Spurs Passing Game Really Struggles When Refs Allow Physical Defense

[hitmantb]

More athletic players can simply force their way to the basket and force the refs to make calls. Spurs passing game, specifically Tony Parker's game really struggles if the ref allows bumps and swipes. Think Miami's patented trapping game, they really dance around the edge of a ref's tolerance.

I don't think the refs are rigged honestly, even in game 3 the first half Spurs got a lot of touch calls in the first half to keep it close, but the amount of physical contact refs allow really have a much bigger impact on a finesse team than a brute force one. It is unfortunate Spurs doesn't have a dirty (and I mean it as a compliment) player like Bowen anymore to exploit things when the refs allow you to be nasty.

2004, 2012, 2013 were both examples where Parker was shut down by opposition's physical defense, and ultimately breaking Spurs system.

Back in 2004 Duncan really couldn't be very efficient against Shaq+Malone. Nowadays Duncan is pretty much powerless in 1v1 situations against any average post defender, Perkins/Ibaka/Adams can all make Duncan extremely inefficient and he has to score most of his points on the move.

So the question is can Parker find a way to run Spurs system against physical defense?

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

What people fail to realize is that the amount of free throws are insignificant.. it's the timing of the fouls.. and 22 free throws/easy points in the third definitely made it difficult considering the Spurs had to earn all of theirs.

[EVAY]

So the question is can Parker find a way to run Spurs system against physical defense?

AS you yourself indicated, there is a fair amount of evidence that he cannot. Not only can he not, but the entire Spurs system is predicated on spacing, which is critical for passing. When opposition players are allowed to bump on the dribble, not only does Parker's dribbling become more difficult, but so does the passing.

The only thing that has EVER proven successful in that situation is for our bigs to set super screens. They are not the best at doing that, but they need to do a better job than they have been doing, because it is the only thing that will free Parker up; and a freer Parker is essential to Parker's paint scoring. And if Parker is scoring in the paint, the opposition defense will start collapsing on him and then that will free up the perimeter shooters.

This is essentially what happened in the Dallas series. It took until game 7 just about for our group to figure out that hard screens were absolutely critical to free up Parker. After that folks, look how good we looked against Portland.

Re: your comment that we need a very physical defender - the only person on our team who has a chance of becoming that person is Baynes. And he can do it. Don't ask me why Pop doesn't use him more - especially against Adams, but he has only used him sparingly. He also sets great screens. There is simply NO one else on the Spurs team that can play that kind of physical defense…that is not their skill set and not why they were brought here.

[Kidd K]

Translation: When the refs allow the opposing team to foul you uncalled, while any brush contact results in a foul the other way, it's hard to win.

Welcome to the WWE NBA Playoffs vs the Thunder.

[hitmantb]

Translation: When the refs allow the opposing team to foul you uncalled, while any brush contact results in a foul the other way, it's hard to win.

Welcome to the WWE NBA Playoffs vs the Thunder.

In all the series I listed (2004, 2012, 2013 final two games), and even game 3, I really don't believe refs were unfair. Sure there were bad calls but Spurs offense's fluidity was broken long before that. You can not rely on fluke shooting from Green/Manu in the long run. I just felt once the other team shut down Parker, it was just too hard for Spurs to win the ISO game against say, a Kobe/Durant/LeBron jumper.

Spurs has the weakest 1v1 players of the elite teams, hence the highest level of reliance on passing. This is why Spurs usually blow teams out when everything clicks or fall apart completely. In close games, star 1v1 power is too difficult to overcome and Spurs usually lose them.

It is unfortunate but Popovich is getting as much out of the aging GDP core as anyone imagined, really takes a lot of luck to win it all at this stage of Duncan's career when nobody on this team can reliably 1v1 (shoot close to 0.500) against an above average defender.

[Skull-1]

Translation: When the refs allow the opposing team to foul you uncalled, while any brush contact results in a foul the other way, it's hard to win.

Welcome to the WWE NBA Playoffs vs the Thunder.


Yep. 2012 was so egregious I thought there was no way they would repeat.

Like I said, last year was the perfect storm. That was our last shot. They're not gonna' let OKC go down this year.

[spurs10]

We will beat them the only way we can. We have to kick their ass so soundly that the refs can't help them enough. Actually we are damn lucky Joey is there tonight. Never thought I'd be saying that! :ihit

[hitmantb]

AS you yourself indicated, there is a fair amount of evidence that he cannot. Not only can he not, but the entire Spurs system is predicated on spacing, which is critical for passing. When opposition players are allowed to bump on the dribble, not only does Parker's dribbling become more difficult, but so does the passing.

The only thing that has EVER proven successful in that situation is for our bigs to set super screens. They are not the best at doing that, but they need to do a better job than they have been doing, because it is the only thing that will free Parker up; and a freer Parker is essential to Parker's paint scoring. And if Parker is scoring in the paint, the opposition defense will start collapsing on him and then that will free up the perimeter shooters.

This is essentially what happened in the Dallas series. It took until game 7 just about for our group to figure out that hard screens were absolutely critical to free up Parker. After that folks, look how good we looked against Portland.

Re: your comment that we need a very physical defender - the only person on our team who has a chance of becoming that person is Baynes. And he can do it. Don't ask me why Pop doesn't use him more - especially against Adams, but he has only used him sparingly. He also sets great screens. There is simply NO one else on the Spurs team that can play that kind of physical defense…that is not their skill set and not why they were brought here.

Great point, for Spurs to win, we really have to dance around the edge of hard/moving screens when the Refs allow physical defense. If the opponent is taking advantage of the extra room allowed when it comes to physical plays, Spurs must take advantage as well.

[Pako]

Translation: When the refs allow the opposing team to foul you uncalled, while any brush contact results in a foul the other way, it's hard to win.

Welcome to the WWE NBA Playoffs vs the Thunder.

This.
You can say it I broken but the fact is, it is hard to play your game if the opponent play physical game but were not being called a foul.
Also, defense is also an issue. If you look at how OKC set their picks, there's a lot of moving screen. Which makes it hard for our defense to work on their perimeter shooters....

[hitmantb]

I don't think game 3 was called unfairly. There were bad calls on both sides. Even if Mills's 3 counted I highly doubt Spurs had enough firepower to come back.

The truth is Spurs has the weakest team physically in these playoffs. Thunder especially Westbrook loves to go for steals which basically creates physical contacts. Even if he fails to steal the ball it bumps our ball handler and stalls the offense and increase the risk of passing.

Against Miami in 2012, LeBron/Wade were just so much stronger physically and can pretty much ignore this type of contacts and finish the play. Heck, Ibaka can hardly handle LeBron posting up on him, LeBron can create the contact, bump off the defender and finish the jumper.

This is why the tighter the ref calls the game, the more likely Spurs will win. Our team is finesse, not brute force.

[TampaDude]

We will beat them the only way we can. We have to kick their ass so soundly that the refs can't help them enough. Actually we are damn lucky Joey is there tonight. Never thought I'd be saying that! :ihit

Joey isn't our kryptonite anymore...it's Tony Brothers...he's evil, just plain evil.

[Knoxxx]

There was a stretch where OKC was fouling every play and the refs were not calling anything. Hard to overcome that on the road for sure.

[therealtruth]

When they hit you first you have to hit them back. Instead the Spurs tend to get scared and start turning the ball over. They need to respond with physical screens and hard cuts.

[Kidd K]

This.
You can say it I broken but the fact is, it is hard to play your game if the opponent play physical game but were not being called a foul.
Also, defense is also an issue. If you look at how OKC set their picks, there's a lot of moving screen. Which makes it hard for our defense to work on their perimeter shooters....

That's exactly what happened in 2012 too. TONS of moving screens that don't get called. They realize it isn't getting called, so they do it more and more and move more since they know they can get away with it. That's why Ibaka started to goaltend up a storm too, he knew he was getting away with it.

[Kidd K]

In all the series I listed (2004, 2012, 2013 final two games), and even game 3, I really don't believe refs were unfair. Sure there were bad calls but Spurs offense's fluidity was broken long before that. You can not rely on fluke shooting from Green/Manu in the long run. I just felt once the other team shut down Parker, it was just too hard for Spurs to win the ISO game against say, a Kobe/Durant/LeBron jumper.

Spurs has the weakest 1v1 players of the elite teams, hence the highest level of reliance on passing. This is why Spurs usually blow teams out when everything clicks or fall apart completely. In close games, star 1v1 power is too difficult to overcome and Spurs usually lose them.

It is unfortunate but Popovich is getting as much out of the aging GDP core as anyone imagined, really takes a lot of luck to win it all at this stage of Duncan's career when nobody on this team can reliably 1v1 (shoot close to 0.500) against an above average defender.

I don't believe you watched games 4, 5, and 6 in 2012 WCF if you think it was officiated fairly.

[hsxvvd]

if only they allowed it both ways :(

[hitmantb]

I don't believe you watched games 4, 5, and 6 in 2012 WCF if you think it was officiated fairly.

I watched everyone of these painful games. Spurs simply could not match the aggression and athleticism.

Talent gap is way too big when one team is completely reliant on open shots. The other team can brute force it.

[therealtruth]

The Spurs need to practice against physical defense till they figure it out. Pop needs to stop calling fouls in practice and let them figure it out. It's absolutely ridiculous to lose in the same way each time.

[therealtruth]

Also if the Spurs are going to foul they need to stop with the ticky tacky stuff and lay some wood.

[Kidd K]

I watched everyone of these painful games. Spurs simply could not match the aggression and athleticism.

Talent gap is way too big when one team is completely reliant on open shots. The other team can brute force it.

You sound like an ESPN/TNT excuse maker now. Ibaka got away with nearly a dozen goaltends. That erased over 20 points just on those missed calls alone. Then if you count those "magical" 8-10 FTA in 5-6 possession "runs" on brush contact or phantom contact OKC kept getting in the late 3rd and early-mid 4th quarters whenever they were down, cold, and needed it badly, you can't tell me the refs didn't heavily effect the outcome.

Aggressiveness and athleticism didn't make the refs swallow their whistles on OKC violations, and blow them for OKC whenever they were in danger.