Article: Spurs need Tim Duncan back in lineup as soon as possible

[Hemotivo]

Spurs need Tim Duncan back in lineup as soon as possible

3:05 AM ET
Michael C. Wright
ESPN Staff Writer
CLEVELAND -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich leaned against a wall inside Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday before his team’s 117-103 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and laid out concerns regarding Tim Duncan's absence from the starting lineup.

“Well, he’s our base from which everything else emanates,” Popovich said. “Everybody else knows how to operate based on where he is and what he does. That’s my biggest concern with the game really is him not being there for everybody to move around because he’s the center of what goes on defensively.

“Timmy’s not the most amazing athlete in the world, but he still protects the rim very, very well, and as I said, provides the center of the universe for us down there.” (Read the complete article at ESPN link below)

http://espn.go.com/blog/san-antonio-...on-as-possible

[look_at_g_shred]

Maybe if we were fighting for a playoff spot.

[YGWHI]

Spurs need Tim Duncan back in lineup as soon as possible

3:05 AM ET
Michael C. Wright
ESPN Staff Writer
CLEVELAND -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich leaned against a wall inside Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday before his team’s 117-103 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and laid out concerns regarding Tim Duncan's absence from the starting lineup.

“Well, he’s our base from which everything else emanates,” Popovich said. “Everybody else knows how to operate based on where he is and what he does. That’s my biggest concern with the game really is him not being there for everybody to move around because he’s the center of what goes on defensively.

“Timmy’s not the most amazing athlete in the world, but he still protects the rim very, very well, and as I said, provides the center of the universe for us down there.” (Read the complete article at ESPN link below)

http://espn.go.com/blog/san-antonio-...on-as-possible

I love Tim, without doubts, he's the defensive anchor of the team, but it's so crazy that two of the best defensive coaches in the league can't find a better answer for his absence than to play zone against the Cavs in the whole 3rd quarter.

[YGWHI]

Don't want to blame Messina for that quarter, but that zone seemed a lot "european"

[SAGirl]

Don't want to blame Messina for that quarter, but that zone seemed a lot "european"

I think they went to zone after Boban was benched and LMA was in foul trouble. We really didn't have any absolutely any rim protection. I think their hands were tied, and the zone took them by surprise a few posessions. It's just not something you can throw out with any lengthy period of time bc the other coach will figure it out.

Considering our situation, with Tim in the lineup I actually think we win that game.

The worst loss of the season was by far GSW. I don't think even Timmy can save us in that one. The whole team was shaken and too many guys played terrible.

[ceperez]

I think they went to zone after Boban was benched and LMA was in foul trouble. We really didn't have any absolutely any rim protection. I think their hands were tied, and the zone took them by surprise a few posessions. It's just not something you can throw out with any lengthy period of time bc the other coach will figure it out.

Considering our situation, with Tim in the lineup I actually think we win that game.

The worst loss of the season was by far GSW. I don't think even Timmy can save us in that one. The whole team was shaken and too many guys played terrible.

I don't mind going with the zone occasionally. It can put an offense out of rhythm for a couple of plays.

[NameLess Scrub]

Thanks for reminding me about '13

I think Timmy's absence is amplified by the lack of another rim protector,
due to the LMa/West signing.

The team will miss him, but might not look so bad when there's space to have a roster with more than one rim protector big.
(or 1 that can play heavy minutes maybe)

Let Timmy rest and hopefully (big one) he can beast on the POs for his last le run.

[SAGirl]

I don't mind going with the zone occasionally. It can put an offense out of rhythm for a couple of plays.

For sure and I think it worked for a few plays there. It was just sustained for too long bc of our lack of rim protectors and really Lebron killed us in transition a few plays and Kyrie did Kyrie things. Love getting hot didn't even happen during the zone, and didn't happen when Anderson was guarding him. In the second half, Love actually cooled off.

[YGWHI]

It's just not something you can throw out with any lengthy period of time bc the other coach will figure it out.

That's what I meant to say with "the whole 3rd quarter" in the previous post.