Game 5 Adjustments

[cajunhornetsbayou]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.

- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.

- Run Peja off more screens. Peja can usually get open from the pick and roll, but Bowen is playing no help. Run more sets where Peja runs off a series of screens.

- Push the ball more. We are very effective in transition. It would allow Peja to get more open looks.

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

[ClingingMars]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

:lmao

it isn't the refs, it's a healthy Duncan, but please, just keep telling yourself that...

- Mars

[florige]

The problem is you let Duncan get off, you guys have no one who can stick Manu, or Parker one on one.

[florige]

-
Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.
- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.

- Run Peja off more screens. Peja can usually get open from the pick and roll, but Bowen is playing no help. Run more sets where Peja runs off a series of screens.

- Push the ball more. We are very effective in transition. It would allow Peja to get more open looks.

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.



If you play Duncan straight up with Chandler, Duncan may end up with 50.:lol

[Lackluster]

duncan will give chandler the business one on one

julian wright is not the answer for gino. there is no answer for gino.

peja is no longer playing in this series

the spurs transition d is on point. should be the same story tomorrow

attack the goal and run into two of the best post defenders still playing in the post-season.

[Ocotillo]

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

Problem is Duncan is not guarding West.

[wildbill2u]

We made our adjustments. Now you make yours. PICK YOUR POISON.

We think our Big Three can beat your Big Three because Bowen can trim that down to Big Two or Two and a Half.

[cajunhornetsbayou]

Problem is Duncan is not guarding West.

He has guarded him some

[E20]

- Quit doubling Duncan
You lost right there.

Start over.

[cajunhornetsbayou]

You lost right there.

Start over.

we are giving up too many open 3's. Quit doubling him and force him away from the goal. That is the key. He is not as quick as he once was. I would rather give up some of his 2's and not allow all the open 3's

[ClingingMars]

we are giving up too many open 3's. Quit doubling him and force him away from the goal. That is the key. He is not as quick as he once was. I would rather give up some of his 2's and not allow all the open 3's

orly? is that why he got 2 AND1s on DRIVING OT THE BASKET?

- Mars

[degenerate_gambler]

we are giving up too many open 3's. Quit doubling him and force him away from the goal. That is the key. He is not as quick as he once was. I would rather give up some of his 2's and not allow all the open 3's


NO's only hope is that the Spurs go ice cold again from the outside..


Duncan v. Chandler?? Seriously, the guy will have 2 fouls on him with 8 min. to go in the first quarter.

[SAGambler]

-
- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

Duncan isn't guarding West and suddenly Fabs is getting under his skin and in his head.

I suppose by getting calls at home, you must mean on some of the ridiculous flops that CP tries to get called. Think maybe the refs ain't buying his crap any longer.

[Warlord23]

To Scott's credit, he did try and adjust: the Hornets didn't double Timmy as aggressively in game 4 as he did in earlier games. Also, in game 4 the Spurs' 3-point shooting was adequate but not great (8-26 = 30%). So New Orleans didn't really lose because of the Spurs' 3-point shooting.

What did the Hornets in was Duncan going off (10-13 FG, 15 rebs, almost fouling Chandler out in 3 quarters). Parker also outplayed Paul. I think Scott will actually go back to packing the lane more and trying to dare the Spurs' role players to beat him. Daring Duncan and Parker to beat his defenders 1-on-1 will be great news for the Spurs. I'd rather have the outcome decided by Duncan/Parker than by Finley/Bowen/Udoka.

I think the Spurs now have zeroed in on how they want to defend the Hornets.
No open looks for Peja, Mo-Pete, Pargo; Bowen, Manu and Finley need to stick to them
KT defending West 1-on-1 unless West comes too close to the rim when Duncan helps with the shot-blocking threat.
Dare Wright to shoot from range but don't let him drive
Play Bonzi straight up with Udoka
Don't leave Chandler alone for the lob
Dare CP3 to make those acrobatic layups every time

The Hornets have now tried 2 different schemes in games 3 and 4: hard double on Tim every time in game 3, soft double mixed with no double team in game 4. They have been handily beaten each time. Scott hasn't yet nailed down his defensive gameplan while Pop already has. Game 5 will be decided by whether Scott can come up with something that Pop isn't prepared for (e.g. long stretches of zone defense)

[CubanMustGo]

12 FTAs on 26 FGA is getting every call? Right ...

[L.I.T]

Chandler one-on-one with Duncan works out fine. Basically, it means your best shot-blocker will spend most of the game on the bench allowing Manu and Parker to attack the basket at will.

[m33p0]

- Quit doubling Duncan.
If you're going to constantly double Duncan and let him get 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting, then you're pretty much screwed.
-Hollinger

you maybe on to something here. :lol

[SpurOutofTownFan]

I think Scott's strategy of doubling Duncan is ok and should be used going forward. If you stop doing it he will put a clinic in NO and Chandler doesn't have the toolkit to stop him for 40 minutes. He's gonna have 4-5 fouls by half game and it's game over.

In games 1 and 2 it kind of worked as duncan was a little sick and they doubled him pretty well while everyone else just folded it but now he has his mojo back and playing him straight up would be a big major mistake. I don't think Scott will try that.

[O-Factor]

Kurt is doing an awesome job on West aswell. Fabbs is annoying the hell out of him. Bruce has sent Peja fishing. No one can stop Parker and Manu. Pop is finally outcoaching Scott. The End.

I advise Byron Scott to stop doubling Duncan and leave Chandler him:hungry:

[Jimcs50]

New Orleans will make their adjustments and kill the Spurs in game 5, then Pop will make his, and SA will give you a better game, before succumbing to the younger, stronger, and hungrier Hornets.

:depressed

[E20]

It's not like the Spurs shot well from the 3 last game (8-26, 30%).

[Jimcs50]

It's not like the Spurs shot well from the 3 last game (8-26, 30%).

I think they will hit 16 from downtown in game 5.

[hater]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.


:lol Duncan would anihilate the hornets. I really hope NO do this.



- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.

yes please, play a scrub in the most important playoff game in NO history.



- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

Duncan does not guard West, genius. It's KT or Oberto. :donkey

I really wish NO coaching is staff was a dumb as you :lol

[smeagol]

New Orleans will make their adjustments and kill the Spurs in game 5, then Pop will make his, and SA will give you a better game, before succumbing to the younger, stronger, and hungrier Hornets.

:depressed

Where have I seen this strategy before . . . ? :lol

[smeagol]

Tim is now healthy.

End of story.

[J.T.]

we are giving up too many open 3's. Quit doubling him and force him away from the goal. That is the key. He is not as quick as he once was. I would rather give up some of his 2's and not allow all the open 3's

If all of the Spurs 3 point shooting in the last game was actually 2 point FGs, Hornets still would have lost by double digits.

[MarCowMar]

cajunhornetsbayou, do you think it makes any sense to start Wright and bring Peja off the bench? Wright has played well and I don't get the impression he's the kind of player Bowen would have much effect on. He'd also help a lot more on defense.

[Dex]

Keep up the bad work, Jim.

[leaguecityspur]

I love it! After game 1 and 2 NOH fans were saying "we'll give them open 3's all day long!" Now that we hit a few they are saying "take away the 3, guard Tim one on one." Yeah, please leave Tim one on one. :lobt2:

[ElNono]

- Play Julian Wright more

Julian who?

[Dex]

Take it from a Spurs fan. You're better off letting our shooters beat you than letting Tim Duncan beat you.

As you have seen, it's not always guaranteed to work. But you're playing the better percentages. Our shooting is more likely to go cold than the Big Fundamental.

[PDXSpursFan]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.

- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.

- Run Peja off more screens. Peja can usually get open from the pick and roll, but Bowen is playing no help. Run more sets where Peja runs off a series of screens.

- Push the ball more. We are very effective in transition. It would allow Peja to get more open looks.

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

If you quit doubling Duncan, Chandler will foul out before the end of the 3rd qtr and Duncan will score 40+ pts on an easy win.
The only possible defensive adjustment I see is to delay the double team until Duncan puts the ball down in hopes of being able to better defend the shooters.
On the offensive end, the Hornets can try to to push the tempo. But that can easily backfire against Parker & Ginobili.
Peja has to make the open looks that he's missing, but I don't see how more successful he can be against Bowen.

[vander]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.

- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.

- Run Peja off more screens. Peja can usually get open from the pick and roll, but Bowen is playing no help. Run more sets where Peja runs off a series of screens.

- Push the ball more. We are very effective in transition. It would allow Peja to get more open looks.

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

I also think that doubling TD is only helping us, Chandler can guard him pretty well if TD isn't getting all the calls.

Wright is a risk to go off at home, but I wouldn't want to be counting on him in order to win.

no one chases players around screens better than Bowen, peja isn't going to get many open looks

the fast break for sure will be a problem for us, especially with the long rebounds off of our missed 3s, and the way manu has been turning the ball over recently :(

David west is done, we got that boy figured out

[YoMamaIsCallin]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.


(a) don't play the homer card "THE REFS ARE UNFAIR!!!" it's sooooo lame. In reality, if anything Duncan is getting fewer calls than he usually does.

(b) Chandler will be on the bench with fouls if he tries to play Duncan straight up. Everyone knows this, even your "COY" Byron Scott. Chandler is simply not quick enough to play Duncan straight up. He's a lumbering 7-footer.

I think at MOST the Hornets will double on the bounce rather than on the catch. If they do this, well, this is what Duncan sees all the time. He will score 30+ and get Chandler, West, and Ely in foul trouble.



- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.


Tough call. First who do you take minutes away from... Peterson? Peja? They are both way better than Wright. Second, what game are you watching? Ginobili has embarassed Wright again and again. Wright is not a good enough defender to keep up with Ginobili's junk. Third... I do understand where you are coming from, he's young and athletic and energetic, and the Hornets do need a spark. But you lose something too when you play him... experience and defense.



- Run Peja off more screens. Peja can usually get open from the pick and roll, but Bowen is playing no help. Run more sets where Peja runs off a series of screens.


yeah... um... what? Pick and roll and running off screens are two different things. Also, Peja is not a good enough screener to run a pick and roll. That's why they run off the ball screens for Peja. But it's not working with Bowen because he fights around and over them well, and also locates Peja on transition quickly.



- Push the ball more. We are very effective in transition. It would allow Peja to get more open looks.


This is like saying "score more and allow fewer points". Right.. but how? The Spurs are playing excellent transition D, and they are also not allowing drive-and-dish by CP3. They are doing to CP3 exactly what they did to Nash... severely limit his assists and his drive-and-dish, make him into a scorer.



- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

First, Duncan guards Chandler, not West. However, West has been successful getting Thomas in foul trouble... but the Spurs have been running help at West when Oberto's guarding him, and it's been working very well.

Second, quit the "we aren't getting any calls" whining. That is not what winning vs. losing is about.

[DazedAndConfused]

I think they should let Chandler guard Duncan straight up and see how that works. It's by no means a guarantee that Duncan will explode on him like he did in Game 4. I've seen Duncan put up several performances on the road where he has repeatedly missed those same chippies, jump hooks, and baseline jumpers. Chandler is actually less apt to get into foul trouble guarding Duncan than trying to stop penetration from Tony and Manu.

[T Park]

I think they should let Chandler guard Duncan straight up and see how that works. It's by no means a guarantee that Duncan will explode on him like he did in Game 4. I've seen Duncan put up several performances on the road where he has repeatedly missed those same chippies, jump hooks, and baseline jumpers. Chandler is actually less apt to get into foul trouble guarding Duncan than trying to stop penetration from Tony and Manu.


:lmao

[DDS4]

If you double Duncan all the time, the shooters will find a groove.

I think Byron Scott has to mix it up like Phil Jackson has done in the past.

[DazedAndConfused]

:lmao

The Hornets are basically playing a gambling defense. They gambled in Games 1-4 that the Spurs couldn't hit their outside shots, and it failed miserably in Games 3/4. The Spurs have adjusted well to that strategy, it's time for NOH to throw something new at the Spurs they haven't seen this series.

I'm not saying playing Duncan single coverage is a sound strategy by any means, but they don't really have any other options at this point. And they still have to worry about their offense......things are not looking good for the Hornets. This could be over quickly.

[T Park]

The Hornets are basically playing a gambling defense. They gambled in Games 1-4 that the Spurs couldn't hit their outside shots, and it failed miserably in Games 3/4. The Spurs have adjusted well to that strategy, it's time for NOH to throw something new at the Spurs they haven't seen this series.

I'm not saying playing Duncan single coverage is a sound strategy by any means, but they don't really have any other options at this point. And they still have to worry about their offense......things are not looking good for the Hornets. This could be over quickly.

Thank you for acknowledging the current fate of the Hornets.

[cajunhornetsbayou]

yeah... um... what? Pick and roll and running off screens are two different things. Also, Peja is not a good enough screener to run a pick and roll. That's why they run off the ball screens for Peja. But it's not working with Bowen because he fights around and over them well, and also locates Peja on transition quickly.




Ball screens and down screens are 2 completely different things. I am saying run more sets where peja runs off a series of down screens, and less pick and roll sets.

[T Park]

If you double Duncan all the time, the shooters will find a groove.

I think Byron Scott has to mix it up like Phil Jackson has done in the past.


Michael Finley is in a damn groove right now, and if they double again, Finley will go for 20 in game 5.

[ecksodia]

West has the best midrange jumper in the game? Doubt it. He has not shown the ability to hit it when faced with immense pressure.. and the frustration gets to his head quickly. Amazing how a few misses (like the one that went in and out early in the game) dictated his entire game.

Tim does get his fair share of respect calls.. no doubt about that.

But, no, Duncan was being Duncan. That's it, end of story.

It's basically pick your poison. Duncan is a good enough passer that he can pick apart even timely doubles with ease. Hornets need better closeout d.. That, and they need to keep Tony and Manu out of the paint. Which they haven't had a lot of success at.

[Spuradicator]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.

- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.

- Run Peja off more screens. Peja can usually get open from the pick and roll, but Bowen is playing no help. Run more sets where Peja runs off a series of screens.

- Push the ball more. We are very effective in transition. It would allow Peja to get more open looks.

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.


David West has gone fishing. And he's tried to attack, but the defense has been there in the paint for the Spurs.

[FromWayDowntown]

Ball screens and down screens are 2 completely different things. I am saying run more sets where peja runs off a series of down screens, and less pick and roll sets.

I think the Spurs would take that in a heartbeat, since it would mean that the focus of the offense would be less on Paul's penetration creating shots and more on ball movement and screening to create shots. Anything that makes Paul more one-dimensional is a plus for the Spurs, I think. I don't think that the Hornets can simultaneously have Paul attacking the rim and Peja running over screens above the arc.

[cajunhornetsbayou]

West has the best midrange jumper in the game? Doubt it. He has not shown the ability to hit it when faced with immense pressure.. and the frustration gets to his head quickly. Amazing how a few misses (like the one that went in and out early in the game) dictated his entire game.

Tim does get his fair share of respect calls.. no doubt about that.

But, no, Duncan was being Duncan. That's it, end of story.

It's basically pick your poison. Duncan is a good enough passer that he can pick apart even timely doubles with ease. Hornets need better closeout d.. That, and they need to keep Tony and Manu out of the paint. Which they haven't had a lot of success at.

Who has a better mid range jumper than him?

I agree with the rest of your points. We are getting lost when trying to rotate out of double teams and getting burned

[ecksodia]

Yeah, hornets' rotation d has been dreadful. And this is where playoff inexperience will show; a young team would just be in shambles mentally after a loss like Game 4.

I can think of a particular SOFT WHITE EURO. ;/

[nfg3]

Tim is now healthy.

End of series.


Fixed

[SpurOutofTownFan]

I think they should let Chandler guard Duncan straight up and see how that works. It's by no means a guarantee that Duncan will explode on him like he did in Game 4. I've seen Duncan put up several performances on the road where he has repeatedly missed those same chippies, jump hooks, and baseline jumpers. Chandler is actually less apt to get into foul trouble guarding Duncan than trying to stop penetration from Tony and Manu.

This is like asking that chokejob named Gasol to guard Duncan straight up. Knowing PJ, he will never do that.

[Death Incarnate]

orly? is that why he got 2 AND1s on DRIVING OT THE BASKET?

- Mars

No that was because of the refs love of everything Spurs!

[justanotherspursfan]

I think the Spurs would take that in a heartbeat, since it would mean that the focus of the offense would be less on Paul's penetration creating shots and more on ball movement and screening to create shots. Anything that makes Paul more one-dimensional is a plus for the Spurs, I think. I don't think that the Hornets can simultaneously have Paul attacking the rim and Peja running over screens above the arc.
I think they should run the offense through Boris Di... oh wait, no, that was the Suns. Nevermind.

[DazedAndConfused]

This is like asking that chokejob named Gasol to guard Duncan straight up. Knowing PJ, he will never do that.

Gasol guarded Duncan the last game they played against each other. Duncan went 6-19 and score 16 pts. Gasol had two blocks on Duncan. Of course this was regular season so it's hard to tell how that matchup would pan out in the playoffs, but it's good to know that Duncan didn't own him in a game that both teams wanted to win.

[Man in the Arena]

cajunhornetsbayou, do you think it makes any sense to start Wright and bring Peja off the bench? Wright has played well and I don't get the impression he's the kind of player Bowen would have much effect on. He'd also help a lot more on defense.

Honestly, that's something I'd like to see. Scott needs to figure out a way to keep Bowen as far away from Peja as possible. If it means, keeping JuJu in while Bowen is in... and then subbing Peja in while Bowen is on the bench, so be it. We need to get Peja going from behind the arc. And we need to stop one of your Big Three. Julian is a better offensive matchup against Bowen, and he'd be a better defensive matchup against Ginobili.

We'll see. I've never coached a team to the NBA Finals, obviously... but that's one of the changes I would make for Game 5.

[DazedAndConfused]

I agree. What use is Peja if Bowen is gonna straight-jacket him all game? It's not like Peja gives you anything on defense.

Julian Wright may be a rookie and a little raw, but he is a quick and athletic defender that can run the transition game very well. Bowen will probably negate his offensive production, but at least the guy can contribute on the defensive end.

Given that Game 5 is at home, where Wright plays better, I think this would be a great move.

[HornetGumboBalls]

duncan will give chandler the business one on one

julian wright is not the answer for gino. there is no answer for gino.

peja is no longer playing in this series

the spurs transition d is on point. should be the same story tomorrow

attack the goal and run into two of the best post defenders still playing in the post-season.

I do understand that there are a lot of knowledgable Spurs fans on here who are realistic and realize that a 2-2 series isn't "over" and New Orleans definately has the possibility to bounce back at home. But the rest of you are worthless. You remind me of the old super fan sketches on SNL about Ditka and da bears. "Duncan and Manu playing 2 on 8 against the NBA Eastern all-stars. Duncan no longer has da flu and Manu is just being Manu. Who ya got? Duncan and Manu - 143, NBA 8 man All-stars, 4. Also, the All-stars liked to flop and play dirty".

[ducks]

this series is not over
however the body language of the hornets and if they are tight in game 5 they will be toast
and game 6 if they come out relaxed could be the first real close game

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

If NO plays someone like Julian Wright instead of Peja they are playing right into the Spurs hands. NO would not have won games 1 and 2 without Peja. Remove him and that allows the Spurs to become even more offensive minded in their rotations as they can reduce Bowen's role a little bit more.

Considering that Byron Scott has little wiggle room at this point he might give it a shot, but I don't think it would be that much of a help to NO at this point.

Playing in front of their home crowd the young Hornets are going to be a lot more fired up. Game 5 very well could be the first close game of the series as I expect both teams to play extremely well. Game 5 is the series for NO, IMO, and I certainly haven't handed it to the Spurs the way so many fair weather fans are doing. It's going to take a supreme effort against a really great Hornets team for SA to pull out the victory.

[ClingingMars]

No that was because of the refs love of everything Spurs!

:dont

- Mars

[justanotherspursfan]

If NO plays someone like Julian Wright instead of Peja they are playing right into the Spurs hands. NO would not have won games 1 and 2 without Peja. Remove him and that allows the Spurs to become even more offensive minded in their rotations as they can reduce Bowen's role a little bit more.

It's pretty sad when the only use they have for their supposed third-best player is to keep Bowen occupied.

[1Parker1]

I think the Hornets are going to look to speed up the tempo a lot. They started to do that in Game 4 and Peja just happened to miss some easy layups which affected his aggressiveness the rest of the game. I expect to see a different CP3 and I highly doubt DWest is going to let Oberto own him again, especially on their homecourt.

The key to the Spurs victory in Game 5 is if they can contain the rest of the Hornets. I think CP3 and West are going to score 50+ points combined. If they get a 3rd player in double digits, it's going to help open up their offense tremendously. I still think a guy like Mo Peterson or Pargo can be dangerous for the Spurs.

It's going to be a very close game that can go either ways. This series is far from being over.

[cherylsteele]

No that was because of the refs love of everything Spurs!
Is that why the Spurs had more fouls called against them in game 4?
Spurs 18 fouls
Hornets 17 fouls...yup the Hornets are really getting the short end of the calls.:rolleyes

[eisfeld]

I think the Hornets are going to look to speed up the tempo a lot. They started to do that in Game 4 and Peja just happened to miss some easy layups which affected his aggressiveness the rest of the game. I expect to see a different CP3 and I highly doubt DWest is going to let Oberto own him again, especially on their homecourt.

The key to the Spurs victory in Game 5 is if they can contain the rest of the Hornets. I think CP3 and West are going to score 50+ points combined. If they get a 3rd player in double digits, it's going to help open up their offense tremendously. I still think a guy like Mo Peterson or Pargo can be dangerous for the Spurs.

It's going to be a very close game that can go either ways. This series is far from being over.

Pretty good point about speeding up the game - fast paced games and small-ball is to the spurs like werewolves to silver bullets. If the Spurs manage to slow down the game it should work out for them.

[SRJ]

David West needs to be assertive for them. In game four, IIRC he hit his first jump shot, then missed the next two. This seemed to alter his approach the rest of the game - once in the first half, he had one of those 17' jumpers lined up, hesitated for some reason, then threw it up and missed. I had the feeling that he didn't trust his jumper, but because he wasn't taking his usual shots, his work off the dribble was compromised.

If David West starts looking gun shy in game five the Hornets are in a heap of trouble.

[Trainwreck2100]

Did anybody notice when Scott went small in the 2nd Q and that lineup got raped?

[gobo]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.




I like your Alaska sig. Meanwhile, I would agree with you that NO should try guarding TD one-on-one and see what happens and work out from there as the game evolves.

[cajunhornetsbayou]

I like your Alaska sig. Meanwhile, I would agree with you that NO should try guarding TD one-on-one and see what happens and work out from there as the game evolves.

thanks Gobo

[SPARKY]

The Spurs will take Game 5 with those "adjustments". Hopefully we see them tomorrow night.

[gobo]

thanks Gobo

Welcome.
The adjustment you have suggested is in response to NO's play in games 3 & 4, which were on the road. But with same lineup they dominated the spurs in New Orleans. So what makes you think that lineup won't succeed at home in game 5?

[Agloco]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.

- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.

- Run Peja off more screens. Peja can usually get open from the pick and roll, but Bowen is playing no help. Run more sets where Peja runs off a series of screens.

- Push the ball more. We are very effective in transition. It would allow Peja to get more open looks.

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

:lmao


Thanks for the expert analysis.

[bresilhac]

Tim is now healthy.

End of story.

Exactly. A healthy, flu-free Tim Duncan is just what the Hornets didn't need at this point in the series. Add another spectacular yet typical TD performance tomorrow night and that will be the death-knell for New Orleans.

[td4mvp21]

Our defenders (uhhh Manu and Finley) cannot keep sagging into the paint and leaving shooters open. That's going to open up the three ball for the Hornets and they WILL hit their open shots.

[bresilhac]

Our defenders (uhhh Manu and Finley) cannot keep sagging into the paint and leaving shooters open. That's going to open up the three ball for the Hornets and they WILL hit their open shots.

Not necessarily. There's no guarantee the Hornets shooters, namely West and Peja, will nail shots tomorrow even if they are open. This a young team that has never been in this position before and I believe they will crack under the enormous game five pressure. Stojakovic is notorious for playing lousy in big games and I don't think West can get it done in a huge game either. On the other hand, San Antonio is loaded with just the type of experience you need in this type of situation. Advantage? Spurs. The Win? Spurs.

[TDfan2007]

Gasol guarded Duncan the last game they played against each other. Duncan went 6-19 and score 16 pts. Gasol had two blocks on Duncan. Of course this was regular season so it's hard to tell how that matchup would pan out in the playoffs, but it's good to know that Duncan didn't own him in a game that both teams wanted to win.

See 2004 NBA playoffs round 1: Spurs vs. Grizzlies

Pau couldn't gaurd Tim for a second then and they got swept, and that was the year Tim hyperextended his knee right before the playoffs. PJ isn't stupid enough to let Tim go 1 on 1 against Pau SHOULD they face the Lakers. However both teams have a dogfight ahead of them and there are no gaurantees.

[peskypesky]

we are giving up too many open 3's. Quit doubling him and force him away from the goal. That is the key. He is not as quick as he once was.

Duncan was quick?
:rollin
:flag:

[peskypesky]

Welcome.
The adjustment you have suggested is in response to NO's play in games 3 & 4, which were on the road. But with same lineup they dominated the spurs in New Orleans. So what makes you think that lineup won't succeed at home in game 5?

Umm, maybe cause Duncan no longer has a 103 degree fever. Maybe that.

[gobo]

Umm, maybe cause Duncan no longer has a 103 degree fever. Maybe that.

TD was quoted saying he was OK. As far as he was medically cleared to play, you should not bring that as an excuse a lot. Give credit to NO defense for holding him to such an abysmal performance. I do not think "illness" was the main factor.

[SpursFan0728]

Julian Wright isnt the answer....thats for sure

[wijayas]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.


I sure hope Hornets play Duncan one-on-one! :lmao :lmao :lmao
And stop playing the refs card. The Spurs never play that angle.

[ElNono]

If I were Pop, I would move Duncan to the 3 point line and tell him to fire away...
Hey, it worked on the first round!

[SpurAddict561]

Gasol guarded Duncan the last game they played against each other. Duncan went 6-19 and score 16 pts. Gasol had two blocks on Duncan. Of course this was regular season so it's hard to tell how that matchup would pan out in the playoffs, but it's good to know that Duncan didn't own him in a game that both teams wanted to win.

Awesome! Gasol held Duncan SOMEWHAT in check in a game we played without Manu!

You should definitely be counting on things to pan out like this if we meet in the playoffs.

[cajunhornetsbayou]

I sure hope Hornets play Duncan one-on-one! :lmao :lmao :lmao
And stop playing the refs card. The Spurs never play that angle.

yeah Duncan never complains about every call made and has that little whiny face where it looks like he is going to cry. I must be dreaming this

[DarrinS]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us.



Oh, please please please do that.

Sincerely,

TD

[Supreme_Being]

yeah Duncan never complains about every call made and has that little whiny face where it looks like he is going to cry. I must be dreaming this



yeah Paul never complains about every call made and has that little whiny face where it looks like he is going to cry. I must be dreaming this

[SpurAddict561]

All it really boils down to is, can we keep it close 1st half or close it with a lead

AND

can we play a 3rd quarter like we have the past 2 games?????



That's it

[ElNono]

Gasol guarded Duncan the last game they played against each other. Duncan went 6-19 and score 16 pts. Gasol had two blocks on Duncan. Of course this was regular season so it's hard to tell how that matchup would pan out in the playoffs, but it's good to know that Duncan didn't own him in a game that both teams wanted to win.

Please. Fucking Boozer *AND* Memo Okhur look like MVPs against Gasol. If it's not for Turiaf and to some degree Odom holding down the fort in the paint, it would be even worse.
I actually think Phil is smart enough not to play Gasol on Duncan AT ALL if we end up playing each other.

[wijayas]

I actually think Phil is smart enough not to play Gasol on Duncan AT ALL if we end up playing each other.

:toast
Please remind me how many times have the Spurs swept Gasol's Grizzlies in the playoff? Gasol can't defend Duncan. Not in the playoff.

[DazedAndConfused]

Please. Fucking Boozer *AND* Memo Okhur look like MVPs against Gasol. If it's not for Turiaf and to some degree Odom holding down the fort in the paint, it would be even worse.
I actually think Phil is smart enough not to play Gasol on Duncan AT ALL if we end up playing each other.

Really?

Boozer Game 1: 6-14 42% FG
Boozer Game 2: 3-10 30% FG
Boozer Game 4: 5-15 33% FG

Odom is guarding Okur, not Boozer. That's all on Gasol.....:nope

[timvp]

Spurs have to keep the role players in check. Someone like Pargo, Bonzi or Mo Pete are due for a big game. Spurs have to make sure that big game is delayed a few more contests.

Defensively, the Spurs can't get overconfident. Their Game 4 defense wasn't as good as the numbers make it appear. The Hornets missed and/or passed up an amazing amount of easy looks. Those same shots will probably drop at home.

Offensively, the Big Three has to come up huge. None of the three played too well in the first two games. Take care of the ball, try to get Manu and Parker loose and then allow Duncan to do his work on the low block.

[RandomGuy]

- Quit doubling Duncan. Finley, Parker, Bowen, etc.. are getting wide open 3's and nailing them. Play Duncan straight up with Chandler and make him beat us. It will be at home for the hornets so the refs wont give him every call like they have the last 2 games.

- Play Julian Wright more - He was a spark plug in the first 3 games. He didnt play well last night, but get him in the game early and put him on Ginobili. He has given ginobili fits.

- Run Peja off more screens. Peja can usually get open from the pick and roll, but Bowen is playing no help. Run more sets where Peja runs off a series of screens.

- Push the ball more. We are very effective in transition. It would allow Peja to get more open looks.

- Attack the goal more. David West has the best mid range jumper in the league. I would like to see him go at Duncan more and try to get him in foul trouble. Now that we are at home, we may be able to get some calls.

Either way the game goes, I would love to see your analysis, if you would be so kind. I am not an expert by any means, and the technical stuff is fascinating to me. I love learning new s***.


Suggestion for Kori, #3632:

Post stuff in a special "primer" forum for newbies. We all benefit from learning some of the ins and outs of the game. Hell, even if it was just some links to the wikipedia articles that would be cool.

[cajunhornetsbayou]

Either way the game goes, I would love to see your analysis, if you would be so kind. I am not an expert by any means, and the technical stuff is fascinating to me. I love learning new s***.


Suggestion for Kori, #3632:

Post stuff in a special "primer" forum for newbies. We all benefit from learning some of the ins and outs of the game. Hell, even if it was just some links to the wikipedia articles that would be cool.

I will definitely have analysis posted after the game tonight

[O-Factor]

yeah Duncan never complains about every call made and has that little whiny face where it looks like he is going to cry. I must be dreaming this

Does CP3 and West not complain???

Shut the fuck up then.

[DarrinS]

Spurs have to keep the role players in check. Someone like Pargo, Bonzi or Mo Pete are due for a big game.



Bonzi is now this man's bitch

http://www.nba.com/media/act_ime_udoka.jpg

[DarrinS]

And Peja is this man's bitch

http://z.about.com/d/sanantonio/1/7/4/C/-/-/champs004.jpg