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I'll boil it down to two:
INTENSITY
THREE POINT SHOOTING
THAT'S IT.
1. Let Manu Shine
Manu Ginobili is built for this. He was born and bred to win single elimination games. He won't always make the perfect play but you can count on him being fearless and unafraid of the stage. On top of that, when the Hornets blitz the pick-and-rolls, Ginobili has the size to see over the trap. And with the three days rest, Ginobili versus any of the Hornets' perimeter defenders should be major mismatch.
2. The Secondary Pass
With the defense the Hornets are playing, the secondary pass is the most important pass in the offense. When Tim Duncan is doubled or the pick-and-roll is blitzed, the Hornets can cover that first pass. However, the second pass is the pass that should lead to open shots. Whenever the Spurs have made quick, decisive secondary passes, they've almost always gotten open shots in this series.
3. Control the Pace
The Spurs can't let the Hornets get out and run. Scoring easy transition baskets in New Orleans will get the crowd buzzing. To control the pace against this team, you have to avoid turnovers at all costs. But not only turnovers, the Spurs also have to avoid momentum changing blocked shots that lead to easy baskets. Playing smart and deliberate offensively in the half court sets should hopefully lead to a slower pace for the Hornets. That said, when the Spurs have a chance to run, they have to run and get easy baskets.
4. Fabricio Oberto
Fabricio Oberto not only needs to start, he needs to play as many minutes as possible. First of all, he's a very good passer -- especially when it comes to secondary passing. Second of all, he -- like Ginobili -- has grown up in that single elimination atmosphere. Thirdly, he has that championship chemistry on both ends of the court. Kurt Thomas doesn't have that chemistry and shouldn't be played much at all. To backup Oberto and Duncan, Robert Horry should be the first choice.
5. Be Physical with David West
Hopefully he's healthy by the start of Game 7. That said, the Spurs need to be physical with him. In the playoffs, you attack if you smell blood. In Game 5, the Spurs were much too soft with their play on West. If he's going to beat you, the Spurs should at least knock him around a bit and make him earn all the calls he gets.
6. Third Quarter
The third quarter has been death in New Orleans. The Spurs need to figure out a way to weather the storm in the beginning of the second half. Pressing fullcourt is one idea. Switching Bruce Bowen off on Chris Paul for the first half of the quarter is another idea. Whatever Pop decides, he has to make the Hornets uncomfortable. No matter what the score is at halftime, the Hornets will come out with confidence thinking it'll be their time to shine. The Spurs need a curveball to keep them off balance.
7. Shoot Confidently
The Spurs can get open looks against the Hornets. It's easy to say the Spurs need to hit their shots, but just as importantly the Spurs need to shoot the ball confidently. If they miss shots, they miss them. But there can't be any hesitating or second-guessing. Let it fly. If you lose but took the right shots, that's all Spurs fans can ask.
Believe.
1.
Last edited by timvp; 05-16-2008 at 04:08 PM.
I'll boil it down to two:
INTENSITY
THREE POINT SHOOTING
THAT'S IT.
Absolutely.
I feel our three point shooters should space the ball very well, making it harder for the Hornets to rotate. Ime and Manu did it and worked very well.
I wish we could do all that at once, it'd be like 105-40.
Drive the ball to the basket and make the refs call fouls. Don't just settle for jumpers.
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
DEFENSE
MAKE THE 3'S
simple
- Mars
Pop should start all the bench guys. Let them try to keep the score as close as possible, then when all the New Orleans starters get tired, put in all the freshly rested Spurs starters and blow them away.
Breaking down on defense and lack of offensive execution has been death for the Spurs in the 3rd quarter. I expect Pop to pull out all the stops including trapping CP3 up high or switching on every pic-n-roll.
They turn that tide and things will be OK.
Nothing more to add. Pop has three days to prepare. He should know how to motivate these guys.
per Alec Baldwin in Glen Gary Glen Ross "GET MEAN YOU SONS OF ES!"
• With their 99-80 loss, the Hornets fall to 16-27 this season (including the playoffs) in games in which they fail to score 100 points. In games where they eclipse 100 points they are 47-3.
I got the feeling that 7th game will be defined by 1 last shot
Making 3's should be #1. The Spurs need to have an epic shooting night to beat NOH. If they put up another mediocre shooting performance it's all over.
8. Robert Horry Must have him post up more players
I dunno man. Fab is been pretty ty this series. Thomas should be out there as many minutes as possible. Defense + Rebounding goes to Thomas.
The Spurs have beaten the Hornets the last 3 out of 4.
I like looking at it that way.
8. Don't let 4down dominate the offense.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95474
Those two together would be the death of any quarter.
Key 1: refs are consistent and unbiased. AND LET THEM PLAY
Thomas KILLS the Spurs offensively against the Hornets. They just don't score when Thomas is out there. The Hornets double off of Thomas and even if Thomas gets the ball, he's either missing the jumper or not making the right pass. Oberto in the same situation gets Duncan dunks against a rotating defense by making the right pass.
Neither one of them can guard West. Oberto actually has the mobility to possibly do it, while Thomas doesn't.
Besides if Duncan is on West, Oberto should be fine against Chandler. He'd probably even flop his way to a foul or two.
Cant add anything more...
Go Spurs Go!
Udoka, Horry, Finley and/or Barry.
There's a contract out there to be won on Monday.
Show the players the tape of the first half of game 7 2006.
This CANNOT happen EVER again!
If Game 7 is close heading into the 4th quarter - the Spurs win. BOOK IT.
New Orleans - you have 36 minutes to win that game.
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