Pop on Warriors...

[KenziE]

So long as the REFs gives the spurs a fair shake i like our chances

[r0drig0lac]

The ray of light against the Warriors might be our bench vs. theirs. Yes, their bench is (regular season) good, but I'm not really counting on Leandro Barbosa, Shaun Livingston, Mo Speights, and Brandon Rush to outplay Patty, Diaw, West, Manu (please be healthy ). And if Simmons, Anderson, et al can contribute, all the better. GS's only killer off the bench is Iggy, and he's basically a pseudo-starter. Of course, if the Warriors' bench becomes a detriment, Kerr will play their "Death Squad" 45 minutes per game, but they're still human and fatigue is a possibility.

His death squad on the court means less Bogut, this is the best option to beat them (your lane is opened without a rim protector), hack Bogut / Ezeli and force them to play Dray as C

[Blue Duck]

I love coach Popovich for the way he isn't afraid to speak the truth

The way he embraced Kobe and compared him to MJ and now he's implying that the Dubs are the best team the Spurs have ever went up against

It's a shame the fans here don't act like the Spurs organization does



The Spurs are the best franchise in sports and they have been a great influence on the Dubs but I don't view them as a threat anymore, no offense to Spur fans

I actually agree with most of what you said here, and I do think Pop is being genuine in his humility because that's just who he is and because the description of GSW was accurate. But, c'mon, not even a little bit of a threat??????

[Old School 44]

I like watching Golden State too. LeBron said it best about the Spurs during the finals, "Everyone on the court is live", the same applies to the Warriors. Curry has been amazing, but even if you can somewhat contain him, look out for guys like Harrison Barnes, Iggy, Draymond, Livingston...talented, versatile guys with high BBIQ.

Don't know what the Warriors contract situation is like, but hopefully with their impressive play, teams attempt to pillage this roster with ridiculous contract offers over the coming years, and the Warriors front office and players make the wrong decisions.

[MultiTroll]

hopefully that thinking leads to something ...

/ thread.

I would pay to have you as a sport interviewer feed this back to Pop. When Pop tries his one liner deadpan crap have you feed this brief question right back at him.

[MultiTroll]

Pop "I've spent more time thinking about Golden State than I have any other team I've ever thought about in my whole career," Popovich told ESPN Radio on Friday. "Because they are really fun. I'd go buy a ticket and go watch them play. And when I see them move the ball, I get very envious. When I see them shoot uncontested shots more than anybody else in the league, it's inspiring. It's just great basketball.
"So I'm actually enjoying them very much. You try to solve them, but they're in a sense unsolvable because it's a particular mix of talent that they have. It's not just that Steph [Curry] can make shots or that Klay can make shots or that Draymond Green is versatile. Everybody on the court can pass, catch and shoot. And they all get it."

I wonder if Pop would be interested in seeing replays of the 2013 (before the giveaway) and 2014 playoff Spurs?

[BillMc]

I like watching Golden State too. LeBron said it best about the Spurs during the finals, "Everyone on the court is live", the same applies to the Warriors. Curry has been amazing, but even if you can somewhat contain him, look out for guys like Harrison Barnes, Iggy, Draymond, Livingston...talented, versatile guys with high BBIQ.

Don't know what the Warriors contract situation is like, but hopefully with their impressive play, teams attempt to pillage this roster with ridiculous contract offers over the coming years, and the Warriors front office and players make the wrong decisions.

Jerry West is there so I wouldn't count on the FO making a lot of mistakes. Players may be a different story.

[313]

Jerry West is there so I wouldn't count on the FO making a lot of mistakes. Players may be a different story.

West has to one of the best guys in the business at recruiting talent

[Russo21]

Considering we built our teams from '03-'08 specifically to combat the Lakers and Mavericks...Pop is probably pandering to the media here.

True that, the Lakers, Mavs and to a slightly lesser extent the Phoenix Suns all gave us fits at one stage or another in classic playoff series...and we ended up beating them all on the way to Championships.

[Old School 44]

Jerry West is there so I wouldn't count on the FO making a lot of mistakes. Players may be a different story.

Agree about West....but like the Spurs, to construct and maintain a roster like this you need guys to make sacrifices. When guys like Curry, Green and Thompson are going to ask for max dollars, whose going to make TD/Manu-like sacrifices so the Warriors can sign the others to healthy contracts? Are the Warriors going to be faced with a similar $ decision to make like OkC had with Harden? Are guys going to take less to stay, when the rest of the league is going to have lots of money to throw at them? It will be interesting to see how it all works out.

[HBK]

the warriors and their greatness tbh

[Benoit]

I actually agree with most of what you said here, and I do think Pop is being genuine in his humility because that's just who he is and because the description of GSW was accurate. But, c'mon, not even a little bit of a threat??????

I just dont see any matchup advantages other than Kawhi Leonard who is limited as a playmaker

I think it would be like Spurs vs. Lakers in 2001

[SAGirl]

The Warriors have copied Spurs' beautiful passing game but with players in their prime and with a MVP-level player. All is not lost - just like in tennis - everything is cyclical and certain styles are better match ups than others. Since Spurs can't compete with the passing game, I guess Pop is trying something different. But why does he always kiss *ss so - Shaq and Kobe (3 peat) seemed insurmountable too - he had PEAK Duncan, though.

I have noticed Spurs doing a lot more switching this season than last. I am guessing that since the warriors have evolved into an elite passing team, you can't double guys and if you do, guys have to rotate like they are in sync. You will be giving up mismatches but not open shots to an elite passing and shooting team.

Has anyone else noticed more switching this season, or is that just me???

[Kawhitstorm]

I think it would be like Spurs vs. Lakers in 2001

That will happen if Kawhi gets injured & misses the series like Derek Anderson in 2001

[DMC]

Unlike folks here (amusingly so as well), people like Pop who actually work in the NBA don't hold such homeristic view points. He has to look at the league as a whole, at basketball as an en y and not dismiss parts of his job just because it's the "opponent". I've said it before but it bears repeating: they all work for the same company. You cannot expect them to not be salesmen for the NBA. We don't have that skin in the game. To us, its more personal, something we just took sides on and won't see the entire picture because we don't care to marginalize our own corner of it.

[YGWHI]

Don't know what the Warriors contract situation is like, but hopefully with their impressive play, teams attempt to pillage this roster with ridiculous contract offers over the coming years, and the Warriors front office and players make the wrong decisions.

It's likely Barnes won't stay with Warriors after this season, but they wouldn't have a positional issue since...according to Woj...they're going to sign Durant.

[Seventyniner]

Unlike folks here (amusingly so as well), people like Pop who actually work in the NBA don't hold such homeristic view points. He has to look at the league as a whole, at basketball as an en y and not dismiss parts of his job just because it's the "opponent". I've said it before but it bears repeating: they all work for the same company. You cannot expect them to not be salesmen for the NBA. We don't have that skin in the game. To us, its more personal, something we just took sides on and won't see the entire picture because we don't care to marginalize our own corner of it.

Well put. Pop isn't a Spurs fan.

[SAGirl]

For those curious, here is the full quote:

Thanks for sharing the full quote. They are a historically great team and Pop expressed that it is not just Curry/Klay/Draymond. They can all pass, catch & shoot and they all get it. As Pop said, they are unsolvable. We are likely to see more switching than we have seen just bc you don't want ppl to be open, but they know how to exploit mismatches and will go to them. POP was sincere, there is no hyperbole or exaggeration.

Their only weakness is in the paint... and if you slow them down (they thrive in transition) you have a chance. You can't slow them down if you turn the ball over... which is what happened at an alarming rate in our last game. We didn't go to the paint, we turned the ball over and Manu and the bench played into their hands by playing a super fast out of control tempo.

We have a chance, but we have to play our best as well which we hadn't been doing... and we really are not all we could be bc right as our game with GSW happened Timmy was injured and then Manu.

The silver lining is that Lamarcus gained a more compe ive edge, Danny has risen to the occasion and our roleplayers have developed, but we have been deprived of hitting our stride early in the rodeo road trip.

[spursistan]

..

That's how you know this dude has lost his edge....stay drooling over them Dubs

[spursistan]

Kawhitstorm

[TheGreatYacht]

..

That's how you know this dude has lost his edge....stay drooling over them Dubs

Don't forget about Manure

[phxspurfan]

I agree w/Pop. It didn't make sense. Glad they were exposed for being chuckers. Last year was an aberration. Defense and paint points and the crab dribble rule all

[Keepin' it real]

Maybe Pop can start focusing on the Spurs instead of the Warriors. OKC and Cavs gave everyone the blueprint for beating GS: get mobile bigs on your roster and PLAY THEM, and rely on tough perimeter defense. The Spurs are not too far away.

[TheGreatYacht]

I agree w/Pop. It didn't make sense. Glad they were exposed for being chuckers. Last year was an aberration. Defense and paint points and the crab dribble rule all

If that's the case, then you disagree with him. Pop said these ers were unsolvable, and praised them the whole year. I know if I'm a player, that's the worst thing I want to hear my coach say...

[TheGreatYacht]

Maybe Pop can start focusing on the Spurs instead of the Warriors. OKC and Cavs gave everyone the blueprint for beating GS: get mobile bigs on your roster and PLAY THEM, and rely on tough perimeter defense. The Spurs are not too far away.

Spurs didn't have the mobile bigs nor the perimeter shooting.

I hate threes