RealGM

Spurs offense has been spotty all season...look at their last 3 low scoring games, can't even break 80. Their defense is still consistent and among the best, but watching their games, they just can't put the ball in the basket for long periods of times...leading to BLOWOUTS like the Jazz game, this Suns game, two Hornet games, giving up 22 point leads in the Celtics game, the 9 point quarter, etc etc.

Maybe the loss of Barry, decline of Horry...

They don't have enough scoring in the starting lineup. Manu is also in a slump, along with others like Oberto who are not like offensive players. They are also an old team so the legs aren't gonna be there on the jumpshot and they will get tired earlier than usual.

This has got me scratching and banging my head against the table. I really don't understand what is going on here. A few things I am noticing is that the players are each trying to do too much. I saw two consecutive possesions where the Spurs had ZERO ( yes a big goose egg) passes in their half court offense. Parker dribbled up, wasted 20 seconds of the clock dribbling around and ending up forcing a brick. Very next play, Gino drives up, he dribbles around and ends up taking a tough shot himself at the elbow. Everyone else just stood around. Bowen is taking shots from places he shouldn't as well. When Duncan comes out of the game the offense looks pathetic. I don't see the ball movement that the Spurs have shown in the past. Also, Pop seems to take out the hot hand when the Spurs start to make a run which leaves me dumbfounded. Spurs are relying too much on jumpshots instead of taking it to the rim. Parker and Gino are the only ones who actually drive to the basket and everyone else just spots up.

Our spacing is crapful... you never say a team has great spacing when things are going good but when it is going bad you can clearly see it.

No 3 pt shooting, a struggling Ginobili, no Barry, Oberto that can't keep up with this tempo... and so on. Trouble it is.

ever since ive been watching them, when we used to battle them all the time in the playoffs. they have an inherent weakness. they hang their hat on defense, and thats what they are known for. a great defensive team. but we used to come back late in games and pull the rug out from under them, because strong defensive teams usually go on offensive dry spells. what theyre experience did for a while, was cut down the time inbetween those dry spells. few and far between dryspells. or quickly recover and score points and get themselves back into games and win 'em.

but we knew their weakness. they'll be strong throughout. but if you wait and play patient, they'll just go on a "missing" spree. just send the bricks flying. then POW, we would over take them win the game.

after those LAKER/spurs battles, again, they cut down on those dry spells and had enough offensive punch to gut it out at the end.

however, like all teams you get older. and the recovery time between dry spells was gettin smaller and smaller.

this seems to be happening now to the spurs. if you wait it out with them, they'll just brick themselves in the foot, and teams will make huge runs on them, and they cant respond.

when does Barry come back?

it has nothing to do with age..Barry is going to help too, but he isn't the main reason neither..

it's spacing like TD said..also, shot selection has been worse this season..the team is taking more jumpers..the big 3 have especially had some very questionable shot selection at times..Parker overdribbles too much..Manu's shots look puzzling when he struggles..Duncan isn't playing the mismatches well..he isn't going face up vs. larger/slower defenders and is settling for too many jumpers against smaller players that he can abuse in the post..I don't know the reason for this, but I'm hoping it changes it in the playoffs..

another important aspect is the fast break..the defense hasn't been forcing as many turnovers in a consistent way to start fast breaks..Parker is usually the beneficiary from this, and the offense has looked great when he's been able to get in the open court..

we always find a way to get a lead to around 10, but then the inability to put the foot on the gas pedal kicks in..a big reason is shot selection, and the other reason is the fastbreak off the D..

for example..vs. Minnesota last month..the Spurs took a 20-point lead..Duncan comes on, but takes 3 straight mid-range jumpers vs. a Minnesota team with no capable interior defenders..even Jefferson(who isn't great neither) wasn't on the floor..this is followed by a bad Ginobili pull-up 3 and a Damon Stoudamire bad 3..ends up leading to Minnesota taking the lead..

vs. the Clippers a little while after..Duncan is dominating inside, which leads to a 12 point lead for the Spurs..the team ignores Tim for a few straight possessions, instead getting Ginobili taking a few bad outside jumpers, leading to the Clippers coming back(mixed in with some poor perimeter D)..

nobody knows which Spurs team is going to come out in the playoffs..I trust Pop, and I believe he'll make the proper adjustments in the offense..hopefully Barry and Horry are back, and Parker is 100% healthy..