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It'll be interesting to see what Pop tries tonight. Since no team has ever come back from this deficit, why not experiment like mad and just see what happens?
Many Spurs fans knew the Suns presented many challenges that would result in a very difficult series. However, few if any thought that the Suns would win be up 3-0 heading into Game 4. Although the Spurs could have played better in the first three contests, the Suns deserve most of the credit for the lopsidedness of the series. They've played near flawless basketball when the games have been on the line.
And really, I can't be too angry with the Spurs. They've made adjustments but every time they have done so, a new leak has sprung. In Game 1, the Suns won due to a lack of transition defense. Game 2 saw the Spurs get back on transition defense, but the Suns won due to offensive rebounding and free throws. The Spurs handled transition defense, rebounding and free throws in Game 3 -- only to see the Suns win by getting hot from beyond the three-point line. It's frustrating because the Spurs keep adjusting but the Suns are finding a new way to win. Again, give credit to the Suns.
Most likely, the Spurs season is over. Down 0-3 has been a death sentence each and every time in NBA history. That said, an NBA team will eventually recover from an 0-3 deficit and that team will likely have a championship pedigree -- like this Spurs team. But statistically speaking, giving the Spurs even a 1% chance of making the Western Conference Finals is being generous.
To win four straight, logic says that the Spurs need to make drastic changes to alter the equation. The Suns have proven again, again and again that they can beat this version of the Spurs. What would I do to change things up?
First, I would change the starting lineup in an attempt to create more depth. In the first three games, the Suns have proven to be just too deep. By closing time, the Spurs starters are exhausted while the Suns bench is just gearing up. The result, as we've seen, has been disastrous for San Antonio. With that lack of depth in mind, I'd start Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess, Keith Bogans, George Hill and Tony Parker. With that lineup, the Spurs should run a lot of pick-and-rolls with Parker and Duncan. The other three players are good enough shooters to space the floor decently enough. (If Bogans becomes a liability offensively, trade him out for Roger Mason, Jr.)
The more important aspect of that lineup change is the potential help to the bench. Bringing Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson off the bench could help match the Suns firepower. Hypothetically, Ginobili could help players like Jefferson, DeJuan Blair and Matt Bonner produce. It should also help the Spurs keep fresh talent on the court at all times.
Secondly, the Spurs must have a gameplan for the lineup that turned Game 3's fourth quarter into a laugher: Goran Dragic, Leandro Barbosa, Jared Dudley, Grant Hill and Channing Frye. That lineup's quickness, shooting ability and ability to finish at the rim made life impossible -- even with San Antonio's Big 3 on the court.
I think the answer for the Spurs is to make an adjustment by either going really small or really big. Running a regular lineup against that fivesome just hasn't worked. The first option is to run a lineup with Bonner at center, surround him with four smalls and then switch everything like the Spurs did in Game 3. That lineup would match the quickness enough to keep the Suns from exploiting mismatches. In this option, a lineup such as Parker, Ginobili, Jefferson, Bogans and Bonner would work. Once Amare Stoudemire returns, that's when it would make sense for Duncan to return.
The other option is to play smashmouth basketball. With the Suns so small, the Spurs could go with Duncan and Blair at the same time in hopes of beasting at the rim and dominating the boards. On the defensive end, the Spurs would have to trap pick-and-rolls and just hope the Suns aren't able to score at the rim against the bigger Spurs lineup. Truthfully, I like this idea, although Pop has shown nothing to indicate he'd even consider such a shift.
All in all, I really hope the Spurs do something. Keeping things as is won't be enough. Status quo will have the Spurs starters gasping for breath by the fourth quarter. After quickly getting back on defense, hurriedly rushing to three-point shooters and chasing around Steve Nash (not to mention Phoenix's depth advantage), there's just not enough gas in the tank for this shallow version of the Spurs to hang at the end. If nothing is done, this will be the first and only volume.
Adjust. Get this one. Make the Suns sweat.
Believe.
It'll be interesting to see what Pop tries tonight. Since no team has ever come back from this deficit, why not experiment like mad and just see what happens?
This is what I've been calling for all season. But Poppazit is too ing dense.
I prey there is a volume 2
Yeah, I could live with changes that are too drastic more than I could with changes that are too conservative. In other words, if the Spurs trot out their worn out starters against the Suns bench again to begin the fourth, the sweep will be painful.
Manu and Tony are both injured. Tim is not injured, but after having played fewer minutes in this regular season than in any other, and playing against a front line that is not up to his skill level, he is still not dominating games. He doesn't have the injury excuse for missing free throws that Tony does, but Tim demands the ball, demands the fouls calls he gets, then chokes at the line, destroying offensive momentum for the rest of the team.
Manu (injury notwithstanding) needs to have the offense flow through him almost every time down the court. Tim needs to accept a dimished role that includes lots of rebounding, blocking, and finishing at the rim. If he doesn't finish, he will cost us a possession because he will make, at most, one of two free throws, meaning that we are behind the eight ball whenever he is controlling the offense.
If Tony can't make shots because of his injuries, he is gonna just have to make Steve Nash's life miserable on defense and, on offense, make Steve chase him around the court until Nash's legs fall off, and Tony gives the ball to Manu to score.
Only too drastic changes can very much be a red herring and hasten defeat.
Starting Keith Bogans for example is a double-edged weapon, one edge really sharper and more self-inflicting than the other.
It really amaze me timvp saying the he can't be too mad at spurs for this one.
Don't you think they just played with less efort that the Suns? And swiching on screens? what's that?
No there's no lack of effort at all. The spurs are playing balls out. Give credit to Phoenix.
To win game 4 (and possibly 5), these things must happen:
1. A blow-out win. 20+.
2. An unstoppable performance from the big three.
3. Defense must be played on every possession.
4. RJ, Hill and Blair need to step the up.
5. Playoff McDyess must continue.
6. Bogans, Bonner and Mason need to decide before the game which one is NOT going to be completely worthless and then, inform Pop of their decision.
7. The Suns need to play pretty poorly.
Edit: I forgot . . . no more ing jumpshots!
it's all nice, but there is one big problem. Our depth is non-existent, all those bonners Boganses and god Masonses [] are worthless to a huge degree.
keith and matt can be productive but i don't think that they can change anything.
Even going big will not solve the problem. I would be happy if we could trap the picks but Suns are very good passing team right now and seeing duncans and Blair rotations phoenix will kill us again. They are right now so flexiable against those spurs that Gentry holds every card. Whoever is on the floor from the spurs side gentry is finding a weak link and exploit it. Either it's Duncan trying to cover isos going after Frye or being challenged by Amare 1-1. Or George and his inability to cover faster guys or stronger guys.
You want to go with TP and GH in the starting lineup, that would mean GH would have to have his best D to be able to stop J-Rich...
I put thinking how to win a game vs those suns to rest those last 2 days.
And LJ you said it right with this leak. every game there was something that worked for Suns and was not for Spurs.
Now Suns got momentum and they feed from that.
The only hope IMO is to find a way to switch the advantage on the p&r's
But even with that we need to hit shots - all this series spurs players were hesitated and Suns shortened the court. ehh
Shooting 57% is handling free throws?
Missed FTs are one of the biggest reasons we lost game 3 IMO, we missed like 7 in a row when we were 13/15 pts ahead if we would have made at least 5 of those we may have put the Suns out of reach for good.
I don't want us to get swept. We're too good for that. Would like the Spurs to dig deep and perform at their best in front of their home crowd fans. As a parting gift, the fans should be balls-to-the-wall loud, bolstering the Spurs with a steady dose of adrenalin.
I'd like to see Hairston suit up instead of Mason. I'm not sure if I care if he even plays. Just to have that option instead of mason.
I actually fully agree with this.
Pop played George Hill in our final game against Mavs last year.
Why not give Malik a chance to make an impact? His hustle and athleticism could help us.
Suns FTs
Is Hairston quick enough to defend Dragic? He's athletic enough and he's got about 3 inches height on Dragic...I can't believe I'm trying to come up with people to guard their second string ing slovenian point guard.
I hope Pop will give Hariston some time. We'll see
All I hope for right now is a game four win. Anything else we can talk about it later, but lets get game four and lets see what happens.
seriously
Why is it that every Slovenian to play in the league that is not a former Spur turns out to be bad ass
Shot attempts you mean? in that case yes, the Spurs made a better job. But FT shooting has also been a big problem during the entire series that needs to be fixed.
Why is it that every Slovenian to play in the league that is not a former Spur turns out to be bad ass
Look at that face. It exudes badass.
The Spurs will be the first team in NBA history to win a series after being 0-3.
Portland nearly did it in 2003 vs. Dallas.
History doesn't mean anything. Remember when no NBA team had ever won the middle three NBA Finals games at home? Then it happened twice in a span of three years, with Detroit doing it in 2004 and Miami in 2006.
Basic Math Fail.
How about praying for a four volume collectors edition?
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