(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
5) Popovich is an over-rated one-dimensional defensive coach.
Despite his impressive win/loss record, Spurs win only .500 against winning teams. Pop’s coaching strength knows when to rest his players, but he no longer has that luxury since his starters are often injured or exhausted.
Pop’s weaknesses are a failure to counter opposing offensive plans with effective player match ups (or altering his defensive game plan) and personality/player conflicts.
His shoddy treatment of Malik Rose, the Spurs last true power forward, was emotionally based poor decision-making that cost the Spurs key playoff games, and very likely an NBA Championship in 2004!
In 2004 the Spurs won the first two home games of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Lakers. Tony Parker scorched the Lakers averaging 25 points a game. Coach Jackson readjusted his defensive plan and Parker would not score 20 points again.
Pop could have readjusted Parker’s offence with picks, screen and rolls after Jackson jammed the lane shutting down Parker’s dribble penetration. Or Pop could have added Malik Rose to the lineup to counter Karl Malone's lane defensive presence.
Pop did nothing as Rose idly sat on a seat rudely ignored by his coach. After winning 17 games in a row, the Spurs were shocked losing four games in a row!
Popovich was clueless and could not counter Coach Jackson's new defensive scheme shutting Parker down. Pop showed arrogance and ignorance by not playing Rose, known for his instant energy.
Malik Rose, as center, led the Spurs single-handedly with 15 points and hard-nosed defense against Shaq in his prime, and Bryant Lakers tandem in a 117-120 OT loss. Parker and Duncan sat on the bench the entire game!
Despite his heroics, Pop did not let Rose play in the Lakers Conference semifinals! Why, after Rose had played so brilliantly against the Lakers that year? Only Pop knows.
When one Spurs starter is injured, an inconsistent bench means overall team performance plunges. The Spurs have lost their ability to compete at the NBA’s highest level except for brief periods: just one or two games per series.
Spurs barely have won seven of their last 14 games, including a one point win tonight over the lowly Golden State Warriors, a team that has not beat them at home in over a decade.
When the San Antonio Spurs lost last Sunday to the Houston Rockets, they had a losing record over their previous 13 games, with 13 games remaining.
Now with 12 games remaining, and seven on the road, the Spurs will likely end the season with 55 to 57 wins, yet with two possible losses to New Orleans going into the playoffs.
If the Spurs do not meet New Orleans in the playoffs, they might make the Conference Finals, but that seems very unlikely unless Ginobli plays smart (for the first time in his life) and Drew Gooden gets much more serious playing time. These two players hold the keys to the success for Spurs 2009 playoff efforts.
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