Gregg Popovich: Spurs Are Horrible Defensively

[Retired_Member_001]

Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich can't believe how badly his team has played on defense at the start of the 2008-09 season.

"If we don't play good defense, it doesn't matter if we score or not," said Popovich. "We're not going to score 110 points a game, so we have to keep people in the 80s or low 90s for wins. That's how we've done it every year."

San Antonio, which is 1-4 for the first time in Popovich's 11-plus seasons, is allowing opponents to score 105.5 points per game.

"Even if Manu [Ginobili] and Tony [Parker] were healthy, we can't continue to play the defense we have been," Tim Duncan said. "We're going to try to get back to the old Spurs' ways, where we keep the games in the 80s."

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_cant_defend_sluggish_start.html

[Ziggy]

With the age of thier stars, keeping games slow and low in scoring is the only chance the Spurs have at another ring.

[Slick]

We're old. It's that simple.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Being a Nugget's fan - THIS BREAKS MY HEART :laugh: And since they are getting older, I am sure it hurts more when they FLOP

[D1g1tal j1m]

Glad that they fixed their defense problems and started to surge without Manu and Tony. Now that both have returned, watch as the Spurs again rise to the top.

They are now a deeper team with Manu and Tony coming off the bench for a few weeks and then when Tony takes full control again, George Hill has shown to be a scoring and defensive baller.

[ridler2013]

We're old. It's that simple.

Yeah there's too much senior citizen in the team... Duncan is not young anymore, Robert Horry, and Michael Finley... Spurs need a young blood! :tsk:

[D1g1tal j1m]

Yeah there's too much senior citizen in the team... Duncan is not young anymore, Robert Horry, and Michael Finley... Spurs need a young blood! :tsk:

Duncan is still in his prime as a player and his game is based mostly on fundamentals and footwork and positioning than on athletic ability so age will not be too much of an issue (he barely leaps more than an inch). Horry is not on the team anymore so that is a nonfactor. Finley's minutes are being cut down due to the age and declining skills, but he is a valuable contributor off the bench of 10-15 minutes a game.

The Spurs have gotten younger and more athletic with Mason & Hill replacing Horry and Barry. The starting five of Parker, Mason, Duncan, Udoka & Oberto is pretty good with Ginobili, Hill, Finley, Thomas & Bowen coming off the bench. I would like a better center on the team instead of Oberto, hopefully they can do something at the trade deadline to accomplish that additiion.

[Scarface]

Yeah there's too much senior citizen in the team... Duncan is not young anymore, Robert Horry, and Michael Finley... Spurs need a young blood! :tsk:

I agree. That's why they drafted George Hill, signed Roger Mason, and let Horry go. :coffee: