NAOS
Well-Known Member
I'm not a big fan of moral victories, but if you go for that sort of thing, then I'm sure you can find plenty.
I think I've learned something about how Quin is managing the team this year. Follow me down this line of thought.... If you're coaching a young team that (a) MUST improve in every offensive aspect of the game if they hope to compete for wins on a nightly basis; (b) is starting the season with a challenging, road-heavy schedule and therefore (c) has significantly reduced practice time, then HOW DO YOU CHART A DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE THAT IS REALISTIC AND EFFECTIVE?
I hypothesize that rather than spend the limited practice time they've had on nuanced offense sets predicated on ball-movement with subtle reads, Quin has chosen to emphasize the ways that each player can break down the defense with an individual move. Since this is a key skill on offense, and we need development on key skills, then this was bound to be a point of emphasis at some point in the season. Watching teams like San Antonio and Golden State you can obviously appreciate the ball movement, but both of those rosters have 3 or 4 players who are gifted one-on-one players. (I mean, Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan were elite one-on-one players, and it's on those skills that the pass-heavy system really flourishes; the pass becomes greatly more effective if the defense is quaking at the threat of a drive or shot.) For a counter-example have a look at Atlanta. They have excellent ball movement, but are much less reliable when it comes to one-on-one play. That hurt them in the playoffs last year -- and I'm sure Quin was very well aware of that.
Burks, Favors, Hood, and Hayward (and Exum?) all have plenty of unrealized potential in the one-on-one sense of "potential". And I think we're seeing growth in those areas in just 8 games. I expect to see more pass-oriented offensive notions come online during stretches of games in Salt Lake City, where the practice schedule is more robust, and the increased attention span that comes from being at home will be there to help.
Maybe I'm just being an optimist, but I don't think so. If this is a good approximation of Quin's rationale, then I think it's certainly understandable: you want to avoid frustrating a young team, and I think a Spursy approach could have done that. Moreover, a Spursy approach to the game is greatly magnified by developing one-on-one skills.
During media day he spoke about playing with force. I think you're seeing the first arc of that story right now; and there's more to come. It is heartening that the team is slugging it out with some good teams. I see more force than last year, for sure.
I think I've learned something about how Quin is managing the team this year. Follow me down this line of thought.... If you're coaching a young team that (a) MUST improve in every offensive aspect of the game if they hope to compete for wins on a nightly basis; (b) is starting the season with a challenging, road-heavy schedule and therefore (c) has significantly reduced practice time, then HOW DO YOU CHART A DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE THAT IS REALISTIC AND EFFECTIVE?
I hypothesize that rather than spend the limited practice time they've had on nuanced offense sets predicated on ball-movement with subtle reads, Quin has chosen to emphasize the ways that each player can break down the defense with an individual move. Since this is a key skill on offense, and we need development on key skills, then this was bound to be a point of emphasis at some point in the season. Watching teams like San Antonio and Golden State you can obviously appreciate the ball movement, but both of those rosters have 3 or 4 players who are gifted one-on-one players. (I mean, Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan were elite one-on-one players, and it's on those skills that the pass-heavy system really flourishes; the pass becomes greatly more effective if the defense is quaking at the threat of a drive or shot.) For a counter-example have a look at Atlanta. They have excellent ball movement, but are much less reliable when it comes to one-on-one play. That hurt them in the playoffs last year -- and I'm sure Quin was very well aware of that.
Burks, Favors, Hood, and Hayward (and Exum?) all have plenty of unrealized potential in the one-on-one sense of "potential". And I think we're seeing growth in those areas in just 8 games. I expect to see more pass-oriented offensive notions come online during stretches of games in Salt Lake City, where the practice schedule is more robust, and the increased attention span that comes from being at home will be there to help.
Maybe I'm just being an optimist, but I don't think so. If this is a good approximation of Quin's rationale, then I think it's certainly understandable: you want to avoid frustrating a young team, and I think a Spursy approach could have done that. Moreover, a Spursy approach to the game is greatly magnified by developing one-on-one skills.
During media day he spoke about playing with force. I think you're seeing the first arc of that story right now; and there's more to come. It is heartening that the team is slugging it out with some good teams. I see more force than last year, for sure.
