Sean, I love ya man, but...

[SouthernFried]

Your wrong...

About Timmy going quick when he gets the ball.

He did that last night, he scored 35...and we lost.

Methinks so much goes through Tim, that if he's going quick and scoring, it takes everyone else outta the game. I dunno how many three pointers come off Timmy passing out of a double teams, but I would think quite a few. How many did we have last night?

When Tim takes his time, sets up plays, and makes the D wonder what's gonna happen...good things seem to happen. When Tim goes quick to the basket, there aint much thinking the Defense has to do...and everyone else on our team becomes a spectator.

Sure, Tim is gonna score a lot that way...but I don't think that makes us the better "team."

I guess a case could be made that nobody else was doing anything, and TD had to do what he did. However, as an overall game plan...I much prefer Tim taking his time and getting everyone else involved, not going quick everytime...but just on occassion.

I think Pop and others told Tim to look for his shot last night. Go quick and take advantage of mismatches. He did just that. But I think that might have had a little something to do with why everyone else seemed to suck.

Just my .02

[travis2]

Your wrong...

About Timmy going quick when he gets the ball.

He did that last night, he scored 35...and we lost.

Methinks so much goes through Tim, that if he's going quick and scoring, it takes everyone else outta the game. I dunno how many three pointers come off Timmy passing out of a double teams, but I would think quite a few. How many did we have last night?

When Tim takes his time, sets up plays, and makes the D wonder what's gonna happen...good things seem to happen. When Tim goes quick to the basket, there aint much thinking the Defense has to do...and everyone else on our team becomes a spectator.

Sure, Tim is gonna score a lot that way...but I don't think that makes us the better "team."

I guess a case could be made that nobody else was doing anything, and TD had to do what he did. However, as an overall game plan...I much prefer Tim taking his time and getting everyone else involved, not going quick everytime...but just on occassion.

I think Pop and others told Tim to look for his shot last night. Go quick and take advantage of mismatches. He did just that. But I think that might have had a little something to do with why everyone else seemed to suck.

Just my .02

Tim's quick play had nothing to do with it.

Sloppy f*cking play and following timvp's game plan (sorry, dude, but you took the blame and so I'm pointing at you) on covering the pick-and-rolls did it.

Manu had one of his games where he threw the ball away more than he threw it to a Spur.

[MadDog73]

(in response to Southern Fried)


Does that explain the 20 turnovers?

That's the main reason we lost. I think the Spurs tried to pass too much... or they just weren't very good at it.

[boutons]

wait, 20 TOs includes 11!! Sonics STLs. So the Spurs TOS weren't just Spurs passing badly, but the Sonics getting into the passing lanes, deflections. And the Spurs lose BS 5 - 9. The Sonics defense flat out-hustled the Spurs' defense. The one constant the Spurs are supposed to have is defense, but they gave up 36 pts in the 3rd qtr to lose the game.

First, 17 straight misses vs Denver, lose, "that won't happen again."

Then, Spurs FTs, having been 80%, fall through the floor, lose, 'that won't happen again."

Then, Spurs 20 TOs, lose, 'that won't happen again".

Seems like the Spurs have a variety of ways to lose the games, each of which "won't happen again." How about a variety of ways TO WIN THE ING GAMES?

[travis2]

wait, 20 TOs includes 11!! Sonics STLs. So the Spurs TOS weren't just Spurs passing badly, but the Sonics getting into the passing lanes, deflections. And the Spurs lose BS 5 - 9. The Sonics defense flat out-hustled the Spurs' defense. The one constant the Spurs are supposed to have is defense, but they gave up 36 pts in the 3rd qtr to lose the game.

First, 17 straight misses vs Denver, lose, "that won't happen again."

Then, Spurs FTs, having been 80%, fall through the floor, lose, 'that won't happen again."

Then, Spurs 20 TOs, lose, 'that won't happen again".

Seems like the Spurs have a variety of ways to lose the games, each of which "won't happen again." How about a variety of ways TO WIN THE ING GAMES?

A bad pass that ends up in a Sonic's hands is counted as a steal, regardless of the effort put forth on defense.

Which often wasn't much, frankly...most of those 11 "steals" were "Christmas presents".

[T Park]

Then, Spurs FTs, having been 80%, fall through the floor, lose, 'that won't happen again

it didnt did it?

[SouthernFried]

Ya, some of the sloppiest passing I've ever seen. My favorite NBA player (Manu), throwing cross court passes in the halfcourt, and consistently trying to thread the needle on some of them...god, sometimes I wonder about that boy.

Still, as an overall strategy...I like Tim taking his time and getting others involved. We simply have to have everyone involved to win.

Mebbe some of that rotten passing was because they hadn't been involved and were not fully into the game...sluggish. Christ, they sure as looked like they weren't all there, they were just watching Timmy do his thing. We simply cannot win consistenly that way.

Whether this was a conscious coaching move by Pop (TD going quicker and being more offensive), or just the result of nobody else doing , I dunno. But I like Tim forcing others to do more, and not taking it all on himself. It's the only way I see a championship coming our way. They either will have to step up, or go home early.

[MadDog73]

wait, 20 TOs includes 11!! Sonics STLs. So the Spurs TOS weren't just Spurs passing badly, but the Sonics getting into the passing lanes, deflections. And the Spurs lose BS 5 - 9. The Sonics defense flat out-hustled the Spurs' defense. The one constant the Spurs are supposed to have is defense, but they gave up 36 pts in the 3rd qtr to lose the game.

First, 17 straight misses vs Denver, lose, "that won't happen again."

Then, Spurs FTs, having been 80%, fall through the floor, lose, 'that won't happen again."

Then, Spurs 20 TOs, lose, 'that won't happen again".

Seems like the Spurs have a variety of ways to lose the games, each of which "won't happen again." How about a variety of ways TO WIN THE ING GAMES?

LOL. Well, Spurs at least have 3 ways to win games, they're called Tim, Manu and Tony. Two of those were "off" last night (to put it mildly).

Thing is, we still haven't had Seattle's insane 3-point game yet. And that scares me a bit.

[boutons]

"insane 3-point game yet"

Exactly, the Sonics have lived/died by the 3 and jumpshooting all season due to their totally useless big men. Let's give credit to the Spurs for defending the 3, and last night Shard was out, plus Vlad's out.

But Nate has found other ways to win, while the Spurs find new ways to lose.

[GrandeDavid]

All I know is Game 5 is being televized in Brazil and I hope I'm treated to a San Antonio Spurs playoff basketball game, not some sort of sloppy scrimmage.

[TDMVPDPOY]

all the players have to hit their shots, how many times have u seen this year when players are open at the 3?? a majority of the time they dont even shoot the 3 when they are open, instead the sidestep and penetrate the lane = a load of bull , take the damn 3

[MannyIsGod]

There are only 24 seconds on that shot clock, and when I see Duncan stand there and stare down his opponent for 4 or 5 of those before making a move, I want to jump through the screen onto the court and slap him across his stoic face so hard he realizes that he's being a dumbass.

Sean is wrong? No, that, Sean is absolutely right.

For all the we talk about the chemistry of this team and how long they've been together, they should know the system like the back of their hands. I'm sick of seeing these players telegraph passes and take time doing nothing but holding the ball or dribbling around the perimeter.

Also, I'm tired of the constant upfakes. If you are open, shoot the ball for crying outloud. An upfake should be more of a rarity then you actualy shooting the ball. The constant upfakes end up with lanes being closed off and shots taken out of rythm.

If we are going to run a motion offense, then run a ing motion offense. If we're going to run a 4 down offense, then run a 4 down offense. If we're going to run a combination of the 2, then run a ing combination of the 2. But one thing is for damn sure, standing around the perimetere and not doing a damn thing will get you nothing. Abso inglutely NOTHING.

I'm tired of seeing Tony peer over the defense as if a back cut is going to magicly appear. If they want to run cuts and hit the cutters, then do it within a motion offense in order to make the defense that much more vunerable to it as well as giving yourself options should the cut not be there.

[red kryptonite]

There are only 24 seconds on that shot clock, and when I see Duncan stand there and stare down his opponent for 4 or 5 of those before making a move, I want to jump through the screen onto the court and slap him across his stoic face so hard he realizes that he's being a dumbass.

Sean is wrong? No, that, Sean is absolutely right.

For all the we talk about the chemistry of this team and how long they've been together, they should know the system like the back of their hands. I'm sick of seeing these players telegraph passes and take time doing nothing but holding the ball or dribbling around the perimeter.

Also, I'm tired of the constant upfakes. If you are open, shoot the ball for crying outloud. An upfake should be more of a rarity then you actualy shooting the ball. The constant upfakes end up with lanes being closed off and shots taken out of rythm.

If we are going to run a motion offense, then run a ing motion offense. If we're going to run a 4 down offense, then run a 4 down offense. If we're going to run a combination of the 2, then run a ing combination of the 2. But one thing is for damn sure, standing around the perimetere and not doing a damn thing will get you nothing. Abso inglutely NOTHING.

I'm tired of seeing Tony peer over the defense as if a back cut is going to magicly appear. If they want to run cuts and hit the cutters, then do it within a motion offense in order to make the defense that much more vunerable to it as well as giving yourself options should the cut not be there.

The upfakes do tend to hurt more than they help. They negate any slight advantage the offense may have had and let the defense catch up.