Warriors - Spurs showdown game plan

Just a couple of points / observations for Monday's most anticipated game of the season thus far:

1. Spurs should start off the game with the element of surprise by employing the Hack-A-Bogut. This will slow the pace down and frustrate Stephen Curry when he's trying to get going.

2. After Spurs are able to slow the pace down, two crucial matchups are necessary: Have Patty Mills matchup with Steph Curry, and have Boris Diaw matchup with Draymond Green. To date, Steph Curry hasn't matched up with a strong pull-up shooter. In order to throw Steph Curry off his game offensively, you need to frustrate him defensively (the psychology behind this is that it would force him to take more shots quickly or try 3's from longer range). By putting Boris Diaw on Raymond, it will pretty much force Raymond to guard both outside and in. After watching these NBA games, I noticed that there's honestly no other player in the NBA that has the same offensive skill set as Boris because he can post aggressively, shoot from 3, and pass efficiently. This will essentially neutralize and keep him at bay off the boards.

3. Just take a look at Warriors over the past 15-20 games. A lot of the games have been close calls, and a lot of the games were from bailouts from Steph Curry by unloading a barrage of 3's. This year's Warriors are very similar to the Spurs from 2010-2011 where they had a loaded backcourt of shooters. The shooting will eventually wear off at some point and I honestly would not be surprised Warriors saw a first round exit.

4. Lastly, the statistics don't lie: the Spurs are historically beasting it on defense this year. Warriors are the best offensive team by far this season, but their defense has been iffy as of late. It almost looks like they're relying more on their offense to win games lately instead of clamping down on defense. Because Spurs have the best defense, the edge goes to the Spurs.

In any case, I am so pumped for Monday's game! :ihit:ihit:ihit

I agree with the first point, although they are not on a hot streak, they can shoot at this level normally, so if someone expects a fall in FG% without a very strong defense, this is not happening.

Strongly against idea one. Under no circumstances should you put your opponent in the bonus early in a quarter it's just horrible basketball and has your opponent making three and four point plays all period long. I can see intentionally fouling bogut to change rythm if Curry or Clay get hot and start knocking down long contested jump shots but don't start it until then.

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Originally Posted by Gagnrath

Strongly against idea one. Under no circumstances should you put your opponent in the bonus early in a quarter it's just horrible basketball and has your opponent making three and four point plays all period long. I can see intentionally fouling bogut to change rythm if Curry or Clay get hot and start knocking down long contested jump shots but don't start it until then.

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score more points than them...

Although the intensity for this monday game is likely to be high because both teams want to prove they are top dog, i find it very unlikely we see the spurs utilize any surprise strategy outside of their normal offensive and defensive sets.

Against a team in the playoffs that has time to game-plan, you only have a few adjustments that will be game-changers, and they will counter. So, you may win game 1 or 2 with a key adjustment, they counter the next game, you have one or two other adjustments that you use in games 3 and 4, and by game 5, you have used everything up. By that point, we will know each other and will have our game plans set on both sides.

If you blow your wad on adjustments during the season, you run out of game-changers a game or two early. That could easily translate into the difference between a win or a loss. I doubt we can afford to give up a game in the playoffs just to try to go for HCA.

Monday will likely show the spurs playing mostly like they always play.

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Originally Posted by spursfaninla

Although the intensity for this monday game is likely to be high because both teams want to prove they are top dog, i find it very unlikely we see the spurs utilize any surprise strategy outside of their normal offensive and defensive sets.

Against a team in the playoffs that has time to game-plan, you only have a few adjustments that will be game-changers, and they will counter. So, you may win game 1 or 2 with a key adjustment, they counter the next game, you have one or two other adjustments that you use in games 3 and 4, and by game 5, you have used everything up. By that point, we will know each other and will have our game plans set on both sides.

If you blow your wad on adjustments during the season, you run out of game-changers a game or two early. That could easily translate into the difference between a win or a loss. I doubt we can afford to give up a game in the playoffs just to try to go for HCA.

Monday will likely show the spurs playing mostly like they always play.

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+1

1) D up on the perimeter.
2) Own the glass on both ends.

play SC and KT so close as to deny them easy passes, esp SC.

I think the game plan should be to keep as many of our starters out of foul trouble as long as possible. That is my greatest fear - that our defense against Curry and Thompson will get fouls called on us and mess with our rotations.

As a team the Spurs don't foul that much, but the game will be on GS home court and the refs will likely be favoring them. I don't want to see Parker or Kawhi saddled with two fouls in the first quarter - it would screw up their rhythm for the rest of the game.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

score more points than them...

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+1

I'm surprised no one mentioned this. Parker cannot be assigned to guard mouthpiece

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Originally Posted by Kikoluna

I'm surprised no one mentioned this. Parker cannot be assigned to guard mouthpiece

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In a regular season game? He can. Pop won't show all his cards in this game.

One thing I believe, and maybe I could be wrong, but I think players like Curry, Green and Thompson's play is based off of emotion. When things are good, it becomes great, but when it goes bad, it never gets better. There have been times when things haven't gone Curry's way with a missed shot, missed foul and maybe a turnover and you can see his body language change a lot. I think a key to this team is to get into them mentally. I dont know how they can do it, but if there was one thing I would try, it would be that.

I would love to see Kawhi step up his aggressiveness on D. Actively get his hands in the way, aim for 6 steals and be the biggest pest imaginable.

Make Curry tired on defense. Use Patty and TP to run him into screens and until hes breathless LOL. Effect his legs, effect his 3?

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Originally Posted by HEBsteaks

One thing I believe, and maybe I could be wrong, but I think players like Curry, Green and Thompson's play is based off of emotion. When things are good, it becomes great, but when it goes bad, it never gets better. There have been times when things haven't gone Curry's way with a missed shot, missed foul and maybe a turnover and you can see his body language change a lot. I think a key to this team is to get into them mentally. I dont know how they can do it, but if there was one thing I would try, it would be that.

I would love to see Kawhi step up his aggressiveness on D. Actively get his hands in the way, aim for 6 steals and be the biggest pest imaginable.

Make Curry tired on defense. Use Patty and TP to run him into screens and until hes breathless LOL. Effect his legs, effect his 3?

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I think this is the way to wear him out. Early on run Tony through a million picks like the old days then in the 4th put Danny on him.

I'd like to see the spurs focus on stopping everyone but curry. Make curry take 35 shots and also make him work on defense. He better be fighting through at least 4 screens every possession

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Originally Posted by sexinthatsx

Have Patty Mills matchup with Steph Curry...

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:lol That would be game over. This might be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

Terrible takes in this thread. Want to beat the Dubs? Play them rough. Green or Kawhi on Curry like fly on shit. Some hard fouls on Curry to make him uncomfortable. Hard but not dirty. But dirty if need be. Minimize dunks and crowd hyping plays by GS. Just make it scrappy if need be. Slow the game down if need be and let Kawhi and LMA go to work in the post. And take care of the effing ball.

In need be...just cuz I like saying it.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

score more points than them...

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No.

Hold them to less points than we score.

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Originally Posted by RD2191

In need be...just cuz I like saying it.

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*if. Gawd dammit.

The first step is to win.

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Originally Posted by Hoops Czar

:lol That would be game over. This might be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

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Tony Parker will get slaughtered in the paint if he takes it in by Draymond Green or Maresse Speights. I noticed them subtly being dirty when it comes to opposing players driving in the paint. I wouldn't want Spurs to risk another injury to TP, and I believe Mills shooting like a madman from 3 will truly get under Curry's skin (he's not used to other PG's pull up and shoot 3's on him)

Also Patty Mill's hustle and defense > TP's, especially when playing at a fast pace.

Yeah, this is like the opposite of what I would do if I were the coach. Some of these things are so out of character for the Spurs and play into the hands of the Warriors that I thought it was a joke thread for a minute.

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Originally Posted by sexinthatsx

Tony Parker will get slaughtered in the paint if he takes it in by Draymond Green or Maresse Speights. I noticed them subtly being dirty when it comes to opposing players driving in the paint. I wouldn't want Spurs to risk another injury to TP, and I believe Mills shooting like a madman from 3 will truly get under Curry's skin (he's not used to other PG's pull up and shoot 3's on him)

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Danny Green will be guarding Curry, not Parker or mills. Also, the Spurs can't dictate who the Warriors decide to put on Mills on offense. That decision is left up to the defensive team.

Tp d better then patty

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Originally Posted by Splits

No.

Hold them to less points than we score.

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Revealing. Post more, plz

No offense OP but one is bad, two is misguided, and three just won't happen. Four is about right.

Kawhi needs to lock down Curry. Only way we have a chance.

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Originally Posted by RD2191

Terrible takes in this thread. Want to beat the Dubs? Play them rough. Green or Kawhi on Curry like fly on shit. Some hard fouls on Curry to make him uncomfortable. Hard but not dirty. But dirty if need be. Minimize dunks and crowd hyping plays by GS. Just make it scrappy if need be. Slow the game down if need be and let Kawhi and LMA go to work in the post. And take care of the effing ball.

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Well fuck...