I would like for the Spurs to start Barry instead of Finley. Barry will probably give you close to 20 if he starts if this three point shooting continues to be the way it has been. That will make the Hornets think twice about doubling Tim.
+ 1Oh and this series may end up proving why Phil Jackson>Pop. Pop's stubborness gets the better of him sometimes. His refusal to deviate from the gameplan is both a good thing and a bad thing.
I guarantee you, if the Hornets go on and win and play the Lakers, Phil Jackson will have a game plan that will make CP3 a non-factor and make the Hornets look average at best.
I agree that Pop at times can be stubborn. I hate that crap. I think is a fantastic coach. However, when his back is against the wall, he at times doesn't know what to do. I have faith that they will figure it out though.
3 point shooting is the key. Brent has to play, and they have to look for him. Manu has to knock them down. So does Fin. Do we see some Bonner v West?
We have no chance...
BELIEVE???
Amen. Pop needs to take a step back and see the results of his tinkering. In past playoff runs, Bowen always used to play the wing player and then switch onto a ball-dominant PG in crunch time. This year Pop started putting Bowen on Nash throughout, even during the regular season. Not only is this gimmick not working with Paul, the rest of the Hornets are also pouring it in.Oh and this series may end up proving why Phil Jackson>Pop. Pop's stubborness gets the better of him sometimes. His refusal to deviate from the gameplan is both a good thing and a bad thing.
I guarantee you, if the Hornets go on and win and play the Lakers, Phil Jackson will have a game plan that will make CP3 a non-factor and make the Hornets look average at best.
At the other end of the floor, however, Pop is not to blame. Scott has basically followed the 2004 Laker playbook, double Tim, pack the paint and dare the shooters to beat us. This is the exact opposite of what D'Antoni did in the last series when he dared the big 3 to score all the points. In recent playoff runs, other coaches have done what Scott did and have suffered at the hands off our outside shooters.
With Barry, Finley, Horry, Manu, Udoka and Bowen you'd think we could make a few more open looks. But a combination of our role players doing nothing in the last series, and generally playing hurt or playing like bums has made Scott look like a genius.
The Spurs' le teams have always had great 3-point shooting. The brickfest in games 1 and 2 is probably the beginning of the end of our run. I hope they can prove me wrong, though.
Experience can be an overrated commodity - especially when you're getting blown out. The Spurs have been dismal in 3rd quarters this season. As long as the Spurs continue getting blown out in 3rd quarters, the experience factor doesn't matter.
TRUE. DAT.
Good read, as usual.
Defense:
Tony on CP3: agreed
Bowen on Peja: agreed
Thomas (and defense by committee) on West
Duncan on anyone near the rim
Udoka on Bonzi (Udoka should only come in when Bonzi enters the game)
Finley on air
Offense:
We NEED a legitimate 3-point threat (Brent needs more minutes)
The Hornets' defense overpursues the basketball. We need to make them pay for that with some solid passing and pick-n-roll.
How about playing Duncan from the high post?
I also agree that Pop is trying to micro-manage the team. Stop being so damn gimmicky and just get back to basics.
Chris Paul on offense is killing the Spurs. I think the Spurs need to double him hard when he comes off the pick-and-roll (or perhaps better, mix it up, sometimes hard double, sometimes check and back off, sometimes switch). Stop his dribble and don't let him get into the paint (easier said than done).
The Spurs offense has gone into a deep funk every both 3rd periods so far. They looked drugged out there. I think they should start Barry instead of Finley starting in the 2nd half with a few plays to set up open shots for Barry and others.
Udoka has been horrible offensively in the playoffs. Maybe its playoff nerves for a Spur newbie. When he isn't hesitating to take the shot, his shots are way, way off line.
But all our shooters are not shooting the ball well from the perimeter. Bowen's streak the other night predictably ended. If we can't hit some 3s, its fishing time for the Spurs.
Put our best 5 against their best 5 at the start. That's what most teams do to assure that the other team has its hands full. If we can't win with those guys, then we deserve to lose to the better team.
Thanx for the recap Tim VP.
I failed to stay awake until tipoff (I'm in France) but seeing how it turns out I'm not that disapointed.
In Phoenix, they call that not playing your bench.
btw - you were way to soft on Tony Parker. He was horrible last night while also showing how fantastic Chris Paul is.
Spurs offense is simple. Tony penetrates, and one of three things happens:
1-Opponents stay home on Tim, Tony scores
2-Opponents switch off Tim onto Tony, Tim scores
3-Opponents sag into the lane, Bowen/Finley/Manu/Horry/whoever has an open 3.
NO are going with option 3. We MUST shoot those 3s with confidence. Although in game 2, Tony was simply missing his open 12-footers. He keeps doing that, this series is over.
Might as well start Barry. He couldn't do worse than Finley. And Udoka's not getting it done offensively either.
The Hornets are the hungrier team. That's the first thing. Also, whoever it was that said that Byron Scott has implemented the same defensive strategy that Colonel Sanders used to beat us back in 2004 is correct. Pressuring Tim and keeping Tony from driving the lane have worked. I think every team tries to keep Tony out of the paint, just very few teams have the tools to do it like NO has. The sad part is that I thought Tony had matured beyond the point where simply keeping him out of the lane was going to nullify his game.
The Spurs are going to have to take CP3 out of the game somehow. Parker on Paul and others helping out is the only way to do it I think. If Paul isn't creating, then Peja and West have it a lot harder by default. Paul has really impressed me so far. I always thought Tony and CP were nearly neck and neck as far as what they bring to a team, but so far in this series CP has been the superior talent. Parker needs to change that...and I think he can but time is running short.
Pop needs to get on the phone with his fellow coaching fraternity brothers and come up with something quick. So far, however, Pop's Nellie imitation in this series isn't working. Maybe Pop should just give up the gimmicks, say screw it, and just tell the fellas to go out there and run.
Last edited by Ed Helicopter Jones; 05-06-2008 at 11:09 AM.
I wrote a similar comment in your game 1 thoughts. Going back to hack-a-Shaq in the Suns series, it feels like Pop's micro-management of games and use of every single, possible advantage is a product of him trying to manufacture winning by something other than letting his team just play the game.
Duncan needs some serious help in the front court by way of length and athleticism. And, Tony Parker needs a back-up who either is a great play maker or great shot maker. There continues to be so much pressure on Tim, Manu, and Parker that when even one is subpar, it's a struggle for the Spurs to win. With two of them struggling, it seems like the game won't even be compe ive. Forget about all three struggling. That's a wrap.
I know that Pop and RC built the team around Duncan and Parker and Ginobili to be very good three point shooters. But, the strategy should change slightly. Chris Paul is doing the doubling a lot. Parker generally waits for the kick out in the midrange area and then wants to make his move after getting the kick out pass. He needs to be more aggressive slashing to the rim without the ball when Duncan is doubled. Spacing is crucial. Oberto or Thomas have to get out of the way. If instead of Bowen's corner three pointers at roughly 40% the Spurs are getting Tony Parker lay-ups at about 90%, the double team on Duncan will become softer. Slash without the basketball off of the Duncan double teams.
Defensively, I think the Spurs are ok. Kurt Thomas played David West better, but I also think West rushed his shots early in the game and just missed some shots he normally makes later on. I tend to agree with what most of you have said already and just try to take Peja out of the equation. Paul and West will be productive whether the Spurs play great defense or not. But, Peja's game can be countered and defended. Take him out of the game, and the Spurs could be in better position to win games.
Rough start. But, the series is far from over. The Spurs need to play great to get back in it. And, they are fully capable of playing great.
Oh and this series may end up proving why Phil Jackson>Pop. Pop's stubborness gets the better of him sometimes. His refusal to deviate from the gameplan is both a good thing and a bad thing.
I guarantee you, if the Hornets go on and win and play the Lakers, Phil Jackson will have a game plan that will make CP3 a non-factor and make the Hornets look average at best.
You are right about that. God forbid we lose this series and they move on to play the Lakers, you can bet that Kobe will spend tons of time on CP. Phil Jackson will have a gameplan for him. Kobe is an all world defender and Fisher isn't a slouch himself. But I expect Kobe to spend time on him. But again thats if these series numbers hold up. Hopefully for the Spurs we will be planning on defending Kobe.
IMO, TD played OK, but was not by any mean dominant. Parker & Ginobili both sucked. TD is being limited by the double-team and Ginobili by injury. But WTF is going on with Parker?
Anyway, a lot of interesting ideas on this thread. This is what I like so far:
1) Start Ginobili
2) Bowen on Peja
3) Parker on Paul
4) I'm fine with Udoka defending Wells (but he should take less shots)
5) More PT for Barry
6)
The must important thing is that we MUST MAKE the open 3's.
Does anyone think that CP3 will allow this hornets team to lose 4 of the next 5?
No way your crazy.Well, i think Spurs need great changes for next year.
They are tired. Old is fine when you have 2 or 3 vet players... not 10-12.
in 2 games vs Spurs
Peja is unbelievable ! 7-11 3pt + 47 pts
Chandler is great. 6-9 2pt + great defense + 26 reb
Morris Peterson 5-6 2pt 3-4 3pt
CP3 is CP3 !!!
David West was horrible in offense yesterday but he had 10 pts (6/6 FT) 10 reb and 5 ast in that game.
All team play great defense !!! All team is full of confidence !
Come on, i am a ing great fan of the Spurs... but they are too old.
Manu played a fantastic season but he's not 100% healthy for the playoffs.
Bad luck.
Hornets, Lakers, Jazz, Blazers... Young players, a lot of talent, a lot of athleticism.
Spurs need great changes for next year.
I still believe though...
I must be crazy.
We have every right to be confident even though we've lost two.
Stopping Peja is should be our first priority, and I think we can do that. Bowen, like timvp asid, has had great success against Peja in the past, and there's no reason why that should change.
We also need to hit our outside shots. We need to make them pay for clogging the middle.
Game five we do all of this, and we get the win.
It's not time to worry yet. They did what they were supposed to do, now it's time for us to do what we have to do.
Maybe not. However, I think that Manu, Tim, and Tony will, will this team to four in a row. Believe 1Parker1
+1. Paul is still human.
Spurs have been overachieving for years as an organization. You can't expect to meet a DAntoni in every series to make it easy for you guys.
With Parker on Paul, the offense is likely to suffer further. It's kind of take your poison situation. I maintain that the only solution is for TD to strongly score against double teaming and go from there.
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