In Game 5 in LA 35 points, 25 rebounds. Also, Robinson is stronger than Duncan, and quicker as well. He usually guards Shaq straight up. Robinson is more effective than Duncan at guarding Shaquille - that is the reason Pop goes that way.
The article you are referring to, is one which described the 4th quarter melt-downs of the Spurs. Essetially the Lakers were taking credit for the Spurs missing wide open jumpshots. ie: Lakers would double or triple Duncan, he would throw it out to a wide open: Smith, Ferry, Daniels, Porter, or Parker; that player would then miss shot. After a few misses Duncan began to hesitate on his throwouts - he tightened up, he turned it over.
i'm not sure how you could know that duncan is less effective when he has rarely covered shaq 1 on 1.
Well, verse, couldn't you extend the "number one scoring option" argument to the other team? Shaq spends no more time guarding Duncan than Duncan does guarding him. The only time Shaq spends on Duncan is late in the fourth quarter if he's not in foul trouble. Also, the fact that San Antonio is not the popular choice for basketball star to live almost eliminates any chance of them getting a great player via free angency. Want to make a little wager on that? The chance to play for the maximum salary and the chance to play next to the MVP (look at the affect Shaq has on Kobe when Shaq is playing) will have players begging to come to San Antonio. Also, what a shame it is that since Duncan doesn't go out and pull temper-tantrums every night that people think he has no heart.
First of all Duncan has heart, all you need to look at is his regular season numbers, playoff numbers and world championship ring. I don't think the Spurs can beat the Lakers because of Duncan but not for the reason verse and others say. I think that Popovich relies WAY to much on Duncan. Everything the Spurs run goes through Duncan, and that happens WAY to much. This Spurs team has a ton of weapons and could win a championship if they utilize their perimeter and slashing players more then they do. Instead Popovich just dumps the ball to Duncan to the point where the offense is sluggish and then is stunted when Duncan isn't in the game. None of the other players have the confidence to take a shot because Duncan is forced to take all of them. Until they spread out there offense the Spurs aren't going to beat the Lakers and could get upset in the first round.
Also, I'd like to say that this topic is basically irrelevant to whether or not the Spurs can beat the Lakers. Shaq averaged under four points per game on 19% shooting in the fourth quarter against the Spurs last season. The Spurs had fourth quarter leads in every single game they lost last season in the playoffs. The Lakers didn't come back because of some offensive outburst... on average they were scoring about 22-24 a quarter, like every other quarter. The difference is that the Spurs offensively were getting about 10-12 points in the fourth quarter. The Lakers defense completely collapsed on Duncan, and the Spurs perimeter players lacked the athleticism to drive inside when Duncan kicked it out to them, and a Laker defender came flying at them to get a hand in their face. Whether or not the Spurs defeat the Lakers depends on whether or not Ginobili, Claxton, and Parker are good enough slashers and penetrators to stretch the defense, and keep it from completely collapsing on Duncan in the final minutes. The Spurs defense had very, very little to do with their losing... it all had to do with the Spurs lack of execution on the offensive end. (no field goals in the last seven minutes of game 4)
Cat, you could if the spurs were the dominant team...if they were the incumbent. but they aren't. they are the one trying to knock out the champs and have been unsuccessful with their current tactics. what i suggest is an alternative that goes beyond the #s you posted. it's more than #s. it's the psychological factor of your best player beating their best player and a matchup factor of sa not doubling shaq, but being able to double kobe. only then will you be able to make rick fox, robert horry, etc. beat you. and they won't. but tim has to step up to the plate first.
Normally I dislike any Spurs homerism by anyone, but I find myself in agreeance with Cat on this one. Had the Rockets had the option to put another 7 foot, good defender on Shaq in the '95 finals, I would have prefered that. Duncan not guarding Shaq has little to do with how big his balls are. It is a strategic move, and, one that is probably instructed by the coach, not Duncan. Shaq doesn't guard Duncan, so I don't see why it makes Duncan a sissy to not guard Shaq. You keep your best player on the floor as long as possible, and with the leeway that Shaq is given on his brutally offensive post ups, I wouldn't want my best player to be guarding him if I could avoid it.
Raven "L" (damn, i have to specify which Raven now!) shaq doesn't cover duncan because he doesn't have to. the lakers' game plan works. the spurs game plan doesn't. and i would agree that the coach probably does instruct the matchup. but i GUARANTEE if tim said "f*** that, Pop. i'll take shaq" that pop would not disagree or try to stop him.
C'mon Verse, Shaq is ALREADY being held to fewer than 20 ppg against the Spurs! Duncan is averaging nearly 30 against the Lakers (before last night)! What is you point?! You want Duncan to guard Shaq & hold him to less than 10??!!! And still be just as productive on offense? He can't. Duncan is more productive against the Lakers than Shaq is against the Spurs - that is not the problem; that is not the reason the Spurs don't beat the Lakers. Spurs (lack of) offense is why the Spurs don't beat the Lakers!
101 6 7, no. what i want is for duncan to hold shaq 1 on 1 and hold him to those numbers. then the spurs could concentrate more on kobe (specifically, concentrate on keeping the ball out of his hands).
If the net result is Shaq gets the same, what is the point. Kobe also only gets his average against the Spurs, not more...Spurs don't score enough against the Lakers...I don't see how Duncan on Shaq changes that dynamic at all.
kobe, i don't believe, would get his average. double kobe when he has the ball and force fox, horry, fisher, et al to beat you. oh well, nevermind, i'm going home...
I actually think they're better off running high/lows and inside out offense along with pick-and-rolls more often, but a motion offense might not be bad. The Spurs have the weapons to win a ring, but offense is going to be what derails them if they don't insistitute the right offense.
This is the point you seem to be missing... the Spurs defensive game plan does work!!! Shaq's been held well below his average against the Spurs, Kobe right at his average, and the rest of the team shooting below average from the field.] The "psychological" factor is nonsense. The Spurs aren't dominant, but neither were the Lakers. They were two years ago, but not last year. The Spurs led for almost all of the series; it is just a matter of whether or not the Spurs can put the ball in the basket late in games. If Manu, Speedy, and Jesus can be the slashers the Spurs need and prevent the defense from collapsing on Duncan, the Spurs will be able to hold on and win most of the time. If not, they won't. Simple as that.
The reason why the Spurs will never dethrone the Lakers isn't because of Tim Duncan and his lack of "doings" but because imho Phil Jackson plain and simply out coaches Greg "scarface" Acnevich. Kobe and Shaq causing mismatches are obvious but Popavich really needs to do something... what this something is I don't know but something tells me Larry Brown... or even Jerry Sloan can utilize this Spurs team better and defeat the Lakers. Bottom line.... Spurs team is "overrated" they are not a great team but they have a decent squad. Most importantly however, I think Popavich is a horrible coach.
AsianSensation, make no mistake pop is a terrible coach. The Cat, fine. solve your offensive problems...oh wait...you can't solve them with the team you currently have! soooooo....hmmm....yea, just continue losing...
