Random Thoughts After Game 2 Loss to Warriors

[benstanfield]

Sorry but we can't just hope for them to start missing shots. GSW are a team that's gonna find a way to get to 100-105 points regardless of what the defense does. If we can't score in triple digits on this team then we're just gonna flat out lose.

[mrjap2x]

Any thoughts on how we can get more Kawhi post ups?
We can't just let fronting stop that. Especially when curry is the one guarding him.

[spursncowboys]

-Relied on shooting threes too often

-Couldn't make a shot.

Don't know how they can correct having their shots go in.

Plus side:
-Their defense was as good as can be, dealing with the 12 year old. The offensive rebounds were ridiculous. You couldn't ask for as many second chances as they got.

[spursncowboys]

IMO the warriors in game one were playing hero ball. Iso. If they had won game one, they probably wouldn't have changed up their game plan until maybe two losses. So had the spurs lost game one, it would probably have been an easier road to atleast two wins.

[DarrinS]

This is the fourth season in a row that opposing teams have been torching the Spurs from the perimeter, and Spurs fans have been calling it a fluke. No, it's not a fluke. It's that the Spurs are a ty perimeter defensive team in the playoffs. Klay Thompson was in his own zip code on most of those first-half shots. Any decent shooter who doesn't choke is going to get in a rhythm and hit those shots.

Defending Golden State is not that complicated; they aren't really built for the postseason. Basically just don't give them a whole bunch of wide-open looks from 3 and you'll keep them under control. But if they get enough of a stretch of open shots to get into rhythm, then they'll start hitting the contested ones too. Memphis certainly will be able to slow down GS, and OKC probably has enough defensive chops to get it done too. That the Spurs can't get it done has nothing to do with Curry and Thompson playing the most superest awesomest any backcourt has ever played in the histories of times like timvp claims. The common factor in all these "fluky" great shooting performances is that they come against the Spurs. The most likely inference is that the Spurs' perenially inept perimeter defense in the playoffs is the cause of the torrid shooting.

Perhaps. But sometimes they are just making contested shots. Curry's running 3 off one leg comes to mind.


Lol @ Gary Neal screening himself @ 0:53

[Chomag]

Perhaps. But sometimes they are just making contested shots. Curry's running 3 off one leg comes to mind.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but do you really want to use "Curry's" shooting as an argument of fluk shooting?

[DarrinS]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but do you really want to use "Curry's" shooting as an argument of fluk shooting?

I don't think I ever used the word "fluke".

I'm just saying, if you can hit a running 3 off one leg, with a defender in your face, then your offense is just better than the defense.

[Chomag]

Ahh, yeah I was misunderstanding you then. Think I got you mixed up with some other posts. I agree though, Curry is a beast of a player and is going to be a super star in this league. Often times with these type of players there is not much you can do other then try to deny them the ball and even so they are going to get theirs. Best you can do is make them work for it.

Bad news is Curry is red hot at the moment, and that's a deadly combination to play against with a shooter like him.

[elbamba]

This series looks more like the Suns series when they swept the Spurs as oppossed to the Grizzley series a couple of years ago. My biggest frustration with this game was Bonner starting and playing 16 minutes and Neal playing 20 minutes and starting the second half. I would actually rather see De Colo get a chance to play as he has deceptive speed and size on defense.

I would start the game with Duncan and Splitter or Duncan and Diaw and force the issue inside out. The ball needs to be moving up and down and side to side. The Spurs play into their hands with quick shots and one-on-one basketball. Their length bothers the Spurs but the truth is their team defense is not that good. Make them work on defense and see if that does not slow the game down a bit.

The Spurs need to commit to their defense. I would go with Green on Curry and Leonard on Thompson. Tony needs to back up on Barnes and let him shoot. I don't understant why Tony crowds him 20 feet from the basket. He would be better trying to take a charge. Barnes wants to shoot, let him take 15 jumpshots. Every shoot he shoots is a victory from the Spurs defense.

Finally, the pick and roll needs to have the picker rolling to the basket. No more jumpshots. Duncan and Splitter need to challen Bogut and any other Big they throw in the game. It is time to force double teams and if the Warriors will not double, Tim and Splitter need to go for 40 - 50 combined points in the paint. This will also slow the game down and allow the Spurs to get their defense set.

[spursncowboys]

I don't think I ever used the word "fluke".

I'm just saying, if you can hit a running 3 off one leg, with a defender in your face, then your offense is just better than the defense.

Kind of like when we played Phoenix in the PO and just accepted Stoudamire making 50 a game

[rasho8]

I put the blame squarely on pop never actually developing a backup pg. He has had years to figure it out and his idea has been "Make ty Gary Neal do it" which is stupid. He needs to pick a ing backup and PG and elt that person actually ing play and learn. That way when Tony needs a breather in the playoffs we dont have some lineup where evryone just s around and Gary Neal tries isoheroball and fails over and over.

[emanueldavidginobili]

NO HELP DEFENSE when you're covering KT or SC, its ridiculous how many times we had to run out on them because they were so open these guys are shooters! They give them just a little room and their launching it.

[szkorhetz]

Is it just me, or Manu's lift on jumpers is non-existent?

[bklynspursfan]

Maybe bringing TP off the bench isn't the best thing...

And I know we've had some instability with our starting lineup this series, but I think it's time for 1 more big change...

I think it's time to start Manu. This will do either 1 of 2 things:

1. it'll force Curry to have to guard Parker instead of Klay
2. it'll put Curry on Manu or Leonard both of whom should be able to do to him what Barnes/Klay do to Parker

Curry is getting away with guarding Green a lot of the times, and Green is mostly a spot up shooter. We have to make him work more on the defensive end. Let Green come in to guard Jack and give Manu his rest then

Parker, Manu, Leonard, Duncan, Splitter

Our guys should be prepared and able to play heavy minutes.

[biskvito]

GSW stepped up their game, it's what playoff teams do.

[noles1983]

2 things i noticed when i was at the game.

1. We leave them too many wide open 3's because the defense has to stop the layup drills.

2. The spurs have tough shots every trip in the paint, GS is all over them, 3 pointers need to be made when open!!!

[Spur|n|Austin]

Good thoughts, thanks LJ. The main one I took away was this:

-I was frustrated during the game but -- thinking about it -- the Spurs kinda need this. We saw what happened last year when they breezed through the first two rounds. The Spurs have always had some sort of adversity in their successful playoff runs (Game 2 loss vs. T'Wolves in 1999, Phoenix Game 1 in 2003, Nuggets and Sonics in 2005, Game 1 vs. Nuggets in 2007). Honestly, if the Spurs can't win a game in Golden State, they weren't going to beat Memphis/OKC and definitely not the Heat.

Keep the faith people, nobody ever said this was going to be easy. Well some people did, but they are idiots. Look at the rest of the league, every series is 1-1 INCLUDING Miami and OKC. RELAX!

[polandprzem]

I do not understand playing neal vs that fast of a team. I'd better go with Mills.

Pop needs to do a better job figuring this out and players needs to toughen up. Playoffs mada azzz !!!!!!!!!!!!11

[michaelwcho]

The Warriors have pretty much hit their ceiling, I think. Almost seems like Curry has been possessed by Dirk. But they have to start missing. They have to.

Just wanted to point out that people were saying that OK was a bit of a fluke because Ibaka was hitting a crazy % of jump shots. Maybe it has something to do with the defense.

[it's me]

you guys should be ing kidding......... start brickobili???? KT was simply rapping him... he can't even run nowdays, Pop should play him 15 min max.

[Blake]

This feels like Spurs/Hornets in 2009(?)

The Spurs had no real answer for Paul/West/Chandler dunks, but just kept grinding and grinding and won the series.

If the Warriors had won both if these games, I'd think the Warriors win in 5 or 6.

I think the Spurs split in Oakland and win in 6 or 7.

There is just no way.....no way the Warriors can keep up this level of shooting. No way.

[raybies]

Maybe bringing TP off the bench isn't the best thing...

And I know we've had some instability with our starting lineup this series, but I think it's time for 1 more big change...

I think it's time to start Manu. This will do either 1 of 2 things:

1. it'll force Curry to have to guard Parker instead of Klay
2. it'll put Curry on Manu or Leonard both of whom should be able to do to him what Barnes/Klay do to Parker
Curry is getting away with guarding Green a lot of the times, and Green is mostly a spot up shooter. We have to make him work more on the defensive end. Let Green come in to guard Jack and give Manu his rest then

Parker, Manu, Leonard, Duncan, Splitter

Our guys should be prepared and able to play heavy minutes.

This...

Golden States playing like a clubber lang while the spurs are playing like a pre eye of the Tiger ro

[raybies]

Maybe bringing TP off the bench isn't the best thing...

And I know we've had some instability with our starting lineup this series, but I think it's time for 1 more big change...

I think it's time to start Manu. This will do either 1 of 2 things:

1. it'll force Curry to have to guard Parker instead of Klay
2. it'll put Curry on Manu or Leonard both of whom should be able to do to him what Barnes/Klay do to Parker
Curry is getting away with guarding
Green a lot of the times, and Green is mostly a spot up shooter. We have to make him work more on the defensive end. Let Green come in to guard Jack and give Manu his rest then

Parker, Manu, Leonard, Duncan, Splitter

Our guys should be prepared and able to play heavy minutes.

This...

Golden States playing like a clubber lang while the spurs are playing like a pre eye of the Tiger rocky.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Agree with starting Tiago. If this forces a mismatch for the Warriors to try and take advantage of with Barnes isolating, then that's a good thing and would get the ball away from their deadly backcourt. Of course, this assumes Tiago is up for it...in a menacing road game. Tiago seems soft but we have to give it a shot. I think the Spurs still have fight, though it's not looking good right now.

[Blake]

I'm all for starting Manu, Tony, Danny, KL and Tim.