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I think Pop watched the OKC/LAL series last year. The Lakers can be run on.
We heard plenty of reports all off-season about how the Spurs were planning on pushing the pace and play a more free-flowing offense, getting transition points and not being as methodical and slow as years prior..
While I did believe it, I did not expect it to be anywhere near what we have seen so far this season..
While it's extremely early in the season, the Spurs are currently 6th in the NBA in pace, which is usually unthinkable when you're talking about the Spurs..
2010-2011(through 4 games): 6th
2009-2010: 20th
2008-2009: 26th
2007-2008: 28th
2006-2007: 27th
2005-2006: 23rd
2004-2005: 23rd
2003-2004: 19th
2002-2003: 20th
2001-2002: 19th
2000-2001: 23rd
1999-2000: 24th
1998-1999: 19th
1997-1998: 23rd
The Spurs are currently 8th in fast break points, compared to last year, where they finished 23rd..this is despite starting a Blair-Duncan frontcourt, which you would expect to focus more on rebounding and slowing down the break..
This isn't an analysis, because the sample size is too small..it's just an observation with some questions:
Do you guys think the Spurs will end up with a top 10 pace for the first time since 1995-1996?..Do you think they can succeed playing this style of play?..Do you think they can still find their defensive iden y, even with a fast paced system?(plenty of teams have done this, I'm just asking if this specific team with the current personnel can do it)..
I think Pop watched the OKC/LAL series last year. The Lakers can be run on.
With a younger and more athletic supporing cast, the Spurs could benefit from a faster paced offense. Since the Spurs will most likely resting Duncan more often this year, they probably will make a conscious effort to push the pace.
I sure wish the Spurs defence was up-tempo...
Parker/Hill/Jefferson/Manu are effective open-court players who will benefit from pushing the ball. I would not be surprised if this is part of the overall Spurs transition to shift the onus of scoring off of TD in an effort to preserve him for the playoffs.
With the Spurs youth and open court guys it does make sense in certain spots for them to get out and run. I remember a few years ago they were ranked a few years in a row as one of the top fast-breaking teams. Not necessarily in scoring, but in effectiveness.
I personally doubt that they will be in the top 10 in pace, though I wouldn't be surprised to see them settled in the 12-15 range.
The pushing of pace also led to Jefferson playing extremely well. Whether this is a coincidence or not, the Spurs have benefited from the increase of pace offensively. The defense would have to pick up though. Picking up the pace doesn't mean they can get away with poor defense.
The defense is the part I'm worried about, particularly the lack of focus..
While they're high in fast break points right now, the Spurs are also currently in the top 5 worst teams at defending in transition..I hope they don't lose defensive focus with this new style of play..
I don't think the Spurs will end up with a top ten pace for the season. Around 15th is probably more likely.
I think they can succeed playing this style to a point, but playing fast isn't a license to play unorganized and sloppy. Right now, there are far too many turnovers and I attribute that in large part to this being new to the team. Once they become more comfortable playing at a faster pace, turnovers should drop significantly. I also think a lot of the players feel liberated with the shackles, not off, but loosened. Once the novelty of that wears off some, that should also lead to less turnovers.
I think they'll have trouble finding their defensive iden y while playing fast and I think ultimately they'll somewhat reign it in and not revert to being almost solely a half court team, but become more of a hybrid.
Splitter can also run, when he joins the starting line up. I recall the bulls running opportunistically during their championship years threw outlets, after defensive stops.
Pop should try starting
Parker
Hill
Ginobili
Jefferson
Duncan
They'll probably finish outside the top 10 in pace, but they seem to have the athleticism, passing ability and finishing ability to be effective at it. The issue really is defending transition because anytime you run, you run the risk of getting run on. You also increase the risk of turnovers.
But if they're going to work those things out, the earlier the better. I'd say getting good at running is the most important thing. Whether you concentrate on employing it night in and night out and finish in the top 10 is another. The flexibility to play either style is what's really going to pay off in the end.
So to sum up; no not top 10, yes successful, yes they'll still find defense...eventually.
I think it stays. The Spurs best offensive players at this point do better in the open court and playing at a more frenetic pace. Back when Duncan was unstoppable, you could throw it into him every time. Ginobili, Parker, RJ need to run the ball and play fast.
That said, Duncan is still an all-star and one of the best post players in the game still. So playing in the halfcourt isn't all that bad.
So I see this team as somewhat of a hybrid. That was the talk around the '03 team, that they can play any style.
Defensively this team will only be good but not great and that will be their downfall ultimately.
I believe as long as you play good focused defense, and get stops when you need to get stops, then you can run any kind of offensive or pace you want. But you need defense to win Championships.
is that a joke?
Gutter is a troll.
I think the hurried pace is largely contributing to the turnover woes for this team. Spurs are 25th in the league in turnovers, and although they've been causing as many as they've given up, they are still only 18th in Turnover Differential at 0.00.
I'm all for some more offense and easy buckets, but not if the players can't execute it efficiently. Giving up that many turnovers just fuels the opposing teams offense as much as it does our own.
Exactly. It would interesting to see how many points Jefferson has scored on fast breaks in this early part of the season or on how many of them did he participate. I think he has been involved on many of those plays.
The improved play of Jefferson is directly the result of a faster paced game. The spurs need to play to their player strenghts and now have enough athletes and finishers to push the tempo.
I'd love to see the Spurs pick up the pace but I wonder if they would then have trouble (e ally with the new players) in the playoffs trying to adjust to a slower half court style. All of a sudden you might lose any effectiveness that RJ, Neal, or Anderson showed in the regular season. The rookies in particular may be hard pressed to quickly adapt their game as the playoff situation demanded.
How many of RJ's 3s in the 2nd half fastbreak shots? I know at least one or two were.
Well first of all it makes for some entertaining games. I like what i see. I think we can be successful with this roster with a fast pace full court game with guys like parker ginobili jefferson hill blair and all the other youth this season. It definitly eliminates that "boring style" they have stamped on our logo for so long. But i say keep it up it is fun to watch.
As far as defense, something else the Spurs are doing well: they're ranked 5th in opponent turnovers per game. This from a team that ranked really low on that the last few seasons. The problem right now is that the team is turning it over just as much.
As Harlem said, it's still early and there's little sample size. But some of those early trends are encouraging.
Increasing the pace leads to an inflation of stats due to a higher number of possessions for both teams, both positive and negative stats, like turnovers and turnovers caused. It's also the reason that a player like Shawn Marion, who can really only spot up or finish on the break, scored over 20 ppg for a number of years. Nothing to get all in a twist about.
Only the third of the four three's rj took was of fastbreak.
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