@DavidRocket wanted an adjustments thread but couldn't start one. Game 5's can be big, so I guess adjustments would follow suit. His idea: I think I have to be a contributing member to start a thread? Anyway, regarding game 5, with RYNO playing the 5, I'm wondering what the Spurs can do to counter that? Trapping maybe? ICE defense? Those were some of the things I had in mind
I just went back and watched game 3 and 4 again (1st through 3rd and some 4th until lead was clear). Here's what I noticed about the games that I think will come into play: Game 3: They collapsed the defense hard with 3 guys every time a shot went up or if there was a player who penetrated. Usually the penetration help that ended up a successful help, came off of the corner help, but not off the top of the key. Maybe keep more players out of the corners or keep them off both corners and attack the side of the rim that doesn't have a corner player. Less help at the rim will improve the situation we're seeing at the rim. When Harden throws a long pass to the center down court, they are fronting with the big and double teaming from the back. Passing to that player from the center to the helper's man will probably be helpful. Probably a touch pass. So don't make the focus to finish because you're fighting a double team. Make it to pass from low down. You could plan to use a trailer man on each of those plays. (This back and fronting defense continued in game 4 with just as much success) They had success going to David Lee down low against Harden. If I'm them, when Houston goes small, I try to get Harden on the post. We either need to double or figure out how to get a different defender on David Lee. (Game 4 tells you to force him to the baseline if he's on the right side, I have no idea what he looks like posting up on the left side) When we get to the basket with a smaller player, they are blocking a lot of what we put up if we don't go hard. If you can't go hard, Steve Nash the play and dribble past the rim and find an open shooter. They've usually got 3 guys in the paint when they're picked off in a PnR. Never double Gasol on the post, he's too good of a passer to double. He will find the mismatch. If you double, the double should come from a small and come from his blind side. That way he won't know where the open man is visually. Kawhi Leonard is not a good passer. Any time he has the ball, a double team is a good gamble. (both games proved this to be true) Layups and dunks are easily defended when it's our big men shooting. Taking a 2 footer is going to be more open against this spurs team when Gasol and Aldridge are swatting. When they send Gasol to the high post and the three point line, they are probably faking him on the high post so they can get it to Aldridge. So high post and high PnR with Gasol is intended to get the ball to Aldridge. Game 4 notes: Keep getting Aldridge to his left baseline. He's not comfortable over there. David Lee does not like his right baseline. During last second plays, have someone show at the FT line, they don't guard it at all so you can get a shot off at a distance that they all practice. When Kawhi is doubled at the three point line, he likes to pass to Patty Mills who's a really good 3 point shooter. You can jump that passing lane when you see that pass coming because he's not a great at the rim finisher. So jumping the passing lane is much less risky when Patty is the option. Delante Murray really likes driving the baseline. Make him shoot the corner three by feigning a close out but stop short. You're almost never going to get to the rim if you drive body to body on Kawhi and he will block you so think pass or fall away jumper when driving side by side with the guy. Always switch off of Capela's man when they try to go up top, the Spurs are trying to get him away from the rim. They want to play in the post, but Capela negates their size advantage. Switch to stay near the rim, big fella. If Harden turns it over and it's a clean possession, run back on defense and try to get them into 5 on 5. They go to a low risk outlet when he guards the passing lane to the basket (think jumping up and down arms raised after turnover) and the pass he's cutting off is high risk to complete. Force them to take a risk to get easy points. 4 on 4 is too easy to exploit and we need him to be there for any possible rebound if we get lucky and they miss. That's all I've got.
When RYNO is at center. . . . . I wonder how deeply and long the refs will allow his man to sag into the lane Rocket River
Thanks for starting this thread @don grahamleone . Apparently I can't even "like" your post otherwise I would have lol. I don't even have "like" capabilities.
That lineup with Ryno at 5 was lethal on offense. I don't know what adjustment can Pop make other than playing better individual defense. If we can somehow minimize the damage of LMA and Gasol when we go small, the Spurs have no chance.
Wow, great observations and insight. Thanks for taking the time analyze games 3 and 4. Here's the thing, with Nene out now, it's more than likely Ryno will be at the 5 for small ball probably a good portion of the game. What can the Spurs do to counter this? Ryno at the 5 really changes the paradigm here. He camps out along the perimeter and leaves driving lanes wide open. What would be a legitimate scheme to mitigate this? Or is it just a matter of hoping the Rockets miss their 3s?
I think a lot of what @don grahamleone mentioned in his defensive suggestions would be the key. If Ryno is at the 5, I just don't see how the Spurs can viably defend that offense unless the Rockets just go cold (which is certainly possible, but I'd take my chances if I were the Rockets). Defense is key.
I think Sas only adjustment to defend the Ryan at 5 lineup is to go small, which pops hates to do and downright refuses to do at times. The only other option is hope we miss shots. Going small could work for the spurs because they have personnel for it. Putting Kawhi at the 4 with one of gasol/aldridge at the 5. Kawhi at the 4 guarding ariza with green in harden at the 1 limits our 4-1 PnR because that's good switching defenders. I think this will be the first extended time we will see small ball from the Spurs.
So you think Pop inevitably will go small against his preference? Thing is, if they have 1 of Gasol/Aldridge at the 5, they will be drawn out from the paint to cover Ryno, so that leaves basically Harden to take his man 1 on 1. It wouldn't matter if that defender on Harden is Avery Bradley, Harden will get to the rim and finish or draw a foul (hopefully they call them) at will.
Yeah I really think he does. And that's the thing. If they are running the high PnR (which is typical with our center) they can put Kawhi on Anderson. So the switch would put Kawhi on Harden. Not too mention , Anderson isn't a great roll man. So you lose the roll guy and lob catching aspect when he's the center. So I expect more hedging and doubling to contain hardens driving.
Pop moving Kawhi to the 4, especially during the Anderson at 5 lineups, is my primary adjustment concern.
No not really. It leaves the one setting the screen open. You know the behind the back pass Harden makes to Ryan? That's the open look. If it's Anderson setting the pick expect him to take a bunch of shots and hope he is hitting. But he can't drive and the lane would be open considering the floor is all spaced due to shooters. So I think we see a lot of 2 guard PnRs. With Gordon setting the pick and either pulling up or driving in. The drive will either be open or the defense will crash and he will be able to kick to the corner.
By the way, if they switch Kawhi onto Harden, I still like Harden's chances one on one against Kawhi to the hoop. Get Kawhi into foul trouble. As great of a defender Kawhi is, Harden is better offensively especially getting to the rim.
the thing we have to worry about with anderson at the five, is transition defense, and half court defense. they may snowbird someone a lot, knowing that anderson is not the best running back at defense. in that case, we'd have to make sure that everyone outside of harden is fresh-legged to keep running back on defense. and also to help in the half-court, when they inevitably will try to go in the paint. i think we should keep rotating the other wing players, making sure they are all playing all-out on D. i say go with 10 man rotation and play dekker and bobby brown.
Yep the 2 guard PNRs would be the natural counter to RYNO's inept rolling abilities. This is offensively a handful for the Spurs I would imagine.
