Spurs Playoff Roster

[PeterBurns]

Call it now.

Duncan
Manu
Parker
Mason
Bonner
Finley
Bowen
Hill
Gooden
Oberto
Thomas
Vaughn


Udoka/Hariston/Ian Odd Men Out?

[m33p0]

unless gooden's injury turns out to be worse than expected (hope not), udoka, much to the chagrin of the fans, will be in the lineup. hairston is still raw and inexperienced in the playoffs.

i don't know how much interest the spurs have on stromile swift. (i thought this guy retired already).

[PeterBurns]

The converstation comes down to Vaughn/Udoka.

Hill impressed me enough to handle it, but Vaughn is still a guy that is safe. Udoka could add a quick defense hit.

[Bruno]

Vaughn ?
He is Spurs' 5th string PG.

Vaughn and Mahinmi are lock to be inactive. The other inactive player will likely be Hairston.

[m33p0]

scratch swift. looks like the suns are looking to sign him up.

[MoSpur]

I think Vaughn is for sure left off the roster. Udoka is the only other one who comes to mind

[nkdlunch]

Major Rotation players:
Duncan
Manu
Parker
Thomas
Bonner
Mason
Finley
Bowen
Gooden

bench scrubs:
Hill
Oberto
Udoka

[EricB]

scratch swift. looks like the suns are looking to sign him up.


Praise jesus.

[I Love Me Some Me]

Call it now.

Duncan
Manu
Parker
Mason
Bonner
Finley
Bowen
Hill
Gooden
Oberto
Thomas
Vaughn


Udoka/Hariston/Ian Odd Men Out?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but teams can carry 15, and change their active roster from game-to-game, right?

[kolko]

Yes.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

It hasn't worked this way for a couple of years now. It used to be you could only take 12 to the playoffs. Now you take 15 and dress any 12 for each game, just like the regular season.

The question is moot and this thread is rather pointless.

[xtremesteven33]

Duncan
Gooden
Bowen
Mason
Parker

SUBS:
Ginobili
Thomas
Bonner
Hill
Finley


Thats a good rotation :tu

[urunobili]

call it now.

Duncan
manu
parker
mason
bonner
finley
bowen
hill
gooden
oberto
thomas
hariston



udoka/vaughn/ian odd men out?

fify

[coyotes_geek]

Depends on the matchup. If Ian were healthy I could see him being active over Vaughn if the Spurs are facing a team that's got a lot of size, just for the insurance. Against teams with a bunch of perimeter scoring threats then Udoka might get some games on the active list. Hairston is the only guy who I think you can safely say will be inactive the entire playoffs.

[xtremesteven33]

If Hairston is inactive and Udoka isnt....:smchode:

[FromWayDowntown]

Depends on the matchup. If Ian were healthy I could see him being active over Vaughn if the Spurs are facing a team that's got a lot of size, just for the insurance. Against teams with a bunch of perimeter scoring threats then Udoka might get some games on the active list. Hairston is the only guy who I think you can safely say will be inactive the entire playoffs.

I can't conceive of any way in which Ian would be considered for activation for any single playoff game UNLESS the Spurs suffer a rash of injuries [knocks on wood] and need another body to fill out the roster minimum. The guy has played one basketball game all season and has played 23 minutes of basketball at the NBA level and there's actually some thought that Gregg Popovich is going to make him an option for a playoff game?!?!?!

If Pop holds to form, there will be very little change from game-to-game or series-to-series and the Spurs will suit up the same 12 guys on just about every night. I think the end of this season becomes an audition for Malik Hairston to see if he's outplayed Ime Udoka and becomes one of the 12. I think if neither shines from here on out, Pop goes to his old favorite of having Vaughn active. The other 11 spots -- assuming Gooden comes and is healthy -- are all but set in concrete, barring injury.

[coyotes_geek]

I can't conceive of any way in which Ian would be considered for activation for any single playoff game UNLESS the Spurs suffer a rash of injuries [knocks on wood] and need another body to fill out the roster minimum. The guy has played one basketball game all season and has played 23 minutes of basketball at the NBA level and there's actually some thought that Gregg Popovich is going to make him an option for a playoff game?!?!?!

If Pop holds to form, there will be very little change from game-to-game or series-to-series and the Spurs will suit up the same 12 guys on just about every night. I think the end of this season becomes an audition for Malik Hairston to see if he's outplayed Ime Udoka and becomes one of the 12. I think if neither shines from here on out, Pop goes to his old favorite of having Vaughn active. The other 11 spots -- assuming Gooden comes and is healthy -- are all but set in concrete, barring injury.

I agree with you that the top 11 are pretty much givens. As for spot #12, whoever gets it is there for insurance only. There are some teams out there against whom I think having an extra big is better insurance to carry than another SG/SF or PG. JMO.

[bigdog]

Duncan
Parker
Manu
Bonner
Gooden
Hill
Mason
Thomas
Oberto
Finley
Bowen
Vaughn/Udoka
-------------------------
Vaughn/Udoka
Hairston
Mahinmi

[Chomag]

No offense to JV but Manu and Mason can play some minutes at the point when needed if Hill is struggling. So I would rather have Hairston (for 1 on 1 defense purposes of course) take that 12th spot. I would rather have him for insurance in case Finley and or Bruce run out of gas in the playoffs.

[FromWayDowntown]

I agree with you that the top 11 are pretty much givens. As for spot #12, whoever gets it is there for insurance only. There are some teams out there against whom I think having an extra big is better insurance to carry than another SG/SF or PG. JMO.

That's all true.

But I feel pretty confident in reasserting that the temptation of having an extra big man available isn't likely going to be enough to make Pop trust a guy who's played 23 NBA minutes -- and none of them in 2008-09 -- with a roster spot for even a single game.

It's not like Popovich is hard to read on this stuff.

Besides, the playoff roster -- as others have noted -- isn't about locking in a group of 12 before the tournament begins or before a series begins. Ian will be among the 15 Spurs who are eligible at playoff time and, conceivably, could be activated for any game along the journey. I'm just saying that there's no way in hell he'll be activated for any single game of the '09 playoffs, barring catostrophic injuries or something like that.

[bigdog]

No offense to JV but Manu and Mason can play some minutes at the point when needed if Hill is struggling. So I would rather have Hairston (for 1 on 1 defense purposes of course) take that 12th spot. I would rather have him for insurance in case Finley and or Bruce run out of gas in the playoffs.

That's what I was thinking, but you know Pop is going to rely on a savy veteran like Vaughn in the playoffs. If not, then he could very well have Hairston in there instead of JV, just like what's been going on this season. If that happens, I'm all for it.

[Bruno]

That's what I was thinking, but you know Pop is going to rely on a savy veteran like Vaughn in the playoffs.

Aside of games where Tony was out and aside of garbage time, Vaughn has played 6 min this year (in December in a game against Detroit).
I highly doubt Vaughn is in Pop's plans for the playoffs.

[MoSpur]

I am sure the Spurs will switch starting lineups and such when they play different teams.

[Joe Schmoogins]

Duncan
Manu
Parker
Mason
Bonner
Finley
Bowen
Hill
Gooden
Oberto
Thomas
Hairston


It's definitely between Hairston and Ime for that last spot imo. I'd say that Ime has the edge at the moment, but look for Hairston to replace Ime as number 12 if he continues his improvement.

[Blackjack]

Call it now.

Duncan
Manu
Parker
Mason
Bonner
Finley
Bowen
Hill
Gooden
Oberto
Thomas
Vaughn


Udoka/Hariston/Ian Odd Men Out?

Pop and the coaching staff are giving Hairston minutes now to find out what they have. If Hairston can take advantage, he might be able to supplant Udoka in the pecking order, but not eliminate him all together.

Udoka/Hairston/Vaughn/Ian- Will all be susceptible to the inactive list, depending on matchups, play, and health, but there is no "playoff roster" anymore.

What you see now, is pretty much what you'll see in the playoffs. (exception being Gooden if added)

[Manufan909]

Tony/Hill
Mason/Manu
Bowen/Finley
TD/Bonner/Fab
Gooden/KT

givens

IR-Ime/Vaughn/Hairston/Ian

My pick would be Hairston, but if Fab crawls back into his shell, have Ian in too for garbage minutes. I hope Ian get 10+ games at the end of the season to prove himself, but if any of those are close the whole game, he'll have dressed in vain.

[FromWayDowntown]

Aside of games where Tony was out and aside of garbage time, Vaughn has played 6 min this year (in December in a game against Detroit).
I highly doubt Vaughn is in Pop's plans for the playoffs.

That's not entirely true; Hill didn't play in the opener against Phoenix or in the first road game at Portland, and Vaughn was Parker's primary back up in each of those games as well as the first Dallas game, playing 12 minutes in the opener, 9 minutes at Portland, and 10 minutes against Dallas.

I understand and generally agree with your point, however.

[Bruno]

That's not entirely true; Hill didn't play in the opener against Phoenix or in the first road game at Portland, and Vaughn was Parker's primary back up in each of those games as well as the first Dallas game, playing 12 minutes in the opener, 9 minutes at Portland, and 10 minutes against Dallas.

I understand and generally agree with your point, however.

Yeah, I have forgotten the early games before Parker's injury.

[coyotes_geek]

Keep in mind those first couple of games that Hill was nursing that sprained thumb he got late in the preseason. Since it sure didn't take long for Hill to pass Vaughn I've got to think that if he doesn't hurt his thumb he'd have been Tony's backup on opening night.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

Here's what I think the situation is --- please check this and tell me if I'm wrong.

13 players have guaranteed contracts through the end of this season:

Bonner, Bowen, Duncan, Finley, Ginobili, Hill, Mason, Oberto, Parker, Thomas, Udoka, Vaughn, and Mahinmi

I believe Hairston's contract is also guaranteed, correct?.

Assuming Gooden is added, that's the 15th guaranteed contract. No room for Pops on the 15 man roster, unless the Spurs waive a guaranteed player.

In my experience they are loath to do this, since it costs them dollars and gets them closer to the lux tax (even if you waive a player, their guaranteed contract continues to be paid by you, and they still count against your cap).

[coyotes_geek]

If the Spurs add Gooden Pops being the odd man out is a no brainer. It's not even about guaranteed contracts. Pops just isn't going to help this team in this year's playoffs.