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Relieved to hear that confirmed.Popovich is aware of Duncan's workload and assured it won't continue.
Popovich: Defense is kicking in too late
By Mike Monroe
MINNEAPOLIS — The Spurs went into their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center having allowed an average of 100.3 points.
This team allowed an average of just 90.4 points last season, so that figure most easily explains the Spurs' 0-3 record.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich knows exactly what has accounted for the startling decrease in defensive efficiency.
“There are a whole lot of things that go on defensively, all night long, and it's the whole,” he said before Wednesday's tipoff. “We've played, basically, the second halves of the first three games. It's a reminder it's a 48-minute game. The defense can't kick in when you're down 10 or more.
“We were down 10 in Portland and had the last shot to win it. And we were down 23 to Dallas and got it to seven. But that's not the time you start playing defense.”
Duncan's minutes: After playing nearly 41 minutes in Tuesday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks, Spurs power forward Tim Duncan entered the game against the Timberwolves having played 119 minutes in the first three games. Popovich limited Duncan to an average of 34 minutes in the 2007-08 regular season, but manpower problems on the front line have required additional time for the perennial All-Star.
Popovich is aware of Duncan's workload and assured it won't continue.
“The season just started,” he said. “It's not a concern now. It would be a concern if we did that a lot.
“Last night we got it (the Mavericks' lead) to seven, and he wanted to go for five more minutes and see what we could do. So it was worth taking a look at. Then, when it wasn't going to happen we took him out, but this is certainly not something I want to do as a practice, that's for sure.”
Working back in: Rookie forward Anthony Tolliver again was on the inactive list Wednesdat. Having missed more than a week after the death of his mother, Donna Lewis, Tolliver is regaining his conditioning and trying to get back in playing rhythm.
“I lost a little bit of conditioning,” Tolliver said, “but I've been working pretty hard with the assistant coaches since I've been back.”
“I want to get him up and down the court in a practice,” Popovich said. “He's been gone for a week and a half. I want to get him in a practice, or at least two-on-two and three-on-three. So he'll be on the inactive list with Manu (Ginobili) and (Ian) Mahinmi.”
Relieved to hear that confirmed.Popovich is aware of Duncan's workload and assured it won't continue.
pop has used up all the manjuice too early....VTEC didnt KICKD IN YO.
Not being able to get a defensive board and giving up 30 second chance points will kill you on the scoreboard every game.
Could really use Mahinmi inside and see what hes got.
Playing the worst defensive player you have in Finley 30 minutes a game doesn't help, Pop.
That was hilarious when they started the 2nd half with Finley guarding Love. At least put Ime on Love if you're going small. The good part was that it got Finley out of the game for a while.
Yes, but as I said in last games thoughts it was a sure thing.
It would be impossible for Popovich to do such a strange thing esp. when all his career he was working on the aspect of mnutes played by players.
"You can't win with injuries ... you've got to be healthy ...etc. "
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