Defense is the main focus

[bd_monster]

This next season IMO will mainly hinge on the ability to get stops on demand, no matter how much Parker,Duncan, and Gino can put up each night, the way this team is set up, it absolutely has to commit to defense, if they are not in the top 3 to 5 in every defensive category this next season, it will be bust year. What do u think spurstalk?

[lrrr]

Agreed 100%. Since Duncan started his decline a few years back the only way I could see the Spurs being legit contenders again was by taking the route of the Detroit Pistons and being an absolute demons on the defensive end.

The question for Tiago is can he learn the system and make the right rotations? I like McDyess off the bench and blair for rebounding. Hopefully RJ is more comfortable with the defensive system and GHill improves on the ball against the speedier PG's. TP being healthy would be nice too.

[Parker2112]

It won championships. Its not sexy, and even many Spurs fans would rather see us win with scoring, but defense is where its at. If we dont play D, we dont win a 5th ring.

[Obstructed_View]

Defense should be the main focus, but the Spurs haven't had defense as their primary focus for some time now. The likely downfall of the Spurs for the remainder of Duncan's career is the love of three point shooting.

[Dex]

We can only hope. Unfortunately, I don't know if we have the personnel to do it anymore. We've come a long ways from having a veteran outfit with a few loose wheels.

Both Tim and Manu have lost a step defensively, and Parker still needs to show that he can commit to it full time. Bruce Bowen isn't guarding the perimeter anymore. Our most tenacious defender is an undersized SG (Hill). Jefferson often isn't in the right place on defense, and doesn't do much to make up for it with hustle.

Dice is getting long in the tooth as well, and while wily, wasn't as effective as I would've hoped. While Blair is a monster on the boards, he was still finding his way in the defensive schemes through his rookie year, and will have much to prove; And he'll still be five inches too short.

Anderson, Splitter, Neal...we have absolutely no idea what to expect from these guys on an NBA floor yet, though Splitter seems to have the makings of a solid defender (tall, long, intelligent).

And Bonner, while being tall and not terribly out of position on defense, still manages to get schooled like a YMCA scrub. Probably because he can't do much more than put his hands up. That's not NBA defense; these guys probably see tougher in practice.

If this team is going to shine defensively, it is going to take the breakout of a few new defensive stalwarts (be it Hill or one of the other new players), and it will take an amazing commitment to both ends by the team. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if Pop hasn't just taken on the strategy of trying to outscore people at this point, but that's not going to lead the Spurs back to a ring.

[Bruno]

Spurs don't have the roster to be a top defensive team. It's as simple as that.

[benefactor]

Defense should be the main focus, but the Spurs haven't had defense as their primary focus for some time now. The likely downfall of the Spurs for the remainder of Duncan's career is the love of three point shooting.

Yup. Pop likes to act like it's still important when players miss rotations but it hasn't been been a priority in a while...and besides re-signing RJ it will be on of the main reasons the Spurs won't see another le in the Duncan era.

[ElNono]

I don't think this roster was put together with that as the primary focus. So my expectations are middle-of-the-pack defensive team.

[Parker2112]

no defense, no ring, no question

[Parker2112]

and I mean top 4 team d.

[picc84]

I assumed D was always the focus of Pop-led teams.

Either way, this roster doesn't have the personnel to be a top defensive team.

[DrSteffo]

Defense should be the main focus, but the Spurs haven't had defense as their primary focus for some time now. The likely downfall of the Spurs for the remainder of Duncan's career is the love of three point shooting.

This.

[boutons_deux]

nah, the past couple years, Pop has moved on from his 2005-and-earlier "we have trouble scoring at times, so we gotta play defense" strategy. He thinks the Spurs can now score enough to win and defense can slide. a-Pop-lectic has softened.

[spurspokesman]

The fact remains. Offense wins games.... You know the rest.