Game Thoughts: L vs. Celtics, L vs. Nuggets, L @ Jazz

[timvp]

After a five-game winning streak, the Spurs were tested by playing the Celtics and Nuggets at home and the Jazz on the road. On paper, all three of those games were difficult. With the test complete and losses in each contest, it is safe to say that the Spurs failed the exam.

At 9-9, it's logical to be at least somewhat worried about this team. Their chemistry seems to be regressing and the concern about the health status of the biggest stars lingers. The Spurs still have plenty of time to get better but failing this test proved that the needed improvements are substantial.

Tim Duncan

34.3 minutes, 21.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.33 blocks, 3.3 turnovers
59.1% from the field, 81.3% (13-for-16) at the line

As you can see by the numbers, Tim Duncan's production over the last three games wasn't the problem. An offseason spent losing weight has allowed Duncan to beat his man off the dribble consistently this season, which has allowed him to be a powerful force on the offensive end. He's also shooting the ball well from the perimeter, rebounding very well and blocking shots at his career average.

However, things aren't all good with Duncan. Mysteriously, he seems to be one of the main culprits when it comes to the team lacking chemistry. His two-man game with both Parker and Ginobili hasn't been smooth. Duncan has also tended to bog down the offensive flow by dribbling too much in the low post. Quicker and more decisive passes would help the team keep its rhythm, as would playing more at the high post when other players are rolling.

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Tony Parker

35 minutes, 22 points, 5.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 4.3 turnovers
57.5% from the field, 50% (1-for-2) on three-pointers, 76% (19-for-25) at the line

Tony Parker obviously isn't 100% healthy following a long summer of action and an early season ankle injury. He doesn't have his usual burst and seems to be laboring at times when running the court. That said, his stats as of late aren't far from his career-best numbers of last season.

The biggest problem for Parker right now are his turnovers. He has gone from the best turnover percentage of his career last season to the worst of his career this season. His 11 turnovers in the last two games definitely hurt San Antonio's chances of victory. Parker needs to make smarter decisions, take care of the ball and somehow find a way to bounce back into elite basketball shape.

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Manu Ginobili

22.7 minutes, 10 points, 2.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 2.3 turnovers
32.1% field, 41.7% (5-for-12) on three-pointers, 77.8% (7-for-9) at the line

To begin the campaign, I was satisfied with Manu Ginobili's play. In the last three games, I've grown extremely concerned. While his three-point shooting has been at a respectable level, the rest of his game has been difficult to watch most of the time.

Since returning from injury, Ginobili hasn't been able to finish at the rim -- it's that simple. He's just 6-for-25 on two-pointers in the last four games. On the season, he's shooting 42.9% on shots around the basket. Last season, that number was at a sizzling 65.5%. As well-rounded as Ginobili is as a player, he's no longer a star if he's lost athleticism to the point that he can't finish consistently at the rim. Let's hope his legs get stronger and this current situation is just a matter of being rusty.

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Richard Jefferson

35.3 minutes, 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 2.0 turnovers
35.7% from the field, 30% (3-for-10) on three-pointers, 00.0% (0-for-5) at the line

Wow. In the past, a number of players have had a difficult transition into the Spurs system -- but this is brutal. It's officially time to question whether or not Richard Jefferson can fit. In the last three games, he just looks more and more uncomfortable. He can't blend into the flow offensively and his defense has been painfully average.

At this point, I think Jefferson's problems are mental. He's thinking way too much and that has slowed down his movements and castrated his aggression. For proof, look at how he's not getting to the line much at all. Even when has arrived at the charity stripe, he gets a case of the yips. While he's not helping out much at all right now, the hope is that he'll settle down and start to spread his wings once he figures out his niche. The silver lining, if you are searching for one, is that Derek Anderson needed until January to start playing well and the addition of Anderson was quite similar to the addition of Jefferson.

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Antonio McDyess

19.7 minutes, 1.7 points, 4.0 rebounds
14.3% (1-for-7) from the field, 75% (3-for-4) at the line

Where art thou, Antonio McDyess? After going for 15 points and 14 rebounds against the Rockets, McDyess has scored a total of five points in the last four games. During that time he's hit one field goal attempt and has pulled down only 14 rebounds. His defense has also been sketchy during this stretch.

Part of the problem for McDyess is his scoring is dependent on the offense flowing smoothly. When there's good spacing, good ball movement and plenty of penetration, that's when McDyess will get open shots from the perimeter. When the offense is a mess, McDyess simply doesn't have the means to help out on that end of the court.

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George Hill

16.7 minutes, 7.3 points, 2.0 assists
29.4% from the field, 33.3% (3-for-9) on three-pointers, 81.8% (9-for-11) at the line

I continue to be underwhelmed by George Hill's play. Offensively, he's relying too much on his perimeter shot and isn't attacking the rim consistently enough. His playmaking has been slightly better as of late but still ranks near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to NBA point guards. Defensively, he's been decent but nothing to write home to Indianapolis about.

Another thing that is baffling to me about Hill's play is his lack of rebounding. One rebound in the last three games for a player who was one of the best rebounders at his position a year ago? I don't get it. The team needs defensive rebounds and Hill is nowhere to be found. The bottomline with Hill is that the Spurs need him to step into a larger role this season but he's not playing at a higher level than he was as a green rookie from IUPUI.

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Matt Bonner

25.7 minutes, 11 points, 8 rebounds, 1.7 assists
48% from the field, 31.3% (5-for-16) on three-pointers, 80% (4-for5) at the line

Against the Celtics and the Nuggets, Bonner was 2-for-11 from the field and his inability to stretch the defense really hurt the Spurs. The Celtics, especially, were giving Bonner open looks and he wasn't able to cash in. However, against the Jazz, Bonner made up for his previous shortcomings by almost single-handedly leading the Spurs to victory.

Bonner had perhaps the best game of his career when he had 28 points, eight rebounds and three assists versus Utah. He had a running flip shop that almost won the game. Even when he was struggling against the Celtics and Nuggets, his rebounding has remained at a very high level. If he can keep scoring and rebounding at his current rates, Bonner will be one of the best backup bigmen in the entire NBA.

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Keith Bogans

12.7 minutes, 1.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1 turnover
33.3% from the field

Keith Bogans continues to start but now I'm seriously beginning to question whether starting Bogans is the right move. Defensively he's good. Not great but good. Offensively, he's so horrible that he makes it difficult for the other four players on the court to score. Opponents leave him open and double off of him whenever they have a chance. And unlike a player like Bruce Bowen, Bogans doesn't have a spot on the floor where he can make other teams pay.

Despite playing with the starters for a majority of his minutes, Bogans had a plus/minus of -20 in the last three games. Considering that the Spurs lost those three games by a combined 17 points, that's a very telling stat. Personally, I've seen enough of Bogans starting. His 4-for-22 shooting in the last six games very much overshadows his defensive positives.

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DeJuan Blair

16.3 minutes, 7.6 points, 5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
64.7% from the field, 33.3% (1-for-3) from the line


DeJuan Blair was a beast against the Celtics, finishing with 18 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in only 22 minutes. In fact, he was the player who almost pulled the rest of his teammates to a victory. He statistics weren't nearly as gaudy in his subsequent two games, although I've continued to see steady improvement.

The most exciting improvement I've seen from Blair is on the defensive end. For example, his defense against Carlos Boozer was very good. Blair's team defense is also rapidly improving. His lack of height will always be a hindrance but he's no longer a lame duck on the defensive end. Combine his improved defense with his scoring touch around the basket and his superior rebounding ability ... and the Spurs may be onto something here.

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Roger Mason, Jr.

13.6 minutes, 1 point, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1 turnover
11.1% (1-for-9) from the field, 16.7% (1-for-6) on three-pointers

Before Roger Mason, Jr. hurt his hamstring, he was in a groove. Since his return, Mason's level of play from the beginning of the season has re-joined him -- and that's not a good thing. His shooting is ice cold once again and he's not helping out in other areas.

With the players around him struggling, Mason could hypothetically be earning himself a large role. But since he might be struggling the most, Mason continues to be at risk of being out of the rotation once the team makes its run into the homestretch.

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Michael Finley

11.5 minutes, 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists
66.7% (4-for-6) from the field

Michael Finley has been an ironman since joining the Spurs. Unfortunately, he turned his ankle against the Nuggets and will be forced to miss a few games. After missing five contests in his first season with the Spurs, he missed only one game in the last three seasons. And the one game he missed was that game in Denver last year in which Pop sat practically everyone.

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[ajballer4]

Thanks timvp. Your articles are one of the few things I still like reading around here these days

[PDXSpursFan]

Thanks timvp. No thoughts on Pop coaching?

[urunobili]

Thank you timvp

[ducks]

gee amazing
timvp blames the whole team not just tp

[Mr Bones]

"Blair" and "beast" in the same sentence. Nice, dude.

[FvckMavs]

Thanks timvp.
After watching these three games, I think Spurs should retire Bruce's #12 jersey right away.

[BoricuaCJA]

Originally Posted by ajballer4

Thanks timvp. Your articles are one of the few things I still like reading around here these days

I have to agree! Keep doing what your doing Timvp! Your points are pretty spot on.

[jcrod]

Its hard watching this team now, but I still believe. Every player is not playing well and they're still in every game with a chance to win. Hopefully it will click soon and everyone will start hitting their grove.

It's unbelievable how bad everyone is playing at the same time and missing their shots at a high rate. Nowhere to go but up.

[weebo]

This team is completely gutless, and I hate to say it but it starts with Pop. I have always been a strong supporter of Pop but I'm pretty sick of hearing his post game bullshit ("...they fought hard...gave themselves a chance to win..."...etc...). Doesn't this asshole know that moral victories are for losers!? Realization is starting to set in and Pop is being exposed for the fraud that he really is. Give any coach a top ten all time player and watch him become an all time great, but level the playing field and you see how a fraud is easily exposed. Fucking pathetic.

[ernest787]

i am not one to usually worry this early in the season, but it is currently to the point that i think all spurs fans have to begin to worry. Spurs have a history of slow starts, and while I have checked the stats I am pretty positive 18 games in the Spurs have not been .500 once in the Duncan era

That being said, I still have faith in the Spurs organization and Pop in general. It is nice to know the Spurs still have assets we can use if we need to make a move. It's also comforting to know that December should get a little easier the rest of the way and hopefully the Spurs can rack up some wins and maybe get some chemistry going.

IMO the big problem right now is the glaring need for another big man. Bonner has played great, Timmy is timmy, Blair has been great is spurts, but I still think they need a true C who can play 25 minutes next to Tim. Obviously the problem is that there are not many of those guys in the NBA and they come at a very high premium.

Regardless here is to hoping the Spurs get it going soon

[lurker23]

-I'm definitely up for throwing Mason back in the starting lineup in place of Bogans, mostly in an effort to get RMJ in a groove again. Other problems this would solve: relegating Bogans back to a more fitting "situational cooler" role, and adding a (theoretically) more reliable spot-up 3-point shooter to the starting lineup (which the Spurs don't have any more now that Bonner is on the bench).

-Pop was really trying hard to get Jefferson going last night, especially in the 3rd quarter (IIRC). He called several plays for him, mostly for him to post-up against a smaller defender. It was largely unsuccessful, but at least it shows Pop is cognizant about the need to actively get RJ involved.

-If Bonner and Blair can continue their progress on rebounding and defense respectively, then the Spurs should have no problem with their big man depth, particularly with the Theo Ratliff card still up their sleeve. Of all the players currently struggling (and there are a lot of them), Dice is one that I'm worried about the least. When push comes to shove, he's not going to forget how to rebound or knock down a 15-foot jumper. He may still be feeling his way around about the best way to get those things in this system, but in the end it's a lot easier to integrate a big man than it is to effectively integrate a guard or swingman.

[quentin_compson]

The Bogans matter is definitely a difficult one for Pop. While it was clear that his couple of very good games offensively early on weren't something you could expect every other night, I also didn't think that he would be as horrible as he's been lately.

But who should be the guy starting instead of Bogans? Mason Jr. and Finley haven't been exactly playing elite level basketball this season, either.

[UnWantedTheory]

Originally Posted by jcrod

Its hard watching this team now, but I still believe. Every player is not playing well and they're still in every game with a chance to win. Hopefully it will click soon and everyone will start hitting their grove.

It's unbelievable how bad everyone is playing at the same time and missing their shots at a high rate. Nowhere to go but up.

I love the positivity. I hope your right.

[quentin_compson]

Originally Posted by lurker23

-Pop was really trying hard to get Jefferson going last night, especially in the 3rd quarter (IIRC). He called several plays for him, mostly for him to post-up against a smaller defender. It was largely unsuccessful, but at least it shows Pop is cognizant about the need to actively get RJ involved.

Yeah, I remember that as well. Apart from Bonner's career-high and great game, this might have been the best thing about this loss against the Jazz.

[DPG21920]

Originally Posted by ducks

gee amazing
timvp blames the whole team not just manu

Fixed.

Your act gets old Donald. Not everyone blames TP. Most say he plays a significant part in the struggles though. That is not to hard to understand because he is one of the most significant players. If you want him to be the superstar, he has to take the blame like the superstar.

Something that has been said a million times that you don't seem to get is that all of the other struggles were foreseen to a certain degree. But not TP's. No one could have expected the youngest of the big 3 to have such a set back. The Spurs were not planning on that being a problem, but it has been a huge problem. Not the only problem, but one that if corrected, would go the longest way to helping this team win more games.

[DPG21920]

I thought from the very beginning (even pre-season) that Mason was a lock to start. I was shocked to find him out of the starting line up to begin the season. Then when Bogans entered, it was the only thing that made sense.

Now I am back at Mason has to start. He just fits. You will maximize what you get from him and everyone (theoretically) if you start him.

[PDXSpursFan]

Bogans = sucks offensively, above-average defensively
Mason = sucks both offensively and defensively

Who should start again?

[DPG21920]

Originally Posted by PDXSpursFan

Bogans = sucks offensively, above-average defensively
Mason = sucks both offensively and defensively

Who should start again?

To simple of an analysis. Mason does not suck offensively. He showed that last year. He is not playing well as of late, but his offense does not suck. He can play passable defense when he focuses as well. He is not a good defender, but he can help out.

[duncan228]

Piece on Mason that got lost in the crowd today.

Garcia: Mason Jr. adjusting to new role as Spurs retool

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141511

[Spurs Brazil]

The silver lining, if you are searching for one, is that Derek Anderson needed until January to start playing well and the addition of Anderson was quite similar to the addition of Jefferson.

That's a good comparison but at that time DA was the 1st perimeter option to attack the basket, now TP and Manu will have the ball more than RJ. Let's hope Pop figures something to get him going

[Chieflion]

Good read, although it does makes me more pissed to see everyone except for Timmy and Bonner playing like shit.

[senorglory]

I don't think Bogans is intended to be a starter, but is in there as a stop gap measure filling in for injuries and unexpected mediocrity, so that eventually, he'll slide back to his natural role player position, coming off the bench, and be a good addition to the roster. He had a stretch of over-achievement, playing above his normal abilities, and the Spurs tried to ride it for too long, making him look poor as he regressed to normal. He'll look good again when he goes back to his natural role. Probably.

[senorglory]

Originally Posted by senorglory

I don't think Bogans is intended to be a starter, but is in there as a stop gap measure filling in for injuries and unexpected mediocrity, so that eventually, he'll slide back to his natural role player position, coming off the bench, and be a good addition to the roster. He had a stretch of over-achievement, playing above his normal abilities, and the Spurs tried to ride it for too long, making him look poor as he regressed to normal. He'll look good again when he goes back to his natural role. Probably.

o.k., I see now that I made the same basic point as lurker23, quentin_compson, and DPG21920.

[Fabbs]

Originally Posted by PDXSpursFan

Thanks timvp. No thoughts on Pop coaching?

Yes while being neither for nor against your further commentary on Poop in Game Thoughts, after 3 years of it (longer?) to just omit without explaination?

[lmbebo]

Haven't been able to see the games because of work. Its been frustrating.

Sucks to see the team struggling. From what I can tell is that the spurs were just awful in the 3rd and in the 4th, lack of team execution did the team in. IN the past, those were the games the spurs excelled at. Spurs played so well as a unit and out played opposing teams.

Not the case any more