Yeah, they should have traded Manu when he had value
Pop was pissed and he pulled the starters to make a statement. You can bet they're going to hear it tonight and tomorrow. And I'll bet this game tape gets LOTS of play in the coming weeks! The guys were lacking energy, focus and urgency. There's only so much a coach can do in the course of a game - and Pop said screw it - ya'll sit down and watch this travesty!
He could've played the starting 5 48 minutes, they werent winning that game.
The Knicks tonight looked a lot like how the Bucks used to beat the Spurs...hitting a lot of mid-range jumpers...
And the Spurs didn't look focused at all...Pop probably expected a split on this back-to-back and figured he'd pull the plug early on this one and rip into the team for tomorrow...hopefully the Spurs D will improve for tomorrow night
Whos the one to start bagging 3s, Manu? who was shooting re ed fallaway 20 footers and had more assists to the Knicks than his own team?
They were not winning that game. Period.
lol Greggory Popovich
Yup the game's momentum went the Suns..erm Knicks way after those costly defensive lapses. Down by 10 the Spurs looked gassed and bamboozled against the Knicks' ball movement, confidence, and athleticism/energy.
I think Tony Parker was holding his left knee from the contact on that shooting foul before he got subbed out but maybe it was a different player. If it was TP then thats just another reason to pull the plug.
Definitely not looking forward to the back to back against Boston even without KG but then again this ballcub has shown they don't like to lose so here's hoping for a turnaround game!
P.S. A healthy James Anderson would've been great for this game, hopefully he can heal up. His athleticism, big guard/SF build, 3 point ability, and flashes of good defense....would've been a good option and gives us hardcore fans a reminder of whats missing with our roster nowadays.
It was frustrating from the get go. I mean, I understand what you mean by that sequence, but the inep ude was a constant this game.
its a slippery slope. basketball is a game of confidence and a four game losing streak would be really bad for the spurs shooters (especially the 3pt shooters who have been so important this year).
but when you have too many flukey comebacks, it can go from confidence to overconfidence really quick. in that sense, I understand why pop let them lose. its easier to learn from a loss than a win. i'm just not sure its the best way to do it, especially when the whole point is to teach them to never say die and compete till the end.
in soccer here its a common phrase, you don't learn from wins. the players may well think to themselves they can win playing bad if only pop lets them. pop is giving them a slap to the face instead of letting them make a fool. I'm not sure which is worse, nor who is responsible for the decision- they are a team. but i think it's important for this team to get to the playoffs very confident. both the old and the young guys have to be reminded they are capable of being the best. I don't like the idea of pacing and monitoring minutes and experimenting to the point of not having a steady lineup. in that sense, i'd rather pop let them lose on the court.
Spurs were done. Perfect time to throw in the towel imo.
Spurs should have played some god damned defense tonight and thrown in the towel at the start of tomorrow nights game though. What a waste of energy for a lackluster performance on D.
Pop just starting his campaign to avoid coaching the ASG, tbh
Damn, you can't win em all but, damn'it these were the D'Antoni Knickettes! What the were our guys thinking on the way to the Garden?
3 minutes is too early to quit. Make a coupla stops, hit a coupla threes, one should never give up when playing against the New York Suns.
True.
We suck all the game but this is basketball.The game can change with 2 plays.
Sometimes, you have to instill a mindset, a can't quit at ude. Pop is the king of quitting. Some call it smart. Some hate it.
It just depends on your point of view. Tonight felt more like quitting than any other time I can remember.
ehhhh losing 4 games would be a disaster, but I do hope they regain the fire after this loss.
Thought the same and Blair did play well on offense, except for a few early mid-range shots. No one played defense.
Pop doesn't play for the game win, but for the season win. Tonight's game was just a pawn on the board. No need to waste energy and risk losing a major piece for that long shot. Regroup, attack the Celtics tomorrow.
Seriously, in 15 years I never saw a Spurs game where the opposite team made basket after basket after basket...
When the Knicks weren't scoring it was not because of the Spurs defense but because you can't shoot 100%.
It was unreal... and disgusting !
And i think Pop benched the big 3 because he wanted them to be pissed off, i mean REALLY PISSED OFF.
Manu was mad on the bench, we all know what to expect from him tomorrow !
i agree 100%. i've been in agreement all along--through the major winning streaks and all that. you say something regarding their "flukeness" or "luck" and point out they need to make changes or do things better, and the idiots flock to your posts and reply "they're 39-2, who cares," or "but they won, so be happy." some people just have two cent brains.All season long, I have been telling timvp that this Spurs team is tallying a lot of wins, but a lot of fluke wins. They have had a bunch of lucky comeback victories. They have caught a lot of teams shorthanded. I jokingly (maybe not) call this team the Fluke Spurs.
To stop being the Fluke Spurs, they need to get a lot better on D. Pop might have pulled the plug early, but it's for the best. What good would a fluke comeback have done? It would have put another W on the board, but the Spurs would continue to still have an inflated sense of how good they are.
They aren't good enough to do any damage in the playoffs. And I know... playoffs aren't in January, yada, yada, yada. But to get hungry, they have to stop winning all the time.I know it sounds stupid. And you can say they are professionals, they don't get complacent, etc. However, when you have the best record in the league, you aren't hungry.
I hope they go on a four-game skid.
anyway, like i said youre completely right in your analysis. i've been speculative for a while about this team, it's nice to see people with that same sentiment. the blind optimism on this site is getting nauseating (sp?).
When Pop started pulling the plug a year or two ago is when the Spurs started sucking. The reason we've won games this season is because we've never pulled the plug and kept playing. This back to back excuse is bull . You put in a pathetic effort defensively then you don't deserve to get early rest. He should have definitely let them play another minute or two then I have no problem with getting all the starters off the court.
as for whether or not they would should have pulled the plug...there was what 3:15 left in the game when he took everyone out and the Spurs were down like 10? i don't agree with quiting that early. you set up 3-point opportunities/plays for Bonner and Neal and hope they go 2/2 or even 3/3 in the next 3 possessions and get stops. then it's a one or two possession game with 2 mins left, and very winnable. if you're still down 10 by 2:00 mins in the game, then call it a game. but the Spurs are the best 3-point shooting team in the league and the tide can change quickly because of that. it has already this year (ie against the Magic and the Suns earlier in year). last year, i can see it, but this year we're too talented to just give up that early.
I didn't get to watch the game, but I followed the score.
We were behind all night, from what I recall, and couldn't seem to break that 2-point barrier. I even said to my co-worker that I felt a loss coming.
I just don't think the team had it tonight, so I didn't have a problem with Pop calling it quits...But again, I was watching the box score and not the actual game. Maybe it looked different on tv.
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