On paper (assuming they play like this for a whole season)...

[Cry Havoc]

Where does this bench (again on paper, because it's obvious we are only one game in and thus it's too early to be forecasting how good they'll be long term) POTENTIALLY rank in NBA history?

PG - George Hill
SG - Roger Mason Jr.
SF - Manu Ginobili
PF - DeJuan Blair
C - Antonio McDyess

That's just sick. I mean, just typing that makes me feel a little nauseous with excitement. Is there a single team out there that would be able to compete with us night in night out if you removed the starting 5 from the equation?

[timvp]

If Bonner and Finley are both still starting come the playoffs, the Spurs bench would be the best bench in NBA history that got defeated in the first round :)

[HarlemHeat37]

If Bonner and Finley are both still starting come the playoffs, the Spurs bench would be the best bench in NBA history that got defeated in the first round :)

LOL sadly..

the annoying part is that I believe Bonner and Finley would both fit in very nicely with the bench, especially Bonner..

[DesignatedT]

Bad thing about having bonner+blair out there at the same time is our interior defense is almost non-existent. and however blair is a beast on the boards. it puts the pressure on him to pull down every single rebound.

thats why i think pop wants atleast duncan or dyess out there at the same time as bonner or blair.

[peskypesky]

i think they have to rank as one of the best benches ever.

[TDomination]

If Bonner and Finley are both still starting come the playoffs, the Spurs bench would be the best bench in NBA history that got defeated in the first round :)

I don't know if this is tongue in cheek but I still don't see the big fuss about who is starting.

Pop has so many weapons this year that he knows he can easily replace those 2 in the starting line-up if he has to. So, I am sure that if he feels that starting Bonner and/or finley is hurting the team or will hurt the team, he will not start them.

[benefactor]

2002 Kings

[DAF86]

If Bonner and Finley are both still starting come the playoffs, the Spurs bench would be the best bench in NBA history that got defeated in the first round :)

B..b..but is not who starts the game is who ends it, right?

[Whisky Dog]

Of course who starts matters from a team perspective. I don't have much of a problem with Bonner starting against teams like the Hornets where he can match up at least a bit defensively but I see no reason why Mason shouldn't be the starting 2 once the rotation shortens and minutes aren't spread out so evenly. If Pop can get away with running lineups like he did last night keeping everyone under 30 mpg then the big guns will be fresh for when the rotation shortens. I think he should keep Blair to no more than about 15 mpg for the most part to hopefully keep the rookie wall from destroying him.

[in2deep]

relax. Mcdyess is our starter. he just arrived.

on the other hand, Finley might start for good. He's still got his shooter touch and seems like he's more comfortable starting.

I see no problems on either end.

our bench will finally look like:
Hill
Manu
Mason
Blair
Bonner

3rd string:
Ian
Ratliff
Bogans
Haislip
Hairston

[DAF86]

If you want Blair to be a solid contributor come playoff time, you have to play him for more than 15 mpg in the regular season.

[Whisky Dog]

If you want Blair to be a solid contributor come playoff time, you have to play him for more than 15 mpg in the regular season.

Not really, he should average that based on the matchups. Some games he has a favorable matchup he gets 20+. Others against bigs who can dominate in the post offensively he gets less if he struggles a bit. Should wash out to about 15 to 17 mpg

[TheProfessor]

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say this, but I believe that bench would be the most transcendent group of athletes ever to play a sport in the history of the world, nay, the universe itself.