Pop doesn't get it... Small ball doesn't work and never has

[XDT76]

Spurs have been playing micro ball all year. They have too many undersized players that can only be guards but are forced to play out of position at forward spots. This is just another example how poorly constructed this roster is. They desperately need a legit SF and PF.

I nearly go crazy when we played Keldon as the 5 despite for a short stretch some time back (In the game that Poeltl and Landale were elbowed, we still have Young and Eubank).

[XDT76]

The Warriors bigs Bogus and Donkey were allowed to get away with so much bull , false screens, Donkey kicks all the while the opponents in all 3 rounds were decimated with timely injuries.
Credit to how good Lebron was that he made it a series with Kyrie blowing out a knee.
Warrior bigs impressive? Not really.

I was so pissed that Green was allowed to blatantly hold onto defenders Jersey to get Curry free without any consequence.

[GAustex]

It's amazing how the winningest coach of all time gets it wrong so often.

[daslicer]

I nearly go crazy when we played Keldon as the 5 despite for a short stretch some time back (In the game that Poeltl and Landale were elbowed, we still have Young and Eubank).

What did for me was seeing the game where the Spurs played the Knicks at home. At one point in the game, they had Keldon at Center and Lonnie playing the PF trying to guard Randle. That to me was just the mark of absurdity.

[daslicer]

The Warriors bigs Bogus and Donkey were allowed to get away with so much bull , false screens, Donkey kicks all the while the opponents in all 3 rounds were decimated with timely injuries.
Credit to how good Lebron was that he made it a series with Kyrie blowing out a knee.
Warrior bigs impressive? Not really.

I actually agree with you. Draymond to me is manufactured defensive star in the sense the refs allow him to get away with hacking guys along with grabbing their jerseys. If he played on crappy team like the Thunder he would be out of the league once his contract ended.

[paperboy77]

I think a lot of people are clueless about the defensive side of the game. Even though the league is more offense oriented today you still need to be good defensively to be an elite team. That's very hard to achieve if you are an undersized team at multiple positions.

People have this obsession with saying Warriors won with small ball but it's only a half truth. Even the 2015 team was a big team with Bogut starting at center and Ezeli backing him up. The only guy who was undersized was Draymond at PF but he has a long wingspan that makes up for him being a little small on the height side. That team did have the death line up where they would play Lee at Center, but they could only get away with it for small stretches in a game. No way they could play a full game and have success with that line up consistently.

The worst thing the Warriors did was give this league an illusion that you could win les by jacking up 3's and playing small ball. They have been so many failed copycats going that route the last several years. I still remember how dumb Mowry was when he thought the Rockets could win a le by being a small team and got rid of Capela.

Kind of agree on your last point. I think the media made it seem like anyone could be Curry. Next, the suckers that take their words to heart carried the torch from there.

[Chinook]

LeBron is huge.

You're correct, but you're missing the context of the comment. People were questioning whether James/Davis as a PF/C could win based on their size. The answer is obviously yes. James has already proven that he could be a PF on a le team even back in the day. They shouldn't be in the discussion of small-ball teams. The same is true when guys like KD or PG play the four. There's a huge difference between those guys and someone like Keldon or DeRozan playing the position. I think a lot of fans get that, but some don't agree apparently.

[XDT76]

You're correct, but you're missing the context of the comment. People were questioning whether James/Davis as a PF/C could win based on their size. The answer is obviously yes. James has already proven that he could be a PF on a le team even back in the day. They shouldn't be in the discussion of small-ball teams. The same is true when guys like KD or PG play the four. There's a huge difference between those guys and someone like Keldon or DeRozan playing the position. I think a lot of fans get that, but some don't agree apparently.

Playing small balls actually require the PF/C to have a high level of physical ability and skill, looking the successful cases those guys are strong, long, athletic and skillful. When looking at the cases that doesn't work they are either missing 1, 2 or 3 of those. Playing under size player who don't have the ability is call playing a screwed up line-up not small ball. Small ball is not new, Charles Barley has been a PF all his NBA life and no one think any other PF in the NBA can walk over him.

[TDMVPDPOY]

remember 06 mavs beat spurms in wcf?

pop went looking for small ball lineup like the mavs, by wasting like 6years draft picks looking for that backup pg and wingman....

[ducks]

He literally thinks it means putting smaller players to play positions that aren't their natural position... No small ball team has ever won a ring... Matter of fact, they all were bigger than average teams...

Before this era, small ball was intiguing because not many bigs shot threes very well, so u had to put a smaller player... In this era where there's more space, and the rules are different, small ball gets punished because the best teams play big... Bucks are HUGE... The Cavs sucked until they started playing their twin towers... Now they're a really good team... Grizzlies sucked until they started playing their twin towers... Now they're a really good team... Even Curry's warriors were on the bigger side when they won rings...

We need to start another actual big player longside Poetl... Bring either either kedlon or Doug off the bench... Kelson is NOT a pf... He is and always has been a SG/SF... His strength is rendered useless against ppl bigger than him... When he plays against SF he can body them inside, and he can still keep up with them on defense...

Big teams win... Cut the small ball

Pop voted for biden
Enough said

[ducks]

It's amazing how the winningest coach of all time gets it wrong so often.

David Robison and Duncan saved his ass
Up to a point Leonard did then he bolted
Look what he has done without those 3 players
How many wins did he get without those 3 players
Then many of the wins also have hall of famer tp and a player named manu

[daslicer]

remember 06 mavs beat spurms in wcf?

pop went looking for small ball lineup like the mavs, by wasting like 6years draft picks looking for that backup pg and wingman....

One of Pop's many dumb moves because allegedly Nazr and Rasho couldn't guard Dirk. Still Dirk wasn't going to get his regardless of who was guarding him. The key problem was the Spurs gave up too many second chance points due to the stupid small ball line up.

[daslicer]

David Robison and Duncan saved his ass
Up to a point Leonard did then he bolted
Look what he has done without those 3 players
How many wins did he get without those 3 players
Then many of the wins also have hall of famer tp and a player named manu

Agreed the NBA is the league where coaching is greatly overrated. Coaching can only influence 5 percent of the game at best and that's through subs utions, match ups, and refs. The rest is determined by the players.

[DAF86]

The Spurs do need to add length though. We already have a 7 feet wingspan all-star PG. Let's build around that and form the longest team in the NBA. That doesn't mean getting an old-fashioned bigman PF. A 6'8/6'9" ish guy that can move, rebound and alter shots at the rim would be ideal. I wanna bully teams inside, get most of the rebounds and be a hard team to score on.

[John B]

Agreed the NBA is the league where coaching is greatly overrated. Coaching can only influence 5 percent of the game at best and that's through subs utions, match ups, and refs. The rest is determined by the players.

So the Beautiful Game was 95% determined by the players who figured out by themselves the picks and screens and ball movements? I guess MJ taught himself the triangle offense? And players just decided by themselves how to attack zones, or how to defend Harden or closeout Steph. Interesting

[RC_Drunkford]

The Spurs do need to add length though. We already have a 7 feet wingspan all-star PG. Let's build around that and form the longest team in the NBA. That doesn't mean getting an old-fashioned bigman PF. A 6'8/6'9" ish guy that can move, rebound and alter shots at the rim would be ideal. I wanna bully teams inside, get most of the rebounds and be a hard team to score on.

John Collins cough...

I'd be even more pleased if we could somehow draft Banchero or Smith, but the chances are pretty slim

[rankingtear]

100% sure Pop would trade Keldon for Mobley.

Keldon is small but we still play a traditional big , i don't see why this is considered small ball might as well call Jazz a small ball team they have the shortest starting lineup in the league.

[r0drig0lac]

Pop loves micro ball, it's not a lineup issue (which is also his responsibility), if he's going to try something different, he'll always be using smaller lineups and not the other way around.

[John B]

^ because contrary to some belief, coaching is reacting to the other teams’ coaching. If the opponent go big, Pop could counter getting small and fast. I personally like small ball IF you can sustain it with great shooting and crisp ball movement. A great team could impose their style of play and force the opponent to play their style. The Spurs is far from it especially with what I think Pop is trying to create, fast tempo with plenty of passes. I really think PJ Washington and Kai Jones for Poeltl would’ve been ideal. I can see PATFO to find something similar this off season.

[exstatic]

[John B]

The perfect small ball poison. This with KD playing in high level would impose their style and force opponent to adapt. I doubt Shaq and Kobe could outscore 120 points with Shaq too slow and unable to hit free throws, especially if KD were on the lineup. I like Spurs 2014 chances with Kawhi and Green clamping on defense, Kawhi almost single-handledly did before getting Zaza’d, and that’s without Timmy, and with older TP/Manu. Bulls 1995 with MJ/Rodman and Pippen’s defense would also beat this team.

[exstatic]

The perfect small ball poison. This with KD playing in high level would impose their style and force opponent to adapt. I doubt Shaq and Kobe could outscore 120 points with Shaq too slow and unable to hit free throws, especially if KD were on the lineup. I like Spurs 2014 chances with Kawhi and Green clamping on defense, Kawhi almost single-handledly did before getting Zaza’d, and that’s without Timmy, and with older TP/Manu. Bulls 1995 with MJ/Rodman and Pippen’s defense would also beat this team.

They did it once without KD, playing 6’6” Draymond at center, and are poised for another run, also without KD.

[KingKev]

They did it once without KD, playing 6’6” Draymond at center, and are poised for another run, also without KD.

Draymond’s D is pretty elite however. Solid basketball IQ and not tasked with much else.

[XDT76]

Draymond’s D is pretty elite however. Solid basketball IQ and not tasked with much else.

U mean nut kicking, Jersey pulling and moving screens? Yap he was great in those aspects.

[KingKev]

U mean nut kicking, Jersey pulling and moving screens? Yap he was great in those aspects.

Bowen had his moments too. I’m not a huge Draymond fan but he is definitely a guy you want on your team.