SMALLBALL

[DAF86]

That's the way we beat them during the regular season, that's the way the NBA is played right now. What's the point of having two bigs out there if they are incapable of punishing anyone?

Just watch who do the rest of the teams still alive on the playoffs play at the 4: Cleveland (Love and RJ/Lebron), GS (Dryamond, Durant), Rockets (Anderson, Decker, Ariza), Utah (Boris, Joe Johnson), Wizards (Morris, Porter), Celtics (Gerald Green, Crowder), Raptors (Ibaka, Powell).

In today's NBA you are giving too much of an advantage playing two stiff bigmen that can't shoot nor defend the perimeter.

I don't understand Pop stubbornly sticking with two bigmen the entire first half when it has been proved during this season that we dominated the Rockets when we went small.

Lee has no place on this series, even Dedmon would be more useful tham him (I wouldn't play Dedmon either though).

Bertans and Anderson need to split the PF minutes on this series, with some Leonard here and there. And have Aldridge and Gasol split the C minutes.

[ElNono]

:pop: "It's just a game. NASA just discovered 3 new moons, and I can't wait for the summer to read all about it"

[DAF86]

The Rockets scored 117.0 points per 100 possessions in the first and third quarters (a.k.a: when Pop played his costumary 2 bigs lineup) and 90.1 in the second and fourth quarters (a.k.a: when Spurs went small)

http://www.nba.com/article/2017/04/29/playoffs-numbers-preview-san-antonio-spurs-houston-rockets

[Floyd Pacquiao]

Dedmon
Bertans
Kawhi
Green
Patty/tony

[Mouth is Bleeding]

Kyle NEVER but Kawhi and Bertans yup.

[apalisoc_9]

:pop: "It's just a game. NASA just discovered 3 new moons, and I can't wait for the summer to read all about it"

:lmao

[Nathan89]

Agreed. LMA can't even pnr like a functioning shitty shooting big.

[Nathan89]

Dedmon
Bertans
Kawhi
Green
Patty/tony

Would love to see this lineup. It's the best we can do sadly.

[apalisoc_9]

Go with Parker-Green-Leonard-Bertans-Center...

Or Leonard at the 4.

[FkLA]

I agree but I'm almost certain Poop won't.

[UZER]

That's the way we beat them during the regular season, that's the way the NBA is played right now. What's the point of having two bigs out there if they are incapable of punishing anyone?

Just watch who do the rest of the teams still alive on the playoffs play at the 4: Cleveland (Love and RJ/Lebron), GS (Dryamond, Durant), Rockets (Anderson, Decker, Ariza), Utah (Boris, Joe Johnson), Wizards (Morris, Porter), Celtics (Gerald Green, Crowder), Raptors (Ibaka, Powell).

In today's NBA you are giving too much of an advantage playing two stiff bigmen that can't shoot nor defend the perimeter.

I don't understand Pop stubbornly sticking with two bigmen the entire first half when it has been proved during this season that we dominated the Rockets when we went small.

Lee has no place on this series, even Dedmon would be more useful tham him (I wouldn't play Dedmon either though).

Bertans and Anderson need to split the PF minutes on this series, with some Leonard here and there. And have Aldridge and Gasol split the C minutes.

Or run the floor on a fastbreak. Or run the floor to get back on D.

These teams have gone down and back again, and they're just getting to half court on the first trip.

[DAF86]

Kyle NEVER but Kawhi and Bertans yup.

Kyle was +13 on the only game he played against the Rockets this season. Coincidentally (or not), our biggest victory against them this season.

[james evans]

Dedmon
Bertans
Kawhi
Green
Patty/tony
fuck no. If anyone needs to go to the bench it's green. Start simmons. There is no way he shoots worse than Green who is giving us NOTHING

[DAF86]

fuck no. If anyone needs to go to the bench it's green. Start simmons. There is no way he shoots worse than Green who is giving us NOTHING

Actually, there's a lot of "way" of Simmons shooting worse than Green. Simply 'cause he's a worse shooter with a difference. He's nowhere close to Danny on defense either. Simmons was prety shitty this game on the non-garbage minutes, tbh.

[Marcus Bryant]

fuck no. If anyone needs to go to the bench it's green. Start simmons. There is no way he shoots worse than Green who is giving us NOTHING

Agreed. Play motherfuckers who want to play.

[HarlemHeat37]

fuck no. If anyone needs to go to the bench it's green. Start simmons. There is no way he shoots worse than Green who is giving us NOTHING

Simmons played in the 1st quarter and was horrific:lol

Green was bad, too, but at least his ceiling is high when he's on..

[ViceCity86]

Late 90s back to back Finals Jazz teams would get murdered in today's Nba.

All those 7 ft stiffs.

[DAF86]

Chinook laughing at my "in a couple of years every NBA will be playing with only one true big" take, when that's what all the good teams are doing right now. :lol

[UZER]

Late 90s back to back Finals Jazz teams would get murdered in today's Nba.

All those 7 ft stiffs.

I don't care what anybody says, so would the Bulls. Their heads would be spinning trying to play D.

Not to the scrub teams though.

[rasuo214]

SL should be Tony/Danny/Kawhi/Anderson/LMA

2 guys that can penetrate, decent shooting and scoring, but it's more about the length, defense and rebounding of that unit.

Bench: Patty/Manu/Kawhi(Simmons when Kawhi sits)/Bertans/Pau(or Dedmon)

Shooting lineup with 2 guys that can penetrate. If rebounding becomes an issue for the 2nd unit then swap Anderson and Bertans.

[rasuo214]

Chinook (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=37557) laughing at my "in a couple of years every NBA will be playing with only one true big" take, when that's what all the good teams are doing right now. :lol

The quality of bigs is pretty trash. Slow and soft is an awful combination (Pau and LMA).

[DAF86]

Heck, this thread shouldn't even be called "SMALLBALL", it should be called "NORMALBALL" or "CURRENTBALL" or "MODERNBALL".

[duncan2k5]

Actually, there's a lot of "way" of Simmons shooting worse than Green. Simply 'cause he's a worse shooter with a difference. He's nowhere close to Danny on defense either. Simmons was prety shitty this game on the non-garbage minutes, tbh.

Defense?? Danny's defense is all but a myth at this point...dude is living off reputation alone...and he absolutely sucks on offense...whenever he dribbles or passes, instant turnover...get him all the way out ta here...Simmons attacks the basket, and his athleticism usually makes ppl think twice going at him

[duncan2k5]

We definitely need to play small ball...and NOT fathead either...harden will have a field day with his slow feet when they switch

[DAF86]

Defense?? Danny's defense is all but a myth at this point...dude is living off reputation alone...and he absolutely sucks on offense...whenever he dribbles or passes, instant turnover...get him all the way out ta here...Simmons attacks the basket, and his athleticism usually makes ppl think twice going at him

Simmons was the worst Spur on the court tonight during non-garbage minutes.

[DAF86]

We definitely need to play small ball...and NOT fathead either...harden will have a field day with his slow feet when they switch

Fathead is, actually, a pretty good defender.

[spursistan]

859273984948482049

[DAF86]

859273984948482049

I can't find the Spurs' smallball numbers vs Rockets this season (the closest thing I could find was those Rockets efficiency numbers in 1st and 3rd quarters, when Spurs usually go big, vs the 2nd and 4th quarters, when the Spurs went small against them), but I'm sure as hell they must be pretty telling.

[HarlemHeat37]

I can't find the Spurs' smallball numbers vs Rockets this season (the closest thing I could find was those Rockets efficiency numbers in 1st and 3rd quarters, when Spurs usually go big, vs the 2nd and 4th quarters, when the Spurs went small against them), but I'm sure as hell they must be pretty telling.

Spurs were +24 vs. Houston during the RS when using 1-big lineups or with Bertans at the 4(although the latter didn't change the number much)..

[duncan2k5]

Fathead is, actually, a pretty good defender.

You guys really look at the steal or 2 he gets in trash minutes, but ignore the abuse he got during meaningful regular season playing time...combined with his absolute offensive ineptitude... His first possession he literally passed directly to a rockets player...I don't understand why he continues to get a pass...he would not be on ANY championship caliber NBA roster picking up meaningful minutes

[duncan2k5]

Fathead is, actually, a pretty good defender.

I remember Crawford purposefully ran the pick and roll to switch onto him...and KILLED him everytime... Usually they do that to bugs...they were doing that to a sf!!! If Crawford could do that, harden would have a FIELD day with him...

[DAF86]

Spurs were +24 vs. Houston during the RS when using 1-big lineups or with Bertans at the 4(although the latter didn't change the number much)..

Thanks, I knew my perception couldn't fault me on this. That probably means the Spurs were -20 ish with two bigs lineups, since every game this season was virtually a tie. I don't know what the fuck is Pop waiting to make the move. It might not be enough to win, but it definitely gives us more chances.

[DAF86]

You guys really look at the steal or 2 he gets in trash minutes, but ignore the abuse he got during meaningful regular season playing time...combined with his absolute offensive ineptitude... His first possession he literally passed directly to a rockets player...I don't understand why he continues to get a pass...he would not be on ANY championship caliber NBA roster picking up meaningful minutes

I actually just look at all the season long data that suggests he's an above average defender, tbh.

[spurs10]

Pop will go small in G2.

[duncan2k5]

Pop will go small in G2.

He won't...because everyone is saying he should...whatever we want him to do, we need to say the opposite

[UZER]

Pop will go small in G2.

When asked about playing two bigs in the post game he said, "that's the way we've played all year".

[r0drig0lac]

Kawhi
Green
Simmons
Bertans
Dedmon

[Rob123]

Hmmmmmmmmm

I don't necessarily think it's time to panic. The rockets are not going to shoot like that maybe ever again in the series. They were locked in and they're going to shoot well but they're also going to fall in love with it and honestly towards the end of the game Ariza and Andersons shots stopped falling as did Hardens. It was everyones (guards included) inability to just even put a hand up on Gordon that kept their shooting hot.

If LMA cant play like he's paid to then bench the mother fucker and go small I agree. I've seen LMA abuse guys albeit rarely on the Spurs but having him go HAM I think provides such a match up nightmare for the rockets that they will have to adjust to us. Lets not also forget that a good number of their threes were hit in transition off of missed shots on the Spurs end. If those shots fall for the Spurs I'm fine with the two big lineup in the half court because on most nights the help is going to be able to come quicker from the likes of Ariza and Beverly because they're not going to be hitting at such a ridiculous clip. I also like deadman instead of lee because deadman has the length and hops to make the drive and lob a more difficult proposition.

Like I said though putting faith in LMA is a tall order. If he's not destroying his matchups in the first half tomorrow then he shouldn't play the rest of the series and the Spurs need to go small.

[UZER]

Pop said in the post game "we played big against them all year."

Translation: "I ain't changing shit, bitches. Now go look up the new planets."

[DAF86]

Pop said in the post game "we played big against them all year."

Translation: "I ain't changing shit, bitches. Now go look up the new planets."

That just isn't true. The Rockets were the team against whom the Spurs used smallball the most. They outscored Houston by 24 pts in those instances (which means the Spurs are around -24 when they played with two bigs, since everygame, against the Rockets, this season was virtually a tie).

[apalisoc_9]

Pop said in the post game "we played big against them all year."

Translation: "I ain't changing shit, bitches. Now go look up the new planets."

:lmao

[apalisoc_9]

That just isn't true. The Rockets were the team against whom the Spurs used smallball the most. They outscored Houston by 24 pts in those instances.

Stubborn pos :cry

But david lee is so outspoken

[TheGreatYacht]

Posted this on the adjustments thread


Third year in a row the Spurs look old as shit. It's obvious this team needs athleticism and it's there on the roster, unfortunately the worst adjuster of all time is running this team. He will die with his tired old shit bags.

Dedmon/Aldridge
Bertans/Anderson
Leonard/Simmons
Green/Mills
Murray/Parker

This would be my lineup. It's nearly identical to Houston's tbh. Dedmon matches up with Capela, Bertans with Anderson, Green with Ariza, Murray with Beverley, and Kawhi with Harden. Tony and Patty have shown to be a great offensive burst and having them coming off the bench can match what Houston gets from Lou and Gordon. Aldridge can go to the bench and get his touches there without taking any from Kawhi. Finally, I inserted Kyle and Simmons in there because I like what they brought yesterday (turned a 40pt blowout into only a 27pt blowout)

[TheRemix]

Pop said in the post game "we played big against them all year."

Translation: "I ain't changing shit, bitches. Now go look up the new planets."

Just hope that pop is saying that in the presser so houston doesn't expect a small ball lineup

[Horse]

All this may help but nothing will help more than actual effort. This is the first time I can remember a Spurs team giving up.

[coachmac87]

Parker
Simmons
Green
Kawhi
LMA

[DAF86]

All this may help but nothing will help more than actual effort. This is the first time I can remember a Spurs team giving up.

It's not a matter of effort. Rockets ran circles around them last night. Of course you are going to get discouraged, at some point, after seeing how bad they were playing with you. That shit is easily reversible if Pop does what he has to do.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

DeJuan Blair is laughing at the Spurs right now

[SPURt]

SL should be Tony/Danny/Kawhi/Anderson/LMA

2 guys that can penetrate, decent shooting and scoring, but it's more about the length, defense and rebounding of that unit.

Bench: Patty/Manu/Kawhi(Simmons when Kawhi sits)/Bertans/Pau(or Dedmon)

Shooting lineup with 2 guys that can penetrate. If rebounding becomes an issue for the 2nd unit then swap Anderson and Bertans.
This. Pop might not like it but he's going to need to trust Simmons, Bertans, and KA. Forcing two bigs that can't switch on the pick and roll was awful.

[SAGirl]

The Rockets scored 117.0 points per 100 possessions in the first and third quarters (a.k.a: when Pop played his costumary 2 bigs lineup) and 90.1 in the second and fourth quarters (a.k.a: when Spurs went small)
http://www.nba.com/article/2017/04/29/playoffs-numbers-preview-san-antonio-spurs-houston-rockets
YOu need to send an email to Pop or something.
Pop! loading up on bigs with 5 centers in the team. (LMA in the postseason should be a C...specially if he can't punish small ball, Lee, Pau, Dedmon, Anthony :lol:downspin:while leaving guards and wings to rot... and not doing anything about them.. but at least he has two promising rookies like Bertans and Dijon, but nope, benches them. IMO he plays Kyle as a wing when he might in reality be a big and we knew this since last season bc he's stubborn.
Goddamn the old man is soooo stubborn.

[elbamba]

I think Deadman would be great in this series. He has shown all year long that he is pretty good at defending the three and recovering to make effective challenges at the rim. That said, I don't think we can afford to play two bigs at the same time in this series for more than a few spot minutes to throw a wrench in the system.

[SAGirl]

Kyle was +13 on the only game he played against the Rockets this season. Coincidentally (or not), our biggest victory against them this season.
He gets too much hate here frankly for a 1 million guy... you look at his stats and his impact... he's positive on the floor, so long as you don't run your offense through Lamarcus in the post (which is what happened in game 4 against Memphis, and got him benched the rest of the series and playoffs, when in reality the lesson for Pop was not about Kyle, but that he should have been running less LMA post up.. fricking Pop. NO one is a positive when the offense has been run through LMA. He has even annihilated all the bench ball movement.)
Maybe this is the problem:
Look at player production in the postseason:


PLAYERS GP MIN PTS FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OREB DREB REB AST TOV STL BLK PF +/-
Kawhi Leonard 7 36.9 29.7 8.9 16.9 52.5 2.4 5.1 47.2 9.6 9.9 97.1 0.9 5.9 6.7 4.1 2.1 1.7 0.3 1.7 7.7
Davis Bertans 6 9.6 2.7 0.8 2.7 31.3 0.8 2.3 35.7 0.2 0.3 50.0 0.3 1.2 1.5 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.5 4.7
Dejounte Murray 3 6.3 3.0 0.3 2.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.3 3.0 77.8 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.3 0.3 0.3 0.0 1.0 4.7
Pau Gasol 7 23.1 6.4 2.4 6.1 39.5 0.7 1.6 45.5 0.9 1.3 66.7 1.7 4.0 5.7 1.1 0.9 0.3 0.3 1.9 3.3
Patty Mills 7 20.9 9.7 3.4 7.3 47.1 2.1 4.3 50.0 0.7 0.9 83.3 0.0 1.6 1.6 1.4 1.0 0.3 0.0 2.1 2.9
Tony Parker 7 26.5 15.6 6.1 12.0 51.2 1.3 2.4 52.9 2.0 2.0 100 0.1 2.3 2.4 3.0 1.7 0.4 0.0 1.3 2.7
Kyle Anderson 6 10.5 5.0 2.0 2.8 70.6 0.2 0.3 50.0 0.8 1.2 71.4 0.5 1.0 1.5 0.7 1.0 0.3 0.2 0.2 1.5
Manu Ginobili 7 14.9 3.1 1.1 4.3 26.7 0.4 2.3 18.8 0.4 0.4 100 0.7 1.4 2.1 1.7 0.9 1.1 0.1 0.9 1.1
LaMarcus Aldridge 7 35.6 13.3 5.1 11.7 43.9 0.0 0.7 0.0 3.0 3.9 77.8 2.3 4.9 7.1 1.3 1.3 0.6 0.6 2.7 0.6
Bryn Forbes 1 8.8 5.0 2.0 3.0 66.7 1.0 2.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 0.0
David Lee 7 22.7 5.3 1.9 3.6 52.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 1.6 2.1 73.3 1.6 3.6 5.1 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.4 2.3 -1.0
Dewayne Dedmon 6 8.4 2.2 0.8 0.8 100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.3 37.5 1.2 2.5 3.7 0.3 0.7 0.2 0.5 1.7 -1.3
Jonathon Simmons 6 12.5 4.8 1.8 3.8 47.8 0.5 1.0 50.0 0.7 1.3 50.0 0.2 0.7 0.8 1.0 0.3 0.0 0.2 1.3 -3.2
Danny Green 7 23.9 6.1 2.1 6.3 34.1 1.3 4.7 27.3 0.6 1.1 50.0 0.9 2.0 2.9 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.9 2.1 -4.3

Then, if you look at net rating, Kyle is far from the worst player in this team this postseason. And in the few chances he is being given, is one of the most impactful players. Maybe it is a problem for the Spurs that Kyle is outplaying so many guys and a sign that the others are sucking fiercely, but Pop keeps going with the same old crew that is not working out. Look at the +/- above, and the PIE and net rating below:

PLAYERS GP MIN OFFRTG DEFRTG NETRT AST% AST/TO AST RATIO OREB% DREB% REB% TOV% EFG% TS% USG% PACE PIE
Kawhi Leonard 7 36.9 118.4 107.1 11.3 21.2 1.93 15.1 2.9 20.4 11.5 7.8 59.7 70.1 30.5 90.01 22.3
Kyle Anderson 6 10.5 113.1 104.9 8.2 11.4 0.67 13.3 6.0 10.5 8.4 19.9 73.5 74.7 19.4 92.65 16.3
Tony Parker 7 26.5 113.4 108.9 4.5 21.6 1.75 17.1 0.7 11.0 5.8 9.7 56.5 60.4 27.0 88.33 13.3


P.S. I had to shorten the tables, they are from nba.com. Dijon has played very well, he should play too. HIs lack of experience could get him exposed, but when the other guards are shitting their pants... he should get a look

[SAGirl]

You guys really look at the steal or 2 he gets in trash minutes, but ignore the abuse he got during meaningful regular season playing time...combined with his absolute offensive ineptitude... His first possession he literally passed directly to a rockets player...I don't understand why he continues to get a pass...he would not be on ANY championship caliber NBA roster picking up meaningful minutes
and you only look at
SIMMONS DUNKZZZZ and not anything else going on the court apparently.

[itzsoweezee]

and you only look at
SIMMONS DUNKZZZZ and not anything else going on the court apparently.

This board really overrates Simmons. Absent a dunk or chase down block, he rarely ever consistently impacts gameplay. He's so limited offensively.

[HarlemHeat37]

This board really overrates Simmons. Absent a dunk or chase down block, he rarely ever consistently impacts gameplay. He's so limited offensively.

Pretty typical of Spurs fans, since flashy players have been rare here..I actually hope Simmons gets some minutes in this series(he played horribly last night, though), but ya, I still don't understand why many here think he's going to get paid substantial money:lol you can find a Simmons on virtually every team in the league..

Maybe some of it is on Pop, since Simmons constantly plays scared nowadays, but ya, he became limited once teams knew his name..

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

:pop: "It's just a game. NASA just discovered 3 new moons, and I can't wait for the summer to read all about it"
:pop: They outplayed us. Simple as that. Now where's the wine?

[HankChinaski]

Yeah I agree the traditional 2 bigman lineup doesn't work against this rockets team with the number of threes they jack up an how much they emphasize transistion offense sprinting back. Unless the Spurs Bigs were mobile to play against that type of strategy sure two bigs would be huge advantage. That isn't the case an they need to utilize a smaller lineup that provides length an mobility.

[spursistan]

859547289681113089

Pop has become annoying basketball bitterender..He won't alter anything his approach until we are down 3-0 in the series, 15 point in Game 4..

[itzsoweezee]

Maybe some of it is on Pop, since Simmons constantly plays scared nowadays, but ya, he became limited once teams knew his name..

Completely agree

[FkLA]

When asked about playing two bigs in the post game he said, "that's the way we've played all year".

:pctoss

[DMC]

Chinook laughing at my "in a couple of years every NBA will be playing with only one true big" take, when that's what all the good teams are doing right now. :lol

Wow you did it again, you had a take that wasn't completely retarded. You go, you.

[DAF86]

Wow you did it again, you had a take that wasn't completely retarded. You go, you.

That's one non-completely retarded take more than you can presume, tbh. :lol

[DMC]

That's one non-completely retarded take more than you can presume, tbh. :lol

Go out and dig up another gem bro, you have a captive audience. Someone might eventually like you for it.

[DAF86]

Go out and dig up another gem bro, you have a captive audience. Someone might eventually like you for it.

Will do son, will do. You just keep doing your thing and moving those goal posts like there's no tomorrow. God bless.

[GSH]

Mis-read the thread title. I thought you said "small balls". I thought it was an LMA thread.

https://i1.wp.com/bignaturaltesticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/15thbanner.jpg?resize=300%2C250

[Mouth is Bleeding]

I know Pop went small to beat D'Antoni's Suns at their own game more than once and during big moments in the playoffs.

Those memories are my only hope.

Does anyone remember how much he adjusted exactly and was it also small by today's NBA standards?

[GSH]

I know Pop went small to beat D'Antoni's Suns at their own game more than once and during big moments in the playoffs.

Those memories are my only hope.

Does anyone remember how much he adjusted exactly and was it also small by today's NBA standards?

It helps when you have Tim Duncan defending the paint, and Bruce Bowen kicking the crap out of their best player on the perimeter.
It also helps when Tim, Tony, and Manu are good enough to combine for 123 FTA's in a 6 game series.
And it helps when two guys (Bowen and Finley) average 43% from the 3P line, on 10.5 3PA per game.
I'm not calling you out, but going small wasn't what allowed the Spurs to beat those D'Antoni Suns teams.

Kawhi was a beast in the first series, and his numbers were pretty comparable to what Tim used to do in the playoffs back then. But using the '07 Spurs as an example against the Suns - the Spurs 2,3,and 4 guys (Tony, Manu, and Bruce) combined for 52 PPG. In the last series, the Spurs 2,3, and 4 guys (LMA, Parker, and Patty) combined for 39 PPG. In Game 1, those three guys combined for 22 points.

[DAF86]

I'm cool with starting Pau as long as we are not getting run out of the floor, but Lee can't play anymore on this series. Play Bertans for him.

[DAF86]

So, does anybody know the +/- for smallball? By my calculations it was around +27.

[TheGreatYacht]

Cannot. Be. Stressed. Enough.

That early 4th quarter lineup... Gasol, Simmons, Manu, Mills, Parker :cry

[DAF86]

Cannot. Be. Stressed. Enough.

That early 4th quarter lineup... Gasol, Simmons, Manu, Mills, Parker :cry

No more Lee, tbh.

Mills/Green/Kawhi/LA/Pau (quick hook to the 2 bigs lineup if shit starts going south early)
Murray/Manu/Simmons/Bertans.

[TheGreatYacht]

No more Lee, tbh.

Mills/Green/Kawhi/LA/Pau (quick hook to the 2 bigs lineup if shit starts going south early)
Murray/Manu/Simmons/Bertans.
I agree. If one of our two bigs get in foul trouble, free the deadman

[SAGirl]

I'm cool with starting Pau as long as we are not getting run out of the floor, but Lee can't play anymore on this series. Play Bertans for him.
I would do that too. I have a hard time seeing Pop go away from Lee though...

[100%duncan]

Cannot. Be. Stressed. Enough.

That early 4th quarter lineup... Gasol, Simmons, Manu, Mills, Parker :cry

I dont know. More of a mix of houston missing 3s they were making the whole game, harden on the bench, and a fluky (I hope it continues) stretch from simmons

[TheGreatYacht]

I dont know. More of a mix of houston missing 3s they were making the whole game, harden on the bench, and a fluky (I hope it continues) stretch from simmons
With Parker out, I don't know what Pop will do during those 4-6 minute stretches when Kawhi sits at the end of the 1st/3rd.... Rockets bench exposed OKC during that same stretch and did it to us in the first half. Pop adjusted and played TP with no Kawhi on the floor.

Don't want to be Pop right now....

[100%duncan]

With Parker out, I don't know what Pop will do during those 4-6 minute stretches when Kawhi sits at the end of the 1st/3rd.... Rockets bench exposed OKC during that same stretch and did it to us in the first half. Pop adjusted and played TP with no Kawhi on the floor.

Don't want to be Pop right now....

Yes I was telling my dad when he was berating about aldridge that the lineup sucked more because kawhi and tp were not on the floor at the same time. With TP out, aldridge being a pussy and senile pop being senile pop, this gon be hard.

Kawhi will need to play at least 40 mins a game I guess, and let's hope Simmons' game was not a fluke.

[TheGreatYacht]

Yes I was telling my dad when he was berating about aldridge that the lineup sucked more because kawhi and tp were not on the floor at the same time. With TP out, aldridge being a pussy and senile pop being senile pop, this gon be hard.

Kawhi will need to play at least 40 mins a game I guess, and let's hope Simmons' game was not a fluke.
Might have to bring out the Latvian microwave to match their bench offense....

Personally I'd go with: Gasol/Aldridge, Bertans, Simmons, Manu, Mills

[DAF86]

Hi, it's me again.

This shit is more relevant than ever with the blessing in desguise that was, for the Rockets, Nene's injury; and D'antoni probably starting Gordon and bringing Anderson as the backup center.

Pop will probably still start Pau and Aldridge together, and that's fine, I guess. He just has to be super quick at pulling the plug if shit starts going downwards early... And for the love of NASA, he has to stop playing Lee. At all. This shit can't be stressed enough. Lee brings absolutely nothing to this series. He doesn't bring defense, he doesn't bring rebounding, he doesn't bring shooting, he can't postup anybody, he doesn't do shit basically. He's just dead weight out there, and it's the time of the season to cut out the dead weight, tbh.

Also, we are playing Murray, Simmons and Anderson, a bunch of guys that can't shoot for shit. Add to that that Manu went full TOSB mode at the most inopportune time and we have a team full of weak links in terms of shooting. We can't have that against a team that will chuck 50 threes per game. Bertans needs to get minutes.

[SAGirl]

Hi, it's me again.

This shit is more relevant than ever with the blessing in desguise that was, for the Rockets, Nene's injury; and D'antoni probably starting Gordon and bringing Anderson as the backup center.

Pop will probably still start Pau and Aldridge together, and that's fine, I guess. He just has to be super quick at pulling the plug if shit starts going downwards early... And for the love of NASA, he has to stop playing Lee. At all. This shit can't be stressed enough. Lee brings absolutely nothing to this series. He doesn't bring defense, he doesn't bring rebounding, he doesn't bring shooting, he can't postup anybody, he doesn't do shit basically. He's just dead weight out there, and it's the time of the season to cut out the dead weight, tbh.

Also, we are playing Murray, Simmons and Anderson, a bunch of guys that can't shoot for shit. Add to that that Manu went full TOSB mode at the most inopportune time and we have a team full of weak links in terms of shooting. We can't have that against a team that will chuck 50 threes per game. Bertans needs to get minutes.
I agree. Bertans profits playing with both Simmons and Anderson (specially KA as he's too unselfish for his own good at times)... anyways, the point is those guys look for him when he's open and try to get the shooters some shots. Manu looks super ancient out there agreed.

[bklynspursfan]

I think Simmons needs to play. Agreed on Bertans too, but Simmons has been shooting well and brings other things to the table.

With TP out, he's probably our 2nd best at getting into the teeth of the defense.

[DAF86]

I think Simmons needs to play. Agreed on Bertans too, but Simmons has been shooting well and brings other things to the table.

With TP out, he's probably our 2nd best at getting into the teeth of the defense.

Yeah, Simmons needs to play. I didn't mean that Bertans should get playing time over him. Both Simmons and Bertans need to play.

[HarlemHeat37]

861962420788633603

[marinoman]

Instead of Pau. Enough with this 2 big lineup, all our runs come from smallball as well as our best Defense. We switch better and harden is always trying to get a big switched on him. LMA, Pau and Lee all have cement feet and guys like harden apparently defend their soft play well since they resort to fadeaways that graze rim
You can go back to game 2 and see when we got separation we were small causing better defense, easier path to rim on offense and even better rebounding.


Hell I'd rather have Anderson at pf than 2 bigs

[marinoman]

861962420788633603
Pop will prolly play Pau, LMA, Lee at the same time

[DAF86]

Mills, Green, Simmons, Kawhi, Aldridge.

Manu, Anderson, Bertans and Pau.

Maybe some spot up minutes to Murray to gain some rest for Patty.

That should be the rotation for game six. Although we all know it won't happen so I don't know why I even bother. :depressed

[DAF86]

Playing small:

-We defend them better (by switching without creating too big of mismatches and having faster guys to close out on shooters).
-Attack them better (more guys to attack off the dribble, and less softies posting up and taking fadeaway jumpers).
-run the floor better.
-Heck, we even rebound the ball better.

[apalisoc_9]

Mills, Green, Simmons, Kawhi, Aldridge.

Manu, Anderson, Bertans and Pau.

Maybe some spot up minutes to Murray to gain some rest for Patty.

That should be the rotation for game six. Although we all know it won't happen so I don't know why I even bother. :depressed

Ibsaid the same thing in my Adjustment for game 5 thread...And people laughed at the idea.

Not only is it great defensively, Simmons playing around 15mpg at least gives the spurs an opportunity to abuse Harden, Lou, Gordon and their inability to defend the drive with Anderson at C.

I think its was that shitty podcast Guy if i recall...Said it was too vanilla IIRC :lol

[DAF86]

Ibsaid the same thing in my Adjustment for game 5 thread...And people laughed at the idea.

Not only is it great defensively, Simmons playing around 15mpg at least gives the spurs an opportunity to abuse Harden, Lou, Gordon and their inability to defend the drive with Anderson at C.

I think its was that shitty podcast Guy if i recall...Said it was too vanilla IIRC :lol

Although, now that I think about it, it might be better to start with Bertans and save Simmons (and his drives) for when Anderson is the center.

Anyways, SMALLBALL is the way.

[marinoman]

Playing small:

-We defend them better (by switching without creating too big of mismatches and having faster guys to close out on shooters).
-Attack them better (more guys to attack off the dribble, and less softies posting up and taking fadeaway jumpers).
-run the floor better.
-Heck, we even rebound the ball better.
Amazing how so many of us see this as obvious but pop doesn't or is too stubborn. Did Pau play in ot? I'm hoping pop is so angry with him over the last play in regulation that he sits him next to dedmon. But then he'll prolly play lee 40 minutes

[Down Under]

I can see Bertans transforming the 4 in the NBA to an extent. Having a stretch 4 is nothing new, but this guy comes off screens extremely quickly and doesn't need to set his feet to shoot 3's. In addition, he's shown some flashes of rim protection.