Game 2 was the best thing that could happen to the Spurs tonight

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

If he does that for a game the Spurs will be one win away. Gameplanning based upon with the other team is coasting is never a good idea.

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I don't see him doing it for the whole game, but I do see Brown utilizing the lineup in stretches for game 3.

The key to game 3 is to keep Duncan out of foul trouble early. Thats what burned the Spurs in game 3 against Utah because the calls got tighter and he couldn't stay on the floor. We will see a lot more of the breathe on Lebron calls in game 3 and the Spurs will have to pick and choose when to defend him aggressively at the basket.

That leads to key #2, do your job outside of the lane and you won't have that problem. I know you can't completely stop a guy like Lebron from getting to the lane all the time but make it a hell of a lot harder for him to do it and you'll keep your bigs on the floor.

Key 3 will be to remember that you've been here before up 2-0 and what you need to do to finish them off.

Side note I like how Mark Jackson thinks that the majority of the run that the Cavs put together was against the Spurs starters. I honestly don't think that he actually watches the games while he's sitting there.

My guess is that Pop tightens the rotation heading into Cleveland. No Barry and small doses of Vaughn. If the Spurs build a good lead Pop isn't going to switch on cruise control like tonight.

Barry got time in the fourth to try to get his shot going. Fin picked a bad time to go cold. One of them better pick it up in Cleveland.

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Originally Posted by Aggie Hoopsfan

I think the team plays with the appropriate fear when it's still a game.

The problem is when your coach signals game over by putting in a shit lineup to start the fourth, and then using that shit lineup and running plays for everyone BUT the one guy on the court who could actually score or create his own shot (Manu).

That lineup has never worked out.

:wow Holy shit, Pop, just admitted in the post-game PC that he had some bad substitutions and called bad plays in the fourth to contribute to the comeback.

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best post I've read tonight. 100% on the mark.

It's probably doubly disappointing to the Cavs that they made the run on the reserves and the starters just stepped in and closed it out.

I don't think the way the game ended will effect Game 3 either way. Whatever disappointment the Cavs took out of not completing the comeback is negated by the fact that they have reason to believe that it's possible to play well against the Spurs.

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Whatever disappointment the Cavs took out of not completing the comeback is negated by the fact that they have reason to believe that it's possible to play well against the Spurs

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kind of like they had reason to believe after game 1 they could play well against them, then played worse?

It's all on the Spurs for game 3. They overmatch this team so badly that if they play to their level and the shooters start knocking down shots there isn't much the Cavs can do besides hope for the best shooting night of their lives. The Spurs hold all the cards and have layed the Ace of Clubs and Ace of Diamonds on the table, all that is left now is to show 'em the Spades and Hearts.

It just seems like this is all too good to be true.

I keep getting told "this is a tough series this is a tough series"

yet the Spurs make it seem otherwise.

I think it would have helped the Spurs to finish off with a 25-30 point blowout. At one point in the 3rd we were outscored 24 to 6!
I think the Spurs were thinking about LeBron's 48 point game and their sphincters tightened a little.

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At one point in the 3rd we were outscored 24 to 6!
I think the Spurs were thinking about LeBron's 48 point game and their sphincters tightened a little.

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4th quarter.


But I think the Cavs pretty much started gunning away and made shots when the game was out of hand.


When it got to the nitty gritty down 8 with the ball

doinkage.

I dunno.

I think it was more of a case of "were down 30 lets just chuck"

Spurs were on cruise control, just trying to run out the clock, and the Cavs were making 3s and long jumpers...desperation shooting that fortunately for the Spurs did not close the gap...rest assured the Spurs will not come out soft in Game 3 like they did against the Jazz...no 26-point blowout for the Cavs in Game 3...

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Originally Posted by td4mvp21

I hope you're right. It's concerning that the Cavs did well with four shooters around Lebron. The Spurs didn't exactly play good defense. We dominated the whole game before that though, despite Cleveland hitting almost EVERYTHING in the fourth, they still only shot about 40% from the field. That's how good our D was before the fourth.

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I hope Cleveland tries surrounding LBJ with shooters the next game.. it will be interesting what kind of defense they will put up vs the Spurs.