Pop is the greatest...

[florige]

It's however you all want to spin it," he said. "When we lose, we're older than dirt. When we win, we're really experienced, executing fools. So, write it any way you want it."




Pop IMO is the best coach (and the most professional) in the NBA hands down.

[The Truth #6]

Or the least interested in dealing with the media. His terseness is on a haiku level at times but he has the proper distance from things, unlike Karl who has to take his miserable groaning to the media after every loss instead of taking another prozac or talking to his therapist.

[boutons_]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6752580

Spurs have more star power in Game 3

Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 14 hours ago

Prior to San Antonio's methodical 96-91 win in Denver on Saturday, Gregg Popovich reported that Xs and Os would have little influence on the outcome. Instead, the game would be totally decided by the respective performances of each team's star players.


In that case, let's examine just what Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby did and didn't do.

DUNCAN

For most of the game, Duncan was used as a decoy and an enabler. From his station at the high post, he reversed the ball, set screens, took an occasional jumper (making 1-3), and only scored once more on a first-quarter drive. Because he was immediately doubled whenever he touched the ball in the pivot, Duncan registered most of his points by being on the receiving end of give-and-go cuts and put-backs of his teammates' missed shots.

It wasn't until 8:05 of the third quarter that TD scored on a certified move in the low post. In all, he created a mere six points on his own pivotal maneuvers. In fact, his most important bucket came in the waning minutes when Ginobili kept a missed shot alive and Duncan was there for the tip-in.

Still, Duncan managed 20 points on 9-21 shooting, with seven offensive rebounds, five defensive ‘bounds, and four assists. And his mere presence in the low post forced Denver's defense to make adjustments that left San Antonio's outside shooters open all game long.

However, TD's most significant contribution was his defense. With a game-high five blocked shots to go along with immaculate rotations (even drawing a charge on Anthony), Duncan was both the mainspring and the last resort heart of the Spurs' stifling defensive effort. That's why he was the game's most dominating performer.

TONY PARKER

Against the Nuggets' less than stellar perimeter defenders, Parker was able to zip into the paint whenever he so desired. He was 10-23 from the field, with half of his buckets coming from driving layups. The other half came from long range shots — of which he hit 5-11. And it was Parker's ability to blitz the basket that carried the offense in the home stretch.

The wonder is, that with Parker perpetually getting the ball into the paint, the Nuggets never played any zone defense.

Parker's totals of 21 points and six assists (to go with a single turnover) were eclipsed by two of his opponents — yet TP was the most consistent, and therefore the most outstanding guard, on the court.

MANU GINOBILI

Like Parker, Ginobili was able to slant deep into the lane on numerous occasions. However, whereas Parker could get there strictly on his own (with a slick cross-over, perhaps a spin, and then the after-jets), Ginobili was usually the beneficiary of combo-screens. In any case, the Nuggets must have forgotten that Ginobili was left-handed since he was never overplayed and forced right.

Ginobili didn't particularly shoot very well — 4-9, including only 1-4 from beyond the bonus line — but his relentless penetrations earned him 11 free throws to flesh out his scoring total to 21 points. He did make a couple of sloppy passes (hence his two TOs), yet MG's court vision and unselfishness were manifested in his five assists. Even Ginobili's defense was a factor. After crowding J.R. Smith and forcing the youngster to miss what was an ill-advised shot to begin with, Ginobili's defense so riled up Smith that in the ensuing fast break, he blatantly threw MG to the floor and was assessed a flagrant foul.

Sure Ginobili flops with the best of them, but flopping is the NBA's latest skill. And it was Ginobili's scrappiness, annoying defense, surprising dunkers and loads of benevolent deflections and tips that added up to a top-notch ball game.

Like Duncan and Parker, Ginobili is a proven winner.

ALLEN IVERSON

For get about his high-faluting numbers — 7-20, four assists, and 20 points — Iverson had a bum game. He was allowed to take over Denver's offense in the second quarter, the third quarter and in the end-game. But except for tallying 11 digits in the penultimate period, A.I. was a disappointment.

He initiated most of his offense by flying to the middle on the backs of staggered weak-side brush-picks — and then he simply went one-on-one. For the most part, the Spurs managed to push him to his right and then jump him when he turned the corner. As usual, Iverson over-handled, forced too many shots (including one air-ball and three attempted layups that were blocked). His ball-time failed to be justified by his relatively meager assist total.

Iverson's defense was utterly atrocious, except when he was playing against Jacque Vaughn. And A.I. was ruthlessly abused by Parker.

CARMELO ANTHONY

Melo's unquestioned effectiveness — 10-21, 12 rebounds, 28 points — was limited only because George Karl didn't call his number enough times. It was Anthony's show only in the opening quarter (when he scored 11 points), and at the start of the last quarter.

Overall, he handled double teams extremely well, repeatedly making snappy passes to open shooters. He posted (and scored on a pair of dunks when he was fronted and perfect lob passes were tossed over the top), he drove, he pulled, he bagged 2-of-3 treys, and he even set several sturdy screens. Even so, Anthony was never able to consistantly establish his dominance only because Iverson dominated the ball.

It seemed that just because Anthony was so quickly doubled, Karl simply aimed the offense elsewhere. And never once did Anthony ever catch the ball while he was on the move.

MARCUS CAMBY

Camby had a lame game — 2-7, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and six points. Indeed, he played as though his recently awarded Defensive POY trophy was strapped to his back. On one telling sequence, Ginobili had easily beaten Steve Blake and was zeroed in on the basket. Camby was right there, crouched and poised to leap at Ginobili's shot — but Camby never left the floor. He simply froze as Ginobili tossed in the layup. In truth, Eduardo Najera played much better defense (especially against Duncan) than Camby did. Counting Najera, Nene and Duncan, Camby was only the fourth-best defensive big man in the game — surpassing only Fabricio Oberto and Francisco Elson.

THE SUPPORTING CASTS

Robert Horry was a blast from the past. Blocking shots, making surprising steals (particularly his swiping of an inbounds pass casually thrown by J. R. Smith), and even dropping a pair of big shots.


Michael Finley isn't nearly the shut-down defender he once was — Anthony ate his lunch — but his outside shooting was critical. In all, Finley dropped 5-7 triples and even recorded three assists.

Bruce Bowen played outstanding defense on Iverson and acceptable defense on Anthony.

Vaughn lacks the wherewithal to compete at this level of compe ion.

Najera hustled (what else is new?) and played courageous defense.

Smith made too many mistakes and, like Vaughn, is over his head.

Blake was defenseless, and also virtually invisible on offense.

As in Game 2, Nene gave Duncan all he could handle whenever he was given the ball in the low post and allowed to attack the basket with his powerful jump hooks and up-and-under moves. Nene did have solid numbers — 7-11, seven rebounds and 18 points — but could have done much more damage, including saddling TD with fouls, had the ball been pointed his way. With Nene only a sometimes inside threat, and with Camby in dream-land, Duncan was free to roam the lane and menace any of the Nuggets who managed to penetrate into the bosom of the Spurs' defense.

So, then, all of San Antonio's stars lived up to expectations, while only one of Denver's stars followed suit.

Looks like Pop was right. Again.

Charley Rosen is FOXSports.com's NBA analyst and author of 13 books about hoops, the current one being "The pivotal season — How the 1971-72 L.A. Lakers changed the NBA."

[ChumpDumper]

But except for tallying 11 digits in the penultimate period, A.I. was a disappointment.

Did I miss Iverson's scoring 10,000,000,000 points in a quarter?

Counting Najera, Nene and Duncan, Camby was only the fourth-best defensive big man in the game — surpassing only Fabricio Oberto and Francisco Elson.

Didn't some other big man play over half the game. Maybe someone you mentioned in the very next sentence?

Michael Finley isn't nearly the shut-down defender he once was

I simply don't know what to say to this.

[T Park]

wow, when was finley a shut down defender?

[smeagol]

Pop is the greatest . . .

That is not what AHF told be

[boutons_]

.... back in the Mavs' Nelson years when they played shut-down defense.