It is interesting that Pop is adding a legal zone defence to his options. I dont think he wants to show his hand to Thunder but it is obvious that one aspect of his D is the failure to blockout by his defensive players when their opponent take a shot. The instinct to look for the lane of the opponent , block his move to the ring in anticipation is simply missing. I think Thunder are also susceptible to the fast break but that tactic is completely forgotten and needs to be revived before playoff time.
How do we beat the Thunder? Do everything we did yesterday with two minor modifications: make two more chip shots that we missed and guard one 3 point attempt from fisher, durant (or really anyone on OKC) a little bit better so they miss.
Oh and maybe throw in Splitter for improved interior defense. Maybe throw in Green for improved perimeter defense.
Very easy.
1. Be healthy. Green and Splitter (along with Kawhi) plus Diaw will be crucial in defending the Thunder PnR.
2. Give Sefalosha and Perkins the Tony Allen treatment. I see why Pop would be hesitant to do so in the regular season, but if you recall, last year against the Grizzlies in the playoffs we totally caught them off guard by ignoring their two perimeter players, Prince and Allen; neither of them was going to take more than 10 shots per game, and those shots just weren't going to be efficient. Thabo has a reputation as a 3pt shooter and defender, but this year he's only taking 2 threes a game and making them at a paltry .311%. Even if he can make them at a higher rate, every open shot for Sefalosha will be a shot taken out of the hands of two of the best scorers in the game. Same goes for Perk, but he will never make them at a high rate. In this way we can totally clog the lane and turn the Thunder into the inefficient jump-shooting team they are at heart.
3. Put TD on Ibaka. I know you are all having flashbacks to Ibaka turning into Lamarcus Aldridge in the WCF, but I think this strategy makes sense for two reasons. Perkins is by a wide margin the Thunder's best screener. He is almost always the guy setting screens for Durant and Westbrook. However we saw last night how incapable TD is of guarding that play. By putting Splitter, our best PnR big, on Perkins, it forces the Thunder to choose: either set screens with Ibaka to exploit TD or set screens with Perk and face the much better Splitter. In the first case, see above^^. If Perk isn't setting the screens we can basically ignore him and stick Tiago right at the rim both to ease the pressure on KD drives and make it so Tim can get out to Ibaka on the jumper. In the second case we can rely on Splitter to do at least a serviceable job guarding the Durant PnR while freeing up Tim for help D and rebounding. Kick outs to Ibaka will be a problem but again, against the Thunder anything is preferable to Durant or Westbrook with the ball in their hands.
4. Re-think our strategy about guarding Durant. I was saying this yesterday, if Green/Manu can at least make Durant work for the buckets he's going to score anyways, it makes a lot of sense to stick Kawhi on Sefalosha so he can basically play rover. At least for stretches. Putting Parker on Sefalosha is an okay idea because it hides him on defense, but I don't think this will be a big problem against Westbrook. If there is any area of defense Parker is horrid at it is contesting 3pt shots, and it really hurt him against the (apparent) sharpshooter Jackson. But Westbrook is barely shooting threes at 30% this year. He is a great driver but a largely inefficient shooter. If you put Kawhi on Sefalosha, though, he can rotate and help on a lot of Westbrook and Durant's drives. He excels at getting in passing lanes, and neither Durant nor Westbrook are even good passers. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but either of their two stars kicking out to a marginally open 30% three-point shooter I will absolutely accept. Leonard would create havoc if he could basically play free-safety while guarding the defender Sefalosha.
5. Start Manu or Bellinelli for Green. We've seen what Jackson can do. We can't let him turn into another Harden in the playoffs. Green is our best guard defender, and if you take away Jackson the Thunder's second unit is basically inept offensively.
I really think the Thunder are a flawed team in that they give big minutes to one-dimensional players like Perk and Sefalosha. There will be times when we just can't get a stop because of their star power, but there are also ways we could give them different looks in order to prevent this. The refs will certainly give the Thunder at least a game or two, but as of right now if both teams are healthy I'll take the Spurs in 5 or 6 games.
starting Green and Splitter would go a long way
Play Green, Leonard and Manu the bulk of the minutes at the wing. With the Thunder going small so much, they should each average at least 32mpg. Beli should only play if Mills doesn't.
Start Diaw, but play Splitter heavily for Duncan unless Tim has his offensive game going. By far the most exploitable part of the team's defense.
Last year's Spurs would have beaten this year's Thunder. They need the Core Six to get back to last year's level. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel with Beli. He will end up playing Neal's role anyway, and there's no reason to treat him differently. The only potential room in the playoff rotation is spot minutes for a defensive forward.
Pray Durant ruptures his Achilles or tear his acl
No it's not, really.
We lost by 6 points.
So losing by 6 ponits means it's going to be easy to beat them in the playoffs? What about the other times? 0-3 this year. It will not be easy to beat that team in the playoffs and if any of you think it is then you are delusional.
How can we fit Shaq in a Scion iQ?
You're leaving out the fact that Green wouldn't be there to start the game on Westbrook then.
LeBron defense on Westbrook, pray Kawhi is healthy vs Durant, Grizz sag on shooters, pray Jackson doesn't blow up
First game: Fully healthy and held them to only 94 points. 88-94.
Second Game: Kawhi, best perimeter defender out. 100-113.
Third Game: Green and Splitter out, Kawhi injured. 105-111.
Nothing there makes me think the Thunder are unbeatable. Health is the biggest factor.
They are no way unbeatable, but right now I don't think we beat them in a 7 game series unless they show me in the 2nd half they can beat a good team. I will wait until they are ready in the 2nd half and on a little roll to judge where they are at though.
BTW how come I answer someone else and a different account with little posts in here keep answering me back on this thread? I know the answer but come on now man keep one account to answer trolls.
Duracne was not in comfort zone with Beli guarding him, I dont want manu guarding that Pimple face he could get injured OKC is full of cheap shots.
Exactly. Most of the games we lost in 2012 WCF were by just a few points iir.
Or hope Westbrook reinjures his knee and they face the Grizzlies in the playoffs.
Don't forget hit our free throws
I dont' even know how perkins starts that guy just sucks all he does is foul and shoot airballs. Ignoring him is a great idea.
Nothing says clueless better than thoughtless smack.
I hope both of these things happen to you, you classless mouth-breather.
They simply can't unless Jeffers pulls a Berveley on Durant.
First you would have to play them. Which won't happen since the Spurs will lose in the 1st round.
Watch film of how Memphis did it last year. I'm sure it involves playing good, physical defense and making them earn everything they get. Plus, put Jackson in his place and watch Westbrook steal Durant's shots. But yeah, be healthy.
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