Spurs Had Solid Plan, but Weren’t Good Enough

Sometimes the Xs and Os don’t mean much. This was one of those times.

If San Antonio was going to win a game, this was the opportunity. The Lakers were beatable. The Spurs made sound adjustments after losing Game 1 and stuck to their plan. Tim Duncan was on fire.

All that was needed was for Danny Ferry and Terry Porter to make their open three-point shots. They didn’t.

Meanwhile, Derek Fisher, Robert Horry and Kobe Bryant seemed like they didn’t miss. Plus, the Lakers were more aggressive on the boards. Horry and Rick Fox ran down loose balls and played with energy, which was important because Shaquille O’Neal seemed tired the entire game.

So, the Xs and O’s weren’t the difference. San Antonio did a better job in all areas a coach can draw up on the chalkboard.

They ran the John Stockton-Karl Malone pick-and-roll with Duncan in the Malone spot twice in the second quarter and O’Neal was late rotating.

They kept Robinson on the floor more and he did a good job on O’Neal. When Malik Rose was on the floor, the Spurs did a better job of helping him guard the Laker center.

But they might tell Ferry and Porter to make their open threes. I’m a big fan of both of those players, but on how many teams in the league could they be effective starters? And Steve Kerr didn’t play because he can’t guard anybody.

Avery Johnson did well on the pick-and-roll. If there is any criticism of San Antonio’s coaching moves, it’s that Johnson didn’t see action in the fourth quarter.

The Laker coaches made all the right moves, even after Phil Jackson was ejected in the third quarter. Horace Grant was working so hard on defense, but Duncan scored 40 points. Horry came in when Grant got into foul trouble and used his quickness to help turn the game around.

The coaches kept Horry on the court. That was a decision that worked out well. Another was taking the timeout late in the game when O’Neal was severely dragging. Those moves had a big impact.

I don’t think Jackson tried to get thrown out. It wasn’t what Red Auerbach always said, that “we needed that.” I think Jackson believed he could say more after getting his first technical and that the referees wouldn’t throw him out. And they said, “Oh, yes we can.”

I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not, but O’Neal really picked up his intensity for the next few minutes after the ejection. Before that, he had played as poorly as I’ve seen and obviously was tired in the fourth quarter. But the other Lakers made up for it.

About all the Spurs can do now is try not to get swept. There is no way they will win this series. They know it and everyone else knows it.

They are a real professional group though. They had a sound plan, and they followed it well. They just weren’t good enough.