I think we're going about it all wrong. I just got through watching the game again, and my first impression was pretty accurate.
When you play the Spurs, or any other team with a dominant big man and talented perimeter players, what's the logic for defending them? Keep the big man contained, and make the perimeter players beat you, right? Well, Duncan had 11 points and 7 rebounds, and we lost by 40.
Consider this: In the 2004 Playoffs, Shaq averaged 21.5ppg, took 14 shots/game, and shot 59%. In the Finals, he averaged 27ppg, took 16 shots/game, and shot 67%.
In the 2004 Playoffs, Kobe averaged 24.5ppg, took 21 shots/game, and shot 41%. In the Finals, he averaged 22.6ppg, took 22.6 shots/game, and shot 38%. And just like Kobe's numbers went down, so did practically every other Laker's in that series.
The Pistons blueprint to beating the heavily favored Lakers in that series was simple: Let Shaq do his thing, but don't let Kobe or any other perimeter player get it going. It worked. Shaq had a great series compared to how he'd been playing in the Playoffs that year, and he probably would have put up more points had the Lakers not been getting beat so handily in 3 of those games. They still lost, because he had no help. The one game they did win, Kobe had a great game, the Lakers finished with 28 assists compared to an average of 18.75 in the four losses, and they shot 48% from the field.
I say we let Tim Duncan do his thing, let him average 30 and 15. Keep the ball out of Tony Parker's hands, and if he does get it, make sure he's well out of his comfort zone, and send double-teams at him often. Do the same to Ginobili. And when Nick van Exel and Michael Finley come in, do the same to them. Make Duncan dominate the series, bell to bell.
It's always been the rule with the Kings that we get beat by guards, not big men. It's always Steve Nash and Tony Parker and Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant and Nick van Exel and Michael Finley. Yeah, beating a Spurs team led by a two-time NBA MVP and three-time Finals MVP is gonna be rough, but we don't stand a chance with Parker running circles around our defense. I'd rather see us lose with Duncan going off than see the Spurs shoot 58% overall, 65% from deep, have 25 assists, and score 122 points.
I may be way off base, but I say make Duncan beat us. Let Kenny Thomas and Shareef Abdur-Rahim get ripped to shreds, and keep Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili from making the entire team look inept. Then maybe we'll be close in the fourth quarter, Timmy will run out of gas, the guards will be out of rhythm, and maybe we'll have a shot to steal the game away.
But if the plan is to keep Duncan contained and make the "role players" beat us, then we might as well not even show up for the next three games. Just forfeit, because 40 point losses aren't acceptable in the playoffs, whether you're outmanned or not.
When you play the Spurs, or any other team with a dominant big man and talented perimeter players, what's the logic for defending them? Keep the big man contained, and make the perimeter players beat you, right? Well, Duncan had 11 points and 7 rebounds, and we lost by 40.
Consider this: In the 2004 Playoffs, Shaq averaged 21.5ppg, took 14 shots/game, and shot 59%. In the Finals, he averaged 27ppg, took 16 shots/game, and shot 67%.
In the 2004 Playoffs, Kobe averaged 24.5ppg, took 21 shots/game, and shot 41%. In the Finals, he averaged 22.6ppg, took 22.6 shots/game, and shot 38%. And just like Kobe's numbers went down, so did practically every other Laker's in that series.
The Pistons blueprint to beating the heavily favored Lakers in that series was simple: Let Shaq do his thing, but don't let Kobe or any other perimeter player get it going. It worked. Shaq had a great series compared to how he'd been playing in the Playoffs that year, and he probably would have put up more points had the Lakers not been getting beat so handily in 3 of those games. They still lost, because he had no help. The one game they did win, Kobe had a great game, the Lakers finished with 28 assists compared to an average of 18.75 in the four losses, and they shot 48% from the field.
I say we let Tim Duncan do his thing, let him average 30 and 15. Keep the ball out of Tony Parker's hands, and if he does get it, make sure he's well out of his comfort zone, and send double-teams at him often. Do the same to Ginobili. And when Nick van Exel and Michael Finley come in, do the same to them. Make Duncan dominate the series, bell to bell.
It's always been the rule with the Kings that we get beat by guards, not big men. It's always Steve Nash and Tony Parker and Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant and Nick van Exel and Michael Finley. Yeah, beating a Spurs team led by a two-time NBA MVP and three-time Finals MVP is gonna be rough, but we don't stand a chance with Parker running circles around our defense. I'd rather see us lose with Duncan going off than see the Spurs shoot 58% overall, 65% from deep, have 25 assists, and score 122 points.
I may be way off base, but I say make Duncan beat us. Let Kenny Thomas and Shareef Abdur-Rahim get ripped to shreds, and keep Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili from making the entire team look inept. Then maybe we'll be close in the fourth quarter, Timmy will run out of gas, the guards will be out of rhythm, and maybe we'll have a shot to steal the game away.
But if the plan is to keep Duncan contained and make the "role players" beat us, then we might as well not even show up for the next three games. Just forfeit, because 40 point losses aren't acceptable in the playoffs, whether you're outmanned or not.
). Putting a guy with good awareness and willingness to chase him around is the best answer. Since he's such a streaky player, you don't want him get confidence in his long jumper by allowing easy layups or dunks early on. Sag on him a bit, if he decides to become a jumpshooter, that already take the best part of Manu game.............................Parker, once an enigmatic player offensively, now actually the most consistent guy throughout the reg season, arguably Spurs offensive MVP. His confidence is in alltime high. Simply knocking him around won't work, cause A LOT of teams already trying that to no avail, and the league is gonna watch the game closely considering the latest circumstance. Still, the proven recipe in bothering him defensively is by utilizing a long, quick, agile players as his defender. Perhaps Kevin Martin could be the answer ? He got posterized yesterday, but perhaps with a better planning ala what B Scott did with Kittles in 03 finals back then, it could work................................ To sum it all, i think your team D should be geared toward turning the Spurs into a jumpshooting team. Goodluck with that 
