duncan228
10-08-2009, 01:21 AM
Hill fits as Parker's stand-in (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Hill_fits_as_Parkers_stand-in.html)
Jeff McDonald
Earlier this week, Spurs players — all 18 of them — were engaged in a relatively benign ball-handling drill. Big men dribbled next to small men, and some better than others.
At one point, coach Gregg Popovich wandered over to tell one of those big men what a good job he was doing.
“He said, ‘I will never play you at point guard,'” recalled Matt Bonner, a 6-foot-10 center by trade. “In case there was any confusion, he let me know.”
Thankfully for the Spurs — and probably also for Bonner — the manhunt for a backup to All-Star Tony Parker probably won't go so far down the roster this season.
That job unquestionably belongs to second-year player George Hill, who after a strong summer and an even better start to training camp has made the Spurs' coaching staff feel much better about their No. 2 point guard than they did last season.
Popovich has been effusive in his praise of Hill, going so far as to label him, “my favorite player on the entire team.”
“He's really matured,” Popovich said. “At this point, I'm really pleased to have him as our backup point.”
Of course, it isn't as if there are many other reasonable alternatives.
Though backup point guard was a perpetual question mark for the Spurs last season — indeed, Popovich tried everybody but Bonner there — they made no effort this offseason to bring in other candidates.
Before camp even began, it was going to be George Hill or bust.
“He's got to be a backup point,” Popovich said, “or we're in big damn trouble.”
Hill's performance in this camp should help Popovich breathe a bit easier.
With Parker sitting out Tuesday's preseason opener against Houston, Hill took the reins of the Spurs' offense and won over a few more hearts and minds. He scored 15 points, had four assists and, showing off his remade shooting stroke, hit both of his 3-point tries.
“I've matured,” said Hill, who averaged 5.7 points and 1.8 assists in 77 games as a rookie. “I have a year under my belt now. I see what it's like to play in the NBA. I know you're going to have good days and bad days. The only thing you can do is keep trying to improve every day.”
In the biggest difference between now and this time last year, Hill looks like an NBA point guard. When he was on the court against Houston, he was in command.
Parker, Hill's mentor and one of his biggest fans this side of Popovich, has taken notice.
“I saw from Day 1 in training camp, he was feeling very comfortable,” Parker said. “I think he's more aggressive overall in everything he does. His body language is better.”
It is a far cry from his rookie season, when Hill was simply trying not to drown in the sea of new information coming at him. It made him tentative.
He lacked, in Popovich's words, a “command personality” at the point. Too often, he deferred to the older veterans when he was supposed to be running the team.
“Now it's, ‘Hell with that,'” Popovich said. “His place is to go play and be aggressive and get minutes, and that's how he's playing.”
Hill is playing so well, in fact, that Popovich has bigger plans for him than just being Parker's understudy.
The coach has been tinkering with a smaller lineup that would allow Hill to play shooting guard next to Parker. Even at 6-foot-3, Hill is long enough, so that wouldn't be a defensive liability against many NBA shooting guards.
For Hill, a chance to play with Parker — instead of simply spelling him — would be icing.
“I just want to prove that I'm supposed to be here and I'm supposed to be the backup point guard,” Hill said.
Thankfully for the Spurs — and for Bonner — Hill appears ready to seize that role.
Jeff McDonald
Earlier this week, Spurs players — all 18 of them — were engaged in a relatively benign ball-handling drill. Big men dribbled next to small men, and some better than others.
At one point, coach Gregg Popovich wandered over to tell one of those big men what a good job he was doing.
“He said, ‘I will never play you at point guard,'” recalled Matt Bonner, a 6-foot-10 center by trade. “In case there was any confusion, he let me know.”
Thankfully for the Spurs — and probably also for Bonner — the manhunt for a backup to All-Star Tony Parker probably won't go so far down the roster this season.
That job unquestionably belongs to second-year player George Hill, who after a strong summer and an even better start to training camp has made the Spurs' coaching staff feel much better about their No. 2 point guard than they did last season.
Popovich has been effusive in his praise of Hill, going so far as to label him, “my favorite player on the entire team.”
“He's really matured,” Popovich said. “At this point, I'm really pleased to have him as our backup point.”
Of course, it isn't as if there are many other reasonable alternatives.
Though backup point guard was a perpetual question mark for the Spurs last season — indeed, Popovich tried everybody but Bonner there — they made no effort this offseason to bring in other candidates.
Before camp even began, it was going to be George Hill or bust.
“He's got to be a backup point,” Popovich said, “or we're in big damn trouble.”
Hill's performance in this camp should help Popovich breathe a bit easier.
With Parker sitting out Tuesday's preseason opener against Houston, Hill took the reins of the Spurs' offense and won over a few more hearts and minds. He scored 15 points, had four assists and, showing off his remade shooting stroke, hit both of his 3-point tries.
“I've matured,” said Hill, who averaged 5.7 points and 1.8 assists in 77 games as a rookie. “I have a year under my belt now. I see what it's like to play in the NBA. I know you're going to have good days and bad days. The only thing you can do is keep trying to improve every day.”
In the biggest difference between now and this time last year, Hill looks like an NBA point guard. When he was on the court against Houston, he was in command.
Parker, Hill's mentor and one of his biggest fans this side of Popovich, has taken notice.
“I saw from Day 1 in training camp, he was feeling very comfortable,” Parker said. “I think he's more aggressive overall in everything he does. His body language is better.”
It is a far cry from his rookie season, when Hill was simply trying not to drown in the sea of new information coming at him. It made him tentative.
He lacked, in Popovich's words, a “command personality” at the point. Too often, he deferred to the older veterans when he was supposed to be running the team.
“Now it's, ‘Hell with that,'” Popovich said. “His place is to go play and be aggressive and get minutes, and that's how he's playing.”
Hill is playing so well, in fact, that Popovich has bigger plans for him than just being Parker's understudy.
The coach has been tinkering with a smaller lineup that would allow Hill to play shooting guard next to Parker. Even at 6-foot-3, Hill is long enough, so that wouldn't be a defensive liability against many NBA shooting guards.
For Hill, a chance to play with Parker — instead of simply spelling him — would be icing.
“I just want to prove that I'm supposed to be here and I'm supposed to be the backup point guard,” Hill said.
Thankfully for the Spurs — and for Bonner — Hill appears ready to seize that role.