SMALLBALL

[DAF86]

We definitely need to play small ball...and NOT fathead either...harden will have a field day with his slow feet when they switch

Fathead is, actually, a pretty good defender.

[spursistan]

[DAF86]

I can't find the Spurs' smallball numbers vs Rockets this season (the closest thing I could find was those Rockets efficiency numbers in 1st and 3rd quarters, when Spurs usually go big, vs the 2nd and 4th quarters, when the Spurs went small against them), but I'm sure as they must be pretty telling.

[HarlemHeat37]

I can't find the Spurs' smallball numbers vs Rockets this season (the closest thing I could find was those Rockets efficiency numbers in 1st and 3rd quarters, when Spurs usually go big, vs the 2nd and 4th quarters, when the Spurs went small against them), but I'm sure as they must be pretty telling.

Spurs were +24 vs. Houston during the RS when using 1-big lineups or with Bertans at the 4(although the latter didn't change the number much)..

[duncan2k5]

Fathead is, actually, a pretty good defender.

You guys really look at the steal or 2 he gets in trash minutes, but ignore the abuse he got during meaningful regular season playing time...combined with his absolute offensive inep ude... His first possession he literally passed directly to a rockets player...I don't understand why he continues to get a pass...he would not be on ANY championship caliber NBA roster picking up meaningful minutes

[duncan2k5]

Fathead is, actually, a pretty good defender.

I remember Crawford purposefully ran the pick and roll to switch onto him...and KILLED him everytime... Usually they do that to bugs...they were doing that to a sf!!! If Crawford could do that, harden would have a FIELD day with him...

[DAF86]

Spurs were +24 vs. Houston during the RS when using 1-big lineups or with Bertans at the 4(although the latter didn't change the number much)..

Thanks, I knew my perception couldn't fault me on this. That probably means the Spurs were -20 ish with two bigs lineups, since every game this season was virtually a tie. I don't know what the is Pop waiting to make the move. It might not be enough to win, but it definitely gives us more chances.

[DAF86]

You guys really look at the steal or 2 he gets in trash minutes, but ignore the abuse he got during meaningful regular season playing time...combined with his absolute offensive inep ude... His first possession he literally passed directly to a rockets player...I don't understand why he continues to get a pass...he would not be on ANY championship caliber NBA roster picking up meaningful minutes

I actually just look at all the season long data that suggests he's an above average defender, tbh.

[spurs10]

Pop will go small in G2.

[duncan2k5]

Pop will go small in G2.

He won't...because everyone is saying he should...whatever we want him to do, we need to say the opposite

[UZER]

Pop will go small in G2.

When asked about playing two bigs in the post game he said, "that's the way we've played all year".

[r0drig0lac]

Kawhi
Green
Simmons
Bertans
Dedmon

[Rob123]

Hmmmmmmmmm

I don't necessarily think it's time to panic. The rockets are not going to shoot like that maybe ever again in the series. They were locked in and they're going to shoot well but they're also going to fall in love with it and honestly towards the end of the game Ariza and Andersons shots stopped falling as did Hardens. It was everyones (guards included) inability to just even put a hand up on Gordon that kept their shooting hot.

If LMA cant play like he's paid to then bench the mother er and go small I agree. I've seen LMA abuse guys albeit rarely on the Spurs but having him go HAM I think provides such a match up nightmare for the rockets that they will have to adjust to us. Lets not also forget that a good number of their threes were hit in transition off of missed shots on the Spurs end. If those shots fall for the Spurs I'm fine with the two big lineup in the half court because on most nights the help is going to be able to come quicker from the likes of Ariza and Beverly because they're not going to be hitting at such a ridiculous clip. I also like deadman instead of lee because deadman has the length and hops to make the drive and lob a more difficult proposition.

Like I said though putting faith in LMA is a tall order. If he's not destroying his matchups in the first half tomorrow then he shouldn't play the rest of the series and the Spurs need to go small.

[UZER]

Pop said in the post game "we played big against them all year."

Translation: "I ain't changing , es. Now go look up the new planets."

[DAF86]

Pop said in the post game "we played big against them all year."

Translation: "I ain't changing , es. Now go look up the new planets."

That just isn't true. The Rockets were the team against whom the Spurs used smallball the most. They outscored Houston by 24 pts in those instances (which means the Spurs are around -24 when they played with two bigs, since everygame, against the Rockets, this season was virtually a tie).

[apalisoc_9]

Pop said in the post game "we played big against them all year."

Translation: "I ain't changing , es. Now go look up the new planets."

[apalisoc_9]

That just isn't true. The Rockets were the team against whom the Spurs used smallball the most. They outscored Houston by 24 pts in those instances.

Stubborn pos

But david lee is so outspoken

[TheGreatYacht]

Posted this on the adjustments thread

Third year in a row the Spurs look old as . It's obvious this team needs athleticism and it's there on the roster, unfortunately the worst adjuster of all time is running this team. He will die with his tired old bags.

Dedmon/Aldridge
Bertans/Anderson
Leonard/Simmons
Green/Mills
Murray/Parker

This would be my lineup. It's nearly identical to Houston's tbh. Dedmon matches up with Capela, Bertans with Anderson, Green with Ariza, Murray with Beverley, and Kawhi with Harden. Tony and Patty have shown to be a great offensive burst and having them coming off the bench can match what Houston gets from Lou and Gordon. Aldridge can go to the bench and get his touches there without taking any from Kawhi. Finally, I inserted Kyle and Simmons in there because I like what they brought yesterday (turned a 40pt blowout into only a 27pt blowout)

[TheRemix]

Pop said in the post game "we played big against them all year."

Translation: "I ain't changing , es. Now go look up the new planets."

Just hope that pop is saying that in the presser so houston doesn't expect a small ball lineup

[Horse]

All this may help but nothing will help more than actual effort. This is the first time I can remember a Spurs team giving up.

[coachmac87]

Parker
Simmons
Green
Kawhi
LMA

[DAF86]

All this may help but nothing will help more than actual effort. This is the first time I can remember a Spurs team giving up.

It's not a matter of effort. Rockets ran circles around them last night. Of course you are going to get discouraged, at some point, after seeing how bad they were playing with you. That is easily reversible if Pop does what he has to do.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

DeJuan Blair is laughing at the Spurs right now

[SPURt]

SL should be Tony/Danny/Kawhi/Anderson/LMA

2 guys that can penetrate, decent shooting and scoring, but it's more about the length, defense and rebounding of that unit.

Bench: Patty/Manu/Kawhi(Simmons when Kawhi sits)/Bertans/Pau(or Dedmon)

Shooting lineup with 2 guys that can penetrate. If rebounding becomes an issue for the 2nd unit then swap Anderson and Bertans.

This. Pop might not like it but he's going to need to trust Simmons, Bertans, and KA. Forcing two bigs that can't switch on the pick and roll was awful.

[SAGirl]

The Rockets scored 117.0 points per 100 possessions in the first and third quarters (a.k.a: when Pop played his costumary 2 bigs lineup) and 90.1 in the second and fourth quarters (a.k.a: when Spurs went small)
http://www.nba.com/article/2017/04/2...ouston-rockets

YOu need to send an email to Pop or something.
Pop! loading up on bigs with 5 centers in the team. (LMA in the postseason should be a C...specially if he can't punish small ball, Lee, Pau, Dedmon, Anthony while leaving guards and wings to rot... and not doing anything about them.. but at least he has two promising rookies like Bertans and Dijon, but nope, benches them. IMO he plays Kyle as a wing when he might in reality be a big and we knew this since last season bc he's stubborn.
Goddamn the old man is soooo stubborn.