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Book Study: Spurs' Defensive and Offensive Roles

Book Study: Spurs' Defensive and Offensive Roles

Examining the offensive and defensive roles of Spurs players who are under contract and expected to be in the rotation next season.

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Paul Garcia
May 08, 2025
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The Spot Up Shot
The Spot Up Shot
Book Study: Spurs' Defensive and Offensive Roles
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Photo credit: Reginald Thomas II, Spurs.com (Cropped by Paul Garcia)

One of the books I’ve been reading and learning a lot from lately is Dean Oliver's Basketball Beyond Paper.

A chapter in the book focuses on finding a new method to classify players beyond the traditional 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 typically used in basketball.

Oliver’s method still uses a number system, but by combining player height and metrics, he has developed a classification system that categorizes players based on their defensive positioning and offensive roles.

After reading the chapter and using Oliver’s method1, I wanted to examine how returning San Antonio Spurs players are classified by their defensive position and offensive roles within this system.

The Defensive System

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