duncan228
04-04-2008, 04:05 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA040408.01D.BKN_spurs_adv.en.3d58de5.html
NBA: Spurs still lacking on 'wow' defense
Mike Monroe
San Antonio Express-News
SALT LAKE CITY — As the Spurs reached the end of the nine-game rodeo road trip that began turning their season in the right direction, Gregg Popovich sat his players down and asked them to consider some significant numbers.
He produced statistics from the Spurs' championship seasons that proved those title teams had been at, or near, the top of the league in key defensive benchmarks like average points allowed and opponents' field goal percentage.
"It was right before the All-Star break," recalled forward Ime Udoka, a player added to the roster last summer primarily for his defensive prowess. "He showed us percentages, where we were at then. Compared to last year, and compared to other winning seasons, we had slipped pretty far down the rankings."
Indeed, the Spurs of mid-February were 15th in a 30-team league in opponent field goal percentage; the very definition of mediocrity in a statistical category their head coach believes is significant and predictive of future playoff success.
When they tip off tonight at Energy Solutions Arena against the Northwest Division-leading Utah Jazz, the Spurs appear to have paid heed to Popovich's admonition to increased defensive focus.
They have regained a spot among the NBA leaders in the defensive category on which their coach relies for proof of excellence.
Since the All-Star break, the Spurs' opponents have made only 772 of 1,811 shots, 42.6 percent. At that pre-All-Star Game team meeting, they were allowing 45.3 percent shooting. Recent stinginess has dropped that number to 44.5 percent for the season, fifth-best in the league.
They also allow only 90.6 points per game, third-fewest in the league, and down from the 91.5 points per game they had yielded in the 51 games before the All-Star break.
Bruce Bowen, runner-up in voting for last season's Defensive Player of the Year award, has seen the incremental improvement. It has encouraged him, but he also believes the Spurs can tighten their defense significantly before season's end.
"We haven't yet had that defensive game that makes everybody say, 'Wow,'" Bowen said. "When we have a game without any defensive breakdowns, then you can cheer. But we haven't had that great defensive game, and it's because of the little intricacies; things like one guy not rotating, or being a step slow. Things like that."
There have been some benchmarks in recent games, though, that have encouraged Popovich and his players.
The Magic had made at least 10 3-pointers in 16-straight games before playing the Spurs last week in Orlando. They made only seven that night.
The Warriors had scored 100 points in 37-straight games before meeting Spurs at the AT&T Center on Tuesday. The Spurs held them to 92 and routed them.
While acknowledging the encouraging facts, Popovich is not yet ready to concede much beyond consistency of effort.
"I think the Orlando game, Golden State, Houston, it was more about pursuit — pursuit on the boards, pursuit of loose balls, contesting shots," he said. "I thought we were a little bit more consistent in all those areas in those games."
His players still make too many defensive missteps to calm a perfectionist, but Popovich understands mistakes can't be eliminated entirely.
"It's basketball," he said. "It doesn't change. The same concerns and goals we had at the beginning of the year, we have now. You can practice until the cows come home, and you're not where you want to be. It's a game of mistakes, so it doesn't matter whether it's an offensive play, a defensive execution or transition defense. You can always go look at the film and see that you could do it better."
Tonight's game in Utah offers a chance to test that pursuit of perfection against the team Popovich maintains is the NBA's best when it comes to offensive execution.
"That's what we're looking for as the playoffs arrive, getting closer to that sort of 'wow' game," Bowen said. "It's about the team getting better, and Pop understands that.
"It would be significant if we do that against Utah, in their home environment. They're a great home team, so it's a great opportunity for us to show we've improved"
NBA: Spurs still lacking on 'wow' defense
Mike Monroe
San Antonio Express-News
SALT LAKE CITY — As the Spurs reached the end of the nine-game rodeo road trip that began turning their season in the right direction, Gregg Popovich sat his players down and asked them to consider some significant numbers.
He produced statistics from the Spurs' championship seasons that proved those title teams had been at, or near, the top of the league in key defensive benchmarks like average points allowed and opponents' field goal percentage.
"It was right before the All-Star break," recalled forward Ime Udoka, a player added to the roster last summer primarily for his defensive prowess. "He showed us percentages, where we were at then. Compared to last year, and compared to other winning seasons, we had slipped pretty far down the rankings."
Indeed, the Spurs of mid-February were 15th in a 30-team league in opponent field goal percentage; the very definition of mediocrity in a statistical category their head coach believes is significant and predictive of future playoff success.
When they tip off tonight at Energy Solutions Arena against the Northwest Division-leading Utah Jazz, the Spurs appear to have paid heed to Popovich's admonition to increased defensive focus.
They have regained a spot among the NBA leaders in the defensive category on which their coach relies for proof of excellence.
Since the All-Star break, the Spurs' opponents have made only 772 of 1,811 shots, 42.6 percent. At that pre-All-Star Game team meeting, they were allowing 45.3 percent shooting. Recent stinginess has dropped that number to 44.5 percent for the season, fifth-best in the league.
They also allow only 90.6 points per game, third-fewest in the league, and down from the 91.5 points per game they had yielded in the 51 games before the All-Star break.
Bruce Bowen, runner-up in voting for last season's Defensive Player of the Year award, has seen the incremental improvement. It has encouraged him, but he also believes the Spurs can tighten their defense significantly before season's end.
"We haven't yet had that defensive game that makes everybody say, 'Wow,'" Bowen said. "When we have a game without any defensive breakdowns, then you can cheer. But we haven't had that great defensive game, and it's because of the little intricacies; things like one guy not rotating, or being a step slow. Things like that."
There have been some benchmarks in recent games, though, that have encouraged Popovich and his players.
The Magic had made at least 10 3-pointers in 16-straight games before playing the Spurs last week in Orlando. They made only seven that night.
The Warriors had scored 100 points in 37-straight games before meeting Spurs at the AT&T Center on Tuesday. The Spurs held them to 92 and routed them.
While acknowledging the encouraging facts, Popovich is not yet ready to concede much beyond consistency of effort.
"I think the Orlando game, Golden State, Houston, it was more about pursuit — pursuit on the boards, pursuit of loose balls, contesting shots," he said. "I thought we were a little bit more consistent in all those areas in those games."
His players still make too many defensive missteps to calm a perfectionist, but Popovich understands mistakes can't be eliminated entirely.
"It's basketball," he said. "It doesn't change. The same concerns and goals we had at the beginning of the year, we have now. You can practice until the cows come home, and you're not where you want to be. It's a game of mistakes, so it doesn't matter whether it's an offensive play, a defensive execution or transition defense. You can always go look at the film and see that you could do it better."
Tonight's game in Utah offers a chance to test that pursuit of perfection against the team Popovich maintains is the NBA's best when it comes to offensive execution.
"That's what we're looking for as the playoffs arrive, getting closer to that sort of 'wow' game," Bowen said. "It's about the team getting better, and Pop understands that.
"It would be significant if we do that against Utah, in their home environment. They're a great home team, so it's a great opportunity for us to show we've improved"