A win here, even a 1 point win, would be amazing. I've never been an advocate of an OKC sweep, but a win tonight might be enough to make that a realistic possibility. I still think OKC takes this one, but the Spurs are obviously capable of winning any game. Period.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...-to-be-hacked/Whatever you call it, Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks’ strategy of purposely sending Tiago Splitter to the free-throw line was effective enough in Game 2 that the Spurs are expecting to see more of it tonight in Game 3. Splitter has developed a foolproof plan for dealing with it.
“If that happens I’ll just step to the line and make free throws,” Splitter said after shootaround this morning at Chesapeake Energy Arena. “It’s simple as that.”
If Blair had any jumper to speak of whatsoever, he'd be getting Bonner's minutes. If he had Kurt Thomas or Antonio McDyess range, he'd never lack a spot in Pop's rotation.
nothing I seen has told me Blair is in any way superior defender than Bonner.
Also true. As bad as Bonner is, Blair is worse.
I agree that Bonner>Blair in most series but OKC has no low post scoring threat so that point is rendered moot. Neither one of them are going to deter Westbrook, Durant, or Harden when they get in the lane, either, so it boils down to:
Passing, Backdoor Cuts, Possible help on the boards > Standing at the 3-pt line unguarded and still unable to get a shot off to make them pay because OKC can close out quickly IMO.
I think okc, facing their first real adversity after bringing their A game to game 2 and still losing, will be overly amped for this game to start. If the Spurs take care of the ball and don't give runouts and make them take jumpshots in the half court set to start there will be a pattern of their shots hitting back rim early in the game. I think the Spurs lead after 1 but trail slightly at the half or beginning of the 3rd. After that the extra juice early will be gone and it'll be a matter of whoever executes the best in the end of the 3rd and down the stretch of the 4th. I feel the Spurs have the advantage in that area.
Last edited by Whisky Dog; 05-31-2012 at 04:45 PM.
Didn't popovich tell Duncan or somebody that if they miss a ft they have to paint his car or something like that? or they get to paint it a certain color.
I can't really remember but I remember something between Pop and the players involving Ft's and his car lol.
If the Spurs are within 2 possessions at the 3 minute mark, they are winning the game.
Honestly I dont see Blair being on the same court with Timmy or Tiago.
Im wondering if Pop would consider subbing Blair in for Tiago if OKC decided to do the intentional fouling. Since Blair is a good passer and pick/roll type player you would get the similar skill set as Tiago but better free throw shooting.
Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital. tbh.
This was a really great article, appreciate the work. Without doing the work you did I've been saying a few of your points in particular that after evaluating the body of work, OKC has had a lot of unsustainable play and still lost. Spurs if they ever clean up the boards and fouls, should win if they play characteristically.
I said that if the Spurs can win Rebs, keep to's within 5 of okc and FTs as well they should win all those games.
You left out the part where Blair gets the ball in the post and proceeds to fumble around and throw up a bad shot.
I could have told you this going in. I've long said that Brooks has no idea what he's doing and is in over his head. There's not much separating him from Del Nego, but he doesn't receive a tenth of the scrutiny Del Negro does. That's because he just so happened to inherit a team that was going to progress to the level they're now at on a similar timetable, whether he was coaching them or someone else was. It's the getting them to the next level that actual coaching is required for. He's incapable of this and that's why he needs to be fired. I think Presti realizes this too, which is why he's (curiously) yet to extend him. He probably wants to fire him, but knows he has no cliche reason he can sell to the media and his own team. If they get swept in this series, that could give him the impetus.
At this time of the year you can't worry about that. Especially with how rested this team is and how much more rested they can become by wrapping this up in five or less. As you alluded to, a team this good (even if they are overrated, as I've long maintained), you don't give any life to. If the opportunity is there to take this game and effectively end the series, you spare damn near no expense.-Maximize depth. The Spurs are unquestionably the deeper team. During the guts of the game, if the Spurs can get quality minutes from their bench players, that will allow the closing lineup to retain more gas for the final push.
That being said, if the Thunder hit the Spurs with a hay maker early, expect to see the majority of the bench get a longer than usual 1st half run. I actually wouldn't be surprised either way if they did.
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