Struggles with Back-to-back

[SenorSpur]

It seems the Spurs have historically had troubles with the back ends of back-to-back games this year. While their road record is among the tops in the leagues, the Spurs have consistently had problems with these games - even those they were able to somehow win.

What's your opinion for the cause of these struggles? Could it be the age factor, the nagging injuries, mental or something else?

[Extra Stout]

It seems the Spurs have historically had troubles with the back ends of back-to-back games this year. While their road record is among the tops in the leagues, the Spurs have consistently had problems with these games - even those they were able to somehow win.

What's your opinion for the cause of these struggles? Could it be the age factor, the nagging injuries, mental or something else?

Tim Duncan has plantar fasciitis. While he can deal with the pain when he gets some rest, on back-to-backs, his feet don't have adequate time to recover, so he really can't move. As Tim goes, so goes the team, in most cases.

Luckily, during the playoffs, there are no back-to-backs, so Tim won't have these huge dropoffs. Also, in playoff games when there is more at stake, his pain tolerance will increase. Remember that he won Finals MVP with two sprained ankles last year. I guarantee they hurt and limited his movement.

The penalty is that the Spurs won't have HCA against Detroit, and may finish second to Dallas in the SW. The latter is not a huge problem, because the Spurs probably could beat Dallas in a best-of-7 even if all 7 were played at the AAC. The lack of HCA against Detroit may be fatal, but it's hardly reasonable to expect the Spurs to win 66+ games in a season as would be necessary to better Detroit in this special season the Pistons are having.

[boutons_]

Spurs are soft.

Spurs are 47 - 13 but only 4 -6 on 2nd of B2B.
ie, half of Spurs totals Ls are second of B2B.

Spurs have 5 B2B left. Will they SPAM and go 5-0 , or pre-SPAM and go 2-3?

Fatigue isn't the only reason the Spurs screw up so badly on B2B. They aren't old, or outta shape. I think they aren't that tough mentally, yet.

[Extra Stout]

47-13 with two of their three stars hobbled all season. Chronically banged up, yet on pace for their best regular season ever. Gosh, they are so soft. Gosh, they are so mentally weak.

The problem is not that the Spurs still lack mental toughness even after all these long playoff runs. The problem is that the fans lack mental toughness and still go Chicken Little after every loss.

[BigVee]

47-13 with two of their three stars hobbled all season. Chronically banged up, yet on pace for their best regular season ever. Gosh, they are so soft. Gosh, they are so mentally weak.

The problem is not that the Spurs still lack mental toughness even after all these long playoff runs. The problem is that the fans lack mental toughness and still go Chicken Little after every loss.

Amen to that brother. Sometimes I wonder how much NBA basketball some of the people who post have really watched. Last night is no surprise. A good team with a good home record, sitting and waiting, game planning, just coming off a home embarassment...playing a team that has beaten them 8 straight times, a team that had won 7 in a row, playing a back to back..this happens to all teams every year during the regular season. And, don't think Pho, who will have more rest time, isn't sitting and waiting for tomorrow night. It will take an exceptional game by the Spurs to win.

[101A]

... and may finish second to Dallas in the SW.

Not a chance. Take a look at the Mav's schedule. Spurs have a cake-walk relatively.

[Supergirl]

Tim Duncan has plantar fasciitis. While he can deal with the pain when he gets some rest, on back-to-backs, his feet don't have adequate time to recover, so he really can't move. As Tim goes, so goes the team, in most cases.

Luckily, during the playoffs, there are no back-to-backs, so Tim won't have these huge dropoffs. Also, in playoff games when there is more at stake, his pain tolerance will increase. Remember that he won Finals MVP with two sprained ankles last year. I guarantee they hurt and limited his movement.

The penalty is that the Spurs won't have HCA against Detroit, and may finish second to Dallas in the SW. The latter is not a huge problem, because the Spurs probably could beat Dallas in a best-of-7 even if all 7 were played at the AAC. The lack of HCA against Detroit may be fatal, but it's hardly reasonable to expect the Spurs to win 66+ games in a season as would be necessary to better Detroit in this special season the Pistons are having.

This sums it up well.

[SenorSpur]

It will take an exceptional game by the Spurs to win.

....as will the Friday night home game with the Fakers.

[alamo50]

Anybody wanne bet against me that we won't win our next 2nd game of a back to back?

[Spurminator]

I'm not worried about seeding in the West. If we're seriously concerned about the Clippers in a 7 game series we're probably not an NBA Championship calibur team.

And I don't see a Dallas series going 7.

[rwb]

I pretty much anticipated the Spurs would lose to the Clippers not only because of their tendency to lose that second game, but they all got pretty beat up the night before. They were probably exhausted and sore and definitely not on their A-game. I do expect them to win Friday's game because I think the home crowd will give them that extra boost.

[fred33]

don(t worry no back to back in playoff

[spur219]

Injuries and mentality.

[Tom_Foolery]

I think Coach Popovich needs to do more to help his team win. When does the coach take responsibility for any of this? I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe Popovich is 100% always right and "perfect".


I couldn't help but notice Pop not taking a time out in the end of the 3rd when the Clippers ended up taking a 2pt lead and blowing it up to a 10pt lead in the last 3 minutes while Popovich sat there and refused to call a timeout because of his stubborness.

I do believe that if Popovich called a time out in the 3rd when they built the lead up to 6pts or even 8pts, the Spurs could've made some stops and set up some better offence because at the end of the 3rd, the offense looked completely lost with Popovich sleeping on the bench.

It's just one loss and not a big deal, but if you were to ask me what went wrong last night and how could we have corrected it, I would start with the coach taking a little more action than normal nights considering their poor record on B2Bs. I don't think it's anything to be alarmed about, but that's just what I observed.

[Extra Stout]

I would start with the coach taking a little more action than normal nights considering their poor record on B2Bs.

Pop's goal is not to win the second game on B2B's consistently. His goal is to get his team ready for the playoffs.

[Dre_7]

Spurs are soft.

Spurs are 47 - 12 but only 4 -6 on 2nd of B2B.
ie, half of Spurs totals Ls are second of B2B.

Spurs have 5 B2B left. Will they SPAM and go 5-0 , or pre-SPAM and go 2-3?

Fatigue isn't the only reason the Spurs screw up so badly on B2B. They aren't old, or outta shape. I think they aren't that tough mentally, yet.

I disagree. Any team that beats Detroit in a seven game series is far from mentally soft.

[Tigole Bitties]

The win over the Lakers was really a blowout -- with Oberto, Nazr, Rasho, Marks, and Horry all capable of playing the 4/5, Timmy should've had plenty of time to recuperate for the Clippers game.

[kalikot_boy_kr]

ngeekkkkkkkkkkkkk!

[FreshPrince22]

Every team struggles with them.

[Tom_Foolery]

Pop's goal is not to win the second game on B2B's consistently. His goal is to get his team ready for the playoffs.

No need to start an argument. If you read closely, you would see that I had already stated that this was no huge problem, no big deal

Tell us something we haven't know for the last 5 years.

[Bruno]

82 games for regular season makes no sense.
Team ranking aren't more meaningfull than if the regular season was between 40 and 60 games long.
With a 82 games season, teams had to play b2b and sometimes 4 games in 5 days (like Spurs this year) : more injuries, shorter career and even doping.
And it's worse with international BB the summer for foreigners and members of team USA.
Money shouldn't be more important than the health of the players.

[Tanya]

Come on don't react like some of the pistons fans on the pistons board. They were just tired period. For what reason they can't lose? They are human.
The spurs are still the best team. They will still have the highest chance to come out of the WC even without HCA. They are the only team in the league have the possibility to beat the pistons without HCA.
Don't worry.

[SequSpur]

Pop didn't really give a today about it, he said this years schedule is the worst ever.

He continues to include Manu when he talks about back to backs, etc. etc..

Is Manu a puss or something?

in trade him if he can't play... The dude is probably worth an allstar or something.

.

[Obstructed_View]

Last night's game didn't seem typical of the other B2Bs this year. You can't just get behind by 10 or 12 to a good team right away. Timmy also got himself into foul trouble, which he doesn't usually do. Those two factors make it really difficult to win, fatigue or no fatigue.

[Sense]

I think playing the best D in the league gets to you eventually...