Popovich abridges Spurs' playbook
Mike Monroe
With a roster dramatically reshaped over the summer, Spurs training camp began on Tuesday with a heavy emphasis on teaching, but with a twist.
Coach Gregg Popovich has shortened the team's playbook and will rely on his veterans to “just play basketball” more than at any time in his previous 12-plus seasons as head coach.
Of the 18 players in training camp, eight are brand-new to the Spurs. Well aware that newcomers in seasons past have needed months to fully absorb the details of one of the league's fattest playbooks, Popovich and his assistants spent much of the summer removing whole chapters.
“It is true that guys we bring in usually do better the second year than the first year,” Popovich said. “That's been pretty steady. So because of that we really made a concerted effort this summer to cut the number of things we want them to remember offensively. We've cut back significantly in that regard so we can have a quicker learning curve with the new guys.”
Popovich breaks down his squad into two distinct groups, “learners and returners.” On Day One, he said, the returners immediately set about helping the learners grasp Spurs terminology.
“Having as many new faces as we have, it's pretty important for us to get the lingo down and get them knowing each other,” he said. “It worked out well.
“It's almost like the returning guys are doing a lot of coaching and teaching on the floor. They're communicating a lot with the other guys and trying to get them used to what certain phrases mean or what the definitions are for what we do, offensively and defensively.
“Those guys are as important as we are, as coaches.”
Perfectly happy: Antonio McDyess has been to 13 training camps, with four other NBA teams, so he had a good idea what to expect on the first day of Spurs camp.
The 6-foot-9 center-forward, though, was impressed by the immediate emphasis on excellence.
“It was just like every other camp,” he said, “but this camp was a little more demanding. They want everything perfect, which is a good thing.”
McDyess also was struck by the camaraderie among the holdovers.
“It's like a family atmosphere here,” he said. “You see how close these guys are on this team.”
Familiar face: Rookie DeJuan Blair had a visitor at his first NBA practice: University of Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon.
“I'm glad he came up to see how it is,” Blair said.
Blair said Tuesday's practice was distinctly different from workouts that preceded summer-league play.
“It was tougher,” he said, “It's a learning experience. It's a long season, and I'm just going to keep learning.”
This is something many have touched on. I wonder how Pop will use his new athletes and how much more the offense will transition into the Tony Parker show. I for one want them to open it up and run a little more, but I love the effective play calling and sets the Spurs run.
They might run a few plays that the bucks ran for Jefferson and Mcdyess did for the Pistons.
Makes sense.. Would give them some confidence and something to build momentum in the season.
Gonna look weird seeing them all work and bang against each other, but very much looking forward
to the pre-season and how they ultimately will gel in the regular season.
I knew that Pop was going to do this. He simply cant run the type of game he did last season (or any other season prior for that matter) and expect it to be flawless with all the new guys. A lot of the plays, as mentioned above, I believe will be generalized and ran more by the captain on the floor.
Yea yea in March and April Pop will provide new things to learn before playoffs
Hopefully Pop can cut time on practice, at least physical aspects.
I've thought for awhile now that the Spurs' best move -- considering personnel and what stage the Big 3 are in their respective careers -- would be to go more up-tempo and I'm even more convinced now.
The Spurs have done more with less than just about any great team ever has with their limiting of possessions, meticulous game-planning, and their execution/discipline. But, with all of the talent they've added, it's time to do a little less now that they have a lot more.
They've finally got athletes on the wings, they've got the rebounding to ignite the break, and, more importantly, they've got the talent to excel when playing a higher possession game.
It's going to be quite the departure seeing lobs attempted in the half court and Tony having multiple players to fill the lane.
If the Spurs can defend anywhere near what's become accustomed and add a more opportunistic offense to the mix.. They won't only be highly successful, but the brand of ball should bring considerable more enthusiasm/excitement to the arena and fan base.
It should be fun.
Good move to shorten the playbook. Focus on building teamwork and execution. In the past the new guys were being overwhelmed with info so now hopefully they can play more relaxed and instinctively.
Shorter playbook means faster paced offense???
Maybe just because Pop thought the new guys don't have that enough BB IQ.
b/c the spurs sign low bbIQ guys in bulk...
rebounding will be the key to many aspects of next years game. here we should see the most significant improvement statistically. (and I absolutely don't agree with the general wisdom, that only defensive rebounding is crucial for the Spurs success).
rebounding went south for several years, but this trend for sure will be stopped, as we can assume that more minutes go to the better rebounders at cost of the minutes of bad rebounders. (that doesn't only mean the frontcourt, this means the whole line up, like Hill getting minutes from JV, RJ getting minutes from Fin and Mason etc.)
I agree that we will see more breaks, but I do expect a change of philosophy on the offensive boards, which will lead to some more opponent breaks either. so there should be more possessions per game.
How complicated to run 4 down or TP to run fast break or TD to run a couple of screens to free up the shooter? I never get why the playbook is thick but the actual plays are alway similar. The only year when a number of plays were run was the year when Barry can still run some backdoor plays and cross court pass
As long as the emphasis is still to make stops and defend, I'll be happy. With the new crew we have coming aboard we are going to get some easier points in transition. Easy buckets will be a godsend for this team.
good
I know what you mean, however maybe it only appears this way on the surface and I'm sure there are a lot of defensive schemes they need to learn. Perhaps this is why Pop loves Fin so much, he's able to help coach the new guys particularly well.
The Suns are going to hate it this year when the Spurs knock them out of the playoffs utilizing a neutered version of run-n-gun combined with stifling defensive schemes.
D'Antoni is going to blow a gasket when he learns that it actually is possibly to combine both offense and defense. It's like someone telling Einstein that E=mc3.
New York and Phoenix are both going to despise the Spurs this year.
I kinda expected something like this. Hopefully it allows the new guys to catch on a little quicker. I like the way the Spurs are doing things so far.
damn I gotta get me some McDyess, Blair, Jefferson, Hill Spurs jerseys
so many jerseys so little cash...
he also has more offensive weapons on his team than he probably ever has as a coach for the spurs. gone is the 4 down to timmy and kick out to open permiter shooter philosophy.
at the Suns making the playoffs.
Mini ball !!!!!
Check your units buddy.
e = Energy [J]
m = Mass [kg]
c = Speed of light in vacuum [m/s]
(kg)*([m/s]^3 ) != J [N*m] = [kgm^2/s^2]
With these weapons I wanna see Jerry Sloan's playbook studied and duplicated. No more 4 down to Duncan and especially no more Parker high pick n roll everyplay. IMO this year will make or break Parkers top point guard spot. If he starts setting these guys up and utilizes ALL the weapons on this team I'll be happy. If I see RJ standing in the Corner / Manu standing on the wing / Duncan standing in the post while Mcdyess sets multiple screens for Parker I'm gonna lose it.
100 ppg/ 92 ppg allowed
So there will be some competent teaching. Good.
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