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  1. #51
    Veteran Sugus's Avatar
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    Point blank clutch dunk miss by Rudy literally couldn't ask for an easier shot

  2. #52
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    Walker probably did about as well as could be expected given his relative limiations, but I have no idea why he served as the primary S bag defender.

    It's better to defend him with size, either big wings or bigs with sufficient mobility (closest the Spurs have to either is Johnson and Gay). Since the stiff relies on bullying smaller, weaker types, doing otherwise plays into his hands, forces emergency help and leads to rudimentary reads that even he can make.

  3. #53
    Machacarredes Chinook's Avatar
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    Nah, Kawhi like many post players struggles against agility more than against slow size. White woulda checked him and done another good job. No one else on the team obviously matches up better with Leonard than Walker.

  4. #54
    ಥ﹏ಥ DAF86's Avatar
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    Walker probably did about as well as could be expected given his relative limiations, but I have no idea why he served as the primary S bag defender.

    It's better to defend him with size, either big wings or bigs with sufficient mobility (closest the Spurs have to either is Johnson and Gay). Since the stiff relies on bullying smaller, weaker types, doing otherwise plays into his hands, forces emergency help and leads to rudimentary reads that even he can make.
    White checks Kawhi as good as any other guy in the league and he's the same size as Walker, tbh.

  5. #55
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    Davis defends S bag best because he can contain, absorb his blows/pushoffs and still contest.

    White has a small sample size on him and is probably an exception to the rule. In a series, he'd probably destroy him though.

    The number one key to any superstar/star matchup is to not have to provide help on the catch. Once you're forced to do that, you're screwed.

  6. #56
    R.C. Deez Nuts. Mugen's Avatar
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    Davis defends S bag best because he can contain, absorb his blows/pushoffs and still contest.

    White has a small sample size on him and is probably an exception to the rule. In a series, he'd probably destroy him though.

    The number one key to any superstar/star matchup is to not have to provide help on the catch. Once you're forced to do that, you're screwed.
    Agreed, KJ would have been the best matchup. Not sure why the old man keeps trying to make Lonnie on Nephew happen.

    The double team kept coming from opposite end/baseline as well, made no sense.

  7. #57
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Agreed, KJ would have been the best matchup. Not sure why the old man keeps trying to make Lonnie on Nephew happen.

    The double team kept coming from opposite end/baseline as well, made no sense.
    Again,

    Kawhi = Superstar

    Superstars get calls

    Keldon's impact > Lonnie's

    Keldon is known more to be physical on offense and defense, putting him on Kawhi early while being at risk to draw offensive charges because he attacks the basket so much... not so good.

    If Keldon is not in foul trouble in the 3rd or 4th, then you can put him on Kawhi

    This is probably the logic that was used.

    Having any of your most impactful players out for any long period of time because of foul trouble messes up the game plan.

  8. #58
    Veteran GAustex's Avatar
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    Probably splitting time to keep fouls down and save energy. Lonnie first and Johnson at the end.

  9. #59
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    Walker probably did about as well as could be expected given his relative limiations, but I have no idea why he served as the primary S bag defender.

    It's better to defend him with size, either big wings or bigs with sufficient mobility (closest the Spurs have to either is Johnson and Gay). Since the stiff relies on bullying smaller, weaker types, doing otherwise plays into his hands, forces emergency help and leads to rudimentary reads that even he can make.
    Gay circa 2007 before injuries was a reasonable Leonard matchup... Current gay doesn't have the quickness

  10. #60
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    Gay circa 2007 before injuries was a reasonable Leonard matchup... Current gay doesn't have the quickness
    Which is why I said he's among the closest the Spurs have to the ideal archetype.

    Extensive quickness isn't required since S bag is a stiff.

  11. #61
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    It's impossible to stop Leonard from shooting a jump shot, in any normal matchup. He's tall, and he has those freaky long arms, with a high release, and he jumps away from the defender. Also, he's learned to put a high arc on the shot, when he needs to. You can try moving your tallest player out onto him, but then your defense in the middle turns to marshmallow.

    So when he decides to shoot, yeah, he'll get the shot off, almost every time. Your defender can't stop him from shooting. You have to deal with that.

    The thing to do is to pester him constantly, with high energy. Make him work for it, at least. When he goes up to shoot the jump shot, forget the ball, you won't reach it. Wave your hand in front of his face to take away his best look at the rim. And go like for the rebound when he misses, so there's no second chance.

    Another thing the Spurs could try, with the personnel they have now, is planned switching. I mean, the first couple times down the floor have Walker assigned to Leonard, but the next two or three times put Keldon on him, then Murray for a possession or two. Create uncertainty in his life, and prevent him from getting into a rhythm against a particular defender.

    Well, whatever, Leonard got his 30 pts, but the Spurs still won. Good enough.

  12. #62
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    Leonard is deceptively quick. While he may have slowed a little during his injury lay off rememery him Staying with the fastest guards in the league on defense..... The other bit is he is bigger than a lot of the guys who can stay with him so he doesn't require lots of separation to shoot over.

  13. #63
    Veteran John B's Avatar
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    Again,

    Kawhi = Superstar

    Superstars get calls

    Keldon's impact > Lonnie's

    Keldon is known more to be physical on offense and defense, putting him on Kawhi early while being at risk to draw offensive charges because he attacks the basket so much... not so good.

    If Keldon is not in foul trouble in the 3rd or 4th, then you can put him on Kawhi

    This is probably the logic that was used.

    Having any of your most impactful players out for any long period of time because of foul trouble messes up the game plan.
    Agree and putting different defenders would make Kawhi second guess on how to react

  14. #64
    Veteran spurs10's Avatar
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    and can you have dinner ready when we get home? That would be greaaaat....
    Yeah timvp we would appreciate a bite if you can manage it. Do you have any egg nog? Asking for my wife.

  15. #65
    Believe.
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    Look at this bull ass shove by Kawhi:



    this weasel
    Poor KJ got the foul for his quick reflex reaction.
    He’ll be wiser next time.
    Onward to next meeting.

  16. #66
    Veteran spurs10's Avatar
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    Thanks for the grades. It was a great win!

  17. #67
    Machacarredes Chinook's Avatar
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    It doesn't surprise me that a lot of people believe good defense is physical. But it does surprise me that a lot of Spurs fans currently still believe that, since the Medium Three Spurs were not very physical at all. A guy like Danny Green proved on three teams he could be a really good defender, and he's never been a guy who absorbed a lot of contact. DPOY Kawhi was the same though he was strong enough to where it didn't matter. Very few players in the league use power offensively. The level to which those M3 teams could shut down opposing players was insane. They were very often not as big as the guys they checked. Height and weight simply aren't that important. Positioning, body control and anticipation do the bulk of the work. That's even true for massive mismatches like Mills on Durant, except at that point literally just shooting over the guy can work. But the 6-5 to 6-7 difference doesn't grant that.

    I'm not against the team getting a big defensive four and putting him on Kawhi at all, of course. But it wasn't surprising to me that someone Walker's weight did fine and someone of Johnson's struggled more. But I am talking to the same people shocked --- SHOCKED -- when guys like Poeltl or Splitter don't just back down PGs in the post.

  18. #68
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    the only guy I've seen who can guard Kovid Klaw is Giannis. And that's it. You can't stop him, you just have to work on making him less efficient

  19. #69
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    Leonard is deceptively quick. While he may have slowed a little during his injury lay off rememery him Staying with the fastest guards in the league on defense..... The other bit is he is bigger than a lot of the guys who can stay with him so he doesn't require lots of separation to shoot over.

  20. #70
    Veteran r0drig0lac's Avatar
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    the only guy I've seen who can guard Kovid Klaw is Giannis. And that's it. You can't stop him, you just have to work on making him less efficient
    Giannis, Simmons and Davis

  21. #71
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    It doesn't surprise me that a lot of people believe good defense is physical. But it does surprise me that a lot of Spurs fans currently still believe that, since the Medium Three Spurs were not very physical at all. A guy like Danny Green proved on three teams he could be a really good defender, and he's never been a guy who absorbed a lot of contact. DPOY Kawhi was the same though he was strong enough to where it didn't matter. Very few players in the league use power offensively. The level to which those M3 teams could shut down opposing players was insane. They were very often not as big as the guys they checked. Height and weight simply aren't that important. Positioning, body control and anticipation do the bulk of the work. That's even true for massive mismatches like Mills on Durant, except at that point literally just shooting over the guy can work. But the 6-5 to 6-7 difference doesn't grant that.

    I'm not against the team getting a big defensive four and putting him on Kawhi at all, of course. But it wasn't surprising to me that someone Walker's weight did fine and someone of Johnson's struggled more. But I am talking to the same people shocked --- SHOCKED -- when guys like Poeltl or Splitter don't just back down PGs in the post.

    I'm reading the posts between this one and your last and I'm not sure who you're addressing? No one brought up good defense = physical unless I'm missing something...

  22. #72
    Machacarredes Chinook's Avatar
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    I'm reading the posts between this one and your last and I'm not sure who you're addressing? No one brought up good defense = physical unless I'm missing something...
    I'm not particularly addressing you. I am addressing the sentiment that being able to absorb Leonard's contact is really important or that in general defense is dependent on initiating and absorbing contact. Someone like White is not too small to guard Leonard. You don't need to be this big engulfing dude he can't push off or whatever. It helps to be solid physically to take that away, but being able to anticipate moves and beat him to his spots and interfere with passing lanes and navigating screens and a lot of other things matter more. Moreover, of all the players in the league, a designated Leonard defender is so irrelevant. Just guard him with someone and live with the results. Just don't give up easy looks to shooters.

  23. #73
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    I'm not particularly addressing you. I am addressing the sentiment that being able to absorb Leonard's contact is really important or that in general defense is dependent on initiating and absorbing contact. Someone like White is not too small to guard Leonard. You don't need to be this big engulfing dude he can't push off or whatever. It helps to be solid physically to take that away, but being able to anticipate moves and beat him to his spots and interfere with passing lanes and navigating screens and a lot of other things matter more. Moreover, of all the players in the league, a designated Leonard defender is so irrelevant. Just guard him with someone and live with the results. Just don't give up easy looks to shooters.
    All good. I just wanted to understand what was being said.

    I don't disagree with anything you said. A year or two ago, I would have. We have enough to slow down Leonard in a seven game series. What this team doesn't need are more Leonard stoppers.

    What needs to be addressed is the fact that we collapse so much. We address that with players who excel at help defense, hence the reason we drafted Vassell it appears like. Vassell moves so quick from interior to perimeter that it doesn't matter when he overhelps. Now we need to get a big version of that.

  24. #74
    TD since 97 ezau's Avatar
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    Walker probably did about as well as could be expected given his relative limiations, but I have no idea why he served as the primary S bag defender.

    It's better to defend him with size, either big wings or bigs with sufficient mobility (closest the Spurs have to either is Johnson and Gay). Since the stiff relies on bullying smaller, weaker types, doing otherwise plays into his hands, forces emergency help and leads to rudimentary reads that even he can make.
    Agreed. To Pop's defense, however, Keldon was in foul trouble and Pop probably thought Gay didn't have the mobility to guard Cripples.

  25. #75
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Collapsing/ overhelping in today's game is so common that it is done by one of the best defenders in the game:



    Overhelping/ collapsing is not as much a game plan than it just being a product or nuance of how the game is played today. The nature of today's game is spacing and drive and kick. You either help defend that drive or not and it's an easy layup.

    You need players who are quick enough to recover or smart enough/ instinctual enough to deflect the pass.
    Last edited by Dejounte; 01-06-2021 at 11:13 PM.

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