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if parker, bowen, and udoka can do a job on paul like they did on nash and someone can contain west spurs are golden
This squad is a lot like the old Suns, alley-oops to the basket, pick n roll kick outs and drive n dish. Just.. better defense and with more steroids.
A lot better defense really.
I for one respect the out of the Hornets. They have stepped up to the plate, with the probable MVP, and an energy that has been unmatched all year regardless of records. They have a unison and a set strategy with several key players being together for a couple years now.
I don't care what you personally think, but the blowout wins against us were convincing. There will be peeps of "Pop was CIA" or whatever reasons. But the fact is they flat out ran us and made us look old, slow, and just broken down. They have beat us worse than anyone this year in my own opinion, and it's a strong one.
Now, what's more scary as if we don't all have nerves in any series over the years, is on top of all the buzz and media hump the Hornets have the first two in their own building and we haven't exactly had our best road record this season if you like stats.
So how are we going to overcome this drastic change of challenges? By now one can only hope experience will push through as it did in the Phoenix series, and we play smarter and just execute better.
Considering the totally different dynamics of this series, San Antonio has to hold the clutch and switch gears now. This will be yet another huge series that I sense a lot of Spurs fans are downplaying perhaps.
-We beat the Hornets by simply doing what they have been doing, just better. Like we have shown over the years. As usual transition defense will be crucial. They will score all day a of a lot more than Phoenix if we sleep at all.
-CP3 is going to tear us a new one, he is going to get his numbers. That is a 95% probability at worst here, so they key is containment of his 2nd, 3rd or 4th options when dribbling around the defense. Cut off passing lanes and give no easy shots from kick outs to drawing attention in the paint. Paul will get a line in the box score, but we can make him earn it harder than any team he will face in his basketball career by shutting down his "outs."
-No easy layups-dunks. The Hornets are going to slam and jam on us a few times, bank on that. It's just going to happen, like Amare when he gets momentum is over with just look out. Like LeBron. Anyways.. limit them however. We cannot fall asleep in the paint, and Duncan has to be a step quicker this series to limit dump offs and over the head passes to Chandler for easy slams.
-Big 3 stepping up. What's new? No explanation needed.
-Focus on the Hornets X factors. That is West and Chandler me thinks. One of them always has a big game in their decisive wins, and if we can limit their buckets and stay out of foul trouble this series will go a of a lot smoother for us, probably more than anything.
To me as like every game, defense has to step up. NO is not a team you trade baskets with, if so, we will be fishing and you better believe that if you think the rest is crap. The team that plays better defense this series will win, and the Hornets defense is underrated by fans and media it seems. They play great defense when it matters the most. If we can play our defense and our half court game, we win. If this becomes an up and down game I do not see us standing in the end against this team.
None of us should be under-estimating them at all. We have a great team, we can repeat, we can do this. We have the toughest road ever on the way to the Finals that I can ever remember with such a great team. We can ill afford to go stagnant on offense as we have done this season. They have the capability to wax us good, so we need to be aggressive and seriously have our mind right come Saturday. If we can somehow defeat them and already sent Phoenix home, we will have a ton of momentum heading into LA, a ton. This is big and this is just my thoughts and keys to winning from what I have seen in these playoffs thus far.
I'll have some for tonight, going to enjoy it. When I wake up tomorrow I'm all business again, and I hope the Spurs and crew are too.
I'm calling the Spurs in 7.
if parker, bowen, and udoka can do a job on paul like they did on nash and someone can contain west spurs are golden
Play big, slow them down, play smart.
Stop Paul.
Defensively, start with Bowen guarding Peja and Tony guarding CP3. Tony will have to play very hardcore D like he did at times during the Suns series. If/when the Hornets go to a CP3/Pargo backcourt, then switch Bowen to Paul and Tony to Pargo.
The Spurs don't match up well with David West, so he might just get his. But if everyone is rotating and doing what they need to on team D, they should be fine.
On offense, as long as the Spurs are moving the ball, they will be in good shape.
Spurs in five hard-fought games.
What if CP runs a muck on Tony, will Pop make a quick switch with Bowen? Pargo will not see so much time if Parker is on Peja and he is on me thinks.
Whatever the case West is a dynamic all by himself. Chandler has to be shut down so his affect will not be so detrimental.
besides the spurs I think the hornets are the best team in the NBA
have we played the hornets since acquiring KT. i dont remember him playing against the hornets. if not i wonder how he would do against dwest.
Pick and Roll defense is going to be vital
Closing out three point attempts will be huge
We better be able to keep Chandler off the offensive boards. No second chance points
I personally don't think, defense wise the Hornets are as good as the Suns
Their personnel doesn't match up as well, there isn't a shaq or amare to command the paint.
David West isn't a shot blocker so you pick and roll them to DEATH.
If they come under, drive to the damn hole and take it at em.
Duncan as well, there isn't a single man on the Hornets that can guard Duncan.
Personally I think Kurt Thomas can guard West well, West "laterally" isn't a hugely fast person, you just have to bang him back if he does bang in the post, and stay out with him.
If they defend the pick and roll as well as they did tonight? This is a quick series, because as one scout said "shut down the pick and roll, and you shut down their O'"
Also Bowen has to go uber Bruce, like tonight in the 4th quarter on Peja Stoyakovic.
When Peja is shut down, thats a MAJOR MAJOR component of their offense and it really crowd's their offense.
Pargo is a tough matchup, but agree with Kori, if they go small in the backcourt you stay big but switch Parker to Pargo and what not.
Kurt Thomas ALOT on David West please. Oberto I DONT THINK, guards West Very well, but Oberto will be VERY KEY against the likes of Hilton Armstrong and what not, BUT, West plays a load of minutes.
If they decided to put West on Thomas, see if you can post him up a bit, get him in foul trouble, and see if you can take advantage of it.
Test their poise, the Mavericks really didn't test their poise ALOT in that series, they pretty much rolled over and died.
Play SPURS BASKETBALL and you win. That simple.
I'm alot more confident heading into this series then I was against the Suns, even without homecourt.
That whole team runs through Chris Paul. The Spurs have proven over the years that they have the ability to slow down players like him (nash, kidd, etc). Without Paul, Chandler doesn't get his numbers. West will probably get his, but he's reliant on his jumpshot at times and if it's not falling, he struggles (see game 3 vs mavs). So I respectfully disagree with you, I think if you shut down Paul, you shut down the team. Will this be easy? No. But I have confidence in bowen's on the ball defense and the rest of team's help defense to throw him into a funk of sorts.
On offense, I really feel like we have a huge edge. I don't see anyone on that team capable of stopping timmy, although I might be underestimating Chandler as a defender here. Either way, Timmy has a habit of getting the other team's big men into trouble which could take Chandler, and maybe even West out of the picture. So then you put Paul on Parker and who do you have that can slow Ginobli down? Pargo? Peterson? Again, I might be underestimating their abilities as defenders but I still don't see it happening.
If anything concerns me about this series, and it might be silly, it's that they have bonzi wells coming off the bench. Last time I remember playing him in the playoffs when he was with the Kings in 05 I believe, he absolutely wrecked shop against us. If he's on his game I can see him providing match up problems for us all over the court.
Either way, homecourt or not, I feel like we'll steal 1 of the first 2 in New Orleans, and close the game out in 6 at home, possibly even 5 with a little luck.
Looking forward to it!
Tony, when focused on D, is very effective. No one is going to stop CP - not Tony or Bowen. But if they deny him the ball as much as they can and Bowen can spend time on Peja (who Bowen owns about 80% of the time), I think that's the best option.
I'm guessing they will use a little more Horry this series because of DWest, but Oberto/KT/Horry will all need to take turns on him.
Chandler is Timmy's job.
T-Park David West is like Amare with better jumper KT can not guard in out the paint
I think the key to this series is Will SeveningTony, Manu and Tim need to be healthy as they can be by tipoff of Game 1.
Damn, you peeps can switch gears quickly. I'm still thinking about what the Spurs could have done better against the Suns
Maybe tomorrow I can join this convo.
Chandler scares the crap outta me!
I think Tim is going to be alright, Chandler will get his offensive boards now and again but he won't be such a snake in the paint with Duncan there.
CP is going to get his number yes, but like I said earlier it comes down to eliminating his decision making with the ball, forcing him to shoot and cutting off his passing lanes, etc. and as you mentioned ball denial.
I don't know why but personally I am really excited to see this series, it will be a true battle of will because I may be in someone's sig in a couple weeks but NO is going to push us harder than Phoenix.
That is a huge stretch.
West is not a bounding jump over your head dunker like Amare.
Hes a pick and roll player, hes a post up guy.
I think Duncan guards him in CT with Thomas switched over to the Chandler/Armstrong.
VERY good point. The two times I saw their poised tested against the mavs was in the last regular season game at dallas and in game 3, both games they lost. I just get the feeling that they're not anywhere near as mentally tough as the Spurs are.
Damn, you peeps can switch gears quickly. I'm still thinking about what the Spurs could have done better against the Suns
Maybe tomorrow I can join this convo.
I think the key to this series is Will Sevening
Ginobili looked exhausted in freakin warmups.
I think y'all and everyone else in America are giving the Hornets way too much credit. The same reason the Lakers are going to struggle with the Jazz is the same reason we'll have an advantage over the Hornets. They're still not a team - sure they're extremely athletic and talented, but they're not playoff tested. They beat the mavs that had somewhat of the same problem of the suns - a new mix in their scheme of offense and defense. I'm not denying the talent of the Hornets, but they were playing against a dallas team that hadn't really put it together since the trade. The Spurs have championship experience along with a somewhat healthy team. Make fun of me all you want, but don't be surprised when the Spurs are up 3-1 in this series. Yes, on paper we are outmatched - I'll give you that.
Yeah, everyone wanted to see how they would "react" to the playoffs.
When the mavericks pressured them, played good defense, the Hornets didn't well. Examples first half of game 1 and game 3.
How do you beat the Hornets?
Manu Ginobli. Pray he gets healthy, they have a serious weakness defending quality SG's.
I just don't see that at all. Pop will put TD on West if he explodes I bet, but KT-Fab-Horry will see the action to start with.
We can't afford to put anyone else on Chandler. He's a better rebounder than even KT, and far more athletic then Fab and KT combined.
Man we could talk about this stuff all night really, it's such a dynamic matchup.
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