duncan228
10-25-2008, 09:48 PM
Scouting the Spurs: 2008-09 preview (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Scouting_the_Spurs.html)
Express-News
The NBA professionals who see more games than anyone — the advance scouts — know the game and NBA personnel, inside-out.
The Express-News asked one such expert for his assessment of the Spurs. Here it is, word for word.
OVERALL
They’re what the Utah Jazz used to be, and are trying to be again: probably the most well-oiled machine in the league. It all starts with (president of basketball operations and head coach) Gregg Popovich and (general manager) R.C. Buford, and the way they run their business. They’ve got three fantastic players and some fantastic veteran support. They always seem to add a couple of nice pieces. For example, I think (Fabricio) Oberto is a perfect complement for what they’re trying to do. They’ve got pieces everywhere and they’re all experienced. They don’t seem to take a lot of chances with young guys. That’s one reason their George Hill pick will be closely observed by the rest of league. I don’t think you’ll find many teams that had George Hill in their top 50. A very interesting move by them.
TIM DUNCAN
Everything for them starts with him. He’s still a premier player in the league, who allows them to do so many things at both ends of the court. He’s going to give you the same thing every night: points, rebounds, blocks and effort. That is as hard to find in NBA as anything you can name. Every team in the league wishes they had Tim. Trust me on that.
TONY PARKER
A perfect fit for that team. He controls tempo. He has become very offensive- minded and is a legitimate scoring threat, all over the court. I don’t know if you can call him a 3-point shooter just yet, but he gets to the rim as well as anybody and has the best teardrop this side of Steve Nash. He seems to be getting lots of little bothersome injuries. That’s something to keep eye on. The one problem the Spurs have is that on top of all their playoff games they have played, several of their guys, including Tony, have played a lot of international ball. In time, that’s like another season on your body.
FABRICIO OBERTO
This is a guy who is a solid role player for them. A very gifted playmaker for a big. He plays within himself, a guy who gives them a different dimension because he’s so easy to run offense through. You never see him get out of character. He measures every shot, every rebound, makes sure he’s in position. He’s an underrated tough guy. A very tough guy.
BRUCE BOWEN
Everyone wants to say he’s lost a step, but as people build their teams, especially in the West, you have to have somebody who can keep Bowen engaged. The last thing you want is Bruce Bowen with time on his hands on the court, because if he’s just a help defender, helping teammates, he’s lethal. He’s starting to show age just a little bit. They’ll have to be proactive making sure he gets plenty of rest this season. The Spurs are such a wonderful sum of their parts, and Bruce Bowen wouldn’t be the player he is on another team.
MANU GINOBILI
This is someone people will pay to see play. He’s fun to watch. So versatile and gifted. He’s one of the top players in the league at creating his own shot. It doesn’t always drop. But he’s somebody you’re going to have to see how he comes out of this injury, because he’s an athlete, and so much of his game is predicated on his quickness and ability to stop on a dime. That is going to be the biggest question for the Spurs, and for everybody else.
MICHAEL FINLEY
A dedicated professional. Probably a step slower now, and probably someone whose minutes have to be monitored, but nobody is questioning his veteran savvy. He’s got plenty of notches on his belt and probably is going to take the mantle from Rob Horry as a guy to look to in tight situations from the perimeter.
ROGER MASON
His team will adapt to him and him to that team. Still becoming a player, because he had a lot of detours along the way to the NBA. He’s actually a better defender than people think, and also is a guy who can light it up in a hurry. Can put points on the board and he’s not afraid to take shots. This is the opportunity he’s been waiting his whole life for, so I will be surprised if he doesn’t take advantage.
KURT THOMAS
This is a sticky one. If he stays healthy and gets through the year, he is as physical as any player in the West, but the only thing he did in the offseason was get older. He’s past the point of adding anything to his game. They’ve got to be careful when to play him, and Pop is the best at that. Things he does well also put you in a vulnerable position at times. He can’t guard guys like Amare Stoudemire, or even Kenyon Martin, any longer.
COACHING STAFF
You know why the GMs picked Pop as the best coach in the league? Because he’s genuine, and because he can flat-out coach. That’s all you need to know.
Express-News
The NBA professionals who see more games than anyone — the advance scouts — know the game and NBA personnel, inside-out.
The Express-News asked one such expert for his assessment of the Spurs. Here it is, word for word.
OVERALL
They’re what the Utah Jazz used to be, and are trying to be again: probably the most well-oiled machine in the league. It all starts with (president of basketball operations and head coach) Gregg Popovich and (general manager) R.C. Buford, and the way they run their business. They’ve got three fantastic players and some fantastic veteran support. They always seem to add a couple of nice pieces. For example, I think (Fabricio) Oberto is a perfect complement for what they’re trying to do. They’ve got pieces everywhere and they’re all experienced. They don’t seem to take a lot of chances with young guys. That’s one reason their George Hill pick will be closely observed by the rest of league. I don’t think you’ll find many teams that had George Hill in their top 50. A very interesting move by them.
TIM DUNCAN
Everything for them starts with him. He’s still a premier player in the league, who allows them to do so many things at both ends of the court. He’s going to give you the same thing every night: points, rebounds, blocks and effort. That is as hard to find in NBA as anything you can name. Every team in the league wishes they had Tim. Trust me on that.
TONY PARKER
A perfect fit for that team. He controls tempo. He has become very offensive- minded and is a legitimate scoring threat, all over the court. I don’t know if you can call him a 3-point shooter just yet, but he gets to the rim as well as anybody and has the best teardrop this side of Steve Nash. He seems to be getting lots of little bothersome injuries. That’s something to keep eye on. The one problem the Spurs have is that on top of all their playoff games they have played, several of their guys, including Tony, have played a lot of international ball. In time, that’s like another season on your body.
FABRICIO OBERTO
This is a guy who is a solid role player for them. A very gifted playmaker for a big. He plays within himself, a guy who gives them a different dimension because he’s so easy to run offense through. You never see him get out of character. He measures every shot, every rebound, makes sure he’s in position. He’s an underrated tough guy. A very tough guy.
BRUCE BOWEN
Everyone wants to say he’s lost a step, but as people build their teams, especially in the West, you have to have somebody who can keep Bowen engaged. The last thing you want is Bruce Bowen with time on his hands on the court, because if he’s just a help defender, helping teammates, he’s lethal. He’s starting to show age just a little bit. They’ll have to be proactive making sure he gets plenty of rest this season. The Spurs are such a wonderful sum of their parts, and Bruce Bowen wouldn’t be the player he is on another team.
MANU GINOBILI
This is someone people will pay to see play. He’s fun to watch. So versatile and gifted. He’s one of the top players in the league at creating his own shot. It doesn’t always drop. But he’s somebody you’re going to have to see how he comes out of this injury, because he’s an athlete, and so much of his game is predicated on his quickness and ability to stop on a dime. That is going to be the biggest question for the Spurs, and for everybody else.
MICHAEL FINLEY
A dedicated professional. Probably a step slower now, and probably someone whose minutes have to be monitored, but nobody is questioning his veteran savvy. He’s got plenty of notches on his belt and probably is going to take the mantle from Rob Horry as a guy to look to in tight situations from the perimeter.
ROGER MASON
His team will adapt to him and him to that team. Still becoming a player, because he had a lot of detours along the way to the NBA. He’s actually a better defender than people think, and also is a guy who can light it up in a hurry. Can put points on the board and he’s not afraid to take shots. This is the opportunity he’s been waiting his whole life for, so I will be surprised if he doesn’t take advantage.
KURT THOMAS
This is a sticky one. If he stays healthy and gets through the year, he is as physical as any player in the West, but the only thing he did in the offseason was get older. He’s past the point of adding anything to his game. They’ve got to be careful when to play him, and Pop is the best at that. Things he does well also put you in a vulnerable position at times. He can’t guard guys like Amare Stoudemire, or even Kenyon Martin, any longer.
COACHING STAFF
You know why the GMs picked Pop as the best coach in the league? Because he’s genuine, and because he can flat-out coach. That’s all you need to know.