THE SPURS OFFENSE, AND ITS PERMUTATIONS

THE SPURS OFFENSE, AND ITS PERMUTATIONS

The Spurs offense, though not as celebrated as its other rivals, like the Triangle Offense and the Princeton Offense, among others, is certainly among the most effective that basketball has ever seen. The systematic decimation of the Miami Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals is an apt illustration of how efficient and effective the Spurs offense is.

Yet, there are no books published or manuals that discuss or feature the Spurs offense. We, longtime fans of the Spurs, would eagerly like to peek at the playbook of Coach Gregg Popovich, who is now acknowledged as one of the greatest coaches basketball has ever produced.

I make this thread in the expectation that fellow posters here (and there are a lot of brilliant and erudite spurstalk discussants) might contribute their insights into what makes the Spurs offense unique and effective. What are its nuances? What are its strengths and weaknesses?

In particular, this upcoming season will highlight how adaptable the Spurs offense is, considering the combination of talented newcomers blending with the old core group. How will Coach Pop makes adjustments? How will he improvise against small ball? How will he cope against athletic line-ups? How shall he adjust against elite shooting teams (Golden State) and against powerful frontlines (Houston)?

Bearing in mind the current roster of the Spurs:

Tim Duncan
LaMarcus Aldridge
Kawhi Leonard
Danny Green
Tony Parker

Boris Diaw
David West
Kyle Anderson
Manu Ginobili
Patty Mills

Boban Marjanovic
Matt Bonner
Jon Simmons
Ray McCallum

Any comments, insights, technical analyses, contributions, and brilliant ideas shall be appreciated.

(To Spurstalk Admins and Mods: thank you for allowing this thread. More power to spurstalk!)

Thank you everyone!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2:

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2015...ed-nba-forever

Nice Try Steve Kerr...

Constant motion off the ball. Passing. Passing. Passing. High Percentage shot selection.

Two things to watch out for this year:

1) Will the Spurs run massive lineups? If everyone is going small-ball, how would a lineup containing Duncan, Aldridge, and West/Diaw look? Are there teams that would demolish, or not?

2) How will Pop bend and adjust his system to accommodate the mid-range? David West and LMA are both big-time mid-range shooters, which is not something our motion offense is built for out of the post.

Check out this link for an overview of the Spurs' playbook: http://team.fastmodelsports.com/2015...-on-nba-xs-os/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SsKSpurs21

Nice Try Steve Kerr...

---

:lol :bobo

The Spurs should be able to play big, or small, without missing a step..

The offense should improve from last year. The Duncan/Splitter combo hurt the spacing, and Aldridge is elite at spacing the floor from the PF position. I predict a slight defensive dropoff, but Aldridge is an above average defender and will play way more minutes than Splitter did last season.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tatteredprince

In particular, this upcoming season will highlight how adaptable the Spurs offense is,

---

That is exactly why the Spurs offense is not as celebrated as the triangle. The triangle is easy to talk about because it is simple and it is what it is. Years ago the Spurs were described as chameleons that can adapt to the opponent and that doesn't lend itself to simple media sound bites.

Simmons will be in that Anderson spot imo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nathan89

Simmons will be in that Anderson spot imo.

---

If Simmons plays the way he has in SL he will be in Pop's doghouse. I really like that he is aggressive and fearless but I have to reserve judgment until I see how effective he can be when he doesn't have a green light. Some guys can't make the adjustment.

Aldridge for Splitter is theoretically better for our offensive spacing/sets. So, the question is does West adversely affect the second unit's spacing? Well, he might make things tighter; but the ball movement probably can't overall get worse with the over-dribbler, Joseph gone. And Pop can always use Diaw/Bonner instead of West if spacing is needed.

My bigger worries are on the defensive side, but I won't detail them here to stay on topic.

Thanks for your insights guys

Highly appreciated....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spurtacular

Aldridge for Splitter is theoretically better for our offensive spacing/sets. So, the question is does West adversely affect the second unit's spacing? Well, he might make things tighter; but the ball movement probably can't overall get worse with the over-dribbler, Joseph gone. And Pop can always use Diaw/Bonner instead of West if spacing is needed.

My bigger worries are on the defensive side, but I won't detail them here to stay on topic.

---

Sure, you may offer your insights on the defensive end, its ok......

Curious to see if Diaw will be requested to be in better shape to better handle sf minutes. Out of the good teams I could potentially see Pop trying it vs Clippers and Warriors.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jyra

Check out this link for an overview of the Spurs' playbook: http://team.fastmodelsports.com/2015...-on-nba-xs-os/

---

----------------------------------------------

thanks man, that was a very informative article

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nathan89

Curious to see if Diaw will be requested to be in better shape to better handle sf minutes. Out of the good teams I could potentially see Pop trying it vs Clippers and Warriors.

---

-------------------------------------

agree

Boris Diaw is such an intelligent player, so versatile

i would imagine that LaMarcus and Dwest shall enjoy playing with him

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tatteredprince

Sure, you may offer your insights on the defensive end, its ok......

---

My big thing is can Aldridge anchor a defense (many say he's an average defender at best). Yea, he'll probably be okay in line-ups with Duncan because two trees often can make up for one another's deficiencies. But what happens when Aldridge is left to his own devices? When the Spurs made their big run in Game 5 of the 2014 Finals, it was Splitter, Diaw, Leonard, Ginobili and Mills on the court. It was Splitter coming over and making that block on Wade. Is Aldridge the kind of defender that can have that kind of impact in a Duncan-less line-up? I have serious doubts. Playing small with Aldridge as the big is likely to come with draw-backs.

Perhaps Aldridge shall improve his defensive skills in his Spurs tenure

considering he is already an offensive demon....he might be challenged (and inspired) to improve defensively

and by the way, why is it so hard to improve defensively??

i mean, for pro players in general

Op put down the thesaurus dude. It's ok if you're ESL, half the posters here are ESL

did i use any deep terms?

English is my first language man, im a writer in English,

anyway........

Hey I believe you.

People are exaggerating LA's defensive acumen. He is definitely not elite or even really good, but he is average at worst.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Seventyniner

Aldridge is an above average defender and will play way more minutes than Splitter did last season

---

Yes, this is the underrated variable. 35 minutes of Aldridge vs. 20 minutes of Splitter means you basically don't have to play a (now departed) Ayres or a Baynes. We saw how playing Baynes worked against the Clippers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLFouXbUKrI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fKtu6YoIxg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_MLRbJ4M-I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpeIur9bv9o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOaC9gx7VTM

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...lEbJ0OjQzcCWtt

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spurtacular

My big thing is can Aldridge anchor a defense (many say he's an average defender at best). Yea, he'll probably be okay in line-ups with Duncan because two trees often can make up for one another's deficiencies. But what happens when Aldridge is left to his own devices? When the Spurs made their big run in Game 5 of the 2014 Finals, it was Splitter, Diaw, Leonard, Ginobili and Mills on the court. It was Splitter coming over and making that block on Wade. Is Aldridge the kind of defender that can have that kind of impact in a Duncan-less line-up? I have serious doubts. Playing small with Aldridge as the big is likely to come with draw-backs.

---

Well seeing that Aldridge is actually a good defender if one looks at his playoff series I don't think that will be too much of a difference in our defense. Keep in mind that his usage rate is probably going to come down as well which would mean he will be able to expend more energy on D. I also seem to remember reading somewhere that the small-ball lineups of the Blazers were pretty good defensivly as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtNF...zcCWtt&index=2

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dgspursforlife

Well seeing that Aldridge is actually a good defender if one looks at his playoff series I don't think that will be too much of a difference in our defense. Keep in mind that his usage rate is probably going to come down as well which would mean he will be able to expend more energy on D. I also seem to remember reading somewhere that the small-ball lineups of the Blazers were pretty good defensivly as well.

---

nice point man

any current links?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dgspursforlife

Well seeing that Aldridge is actually a good defender if one looks at his playoff series I don't think that will be too much of a difference in our defense. Keep in mind that his usage rate is probably going to come down as well which would mean he will be able to expend more energy on D. I also seem to remember reading somewhere that the small-ball lineups of the Blazers were pretty good defensivly as well.

---

Aldridge is not a good defender. He's never been a good defender (and by good I qualify it as above average).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spurtacular

Aldridge is not a good defender. He's never been a good defender (and by good I qualify it as above average).

---

And how exactly do you qualify an above-average defender? I mean he isn't a healthy Splitter on the defensive end but he is a good post defender and does hold people to 45% at the rim. The only real problem I see is in the PnR defense

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dgspursforlife

And how exactly do you qualify an above-average defender? I mean he isn't a healthy Splitter on the defensive end but he is a good post defender and does hold people to 45% at the rim. The only real problem I see is in the PnR defense

---

I look at his (limited) ability to block or alter shots, his (limited) ability to laterally move, his (ho-hum) ability to be tough in the post. His (lack of) ability to play passing lanes. His (lack of) ability to play in a defensive crouch. None of that is anything above average. If he has any strength it's his length, which would explain the stat you mention. But overall, he's a below average defender, imo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spurtacular

I look at his (limited) ability to block or alter shots, his (limited) ability to laterally move, his (ho-hum) ability to be tough in the post. His (lack of) ability to play passing lanes. His (lack of) ability to play in a defensive crouch. None of that is anything above average. If he has any strength it's his length, which would explain the stat you mention. But overall, he's a below average defender, imo.

---

well 45% at the rim looks like decent ability to alter shots and he is a decent shot blocker (1.8 Bpg). He did that whilst playing a inferior densive system to ours and having a usage of 30%. Again I'm not trying to say he is a defensive beast but his perceived weakness on that end is vastly overblown.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dgspursforlife

well 45% at the rim looks like decent ability to alter shots and he is a decent shot blocker (1.8 Bpg). He did that whilst playing a inferior densive system to ours and having a usage of 30%. Again I'm not trying to say he is a defensive beast but his perceived weakness on that end is vastly overblown.

---

1.8 BPG? Try 1.0 career, last year, and per 36 min last year and career. One year, LMA even had a whopping 0.6 blks per game.

Danny Green's 1.1 blocks per 36 min career average surpasses Aldridge's 1.0 blocks per 36 minute career average.

Let's just hope that LaMarcus and DWest integration into the Spurs offense shall be seamless.............

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spurtacular

1.8 BPG? Try 1.0 career, last year, and per 36 min last year and career. One year, LMA even had a whopping 0.6 blks per game.

Danny Green's 1.1 blocks per 36 min career average surpasses Aldridge's 1.0 blocks per 36 minute career average.

---

I was using playoff stats since those were the only times he seemed to care about defense

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dgspursforlife

I was using playoff stats since those were the only times he seemed to care about defense

---

There's a significant spike in the playoffs...LMA has never passed the eye test as a great defensive player. I certainly hope I'm wrong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgxisy3yWqU