Grades: Spurs @ Jazz - Game 4

With a 3-0 advantage heading into Game 4, the Spurs were looking to put the Jazz out of their misery. Despite a late collapse, San Antonio was able to hold on for an 87-81 victory to complete the sweep.

The Spurs were able to capture the lead at the end of the first quarter thanks to a Stephen Jackson three-pointer and a Gary Neal layup. By halftime, the good guys were ahead 50-42. In the third quarter, the Spurs made a run to go up by 13 points. However, the Jazz answered with a run to cut their deficit to three points with 3:17 remaining in the period.

Over the next nine and a half minutes, San Antonio went on a 20-2 run. With things seemingly in hand, Pop had the Big 3 on the sidelines. But, to Utah's credit, they came charging back one final time. Al Jefferson hit a layup to get within four points with less than a minute to go. Still down by four, the Jazz got the ball back with 27 seconds remaining, however Jackson caused a turnover that led to a Manu Ginobili series-clinching layup.

While it was somewhat disappointing that the Jazz almost pulled off a miracle comeback, I find it hard to complain when the bottomline is a four-game annihilation of the Jazz. The Spurs advance to play the winner of the Clippers and Grizzlies series, which currently has L.A. up 3-1.

After a scorching end to the regular season, the Spurs carried over that momentum into the playoffs. Job well done and now it's time to rest up before moving on to a much more difficult opponent in the second round.

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Tim Duncan C-
Out of the gates, it appeared as if Tim Duncan was going to single-handedly lead the Spurs out of the first round. He had nine points on 4-for-4 shooting in the opening six and a half minutes, while also holding Al Jefferson without a point or a rebound. Unfortunately, Duncan's evening then took a speeding detour south. The rest of the way, he missed his final six field goal attempts and Jefferson exploded for his best game of the series. Offensively, Duncan missed a couple shots he usually makes and then became hesitant and unsure of what he wanted. Defensively, he was giving Jefferson too much space to operate, wasn't contesting his shots well and wasn't much of a help on the boards. To Duncan's credit, his team-defense remained very solid throughout and he was able to successfully clog the paint on a number of occasions. I'm not exactly sure why his night soured but it looked as if he started mentally coasting a bit and then had trouble re-energizing when it became needed. Going forward, the Spurs obviously need the Duncan we saw for most of the first 3.25 games of this series.

Manu Ginobili B
Manu Ginobili appeared headed toward another low scoring affair ... and then he caught fire at the end of the third quarter. After missing his first nine three-point attempts of the series, Ginobili finally hit one from deep. Just 42 seconds later, he hit another three-pointer. Those shots sparked a 10-0 Ginobili-only run and the Argentine superstar finally looked comfortable shooting the ball in this series. The rest of his offense on this night was adequate. While he didn't have his usual assist numbers, Ginobili's playmaking was good -- as was his aggression going to the hoop. Defensively, he was above average. Ginobili was very effective individually and offered a lot of quality help.

Tony Parker C-
In the first three games, Tony Parker played at an impossibly high level. In Game 4, he came back down to earth. Offensively, I didn't have much of a problem with his shot selection -- he just wasn't hitting his typical looks. Perhaps he was a tad too aggressive; then again, Parker's forcefulness was previously an asset in the series. Playmaking-wise, Parker had his moments and did a good job of limiting his turnovers, but overall this was definitely below his recent standards in that area. Defensively, I really liked what he did against Devin Harris. Parker kept a hand in his face on all his jumpers and didn't give him any straight-line angles to the rim.

Danny Green B
On offense, Danny Green authored a few well-timed passes but those were overshadowed by his three-point misses and his turnovers late. Defensively, though, Green was a stud. He's the man mostly responsible for Utah's shooting guards going a combined 0-for-15 this game. On top of that, Green was far and away the best guard on the Spurs at dropping down and helping out on the boards. Without his relentless effort on the glass, the Spurs would have given up another handful of offensive rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard B-
Kawhi Leonard followed Green's lead tonight. Offensively, it was a night to quickly forget. He wasn't taking bad shots but the Jazz's athleticism and length bothered Leonard on nearly every attempt. On top of that, his passes were a beat late. Defensively, though, I thought he was really, really good. He started out defending Paul Millsap and a quick glance at Millsap's line will give you a great idea of how well Leonard did. Leonard wasn't afraid to bang his body around when it was needed. When switched off onto small players on the perimeter, he moved his feet extremely well.

Boris Diaw B-
After going 9-for-11 from the field in the first two games, Boris Diaw was shutout from the floor for the second consecutive outing. Not only was he hesitating, Diaw wasn't moving to open spots as well as he usually does. To keep his spot in the starting lineup, he can't make it a habit to be a liability on the offensive end. Yes, his passing is wonderful but he's not helping the starting five unless he's a threat to score. Defensively, he was good. He had to defend Derrick Favors early on and did an admirable job. Diaw later took on Millsap and was able to continue his domination of that matchup. Rebounding-wise, he wasn't anything special but Diaw was stout enough.

Stephen Jackson A-
The first round was very kind to Stephen Jackson. He knocked down two more three-pointers and finished the series against Utah 8-for-15 (53.3%) from long range. Jackson was also able to make a few plays off the dribble to aid with the playmaking. However, where the Texas native really shined was on defense. First of all, he led the team in rebounding -- and that was no accident. He put on his hardhat and went out there and rebounded with every fiber of his being. Jackson pressured the basketball when defending on the perimeter, threw his weight around in the paint and was usually the first player to offer timely help defense. Oh, and his steal-causing swipe at the end of the game was the most important play of the night.

Tiago Splitter B+
Statistically, Tiago Splitter has had much better performances. He didn't shoot well from the field, he didn't rebound and he didn't block any shots. But regardless of what those stats say, Splitter was a huge key to this win. The competitiveness and fight he gave the team were invaluable. Despite getting his shot blocked at the rim a few times, Splitter kept going back for more. He eventually scored some momentous buckets and also added some well-earned trips to the free throw line. On defense, Splitter was extremely active as he scratched and clawed for every inch. In my mind, tonight was the night that Splitter proved once and for all that he's a player who is more than capable of thriving in the postseason.

Matt Bonner B
Matt Bonner is yet another Spurs player who fought his hardest on the defensive end of the court. The Jazz's bigmen are all more powerful than he is but Bonner never relented and ended up with one his better defensive performances of the season. His rotation were swift, he actually challenged a few shots and even pulled down some boards. Offensively, things weren't nearly as eventful for Bonner but he did make one three-pointer while also getting fouled on another three-point attempt.

Gary Neal B-
Gary Neal gave the Spurs quality minutes behind Parker. Offensively, in addition to utilizing his sweet stroke, he was very good about taking the ball all the way to the basket when the opportunities arose. Neal had a fantastic long pass to Splitter for a dunk but otherwise his passing wasn't a strength, to put it gently. Defensively, he was doing good work against Jamaal Tinsley but he had no hope of staying with Harris. Also, Neal earned a trip to the bench after failing to box out or crash the boards one too many times.

DeJuan Blair B
Pop decided to use 11 players in the firs half and DeJuan Blair was the beneficiary of that decision. And considering the scenario, I thought he did better than would have fairly been expected. He ran the pick-and-roll much better than he did earlier in the series. Blair's physicality made him a presence on the offensive glass and his all-around enthusiasm for the game was a welcomed addition. When it comes to a role as an energizing fifth bigman, Blair is proving to be quite capable.

Pop B+
Obviously, the coaching decision that stood out was sitting the Big 3 in the fourth quarter at the eight and a half minute mark. At the time, the Spurs were up by 18 points. While I'm a big fan of resting the Big 3, that's even too conservative in my book. Luckily, Pop was able to defrost Duncan, Ginobili and Parker in time before the Jazz came all the way back to avoid a catastrophic ending. Other than that, I really can't complain. The Spurs finished off a sweep without anyone playing more than 28 minutes. You can't ask for much more than that.

Tiago Splitter will not be mishandled.

Thanks for the write up.

-Agreed on Blair. I thought he played with much more purpose compared to the previous 2 games.

-I'm not sure if Bonner is trying to flop or if he really is that easy throw around but I cringe every time I see him fly from one side of the court to another.

-Ginobili coming alive offensively was great to see. Most of the fans seemed content to watch a passive, sloppy, and uninspired Ginobili. Sure that might work on the lowly Jazz but there is no question that Manu needs to find his rhythm moving forward. But Ginobili played well in the last two so that's a relief.

-I think Parker, Duncan, Jackson, Ginobili (specifically the last two games) and Splitter (since returning from his injury) are in a great place right now. Parker, Duncan, Jackson were consistent contributors to the sweep while Ginobili and Splitter appear to be warming up.

Thanks for the grades, I get to read this before going to work.

I am a bit disturbed by all the posters here thinking that the Clips or Grizz will be a cakewalk. It is eerily similar to last year right before playing the Grizz.

I think the Spurs can beat either team-but it will be the first time the Spurs are to be tested this season. It won't be easy and it isn't a sure thing.

I can't blame Pop in the 4th

At the start of the 4th the bench gave us the biggest lead of the game. We were up by 21. They deserved to play. When they left the court our lead was bigger than when they started to play in the 3th

Starters came back when our lead was 14-16 around 6 minutes left....... 3 minutes later we only were up by 4

Pop played the starters when he had to do it.2 minutes later than most of the games but we were playing better with our bench so not reason to change. That's where we are strong. Our bench is really good.

The starters did the most part in the choke job tbh.

If we take a look to the +/- stats it said all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silverblk mystix

It is eerily similar to last year right before playing the Grizz.

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I must be remembering things wrong, because I seem to recall everyone knowing damn good and well that the Spurs' big weakness was a team with size on the front line, and any residual confidence or anger at the Grizzlies tanking to get the Spurs dissolved when Manu got hurt.

Lol @ the thought of its the first time theyd be tested....

Pop needs to decide if he's going to spare Gary Neal's feelings or have Patty Mills on the floor to bring the ball up for the second unit. Teams are already gunning for his shaky ball handling. Utah got, what, six eight points off that alone in their run?

I love how, with two games only, the Daily Dime can only mention the Spurs and their sweep in ONE FREAKING PART OF IT.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

Stay unbiased, ESPN!

Thanks for the grades. I agree with all, but think Neal deserves a C+ due to getting pressured and losing the ball to Carrell on consecutive possessions. That looked bad and I think we will see more of that in the second round.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

I must be remembering things wrong, because I seem to recall everyone knowing damn good and well that the Spurs' big weakness was a team with size on the front line, and any residual confidence or anger at the Grizzlies tanking to get the Spurs dissolved when Manu got hurt.

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Golly-Gee. I seem to remember the exact same things as you do, my friend. Whatta' co-ink-ee-dink. :wow


Thanks again for the write-up, timvp. :tu


All I have to say is... NEXT!!!

:flag:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougp

I love how, with two games only, the Daily Dime can only mention the Spurs and their sweep in ONE FREAKING PART OF IT.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

Stay unbiased, ESPN!

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Andrew McNeil calls a sweep a "near collapse". :lol

Okay...everybody step back from the ledge, now... :lol

Great write-up, thanks!

Next.

What stood out for me was the trouble the starters had with handling the pressure of a close game at the end. There was some mighty sloppy ball-handling and bad shots at the end. Sure we were able to pull it out, but where was our poise and veteran experience against the young jazz?

I'm going to attribute this to the fact that we haven't really had any close games in the last quarter of the season or against Utah so the guys have gotten a little out of tune on pressurized situations. But they better get used to the pressure of closer games now that the playoffs are here. They should be fine once they get a few close ones under their belts.

Yeah Ginobili Parker and Duncan clearly don't know how to handle pressure :rolleyes

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougp

I love how, with two games only, the Daily Dime can only mention the Spurs and their sweep in ONE FREAKING PART OF IT.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

Stay unbiased, ESPN!

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No one cares about the Spurs. Please accept that.

/1998 thread

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Originally Posted by wildbill2u

What stood out for me was the trouble the starters had with handling the pressure of a close game at the end. There was some mighty sloppy ball-handling and bad shots at the end. Sure we were able to pull it out, but where was our poise and veteran experience against the young jazz?

I'm going to attribute this to the fact that we haven't really had any close games in the last quarter of the season or against Utah so the guys have gotten a little out of tune on pressurized situations. But they better get used to the pressure of closer games now that the playoffs are here. They should be fine once they get a few close ones under their belts.

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And here I thought the jazz were going to just bend over and give up after Jefferson's candy ass comments after game 3, gosh darnet.

:madrun

I think Ginobili deserves at least B+ (perhaps A-)...

It was great to see him rising to the occasion.

That is why we need him to win another title.

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Originally Posted by Doctor J

I think Ginobili deserves at least B+ (perhaps A-)...

It was great to see him rising to the occasion.

That is why we need him to win another title.

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Yes, I think could somewhat agree with this, too. He was definitely the highlight in my book. ;)

BTW, glad it wasn't Beno Udrih having problems with pressure or the world would be coming to an end. Since we are in favor of Gary Neal At Point Guard above and beyond all things, we don't have to be realistic about what happens when he has the ball in his hands and he's not shooting.

Thanks again for the grades. It was great to see Manu hit those threes.

With both LA teams playing in Staples, I wonder how much, if at all, will the scheduling be impacted if the Spurs meet the Clips and the Lakers meet OKC, especially considering OKC and Spurs will both have home court?

When I saw Millsap deliver solid blow to the back of Ginobili I was concerned for the potential damage, but as Manu got up I started to nod and mutter...

Oh shit you fool you just woke him up!!!

I'm looking at Manu's face and I see that fire, that ferocity... like ok... I remember, this is how it's gotta be. I can play this way.

And then he comes down and strokes a three.

The next possession he's involved throughout moving manUevering around, and I know he's gonna get the ball. He does and scores another three.

I'm cheering and pumping my fist yelling at my friend telling him how I told you!! Millsap just did us a favor and woke up Ginobili. He should let old sleeping dogs lie but it's too late now.

I hope this is a harbinger of things to come.


It's delightful for me to watch all the moments of this season activate heading towards the finish.

I'm reading a story here.

And it feels like I just got to the part where Manu regains his power. :wow

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yuixafun

When I saw Millsap deliver solid blow to the back of Ginobili I was concerned for the potential damage, but as Manu got up I started to nod and mutter...

Oh shit you fool you just woke him up!!!

I'm looking at Manu's face and I see that fire, that ferocity... like ok... I remember, this is how it's gotta be. I can play this way.

And then he comes down and strokes a three.

The next possession he's involved throughout moving manUevering around, and I know he's gonna get the ball. He does and scores another three.

I'm cheering and pumping my fist yelling at my friend telling him how I told you!! Millsap just did us a favor and woke up Ginobili. He should let old sleeping dogs lie but it's too late now.

I hope this is a harbinger of things to come.


It's delightful for me to watch all the moments of this season activate heading towards the finish.

I'm ready a story here.

And it feels like I just got to the part where Manu regains his power. :wow

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Solid post. I'm on board with this. Heck, we've all been waiting years for this. A healthy Manu Ginobili in the playoffs.

Wow, I didn't even realize the Jazz did not hit one 3 pointer...0-13

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yuixafun

When I saw Millsap deliver solid blow to the back of Ginobili I was concerned for the potential damage, but as Manu got up I started to nod and mutter...

Oh shit you fool you just woke him up!!!

I'm looking at Manu's face and I see that fire, that ferocity... like ok... I remember, this is how it's gotta be. I can play this way.

And then he comes down and strokes a three.

The next possession he's involved throughout moving manUevering around, and I know he's gonna get the ball. He does and scores another three.

I'm cheering and pumping my fist yelling at my friend telling him how I told you!! Millsap just did us a favor and woke up Ginobili. He should let old sleeping dogs lie but it's too late now.

I hope this is a harbinger of things to come.


It's delightful for me to watch all the moments of this season activate heading towards the finish.

I'm reading a story here.

And it feels like I just got to the part where Manu regains his power. :wow

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They won't like him when he's angry ...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/805866/manu_hulk.jpg

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Originally Posted by dougp

They won't like him when he's angry ...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/805866/manu_hulk.jpg

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:rollin I just love this! Never gets old!

When Ginobili doesn't play this well its nice to know that Splitter has the ability to be the x-factor for that second unit. The guy has consistently scored at will on the pick and rolls and I don't see any reason why it would stop now.

I think the real story of the game is that the Spurs totally got it done with defense. Not that the Spurs built up a 21 point lead, but that midway through the fourth quarter, they had only allowed Utah to score 60. Not that the Spurs won by 6, but that they held their opponent to just 81 points, and 36.4% from the floor - which is usually good for a win. Take a moment to go back and re-read the grades, and the descriptions that follow. Most of the positive comments were about the players who stepped it up on defense, even though their offense was less than stellar.

If there's a moral to the story, it's this: the steady improvement in the Spurs' defense over the latter part of the season appears to have been real, and not illusory. That final 21-6 run notwithstanding, the Spurs still won this game with solid D.

This game is a testament to the fact that the Spurs can win on both ends of the floor. And it gives the remaining teams a lot more to worry about - because focusing on stopping the Spurs outrageous offense is no longer enough. If the other team is expending loads of energy on the defensive end, the Spurs are also capable of winning an ugly, low-scoring affair.

It was great to see Tiago hit the court several times and not shatter into a thousand pieces. Good sign.

This game felt like a loss.

The Spurs offense was crap in the late second half. Luckily the Jazz offense was crappier for the majority of the game.

The Clippers won't be going 0-13 from three point range at any point during the series.

This game felt like a loss.

The Spurs offense was crap in the late second half. Luckily the Jazz offense was crappier for the majority of the game.

The Clippers won't be going 0-13 from three point range at any point during the series.

moral of the series, no dancing bear = sweep

Typical media obsessed Popovich antics. First he wants to get into more highlight reels so he gets a bunch of guys who can dunk and starts cranking up the tempo. When that doesn't get the attention he wants he decides to go on monstrous winning streak. When that doesn't get him enough coverage he pulls the starters and makes some drama happen at end of the game. Serves his camera craving ass right that the Clips and Grizz went to OT and got even more attention.

The Spurs were just shooting some shots...just sweeping a team they were supposed to sweep...no surprises there. :lol

Thanks for that!


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Thanks for the writeup Tim.

There was a span in the second half where Jackson pulled down 3 consecutive rebounds. If I recall correctly he directly or indirectly had an affect on half a dozen plays in succession.

The only blip I saw from him towards the later stages of the game when he bricked a three short... but he came down that very same sequence and helped break up a play for the Jazz that would have cut it to a one possession game, leading to a steal and a wide open layup for Manu that sealed the game.

He may not be hitting 3 straight daggers to break spirits like he did in his younger days, but Jackson's contributions are in full swing.

One area where I thought Pop erred was the final six minutes. I much prefer Neal to Mills as long as either Manu or Tony are in the backcourt with him and he's the shooting guard, but if Tony and Manu are both on the bench then Mills has to be on the floor to bring the ball up the floor and ignite the offense no question. I don't trust the ball-handling of a Neal-Green backcourt at all. Mills can at least beat a trap.

Also, I thought Tiago was on the floor too many minutes. He checked in with what, like five minutes to go in the 3rd quarter and Pop had him out there for 12 straight minutes? That's stretching his stamina a bit, I think, especially when he was touching the ball quite a bit on offense and banging down low on the other end. I think the right move there would've been to go back to Blair who was fresh and would've been hungry to score a couple of garbage buckets.

It was kind of senseless that the big three had to go back into the game to close it out, but maybe, for you CIA Pop conspiracy theorists out there he wanted the Jazz to make a run and get the game close so he'd have something to yell at the team about at practice during the next week.

Thanks for the writeup... as an addendum, the Spurs never trailed at the end of any quarter during this series...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yuixafun

There was a span in the second half where Jackson pulled down 3 consecutive rebounds. If I recall correctly he directly or indirectly had an affect on half a dozen plays in succession.

The only blip I saw from him towards the later stages of the game when he bricked a three short... but he came down that very same sequence and helped break up a play for the Jazz that would have cut it to a one possession game, leading to a steal and a wide open layup for Manu that sealed the game.

He may not be hitting 3 straight daggers to break spirits like he did in his younger days, but Jackson's contributions are in full swing.

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SJax hit some 3's early on in the game.

Just saw the game.

Great game.

1) Defense is visibly improving as games go by.
2) Up by 21 with 6' to go, the game is over, the folks are laughing on the bench. Carrol and the Jazz start to pressure, Neal/Green panick. TO after TO. The bad thing is that neal completely lost control of the tempo.
I would have put Mills into it: he's too fast to pressure. He might force some shots? A forced shot is still better than a TO.
This situation will be seen A LOT if Spurs play the Clippers.
I really didn't like what I saw from Neal.
3) Manu needed minutes and he got them. He was focused.
I particularly liked the last -very intentional- hard foul on Harris.
Mr. Harris, dear baby, you don't talk hard fouls, you MAKE them.
That's the Argentine way.
That's the right way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roycrikside

Also, I thought Tiago was on the floor too many minutes. He checked in with what, like five minutes to go in the 3rd quarter and Pop had him out there for 12 straight minutes? That's stretching his stamina a bit, I think, especially when he was touching the ball quite a bit on offense and banging down low on the other end. I think the right move there would've been to go back to Blair who was fresh and would've been hungry to score a couple of garbage buckets.

It was kind of senseless that the big three had to go back into the game to close it out, but maybe, for you CIA Pop conspiracy theorists out there he wanted the Jazz to make a run and get the game close so he'd have something to yell at the team about at practice during the next week.

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:toast
Didn't see it posted.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GSH

I think the real story of the game is that the Spurs totally got it done with defense. Not that the Spurs built up a 21 point lead, but that midway through the fourth quarter, they had only allowed Utah to score 60. Not that the Spurs won by 6, but that they held their opponent to just 81 points, and 36.4% from the floor - which is usually good for a win. Take a moment to go back and re-read the grades, and the descriptions that follow. Most of the positive comments were about the players who stepped it up on defense, even though their offense was less than stellar.

If there's a moral to the story, it's this: the steady improvement in the Spurs' defense over the latter part of the season appears to have been real, and not illusory. That final 21-6 run notwithstanding, the Spurs still won this game with solid D.

This game is a testament to the fact that the Spurs can win on both ends of the floor. And it gives the remaining teams a lot more to worry about - because focusing on stopping the Spurs outrageous offense is no longer enough. If the other team is expending loads of energy on the defensive end, the Spurs are also capable of winning an ugly, low-scoring affair.

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Very true. And that makes me feel better about our chances. We all said the Spurs wouldn't go far if they couldn't play decent defense. The whole team seems committed to it and so is Pop. Why else has Neal's minutes significantly gone down in the playoffs? I'm even liking Bonner's defensive intensity.

I know it was just the Jazz but that team put up 100 against us in the two of the regular season games. It's safe to say the Spurs turned up the defensive intensity in the playoffs. We don't need to play 48 mins of defense (cough eyestalker cough). This team knows when they need to get stops and they have done it so far.

That's a great picture in your sig... I can see someone easily photoshopping Kwa in Bowen's spot and Diaw in Horry's.

Bonner.

+20.

King.

The Spurs Way
By Elias Sports Bureau

The Utah Jazz had three starters score at least 16 points; no San Antonio Spurs starter scored more than 11 points. The Jazz had three starters collect at least 10 rebounds; no Spurs starter had more than five rebounds. So what was the final score? San Antonio 87, Utah 81, as the Spurs completed a sweep of their first-round series.

Manu Ginobili came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points; among the starters, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker led with 11 points apiece. The Spurs' victory was the first in the NBA's past 591 playoff games in which no starter on the winning team scored as many as 12 points. The previous team to win a playoff game in that manner? Gregg Popovich's Spurs, of course. Back on April 30, 2005, the Spurs topped the Nuggets, 86-78, in Game 3 of a first-round series in Denver, with Duncan leading the starters with -- you guessed it -- 11 points, and Ginobili coming off the bench for a game-high 32.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime