Defensive Adjustments for Game 5

[Nbadan]

For those of you who think it was weak Spurs defense and not just the crazy officiating that contributed most to yesterday's loss, what adjustment do you make to the D? Stop switching on all screens? Another starting line-up adjustment? Some other technique?

What say YOU?

*not officiating complaints please, there are plenty of threads for that already.

[SA210]

Put 2 seven footers in the paint and swat like hell and make them adjust to us.
No layups.

What the hell do we have to lose?

[ducks]

foul harris make him shoot 2 free throws
and not give him the layup

[DuncanInYourFace]

I don't want to turn this into a ref-bitch thread, but what was Bowen supposed to do against Dirk at the end of regulation. Let's assume for the moment that the call was legit and that any reasonable player would expect to get called for that.

How does he change his game to still defend Dirk and not get called for the handcheck?

[Nbadan]

The game is too fast for Horry and Oberto, what makes you think Rasho and Nazr will make it down the court in time to block those shots?

[ducks]

can the spurs try to control the tempo
and try to get the game in the 80's

[DarrinS]

Having a 7-footer that doesn't play in the post causes problems. It also doesn't help that they throw Devin Harris into the mix.

The Spurs are doing a pretty good job on Nowitzki and Howard. I think Pop needs to consider getting Barry out of there.

You could always bring in Nesterovich or Nazr to guard Diop (he has zero offense) and Dampier. But then Tim would have to chase Nowitzki around and Tim would likely get into foul trouble.

There's no doubt, this team gives us fits because of matchups.

I say, bring in a center and lets at least control the glass. Giving the Mavs 2 or 3 opportunities at a basket isn't going to work.

[degenerate_gambler]

Screw the switching on the pick and rolls. Our guys are not recovering quick enough to stop their penetration be it Harris, Terry or whoever is running the play with the billy goat.

Slide way under their pick and stop your damn man from driving to the basket. If _allas is going to win, I want to see them earn from the outside.

[xxbriguyxx]

I don't want to turn this into a ref-bitch thread, but what was Bowen supposed to do against Dirk at the end of regulation. Let's assume for the moment that the call was legit and that any reasonable player would expect to get called for that.

How does he change his game to still defend Dirk and not get called for the handcheck?

They called a foul on Bowen at the end of game three as well....Bowen didn't even touch him on the shot. They could have called him for over-the-back maybe, but not a shooting foul. What a joke!

Let's face it, Bowen can't change his game. The refs need to let him play. There's handchecking going on all over the place! If they call it on Bowen, they need to call it on everyone.

[nkdlunch]

There is really no adjustment to make. Traditional Spurs defense that would suffocate the opponent's offense doesn't work anymore, due to the way the game is officiated now.

[xxbriguyxx]

can the spurs try to control the tempo
and try to get the game in the 80's

I think they should do that. Just get back to playing Spurs ball....

[2centsworth]

Defense is about intensity. Spurs are great defensively when Parker and Ginobilli are quick to get steals and pressure the ball. I'd like to see two 7 footers with our guards and sf's rotating and putting pressure on the ball. Make the mavs use 8 seconds to get the ball up. Mavs with pressure usually force quick jumpers. Also, it will create some transition buckets for our team.

[SA210]

Defense is about intensity. Spurs are great defensively when Parker and Ginobilli are quick to get steals and pressure the ball. I'd like to see two 7 footers with our guards and sf's rotating and putting pressure on the ball. Make the mavs use 8 seconds to get the ball up. Mavs with pressure usually force quick jumpers. Also, it will create some transition buckets for our team.
I think this is what we should do. :tu

[gameFACE]

The only ideal adjustment is someone to clog the lane but, yeah, Nazr and Rasho are too slow. At this point each team knows what the other will do so I don't know how many more adjustments they can make. It's come down to a battle of wills now.

[SA210]

The only ideal adjustment is someone to clog the lane but, yeah, Nazr and Rasho are too slow. At this point each team knows what the other will do so I don't know how many more adjustments they can make. It's come down to a battle of wills now.
No way. If we keep this small ball crap up, we are playing their game in the 120's.

Let's play our ball game. We won game one. It was a low scoring game.

Play our seven footers together.

[LEONARD]

foul harris make him shoot 2 free throws
and not give him the layup

Do that and the Mavs get more FT's than the Spurs = more Spurs fan whining....

Not good...they're whined out as it is!!

[WalterBenitez]

Put 2 seven footers in the paint and swat like hell and make them adjust to us. No layups. What the hell do we have to lose?

YEAH baby I like this approach :makemyday

[gameFACE]

No way. If we keep this small ball crap up, we are playing their game in the 120's.

Let's play our ball game. We won game one. It was a low scoring game.

Play our seven footers together.
If it's a close game like the last two I wouldn't mind seeing Rasho or Nazr out there to try and get a key rebound. But they have to remember to box out, man.

[SA210]

If it's a close game like the last two I wouldn't mind seeing Rasho or Nazr out there to try and get a key rebound. But they have to remember to box out, man.
true, just stick to spurs basketball. besides the refs, this is our problem.
playing their game. screw that.

lets play spurs ball.

[Shank]

And what is Spurs ball? Why haven't they decided to play this vastly superior type of game yet in this series?

[Kori Ellis]

Screw the switching on the pick and rolls. Our guys are not recovering quick enough to stop their penetration be it Harris, Terry or whoever is running the play with the billy goat.

Slide way under their pick and stop your damn man from driving to the basket. If _allas is going to win, I want to see them earn from the outside.

Ditto.

If the Spurs are staying small, then they shouldn't be switching. It's killing them.

[SA210]

And what is Spurs ball? Why haven't they decided to play this vastly superior type of game yet in this series?

What you saw in the 1st quarter until the refs started bailing you out.
Rewatch it.

[picnroll]

If it's Jack Nies use all six hard fouls on him.

[toosmallshoes]

I think when they take out Tim Duncan they should replace him with Rasho, because every time Duncan goes out Dallas goes on an 8-0 run by slashing into the paint and getting layups. In fact why not go back to what we do best which is clog the lane. Start Rasho. play a zone. make this series about stopping Dallas instead of about stopping Dirk. Stop trying to beat them at their own game, and try making them beat us at ours.

[austinfan]

make this series about stopping Dallas instead of about stopping Dirk.

:tu

[degenerate_gambler]

Ditto.

If the Spurs are staying small, then they shouldn't be switching. It's killing them.


Hell yes it's killing them. Half the time they look unsure whether to stay with the guy or switch back to their original man. In the meantime, _allas is taking to the hoop.

[Unregistered]

Do that and the Mavs get more FT's than the Spurs = more Spurs fan whining....

Not good...they're whined out as it is!!

Either contribute something or shut the fuck up. There are about 436456543
21635 other threads you can go spout your no-basketball-knowledge having bullshit in.


They've got to get some tall bodies in there....it's worked for 89 games.

[mavsfan1000]

The only way the spurs can play big is if they play Duncan on Josh Howard. The fear here is that Josh Howard goes for 30. It will cost the spurs on offense. Is the defense that much better if Howard goes for 30 and the spurs play traditionally?

[Extra Stout]

The only way the spurs can play big is if they play Duncan on Josh Howard. The fear here is that Josh Howard goes for 30. It will cost the spurs on offense. Is the defense that much better if Howard goes for 30 and the spurs play traditionally?
If Howard goes for 30 and the rest of the Mavs go for 65 that is an improvement.

As it is now, close games are coming down to who can make a shot or draw a foul, rather than who can make a stop. The Spurs won't win many of those kinds of games because it hasn't been their philosophy for a decade.

The Spurs have to make defense a factor.