He was going to play 25 or 26min...Problem is Spurs started to blow the Rockets out so Mchale tried to slow the onslaught by playing him the last 3 min of the 3rd cause he realized by the 4th the game would be over....which it was anyway
I disagree about letting Parker get whatever he wants when we put Terry or Prigioni on him. That's daring him to shoot layups and easy floaters. Parker isn't stupid enough to just do a step back long two when he's in single coverage. If he can't outright beat Terry in the lane he'll call for a pick or something. When Parker will inevitably drive by prigs and terry Friday night I'd expect to send help from Smith, Jones, Dwight. I think the answer for San Antonio at least is to try Ariza on Parker. Put Harden on Kahwi Leonard and Brewer on Green/Ginobli. With Ariza's length Parker won't get off as many easy looks.
Didn't look prepared but we aren't going to win them all. Just want the team to run a semblance of an offense when Dwight is off the floor. No DMo anymore so teams will just zero in in Harden w no clear 2nd option. Then iso ball until death.
Yes, but when you double him aggressively (and try to keep the ball out of his hands), he merely gets other players wide open 3's, or starts to get Leonard and Green in a rhythm. Also, despite improvement, the Rockets are not a great helping defensive team. Inevitably, somebody makes a mistake in the rotations, and leaves somebody wide open for a 3 or a dunk. My entire premise is that Tony Parker, by himself, will not beat you... but multiple Spurs starters having big games will. Also, Parker is the only one who can create his own shot. The others rely on him facilitating. Make them one dimensional and it gives you a better shot to win... even if Parker goes off.
I understand your strategy and fully agree with it. Problem is Parker's defender better be a good one, which pretty much excludes both Terry and Prigs. Try Johnson, KJ for a change.
Chances are, they'll get torched as well... thus you just live with whoever can both limit the damage, but also is not a liability on the offensive end. Terry and Pablo can still facilitate the offense at a better level than any other potential defender.
So much this. But McHale is incapable of actual adjustments mid-game, therefor we continue to get beat by the same thing over and over again.
Our defense and body language is just awful at times, especially Harden when he loses the ball. He just looks at it like 'oh well, no reason to get back since he will score anyway'...
Rewatching the game, now. I don't hate McHale, and I really do think he's improved a lot. But he sometimes seems to check out; gets caught being a spectator. About 8 minutes into 3Q the Spurs were leading by 9. This was not a big deal; the teams had exchanged leads back and forth, the Rockets frequently with the 8 or 9 point lead. But at this point, it felt like Popovich decided, we need to step on the Rockets jugular NOW. Spurs (I think) took a time out, Ginobli came in. For the first time in the game, Spurs had on the floor: Parker Duncan Kawhi Leonard Ginobli Diaw You know who the Rockets had on the floor? Prigioni Josh Smith (who was playing badly pretty much all game) Corey Brewer (who just checked in with Ginobli) Trevor Ariza James Harden After the above lineup took the floor the Spurs level of play went through the stratosphere. They were suddenly playing with championship intensity. It took just a few minutes for them to push the lead to 14. This is when the Spurs broke the game open, and never looked back. Maybe McHale had no choice. - Dwight had his minutes restriction - Jones was playing badly. Terry too. Maybe McHale had his reasons. But that stretch of the game was hard to watch. And once Dwight came back in, it was too late.
