Blaming Pop Makes No Sense

[ChumpDumper]

Fortunately, in approximately 1962, some basketball coach in the Midwest devised something called the "switch" whereby the guy defending the screener . . . wait for it . . . switches to the man for whom the screen was set. Thus, even in the worst case, Duncan would be left defending a player who is not shooting, which was Pop's entire point in taking Duncan out. The only difference is that, unlike a Duncan on the bench, the Duncan defending a player who did nothing more than set a screen would at least be in position to, I don't know, . . .

GRAB A ING REBOUND.

Did you read the part "rotate"?

Read.

I did. Smaller players are better at switches. It's pretty simple.

Mmm...fail.

Since the Spurs were up by 5, they weren't only concerned about three pointers. Holding them to a single shot would make it worth having him on the floor, and Boris Diaw is in no way better at defending the three point line than Duncan.

Sure he is. Now people are just making stuff up.

Look. It's really just the same people pushing the same agendas they always have and always will. It's beyond old. I know i'll never convince you and I'll never buy into your agendas either. If retconning every loss into an alternate reality win makes it easier to cope, good for you. I do things differently.

[sanman53]

If Duncan was in the game and RayRay makes the three, we would be looking back asking Pop why he didnt take Timmy out.

Its Game 7, Pop will have our guys ready.

[100%duncan]

I did. Smaller players are better at switches. It's pretty simple.

Sure he is. Now people are just making stuff up.

Look. It's really just the same people pushing the same agendas they always have and always will. It's beyond old. I know i'll never convince you and I'll never buy into your agendas either. If retconning every loss into an alternate reality win makes it easier to cope, good for you. I do things differently.

You're stubborn, like Pop. So any conversation with you you won't listen. Even if it's wrong. Well, do things that way tbh. Sure you have failed life a million times now with that reasoning.

[Jenks]

C) You don't bench Manu Ginobili. How many times have we seen him suck for 95% of the game before coming up big at the end?

How many times in these playoffs?

[urunobili]

I'll be here for them and this board no matter what. Thanks timvp

[therealtruth]

I don't know is it easier to make a 3 over Boris Diaw or over a 7 ft All-NBA defensive center? Why don't we ask John Starks in game 6 of the Finals in '94 who he would rather have shot over?

[Blake]

Sure you have failed life a million times now with that reasoning.

I'm sure you're a complete success in life.

Emo?



ING EMO ASS GOT.

NOW STAY ON TOPIC.

YOU AND GREGG POPOVICH

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Mmm...fail.

Since the Spurs were up by 5, they weren't only concerned about three pointers. Holding them to a single shot would make it worth having him on the floor, and Boris Diaw is in no way better at defending the three point line than Duncan.

Spurs main concern was making it as difficult to shoot a three pointer and using as much time as possible. Three point shot rebounds tend to favor the shooting team as rebounds tend to be longer. Shooting teams can easily track down basketball miss as they are can see flight and trajectory. Quicker players on defense can defend pedometer and track down miss three pointer better than bigs. It's a good subs ution to make at that point.

[pgardn]

Spurs main concern was making it as difficult to shoot a three pointer and using as much time as possible. Three point shot rebounds tend to favor the shooting team as rebounds tend to be longer. Shooting teams can easily track down basketball miss as they are can see flight and trajectory. Quicker players on defense can defend pedometer and track down miss three pointer better than bigs. It's a good subs ution to make at that point.

This whole ordeal rests on the fact that many Spurs fans were already celebrating a 5th le. Up by 5 with 28 seconds against any good shooting team is not a done deal, but it was to our fans. So this is the particular incident of blame, because when bad things happen, THE incident must exist to mollify primal passions that refuse to look deeper into the entirety of the game.

We have dissected this chosen coaching decision endlessly. Very good points have been made on both sides.

So, what a shot by Ray Allen. Unbelievable dagger. The guy has hit yet another huge shot.
, sorry. Can't give Miami credit. Even though they let us back into the game in the 4th quarter after Lebron looked like he had delivered a series of blows that had us reeling. They failed to keep the momentum after the timeout. Just forget anything else. Pop left Duncan out. It's right because its an EASY blame. Easy is good for 2nd guessers.

[dbreiden83080]

No, the focus was defending and rebounding. Waiting for your list of who's better than Duncan at both. I'll wait.

Duncan 2nd team all defense and 14 all defense selections was benched with 28 seconds left for defense and it probably cost them a championship..

That is enough to make you want to leap off a ing building..

[Spurs21Fan4Ever]

The focus was still defending the three-point line.

Some of the most wide open threes come from offensive rebounds, everyone knows this. Besides, Duncan is tall, worst case scenario he gives up a layup who's is far less devastating, and I'm pretty sure Miami was so desperate they're only shooting threes at that point. To me there is no logic that justifies Pop's decision to take Duncan out at the end of the game.

[colargol]

For the life of me, I'll never understand why NBA coaches don't intentional foul when up 3 in an end game situation.

I've heard it rationalized because the most your opponent can score is 3, while there's a risk they can potentially score 4 (made freethrow + offensive rebound leading to a 3 point shot) if you put them on line. But I'd be willing to bet big money you have much better odds of winning the game by intentionally fouling and forcing your opponent to make a pressure freethrow and get the offensive rebound off the purposely missed second FT than just letting them shoot a 3 to send the game into OT, which always seems to favor the team who makes the big game tying shot.

Bosh should've been tackled once he grabbed that board. Or James, a known shaky FT shooter, should've been put on the line.

+1

[Agloco]

Duncan needed to be boxing out Bosh plain and simple. He had already collected 15 boards at that point with his 16th most likely clinching the championship. If the focus was defending the three, it's unnecessary to take Tim out since Bosh wasn't in there to shoot a three. We all know where the ball was going.

I also agree with the strategy of fouling, at least in the first cir stance being up 5 with the ball in LeBrons hands. Make him earn it from the stripe.

[DrSteffo]

The OP knows about basketball.

[ChumpDumper]

Duncan 2nd team all defense and 14 all defense selections was benched with 28 seconds left for defense and it probably cost them a championship..

That is enough to make you want to leap off a ing building..

If you're that emo, it might not be a bad an idea.

[dbestpro]

Pop screwed the pooch down the stretch mutiple times. You can say what you want, but the truth is the game will go down in history as one of the greatest choke jobs in sports by the players and in particular the coach.

[dbreiden83080]

If you're that emo, it might not be a bad an idea.

If you're that blasé you might want to log off....

[dbreiden83080]

Pop screwed the pooch down the stretch mutiple times. You can say what you want, but the truth is the game will go down in history as one of the greatest choke jobs in sports by the players and in particular the coach.

It will.. A game 7 loss tonight will not bring too many threads or reactions from fans and media about "What a great year" Just what could have and should have been.. It doesn't matter what was expected from this team at the beginning of year, all that is remembered is 28 seconds away with a 5 point lead..

[dbreiden83080]

Some of the most wide open threes come from offensive rebounds, everyone knows this. Besides, Duncan is tall, worst case scenario he gives up a layup who's is far less devastating, and I'm pretty sure Miami was so desperate they're only shooting threes at that point. To me there is no logic that justifies Pop's decision to take Duncan out at the end of the game.

The bottom line is if we break down the tape from other games this year Pop obviously did this with success but in this situation especially when Bosh checked back in, keeping Tim on the bench was the back breaker.. Bosh got the rebound easily without Tim on the floor..

[Spurs Brazil]

My only problem with Pop was the lineup tom start the 4th and I think he took to long to bring TD or Tony back. Heat cut the lead in 2 minutes

[DesignatedT]

My only problem with Pop was the lineup tom start the 4th and I think he took to long to bring TD or Tony back. Heat cut the lead in 2 minutes

TD got off the bench with like 10 minutes left in the fourth. IIRC

[elbamba]

My only problem with Pop was the lineup tom start the 4th and I think he took to long to bring TD or Tony back. Heat cut the lead in 2 minutes

I agree. With a ten point lead, at that point the Spurs should have been inviting James to take every shot he could. The Spurs made a huge mistake taking players away from Miami's three point shooters. I actually think the Spurs win in a blow out if they had not allowed those two threes to start the game.

[Spurs Brazil]

TD got off the bench with like 10 minutes left in the fourth. IIRC

I'd start the 4th with Tony and Manu and give Tony a rest when TD came back. Manu was too bad the be on the floor without Tony and Timmy

[2centsworth]

The bottom line is if we break down the tape from other games this year Pop obviously did this with success but in this situation especially when Bosh checked back in, keeping Tim on the bench was the back breaker.. Bosh got the rebound easily without Tim on the floor..

The great coach Spoelstra took advantage of Pop.

[ChumpDumper]

If you're that blasé you might want to log off....

Nah, I finally learned watching a team win or lose has not much at all to do with me, so getting emo about it isn't the thing to do.