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Explain to me how running the pick and roll is something new for anyone on the team?
I might suggest that a new system might be worth a couple of reserves, perhaps even a starter, but the new system is far more conducive to winning than the old one. If I have to explain to you what Manu means to the team, or what tall people mean to a team playing against Shaq and Amare, then you clearly haven't been paying attention.
Basically, the three that Grant banked in was the difference in the game. Contratulations. When's the parade?
Game is on again on ESPN 2
Even if the new system is far more conducive to winning, it's still a new system, both offensively and defensively. Teams don't usually master their new coach's plan in the first game of the season. It's difficult to compare the absence of Manu to the implementation of a new system, though, because one's less easy to quantify than the other. But paul had a point that the Suns were disadvantaged by the fact that they haven't had a lot of time with the new system.Explain to me how running the pick and roll is something new for anyone on the team?
I might suggest that a new system might be worth a couple of reserves, perhaps even a starter, but the new system is far more conducive to winning than the old one. If I have to explain to you what Manu means to the team, or what tall people mean to a team playing against Shaq and Amare, then you clearly haven't been paying attention.
This is a joke, right?Basically, the three that Grant banked in was the difference in the game. Contratulations. When's the parade?
I know this is too early but I watched all Spurs games since 2003 until now and I can say this: Beside Duncan and Tony (Manu), Mason can contribute a little bit and Finley will be inconsistent in scoring. Everyone else is just non existent in the soreboard. Again we will rely heavily on Big 3 and sometimes Mason or Finley will get hot....the rest of the team are just cheerleaders, although they contribute in rebounds and defense. We definitely got no bench so I guess Manu can play from bench,although I want to see him start. Cant wait to see how Mahinmi play his role. Spurs bench sucks like pussies
Glad you have the stones to express your opinion, but that's al that is.
Okay. Congratulations on your completely intact team from last year with one of the best point guards in the league being able to overcome the disadvantage that is the arrival of a really good coach and a system that allows the team to get stops, control the clock and for the best players to be rested during crunch time, particularly against that daunting Spurs front line, not to mention the waves of defenders they had to fight off in the process. Those three point attempts by Parker and Duncan were masterpieces of end-game execution.
As the fan of a team with two point guards and one shot blocker may I say that I hope your team finds a way to survive such hardships during the upcoming season.
Last edited by Obstructed_View; 10-30-2008 at 02:57 AM.
I did not get to watch the live game because I was at the Kings of Leon concert. I am watching the replay and these are my observations for the first half.
People have been way overreacting. The first half was solid overall. I like how they are going to Tim and spacing the floor. Tim is being aggressive and people are in the right spots. People are getting good looks and they just have to knock them down, which Mason did. Matt Bonner had a very good first half, but judging by everyone's comments his second half did not match his first. But if Bonner can string two halves together like the first, the Spurs will really benefit. Parker looked good and as I have said before, TP and Tim are going to have to average 48-50 points in order for the Spurs to win.
As always, the defense looked pretty good. The Suns had some nice shooting and Shaq made free throws at the end of the second quarter. I think there were nice defensive plays all around, but the Suns just hit some shots. Once again, judging by the comments it seems as if the Spurs defense worsens in the second half. I will see. It is going to come down to the Spurs staying disciplined and confident. The offense looks good running through TP and Tim, it will just be up to the rest of the guys to hit their open looks.
3rd quarter has been a different story than the first half. Most noticeable difference is all of the easy layups (Shaq, Barnes, Nash) that have come of bad transition defense along with bad rotations. Bruce is struggling very badly as Nash is just moving by him effortlessly. Bonner seems to be a player that only plays well if you coddle him. He started by making some poor decisions and missed some shots and then it steamrolled his game.
I forgot how "great" ST was after a loss : this player sucks, Spurs are done, Spurs should have drafted this player...
The Spurs had won 11 straight season openers, which was tied for the longest such streak in NBA history. Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan both lost a season opener for the first time in their careers.
Duncan and Tony Parker led San Antonio with 32 points each. It was the first time the Spurs had two players score at least 30 points in a season opener since 1988. It was also the first time this happened in the NBA since 2005 when Allen Iverson and Chris Webber did it for the 76ers.
The defense needs work but I thought it was a good effort overall. I think some of that was due to the fact that we are so used to playing one Phoenix team and this one is completely different. I was encouraged by Mason's play. He looked a little lost during the preseason but it seems like he is starting to find himself within the system. We are going to need this type of play from him pretty consistently while Manu is out.
The odds were certainly stacked against us last night and we took a good team right down to the wire. This is one of the few losses I have watched where I left feeling more good then bad.
Nothing difficult to master about not taking quick shots, slow down the offense unless there is a break opportunity, dump the ball inside and swing it around, rebound and play defense.
This is not the triangle, princeton or motion. That's the only difference, slow it down and dump it inside. Pick n Roll. Shoot open shots, they should have done that when Shaq got there anyway. You milk the clock, you have guys who can draw fouls and rebound. THe Suns are for real, injury is their enemy.
Manu would have helped but last night was the time for others too step up.
Now I do believe the Spurs wanted Batum. You'v got to play solid D but this team needs scoring off the bench that doesn't require Tim having to be on the floor.Young rebounding legs are a priority as well. We have guys who can make open jumpers but jump shooters and not in order, that's for Tim but when Tim goes out we have a need for a scorer. Hopefully, Ian will be the youthful rebounder and perhaps some inside bench scoring and I think Farmer may have to work Finley out of rotation just as Stephen Jackson worked Steve Smith out in 2003. Manu off the bench with Mason will be nice as well. Udoka may need to post up a bit, he seems strong against some players in the post
I can see this has turned into the proverbial "We didn't have one of our starters so anything less than a blowout is a win for us".
Manu Ginobili brings mostly offense, but Im sure the Suns would have rather of had him shooting than Parker and Duncan last night.
The Suns were ahead for most of the game and obviously have MUCH more talent. That is one very deep team. Good thing, considering a lot of them will probably miss time due to injuries.
Honestly? I realy dont think Fab is starting matierial. Nothing against him he contributes but on any other team he would not be a starter. Him not being there wasnt a huge impact since our frontline stayed out of foul trouble.
I agree with you though, that there were some good things that we got to see from the spurs but its that interior defence that is going to kill us if we can't address that.
I have no doubt in my mind, had we had Manu we would have won this game with ease.
Suns fans will say that the new system is also a reason why the game stayed so close. Dude, the Suns looked REALLY good last night. Thier defense is still the same but they are making smarter decisions on the offense now.
I know we can win the next game against Portland.
I thought the Suns looked really rough, actually. The starters who have mostly played together for the past few years looked ok, even though Bell sucked and Amare didn't take/make any shots until the 4th quarter. But especially when they ran that second unit (with rookie point-guard Dragic and Barbosa in the back-court), I thought they looked very much like a bunch of guys who haven't figured out how to play together yet. I thought their defense was already slightly improved over last year, with Lopez & Barnes out there adding hustle and length; but that also will improve as they learn the new defense.
Obviously Spurs will be better with Oberto back soon, and Ginobili in another month or so; but I think the Suns will also have a slow start to the season and get stronger as they all get familiar with the new players, new coach, and new system.
For the Spurs, it's probably hard to ever feel "bad" about losing a meaningless regular-season game to the Suns, given the results in the playoffs over the past few years.
Could it be that the trend of 3rd quarter breakdowns in transition D, especially as it relates to Bowen, is due simply to age? Seemed to me the Spurs looked a bit slower than usual ---with the exception of Parker. Maybe just a sluggish opening game & some rust, but possibly signs of age really starting to show?
Oh yeah, that 0.6 difference in FG% made a huge difference ... NOT! Spurs (40-80) took and made only one more field goal than the Suns (39-79). Negligible.
You forget that FTs are shots too, and the Spurs both gave the Suns too many (19-27 for 70.4%), and failed to make enough of their own (13-19 for 68.4%).
It wasn't a big difference, but essentially the dude was right to say the Suns simply executed well enough at the end and made enough of their shots to win a close game. Spurs didn't.
So you expect Ginobili to score at a more effective rate than what Parker and Duncan were doing last night?
Last night's loss should come as No Surprise to anyone. The Suns are still a good team. Not Great but good.
The Spurs without 1 of their Big 3 are an above Average team and are vulnerable every night when minus one of those 3. period. no surprise.
This game was decided by 2-3 possessions. It does not get much tighter than that. If you factor a somewhat healthy Ginobli into the equation the Spurs come out on top 7 out of 10 times.
So the concern is not about losing to the Suns minus onen of your best players. The concern is when will that player be able to come back and help this team?
Because until Ginobli comes back, just about every game against a Western Conf. opponent is losable.
you can't really count FT difference due to hack a shaq.
and yes, it's only one game. like i said before the game, the first 2-3 weeks is just a continuation of preseason. people still feeling teams out, figuring out lineups, best rotations and everything else.
it's a win, but right now, it doens't mean anything.
Anyone notice that Bruce only played 21 min last night?? egg in the scoring and only one shot attempt. Granted he never did take alot fo shots, but only one on a night we needed more? Also concerned he only played 21 min. Why so little?? Anyone know or have any clues?
Bruce had one of the worst games I have ever seen him play.
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