Phil Jackson: Spurs are "the team" I worry about

[TD 21]

The Spurs have to play the Lakers one-on-one in most instances (I can see occasionally doubling Bryant when he's posting up Hill) because even though the Lakers are a mediocre outside shooting team, it makes no sense to double when they have either a height or quickness advantage a generally three spots on the court. If it's mismatches the Spurs are worried about, then they'll be doubling all game long.

Just play them straight up and if guys like Gasol and Odom can beat the Spurs be isolating them to death, then fine, but I'd rather make those two have to play at an extremely high level every game (I'm talking about a potential playoff series) than give the Lakers wide open three's to bury the Spurs.

I don't have the numbers on this to back me up, but it seems that since the Lakers acquired Gasol, the Spurs have surprisingly done a solid job defending the Lakers in the half court, where they lost (in the past it was their own lack of offense) is from giving up wide open three's and getting killed off the dribble/in the post. You can't give them everything, so cut out their open three's and take your chances with playing them straight up. Little known fact about the Lakers: they're not a great or even very good offensive team.

[NFGIII]

The Spurs know the Lakers and their M.O. better than any other team in the league. Not a surprise. We're making a run without Parker, and if he comes back rested we could definitely be a scary team to play.

Think: Would it really be that shocking if the Spurs went to the WCF or even the Finals this year? Yeah, it would be surprising, but with this veteran laden team, not more so than some of the recent playoff runs by teams.

Surprising but as of now the LAL, Mavs and Nuggets aren't playing that well. All those teams seem to be coming back to earth. The Suns is the hot team in the West as of now. There might be an oepn window here for the Spurs but caome the POs things might settle down again.

The LAL are still the team to beat but anyting in a series is possible.

I heard the interview while driving. I agree, that if Patrick had just asked the open-ended question "who do you worry about?" without suggesting the Spurs at the end, it would have been more interesting.

The Spurs have trouble with long, athletic teams and the Spurs have trouble with teams that run a lot of iso plays. In the Spurs/Lakers game last Wednesday at the AT&T Center, the Spurs were playing great until the 2nd half. That's when the Lakers upped their defense and then ran isolations almost exclusively. Kobe, Pau, Odom, and Artest all got clear-out sets for them to go to work.

In other words, the Spurs will have a very difficult time with the Lakers.

Their length has killed the Spurs and it will be difficult to ewn that series but not impossible. Odds are they wont though. The Spurs are missing a dependable/serviceable 5. Something that hasn't been here since '06.

Anyway our role players will have to step up consistently for the Spurs to have a realistic chance to win. A scenario that scares me.