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This has nothing to do with age. When the Spurs shot 40% the entire game and still won, one thing came to mind: Glad the defense showed up when it did. The Portland Trailblazers are a tough, tough team. Utah had a hard time defending them. San Antonio has the same problem. Because the playoffs are about matchups, Portland gives us fits. Rasheed Wallace popped off 28 points and 24 of them came when Tim Duncan was on him. So what do you do for the next game? You adjust. Okay say you adjust for Wallace and hold him to 15 points but then Isiah Rider scorches you for 30? Well if the Spurs continue shooting at 40% while the Blazers are at 45% or better, then this will be a long series.
That's the problem that the Blazers gives the Spurs. They are very athletic and anyone can hurt you. Jimmy Jackson could pop off and score big numbers. Stacy Augman could have a flashback. Greg Anthony could become a threat. Walt Williams could become Merlin. Stoudamire could become a force if he could find his way off the bench.
What the Spurs must do to win this series is go back to what got them here in the first place: shut down the opposing team's offense. That's easier said than done and the Spurs must win today's game and force Portland to defend home court. The defensive rotations of Malik Rose and Wil Perdue coming off the bench must produce some big time numbers in stats that aren't shown. Rose is going to have to play Brian Grant strong and force him baseline and into help coverage. Perdue has to play smart defense and not pick up ticky tack fouls. Force Wallace to take more 15 foot jumpers than shots in the paint. As for perimeter defensive assignments the point guard play is going to be crucial. Antonio Daniels really needs to spell Avery Johnson. When Greg Anthony is in the game, Daniels needs to make him work. The same goes for Mario, Jaren and Sean. Stacy Augman, Walt Williams, J.R. Rider and Jimmy Jackson are good offensive players but only Augman is a good defensive player. The shooting guard and small forward positions need to force the issue on both sides of the floor and make Portland get out of their set plays and play one on one; their weak strength.
Mike Dunleavey is coach of the year because he has been able to managed egos. He's also a very good strategist. Gregg Popovich is going to have to match wits with him and make this a human chess game. The same goes for the Spurs players. As the chess pieces, they need to make Portland adjust to them offensively and defensively. When the Spurs force opponents to do that, they hold their opponents to under 40% and the team shoots 45% or better. The Spurs need to reverse their trend from Saturday. If they continue to shoot in the low 40s while Portland is two or three points higher, this series will be long and drawn out. That is something that San Antonio doesn't want to do because a long series and that could spell defeat in the end.
By Gregory Moore
