Spurs making defensive adjustments for Game 4

San Antonio leads the series 2-1, but Seattle won Game 3.
SEATTLE (AP) -- Ridnour-to-James?
It sure doesn't have the same ring as Stockton-to-Malone, and that's what Manu Ginobili and the San Antonio Spurs are reminding themselves going into Game 4 against Seattle on Sunday.
Jerome James scored 15 points on 7-for-7 shooting as the SuperSonics used the pick-and-roll with devastating efficiency in a Game 3 victory that pulled Seattle within 2-1 in the series.
Making adjustments
The Spurs spent Saturday installing defensive adjustments. If they have their way, it will be more difficult for Sonics point guards Luke Ridnour and Antonio Daniels to find James for easy baskets.
"It's not impossible," Ginobili said. "We just didn't execute well in the third game. We did it in Games 1 and 2. It's not like Karl Malone and John Stockton out there. They're good, but we can defend it."
The Sonics had Reggie Evans back at practice after he sat Friday with a sore back. Rashard Lewis, however, said he's "about 50-50" for today with a sprained toe and didn't practice for the second straight day.
"We'll see come Sunday," Seattle coach Nate McMillan said.
Masters of pick-and-roll
The pick-and-roll is a staple of every NBA offense: Pick, roll, pass, easy basket. Stockton and Malone, the retired Utah Jazz superstars, mastered the play and worked it to perfection for years.
Seattle succeeded with the pick-and-roll in Game 3 by exploiting San Antonio's tendency to steer opposing offenses to the sides, which provides less room to operate.
To counter, McMillan moved Lewis from the wing to the corner, pulling his defender from the lane. It cleared the way for James to throw down six dunks on feeds from Ridnour and Daniels.
"They scored on a lot of easy dunks," San Antonio's Tony Parker said. "We just need to talk with our bigs, make sure we know when to switch and when to stay on your man. It's definitely one of the adjustments we're going to make."
Not discussing plans
Tim Duncan and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, not surprisingly, wouldn't discuss how they plan to keep James in check. But the theme at San Antonio's practice was that the pick-and-roll wasn't something new or unexpected.
"We've been doing it all year," Ginobili said. "We did it against Phoenix and we did it against Seattle before."
Added Duncan: "We changed our game plan a little bit and we'll see if it works. It's minor. It's the same stuff we've been doing."
The Spurs face two other challenges. They must improve their 55 percent free throw shooting from Game 3, and they need to make sure they can still defend on the wing if they fall back to clog the middle.
"They've hugged up with us on the perimeter, which opens up some of our bigs rolling to the basket," McMillan said. "We're seeing them on tape not leaving certain guys when we are spacing. That's part of the game they've been able to defend and pretty much take out."
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