Bring Parker off the bench?

[benefactor]

So let's say that this current starting lineup continues to play well and gels nicely...and the Spurs wind up in decent position heading into the playoffs. Parker will not be back until the first series or maybe just a game or two before. Would it be better to keep the current starting lineup and bring Parker off the bench? He could provide a scoring punch with the second unit and the starting lineup that has played so well could stay together.

Thoughts?

For the record, this is not Parker hate thread or part of the "trade Parker, Hill should take over" campaign. Just thinking outside the box a little.

[Rogue]

definitely he will be used off the bench until he turns 100% fit. Maybe this season TL won't get any more chance to make the starting lineups but I'm sure the starting PG will still be him next season and in many more seasons to come.

[tothrowed]

yes never thought id say it but spurs play better without parker

[Sisk]

definitely he will be used off the bench until he turns 100% fit. Maybe this season TL won't get any more chance to make the starting lineups but I'm sure the starting PG will still be him next season and in many more seasons to come.

this was painful to read..

But I think we should use him off the bench at least initially, and try using him off the bench.. either way we need manu out there with RJ whether it's off the bench or in the starting lineup

But this is definitely still a Tony PG team..

[Rogue]

But personally I don't think TL should come as a starting PG even when he's fully recovered. Dude plays more like a shooting guard more often than not and basically lacks the play-making skills that are always supposed to be some default equipment with a typical PG, which attributes to the disorder of team offense sometimes. Jefferson should be a productive player with a PG whose mind is assist orientated, like Kidd and Sessions he used to play with, but now the BEST PG spurs have is TL who has know business how to assist his mates. During their glorious years it was either Barry or Manù that ran and organized the offense despite they were listed as shooting guards. Now with Barry retired and Manù nearly done the Spurs have basically none of such play-making guards on roster IMHO.

[spectator]

it is obvious that gino gels well with everyone, because he is our playmaker. from that perspective, he is our nash. that is why rj plays so well with gino. moreover, we know that tp is a great pg, but not pass-first or not a great playmaker.

since tp will not be 100% in the first round of play-offs, i would argue that he should come from the bench. word.

[Rogue]

yes never thought id say it but spurs play better without parker
with another PG playing more team-play in place of Parker the whole team seems re-invigorated especially RDJ who has been suffering alot from TL's self orientated offense. Spurs lost a powerful weapon with TL sidelined but played better team ball which pretty well made up for TL's absence IMHO.

[TJastal]

Interesting note Sean just mentioned, spurs playing the best defense of the year since Parker went out

[lennyalderette]

i disagree with the notion of this being tonys team, in no way does it seem like that! i think bringing tony off the bench is a good idea, until he is moving well and attacking the rim. now if george is flatout sucking in the playoffs well of course make tony start. i think hill is going to step up bigtime during the playoffs

[Rogue]

It's certainly improper to call TL a team cancer though. TL just plays the game he's used to and it's just impossible for him to revert his style at such an age. Unlike Stephen Marbury kind of guys who harm the atmosphere in locker room, TL is an awesome guy to use as a change of style that could possibly help his team turn around the game from siege/deficit but he is just not some guy who can make his teammates play better than they really are. During the old years the inchoate TL was more often directed and tutored by the older members but now he's absolutely a veteran on this team. TL has fledged but proved not someone capable of carrying the team himself.

[dbestpro]

I like the idea of TP juicing up the bench's offense, but if he he does RJ will need to go to the starting lineup. Probably would do Blair good to only be on the floor when Manu is on the floor.

[Johnny RIngo]

Sounds like a good idea but I doubt Tony's ego will allow it.

[Sisk]

Sounds like a good idea but I doubt Tony's ego will allow it.

^

[benefactor]

I like the idea of TP juicing up the bench's offense, but if he he does RJ will need to go to the starting lineup. Probably would do Blair good to only be on the floor when Manu is on the floor.
Yeah...I was going under assumption that the Spurs would stay with the current starting lineup.

[Ice009]

So let's say that this current starting lineup continues to play well and gels nicely...and the Spurs wind up in decent position heading into the playoffs. Parker will not be back until the first series or maybe just a game or two before. Would it be better to keep the current starting lineup and bring Parker off the bench? He could provide a scoring punch with the second unit and the starting lineup that has played so well could stay together.

Thoughts?

For the record, this is not Parker hate thread or part of the "trade Parker, Hill should take over" campaign. Just thinking outside the box a little.

You basically don't want a Jameer Nelson situation and if the team is playing great then I would bring Tony off the bench for a while until he gets back into form. When he is in form then you can start him. The bottom line though is that if the Spurs are playing great do you risk another Jameer Nelson type situation, then again it also might be better for TP to start as you don't know how the new guys will react in the playoffs.

It's a tough call.

[Rogue]

You basically don't want a Jameer Nelson situation and if the team is playing great then I would bring Tony off the bench for a while until he gets back into form. When he is in form then you can start him. The bottom line though is that if the Spurs are playing great do you risk another Jameer Nelson type situation, then again it also might be better for TP to start as you don't know how the new guys will react in the playoffs.

It's a tough call.
it's pretty much a choice between TL and the rest IMHO. RDJ plays way better with 4 teammates excluding TL and probably RDJ isn't the only guy who has struggled adapting to TL's game. when TL is on 100% form he should be started at a considerable deduction of RDJ's efficiency, while benching him is clearly a better option if he's only half of himself. TL just shouldn't be played too much along RDJ and other guys alike.

Plus it's just impractical to expect TL to play more team orientated like Jason Kidd, Chauncy Billups etc. Kidd and Chauncy and guys like them are capable of both styles of play- assisting teammates or scoring themselves but TL never got the other dimension.

[timtonymanu]

im not against it but i doubt it would happen.

[ducks]

last two games was against wolves and clippers

lets see what they do against better teams
the o was terrible against cavs especially all of 4

[benefactor]

Starting is not the 4th quarter.

[SCdac]

One thing is for sure, seeing Hill push the ball on every possession (even into a half court set) and willingness to give up the ball on a stalled play is a good contrast to Parker's 'walk the ball up the court' and 'hold the ball for 15 seconds of the shot clock' kind of style. When our team is scored on Parker tends to slowly walk the ball up into a set (allowing defenses to get set), and tries to pick and roll until it either works or doesn't work. How many times have we seen a play crumble, and Parker goes for a midrange jumper? (a shot that he can hit, but ball-movement is more important with the depth we have) Would rather the Spurs win as a team, than live and die by Parkers production.

[ducks]

running a set play is bad?

pop is trying to run more
he should tell tp to run more it is working
tp walks up slow because he is told to

[SCdac]

running a set play is bad?

pop is trying to run more
he should tell tp to run more it is working
tp walks up slow because he is told to

It's not a matter of running a set play. It's a matter of playing with urgency while at the same time involving the team. I don't think Parker has done enough of that this season (most likely due to injuries/PF). One of the fastest players in the game playing somewhat slow, doesn't help our team IMO. I'm not saying he needs to play reckless or even change his game entirely, it's just nice to watch Hill actually push the tempo.

[ducks]

pop knows without tp they have to push it to win

[TDMVPDPOY]

with the way this team playing atm without parker, his expendable

[ducks]

yeah losing to the cavs without shaq,jamison most of the night james without tp
is alright?

trading tp for a real point guard or a real big to help duncan


spurs have already said they do not think hill is a point guard


this team is playing well because it a vet team and they are trying to turn it on
it is middle of march

[TDMVPDPOY]

with or without parker this team will always turn it on...now they are fighting for playoff positioning, say whatever you want about ghill or this team without parker....they are playing better without him and that is fact. spurs won 7/8 games in there last 8 games.

now if parker or ginoboli can be used in a trade to bring in a legit big to play alongside duncan would be nice.....

parker should be playin backup pg, not ghill....

[Ice009]

last two games was against wolves and clippers

lets see what they do against better teams
the o was terrible against cavs especially all of 4

Absolutely correct there Ducks.

Like I said though if the Spurs are playing AWESOME basketball when Tony is going to come back you have to consider it.

[raspsa]

I seriously doubt Tony's ego can handle coming off the bench.. seriously.

[Rogue]

I seriously doubt Tony's ego can handle coming off the bench.. seriously.
bench RDJ then. RDJ's ego has been pruned to bareness so I don't think he'll have a problem playing off the bench. also RDJ would be more efficient and comfortable playing off the bench along with Manu who plays team basketball.

[Blackjack]

So let's say that this current starting lineup continues to play well and gels nicely...and the Spurs wind up in decent position heading into the playoffs. Parker will not be back until the first series or maybe just a game or two before. Would it be better to keep the current starting lineup and bring Parker off the bench? He could provide a scoring punch with the second unit and the starting lineup that has played so well could stay together.

Thoughts?

For the record, this is not Parker hate thread or part of the "trade Parker, Hill should take over" campaign. Just thinking outside the box a little.

I think Pop's initial plan, once Tony went down, was to keep the rotation and roles they'd come to settle on as intact as possible. So he figured promoting Manu to the starting 5 would allow for better continuity long-term because once Tony returned, you'd flip Manu and Tony, the bench would most likely pick up right where it left off, and between Tony's history of returning from injury and the starting 5 he'd be playing with ... it'd lead one to believe it wouldn't take as long to get up to speed.

But they've smartly gone to RJ, told him they needed him to start and that he's going to play 38min., and I believe they'll stick with it until Tony returns; instead of just switching Manu and Tony, I'm guessing they'll switch the battery of Manu and RJ for Tony (which would restore the bench and keep RJ in relatively the same flow).

Had Mason not gone in the tank this or last year and Pop not lost faith in him ... starting Mason with Hill probably would've been the best option; they had their success last year. But he did, Pop doesn't and that ship's sailed . . .

[raspsa]

Yeah, RJ plays best with Manu on the court. Manu's playmaking and ability to wreak havoc on defenses opens the court for RJ. So if Manu starts, so should RJ. If Manu comes off the bench, so should RJ. I really like the idea to bring TP off the bench if he can deal with it. A fresh Parker going up against tired starters or bench players would be worth it.

[BillMc]

Two wins over bad teams may be a bit early for this sort of discussion, let's see how it looks against the better teams.

Tony IS a team guy, but he does seem a little more concerned with status than Tim or Manu. IF we take him off the bench when he comes back he may not be too happy, it could complicate any early negotiations for an extension.

I am, however, a big TP fan and the best case scenario is a healthy TP at the 1 and Hill at the 2. We were playing pretty well (finally) before Parker got hurt, too. A healthy Tony, Manu and Tim and we will still be a VERY tough out in the playoffs.

[raspsa]

Two wins over bad teams may be a bit early for this sort of discussion, let's see how it looks against the better teams.

Tony IS a team guy, but he does seem a little more concerned with status than Tim or Manu. IF we take him off the bench when he comes back he may not be too happy, it could complicate any early negotiations for an extension.

I am, however, a big TP fan and the best case scenario is a healthy TP at the 1 and Hill at the 2. We were playing pretty well (finally) before Parker got hurt, too. A healthy Tony, Manu and Tim and we will still be a VERY tough out in the playoffs.

Yeah, TP and GHill work well together so no problem with the 2 of them starting as well. i just like it that you could mix up the starting 5 once in a while to confuse the opposition.. being unpredeictable can come in handy.

[FeZZy]

what happens if we get to the playoffs and we fuck up like jameer nelson coming back in the finals last year he wasnt affective at all yet he was playing but not starting

[roycrikside]

By the time TP comes back, this team will have a certain rotation and a certain rhythm, regardless of what their actual record is without him. Parker will have neither the stamina or the playoff intensity right out of the gate to be a starter. I would think the best thing would be to keep the status quo and play him 20-24 mins a game in a Vinny Johnson "Microwave" role.

He doesn't have to worry much about setting people up or pacing himself, just get the ball and score. That's what he likes to do anyway. Play him with Bonner and Hill, a couple of good corner three point shooters, add Blair who he can P&R with, and there you go.

I'm not worried about the team too much offensively. I'm more worried about the effect Tony would have on the starters defensively. I think we've got a chance to be a pretty decent defensive club with this current rotation.

[HarlemHeat37]

Some of you are acting like Tony Parker has never played in the playoffs or played with this team before..

Chemistry won't be an issue at all, these guys aren't new to each other anymore, we're in March..

As I said in the other thread, Parker was playing a lot better before the hand injury, and the Spurs had 3 good wins in a row vs. Phoenix and New Orleans..

[mingus]

the thing is RJ and Parker can't play on the floor together, at least in the offense the Spurs play, which is more of a half-court offense.

it's problematic because neither of them are good at spacing the floor since they don't have respectable range. both of them in there creates all sorts of spacing problems. being a three-point threat has been a theme for the Spurs going back to there 1st championship. it's what's made the offense work and i don't see that changing. i predict if Parker comes back and the starting line-up is TP, Manu, RJ on the perimiter, then we'll see chemsitry problems again.

so i guess my answer is he should come off the bench. hard to believe but i'm saying that but the chemistry has been great with Hill/Manu/RJ and it's not surprising. there's enough space to operate when all three are out there and they fit in terms of what they bring to the table of offense. there's a reason this offense is clicking so well and so fast and the offense when TP was in there hadn't even play well halfway into the season. in my opinion it had little to do with an "adjustment period" and more to do with conflicting skill sets that neither TP or RJ can help.

all i know is this: either TP or RJ is gone after this season.

[TJastal]

the thing is RJ and Parker can't play on the floor together, at least in the offense the Spurs play, which is more of a half-court offense.

it's problematic because neither of them are good at spacing the floor since they don't have respectable range. both of them in there creates all sorts of spacing problems. being a three-point threat has been a theme for the Spurs going back to there 1st championship. it's what's made the offense work and i don't see that changing. i predict if Parker comes back and the starting line-up is TP, Manu, RJ on the perimiter, then we'll see chemsitry problems again.

so i guess my answer is he should come off the bench. hard to believe but i'm saying that but the chemistry has been great with Hill/Manu/RJ and it's not surprising. there's enough space to operate when all three are out there and they fit in terms of what they bring to the table of offense. there's a reason this offense is clicking so well and so fast and the offense when TP was in there hadn't even play well halfway into the season. in my opinion it had little to do with an "adjustment period" and more to do with conflicting skill sets that neither TP or RJ can help.

all i know is this: either TP or RJ is gone after this season.

+1

That Hill/RJ/Manu combo really brings out the best in all 3 and I get a really confident feeling when they are out there. I don't know if I'd mess with it even if Parker was 100%, much less playing at half-speed and hobbled up.

Spurs are defenitely going to have some interesting decisions this off season regarding Parker.

[Buddy Holly]

Chemistry won't be an issue at all, these guys aren't new to each other anymore, we're in March..

I don't think it's going to be about chemistry but more about him not being 100% when he returns.

I'd have no problems with him returning but coming off the bench for a while.

[Muser]

He will come of the bench anyway, kinda like Jameer Nelson last year.

[D-rob fan]

definitely he will be used off the bench until he turns 100% fit. Maybe this season TL won't get any more chance to make the starting lineups but I'm sure the starting PG will still be him next season and in many more seasons to come.

Why do u call tony parker TL? Or am I missing something and TL is someone else?

[TJastal]

Why do u call tony parker TL? Or am I missing something and TL is someone else?

Tony Longoria

I think he thinks its a slap in the face kind of like spurs fans calling Lamar Odom "Lamar Kardashian" which is a real slap in the face.

[spursrocks]

tony parker sucks on D
tony parker is a shoot first point guard
when tony plays everybody just stands around and let tony do his work.
in other words blair dick and dice wont score a lot of points and suck.
id rather have ginobli to be the playmaker
pg- hill
sg- ginobli
sf- dick
Pf- duncan
C- dice
we should continue to ride with this line up. so we could 'gel' till playoff time.
Bring tony of the bench!
tony sucks on D, and he will ruin the chemistry PERIOD!

[mathbzh]

yes never thought id say it but spurs play better without parker

The team was on a 5 wins streak when Parker got injured...
Tony had a positive +/- in these 5 games and a cumulated +39.
I doubt the team playing better has anything to do with Parker being out.

But it might be a good idea to bring Parker off the bench.

Edit:
Since the injury we played:
- the Cavs without Lebron
- NYK
- Minnesota
- LAC
Tough schedule indeed

[G-Dawgg]

Tony Parker should get a nickname, how about Iverson Lite?

[WalterBenitez]

Second unit strong, is the first thing that comes in my mind. Asuming Manu keep coming from the bench not sure how protagonism and instant plays should works.

I'd take a llok to see what happen.

[WalterBenitez]

Tony Parker should get a nickname, how about Iverson Lite?

Fastrunner?
Longoria's toy?

[benefactor]

But they've smartly gone to RJ, told him they needed him to start and that he's going to play 38min., and I believe they'll stick with it until Tony returns; instead of just switching Manu and Tony, I'm guessing they'll switch the battery of Manu and RJ for Tony (which would restore the bench and keep RJ in relatively the same flow).

Agreed...this will probably be the case, though I don't know if it will be best. My biggest worry is that Pop will keep starting RJ beside Parker. That would be a disaster.

The margin for error becomes razor thin once the Spurs enter the playoffs. They cannot afford to lose games while Parker gets back in game shape/reestablishes his rhythm(the fact that is on his shooting/primary ball handling hand is what concerns me the most). If the current starting unit is still playing well, I think they need to stay together so they are not digging out of 10-15 point holes at the end of the first quarter.

But hey...it's probably a moot point anyway. The Spurs will need a miracle just to get out of the first round.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

pop knows without tp they have to push it to win

Who cares, as long as they are winning?

Three things for this thread:

1. This is a valid idea as long as you start RJ. Watching this team play since TP went out, they're playing their best D of the year and actually look cohesive.

2. Tony's ego would probably never allow it.

3. You knew that ducks would be here getting butthurt about the idea.

[Stringer_Bell]

Sounds like a good idea but I doubt Tony's ego will allow it.

What are you talking about? He won't care. Coming off the bench isn't bad because 1) He still gets paid good money 2) He will still finish games, which means Jefferson stays on the bench cuz they just don't play good together 3) He has less strain on his body, which means he can play in INTL in the Summer.

It's a win/win situation.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Some of you are acting like Tony Parker has never played in the playoffs or played with this team before..

Chemistry won't be an issue at all, these guys aren't new to each other anymore, we're in March..

As I said in the other thread, Parker was playing a lot better before the hand injury, and the Spurs had 3 good wins in a row vs. Phoenix and New Orleans..

When you've got as many new guys as we have, chemistry will be an issue.

[DPG21920]

Are you citing Orlando from last year and the Jameer Nelson injury as a basis for this idea? I think the second TP is healthy, you start him. The team was playing very well right before he went down.

[NFGIII]

I think Pop's initial plan, once Tony went down, was to keep the rotation and roles they'd come to settle on as intact as possible. So he figured promoting Manu to the starting 5 would allow for better continuity long-term because once Tony returned, you'd flip Manu and Tony, the bench would most likely pick up right where it left off, and between Tony's history of returning from injury and the starting 5 he'd be playing with ... it'd lead one to believe it wouldn't take as long to get up to speed.

But they've smartly gone to RJ, told him they needed him to start and that he's going to play 38min., and I believe they'll stick with it until Tony returns; instead of just switching Manu and Tony, I'm guessing they'll switch the battery of Manu and RJ for Tony (which would restore the bench and keep RJ in relatively the same flow).

^


Agreed...this will probably be the case, though I don't know if it will be best. My biggest worry is that Pop will keep starting RJ beside Parker. That would be a disaster.

The margin for error becomes razor thin once the Spurs enter the playoffs. They cannot afford to lose games while Parker gets back in game shape/reestablishes his rhythm(the fact that is on his shooting/primary ball handling hand is what concerns me the most). If the current starting unit is still playing well, I think they need to stay together so they are not digging out of 10-15 point holes at the end of the first quarter.

But hey...it's probably a moot point anyway. The Spurs will need a miracle just to get out of the first round.

I tend to want TP coming off the bench until fully recovered and getting nnto a groove. If Pop wants TP to start then I agree with Blackjack/benefactor about fipping Manu and RJ for TP and aomeone else. RJ as well as Blair play so much bettter with Manu than TP that it would be a disaster for TP to step in for Manu with them. I would like for those three to be the core of a unit - be it the 1st or 2nd - due to their obvious chemistry and production. So I hope Pop doesn't change a winning formula.

These last two games have been very nice to watch but ducks is right - it's the TWolves and Clippers. Let's see this kind of effort against other PO bound teams, especially those fighting for position if not the chance to make them.

[Mr Bones]

I think some people are overreacting a bit to a 3 game winning streak against terrible teams-- sure, they've played the "best defense of the year so far" but it's against anemic squads. If they have the same success against the far superior upcoming teams, then maybe... remember, it was only a week ago that they lost to a true contender-- a Cavs team with no LeBron, no Shaq, no Z, and towards the end of the game, no Jamison. That's a pretty bad loss.

[spursfan09]

I don't know. We need to see how the rest of the season plays out. If they continue to play this well, and GH gets comfortable, I can see TP coming off the bench. He'll be trying to get back in to shape. And I don't think TP will have that big of an ego to understand that in this situation he needs to come off the bench. It wouldn't be a permanent move.

[ChumpDumper]

The team was on a 5 wins streak when Parker got injured...
Tony had a positive +/- in these 5 games and a cumulated +39.
I doubt the team playing better has anything to do with Parker being out.

But it might be a good idea to bring Parker off the bench.

Edit:
Since the injury we played:
- the Cavs without Lebron
- NYK
- Minnesota
- LAC
Tough schedule indeedIf we play teams like that in the playoffs, we won't need Parker at all.

Great news!

[Blackjack]

Agreed...this will probably be the case, though I don't know if it will be best. My biggest worry is that Pop will keep starting RJ beside Parker. That would be a disaster.

No, it won't be the best short-term, but it gives them their best shot in the long-term (as in playoffs). Pop had settled on Parker, Hill, Bogans, 'Dyess, Duncan and they had finally begun to find some rhythm and continuity; positive strides in a one-step-forward, two-steps-back year. So while some would like to see wholesale changes in the starting lineup in hopes of giving them their best shot at a higher seed, I'd argue doing anything other than what they've done wouldn't help them enough to justify the problems it would present once the playoffs arrive and Tony's back in the fold.

If it's Pop's goal to have this team playing at their best level possible, under these less than optimum conditions, and give them the best opportunity to do anything in the playoffs ... returning Parker and Bogans to the starting-5 in place of Manu and RJ is his best bet IMO; the bench is restored, Parker's given the best opportunity to succeed and the Spurs aren't left to re-visit why it is that RJ has been so ineffective for much of the season.

I understand the thinking of: 'RJ has to start in the playoffs. The rotations are shortened and he's one of your best, most talented players.' But I think it'd be a mistake to go away from something that has finally borne fruit; an arsenal and a full compliment of weapons is a nice thing to have, but if you can't use them effectively ... at some point useful weapons just become dead weight.


The margin for error becomes razor thin once the Spurs enter the playoffs. They cannot afford to lose games while Parker gets back in game shape/reestablishes his rhythm(the fact that is on his shooting/primary ball handling hand is what concerns me the most). If the current starting unit is still playing well, I think they need to stay together so they are not digging out of 10-15 point holes at the end of the first quarter.

But hey...it's probably a moot point anyway. The Spurs will need a miracle just to get out of the first round.

Completely agree about the margin for error; Tony's done well immediately following his injuries in the past ... and they better hope that stays true to form.

Because if it doesn't?

Dem boys be S-O-L; they needed a borderline miracle before Tony went down . . .

[DesignatedT]

Rj was starting to play fine with tony in the starting lineup. actually those three games before tony went down were some of the best basketball we played... no way hill should continue to be our starting pg in the playoffs... i think people here are starting to forget who tony parker is.... he is a finals mvp. no way we bring him off the bench

[TJastal]

Rj was starting to play fine with tony in the starting lineup. actually those three games before tony went down were some of the best basketball we played... no way hill should continue to be our starting pg in the playoffs... i think people here are starting to forget who tony parker is.... he is a finals mvp. no way we bring him off the bench

RJ came off the bench those 3 games

[Obstructed_View]

I think we may see Parker come off the bench in limited minutes going down the stretch just to get his wind back for the playoffs. Hopefully the Spurs will play well enough to get him some garbage time the last few weeks of the season.

[weebo]

I've always said that TP would be a great sixth man. However, God forbid you mention Parker coming off the bench in here...people will crucify you.

[jimo2305]

no.. i dont like the thought of parker playing without duncan on the floor.. they compliment each other better than hill and duncan

[TJastal]

no.. i dont like the thought of parker playing without duncan on the floor.. they compliment each other better than hill and duncan

Hill compliments Duncan just fine. In fact probably better because he has
3 pt range.

[smrattler]

I'll wait till this "new" TP-less team beats someone before I say we can sit Tony.

[spursrocks]

yeah but parker is not the same 2-3years ago, bad thing about parker is his defence. its sucks very much, thats why hill and bogans should be in the line up together with parker to help on D. parker and dick JUST CANT PLAY TOGETHER PERIOD. when parker plays other players wont get into rhythm. if you guys want parker, we live or die on parkers play. if parker scores 30+ points we have chance of winning, opponents lock down a step slower parker, spurs are in deep shit. SO
i would stick with HIll and Gino who plays BETTER DEFENSE, SHARES THE BALL BETTER AND EVERYBODY GETS INTO RHYTHM AND CAN SHOOT THE 3! PARKER ON THE OTHER HAND SCORES BUT SUCKS ON D, SHOOT FIRST POINT GUARD WHO RARELY SHARES THE BALL AND CAN'T SHOOT 3s!(hill is better 3 points shooter better defender compared to parker)
pg - Hill
Sg- Gino
Sf- Dick
PF- Duncan
C- Dice
bring Parkers ass off the bench
bench
pg- parker
sg- mase
sf- malik/bogans
pf- blair
c- bonner/mahinmi
stick with this starting line up of hill, gino, dick, dice and dunc. i believe in a 5th trophy. with parker in the starting line up, 1st round exit baby!

[TJastal]

yeah but parker is not the same 2-3years ago, bad thing about parker is his defence. its sucks very much, thats why hill and bogans should be in the line up together with parker to help on D. parker and dick JUST CANT PLAY TOGETHER PERIOD. when parker plays other players wont get into rhythm. if you guys want parker, we live or die on parkers play. if parker scores 30+ points we have chance of winning, opponents lock down a step slower parker, spurs are in deep shit. SO
i would stick with HIll and Gino who plays BETTER DEFENSE, SHARES THE BALL BETTER AND EVERYBODY GETS INTO RHYTHM AND CAN SHOOT THE 3! PARKER ON THE OTHER HAND SCORES BUT SUCKS ON D, SHOOT FIRST POINT GUARD WHO RARELY SHARES THE BALL AND CAN'T SHOOT 3s!(hill is better 3 points shooter better defender compared to parker)
pg - Hill
Sg- Gino
Sf- Dick
PF- Duncan
C- Dice
bring Parkers ass off the bench
bench
pg- parker
sg- mase
sf- malik/bogans
pf- blair
c- bonner/mahinmi
stick with this starting line up of hill, gino, dick, dice and dunc. i believe in a 5th trophy. with parker in the starting line up, 1st round exit baby!

Hard to disagree with this, this is pretty much spot-on.

[Darthkiller]

trade parker to the lakers for bynum.

[TJastal]

trade parker to the lakers for bynum.

That's a great idea actually

[benefactor]

Completely agree about the margin for error; Tony's done well immediately following his injuries in the past ... and they better hope that stays true to form.

Because if it doesn't?

Dem boys be S-O-L; they needed a borderline miracle before Tony went down . . .
I guess what worries me the most about this injury compared to injuries he has come back from in the past is it's his shooting hand...and there is a good chance that his jumper is going to be a bit shaky. Teams are one defensive adjustment away from forcing him to shoot that jumper a lot.

The good thing is that his feet and ankles should be great so he should have all of his quickness back. This is why I think he would be better suited initially to come off the bench. He will be playing against backup guards and backup bigs that he can exploit with his quickness to get to the rim...because at first that is probably going to be his only effective weapon.

But as I said in the OP, this is a wait and see process. I think it can only be successful if the current starting lineup continues to play at a high level against all types of competition. We will know a lot more by the end of this month.

[Brazil]

Hard to disagree with this, this is pretty much spot-on.

nice TJastal found a friend !

[Pauleta14]

trade parker to the lakers for bynum.


:lmao

The lakers would do it in heartbeat!!!!!
Bynum is so overated + injury prone...

[xellos88330]

I have been mulling over the idea of Parker coming off of the bench and voiced it during one of the Kori Ellis episodes. Nobody said it was a great idea and thought I was TP bashing. I wasn't bashing him at all.

1. No PG can really stay with Parker except for maybe Devin Harris. He will have a field day destroying the bench of opposing teams.

2. George Hill is proving that his jumpshot is becoming an effective weapon. Especially from 3 which opens up the court more for TD to do his work.

3. Manu will be starting with RJ. Everyone knows that RJ plays better with Manu than TP. This will have to be a necessity. With Manu in the starting lineup I believe he can dictate the pace of the game and force other teams to play Spurs basketball instead of the other way around.

My only concern regarding this, is how will the production be off the bench? TP is a score first PG and I do not see how he can help the bench like Manu can. I think it all comes down to TP's mentality and how he can adapt to accomodate the other players.

[Josepatches_]

:lmao

The lakers would do it in heartbeat!!!!!
Bynum is so overated + injury prone...


Overrated? Yes Injury prone? Same TP

If they trade him for TP they will be very stupid.I would do it in a heartbeat too.Blair & Bynum will be great.

[sonic21]

If the spurs are playing well and finding a very effective rotation, then bring tony off the bench and see how it works.

[DesignatedT]

tony wont nor should he come off the bench. people here have gone mad. 3 wins against the puppies, clippers and d'antoni and were better without him... this team was playing great before he went down with that hand.... this team is going absolutely nowhere without tony playing at his highest level.

[Blackjack]

I guess what worries me the most about this injury compared to injuries he has come back from in the past is it's his shooting hand...and there is a good chance that his jumper is going to be a bit shaky. Teams are one defensive adjustment away from forcing him to shoot that jumper a lot.

The good thing is that his feet and ankles should be great so he should have all of his quickness back. This is why I think he would be better suited initially to come off the bench. He will be playing against backup guards and backup bigs that he can exploit with his quickness to get to the rim...because at first that is probably going to be his only effective weapon.

But as I said in the OP, this is a wait and see process. I think it can only be successful if the current starting lineup continues to play at a high level against all types of competition. We will know a lot more by the end of this month.

I tend to believe, rightly or wrongly, that we'll see Parker before the regular-season ends. So they could very well bring him off the bench for the 1, 2, or more games he's able to play in. Once they've been able to see where he's at and where the team is overall, then you make your decision and live with it; it's absolutely a wait-and-see, fluid process.

I believe, when it's all said and done, going back to the starting-5 Pop settled on (Parker - Hill - Bogans - 'Dyess - Duncan) and restoring the bench provides their best hope for continuity and the ability to weather Tony's injury in face of the fire that is the playoffs. But it is my belief in how I think things will turn out and not a stance I've taken that I can't be moved from.

Circumstance(s) dictate . . .

[Ibanezsr]

:lmao

The lakers would do it in heartbeat!!!!!
Bynum is so overated + injury prone...

So is Parker now..

[TJastal]

There's really no reason Parker can't come off the bench if its for the benefit of the team. Manu has been doing it for YEARS.

It is plain as day that the team is clearly playing extremely well with the Hill/Jefferson/Manu starting trio, I will go out on a limb and predict this will be successful even against the stiffer competition the spurs have coming up.

If the team is still on a roll when Parker comes back the last thing Pop should do is uproot the entire structure of the starting lineup / bench just to appease Tony Parker's ego.

Pop will need to decide if his job is placating egos or giving his team the best chance at winning, will be interesting to see what happens.

[Johnny RIngo]

:lmao

The lakers would do it in heartbeat!!!!!
Bynum is so overated + injury prone...

I don't think Parker would be a good fit for the triangle. Lakers need a defensive PG that can shoot threes.

[TJastal]

:lmao

The lakers would do it in heartbeat!!!!!
Bynum is so overated + injury prone...

Parker: 14 missed games so far this year and still counting.
Bynum: 2 missed games so far

[NFGIII]

I have been mulling over the idea of Parker coming off of the bench and voiced it during one of the Kori Ellis episodes. Nobody said it was a great idea and thought I was TP bashing. I wasn't bashing him at all.

1. No PG can really stay with Parker except for maybe Devin Harris. He will have a field day destroying the bench of opposing teams.

This would absolutely happen. He would go off on 2nd unit PGs.



2. George Hill is proving that his jumpshot is becoming an effective weapon. Especially from 3 which opens up the court more for TD to do his work.

Hill has been one of my favorite players this year and has really developed his game. I expect him to continue to be a force from here on out.



3. Manu will be starting with RJ. Everyone knows that RJ plays better with Manu than TP. This will have to be a necessity. With Manu in the starting lineup I believe he can dictate the pace of the game and force other teams to play Spurs basketball instead of the other way around.

My only concern regarding this, is how will the production be off the bench? TP is a score first PG and I do not see how he can help the bench like Manu can. I think it all comes down to TP's mentality and how he can adapt to accomodate the other players.


Agreed but I also want Blair to be in that 1st unit, too. Blair and Manu seem to have developed quite a chemistry so far this season. I would hate to see that stunted with Blair on the 2nd unit and TP having the rock.

As the Spurs drive towards the POs I think TP will be coming off the bench initially so as to get him back into some kind of groove. If he doesn't respond well, that is chemistry wise not physically, to this then the Spurs really have no choice but to insert him back into the starting lineup and hope for the best. Reagrdless of if he starts or not I believe that RJ, Blair and Manu need to play together.

One concern that might make me change on that would be how to factor in Dice's contributions playing with and without Manu versus TP. Since we pretty much know that Blair plays well with Manu and not so with TP would Dice contribute more or less with Manu than Blair does? Which combo is best for the Spurs? And Dice being the vet he will most likely get the nod from Pop when the POs start so that might be a moot point. I hope this particular situation doesn't turn into the one last year with HIll. The last thing this board needs is for Pop to comment after losing in the POs that he should have played Blair more than Dice or something to that effect.

Also with Bonner being a spot up shooter and regaining his shooting touch what effect would TP have on him? Regardless of the hate that he gets he is now drilling those 3's at a good clip. This is what he does and so long as he continues he needs PT and touches. Would TP look for him rather than try to abuse those 2nd unit PGs? Most likely he's going to the rim.

Once again Pop is faced with integrating players and coming up with the right combos, something he hasn't done that well this season. Will this team get a break and finally get into some kind of a groove? Or are all of us here just going to have to endure more of the same?

I still think that the Spurs are just "around the corner" from finally understanding how to play with one another. But I'm afraid that is just wishful thinking rather than anything based on empirical evidence.

[Pauleta14]

So is Parker now..


Most of Tony injuries are due to lack of rest... nothing any professional athlete from any sports has never known!

And his hand injury doesn't need surgery, so it won’t have any consequences in the future. A good summer of rest/train and he'll be bck at his best!!

Bynum damaged both knees and one of them will for sure bother him the rest of his career...
He's a great player, i would love to have him in SA, but I wouldn't trade a "fresh" Tony for him !!!

It weird how spurs fans tend to forget what TP is capable of...
It's his first "bad" year, he carried the team almost by himself just last year and it's like "ok, he might be done! let's change!!"

Why can't you be "indulgent" and analyse the big picture instead of "rebuilding the world" every couple games?!

Many people already mensioned that the last 3 or 4 games before he got injured, the team seemed to start gelling and Tony looked good!!

10 days ago, it was a no brainer FOR EVERYBODY tha GH3 wasn't a PG (he acknowledged it himself!)...

And now, it's G Hill should be our starting PG and TP the backup!!!!?????

ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND??????:lol
And you all keep critisizing Pop mad/dumb... coaching every games :wow

Pop's clearely seems "decent" compare to some of you...

[Waps1980]

Hill does seem to get a lot of assists when Tony is out injured.
He gets the team involved and we have a lot of fire power he can use.

Tony is a score first PG this doesn't work for the team look at how he and RJ play together. If Tony is on song though he can near single handedly carry the team in offense.
If Tony is not playing so well I think we stand a better chance with Hill at PG. The team play so much better together.
TP & Duncan plus 3x3point guns and they are set

[DAF86]

tony wont nor should he come off the bench. people here have gone mad. 3 wins against the puppies, clippers and d'antoni and were better without him... this team was playing great before he went down with that hand.... this team is going absolutely nowhere without tony playing at his highest level.

This isn't your typical "bash TP" thread. The OP makes a good point, if the Spurs get in a hot stretch and are playing well by the time TP comes back I think Pop needs to seriously consider leaving things like they are right now and bring Parker off the bench.

Not starting doesn't mean that you suddenly became a bad player or that you won't play a lot of minutes. Spurs fans of all people should realize that with all these years of watching Manu come off the bench.

[Xevious]

If the Spurs go on a run here in the final stretch, I agree that the starting five should not be changed. Changing things up when they get into a rhythm (and going into the playoffs) is not a good idea. That was one of the mistakes Van Gundy made last year in the finals. He started Nelson even though he had been out the rest of the playoffs, and benched the PG that got them there. Now a healthy Nelson is > than Alston, but that's just too late to make that big of a change.

[waly.mg]

All of Manu´s career he played from the bench, and i never saw what´s the business.

EX: Manu always play 30 Minutes from the bench, Manu always enter the game after 6 minutes in the quarter. If he play 15 minutes each half, he only rest 3 minutes each half.

If he come fron the bench he play: Bench 6 Minutes, play 8, Bench 3, Play 7
If he start, he can play 5 minutes, Bench 5, play 5, Bench 4, play 5

In both he play 15 minutes
In which of the 2 situations will be more tired?
Obviously in the first

EX: If Usain Bolt run the 100 meters in 9,7 and the 200 in 19,3 and the 400 in 45,3, If you want him in best 400 m numbers, you can make him Run 2 times the 200, or 4 times the 100m, because for the 400 is going to get tired


In Tony´s case is the same, if he play 30 minutes from the bench, he can not rest during the game

We saw this situacion in Admiral´s last season playoffs, he start and play only 20-25 minutes

If you want to get back your player slowly, you must to distribute the minutes in all the game, and gradually increase progressively.

The first times he start playing 4 minutes, and rest 5 each, and after some games, he can play 5, after 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

[ezau]

It's a better idea if TP comes from the bench. He'll a field day scoring over all second-unit point guards in the league.

[ducks]

duncan would have a field day also against second unit
lets bring duncan off the BENCH

[santymrc]

duncan would have a field day also against second unit
lets bring duncan off the BENCH

Retard.
TD and TP situation can't be compared.
The OP has a point, TP coming off the bench it's a possibility, at least until he's ready to go 100% (he hurt his shooting hand). His lack of defensive effort makes me wonder tho if he can hurt more than help the team. We need him to be aggressive on both ends of the floor, not just score.

[ducks]

Retard.
TD and TP situation can't be compared.
The OP has a point, TP coming off the bench it's a possibility, at least until he's ready to go 100% (he hurt his shooting hand). His lack of defensive effort makes me wonder tho if he can hurt more than help the team. We need him to be aggressive on both ends of the floor, not just score.

why duncan has been sucking latelty
last month and half taken way more bad shots then tp
duncans rebounds have dropped
he used to also get alteast 10 rebounds a game

[santymrc]

why duncan has been sucking latelty
last month and half taken way more bad shots then tp
duncans rebounds have dropped
he used to also get alteast 10 rebounds a game

RJ is rebounding better, so there are lots of RB going to another teammate, wich is good.
He's sloppy on offense at times, true, taking bad shots, or missing some easy baskets. But the team is playing better, overall, when we are playing awfully bad, TD is our savior, when the other players step up, TD sits back and enjoys.
TD, is the big fundamental, he's allways there, you can't but trust in TD.

[mavsfan1000]

Yes please keep Parker on the bench. :)

[vander]

I don't think it matters who (TP or Manu) comes off the bench, just so long as one does, so that one of them is always on the court. IMO they are of greater value separately than they are together.

I'd like to see Pop try it with TP, it'd probably be the better way to bring him back from injury; and TP is a one-man show anyways, he doesn't need TD or RJ or anyone to do his thing, those kind of guys are usually very effective off the bench.

[TD 21]

I'd rather Parker start, but given the situation the Spurs might be (likely to be?) in, as benefactor outlined, I suspect Parker will come off the bench to start and assuming he only get's 1-2 games in before the playoffs, that's almost assuredly not enough time to get back into a semblance of playing shape or rhythm, even though I agree with timvp in that Parker is less reliant on rhythm than Duncan and Ginobili. Barring something unforeseen, I think the Spurs will start the playoffs with Parker coming off the bench, then if they lose the first two I expect them to insert Parker into the starting lineup and bring Ginobili off the bench.

[BillMc]

I'd like to see Pop try it with TP, it'd probably be the better way to bring him back from injury; and TP is a one-man show anyways, he doesn't need TD or RJ or anyone to do his thing, those kind of guys are usually very effective off the bench.

This.