Pop has thoroughly overcoached this team

[Keepin' it real]

makes you wonder about team USA

Yup, he's going to overcoach and undercoach them, too.

[John B]

Nah.

It's just Coach Malone defensive plan working well. Scouting has neutralized a handful of sets for Aldridge to get the ball in the post. They're not throwing perimeter players to double DeRozan's penetrations, just collapsing with the bigs when he's close to the basket. White han been challenged to shoot from 3pt on the dribble since he destroyed them penetrating. Gay is not surpassing his man 1on1.
All these situations make Spurs ball movement dissapear, there are no good shots for our shooters, no rythm or offensive flow. That's what makes our players look worst: tactics, strategy and coaching.

Aldridge needs to drive on a catch, and not wait for double team - motion offense. Our guys are not making hard cuts, double/triple pick to clear shooters. Move move move and let it fly when open.

[spurraider21]

the roster is poor. we're not going to win if LMA/Derozan/White are playing like . it's really that simple.

[Dverde]

Anyone see this post game quote.

"You can’t change who you are by this time of the season. The basics of winning and losing still apply. Any adjustment in the world means nothing if the basics aren’t taken care of."

[Rummpd]

losing this series, he will make up some lame excuse...its just basketball...then why u competing if its just basketball? fck that clown has lost it

This and then get some wine and more wine

[K...]

People say adjustments but you can't assume adjustments would work when the other team clearly has better talent. I mean, there's like five or six problems with this team, so I'm not surprised they blew a series like this. Can't win a 7 game series with less talent.

[monty4329]

Nah.

It's just Coach Malone defensive plan working well. Scouting has neutralized a handful of sets for Aldridge to get the ball in the post. They're not throwing perimeter players to double DeRozan's penetrations, just collapsing with the bigs when he's close to the basket. White han been challenged to shoot from 3pt on the dribble since he destroyed them penetrating. Gay is not surpassing his man 1on1.
All these situations make Spurs ball movement dissapear, there are no good shots for our shooters, no rythm or offensive flow. That's what makes our players look worst: tactics, strategy and coaching.

Yes. All true.

And Marco barely able to walk is killing all the cutting and spacing he provides when healthy. That alone is killing the second unit.
The offense is so not moving that it looks like a picture.

[Dverde]

People say adjustments but you can't assume adjustments would work when the other team clearly has better talent. I mean, there's like five or six problems with this team, so I'm not surprised they blew a series like this. Can't win a 7 game series with less talent.

[UZER]

People say adjustments but you can't assume adjustments would work when the other team clearly has better talent. I mean, there's like five or six problems with this team, so I'm not surprised they blew a series like this. Can't win a 7 game series with less talent.

So don’t try to make adjustments? That’s just lazy coaching and a deflection. But that’s been Pop for the last several years anyway. He hides behind “it’s just basketball”. That’s why he treats reporters like because they draw attention to his coaching decisions in the playoffs.

[r0drig0lac]

this team is extremely underrated (wise talent) and this roster is exceptionally well assembled (basically, the inverse of the current Spurs)

[monty4329]

this team is extremely underrated (wise talent) and this roster is exceptionally well assembled (basically, the inverse of the current Spurs)

Underrated talentwise? Two HOF + two of the best 3pt shooters ever, at the time when defenses let shooters shoot...

[RC_Drunkford]

Pop made his players play like scared pussies that overthink everything while not adapting his rotations and timeouts to the needs of playoffs basketball. Do you like it redacted like that better?

this exactly

It takes time for a team to learn...and we don't have to forget that there are a lot of new faces in this team...somehing unusual for our franchise. White is the first year he really plays. DDR and Poeltl are in the first year and the first is the main weapon, the second then starting center...that said, I agree the level of the talent is not enough there...expecially defensively.

so you think they will keep the roster together and play the same bull line ups in 2020 and blame this year on chemistry?

Tyreke Evans is a bad example, since he plays no D and has played for almost half the league, but you're on to something. Denver is exposing the Spur's extreme lack of athleticism. That's on PATFO.

yeah but Mills also doesn't play defense and costs 4 times more while Evans is the better scorer. Do you see where I'm going with this?

[jjktkk]

yeah but Mills also doesn't play defense and costs 4 times more while Evans is the better scorer. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Unfortunately we're stuck with Mills. Fast forward to next season, my hope is that some sort combination of Murray, Walker, and White, maybe Forbes too, will limit Mills minutes next year.

[Coach X]

Then what can we do to counter, coach?

"You can’t change who you are by this time of the season. The basics of winning and losing still apply. Any adjustment in the world means nothing if the basics aren’t taken care of."

A team has to play better defense in order to be compe ive in the playoffs. This Spurs team has struggled defensively all season long so nobody can be surprised about the series development.

The team defense started being fine but inconsistency costed game 2. Through 82 games, the only decent defensive unit found included Poetl and White. They leave the court and Spurs are in trouble. The lack of versatility in the roster reduces the tactical options for Popovich. Poetl is probably the best Spurs defender in the series but at the same time, the two big men unit is being exploited by Denver starters and their 5 men 3pt threat. What are the alternatives? To start Gay? Hmmmm. I'd try Bertans.

Anyway, a team with so many bad defenders in main and secondary roles can't be compe ive against a good ofensive team. Regardless the tactics or strategies. Now that the young Nuggets have relieved the pressure from their shoulders, it's noticeable how comfortable all of them are. In the other hand, it's hard to find a single Spur feeling good in the series.

Coach Malone has done his homework and he's taking advantage of Spurs weaknesses and his team strengths. Popovich has more weaknesses to cover but still has a handful of powerful ofensive strenghts. Spurs should stablish early Aldridge in the low post and DDR and LaMarcus should be put in position to play good 1on1 situations where they can score and force Malone to at least consider changing his defensive strategy and start sending players to help out inside.
This is the point where I think playing a shooter in the PF could be useful for San Antonio. Poetl is left alone under the rim to finish/tip after short dishes/rebounds but playing Gay/Bertans would remove the helper from Aldridge/DeRozan penetrations or allow Spurs to play their regular ball movement and 3pt shooting. Obviously the strategy has a defensive B-side. Aldridge has to guard Jokic (which reduces to zero the rim protection when he plays open) and Gay/Bertans have to dance with Millsap. It's a risky move, but that's a feasible adjustment inside of this season team schemes. At this point, I believe Denver's 3pt shooting is being the key factor and anything that can take away that from their game has to be considered at least.

In a more conservative approach, Spurs will insist starting Poetl over Jokic and try to execute better their defensive plan. The main goal here is to increase the pressure on the ball. Too many times, the Nuggets make shots in 1on1 cover, specially behind the 3pt line. Moreover, Aldridge needs to provide a better rim protection and all the players must improve in the defensive rotations and make the shooters put the ball on the floor.

There are some other minor adjustments that might help Spurs to get over the hump. Pop could give up on Gay and reduce his minutes (I don't think so). Marco's overall game isn't being good enough. Motiejunas could play some minutes next to Aldridge and probably help him to get the ball in high-low connexions ala Gasol. Stats say Bertans could have more playing time and I think so too from a coaching perspective. And don't forget zone defense.

[tholdren]

He's so insistent on making sure players take the right shot, make the right pass, do the right defensive rotation, that this team has become more concerned about not making any mistakes than they have about just playing freely.

This has led the team to become timid, uncertain, constantly second guessing themselves. They take an extra split second before deciding to shoot, which gives defenders enough time to close out. They give up open shots and pass the ball to well-defended teammates who then lose the ball to a swarming defense. They don't attack the basket and instead just move the ball over and over and over until time runs out and DeRozan or Aldridge has to settle for a desperation fadeaway.

This team is mentally broken right now, and Pop with his overcoaching is hugely responsible for it. The worst part is, this isn't even the first time it's happened (2016 against OKC comes to mind), yet he never learns his lesson.

Wtf are you talking about? You have DDR who can leav his feet before he has any idea of whether to pass or shoot, marco who hasnt taken a decent shot all year, and lma/gay who chuck turnaround fadeaways like they are trying to one up marco. Had these four been coached their minutes would be limited spurs are losing because they are volume shooting out of iso regularly.