AJ Lopez, 27, was born in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up watching Larry Bird and the Boston Celticsand now follows Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs. He has a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Marketing from the University of Vermont. Lopez played basketball, baseball and tennis growing up and played Division I tennis in college. He still lives in San Antonio and is expecting a child. Critics are attributing the "majority" of the Spurs? seven losses this season to poor perimeter defense.
The Men in Black are surrendering a staggering 37.9% three-point field goal percentage to their opponents so far this season, the highest allowed in the Tim Duncan-era.
Compare that with the fact that 33.9% is the highest three-point. FG percentage the Spurs have allowed over the past four seasons, and one might argue that the Spurs problem does lie on their perimeter defense.+
But, isn?t defense something the Spurs pride themselves on?
Absolutely. As of right now, the Spurs lead the league in three major categories:
* Opponent?s points allowed -- 85.15 points/game
* Opponent?s field goal percentage -- 41.2% (.1% ahead of Houston, go figure)
* Points per game differential -- +11.62 pts.
SA?s main problem lies in their own three-point. shooting. In every year since the Spurs won their first championship in '99, they?ve always shot better from three-point land -- percentage-wise -- than their opponents.
That has not been the case so far this season.
The Men in Black have been outshot 37.9% from behind the arc, shooting only 35.0% as a team.
With the exception of the 2000-01 campaign, when SA shot a scorching 40.7% from behind the arc, the Spurs have never shot a higher % during the Tim Duncan era than what they?re giving up to their opponents this season.
And -- surprise, surprise, surprise -- another Achilles heel this season for SA has been their free throw shooting -- the Spurs have improved to 71.1% from the line, but their opponents are shooting 7.0% better.
This is huge given that six of the Spurs seven losses have been decided by six or less points.
However, with the exception of the charity stripe and opponent 3 pt. %, SA has outperformed their opponents in all other categories in games this season.
So while the Spurs opponents are enjoying a higher percentage so far from behind the arc, it would behoove the Spurs to make a few more themselves.
They wouldn't be in quite the fix they're in if they simply outshot their opponents from behind the arc.
But, can one call a 25-7 a fix?
Sure, the Spurs have been outshot percentage-wise, but they've also attempted 179 more treys (Spurs 181-517, Foes 128-338).
One should determine how many three-pointers other teams have allowed this season.
Maybe 338 isn't so bad. What if Spurs opponents weren't shooting 37.9%, but 50%, on 50-100 shooting. A hundred attempts. Whoopty-do!
It?s my opinion that defense is overrated.
Now that?s not to say that it?s not extremely important, but how many times has your significant other told you to quit being so defensive?
The Spurs have never experienced a +11.62 point differential since drafting Tim Duncan.
In each of the Lakers three championship seasons under Phil Jackson, they averaged greater than 100 points/game, while their lowest opponents ppg average during those three years was 92.3.
No doubt defense is important, but as in life, one must ALWAYS be on the offensive.