Adjustments for Game 3....

[Mugen]

(below is assuming that Pop doesn't coach like he took the Thunder +5.5 tonight)



Kawhi/LMA getting more minutes is a given
Diaw/West shouldn't ever be on the court together (given even before the series started)
I thought the Spurs did a poor job with transition D in the 1st half. OKC was running on every rebound and inbounds, and generated great looks.
Offense looked disjointed (as Pop alluded to). Spurs need to make up their mind and decide are they going to ride Kawhi/LMA this series or are they going to keep running this BS TP/TD or Green/TD 2-man games....
Ibaka will be an issue but switching Aldridg onto Russ isn't the answer IMO. I'll have to go back and watch the game but I'll be interested to see if Roberson/Waiter's defenders wasn't able to show on Ibaka instead of giving him wide open looks. I'd trap hard on Westbrook and send a hard close to Serge, make him a driver...
Adams hurt us with the alley oop, needs to be cleaned up as well.....


All things considered, I'm hesitant for the Spurs to make any sweeping changes. They didn't execute very well tonight and still had a shot at winning it. The biggest concern is that OKC role players will play better at home and they'll obviously get favorable whistles......

[dabom]

:bobo

[Darius Bieber]

Sign a competent PG........... Fuck it. Get Marbury out of China.

[Robz4000]

More minutes for Boban and if Patty struggles early, give Miller a shot. Would also be fine with Simmons getting a look.

[siraulo23]

*Get back on defense

Westbrook was getting a coast to coast layup everytime the spurs missed it seemed like

[siraulo23]

(below is assuming that Pop doesn't coach like he took the Thunder +5.5 tonight)



I thought the Spurs did a poor job with transition D in the 1st half. OKC was running on every rebound and inbounds, and generated great looks.
Offense looked disjointed (as Pop alluded to). Spurs need to make up their mind and decide are they going to ride Kawhi/LMA this series or are they going to keep running this BS TP/TD or Green/TD 2-man games....
Ibaka will be an issue but switching Aldridge onto Russ isn't the answer IMO.




Really good points tbh

The spurs offense looking bad had a lot do with OKC, they played great tonight defensively. Didnt look like an average - poor defensive team theyve been all year. Ibaka and Adams were dominant in the paint

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Give the ball to Aldridge in second half. There were stretches in second half where he never touched the ball.

[GSH]

I saw the title, and I didn't know what you might say. But my first thought was that Pop probably doesn't change much of anything. The Spurs only had 19 AST's, after something like 39 in the first game, but they STILL had more AST's than OKC. And they would have had a LOT more if they had just made some damn wide-open shots and layups. I don't think that any adjustments could have helped their shooting.

The Spurs got out-worked for some 50-50 balls, and Pop should kick their asses over that. But that's also not an adjustment. Oh, jeez, remember deep in the 4th, when the Spurs had the momentum, they got a stop and rebound, and Tim stood there and got his pocket picked? And they scored a damn 3 off of it? That's enough to win the ball game right there.

Execute and hustle.

[Floyd Pacquiao]

Tell Patty not to go Enrique and Chuck hero shots

[TDfan2007]

Transition D of any kind and making layups (looking at you, Timmy) would be a great place to start

Also, that whole "let's switch our PG onto their best scorer on the PnR" shit doesn't work. It didn't work against Dirk in 2006, and it won't work against a prime KD now. Just an awful defensive strategy.

[Keepin' it real]

Give the ball to Aldridge in second half. There were stretches in second half where he never touched the ball.

B-b-b-but the beautiful game ...

[Mugen]

I don't even think the Thunder played that great defensively :lol

Spurs missed great looks (timmy's layups, Kawhi with some great shots that he usually drills) and could have easily hung 104-108 points tonight. You easily take that especially with the defense.

[YGWHI]

(below is assuming that Pop doesn't coach like he took the Thunder +5.5 tonight)



Kawhi/LMA getting more minutes is a given

LMA will play more minutes, but Kawhi? Good luck with it. Pop is resting him for next season.
Kawhi in the two games played 28 mpg, KD 37.5 mpg


Diaw/West shouldn't ever be on the court together (given even before the series started)
Pop started the 4th quarter with both on the court in a close-playoffs-game...Can't believe it.




Offense looked disjointed (as Pop alluded to). Spurs need to make up their mind and decide are they going to ride Kawhi/LMA this series or are they going to keep running this BS TP/TD or Green/TD 2-man games....

LMA was amazing on offense. AMAZING.
But when Kawhi was starting to feel it, making shots in the 3r quarter, in the next 4 possessions they didn't give him the ball, not looking for LMA either, and missed shots in every one of those possessions




Ibaka will be an issue but switching Aldridg onto Russ isn't the answer IMO. I'll have to go back and watch the game but I'll be interested to see if Roberson/Waiter's defenders wasn't able to show on Ibaka instead of giving him wide open looks. I'd trap hard on Westbrook and send a hard close to Serge, make him a driver...

Switching killed the Spurs against Cavs in Cleveland and tonight. Everytime Kawhi and LMA switched, Westbrook scored.


All things considered, I'm hesitant for the Spurs to make any sweeping changes. They didn't execute very well tonight and still had a shot at winning it. The biggest concern is that OKC role players will play better at home and they'll obviously get favorable whistles......
Spurs lost by just one point so Pop won't make any adjustment in game 3.

[Russo21]

Lock Duncan in the gym and tell him to practise layups over and over.
More minutes for Kawhi. He only played 35 minutes tonight while Durant logged 42.
Adams had 17 rebounds, try Boban instead of West and Diaw.
Keep Duncan locked in the gym practising layups over and over.
Just about everyone except for LMA sucked and we only lost by 1. Sucks to not get the W but it's not all bad.

[timtonymanu]

Yep. Just better execution. Pop coaching like he gives a damn and Kawhi not folding makes a difference. Would be nice if Patty could find his shot on the road, but he's been awful on the road anyways.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Pop's an arrogant ass. No changes for game 3, he'll play the soft card somewhere and tell them to nut up.

[Raven]

don't adjust when you just won by 400 points?

[SouthernFried]

Get a new starting PG.

The Problem the Spurs have, and have had all year, is the STARTING BACK COURT. Not the backup point guard...the fucking STARTING PG. You don't go far in playoffs...if your STARTING BACK COURT can't score.

[LakerHater]

Dunno how much you can adjust, jus make more shots.


Wish Kawhi's hands were more active when hes guardin 1 on 1!

[baseline bum]

How about not having Kawhi switch off onto Cameron Payne, leaving Mills on an island against Durant? I wanted to smash my TV when I saw Kawhi make this switch three possessions in a row in the fourth.

[Holden_Caulfield]

for kawhi to show up and mills

[GSH]

How about not having Kawhi switch off onto Cameron Payne, leaving Mills on an island against Durant? I wanted to smash my TV when I saw Kawhi make this switch three possessions in a row in the fourth.


Oh, hell, we were screaming at the TV about that, and you were ranting in the game thread. I was just fucking speechless.

[Ditty]

How about not having Kawhi switch off onto Cameron Payne, leaving Mills on an island against Durant? I wanted to smash my TV when I saw Kawhi make this switch three possessions in a row in the fourth.

Parker switched to Durant one play and he practically made a lay up because of that. The switching isn't necessary, and it fucked us over in the Warriors game that we lost at home.

[baseline bum]

Oh, hell, we were screaming at the TV about that, and you were ranting in the game thread. I was just fucking speechless.

I felt like I was watching the 2001 series with Dallas when Avery Johnson kept getting hung out to dry on Nowitzki in the post. But shit, at least that was justified since Pop would give up anything but center lane penetration to Nash, that was the entire foundation of the twin towers defense to deny middle penetration. But tonight was a head scratcher, I don't know why Pop didn't call timeout and start chewing Leonard's ass out for those switches. Cameron Payne isn't a threat in the lane.

[YGWHI]

How about not having Kawhi switch off onto Cameron Payne, leaving Mills on an island against Durant? I wanted to smash my TV when I saw Kawhi make this switch three possessions in a row in the fourth.

Pop and Messina: "But but why Durant scored on Patty?? KD sucks against small defenders, look Felton/Wes/Harris D :cry :cry"

OKC won the series 4-1 for some good reasons, Mavs's D was one of them.

[Hoops Czar]

Play historic defense
Make baskets
take care of the basketball/limit opponents fast break points
Stop running plays for TD on offense
Guard Ibaka


This isn't brain surgery.

[SAGirl]

I wonder why all the switching with Mills and I think it's designed to cover up that Mills is a terrible PNR defender. At least if you switch you don't give up the penetration, you give up the relatively open mid range jumper, something Pop's defenses tend yo give up anyways. I have seen too much of this by Mills switching to ignore the fact that it's a design meant to cover up for Mills.

We saw it against the Grizzlies too, only no one cared bc the switches were in garbage time.

[TDfan2007]

How about not having Kawhi switch off onto Cameron Payne, leaving Mills on an island against Durant? I wanted to smash my TV when I saw Kawhi make this switch three possessions in a row in the fourth.

I've gotten used to it, tbh. I think sometimes Pop has delusional episodes in the middle of games where he mistakes Tony for Bruce. Did the same shit back in 2006 against Dirk, and you saw how well that worked...

If I never see that switching bullshit again, I'll die a happy man, but I'm not holding my breath

[DeRozan m8]

I don't understand why Westy and KD were both allowed to run riot tonight?

We did so well on that in the first game

[Mouth is Bleeding]

I don't understand why Westy and KD were both allowed to run riot tonight?

We did so well on that in the first game

As a huge Manu fan it hurts to say but we do probably need both of Green and Kawhi on the floor when both of those are. When they switch together we did fine. Manu did hold his own in game 1 within the defensive game plan but not really tonight and then a much bigger deal was Pop inexcusably at times NOT PLAYING KAWHI when OKC had both Russ and Durant in the game, really really helped them. It is a shameful that he isn't playing more minutes and the team gets sabotaged playing a much worse player in Kyle.

More lineups with Kawhi at the 4 would also allow for more Manu though and I really do think this should be done much more against the very best teams.

[spurraider21]

duncan was atrocious at the rim, green missed a fastbreak layup and another bunny in the lane. even kawhi was missing layups that he normally makes in his sleep. some of the adjustments, sorry to say, is just for those guys to play better

there's also no way Diaw should only be playing 8 minutes. he was a game changer in the series vs OKC in 2014, and there's no reason why he can't play now. west doesn't look right against OKC

if aldridge is torching them, there's no reason he should be ignored down the stretch

[Kawhitstorm]

there's also no way Diaw should only be playing 8 minutes. he was a game changer in the series vs OKC in 2014, and there's no reason why he can't play now. west doesn't look right against OKC

Diaw was a game changer b/c Scott Brooks used to play Durant at the 4 for stretch in a game which was when Diaw punished him in the post. Boris played 8 minutes & had ZERO rebounds which isn't going to cut it against Adams/Kanter.

[Mouth is Bleeding]

DONT CUT KAWHI'S MINUTES LEAST NOT FOR FKN KYLE ANDERSON

[emanueldavidginobili]

Just hustle and execute, the layups will fall. I really really wish we had Cojo instead of Patty Mills.

[james evans]

(below is assuming that Pop doesn't coach like he took the Thunder +5.5 tonight)



Kawhi/LMA getting more minutes is a given
Diaw/West shouldn't ever be on the court together (given even before the series started)
I thought the Spurs did a poor job with transition D in the 1st half. OKC was running on every rebound and inbounds, and generated great looks.
Offense looked disjointed (as Pop alluded to). Spurs need to make up their mind and decide are they going to ride Kawhi/LMA this series or are they going to keep running this BS TP/TD or Green/TD 2-man games....
Ibaka will be an issue but switching Aldridg onto Russ isn't the answer IMO. I'll have to go back and watch the game but I'll be interested to see if Roberson/Waiter's defenders wasn't able to show on Ibaka instead of giving him wide open looks. I'd trap hard on Westbrook and send a hard close to Serge, make him a driver...
Adams hurt us with the alley oop, needs to be cleaned up as well.....


All things considered, I'm hesitant for the Spurs to make any sweeping changes. They didn't execute very well tonight and still had a shot at winning it. The biggest concern is that OKC role players will play better at home and they'll obviously get favorable whistles......
I have been saying that all season. ALL SEASON!!! That diaw/mills/west combination is the worst one we have. Then u add in Anderson??? what in the fuck was popovich thinking?j What can be done is put Leonard on Ibaka when either westbrooke or durant isn't on the floor

[ace3g]

Kawhi, slow the tempo on your jumper.

[UZER]

Either Kawhi or Aldridge should be on the court at all times. They shouldn't both be on the bench, ever.

[skin27]

Kawhi needs to play well and our shooters to shoot well from 3pt especially mills!!!

[tmtcsc]

As much fun as it is to watch Aldridge have his way, I think the Spurs should get back to better ball movement. If not, the offense gets predictable and the other guys stand around. Spurs need to keep OKC guessing and moving.

On defense, the Spurs need to commit to rebounding and keeping OKC off the glass. They had way too many second chance points. The Spurs also need to make sure that OKC's bench (Waiters and Kanter especially) are kept in check. Of course, KD and Westbrook do a pretty good job of that on their own.

[Arcadian]

:pop: Make shots. :pop:

[polandprzem]

Spurs could not match the intensity of the OKC. 'We all' knew that OKC will come back and try to force their will on us. Players knew it and what happened? Still Spurs were unable to spark themselves. Missing shots and losing the physical game.
It's fricking playoffs and you playing home. You have to take care of business.

Also IMO Pop tried to overcoach and played too much on LMA without others involved. No movement at all. we counted on him making shots.



So I'd say let's force out issue on them. TP if he can go he needs to go inside and score, move the ball and let OKC big chase you. Also I was pissed at those switches like some people here. I mean the switches are cool and all but Oklahoma was waiting for it and killed us.

I need to rewatch the game though and I wonder what the spurs plan gonna be. We are getting screwed inside with those alleyoops. Clipps killed us so can OKC. And that fricking Ibaka who thinks he can put MJ on us now. F that. OKC got the momentum and will get to our throats.

[Gervin44Silas13]

*Get back on defense

Westbrook was getting a coast to coast layup everytime the spurs missed it seemed like

no shit I wanted to closeline that motherfucker

[TheDoctor]

Parker switched to Durant one play and he practically made a lay up because of that. The switching isn't necessary, and it fucked us over in the Warriors game that we lost at home.

We switched a lot in the Warriors game we won at home too.

[SupremeGuy]

We lost by a point in a very controversial ending when the entire team played like shit except for Manu and LMA. I think we'll be fine. Our biggest adjustment should be hoping Kawhi plays more like game 1 and not game 2.

:flag:

[pgardn]

Block out.

Show Tim the game film and let him stew. Tim will be better. Partially because he can't be worse.

[UZER]

Don't lose.

[NameLess Scrub]

- Get the mustache brothers out of your paint
- Don't let Westbrook easily score in transition. Get motivation to guard him by looking at his face
- Block out Adams
- Kidnap all refs. Replace them with FIBA refs
- Block out Borat
- Don't play West/Diaw together
- Take 2nd chance points from them at all costs
- Block out Kanter & Adams
- Don't be afraid of playing Kawhi more minutes if necessary
- Don't stare at Westbrook in awe while he misses a lay up and mustache brothers score

[look_at_g_shred]

the funny thing is, OKC didn't make any major adjustments from game 1 to game 2. They just played with more urgency than the spurs. It also didn't help the way we shot in the first 6 minutes of the game either. If we come out focused and energetic, I think we win the game handily. All we have to do is just limit their second chance points. They are one and done on offense.

[turkish spurs fan]

play picknpop for 3pts with alridge

[Kawhitstorm]

We switched a lot in the Warriors game we won at home too.

Go under the screen against WestBrick instead of helping off Ibaka who is shooting 70% in the playoffs. It's like the Heat helping off Danny on Porker's penetrations.:lol

[DarrinS]

As much fun as it is to watch Aldridge have his way, I think the Spurs should get back to better ball movement. If not, the offense gets predictable and the other guys stand around. Spurs need to keep OKC guessing and moving.

On defense, the Spurs need to commit to rebounding and keeping OKC off the glass. They had way too many second chance points. The Spurs also need to make sure that OKC's bench (Waiters and Kanter especially) are kept in check. Of course, KD and Westbrook do a pretty good job of that on their own.


This. I love that LMA is having a great series, but I'd rather see 5 or 6 players in double-figures. They can't get overly dependent on LMA mid-range game, or, like you said, they tend to stand around.