48MoH: DeJuan Blair as the San Antonio Spurs

[Shifty]

Different from pretty much every other Spurs fan, 48 Minutes of Hell's Tim Varner gives a calm and more realistic recap of what happened last night. As great as it seem we have to look at the whole picture.


October 7th, 2009

DeJuan Blair as the San Antonio Spurs (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/10/07/dejuan-blair-as-the-san-antonio-spurs/)

The San Antonio Spurs are a glorious mess, but a mess nevertheless.
Their first preseason game hinted at the team’s potential greatness, but also showcased all the work that lies ahead before they can achieve that greatness. DeJuan Blair is the obvious story from last night, and he’s a good representative of all the good and bad which Gregg Popovich must mold into a contender.
DeJuan Blair put up 16 points and 19 rebounds in 22 minutes (http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=291006024) in the loss to Houston. The San Antonio Spurs may have lost by 14, but the only numbers that anyone will remember are Blair’s. Statistically speaking, Blair put up numbers that pace themselves alongside Andris Biedrins, David Lee and Emeka Okafor. Those three players are slated to earn 9, 8, and 10.6 million this season. Blair will earn $850,000. And sure, I grant that Blair’s field goal percentage and shot blocking will fall short of that group. He’s not as good as those three. But his per minute scoring and rebounding rates will at least meet the production of aforementioned threesome. So if you’re trying to quantify what the Spurs stole in the second round, there are three measures to get you started.
But DeJuan Blair is firmly settled into San Antonio’s bench, and he’s their third or forth option off the pine. It’s not so bad to have a double-double at the end of your rotation. But there are reasons he sits down the line.
Here’s what I know: DeJuan Blair lost nothing in translation. His NCAA game is his NBA game. DeJuan Blair is Carl Landry is Paul Millsap. Rebound rates transfer. It’s a crudely simple equation that, thankfully for the Spurs, adds up.
What Blair does well is an immediate help for San Antonio. It’s what he doesn’t do so well that leaves me thinking. DeJuan Blair has a long way to go as a defender. Smart coaches will game plan for him, and expose his flaws to San Antonio’s disadvantage. And he looks, as everyone would expect, a little lost on offense.
So basically what you have in DeJuan Blair you have in the rest of the team, including Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess: unquestioned talent, but very little cohesion. This Spurs team is going to take time. Settle in, Spurs fans. Choppy waters ahead. The need for all the new players to learn the system and develop chemistry with one another is a need that is supplied over long months, not the short weeks which lead to opening night.
Complicating matters further is Gregg Popovich’s understandable reluctance to push his aging core too hard too early. Tony Parker, Antonio McDyess, Tim Duncan, Michael Finley and Theo Ratliff did not play last night. With the exception of Parker, all of those players are out of shape and in need of reps. Earlier this summer Gregg Popovich said he wanted Tim Duncan to start the season out of shape. He wasn’t lying. It’s clear Pop plans to use November and December to work his core into game shape. It will take months for this team to find a rhythm. There is a sense in which this is true every season, but it’s especially true this season.We won’t know what they’re actually capable of until late in the season, and that’s health providing.
So be excited about 16 points and 19 rebounds in 22 minutes. And then remember missed rotations, an offense without an identity, a smattering of ill-advised shots, and a long list of personnel questions without immediate answers. These are your San Antonio Spurs. They’re a work in progress.



http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/10/07/dejuan-blair-as-the-san-antonio-spurs/

[Muser]

Blair being on the court will be no worse than having Bonner on the court, both aren't great defenders and both excel at what they can do. The difference is Blair helps out with what the Spurs really need, Rebounding on both ends of the court and getting to the line (Quite a few times on and 1's)

[xtremesteven33]

Starting to look a lot like 2003.....:stirpot:

[anakha]

Somebody needs to sticky this for the inevitable November-January SpursTalk meltdowns.

[Allanon]

19 rebounds is freakin' amazing. The author is a bit pessimistic but I do agree that coaches will eventually game plan for Blair to exploit his size deficiency.

[xtremesteven33]

I think what seperates him from the Milsap/Landry mold is his high basketball IQ. He has fantastic timing and great hands as well. Two combinations that can open up your game on so many levels. Hopefully his high BBIQ will elevate his game more and more each week.

[Bukefal]

It will all work out fine well, I have full confidence in this team having a shot at the title. They just need to get used to eachother, of course to make it an oiled machine. And I hope Blair get's alot of minutes this season.

[s0ldEONs0ul]

19 rebounds is freakin' amazing. The author is a bit pessimistic but I do agree that coaches will eventually game plan for Blair to exploit his size deficiency.

:rolleyesstating the obvious 101. Do you always bring such a lack of substance?

just like they gameplan for other short PF types like elton brand, right? Or perhaps he'll be another in the vein of rodman? That type of gameplanning? Let me ask you this: how do you gameplan against the natural talent of 'nose for the ball?'

[Samr]

Let me ask you this: how do you gameplan against the natural talent of 'nose for the ball?'

You start throwing some elbows around. That'll break that nose real quick.

[Allanon]

:rolleyesstating the obvious 101. Do you always bring such a lack of substance?

Do you always have to be an asshole? :rolleyes



just like they gameplan for other short PF types like elton brand, right? Or perhaps he'll be another in the vein of rodman? That type of gameplanning? Let me ask you this: how do you gameplan against the natural talent of 'nose for the ball?'

Answering your question, I am not speaking of countering his "nose for the ball". I mean taking advantage of his 6'6 height on defense. That is something you can gameplan and exploit.

[tp2021]

:rolleyesstating the obvious 101. Do you always bring such a lack of substance?

just like they gameplan for other short PF types like elton brand, right? Or perhaps he'll be another in the vein of rodman? That type of gameplanning? Let me ask you this: how do you gameplan against the natural talent of 'nose for the ball?'

Wow. There was substance in Allanon's response. He's one of the good Lakerfans around here.

[PDXSpursFan]

19 rebounds is freakin' amazing. The author is a bit pessimistic but I do agree that coaches will eventually game plan for Blair to exploit his size deficiency.
I'm not sure that teams will game plan much for a 3rd/4th man coming off the bench.

[Allanon]

I'm not sure that teams will game plan much for a 3rd/4th man coming off the bench.

From what I've seen from Blair, he has the tools to be a serious game-changer and somebody you have to plan for.

19 rebounds is an elite rebounder, and it's not something that just happens in exhibition. Some guys get hot shooting on nights but rebounding is just one of those things you either have or don't have. I don't expect him to put up those scoring numbers but those rebounds aren't going anywhere.

[ElNono]

Unfortunately for Blair, Pop is not in the business of developing talent.
He will see little or no playing time this season, and this has very little to do with his perceived deficiencies and everything to do with Pop leaning on experienced players like he always does.
So we're going to see a whole lot of Bonner getting abused on D and averaging about 3 rebounds per game (which doesn't help TD's knees at all) while DeJuan will be watching from the sideline. Very much like we saw Vaughn finishing up the season last year playing backup to TP, while Hill was sitting on the bench.

[raspsa]

Different from pretty much every other Spurs fan, 48 Minutes of Hell's Tim Varner gives a calm and more realistic recap of what happened last night. As great as it seem we have to look at the whole picture.

Different? I think very many Spurs fans are excited about this team's potential and are very excited about Blair's performance in particular.. what's not to get excited about? But most fans would also appreciate that this is only the 1st game of training camp and that it will take time for the team to gel, especiallly on defense w/c Pop is going to give particular attention to. Its no coincidence that he's shortening the playbook.. he wants to make thing simpler for the players to shorten their learning curve.. No one should underestimate the challenge this team faces but there are many reasons to be optimistic.

[s0ldEONs0ul]

Do you always have to be an asshole? :rolleyes

Without you saying it just here today, opposing coaches would never have gameplanned to exploit his size deficiency! In fact, no one has even thought about it! Excellent post!


Ahem. Either you have no insight, or you are trolling. I don't think the moderators appreciate trolling in the main section of the forum.



Answering your question, I am not speaking of countering his "nose for the ball". I mean taking advantage of his 6'6 height on defense. That is something you can gameplan and exploit.

He doesn't play 6'6. He has extremely long arms and plays as big as a guy like Pau or Tim thanks to those limbs and that solid base of gravity. Stop trolling.

[s0ldEONs0ul]

Wow. There was substance in Allanon's response. He's one of the good Lakerfans around here.

Not in my opinion. I've ghosted on this forum for years and I find him to be quite irrational, especially in evaluating talent. And like already said, and which I found to be plainly obvious: who gameplans for the 4th big?

[Allanon]

Without you saying it just here today, opposing coaches would never have gameplanned to exploit his size deficiency! In fact, no one has even thought about it! Excellent post!


Ahem. Either you have no insight, or you are trolling. I don't think the moderators appreciate trolling in the main section of the forum.

Trolling is allowed and sometimes encouraged here. I usually let things be but if another poster wants to talk shit to me for no reason, I am more than happy to oblige, dick.



He doesn't play 6'6. He has extremely long arms and plays as big as a guy like Pau or Tim thanks to those limbs and that solid base of gravity. Stop trolling.

I had this conversation the other day with some of the other ST guys. Blair has a huge wingspan and standing reach for his size.

Unfortunately, his eyes are in his head and not in his arms. He can't see with those long arms of his. His height is 6'6, he sees plays at 6'6 and cannot see over 6'10 Power Forwards (ie. Lamar Odom) posting him up. He'd probably have to front and play ball denial on those guys but fronting is a bad defensive position and easily exploited.

[s0ldEONs0ul]

Trolling is allowed and sometimes encouraged here.

At least you admit you are a troll.


He'd probably have to front and play ball denial on those guys but fronting is a bad defensive position.

:lol ball denial is the staple of a strong defender.

[Allanon]

At least you admit you are a troll.

I have never denied being a troll, all of us non-Spur fans are. Some trolls troll constantly, others troll less frequently. No different than some men being longer than others.

[/quote]
:lol ball denial is the staple of a strong defender.[/QUOTE]

Until the lob comes and said strong defender gets dunked on.

[s0ldEONs0ul]

I have never denied being a troll, all of us non-Spur fans are. Some trolls troll constantly, others troll less frequently. No different than some men being longer than others.

:huh habla usted ingles? And why speak for the non-spurfan? They aren't you, you aren't them, leave them out as I highly doubt every single one is a troll to the extent i've seen you take it.



Until the lob comes and said strong defender gets dunked on.

I can see you have no real answers, only mere observations of known facts we all know (besides lobbing over the top of a strong defender is nearly impossible - guess you didn't know this). Therefore, let me make a counter-observation: Blair is already showing the eptitude to be one of the League's best rebounders, despite his size. He's also showing he has the skills to score in a variety of ways. What he has not shown is whether or not he is a solid enough 1on1 defender to warrant a defensive mismatch.

And about my 'unwarranted' action of being a "dick": I don't like you. Your posts are inane, lack cunning, lack critical thinking, and are just about as lame as you can get. You contribute very little other than the mere presence of volume. Stick to the NBA forum where you belong, because your lack of knowledge is dreadfully apparent here. Thanks.

[all_heart]

I agree that you don't game plan for somebody that comes off the bench, other than say keep a body on him and box him out. Him drawing attention will only benefit the other subs like Hill. But really it's only 1 game anyway you look at it. Of course the Spurs got work to do just like so many other teams, difference is that the Spurs and their staff are elite pros and will have this deep and talented team ready to go by April.

[DPG21920]

Don't game plan for someone that comes off the bench? Ginobili does :hat

[all_heart]

Don't game plan for someone that comes off the bench? Ginobili does :hat

That's true Ginobili is a completely different type of player than Blair. Really what can you do about somebody whose primary job is to rebound? Between TD, Dice, and Ratliff, Blair is gonna get some help on defense if needed. His game and the defensive schemes will evolve should this ever be a issue.

[timvp]

Pretty good take. Blair definitely needs work on the defensive end. He showed defensive flaws in summer league and they carried over to the first preseason game. But, so far, I'm not too worried. A 20-year-old PF who is 6-foot-6 isn't going to be even an average defender right out of the box. The good news is he looked like a very willing post defender and he ran the court hard -- which are two characteristics that should lead to him one day becoming an acceptable defender.

Overall, as of now, I see Blair as a player that can play about 15 to 20 minutes a game and be a difference-maker. Sometimes negative and sometimes positive but as long as he concentrates on rebounding and protecting the rim, he'll help this team.


DeJuan Blair put up 16 points and 19 rebounds in 22 minutes in the loss to Houston. The San Antonio Spurs may have lost by 14, but the only numbers that anyone will remember are Blair’s. Statistically speaking, Blair put up numbers that pace themselves alongside Andris Biedrins, David Lee and Emeka Okafor.Statistically speaking, Blair's stats from last night might be unmatched in basketball history. :lol I researched and I didn't find anyone that put up such stats in as few of minutes. It's preseason so it doesn't count but that bolded part isn't very accurate.

Per 36 Minutes
Biedrins - 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds
Lee - 16.5 points and 12.1 rebounds
Okafor - 14.5 points and 11.1 rebounds
Blair - 26.2 points and 31.1 rebounds :hat


But his per minute scoring and rebounding rates will at least meet the production of aforementioned threesome. So if you’re trying to quantify what the Spurs stole in the second round, there are three measures to get you started.Rebounding-wise, I agree Blair should be elite. However, I think it's a bit early to say his scoring will be at least as good as David Lee. That's a high hurdle to set as a given quantity.

[Mr. Body]

There's a difference between IQ and having a knack for hitting the glass hard. Nothing about DeJuan Blair says to me "that guy has a high basketball IQ", if anything, it seems to me that he's dumber than a bag of rocks. That said, just let him loose for 10-15 minutes per game like a wild gorilla and let him snag everything in sight.

I have no idea what you're talking about. DeJuan is a quiet guy off the court, but was beloved by his community in Pittsburgh, his teachers and principals. You're falling into dumbass stereotypes and he actually has an underrated basketball IQ as well. EXTREMELY underrated, if most people rank him as a chowderhead, as you do. And they don't.

I think he's going to surprise you. A lot. He'll be physically limited - his speed, his jumping - but this is a smart ball player. His passing alone will show you that.

[xtremesteven33]

Barkley had to go through the same hurdles but still turned out to be a HOF. Im not saying Blair will ever even be an allstar but it is certainly possible to play PF in a 6'6'' body and dominate a game over taller players.....He has all the tools to develop into a Barkley type player.....

[Allanon]

:huh habla usted ingles? And why speak for the non-spurfan? They aren't you, you aren't them, leave them out as I highly doubt every single one is a troll to the extent i've seen you take it.

I can do whatever I want, sorry but you ain't my mom.



I can see you have no real answers, only mere observations of known facts we all know (besides lobbing over the top of a strong defender is nearly impossible - guess you didn't know this). Therefore, let me make a counter-observation: Blair is already showing the eptitude to be one of the League's best rebounders, despite his size. He's also showing he has the skills to score in a variety of ways. What he has not shown is whether or not he is a solid enough 1on1 defender to warrant a defensive mismatch.

Please allow me to counter that "eptitude" is not a real word, look it up before you mock other people's grasp of English. ":huh habla usted ingles? "



And about my 'unwarranted' action of being a "dick": I don't like you. Your posts are inane, lack cunning, lack critical thinking, and are just about as lame as you can get. You contribute very little other than the mere presence of volume. Stick to the NBA forum where you belong, because your lack of knowledge is dreadfully apparent here. Thanks.

Whatever, Dick...I'm not here to make friends with you. There are plenty of other cool ST posters to debate with, you obviously aren't one of them.

You don't like me, that's fine, but don't mistake any forum powers you erroneously think you may have. Don't tell me where I belong because you can't counter intelligently, I choose when and where I post, thanks.

[024]

19 rebounds is freakin' amazing. The author is a bit pessimistic but I do agree that coaches will eventually game plan for Blair to exploit his size deficiency.
if other teams need to create a game plan specifically for blair, a bench player then it's already a win for the spurs. blair will go up against bench bigmen who aren't known for their scoring or post game. it's not like the bonner case where he was the starting center, available for everyone to exploit. blair will most likely be playing besides duncan and ratliff most of the time so defense won't be too much of a problem.

[Mr. Body]

if other teams need to create a game plan specifically for blair, a bench player then it's already a win for the spurs. blair will go up against bench bigmen who aren't known for their scoring or post game. it's not like the bonner case where he was the starting center, available for everyone to exploit. blair will most likely be playing besides duncan and ratliff most of the time so defense won't be too much of a problem.

I think this is pretty much spot on. You don't gameplan for role players and bench guys so much. If he gets 15-20 minutes a game he can have some very productive outings, and we'll all be happy.

[Allanon]

if other teams need to create a game plan specifically for blair, a bench player then it's already a win for the spurs. blair will go up against bench bigmen who aren't known for their scoring or post game. it's not like the bonner case where he was the starting center, available for everyone to exploit. blair will most likely be playing besides duncan and ratliff most of the time so defense won't be too much of a problem.

I dunno, there's a ton of very dangerous Bench players in the NBA that I believe coaches have to plan for:

Manu
Odom
Barbosa
JET
Gordon
Ariza earlier last year before he became a starter
Milsap
Rafer Alston (prior to him taking over the starting position due to injury)
Leon Powe
Marc Gasol
Aaron Brooks (prior to Rafer being traded)

Just guys I could think of in a minute, the list goes on and on, there's plenty of bench guys that are really talented and if you fail to plan for them, you're screwed.

[DPG21920]

Per 36 Minutes
Biedrins - 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds
Lee - 16.5 points and 12.1 rebounds
Okafor - 14.5 points and 11.1 rebounds
Blair - 26.2 points and 31.1 rebounds :hat



:lol:lol:lol:lol

[024]

I dunno, there's a ton of very dangerous Bench players in the NBA that I believe coaches have to plan for:

Manu
Odom
Barbosa
JET
Gordon
Ariza earlier last year before he became a starter
Milsap
Rafer Alston (prior to him taking over the starting position due to injury)
Leon Powe
Marc Gasol
Aaron Brooks (prior to Rafer being traded)

Just guys I could think of in a minute, the list goes on and on, there's plenty of bench guys that are really talented and if you fail to plan for them, you're screwed.
true, but blair and manu are on the same team. it's not like blair is the next spurs' sixth man. in addition to tim duncan and tony parker. blair will not recieve much attention after those 3 plus jefferson. and if you look at that list, there aren't many power forwards on there that blair will need to worry about defensively.

[Allanon]

true, but blair and manu are on the same team. it's not like blair is the next spurs' sixth man. in addition to tim duncan and tony parker. blair will not recieve much attention after those 3 plus jefferson. and if you look at that list, there aren't many power forwards on there that blair will need to worry about defensively.

I suppose you're not one of those drinking the Blair Kool-Aid.

I've taken a hefty drink and from I saw, he's probably going to work into #7 and even #6 in the rotation if injuries occur.

I figure Blair will evolve to be more vital to Spurs success than guys like Mason, Hill, Ratliff.

[ShoogarBear]

There's a difference between IQ and having a knack for hitting the glass hard. Nothing about DeJuan Blair says to me "that guy has a high basketball IQ", if anything, it seems to me that he's dumber than a bag of rocks. That said, just let him loose for 10-15 minutes per game like a wild gorilla and let him snag everything in sight.

Really? Hmm, now I wonder what exactly is it about him that could give you such insight into his intelligence?

[024]

I suppose you're not one of those drinking the Blair Kool-Aid.

I've taken a hefty drink and from I saw, he's probably going to work into #7 and even #6 in the rotation if injuries occur.

I figure Blair will be evolve to be more vital to Spurs success than guys like Mason, Hill, Ratliff.
i see blair playing a role similar to powe for the 2008 celtics. i'm just saying blair's weaknesses in defense are small compared to the benefits he will bring to the spurs. someone patrolling the basket waiting for a rebound or putback is going to be another thing teams have to worry about when playing the spurs.

[all_heart]

I suppose you're not one of those drinking the Blair Kool-Aid.

I've taken a hefty drink and from I saw, he's probably going to work into #7 and even #6 in the rotation if injuries occur.

I figure Blair will be evolve to be more vital to Spurs success than guys like Mason, Hill, Ratliff.

Appreciate all the bro-mance coming from a Lakers fan, but remember it's ONLY 1 GAME!! If he does it again later this week, I'll start chugging that Kool-Aid myself.:lol

[elbamba]

Hmmmm. New players need time to adjust to a new system...well thanks for that evaluation. I don't think any of us could come to that conclusion.

[DBMethos]

Per 36 Minutes
Biedrins - 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds
Lee - 16.5 points and 12.1 rebounds
Okafor - 14.5 points and 11.1 rebounds
Blair - 26.2 points and 31.1 rebounds :hat


:wow That's just gaudy.

[all_heart]

i see blair playing a role similar to powe for the 2008 celtics. i'm just saying blair's weaknesses in defense are small compared to the benefits he will bring to the spurs. someone patrolling the basket waiting for a rebound or putback is going to be another thing teams have to worry about when playing the spurs.

+1
What if he just doesn't guard the other team's best post up player and develop a 10ft jump shot. Would that alone allow him more minutes?

[buttsR4rebounding]

Unfortunately for Blair, Pop is not in the business of developing talent.
He will see little or no playing time this season, and this has very little to do with his perceived deficiencies and everything to do with Pop leaning on experienced players like he always does.
So we're going to see a whole lot of Bonner getting abused on D and averaging about 3 rebounds per game (which doesn't help TD's knees at all) while DeJuan will be watching from the sideline. Very much like we saw Vaughn finishing up the season last year playing backup to TP, while Hill was sitting on the bench.

This has to be one of the dumbest things ever posted on this board. Blair is going to get minutes. You can count on 15 to 20 minutes a night for Blair. Pop has said it. RC has said it. Do you think they were just trying to fool everyone into preparing for something they are not going to do? And Pop does develop talent when warranted a la Tony Parker. Come back again when you've managed to extricate your cranium from your rectum...:idiot

[Chomag]

IMO We now have 5 (4 proven-1 Potential All-Star) Spurs have had such great success,and a bit of luck with drafts. Man, I'm so excited to see the new fire in our players this year and I'm loving what I'm seeing as our futer even after the TD era.

I know Blair has still a long way to go but no one can deny the potential there. He is showing to me to be a more talented with much less of a head case Dennis Rodman. At least as far as the knack of knowing where the ball will rebound to goes.

[anakha]

Really? Hmm, now I wonder what exactly is it about him that could give you such insight into his intelligence?

Guy's used that same insight to argue that Rasheed > McDyess because he spreads the floor, and Blair > McDyess because he doesn't spread the floor. I rest my case.

[ehz33satx]

I think what seperates him from the Milsap/Landry mold is his high basketball IQ. He has fantastic timing and great hands as well. Two combinations that can open up your game on so many levels. Hopefully his high BBIQ will elevate his game more and more each week.

Plus he has loads of passion and fire and heart. His play makes my blood boil!

[all_heart]

Guy's used that same insight to argue that Rasheed > McDyess because he spreads the floor, and Blair > McDyess because he doesn't spread the floor. I rest my case.

Sometimes I think spreading the floor is over rated. It didn't do shit for us last year. Isn't it wiser to give up a low % shot than a layup and be in position to rebound than to defend the 3 where you can get blown by and/or leave the paint empty?

[ehz33satx]

Unfortunately for Blair, Pop is not in the business of developing talent.
He will see little or no playing time this season, and this has very little to do with his perceived deficiencies and everything to do with Pop leaning on experienced players like he always does.
So we're going to see a whole lot of Bonner getting abused on D and averaging about 3 rebounds per game (which doesn't help TD's knees at all) while DeJuan will be watching from the sideline. Very much like we saw Vaughn finishing up the season last year playing backup to TP, while Hill was sitting on the bench.

Yes, Blair will get little to now playing time this season. Yeah right! What a crock! Have you seen any of his play in h.s. and college on youtube? He is a man amongst boys. Blair will be the Spurs mantlepiece when Timmy retires. I think Pop may even stick around a few more years to see where he can take Parker and Blair and whomever is still around.

[tp2021]

Unfortunately for Blair, Pop is not in the business of developing talent.
He will see little or no playing time this season, and this has very little to do with his perceived deficiencies and everything to do with Pop leaning on experienced players like he always does.

The way Pop coached the team the last couple of seasons will have no bearing on this season. Then, he wanted to use the same formula to try for the championship that won in 07. Theres no way he will do that now, with all the new young talented faces. Getting these players was the whole point of the offseason.

[RodNIc91]

I can do whatever I want, sorry but you ain't my mom.



Please allow me to counter that "eptitude" is not a real word, look it up before you mock other people's grasp of English. ":huh habla usted ingles? "



Whatever, Dick...I'm not here to make friends with you. There are plenty of other cool ST posters to debate with, you obviously aren't one of them.

You don't like me, that's fine, but don't mistake any forum powers you erroneously think you may have. Don't tell me where I belong because you can't counter intelligently, I choose when and where I post, thanks.

Classy laker fan:hat

Last night I couldn't believe blair's rebounding numbers. I couldn't watch the game last night but from what I've read I hope he becomes a more complete player. I know he can become a big contributor.

[TIMMYD!]

Per 36 Minutes
Biedrins - 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds
Lee - 16.5 points and 12.1 rebounds
Okafor - 14.5 points and 11.1 rebounds
Blair - 26.2 points and 31.1 rebounds :hat

Holy shit, are those wilt chamberlain's stats?

[Agloco]

......... if anything, it seems to me that he's dumber than a bag of rocks. That said, just let him loose for 10-15 minutes per game like a wild gorilla and let him snag everything in sight.

Because snagging everything in sight requires no skill or intelligence right?

[Agloco]

Unfortunately for Blair, Pop is not in the business of developing talent.
He will see little or no playing time this season, and this has very little to do with his perceived deficiencies and everything to do with Pop leaning on experienced players like he always does.
So we're going to see a whole lot of Bonner getting abused on D and averaging about 3 rebounds per game (which doesn't help TD's knees at all) while DeJuan will be watching from the sideline. Very much like we saw Vaughn finishing up the season last year playing backup to TP, while Hill was sitting on the bench.

Come on man. I expect a lot better from you. :rolleyes

[Manufan909]

Why is everyone responding to the Spurs troll in our mist?

[Bruno]

Being a great rebounder isn't enough to be a good NBA player.

If Blair plays bad defense, isn't able to hit a jumpshot and isn't able to score in the post, he won't be able to really help Spurs even if he is the best rebounder in the league.

[xtremesteven33]

Being a great rebounder isn't enough to be a good NBA player.

If Blair plays bad defense, isn't able to hit a jumpshot and isn't able to score in the post, he won't be able to really help Spurs even if he is the best rebounder in the league.


Youre right. But Blair has a BIG TIME upside with all the natural tools he already posses. If being a ferocious rebounder is your stepping stone to get better than I think we should be patient with this guy, he has the chance to be really special....

[NRHector]

Youre right. But Blair has a BIG TIME upside with all the natural tools he already posses. If being a ferocious rebounder is your stepping stone to get better than I think we should be patient with this guy, he has the chance to be really special....:tu

[DPG21920]

http://www.bothteamsplayedhard.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/reggie-evans-beard.jpg

This guy is not a very good defender and he can't shoot :lol

[Mr. Body]

Being a great rebounder isn't enough to be a good NBA player.

If Blair plays bad defense, isn't able to hit a jumpshot and isn't able to score in the post, he won't be able to really help Spurs even if he is the best rebounder in the league.

Depends on how bad his defense is. Average defender, below average shooter, great rebounder would still help a lot.

[Bruno]

http://www.bothteamsplayedhard.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/reggie-evans-beard.jpg

This guy is not a very good defender and he can't shoot :lol

And he sucks.

[DPG21920]

And he sucks.

Point is he has carved out a niche for himself and many teams value him. He has been in the league for over 7 years. Blair's rebounding and motor will keep him in the NBA and make him somewhat valuable.

A guy like Gist or McClinton will struggle. I still think Blair can help as is, but he will need to keep working on his defense and offense to really be considered a "steal".

[Bruno]

Point is he has carved out a niche for himself and many teams value him. He has been in the league for over 7 years. Blair's rebounding and motor will keep him in the NBA and make him somewhat valuable.

A guy like Gist or McClinton will struggle. I still think Blair can help as is, but he will need to keep working on his defense and offense to really be considered a "steal".

Staying in the NBA != valuable.

If Blair is as good (or as abd) as Evans, he won't really help Spurs. Last time I've checked, Sixers decided to bench him during last year playoffs to play someone called Theo Ratliff.

[DPG21920]

If he wasn't valuable, why would he stick for 7 years? There are plenty of guys who can at least shoot, or defend better than him? You are telling me there is no one out there that could have taken his place?

I am not saying he is invaluable to a team, but he has value. Rebounding at that rate can help a team. But in order to make a "big" impact, other parts of his game need to be good.

I don't know what you are trying to say about Blair with your original statement, or why you seem to be hinting that Blair won't be a help. He adds something the Spurs don't have, even if it just turns out to be one dimensional (which it does not seem).

[Manufan909]

So was his 1on1 D any good in college?

[DJB]

Answering your question, I am not speaking of countering his "nose for the ball". I mean taking advantage of his 6'6 height on defense. That is something you can gameplan and exploit.

You're forgetting that he has a 7'2 wingspan, his height's not that big of an issue. The kids going to manhandle the glass against anyone. Period. This kid is Charles Barkley 2.0. Tough as fucking nails. He's not going to be exploited.

[DPG21920]

Blair was able to use his strength and motor to defend more effectively in college, but I would not say it was "good" from a technical standpoint.

[Bruno]

If he wasn't valuable, why would he stick for 7 years? There are plenty of guys who can at least shoot, or defend better than him? You are telling me there is no one out there that could have taken his place?

There are plenty of guys who have been in the league for 7 or more years and who can't help a contender to win a championship.



I don't know what you are trying to say about Blair with your original statement, or why you seem to be hinting that Blair won't be a help. He adds something the Spurs don't have, even if it just turns out to be one dimensional (which it does not seem).

I'm not hinting that Blair won't be a help. Don't put words in my mouth.

[HarlemHeat37]

Reggie Evans doesn't have anywhere near the offensive game that Blair has..DeJuan is actually a very good finisher and creative finisher at the rim..Evans is really bad offensively..

[Interrohater]

I think a huge point that's being overlooked, or ignored is that the few players in the NBA who are great at almost every facet of the game are your franchise players, a la Kobe, Lebron, Timmy, Chris Paul, etc. Other players, who are extremely valuable to their respective teams, are "role players" and fill a specific need, a la Steve Kerr, Brent Barry, Steve Nash (yes! Steve Nash is a role player! You can't build a team around Steve Nash!), Ray Allen, etc. As you can see, some of these "role players" are more talented and decorated than others, but they fill a specific need, whether that is lights-out 3 point shooting, or impeccable leadership of the offense. Dejuan Blair is a "role player" and will absolutely be game-planned for. How can an opposing coach ignore that monster? He fills a specific need, as far as we can tell from a few inconsequential games, and he definitely will make a difference this season.

[DPG21920]

So what were you trying to say? You do this all the time now. You say leading comments, then when someone says something, you say: "don't put words in my mouth".

You say "people are overreacting" about Ian, and I say is Varner? Then you say "show me where Varner says "Ian does not give a f*ck about playing for the Spurs"" like the others I was referring to. No one said "Ian does not give a f*ck" in the thread we were discussing and Varner did not say it. But you lead towards that.

I just don't get the kind of things you are saying from time to time and why your posts recently "have a mood" about them. I am not the only one to notice.

[my2sons]

19 rebounds is freakin' amazing. The author is a bit pessimistic but I do agree that coaches will eventually game plan for Blair to exploit his size deficiency.

Pop will also scheme to hide as much of his diffeciencies as possible, especially one tim duncan who erases alot of spurs mistakes and makes weaker defenders manageable, danny ferry, brent barry to name a few

[Bruno]

So what were you trying to say? You do this all the time now. You say leading comments, then when someone says something, you say: "don't put words in my mouth".

My English is far from being perfect but what I think that what I said what quite clear.

I'm saying that IF Blair do nothing else than rebounding, he won't be able to help Spurs. He will need to bring something else on the table.
I don't know at all if he will be able to bring something else and I'm not hinting that he won't.



You say "people are overreacting" about Ian, and I say is Varner? Then you say "show me where Varner says "Ian does not give a f*ck about playing for the Spurs"" like the others I was referring to. No one said "Ian does not give a f*ck" in the thread we were discussing and Varner did not say it. But you lead towards that.

Varner is a gigantic douche.



I just don't get the kind of things you are saying from time to time and why your post recently "have a mood" about them. I am not the only one to notice.

Thanks for taking care of my mood.
If you don't like what I post, ignore me.

[DPG21920]

Taking care of your mood? What does that even mean? I like your posts in general, I don't want to ignore you, I want to understand why you say certain things and why you seem bitter recently. Like when you said you were leaving the forum because a small group of posters "trashed" your FNT thread.

Oh well. Go Spurs.

[Interrohater]

....chirp... chirp....

[Bruno]

Taking care of your mood? What does that even mean? I like your posts in general, I don't want to ignore you, I want to understand why you say certain things and why you seem bitter recently. Like when you said you were leaving the forum because a small group of posters "trashed" your FNT thread.

Oh well. Go Spurs.

Well if you would stop to try reading between lines when there is nothing to read, it woudl be easier for you to understand what I'm saying.

And I'm not somewhat bitter, I don't even know why I would be bitter. In the FNT, I just didn't see the interest of posting some news when it was flooded by pages of trolling. Nothing more, nothign less.

[MaNu4Tres]

I think people comparing DeJuan Blair to Reggie Evans is quite harsh. Not saying DeJuan will ever make the All-Star team, but the dude can do more than just rebound. He is a player that can get his own shot off better than any post we have outside of Duncan. . Of course he has to expand his knowledge within the system, which will only make him improve. But to say the only he can do is rebound is negatively exploiting him as a player.


On another note:

Mahimni/ Haislip/ and Dwayne Jones will be either waived or on the inactive list for the majority of the season when it's said and done. It's sad that Mahimni has been in neutral since 2006. I don't see him breaking the Spurs rotation this year or next year if they even pick up his option. Haislip is an inconsistent below average shooter, who looses the ball more often than not when he puts it on the floor, and he can't defend in the post. I don't see him making any kind of impact this year. Dwaye Jones is a capable player if he decides to play in Austin or overseas.

I see our big rotation close to this:

Duncan 32 mpg
Dyess 24 mpg
Blair 17 mpg
Bonner 15 mpg
Ratliff 8 mpg

[benefactor]

Really? Hmm, now I wonder what exactly is it about him that could give you such insight into his intelligence?
He is Spur Supremacist reincarnated. It is no coincidence that he is in love with Bonner and he has plenty of negative things to say about Jefferson and Blair.

[gospursgojas]

Originally Posted by Timothy Varner

October 7th, 2009

DeJuan Blair as the San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are a glorious mess, but a mess nevertheless.
Their first preseason game hinted at the team’s potential greatness, but also showcased all the work that lies ahead before they can achieve that greatness. DeJuan Blair is the obvious story from last night, and he’s a good representative of all the good and bad which Gregg Popovich must mold into a contender.
DeJuan Blair put up 16 points and 19 rebounds in 22 minutes in the loss to Houston. The San Antonio Spurs may have lost by 14, but the only numbers that anyone will remember are Blair’s. Statistically speaking, Blair put up numbers that pace themselves alongside Andris Biedrins, David Lee and Emeka Okafor. Those three players are slated to earn 9, 8, and 10.6 million this season. Blair will earn $850,000. And sure....

Wow.... I just now read this article and listening to STSA today on my drive home, its almost word for word Mike Taylor's assesment of Blair.

Hmmmmm.. makes me wonder if his (taylor's) opinions are 100% original

[DPG21920]

Clarification: I was not comparing Reggie Evans to Blair.

I thought Bruno was eluding to the fact you cannot be just a rebounder and last in the league. I posted Reggie Evans as an example that you can. That is not what Bruno was referring to however.

Blair is already much better around the basket offensively than Evans and his jump shot looks smoother although he has to prove he can hit it consistently.

[Agloco]

Being a great rebounder isn't enough to be a good NBA player.

If Blair plays bad defense, isn't able to hit a jumpshot and isn't able to score in the post, he won't be able to really help Spurs even if he is the best rebounder in the league.




I'm not hinting that Blair won't be a help. Don't put words in my mouth.

Ok.....:rolleyes


Contrary to what you might think, he's gonna be fine.

[lotr1trekkie]

t varner predicted the Cowboys would win it all for the last 2 seasons and that Romo was an elite QB. The simple facts of the matter are that, after 22 minutes of play, Blair looks like a heavyweight rebounder a la Rodman. If that's all he does he will be an asset. Rodman had no offensive moves. He had an unmatched nose for the ball. If Blair is 75% of Rodman then the Spurs are blessed. He also seems a lot more normal than Rodman.

[Bruno]

Ok........:rolleyes

:rolleyes
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if

[Agloco]

:rolleyes
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hinting

I'll point you to #3 in particular.

[tav1]

t varner predicted the Cowboys would win it all for the last 2 seasons and that Romo was an elite QB. The simple facts of the matter are that, after 22 minutes of play, Blair looks like a heavyweight rebounder a la Rodman. If that's all he does he will be an asset. Rodman had no offensive moves. He had an unmatched nose for the ball. If Blair is 75% of Rodman then the Spurs are blessed. He also seems a lot more normal than Rodman.


I'm certain T Varner does not have the first clue about the Cowboys...

Couldn't pick Romo out of a line up...

[Bruno]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hinting

I'll point you to #3 in particular.

And ? I don't think where the suggestion is.

[Agloco]

And ? I don't think where the suggestion is.

No matter, I won't argue semantics with you any longer. You made a suggestion and my perception of it was what it was.

Having said that, I do think Blair can be a great asset even if he's an offensive liability. I think his big body will serve him well near the basket on post up situations as well.

I hardly think he's going to be one dimensional.

[DPG21920]

You cannot compare Blair to Barkley or Rodman.

[Blackjack]

I made a reference to Evans when talking about Blair in the Game Blog, but it was a comparison only in a similar-sized rebounding-fiend.

Blair is truly a talented basketball player. He's got great hands and touch, he's a pretty solid passer, and he's got more skill offensively than he's been given credit for.

DeJuan has the motor and grit of a lesser player that has to carve out a niche, a la Evans, but he's not devoid of an NBA-level skill set; at least he's not going to have to resort to the type of tactics that would make a veteran of an NFL dogpile blush. -- See: Evans, Reggie. --

Dejuan has a ways to go defensively and a lot of room to improve his game overall, but the guy does have 'game.'

He'll contribute right away and have some nights like the one versus Houston during the season, but he's going to definitely have his ups and downs.

He's got to prove to Pop and the staff that his truly great skill, and some of his not-as-great-skills, outweighs the deficiencies in his game enough to benefit the team.

The minutes will have to be earned and however consistent they'll be, solely depends on how Blair can effect the bottom line; winning.

[Agloco]

You cannot compare Blair to Barkley or Rodman.

Not out of the gate, I'd agree. Who knows what his eventual ceiling will be. A large part of that will have to do with how many minutes Pop gives him in his first few years. Will he be allowed to develop quickly, or will it have to come slowly......

[Blackjack]

I'm certain T Varner does not have the first clue about the Cowboys...

Couldn't pick Romo out of a line up...

:lmao

[DPG21920]

I made a reference to Evans when talking about Blair in the Game Blog, but it was a comparison only in a similar-sized rebounding-fiend.

Blair is truly a talented basketball player. He's got great hands and touch, he's a pretty solid passer, and he's got more skill offensively than he's been given credit for.

DeJuan has the motor and grit of a lesser player that has to carve out a niche, a la Evans, but he's not devoid of an NBA-level skill set; at least he's not going to have to resort to the type of tactics that would make a veteran of an NFL dogpile blush. -- See: Evans, Reggie. --

Dejuan has a ways to go defensively and a lot of room to improve his game overall, but the guy does have 'game.'

He'll contribute right away and have some nights like the one versus Houston during the season, but he's going to definitely have his ups and downs.

He's got to prove to Pop and the staff that his truly great skill, and some of his not-as-great-skills, outweighs the deficiencies in his game enough to benefit the team.

The minutes will have to be earned and however consistent they'll be, solely depends on how Blair can effect the bottom line; winning.

I agree with that. His passing is something that has stood out to me. That is why I was a little surprised to see him force up some shots yesterday. I thought he could have made a pass.

But I would rather someone be overly aggressive than passive. His game around the rim is really underrated. He is not a great post player, but he has some effective spin moves and a good up and under move. Nice touch as well. I would like to see him work on a few "go-to" post moves/touch shots and to continue to work on his mid-range jump shot.

His defense is the biggest question by far. He will not be able to use his strength to compensate for a lack of quickness and fundamentals like he did in college. He seems like a very hard worker, so I bet that can be worked on somewhat.

[HarlemHeat37]

just for some comparisons I've seen..

Barkley is impossible..Charles was one of the best scorers in NBA history, with range up to the 3-point line..

Rodman is very unlikely..Rodman was one of the best 1 on 1 defenders in NBA history, and was really underrated from a quickness perspective..he was able to guard any position in his prime..I don't see Blair being more than an above average defender at his peak, which would be fine, but it will take work..

Elton Brand is also unlikely..Brand was a good defender from the get go, and his mid-range J was near automatic..

Evans is a stretch, since Reggie is really bad offensively..

A sane Danny Fortson with potential to be better offensively and worse defensively is the best comparison IMO, and I would be fine with that..Fortson would have remained a good player had he kept his head on straight..Blair isn't a dirty player, so he also won't be going through what Fortson went through with the league..

[Brazil]

Being a great rebounder isn't enough to be a good NBA player.

If Blair plays bad defense, isn't able to hit a jumpshot and isn't able to score in the post, he won't be able to really help Spurs even if he is the best rebounder in the league.

Rodman ?

[Bruno]

Rodman ?

2 times DPOY and 7 times first defensive team so I wouldn't say that he played bad defense.

[Brazil]

2 times DPOY and 7 times first defensive team so I wouldn't say that he played bad defense.

Touché.

To come back on Blair, he can rebound and he has already shown in SL and even on this pre season game that he is no liability on the O at the contrary of Rodman. For the rest I think he has all the tool to be at least a decent defender, he just needs to work.

[DPG21920]

Exactly. Why are people forgetting how good Barkley and Rodman were?

[Bruno]

To come back on Blair, he can rebound and he has already shown in SL and even on this pre season game that he is no liability on the O at the contrary of Rodman. For the rest I think he has all the tool to be at least a decent defender, he just needs to work.

I agree with you and I also think he will be an ok offensive player. He is very young so it could takes him some times. We will have to be a little patient with him.

[Brazil]

Exactly. Why are people forgetting how good Barkley and Rodman were?

You're right on this point. I have to confess that first two things that come into my mind when I remember Rodman are: rebounding beast and offense disaster, I forget the rest.

[Blackjack]

Rodman was one of the most unique players to ever play the game and the only person I've ever seen remind me of Charles, was Bonzi in that '06 series versus Sacramento; and that was only for a series.

[Blackjack]

But I would rather someone be overly aggressive than passive. His game around the rim is really underrated. He is not a great post player, but he has some effective spin moves and a good up and under move. Nice touch as well. I would like to see him work on a few "go-to" post moves/touch shots and to continue to work on his mid-range jump shot.

Yeah, the shot-selection doesn't bother me so much because it's of the aggressive and usually high-percentage variety. I've seen some comments that have somewhat demeaned his rebounding because of the amount he got after his own miss, but I just don't understand that logic.

He has a knack for the ball and a way of getting it in the hole that, not unlike many undersized players, is effective even if unorthodox. What looks like bad shots to most, are usually the type of shots he's grown accustomed to making over the years. It's like a hitch in a swing, a throw, or a shot; it may look like crap, but it doesn't mean it's any less effective.

He does have a bit of a fall-away shot over the shoulder from the post, pretty decent foot-work, he can really utilize the pump-fake, and with those long arms he's able to use the rim as a shield to get off his shot from some otherwise unadvantageous positions.



His defense is the biggest question by far. He will not be able to use his strength to compensate for a lack of quickness and fundamentals like he did in college. He seems like a very hard worker, so I bet that can be worked on somewhat.

Definitely agree about his defense being the biggest question mark, but it's something I pretty much expected. He wasn't even a good defender back at Pitt. He's always been foul-prone and a bit of a gambler, so he's definitely got his work cut out for him.

The good news is, he's come to the right team and been lucky enough to have someone like Tim as a mentor.

There's really no excuse for him to not succeed if he's willing to listen and put in the work.

[ElNono]

Don't hate on me... I'm the first one wishing I got it all wrong.
But I look at rookies under Pop's regime not named Tony Parker and I just can't see him changing his ways now.
Hill is a great example. He was a 1st round pick (you could argue that Blair should have been too), he started the season with a couple of great performances, then when Manu got injured he was inexplicably banished to the bench. Pop went with the Mason at PG experiment, and at the end of the season he even resurrected Vaughn. This is on a position where we didn't even have a depth at all, and Pop still refused to play him until the elimination game.
Now look at DeJuan's situation: He's got McDyess, Bonner, Ratliff, and even arguably Mahinmi in front of him, considering Ian spent 3 years learning the system. These are all NBA vets, except for Ian, that you know Pop hold in high regard.
On top of that, Pop has been playing a lot of small ball since the 2006 Dallas debacle.
I'm sorry, I just don't see where Pop is going to feel like he should play him over those other guys. He will probably give him minutes early in the season, like he did with Hill, but sooner than later I suspect we're going to see him in street clothes, much like we saw Hill in the second part of last season.
Again, I hope I end up being dead wrong about this when it's all said and done, but right now I don't see it. Nevertheless, I think we have a much improved team this season, with or without DeJuan, and even if he can't be a contributor this season, I'm sure he'll be a great Spur in seasons to come.

[wildbill2u]

Blair being on the court will be no worse than having Bonner on the court, both aren't great defenders and both excel at what they can do. The difference is Blair helps out with what the Spurs really need, Rebounding on both ends of the court and getting to the line (Quite a few times on and 1's)

Yeah, but how'd ya like to see both of them on the court at the same time with their defense. Pops gonna have to really get them into perfect matchups to make use of these guys.

[benefactor]

Most black people are stupid... no exaggeration.

[anakha]

I would be surprised if he knows basic math.

Gee, I wonder why you've gotten banned several times already...

[exstatic]

Answering your question, I am not speaking of countering his "nose for the ball". I mean taking advantage of his 6'6 height on defense. That is something you can gameplan and exploit.
Luckily, like rebounding, you don't defend with the top of your head either. Blair's standing reach is that of your average 6'10 or 6'11" player.

[YODA]

Anyone have any information on how many of those rebounds were not putbacks from his own shows?

[z0sa]

Blair could be too good for Pop to bench him. Plus, you really think Tim and his aching knees will let that happen? Tim is a reserved individual obviously. That doesn't mean he isn't playing a big part in what happens behind the scenes. If Blair does well, he could get Tim more rest than in a long time. He's going to need it with the current big man situation, which could get ugly during the course of that long 82 game season+PO.

[ceperez]

Folks, to put things in perspective, Blair has near identical measurements as Milsap:

Height w/o Shoes Height w/shoes Weight Wingspan Standing Reach Body Fat No Step Vert Max Vert Bench Press Lane Agility 3/4 Court Sprint Class Rank
6' 6.25" 6' 7.25" 258 7' 1.5" 8' 9.5" 9.7 28.5 32.5 15 11.67 3.30 38

Blair:
ht w/o Shoes Height w/shoes Weight Wingspan Standing Reach Body Fat No Step Vert Max Vert Bench Press Lane Agility 3/4 Court Sprint Class Rank
6' 5.25" 6' 6.5" 277 7' 2" 8' 10.5" 12.0 26.0 33.0 18 11.50 3.45 NA


Note that Blair's reach and wingspan are slightly greater than Milsap. So that 1" height advantage does really count.

Milsap plays PF, so I would gather that its a completely legitimate position for Blair to play.

[anakha]

I think the team is good/deep enough where you can sit 1 player out on a given night and not worry.


I would really like to see nights where Manu, Tim and Tony don't even play.

Error, does not compute.

[mountainballer]

Folks, to put things in perspective, Blair has near identical measurements as Milsap:


wasn't it a better comparison to not look for a very similar player in terms of body type, but look for significantly taller players?
let's look at the Spurs roster.
Bonner: height (in shoes) 6' 10"; wingspan: 6' 8.75"; reach:8' 9.5"
Blair: height (in shoes) 6' 6.5"; wingspan: 7' 2"; reach: 8' 10.5"
Bonner has a height advantage of 3.5'', but he is actually the "smaller" player.

some more players labeled "decent" or "good" size for a PF (some even play Center):

Drew Gooden - height (in shoes): 6' 10"; wingspan: 7' 0.5"; reach: 8' 10.5"
Al Horford - height (in shoes): 6' 9.75"; wingspan: 7' 0.75"; reach: 8' 11"
Ronny Turiaf - height (in shoes): 6' 9.25"; wingspan: 7' 1.5"; reach: 8' 10.5"
David Lee - height (in shoes): 6' 9"; wingspan: 7' 0"; reach: 8' 10.5"
Joakim Noah - height (in shoes): 7' 0"; wingspan: 7' 1.25"; reach: 8' 10.5"
Troy Murphy - height (in shoes): 6' 11"; wingspan: 6' 11"; reach: 8' 9.5"

all of them are either above average rebounder and/or shotblocker. Blair's physical prerequisites are definitely those of the average 6'10 player.

[mathbzh]

You remind me something


Rebounding: It’s Not All About Height

By averaging 25 points and 14 rebounds against the Warriors thus far, Carlos Boozer, who is 6-9, has been receiving a lot of national attention for his play, particularly for doing what he’s done as a perceived “undersized” frontcourt player. In my opinion, though, once you get past 6-9, it doesn’t make any difference what size you are, you can play with anybody. Like I was telling some people last week, when I was in college, with a running jump I could touch the top of the backboard because I was one of the world’s best high jumpers. But most rebounds are taken below the height of the rim. So if I jump up and touch the top of the backboard, there are no rebounds up there. In fact, when I was at my best, if I had to outjump somebody to get a rebound, that was the last line of defense. In other words, I was under duress. I hoped to never let it get to that where I had to outjump a guy. Rebounding is positioning and timing. That is why Bill Laimbeer and Paul Silas were both quite good at rebounding even though neither one could jump very high.

Blair as the length of a 6'9 player so I guess he belong to the " once you get past 6-9, it doesn’t make any difference what size you are, you can play with anybody" group.

That being said, if he had to defend Gasol... he could look really undersized.

[silverblackfan]

You remind me something



Blair as the length of a 6'9 player so I guess he belong to the " once you get past 6-9, it doesn’t make any difference what size you are, you can play with anybody" group.

That being said, if he had to defend Gasol... he could look really undersized.

I don't know, the prooof is in the pudding. I want to see him go up against Gasol before I rule him out for defending him. Yes, Gasol can shoot over him, but Blair's toughness and lower center of gravity could really bug the hell out of Gasol.

[raspsa]

Rebounding is positioning and timing.. very true. But it also helps if you've got realy long arms and a fire-hydrant for a body..plus a realy huge chip on your shoulder for being bypassed in the first round of the draft.

[duncan228]

Blair's Work Ethic Shines Through (http://www.nba.com/spurs/timeout/20secondto.html)
by Bill Schoening

It was a good half hour after a morning training camp practice had concluded, and Spurs rookie forward DeJuan Blair was still on the court, working on pick and roll manuevers and short jumpers around the basket with assistant coach Chad Forcier. With sweat pouring from his brow, Blair pressed on. It's the type of work ethic that has endeared Blair to his coaches and teammates.

It's not taking fans long to embrace the burly rookie. He was a big hit in the Spurs preseason debut on Tuesday night at the AT&T Center, pacing the team with 16 points and 19 rebounds. Similar performances were common during Blair's stellar two year career at Pitt. Following Tuesday's game, the softspoken Blair said, "It was fun. I just did what they asked me to do and that's rebound. Everything else came off of that."

While there's room for improvement in all phases of the 20 year old's game, his hard work, energy, and positive attitude could very well earn him a spot in the Spurs frontcourt rotation.

[nuclearfm]

nfHOQAT0-Mk

[Allanon]

Luckily, like rebounding, you don't defend with the top of your head either. Blair's standing reach is that of your average 6'10 or 6'11" player.

I disagree, you do defend with your head, more specifically, your eyes.

If you can't see over a 6'10 guy posting you up, you're going to have problems. But I've beaten this to death and willing to wait and see... you're not the first to point out his standing reach, ie his height doesn't matter.

Reach is great but I think eye level is very important in defense as well. Giving up 4 inches is significant in that Blair might be able to reach as high as Lamar Odom, but he can't see over him and PF's with Lamar's height can obstruct his view of what's happening on the court.

Let's see how he does against these bigger PF's like Lamar Odom that he can go toe to toe with his long wingspan but can't see over due to his 6'6 height.

[lennyalderette]

whoever stated dejuan will not be planned around is dumber than a rock, if you guys were watching the preseason game, thats exactly what they did!!!!!!!! let me tell you so you can stop arguing about things that are already established!! when blair came down with about 10 rebounds around scola and landry, who were obviously frustrated by his presence, rick adelman called a time out, i was sitting right by the bench of the rockets and i can see scola and landry complaining to the coach about blairs rebounding!!, when they came back into the game they started doubleteaming him and fouling him (this is when he almost ripped landrys arm off)!!!!! to me that means they will change their game plan around dejuan blair!!!!!

[lennyalderette]

wasn't it a better comparison to not look for a very similar player in terms of body type, but look for significantly taller players?
let's look at the Spurs roster.
Bonner: height (in shoes) 6' 10"; wingspan: 6' 8.75"; reach:8' 9.5"
Blair: height (in shoes) 6' 6.5"; wingspan: 7' 2"; reach: 8' 10.5"
Bonner has a height advantage of 3.5'', but he is actually the "smaller" player.

some more players labeled "decent" or "good" size for a PF (some even play Center):

Drew Gooden - height (in shoes): 6' 10"; wingspan: 7' 0.5"; reach: 8' 10.5"
Al Horford - height (in shoes): 6' 9.75"; wingspan: 7' 0.75"; reach: 8' 11"
Ronny Turiaf - height (in shoes): 6' 9.25"; wingspan: 7' 1.5"; reach: 8' 10.5"
David Lee - height (in shoes): 6' 9"; wingspan: 7' 0"; reach: 8' 10.5"
Joakim Noah - height (in shoes): 7' 0"; wingspan: 7' 1.25"; reach: 8' 10.5"
Troy Murphy - height (in shoes): 6' 11"; wingspan: 6' 11"; reach: 8' 9.5"

all of them are either above average rebounder and/or shotblocker. Blair's physical prerequisites are definitely those of the average 6'10 player.
very good point

[Allanon]

Appreciate all the bro-mance coming from a Lakers fan, but remember it's ONLY 1 GAME!! If he does it again later this week, I'll start chugging that Kool-Aid myself.:lol



Last night I couldn't believe blair's rebounding numbers. I couldn't watch the game last night but from what I've read I hope he becomes a more complete player. I know he can become a big contributor.

I was hoping to watch Blair versus Olympiakos but from what I've heard so far, they're not showing the game on any of the channels. I guess I'll just have have to settle for the highlights, :depressed

I'm sure Blair will get his though.

[NoOptionB]

What I want to see out of Blair the most is the PASSION. SPURS HAVE NOT HAVE TOUGHNESS IN THEIR BIGS IN A LONG TIME.

I want to see him muscle out a hard-earned rebound over a legit big opponent and then get over him and mad dog the hell out of the dude. Blair has that in him. Pop needs to unleash the beast. This is 2010.



Man's game.