duncan228
12-03-2008, 02:34 PM
Jeff McDonald: Courtside, where we're neither soft nor intimidated (http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2008/12/jeff_mcdonald.html)
A few observations from the Spurs' 89-77 loss to Detroit, while wondering how the Spurs are going to fare against the team that actually got the better of the Iverson-Billups deal ...
* We fully believe Gregg Popovich's sincerity when he says Manu Ginobili is going to be a starter "in perpetuity." We also wonder how long it will be before Popovich can't help himself, and makes Ginobili a Sixth Man again. We also know Roger Mason is going to have to score better than six points for Ginobili-as-a-starter to work.
* That said, we'd urge patience with Popovich's latest round of lineup tinkering. Mason has to learn how to play with Ginobili and Tony Parker, and vice versa. Mason played 30 minutes last night, about what he had been averaging without Parker and Ginobili available, but managed to squeeze off just six shots. That's not enough.
* Ginobili still isn't quite right. He swears he has no pain in his surgically repaired ankle, but it does stiffen up on him when he gets cold. You can see him hopping around and stretching out on the sidelines when he's not in the game, in attempts to stay warm. That's one reason Popovich elected to start him.
* Kwame Brown is really, really bad at basketball.
* Popovich loves George Hill, but he isn't as fall-all-over-yourself giddy about him as most fans seem to be. Asked before Tuesday's game about the probability of Hill seeing his minutes reduced with Parker back, Pop said, "You can probably bet on it." The coach kept his word there, too, playing Hill seven minutes and giving key second-half minutes to Jacque Vaughn. Pop's goal for Hill is to have him ready to play a large role in the rotation by the time the playoffs roll around. Nothing more, nothing less.
A few observations from the Spurs' 89-77 loss to Detroit, while wondering how the Spurs are going to fare against the team that actually got the better of the Iverson-Billups deal ...
* We fully believe Gregg Popovich's sincerity when he says Manu Ginobili is going to be a starter "in perpetuity." We also wonder how long it will be before Popovich can't help himself, and makes Ginobili a Sixth Man again. We also know Roger Mason is going to have to score better than six points for Ginobili-as-a-starter to work.
* That said, we'd urge patience with Popovich's latest round of lineup tinkering. Mason has to learn how to play with Ginobili and Tony Parker, and vice versa. Mason played 30 minutes last night, about what he had been averaging without Parker and Ginobili available, but managed to squeeze off just six shots. That's not enough.
* Ginobili still isn't quite right. He swears he has no pain in his surgically repaired ankle, but it does stiffen up on him when he gets cold. You can see him hopping around and stretching out on the sidelines when he's not in the game, in attempts to stay warm. That's one reason Popovich elected to start him.
* Kwame Brown is really, really bad at basketball.
* Popovich loves George Hill, but he isn't as fall-all-over-yourself giddy about him as most fans seem to be. Asked before Tuesday's game about the probability of Hill seeing his minutes reduced with Parker back, Pop said, "You can probably bet on it." The coach kept his word there, too, playing Hill seven minutes and giving key second-half minutes to Jacque Vaughn. Pop's goal for Hill is to have him ready to play a large role in the rotation by the time the playoffs roll around. Nothing more, nothing less.