CBS Sports: Spurs back to grind-it-out style as a means to counter Warriors' smallbal

[NASpurs]

By Matt Moore

The real secret to the San Antonio Spurs' era of dominance that stretches 16 years and counting isn't (just) Tim Duncan's brilliance or their phenomenal draft scouting staff or the franchise's fortune of health, or even Gregg Popovich's tactical masterminding.

It's their adaptability.

When the league went all-offense, up and down in the mid-00's with Seven Seconds or Less and the Mavericks, the Spurs became a grind-it-out defensive squad and won two titles in 2005 and 2007. Those were mostly plodding, deliberate offenses centered around terrific, gritty defenses.

A few years later, when the league went to hyper-isolation play and blitzing defenses with the Heat's rise in 2011, they adapted again as their roster got younger and went to a wide-open spread, 3-point-heavy spread attack. That's how the San Antonio challenged in 2012, made the Finals in 2013, and won in 2014. The team placed a premium on shooting, to the point that their 2014 Finals performance remains one of the most incredible shooting performances in NBA history.

In fact, 2014 was the highest effective field-goal percentage of any team in NBA Finals history.

After last year's first-round exit at the hands of the Clippers, the Spurs pivoted once again. Where they've landed is fascinating.

Read more: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25393001/spurs-back-to-grind-it-out-style-as-they-look-to-challenge-warriors-smallball?

[SAGirl]

Thanks for sharing this. Very interesting article.
:toast

[littlecoyotecoin]

But fortune of health? Many o playoff run have been cut short due to injury to key pieces...Splitter and Tony just last year...

[Spurtacular]

Good Find.

[Yuixafun]

One step ahead of the bread line

[TheGreatYacht]

Matt Moore with the goods :toast

NBA teams trying to copy the 2013-2014 Spurs, while the real Spurs keep evolving. Always one step ahead of the league tbh

[Mugen]

You run with the Dubs and you die tbh. Memphis set the blueprint in last year's playoffs and the Spurs are basically a suped up version of that Memphis team with a little bit more shooting.

Don't know if it's enough to knock off Golden State but it's their best chance at doing so tbh.

[HarlemHeat37]

:lol isn't that writer the clown/moron that said the Grizzlies had a better off-season than the Spurs, and that they were better?

Crazy that some of these people get paid to write about basketball, tbh:lol

[DAF86]

I don't think this "grind-it-out" style is by design, tbh. It's just has to do with the team adapting to LMA and Kawhi's bigger role.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

I don't think this "grind-it-out" style is by design, tbh. It's just has to do with the team adapting to LMA and Kawhi's bigger role.

This

[Obi Juan Kenobi]

I'll take an 88-83 victory over a 125-118 victory any day...

[Blue Duck]

I think what makes the spurs special, is that they have the ability to combine the pass happy motion offense with the grind it out defense and the dump it into the post/iso game. By March, we may very well see the spurs 99-05 defense AND the 2012-2014 offense in one night mare mutant abomination of a team!!!!

[Blue Duck]

I think what makes the spurs special, is that they have the ability to combine the pass happy motion offense with the grind it out defense and the dump it into the post/iso game. By March, we may very well see the spurs 99-05 defense AND the 2012-2014 offense in one night mare mutant abomination of a team!!!!

[sasaint]

I don't think this "grind-it-out" style is by design, tbh. It's just has to do with the team adapting to LMA and Kawhi's bigger role.

I don't think you go all out to get LMA in the first lace if you don't contemplate his style. Our team was constructed before it started playing.

[ducks]

I think what makes the spurs special, is that they have the ability to combine the pass happy motion offense with the grind it out defense and the dump it into the post/iso game. By March, we may very well see the spurs 99-05 defense AND the 2012-2014 offense in one night mare mutant abomination of a team!!!!
:bobo

[YGWHI]

Thanks for posting!


I don't think this "grind-it-out" style is by design, tbh. It's just has to do with the team adapting to LMA and Kawhi's bigger role.

Agree. The Spurs are considered a slow team by pace factor but who can expect other thing with aging key players and post-up players...It would be a bad idea to force a pace that doesn't fit with the personnel.

[jehawk81]

I think what makes the spurs special, is that they have the ability to combine the pass happy motion offense with the grind it out defense and the dump it into the post/iso game. By March, we may very well see the spurs 99-05 defense AND the 2012-2014 offense in one night mare mutant abomination of a team!!!!


I think what makes the spurs special, is that they have the ability to combine the pass happy motion offense with the grind it out defense and the dump it into the post/iso game. By March, we may very well see the spurs 99-05 defense AND the 2012-2014 offense in one night mare mutant abomination of a team!!!!

This is what I'm hoping happens. There is definitely a possibility of this exact scenario happening & I'm absolutely sure many other Spurs fans are hoping for it. This team has all the pieces to put this together the way u just said. As good as '14 championship team was, this year's version has a higher ceiling

[$pursDynasty]

I think what makes the spurs special, is that they have the ability to combine the pass happy motion offense with the grind it out defense and the dump it into the post/iso game. By March, we may very well see the spurs 99-05 defense AND the 2012-2014 offense in one night mare mutant abomination of a team!!!!
This every Spurs fans dream and the Dubs and leagues nightmare!

[Aztecfan03]

The Spurs didn't need to counter the Warriors.

[InRareForm]

Spurs need to worry about them selves before trying to counter anybody

[ceperez]

Spurs have been playing the grind-it-out style, but it hasn't really been working.

Most of the blowouts have been due to the 2nd unit that doesn't play a grind-it-out style.

Spurs need to figure out more efficient plays for LMA. Last game against Hawks, he had the lowest field goal percentage! What do you do with a guy who takes midrange shots at a low percentage rate??? GSW will dare him to shoot, and Spurs will lose in the process.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

Spurs have been playing the grind-it-out style, but it hasn't really been working.

Most of the blowouts have been due to the 2nd unit that doesn't play a grind-it-out style.

Spurs need to figure out more efficient plays for LMA. Last game against Hawks, he had the lowest field goal percentage! What do you do with a guy who takes midrange shots at a low percentage rate??? GSW will dare him to shoot, and Spurs will lose in the process.

Im guessing you are new to the watching basketball thing?

[kawhidoyoudothistome]

Spurs have been playing the grind-it-out style, but it hasn't really been working.

Most of the blowouts have been due to the 2nd unit that doesn't play a grind-it-out style.

Spurs need to figure out more efficient plays for LMA. Last game against Hawks, he had the lowest field goal percentage! What do you do with a guy who takes midrange shots at a low percentage rate??? GSW will dare him to shoot, and Spurs will lose in the process.

Daring LMA to shoot is not the wisest thing a team can do. It does not yield good results, for the most part.

[Brazil]

It's too soon to say Spurs are back to 2005, they have new guys to integrate to the system... Once everybody feels comfortable then we can start this kind of discussion about slowing pace to counter warriors. I don't think they are thinking much to other teams, they are focusing on their play. February most likely March time will come to see what they have

[buttsR4rebounding]

Let's see what it looks like at the Rodeo Road Trip.

[DarrinS]

It's too soon to say Spurs are back to 2005, they have new guys to integrate to the system... Once everybody feels comfortable then we can start this kind of discussion about slowing pace to counter warriors. I don't think they are thinking much to other teams, they are focusing on their play. February most likely March time will come to see what they have


Yeah, the style of play has more to do with integrating new players and changes in some players' roles.

[ElNono]

The Spurs are really mixing it up... slower tempo with the starters, but the bench still runs a lot of flex and fast pace...

I think it's just Pop wanting diversity and flexibility out there... which makes sense, as different teams will offer different challenges in the playoffs...

[Obstructed_View]

I don't think this "grind-it-out" style is by design, tbh. It's just has to do with the team adapting to LMA and Kawhi's bigger role.

The Spurs' offense has looked much better the last week or so, with a temporary setback of LMA rolling his ankle. Once they integrate Danny and start eliminating the low-percentage shots they can start getting more minutes for the reserves. Expect their ppg to climb as their defense remains elite.

[siraulo23]

i think this spurs team actually matches up better vs thunder, the clippers etc... but actually worse vs the warriors with the addition of aldridge imo

[DAF86]

i think this spurs team actually matches up better vs thunder, the clippers etc... but actually worse vs the warriors with the addition of aldridge imo

Why?

[ajh18]

My hope for this team is a slow-paced group that slides in and out of the motion offense easily.

Right now we seem to be working on playing two ways. Sometimes we simply go ISO and movement grinds to a halt. Other times we move the ball as we have in the past. Hopefully, after we get solidified on both those approaches (and the new guys know where to be/etc) we can bridge the two. Still go some of each, but even on the ISOs have the off-ball guys moving, picking, and cutting so Kawhi or LMA can pass to a better look if need-be.

The slow overall pace, plus this type of herky-jerky offense that blends heavy ball movement with isolation, would be really hard to counter. It would limit the threes a team like golden state could get off due to fewer possessions, and force teams to try to prepare for ball movement even out of isolations.

[Tbiggums47]

I think what makes the spurs special, is that they have the ability to combine the pass happy motion offense with the grind it out defense and the dump it into the post/iso game. By March, we may very well see the spurs 99-05 defense AND the 2012-2014 offense in one night mare mutant abomination of a team!!!!

I agree blue duck. I'm so excited to see this team prioritize defense as a means to control tempo and efficiency. When Lamarcus gets his rythum going. To me, IMO, this team looks scary. I happen to believe we will see that rare combination of elite defense with mid range and timely long range bombs.

[siraulo23]

Why?

Im just not sure aldridge can consistently be effective guarding the pick and rolls against the warriors. A healthy splitter moves better laterally than aldridge to hedge those pick and rolls and give leonard and green enough time to recover to the shooters. The playoff series vs the warriors in 2013, pop switched green to play curry and leonard to defend thompson but both duncan and splitter was just as important slowing down the warrior offense

[DAF86]

Im just not sure aldridge can consistently be effective guarding the pick and rolls against the warriors. A healthy splitter moves better laterally than aldridge to hedge those pick and rolls and give leonard and green enough time to recover to the shooters. The playoff series vs the warriors in 2013, pop switched green to play curry and leonard to defend thompson but both duncan and splitter was just as important slowing down the warrior offense

Aldridge has impressed me with his mobility and effort on the defensive end, I doubt he would be a liability at any point of the season but if that's the case you can always tell him to sit a particular series up.

[spursistan]

:lol isn't that writer the clown/moron that said the Grizzlies had a better off-season than the Spurs, and that they were better?

Crazy that some of these people get paid to write about basketball, tbh:lol
yes, he is that gabby clown on twitter with HPbasketball handle..

https://twitter.com/HPbasketball

[LoneStarState'sPride]

The Spurs are really mixing it up... slower tempo with the starters, but the bench still runs a lot of flex and fast pace...

I think it's just Pop wanting diversity and flexibility out there... which makes sense, as different teams will offer different challenges in the playoffs...

This. That second unit swings the ball around "Summertime" style with the best of 'em.

[Lostwingman]

I'm skeptical of how much this "grind it out" offense is for the Warriors specifically and not just because we have too many new pieces to run the old almost instinctively pass heavy offense. It's not really a surprise that the bench has been the most reminiscent of it with relative continuity they have.

[SnakeBoy]

Spurs aren't back to a grind it out offense. They are playing out of sync November offense while trying to incorporate new players. The only reason they have been grinding it out with teams is because the offense isn't very good....YET.

People really need to wait until February to make judgement on what the Spurs offense is going to look like.

[ducks]

So why are u posting it is not feb can not talk ball tell then

[DenialTwist]

Matt Moore is so annoying. He is obligated to mention the spurs every once in a while on CBS sports but he absolutely dreads talking about them. Look at his twitter feed, he said he hopes the "Spurs will never win again" (this was during all the warriors undefeated + new dynasty talk) he also says he is not impressed with the spurs offense.

Spurs are playing slower because of the personnel they have not because it was Pop's master plan to win against the Warriors. The personnel is older and because of LMA + KL more mid-range oriented. Their defense is the best in the league but their offense is still adjusting, they're 10th in offensive efficiency and 26th in pace. They are also at the bottom of the NBA in fastbreak pts. Everyone thought their defense would suffer with LMA but he has actually looked great defensively.

[Tbiggums47]

Matt Moore is so annoying. He is obligated to mention the spurs every once in a while on CBS sports but he absolutely dreads talking about them. Look at his twitter feed, he said he hopes the "Spurs will never win again" (this was during all the warriors undefeated + new dynasty talk) he also says he is not impressed with the spurs offense.

Spurs are playing slower because of the personnel they have not because it was Pop's master plan to win against the Warriors. The personnel is older and because of LMA + KL more mid-range oriented. Their defense is the best in the league but their offense is still adjusting, they're 10th in offensive efficiency and 26th in pace. They are also at the bottom of the NBA in fastbreak pts. Everyone thought their defense would suffer with LMA but he has actually looked great defensively.

Matt Moore is an idiot with facts. He reminds me of Jim Rome to a degree when it comes to The Spurs. He won't mention them unless he absolutely has to just so he can lend himself some credibility. His hate of the Spurs causes him to forget important things .... Like Facts to support his analysis. I quit following him over a year ago.... IJS!

[CGD]

This will be the narrative ESPN and other spew out in the coming months, but it's garbage.

[ceperez]

The stats about the Spurs slow pace is being interpreted incorrectly.

If you watch the Spurs games, you'll see them always running the ball up the court. There's no slow pace. What is slow is the time it takes the Spurs to score. That's because they are busy passing the ball pack and forth, side to side to tire out the defender. I gather this is the PATFO game plane, to have the opponents work much more on defense. It is hard to tell what PATFO is up to, but this kind of makes logical sense. You really want the opponent to spend a lot of effort in defense. That is, having to guard the paint all the way to the 3 point line and having to chase guards running all over the place.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

It took the media 2+ years to figure out that the Spurs have become a fast-paced, offense-oriented squad. It took them 16 games to see that the Spurs had reverted back to being a defensive focused group. Unleash the "boring" comments.

The best thing to do when you're not playing well is focus on your defense. Even with the 14-3 record the Spurs could be playing much better than they are, currently. The best thing the Spurs could do is be that team that can get out and run, but then change the pace and throw a team like the Warriors out of synch by suddenly slowing the game way down. I think Pop's just adding some extra gears right now. If you can best utilize your aging Big 3 by keeping the pace slower when you can, why not do that.

[ajh18]

The stats about the Spurs slow pace is being interpreted incorrectly.

If you watch the Spurs games, you'll see them always running the ball up the court. There's no slow pace. What is slow is the time it takes the Spurs to score. That's because they are busy passing the ball pack and forth, side to side to tire out the defender. I gather this is the PATFO game plane, to have the opponents work much more on defense. It is hard to tell what PATFO is up to, but this kind of makes logical sense. You really want the opponent to spend a lot of effort in defense. That is, having to guard the paint all the way to the 3 point line and having to chase guards running all over the place.

I agree with this. The Spurs lead the league in passes/game this year. It's not that they are simply going to a more iso-heavy scheme, they are just really passing the ball a lot before scoring.

"The Spurs lead the league in passes per game despite playing at the 8th slowest pace, yet even that stat doesn’t seem to do the Spurs justice. What makes their high passing numbers more impressive is how well they move the ball back and forth from one side of the court to the other. It’s almost as if their goal is to quickly read a checklist of options on one side of the court and if nothing opens up, the ball gets swung around to the other side for that checklist to start over."

http://hardwoodparoxysm.com/2015/11/27/the-pocket-pass-five-things-the-san-antonio-spurs-do-better-than-anyone/