Random Thoughts: Spurs @ Magic - Dec. 19, 2018

[Uriel]

Thanks for the thoughts! Very informative

Is this level of play sustainable? Can we expect the Spurs to be permanently better from now on?

[jjktkk]

This current Spur's team is slowly rounding into form. Watch out NBA!

[boutons_deux]

4 more ASTs for LMA? of course, he backs down into traffic, double teams, saggers, while leaving lonely 2pt and 3 pt shooters with empty waiting hands

[playbonner15]

It's looking like Poeltl/Bertans is the new Splitter/Bonner pairing that used to put up video game numbers on offense. Of course, much of the league is doing that now.

Can you imagine if the Spurs had 41-year-old Manu instead of Beli?

Yeah I think Beli watched Manu's last season with the team before retiring But I would like a season more of Manu just because of a budy in Purtel

[Mr. Body]

Pop is s ing genius.

[cutewizard]

[cutewizard]

This current Spur's team is slowly rounding into form. Watch out NBA!

[skin27]

Lol at cliff jumpers!!

[Drom John]

Most improved defined as ESPN Real Plus Minus RPM 2019 minus 2018

3.17 Pondexter
3.07 Gay
0.80 Mills
0.76 Bertans
0.73 Belinelli
0.68 Forbes
0.60 Cunningham
0.46 Poetl
-0.16 Gasol
-0.56 DeRozan
-2.05 White
-5.31 Aldridge

[acoelho1]

Thanks for the thoughts! Very informative

Is this level of play sustainable? Can we expect the Spurs to be permanently better from now on?

Winning by 30 no but they are light years better on defense than earlier in the season so I expect to make a real push up the standings. However it seems pretty clear we have to keep LMA engaged otherwise is effort lacks especially on the defensive end.

[SAGirl]

Good observation on the changes offensively and defensively. During their losing streak Lamarcus had been horrible inefficient and barely scoring. The difference is night and day and with ball movement everyone has caught on rhythm bc Marco has also been in a bad slump. It has been enjoyable to see them turn this around so dramatically (even though I was skeptical in their ability to maintain it). Credit where it’s due. Pop is definitely on top of these changes.

[TimDunkem]

The Term "Fools Gold" is thrown around this forum quite a bit.
However, destroying teams on the tail end of 3 games in 4 nights and now a team who was sitting Vicevic....

Lets put it this way, Vicevic is having a season THIS season(Contract Season none the less) that RIVALS MVPHowards seasons in THE O'

Wins are wins and reps are reps
I see these as quasi-scrimmage level games, preseason games that this team used to get their chemistry and strategy and rotations down

Give Pop and his staff credit for conjuring a way for the Spurs to look like a Semblance of themselves.

But what Sorcery and Black Magic did Greg use?


Some Amorphous Zoney switchy thingy?

Going forward we are depending on a Zone D and as timvp said That has the potential to get this team to the Playoffs and get blown
D out
depending on who they draw in the Brackets. It's not a matter of IF it's just WHEN

which is not to say that Poeltl and White can't be that D' ACE on this squad in the future but this year they will be limited to backup and spots minutes but moving FORWARDS(lol we have none) those two along with a hopefully fully recovered Murry and


THE CULT OF CORPORATE KNOWLEGE will have the acolytes to carry forward OUR RELIGION

But let us enjoy the wins we are scamming TODAY
Fool ourselves into BELIEVE
or SPAM


and let the good times Roll

I'm DOWN WITH GAY
2018-19 ONE FOR THE THUMB

Pretty much this. Good win, but it's what we were supposed to do.

[phxspurfan]

Yup about the zone scheme. Pop has to come up with schemes to make up the lack of quality defensive personnel the Spurs have this year. Even Kevin McHale said it on NBA TV when they were watching the Spurs. Like "ok, none of you guys can play defense, so you go stand over there, you stand there, you stand here...this is a 2-3..."

Problem with zones is teams figure them out.

[superbigtime]

outstanding write-up and analysis. thanks for making me a smarter fan, TIMVP.

[Indianman]

Timvp got more fans on ST than TP9 lol

[DAF86]

Timvp got more fans on ST than TP9 lol

Folks sucking up to the boss, tbh.

[Indianman]

lol

[Kobe'sAchilles]

Rick Carlisle has been running a zone defense for years with his Mavs teams. I know they suck and have been losing, but they never had any real defensive talent and I thought it was amazing that a team playing Seth Curry, Yogi whatever, and J J Barea was never dead last in defense. The good teams figure it out, but I think the zone defense actually matches up well with a lot of playoff teams. It works on the Lakers, Nuggets, Clippers, OKC. It wouldn't work against Portland, but honestly trapping/double teaming Lillard and CJ on pick and rolls always stops that team. They are the easiest team to gameplan for. Houston and Golden St though would probably kill us.

[Seventyniner]

Rick Carlisle has been running a zone defense for years with his Mavs teams. I know they suck and have been losing, but they never had any real defensive talent and I thought it was amazing that a team playing Seth Curry, Yogi whatever, and J J Barea was never dead last in defense. The good teams figure it out, but I think the zone defense actually matches up well with a lot of playoff teams. It works on the Lakers, Nuggets, Clippers, OKC. It wouldn't work against Portland, but honestly trapping/double teaming Lillard and CJ on pick and rolls always stops that team. They are the easiest team to gameplan for. Houston and Golden St though would probably kill us.

GS would kill us anyway, and Houston most nights (when they aren't ice cold like in the Spurs' victory over them).

Being able to beat most of the other teams in the league is good enough right now. Making the second round this year would be a coup.

[DAF86]

Rick Carlisle has been running a zone defense for years with his Mavs teams. I know they suck and have been losing, but they never had any real defensive talent and I thought it was amazing that a team playing Seth Curry, Yogi whatever, and J J Barea was never dead last in defense. The good teams figure it out, but I think the zone defense actually matches up well with a lot of playoff teams. It works on the Lakers, Nuggets, Clippers, OKC. It wouldn't work against Portland, but honestly trapping/double teaming Lillard and CJ on pick and rolls always stops that team. They are the easiest team to gameplan for. Houston and Golden St though would probably kill us.

The Mavs won their championship playing zone for huge chunks of games. I don't know if zone defenses are so easy to decipher for good teams, as some here seem to think.

[Mr. Body]

Zone defense can work with long players and/or players that know when to hit their spots hard. In the raining threes era it may actually be a good solution in many regards if implemented correctly.

[DAF86]

Rockets don't what the to do with that zone. It's actually pretty funny to watch.

[DAF86]

You need FIBA players to beat the zone, tbh. Jokic would be eating that zone alive.

[spurs10]

Great 'thoughts' that don't at all seem 'random.' Very insightful to be honest! Yes it's really interesting to see these guys play as a team like this, which is all I ever hoped for this season. Just 'play as a team' and get as far away as possible from that horrible drama we were forced to deal with last year. This is fun to watch and I'm really stoked Pop is coaching, and the team is playing, with heart.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Spurs are playing a game that very different from anyone else in the league. Seems to be working in the latest stretch.

With a bit more tweaks, other team won't be familiar enough with this kind of a team that it's win enough games to get to the playoffs.

The Spurs are equipped to play inside out, versus outside and occasionally in like so many teams. If they can keep getting better at it, you’re right, they’ll have an advantage against a lot of teams. Of course we have to still hit our shots and the three is still a big part of making the offense work, and when that’s off you can clearly see us struggle. Stopping folks on D has been the Spurs biggest challenge and they’re getting better there too. There’s certainly reason to hope.