How 'Bout the D?

[superjames1992]

Only 84 points given up. 18 forced turnovers. :wow

Batum with 6 turnovers. :lol

Defense is why the Spurs won this game. :toast

[100%duncan]

Big enough

[Johnny RIngo]

Green/Leonard - dominant combo. If only Pop played both of them together more often instead of giving Danny the short leash.

[testies]

Green/Leonard - dominant combo. If only Pop played both of them together more often instead of giving Danny the short leash.

don't forget splitter and mills

[RD2191]

I don't swing that way.

[kaji157]

Only 84 points given up. 18 forced turnovers. :wow

Batum with 6 turnovers. :lol

Defense is why the Spurs won this game. :toast

Wow!!

Congratulations!!

A positive post about the team that is not bashing Manu, Tony or Belinelli.

I was in suspicious that we were such an spoiled fanbase that we were bitching around after a dominant 4-1 series victory over the Western Conference Semifinals against the team that owned us during the whole Duncan era.

Props to the OP for being happy and not bitch around.

Great defense, good ball movement (not great but good enough).

Most of our important players seemed tired and or injuried, this is great, lets get some needed rest.

Heres hoping for the Clippers to get the payback victory tomorrow and that series to go to seven.

[Malik Hairston]

Green/Leonard - dominant combo. If only Pop played both of them together more often instead of giving Danny the short leash.

It's puzzling how they are so underrated as a tandem, especially defensively..including Splitter, they are the 3 best defenders on the team, yet are barely recognized around the league..

Green/Leonard need to play 35-40 vs. Westbrook/Durant, tbh..

[ElNono]

It's puzzling how they are so underrated as a tandem, especially defensively..including Splitter, they are the 3 best defenders on the team, yet are barely recognized around the league..

Because they don't get catfished, tbh... :lol

[jag]

I don't swing that way.

I laughed. I am ashamed of myself

[RD2191]

I laughed. I am ashamed of myself

My apologies. :lol

[gilmor]

Actually defensively, without Kawhi, Green and Splitter.. Spurs is going no way.. they are the new Big 3..

[scanry]

It's puzzling how they are so underrated as a tandem, especially defensively..including Splitter, they are the 3 best defenders on the team, yet are barely recognized around the league..

Green/Leonard need to play 35-40 vs. Westbrook/Durant, tbh..

I hate it when Pop subs out Green for Ginobili at the 7:00 mark. Ginobili stank this series and he hasn't learned anything from last season.

[spursfan1000]

D was some of the best D ive seen

[silverblackfan]

The D was great. Everyone was pretty focused and got over any offensive score/miss pretty quickly by paying attention to defense. This team is scary when they get the whole team dialed in for most of the game.
Tim was a totally different animal when Tony went to the locker room. You can tell he will do all he can to get back to the finals, which is awesome to behold for this fan.

[313]

I hate it when Pop subs out Green for Ginobili at the 7:00 mark. Ginobili stank this series and he hasn't learned anything from last season.
The only way I see Kawhi and Danny both being able to play 35-40 mpg is if Pop plays Kawhi at the 4 more. As it is now, there's no way Manu (and god forbid Beli get a lot of minutes next series) can get his without cutting into theirs.

[Ice009]

Now, I am somewhat pleased after a game. It's mainly about defense for me - being aggressive, focused and locked in on that end of the court, not giving up or letting up at all, using the defense to fuel your offense, that's where you need to be dialed in at, at all times. The Spurs played pretty decent on that end of the court last night. Good effort.

On offense, I just want them to not turn the ball over and play smart, run their plays and get good shots. It all starts on the defensive end of the court though. That's where you need to start your focus and finish if you want to win it all.

[Boomersgold]

Was especially impressed with Mills' hounding defense on Lillard. Lillard was pretty much gassed by the end of the third quarter.

[TheRemix]

http://i50.tinypic.com/fwnko2.gif

[silverblackfan]

I agree that Mills did a great job of hounding Lillard, but it will hurt to not have Parker out running the hell out him too. I am starting to think Parker's best attribute is his endurance and the ability to use it against the opponent.

[wildbill2u]

When your leading scorer goes down, you turn to defense. And the Spurs can still bring it there too. Keeping Portland off balance and held to 82 points is a result of great team defensive effort. God damn I love this team.

[Raven]

It's puzzling how they are so underrated as a tandem, especially defensively..including Splitter, they are the 3 best defenders on the team, yet are barely recognized around the league..

Green/Leonard need to play 35-40 vs. Westbrook/Durant, tbh..
this.

[letmk]

The thing with Manu is that he still tries to do too much from time to time. Forget you are one of big 3, which will be honored when he retires but is already history, just play like you are a role player. Manu still possesses qualities that Kawhi or Danny do not have, but he should only play within the flow. Don't try too hard.

Also, like KB in the last 7-8 years, Manu gambles too much on defense and leaves 3-pointers too much room. Granted, Manu's craftiness at making charges is still contributing to the Spurs and quite annoying to the opponents.

In comparison, though still the foundation of the defense, Timmy knows his role in offense and doesn't try to be an hero any more -- unless of course, there is a obvious mismatch over the opposing big man.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

The thing with Manu is that he still tries to do too much from time to time. Forget you are one of big 3, which will be honored when he retires but is already history, just play like you are a role player. Manu still possesses qualities that Kawhi or Danny do not have, but he should only play within the flow. Don't try too hard.

Also, like KB in the last 7-8 years, Manu gambles too much on defense and leaves 3-pointers too much room. Granted, Manu's craftiness at making charges is still contributing to the Spurs and quite annoying to the opponents.

In comparison, though still the foundation of the defense, Timmy knows his role in offense and doesn't try to be an hero any more -- unless of course, there is a obvious mismatch over the opposing big man.

This thread is about the Spurs D and you still have to bring up Manu. Damn. Shit. Really. Some of you guys here need some serious therapy.

[superjames1992]

This thread is about the Spurs D and you still have to bring up Manu. Damn. Shit. Really. Some of you guys here need some serious therapy.
They can't help themselves. They have serious issues. There was almost no mention of Manu prior to the quoted post and then the poster goes off on a long rant about him. :lol

[letmk]

They can't help themselves. They have serious issues. There was almost no mention of Manu prior to the quoted post and then the poster goes off on a long rant about him. :lol

Because he stalls the offense, and bad at defense.

[letmk]

Because he stalls the offense, and bad at defense.

My take is the same as last season: the Spurs can win it all without Manu (Of course it's harder than with a good Manu), but cannot win despite a bad Manu.

My real issue is not with Manu actually, but with Pop. If Mills or Bellineli plays poorly, Pop will bench them; but he still plays Manu, and with ball heavily in his hands a lot, anyways. That's the problem.

[superjames1992]

Because he stalls the offense, and bad at defense.
Too bad the facts don't support your theory.

[Spur|n|Austin]

I also think Patty's tenacity on D is often overlooked or people see him as a non-factor on D, which can't be further from the truth. He looks set to disrupt every pass and stalled ball every series. As Sean would say about him "argggarrgagghharrggggarrggggg"

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img607/673/a7r5.jpg

[look_at_g_shred]

Misleading title

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

My take is the same as last season: the Spurs can win it all without Manu (Of course it's harder than with a good Manu), but cannot win despite a bad Manu.

My real issue is not with Manu actually, but with Pop. If Mills or Bellineli plays poorly, Pop will bench them; but he still plays Manu, and with ball heavily in his hands a lot, anyways. That's the problem.

This is where you are wrong, Pop benched Manu for Beli in Game 1 of the series. Manu only played 18 minutes, 0-6 but he had 5 ast. Pop went with Beli most of the 2nd half.

Problem was, the Spurs didn't have another player that could handle the ball last year. Mills didn't play in the playoffs at all. Neal was the backup PG and he was atrocious ball handler.

Now fast forward to this year, you have Mills, who is a great shooter, and a decent ball handler and passer. Same goes for Beli, but he is even a better passer. B/c of this, this adds a whole new dimension to the Spurs offense where they don't have to rely on Manu anymore to create offense.

That is what I love about the Spurs this year. Just like in the Dallas series, Beli and Mills were struggling, Manu stepped up. Now Manu's struggling a little, Beli and Mills have stepped up.

BB is a team sport, obviously. And the Spurs have a much better team than last year and a bench that does rely just on Manu to create the offense.

[letmk]

Too bad the facts don't support your theory.

This one is my bad. I mean the bad Manu, not the overall Manu. So my thought all along is not blaming Manu, but on Pop who should not heavily rely on Manu by default.