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Ibaka isn't a good post defender, at all. He's much better at blocks when he comes off his man and blocks someone else. Tim simply bodied into him, negating his jumping ability, just like a guard would.
The first time it happened, I said, "oh no, Ibaka's been blocking him all night under the basket and Duncan has no foot speed anymore. This has to be an accidental matchup".
Then the Spurs went back to it and you could see the rest of the team clearing out for Tim to go iso on Ibaka.
Was this a genius move by POp or just something that a veteran superstar took into his own hands for crunch time?
Whatever, it worked and was partially the reason for our win.
Ibaka isn't a good post defender, at all. He's much better at blocks when he comes off his man and blocks someone else. Tim simply bodied into him, negating his jumping ability, just like a guard would.
This. Most (virtually all) of Ibaka's blocks come when someone else (like Perkins) is the primary defender, and the shooter gets the ball up over that person. Ibaka is able then to use the space created by the initial defender to jump for the block. If the shooter goes right at him, he doesn't have time or space to get the block off.
In a tight game like that, on the road, you can't just keep chucking 3s and expect to win.
But is was a surprising strategy to go at the best blocking forward in the game. As a coach or player like Tim, it takes a lot of confidence to start that at crunch time.
Ibaka played 44 minutes before OT started on a bad calf, vs Duncan playing 34 minutes at that time. This basically canceled out the age factor and we all know prime Duncan would eat the current Ibaka alive.
That and Spurs simply didn't have very many options left with Parker out. And Duncan, while no longer have the stamina to take over an entire game, can still do it in short stretches as an all-time great. I am so glad we won this game. It had all the ingredients of Miami game 6, a missed free throw in crunch time, OT against a team with the two best stars, and Duncan willed the team to win tonight! I hope this erased some of the game 6 shadows in their hearts!
Old man game with all the postup knowledge can easily take ibaka on the block and score 2.
Common sense. We had no point guard on the floor, and god knows Manure would've turned the ball over. In fact he almost did turn the ball over getting it to Duncan. Westbrook was just a hair late.
Ibaka is an average one on one defender. Tim could have done it all night. But the purpose of moving the ball during the game was to make the rest of the thunder players play d and tire them out.
The strategy earlier was to have Bobo post up the entire Thunder team including Ibaka, which worked quite well. Since the closing lineup had Diaw on the arc and Ibaka was the sole post defender, the Spurs decided to try a little four down with Tim. It worked, so why not try it again (and again and again)? Seemed like OKC collapsed the D only once and relatively slowly -- so they kept going to the well.
Old Man River came through in crunch time.
One of the blocks Ibaka got on Duncan in crunch time was actually the result of Duncan getting fouled. At first glance it looked liked Duncan hesitated and then got blocked by Ibaka but Durant actually chopped Duncan's arm on the way up (an obvious foul and the ref was right there) forcing Duncan to regather himself and go up which gave Ibaka time to measure the shot. You could see Duncan was irate with the ref after getting his shot blocked.
just avoiding turnovers
Yeah I remember the play you're talking about. Fortunately we had a bit of a make up non call in the end since the refs did not call a moving screen on Duncan for Manu's clutch 3 pointer. Duncan also got free throws on Durant-level contact against Ibaka once during overtime. Then again, they literally stole 2 points from us with the no call on that obvious goaltend. I honestly don't know which team came out ahead in terms of a net ref benefit.
Obviously I can't call this game "fixed" with the horrendous calls/lack of calls both ways but ref incompetency is still a frightening thing. One or two more incompetent calls in OKC's favor and they win the game.
That second basket by Duncan was so great. With Westbrook and Ibaka defending him, he shot a fadeaway jumper and nailed it. Who knows what would've happend had it not gone in.
Good old Timmy
ibaka and the excuses he's young and was fine games 4 and 5. Timmy just took another young pup to school.
I didn't think that fadeaway was Durant-level contact at all. I saw Ibaka hit Duncan on the elbow as he released the shot.
That's a ty, inaccurate take. Manu was a beast last night, huge reason the Spurs won.
Westbrick and Jackson were defending I believe.That second basket by Duncan was so great. With Westbrook and Ibaka defending him, he shot a fadeaway jumper and nailed it. Who knows what would've happend had it not gone in.
Good old Timmy
Nope, it was Ibaka again. Spurs played the same play two straight possessions. Both times Duncan was guarded by Abaka.
I've made a mental note to drop my perception of your IQ from 110 to 105.
Oh did he? I thought they were calling the contact down low.
Illustrates the accuracy of your perception, thus my comment.
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