Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Blazers - Jan. 25

[timvp]

Thanks for your post, I enjoy reading these game thoughts.

I'll add in a few of my own also. I was very impressed all in all with the game against Portland (and the Mavs game as well). Without Duncan I was really expecting the worst not only because Duncan is an integral part of the Spurs system in regards to basketball skills but even more so his leadership abilities on the court. Tim Duncan is always out there directing the defense and the offense and I would figure that this would be greatly missed. To my great surprise however, Tony Parker looked like a real leader out there on the offense. I feel that these have been two of the smoothest offensive games we have played all season (and that without Manu and Tim is really incredible). As stated the team defensive effort was also fantastic to see and has been missing the past couple of games. It really has been a pleasure to watch these last few games.

As for some thoughts on individual players, I think a few in particular stood out. Besides obviously Tony Parker, I thought Kurt Thomas and Michael Finley have been playing particularly well. Thomas' shot has really been falling the past couple of games and thats a nice boost when really he is there more for his defensive prowess where he has also excelled in. Secondly, I feel that Michael Finley gets a lot of unreasonable hate on this forum and unfairly so. Certainly he has had some off games but if you look at his season stats, they are really pretty efficient, so the claim that he has 5 good games to 15 awful ones simply isn't true. And that's really what I appreciate about Finley (especially noticeable in the last two games where he has been playing more minutes due to injuries), his efficiency. Finley hardly ever takes ill advised shots, unlike Roger Mason who makes me want to break my computer screen at times. He's a role player who knows and accepts his role and is efficient on offense and solid on defense.

One last thing; Although Udoka missed two wide open threes to start off his playing time, he was still a solid contributor in that game considering his playing time. He hit two shots got two boards and had two assists as well as some scrappy defense. I'd say his performance was more impressive the George Hill in this particular game. Hopefully he can gain some more confidence in his shot because I agree with you when you say he looked pretty shaky out there in the early going.

Ciao,
Pentagruel.

Good contribution. Post more often

[Whisky Dog]

I wonder why these types of games from Parker with this much intensity come pretty much only when the Spurs are shorthanded by a star or two. Is is because he feels too much pressure to get Duncan and even Manu involved in the game and doesn't want to push his intensity up to this level? IMO the Spurs are the most dangerous team when Parker brings this intensity from the jump and sees how the defense reacts. If they start blitzing him he can then get Duncan involved with more single coverages. The Spurs just seem to be more explosive when Parker takes the lead in attacking on offense than when they are continuously feeding Duncan in the post possession after possession without the threat of Parker's offensive fireworks.

[WalterBenitez]

no grades

I was thinking the same, but I am sure the next version will be hame rades, am I right?

BTW Nice to read again this info, let us compare our own opinions.

I am really glad "thoughts" are back!!!

[Flux451]

I was right about DPG . . .

Can I put that line in a rap...Pops get props from Pops!

haha

[bugmenot]

timvp why do you think the Spurs defense got so much better over night?

[timvp]

timvp why do you think the Spurs defense got so much better over night?

The overall defensive intensity has improved. As we've seen during this regular season, when the Spurs have some desperation, that's when their best defense arises.

However, if I had to point to one player for the reason of the improvement, I'd say Parker. To begin the season, he wasn't playing much defense. Then he came back and played decent defense. Then he went into a laissez faire phase in which defense was a foreign language to him. But in the last four games, Parker is actually playing hard defensively ... something we haven't seen consistently since last season in the playoffs.

In the last four games, opposing starting point guards are averaging one point in 28.5 minutes per game on 8% shooting against Parker. Now obviously he hasn't gone against the NBA's best but those would be staggering numbers going against a local YMCA player.

When Parker is mentally engaged on the defensive end and using his speed to his advantage, he's actually a very good one-on-one defender. Too bad we haven't seen more of it this season . . .

[Kori Ellis]

The grades were just temporary in the catching up post (when timvp took five games off). Now it's back to this format.

[Brazil]

I've said a month ago that Finley was defending decently, in this game he stepped up again his defense level.
He is one of the ingredient that are making this team better on defense side. Winning these two games w/o tim and manu is just about Defense, at the exception of TP nothing spectacular on the O but what a great D especially in the 4th. It was good to see in the 4th good D intensity with as a gift the ball in tony's hand for the scoring.

[Solid D]

The overall defensive intensity has improved. As we've seen during this regular season, when the Spurs have some desperation, that's when their best defense arises.

The Spurs are also winning the battle in the paint. The "undersized" Spurs had a 40-26 points edge in the paint vs. Portland.

They are now committed to keep players from getting into the lane whenever possible, particularly in half-court defense. The bigs are doing a nice job of bodying-up to the inside shoulder of their opponents. When the door is shut as the player turns inside, then the Spurs are showing up quicker with baseline support. Mason is coming quicker, KT is coming quicker, it's just a great example of finally employing Popovich's scheme. A half-second makes all the difference.

[Agloco]

timvp gets a

C-


for continuing to use that dreadful picture of Pop......



Seriously though, I like that format. People shouldn't be allergic to a little reading.

[smeagol]

Tony Parker was ing unbelievable in that game. It really pissed me off that we didn't design an effective strategy to shut him down. I think the Spurs are going to get brutalized by the Cavs though.

I would not expect less from you . . .

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Welcome return with the game thoughts, LJ.

I "watched" this game, although League Pass was buffering so much that I didn't see much of it!

I will say that, as is usually the case, this is a different Spurs team post-AS Break. I think Pop, in planning for the season, probably emphasises to the players that the season really begins post-AS. I also think that they were probably stung by those losses to the Raps and Knicks, and then Manu and Timmy going down has galvanized their resolve, which is reflected in the D.

A month ago the bandwagoners (and even the odd "fan") around here were jumping off cliffs, completely ignoring the seasonal rhythm of the team, but the old hands knew that we'd see a jump in the team's performance starting right about now. SPAM is here, time to March to the playoffs and break some hearts.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I thought the dmx reference was somewhat forced.