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Nope. Splitter has never had a good game against OKC in his overrated career... He's soft, leaves Ibaka open, gets blocked and gets the crowd going...
Kawhi's post game isn't that developed but it will get Ibaka tired
I am just wondering if Splitter or Kawhi would be effective in posting up Ibaka? If our bigs could find success on isolation against Ibaka, would it be possible to put Ibaka on early foul trouble or just disrupt the Thunder's defensive scheme?
Nope. Splitter has never had a good game against OKC in his overrated career... He's soft, leaves Ibaka open, gets blocked and gets the crowd going...
Kawhi's post game isn't that developed but it will get Ibaka tired
ibaka goes for every shot. he's a sucker for a pump fake. took popovich 4 games to figure it out in 2012 and he's forgotten. pump fake him, get him in the air and go to the line. it's not rocket science. dude leaves his feet for damn near everything.
I've been screaming this from the roof tops. Dude tries to block everything. On the play he blocked Parker on the layup, if Parker just pump fakes one time Ibaka flies right past him.
They respect this dude way too much. They need to be attacking him over and over, not running the other direction when they see him. I'm talking about on the pnr, not posting him up.
Also, if you're posting him up, obviously you know where he is. It's the fear of his shot blocking from the help defense - where players are looking for him - that is the trouble. Go right at him.
Last edited by BillMc; 05-26-2014 at 12:23 PM.
Splitter backed him down successfully a few times during the regular season IIRC..he missed the shots, but he got deep position..
It's definitely worth a try IMO..Splitter should get 1-2 post touches early in the 1st, as ugly as it may look..
This might be crazy but I think the only effective post-up would come from Diaw. Tim is too slow both on his feet and with his shot. Tiago would be a disaster. Leonard is too short and not quite fast enough to get around him (barring a spin move on every play). Diaw is quick enough to make Ibaka at least work to defend him. Diaw is an excellent passer in the post so Ibaka and the thunder help defense would need to be on point.
I think posting him up is a great idea not that anyone would have much success scoring directly over him but it would reduce weakside help from Ibaka pn kickouts and those backboard pins/goal tends imo. A little physicalit, nothing dirty needed. Just wear on him.
Besides, Diaw is always pump faking on the jump shot at the top of the key - he should be able to pump fake Ibaka down low.
Go small with Bonner. Make him guard the 3pt line.
He had the 20 and 10 game last year against Ibaka.
IMO Pop should start Diaw, he has no problem going out to guard Ibaka & Diaw would take advantage of Ibaka's WEAK post defense. Baynes was horrible to watch yesterday. Splitter has always been better with Manu anyway...
Please no one say "Play Matt Bonner"that clown couldn't even rebound Westbrook's missed dunk! And are you really going to trust him in the WCF, on the road, after Spurs got out rebounded by nearly 20? LOL
Whether it is Splitter, Diaw, Duncan, Parker or Leonard, whoever is driving the lane HAS to get more box-out help from our bigs. Whoever would get in the paint last night had not only Ibaka but two other help defenders in the paint. The problem is that there are more of them in the paint there are offensive guys for us, because our perimeter guys are told to stay on the arc.
Some of Ibaka's usefulness is that if he gets pump-faked, it allows OKC's help defense to get in position for a block or altering the shot. It is just not as simple as posting the guy up and pump faking him.
Well if we're at the point where play bonner and post up tiago is the solution then yes we are screwed
Ibaka is definitely worse as a post defender than a help defender. Tim, Tiago, and Diaw should definitely take turns trying to back him down.
i would start diaw and duncan instead of splitter. i'm not at this particular time saying splitter is trash, but leave diaw at the 3 point line and post time up or leave tim at the freethrow line and post diaw up. either way, we are at a great advantage on the offensive end with diaw and timmy on the floor vs timmy/splitter. timmy, diaw, green, parker, leonard, running a 4-1 offense spacing the floor. if they double in the paint, tim has 4 shooters around him.
This is exactly why we need to be doing this. We dominated 2 games already and we suddenly fall off because of Ibaka. Knowing where he is or taking him out early via foul trouble could lessen that fear factor.
Just to be clear you wan't Kawhi to post someone who is 4 inches taller and every bit as athletic?
Diaw is the answer to Ibaka. Have him set screens and spot up at the 3pt line. If OKC traps then they leave a good 3pt shooter open and he can drive and kick. If they switch screens then he can go into the post and back down WB or who ever is defending the guard. Have Diaw spot up for corner 3's on the left side (Bowen corner) and it keeps Ibaka from sliding over and cutting Parker off at the rim because he has to be at-least 15 feet out to "zone" Diaw.
I agree. Its not that Splitter is playing poorly but Diaw's spacing makes Ibaka stretch out further. Splitter is basically Perkins (no insult intended) in terms of range. What Duncan is doing on defense by helping off Perk is the same as what Ibaka is doing with Splitter. Spurs can't afford the lack of spacing with their athleticism and length.
thing is diaw needs to hit his 3s. he was 0-3 from 3 point land last game. he was pretty open on those too.
It's only going to work if Diaw can make the Thunder respect his shot. I am sure the Thunder are willing to give that up as long as they can keep the lane clogged.
Splitter has the body mass to cause his calves problems while backing him down
do it!
Pop seems to think it's ok to intentionally foul them but he doesn't go out looking to be fouled. Spurs seem to shy away from contact, but they were all over the paint when there was no defense.
I was wondering the same but for another reason: post him up aggressively 10 times in a row for 24 seconds and see how that calf is doing.
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