more isolation-based rather than pick&roll and passing out of the perimeter..

The only players that are guaranteed to receive X amount of touches in this system are Parker/Duncan/Ginobili, despite all 3 slowing down, regardless of Leonard's ability..so technically, the big 3 do hold him back..

[gilmor]

Kawhi will be THE MAN once the big 3 is gone..

[apalisoc_9]

I really don't mind Parker at all..He's still young.

I just think that the spurs are running way too much inefficient plays with Duncan ( 15-18 footers) and Ginobili threes...

It's the big three IMO, but Duncan and Ginobili are the two guys that should start giving up touches.

[Chinook]

I really don't mind Parker at all..He's still young.

I just think that the spurs are running way too much inefficient plays with Duncan ( 15-18 footers) and Ginobili threes...

It's the big three IMO, but Duncan and Ginobili are the two guys that should start giving up touches.

Duncan's jumpers are necessary to spread the floor. He needs to hit them consistently enough to force closeouts. Manu needs to only take as many threes to keep defenses honest. If he's hitting, obvious he should shoot more.

[apalisoc_9]

Duncan's jumpers are necessary to spread the floor. He needs to hit them consistently enough to force closeouts. Manu needs to only take as many threes to keep defenses honest. If he's hitting, obvious he should shoot more.

Sure, but he hasn't hit those consistently enough to warrant calling it 8-10 times a game. Take away a few of those touches for a Post up..Manu takes those threes regardless if he's hitting or not..That's part of the problem.

[Chinook]

Sure, but he hasn't hit those consistently enough to warrant calling it 8-10 times a game. Take away a few of those touches for a Post up..Manu takes those threes regardless if he's hitting or not..That's part of the problem.

They weren't calling Duncan's jumpers. He got the looks as a result of the PnP. He needs to make those to prevent his man from helping on the drive. I wasn't defending Manu's shot selection. I agree with you.

[Mugen]

I'm fine with his touches when he's in, he still plays a technically inefficient style (mid-range heavy) + isn't a great playmaker yet to warrant more touches taken away from TP/Manu....

But he should be penciled in for 40mins a night regardless of how he's doing tbh....

[DAF86]

I'm fine with his touches when he's in, he still plays a technically inefficient style (mid-range heavy) + isn't a great playmaker yet to warrant more touches taken away from TP/Manu....

But he should be penciled in for 40mins a night regardless of how he's doing tbh....

Tony is mid-range heavy, tbh.

[rasho8]

Stupid thread.

[Mugen]

Tony is a 3time champion, Finals MVP, multiple time All Star...

:lol I'm not one to outright defend Frenchie but to compare the two at this stage of their careers is silly tbh.

[Chinook]

Tony is mid-range heavy, tbh.

Not in the same way, though. Leonard's midrange is his primary shot in the half-court. Parker uses his as a counter to his drive.

[RD2191]

I'm fine with his touches when he's in, he still plays a technically inefficient style (mid-range heavy) + isn't a great playmaker yet to warrant more touches taken away from TP/Manu....

But he should be penciled in for 40mins a night regardless of how he's doing tbh....
I'll take Kawhi 2s over Manu 3s all day every day.

[DAF86]

Not in the same way, though. Leonard's midrange is his primary shot in the half-court. Parker uses his as a counter to his drive.

Against the Blazers was 75% midrange, 25% drive, tbh. And I expect more of the same against Sefolosha.

[apalisoc_9]

I'll take Kawhi 2s over Manu 3s all day every day.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gqdXTEXDqmo/U3RI46iHYJI/AAAAAAAAGpg/P7xGYCNN0aM/s1600/KawhiLeonard+.gif

[objective]

Leonard isn't bad in the PnR at all. He's improved that facet of his game a lot, and good things come out of it. He should get more chances to run it.

[Chinook]

Leonard isn't bad in the PnR at all. He's improved that facet of his game a lot, and good things come out of it. He should get more chances to run it.

I think he should do more both as the ball-handler and the screen-setter. There's no reason why Durant and James can set the screens and Leonard can't.

[Chinook]

Against the Blazers was 75% midrange, 25% drive, tbh. And I expect more of the same against Sefolosha.

That's subjective. But I could see him settling for the shot more against OKC, but I believe he will do so because of Ibaka, not because of Sef.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

When George Gervin was injured and had to miss a week of regular season in 1982 Ron Brewer stepped in and scored 40+ in three straight games and was Western Conference Player of the week. That's what you do in a system. Next man up takes man place of man that has fallen.

[apalisoc_9]

People still don't get it..Pop will not make that kind of adjustment..Simply put, he still thinks the offense should be run and be big three dependent, regardless of ability, efficiency etc..

Leonard is both in a good situation ( for having coaches that helped him become the player he is right now) but in a shit situation because he's good enough to take some of Duncan and Manu's responsiblity but Pop and the big three are just not ready for that kind of change.

Never going to happen with Manu and Timmy in the team..They will most likely play the same way next year as well..Shit situation for Leonard IMO

[ohmwrecker]

Leonard has been outstanding the entire series with and without Parker.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

People still don't get it..Pop will not make that kind of adjustment..Simply put, he still thinks the offense should be run and be big three dependent, regardless of ability, efficiency etc..

Leonard is both in a good situation ( for having coaches that helped him become the player he is right now) but in a shit situation because he's good enough to take some of Duncan and Manu's responsiblity but Pop and the big three are just not ready for that kind of change.

Never going to happen with Manu and Timmy in the team..They will most likely play the same way next year as well..Shit situation for Leonard IMO

Leonard has made it to WCF for three straight years and has opportunity to go to Finals two years in a row. I cant think of any player in NBA history that has had that opportunity.

[Uriel]

Against the Blazers was 75% midrange, 25% drive, tbh. And I expect more of the same against Sefolosha.
Sefolosha's going to be guarding Parker, which makes Kawhi's taking over the series absolutely imperative. If the Spurs are going to win an NBA championship this year, Kawhi's going to need to make the leap to become a star player.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

The Spurs new one man fast break. Instead of finishing off with layups, he finishes it off w/ a highlight non-emotional dunk.

[Texas_Ranger]

Pop still has him as the 4th guy. I am sorry but Leonard needs to become #1 next year and that means that he needs to take at least 13-15 shots.

[DarrinS]

You can create your own offense when you get 5 steals.

[MI21]

Leonard has made it to WCF for three straight years and has opportunity to go to Finals two years in a row. I cant think of any player in NBA history that has had that opportunity.

Just off the top of my head, Norris Cole has won 2 championships and is about to play in his 3rd straight ECF. Sam Cassell won 2 championships in his first 2 seasons. Manu Ginobili won 2 championships and played in the second round in his first 3 seasons. All those guys were valuable players...I'm sure there is more...

[Seventyniner]

I think he should do more both as the ball-handler and the screen-setter. There's no reason why Durant and James can set the screens and Leonard can't.

James is heavier than many centers and has a lower center of gravity. He should be able to set monster screens.

Durant is the opposite. That and he doesn't seem to like contact unless he has the ball and can sell that he's getting into his shooting motion.

Your point is still valid; if Durant can set screens, Leonard should be able to as well.

[DBMethos]

Is it me or is Kawhi starting to look less and less enthused when he has to pass it off to Manu to initiate halfcourt sets?

[DarrinS]

Is it me or is Kawhi starting to look less and less enthused when he has to pass it off to Manu to initiate halfcourt sets?

Meh, TP frequently misses (or ignores) a wide open KL.

[doobs]

Kawhi is amazing. Let's see Kawhi at center in a microball lineup alongside Parker, Mills, Manu and Green.

[said7]

He needs to be given a block of 6 mins in the third where he is the primary option regardless of lineup (preferably with parker on the bench). This would reduce those stretches where we just can't score.

[mercos]

Not a coincidence at all. Parker is the primary scorer, and when he goes down everyone else will get more touches. No problem there IMO. We destroyed Portland with Parker leading the way in the first 3 games. When TP is aggressive, the Spurs are at their best. When he refuses to shoot/can't get open looks, the offense fizzles. The offense shouldn't preemptively take the ball out of Tony's hands, because he is still our best offensive player at the moment. However, when he gets passive, or just plain doesn't have it that night, Kawhi should get more one on one looks.

[MultiTroll]

Is it me or is Kawhi starting to look less and less enthused when he has to pass it off to Manu to initiate halfcourt sets?
It's not just you, it's obvious.
43-30 to to 47-37, watch as Turnobili looks off a completely wide open Kwa for the trey twice in about a minutes span.
This coming after Kwa has just drained his second trey of the night.

All this blabber about how the offense always has to go thru the Medium 3 is bunk.
It's been 7 years without a title. Small adjustments are what make the difference.

[Fireball]

Of course it is not a coincidence. You take away a player who scores over 20 points in this series, so other players will get some of the attempts and points respectively. Leonard had a good shooting night, combine that with more attempts and whoooops, he went off. That's clearly rocket science ...

[Pako]

If Kawhi master the way to penetrate and kick the ball out for open man, just like Ginobili or Parker, that will be very good in Spurs system. I saw one of his play when he kicked out to Duncan and Duncan made the shot. He needs to do a lot of those. Also, he needs to do pick and roll offense.

[AztecSpur]

Are the Spurs able to sign Kawhi at his Fair Market Value?

Will he take the Duncan discount?

Would Kawhi take the highest offer?

[in2deep]

Stupid thread.

[MoSpur]

I don't mind Parker being our first option, but Leonard needs to be our 2a and Manu 2b

[wtgspurs]

yall niggaz dont get it, This team would struggle to win 50 games without Kawhi

[AztecSpur]

yall niggaz dont get it, This team would struggle to win 50 games without Kawhi

Sarcasm not allowed.