2017 Playoffs (WC/R2) Game 1 Thread: rockets @ SPURS (8:30 PM CT/4:30 AM Riga/TNT)

[MaNu4Tres]

But those will likely be because the Spurs failed to guard Harden properly. Based on talent alone and ability to impose their will, the Spurs' front court has the massive advantage.

I don't think I'm giving them too much credit at all. I think their bigs rely on others to set them up to finish jumpers (Anderson) or around the basket ( Nene, Capella). Just like the bigs on the Spurs rely on others to set them up.

What does impose their will exactly mean?

Does it mean go to LA/Pau in 4 down? If so, both have been mediocre at best shooting 43% from all post options all year. If Spurs rely on that with volume, they will lose. Yes, LA could get his, but it will take inefficient volume to do so.

This series comes down to overall perimeter play on both ends: Tony, Green, Mills, Manu vs. Bev, Gordon, Ariza, Lou.

If you want to force feed LA for him to get his 30 points on 24 shots, while Rockets shoot 38% from the 40-45 3s they are going to take on the other end, the Spurs will lose.

This series is on the Spurs' wings/guards ( outside of Kawhi), they will have to outplay the Rockets on both ends. If they can't, Spurs will lose.

The area where Spurs bigs could have an advantage is on the offensive glass because of the injection of Kawhi crashing... but if Kawhi crashes the glass to help LA/Gasol/Lee the transition D becomes very vulnerable.

[bic50]

these better be XXL

[MaNu4Tres]

By the way, I got Rockets +6 tonight and Under 214 for you degenerates.. tbh.

[BatManu20]

[apalisoc_9]

By the way, I got Rockets +6 tonight and Under 214 for you degenerates.. tbh.

damn..that's a good line.

but i'm always impressed with people making totals bet. it seems pretty unpredictable in a playoff setting.

[Chinook]

I don't think I'm giving them too much credit at all. I think their bigs rely on others to set them up to finish jumpers (Anderson) or around the basket ( Nene, Capella). Just like the bigs on the Spurs rely on others to set them up.

You've said this twice, and it hasn't made sense either time. Almost all bigs score buckets off assists. Aldridge has an absurdly low rate (57 percent) compared to the Houston bigs (Nene 84 Capela 83, Harrell 79, Anderon 36 on twos but 97 on threes so probably mid-80s total). The other bigs for the Spurs are in the 70 range), so you can try to include them. But LMA is definitely not in that category.

Anyway, the idea that no one on the Spurs can adequately feed the bigs is absurd. Even guys like Green do just fine. Manu, Tony and Pau are all great at it, with Kawhi and Mills improving.

What does impose their will exactly mean?

It surprises people when they see exactly how big LMA is. The dude doesn't need to iso all the time to impose his will. The rebounding advantage that the Spurs had with Aldridge on the court against Memphis was staggering. He should clean up the glass even better this time around. Pau's skill level is probably the highest of any big in the series. His ability to make the right passes to prevent the offense from stalling could be huge. Dedmon is the best defensive big on either team, and Lee's really hard to keep from scoring. They're just a more superlative bunch.

If you want to force feed LA for him to get his 30 points on 24 shots, while Rockets shoot 38% from the 40-45 3s they are going to take on the other end, the Spurs will lose.

I hate the stat "shots". By itself, I can't comment on 30/24. But if that's a stand in for possessions, you take that every day of the freaking week. That's an ORtg of 125, waaaaay better than Houston will accomplish. However, if you think it'll be something more like 36 possessions, then maybe you have a point. But shots by itself won't show what kind of game Aldridge has.

This series is on the Spurs' wings/guards ( outside of Kawhi), they will have to outplay the Rockets on both ends. If they can't, Spurs will lose.

Yeah, no. The Spurs are front-court oriented. They don't have to win the back-court too. There are a ton of scenarios where the Spurs have a forgettable performance from Parker, Green and Mills and still win.

[MaNu4Tres]

You've said this twice, and it hasn't made sense either time. Almost all bigs score buckets off assists. Aldridge has an absurdly low rate (57 percent) compared to the Houston bigs (Nene 84 Capela 83, Harrell 79, Anderon 36 on twos but 97 on threes so probably mid-80s total). The other bigs for the Spurs are in the 70 range), so you can try to include them. But LMA is definitely not in that category.

Anyway, the idea that no one on the Spurs can adequately feed the bigs is absurd. Even guys like Green do just fine. Manu, Tony and Pau are all great at it, with Kawhi and Mills improving.



It surprises people when they see exactly how big LMA is. The dude doesn't need to iso all the time to impose his will. The rebounding advantage that the Spurs had with Aldridge on the court against Memphis was staggering. He should clean up the glass even better this time around. Pau's skill level is probably the highest of any big in the series. His ability to make the right passes to prevent the offense from stalling could be huge. Dedmon is the best defensive big on either team, and Lee's really hard to keep from scoring. They're just a more superlative bunch.



I hate the stat "shots". By itself, I can't comment on 30/24. But if that's a stand in for possessions, you take that every day of the freaking week. That's an ORtg of 125, waaaaay better than Houston will accomplish. However, if you think it'll be something more like 36 possessions, then maybe you have a point. But shots by itself won't show what kind of game Aldridge has.



Yeah, no. The Spurs are front-court oriented. They don't have to win the back-court too. There are a ton of scenarios where the Spurs have a forgettable performance from Parker, Green and Mills and still win.

Where did I say the guards/wings can't feed the bigs? Wrong.. never said that. And LA did get 43% of his points off ISO/in the post but fact is he still shot 43% from post up opportunities all year. THAT IS NOT GOOD.

Spurs will lose this series if Spurs rely too much on front court initiated offense. LA's value is on the glass(? Geeze I hope so, he's been piss poor on the glass all year), on D and finishing plays at a high percentage. He's simply not an effective option in the post to warrant increased volume.

Nothing you say will change my opinion on that.

[pgardn]

I don't think I'm giving them too much credit at all. I think their bigs rely on others to set them up to finish jumpers (Anderson) or around the basket ( Nene, Capella). Just like the bigs on the Spurs rely on others to set them up.

What does impose their will exactly mean?

Does it mean go to LA/Pau in 4 down? If so, both have been mediocre at best shooting 43% from all post options all year. If Spurs rely on that with volume, they will lose. Yes, LA could get his, but it will take inefficient volume to do so.

This series comes down to overall perimeter play on both ends: Tony, Green, Mills, Manu vs. Bev, Gordon, Ariza, Lou.

If you want to force feed LA for him to get his 30 points on 24 shots, while Rockets shoot 38% from the 40-45 3s they are going to take on the other end, the Spurs will lose.

This series is on the Spurs' wings/guards ( outside of Kawhi), they will have to outplay the Rockets on both ends. If they can't, Spurs will lose.

The area where Spurs bigs could have an advantage is on the offensive glass because of the injection of Kawhi crashing... but if Kawhi crashes the glass to help LA/Gasol/Lee the transition D becomes very vulnerable.

You've said this twice, and it hasn't made sense either time. Almost all bigs score buckets off assists. Aldridge has an absurdly low rate (57 percent) compared to the Houston bigs (Nene 84 Capela 83, Harrell 79, Anderon 36 on twos but 97 on threes so probably mid-80s total). The other bigs for the Spurs are in the 70 range), so you can try to include them. But LMA is definitely not in that category.

Anyway, the idea that no one on the Spurs can adequately feed the bigs is absurd. Even guys like Green do just fine. Manu, Tony and Pau are all great at it, with Kawhi and Mills improving.



It surprises people when they see exactly how big LMA is. The dude doesn't need to iso all the time to impose his will. The rebounding advantage that the Spurs had with Aldridge on the court against Memphis was staggering. He should clean up the glass even better this time around. Pau's skill level is probably the highest of any big in the series. His ability to make the right passes to prevent the offense from stalling could be huge. Dedmon is the best defensive big on either team, and Lee's really hard to keep from scoring. They're just a more superlative bunch.



I hate the stat "shots". By itself, I can't comment on 30/24. But if that's a stand in for possessions, you take that every day of the freaking week. That's an ORtg of 125, waaaaay better than Houston will accomplish. However, if you think it'll be something more like 36 possessions, then maybe you have a point. But shots by itself won't show what kind of game Aldridge has.



Yeah, no. The Spurs are front-court oriented. They don't have to win the back-court too. There are a ton of scenarios where the Spurs have a forgettable performance from Parker, Green and Mills and still win.

[Chinook]

Where did I say the guards/wings can't feed the bigs? Wrong.. never said that. And LA did get 43% of his points off ISO/in the post but fact is he still shot 43% from post up opportunities all year. THAT IS NOT GOOD.

The Spurs don't have a problem getting the ball to their bigs. It doesn't matter that they aren't Harden. So the idea that the bigs are a wash because they both need someone to feed them the ball is even more dead than it had been prior.

Spurs will lose this series if Spurs rely too much on front court initiated offense. LA's value is on the glass(? Geeze I hope so, he's been piss poor on the glass all year), on D and finishing plays at a high percentage. He's simply not an effective option in the post to warrant increased volume.

There's value beyond scoring efficiency. Playing in the post can dictate how the opponent defends. If Capela can't guard Aldridge, the Rockets will either have to bench their best rim-protector (thereby making everyone's job easier) or double (and Memphis doubled, so I don't want to hear that teams know LMA is inefficient and won't send help; they will), which again makes everyone's job easier.

Of course, you keep trying to force this conversation into post-ups, when that's just one of many ways LMA and the other can impose their will, even just talking about scoring. Put-backs, duck-ins, good-enough shooting from midrange (or threes from Pau), rolls from Lee and Dedmon. None of those plays require great perimeter performances, and they are still helpful to an offense.

The Spurs have the defense to prevent Houston from dictating the terms of the game. If the Spurs' perimeter outplays Houston's, it's a sweep, not just the only chance they have to win.

[MaNu4Tres]

The Spurs don't have a problem getting the ball to their bigs. It doesn't matter that they aren't Harden. So the idea that the bigs are a wash because they both need someone to feed them the ball is even more dead than it had been prior.


.

Again I never said that. I just said the bigs from both teams rely on perimeter players setting them up for jumpers or bunnies around the rim. Can LA and Pau score on their own, sure, but its a low efficient option. The team and them are at their best offensively when they are just finishing plays.

Of course Spurs wings/guards can get the ball to their bigs. Its not hard, especially in 4 down. But I think its a fact that Harden does create better for his teammates than Kawhi. And I don't think its far fetched to have the opinion that Gordon, Lou, Bev are better in the PnR and better at creating off hard close outs than Manu, Green and Mills. Not saying Manu, Mills, Green CANT do that, its just Gordon, Bev, Ariza and Lou do it BETTER at this stage of their careers.

[RD2191]

I'm always fukin sick during the playoffs.

[apalisoc_9]

i have a cert 201 ADM exam a month from now paid by my employee and it sucks its happening with the playoffs..

i'm totally going to bomb that exam.

playoff basketball

[NASpurs]

So we got Harlan and Reggie Miller tonight? Greaaat....

[illusioNtEk]

Spurs Sweep

[Robz4000]

So we got Harlan and Reggie Miller tonight? Greaaat....

. Is the game on FSSW?

[Nathan89]

PlayBertans

[NASpurs]

. Is the game on FSSW?

Fat ball on my FSSW channel (well on the guide at least). .

[Darius Bieber]

FSSW does not cover playoff games after the first round.

[Robz4000]

Fat ball on my FSSW channel. .

I love baseball but ...

[NASpurs]

I love baseball but ...

Well I just assumed we're getting Harlan and Miller since Marv Albert and Grant Hill (*edit* my bad) are doing the Cavs game tonight. I also noticed that TNT are showing games tomorrow so hopefully it means that those two are doing the GSW game tomorrow meaning they're not in San Antonio tonight. Who knows though.

[ace3g]

[atoyotagaspedal]

Wow lebron literally drank a beer at the game

[DPG21920]

I hope my league pass works.

[marinoman]

Lee is starting, damn. I should've known pop wouldn't start bertans

[Chinook]

Lee is starting, damn. I should've known pop wouldn't start bertans

Yes, you really should have.