Spurs' defense 2008-09

[Solid D]

The Spurs' defense may have a slightly different look this season, judging by how the Spurs have been playing in the pre-season. Coach Brett Brown said during the Spurs v. Heat post-game interview that the Spurs had noticed how Boston had kept Kobe Bryant's Lakers from scoring on the interior by packing the lane. So the Spurs have changed their approach somewhat by sagging to close the lane and, in so doing, aren't playing the outside as tight. Miami made the Spurs pay by knocking down a rather high number of outside shots.

The Boston defense, directed by Tom Thibodeau, was pretty amazing last year but collapsing the lane wasn't the only key to their success. Their effort in closing out on shooters and defending the arc was equally impressive. If the Spurs wish to emulate the Boston defensive interior techniques, they must first be willing to commit to extra effort out on the floor, too.

Has anyone else noticed a different look on defensive assignments this season?

[honestfool84]

i haven't even seen a game!

-_-
i can't wait till the regular season starts.
gosh dangit.

[exstatic]

Have they broadcast any PS games locally? The schedules shows nada.

[angelbelow]

interesting.

[SequSpur]

preseason..

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Solid D, do you think the Spurs have the ability to make that "new" strategy work?

I am starting to worry about the team defensively sometimes (usually it's the offense that is the major concern with this team). Last year their opposing FG% was way below par. It seemed like teams were shooting around 45% against the Spurs on several nights.

[Bruno]

The 2006 series against Mavs has been a huge turn in Spurs defensive philosophy.

Before that, Spurs defense what built on a strong interior defense with some big shot blockers to contest shots.
In the series against Mavs, Dirk and his perimeter game quite destroyed this philosophy.
To answer at that, Spurs' D changed. The main focus was to play solid man to man defense and not to foul players to give easy points.

I'm not sure that going back to the old Spurs defense is the way to go. The team isn't just build for that. When it comes at defending the rim, Rasho and Nazr are way better than Oberto and Thomas.

[Obstructed_View]

The Spurs' defense may have a slightly different look this season, judging by how the Spurs have been playing in the pre-season. Coach Brett Brown said during the Spurs v. Heat post-game interview that the Spurs had noticed how Boston had kept Kobe Bryant's Lakers from scoring on the interior by packing the lane. So the Spurs have changed their approach somewhat by sagging to close the lane and, in so doing, aren't playing the outside as tight. Miami made the Spurs pay by knocking down a rather high number of outside shots.

The Boston defense, directed by Tom Thibodeau, was pretty amazing last year but collapsing the lane wasn't the only key to their success. Their effort in closing out on shooters and defending the arc was equally impressive. If the Spurs wish to emulate the Boston defensive interior techniques, they must first be willing to commit to extra effort out on the floor, too.

Has anyone else noticed a different look on defensive assignments this season?

So instead of teaching Michael Finley to stop sagging off his man and leaving him wide open for a three when he wasn't going to do anything inside but screen his own teammates, we just have everyone do it and hope there's such a logjam in there that people miss baskets. I guess that's what you've got to do when you decide that you don't need aggressive, shot blocking big guys like James Gist and Darryl Watkins.

[Obstructed_View]

Before that, Spurs defense what built on a strong interior defense with some big shot blockers to contest shots.
In the series against Mavs, Dirk and his perimeter game quite destroyed this philosophy.

I don't know what series you were watching, but Dirk destroyed the Spurs by going to the rim, as did Jason Terry, Devin Harris and Jerry Stackhouse. They were able to do it because Nazr and Rasho didn't play in the final five games of the series. Pop waved the white flag on a defensive philosophy that won 63 games without a shot being fired.

The small lineups got better at playing defense by the end of that series, and wasn't a huge problem at all last year. Kobe Bryant's inability to miss a shot and the Spurs' inability to make one was what ultimately doomed them at the end.

[Bruno]

I don't know what series you were watching, but Dirk destroyed the Spurs by going to the rim, as did Jason Terry, .

RIF

I didn't say "Dirk destroyed Spurs with his perimeter game".
Pop gave up his defensive philosophy because of Dirk's perimeter game. He put Rasho and Nazr in the doghouse because of that.

Was he right or not to do that ?
We disagree on that but WGAF? it's the past and what is done is done.
The only interesting thing is the consequences.
The main consequence is Spurs have changed their roster after that and aren't able anymore to play their old "hard" defense. They had to stick with their new "soft" defense.

[Obstructed_View]

RIF

I didn't say "Dirk destroyed Spurs with his perimeter game".
Pop give up his defensive philosophy because of Dirk's perimeter game. He put Rasho and Nazr in the Doghouse because of that.

I'm well aware that you didn't say that. I said it. It's the only thing Dirk destroyed, and the only way he did it.

Rasho and Nazr were getting their minutes shaved in favor of small lineups in the Sacramento series, so I'm puzzled as to how Dirk had anything to do with that. The Spurs had put both centers at the end of the bench by game three against Dallas. Nobody on the team except Timmy showed up for game 2 against Dallas, and that was enough excuse for Pop. Oberto promptly leapfrogged them in the rotation, and the Spurs promptly got bounced out of the playoffs due to a complete inability to challenge shots at the rim, despite packing the lane with legendary shot blockers like Michael Finley and Robert Horry.

That Pop has scrapped the defensive philosophy is not at issue. Suggesting Dirk had anything to do with destroying a philsophy that Pop was well on his way to abandoning before the Spurs even advanced to the second round is THE ONLY part of your post that I disagree with.

[Solid D]

preseason..

Actually, I got the impression from Coach Brown's comments that the Spurs had put this twist to the defense in this year and not for just the pre-season.

Solid D, do you think the Spurs have the ability to make that "new" strategy work?

I am starting to worry about the team defensively sometimes (usually it's the offense that is the major concern with this team). Last year their opposing FG% was way below par. It seemed like teams were shooting around 45% against the Spurs on several nights.

If the Spurs can't solve the pick and pop and aren't quick enough, then good outside shooting teams will punish the Spurs.

I've been concerned for the past two years about the Spurs' interior defense but they won in 2006-07 with pretty good defense and good offensive execution. The offensive execution got "spotty" in 2007-08, so they only made it to the final group of four.

I'm not worried, it's pre-season, but I don't expect greatness early in the year. I do think the Spurs can still hold teams to around 90 points per game. If they don't, they'll be fortunate to get the 7th or 8th seed, the way the West is stacked.

[Bruno]

Rasho and Nazr were getting their minutes shaved in favor of small lineups in the Sacramento series, so I'm puzzled as to how Dirk had anything to do with that.

Sacramento played a lot of small ball in that series.
Dallas stayed big.

That's a huge difference.

[Obstructed_View]

Sacramento played a lot of small ball in that series.
Dallas stayed big.

That's a huge difference.

I agree. It might have been a decent idea in the Sacramento series, but it couldn't have been a worse idea against Dallas. The point is, Pop clearly had it in his head to start messing with the lineups way before they met up with Dallas. That it didn't present a favorable matchup with Dallas and they began giving up gobs of points in the paint is now historical fact. Dirk didn't destroy the defensive philosophy with his outside shooting, he capitalized on the lack of shot blocking to score inside, as did the rest of his team.

[Obstructed_View]

I've been concerned for the past two years about the Spurs' interior defense but they won in 2006-07 with pretty good defense and good offensive execution. The offensive execution got "spotty" in 2007-08, so they only made it to the final group of four.

I was really concerned at first, but the smaller group learned how to play together, and the defense got better again. Much of the reason they gave up so many points against Dallas was just due to those players having to adjust to such a massive fundamental change on-the-fly. That's why now I say that I'd like to see someone like Watkins brought in, but don't think it's going to be the determining factor.

I think Pop abandoned the true center concept a couple of years too soon, particularly with the size some of the other West teams are putting out there now.