Game 5 Preview: Hoping Time Stands Still

[Slippy]

You know, it was massive improvement on offense for the most part of 2nd half by the spurs. It was a matter of getting stops.

You gotta mix it up with Durant but he still going to get his. The one adjustment the spurs should make is send a proper double team. Kawai seemed confused on how and when to apply it. If the Spurs limit thunder role players input, then they should come out on top.

A loud home crowd going nuts will be the difference.

[timvp]

POP'S QUIZ

The players aren't the only ones who have a lot on their plate. Pop is facing, in my opinion, the most challenging game of his coaching career. The Spurs have been in bigger games but this is the first time Pop has coached a game of this magnitude without a superstar version of Tim Duncan to fall back on. Pop's answers to the following questions could very well decide whether or not the Spurs live to see another round.

Should Manu Ginobili start?
Personally, I think Pop should give Danny Green one more half. If Green struggles in his first stint in Game 5, Ginobili should start the second half and the remaining games in this series. Either way, Ginobili needs to play more than 30 minutes on Monday night.

Should Tiago Splitter or Matt Bonner play?
Ever since the Thunder began to switch pick-and-rolls, Splitter has been taken completely out of the series. That said, I still want to see him in Game 5. He's too good and has played too well to go away from him now. At least give Splitter a chance. As for Bonner, no. Just no. No.

Should DeJuan Blair be in the rotation?
I loved the spark Blair provided in Game 4 but I don't think Pop should automatically turn to him going forward. If the Spurs are struggling or getting out-muscled in the paint, then Blair makes sense. But if things are humming along, keep Blair on the sideline.

Huge real life failure by Pop.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

How does he get so rattled like this in the playoffs

Is the spurs book on the Duncan era going to point to Pop as the main reason spurs earned an early and late reputation as chokers?
Collapses are not easy
And we seen to many for one era

[polandprzem]

Pop was gr8 in reg

[timvp]

Big picture, it was 2-2. No big reason to panic. Best of three with two at home. Should have just kept going with what was working.

I could have agreed with starting Ginobili or elevating Blair or trying more midget ball or removing Green completely ......... but not all the possible got damn maneuvers at the same time.

[therealtruth]

Big picture, it was 2-2. No big reason to panic. Best of three with two at home. Should have just kept going with what was working.

I could have agreed with starting Ginobili or elevating Blair or trying more midget ball or removing Green completely ......... but not all the possible got damn maneuvers at the same time.

Pop looked confused with some of those weird lineups.

[Obstructed_View]

Parker needs to watch a replay of the game where he went off on Westbrook.

[polandprzem]

Pop either wanted to confuse Brooks - which is not his style
Or he wanted to give some players a try - in a meaning - if you this two minutes I'm giving you, you gonna get benched.

It's hard to believe Pop was messing the rotation so much. But it's hard to believe in what's going on.


LJ maybe 2-2 was not time for panic but this game was so important that losing it cause everybody to jump of the cliff. So that was pretty damn important game tbqo

[SA210]

How does he get so rattled like this in the playoffs

Is the spurs book on the Duncan era going to point to Pop as the main reason spurs earned an early and late reputation as chokers?
Collapses are not easy
And we seen to many for one era

It should point to Pop, but people are stupid, so it probably won't