Coach Pop: "I don’t feel like we’re kicking butt or anything like that."

[tmtcsc]

I agree with Pop 100%. I'd love to get on the Spurs' current "great defense" hype train, but I can't. While the numbers indicate they are playing solid D, they aren't passing the eye test. Don't get me wrong, its been very good but I believe the Spurs' weak schedule and new, slower offensive approach has more to do with the numbers looking so good. Less possessions = less points.

On more than one occasion, the Spurs have failed to get Defensive stops when they've needed it, or failed to get an important defensive rebound. I'm looking forward to the Spurs playing a tougher schedule and improving their offense. They haven't done anything yet.

Similarly, the 20-0 Golden State Warriors are chomping up the league but it's more about Steph Curry playing at an unbelievable level. Props to them but Curry can't & won't keep up this pace. Once he comes down to earth, the l's will start coming more frequently. They aren't anywhere near as good as the 72-10 Bulls. I fully expect the Spurs to bounce them out of the playoffs if some other team doesn't do it first. The playoffs are a different animal. Once Curry gets choked with double and triple teams, the rest of the roster will have to step up.

[TDomination]

What i'm more curious about besides Opponent PPG, is what is the Opponent FG% for the spurs and what rank is that?

[YGWHI]

On more than one occasion, the Spurs have failed to get Defensive stops when they've needed it, or failed to get an important defensive rebound.

Making a lot of defensive mistakes doesn't mean they can't get defensive stops.

Against Wizards slow switching the screen gave Beal the space to shoot, vs Bulls Manu losing rotation and fouling, vs Thunder Waiters hitting consecutive js over Parker...

The Spurs can easily fix it...just clean up mistakes and not allow easy baskets.

[jdiggy0424]

Opponents FG % is 41.8%, good for 3rd in the league.

[coachmac87]

I don't undestand when you say they aren't passing the "eye test"....

What would you like to see??? 88.8ppg is great for the first 19 games regardless of who we are playing. Pop is playing possum if you asked him did you expect the defense to be this good this early the answer is no.. But he's a coach and he loves him some humble pie

[Fireball]

Agree about our defense ... disagree about Warriors/Curry ... they are willing passers ... everybody can shoot ... as long as they are healthy double-teaming of Curry will not lead to success IMO

[SpurAddict561]

Holding NBA TEAMS to less than 90 a game is a remarkable feat regardless of what our schedule has been.

[SAGirl]

I agree with Pop 100%. I'd love to get on the Spurs' current "great defense" hype train, but I can't. While the numbers indicate they are playing solid D, they aren't passing the eye test. Don't get me wrong, its been very good but I believe the Spurs' weak schedule and new, slower offensive approach has more to do with the numbers looking so good. Less possessions = less points.

On more than one occasion, the Spurs have failed to get Defensive stops when they've needed it, or failed to get an important defensive rebound. I'm looking forward to the Spurs playing a tougher schedule and improving their offense. They haven't done anything yet.

Similarly, the 20-0 Golden State Warriors are chomping up the league but it's more about Steph Curry playing at an unbelievable level. Props to them but Curry can't & won't keep up this pace. Once he comes down to earth, the l's will start coming more frequently. They aren't anywhere near as good as the 72-10 Bulls. I fully expect the Spurs to bounce them out of the playoffs if some other team doesn't do it first. The playoffs are a different animal. Once Curry gets choked with double and triple teams, the rest of the roster will have to step up.

The SL is very good, but the bench defensively is weak. It's not a problem for the 4th wing. It's systematic. Pop has played all of our wings, Kawhi, Danny, Kyle, Rasual at the 4th wing, and the problems are the same. Lack of rim protection, poor defensive rebounding, and sad to say, for me its the Patty PnR defense being exposed when the big defending it is West. He's just not agile or with sufficient length to make plays and rotate on the nightmare that is Patty on PnR defense. It's making me go crazy with Patty at times. I used to love him, but I am developing avoidance to Patty bc he is getting chewed on the defensive end.

The fact Pop had Cojo in the past covered up for Patty so much. When Patty was getting chewed Cojo would come in and stop that right off the bat. Right now there is nothing we can do but watch and cringe as all sorts of bigs get to the rim against Diaw/West courtesy of the PnR against Patty.

[baseline bum]

Barely one month into the season I'm not too impressed by good defensive numbers. Most of the league plays like shit early on.

[Keepin' it real]

I agree with Pop 100%. I'd love to get on the Spurs' current "great defense" hype train, but I can't. While the numbers indicate they are playing solid D, they aren't passing the eye test.

My eyes disagree.


On more than one occasion, the Spurs have failed to get Defensive stops when they've needed it, or failed to get an important defensive rebound.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/79/39/21/793921d085a862e38604e207be3393af.jpg
Even the Spurs are allowed to screw up "on more than one occasion" every 20 games or so. Cut them some slack.

[ElNono]

The fact Pop had Cojo in the past covered up for Patty so much. When Patty was getting chewed Cojo would come in and stop that right off the bat. Right now there is nothing we can do but watch and cringe as all sorts of bigs get to the rim against Diaw/West courtesy of the PnR against Patty.

He could play McCallum. But that might come later on, once Danny regains his shooting touch.

[ElNono]

I think the defense has been terrific. Especially after watching pretty much all the teams in the league. It's true that most teams start slow, but it's been really, really slow this season for some reason.

That said, Pop isn't wrong. Our offense still looks very disjointed. When you look at the amount of talent on this roster, and then look at the meager offensive output, along with the continually sloppy execution, there's zero doubt we have a ton of room to improve.

[All Mighty Janitor]

I agree with Pop 100%. I'd love to get on the Spurs' current "great defense" hype train, but I can't. While the numbers indicate they are playing solid D, they aren't passing the eye test. Don't get me wrong, its been very good but I believe the Spurs' weak schedule and new, slower offensive approach has more to do with the numbers looking so good. Less possessions = less points.

On more than one occasion, the Spurs have failed to get Defensive stops when they've needed it, or failed to get an important defensive rebound. I'm looking forward to the Spurs playing a tougher schedule and improving their offense. They haven't done anything yet.

Similarly, the 20-0 Golden State Warriors are chomping up the league but it's more about Steph Curry playing at an unbelievable level. Props to them but Curry can't & won't keep up this pace. Once he comes down to earth, the l's will start coming more frequently. They aren't anywhere near as good as the 72-10 Bulls. I fully expect the Spurs to bounce them out of the playoffs if some other team doesn't do it first. The playoffs are a different animal. Once Curry gets choked with double and triple teams, the rest of the roster will have to step up.

I'm with you, for the most part. Something about what I'm seeing doesn't feel right. Maybe it's the weak schedule or that it looks to easy.

I'm not so sure about the Curry part. One reason he is averaging so many less assist this year is because he IS getting double and triple teamed. He is passing out of them with Draymond being the best beneficiary with those high assist games.

[SAGirl]

I think the defense has been terrific. Especially after watching pretty much all the teams in the league. It's true that most teams start slow, but it's been really, really slow this season for some reason.

That said, Pop isn't wrong. Our offense still looks very disjointed. When you look at the amount of talent on this roster, and then look at the meager offensive output, along with the continually sloppy execution, there's zero doubt we have a ton of room to improve.
Our bench has gotten too pass happy. There are times that no one literally no one wants to take a shot.
West is a terrific passer, but sometimes he has a good look and passes up to a contested Manu 3. Seen it happen.
Patty is a willing shooter, and will chuck any ball you feed him, but he's not always the best option.
Boris has been wanting to dish into traffic and turns the ball over right under the basket bc he's looking for West or for a cutter. Kyle's fit is awkward. I love his potential and me criticizing his game doesn't mean I like him any less as a player, but I want what is best for the team and he needs to take at least 1 three a game... 1 three Kyle, come on! He's becoming Diaw 1.0 :lol... that is maddeningly passive.

The other thing, how many times our pass happy bench doesn't end up with a forced up shot by Kyle with like 2 secs left to go. Kyle has a bad shooting percentage, but just look at his shots. Almost all of them are contested end of the shot clock bail-outs. I am surprised he's at almost 40% with the kind of jumpshots he's taking and forcing. With better shot selection he could be better, so I see what Pop means about his shot selection and he's probably driving Pop crazy with his passiveness, when he can shoot. You would think he could not shoot at all the way he's passing up good shots. He's passing up the easy ones and then being all brave and taking all the uber hard. Thank God he draws fouls.

Simmons can score for sure. He will be able to get a lot of easy baskets in transition, and can get to the rim out of cuts and passing from Diaw or West, so all that remains is whether he can shoot the 3. He also needs to be better defensively bc the bench already has defensive weaknesses, so if he's going to play he can't add to their troubles. However, he's a jolt of energy and I think he will carve out play for himself at times, particularly when everyone else is lethargic. For sure he fits in well when Manu rests. I see him eventually divvying up whatever playing time is there to be spared with Kyle depending on the size of the matchups and how either one is doing. Kyle still has a niche for himself as a stretch 4, and Pop has been willing to go to him when Diaw is on his lack of defense and coasting mode.

The starting lineup the opposite. At first lack of ball movement and guys were lost. Lamarcus and Danny passing up open shots .. wide open shots... Danny lacking rhythm and driving into traffic. It was offensive nightmare central, but they have improved and are probably still very far from what they would like to be.

[itzsoweezee]

I agree with the op. A lot of the good numbers is due simply to the fact that the Spurs have played a really easy schedule.

The most disturbing aspect of the Spurs play has been their lack of improvement over the course of the season. This team does not look any better today than it did a month ago. In some ways, it's been playing much worse. In other words, it's trending in the wrong direction.

I'm not saying San Antonio is a bad team, but it's definitely not championship caliber at this point.

[RD2191]

I agree with the op. A lot of the good numbers is due simply to the fact that the Spurs have played a really easy schedule.

The most disturbing aspect of the Spurs play has been their lack of improvement over the course of the season. This team does not look any better today than it did a month ago. In some ways, it's been playing much worse. In other words, it's trending in the wrong direction.

I'm not saying San Antonio is a bad team, but it's definitely not championship caliber at this point.
Truth bomb tb

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Barely one month into the season I'm not too impressed by good defensive numbers. Most of the league plays like shit early on.

If it's the same for everyone. . .

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Our bench has gotten too pass happy. There are times that no one literally no one wants to take a shot.
West is a terrific passer, but sometimes he has a good look and passes up to a contested Manu 3. Seen it happen.
Patty is a willing shooter, and will chuck any ball you feed him, but he's not always the best option.
Boris has been wanting to dish into traffic and turns the ball over right under the basket bc he's looking for West or for a cutter. Kyle's fit is awkward. I love his potential and me criticizing his game doesn't mean I like him any less as a player, but I want what is best for the team and he needs to take at least 1 three a game... 1 three Kyle, come on! He's becoming Diaw 1.0 :lol... that is maddeningly passive.

The other thing, how many times our pass happy bench doesn't end up with a forced up shot by Kyle with like 2 secs left to go. Kyle has a bad shooting percentage, but just look at his shots. Almost all of them are contested end of the shot clock bail-outs. I am surprised he's at almost 40% with the kind of jumpshots he's taking and forcing. With better shot selection he could be better, so I see what Pop means about his shot selection and he's probably driving Pop crazy with his passiveness, when he can shoot. You would think he could not shoot at all the way he's passing up good shots. He's passing up the easy ones and then being all brave and taking all the uber hard. Thank God he draws fouls.

Simmons can score for sure. He will be able to get a lot of easy baskets in transition, and can get to the rim out of cuts and passing from Diaw or West, so all that remains is whether he can shoot the 3. He also needs to be better defensively bc the bench already has defensive weaknesses, so if he's going to play he can't add to their troubles. However, he's a jolt of energy and I think he will carve out play for himself at times, particularly when everyone else is lethargic. For sure he fits in well when Manu rests. I see him eventually divvying up whatever playing time is there to be spared with Kyle depending on the size of the matchups and how either one is doing. Kyle still has a niche for himself as a stretch 4, and Pop has been willing to go to him when Diaw is on his lack of defense and coasting mode.

The starting lineup the opposite. At first lack of ball movement and guys were lost. Lamarcus and Danny passing up open shots .. wide open shots... Danny lacking rhythm and driving into traffic. It was offensive nightmare central, but they have improved and are probably still very far from what they would like to be.

Pass happy bench? Did you watch the last championship?

[313]

Similarly, the 20-0 Golden State Warriors are chomping up the league but it's more about Steph Curry playing at an unbelievable level. Props to them but Curry can't & won't keep up this pace. Once he comes down to earth, the l's will start coming more frequently. They aren't anywhere near as good as the 72-10 Bulls. I fully expect the Spurs to bounce them out of the playoffs if some other team doesn't do it first. The playoffs are a different animal. Once Curry gets choked with double and triple teams, the rest of the roster will have to step up.
Fucking lol

[313]

It's amazing that people still doubt the dubs even after they won 67 games last year and won the chip. I think it's because they didn't make any flashy moves like landing LeBron or KD in free agency, but they took a playoff team and added a former lottery pick in Livingston, a former number 1 option in Andre to come off the bench, a playoff get in Barbosa, etc etc And for all the talk of them being fortunate health wise, they had their fair share of bad health in the playoffs the last few years(curry, bogut, Lee), so wouldn't you say they were due?

[SAGirl]

Pass happy bench? Did you watch the last championship?
Not good when the pass happy ends up in contested shots at the end of the shot clock bc everyone refused to take the shots that were open and it ended in a desperation heave. Not quite the same right this moment.

[RD2191]

It's amazing that people still doubt the dubs even after they won 67 games last year and won the chip. I think it's because they didn't make any flashy moves like landing LeBron or KD in free agency, but they took a playoff team and added a former lottery pick in Livingston, a former number 1 option in Andre to come off the bench, a playoff get in Barbosa, etc etc And for all the talk of them being fortunate health wise, they had their fair share of bad health in the playoffs the last few years(curry, bogut, Lee), so wouldn't you say they were due?
Biggest asterisk title since 99 tbh. Most top teams were decimated with injuries.

[Horse]

My eyes disagree.

Mine too. Can you name more than maybe the Spurs cavs and warriors as serious contenders? That means no one has had a real hard schedule.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/79/39/21/793921d085a862e38604e207be3393af.jpg
Even the Spurs are allowed to screw up "on more than one occasion" every 20 games or so. Cut them some slack.

[From Downtown]

It's crazy how the rest of the League see us as a great team and yet here we are complaining doing our usual share of cliff jumping

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Not good when the pass happy ends up in contested shots at the end of the shot clock bc everyone refused to take the shots that were open and it ended in a desperation heave. Not quite the same right this moment.

How did you like that funky lineup with Butler, Simmons, Anderson, Bobo and Patty?

Popovich is doing the same thing he has done on several of his championship years as he figures out how to put together this roster. The 2015 team took two years to really reach their pinnacle.

Nonetheless, this is not new territory. He did it with guys like Berry, Belli, Finley, Elson, Willis, Kersey, et al over the years. This is precisely where Popovich's program pays off over time. Simmons is getting the same shot as two Jacksons, Neal, and Green. Bobo when he got here was much like Aldridge now: hesitant to take shots and unsure of where to go. West and Bobo are fun to watch already. They screw up their spacing a lot. So does Simmons, Anderson, West, and all the other new guys.

:spam:

I do like how you write a bit like KBP it makes me nostalgic.

[T_L_P]

Similarly, the 20-0 Golden State Warriors are chomping up the league but it's more about Steph Curry playing at an unbelievable level. Props to them but Curry can't & won't keep up this pace. Once he comes down to earth, the l's will start coming more frequently. They aren't anywhere near as good as the 72-10 Bulls. I fully expect the Spurs to bounce them out of the playoffs if some other team doesn't do it first. The playoffs are a different animal. Once Curry gets choked with double and triple teams, the rest of the roster will have to step up.


You do realize the team you're talking about actually won the whole thing last season?

[313]

Biggest asterisk title since 99 tbh. Most top teams were decimated with injuries.
Danny stepped on Curry's ankle in 2013, which probably won us the series. Asterisk finals appearance?

[Floyd Pacquiao]

Danny stepped on Curry's ankle in 2013, which probably won us the series. Asterisk finals appearance?

when Danny switched on him he had already shut him down both games before he hurt his ankle. Don't think it mattered if curry hurt his ankle or not Danny was owning him

[boutons_deux]

Nope, Spurs aren't kickin anybody's butt, very ragged, esp offense.

[SupremeGuy]

Agree about our defense ... disagree about Warriors/Curry ... they are willing passers ... everybody can shoot ... as long as they are healthy double-teaming of Curry will not lead to success IMOThe way their entire team has been healthy for an absurd amount of time now, I'm willing to bet they collectively sold their souls to the devil. It's the only answer. Wasn't Curry spraining his ankle 3/4 times a year not so long ago?

[Cry Havoc]

I've watched almost every team in the league this year.

They all honestly look pretty terrible on defense. Even Golden State is giving up wide open looks far too often (fortunately for them Curry never misses so it bails them out).

I'm not doubting the Dubs. They are one of three teams that can realistically win the title this year. But they haven't played us 7 games yet, and we are uniquely suited to give their offense grief and give them fits on the other end of things.

If LeBron by himself can take the series 6, then I have to think that we stand a healthy chance of knocking them off.

[SpursforSix]

I've watched almost every team in the league this year.

They all honestly look pretty terrible on defense. Even Golden State is giving up wide open looks far too often (fortunately for them Curry never misses so it bails them out).

I'm not doubting the Dubs. They are one of three teams that can realistically win the title this year. But they haven't played us 7 games yet, and we are uniquely suited to give their offense grief and give them fits on the other end of things.

If LeBron by himself can take the series 6, then I have to think that we stand a healthy chance of knocking them off.

I think if the Spurs continue to incorporate "grind it out" with their team play, they'll be in a good position to take it. Will be a helluva series.

[Proxy]

If LeBron by himself can take the series 6, then I have to think that we stand a healthy chance of knocking them off.

good point

[Fireball]

The way their entire team has been healthy for an absurd amount of time now, I'm willing to bet they collectively sold their souls to the devil. It's the only answer. Wasn't Curry spraining his ankle 3/4 times a year not so long ago?

yeah, but I also sprained my ankle regularly years ago ... and then at one point it just did not happen anymore

no doubt the Warriors are due for some injuries, but I have the feeling smaller injuries happen when you play with less intensity (thats why so many Spurs players always get injured from December to February) and the Dubs do not look as if they take their feet of the pedal

[tmtcsc]

It's crazy how the rest of the League see us as a great team and yet here we are complaining doing our usual share of cliff jumping

C'mon man, most Spurs fans who know what Champions look like are oblivious to hype. Apparently, so is their head coach. I'm not saying the Spurs suck, I'm saying they have a ways to go both on offense and defense. The defensive numbers look great now because of the weak opponents they have played. In three of their losses, they have given up leads and failed to finish off the other team. That's disturbing. In the loss to the Pelicans, they let that chump Anderson go off on them. That's not going to cut it and it needs to be shored up. It's still early and expect them to get better but lets not call them defensive juggernauts just yet.

As for the offense, I love Manu Ginobili for everything he's done for this team, but I'm not counting on him playing this well in the playoffs. That would be foolish. The bench needs to have someone else step up. Hopefully it will be Anderson or Simmons. When Manu is asked to do too much (minutes wise), he tends to make way too many turnovers. His contributions should be used as icing on the cake if possible.

[tmtcsc]

You do realize the team you're talking about actually won the whole thing last season?

I'm one of those that believe they weren't really tested. They won, they did it in terrific fashion but they weren't truly tested in my opinion. That's ok, the Spurs did the same thing in 2007 against the Cavs. That was the weakest ring of them all for the Spurs.

Once someone punches Golden State in the mouth and takes away what they like to do, they are going to become very human. They are going to start feeling pressure and pointing fingers at each other. The turnovers will start to pile up too.

Last year, the LeBrons gave them their biggest fight and they were replete with injuries. If not for David Lee, I don't think Golden State wins it all last year and he's not on the team anymore.

Transition defense, solid rebounding and physicality, will beat the Warriors. Pop is trying to build that right now but the offense needs to come around to take pressure off the defense.

A few years back the Spurs looked invincible and were riding a 20 game win streak when OKC figured them out. This isn't much different.

[jhfenton]

I agree with the op. A lot of the good numbers is due simply to the fact that the Spurs have played a really easy schedule.

The most disturbing aspect of the Spurs play has been their lack of improvement over the course of the season. This team does not look any better today than it did a month ago. In some ways, it's been playing much worse. In other words, it's trending in the wrong direction.

I'm not saying San Antonio is a bad team, but it's definitely not championship caliber at this point.

That's nonsense. The starting offense looks much better than it did a month ago. Danny is still missing shots and they still have occasional spacing issues, but LMA is clearly getting more comfortable.

And as for the defense, they're 3 points per possession better defensively than the 2nd best defense in the NBA (Indiana). Only 1.8 PPP separate #2 and #7 (Golden State). So it's a big gap, at most only partially explained by the relatively easy scheduled they've played so far.

And the defense has also improved as the season has progressed.

It's clearly a championship-caliber team. I don't know if that means that they can beat Golden State this year, but it means that they would be one of the favorites in any normal year. And I think that they match up better than anyone else against the GSW.

[Lostwingman]

It's crazy how the rest of the League see us as a great team and yet here we are complaining doing our usual share of cliff jumping

I need panic to feel alive.
http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lny44toCDb1qlo3jyo1_500.jpg

[siraulo23]

Quote here

"I think most teams probably feel that they're not gelling yet at this point in the season. So it's probably no different than anybody else," Popovich said. "We haven't played a very tough schedule or anything. So I don't feel like we're kicking butt or anything like that. We've been fortunate, but we've got to get a lot better."

[DeRozan m8]

Feels like we're playing at about 65-70%.

Every game I watch I'm waiting for that next level but it doesn't come.

The gelling isn't happening enough.

[SnakeBoy]

How many games were people thinking it was going to take for the new Spurs to gel?

[Solid D]

The contests at the rim this season are much-improved! Aldridge is long and protects the rim much better than anticipated. LaMarcus' 1.2 bpg is an awesome complement to Duncan's protection. Even Rasual Butler has been a nice surprise contesting lay ups.
Most teams this season will have to beat the Spurs from either the outside, in transition or in second chance points.

[jjktkk]

Not worried about the D at all. It is pretty good right now. The offense is a work in progress, but not at all worried, easy schedule or not.

[Lostwingman]

How many games were people thinking it was going to take for the new Spurs to gel?

Too many.

[Silver&Black]

Duncan still kicking butt....

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Tim-Duncan-Kicks-James-Anderson-in-Butt-Bench.gif

[HarlemHeat37]

The Spurs have exceeded expectations and aren't as good as their record, which is obviously a good thing..they still have plenty of room to grow, even if/when the defense regresses..

They are the only predicted contender that entered the season with the plan of changing their entire offensive style and integrating a high-usage player into their rotation..I thought they would finish 2nd in the division, didn't expect Houston to have a historic collapse, and my reason was that I figured it would take a few months for the Spurs to gel, particularly on offense, which has been true, so far, aesthetically..I didn't expect to see a smooth offense with defined roles until February..

Kawhi playing at an MVP level and Parker/Ginobili(Manu has slowed down the past 3 games or so, finally) playing like stars has helped negate some of the chemistry issues..while the defense has been the main catalyst, the biggest reason for the Spurs record is that the rest of the league has been really shitty, so far..outside of Golden State, San Antonio, Cleveland and OKC with Durant, none of the other projected contenders have looked good, some of them suffering from complete collapses(Houston), and others already plagued by injuries(Clippers)..

The offensive struggles have been mainly on Green and Aldridge, hopefully they both get it together..it'll be essential, as you can't expect Parker and Ginobili to maintain their level of play, as we saw last season..

[TD 21]

I'm one of those that believe they weren't really tested. They won, they did it in terrific fashion but they weren't truly tested in my opinion. That's ok, the Spurs did the same thing in 2007 against the Cavs. That was the weakest ring of them all for the Spurs.

Once someone punches Golden State in the mouth and takes away what they like to do, they are going to become very human. They are going to start feeling pressure and pointing fingers at each other. The turnovers will start to pile up too.

Last year, the LeBrons gave them their biggest fight and they were replete with injuries. If not for David Lee, I don't think Golden State wins it all last year and he's not on the team anymore.

Transition defense, solid rebounding and physicality, will beat the Warriors. Pop is trying to build that right now but the offense needs to come around to take pressure off the defense.

A few years back the Spurs looked invincible and were riding a 20 game win streak when OKC figured them out. This isn't much different.

How dare you not bow down to the Warriors . . . and how dare Pop not pretend everything is great. This must mean he's melting down and is off the bandwagon.

[T Park]

The contests at the rim this season are much-improved! Aldridge is long and protects the rim much better than anticipated. LaMarcus' 1.2 bpg is an awesome complement to Duncan's protection. Even Rasual Butler has been a nice surprise contesting lay ups.
Most teams this season will have to beat the Spurs from either the outside, in transition or in second chance points.

We were worried about the defensive drop off after losing Splitter. Heck it could be argued Aldridge is as good or better defensively.
His ability to recover, and block not just alter shots is amazing. Best defensive front court since 2005, easily.

The defense will only get better too IMO cold beer :hat

[Cry Havoc]

Everyone else in the NBA aside from the Warriors is chasing us. We may not look great yet, but NO one outside of the Dubs do. Houston looks done. The Clippers look like they're walking the plank. If you think our defense has bad moments, turn on an OKC game sometime. I'm satisfied most of you try to race Chris Paul down the plank if you could. Of course, if you did that he'd bitch about getting fouled and get free throws, but I digress.

We're nowhere close to where we want to be. And guess what? There are 63 games left in the preseason. Lots of time to figure it out.

[Solid D]

We were worried about the defensive drop off after losing Splitter. Heck it could be argued Aldridge is as good or better defensively.
His ability to recover, and block not just alter shots is amazing. Best defensive front court since 2005, easily.

The defense will only get better too IMO cold beer :hat

:toast :tu
Sup?

[pgardn]

For some reason I'm glad we are a bit ugly at this juncture.

If if we stay healthy, I see us getting better before getting worse. I thought we were supposed to wait for the rodeo rode trip before we solidify and then sharpen after that until we peak right at playoff time. We are forging a steel blade, right?

I guess the old, "peaking early"' does not apply to this team... not that I believed it in the first place.

[SAGirl]

How did you like that funky lineup with Butler, Simmons, Anderson, Bobo and Patty?

Popovich is doing the same thing he has done on several of his championship years as he figures out how to put together this roster. The 2015 team took two years to really reach their pinnacle.

Nonetheless, this is not new territory. He did it with guys like Berry, Belli, Finley, Elson, Willis, Kersey, et al over the years. This is precisely where Popovich's program pays off over time. Simmons is getting the same shot as two Jacksons, Neal, and Green. Bobo when he got here was much like Aldridge now: hesitant to take shots and unsure of where to go. West and Bobo are fun to watch already. They screw up their spacing a lot. So does Simmons, Anderson, West, and all the other new guys.

:spam:

I do like how you write a bit like KBP it makes me nostalgic.

I missed those eras, regrettably. I was too young and not into BBALL lol.

I find all the coaching by Pop the most interesting aspect of the Spurs. I actually am more intrigued by things like strategies and styles that Pop goes with and with his experiments and adjustments during games, than with a single player. With the Spurs it is the collective that keeps me interested. Last year, what intrigued me was watching Kawhi's expanding role because there really wasn't anyone else new to be excited about, and they never reached the high the had achieved the championship season. I kind of felt Pop should have refreshed last season's roster, and we were hit by attrition pretty hard. We now know they were staying pat because they were hoping for a bit time acquisition over the summer, which we got, but we could have improved. However, any improvement they could added would have had a marginal impact and they risked it for a more impactful player this season, and it was a good call, but at the time we felt very stale.

To be honest, I would much have rather played Anderson last season than any Daye minutes, because Anderson competes and makes many hustle plays that help you win games even when he's not shooting well, which hopefully bodes well for his future, as well as his youth (Daye was much more limited to a one trick pony, with a very bad trick, and with low likelihood of improvement considering he was a journeyman veteran 26 yrs. old already, and he had a low BBIQ.) But the fact Pop gave Daye a real shot before moving on just tells me how fair Pop is in giving guys a real shot at improving before moving on. I also thought Jamychal Green was a much better player than Ayers and it showed during preseason.

I might be overstepping into imaginary land, but Anderson's length and potential against small ball makes him a weapon. Limited samples and minutes, but he's been a real gem as a small ball 4. He's a real smart BBall player, and anticipates. He's not athletic, but he's at the right spot at the right time. Guys like Duncan and Diaw are the same on defense. Its not the athletic defensive plays for them, but their feel for the game and anticipation which helps them. I like Anderson's potential very much. He's just a young player still finding his game, still adjusting to this level, learning what he can and cannot do, and how to compensate for his lack of speed. But he will need to be more aggressive with his shots. He doesn't need to go all summer league on us, but he can't be Diaw 1.0 for us out there either. At some point, Pop really got on his mind about the shot selection and he's lost confidence in his game. He has to get aggressive and start shooting the 3.

Anderson and Simmons are a terrific tandem for our future bench, both can pass at an elite level, they are just inexperienced. Anderson will be able to find Simmons in all sorts of cuts. We saw it in SL, and they have chemistry. I thought that small ball team Pop put out there worked because Anderson defensively compensated for the lack of rim protection somewhat with all of his deflections, and pressure on guys getting to the basket. Simmons athleticism in transition stands out, but that lineup would have been eaten alive on defense if not for Anderson.

Rasual also made a few defensive plays in that stretch. I actually liked that lineup a lot, substitute Kawhi for Rasual and you have a killer lineup that also ate Denver alive the past game.

[tmtcsc]

Everyone else in the NBA aside from the Warriors is chasing us. We may not look great yet, but NO one outside of the Dubs do. Houston looks done. The Clippers look like they're walking the plank. If you think our defense has bad moments, turn on an OKC game sometime.
We're nowhere close to where we want to be. And guess what? There are 63 games left in the preseason. Lots of time to figure it out.

Agreed on all points.

[DMC]

I'm on the defense hype train. Offense comes and goes but defense win championships. Just recall how many great offensive teams there have been over the past 10 years, and think of how many great defensive teams. You think defense, you think the big 3 in Boston, big 3 in Miami, the mid 2000's Pistons, the Lakers... you know, teams that won things.

[DMC]

every win is free cake until after xmas. that's when the season starts
Cute little pithy sayings like that don't mean shit. The season started when it started. 20 games = 20 games, now or at the end of the RS.

[DMC]

How did you like that funky lineup with Butler, Simmons, Anderson, Bobo and Patty?

Popovich is doing the same thing he has done on several of his championship years as he figures out how to put together this roster. The 2015 team took two years to really reach their pinnacle.

Nonetheless, this is not new territory. He did it with guys like Berry, Belli, Finley, Elson, Willis, Kersey, et al over the years. This is precisely where Popovich's program pays off over time. Simmons is getting the same shot as two Jacksons, Neal, and Green. Bobo when he got here was much like Aldridge now: hesitant to take shots and unsure of where to go. West and Bobo are fun to watch already. They screw up their spacing a lot. So does Simmons, Anderson, West, and all the other new guys.

:spam:

I do like how you write a bit like KBP it makes me nostalgic.
I'm trying to think who Berry is.

[Uriel]

=I believe the Spurs' weak schedule and new, slower offensive approach has more to do with the numbers looking so good. Less possessions = less points.

The Spurs are #1 in the NBA in defensive efficiency, and have a mark that's the 4th highest in the last 30 years. And that was before the Memphis game.

[pgardn]

The Spurs are #1 in the NBA in defensive efficiency, and have a mark that's the 4th highest in the last 30 years. And that was before the Memphis game.

We got Green and KL perimeter. Parker is doing a better job at staying in front of his opponent. Duncan and Aldridge together have been very good at rim protecting, it's solid.

Last night showed us scoring bursts from Duncan, Aldrdge, Parker, and KL at opportune moments. And we can get better offensively. I feel good. I will have a pastry in celebration.

[ceperez]

The contests at the rim this season are much-improved! Aldridge is long and protects the rim much better than anticipated. LaMarcus' 1.2 bpg is an awesome complement to Duncan's protection. Even Rasual Butler has been a nice surprise contesting lay ups.
Most teams this season will have to beat the Spurs from either the outside, in transition or in second chance points.

Previous Spurs barely contested at the rim. This team is different. Defense is suffocating and the opponents just crumble under the pressure.

[ceperez]

I

I might be overstepping into imaginary land, but Anderson's length and potential against small ball makes him a weapon. Limited samples and minutes, but he's been a real gem as a small ball 4. He's a real smart BBall player, and anticipates. He's not athletic, but he's at the right spot at the right time. Guys like Duncan and Diaw are the same on defense. Its not the athletic defensive plays for them, but their feel for the game and anticipation which helps them. I like Anderson's potential very much. He's just a young player still finding his game, still adjusting to this level, learning what he can and cannot do, and how to compensate for his lack of speed. But he will need to be more aggressive with his shots. He doesn't need to go all summer league on us, but he can't be Diaw 1.0 for us out there either. At some point, Pop really got on his mind about the shot selection and he's lost confidence in his game. He has to get aggressive and start shooting the 3.

Anderson and Simmons are a terrific tandem for our future bench, both can pass at an elite level, they are just inexperienced. Anderson will be able to find Simmons in all sorts of cuts. We saw it in SL, and they have chemistry. I thought that small ball team Pop put out there worked because Anderson defensively compensated for the lack of rim protection somewhat with all of his deflections, and pressure on guys getting to the basket. Simmons athleticism in transition stands out, but that lineup would have been eaten alive on defense if not for Anderson.

Rasual also made a few defensive plays in that stretch. I actually liked that lineup a lot, substitute Kawhi for Rasual and you have a killer lineup that also ate Denver alive the past game.

Against the Grizzlies, Anderson did very well defensively. His length was also causing a lot of 3 point attempts to miss badly. In fact, the foul he had on Chalmers, when you look at in in replay was clearly an offensive foul. He's improved his timing such that guards are having trouble finishing in layups. I don't think it's imaginary. Also people forget that Anderson is only 21 years old.

This team can get pretty scaring if both Anderson and Simmons start improving.

[Solid D]

Previous Spurs barely contested at the rim. This team is different. Defense is suffocating and the opponents just crumble under the pressure.

Indeed, ceperez. You know...there is a stretch of games in March and April where the Spurs' mettle will really be tested, including Warriors x 3, Thunder x 3 plus several of the better defensive teams.

[HarlemHeat37]

The Spurs have exceeded expectations and aren't as good as their record, which is obviously a good thing..they still have plenty of room to grow, even if/when the defense regresses..

They are the only predicted contender that entered the season with the plan of changing their entire offensive style and integrating a high-usage player into their rotation..I thought they would finish 2nd in the division, didn't expect Houston to have a historic collapse, and my reason was that I figured it would take a few months for the Spurs to gel, particularly on offense, which has been true, so far, aesthetically..I didn't expect to see a smooth offense with defined roles until February..

Kawhi playing at an MVP level and Parker/Ginobili(Manu has slowed down the past 3 games or so, finally) playing like stars has helped negate some of the chemistry issues..while the defense has been the main catalyst, the biggest reason for the Spurs record is that the rest of the league has been really shitty, so far..outside of Golden State, San Antonio, Cleveland and OKC with Durant, none of the other projected contenders have looked good, some of them suffering from complete collapses(Houston), and others already plagued by injuries(Clippers)..

The offensive struggles have been mainly on Green and Aldridge, hopefully they both get it together..it'll be essential, as you can't expect Parker and Ginobili to maintain their level of play, as we saw last season..

As I said here, the Spurs aren't even close to being as good as their record, tbh..they're a product of a weak schedule and a weak NBA season, overall, so far..

They have been carried by Kawhi playing at an MVP level and shooting a unsustainable % from 3, with Parker and Ginobili having resurgences that probably won't last past March IMO(especially Parker)..if this is the real Green, the Spurs are probably done, anyways, but it doesn't help that Aldridge is just a role player in this system..

[dabom]

As I said here, the Spurs aren't even close to being as good as their record, tbh..they're a product of a weak schedule and a weak NBA season, overall, so far..

They have been carried by Kawhi playing at an MVP level and shooting a unsustainable % from 3, with Parker and Ginobili having resurgences that probably won't last past March IMO(especially Parker)..if this is the real Green, the Spurs are probably done, anyways, but it doesn't help that Aldridge is just a role player in this system..

You expect parker and gino to regress to the mean but not Green? It's not like green is getting any less space than last year. Just ain't hitting them with confidence. Early December. Losing to good teams is just a loss to the Spurs. Nothing to worry about. The seed is more important to the Spurs than beating good teams. We still have a perfect record at home. We are good.

[SAGirl]

if this is the real Green, the Spurs are probably done, anyways..

Green has been especially frustrating all season.

Danny drives under pressure, guaranteed TO + points for the other team.