The Morning Tip-Off

May 8, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (left), and Manu Ginobili (center), and forward Tim Duncan (right) during the national anthem before game two of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at the AT

Storm brewed in lastnight here in San Antonio and now this morning, it is turning out to be a beautiful day. Game three is tonight in Oakland, and the Spurs hopefully will find some way in stopping the golden boys of Stephan Curry and Klay Thompson.

We will find out the gameplan and the adjustments Gregg Popovich and his staff have come up with, clone Kawhi Leonard possibly.  I kid……no really, that would be nice.

You know the drill and what we do every morning, so, lets jump into the Morning Tip-Off.

The Warriors’ Other Splash Boy – Bleacher Report

Eyes rolled when Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson said he had the greatest shooting backcourt that’s ever played the game.

Well, as the coach said following the Warriors’ 100-91 Game 2 road victory against the San Antonio Spurs, “Call my bluff.”

Tony Parker Says He Invented The Floater – Beyond the Buzzer

Tony Parker says he originated the floater made popular by many of the league’s smaller point guards when he was a child, “I got copyrights on that.”

Warriors End Skid At 30 In San Antonio, Ties Series – Star-Telegram

Golden State coach Mark Jackson insisted the Warriors’ historic collapse in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals would only help his team’s growth.

The young Warriors took a big step in their development Wednesday night, withstanding another furious rally by the San Antonio Spurs for a 100-91 victory to even their series at one game apiece and snap a 30-game skid in the Alamo City.

The Tony Parker Conundrum – Pounding the Rock

Over the course of the regular season, Tony Parker emerged as the Spurs’ best player and even earned some MVP consideration before an injury forced him to the sidelines for a few weeks. The Spurs need Tony to lead their offense in order to beat the Warriors.

Is Klay Thompson An Elite Defender – Blue Man Hoop

Effective defense requires the cooperation of a group of defenders, but a single elite defender can greatly decrease the burden on fellow defenders while pressuring an offense.  The ability to limit the opposing team’s offensive focus greatly impacts offensive production.  For example, according to basketball-reference.com, the Nuggets hold opponents to 104.0 points per 100 possessions with Andre Iguodala on the court and give up 108.4 with him off.  Obviously, defensive rating is dependent the combined performance of several players and differentials are impacted by the strength of bench defenders, but the impact of a single elite defender is clear.

San Antonio Spurs’ Big Three Stand As The Catalyst For The Team’s Defensive Problems – King James Gospel

The Spurs have plateaued at a perpetual elite level of play mostly because of the sustained greatness of their three biggest stars. All three have aged relatively gracefully (albeit Manu’s injury problems of late have been the first sign of true wear and tear) and despite the increased role of guys like Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, and Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio still lives and dies by the play of their big three. Early on in this Golden State series, at least defensively, the Spurs are dying.