We still can´t defend...

[TheAffricanFan]

I saw 2 of the spurs first 3 games and I feel that our 2 and 3 spots just can´t defend our opponents. I feel that Bruce is gettin´old and he is no longer the stopper anymore. He cannot defend strong fowards and now he is becoming one step slower to defend the SG. Our team cannot steal or block any plays. How come Duncan is averagin´ less than a block per night? Bowen Is the only one averagin´ 1.0 stl per game and Elson is the only one averagin´1.0 blks. We need to do somethin´ because I don´t know if it´s me or somethin´ but I don´t like what I´ve been watchin´ :pctoss

[Texas_Ranger]

Spurs are playing good defense for now. That were just 3 games, we can talk about this on the end of the season or at least when Spurs will have 25 games finished.

[Kori Ellis]

Bruce doesn't look any slower at all to me. He's never going to be able to guard someone like LeBron that well.

He only usually averages 1 steal every year, so that number didn't go down or anything.

But to answer the main part of your question, Spurs defense takes longer for players to catch on to than Spurs offense. And it's a team effort. The players have to be funneled correctly to the shot blockers, people have to make the right defensive switches, etc. So don't expect the defensive numbers to be Spur-like immediately. Did you see Elson getting pulled out of the game for missing a rotation? That's going to happen regularly until the new players all get it.

Two months from now is the time it should start coming together.

[MI21]

91,88 and 93 points for the opposition. 2 of those games on the oppositions home floor.

Dallas probably averaged close to 105 against the Spurs last season and Spurs held them to 91. They held the Cavs to 88 despite a huge night from LeBron, not to bad. Toronto are going to score a lot, 93 on there home court isn't a bad job (going by stats for the Toronto game, I have yet to watch it).

[MI21]

Also, throwing away the stats, I have seen some positive stuff defensively from the team.

Bowen looks the same as ever to me, he has his struggles against LeBron. Bruce is a lightweight 6'7 and LeBron has the body of a prime Karl Malone with the speed of a guard. Tough matchup for Bruce.

The rotations aren't to bad for early season, and Elson is showing that he can be helpful on the quicker talls. Parker and Ginobili both seem pretty active.

All is good.

[timvp]

The only aspect of the defense that is worrisome right now is shotblocking. Oberto isn't a shotblocker. Elson has never been much of a shotblocker. The Spurs have always been a team that blocks a lot of shots. If they can't do that this year, teams will be more confident driving to the basket ... which could lead to more fouls on Duncan and the other bigs.

[MI21]

The only aspect of the defense that is worrisome right now is shotblocking. Oberto isn't a shotblocker. Elson has never been much of a shotblocker. The Spurs have always been a team that blocks a lot of shots. If they can't do that this year, teams will be more confident driving to the basket ... which could lead to more fouls on Duncan and the other bigs.


Rasho may have got his 1.5bpg but I don't think he was causing opposition players to second guess driving into the paint. I honestly think his blocks were more of the "because he's 7ft" kind than him being an above average shotblocker.

Even Nazr blocked more shots as a Spurs in limited time than he did in more minutes elsewhere. I'm pretty confident that whatever Spurs center gets the most minutes can give the same shotblocking Rasho/Nazr gave.

[Mr. Body]

The only aspect of the defense that is worrisome right now is shotblocking. Oberto isn't a shotblocker. Elson has never been much of a shotblocker. The Spurs have always been a team that blocks a lot of shots. If they can't do that this year, teams will be more confident driving to the basket ... which could lead to more fouls on Duncan and the other bigs.

The tonic to this may be taking charges. Oberto may lack the quickness to get in position and the refs' respect to get those calls, however.

[whottt]

The Spurs defense is never clicking early in the season...

The beginning of the season the Spurs always start out having fun with offense and after about a month and half, no matter how well they are playing, Pop decides things are too easy and starts doing funky substitions, IMO, deliberately making the games tighter, so he can stress the importance of defense...it's at that point the D starts clicking....usually around late January.

[whottt]

I think Elson can be a servicable shotblocker...

IF you look at his career stats he has blocked over a half a shot per game in @ 14 minutes of play. That's a pretty decent total...it's not as good as Rasho, but I think can be as good as Nazr....and his quickness and leaping ability do give him the ability to alter shots, even if it doesn't result in a block.

His college stats also show shot blocking potential.

To me...Elson puts up pretty decent numbers for the amount of time he is on the court....10p 8rb per game if given starters minutes, his problem seems to be staying on the court signifigant minutes...even in college. I don't know why...maybe he's foul prone...I know in Denver he had a lot of talented bigmen playing ahead of him...

It's kind of an enigma, but his totals are not bad for minutes played. And I don't really see anything he can't do.

Just like Pop wasn't aware that he had a post up game...maybe everybody just overlooked this guy, and he didn't try to do anything to change their minds.

[polandprzem]

The real spurs D will start just after the allstar break. Then the serious things will happen.

:tu for timp's post as well as whotttts

[whottt]

I will say this...the one criticism I have seen of Elson on other boards is that he disappears for long stretches...

This made me groan, as that is the same problem that virtuallly 99% of the C's in the NBA have...like Rasho and Nazr, that trait is what separates the medicore NBA C's from the good and great ones.

Hopefully Elson having that trait was just due to being buried on the bench and if given an important role he won't float away for stretches of the season like so many bigs do.

[polandprzem]

And yes I miss those Tim's blocks

[whottt]

And if we want shotblocking we need to get Justin Williams out of the D-League...guy blocked over 5 shots per game in College...only Drob and Adonal Foyle averaged more blocks per game in college history. Williams supposedly has a tremendous work ethic and plays D with a lot of intensity and energy.

[whottt]

Pop hasn't even gotten to the soft speech yet this season...the focusing on D is still a ways off after that speech.

[coopdogg3]

I think Elson can be a servicable shotblocker...




Rasho and Nazr are gone. But "servicable" remains. The adjective that never goes out of style for SA centers. :lol

[whottt]

Well it's not like HOF C's grow on trees...

There are only like 4 or 5 Great C's in the NBA.

And we already have one of them. And we were one of the few teams in NBA history to have 2 of them at the same time.

[Fabbs]

When and how is Butler going to figure in all this?
Elson will continue to get more minutes, oh wait unless Pop wants to go with a playoff lineup of Tim and Fabbs. He wouldn't do that would he? :lol :cry

Is Captain Michael Finley with all of his motivational and leadership prowesses helping getting Butler into playing shape? What is up?

The combo of Tim Elson/Butler could restore our frontline D.

[joeyjfive]

I dont see how you think Bowen in getting worse as a defender, I've also been watching and Bowen is looking just as good as ever. One bad night against Lebron but ITS LEBRON. I do agree with everyone about the shotblocking, really I dont care how many shots we block I just dont want us to allow easy baskets at the hoop.

[BeerIsGood!]

Shot blocking is not as important as shot challenging. If the team can challenge shots and cause the shooter to alter his release because of the challenge, that is just as important if not more important than blocking the shots. So far they have been decent in this regard, and I think it's the main reason they haven't give up more than 93 points to three good offensive teams. It's about effort and challenging shots, and they seem to be doing a pretty good job so far.

[Kori Ellis]

Is Captain Michael Finley with all of his motivational and leadership prowesses helping getting Butler into playing shape? What is up?



Butler not playing probably has as much to do with being raw as it does being out of shape. When the Spurs signed him, they didn't intend for him to be in the regular rotation right away no matter what shape he was in. He was a 21 year old project player. So don't expect Butler to be part of the rotation quickly.

That being said, maybe Pop gives him a few minutes tonight against the Knicks.

[jman3000]

Pop hasn't even gotten to the soft speech yet this season....


vbookie?

[koopa]

I saw 2 of the spurs first 3 games and I feel that our 2 and 3 spots just can´t defend our opponents. I feel that Bruce is gettin´old and he is no longer the stopper anymore. He cannot defend strong fowards and now he is becoming one step slower to defend the SG. Our team cannot steal or block any plays. How come Duncan is averagin´ less than a block per night? Bowen Is the only one averagin´ 1.0 stl per game and Elson is the only one averagin´1.0 blks. We need to do somethin´ because I don´t know if it´s me or somethin´ but I don´t like what I´ve been watchin´ :pctoss


becasue having blocks and steals don't mean you a good defender, making it tough for the other team to score is good defending, the team overall is doing good, those other stats are pretty pointless......don't push the panic button 3 games into a 82 game season