We shut down Lebron, why not West?

[peskypesky]

I don't get it. In the Finals last year, we shut down (or at least quieted) Lebron James. Why can't we do that to David West? They're the same size, and Lebron is supposedly a far better player, so what's up with out defense now?

Why can't we employ the same tactics?

[Septic]

Because when he has a bad back our HOF went to go write a get well card.

[ducks]

I don't get it. In the Finals last year, we shut down (or at least quieted) Lebron James. Why can't we do that to David West? They're the same size, and Lebron is supposedly a far better player, so what's up with out defense now?

Why can't we employ the same tactics?

west>james

[bdictjames]

Lebron doesn't have a Peja/Paul on his team.

[ATXSPUR]

We were hungry in the finals last year.

[Geeboy]

Because 5>1? Discuss?

[Kori Ellis]

I don't get it. In the Finals last year, we shut down (or at least quieted) Lebron James. Why can't we do that to David West? They're the same size, and Lebron is supposedly a far better player, so what's up with out defense now?

Why can't we employ the same tactics?

So, you want Bowen to guard David West?

[peskypesky]

no really, how did we stop lebron last year? everyone's saying that west is a bad matchup for the spurs, but he and lebron are the same size, and lebron's faster and has more range, so why could we stop lebron and not west?

[peskypesky]

So, you want Bowen to guard David West?

why not? you think bowen is too small? lebron is the same height as west and 10lbs heavier (i.e. stronger).

[ca®lo]

we shut down peja, paul, and chandler. somethings gotta give.

a lot of quality players n that team.

when we were playing the cavs, that team is pretty much composed of lebron only.

[Kori Ellis]

why not?

Because then Peja will be raining threes all night, opening up the floor for Chris Paul to go wild. Bowen can't guard everyone. LeBron didn't have as much help as the Hornets have. This is a series that the Spurs needed two Bowens. They don't have it. Most teams don't even have one. So I guess, the Spurs should consider themselves lucky.

The Spurs are trying to let Paul/West get their points and limit every one else. But even if they do that well, the Spurs need to stop being pussified on the offensive end in the second halves if they want to have a chance in this series.

[peskypesky]

we shut down peja, paul, and chandler. somethings gotta give.

a lot of quality players n that team.

when we were playing the cavs, that team is pretty much composed of lebron only.

yeah, i guess you're right. but i wouldn't include chandler on that list. paul, peja and west are the threats.

[T Park]

the Spurs need to stop being pussified on the offensive end in the second halves if they want to have a chance in this series.

Yuppers.

[peskypesky]

Because then Peja will be raining threes all night, opening up the floor for Chris Paul to go wild. Bowen can't guard everyone. LeBron didn't have as much help as the Hornets have. This is a series that the Spurs needed two Bowens. They don't have it. Most teams don't even have one. So I guess, the Spurs should consider themselves lucky.

The Spurs are trying to let Paul/West get their points and limit every one else. But even if they do that well, the Spurs need to stop being pussified on the offensive end in the second halves if they want to have a chance in this series.

what's weird is that NO doesn't have even one bowen, and they're shutting us down. how are they shutting down duncan, manu, parker and finley all at the same time?

[ducks]

chandler is better then alot of people think

[Kori Ellis]

what's weird is that NO doesn't have even one bowen, and they're shutting us down. how are they shutting down duncan, manu, parker and finley all at the same time?

They are doing a good job collapsing in the lane. In the first half, the Spurs stayed in the game (despite of Duncan sucking) because the shooters were knocking down their 3's at an extremely high rate. In the second half, they didn't knock down those shots, Manu and Tony stopped driving, and Tim continued with sub-par play.

Tim was extremely disappointing to me today. Chandler got his second foul midway through the 1st quarter and went out. Tim should have feasted right then. He didn't. He put up weak shots around the rim and looked SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW. I know he got 20+ boards, blahblah. I don't care. This was his game to dominate the interior and he didn't do it.

[peskypesky]

They are doing a good job collapsing in the lane. In the first half, the Spurs stayed in the game (despite of Duncan sucking) because the shooters were knocking down their 3's at an extremely high rate. In the second half, they didn't knock down those shots, Manu and Tony stopped driving, and Tim continued with sub-par play.

Tim was extremely disappointing to me today. Chandler got his second foul midway through the 1st quarter and went out. Tim should have feasted right then. He didn't. He put up weak shots around the rim and looked SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW. I know he got 20+ boards, blahblah. I don't care. This was his game to dominate the interior and he didn't do it.

i feel your pain. it was like game 1 all over again (exept for all the rebounds). i can't understand how a guy who averaged 24 and 14 against a front-line of Amare & Shaq is so stymied by Chandler and Ely.

[ThriveForFive]

But even if they do that well, the Spurs need to stop being pussified on the offensive end in the second halves if they want to have a chance in this series. Exactly, 101 points for the hornets isn't that bad. We just have to find some way to nut up in the 2nd half on the road and stop settling for jump shot after jump shot.

[T Park]

Tim was extremely disappointing to me today. Chandler got his second foul midway through the 1st quarter and went out. Tim should have feasted right then. He didn't. He put up weak shots around the rim and looked SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW. I know he got 20+ boards, blahblah. I don't care. This was his game to dominate the interior and he didn't do it.


Duncan should've had 25 at the freaking half.

Thats what sealed the game. Chandler goes out, Duncan played like a wuss against David West. Pure and simple.

[G-Nob]

More disappointing was being down 9 in the 4th and not making that run. VERY DISAPPOINTING

[Don Quixote]

The Hornets are much, much better than the Cavs. You can't just shut down one guy on their team.

[dbreiden83080]

Lebron is not playing with Paul.

[sabar]

what's weird is that NO doesn't have even one bowen, and they're shutting us down. how are they shutting down duncan, manu, parker and finley all at the same time?

because NO doesn't need a bowen, they are good at rotating and providing help defense. this is what most teams without a "bowen" do.

[dbreiden83080]

Duncan played like a wuss against David West. Pure and simple.

Bullshit, get off Duncan will you, as a team we sucked tonight.

[mVp]

Bowen can't guard everyone.

And that's pretty much all about it... Bruce is doing a great job on Peja BTW, he's by far our more consistent player, is amazing, he's still playing like he's 20 years old :lol

[SnakeBoy]

James is a one man show so it's easier to focus on him. Spurs are doing fine defensively. It's when the offense goes completely MIA that things really break down. Hornets get to speed up the game off of all those misses.

[naico]

LeBron can't shoot.

[Capt Bringdown]

i can't understand how a guy who averaged 24 and 14 against a front-line of Amare & Shaq is so stymied by Chandler and Ely.

I think Chandler and Ely are in Tim's head, sad to say.
This could have been one of those leadership moments for Tim tonight, but he blew it.
All we can do at this point is hope he can put 2 good games together against these guys.

Otherwise, we're done. It's that simple.

[Spurs da champs]

Its a lot different the hornets have so many threats compared to the one man team. And plus the refs call a lot of bull **** calls.

[stepmonkey]

LeBron can't shoot.


Bingo. West has a midrange jump shot. Spurs' defense has always been predicated on stopping the drive and contesting the 3 ball.

[Obstructed_View]

LeBron can't shoot.

[ballhog]

West has played well at home. That's it. They could shut him down but someone else would go off. He was feeling it last night.

[GrandeDavid]

Lebron doesn't have any sidekicks. West has Paul. Pick your poison.

[2Cleva]

You mean Paul has West.

West is the sidekick - Paul makes the show go. It goes to show what a consistent 2-man attack can do. Just like Parker's ability to get in the lane is primarily due to the defending big men so worried about Duncan that they aren't ready to help.

[Cry Havoc]

Bullshit, get off Duncan will you, as a team we sucked tonight.

Duncan is our leader.

When a team sucks, it's on the leader's shoulders. No matter what else happens.

Duncan was atrocious tonight on the offensive end.

[FoxMulder]

The Spurs doesn´t have any player who can play deffense on West as simple as that.
Duncan never play a good deffense with PF with mid-range shoot.

[SAGambler]

This was one of those games where offense trumps defense and the Spurs had almost zero offense for the 3rd quarter. Seems to be an annoying habit they have gotten into.

[cjjr72984]

Because 5>1? Discuss?

That's the answer right there. Not to mention, West has a bitter mid-range jumper.

[stretch]

no really, how did we stop lebron last year? everyone's saying that west is a bad matchup for the spurs, but he and lebron are the same size, and lebron's faster and has more range, so why could we stop lebron and not west?

Because the whole team had to stop Lebron. It wasn't Bowen on his own by any means whatsoever. Every time he drove, they were doubling and tripling Lebron. Plus, West has a better midrange jumper than Lebron, which helps stretch defenses a lot more. Lebron still has not developed his jumper quite yet. When he does... there will be absolutely no stopping the guy.