http://reigningblack.blogspot.com/
Jennings Kid Pretty Darn Good (Bucks' Engine)
1) Control Mr. Brandon Jennings: Spurs should make it a priority to hound Jennings hard and often, utilizing aggressive hedges via the combo of Parker and Hill on the pick-and-rolls (hard traps in the corners when Jennings goes off the pick towards the sideline; away from the middle). The hard hedges can (and should) occasionally turn into hard traps, which will consequently force the ball to less threatening playmakers as the shot-clock counts winds down. After all, anybody but Jennings with the ball as the clock is winding down is of benefit to the Spurs—Jennings' teammates just aren't all that capable of creating efficient offensive opportunities for themselves or others (with the slight exception to Maggette and Salmons as being respectable... nothing more). Should this cir stance play out often, the Bucks should be forced into tough contested shots more often than not. (Not like Drew Gooden isn't accustomed to that or anything.)
2) Box Out—Defensive Rebounding: Major emphasis on these two objectives. Bogut and Gooden are very active inside when the ball clangs off the rim. Keep Bogut and Gooden off the offensive glass and away from possible tip-in's or tip-out's. Spurs need to limit the Bucks to one shot per possession as much as possible.
3) Limit Turnovers: Spurs don't want to give the Bucks any free easy fast-break opportunities by turning the ball over. Spurs need to make this offensively challenged Bucks team beat their half-court defense. (Milwaukee is last in the league in points per game and field goal percentage; 91.96 PPG- 41% FG)
4) Con-Man-Corey a.k.a. Kevin Martin's Brother Separated at Birth: He hasn't been getting a lot of minutes, so it really isn't a big issue, but it is an issue that can't be ignored. Maggette has been notorious for drawing cheap fouls and living at the line. Whenever the con man gets touches and is isolated without a screen to help him, whoever is guarding him needs to first force him left (unless he is on the right side of the floor; you don't want to force him middle). This is where the weak-side interior defender needs to be alert and assertive in getting to the seal spot earlier than usual whenever Maggette puts the ball on the floor — when rotating from the weak-side, the better the early positioning is of the rotating interior defender, the less chance there is for a foul to be called as Maggette initiates contact in an effort to get to the line.
Con-Man-Corey in Pick-and-Rolls: If Maggette does receive a screen in the pick-and-roll, the on-ball defender must go under the screen and concern himself more with his ability to be a driver and wreak havoc in the paint — the Spurs need to make him beat them with his jump-shot.
5) See #1: Control the Bucks' Engine (Jennings)
6) Significant 3-Point Threats: Salmons, Jennings, Douglas-Roberts*
*small sample size
Insignificant 3-Point Threats: Dooling (with the exception of last night), Maggette (nothing new), IIyasova
The Spurs need to be aware and assertive when it comes to those significant three-point threats of the Bucks at all times. Salmons, Jennings and Douglas-Roberts are the only players having respectable seasons from long-distance — this should tell the Spurs where the defensive impetus lies when it comes to the three-point line: Jennings, Salmons and Douglas Roberts get the extra attention. Never should the Spurs run off Jennings or Salmons (or CDR) to contest a potential three or deep two-point shot from Dooling, Maggette or IIlyasova. This goes for transition defense as well. Make it a concerted effort to heavily contest Jennings, Salmons and CDR's three-point opportunities, even if it means giving the inferior shooters a free or slightly contested look.
All in All: The Bucks expended a lot of energy last night after overcoming a 20-point deficit against the beloved Dallas Mavericks. Instilled by Skiles' regime, the Bucks exhibited the type of heart and fight they had, as they earned a surprising victory in Dallas—ending the Mavericks winning streak at 12. If the Spurs just bring their energy, heart and hustle tomorrow night, the game should easily result in another 4th quarter demotion for the old and decrepit.
Prediction: Spurs 108 Bucks 89
Last edited by MaNu4Tres; 12-14-2010 at 11:21 PM.
Lets go SPURS! Im gona be attending this one so hopefully they make it interesting for a few quarters. I'd like to see Hill on Jennings. Tiago on Bogut wouldn't be bad either if Pop would put him in the game...
I really would like to see him in a full performance. Still only get glimpses of what he COULD be. Oh well in POP I trust...
Very impressive balanced scoring @Mavs.
Two starters failed to score, but 54 pts from the bench and 3 benchers in double figures, and 69% on 3Gs. Looks like several Spurs games this season.
Maybe they've gotten their fantastic-game-of-the-week out of their system.
Last edited by boutons_deux; 12-14-2010 at 02:08 PM.
The Bucks have long been an odd bugaboo to the Spurs. In the Duncan era (1997-present), the Spurs are well-above .500 in their head-to-head matchups with just about every team in the league. In fact, with this year's games added in, there are only 7 teams that are even within 10 games of .500 in those matchups:
1. Cleveland 15-11
2. Dallas 30-23
3. Detroit 15-10
4. LA Lakers 25-24
5. Philadelphia 17-9
6. Phoenix 28-22
Of course, the 7th is Milwaukee -- since 1997-98, the Spurs are 12-12 against the Bucks and needed to sweep them last year just to get back to .500 in that span.
If the Spurs win at home against MIL, they will be over .500 against every team in the league since Tim Duncan's first game. That would obviously be a claim that no other club could make (since each of them would be under .500 against at least 1 team).
Interesting statistical work. Nice to know.
That just gave me a whole new motivation for this game.
Well done.
If it will further help your motivation, a win against the Bucks would ensure that 2010-11 marks the best Spurs 25 game start ever, since it would guarantee at least 21 wins in those first 25 games; the Spurs have never done that before (only 17 starts since 1986-87 have featured 21 wins in 25 games).
Yeah, I took note of that best 25-game start in the Game Notes a little while back. Who would've thunk? And I knew about the House of Horrors the Bucks have presented the Spurs over the years -- and one particular game at home in recent years jumps to the forefront of my mind (I believe the Spurs gave up close to 70 points in the paint; and Boguts game-winner off the inbounds play is another somewhat recent one that comes to mind) -- but that's a nice little nugget about Tim potentially being over .500 against every team he's played, FWD.
Great work on the post, 'Tres.
Gooden seems to always have a field day on the O-boards against the spurs. This would be a fantastic game for Pop to use Tiago IMO to help control the paint. I'm sure we'll see mostly Bonner however and Gooden will go berserk, with 8-10 offensive boards.
And I have a bad feeling if the spurs plan on leaving Dooling wide open. He's coming off a great outing (3-4 from range, 5-5 FT, 16pts) I could see him having a 4-6, 5-6 type of night against the spurs. Ersova has a decent jumper that extends to the 3pt line as well, can't really sluff off on him.
In all truth, the spurs would probably be better off making Jennings and Salmons shoot 3's.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
