Game 5 - Make or Break

[HndsmCelt]

Folks may be right about the double teams on Bonzi and Ron in the post, but that is not really Spurs style... they seldom double team (they don't usualy have to) Might help but if Mike or Brad are hitting their jumpers then that plan may backfire in a big way, and if they BOTH are hitting then fugit about it!

Personaly I don't have a clue what Pop will do and I am DYING to find out and see if it works. Pop is one of the great coaches and this is a group of champions out there so I don't expect them to go quietly into the night, but like I siad I have no clue what adjustments they wil make. Every time I try a diffenrent scenario in my mind I keep seeing another big risk to it.

 

[piksi]

Since we never really won a agmes 7 - I am not sure I would like our chances in one. We need to win this in 6

 

[Folsom Al]

I'm only thinkin' about game 7 if I have to ... and for right now - it doesn't make sense ... so why worry about it ????

 

[The L Train]

Folks may be right about the double teams on Bonzi and Ron in the post, but that is not really Spurs style... they seldom double team (they don't usualy have to) Might help but if Mike or Brad are hitting their jumpers then that plan may backfire in a big way, and if they BOTH are hitting then fugit about it!

Personaly I don't have a clue what Pop will do and I am DYING to find out and see if it works. Pop is one of the great coaches and this is a group of champions out there so I don't expect them to go quietly into the night, but like I siad I have no clue what adjustments they wil make. Every time I try a diffenrent scenario in my mind I keep seeing another big risk to it.

What other adjustment do you think Pop might make? If he doesn't do anything different on Bonzi, and he has another moster game, he will be vilified by the press and the fans.

But, perhaps Bonzi can't keep this torrid pace, and the spurs are counting on that...if that's the case, they are most likely right.

In any case, ron's play on Manu has effectively ground the spurs offense to a halt, and we'll see if the spurs have any tricks up their sleeves to fix that problem. Damn, I'm excited.

 

[Folsom Al]

I actually think the King's have seen EVERYTHING the Spurs got, or had ....

I doubt the Spurs have seen everything the Kings have. Kings have got to get SPURS HOMECOURT OUT OF THEIR MINDS and just stick to Adelman's game plan. With what Adelman and coaching staff have been putting together .... ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

There's a very effective way to QUIET DOWN THE SPURS FANS. Play good ball, make your shots and REMEMBER - you've got each other.

I am so pumped for tomorrow ...

 

[sauce-26]

One of the things that I thought was very interesting was what was said last night on 1140. A person called and was discussing the fact that in years past, we have had to make adjustments to what the other team was putting on the floor. In this series, the spurs are having to adjust to what we are putting out on the floor.
They cant stop bonzi, ron is stopping ginobli and forcing charles to not shout his name. We have proven that we can play with this team. Now lets end this and shock the world! I want to be watching us do the same thing to the mavs next week.

 

[SacTownKid]

Hey, win or lose I am excited about the future of this team. We have weaknesses now. After this offseason, training camp, and the experience gained from this series, this team is going to be a contender for the next couple of years!

I almost can't wait to see what Petrie is going to do to make us that much better this offseason. Almost like putting the finishing touches on a masterpiece.

I wanted this series, not because I knew we could win or not, but because what better test than the defending champs? This team is finding their identity thanks to this tough series, that is more important than wins or losses to me.

Although I'll take the wins over the losses.

 

[Entity]

I think you see some doubling off of Kenny Thomas since he hasn't shown the spurs much. Expect KT to step up when that happens and have aroung 16 points in layups and dunks before the spurs decide that isn't working and by then we are up 3-2

 

[HndsmCelt]

What other adjustment do you think Pop might make? If he doesn't do anything different on Bonzi, and he has another moster game, he will be vilified by the press and the fans.

But, perhaps Bonzi can't keep this torrid pace, and the spurs are counting on that...if that's the case, they are most likely right.

In any case, ron's play on Manu has effectively ground the spurs offense to a halt, and we'll see if the spurs have any tricks up their sleeves to fix that problem. Damn, I'm excited.

Well the truth is if I could give you a really GOOD answer I probably would not have to teach for a living beceause I would be as sharp a coach as Pop. That being said it has seemed his style to play one on one espcially against teams that field 5 scoring options like the Kings, Dallas or Pheonix. He might set up some tight double rotations on the dribel penetration, but I suspect he is more likely to make assingment adjustments and posibly take Manu out of the starting line up. It might look someting like this:
Start Parker, finely or Bary at the 2, then the normal Bowen, Duncan and now Nessy.

I suspect the might cheat Nessy off Brad and let him take Kenny while Duncan come out to take Brad, and rotate help to the inside on penetration. leave Parker on Bibby, and let the Fin or Barry 2 gaurde Bonzi on the outside and try to play off him a bit in hopes of cheating for position on the drive and just give him the out side shot. Bowen might be encouraged to do the same on Artest.

I see wisdom in trying to put a bigger guy like Horry on Ron but with Rons speed that just seems like a recipe for either lay up drills or foul fest as the bigs come in to "help".

Ought to be interesting to see the solutions they come up with... if any.

 

[BigWaxer]

We (waxer edit) win this in 6

you said it! I coudlnt' say it or else its JINX action.

 

[Troy]

I say we win it in 6 at home. I got tickets to Game 6 and my brother-in-law and I have never been to a Kings game, so what better time then now?!!!!