Popovich wants Spurs to improve transition defense

[JohnnyMax]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nba/post/_/i...sition-defense

"Transition D has still been a problem," Popovich said. "Our transition D still looks like it did in Game 6 and 7 against the Clippers last [season] in the first round. Worst transition defense in the history of basketball in those two games."

How bad was it? Well, the Clippers outscored the Spurs 33-4 on the break in Games 6 and 7.

"So it's been an emphasis to start this season," Popovich said. "Because if we'e gonna be one of the worst offensive-rebounding teams in the league, which we always are, we better be one of the best transition-defense teams. Usually we are. But we weren't last year in general, and it really showed in the last couple of games in the Clippers series."

[K...]

Yeah that sucks. Maybe he should invest in some non tosb players with actual working legs. Take note lma, you will be splittered if you don't run back

[Dingle Barry]

Perhaps it's time to cut bait and switch to a crashing the offensive boards strategy.

[Chinook]

The Spurs have one good transition defender in their rotation now that Parker's over the hill. Danny's elite, but he's only one guy. Kawhi isn't very good in transition (if someone posts a gif of that Westbrook strip...). Manu knows he's not good and just fouls, even when it's not in the team's best interest to do so. Patty is too small.

Anderson and Simmons both have potential on that end. Kyle has to be the PG on the break to have a chance, as he's not beating anyone down the floor. Simmons needs to get control of himself better to avoid fouling.

[hater]

that's what filling up your roster with slow defensively deficient players does to you

[spurraider21]

[313]

Perhaps it's time to cut bait and switch to a crashing the offensive boards strategy.

If we're gonna get beat in transition anyway, it couldn't hurt

[313]

"Barnes!! "

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

The Spurs have one good transition defender in their rotation now that Parker's over the hill. Danny's elite, but he's only one guy. Kawhi isn't very good in transition (if someone posts a gif of that Westbrook strip...). Manu knows he's not good and just fouls, even when it's not in the team's best interest to do so. Patty is too small.

Anderson and Simmons both have potential on that end. Kyle has to be the PG on the break to have a chance, as he's not beating anyone down the floor. Simmons needs to get control of himself better to avoid fouling.

Good when it matters is good enough.

Anyways, Mills is good as well. The problem with the Spurs is they pass too much from the wing to the top of the key (vice versa) and teams anticipated it. Now that the Spurs have West and LMA, they need to post up more if only to open more passing lanes. This also causes the guard to drop to the post so even if the outlet pass does get stolen, it won't lead to easy transition buckets.

All I saw yesterday was a bunch of passing around the perimeter and no inside play, which is unacceptable when you have Tim, LMA and West on the team. Can even include Boban in that number.

[Chinook]

Good when it matters is good enough.

Not really. He was awful in the 2013 Finals and most of that OKC series. It was a good, clutch play. But he has a habit of being out of position on the break and not knowing who to pick up. A lot times, it's forgivable, as the player positions on the break are different than they are in the half-court. Kawhi's almost always below the FTLE (Free Throw Line Extended), so he's usually not the first or second option in transition defense. But he gets in trouble for not picking up the secondary and tertiary guys. In 2014, he allowed three Durant trailing threes in one game. In 2013, he kept letting Wade get the pass from Lebron, and if it weren't for Danny, Dwyane would have converted most if not all of them. It's not that Kawhi doesn't have the talent for it, but he needs to figure out the switches earlier.

However, with him in the paint more this year, it means that Green is essentially going to be left on an island with Parker. That's not a recipe for good transition defense, and it's an even worse recipe when Pop takes Danny out for every mistake and keeps his minutes in the mid-20s

[RD2191]

I think people forget how many players Kawhi was asked to guard against the Clips. He was on CP3, Griffin, Barnes, and Red . Why? Because Tony Parker is trash on D and Tim was also pretty bad.

[dabom]

Not really. He was awful in the 2013 Finals and most of that OKC series. It was a good, clutch play. But he has a habit of being out of position on the break and not knowing who to pick up. A lot times, it's forgivable, as the player positions on the break are different than they are in the half-court. Kawhi's almost always below the FTLE (Free Throw Line Extended), so he's usually not the first or second option in transition defense. But he gets in trouble for not picking up the secondary and tertiary guys. In 2014, he allowed three Durant trailing threes in one game. In 2013, he kept letting Wade get the pass from Lebron, and if it weren't for Danny, Dwyane would have converted most if not all of them. It's not that Kawhi doesn't have the talent for it, but he needs to figure out the switches earlier.

However, with him in the paint more this year, it means that Green is essentially going to be left on an island with Parker. That's not a recipe for good transition defense, and it's an even worse recipe when Pop takes Danny out for every mistake and keeps his minutes in the mid-20s

Kawhi was great in the 2013 finals. WTF are you always on Kawhi's bro. Game 6 and 7 James went supernova but it was Pop's strategy to give space to lebron and we should have won in game 6. Kawhi bodied Lebron in 2015 using a different strategy. It had nothing to do with Kawhi's defense. It was 2 different strategies and we're lucky enough to have a player of his caliber on defense. Stop ing blaming KAwhi for the other 4 people while he is on the floor on defense.

[dabom]

I think people forget how many players Kawhi was asked to guard against the Clips. He was on CP3, Griffin, Barnes, and Red . Why? Because Tony Parker is trash on D and Tim was also pretty bad.

Green and Tiago were also . And maybe Diaw.

[Chinook]

Kawhi was great in the 2013 finals. WTF are you always on Kawhi's bro. Game 6 and 7 James went supernova but it was Pop's strategy to give space to lebron and we should have won in game 6. Kawhi bodied Lebron in 2015 using a different strategy. It had nothing to do with Kawhi's defense. It was 2 different strategies and we're lucky enough to have a player of his caliber on defense. Stop ing blaming KAwhi for the other 4 people while he is on the floor on defense.

His half-court defense in general was fine. And now it's pretty elite. That has nothing to do with transition defense, though, which is what the thread is about.

[Chinook]

Green and Tiago were also . And maybe Diaw.

Tiago intimidated the out of Griffin. I have no idea why, but Blake wanted to part of going up against Splitter on the block, bad leg and all.

[Chinook]

[hater]

"Barnes!! "

[hater]

Kawhi was going 1-5

[K...]

I think people forget how many players Kawhi was asked to guard against the Clips. He was on CP3, Griffin, Barnes, and Red . Why? Because Tony Parker is trash on D and Tim was also pretty bad.

You are just one of the over sensitive Kawhi fans here. The main issue last year was cripple splitter and old man Duncan. Kawhi and green weren't the problem; although it won't hurt to motivate them. Pretty sure if this were just a warning to Parker he wouldn't air it publicly. He's just rip Parker face to face. You go to the media for sensitive shy players like lma and Kawhi. Not sure which is being warned but giving lma notice is probably the safer bet.

[dabom]

His half-court defense in general was fine. And now it's pretty elite. That has nothing to do with transition defense, though, which is what the thread is about.

His transition defense was great just like all his other defensive aspects. Kawhi was the 1a/1b/1c player in the 2013 Finals. I can't believe people are blaming Kawhi for that.

[RD2191]

I think people forget how many players Kawhi was asked to guard against the Clips. He was on CP3, Griffin, Barnes, and Red . Why? Because Tony Parker is trash on D and Tim was also pretty bad.

[Brazil]

I think people forget how many players Kawhi was asked to guard against the Clips. He was on CP3, Griffin, Barnes, and Red . Why? Because Tony Parker is trash on D and Tim was also pretty bad.

another trash take and a reinviting history post

Duncan was pretty bad on defense against the clipps ?

DefRtg 102
DBPM 5,1
DWS 0,4

Now Kawhi

DefRtg 106
DBPM 1,9
DWS 0,2

det krew tbh... it's others fault, my boy had to do all the work it had to defend 4 players by himself at the same time

[dabom]

another trash take and a reinviting history post

Duncan was pretty bad on defense against the clipps ?

DefRtg 102
DBPM 5,1
DWS 0,4

Now Kawhi

DefRtg 106
DBPM 1,9
DWS 0,2

det krew tbh... it's others fault, my boy had to do all the work it had to defend 4 players by himself at the same time

We lost cause ing tony parker is ing trash. He's done. RIP. Cremate that er. Make a foundation in his name. Dude was done last year.



















If that sack of wasn't playing we ing win and I don't care how Kawhi played the last 2 games. I thought Pop learned his lesson in 2014.

[Brazil]

We lost cause ing tony parker is ing trash. He's done. RIP. Cremate that er. Make a foundation in his name. Dude was done last year.



















If that sack of wasn't playing we ing win and I don't care how Kawhi played the last 2 games. I thought Pop learned his lesson in 2014.

I did not talk about Parker in the post you quoted, focus a little bit and tell me about this take: Duncan defense was pretty bad

on a side note, don't forget to mention kawhi being outplayed by matt barnes as a reason we lost














































































got

[All Mighty Janitor]

Kawhi isn't perfect at transition defense (nobody is, even Danny) but, in my opinion, he does really well in 3 on 2s or 4on 3s; he not good when 2on 1 situations though. He needs someone next to or behind him so he can slow it down an turn it into semi-transition. But, if Kawhi is going be scoring, somebody else is going to have to get back. We'll be fine as long as Danny is in the mix, but if we have to rely on Tony or Manu...God help us.