Unimpressive 1st game win by Spurs

[Lurker]

Reality...the "collapse" from 18 to 9 reminded me of the Jazz series.  It is almost as if the Spurs say halfway through the 4th quarter..."we are up by 20 and proved we can win so let's turn it back down a notch".  Once it was cut to 9 the Spurs answered every basket.  And if what it takes for Cleveland to make a run is for Lebron to dribble 15 seconds and hoist a 3 then I'm sure Pop will go with the percentages and let that be Cleveland's main play.

 Not every one.  I'll agree with you but up until the point of 80-72 and then Parker turned it over.  1:30 left in game Cavs ball.  Still plenty of time.  Cleveland hits a 2 there and its a 6 point game and the choke is on altho the Spurs certainly may have responded.  Instead it's here Lebron does one of his 14 dribble trey hoists.  Clank, Duncan dunks on the other end and 10pts and over.  Very scary to me Lurker they let it get to that possession, altho yes the game was never in absolute danger.

Cleveland didn't score...so my statement stands.  The Spurs answered every score once the game was cut to single digits.  The game NEVER got down to 6 or 5 or closer. 

 Both Duncan & Parker were on the bench and the Spurs had no one except Manu on the floor to create offense.    

 Nooo.  Lurker recheck the play by play.  Duncan and Parker both certainly were in for a good part of the 20-15 to 22-25 disasterous 8-10 minutes.  Spurs went like 1-10 in that stretch with some idiotic turnovers.  Only Clevelands lame O and turning it back to the Spurs kept it that close.  That 10 minutes was pure preseason rec league ball.  Rust is no excuse whatsoever.

Don't have time right now but I will check.  I distinctly remember that stretch where the Spurs stopped scoring and the announcers talking up the Cavs defense.  I turned to my wife and said "but Parker & Duncan are on the bench".  Then they both re-entered the game and the Spurs quickly went on a 10-2 run and went back up by 5.  Problem is the play-by-play don't list when the players check in & out of the game.

[rickortreat]

Lurker, the Spurs are violating clause E of those rules.

By the way I hate zone defense with a passion.  It used to be illegal in the NBA, and they changed the rules because the players are so inferior to the good old days.

The older fans here remember all the Celtics and Lakers teams that were able to play very physical ball and effective defence, without using a zone.

But the Spurs have taken the use of the zone to the next level- a level at which if the NBA has any brains will ban.  It is bad for basketball fans everywhere- and much much worse in it's own way than the Detroit bad-boy teams of the late 80's. 

If other teams start emulating this aspect of the Spurs people will stop watching.  It destroys the flow of the game, because people simply get in the way of the ball handler.

The Spurs bend the rules on both offense and defense.  Moving screens, illegal picks all the dirty tricks in the book.   If I was a Spurs fan I would love it, but I'm a fan of the NBA.  IMO, the league has ruined the game by expanding too far, and reducing the talent level too thinly.  Any team from the 80's would destroy this Spurs team with no problem at all.  It used to take 4 all-stars to win with a bunch of solid role players to take the Championship.  Now, it takes only 1 with some above-average role players.

There could never be a showtime Lakers against the Spurs transition D as the rules currently stand.  In the old days, under the old rules, they wouldn't stand a chance.

[msc]

Congrats Spurs fans, the fact that people are whining about the officials and "dirty" play of your team only cements your status as a perennial powerhouse and dynasty.  I'm glad to see this type of pathetically biased fan behavior isn't limited to being directed at the Lakers.  Welcome to the club and enjoy your stay ... it looks like you could be there for plenty longer 

By the way I hate zone defense with a passion.  It used to be illegal in the NBA, and they changed the rules because the players are so inferior to the good old days.

Wrong!  They changed it because of Shaq.  But you are right that the zone D sucks in the NBA, so you've got that going for you 

<edited for spelling>

[Lurker]

Lurker, the Spurs are violating clause E of those rules.

e. If the defender is guarding the player with the ball, he may be located in the 16-foot lane. This defender is not required to be in an actively guarding/arms distance position. If another defender actively guards the player with the ball, the original defender must actively guard an opponent or exit the 16-foot lane. Once the offensive player passes the ball, the defender must actively guard an opponent or exit the 16-foot lane.

The key in this rule Rick is the "16 foot lane".  You know that painted area around the basket.  You can have all 5 players on the same side of the court as long as no one is inside the lane for more than 3 seconds.  And all you have to do is step out and you can go back in.

By the way I hate zone defense with a passion.  It used to be illegal in the NBA, and they changed the rules because the players are so inferior to the good old days.

The older fans here remember all the Celtics and Lakers teams that were able to play very physical ball and effective defence, without using a zone.

But the Spurs have taken the use of the zone to the next level- a level at which if the NBA has any brains will ban.  It is bad for basketball fans everywhere- and much much worse in it's own way than the Detroit bad-boy teams of the late 80's. 

If other teams start emulating this aspect of the Spurs people will stop watching.  It destroys the flow of the game, because people simply get in the way of the ball handler.

Rick the adding of the zone eliminated one-on-one isolation.  Along with other rule changes the league for the most part is higher scoring.

If you watch closely the Spurs don't play a zone that often.  Most often they will after a timeout when there is only 8-10 seconds on the shot clok to catch the opponent off guard.  They play a very active man to man defense.  There are definate assignments that they match up with every time the set up their defense.  They are constantly forcing the ball handler into the side lines and the base line where they can be doubled.  The Spurs are constantly doubling the other teams best player.  (Think back at the other series...stars get their points but work hard for them.)  The others rotate quickly to cover.  They will switch on pick & rolls or the big man will "show" then retreat to cover the pick setter. The other strong aspect of the Spurs is transition defense.  It was designed to stop teams that like to run in transition.  They also limit their opponents opportunities to run.  Low turnovers on average, high effeciency on offense.

[SPURSX3]

Congrats Spurs fans, the fact that people are whining about the officials and "dirty" play of your team only cements your status as a perennial powerhouse and dynasty.  I'm glad to see this type of pathetically biased fan behavior isn't limited to being directed at the Lakers.  Welcome to the club and enjoy your stay ... it looks like you could be there for plenty longer 

By the way I hate zone defense with a passion.  It used to be illegal in the NBA, and they changed the rules because the players are so inferior to the good old days.

Wrong!  They changed it because of Shaq.  But you are right that the zone D sucks in the NBA, so you've got that going for you 

<edited for spelling>

Thanks MSC,

you know i was thinking about something along the same lines today as I was driving home.  Our city is not putting up all the decoration we did in previous years in regard to the playoffs and being in the finals.  I mean look at Cleveland.  They put a 10 story banner with Lebron on it along the highway.  Thats just ONE thing they have done for the finals - that's something a city does when they have not been to the big show, or have not been there in a LONG time.  I just thought this must be the mentality the Laker fans had back in the day.  I have seen a few old signs hanging around, maybe some home made stuff, but nothing that somebody really shelled out some cash for.  I think we got into that mind set around here that we are just not going to lose this.  man if you'll could here the local talk radio today about last nights game....man, I almost feel sorry for the Cavs and their fans...almost