Preseason: Spurs vs Suns -- Tuesday (10/20) - 7:30pm CST

[NASpurs]

Pop's going to start Patty, Jimmer, Simmons, Fat Head and West against the Rockets.

[Splits]

LaMarsha

[spurraider21]

nice steal by tony

does simmons ever just take the open jumper? always pumps and drives

[Splits]

LaMarsha again

LaMarsha AGAIN!

[spursistan]

just hope we don't lose too much ground early on in the season as we iron out things..

[Hoops Czar]

Damn, Spurs starters are getting pwned by Sun's reserves.

[TheDoctor]

lol this is ugly.

[SuperCam]

the chat on one of these streams

[GreggPopAsnitch]

Like a remedial science student, we have no chemistry.

[TheGreatYacht]

KD and chimps gonna kill us...

[cd98]

2/9 from Threes. This team is going to have some big shooting issues. Losing Beli is going to be painful. Obviously with Patty out, it hurts. But tonight, no real outside shooting.

[NASpurs]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nba/post/_/i...sition-defense

Popovich wants Spurs to improve transition defense

SAN ANTONIO -- Offensive chemistry generated headlines and conversations regarding the San Antonio Spurs over the summer, but coach Gregg Popovich admitted before Tuesday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns that defense is the team’s emphasis in the preseason.

Namely, transition defense, which is an area of Spurs deficiency that doomed the team last season in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

“Transition D has still been a problem,” Popovich said. “Our transition D still looks like it did in Game 6 and 7 against the Clippers last [season] in the first round. Worst transition defense in the history of basketball in those two games.”

How bad was it? Well, the Clippers outscored the Spurs 33-4 on the break in Game 6 and Game 7.

“So it’s been an emphasis to start this season,” Popovich said. “Because if we’re gonna be one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the league, which we always are, we better be one of the best transition defense teams. Usually we are. But we weren’t last year in general, and it really showed in the last couple of games in the Clippers series.”

The Spurs outscored the Sacramento Kings 19-17 on the break in the exhibition opener, but have been bested in that category by the rest of their opponents throughout the preseason. Opponents have outscored San Antonio 82-65 through the first four games of the preseason.

“That’s the whole truth and nothing but the truth. ‘Can you handle the truth?’ I ask the players,” Popovich said. “So then, we do what we do and try to take care of it, right?”

Back to the drawing board, Pop.

[TheGreatYacht]

How is this comment different than you complaining about the fans at the ATTC?

LMA and West took pay cuts. They need to learn respect

[cd98]

I'm surprised that Fredette and Sykes aren't getting burn in a blow out. I guess Pop really wanted to see Manu and Parker play in a blow out.

[urunobili]

Last year Manu started the season with 20 points and stellar play and ended it looking slow. I much rather him starting slow and finishing awesome TBH.

Tony looking fast again.

TD awesome.

Don't get what's going on with Greens minutes.

LMA will make all the easy ones he's been missing.

Kawhi keep doing what you're doing.

Diaw has plenty left in the tank.

West will get meaner and tougher.

Patty will be awesome this season.

Kyle may get former Bellinellis minutes and role

[NASpurs]

17 minutes, -27

So long Simmons.

[spursgu]

I'm surprised that Fredette and Sykes aren't getting burn in a blow out. I guess Pop really wanted to see Manu and Parker play in a blow out.

More like they're getting cut. That Jimmer thread has lost fire since it became inevitable.

[spursgu]

Is Teletovic auditioning for the Spurs? They love picking up players that own them.

[FkLA]

Tony looking fast again.

[itzsoweezee]

This bench is pretty bad without Patty

[r0drig0lac]

lol simms c'mon

[ajh18]

2/9 from Threes. This team is going to have some big shooting issues. Losing Beli is going to be painful. Obviously with Patty out, it hurts. But tonight, no real outside shooting.

Why do you think we're going to have "big shooting issues"? I miss Marco too, but he made 1.4 3s a game last year. We basically lost him and got Anderson, but also replaced a terrible shooting big in Tiago with a big who has range in Aldridge. We also didn't have Patty most of last year, and now he looks healthy. Cojo, Baynes... none of the other departures were good shooters. So where do the "big problems" come from? It looks like a pretty similar team shooting-wise to last year.

[cd98]

I think Williams and Simmons make the team and the rest get cut. I can't see Spurs taking a 36 year old Butler over one of these two young guys. Sure they will spend a lot of time in the D-league working on their games, but youth over age...I just see them going where the upside is.

[cd98]

Why do you think we're going to have "big shooting issues"? I miss Marco too, but he made 1.4 3s a game last year. We basically lost him and got Anderson, but also replaced a terrible shooting big in Tiago with a big who has range in Aldridge. We also didn't have Patty most of last year, and now he looks healthy. Cojo, Baynes... none of the other departures were good shooters. So where do the "big problems" come from? It looks like a pretty similar team shooting-wise to last year.

Three point shooting.

[SAGirl]

Simmons with a -27. I have never disliked him, but I was more cautious than most with all the hype about him. I missed the first half of the game, and the second has had lag at moments for me, so some plays I have missed, but Reggie outplaying him is a wake up call. He's only looked good for a min or two here or there, and that is sandwiched in between a lot more minutes of sucking. His confidence is shot.

Reggie is taking the banner and running along with it.