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none if rj and bonner start, it will improve if malik starts ahead of jefferson
I have never started a thread on this forum. But I just don't see how the Spurs defense will ever be close to the level it was at when they won championships. Signing players like Bonner and Jefferson just confirms my fears that we will never have a shut-down defense again. Maybe Splitter will help, but we will still don't have any good perimeter defenders. Are they ever going to replace Bowen? I think it's just a meltdown from the news of more Bonner/Jefferson. Forgive Me.
none if rj and bonner start, it will improve if malik starts ahead of jefferson
With the new rules like Defensive 3 seconds it's going to be hard for any team to have a defense like the spurs did in the late 90's and early 2000's. Much to David Stern's liking this is becoming more of an offensive league than ever before.
I do agree that the spurs need to step up the D as much as they can next season especially with the formation of whatever you want to call that over in Miami.
Spurs defense will likely improve if Tiago proves to be a good NBA player and if Richard Jefferson's experience in the system along with those personal workouts from Coach Pop pay off. Hopefully Blair and Hill improve as well. Anderson at least provides size at the 2 spot and should be an upgrade over Mason Jr. as well.
A healthy Tony Parker will probably help. Ditto with a rested Manu and Duncan.
Rules have changed, but watching the playoffs last year it was obvious to me that the Celtics and Lakers had the best defenses. It's all about being able to put serious defensive pressure on when needed. In fact, if the Celtics still had Posey to defend Kobe, like in 2008, maybe they could have won that series. Look at the Lakers perimeter defenders- Kobe and Artest- compared to the Spurs- RJefferson and Ginobili. That isn't even close by any measure.
Thats why they where in the Finals. Kobe is overrated as a defender in my opinion. When he wants to be a good perimeter defender he can, but he usually is just resting and slacking off on the defensive end.
I think Splitter will help because I think he is going to surprise us with his athleticism. He will take the burden away from Dice having to guard athletic bigs while Duncan continues to guard the rim.
I also believe guys like Dice and RJ will be better defensively next season as they learn the system better. That said I think the spurs need to go out and find one more cheap perimeter defender on the wing.
That is key. The Spurs need a Bowen, Posey, Bell type elite defender who can at least put some pressure on the other team's best scorer.
Case in point- look at how Nash shredded us this year now that there was no Bowen to contain him. He looked like a different player this year than past playoffs because he didn't have Bowen all over every move he made. And Jefferson isn't going to become that guy.
The problem with a guy like Hairston as you defensive specialist is that as a young player he will never get respect from the referees and that is half the battle in the NBA.
Guys like Raja Bell and Tony Allen are still available and I trust the spurs scouts in case they have someone else in mind. The FO just has to let the market finish playing out and go after whats left.
^Also Matt Barnes
It won't with this personnel. If we manage to land Raja Bell with the LLE there might be some hope.
There isn't another Bruce Bowen.
The defense will improve simply by no more small ball and no more RJ at PF.
What makes you think we're going that route?
Which is why i would like the spurs to go after Tony Allen. He is a great presser and is very good at denying the ball. He knows he has help down low.
There's no minutes left for a cheap wing defender. RJ is getting paid. Manu and Hill be at the 2. Anderson will get the cheap minutes that Bogans and Mason got.
That's it.
Raja Bell is a pipedream. He already turned down the Lakers and has said he wants to play in FL where his family is.
Dice, Duncan, Splitter, Blair, and Bonner should keep RJ from having to move back to PF and limit Pop from letting teams back in games by going small.
People talk about Malik helping in that department (defensive wing). I would love it if he went to Bowen's school for defense and just focused 100% on being the best he could at that. I bet he would be good. I just don't think the Spurs are counting on that, I bet they sign someone with that role in mind.
Damn I miss prime Bowen.
And I'm not sure Splitter is the answer for our interior defense, but it has to be a step in the right direction.
There are too many unknowns right now. How well will James Anderson and Tiago Splitter defend in the NBA? Will RJ, if he stays, get a better grip on his attention span? Will the Spurs add a low-cost wing that can defend better than some of their developmental players can?
So far, the Spurs have replaced Roger Mason with Anderson, Ratliff/Mahinmi with (we think)Tiago Splitter, now who replaces Bogans/Finley???
This cannot be stressed enough.
I thought Pop played small thinking it was an advantage, not a detriment to the team. Oh, and Bonner being out there is basically a fake small ball, since he plays offensively in the perimeter.
i only hope tiago's contributions on defense will be greater than duncan's decline on defense.
Hill and Manu will play minutes at the 1 even if George Temple gets some time. Anderson will provide shooting/scoring. I still think there is room for a cheap defender assuming Gee and Hairston aren't getting minutes. In that case you would be right for sure. The spurs should at the very least make calls to some of the mentioned defenders.
Also, I think Pop will promote Hill as the defensive stopper next season. I thought his defense was atrocious at times.
Not only has the Spurs perimeter defense gotten worse with the retirement of Bowen, their interior defense has gotten worse with Duncan's decline. As a result, it seems the defense has gotten progressively worse with each passing year.
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