Takeaways from this game

[RandomGuy]

Only takeaway is that the Spurs cannot beat the Warriors. Probably can't even beat OKC in the playoffs.

You cannot say cannot.

Not a question of blind faith, but the Spurs have shown that they can beat just about anybody, even on that team's best days. The question is, as always, can the spurs win 4 out of 7...

[DenialTwist]

We didn't get anything from our centers (Tim and West) in this game. Tim's stat line was pathetic (3rb, 2TO, 4 on 2-6) and his defense wasn't there against the speedy DUBS front line either. If you notice his TOs they are usually when another player just slaps the ball out of his hands and then Tim looks like a very old man trying to find the ball on the floor. How many times lately have we seen that result in Tim falling down on the floor? It is very sad to see, but Father Time beats us all.

West passed up a lot of shots and he was one of our best shooters (4-5). He's really been an asset lately when shooting those mid range jumpers, but he shouldn't have deferred so much last night. But couldn't get a rebound, not one in 23 minutes?

So our supposed 'edge' on big men was crapola. We might better have played Boban at center. At least he has good hands and a rebound or two might fall into them.

On the other hand, late in the 3rd I looked at the stats and couldn't believe my eyes. Dubs were shooting 66% (8-12) on 3s but wound up with "only" 48%. You can't win many games against shooting like that that gets the extra point. Percentage wise, the 3 pt. shot is a killer in winning games if you shoot over 35%. We had a respectable 43% but shot only 16 to their 25. Do the math.

And the Dubs picked our switching defense apart with crisp passes to wide open guys under the basket.

Finally their bench outscored out bench 44-26 and there you have the final clue to the loss.

That was painful to watch. It happened a few times too.

[polandprzem]

He should NEVER play against Curry, put him on Barbosa (not Livingston) & hope he can play him to a draw. Unfortunately, Porker is going to have to play major minutes & it's not like Pop is going to bench him anyways. (Klay can't score on him for some odd reason)

Seems pretty funny to talk about indyvidual matchups when there is a switching party all game long

[wildbill2u]

That was painful to watch. It happened a few times too.

When you say a few times, I wasn't sure if you agreed with me that it is happening in a lot of games this year. I absolutely hate it when the GOAT gets knocked around by these younger guys just because he isn't as agile as he used to be.

[Kawhitstorm]

Seems pretty funny to talk about indyvidual matchups when there is a switching party all game long

He was getting grilled on the INITIAL action, couldn't fight the screen nor stay in-front of Curry whatsoever.

[8FOR!3]

Danny Green looked like he was in playoff mode early, started jacking up shots whenever he had a little space. When he's that aggressive that's usually a good sign bc I think passiveness causes him to miss a lot of shots

[polandprzem]

He was getting grilled on the INITIAL action, couldn't fight the screen nor stay in-front of Curry whatsoever.

Yea but saying put him vs barbossa and not vs Livingston is also not adequate cause in the playoffs they gonna switch the matchup to screw Mills.

But I think it's a good thing Pop did what he did. Anyway I got to rewatch the previous game and how Mills was doing.


All in all what we can take away from this game is that we need more ofense and without Boris we are screwed. West can't switch as good and in nowhere near the playmaker Boris is who also can drive, back down etc. Boris is the key guy in this matchup and it was known from the beginning of the season.

Timmey was off. Not only he is not a good player to play vs Warrios but he is off. he was not playing good vs Jazz and now he looked like he was on fumes. he can be really effective IMO when Bogut is there. But he must be a satan on the boards.


Kyle got more playing time after 1st GS matchup. Pop noticed that he is a must in a smal ball lineup. The guy can pass and the guy can shoot and the guy i long and can rebound. Simmons lost that battle just because of that 1st GS game.


Also I thought we had them in the 1st but then LMA got that ty injury. Leo was not having many plays set for him and tbh Idk if refs gonna be reffing like that in the playoffs. So many contact and Worriers got away with everything

[peacemaker885]

Victory on Sunday will be so very sweet. That's my takeaway.

[tholdren]

Danny Green looked like he was in playoff mode early, started jacking up shots whenever he had a little space. When he's that aggressive that's usually a good sign bc I think passiveness causes him to miss a lot of shots

Danny green blew his defensive assignment many times last night

[Kawhitstorm]

Danny green blew his defensive assignment many times last night

That does tend to happen to him in the playoff when he's guarding someone off the ball which is why he should just be guarding Curry on the ball.

[tholdren]

That does tend to happen to him in the playoff when he's guarding someone off the ball which is why he should just be guarding Curry on the ball.

Doesn't matter getting back doored and causing spurs to help opens up a 3.

[Kawhitstorm]

Doesn't matter getting back doored and causing spurs to help opens up a 3.

Bogut/Ezeli ain't hitting 3s, whoever is guarding them should camp in the paint if Curry is playing off the ball & not running PnRs. If they are playing the "Death" lineup then concede the layup & pound them inside w/ Diaw so it will be a wash.

[polandprzem]

Imo other then D and inside presets the Spurs, no matter the lineup, needs to win rebounding and TO battle.
That's why in a small lineup Boris and Kyle is important.

[TD 21]

Bad news is that Duncan and Manu looked done. Just toast. If they can bring it for one last run, it would definitely be huge for the team. But tonight was awful. I do think the Warriors' adjustments are good enough to warrant counter-adjustments. Having a healthy LMA and Diaw would be nice for keeping the score low. But the team got the break of the Warriors making some STUPID turnovers. So it's probably a wash. I'd say Tim should be benched against GS from here on out. Let Diaw and LMA start. Manu's minutes may have to be limited even further unless he's having a great game.

When they re-signed, I suspected the plan was to play out their contracts, barring a significant injury or (further) precipitous decline. The former, you never know. The latter, I was confident they could hold off. Ginobili, despite his performance waning as the season has wore on, mostly has, but I think he'll follow Duncan's lead on this.

It pains me to say it, but more and more, it's looking like this is the end, unless Duncan's knee injury isn't just wear and tear and he thinks he'll be able to somewhat bounce back next season. If not, I can't see him putting in all the work he has to throughout the year just to go through a full season of this. Not only that, but he's probably too prideful to do so.


The biggest takeaway, is that it appears the Spurs don't believe they can beat the Warriors in a series and the Warriors don't believe the Spurs can beat them in a series and when those two things are the case nothing else really matters.

[UZER]

Diaw was the key against the Heat. He may very well be against the Warriors. That simple.

[coachmac87]

When they re-signed, I suspected the plan was to play out their contracts, barring a significant injury or (further) precipitous decline. The former, you never know. The latter, I was confident they could hold off. Ginobili, despite his performance waning as the season has wore on, mostly has, but I think he'll follow Duncan's lead on this.

It pains me to say it, but more and more, it's looking like this is the end, unless Duncan's knee injury isn't just wear and tear and he thinks he'll be able to somewhat bounce back next season. If not, I can't see him putting in all the work he has to throughout the year just to go through a full season of this. Not only that, but he's probably too prideful to do so.


The biggest takeaway, is that it appears the Spurs don't believe they can beat the Warriors in a series and the Warriors don't believe the Spurs can beat them in a series and when those two things are the case nothing else really matters.

What makes you think the Spurs don't think they can beat the Warriors in a series??

[TD 21]

What makes you think the Spurs don't think they can beat the Warriors in a series??

I can sense it.

Even the Thunder, I think they thought going into both series, that between the home court and the fact that they had a significantly higher IQ, they could beat them, even if they've lacked confidence against them from the '12 series on.

They don't have those things going for them in this match-up (probably a slightly higher IQ, but many of the ones who do, are so diminished physically, that it doesn't matter) and on top of that, the big three have fallen off a cliff in the second half of the season.

[coachmac87]

I can sense it.

Even the Thunder, I think they thought going into both series, that between the home court and the fact that they had a significantly higher IQ, they could beat them, even if they've lacked confidence against them from the '12 series on.

They don't have those things going for them in this match-up (probably a slightly higher IQ, but many of the ones who do, are so diminished physically, that it doesn't matter) and on top of that, the big three have fallen off a cliff in the second half of the season.

I think it's a stretch to assume they don't think they have a chance. Is there some doubt?? For sure. But there should be..just like there's been doubt against the Heat and Thunder going into a series. But you won't know until you're in the actual fight (playoffs).

If we win on Sunday I think that helps our confidence..if I'm Kerr tho I'd strongly consider resting players. But if we end up losing again on Sunday..I think you'll be right.

[spursistan]

I can sense it.

Even the Thunder, I think they thought going into both series, that between the home court and the fact that they had a significantly higher IQ, they could beat them, even if they've lacked confidence against them from the '12 series on.

They don't have those things going for them in this match-up (probably a slightly higher IQ, but many of the ones who do, are so diminished physically, that it doesn't matter) and on top of that, the big three have fallen off a cliff in the second half of the season.

We'll see.. Sunday game will tell us more about these subtle dynamics..it is basically the biggest regular season in NB history..41-0 or 73-9 in play.. both will be going hard after it and, in the case of the spurs, a reaction is needed after another desultory perfromance in Oracle ( ithis like the third game there that you knew it was over by second quarter) ..

[coachmac87]

I mean did most of y'all really expect the Spurs to win last night?? It would've been great to give the Warriors their 3rd loss at home and really make a statement and possibly win the season series 3-1..but that's a lot to ask for. This game meant more to the Warriors then it does to the Spurs..

Sunday game should tell us more IMO. Both records on the line etc. hopefully all rosters will be healthy and playing..

[TD 21]

I think it's a stretch to assume they don't think they have a chance. Is there some doubt?? For sure. But there should be..just like there's been doubt against the Heat and Thunder going into a series. But you won't know until you're in the actual fight (playoffs).

If we win on Sunday I think that helps our confidence..if I'm Kerr tho I'd strongly consider resting players. But if we end up losing again on Sunday..I think you'll be right.

Doubt is different and it was natural going into those series (minus the '14 Finals, which they clearly felt confident they'd win, though obviously not in that fashion), considering those teams edge in star power and athleticism.

We'll see.. Sunday game will tell us more about these subtle dynamics..it is basically the biggest regular season in NB history..41-0 or 73-9 in play.. both will be going hard after it and, in the case of the spurs, a reaction is needed after another desultory perfromance in Oracle ( ithis like the third game there that you knew it was over by second quarter) ..

Even if they win on Sunday, I don't think it'll do much for their confidence. Maybe if they blow them out (I'd be more surprised by this than I would the Warriors blowing them out again), but even then, this is a completely different team on the road.

[tholdren]

Bogut/Ezeli ain't hitting 3s, whoever is guarding them should camp in the paint if Curry is playing off the ball & not running PnRs. If they are playing the "Death" lineup then concede the layup & pound them inside w/ Diaw so it will be a wash.

You're assuming that help results one pass and a shot - not the case

[coachmac87]

Doubt is different and it was natural going into those series (minus the '14 Finals, which they clearly felt confident they'd win, though obviously not in that fashion), considering those teams edge in star power and athleticism.

Even if they win on Sunday, I don't think it'll do much for their confidence. Maybe if they blow them out, but even then, this is a completely different team on the road.

I was referring to 13' series against Miami..who had home court and Spurs were not favored. But guess what happened? We stole Game 1 and home court.

We still ended up losing the series but there were times were you thought one team was favored to win the series but then unexpected things happen..it's the playoffs. Every game is different and their own.

[spursistan]

Doubt is different and it was natural going into those series (minus the '14 Finals, which they clearly felt confident they'd win, though obviously not in that fashion), considering those teams edge in star power and athleticism.




Even if they win on Sunday, I don't think it'll do much for their confidence. Maybe if they blow them out (I'd be more surprised by this than I would the Warriors blowing them out again), but even then, this is a completely different team on the road.

I'm frankly still not sure about the true mental pedigree of the Warriors despite ringing last season..they have a false iness/confidence about them that i feel a hardened/veteran team can still get to expose..The problem the Spurs are getting blown the out by mid third quarters more often than not against them ..i still want to see their level of execution against us in games that comes down to the wire..

[TD 21]

I was referring to 13' series against Miami..who had home court and Spurs were not favored. But guess what happened? We stole Game 1 and home court.

We still ended up losing the series but there were times were you thought one team was favored to win the series but then unexpected things happen..it's the playoffs. Every game is different and their own.

Things were different then. Duncan and Parker were still on the short list of best players in the league, we knew Duncan and Diaw (though he didn't end up playing much) could post them for profit, we knew Leonard was about as good a James defender as one could possibly have an we knew the Spurs were the one team that could take advantage of the Heat's trapping defense.

Not really. Since the Mavs winning the championship in '11, no marquee match-up in the playoffs has really surprised me. Sure, like anyone, I got some wrong, but nothing shocked me.

I'm frankly still not sure about the true mental pedigree of the Warriors despite ringing last season..they have a false iness/confidence about them that i feel a hardened/veteran team can still get to expose..The problem the Spurs are getting blown the out by mid third quarters more often than not against them ..i still want to see their level of execution against us in games that comes down to the wire..

Same, but like you said, the Spurs actually have to get in that position, particularly on the road.

The way I see it, if/when it comes to fruition, game 1 will decide the series. Since the series has yet to settle in, it's almost always the best opportunity to steal home court and the Spurs will have two things going for them in it. 1) The "not again" factor, after being blown out three of the last four visits, 2) The Warriors' arrogance and overconfidence against them. Blow that and even if they steal game 2, they'd have to win 3 straight to maintain home court or otherwise face the prospect of a game 7 on the road.