Bball breakdown :, Spurs lack of depth and versatility getting exposed

[InRareForm]

http://bballbreakdown.com/2016/05/12/thunder-exposed-spurs-lack-depth-versatility/

[Hoops Czar]

Water is wet.

[mclinejr]

The sky is blue.

[Mikeanaro]

Spurs lack of reffing is getting explosed just like GSW beating Portland by less than 10 points every game and getting 15 points and extra shit by the zebras, what would be if Warrefs were treated like Spurs????
All those 3´s for nothing.

[J_Paco]

Coach Nick with the obvious goods......

I would say it is their lack of a competent 4the wingman and big man that is their undoing. Duncan and Ginobili are too old for heavy minutes while Kyle Anderson and David West have completely sucked in this series.

[K...]

Coach Nick with the obvious goods......

I would say it is their lack of a competent 4the wingman and big man that is their undoing. Duncan and Ginobili are too old for heavy minutes while Kyle Anderson and David West have completely sucked in this series.

Yeah, it's like we faked the whole season but when playoffs come we got our bluff called. Even the case " we built ourselves to beat gsw" seems kind of hollow. Tbh I'm kind of proud of our fake act. We got dpoy, first and third placements, front office honors, decent taking for a flawed team full of geriatrics and weak minded all stars

[J_Paco]

Yeah, it's like we faked the whole season but when playoffs come we got our bluff called. Even the case " we built ourselves to beat gsw" seems kind of hollow. Tbh I'm kind of proud of our fake act. We got dpoy, first and third placements, front office honors, decent taking for a flawed team full of geriatrics and weak minded all stars

It isn't a "fake act," my man. They were this good all season for a reason (defense), but with a less than 100% healthy Duncan (Timmy is probably at 30 or 40%) they don't have a chance against a team with two competent centers and two of the 5 - 8 best players in the league.

The left knee injury and the grind of an 82 game season was too much for Duncan to withstand. All the years of wear and tear finally caught up to him at the worst conceivable time, sadly.

The deserve all the acknowledgement and credit for having a great season but it just won't end how they (and we) wanted it to.

[r0drig0lac]

but spurstalk said this is the best Spurs team ever

[Obstructed_View]

but spurstalk said this is the best Spurs team ever

We did? When did that happen?

[Harry Callahan]

but spurstalk said this is the best Spurs team ever

Who said this?

That generalization is totally wrong.

[wildbill2u]

I think the Coach nails the problem. Starts and ends with our undersized Bigs (Diaw & West) and the fact they aren't scoring. Also and majorly, the fact that Duncan can't play to the level that he did to start the season. Folks keep talking about his average stats for the year, but they've been going down since he apparently sustained an unreported injury. He looks like he's playing on stilts instead of flexible legs out there. No amount of heart or BB IQ will make up for the loss of mobility and having to fight two young healthy tough giants.

[itzsoweezee]

Duncan played great defense in game 5. Spurs need to either play Boban or have one of Tim or LMA on the floor at all times

[ceperez]

I think the Coach nails the problem. Starts and ends with our undersized Bigs (Diaw & West) and the fact they aren't scoring. Also and majorly, the fact that Duncan can't play to the level that he did to start the season. Folks keep talking about his average stats for the year, but they've been going down since he apparently sustained an unreported injury. He looks like he's playing on stilts instead of flexible legs out there. No amount of heart or BB IQ will make up for the loss of mobility and having to fight two young healthy tough giants.

Duncan actually played well at the beginning of the season. But hasn't been playing well ever since he supposedly came back from rest.

There is also no slasher outside of Leonard that can challenge the OKC bigs. Pop refuses to play rookie Simmons. Furthermore, I don't know what both Miller and Martin are suited up for if they aren't ever going to play.

[Budkin]

It's gonna be hilarious seeing two ref powered teams go at each other.

[daslicer]

It's gonna be hilarious seeing two ref powered teams go at each other.

If the spurs lose I'm not rooting for either OKC or GS but I'm looking forward to the pain that one of these teams will suffer when they get eliminated.

[Russ]

Water is wet.

The sky is blue.
I disagree that this is a "Captain Obvious" moment.

The standard media line, up to now, has been that while this Spurs team lacks star power, athleticism and flash, they actually do have (1) depth and (2) versatility on the roster.

The fact that these two perceived strengths are now called into question (and considered to be "Duh, water is wet" weaknesses) is startling. Pretty frightening actually from a Spurs point of view.

[SAGirl]

XThey do have depth a d versatility but that depth was for the RS not the postseason. Will Pop bench Manu or Mills for Simmons, Martin or Miller? Nope. He could for Anderson but he's playing very little anyways and his role was defending Durant for a few minutes to give Kawhi a breather if you wanted guys whose role was to shoot or create offense in the bench, those are Mills and Manu. They will not get benched. D west or Diaw for Boban? We haven't seen that so far. Spurs have depth but the decline of the big 3 was steep this postseason particularly TD who is a HOF big the likes of which doesn't exist in the league. Part of their depth included healthy and productive Tim, Manu, and Mills who is a designated bench scorer/shooter.

[spurtech09]

The sky is blue......Spurs are good enough to beat OKC.....its the refs that are getting in the way of things.........The Thunder have gotten away with a lot in this series and can't even name all of them cause theres so many bad calls.....Its just sad......The NBA is not what it use to be........Shoot golf is looking better...:(

[tmtcsc]

If the spurs lose I'm not rooting for either OKC or GS but I'm looking forward to the pain that one of these teams will suffer when they get eliminated.

Ummmm, what?

https://media.giphy.com/media/xTdAj9g3suhNFQx3BC/giphy.gif

Golden State is going to get rid of OKC faster than the Spurs should have.

[dbestpro]

Look, Spur fans need to realize its just not their turn. NBA wants to milk the eventual showdown of SA, and GST into next year after the dubs have been gifted their 2 rings. The dubs need more hate and can only achieve it with back to back rings. The NBA has been this way since Bird, and Magic. Can't let Spurs play dubs this year as that will deflate the build up. Key the orchestra.

[Snaq O'Meal]

Yeah, it's like we faked the whole season but when playoffs come we got our bluff called. Even the case " we built ourselves to beat gsw" seems kind of hollow. Tbh I'm kind of proud of our fake act. We got dpoy, first and third placements, front office honors, decent taking for a flawed team full of geriatrics and weak minded all stars

The Spurs didn't bluff anyone during the regular season. They were good enough to be the second best team in the league.

The playoffs are all about adjustments.

Billy Donovan adjusted.

But Pop will continue to pound that rock.

[313]

Look, Spur fans need to realize its just not their turn. NBA wants to milk the eventual showdown of SA, and GST into next year after the dubs have been gifted their 2 rings. The dubs need more hate and can only achieve it with back to back rings. The NBA has been this way since Bird, and Magic. Can't let Spurs play dubs this year as that will deflate the build up. Key the orchestra.
This guy gets it :toast

[DMC]

We didn't go into the season thinking we've built a championship team. We thought we've managed to bridge our transition period quite well with LMA and, for the interim, West. Even Lebron, Wade and Bosh didn't win a ring in their 1st year together (or their last, thanks to Texas teams). This Spurs team only needs a real PG. Too bad CJ isn't leaving Portland and the other CJ isn't coming back soon.

[DMC]

The Spurs didn't bluff anyone during the regular season. They were good enough to be the second best team in the league.

The playoffs are all about adjustments.

Billy Donovan adjusted.

But Pop will continue to pound that rock.
Donovan didn't adjust anything. RW is still a ball hog and KD is still beta. The rest of the team still just rebounds for those two. It's the Spurs who have acted like they are ready for summer.

[Hoops Czar]

Donovan didn't adjust anything. RW is still a ball hog and KD is still beta. The rest of the team still just rebounds for those two. It's the Spurs who have acted like they are ready for summer.

Didn't he put Steven Adams on LMA?

[101A]

It isn't a "fake act," my man. They were this good all season for a reason (defense), but with a less than 100% healthy Duncan (Timmy is probably at 30 or 40%) they don't have a chance against a team with two competent centers and two of the 5 - 8 best players in the league.

The left knee injury and the grind of an 82 game season was too much for Duncan to withstand. All the years of wear and tear finally caught up to him at the worst conceivable time, sadly.

The deserve all the acknowledgement and credit for having a great season but it just won't end how they (and we) wanted it to.

This.

The astonishing record was built legitimately, through historically great defense. The loss of the winning % coincided with the diminishing of defensive prowess, which coincided with Duncan's injury. If Steph was literally limping no one would question why the Dubs were slipping. It's just not obvious what has happened. Timmy's timing, spacing and effectiveness were sublime, but not obvious.

No shame. It's been, and still is, great to be a Spur's fan.

[SAGirl]

Didn't he put Steven Adams on LMA?
And he has sent doubles when LMA is in the paint.

[tholdren]

I think its more like - lack of playing versatile players.

[therealtruth]

The Spurs didn't bluff anyone during the regular season. They were good enough to be the second best team in the league.

The playoffs are all about adjustments.

Billy Donovan adjusted.

But Pop will continue to pound that rock.

In '14 when Pop was serious he made the adjustments. Didn't take any chances. He's just mailing it in now.

[baseline bum]

The bench has been all about Ginobili for ten years now, and Manu just got old.

[baseline bum]

It isn't a "fake act," my man. They were this good all season for a reason (defense), but with a less than 100% healthy Duncan (Timmy is probably at 30 or 40%) they don't have a chance against a team with two competent centers and two of the 5 - 8 best players in the league.

The left knee injury and the grind of an 82 game season was too much for Duncan to withstand. All the years of wear and tear finally caught up to him at the worst conceivable time, sadly.

The deserve all the acknowledgement and credit for having a great season but it just won't end how they (and we) wanted it to.

It's just amazing how fast the great ones fall off when they do. Tim has been this team's rock for 19 years and he is completely irreplaceable.

[resistanze]

Man, this is also a complete mental collapse. There's really no excuse for this quitter's attitude.

[baseline bum]

This.

The astonishing record was built legitimately, through historically great defense. The loss of the winning % coincided with the diminishing of defensive prowess, which coincided with Duncan's injury. If Steph was literally limping no one would question why the Dubs were slipping. It's just not obvious what has happened. Timmy's timing, spacing and effectiveness were sublime, but not obvious.

No shame. It's been, and still is, great to be a Spur's fan.

I agree 100%. I imagine this team is going to be a 5 or 6 seed with no more Duncan guarding the rim.

[baseline bum]

Man, this is also a complete mental collapse. There's really no excuse for this quitter's attitude.

I think OKC is just sharp and ready tonight, and knows they have to get this win.