Why does this coach...

[jjktkk]

Think he can get away with not playing his best personnel?

I don't get it. No one else in the league does this .

I haven't heard one NBA person, or ESPN, TNT, etc... do anything but praise the Spurs so far this season. So unless you can be more specific about the "league" not getting it, I'm going to assume your making up to try a prove your point.

This team has pulled a bunch of games out of their ass (which is par for the course considering the record they have; no one get's record like this playing brilliant ball every game). They could be legitimately beating teams and getting the key guys more rest if they'd start McDyess and use Splitter as the first big off the bench.

So your unhappy that the Spurs aren't winning legitimately? I've never heard someone complain about winning legitimately before. I'm happy with any win.

I was fine with not starting McDyess early, but it's now past a third of the season, he's barely played the last few weeks and it's not going to kill him if he plays 20 mpg as a starter. The odd game against a bottom feeder, they can start Blair and try to avoid playing McDyess, so as to preserve him. But at this point, he should be starting. I don't want to hear this "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. They're not winning games because Blair's starting, but rather in spite of it.

It's clear this is a very good shooting team. Even if they cool some, they're going to continue to be a good shooting team because they've got all the ingredients necessary to be one. But they don't need to be as heavily reliant as they are on shooting to win games (contrary to increasingly popular belief, they're not the Suns). Not when they have a trio of quality defensive bigs.

If defense is supposedly so damn important, then it's time this coach start practicing what he preaches.

If you would read some of the Pop interviews posted by Duncan228 on here you would realize that because this team no longer possesses the ability to shut down their opponent on a regular basis defensively, Pop had to change this team to be a more attacking, offensive minded, bunch. If you think that Pop totally quit preaching defense, then your clueless. Judging by your ranting and raving about Splitter on quite a few posts, you expected Splitter to come in from day 1 and instantly become a regular in the rotation, regardless of the fact that Splitter missed all of training camp, and the preseason with injuries and regardless of the fact that Splitter is a rookie trying to learn a new and complex Spurs system. IMO that thinking is a bit far fetched. I actually feel alittle sorry for that you can't sit back and enjoy the great start the Spurs are having so far this season.

[TD 21]

Does he care? Yes. Does he care as much as he used to? Maybe, but I believe he's making do with the advanced age of Duncan and the type of personnel he has -- which is more offensively potent than defensive.

Reggie Miller was talking about the conversation he had with Pop prior to the game and that's essentially what he said. Pop just doesn't believe they can get it done the way the used to offensively, to the point that he's getting on the team more for their offense than defense. It's just a different team, according to Pop (via Miller).

That's fine, then he needs to stop pretending defense if of the utmost importance to him. That or stop expecting better results out of the rotation he's playing. It makes no sense to use McDyess sparingly and not have Splitter in the rotation, then harp about the defense. As I said, it's a minor miracle they're top ten in efficiency (or at least, were top ten).

Not even at his greatest could he do it alone, no one can or has. You need those role players and glue guys to get it done. 'Dyess and Hill are the two most important such guys when it comes to the defensive end.

I get that. I said he was "everything" half jokingly. I agree, though.

If it all works perfectly for Pop, I think Neal and Anderson are an either-or based on matchup and performance. Not a lot of minutes to be had at the 2/3, it's going to take one of a feel and some good coaching to play the right guys at the right times.

Yeah, I think that's how it'll work as well. If it's a swing game in a series or a closeout game, Pop could conceivably just play the top four perimeter guys. Even in the other games, you're right, there's not a lot of minutes to be had.

And Splitter, I honestly don't know. I'm pretty confident Pop believes he needs Splitter's potential more than Blair's big picture, but I just don't know if he believes that potential is capable of being fulfilled this year. It really just comes down to if Pop believes this year is for Tiago or not. Hopefully he doesn't really view him the same as Oberto or won't feel like he made the same kind of mistake he made with Hill.

Whether it's capable of being fulfilled this year or not, he's got to try. Because he's the piece that will dictate whether they can win it or not. Potentially, a championship making or breaking decision.

I haven't heard one NBA person, or ESPN, TNT, etc... do anything but praise the Spurs so far this season. So unless you can be more specific about the "league" not getting it, I'm going to assume your making up to try a prove your point.

That's not what I said, genius. Re-read it five more times and you might be able to comprehend half of it. Being that it is rocket-science and all.

So your unhappy that the Spurs aren't winning legitimately? I've never heard someone complain about winning legitimately before. I'm happy with any win.

That's not what I said, genius. Re-read it five more times and you might be able to comprehend half of it. Being that it is rocket-science and all.

If you would read some of the Pop interviews posted by Duncan228 on here you would realize that because this team no longer possesses the ability to shut down their opponent on a regular basis defensively, Pop had to change this team to be a more attacking, offensive minded, bunch. If you think that Pop totally quit preaching defense, then your clueless. Judging by your ranting and raving about Splitter on quite a few posts, you expected Splitter to come in from day 1 and instantly become a regular in the rotation, regardless of the fact that Splitter missed all of training camp, and the preseason with injuries and regardless of the fact that Splitter is a rookie trying to learn a new and complex Spurs system. IMO that thinking is a bit far fetched. I actually feel alittle sorry for that you can't sit back and enjoy the great start the Spurs are having so far this season.

Thank you for the update. I had no idea the team had changed over the years. As for the rest of this . . . that's not what I said, genius. Re-read it five more times and you might be able to comprehend half of it. Being that it is rocket-science and all.

[jjktkk]

Think he can get away with not playing his best personnel?

I don't get it. No one else in the league does this. This team has pulled a bunch of games out of their ass (which is par for the course considering the record they have; no one get's record like this playing brilliant ball every game). They could be legitimately beating teams and getting the key guys more rest if they'd start McDyess and use Splitter as the first big off the bench.

I was fine with not starting McDyess early, but it's now past a third of the season, he's barely played the last few weeks and it's not going to kill him if he plays 20 mpg as a starter. The odd game against a bottom feeder, they can start Blair and try to avoid playing McDyess, so as to preserve him. But at this point, he should be starting. I don't want to hear this "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. They're not winning games because Blair's starting, but rather in spite of it.

It's clear this is a very good shooting team. Even if they cool some, they're going to continue to be a good shooting team because they've got all the ingredients necessary to be one. But they don't need to be as heavily reliant as they are on shooting to win games (contrary to increasingly popular belief, they're not the Suns). Not when they have a trio of quality defensive bigs.

If defense is supposedly so damn important, then it's time this coach start practicing what he preaches.

That's fine, then he needs to stop pretending defense if of the utmost importance to him. That or stop expecting better results out of the rotation he's playing. It makes no sense to use McDyess sparingly and not have Splitter in the rotation, then harp about the defense. As I said, it's a minor miracle they're top ten in efficiency (or at least, were top ten).

I get that. I said he was "everything" half jokingly. I agree, though.

Yeah, I think that's how it'll work as well. If it's a swing game in a series or a closeout game, Pop could conceivably just play the top four perimeter guys. Even in the other games, you're right, there's not a lot of minutes to be had.

Whether it's capable of being fulfilled this year or not, he's got to try. Because he's the piece that will dictate whether they can win it or not. Potentially, a championship making or breaking decision.



That's not what I said, genius. Re-read it five more times and you might be able to comprehend half of it. Being that it is rocket-science and all.

That's not what I said, genius. Re-read it five more times and you might be able to comprehend half of it. Being that it is rocket-science and all.



Thank you for the update. I had no idea the team had changed over the years. As for the rest of this . . . that's not what I said, genius. Re-read it five more times and you might be able to comprehend half of it. Being that it is rocket-science and all.

Excuse me coach Einstein, do you know what the definition of "quote" is? Did I change any words in your thread? I replied to your quotes. Why do you keep stating "thats not what I said"?

[TD 21]

Three months later and not a damn thing's changed. This team is slipping defensively by the game, as well as on the glass. The defensive efficiency and opposition field goal percentage are creeping right back to where they were the last two season's, when neither were good enough to to win a championship.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. This team's biggest obstacle to winning the championship is not the Lakers front line, it's their own damn coach. He's preaching defense, then resorting to playing Blair-Bonner together for stretches. They're bad enough defensively on their on. Together, they have no chance at approaching adequate.

I'm at the point now, where I almost hope one of these two get's injured for a few weeks (though it would hurt with Duncan out), so that he no longer has the option of playing them together. If Bonner is out, he'd probably just play Novak. But if Blair is out, he'll be forced to play Splitter.

That's what it's come to.

[Obstructed_View]

To be fair, I don't remember the last time Pop preached defense. He's pretty much had a ing boner for veterans and three point shooters for a while now, and the only reason they won the le in 2007 is because Robert Horry is both of those, and actually played defense.

[JustinJDW]

Every fanbase in the NBA thinks the coach isn't playing the best personnel. Pop isn't alone.

Pretty much this.

[jjktkk]

Pretty much this.

The funny part is it only takes one loss for it to happen.

[Obstructed_View]

Pretty much this.

Pretty much not. This particular coach has a consistent pattern of favoring veterans over young players, three point shooting over defense, and randomly punishing certain guys over and over and over. If someone can name another coach that set a franchise record for wins in a season, only to completely overhaul his rotation and stop playing both his centers for a failed playoff run, I'd be interested to know about it.