Question about new players and Spurs offense

[Xolotl]

I've been hearing with the trades to the Spurs that it takes at least a year for somebody to learn the offense the Spurs run...my question is whats the name of the offense can anybody point me towards an article I've been curious for a while why it's difficult

[naico]

You mean all 60 schemes?

[Xolotl]

You mean all 60 schemes?

So theres not a certain name for it, i.e like the Triangle offense?

[Solid D]

The Spurs have multiple offenses, including multiple motion offenses, in their playbook. The defensive scheme takes time to master. That is normally of more concern to the coaching staff...whether a player can assimilate and play well in the team defense. Many players learning the scheme have commented that it is a bit different from what they were used to doing, so some new habits must be formed.

[naico]

So theres not a certain name for it, i.e like the Triangle offense?

There are some well known plays they run regulary. It depends on which player they focus on. If their playin' against a zone defense or man to man..

A lot of high low goin' on and pick n roll plays

[E20]

Offensive plays for the Spurs I've seen run are obviously 4-down or 5-down, motion, PnR, a similar play to what I know as 'Falcon' where the wing recieves a lob from the PG after getting backpicked by the forward for an open three. That's about it. It's actually a suprise that teams run offenses, most of the time it seems they are running around to get the ball into so and so's hands so they can do something with it.

[ancestron]

Motion offense > Triangle offense.

[batboy]

Motion offense > Triangle offense.

Triangle offense = motion offense.

[timvp]

The offense is tough to learn but it's the defensive system that takes up to a year to learn. The offense is basically a motion offense that Pop will call set plays out of. It's more complicated than that but that's the basic strategy. That actual playbook is a couple inches thick.

The most run version of the motion offense is called "summertime" which has it's roots in some of Phog Allen's and Henry Iba's offensive principals. Iba invented the motion offense and Phog Allen himself learned the game from Naismith, so you can confidently say that the Spurs run a tried and trued offense.

[Solid D]

One more thing, in the 4th quarters of game, Pop definitely likes to run the offense in one of two ways. From the inside, with a 4-out, 1-in ("4 Down") with Timmy playing in the low post, with entry coming from PG passing to the corner to a wing player, then the wing player throwing it into the post. Then hub-and-spoke scoring options from there. The other way is to run a 4-high look with Timmy setting up high post and then running a high screen/roll for the playmaker, either Parker or Ginobili.

In 4th quarter transition, the first Big down the floor goes to the low post and the trailing Big (if there is one) sets up at the top. It flows from there with the trailing Big doing a ball-reversal if nothing is there right away...and then they usually set up and do one of the above.

Note: These are my observations and not anything beyond that.

[m33p0]

the good thing about the thomas acquisition is that kurt thomas can be set on defense much like bowen in that do not expect him to help but to keep his man occupied. this means he doesn't have to learn anything new for the time being and yet be effective on defense. on offense, he's pretty smart and has played alongside a dominant low post scorer. he knows how to feed off of them and find an open spot for himself where he can score.

[Solid D]

the good thing about the thomas acquisition is that kurt thomas can be set on defense much like bowen in that do not expect him to help but to keep his man occupied. this means he doesn't have to learn anything new for the time being and yet be effective on defense. on offense, he's pretty smart and has played alongside a dominant low post scorer. he knows how to feed off of them and find an open spot for himself where he can score.

Oh, he most definitely will need to help. If he doesn't, he won't play for Pop.

He has some learning to do, alright.