duncan228
11-22-2008, 11:32 PM
Spurs' Mason shows off his versatility (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_Mason_shows_off_his_versatility.html)
By Jeff McDonald
The game hadn't even tipped off yet, and already Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr., knew he was in for a special night.
Only moments before his team was to take the floor against Utah on Friday night, coach Gregg Popovich approached with a bit of information he figured Mason might find useful.
Uh, Roger, you're starting at the point tonight.
Mason's response?
“I was like, ‘Cool'” Mason said.
That word also best describes how Mason handled himself in his surprise role.
Employed primarily as a shooting guard before Friday, Mason became the third player to start at the point for the Spurs this season, joining Tony Parker and George Hill.
He toggled back and forth between both positions as the game progressed, scoring at will from either slot. Mason poured in season-high 29 points, hit 7 of 10 3-pointers and generally made life miserable for Utah in the Spurs' 119-94 victory.
“I love playing the point,” Mason said. “I love having the ball in my hands. I'm able to make more plays that way.”
One of the qualities that made Mason attractive to the Spurs in last summer's free agency period was his versatility. Mason, 6-foot-5, played both guard positions for the Washington Wizards last season.
The Spurs have used him at small forward as well.
With shooting guard Manu Ginobili and point guard Parker sidelined with injuries, Mason has emerged as a serviceable replacement for either.
“He's capable of playing three positions, and he enjoys playing all three,” Popovich said. “It's not a burden for him, it doesn't make him less aggressive. Sometimes, when he plays the point, I think it makes him more aggressive with the ball.”
Through 12 games, Mason is averaging 15.2 points, and shooting a team-best 50.8 percent (32 of 63) from 3-point range.
Against the Jazz, Mason split time at the point with Hill, the rookie phenom whom he replaced in the starting lineup. The two combined for 52 points as the Spurs logged their highest point total of the season.
New streak for Bowen: Bruce Bowen was back in the Spurs' starting lineup against the Jazz after logging six consecutive appearances off the bench.
It was a blast from the not-too-distant past for Bowen, who had started 555 games in a Spurs uniform before being moved to the bench for a Nov. 11 victory over the Knicks.
Great exaggerations: A side effect of the Spurs' season-long bout with injuries has been an abundance of playing time for several young players.
Conventional wisdom has it that the Spurs' bench should be deeper once Parker and Ginobili return. Leave it to Popovich, however, to set a torch to conventional wisdom.
“It's overused and certainly an exaggeration, but it sounds great,” Popovich said. “It's imminently logical, but in reality it doesn't always work that way. It will work for some guys, for some guys it won't. ... All in all, it's overrated.”
By Jeff McDonald
The game hadn't even tipped off yet, and already Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr., knew he was in for a special night.
Only moments before his team was to take the floor against Utah on Friday night, coach Gregg Popovich approached with a bit of information he figured Mason might find useful.
Uh, Roger, you're starting at the point tonight.
Mason's response?
“I was like, ‘Cool'” Mason said.
That word also best describes how Mason handled himself in his surprise role.
Employed primarily as a shooting guard before Friday, Mason became the third player to start at the point for the Spurs this season, joining Tony Parker and George Hill.
He toggled back and forth between both positions as the game progressed, scoring at will from either slot. Mason poured in season-high 29 points, hit 7 of 10 3-pointers and generally made life miserable for Utah in the Spurs' 119-94 victory.
“I love playing the point,” Mason said. “I love having the ball in my hands. I'm able to make more plays that way.”
One of the qualities that made Mason attractive to the Spurs in last summer's free agency period was his versatility. Mason, 6-foot-5, played both guard positions for the Washington Wizards last season.
The Spurs have used him at small forward as well.
With shooting guard Manu Ginobili and point guard Parker sidelined with injuries, Mason has emerged as a serviceable replacement for either.
“He's capable of playing three positions, and he enjoys playing all three,” Popovich said. “It's not a burden for him, it doesn't make him less aggressive. Sometimes, when he plays the point, I think it makes him more aggressive with the ball.”
Through 12 games, Mason is averaging 15.2 points, and shooting a team-best 50.8 percent (32 of 63) from 3-point range.
Against the Jazz, Mason split time at the point with Hill, the rookie phenom whom he replaced in the starting lineup. The two combined for 52 points as the Spurs logged their highest point total of the season.
New streak for Bowen: Bruce Bowen was back in the Spurs' starting lineup against the Jazz after logging six consecutive appearances off the bench.
It was a blast from the not-too-distant past for Bowen, who had started 555 games in a Spurs uniform before being moved to the bench for a Nov. 11 victory over the Knicks.
Great exaggerations: A side effect of the Spurs' season-long bout with injuries has been an abundance of playing time for several young players.
Conventional wisdom has it that the Spurs' bench should be deeper once Parker and Ginobili return. Leave it to Popovich, however, to set a torch to conventional wisdom.
“It's overused and certainly an exaggeration, but it sounds great,” Popovich said. “It's imminently logical, but in reality it doesn't always work that way. It will work for some guys, for some guys it won't. ... All in all, it's overrated.”