Spurs' D Not What It Was

[Joepa]

So far, the Spurs' D has given up 91, 76, 103, and 95. Definitely not the types of scores I'm used to seeing (except for the second).

Can this be attributed to the season being young, or has the identity of the Spurs changed?

[leemajors]

season being young, people still feeling their way with a few new teammates. once they get rolling the d should still be solid. this is basically the same crew from last year. 95 in an ot game is pretty low. bulls also shot under 40%.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

this worries me deeply

NVE is the shit, but....

[Kori Ellis]

It will be a few months before the D is up to the Spurs highest standards. Fin, NVE, and Oberto just got here and Nazr still doesn't know where to go on D. So it's a work in progress.

I don't think it's anything to worry about. And leemajors is right, the Bulls didn't shoot that well at all.

[Dre_7]

Ive been a Spurs fan long enought to know that they get better and better as the year goes on. In fact, if I remeber correctly, didnt they start off pretty bad when they won the title in 1999 and 2003???

[Pistons < Spurs]

I've only had the privilege of seeing one game for the Spurs so far this year (against Denver). But going off of that game, boxscores and SpurTalk game blogs, I have to ask the same question. Where is the SA defense? I acknowledge that there are many new faces, so chemistry is going to be a part of it. Also, it is only 4 games into the season......However, the starting 4/5 are all still there, and playing the majority of the minutes.

I don't think there is any reason to be concerned or worried, but to an outsider, it is suprising to not see that shut down D...especially late ingames (although it seems like you stopped the Bulls effectively in OT)

Part of it is that expectations are very high for a team such as SA due to their years of prowess on the defensive side of the ball.

[baseline bum]

It seems like every year the Spurs open with high-scoring efforts for the first 7-10 games. Used to be here people would start thinking it was the year they'd finally stop seeing ugly, defensive games. By December it was 86-80 every night.

[DesiSpur_21]

It seems like every year the Spurs open with high-scoring efforts for the first 7-10 games. Used to be here people would start thinking it was the year they'd finally stop seeing ugly, defensive games. By December it was 86-80 every night.

:lmao

[ploto]

The defense goes to pot when both Tim and Rasho are on the bench together. It looks like it is supposed to when Tony, Manu, Bruce, Tim, and Rasho are out there.

[ZStomp]

Nothing to worry about.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Come on, how long have you been Spurs fans?

The Spurs don't start playing D until the Christmas lights go up, and don't start playing lock down D until Spring Break.

[Dario]

I thought you wanted this way better, more points and stuff with all these new shooters around. You cant really expect delivering more points and still be the same in defense.
My bet is the spurs this year are somewhere in betwen 3-6 all NBA defensive teams.

[Philo Beddoe]

I think its early in the season. I think once Finley and Van Exel get acclimated to the system and, much sooner, once Ginobili is healthy again, the Spurs will start to put up some tough defensive numbers again. Against the Cavs they were stifling. Against the Bulls they gave up 95, but in OT, and on the road. So that's not too bad, really.

[boutons]

"3-6 all NBA defensive teams"

No, there simply aren't 3-6 teams that even play defense.

Spurs will be #1 or #2, again, or #3 lowest.
Defense is Pop's critical, winning contribution to the Duncan era.
Tim needs Pop system as much as Pop needs Tim.

[AI-square]

Yeah it's still too early in the season. The thing about the Spurs is that the closer they are to the title, the better they get.

It's only a matter of time before people start to complain about low-scoring Spurs games.

[CosmicCowboy]

Final scores obviously have a lot to do with number of possessions. This is not your "old" Spurs team that used 20 seconds off the shot clock every trip down the floor. When the Spurs shoot/score 6 seconds into the shot clock the opponent is obviously going to get more opportunities to score. I am perfectly fine with the opponent scoring 95 when the Spurs end with a positive point differential of 9.

[Extra Stout]

Transition defense is not up to usual Spurs standards yet.

And clearly NVE, Finley, and Oberto are not playing good defense yet.

Did anybody else notice how Ben Gordon stopped scoring immediately when Parker came back in the game and started guarding him?

Tony Parker, lockdown artist. :smokin

[boutons]

"when Parker came back in the game"

This year's Tony is a brand new model, a rare case where "take it to the next level" is not just a parroted buzz phrase with no substance.

Cool, confident, aggressive, relentless, effective, real pro on both ends of court.

[MadDog73]

All that matters is the win. Who can complain about a 3-1 start?

[Extra Stout]

All that matters is the win. Who can complain about a 3-1 start?
They still have a long way to go to play like a championship-caliber team.

[Marcus Bryant]

Spurs have 2 new members of their rotation. Generally, Finley and NVE seem to understand the defensive strategy. The key is for them to get so familiar with the technical points of it that they're thinking about it in their sleep as well as to get familiar with their teammates' tendencies. I liked what I saw of Finley last night. He got into the correct defensive position as well as made a number of rotations.

All in all, I'm not worried about the Spurs' D at this stage. If NVE and Finley learn and master the D, then the Spurs will have their offense on the court in crucial situations later on in the season.

[easjer]

They still have a long way to go to play like a championship-caliber team.

I totally agree with you.

BUT.

The next game is the fifth of the season (which is 82 games). We've got three new players who never played much defense, let alone consistent D as the focal point. It's going to take some time, as it always does (see Horry, Robert and Barry, Brent). And one of the centers battling for starting position is weak on D and still unfamiliar with the rotations.

I'm willing to cut some slack.

If this continues for another two months, I'll be real worried. I just don't expect it to continue past Christmas.

And have you see the core group playing together? Talk about poetry in motion. It's fucking beautiful to watch. They are so in sync on both ends of the floor, it blows me away.

[Extra Stout]

Spurs have 2 new members of their rotation. Generally, Finley and NVE seem to understand the defensive strategy. The key is for them to get so familiar with the technical points of it that they're thinking about it in their sleep as well as to get familiar with their teammates' tendencies. I liked what I saw of Finley last night. He got into the correct defensive position as well as made a number of rotations.

All in all, I'm not worried about the Spurs' D at this stage. If NVE and Finley learn and master the D, then the Spurs will have their offense on the court in crucial situations later on in the season.
Yes, they are learning. You can still tell they're thinking about it on the floor, which makes them hesitate just enough to let somebody get by them.

They're also noticeably less aggressive than Parker and Bowen. They'll become more aggressive when they don't have to think about where to go.

Ginobili is still a step slow on defense sometimes, probably due to injury, though he still stepped up and made plays when needed.

There were a few times when the whole team was slow on rotations.

It's the only reason the game was close. I'm not worried about it, because I know they'll get a lot better.

[easjer]

It's the only reason the game was close. I'm not worried about it, because I know they'll get a lot better.

Isn't that a great feeling? Almost better than sex.

[Marcus Bryant]

The team is scoring more than in previous years. The offense is better and law of averages is simple more points on the board even with good D you'll end up getting scored on a little more. Look a little closer at shooting percentages and you'll see.

Yes. With Finley and NVE in the rotation the Spurs basically have a full 48 minutes with at least 2 serious scoring threats on the perimeter. When Bowen's out (not that he doesn't find ways to be offensively useful), they have 3.

[Extra Stout]

The team is scoring more than in previous years. The offense is better and law of averages is simple more points on the board even with good D you'll end up getting scored on a little more. Look a little closer at shooting percentages and you'll see.
Scoring more points in and of itself does not mean giving up more points. What you say is only true if a team speeds up the pace of the game. If a team scores more simply because it is playing at a quicker pace, that doesn't mean the offense has improved at all.

And an examination of points per 100 possessions, for and against, is more reliable than an examination of shooting percentages.

So far, the Spurs are averaging 92 possessions per game, as opposed to 89 last year. They are scoring 106 points/100 possessions, as opposed to 108 last year.

And last year's stats are dragged down because Duncan was first slowed, and then knocked out of the lineup, by injuries. Last year, before Duncan sprained his ankle in LA in Game #48, the Spurs were scoring 98 a game and giving up 86, on pace to be one of the most dominant teams ever. This year, they're scoring 98 and giving up 91. Again, it's early, but clearly, they're not fully up to speed yet.

But one should not expect them to be. It's only November 8.

When the Spurs are fully on track, I expect they will have a point differential above +12. Right now it's +6.7.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Defense will improve. So will turnovers, field goal percentage, etc. Don't worry so much, one day around the All-Star game they'll get into a groove. When that happens, nobody will have a prayer.

[Mr. Peabody]

Defense will improve. So will turnovers, field goal percentage, etc. Don't worry so much, one day around the All-Star game they'll get into a groove. When that happens, nobody will have a prayer.

So you're saying that the Spurs aren't going to win 72 games this year?

Damn, fairweather fan.
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[Marcus Bryant]

Through 4 games the Spurs are averaging 22.8 assists per game. Last season they averaged 21.6 which was 14th in the league. If they had averaged 22.8 per that would've put them at 6th.

My memory is hazy but I believe that the Spurs led the league in assist differential per game last season.

In re defense, the Spurs have given up 18.3 assists per game through 4 contests this season. Last season they gave up a league leading 16.9 per game. Oddly enough, 18.3 per would have also been good enough for 1st in the league.

So, hopefully the Spurs will see their assist per game average at least stay where it's at if not increase while they see their opponents' average decrease as the defense becomes more crisp.

[Oh, Gee!!]

So you're saying that the Spurs aren't going to win 72 games this year?

Damn, fairweather fan.


I'd say around 60 to 65.

[Extra Stout]

The Spurs play thus far projects out to a 55-27 record.

Clearly they are better than that.

[Mr. Peabody]

I'd say around 60 to 65.

60 or 65 my ass.

I say the Spurs kick some butt and go undefeated!!!
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[Marcus Bryant]

I only care about the regular season record in regards to playoff positioning.

[Oh, Gee!!]

60 or 65 my ass.

I say the Spurs kick some butt and go undefeated!!!


woohoo!! death to infidels!!!

[bdubya]

I've only caught one Spurs game (last night), but I'm guessing teams are all bringing their "hey, let's beat the champs!" game, too. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, right?

[Marcus Bryant]

I've only caught one Spurs game (last night), but I'm guessing teams are all bringing their "hey, let's beat the champs!" game, too. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, right?


Perhaps, but I think 'Lakers night', 'Heat night' or 'Cavs night' really has more pull for the average team and its home crowd.