So, as a die hard Spurs fan, I've been regretting writing this post. Game 1 was hard. It was ugly. It was a slap in the face at home.
Do I think we can recover? Absolutely. Do I still think we can win tonight? Of course.
But do I think we have another championship in us? Eh...maybe not.
Look, the truth of the matter is that EVERY SINGLE ONE of the Rocket's points was from one of three places: in the paint under the rim, three pointer (a large number of them SEEMED uncontested but that's just because I'm salty about it), or from the line. You know where they didn't get ANY? Mid-range jumpers. So the Spurs need to do two things, and if you see these things happening when the game starts off you'll know if we have it in us to win. If you see LaMarcus Aldridge show some spunk under the rim - if you see the MONSTER that once dropped 40 points in a playoffs game, if you see a baller come to play, a big that plays aggressive - we are on our way. If you see more of the hesitancy and inconsistency, and a big getting pushed around by tiny people, that's a problem.
If you see us rotating out to contest those threes (without reaching in - I'm looking at you Patty - since they LIVE to fake shoot and draw the foul), we are going to force them to drive the lane. And if LA is playing the beast the Spurs brought him in to be, they will be left with the mid-range jumpers they don't have.
The three-point shooting is a trick, a scheme. But it works if you let them do it. If Houston and GS live and die by the 3, you can't play them like other teams: you cannot box them out and make them take a 3 because you think "hey - they might shoot that 3 at 20%, and that's better than the two points they would most certainly get otherwise." That doesn't work when they make 12 3s in a quarter man. No - you FORCE them back in. Have you ever seen what happens when Steph Curry is forced into midrange, or, heaven forbid, into the paint?? It ain't pretty. You have to play them the opposite - make them come inside, and trust your bigs to get it done.
Finally, if you see Danny and Manu scoreless, it's over.
Sidenote: I've heard a lot of people talking about Pop refusing to change the way he plays, and that he must be getting stubborn in his old age. To that I say, for shame. The man is a veritble model of consistency and brilliance. You don't get to be the winningest team in ALL of sports with just some elbow grease and luck. If the players don't show up, Pop can't play for them. Let the man work. If you're a fan, like I am, watch this game and say it with me "In Pop we Trust."
Spurs by 7.
Do I think we can recover? Absolutely. Do I still think we can win tonight? Of course.
But do I think we have another championship in us? Eh...maybe not.
Look, the truth of the matter is that EVERY SINGLE ONE of the Rocket's points was from one of three places: in the paint under the rim, three pointer (a large number of them SEEMED uncontested but that's just because I'm salty about it), or from the line. You know where they didn't get ANY? Mid-range jumpers. So the Spurs need to do two things, and if you see these things happening when the game starts off you'll know if we have it in us to win. If you see LaMarcus Aldridge show some spunk under the rim - if you see the MONSTER that once dropped 40 points in a playoffs game, if you see a baller come to play, a big that plays aggressive - we are on our way. If you see more of the hesitancy and inconsistency, and a big getting pushed around by tiny people, that's a problem.
If you see us rotating out to contest those threes (without reaching in - I'm looking at you Patty - since they LIVE to fake shoot and draw the foul), we are going to force them to drive the lane. And if LA is playing the beast the Spurs brought him in to be, they will be left with the mid-range jumpers they don't have.
The three-point shooting is a trick, a scheme. But it works if you let them do it. If Houston and GS live and die by the 3, you can't play them like other teams: you cannot box them out and make them take a 3 because you think "hey - they might shoot that 3 at 20%, and that's better than the two points they would most certainly get otherwise." That doesn't work when they make 12 3s in a quarter man. No - you FORCE them back in. Have you ever seen what happens when Steph Curry is forced into midrange, or, heaven forbid, into the paint?? It ain't pretty. You have to play them the opposite - make them come inside, and trust your bigs to get it done.
Finally, if you see Danny and Manu scoreless, it's over.
Sidenote: I've heard a lot of people talking about Pop refusing to change the way he plays, and that he must be getting stubborn in his old age. To that I say, for shame. The man is a veritble model of consistency and brilliance. You don't get to be the winningest team in ALL of sports with just some elbow grease and luck. If the players don't show up, Pop can't play for them. Let the man work. If you're a fan, like I am, watch this game and say it with me "In Pop we Trust."
Spurs by 7.
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