Spurs on 4th Gear

[gasolina]

I watched the game last night between San Antonio and Dallas. While it was a close contest, I could sense that both teams really wanted the W soo bad. People think that it would take time for Kidd to fit in the AJ schematics but I really find that to be an overrated excuse.Why? JK is a friggin' PG on an excellent running team. All he does is look left,right and center while bringing the ball up and shoot the gaps. Not "really that difficult to muster" imho. In contrast, I believe integrating Kurt Thomas on Popovich's system is obviously more difficult. When KT played early in the 1st Half, he looked lost and somewhat confused and surrendered the baseline at one point to Josh Howard who drove for a dunk. This is perhaps why Gregg opted for Oberto and Horry later on. Another thing is that Manu had one of those off games and Parker hasn't gotten his groove back just yet.

This is why the Spurs scare us Lakers fans (though most won't really admit it) because the Spurs have a higher peak in a play-off atmosphere. Last night was a 4th gear performance with probably 3 more to spare!!!

In all honesty, I don't really see much improvement that the Lakers can can eke out by late April even when Bynum gets back. In fact, I don't even expect Bynum to be at 70% by the play-offs even if he returns in Mid-March.
And with a smart player like KT "absorbing" (being a natural defensive talent that he is) the Spurs methodology....... I don't see any team - peak for peak, that can truly hang with the Spurs.


If the Spurs take the le this year again, I won't be surprised.

[Barbarian]

I watched the game last night between San Antonio and Dallas. While it was a close contest, I could sense that both teams really wanted the W soo bad. People think that it would take time for Kidd to fit in the AJ schematics but I really find that to be an overrated excuse.Why? JK is a friggin' PG on an excellent running team. All he does is look left,right and center while bringing the ball up and shoot the gaps. Not "really that difficult to muster" imho. In contrast, I believe integrating Kurt Thomas on Popovich's system is obviously more difficult. When KT played early in the 1st Half, he looked lost and somewhat confused and surrendered the baseline at one point to Josh Howard who drove for a dunk. This is perhaps why Gregg opted for Oberto and Horry later on. Another thing is that Manu had one of those off games and Parker hasn't gotten his groove back just yet.

This is why the Spurs scare us Lakers fans (though most won't really admit it) because the Spurs have a higher peak in a play-off atmosphere. Last night was a 4th gear performance with probably 3 more to spare!!!

In all honesty, I don't really see much improvement that the Lakers can can eke out by late April even when Bynum gets back. In fact, I don't even expect Bynum to be at 70% by the play-offs even if he returns in Mid-March.
And with a smart player like KT "absorbing" (being a natural defensive talent that he is) the Spurs methodology....... I don't see any team - peak for peak, that can truly hang with the Spurs.


If the Spurs take the le this year again, I won't be surprised.

Why can't more Laker fans be like you? Five posts in and you are already my favorite non-spurs fan.

[Princess Pimp]

If the Spurs take the le this year again, I won't be surprised.

[timaios]

Why can't more Laker fans be like you? Five posts in and you are already my favorite non-spurs fan.

Why ? Because he says what you want to hear ?

[gasolina]

I'm a proud Laker fan. We have a rich tradition here so winning les isn't new to me. 2002 wasn't that long ago. The NBA is all about dominant decades. My Lakers can claim the 80s. The Bulls - the 90s.

And with 4 rings in 9 years going to the end of the 1st decade of the new millenium, your Spurs are on top of the leader board.

Teams that win the le multiple times are true champs period.
In a way, my Lakers and your Spurs don't really have anything to prove anymore.

Whoever is fortunate enough to win it all in 2008 will simply be extra glory for our franchises.

[DazedAndConfused]

This dude is not a Laker fan. We don't concede anything to the Spurs (and definitely not the all important TEAM OF THE DECADE AWARD), you all should know that by now

[Barbarian]

Why ? Because he says what you want to hear ?

No, because he types what I want to read.

[Barbarian]

This dude is not a Laker fan. We don't concede anything to the Spurs (and definitely not the all important TEAM OF THE DECADE AWARD), you all should know that by now

Unlike this guy.

[Solid D]

Spurs play D a little differently than most teams in that they force players baseline and help is supposed to come from the weakside. Howard drove baseline on Duncan and dunked it before help could come. Dallas is trained to go quickly, without hesitation, and forcefully when they go baseline against the Spurs.

KT and another Spur messed up on their help signals on one play, allowing Bass to cut back door for an easy layup. KT looked bad on it. Your point is accurate that it will take some time for KT (and Damon) to absorb and react instinctively in the Spurs defensive system.

I just wanted to make sure you understood that getting beaten baseline is not necessarily a bad thing with the Spurs. Baseline is actually a preference.

[gasolina]

[QUOTE=Solid D
I just wanted to make sure you understood that getting beaten baseline is not necessarily a bad thing with the Spurs. Baseline is actually a preference.[/QUOTE]

I agree. It is preferred if and only if there is help defense waiting much like the days of DRob and Tim Duncan. But today's Spurs isn't like the 1998-1999 team.

And Duncan isn't as mobile as he was 3 Spurs championships ago.