The adjustments will be on offense not defense . A lot of our points came because SA let us get into transition or at vs a defense that wasn't set . Think about the first half last game ; we had a 30 point lead and shot 12/27 from 3 . Even if we missed 5 3's we still would have had a 15 point lead . I expect the Spurs to try and use gasol/ LA in the post more to at least try to make up for the fact that they can't cover our offense . Sure they will give us better looks , but will we make them ? Even if on average a 3 is worth more at a certain percentage , there is still higher variance . SA just needs to stick around and make it a game till it can be mucked up in the 4th. I don't think people realize how much we dominated last game.... They throw out the # of 3's , but we were up 30 at HALF . The final score doesn't indicate how bad a loss that was for the Spurs .
To me the real problem is their balance sheet: $43,945,313 tied up in Parker, Ginobili, and Gasol. Those sweetheart deals to past-their-prime former franchise players is not a smart business investment. If Popovich is going to be the Bill Belichick of the NBA, then he should have traded these pieces long ago or at least put team options on the backend of their contracts. It's cutthroat, but that's how you keep a competitive advantage and a dynasty going. Belichick wouldn't hesitate for a second to trade or release Parker and Ginobili. Heck, Belichick has done it to players in their prime like Richard Seymour, and most recently to Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins, just to save money so he could go splurge this offseason. $43 million could have been wisely spent on building a roster that is complimentary to Kawhi instead of royalty payments to glory days players.
Well said. This is why the Rockets absolutely have to dominate starting on the defensive end in game 2. I'm not counting on the 3s to fall because of the variance you speak of. Rockets needs to limit them to one shot and try to get into transition off their misses. If the Spurs execute effectively on 2pt shots tonight.....it'll be a very close game. Rockets could just as easily shoot themselves out of the game as well.
Absolutely . The key for us is on D . We've had halfs many times where we scored in the high 60's , but how many times have we held a team below 40 ? Especially at that fast pace . Our D was incredible in the first half last game , if it's at that level again I feel really good .
Loyalty is what drew in a player like Aldridge. Truth be told, I don't think those deals have really hindered the Spurs.
Sometimes getting red hot and jumping out to a quick 7-10 point lead from the tip can get the other team a little "rushed" thus they might miss shots they normally make because of the catch up mentality. Rockets need to take game 2 like they took game 1.
To me the answer is simple. Guard the 3. I mean what is Anderson going to do, post up. What will Ariza do, drive. What will Capela do, receive the pocket pass beyond the FT line and dribble drive. Harden will thrive, Beverley will be decent, every other starter struggles. The Rockets get frustrated when there are no open looks from 3. They have a hard time building a lead through adaptation. And you bring them to your level by reducing 3's to 2's. All that said, Harden is so good it may not matter. He's the reason we will still compete as he's un-guardable if you put your hands down, and hands up sends him to the FT.
I'm not sure if you've watched NBA basketball or the Rockets the last few years, but the refs have screwed PLENTY of postseason games up over questionable calls. Do the Rockets get alot of foul calls? Yes. But I'm not even narrowing this down to fouls. I'm talking about all calls in general. The league has a HISTORY of turning around playoff games with suspect officiating (See Houston/Dallas series with Yao) Expect some suspect offensive foul calls, erroneous techs & random 3 second calls on the Rockets etc..
it will look like the OKC series of frustrations, but Harden seems to thrive on drives and Gordon and Lou can finish surprisingly well at the rim
Yes, but that loyalty is a double-edged sword. It's what will keep Aldridge's carcass in San Antonio for the next three seasons until he turns 35 while making $21million per season. Also, you don't think that $30 million royalty payment to Parker and Ginobili would be better spent on young players that could actually help and compliment Kawhi's game? Heck, you've seen it happen right in front your eyes with Morey and the way he built the team around Harden. Most other teams would have shown loyalty to Dwight after he left LA to join the team. Not Morey. He was cold-hearted and brutally efficient in going after Gordon and Anderson instead and letting Howard walk. That's how you build a winner around your franchise player and not by giving handouts to guys who were great a decade ago.
Give us an example of the biggest times you and other Spurs fans thought Pops was being stubborn or dumb and y'all knew better from more objectivity ... I suppose starting Ginobili in his prime was one.
Outside of Pop's supplying Steroid Injections to get hs team more athletic and springy like OKC, I'm expecting another win for the Rockets
IF - - Rocs defense ( SA offense??) status quo - then Rocs win - LMA/Gasol don't do waaay better in the paint then Capella/Nene/PNR will kill SA - SA counts on Rocs not shooting 45% from 3 - and we only shoot 20%, and all else stays the same -then we win by 12 - SA goes small - then Capella/NENE dominate SA is left with: a) slow the pace; b) mugs-n-thugs on Hardin/PNR/Kick outs ( play ugly); c) hope rockets cant hit a bull in the butt with a bass fiddle. Popovich is the wild card. He was perplexed in game one. He's too good to not surprise us with something in game 2
@DavidRocket That's a pretty vague description of a game-plan posted by the Spurs fan, which you quoted. To comment, I would need even just a basic description of what it means to "Make Harden beat you", when there are so many ways to get him picks, and he just destroys switches (see OKC Game 1, and regular season LAC games). It's like the opposite of hard traps, I suppose. You mean really soft coverage on PnRs, with primary defender backing off and defense sticking to the roller and shooters? @francis 4 prez probably describes it for you. Soft coverage on Harden for primary defender or switcher to sag and prevent his drives? Harden scored 18pts in 1st Q of first game vs Spurs this year You might be interested to know, that in our first game of the year vs SAS, Harden scored 18 pts in the 1st Q vs the Spurs and we had a 16pt lead to end the Q -- 39-23. I'd have to go back and watch that, but maybe Pops tried what you said, and decided never to do it again.
I remember San Antonio missing a ton of open shots. Parker, and Danny Green come to mind. Aldridge, too. If our offense and defense both regress to our usual (which is entirely possible) this will be another one of the 2 point games we saw during the regular season.
1) Pop may need to inject some youth in the starting line up. Running around chasing the ball on the perimeter is going to wear on the older players. Maybe Mills and Dedmon for Parker and Lee. 2) Spurs need to find some semblance of interior defense or Rockets will continue the lay up and dunk drills. Lee was useless last game.
