Zach Lowe: Spurs losers in Free Agency

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Originally Posted by itzsoweezee

I think you're crazy. Where is this improvement going to come from? A bunch of rookies? A washed up Gasol? No.

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I find it hilarious that people are calling Gasol washed up but acting like Tim wasn't. And we're talking about second- and third-year players leading the improvement charge. If you're trying to poopoo that, then I think you completely lack perspective on these last five years.

The Spurs need to find some 3 point shooting stat.

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Originally Posted by elbamba

The Spurs need to find some 3 point shooting stat.

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They've signed about the two-best three-point shooters they could along with getting a better three-point-shooting center, and having Anderson and Simmons work on improving their shots.

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Originally Posted by T Park

That's exactly right. Teams took the defensive template from that game, used it, and solved the Warriors. Oklahoma damn near beat em with it, hell a rebuilding Portland used it to win two damn games.cleveland finally fixed their rotations and used it to beat them three damn games in a row

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Actually Lue's best and most important adjustment was putting Jefferson on Livingston. It just negated Livingston altogether. I remember us fans were calling Pop to put Anderson on him.

Also, I have been saying this, Curry and Klay are regular season players. When playoffs happen, teams get away with a lot more contact. It just wore them out. They were fighting through screens, getting bumped for the defense just to switch. Then, Curry in particular, danced with the ball to try and get a shot off. By the end, he just didn't have legs and a sore knee. Great template by Pop.

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Originally Posted by SPURt

It's strange Zach would take that stance

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First of all, he talks about conversations in the Warriors' locker room. Was he in the locker room? Doubtful, since he didn't report it before now. So he's gone and interviewed Warriors players after the fact? And they told him that they were never worried about the Spurs - after the fact? That's not a stance. That's getting down on your knees.

As for the Spurs free-agency this year - part of the cap bind they are in now is simply the price to be paid for winning #5. And Timmy was lost in December of last year, not this week.

So for all practical purposes, the Spurs started this season without Timmy, and without a lot of money to hire free agents. They picked up Pau Gasol and Dedmon, on their limited budget. We'll just have to wait and see which of their Euro players make the final cut. But until we see who is on the final roster, and how well they stack up, it's a little premature to say that they had a bad offseason.

After picking up Durant, the Dubs are an odds-on favorite to win the West, if not the whole thing. That's a given. So there are going to be a lot of second-rate "journalists" slobbering all over them. And why not? It's easy. One thing everyone needs to keep in mind - none of these jackasses were picking the Cavs to beat the Warriors this time last season. No matter how stacked the Warriors are, there's a reason they still play the games.

Oh, and fuck Zach Lowe.

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Originally Posted by elbamba

The Spurs need to find some 3 point shooting stat.

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Hopefully Bertans and Forbes can help in that regard.

Lowe's legit, especially as an analyst. I just think people are going to be looking at this off-season completely differently first in May and then again next July.

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Originally Posted by Chinook

Lowe's legit, especially as an analyst. I just think people are going to be looking at this off-season completely differently first in May and then again next July.

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Calling the team "losers in free agency" implies that there were bad choices made. How the team performs next year isn't really relevant to their options now. So what did the Spurs not do that they could have done?

At this point, it's particularly stupid to treat the Warriors' 2017 title like a fait accompli. Any of you that do so going forward will be called on your ignorance of sports.

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

Yes, I think they were better last year than they will be this year. By a mile.

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Matching up with Warriors?? I don't see how that's possible.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

Calling the team "losers in free agency" implies that there were bad choices made. How the team performs next year isn't really relevant to their options now. So what did the Spurs not do that they could have done?

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I imagine that swapping out Eric Gordon and Boban for Gasol would have pleased Lowe quite a bit. I was one of those people who argued for better guard play, and it seems like the team is investing developmental resources in it instead of dollars. And it feels a bit too late for that. If you don't like Gasol -- and a lot of analytics guys don't -- then you're not going to give anyone credit for signing him as their main piece. I mean, who's patting Indiana on the back for getting Al Jefferson at such a reasonable deal?

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

But that doesn't matter. Prior to the strategy, nothing beat the Warriors. The Spurs exposed their Achilles heel. That's why the Dubs lost the same number of games in the playoffs as they did the entire regular season.

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You said "that game showed how to beat GS" and it didn't, because if that was the case teams would have beaten them playing a slow paced offense which is the kind of offense that the Spurs used on that game. When, in fact, the key to beating them was doing the complete opposite.

The defensive strategy is nice and all but it's only half the battle. Besides, you are making it seem like the Spurs tried some novel stuff that nobody else thought about. Many teams tried the same "switch all" strategy before and after that game and they got anally raped because they didn't have the discipline nor the talent that some elite teams have (nor the playoffs intensity either).

So, no. That game didn't show how to beat GS, imho.

I am looking forward to see how Pop integrates Gasol in the starting lineup. One thing Pop does great in, is changing his style and get the most out of his team. We went from a slow down, defensive juggernaut, to a fast pace, average defensive team. To the beautiful game. To the slow down, post up, wall defense game. Now we are going big. 2 7fts, and a 6'11 guy. More spacing with Gasol, etc.

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Originally Posted by Chinook

They've signed about the two-best three-point shooters they could along with getting a better three-point-shooting center, and having Anderson and Simmons work on improving their shots.

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I was not sure if they actually signed them or if it was just for summer league. That was one of the big things I felt we lost last year with Marco leaving and Danny having a down year.

Zach Hoe at this time last year:

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Prediction #13. Spurs Disappoint.

The Spurs could be special, and I’m optimistic about the LaMarcus Aldridge fit — even if some folks in rival front offices and coaching staffs remain skeptical. The other stuff worries me: Tony Parker’s decline, and that so many key contributors around the Aldridge-Leonard–Danny Green foundation are 33 and older. Tim Duncan isn’t going to play like this until he’s 45.
If the Spurs stay healthy, they could round into championship form in May and June. But the interim could be rockier than expected.

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:wakeup

so what? We were winners of last offseason and how did that work out for us?

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Originally Posted by DAF86

You said "that game showed how to beat GS" and it didn't, because if that was the case teams would have beaten them playing a slow paced offense which is the kind of offense that the Spurs used on that game. When, in fact, the key to beating them was doing the complete opposite.

The defensive strategy is nice and all but it's only half the battle. Besides, you are making it seem like the Spurs tried to some novel stuff that nobody else thought about. Many teams tried the same "switch all" strategy before and after that game and they got anally raped because they didn't have the discipline nor the talent that some elite teams have (nor the playoffs intensity either).

So, no. That game didn't show how to beat GS, imho.

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Um, no. The Spurs were the first team to do it, they won the game, and because the Spurs' offense happened to be poor in that game, the Warriors did like you did and wrote it off as a fluke. The reality was in the playoffs when everyone that beat the Warriors used that defensive strategy to slow down their offense. Take away their quick flashes to the basket and they're reduced to a jump shooting team. If you don't do that, it doesn't matter how flashy your offense is because you can't outscore them.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

I agree with all of this. Further, Tony Parker being on the team is essential. There is NOBODY behind him that can be expected to bring the ball up, initiate the offense, and stay healthy. The bar is admittedly pretty damn low for Parker. :lol

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This is very true especially considering the price of Jeremy Lin and Tyler Johnson.

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Originally Posted by Kawhitstorm

Zach Hoe at this time last year:



:wakeup

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He was right about some stuff there though.

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Originally Posted by Chinook

I find it hilarious that people are calling Gasol washed up but acting like Tim wasn't. And we're talking about second- and third-year players leading the improvement charge. If you're trying to poopoo that, then I think you completely lack perspective on these last five years.

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Totally agree. People are comparing Gasol and Duncan's careers and not recent play. Yes I know Gasol isn't the defender that Duncan was at 40..or maybe he is? Gasol never got go play with 2 elite perimeter defenders and a long body in LMA. Gasol will put up 15/9/1.5 with his eyes closed next year IMO.

And like I said in OP Diaw/West combo was terrible and made Duncan look waaaaaay better defensively..

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

so what? We were winners of last offseason and how did that work out for us?

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Amazingly well. A historic 67-win season, a historic 40-1 home record. Kawhi was 2nd in MVP voting. LMA made significant progress in adjusting to the team and vice versa. Set the Spurs up for 2-4 years of legit title contention.

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

Just the thought of Gasol's man screening for Curry while Parker is on him is hilarious.

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Just like Tim being unplayable against the Duds last season or D-Worst getting a train run on him at the rim by Livingston/Ezeli.:lol

Again, the Spurs aren't contending for a championship until Porker gets traded or demoted to the bench which could happen in 2017 if PATFO can land Chris Paul.

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Originally Posted by TheGreatYacht

The Warriors players didn't fear the Spurs... Who gives a shit?

Im sure they didn't fear Cleveland when they blew them out by 40 in the regular season. Still got smacked the fuck up when it mattered.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

Um, no. The Spurs were the first team to do it, they won the game, and because the Spurs' offense happened to be poor in that game, the Warriors did like you did and wrote it off as a fluke. The reality was in the playoffs when everyone that beat the Warriors used that defensive strategy to slow down their offense. Take away their quick flashes to the basket and they're reduced to a jump shooting team. If you don't do that, it doesn't matter how flashy your offense is because you can't outscore them.

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Yes they did son. Just because it didn't turn out as good as it did for the Spurs on that game it doesn't mean they didn't. Heck, that same strategy was used by the Spurs and Clippers against the Warriors in the '13 and '14 playoffs respectively.

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Originally Posted by Chinook

Lowe's legit, especially as an analyst. I just think people are going to be looking at this off-season completely differently first in May and then again next July.

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LOL... well isn't that what analysts are for? Figuring it out up front, instead of in hindsight? LOL... let me analyze last season, and I'll look like a damn genius.