Found an article that called out SA as living by the 3-pointer. I don't know if I necessarily agree considering as NO will probably make more perimeter adjustments for game 4 that will open up the inside and also Tony Parker was hot in traffic last night.
Just thought it was worth sharing:
Spurs Return to Championship Form
Tony Parker for playoffs MVP
Live by the 3.
Die by the 3.
If your 3-point shooting stays hot, you can destroy a team from the perimeter...and that also pulls the defenders out and opens up the lane for Parker or Ginobili.
If your 3-point shooting goes cold, well, then you're ed.
Good point.
The Spurs tried for threes in the first two games and couldn't hit 'em from what I saw.
Gotta give NO's defence some credit for really making the Spurs miss a lot of shots they normally would have made.
NO's defense had not alot to do with SA firing blanks in the first two games. They were mostly open looks...some in the flow of the offense and some rushed. SA just couldn't buy a bucket.
I'm not happy with the idea that the Spurs chances rest on the shooting % from 3pt land...that is just too risky. We can't live with that, we have to continue to find a way to get into the paint, even with them packing it. Otherwise you risk 2 more bad shooting nights from 3 ending the year for us.
read the article, thought that he is a casual fan. What the is he talking about with Duncan not showing emotion? What do you want, KG?
Yep, that is probably it. moving on...
Spurs return to Championship form
at 12:54 AM
I'm not sure which is the bigger story from tonight's matchup between San Antonio and New Orleans in the Western Conference Semifinal. First is the Spurs resurgence in game 3. Tim Duncan and company looked like they were pressing in the first half and had their backs against the wall. In the second half it was a different story as they came out like caged animals and really took it to New Orleans as they built up their lead, capped by Bruce Bowen's 3-pointer from the corner leading to a Hornets time out.
As I watched the second half of tonight's game I saw San Antonio convince itself it was still the reigning champs and the team regained its typical calm induced by the best coach in basketball, Gregg Popovich. Where things stand for the Spurs right now I still feel like they're reeling a bit and I am still struggling to see them move on to face Los Angeles in the Conference Finals.
The reason for that feeling, Chris Paul (I'm not a fan of the CP3 abbreviation, so you will never read it on the site aside from this reference. Nicknames should be inspiring or intimidating like "The Big Hurt" or "Air Jordan." Even "Lefty" or "Hefty" for Phil Mickelson is better than Paul's handle.)
Chris Paul looked absolutely incredible at times tonight. There were points in the game where Paul looked as dominant as any player has looked this playoffs, short of Duncan's game 1 performance against Phoenix. David West was solid in the first half and disappeared as the game wore on, and some miscues on offense as the Spurs pulled away ultimately led to the defeat. However, Paul and company are dangerous and San Antonio is living on the 3-ball right now. As Paul continues to drive the lane and create, his impact can really only be minimized by strong shooting from the Spurs and Tony Parker creating plays.
Tim Duncan looked better tonight than in the first two games of the series. However, there still isn't a fire in his eyes like there was against Phoenix, and I'm simply not buying the illness holding on this long. Duncan even said before tonight's game that he was feeling 100% better, but to me he still looked like he had no emotion. I know Duncan's lack of emotion is as expected as Joey Chestnut or Takeru Kobayashi's lack of appe e on July 5, but in Phoenix he was the leader of his team, and so far against New Orleans he has been a role playing with little fire.
For the Spurs to win the series, even with some momentum from tonight's win, they're going to have to keep hitting big threes. Right now New Orleans is giving them the open looks as they double up Duncan, but quicker rotations in game 4 could be all the Hornets need to slow the Spurs offense. The Spurs remind me of this year's Duke Blue Devils team where eventually the threes won't go in and the team will crumble. Maybe Ginobili, Parker and Finley will keep connecting, but without a strong interior presence, they don't have the luxury of many off nights.
Watching Chris Paul and Tony Parker go toe-to-toe tonight (Paul 35 pts, 9 assists; Parker 31 pts, 11 assists) was truly exciting to watch and gave me renewed hope in the NBA and reminded me how special this year's playoffs are to watch.
Even Kobe Bryant can't deny that Chris Paul looked like the MVP tonight
Spurs didn't shoot the 3-ball THAT well - They hit 44% for the game. That's about their average during their championship run.
The difference is, they were also hitting regular jumpers, and that includes Thomas, Parker, Finley, Manu, Tim, etc. They can't win games if they aren't knocking down those, as well as driving in for layups or trying to get a foul called. Because if you aren't making THOSE, then the 3 point line is a lot easier to defend.
NO is going to make TD work a lot more than Phoenix did, but they don't really have anyone who can stop Manu and Parker when they're hitting their jumpers. Similarly, no one can really stop Chris Paul when he is hitting his. The key is locking down their 3 point shooters, mainly Peja, and hitting our jump shots - not just 3's, but 2's.
So, I think that article is wrong, basically. They didn't win the game because they hit 3's - they won the game because they were hitting their jump shots at a much more efficient percentage.
I think they can maintain 40% from 3. that will be good enough for a win.
Keep shooting is what I say. Of course as soon as they miss a few they'll catch for it.
Live by the 3, Die by the 3.
Cue UVA basketball.
- Mars
I thought that was Duke basketball...
Duke usually lives, and UVA usually dies.I thought that was Duke basketball...
- Mars
Maybe the league needs to take away the 3 point shot too.
As long as they keep doubling Duncan early, the Spurs are going to get a shooter an open perimeter shot.
These guys SHOULD be hitting 40% out there with the wide open looks they have been getting.
Then you free up TD if NO if the man doubling him off the shooter is going to cheat towards the shooter more.For the Spurs to win the series, even with some momentum from tonight's win, they're going to have to keep hitting big threes. Right now New Orleans is giving them the open looks as they double up Duncan, but quicker rotations in game 4 could be all the Hornets need to slow the Spurs offense. The Spurs remind me of this year's Duke Blue Devils team where eventually the threes won't go in and the team will crumble. Maybe Ginobili, Parker and Finley will keep connecting, but without a strong interior presence, they don't have the luxury of many off nights.
The Spurs have been doing this for years. Next.
you have to take open looks. these are pros and you have to give them the benefit of the doubt that they will hit a majority of wide open looks.
i dont think it's impossible to suggest that the spurs hit upwards of 40% of their 3's from this point on as long as timmy is getting that double. the shots are there, it's just up to them to hit them.
the hornets on the other hand are either taking 3's that open up from broken plays, transistion or in the case of peja, with a defender in his face. he's a great shooter so he's gonna hit a decent clip even with bowen all over him, like i saw him do in game 3 at least once.
I was impressed at the strategy the Spurs had of getting the ball to Timmy, letting him draw the double team then shunt the ball off to the perimeter to find the open guy for the three.
I am somewhat new to basketball, but the fact that Timmy just seemed to be waiting for the double to come in was pretty obvious to me.
Adapt, adjust, and overcome is a military mantra, and the former Air Force Academy graduate seems to have adopted it.
Shooting 20 threes is one thing, shooting 40 threes is something else. The Spurs spent too much time settling for threes instead of setting plays up for them in the first two games. The second they do that again they'll see the same results.
Actually I think we need a four point shot as well.
I feel quite comfortable with the Spurs ability to maintain a 40% 3pt clip. Especially if Pop unleashes the mango tree.
you've been around the political forum for at least two or three years now, how new could you be?
The Spurs were succesful hitting them becasue of the terrific ball movement; they showed great patience, read the matchups very well, and that resulted in high % shooting.
As long as they don't rush they half-court game like they did in game 2, they'll be fine.
The only Spurs team that I can think of that didn't rely heavily on the three point shot in the playoffs was the 1999 team, but even saying that is a stretch.
In 2003, the Spurs were heavily reliant on guys like SJax, Manu, Kerr, Bowen and Claxton for mid range and three point jumpers off of the Duncan double.
In 2004, the Spurs were sunk entirely because no one but Devin could hit an open shot.
In 2005, when the Spurs all but stopped playing grind it out, slow it down basketball, three point shooting was key to beating Phoenix and Seattle for sure, but it was also an extremely important part of the games we won against the Pistons
2006-- ya, well obviously three point shooting was pretty important in those crazy Dallas games
2007-- the best jump shooting team the spurs have had in the modern era, the three point shot was key to beating younger and more athletic teams Denver, Utah, and Phoenix
Any offensive system that is half court oriented that goes through the post as a primary option is going to require perimeter players to hit open shots at a high clip from 3. That's the reason the spurs have been able to get away with such a veteran laden team for the past three years, if you have to chose between letting Duncan go off or giving Bruce Bowen an open three--well that's not much of a choice is it?
I'm not crazy about becoming heavily dependent on threes, but if teams are going to dare the Spurs to beat them from behind the three point line, I think the Spurs have enough sharp shooters to make them pay on most nights.
One benefit of living by the three is that the Spurs can still score even when the refs are swallowing their whistles and letting opposing defenses are getting away with all kinds of contact around the basket. Of course, the flip side of this is that it's less likely the other team will get into foul trouble, but if the refs aren't calling the fouls that's pretty much a moot point anyway.
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