Insider (James): How To Beat the Spurs

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One key: Contain 'wild card' GinobiliBy Brian James, ESPN Insider

Brian James Archive

With all of the shuffling of NBA coaches at the first hint of trouble within an organization, it makes the great organizations at the top of the league look even better.

And talk about the model franchise.

The San Antonio Spurs have been the model of consistency in pro sports and the envy of the majority of coaches, scouts and players alike who would love to be in a winning and stable situation. I'm going to explain what makes this team so great. But I'm also going to present a blueprint on how to beat the Spurs, with and without the injured Tim Duncan.

The Spurs' success begins with leadership, and that's personified by president and head coach Gregg Popovich. He has put together a formula for winning, both on and off the court. He supplies the groundwork for what he wants, then allows everyone to do their jobs. His relationship with perennial MVP candidate Duncan is more like father and son, which is refreshing in today's game. This winning formula starts inside with Duncan, but doesn't stop there. Here are a few reasons why San Antonio is still regarded by most experts as the team to beat if Duncan – sidelined recently by an ankle sprain – is healthy come playoff time.

Spurs' winning formula

Point Differential (9.9 ppg) is tops in the league. Giving up 86.9 ppg, the Spurs allow the fewest points of anyone, while scoring an average of 96.8. It is tough to score when they set up their half-court defense.

Defensive field-goal percentage is also No. 1 in the league, holding opponents to 42.2 percent. Why? The Spurs are the best at contesting every shot, not allowing transition scores, and they have the best shot-blocking team with Duncan, Rasho Nesterovic and the recently acquired Nazr Mohammed.

Duncan

Winning on the road. The Spurs' 19-14 road record is tied for fourth-best in the NBA. Even if they lose the home-court advantage to the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat or any other team in the playoffs, the Spurs are confident they can go in to any arena and win on the road. That is how you win in the playoffs, especially since their 31-3 record at home gives them great confidence.

Chemistry. I sat right near their bench against the host New York Knicks this week, and you could see the camaraderie among the coaches and players. The coaches demand effort and execution, but there were smiles and a togetherness that many teams just don't have.

The Spurs have three scorers in their lineup who, collectively or individually, can hurt opponents. The secret here is that they play different positions, which can hurt opponents in different ways. With Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Duncan, the Spurs have a point guard, a wing player and a dominant big man. If two of the three play well, they are one tough team. And if all three are clicking, the Spurs are unbeatable.

San Antonio is continually attacking at both ends. Their defensive principles are sound, taking away many of their opponents' offensive options. Offensively, they always are attacking. They have a second unit that hustles and can score, an experienced finishing lineup and an understanding that doing the little things wins games.

How can you beat San Antonio?

Obviously, they are still very good without Duncan inside, but New York exposed some of the Spurs' most vulnerable areas. Like all teams this time of year, health is now their major concern. No team can win in the playoffs without its stars healthy. Duncan is out for an extended period, but this might even be to their advantage later with the rest it now affords him. The Spurs are now 1-4 without T.D. in the lineup. Ginobili is recuperating from a groin injury and Popovich is watching him with a keen eye, regulating his minutes until Manu can prove he is 100 percent healthy. Here are some ways teams can take advantage of the Spurs:

Because the Spurs have proved that their defense is the best, you must get some easy scores in transition off long rebounds and fast break opportunities. They have attempted 376 more 3-pointers than their opponents, so hopefully the adage that long shots equal long rebounds applies here. Look to score quickly, or get an open look before their defense sets up.

Have a four who can make perimeter shots. The Knicks' Malik Rose played extremely well in his first game against his old teammates. Tim Thomas was also used at the four-spot when the Knicks ran screen-roll with Stephon Marbury and the five-man, with the four lifted above the 3-point line. This brings the four's man further out from the paint defensively, and it definitely is a longer rotation. Rose and Thomas made shots and spread the defense out, thus opening up the inside as well, for a quick punch in from the weak side.

Ginobili is their wild card. Most of the other players are predictable on how they will play, and Pop just lets Manu do his thing, which is different every night.

Know their personnel. Defensively, know that you need to run Bruce Bowen and Brent Barry off the 3-point line, as they have been tremendous 3-point shooters. Then do everything you can do to keep Ginobili in front of you. Manu can beat you from deep or on the explosive drive to the rim. He showed a tremendous hesitation-and-go dribble move by keeping his dribble after New York's big men showed out hard on the screens. You must make him, and Parker, pick up the ball coming off the screen roll. Ginobili is their wild ccard. Most of the other players are predictable on how they will play, and Pop just lets Manu do his thing, which is different every night. Don't lay the ball out in front of Manu since he is also very good at anticipating and coming up with steals.

Speaking of Parker, you must set a team goal of keeping him out of the lane – and that's hard to do with just one defender. They are deadly when Parker can penetrate and kick out to shooters or lob the ball up to Duncan when his defender takes one step to help. That is why Parker is hitting that little floater from just below the foul line, and it's tough to stop. It is perplexing to Pop, though, how many games Parker has started out hot, then faded as the game progresses. In New York, Parker hit his first five shots, then proceeded to go 1-for-10. This is starting to be a concern among the Spurs coaches.

Throw the kitchen sink at Duncan. His turn-around bank shot from either block is the prettiest in the league. You must push him off his sweet spots before he catches, then double him with different looks. We always liked to go get him aggressively on the first dribble as he put the ball down.

Speaking of Duncan, and essentially the whole team inside: Don't allow dunks and lay-ups. Use your whole complement of fouls to send them to the line. They are 26th in the league in free-throw percentage, and we all know that Duncan has struggled there in past years.

Have the drive-and-kick ready to go on the weak side. Since they are so good defensively inside, have your best shooters ready to get off an open 3-point attempt when you do get into the lane. The Spurs are 23rd in 3-point field-goal percentage defense, so move the ball as quickly as possible around the perimeter.

No flip shots inside. With Duncan in the lineup, it changes so many things defensively. You must drive the ball through their bodies to draw fouls and finish hard. The flip shot will land in about the fifth row after someone blocks it. Duncan and Nesterovic are such a critical defenders in the lane from either the strong side or coming over to help from the weak side.

Without Duncan in the lineup, Stephon Marbury continually attacked them with penetration as their screen-roll defense was able to force him toward the baseline into help. Marbury quickly drove the ball into the teeth of the D and the Spurs couldn't stop him.

Run Parker off screens continually. Off the ball or on the ball, make Tony go around people waiting to screen him. Marbury went off the ball, running him off screens. Eventually, Bowen had to guard him.

Keep Devin Brown under control. Brown is one of the most improved players in the league and can score in bunches in a variety of ways. He has really improved his strength physically. Their second unit of Beno Udrih, Robert Horry, Brown, Barry and Mohammed is very good.

Stay in front, contest shots.

San Antonio can hurt you by going small, going big and with its championship mentality. The Spurs compete at the highest level and expect to win. So, if healthy come playoff time, who wouldn't be wise to put them as the team coming out of the West? I am!

Brian James, a former assistant coach with the Pistons, Raptors and Wizards, is a regular contributor to Insider.