Lurker,
I wrote far more in another thread and you just ignored it -- and instead seemed to jump on others threads to offer antagonism.
I would agree with you to some degree -- I think the Spurs played more of their game in the first half of both the first two games but they were only up marginally, I believe (I know that was the case last night -- I think it was the case in the first game as well). I don't believe that the Hornets can contain the Spurs if they play their game. I do believe that the Spurs have formed some bad habits, if you care to discuss them:
1) They seemed to have developed the "switch mentality"
2) They have gotten too use to Tony Parker and Manu driving down the lane and getting shooters easy looks.
3) They aren't passing the ball as well as they used to because they seem to be waiting for #2 to happen.
4) I don't like Pop's defensive match-ups at all. Bowen vs. CP3 simply isn't working -- in fact, it seems to bring out the very BEST CP3 has to offer. I would put Manu -- or even better -- start Udoka at SG instead of Finley. Udoka was one of the few Spurs players last night who looked like he wasn't whipped.
5) The Spurs REALLY need to spread the floor better -- they are daring the Spurs shooters to shoot and then running at them. It has the Spurs shooters off-balanced and this is exactly what the Lakers did to the Spurs in the past. The Spurs shooters are used to wide open looks but they still need to shoot the ball.
6) The Spurs defense actually provided quite a few stops last night -- the offense couldn't get it going. There was one stretch in the third quarter that I don't think that either team scored for a couple of minutes (at least it seemed that way) but the Hornets gained confidence by their defensive stops and it seemed like the Spurs just got frustrated with their inability to score.
7) Manu is a great player but sometimes he is the Spurs worst player on the court -- last night was a good example. He kept trying to do too much -- he overdribbles -- tries to take it all on himself and we all know he's not Kobe (THAT was a joke -- because this is also Kobe's worst trait). Manu needs to learn that the Spurs need TD to take over the game -- not Manu. Again, the problem is that the Spurs have done that quite a bit this year -- depended on Manu or Parker to get everyone easy looks. It's time to let TD start doing that.
TD HAS to be more active on the floor -- you know what stats have bothered me the most about TD -- it's not his shooting stats -- it's his rebounding and block shots stats that surprise me the most. He averaged almost 14 boards in the Phoenix series and almost 2.5 blocks. In the first game, TD had 3 rebounds and then had 8 last night. He has averaged 1 block shot in this series. He has to be more active on the defensive end. I was kidding you about the Spurs being old but TD has been playing the last two games as if he believes it -- at least from what I have seen. He HAS to be more active! Chandler has actually OUTPLAYED TD in the first two games. Not on the offensive end of the court, obviously -- but at the defensive end. He seems to be everywhere. Take a look at Chandler's stats and you will see that he is giving the same stats he brought in the first series against Dallas -- but look at TD -- his stats have dropped a great deal.
It's time for Pop to make some adjustments -- I think Pop just thought game #1 was a fluke -- with the exception of running a zone defense in the 2nd half -- I really didn't see any adjustments. It's time for Pop to get make an adjustment and get some easier looks for TD.
