Im a satisfied spurs fan. Our team hung in there and exhibited the heart of a champiom
Pop preaches for the team to keep pounding the rock. Sure enough, they didn't quit, kept pounding, and eventually the last blow split the rock.
That at ude and philosophy, instilled in them over the years, paid off big. I've never seen anything like this game in the playoffs.
how good was Greens block on Curry at the end of the game? Loved seeing that little get stuffed.
My thoughts exactly. Manu really had me steaming but all is well that ends well I guess.Even though I kept watching this game, I have to admit that I had given up any hope of the Spurs mounting any sort of comeback. Based upon their rusty performance throughout the first 3 & 2/3 quarters, there was simply nothing to indicate that there was any kind of rally forthcoming. Their overall shooting percentage was subpar, they were slow to loose balls and they were getting pummeled both in the paint and on the glass. It seemed as though the entire team was playing in mud. Meanwhile, the Warriors were in complete command of the game. They were quicker on both sides of the ball, they limited the Spurs to one shot and just out-executed the Spurs in every way. Meanwhile, Curry was putting on an absolute masterful shooting display, rarely seen, in the 3rd quarter, which caused the Warriors lead to swell to 18. All looked completely lost.
When the Spurs finally did mount their comeback, I felt that it was blown up by Manu. My continuing frustration with his decision-making, his shot-selection, and careless passes, proved to be detrimental to the Spurs comeback. That ill-advised, 30-ft 3-pt shot, at the top of the key, when the Spurs were in the throes of their comeback, basically sealed the Spurs fate - or so I thought. Who knew what was in store?
How this team forced the game into overtime (twice) is still something that I can't explain. Great writeup on an inexplicable and improbable outcome.
This was indeed a uva game and it has to be considered one of the most thrilling playoff games in recent years. Congrats to the Spurs for their successful comeback and to Manu for saving the day. I watched it and I still don't believe it!
Check the video of the postgame coverage by TNT, with Kenny Smith and Barkley, they analyze the play very well. Basically the coach told his players to all switch on picks. Except one guy didn't get picked an the whole switching scheme broke down, with a double team on Parker and nobody covering Manu. After that it's a classic 2v1 offense: either Manu shoots wide open, or if the defender closes fast then Manu can pass to Diaw for an uncontested layup. As soon as the defensive rotation breaks down this means a (relatively) easy basket.
Actually if you listen to "Inside Trax" you will notice many coaches turn into motivators toward the end of games. In some cases it's because that's all the coach knows how to do, in other cases it's because that's what's needed. I don't know for certain that Jackson can't draw up a play late. I know I was surprised when every "Inside Trax" in the previous round had d'Antoni spouting clichés each and every time.I also found out Mark Jackson is the team psychologist and not the coach. Not calling ANY play on either end? That's what it looked like. True exposure. How is this guy going to last? This is not Mack Brown college football.
Remember that Pop is THE best coach by a mile on drawing plays coming out of a timeout, he's really the king of that and Spurs fans are a bit spoiled in this respect.
Props to Boris Diaw for contributing after not playing for a few weeks.
That was Diaw, IIRC
Different block.
On Mike and Mike, they confirmed with Elias that in the last fifteen years in the playoffs, teams that were leading by 16 in the fourth quarter with four minutes to go were 392-0. Now thanks to the Spurs, it's 392-1. ing incredible.
According to Mike and Mike, before last night, teams with at least a 16 point lead with 4 minutes left or less in the 4th quarter in the last 15 years were 392-0. They are now 392-1. Sweet baby jesus.
Incredible stat. Further proof as to just how improbable that win really was.
Eventually it's going to happen. You run the scenario enough times, someones going to break the mold.
Proud to be the statistical anomaly!
Is that including the regular season?
In practice Parker needs to go against Kawhi so he can get better against going against bigger defenders. Teams know it works and are going to keep trying it.
The people that left early got to their cars and were like WTF!!!
Was crazy to see half the stadium empty. That's why you never leave a game, much less a playoff game, early.
One note on Gary Neal. He was a part of that miraculous four minutes at the end of regulation. He made two plays specifically that don't end up in the box score, but saved us.
1) He drew a charge against Curry - ending a possession
2) On Richard Jefferson's breakaway, he got back in time to foul him and prevent the easy layup. And then missed both FT's. Way to go Jefferson!
If Gary doesn't make either of those plays, we probably don't win. Just thought I'd give him a shout out when it's due.
Incredible game. Not sure how they pulled that one off. Is this the defining game? The one that says, "maybe it's our time again".
- We wouldn't have won without Manu and Boris, but they made some careless passes at the end of the game. Manu trying to lead Boris to a spot at the top of the key. Boris attempting a tough interior pass. Take care of the ball. Keep it simple.
- Props to Neal for chasing down and fouling Jefferson and not getting a clear path foul.
- Nice post up by Kawhi on Jack. Need more of that.
- Pop successfully executed Hack-a-Bogut. He should do this again if their shooters get hot. Might want to extend this to Ezeili if Bogut's out of the game. Might even do this on anyone not named Curry/Thompson, just to disrupt the rhythm of the game.
Haven't seen a game that crazy in a long time, and I have a feeling we'll see some more of it in this series, so hang onto your hats and enjoy the ride!
My primary concern is pick and roll defense.
I'm constantly mystified how Curry gets his long-range shot off. It's not a "normal" overhead or eye-level shot. He starts down at chest level like it's going to be an old-style set-shot, then *poof* the ball's in the air. It looks like he's just flinging it up there.
His dad, Dell Curry had the quickest release jumpshot back in the 1990s.
I was a fan of the man's jumper. Pure and quick, no wasted movement.
Steph probably learned a lot of those tricks from his dad.
Yeah, I noticed that as well. Of course every coach sometimes uses timeouts for motivational speeches, but D'Antoni just seemed to have no clue whatsoever what to say if not "Come on, let's go" or something like that all the time.
I certainly hope that Splitter is back and effective in the next game, because we need him against Bogut. Duncan couldn't handle Bogut last night and I don't think it was because of the flu. I think Bogut is too young and too strong. We need Splitter against him.
Thank god Diaw is back. He is a really really big help to us, as long as we are not asking him to take on Bogut.
Our shooters will be better in the next game. IIRC, Tony was at 42% before the OT's, Duncan at 40%, and Ginobili at less than 30%. We will be fine on that eventually.
I think we have to make everybody except Curry beat us, because he is too good, regardless of who is guarding him. Tony did some good and some poor on the defensive end against him, but what finally got Curry wasn't as much Leonard or Green or a revitalized Tony. It was Mark Jackson, who let him play every minute of the second half. If Neal had stayed on his man in the first overtime, we could have taken the game then. If we stay on everybody else and let Curry have his, we will win.
None of this means that Curry has outplayed anyone on the Spurs team. His shooting is in the category of a Durant or a James, but his overall game isn't as good as our guys. Our guys were not ready to play at the proper intensity level when the game started and showed miserably. Then the third quarter was a disaster as Spurs' third quarters have been disasters for so many years over the Pop era.
Timvp has already mentioned this but the team played much better without Duncan than with him. We were faster and sharper. And we made up the 16 point difference without him. That doesn't mean we go away from Duncan in the future. He will feel better by the next game, hopefully. But we need someone to bounce with Bogut and that is not Tim. We need either Splitter or even a little dose of Baynes.
Next game: if we figure out what to do with Bogut and make sure that we stay at home on everyone not named Curry, I think we win much more easily than this one. Curry's assists were so high because we kept running so many people at him his team members got very open looks.
We defended Curry as well as he can be defended. He is a great player developing before our eyes. Let him get his. Shut everybody else down. We will be fine.
A few notes from the game:
Especially in the 3rd it didn't seem like GSW had any set plays, it was almost like when you discover a glitch in a bball game and just start chucking the ball because it keeps going in, is this kind of shooting sustainable?
This reminds me of the GSW upset against dallas, where dampier was benched because of match ups. Does this mean if tiago was healthy would he too be benched, or would we force them to match up to us?
Because of all the 3pt shooting from gsw, it gives a long rebound on misses, the kind that lands far from the rim. So those with closer positions to the rim actually lose out on the rebound. This could continue if they keep chucking. So I'm wondering if playing 2 7-footers would even help if the rebound is a large bounce towards the free throw line anyway.
I'm not so sure playing small, though it worked in the end, is sustainable since it is their game. Maybe if tim feels better than 1-7 footer is enough.
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