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  1. #26
    NostraSpurMus phxspurfan's Avatar
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    I don't know who taught you basketball
    tu madre homes

  2. #27
    NostraSpurMus phxspurfan's Avatar
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    I hope Pop has a stacked USA team and doesn't win a medal, so the whole world sees what kind of idiot he is. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts Plumlee while leaving Anthony Davis at home.
    they will all get the swine flu and he will start pat connaughton and marcus smart

  3. #28
    Believe. MultiTroll's Avatar
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    All the heavies like Bron, Kawhi, Curry, Bryn Forbes etc have said they will play. So he can roll out the balls again ala Timmy Dunks-GNob-pre 2009 Parker and top notch cast. I wouldn't look for any humility coming.

  4. #29
    You have no idea UZER's Avatar
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    Pop this year is coaching like the head coach from the teen wolf movie.

  5. #30
    You Are Not Worthy ZeusWillJudge's Avatar
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    [FONT=Verdana]
    That doesn’t explain though why the Spurs have regressed so badly compared to last season. If Pop was as bad in previous years as he has been this year, the Spurs should’ve missed the playoffs too last year. But they didn’t. They won almost 50 games and nearly made the second round.
    Actually, what I said does explain most of it. Pop is trying to coach to a style of play that he is unsuited for, and doesn't like. And they finally hit an inflection point.

    Look - last year the Spurs average point margin was +1.7 ppg. That meant they were a marginal team. Marginal teams, in general, are able to beat a little more than half their opponents. This year the Spurs average point margin was -1.7 ppg. That may not sound like much, but it's huge. There really is a pretty fine line between a tied for 8th seed team and a +/- 36-win team like the Spurs are this year.

    When the Spurs were dominant, they always played at a very slow pace and stifled other teams with defense. On nights when their shots weren't falling, they could "win ugly" by holding a team scoreless for 5-6 minute stretches. That's the style of play that Pop really excelled at, and it's totally impossible now. Last year they weren't a marginal team on the cusp of being better - they were holding on by their fingernails. They had a nice little win streak in March, but they were 8-12 in the 20 games before that, and 6-5 in the 11 games after. I'm telling you, there is a fine line between the Spurs this year and the Spurs last year.

    The biggest difference is personnel and rotations, and Pop having no feel at all for this "New NBA" and how the game is played. It's the reason he didn't value Davis Bertans highly enough, and the same reason he picked Plumlee over Adabayo for the NT. Worse, he keeps trying to shoehorn players into his last-generation "system". Rudy Gay's demise hasn't helped. But if he had left Derrick White the alone in the summer, kept Bertans, and brought back the same SL that finished last season, this team would be in the playoffs.

    I know, you're asking about the big drop-off from last year. And I'm telling you, it's a matter of inflection point. The overall difference in the two teams isn't that great, but it comes right at a point that translates into a lot more games lost.

  6. #31
    Unstoppable TDomination's Avatar
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    All the heavies like Bron, Kawhi, Curry, Bryn Forbes etc have said they will play. So he can roll out the balls again ala Timmy Dunks-GNob-pre 2009 Parker and top notch cast. I wouldn't look for any humility coming.
    lol

    Pop would love to have him on the USA squad

  7. #32
    Veteran BG_Spurs_Fan's Avatar
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    Pop was brilliant the last couple of seasons, in the regular season especially. This season - obviously not. I think most of his coaching staff leaving was a big blow, added to the loss of his wife, the snake forcing his way out and Team USA's collapse, which all may have contributed to his disillusionment. He looks like someone who's simply going through the motions, wouldn't surprise me if he steps down in the summer.

  8. #33
    Believe.
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    It's the other way around. His mind caused a disastrous stint as coach of Team USA

  9. #34
    Veteran Maddog's Avatar
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    I'm probably in the silent minority here, but I think it has less to do with Pop's coaching than just natural order of things.
    This team isn't very good. It's what happens when you continue to draft outside the lottery (and for the most part in the mid to late 20s) for almost two decades. Add in that SA is not a top FA destination nor a franchise that can absorb a significant luxury tax hit and voila
    So why is this team much worse than last year?
    I think fist and foremost is a lot of teams got a lot better. 5 of the 8 teams that finished below SA last year got substantially better. Of those above only one got significantly worse.
    Add in some decline in LMA and Rudy Gay......
    The hoped for improvements from White and Walker to off set hasn't happened and DJM is far form what we hoped for. Now is that coaching or are they just not that good or too soon to tell.
    In retrospect- I think handing the keys to DJM was probably a mistake- maybe have him off the bench, but I've never coached an NBA team.

  10. #35
    Veteran ginobilized's Avatar
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    Pop this year is coaching like the head coach from the teen wolf movie.
    My vote for post of the year!

  11. #36
    Believe.
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    Typical old white man who would rather fail with his bad ideas and ins utions than succeed with someone elses...

  12. #37
    You have no idea UZER's Avatar
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    Pop would’ve sat Zion for the entire year. Then he wouldve put him in a box offensively next year. “You can only do A or B all year. That’s it.”

  13. #38
    MORE LIFE SOON COME 313's Avatar
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    Combo of the bertans fiasco and the fact that they overachieved the last two years.

  14. #39
    Veteran sasaint's Avatar
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    Actually, what I said does explain most of it. Pop is trying to coach to a style of play that he is unsuited for, and doesn't like. And they finally hit an inflection point.

    Look - last year the Spurs average point margin was +1.7 ppg. That meant they were a marginal team. Marginal teams, in general, are able to beat a little more than half their opponents. This year the Spurs average point margin was -1.7 ppg. That may not sound like much, but it's huge. There really is a pretty fine line between a tied for 8th seed team and a +/- 36-win team like the Spurs are this year.

    When the Spurs were dominant, they always played at a very slow pace and stifled other teams with defense. On nights when their shots weren't falling, they could "win ugly" by holding a team scoreless for 5-6 minute stretches. That's the style of play that Pop really excelled at, and it's totally impossible now. Last year they weren't a marginal team on the cusp of being better - they were holding on by their fingernails. They had a nice little win streak in March, but they were 8-12 in the 20 games before that, and 6-5 in the 11 games after. I'm telling you, there is a fine line between the Spurs this year and the Spurs last year.

    The biggest difference is personnel and rotations, and Pop having no feel at all for this "New NBA" and how the game is played. It's the reason he didn't value Davis Bertans highly enough, and the same reason he picked Plumlee over Adabayo for the NT. Worse, he keeps trying to shoehorn players into his last-generation "system". Rudy Gay's demise hasn't helped. But if he had left Derrick White the alone in the summer, kept Bertans, and brought back the same SL that finished last season, this team would be in the playoffs.

    I know, you're asking about the big drop-off from last year. And I'm telling you, it's a matter of inflection point. The overall difference in the two teams isn't that great, but it comes right at a point that translates into a lot more games lost.
    Very insightful analysis. But it does beg one question. How does the Beautiful Game fit into your narrative? Just an anomalous blip that the Old Asshole ignores?

  15. #40
    bandwagoner fans suck ducks's Avatar
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    Tom Orsborn
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    Pop shoulders some of the blame for this one: "I think the game plan I came out with was poor, and they took advantage of it in the first quarter." #Spurs

  16. #41
    Lab Animal Capt Bringdown's Avatar
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    Agree with this. White was clearly the team's most important player and Pop said that a number of times. Murray coming back and putting White's role into question killed his confidence, and possibly his development. Sadly, the team as constructed makes it difficult to play Murray and White together, especially since White is playing so Timidly and is shooting so poorly. His shots are so bad, hitting back iron basically every time like he's just learning to play basketball.
    White hasn't looked the same since the Denver series. I don't think his confidence has recovered from going from hero to bum in that series. Add the disappointing team USA experience plus being benched over Murray and you have to wonder if he's snake-bit.
    Last year I said he reminded me of Jimmy Silas, now he's looking more like Nick Anderson.

    That being said, I like White's chances over Murray. Although Murray's scoring has picked up, I have never seen him display the kind of leadership that White showed last year.
    I hope I'm wrong for the Spurs sake, but I'm not a believer in Murray. He plays like a spazz/try-hard most of the time.

  17. #42
    #21 timtonymanu's Avatar
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    Started with Nephew’s situation and then losing his wife in 2018. I think he just mailed it in after that. His dictator style of coaching also doesn’t fly in today’s NBA where coaching is secondary to the demands of the star players. That’s why he stuck with all these crappy vets and Brent forms and Lyles cause most players won’t come here.

    Should have retired after last season, tbh.

  18. #43
    You Are Not Worthy ZeusWillJudge's Avatar
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    Very insightful analysis. But it does beg one question. How does the Beautiful Game fit into your narrative? Just an anomalous blip that the Old Asshole ignores?
    The Beautiful Game was half court offense at its finest, possible because of a perfect storm of personnel and the way the came was called then. But it was a natural offshoot of Pop's overall game plan:

    1) Grind them down with defense and force them to shoot a lower FG% than you. Work the out of the defensive glass, but don't chase offensive boards - instead, get back and play defense.
    2) On offense, grind them down in the half court. Work to find a better shot, and then work to find one better than that - good shots mean the Spurs most often have a better FG% than the opponent.
    3) Slow the pace down to a crawl on both ends. Take freebie fast break points when they present themselves, but don't force it - because wasted possessions are more costly in a slow-paced game.
    4) Make sure you have Tim Duncan to anchor the middle on both ends of the floor.

    The way the game is being called, it's impossible to play defense the same way, or at the same level.
    The Spurs were usually one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the league, but one of the best defensive rebounding teams. With all the long caroms from all the 3's being jacked up, that's a little less harder to do consistently.
    More guys are shooting more 3's, at higher percentages. They will snap off a 3P shot now at the drop of a hat. Makes it harder to force long possessions.
    Tim Duncan isn't on the roster anymore.

    Pop's one trick won't work anymore.

  19. #44
    Veteran sasaint's Avatar
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    The Beautiful Game was half court offense at its finest, possible because of a perfect storm of personnel and the way the came was called then. But it was a natural offshoot of Pop's overall game plan:

    1) Grind them down with defense and force them to shoot a lower FG% than you. Work the out of the defensive glass, but don't chase offensive boards - instead, get back and play defense.
    2) On offense, grind them down in the half court. Work to find a better shot, and then work to find one better than that - good shots mean the Spurs most often have a better FG% than the opponent.
    3) Slow the pace down to a crawl on both ends. Take freebie fast break points when they present themselves, but don't force it - because wasted possessions are more costly in a slow-paced game.
    4) Make sure you have Tim Duncan to anchor the middle on both ends of the floor.

    The way the game is being called, it's impossible to play defense the same way, or at the same level.
    The Spurs were usually one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the league, but one of the best defensive rebounding teams. With all the long caroms from all the 3's being jacked up, that's a little less harder to do consistently.
    More guys are shooting more 3's, at higher percentages. They will snap off a 3P shot now at the drop of a hat. Makes it harder to force long possessions.
    Tim Duncan isn't on the roster anymore.

    Pop's one trick won't work anymore.
    I wonder what the average time of the Spurs' offensive possessions was in the Beautiful Game. I could be mistaken, but I recall the Beautiful Game as not so much a half court game but as emphasizing super-quick ball movement and early offense to take advantage of defenses before they could get set in the half-court. But you are absolutely right about 3 things: no more Timmy, the plethora of 3s and no more defense in the NBA.

  20. #45
    Veteran SuperCam's Avatar
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    I found it hilarious that both Bagley and Fox refused to take part of Team USA bc they were more focused on the NBA season... Only for both of them to regress badly and the Kings to suck worse than we do
    Kangz ahead of spur in standing now

    but bailout for Poop as corono virus gets the 2020 games cancelled, no need for a septuagenarian to risk to catch the disease and die after the NBA already lost Kobe this year

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