Something to ponder about this series

I'm sure this may have been mentioned but I'm going to throw it out anyway. A lot of people, including some talking heads, believe that Avery is 'out coaching' Pop. Has anyone ever asked why that may be the case? Well when you look at Avery tonight and they show the coaching staff, look to his right for your answer.

The assistant coach to AJ's right is Joe Prunty, a longtime video coordinator, scout and assistant coach for the Spurs until this season. Joe has been a part of the team since 1994 and was the video coordinator who helped dissect tape for the 1999 championship. He was also a part of the the coaching staff when teams were sent for summer league play. Joe's other job was working with many of the younger players who were on the roster in teaching them the basics of the offensive and defensive schemes.

Some may think that this doesn't hold water but if you look at how Dallas plays, there are some things they know about our offensive sets and they definitely know something about our defensive positions that are giving the Spurs fits. Avery's knowledge of such positions in the game are almost non-existent because the offense he ran in 1999 is NOT the same offense being run today. But because he has been in the system, he does understand what Joe is telling him.

Just something to ponder on why this series is so dang tough except for game two.

I would agree that the "Avery is an extension of Popovich" thing is overblown and probably wrong. I doubt that there are any NBA coaches who aren't fully aware of what Pop's systems seek to accomplish on both ends of the floor. And I'm certain that at least the offensive system the Spurs now employ bears little resemblance to the offense that AJ ran from 1996-97 through 2000-01. I think both teams have scouted well and I'm sure that the playbooks on both sides are wide open. To the extent that the Mavericks' effort may have been quickened, I'd buy that Prunty played a big role in that.

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

...To the extent that the Mavericks' effort may have been quickened, I'd buy that Prunty played a big role in that.

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See game 2.

Ponder about this:

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41764

How can you call out lucky bounces for Tim Duncan when Dirk gets all the refs and all the bounces in the world? Maverick fans are pure dumbasses. I hate the Mavs more than I did the Lakers.

I would like to throw it out that this could have gone in one of a dozen threads already going.

Probably so Pache but not nearly as in depth.

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Originally Posted by nbascribe

Probably so Pache but not nearly as in depth.

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http://i4.tinypic.com/104kpjp.gif

Why don't we just all start a new thread whenever a thought pops into our head?

:wtf

This is a thread pointing out the contributions of Joe Prunty. It's entirely original and appropriate. Why don't you point out the thread where it should have been posted?

Entirely too many wanna-be mods around. Why don't we just let the real ones do their job?

Ibtl

Shoogar = in the immortal words of Pimp in da Box, "Rack him".

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Originally Posted by pache100

http://i4.tinypic.com/104kpjp.gif

Why don't we just all start a new thread whenever a thought pops into our head?

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I haven't seen anything on this.


Why to people on this board get so peeved when someone starts a new thread? How many more times can we comment on the JET suspension or the big vs small ball debate?

Things happen when u try to bring something 'fresh' to the board...lol

Damn Mavs and Cavs steal all our personell.

Not everyone reads all the threads, only the "catchy" titles... :lol

Sorry...cerebrial titles are hard to make funny....lol

Yeah, if you had called it "Something to pound on this series", everyone would have known it was another thread about Finley's nads.

Anyway, from what little I know about Prunty, he's one of those lifetime assistant coaches who won't ever be the head man but is a valuable details person.

When Nellie was the coach, the Mavs had something like 10 assistant coaches. Are they still doing that crap, or has Avery cut things down to something more reasonable?

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Originally Posted by ShoogarBear

Yeah, if you had called it "Something to pound on this series", everyone would have known it was another thread about Finley's nads.

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That's funny cus its so true! :lol

Shoogar, Avery has cut that mess down. It's Prunty, Phil Donahue (lol) and I think maybe one or two others. Every team has other guys though that help with the coaching duties. Spurs have like six to seven coaches really and that's including the three on the bench.

I think Rolando Blackman is still one of the coaches.


but the bench of 10 assistants is done I think.

That always cracked me up. Nellie could have assigned each player their own assistant coach.

The thought never crossed my mind that Avery was out coaching Pop....

T Park is right...Blackmon is one of the coaches so it's only a head coach and three assistants.

Notice how with Nellie gone, Dallas actually doesn't understand how to play basketball now.

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Originally Posted by ShoogarBear

When Nellie was the coach, the Mavs had something like 10 assistant coaches. Are they still doing that crap, or has Avery cut things down to something more reasonable?

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Wouldn't that be great to have on your resume? "I was Dirk's left arm coach." :lol

Maybe Avery has the knowledge due to his Spur roots to some degree, but the personnel is different from '99. I mean everyone and their mother knows what 4-down is, but Tim is still in the driver's seat when he gets the ball.

I'd like to think Finley knows something about the Mavericks too. He probably knows a little bit about where the Mavs favorite spots are on the floor and some of the plays they run.

DD:

The Mavs are not running Nellie's system anymore so Finley's knowledge would be very outdated.

If he had some knowledge, the Spurs would have answers to their match up problems.

Again, it's not the players with the knowledge of how to stop teams but the coaches and when you have an assistant coach that knows the intregal workings of your opponent because of his experience being with that team for a decade or so, it makes a difference in a series like this.

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Originally Posted by nbascribe

If he had some knowledge, the Spurs would have answers to their match up problems.

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I'm not sure I agree with that. The answers to the matchup problems don't have anything to do with schemes -- they have everything to do with personnel. Finley could understand AJ's system to a T, but that wouldn't do the Spurs any good if they don't have players who can matchup with the Mavs who operate the system. I think, in most stretches, the Spurs' defensive problems are not arising from difficulties understanding Dallas' schemes.

Gezz, the Mav's have the Spurs ex-film-man. No one has the Spurs better scouted and knows POP's coaching tendencies.

Not just an ex film man but one who actually learned the coaching system so that he can run summer league teams.....

That's the ultimate 'mole'....lol

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Originally Posted by nbascribe

DD:

The Mavs are not running Nellie's system anymore so Finley's knowledge would be very outdated.

If he had some knowledge, the Spurs would have answers to their match up problems.

Again, it's not the players with the knowledge of how to stop teams but the coaches and when you have an assistant coach that knows the intregal workings of your opponent because of his experience being with that team for a decade or so, it makes a difference in a series like this.

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Avery's system is very similar to Nellie's in one respect. They both love to set high pic-n-rolls to create mismatches. That hasn't changed. Problem is, the Spurs pic-n-roll defense has always been suspect.

I do agree that Avery has the slight upper hand because he's dictating the personnel on the floor and Pop is falling for it.