Spurs execute thanks to experience

[RonnieBrewer (Reverse Layup)]

Spurs execute thanks to experience
Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 1 day ago

Despite the relatively narrow margin, San Antonio's 108-100 win over Utah
was as simple as A-B-C.

A. Utah's (lack of) defense

The success of the Spurs' ball- and player-movement on offense demonstrated
how slow and indecisive Utah's baseline rotations were. The main culprit in
this regard was Carlos Boozer, whose confusion led to a pair of layups by
Fabricio Oberto and one by Francisco Elson. Nor did the Jazz provide
sufficient help when Tony Parker took Deron Williams to the hole.

Like those of Parker, Manu Ginobili's forays hoopward were unstoppable.
Layups, floaters, even finishes with his right hand were all available for
Ginobili with little opposition.

Using screen/rolls, slipped screens, curls off weak-side screens, dive cuts,
back-door cuts, penetrations and pitch-outs ─ the Spurs opened up the game
by scoring easy points without having to resort to their outside shooting.

Then there was Tim Duncan, whose inside presence was more than the Jazz could
handle. To discourage the Jazz from double-teaming Duncan on his catches, the
Spurs sent a variety of sequential cutters through the lane, forcing
erstwhile helpers to stay home or yield layups. Even when Utah attempted a
zone formation, their baseline coverage was easily befuddled and Duncan wound
up with a dunk.

The Jazz were so rattled that they made the most fundamental of mistakes.
Like Matt Harpring neglecting to box out Duncan as he shot and missed a free
throw. The result was still another Duncan dunk.

When Utah's defense became paint-conscious, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and
Michael Finley made them pay dearly with long-range bombs.

The Spurs also took full advantage of Utah's inattentive transition defense.

B. Spurs' defense

The Spurs' interior defense was so overwhelming that Utah simply could not
get the ball inside to Boozer. To compensate, they tried posting Okur,
Harpring, Andrei Kirilenko, and even Paul Millsap ─ but were unable to
establish any of them as inside forces worthy of special defensive attention.

The Spurs were likewise so quick-handed and quick-footed to the ball and into
the passing lanes that the Jazz were looking over their shoulders whenever
they did manage to find open shots. This distraction caused the visitors to
miss at least a dozen layups.

At the outset, Bruce Bowen did a terrific job in controlling Williams. And
even though Kirilenko had considerable size advantages over both Finely and
Ginobili, he was never a factor on offense.

The real surprises were how easily Oberto (with only a minimum of help) was
able to contain Boozer; and how Parker (with even less help) was able to shut
down Derek Fisher.

Fisher and Harpring scored on jumpers after curling off weak-side screens,
but their successes were never repeated.

The Jazz were able to stay in touch early because of their offensive
rebounding, and also because of Okur's 3-point shooting. But when the Spurs
made the appropriate adjustments, these opportunities just about disappeared.

Williams was the only Jazz-er who was able to break down the Spurs' defense
on a regular basis ─ mostly with headlong penetrations and crafty pull-up
jumpers. However, it should be noted that the 18 points that Williams
registered in the fourth quarter were mostly tallied against Parker.
Apparently, once the game was virtually in the bag, Gregg Popovich decided
to avoid having Williams get too used to being defended by Bowen. The subtle
decision will undoubtedly pay dividends as the series progresses.

C. Spurs' game plan

The Spurs played with more verve all over the court. And in the closing
minutes of the game, they did what they had to do in order to keep the
desperate Jazz at arm's length. Indeed, despite Utah's courageous concluding
run, San Antonio's grip on the game was never seriously threatened.

From start to finish, the Spurs played with the confidence born of their
championship experience. They knew which aspects of their versatile offense
would work because they recognized the various soft spots in Utah's defense.
At the same time, they knew exactly how and where to focus their defensive
pressure.

In other words, San Antonio's coaching staff did a much better job of
preparing their team than did Jerry Sloan and his assistants.

However, one win (as one-sided as it was) doesn't mean that the rest of
the series will be a cake-walk for the Spurs. The Jazz gleaned some useful
information from Game 1.

# That if Williams can't guard Parker, the reverse is also true.

# That Boozer can get more unimpeded shots from the high-post than he can
  in the pivot.

# That their own weak-to-strong-side curls are also wide open.

# That while Jarron Collins is useless trying to defend Duncan, Rafael Araujo
  was surprisingly effective.

Game 2 will be interesting if only due to the adjustments that both teams
will invariably make.

But the human chess match has just begun. There's a long way to go from San
Antonio's sensational opening gambit to the final check-mate.


                                 http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6833268 

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