timvp
11-22-2008, 07:18 PM
The Utah Jazz came to San Antonio on Friday night with a hurting roster and the Spurs made sure they felt the pain. After trailing by as many as nine points in the first quarter, the Spurs used a 20-4 run to bust the game open and never look back. When the final horn sounded, the Spurs had easily disposed of the Jazz by a final score of 119-94.
Playing in just his tenth career game, George Hill was almost single-handedly responsible for the first quarter run. Coming off the bench for the first time since Tony Parker got injured, Hill either scored or assisted on 16 of the 18 points the Spurs scored in the final four and a half minutes of the quarter.
Offensively, the Jazz were good enough to compensate for not having Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver due to injury. Defensively, though, Utah just wasn’t very good. Their strategy was to double-team Tim Duncan relentlessly but Duncan and the Spurs figured it out and they were able to get plenty of wide open three-pointers.
For the Spurs, this was another good shorthanded victory. Although their defense wasn’t as sturdy as it’s been as of late, their red hot offense more than made up for any defensive deficiencies. The blowout win should help the confidence, especially the confidence of the players new to the system, and it allowed for Pop to rest the starters.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
27 minutes, 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists
6-for-10 from the field, 6-for-6 at the line
Tim Duncan played a very smart game on the offensive end. He figured out what the Jazz were doing defensively and used the predictable double-teams to find open shooters. Whenever Utah made any type of run, Duncan would then take it upon himself to score. Rebounding-wise, Duncan was very active on the offensive boards but needed to help out a bit more on the other end. Two defensive rebounds in 27 minutes won’t cut it most nights. Duncan was decent defensively but not as dominant as we’ve seen over the last few weeks. Overall, he was solid and definitely helped the Spurs break it open and win it going away.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
30 minutes, 29 points, four rebounds
10-for-17 from the field, 7-for-10 on three-pointers
Starting at point guard, Roger Mason, Jr. gave Spurs fans even more to be excited about. His season-high 29 points featured a career-high tying seven three-pointers. Mason made the Jazz pay when they left him open – which was inexplicably quite often. His playmaking skills weren’t as crisp as possible but he made a lot of good decisions. Not even a month into his Spurs career, Mason is proving to be a willing shooter who is capable of playing three positions.
-------------------------------
Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
27 minutes, 14 points, three rebounds
6-for-10 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Michael Finley did another fine job on the offensive end. He was actively looking for his shots and even penetrated into the lane a few times. Defensively, Finley wasn’t as good as he’s been in recent games. In fact, Pop benched him after a defensive miscue in which he let his man drive down the middle of the paint. On the whole, however, Finley is playing very well.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
27 minutes, three points, four assists
1-for-1 from the field, 1-for-1 on three-pointers
Back in the starting lineup, Bowen had a better than average game. He was aggressive defensively and did a really good job getting back on transition defense. On offense, Bowen hit the only shot he took. Although Bowen’s role has fluctuated all year, he has quietly knocked down most of his shots. He’s now shooting 53.1% from the field, including 42.9% on three-pointers.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
23 minutes, five rebounds, three assists
0-for-1 from the field
Fabricio Oberto looked more active than usual against the Jazz. He helped the Spurs get second chances by crashing the offensive glass. Oberto also made a number of very impressive passes. However, scoring and defensive rebounds remain a problem for the Argentine bigman. Oberto is currently last in the NBA in points per minute and compared to last season, his offensive production is down nearly 60%.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
29 minutes, ten points, five rebounds
3-for-9 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers, 4-for-5 at the line
Pop gave Ime Udoka plenty of minutes to find his way out of his slump. Although he showed signs of life, Udoka continued to struggle for the most part. Offensively, he’s discombobulated – shooting when he should pass and passing when he should shoot. Defensively, he’s doing a decent job but not as good as he’s capable of playing. The rebounds were helpful, although he’ll need to do more to keep from seeing his minutes totally disappear once everyone is healthy.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://www.iupuijags.com/images/2007/12/12/player_hill.jpg
23 minutes, 23 points, four assists, three steals
7-for-13 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers, 7-for-10 at the line
George Hill had a few extraordinary stretches. In his first 12 minutes of action, Hill scored 21 points on 6-for-8 shooting and also had three assists. Although he has struggled at times this year due to passive play, his aggressiveness level in this game was through the roof. Hill seemed extremely comfortable in his role off the bench and if it weren't for persistent foul trouble, he could have really exploded against the Jazz. One aspect of his game that should help the Spurs down the line is his ability to get to the free throw line. He’s getting to the line at a rate just a hair less than Duncan, which is a great sign for a rookie.
-------------------------------
Anthony Tolliver
http://msn.foxsports.com/fe/img/NBA/Headshots/140x170/4371.jpg
19 minutes, five points, two steals, one rebound
2-for-5 from the field, 1-for-3 on three-pointers
Anthony Tolliver, as we’ve come to expect, hustled and was all over the court on the defensive end. He also made a few very good passes on the offensive end. That said, Tolliver is going to have to start grabbing more rebounds to earn a consistent role. If he can’t rebound better than he’s shown so far, Tolliver is going to have a tough time surviving in the NBA as a bigman.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
18 minutes, 12 points, four rebounds, two assists
5-for-8 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
Outside of Hill and Duncan, Bonner might have been the best player on the court for the Spurs. He wasn't hesitant at all on the offensive end and really helped spread the court with his shooting. The Bonner and Hill pick-and-roll was especially effective. On the defensive end, Bonner did a great job of moving his feet – even when he was switched off onto perimeter players. In the last five games, Bonner has found his way out of Pop’s doghouse and is now proving he deserves plenty of minutes. In those five games he’s averaging 9.8 points and 5 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game, while shooting 51.3% from the field and 52.9% from beyond the arc.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
nine minutes, two points, six rebounds, two assists
1-for-4 from the field
Kurt Thomas didn’t enter the game until it was garbage time in the fourth quarter. Although the competition level wasn’t high, it was good to see Thomas able to pull down rebounds. He also looked more limber than usual. Hopefully this garbage time cameo translates to better production in upcoming games.
-------------------------------
Blake Ahearn
http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/4/44070m.JPG
eight minutes, three points
1-for-3 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Offensively, Blake Ahearn looks pretty decent. He's a confident ballhandler who makes the right pass and has a nice looking stroke. Defense is a different story. His effort isn’t where it needs to be and his positioning is poor. Ahearn might be a worthwhile project due to his offensive potential but he has tons of work to do before he becomes an even halfway acceptable defender on the NBA level.
-------------------------------
Jacque Vaughn
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3195.jpg
seven seconds
With Mason starting the game at point guard and Hill playing the backup role, Vaughn was nudged out of the rotation. I’m not sure if dropping Vaughn out of the rotation was part of the reason why Pop moved Mason to the starting role, but it worked out that way.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
At first, I was disappointed that Pop benched Hill. But once Hill came into the game with boundless energy and aggressiveness, Pop’s move looked genius. It’ll be interesting to see if Pop will keep that point guard rotation going forward. Outside of that coaching move, Pop didn’t have to do much more considering the way the Spurs were shooting the basketball. Although he does deserve credit for calling a lot of pick-and-rolls involving Bonner because those plays played a big part in breaking down Utah’s defense.
-------------------------------
Offense
San Antonio’s offense was highlighted by their three-point shooting. The Spurs hit eight of their first nine three-pointers and finished the game 15-for-25 from beyond the arc. Most of the threes were generated by either aggressiveness from the guards or Duncan drawing attention. The Spurs also shot 51.9% from the floor and 20-for-25 from the line. Their assist-to-turnover ratio was impressive as they had 23 assists to just 11 turnovers. Overall, it’d be almost impossible for the Spurs to play better than they did on offense without both Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.
Defense
The defense wasn’t nearly as impressive. The Jazz were able to shoot 49.3% from the field – mostly because the middle of the Spurs defense was quite weak. Even though the Jazz shot a lot of attempts in the paint, the Spurs failed to register a single blocked shot. The good news is that the Spurs held the Jazz to just seven offensive rebounds and did a good job of closing out on the shooters.
Drive to Survive
At 6-6, the Spurs have to be very happy with where they currently stand, all things considered. The next game is Monday at Memphis against the Grizzlies. Although it’s a winnable game, the Grizzlies have loads of athleticism that will be difficult for the Spurs to handle, especially if they don’t do a better job of protecting the rim. But if the Spurs attack offensively and play with more toughness on defense, they may be able to find themselves over .500 for the first time this season.
Believe.
Playing in just his tenth career game, George Hill was almost single-handedly responsible for the first quarter run. Coming off the bench for the first time since Tony Parker got injured, Hill either scored or assisted on 16 of the 18 points the Spurs scored in the final four and a half minutes of the quarter.
Offensively, the Jazz were good enough to compensate for not having Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver due to injury. Defensively, though, Utah just wasn’t very good. Their strategy was to double-team Tim Duncan relentlessly but Duncan and the Spurs figured it out and they were able to get plenty of wide open three-pointers.
For the Spurs, this was another good shorthanded victory. Although their defense wasn’t as sturdy as it’s been as of late, their red hot offense more than made up for any defensive deficiencies. The blowout win should help the confidence, especially the confidence of the players new to the system, and it allowed for Pop to rest the starters.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
27 minutes, 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists
6-for-10 from the field, 6-for-6 at the line
Tim Duncan played a very smart game on the offensive end. He figured out what the Jazz were doing defensively and used the predictable double-teams to find open shooters. Whenever Utah made any type of run, Duncan would then take it upon himself to score. Rebounding-wise, Duncan was very active on the offensive boards but needed to help out a bit more on the other end. Two defensive rebounds in 27 minutes won’t cut it most nights. Duncan was decent defensively but not as dominant as we’ve seen over the last few weeks. Overall, he was solid and definitely helped the Spurs break it open and win it going away.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
30 minutes, 29 points, four rebounds
10-for-17 from the field, 7-for-10 on three-pointers
Starting at point guard, Roger Mason, Jr. gave Spurs fans even more to be excited about. His season-high 29 points featured a career-high tying seven three-pointers. Mason made the Jazz pay when they left him open – which was inexplicably quite often. His playmaking skills weren’t as crisp as possible but he made a lot of good decisions. Not even a month into his Spurs career, Mason is proving to be a willing shooter who is capable of playing three positions.
-------------------------------
Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
27 minutes, 14 points, three rebounds
6-for-10 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Michael Finley did another fine job on the offensive end. He was actively looking for his shots and even penetrated into the lane a few times. Defensively, Finley wasn’t as good as he’s been in recent games. In fact, Pop benched him after a defensive miscue in which he let his man drive down the middle of the paint. On the whole, however, Finley is playing very well.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
27 minutes, three points, four assists
1-for-1 from the field, 1-for-1 on three-pointers
Back in the starting lineup, Bowen had a better than average game. He was aggressive defensively and did a really good job getting back on transition defense. On offense, Bowen hit the only shot he took. Although Bowen’s role has fluctuated all year, he has quietly knocked down most of his shots. He’s now shooting 53.1% from the field, including 42.9% on three-pointers.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
23 minutes, five rebounds, three assists
0-for-1 from the field
Fabricio Oberto looked more active than usual against the Jazz. He helped the Spurs get second chances by crashing the offensive glass. Oberto also made a number of very impressive passes. However, scoring and defensive rebounds remain a problem for the Argentine bigman. Oberto is currently last in the NBA in points per minute and compared to last season, his offensive production is down nearly 60%.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
29 minutes, ten points, five rebounds
3-for-9 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers, 4-for-5 at the line
Pop gave Ime Udoka plenty of minutes to find his way out of his slump. Although he showed signs of life, Udoka continued to struggle for the most part. Offensively, he’s discombobulated – shooting when he should pass and passing when he should shoot. Defensively, he’s doing a decent job but not as good as he’s capable of playing. The rebounds were helpful, although he’ll need to do more to keep from seeing his minutes totally disappear once everyone is healthy.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://www.iupuijags.com/images/2007/12/12/player_hill.jpg
23 minutes, 23 points, four assists, three steals
7-for-13 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers, 7-for-10 at the line
George Hill had a few extraordinary stretches. In his first 12 minutes of action, Hill scored 21 points on 6-for-8 shooting and also had three assists. Although he has struggled at times this year due to passive play, his aggressiveness level in this game was through the roof. Hill seemed extremely comfortable in his role off the bench and if it weren't for persistent foul trouble, he could have really exploded against the Jazz. One aspect of his game that should help the Spurs down the line is his ability to get to the free throw line. He’s getting to the line at a rate just a hair less than Duncan, which is a great sign for a rookie.
-------------------------------
Anthony Tolliver
http://msn.foxsports.com/fe/img/NBA/Headshots/140x170/4371.jpg
19 minutes, five points, two steals, one rebound
2-for-5 from the field, 1-for-3 on three-pointers
Anthony Tolliver, as we’ve come to expect, hustled and was all over the court on the defensive end. He also made a few very good passes on the offensive end. That said, Tolliver is going to have to start grabbing more rebounds to earn a consistent role. If he can’t rebound better than he’s shown so far, Tolliver is going to have a tough time surviving in the NBA as a bigman.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
18 minutes, 12 points, four rebounds, two assists
5-for-8 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
Outside of Hill and Duncan, Bonner might have been the best player on the court for the Spurs. He wasn't hesitant at all on the offensive end and really helped spread the court with his shooting. The Bonner and Hill pick-and-roll was especially effective. On the defensive end, Bonner did a great job of moving his feet – even when he was switched off onto perimeter players. In the last five games, Bonner has found his way out of Pop’s doghouse and is now proving he deserves plenty of minutes. In those five games he’s averaging 9.8 points and 5 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game, while shooting 51.3% from the field and 52.9% from beyond the arc.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
nine minutes, two points, six rebounds, two assists
1-for-4 from the field
Kurt Thomas didn’t enter the game until it was garbage time in the fourth quarter. Although the competition level wasn’t high, it was good to see Thomas able to pull down rebounds. He also looked more limber than usual. Hopefully this garbage time cameo translates to better production in upcoming games.
-------------------------------
Blake Ahearn
http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/4/44070m.JPG
eight minutes, three points
1-for-3 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Offensively, Blake Ahearn looks pretty decent. He's a confident ballhandler who makes the right pass and has a nice looking stroke. Defense is a different story. His effort isn’t where it needs to be and his positioning is poor. Ahearn might be a worthwhile project due to his offensive potential but he has tons of work to do before he becomes an even halfway acceptable defender on the NBA level.
-------------------------------
Jacque Vaughn
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3195.jpg
seven seconds
With Mason starting the game at point guard and Hill playing the backup role, Vaughn was nudged out of the rotation. I’m not sure if dropping Vaughn out of the rotation was part of the reason why Pop moved Mason to the starting role, but it worked out that way.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
At first, I was disappointed that Pop benched Hill. But once Hill came into the game with boundless energy and aggressiveness, Pop’s move looked genius. It’ll be interesting to see if Pop will keep that point guard rotation going forward. Outside of that coaching move, Pop didn’t have to do much more considering the way the Spurs were shooting the basketball. Although he does deserve credit for calling a lot of pick-and-rolls involving Bonner because those plays played a big part in breaking down Utah’s defense.
-------------------------------
Offense
San Antonio’s offense was highlighted by their three-point shooting. The Spurs hit eight of their first nine three-pointers and finished the game 15-for-25 from beyond the arc. Most of the threes were generated by either aggressiveness from the guards or Duncan drawing attention. The Spurs also shot 51.9% from the floor and 20-for-25 from the line. Their assist-to-turnover ratio was impressive as they had 23 assists to just 11 turnovers. Overall, it’d be almost impossible for the Spurs to play better than they did on offense without both Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.
Defense
The defense wasn’t nearly as impressive. The Jazz were able to shoot 49.3% from the field – mostly because the middle of the Spurs defense was quite weak. Even though the Jazz shot a lot of attempts in the paint, the Spurs failed to register a single blocked shot. The good news is that the Spurs held the Jazz to just seven offensive rebounds and did a good job of closing out on the shooters.
Drive to Survive
At 6-6, the Spurs have to be very happy with where they currently stand, all things considered. The next game is Monday at Memphis against the Grizzlies. Although it’s a winnable game, the Grizzlies have loads of athleticism that will be difficult for the Spurs to handle, especially if they don’t do a better job of protecting the rim. But if the Spurs attack offensively and play with more toughness on defense, they may be able to find themselves over .500 for the first time this season.
Believe.