Buck Harvey: Venus vs. Serena — a sister will suffer
Web Posted: 06/18/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/c....1d200404.html
San Antonio Express-News
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — I don't know if Gregg Popovich has been outcoached.
But I know it looks that way.
I know everything changed after two games for Larry Brown, just as it did for Phil Jackson a year ago. I know Popovich's reputation isn't built on strategy. I know Brown, instead, is famous for seeing what others do not, and that the Spurs have looked unprepared at times for a simple trap.
That's why I also know Popovich isn't going against just a friend in these Finals.
He's going against another career-defining moment.
That doesn't stop Popovich and Brown from playing on their Venus-Serena sister act. Both say they are really sorry after twice smashing the other in the mouth with overheads.
Both are equally astonished they've alternated these beatings, as well as how random the game can be. In the 1990 playoffs they were on the bench together, with the Spurs playing the Blazers in the final minute of a seventh game, when Clyde Drexler launched a 25-foot, makes-no-sense 3-pointer.
Popovich nudged Brown and said, "That's it, we've won."
Then the shot fell.
Both coaches fully understand their reputations fall when such shots do, and each has enjoyed the other side in recent seasons. Popovich, for example, has never received as much respect as he has this past year.
Brown's peak came last season with his first NBA le. "I remember the experience I had last year at this time," he said Friday. "I mean, everybody was so happy for me personally last year, I was put way up there."
He raised a hand to show how high.
Just a week ago he would have had to lower his hand considerably. He was criticized for talking to Cleveland, as well as for being a distraction to his team. Wasn't it true the Pistons were dispirited because of him?
Now, if he comes back to win this championship, Brown will be seen as the ultimate chess player. "But I don't get caught up in that too much," he said. "It's part of our profession. We get far too much credit when things go too good, and you get a lot more criticism when things go bad."
Popovich knows the same. His get-over-yourself philosophy works well in this climate.
But it's also true that these Finals help cement reputations, and Popovich faces another watershed. His system and his locker-room charisma are beyond reproach, as is his stress of discipline and defense. But coming off Game 4, there are reasons to wonder if he can adjust on the fly as Brown and Jackson have done against him.
Popovich made a smart, early move Thursday. With Tim Duncan frustrated after a non-call, Popovich all but asked for a technical foul. In exchange for a free throw, Popovich got his point across and relieved some of Duncan's stress.
That didn't last long. Duncan's 2001 body language returned, as did flinching Spurs. The Pistons threw traps at the Spurs — notably Beno Udrih — when the Spurs could themselves have played pressure defense.
Then came the same Detroit defense that was there in Game3. How can the Pistons defend Duncan, stop penetration and still get out on the Spurs' 3-point shooters?
Popovich had no answers, and perhaps no coach would have. When the Spurs vomit turnovers — twitching with flu-like symptoms — there's not an X that can counter an O.
Those around this series say the same, as does Popovich. "I think, well, why is it going on?" he asked Friday. "It's going on because we've suc bed to their physical play. (The Pistons) have raised the bar in physicality. They do not want to give up the ring, and we have not met that challenge to date."
That's Popovich. His coaching creed is honesty. He called his bench "awful" Friday, and he's in the faces of the rest. He likely used the word "soft" at some point.
"The last time I checked," Popovich said of the Pistons, "they were the same guys we played in San Antonio."
But that's just it. The Pistons aren't the same anymore, and neither are the Spurs. And asked how he could explain the series turnaround, Brown answered Thursday night with a smile.
"Good coaching," Brown said.
I know he was kidding.
But will others?
Forget game 4, it's been the case for about the last 6 years.But coming off Game 4, there are reasons to wonder if he can adjust on the fly as Brown and Jackson have done against him.
Make an adjustment on Pop in a series, and he's screwed, at least until the off-season when he goes and tries to find a player in FA to fix it.
Wait. Didn't you say that Seattle made adjustments after Game 2 and then Pop countered them after Game 4?Make an adjustment on Pop in a series, and he's screwed, at least until the off-season when he goes and tries to find a player in FA to fix it.
I think Pop can win the coaching battle.
Technical adjustments [x's and o's]mean very little. Match-ups are a higher priority. If any of you have ever been a part of any organized sports team, you could comprehend this. The coach, no matter how "great" he/she is, is only as good as his/her players.
I don't remember it, but it's possible. I was drinking a lot during that series.Didn't you say that Seattle made adjustments after Game 2 and then Pop countered them after Game 4?
We can out-talent a lot of teams, but when we get in an even matchup personnel wise, one adjustment seems to screw up everything for Pop.
Take this series. Game 1 and 2 they were doubling Duncan a lot, which is what our offense is based on (Duncan the creator).
Games 3 and 4 Detroit has manned him up (very physically I might add), and now due largely in part to an over-reliance on Tim Duncan to initiate the offense, we are looking like at that end of the floor.
And the only times we aren't expecting him to set the table on offense we're getting a simple pick and roll out at the three point line that Detroit is hedging and shutting down, or an iso setup for Tony or Manu, which typically ends in an unsuccessful trip into the paint.
Where is the motion offense that the Spurs used to carve up teams earlier this year? Detroit has gone to some zone looks, and the best way to mess up a zone is to run a lot of motion to create weaknesses and breaking points in the defense. But Pop seems to have abandoned the motion (I'm shocked, he did it last year as well against LA when it was nut cutting time) altogether.
The problem with his thinking is, like the Houston games early in the year that made us look horrible offensively, Pop has locked onto defense as the problem, and decided come or high water he's going to win it with defense and a "half court" slow it down offense.
Problem is that offense plays right into the teeth of the Pistons defense, and I just don't see Pop having the offensive epiphany to figure out to flip to the back of the league's supposedly "biggest" playbook, instead of bumbling around on page one and the inside cover like he has the last two games.
And before I get the same tired in response from the Poplover society, I don't want Pop fired. I want him to go out and find a coach to give control of the offense (his own Tex Winters type).
It's obvious a little defensive adjustment by any good defense we run into completely befuddles Pop.
And it's time for him to accept that he is to offense what LakerGod is to women, and hire someone to take care of the one flaw in Pop's otherwise stellar coaching a en.
[/soap box]
Pop has done the best job of his career making adjustments this postseason...
In a million years did we'd ever think he'd coach a playoff series like he did against Phoenix? I certainly didn't.
Pop has never made bad defensive adjustments anyway...he's very good at those...
His adjustment problem has always been on the offensive side of the ball...he's Duncan as his offensive crutch when things get tough for all of Duncan's career...It put enormous pressure on Duncan to do everything...and it's reason we haven't been able to come back against teams that know how to force the ball into Duncan and how to defend him once he is getting it.
This year he has been going to a more guard oriented offense...he even did it the first two games of this series...Pop can talk inside out all he wants but in games 1 and 2 I bet we didn't most Duncan up more than two times in a row...and we probably didn't do it more than 2 times a quarter.
In game 3 he appeared to be starting off the same way...letting Manu run things early...and Manu sucked with the TO's...then it's like he lost confidence in the whole idea and started pounding it inside to Duncan again expecting everyone to play off of Duncan.
Running the offense through Duncan against the Detroit Pistons is the recipe for certain death...
The teeth of the Pistons D is Sheed and Ben...anytime we try to challenge them when they are being supported by the other guys in the paint...we are going to get our asses kicked...
That's why I said it's gotta be Manu that steps up...they don't have anyone that can guard him one on one...he can get into the paint and suck others in and get other guys, including Duncan, open...
And also...this idea of trying to get inside every time...that aint working either...
Detroit is going to make the Spurs prove they can hit shots...and they are going to have to do it if they want the paint to open up again...
We do have probably the best jump shooter of the last 15 years on our bench in Bigg Dogg...
And this means ball movement outside of paint penetration...something Parker, Manu and Barry can all do...Horry as well.
We'll see if Pop plays it conservative...if he does he's going to be the goat in this series...if he opens it up and the Spurs play like they have nothing to lose...Detroit can't hang with them.
Rebounding is key also...Detroit isn't going to turn it over enough for us to have a great transition game...but we can beat them up and down the court if we are getting defensive boards.
Pop's adjustment needs to be to trust his guards to generate points to where Duncan isn't getting pounded...
There isn't a big man in history that can score in the paint if he doesn't have guards getting respect on the perimeter and loosening up the D for him...not even Shaq.
Last edited by whottt; 06-18-2005 at 07:29 PM.
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