nobodi_home
05-14-2006, 08:55 PM
Looking for answers as to why SAS is suddenly falling on its face, I’ve reviewed some tape for a few of these playoff games, and most significantly, games during the regular season. What does one see in this analysis? Coach Pop has decidedly thrown out one of the three main strategies that has been the backbone of SAS’s offensive style.
Basically, SAS has effectively used three strategies on offense:
1. Get the ball into Duncan, for Duncan to try and score
2. Get the ball into Duncan, as a decoy, for a quick outlet to open perimeter shooters
3. Manu, Parker or Beno to drive the lane for points in the Paint
What has happened to item #2, the perimeter attack? It has simply evaporated, ever since the playoffs began. Even the “drive the lane” via Manu and Parker has dried up to a certain extent, but that is understandable because opponents are waking up to this strategy and are taking defensive steps to stop it, which should not be that difficult if opponents have big men in the middle on defense. Manu and Parker are great fellows, and I enjoy them, but they are quite a bit shorter than some of the league’s big defenders. A lot of this has happened, with Manu and Parker having shots blocked and swatted back in their faces. I guess a few good teams take the time to review game tapes, eh?
But why has Pop abandoned Strategy #2, nearly entirely? Every time the ball goes in to Duncan, it seems like Duncan thinks he can carry the team all by himself, and it must be Duncan that attempts a basket. Is this Duncan’s decision or does it come from the bench? When the ball goes in to Duncan, what happens next (most often)? DOUBLE TEAM. Absolutely, and what do the game tapes show Duncan doing on many occasions, throughout the regular season, after being ganged up on? Quick outlet to Bowen, Barry, Finley for a long 2 or a 3 point basket. A double-team ALWAYS means someone out there must be open, and the game tapes prove it. There is no mystery here.
SAS had great success doing this throughout the season, and it’s why they have 60+ wins. So why abandon it now? Watching a Spurs playoff game is like watching Miami, substituting Shaq with Duncan. How much more boring can basketball get? Not only is SAS losing, and not only will they not survive this series with Dallas, it is NO FUN watching a Spurs game with this strategy, win or lose. Losing a game, or even losing a series, is not all that bad. Example: the Houston vs Utah playoff series back in 1998 showcased 6 of the finest basketball games I’ve ever seen, and thank heavens I have them on tape to remind me of how good a basketball game can be. And in the end, did it really matter whether Houston or Utah won? Only to the hometown crowd, I’m sure, but to someone for whom Houston nor Utah was not the favorite team, it didn’t matter. All 6 of those were outstanding games, well played, completely lacking the absolutely BRAIN DEAD strategies one now sees being pursued by SAS Head Coach Greg Popovich; FEED DUNCAN! Considering Coach Pop is only 5 weeks older than I (Nov ’48 vs Jan ’49), I feel entitled to jump his case a little. Good grief, someone should.
And one other mystery here that really has me stooped. Where on earth did Coach Pop get the idea that Horry Orry (what has happened to our Big Shot Bob?) was fit to play Center? Horry has never functioned as center, not at Houston, nor way back to the days with the Lakers. I just finished viewing a tape of Mr. Horry, with teammate Van Excel, from May 16, 1998. This was Game 1 of the Semi’s, where Horry’s Lakers (including Van Exel, Shaq and Koby) were creamed by Karl Malone + Company by 30 points, and Utah’s starters sat on the bench most of the second half. Same story for games 2, 3 and 4. Utah 4, Lakers 0. End of series. On to Chicago. Horry didn’t play center then and he’s no Center now.
Which leads to the final mystery of Coach Pop’s insane Playoff strategy. Why is Racho warming the bench, when he should be out on the floor grabbing rebounds and playing quality minutes? There is no mystery about Racho, except why he’s been slam-dunked by the SAS coaching staff the past several months. Substituting Racho with Horry, and even worse, Nazr Mohammed, is foolish to the extreme. I can understand why Pop has put Mohammed on the bench: TOO MANY STUPID MISTAKES.
I must conclude that all this pretended HARMONY, dished up for the public, is just a bunch of rubbish. Coach Popovich obviously is having a temper tromo. Racho probably worked his way onto Pop’s Shit List for benching him in favor of Mohammed and complained, and then Pop had to bench Mohammed because the guy just doesn’t have the skills needed to win a championship. Too many stupid mistakes...... He drops passes on a regular basis, makes bad passes, forgets he’s in the lane, but because he grabs a few boards (certainly no more than Racho), Mohammed seems to think he’s the greatest thing since electric toasters. They got by last year because Detroit decided they wanted to make MORE MISTAKES than SAS, just barely. And don’t forget, all you die-hard Spurs fans, Game 7 of the NBA Finals last June was all up for grabs, until the final 50 seconds. GO LOOK AT THE GAME TAPE. Detroit blew a couple easy baskets, then turned the ball over, and in the process, handed the championship to SAS. But then, don’t we see this very thing play out, night after night? Sure, the team that makes the most mistakes generally loses. It’s always been this way and will surely continue. That’s the nature of sporting events.
Coach Pop, benching Racho, because he makes one little error, and then slams the talented Russian to the bench for eternity, is crazy. Why is it we see this double standard? Racho makes one mistake, and he’s slammed. Duncan, Parker and Manu the Muffer can screw up all night, night after night, regular season or post season, and everything is overlooked.
Did any of you hear the crying and whining on WOAI, the Voice of the Spurs, following Games 2 and 3 of this Dallas series? Oh my, positively pathetic. And it’s not just this series with Dallas. I’ve heard it all season long from WOAI’s postgame motormouths. Barry takes half a dozen 3’s and misses 5-- OH MY GAWD, LET’S TRADE BARRY, HE’S HORRIBLE. Barry misses a 3, off to the bench, where he remains for 3 quarters, but Parker and Manu, they can throw up the most useless and senseless baskets, with no hope of going in, but it’s all ok. No one criticizes Manu or Parker, not even after Manu blew the Spurs final hope in Game 3 with Dallas last night. If a dedicated Spurs fan would be willing to go back and review some of the game tapes, you’ll see that Brent Barry is frightened out of his wits. Everything about his game play suggests very clearly he realizes he’s just “one missed 3” away from the bench. There are so many examples of this it would take a small booklet to itemize them. But look at the films. Look at the dozens of times Barry passes up on wide open 3’s. Barry knows better than anyone else that his leash ain’t the same length as his teammates. Why is this?
What is plainly evident here, ever since the Playoffs began, is FEED DUNCAN. The options to this strategy that have worked all season have been abandoned. Why?
If Racho is not put back on the floor as the starting Center, and given 25-30 minutes minimum, scattered throughout the game, alternating with Mohammed, if Nazr can control his mistakes, SAS is finished for this season. And I estimate this series may not even go to 6 games, but however many it takes, I’d bet the house, farm and the bank account that no one will be seeing the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals this year, not even the Western Conference series.
And in the final analysis, it doesn’t really make much difference. This brand of basketball, of just FEEDING THE BIG MAN, whether it’s a Tim Duncan or the 1,000 pound bully (aka Shaq) is BORING, BORING BORING. Who wants to pay to see this rubbish?
Push n shove, hack da Shaq, or hack da Duncan, who the hell cares? Thank heavens I’m not spending my money on this kind of rubbish.
Coach Pop, the defending champion coach, lost in the wilderness. And BTW, what is Del Harris doing on the Dallas bench? Anyone notice this? I thought Avery Johnson was Mr. Brilliant, the Coach of the Year!! Why does he need the services of one of the most successful head coaches of all time sitting next to him?
Next year? I hope Racho has the courage to tell SAS to stick it; Barry, too. I think the SAS lineup next year will be DRASTICALLY (not marginally, but drastically) DIFFERENT from what we see today (May 14, 2006). And perhaps it’s for the best. I wouldn’t want any part of a team who’s primary, secondary and tertiary offensive outlook is
FEED DUNCAN. I hate to sound like I’m picking on Duncan. Not my point. Duncan is a nice man, a good fellow. He never points fingers at others, always patient and polite with the press, even after a tough loss. Generous with the San Antonio community. But he can’t do it all, and the films of Sacramento and now the Dallas series should be all the proof anyone needs.
Good luck, SAS, you definitely need some luck, and a whole lot more.
Basically, SAS has effectively used three strategies on offense:
1. Get the ball into Duncan, for Duncan to try and score
2. Get the ball into Duncan, as a decoy, for a quick outlet to open perimeter shooters
3. Manu, Parker or Beno to drive the lane for points in the Paint
What has happened to item #2, the perimeter attack? It has simply evaporated, ever since the playoffs began. Even the “drive the lane” via Manu and Parker has dried up to a certain extent, but that is understandable because opponents are waking up to this strategy and are taking defensive steps to stop it, which should not be that difficult if opponents have big men in the middle on defense. Manu and Parker are great fellows, and I enjoy them, but they are quite a bit shorter than some of the league’s big defenders. A lot of this has happened, with Manu and Parker having shots blocked and swatted back in their faces. I guess a few good teams take the time to review game tapes, eh?
But why has Pop abandoned Strategy #2, nearly entirely? Every time the ball goes in to Duncan, it seems like Duncan thinks he can carry the team all by himself, and it must be Duncan that attempts a basket. Is this Duncan’s decision or does it come from the bench? When the ball goes in to Duncan, what happens next (most often)? DOUBLE TEAM. Absolutely, and what do the game tapes show Duncan doing on many occasions, throughout the regular season, after being ganged up on? Quick outlet to Bowen, Barry, Finley for a long 2 or a 3 point basket. A double-team ALWAYS means someone out there must be open, and the game tapes prove it. There is no mystery here.
SAS had great success doing this throughout the season, and it’s why they have 60+ wins. So why abandon it now? Watching a Spurs playoff game is like watching Miami, substituting Shaq with Duncan. How much more boring can basketball get? Not only is SAS losing, and not only will they not survive this series with Dallas, it is NO FUN watching a Spurs game with this strategy, win or lose. Losing a game, or even losing a series, is not all that bad. Example: the Houston vs Utah playoff series back in 1998 showcased 6 of the finest basketball games I’ve ever seen, and thank heavens I have them on tape to remind me of how good a basketball game can be. And in the end, did it really matter whether Houston or Utah won? Only to the hometown crowd, I’m sure, but to someone for whom Houston nor Utah was not the favorite team, it didn’t matter. All 6 of those were outstanding games, well played, completely lacking the absolutely BRAIN DEAD strategies one now sees being pursued by SAS Head Coach Greg Popovich; FEED DUNCAN! Considering Coach Pop is only 5 weeks older than I (Nov ’48 vs Jan ’49), I feel entitled to jump his case a little. Good grief, someone should.
And one other mystery here that really has me stooped. Where on earth did Coach Pop get the idea that Horry Orry (what has happened to our Big Shot Bob?) was fit to play Center? Horry has never functioned as center, not at Houston, nor way back to the days with the Lakers. I just finished viewing a tape of Mr. Horry, with teammate Van Excel, from May 16, 1998. This was Game 1 of the Semi’s, where Horry’s Lakers (including Van Exel, Shaq and Koby) were creamed by Karl Malone + Company by 30 points, and Utah’s starters sat on the bench most of the second half. Same story for games 2, 3 and 4. Utah 4, Lakers 0. End of series. On to Chicago. Horry didn’t play center then and he’s no Center now.
Which leads to the final mystery of Coach Pop’s insane Playoff strategy. Why is Racho warming the bench, when he should be out on the floor grabbing rebounds and playing quality minutes? There is no mystery about Racho, except why he’s been slam-dunked by the SAS coaching staff the past several months. Substituting Racho with Horry, and even worse, Nazr Mohammed, is foolish to the extreme. I can understand why Pop has put Mohammed on the bench: TOO MANY STUPID MISTAKES.
I must conclude that all this pretended HARMONY, dished up for the public, is just a bunch of rubbish. Coach Popovich obviously is having a temper tromo. Racho probably worked his way onto Pop’s Shit List for benching him in favor of Mohammed and complained, and then Pop had to bench Mohammed because the guy just doesn’t have the skills needed to win a championship. Too many stupid mistakes...... He drops passes on a regular basis, makes bad passes, forgets he’s in the lane, but because he grabs a few boards (certainly no more than Racho), Mohammed seems to think he’s the greatest thing since electric toasters. They got by last year because Detroit decided they wanted to make MORE MISTAKES than SAS, just barely. And don’t forget, all you die-hard Spurs fans, Game 7 of the NBA Finals last June was all up for grabs, until the final 50 seconds. GO LOOK AT THE GAME TAPE. Detroit blew a couple easy baskets, then turned the ball over, and in the process, handed the championship to SAS. But then, don’t we see this very thing play out, night after night? Sure, the team that makes the most mistakes generally loses. It’s always been this way and will surely continue. That’s the nature of sporting events.
Coach Pop, benching Racho, because he makes one little error, and then slams the talented Russian to the bench for eternity, is crazy. Why is it we see this double standard? Racho makes one mistake, and he’s slammed. Duncan, Parker and Manu the Muffer can screw up all night, night after night, regular season or post season, and everything is overlooked.
Did any of you hear the crying and whining on WOAI, the Voice of the Spurs, following Games 2 and 3 of this Dallas series? Oh my, positively pathetic. And it’s not just this series with Dallas. I’ve heard it all season long from WOAI’s postgame motormouths. Barry takes half a dozen 3’s and misses 5-- OH MY GAWD, LET’S TRADE BARRY, HE’S HORRIBLE. Barry misses a 3, off to the bench, where he remains for 3 quarters, but Parker and Manu, they can throw up the most useless and senseless baskets, with no hope of going in, but it’s all ok. No one criticizes Manu or Parker, not even after Manu blew the Spurs final hope in Game 3 with Dallas last night. If a dedicated Spurs fan would be willing to go back and review some of the game tapes, you’ll see that Brent Barry is frightened out of his wits. Everything about his game play suggests very clearly he realizes he’s just “one missed 3” away from the bench. There are so many examples of this it would take a small booklet to itemize them. But look at the films. Look at the dozens of times Barry passes up on wide open 3’s. Barry knows better than anyone else that his leash ain’t the same length as his teammates. Why is this?
What is plainly evident here, ever since the Playoffs began, is FEED DUNCAN. The options to this strategy that have worked all season have been abandoned. Why?
If Racho is not put back on the floor as the starting Center, and given 25-30 minutes minimum, scattered throughout the game, alternating with Mohammed, if Nazr can control his mistakes, SAS is finished for this season. And I estimate this series may not even go to 6 games, but however many it takes, I’d bet the house, farm and the bank account that no one will be seeing the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals this year, not even the Western Conference series.
And in the final analysis, it doesn’t really make much difference. This brand of basketball, of just FEEDING THE BIG MAN, whether it’s a Tim Duncan or the 1,000 pound bully (aka Shaq) is BORING, BORING BORING. Who wants to pay to see this rubbish?
Push n shove, hack da Shaq, or hack da Duncan, who the hell cares? Thank heavens I’m not spending my money on this kind of rubbish.
Coach Pop, the defending champion coach, lost in the wilderness. And BTW, what is Del Harris doing on the Dallas bench? Anyone notice this? I thought Avery Johnson was Mr. Brilliant, the Coach of the Year!! Why does he need the services of one of the most successful head coaches of all time sitting next to him?
Next year? I hope Racho has the courage to tell SAS to stick it; Barry, too. I think the SAS lineup next year will be DRASTICALLY (not marginally, but drastically) DIFFERENT from what we see today (May 14, 2006). And perhaps it’s for the best. I wouldn’t want any part of a team who’s primary, secondary and tertiary offensive outlook is
FEED DUNCAN. I hate to sound like I’m picking on Duncan. Not my point. Duncan is a nice man, a good fellow. He never points fingers at others, always patient and polite with the press, even after a tough loss. Generous with the San Antonio community. But he can’t do it all, and the films of Sacramento and now the Dallas series should be all the proof anyone needs.
Good luck, SAS, you definitely need some luck, and a whole lot more.