The new Spurs already defend like the championship Spurs article

[ducks]

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/11/12/9721672/san-antonio-spurs-defense-nba-breakdown

[lilbthebasedgod]

People really underestimate danny's defense all the time

[spursistan]

Can't jump up to conclusion this early..That schedule has been a cupcake, tbh

[daledondale]

Can't jump up to conclusion this early..That schedule has been a cupcake, tbh

[dweaver99027]

I like what I've seen from our defense so far. Rotations seem crisp and no major breakdowns occur, even with new acquisition LMA playing center. Defensive rebounding against athletic bigs and our shotblocking is a problem, but as Spurs fans we're used to living with it since prime DRob left the building. Still needs to get tested against th elite teams, though.

[SAGirl]

My only worry is Diaw/West.
And I am :deadhorse about it. So I'll just shuddup.... We likely won't see that duo dinamico in the postseason unless its against really small ball. Against benches with real bigs we are screwed. West D has been the most disappointing to me.

There have been breakups in the perimeter D, the occasional failure in closing out a shooter, the backcuts, the guys coming through screens scorching hot, but you can't stop everybody in the NBA, the one problem that has been consistent has been Diaw-West.

That said, we have played against non-playoff teams for the most part except OKC and the Wiz, and we lost both games, so I don't think its time yet to be patting ourselves in the back.

[8FOR!3]

I think losing Splitter and replacing him with a quicker footed guy to take Duncan's position made all the difference. Aldridge has the quickness that Duncan's lacked the past however many years and now Duncan can guard the center position better.

[HarlemHeat37]

I think losing Splitter and replacing him with a quicker footed guy to take Duncan's position made all the difference. Aldridge has the quickness that Duncan's lacked the past however many years and now Duncan can guard the center position better.

The Spurs have had an elite defense since 2013:lol..the defense has been better than the offense every year since Leonard/Green were inserted into the SL..

I don't know why people keep making the point that the article in the OP is making..the Spurs having a dominant defense has been the case for years, and it's actually too early to crown the current team IMO..small sample size and easy schedule..

[Big Empty]

My only worry is Diaw/West.
And I am :deadhorse about it. So I'll just shuddup.... We likely won't see that duo dinamico in the postseason unless its against really small ball. Against benches with real bigs we are screwed. West D has been the most disappointing to me.

There have been breakups in the perimeter D, the occasional failure in closing out a shooter, the backcuts, the guys coming through screens scorching hot, but you can't stop everybody in the NBA, the one problem that has been consistent has been Diaw-West.

That said, we have played against non-playoff teams for the most part except OKC and the Wiz, and we lost both games, so I don't think its time yet to be patting ourselves in the back.

agreed.

[BillMc]

We stay healthy, keep gelling, and really its us or Golden State. No one else can win it all

[DPG21920]

Easy schedule but road heavy

[dabom]

We weren't beating playoff teams in 2014 and still took the 'ship.

[PrimeMinister]

My only worry is Diaw/West.
And I am :deadhorse about it. So I'll just shuddup.... We likely won't see that duo dinamico in the postseason unless its against really small ball. Against benches with real bigs we are screwed. West D has been the most disappointing to me.

There have been breakups in the perimeter D, the occasional failure in closing out a shooter, the backcuts, the guys coming through screens scorching hot, but you can't stop everybody in the NBA, the one problem that has been consistent has been Diaw-West.

That said, we have played against non-playoff teams for the most part except OKC and the Wiz, and we lost both games, so I don't think its time yet to be patting ourselves in the back.

Game 1 against OKC came down to our last possession and was filled with experimentation and tinkering on Pop's part. If there was any debate, it was obvious afterwards that Diaw and West cant rebound with 7 footers like Adams and Kanter. In a meaningful ballgame, its going to be staggered minutes for LMA and Timmy to make sure we have a rebounding presence on the floor at all times. Pop has been doing that since against taller teams, like you said expect to see the Diaw/West pairing against small ball teams, and I'm not counting out the viability of that frontcourt until West really finds himself on this team. We've already seen flashes of what West can bring, he's tough, has a very high basketball IQ, and by the time game 82 is over, our first and second units barring injury are going to be sound.

R-E-L-A-X

[Fireball]

I think losing Splitter and replacing him with a quicker footed guy to take Duncan's position made all the difference. Aldridge has the quickness that Duncan's lacked the past however many years and now Duncan can guard the center position better.

we are talking defense ... LMA is not quicker than Splitter

[ceperez]

Any praise about the current Spurs is going to be misplaced because the Spurs have played against mostly non-playoff teams.

[jag]

I think losing Splitter and replacing him with a quicker footed guy to take Duncan's position made all the difference. Aldridge has the quickness that Duncan's lacked the past however many years and now Duncan can guard the center position better.

Splitter regularly defended PF's with great success - Aldridge being one of those. Aldridge at his current weight is not quicker than Splitter. I'm sure LA will do fine in the current system, but a defensive comparison between the two players over the past few years favors Splitter.

[Brazil]

Dat kind of take.... : "and two above average ones (defenders) in Danny Green and LMA" smh

[Tbiggums47]

Any praise about the current Spurs is going to be misplaced because the Spurs have played against mostly non-playoff teams.

i agree CPerez but we have to play who ever is on the schedule. I think we are coming together better as we go along.

[ceperez]

i agree CPerez but we have to play who ever is on the schedule. I think we are coming together better as we go along.

Just saying that anyone claiming Spurs defense is stellar really isn't taking into account how pathetic the opponents have been.

[cjw]

Easy schedule but road heavy

Spurs have no reason not to go a run here through the rest of the month. Three non-playoff teams at home that they should be favored by double digits in each game (PHI / POR / DEN, a quick trip to NO against a beat up squad, then MEM/PHX/DAL at home, @DEN, home ATL and @CHI). DEN is never a fun trip either. The MEM and ATL games are both back-to-backs (though they're both on b2b as well), so 7-2 in those games would be a very good outcome. Don't expect anything worse than 6-3.

December is also pretty light. Something between 10 and 12 wins out of 16 would be expected. That would put them at 23-8 or better come the New Year. Need to build some buffer over the non-GS teams now as the back end of the schedule is rough.

[ceperez]

Spurs have no reason not to go a run here through the rest of the month. Three non-playoff teams at home that they should be favored by double digits in each game (PHI / POR / DEN, a quick trip to NO against a beat up squad, then MEM/PHX/DAL at home, @DEN, home ATL and @CHI). DEN is never a fun trip either. The MEM and ATL games are both back-to-backs (though they're both on b2b as well), so 7-2 in those games would be a very good outcome. Don't expect anything worse than 6-3.

December is also pretty light. Something between 10 and 12 wins out of 16 would be expected. That would put them at 23-8 or better come the New Year. Need to build some buffer over the non-GS teams now as the back end of the schedule is rough.

Memphis isn't playing close to the level of previous years. They are pretty much done.
Dallas isn't as formidable.
So 3 loses is going to be a disappointment. Then again, Spurs lost to DC, which is pretty pathetic.

Spurs should beat ATL and CHI, but the way they are currently playing, I doubt it.