VERY INSIGHTFUL ARTICLE ON THE SPURS D...
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Monday Musings: Spurs show off elite D
This Spurs team isn't shy about agressiving helping on defense, having, so far, forced turnovers on about 14.2 percent of opponent possessions, the 10th-highest mark in the league. (US PRESSWIRE)
I went into the last week of NBA action with the goal of answering one question: What is wrong with San Antonio’s defense?
The Spurs have spent basically the entire season in the top 10 in points allowed per possession, but they were showing significant cracks heading into a three-game stretch against the Lakers, Mavericks and Thunder — three of the league’s top 10 offensive teams. In the seven games before that trio of toughies, the Spurs had given up more points per possession than the league average — not their team average, but the higher league average — six times. Opponents were shooting better than 40 percent from deep, putting San Antonio on pace to allow one of the highest three-point shooting marks in league history.
Sure, the Spurs were 26-4 at that point, sporting the best offense in the league. But there were problems, and I wanted to figure out their origin.
And then the Spurs shut down all three teams. They held all three to a points-per-possession mark better than the Spurs’ season-long average, and they reduced the Lakers and Thunder into a mess of bricks and turnovers that would have made even the Bucks blush. Those three teams shot a combined 92-of-249 (37 percent) from the floor, and the Lakers and Thunder — two of the league’s best at avoiding turnovers — coughed it up 35 times between them against the Spurs.
The Mavs were playing without Dirk Nowitzki, so San Antonio’s solid win in Dallas wasn’t a surprise. But in shutting down the Lakers and Thunder at home, the Spurs may have signaled to the league that they can still bring top-shelf defense when they are motivated. And if they really can do that, it would be fair to call San Antonio the clear-cut favorite in the West right now. The Spurs suddenly have a huge lead in the race for home-court advantage, and their two top challengers are dealing with serious injuries (Dallas) and semi-ugly infighting (the Lakers, regressing into 2007-era bickering in the wake of a blowout home loss Sunday against the Grizzlies).
The way the Spurs defended the West’s elite last week was notable. This was not the staid Spurs defense of the last half-decade. This is a team that helps more aggressively than any Spurs team we’ve seen in a long while. At times, they almost look as if they are over-helping — with a big man running up to contain a dribbler who hasn’t really broken free yet, and as a result leaving an opening somewhere else. But right when I find myself yelling about that overeager initial help — and right when the offensive team is ready to attack that opening — another defender is scrambling into position to cover for his teammate. The Spurs, if you’ll pardon a rare cliché, really are a whirling dervish of rotations and spread-out arms and deflections and wings working their tails off to box out big men for rebounds.
This is no longer a team that stresses staying home on your man and the avoidance of gambling in the pursuit of forcing a long two-point jumper and grabbing a defensive rebound. The numbers reflect that. The Spurs have forced turnovers on about 14.2 percent of opponent possessions, the 10th-highest mark in the league. This is a quantum leap for San Antonio. The Spurs have finished in the top 10 in opponent turnover rate just twice in the Tim Duncan era, and they’ve ranked 20th or worse eight times — including in each of the last four seasons before this one.
They’ve taken a hit in defensive rebounding, since all the rotating can leave them a bit out of position when a shot finally goes up. The Spurs rank eighth in defensive rebounding rate, which would be outstanding for anyone else but would be San Antonio’s worst ranking since the 2002-03 season. (The Spurs finished in the top three five times between 2003-04 and last season.)
Gregg Popovich deserves a lot of credit for retooling the defense to fit his personnel. The Spurs start an undersized power forward (DeJuan Blair) who moves his feet well and is super-active on defense. They’re stocked with quick, long-armed wing players (Manu Ginobili, George Hill) with a knack for getting hands in passing lanes. This roster forces Popovich to play smallish lineups more than most teams do, and given that reality, it makes sense to push for more activity on defense.
When you think of San Antonio this way, you can make sense of the hot three-point shooting from their opponents. First, teams don’t shoot threes very often against them; only four teams allow fewer three-point tries per game, according to Hoopdata. Part of the Spurs’ aggressive style is to run shooters off three-point shots, even if it creates a temporary crisis someplace else.
As for the high shooting percentage, my best guess is that those good looks are the product of patient possessions in which smart teams dribble-drive and swing the ball until an opening finally appears from deep late in the shot clock. Those looks will be available against clubs like San Antonio that rotate aggressively, but they’ll only be there if opponents have the confidence to wait for those looks instead of hoisting the semi-open long two or contested floater the Spurs want you to take three seconds earlier. One piece of evidence for this theory: Teams are torching the Spurs late in the shot clock. Only the Warriors have allowed a higher field-goal percentage than San Antonio on shots taken with three or fewer seconds left on the 24-second clock, and Spurs opponents are actually shooting better in that situation than on shots attempted in the middle of the shot clock — a trend that goes against what we usually see.
So perhaps a high opponents’ three-point percentage is the price San Antonio is paying for its broader defensive excellence. That doesn’t mean it’s not a concern, particularly against good teams. Even in losses, the Mavs, Lakers and Thunder hit a combined 19-of-53 (37 percent) from deep against San Antonio.
The Spurs have to clean this up, and some regression to the mean will probably help them. But that’s really the only thing they have to clean up right now. They’ve served notice that they might really be the best team in the league.
http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/tea...ff/order/false
Spurs 7th in league right now in defensive efficiency by Hollinger's method (points per 100 possesions - which IMO is as good a method as any) and except for Miami and Chicago (both have played weaker schedules than the Spurs) they are within range of the 3-6 teams.
Spurs right now better than than over-hyped Dallas defense as one example.
definitely the best defensive metric at the end of the night. Points per game is silly, because team's play at different paces, and opponent percentage doesn't account for turnovers, rebounding, free throw rate, etc...
It looks like the Spurs can turn up the D when it matters, like starting the 3rd behind, or when the 4th qtr starts close.
Is this the Thibodeau (Celtics/Bulls) defensive scheme that Pop's been trying to crib for the past few years with limited success until now?
When you look at these stats, the 4 best defensive teams are in the eastern conference. At the same time 8 of the 10 best offensive teams are in the western conference.
So:
Are EC teams better defensively or are they just facing weak offensive teams in their conference?
It's likely a little of the both but WC teams are 102-78 this year against EC teams. It could lead to think that a huge reason why these EC teams have such good defensive stats is the low level of their conference.
When you compare Spurs defensive stats only to WC teams, they look way better.
Excellent insight, Bruno. The defense the last 3 has been off the charts good.
Very good read and this caught my attention
Teams are torching the Spurs late in the shot clock. Only the Warriors have allowed a higher field-goal percentage than San Antonio on shots taken with three or fewer seconds left on the 24-second clock, and Spurs opponents are actually shooting better in that situation than on shots attempted in the middle of the shot clock — a trend that goes against what we usually see.
damn it no more under the radar
I'm sure Pop is aware of this as well, and will take steps to fix it.Teams are torching the Spurs late in the shot clock. Only the Warriors have allowed a higher field-goal percentage than San Antonio on shots taken with three or fewer seconds left on the 24-second clock, and Spurs opponents are actually shooting better in that situation than on shots attempted in the middle of the shot clock — a trend that goes against what we usually see.
Great article, thanks.
That's certainly what I've been seeing. And i only see the defense improving from here.
I couldn't care less about this articles. Nice reads but the whole thing is shown in the PO. I hope these wins only help to build a great team for PO.
Very insightful! Thanks. And Bruno, as usual you high basketball IQ proves a good point.
With the Pop and the big 3, I don't see this team resting on its laurels.
You could easily have cared less, no one forced you to read AND comment on the article.
And that's all that matters. Our battle is in the West. Sure we play East teams, but we have to go through the West to get to the Finals.
What's to fix? This is about the best "problem" a team can have, forcing teams to go deep into the shot clock to get a good look. This is the product of Pop relentlessly stressing transition-D and getting back.
Oops.
Lol.
crofl
72 pts ?
Really?
ing SI Jinx.
Well they showed great D against Thunder, but as for the Knicks, a big no.
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