whose fault is it: 2nd team offense?

[Creation88]

who takes blame for the pathetically, inefficient 2nd team offense? this has been a problem all year.

is it Mason's inability to handle the Point, is it an overall lack of talent on the 2nd tier, or is it Pop's inability to coach/handle a team without one of the big 3 on it?

it's absolutely pathetic and embarrassing how we fall apart without one of the big three in there. why has this always been a problem with this team? :depressed

[HarlemHeat37]

clearly a lack of talent..

our 2nd unit depends entirely on somebody to create for them, and that is supposed to be Manu..

[Spurs Brazil]

clearly a lack of talent..

our 2nd unit depends entirely on somebody to create for them, and that is supposed to be Manu..

Agree 100%

[MannyIsGod]

Its just a lack of talent. WTF do you expect out of that unit? Its no one's fault. The Spurs have a good bench, the problem is their injuries.

[Sigz]

It's Ian's fault.

[Beaverfuzz]

Time to break up the band...goodbye old people sans Duncan.

[z0sa]

I'll tell you whose fault it is.

Gregg Popovich's fault.

Why? Mason at backup PG. Hill at PG and Mason at his natural position would improve the flow of the offense and increase the defense and even rebounding substantially.

[Creation88]

it's so frustrating to just see our team go to shit when someone's not there to direct them (one of the big three). for fuck sakes other NBA teams can score so easily without a star in the line up, ours just takes their ball and sits out.

[SA210]

Pop

[mexicanjunior]

I'll tell you whose fault it is.

Gregg Popovich's fault.

Why? Mason at backup PG. Hill at PG and Mason at his natural position would improve the flow of the offense and increase the defense and even rebounding substantially.

Agreed...

[crc21209]

Actually the 2nd team is the one who built the lead larger than what it was. Tony was just a no-show tonight. Had he put up his usual 25-30 points, we win EASY.

[SpursFan0728]

I thought Pop coached well tonight. Hell, I even thought our 2nd unit was playing well on defense.

Is just the scoring droughts. Even when Manu was playing we were having droughts, you could imagine what happened without him.

[Mugen]

the 2nd lineup isnt that bad. With manu they are actually one of the best benches in the league.

[amy020]

Hill needs to be more aggressive

[alchemist]

I'll tell you whose fault it is.

Gregg Popovich's fault.

Why? Mason at backup PG. Hill at PG and Mason at his natural position would improve the flow of the offense and increase the defense and even rebounding substantially.
that's bull, when Pop had Hill running the point later on all Hill would do is roam around the 3 point line dribbling the fucking ball, he would not create, he would not attack consistently so there was "flow" to the offense it was the way it is now, sporadic. If Hill was playing the PG role like he did at the very beginning he would be a major piece but either he hit the rookie wall/scouting took his game away/ wasn't hungry.

[Death In June]

that's bull, when Pop had Hill running the point later on all Hill would do is roam around the 3 point line dribbling the fucking ball, he would not create, he would not attack consistently so there was "flow" to the offense it was the way it is now, sporadic. If Hill was playing the PG role like he did at the very beginning he would be a major piece but either he hit the rookie wall/scouting took his game away/ wasn't hungry.Hill has shown flashes that he can be a very good backup PG. Mason has never looked okay. It's stupid to fail with the same lineup repeatedly, without ever trying something that at least has some potential to work. Injuries, the front office, and Pop have destroyed the season. The latter being the most infuriating, due to being the most correctable.

[AussieFanKurt]

lack of defense and shitty 2nd unit has sorta done it

[ElNono]

We've been as good as either Tony or Timmy have been. Early in the season, when Manu and Tony were down, and Tim didn't have knee issues, he played like a warrior. Then Tony became superman for a couple of games and really carried us. But you can't expect Tony to be superman every game. He needs help, and so does Tim now that he's hurting.
It's easy to say 'Well, we should have planned for this', but you can't just go out there and replace All-Star, All-NBA caliber players from one day to the next.

[z0sa]

that's bull, when Pop had Hill running the point later on all Hill would do is roam around the 3 point line dribbling the fucking ball, he would not create, he would not attack consistently so there was "flow" to the offense it was the way it is now, sporadic. If Hill was playing the PG role like he did at the very beginning he would be a major piece but either he hit the rookie wall/scouting took his game away/ wasn't hungry.


uh dude, guy hasn't been getting PT all of a sudden and had his backup PG role stripped for NO apparent reason many games ago. Giving him the Bonner treatment, with spot minutes every other game, is not going to get him the experience he needs to continue developing.

Timvp may have said it best: "Pop can't coach backup PGs." Including Mason, who has no business playing PG over Hill. This is all besides the one area of strength Pop acknowledges: Hill is one of our best perimeter defenders, especially now that Manu is done for the remainder of the season.

Playing Hill at backup PG from now on would allow him much more time with the basketball in his hands, and every young player needs that. But it isn't just his development we're talking here - Hill can continue to evolve into one of the best backup PGs in the NBA.

How is he supposed to be the best backup PG if he doesn't get set minutes, doesn't bring the ball up or initiate plays? I mean, he plays SG in the offense even, and even guards the 2guard position (though thats separate from this debate).

Again, we come back to root of the problem and our discussion: Coach Popovich. I'm a stalwart Pop supporter in most issues, but lately he just seems to be making boneheaded decisions. Hill is a comepletely different player than beno and bonner. Why is he getting similar treatment, and unprovoked? One should presume Popovich, with all his defensive intensity, wouldn't readily find fault in Hill since he's strong on that side of the court.

Yet Pop continues to baffle me, and I think, all of us. But its hard to doubt him - he's the one who led us to 4 championships.

[ploto]

Hill
Mason
Bowen
Gooden
Thomas

Should not be that bad.