K.Anderson calling Kawhi the MvP on twitter

[YGWHI]

...It wasn't an example of how Kawhi can cover up for other people. It was an example of how people freelance rotating (first Diaw then Kawhi) completely messes up the other rotations.

Of course not...

You've become so predictable.

[dabom]

Chinook is taking a page out of Mid's book.

[dabom]

Always doubling down when you get a bone thrown your way.

[KDKSpurs24]

You don't get me then. He wasn't really on KD much at all that whole game. And he wasn't on Westbrook either. He was on Roberson. I said during the game that I really liked Pop doing that because it both kept Green focused and allowed Leonard to play help defense with no fear of being burned. I think Pop should stick with that going forward. Doesn't mean that he should get credit for things he didn't do.

Whenever he was on him* And do you not know why that is? Because OKC was having trouble when both Durant and Westbrook are both on the bench. SO recently KD goes out with like 5-6 minutes left on the clock and leaves Westbrook in. That's why Kawhi was on Westbrook when he was the only one in and KD when he was the only one in. When they were both on the floor he would go to Westbrook or Roberson. But Kawhi's help defense and ability to recover is great. Much better than others.

Anyways.. it's a good game plan either way. So i like it.

[Chinook]

Of course not...

You've become so predictable.

You haven't explained why it's a good rotation. I already did show why it's a bad one. Put up or shut up. Right now, all you're doing is leaving a trail of butt-hurt that I don't just rubberstamp pictures on Twitter.

[Chinook]

And do you not know why that is?

Yes. It was to save Kawhi for offense.

Because OKC was having trouble when both Durant and Westbrook are both on the bench. SO recently KD goes out with like 5-6 minutes left on the clock and leaves Westbrook in.

That's true. It just has nothing to do with who guarded whom.

That's why Kawhi was on Westbrook when he was the only one in and KD when he was the only one in. When they were both on the floor he would go to Westbrook or Roberson.

Kawhi only guarded Durant when Green wasn't in or on switches. He only guarded Westbrook on switches. Pop very blatantly didn't use Kawhi as a primary defender. That's not because Pop doesn't believe in Kawhi's abilities, so don't take that as me saying Leonard did a poor job.

But Kawhi's help defense and ability to recover is great. Much better than others.

My whole point isn't that Kawhi is a bad defender. It's not even that he's not the best perimeter defender in the league. It is to say that he hasn't been the same guy that he was last year. Last year, he was playing good enough defense to counteract Curry being so far ahead offensively. Right now, he's not. On a given night, he can absolutely be so good that Curry really can't touch him. But Kawhi's coasting defensively, and that's led to his actual production on that end to be lacking.

[apalisoc_9]

Kawhi left curry open because the other three guys Parker-Green-Diaw was already of the position. They werent going to recover against Klay Thompson who was going shoot that and make that.

You always try to prevent a great shot and if it means it gets passed out to a potentially better shot than so be it.

Kawhi did a heck of a job helping that situation. He was forced to help because one of diaw or Parker was being a dumbass.

Aldridge was at tge top covering Green. Him being there allowed kawhi to help.

[ElNono]

I mean, Kawhi left Curry wide the open on that play running to Thompson. It's great that broken-spirit Curry allowed Leonard to close out on him (it was a good, hard close too, like the ones ElNono hates), but he should never have had the chance. You can say that Kawhi was guarding Barnes at the beginning of that play, but he also left him wide the open to run at Thompson, who Parker was already closing out on. LMA is actually the hero of that play defensively, as he is pretty much providing perfect zone defense among Curry, Barnes and Green. Had he been in the wrong position, Klay throws that skip pass for an open look.

to the chest... chest!!!

[dabom]

to the chest... chest!!!

I was gonna tag you but you were already tagged.

[Chinook]

Kawhi left curry open because the other three guys Parker-Green-Diaw was already of the position. They werent going to recover against Klay Thompson who was going shoot that and make that.

Parker did recover to Klay. But yes, I agree that three people closing out to a 17-percent shooter was just idiotic. Diaw was supposed to follow him but completely dropped off to get the rebound. Parker closed to Livingston rather than getting back to Klay. Danny was really confused as to why there were two people already guarding his man and had to figure out who was left open. When you make freelance rotations, this is what happens. That's why rotations are something that are scheme-dependent and are things that coaches work on during practice. You don't just run to the closest man any more than you leave your man to go for a rebound.

You always try to prevent a great shot and if it means it gets passed out to a potentially better shot than so be it.

I understand living for another pass. It's the reason why hard-closes are so effective. Problem is that Kawhi loaded the near side with four Spurs, which left a near-impossible defensive assignment for Aldridge.

Kawhi did a heck of a job helping that situation. He was forced to help because one of diaw or Parker was being a dumbass.

I credit him for being able to read the Curry situation faster than the others did. I don't credit him having tunnel-vision with Thompson.

Aldridge was at tge top covering Green. Him being there allowed kawhi to help.

Actually, LMA was in the paint when that sequence started. He sank into the elbow, saw Curry peel off and zoned them. Assuming Kawhi predicted all that is like assuming Parker and Diaw predicted Kawhi closing out to Klay. It comes down to LMA making a perfect reed to cover really messed up rotation sequence by the others. Too bad he wasn't around in 2013.

[dabom]

tbh I never see Kawhi jump on a three point line shot. ElNono confirmed correct.

[Chinook]

to the chest... chest!!!

JVG was talking about how awesome the Spurs' close-outs were in that game. It's clear the Spurs coach guys to do that. And we know he's never wrong.

[dabom]

tbh I said Sean and Bill always get on players for jumping ont he ball fake at the 3point line.

[Kawhitstorm]

There's no explanation as to why Kawhi decided to run to Thompson, but Parker was already covering up for Diaw's mistake (his man was Curry after the switch). This was pretty much the same as Russ' attempted steal at the end of Game Six of the 2014 WCF. The difference being that Duncan held onto the ball and scored.

What is this "switch" you are speaking of? That was a broken play where Kawhi was originally on Barnes, Danny on Livingston, Porker on Klay, LMA on Dryamond & Boris on Curry (although he completely lost him). Klay bricked the shot & Danny ran to the rim only for the ball to go over his head right to Livingston. When Livingston grabbed the ball, Porker/Danny/Diaw all ran toward him leaving Klay/Curry unmarked (that is where the screen shot start).

Kawhi ran to Klay b/c Porker has his back turned & didn't see Klay until Kawhi lunged at him. Kawhi put on the break when Porker spotted Klay otherwise Klay would have had a WIDE open 3 w/ his feet set. It was freakin' Danny that let Curry sneak past him when he was chasing the ball & he proceeded to follow Porker when he also spotted Klay.

I'm not sure what WestBrick going for a weakside block has anything to do w/ this play whatsoever. If anything this is similar to the Gm 6 situation where Danny lost Ray Allen after a missed shot & we all know who Pop blamed for leaving LeBrick open on the other broken play.

[dabom]

What is this "switch" you are speaking of? That was a broken play where Kawhi was originally on Barnes, Danny on Livingston, Porker on Klay, LMA on Dryamond & Boris on Curry (although he completely lost him). Klay bricked the shot & Danny ran to the rim only for the ball to go over his head right to Livingston. When Livingston grabbed the ball, Porker/Danny/Diaw all ran toward him leaving Klay/Curry unmarked (that is where the screen shot start).

Kawhi ran to Klay b/c Porker has his back turned & didn't see Klay until Kawhi lunged at him. Kawhi put on the break when Porker spotted Klay otherwise Klay would have had a WIDE open 3 w/ his feet set. It was freakin' Danny that let Curry sneak past him when he was chasing the ball & he proceeded to follow Porker when he also spotted Klay.

I'm not sure what WestBrick going for a weakside block has anything to do w/ this play whatsoever. If anything this is similar to the Gm 6 situation where Danny lost Ray Allen after a missed shot & we all know on whom Pop put the blame.

[apalisoc_9]

Parker did recover to Klay. But yes, I agree that three people closing out to a 17-percent shooter was just idiotic. Diaw was supposed to follow him but completely dropped off to get the rebound. Parker closed to Livingston rather than getting back to Klay. Danny was really confused as to why there were two people already guarding his man and had to figure out who was left open. When you make freelance rotations, this is what happens. That's why rotations are something that are scheme-dependent and are things that coaches work on during practice. You don't just run to the closest man any more than you leave your man to go for a rebound.



I understand living for another pass. It's the reason why hard-closes are so effective. Problem is that Kawhi loaded the near side with four Spurs, which left a near-impossible defensive assignment for Aldridge.



I credit him for being able to read the Curry situation faster than the others did. I don't credit him having tunnel-vision with Thompson.



Actually, LMA was in the paint when that sequence started. He sank into the elbow, saw Curry peel off and zoned them. Assuming Kawhi predicted all that is like assuming Parker and Diaw predicted Kawhi closing out to Klay. It comes down to LMA making a perfect reed to cover really messed up rotation sequence by the others. Too bad he wasn't around in 2013.

You're contradicting yourself here. You're saying its always better to live another pass, that wasnt going to happen with a 6-2 Parker being 10 feet away from thomposon.

Thompson would have made that easy shot if kawhi didnt try to solve one of diaw or Parker or Green mistakes...

Kawhi was on barnes...he wasnt responsibile with curry

[ElNono]

JVG was talking about how awesome the Spurs' close-outs were in that game. It's clear the Spurs coach guys to do that. And we know he's never wrong.

I love JVG, tbh...

[UZER]

Kawhi needs to take a play out of Pippens book and start forcing players to their weak hand. It will prevent him getting picked off so easy because he would just step out wider and force the roll instead of the pick.. Not sure how it would fit in the overall system, but his one defensive flaw is getting easily picked off.

[apalisoc_9]

Kawhi needs to take a play out of Pippens book and start forcing players to their weak hand. It will prevent him getting picked off so easy because he would just step out wider and force the roll instead of the pick.. Not sure how it would fit in the overall system, but his one defensive flaw is getting easily picked off.

Not a good fit to the defensive scheme. Spurs love to funnel guards to fheir bigs.

[rasuo214]

Pretty sure Chinook is the same person who was ing about Kawhi playing textbook transition defense earlier this season. So yea I'd take those defensive opinions with a grain of salt.


Also from a statistical pov:

2015:
DRPM: 4.59
DRtg: 96
DWS: 4.4

2016:
DRPM: 4.60
DRtg: 95
DWS: 5.2

[Chinook]

Pretty sure Chinook is the same person who was ing about Kawhi playing textbook transition defense earlier this season. So yea I'd take those defensive opinions with a grain of salt.

What was the textbook defense? I have complained that Leonard often runs into paint while defending the break to help when it's not necessary and that him doing so left his man open as a trailer. And I showed the video of that. If you meant something else, please elaborate.

Also from a statistical pov:

2015:
DRPM: 4.59
DRtg: 96
DWS: 4.4

2016:
DRPM: 4.60
DRtg: 95
DWS: 5.2

That's pretty much irrelevant for quite a few reasons. The most important one is that I am talking about the defense he's playing game to game now compared to what he was doing this time a year ago. I wasn't talking about his entire season versus last season.

[barakz21]

Well.. He IS our MVP. So..

[DMC]

Green is a great defender but not in KL's league. In transition, Danny is the best in the league imo.