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Game 13 Final: CHI 106 @ SA 99

Box Score | Game Flow

Sports fans love to make excuses, especially when their team loses a game it shouldn't have. "They didn't play with heart." "We had no energy out there." The majority of the time, and in this case, this line of "reasoning" is a load of shit.

Scott Skiles had constructed a sound game plan against the Spurs. It was very, very complicated:

  1. Collapse your defense into the paint.
  2. Encourage Tony Parker to shoot jumpers.
CHI executed the game plan very well, proven by the Spurs' 28 3PA (season average is 14.7) and Parker's 10 FGA (previously low was 12). Duhon did a good job defending The French Layup Machine.

CHI hit the offensive glass, grabbing 12 extra possessions. They made 44% of their 18 3PA, including numerous "big" shots by Duhon. I find this to be the most concerning aspect of the game. Last year the Spurs emphasized limiting their opponents' 3PA (easily leading the league). This year the team seems a step slow on the defensive end, especially when guarding the pick and roll. Even Duncan has failed to step out on occasion.

In the end CHI simply played a much better game than SA, despite being on the short end of numerous questionable calls in the second half.

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