Crunchtime the Spurs way Video

[BillMc]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:11002995

The interesting points:

Spurs won 19 of 24 close games this year. That may mean we're "clutch". It also might mean we're lucky. Many analysts think luck is the key factor in close games and see the results as close to random. Therefore, most teams, over time, should win about half of their close games. If you revert this seasons close games results to 50% we'd have won 12 of 24. Which means we'd have seven more losses without a "lucky" bounce.

The point of the video, however is that maybe it is not all luck. They show how effective the Spurs are at spreading out the "crunchtime" shots. (Crunchtime defined as games that were within 3 in the last 3 minutes of less), as opposed to, for example, the Knick's hero ball mode with Melo, who took more than a third of their crunchtime shots and won only 11 of 29 close games.

Here, according to the video is the Spurs's regular season crunchtime shot breakdown.

Tim: 18 (22%)
Tony: 18 (22%)
Manu: 12 (15%)
Kawhi: 7 (8%)
Boris: 7 (8%)
Marco: 7 (8%)
Tiago: 5 (6%)
Patty: 5 (6%)
Danny: 4 (5%)

All the usual suspects, though I'm surprised to see Danny below Patty and Tiago. I am also reminded how much more useful Marco was in the regular season than the postseason. I can't imagine Pop playing Marco at the end of a close playoff game unless someone was injured or had fouled out.

Pop still leans on the Big 3, and it's still working.

[PublicOption]

Thats why the spurs are getting blownout in the other teams building. They refs don't want it to be close because they cannot control the spurs and who will take this shot or that shot. Pop has made the spurs as ref proof as you can make a team..............which always gives us a chance......and why it looks obvious when the pick on us.

[BillMc]

Thats why the spurs are getting blownout in the other teams building. They refs don't want it to be close because they cannot control the spurs and who will take this shot or that shot. Pop has made the spurs as ref proof as you can make a team..............which always gives us a chance......and why it looks obvious when the pick on us.

I do agree that Pop's varied offense means foul trouble is not usually a problem in crunchtime. There's always a good player available on this team.