The defensive problems..

[Obstructed_View]

Good points guys. A better equation that mine above would be:

No shot blockers + No Bruce Bowen = poor defensive stats.

[Bruno]

While the points in the paint have been very similar to the stats that were allowed in the 2006-2007 season, the primary difference in this regard seems to be the INDIVIDUAL defense against the opposing team's PF/C..while the individual performances of opposing PG/SG/SF have remained consistent compared to prior teams, the performances of opposing frontcourt players have increased significantly from the past seasons..

-The Spurs are currently #23 in the NBA in points allowed to opposing PF/C..in 2007, the Spurs ranked #9 in this category..the 2007 Spurs were #2 in the NBA in opponent's FG% for frontcourt players, while this current Spurs team is 19th in this category..

Fully agree.
I pointed that sat 10 days ago: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/show...3&postcount=47

When you compare this year to 2007, Spurs are allowing 0.1 more ppg scored by PG/SG/SF and 5.3 more ppg scored by PF/C.
It's hard to have a more telling stat about that weakness.

-The transition D has declined, which shouldn't be the case with more athletes on the team..the 2007 Spurs were 7th in the NBA in transition D, allowing 10.7 fast break points per game, while this year's Spurs team is 13th with 13 fast break points allowed per game..

Having Blair going after offensive rebounds doesn't help the transition D. I'm not blaming Blair for doing it because it's the right thing to do given his rebounding skills but it hurts the transition D.
But yes, Spurs had to play better D and it will likely come with the chemistry.

[dbestpro]

Points in the paint is a direct correlation from having too many players who are vertically challenged in size on the floor at the same time.

[Obstructed_View]

Having Blair going after offensive rebounds doesn't help the transition D. I'm not blaming Blair for doing it because it's the right thing to do given his rebounding skills but it helps the transition D.
But yes, Spurs had to play better D and it will likely come with the chemistry.

Better rebounding helps all around, but when he gets spotty minutes based on fouls or perceived effort, combined with small lineups of swings who don't rebound well, we all see the results.

[#2!]

Points in the paint is a direct correlation from having too many players who are vertically challenged in size on the floor at the same time.

soooo, small ball kills us when we overuse it? I agree, and appreciate your creative way of saying it. Hearing "small ball sucks" gets old after half a season of Pop not backing down from it even a little bit.

Better rebounding helps all around, but when he gets spotty minutes based on fouls or perceived effort, combined with small lineups of swings who don't rebound well, we all see the results.

I don't think our defense suffers as much as people think when we go to small ball, the problem is that the other teams bigs pick up easy offensive boards when the Spurs field wings at the PF spot. Pure speculation, but those extra points from bigs getting quick baskets off of offensive reboounds, and those rebounds most likely come during small ball.

[HarlemHeat37]

Well..it's not getting better..

Another defensive problem with the Spurs, which has a direct impact with the points in the paint, is the assists allowed to the opposing backcourt..the Spurs were #2 in this category in 2006-2007 and even last year they were #2, which had something to do with Bowen, even if he was aging..

This year's Spurs team ranks 16th in this category and it will surely go down after tonight's Rockets game where the Spurs allowed a ridiculous 27 assists..this coming after allowing Utah to get 30 assists..

The Spurs are having serious problems stopping penetration on the perimeter, and our 2nd big man defender is clearly having problems with his man..this problem CANNOT be solved with the current personnel on the team..

it's obvious that the Spurs don't have what it takes to play consistent D with this current roster..our perimeter defenders can't stop anybody and we don't have a legit 2nd big..we also heavily lack athleticism, as usual..this is why I wanted Pop to give Hairston and Ian a shot earlier in the season, but it's too late for that..

This team needs a trade for a legit big and a legit perimeter stopper..I won't get greedy, so I'll just hope for one of the 2..otherwise, there's not really any hope for this D IMO, and the stats back it up..

[HarlemHeat37]

BTW, to update the original stats, the Spurs have dropped 6 more spots in transition points and are now 19th in transition D after tonight..

[MaNu4Tres]

Or maybe Pop can stop with his small ball crap. Teams know Duncan's man needs to be setting the screens 100 percent of the time, which leaves the lane wide open.

The only reason why it worked in 2006 against the Mavs when we were in a 3-1 hole, is because Dirk was the one setting screens while Duncan was guarding Dampier and Diop.

[MaNu4Tres]

Pop has had a hard on for small ball since 2006 and it's hurt the team more than helped x 100.

[Spurs Brazil]

BTW, to update the original stats, the Spurs have dropped 6 more spots in transition points and are now 19th in transition D after tonight..

D is getting worst game by game.

I'd love to see Mahimhi playing all Dice minutes and Hairston getting some Jefferson's minutes. Too bad Pop won't do it.

Right now we're TERRIBLE on D. I don't think it'll get worst giving this young guys a chance. Pop needs to forget the names and contracts and plays guys who cares about D

[HarlemHeat37]

Small-ball definitely has an affect on this too IMO..apparently Pop thinks he still has prime Duncan and prime Bruce Bowen defending for him..

The lack of athleticism really is glaring though, you would think that it would be addressed..well I guess if you call addressing it by adding a 30-year old Jefferson that didn't play D for 2 years in a row, but did when he was much younger..

[murpjf88]

This team needs more than a legit big. Their more than one player away. Defensively, their a joke. It's going to have to be a blockbuster and I don't care who gets shipped.

[z0sa]

The system works, we know this. The personnel is the problem. Besides those ridiculous stretches of small ball Pop calls for even when the opposing team has solid bigs on the floor.

[MaNu4Tres]

This team needs more than a legit big. Their more than one player away. Defensively, their a joke. It's going to have to be a blockbuster and I don't care who gets shipped.

That is irrelevant.

If we were to attain Haywood, Pop would play him only 20 minutes a game, because Matty and small ball need their minutes to spread the floor.

Offense> Defense= new popovich philosophy.

[Harry Callahan]

I did not see the game, but the games I have seen they can't get a key stop anymore.

It's hard to watch this crew struggle when they have won almost 70% of the time for over a decade.

The nucleus is simply too old, too injured, or just worn out right now.

Duncan is really giving it his all, but TP and MG just can't get it done like they used to. The end of this core is fast approaching. Sucks.

The lottery may be calling in 2010 if things don't change quickly.

[murpjf88]

The system works, we know this. The personnel is the problem. Besides those ridiculous stretches of small ball Pop calls for even when the opposing team has solid bigs on the floor.

It's because the bigs SUCK!!! Mahinmi can't take over the reigns, he's not ready. Dice is just a monster mistake, Theo is offensively inept, and his defense is nothing special. So what if he gets an occasional block. They have no goto bigs.

[Sean Cagney]

I did not see the game, but the games I have seen they can't get a key stop anymore.

It's hard to watch this crew struggle when they have won almost 70% of the time for over a decade.

The nucleus is simply too old, too injured, or just worn out right now.

Duncan is really giving it his all, but TP and MG just can't get it done like they used to. The end of this core is fast approaching. Sucks.

The lottery may be calling in 2010 if things don't change quickly.

Damn reality bites.

[TD 21]

Small-ball definitely has an affect on this too IMO..apparently Pop thinks he still has prime Duncan and prime Bruce Bowen defending for him..

The lack of athleticism really is glaring though, you would think that it would be addressed..well I guess if you call addressing it by adding a 30-year old Jefferson that didn't play D for 2 years in a row, but did when he was much younger..

Athleticism and lateral quickness are not one in the same. Case in point: Jefferson. He's still possesses just a cut under elite level athleticism, but he lacks exceptional lateral quickness and because of that and the fact that he's clearly developed some bad habits over the years playing on losing teams, he's just a mediocre defender at this point.

You have to wonder, how much homework did the Spurs do on this guy? Or did they just think to themselves "we're the Spurs, under our tutelage and the fact that he'll be excited to be on a relevant team again, he'll instantly be a plus defender again"? I wonder, because Pop first talked about Jefferson being the stopper upon his being acquired, then by the fourth game of the regular season he already gave up (rightfully so) on that and hasn't reverted to it? That's telling.

The lack of a second legit big man who can start and finish next to Duncan and (it doesn't have to be an All-Star, just someone of starter quality) at least be average in most facets of the game is beyond glaring at this point. Pop would rather play small, tax Duncan and lose in the process rather than finish with McDyess, who was presumable brought in to do just that. Again I say, that's telling.

[spurtech09]

small ball doesn't work for this team

[Libri]

Opponents are averaging 95.58 points this season. This is the highest it has been during the Tim Duncan era.

This month, opposing teams are averaging 96. Even though the Spurs are scoring 100.95, they are averaging 98 points in January.

[Bigzax]

you can be real aggresive on defense on the wings when you got erasers waiting at the rim if your man gets past you.

with no bigs, i'm sure they've talked about protecting td from foul trouble.


free ratliff or trade rj for some defense or both.

[ElNono]

I just wanted to add that we featured RJ and Roger Mason(!) at PF tonight...
It's gotten so bad, sometimes I wish we still had Malik Rose around...

[Obstructed_View]

small ball doesn't work

[HarlemHeat37]

Athleticism and lateral quickness are not one in the same. Case in point: Jefferson. He's still possesses just a cut under elite level athleticism, but he lacks exceptional lateral quickness and because of that and the fact that he's clearly developed some bad habits over the years playing on losing teams, he's just a mediocre defender at this point.

You have to wonder, how much homework did the Spurs do on this guy? Or did they just think to themselves "we're the Spurs, under our tutelage and the fact that he'll be excited to be on a relevant team again, he'll instantly be a plus defender again"? I wonder, because Pop first talked about Jefferson being the stopper upon his being acquired, then by the fourth game of the regular season he already gave up (rightfully so) on that and hasn't reverted to it? That's telling.

The lack of a second legit big man who can start and finish next to Duncan and (it doesn't have to be an All-Star, just someone of starter quality) at least be average in most facets of the game is beyond glaring at this point. Pop would rather play small, tax Duncan and lose in the process rather than finish with McDyess, who was presumable brought in to do just that. Again I say, that's telling.

I agree with your first point, I was just pointing out that they acquired RJ for his "athleticism" as a defensive stopper, like you pointed out in your 2nd paragraph..

It's really starting to look like they didn't look into the RJ trade at all..

[MaNu4Tres]

I agree with your first point, I was just pointing out that they acquired RJ for his "athleticism" as a defensive stopper, like you pointed out in your 2nd paragraph..

It's really starting to look like they didn't look into the RJ trade at all..

A smarter move would have been a move for Kaman with the expirings and using our MLE for Ariza. It's easy to go back and wish things were different.

But the offer at the time was a no brainer move by the Spurs. Everyone who followed basketball agreed from SI to Yahoo to ESPN.