Starting Five come playoff time

[Xevious]

Should Ginobili and RJ return to the bench when TP is back and the playoffs start? We're probably going to end up with a 8-9 man rotation and there will almost always be starters on the floor except during blowouts. So Ginobili coming off the bench to create doesn't make as much sense to me. Start your five best players.

Parker
Ginobili
Jefferson
Dice
Duncan

With Hill (and probably Bonner) playing big minutes off the bench, then Bogans and Blair claim the rest. We all know Hairston won't play, and Mason probably won't be a part of the rotation either.

[raspsa]

Yeah, but who can carry the load off the bench? I like Manu and RJ and Blair coming off the bench.

[HarlemHeat37]

You can't have Manu AND RJ coming off the bench in the playoffs IMO..

Keep RJ in the starting lineup with Hill at the 2..

[lefty]

PG- Mason
SG- Hill
SF- Bogans
PF- Jefferson
C - Duncan



And more wine, please

[TJastal]

I think TP should come off the bench under the guise of "recovering from being out a few months" and keep the Manu/RJ/Hill combo together that has played absolutely brilliant.

The lineup I would use is as follows:

Starters Hill, Manu, RJ, Dice, Duncan
Bench Parker, Mason Jr, Hairston, Blair, Bonner

Centerpiece would become central to keeping the bench warm.

[raspsa]

I think the Tony/George and Manu/Richard duos should not be separated as much as possible. I don't care much which duo starts and which comes off the bench.

[outmap]

Retain the current line-up and have Parker come off the bench:

Starters:
Hill, Manu, RJ, Dice, Tim

2nd Unit:
Parker, RMJ/Bogans, Malik, Matt, Blair

[silverblackfan]

If Hill looks like he is handling the PG duties well against the good teams, then I think Parker coming off the bench is a good idea. It remains to be seen how Hill will perform with the tough schedule ahead of us. Personally, I think Hill is going to just keep getting better and Tony can 'ease' back in to playing time from the bench.

[tothrowed]

Dice is boo boo im tryin to tell yall this nigga is garbage

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

i say start off with the current lineup(manu dick hill dice and TD) and bring TP off the bench...i have a good feeling about this, at least until TP regains his touches

[Flux451]

Hill, Manu, RJ, Dice, TD

[nhan]

I agree with most people here. It should be:
Hill, Manu, RJ, Dice, TD
Tony, Mason/Bogans, Hairston, Blair, Bonner.
We need to start our best starting five, and the combination of those 5 players has seemed to work the best. There's a lot of good ball movement. With Tony, the ball movement sort of comes to a halt.

[crc21209]

Parker, Hill, Jefferson, Duncan, and Dice.

[Fabbs]

Blair needs to get worked in with Duncan and GNob whether it's starting or quickly off the bench. They work excellently together.

Soft Dick getting the starting nod? If he sucks he needs to be pulled IMMEDIATELY!

Bonner getting big minutes? Learn from last season, grasshoppers. Gunning the lights out vs the YMCA and the Clippers is not the same as the playoffs.
10th, 11th, 12th off the bench as a situational only.

[DesignatedT]

Parker
Hill
RJ
Duncan
Dyess

Manu
Blair
Bogans/Mason/Hairston depending on matchups
Bonner

[Buddy Holly]

Hill starting and Manu off the bench unless Pop benches Tony, then you have Manu at the 2 and Hill at the 1.

[mookie2001]

naturally predictable new lineup thread

[mookie2001]

(gray)

[itzsoweezee]

tony
hill
duncan
bogans/hairston (although, there's no way popovich doesn't start the centerpiece)
mcdyess

bench
manu
blair
bonner
jefferson/hairston
mason/bogans

[spursrocks]

starting line up- hill, gino, dick, dice and duncan
doghouse- parker, mase, malik, blair, bonner

[tothrowed]

PG- parker
SG- Hill
SF- Jefferson
PF- blair
C - Duncan

[SouthTexasRancher]

PG- Mason
SG- Hill
SF- Bogans
PF- Jefferson
C - Duncan



And more wine, please


PG- Mason

:lol :rollin :lol

Guud un!!! ... :whine

[spurs10]

Since it's unlikely that Pop would go for bringing TP off the bench, and hopefully we're done with RF playing PF, is the starting lineup probably TP, Hill, Bogans, Tim, and Dice? I just wonder if they'll have enough firepower to keep us in the game until Manu's cavalry shows up....I also wonder if starting with TP, Manu, and RF could work? It sure sounds good with Dice and Tim under the basket, but running the offense through Tim hasn't been so great for getting RF going....it will be interesting.

[TD 21]

Who knows? If the Spurs continue to play well and Parker get's between 0-2 regular season games, he may come off the bench to start the playoffs.

Like Harlem said, "you can't have Jefferson AND Ginobili coming off the bench in the playoffs" and ideally I assume they'd like Jefferson to start and Ginobili to come off the bench, but they also want a defensive presence in the starting lineup and are seemingly increasingly devoted to pairing Jefferson with Ginobili as much as possible.

At this writing, I'd say the only locks are Duncan at center, McDyess at power forward and Hill at either guard spot, other than that it's up in the air.

This will also be predicated on match-ups. If it's the Nuggets, we may see Bogans over Jefferson in order to guard Anthony. If it's the Jazz, we'll probably see Jefferson because the Jazz don't have a single wing that's a major threat offensively.

For now, I'm guessing...

Starters: PF- McDyess, SF- Jefferson, C- Duncan, SG- Hill, PG- Parker

Bench (rotation): SG- Ginobili, PF- Bonner, SG- Bogans, PF- Blair

Bench (out of rotation): SG/PG- Mason, SG/SF- Hairston, C/PF- Mahinmi

[Xevious]

For now, I'm guessing...

Starters: PF- McDyess, SF- Jefferson, C- Duncan, SG- Hill, PG- Parker

Bench (rotation): SG- Ginobili, PF- Bonner, SG- Bogans, PF- Blair

Bench (out of rotation): SG/PG- Mason, SG/SF- Hairston, C/PF- Mahinmi
That's what I'm guessing. But like I said, minutes are going to be longer in the playoffs so I see no reason for Ginobili to not start. With him in with the starters we get quick jump on the offense. So many times we're playing catchup when he enters the game off the bench. There will be plenty of opportunities for Hill, Ginobili, RJ, and Blair to see the floor together.

[Supergirl]

Starters: Hill, Parker, Duncan, Dice, Jefferson

Bench: Manu, Blair, Bogans, Mason, Hairston, Bonner

[TJastal]

Starters: Hill, Parker, Duncan, Dice, Jefferson

Bench: Manu, Blair, Bogans, Mason, Hairston, Bonner

If you want zero production from 14 million dollar Jefferson this is a great lineup. It's unfortunate that Jefferson needs really good playmaking surrounding him in order to be productive but that's the reality of his game.

If you want production from RJ you either have to have Manu in the starting lineup or Jefferson coming off the bench.

[jermaine]

Yeah, but who can carry the load off the bench? I like Manu and RJ and Blair coming off the bench.

Hill
Manu
Jefferson
Blair
Duncan
Bench should be able to spread the floor for Parker!
Parker
Mason or Hariston
Bogans or Hairston
Bonner
Dice.
But we can all dream rite

[RiverwalkParade]

I love the idea of keeping the current starting five in the playoffs and Parker off the bench.

Hill runs the point for the first eight minutes of the firts quarter and then Parker comes off the bench and kicks the game up into another gear.

Parker will destroy the second team point guard or force big minutes from the first teamer. In a playoff run, Parker off the bench makes a lot of sense to me, especially if this current starting five keeps it up.

Big 3=Manu, RJ and Duncan?

[DAF86]

Starters: Hill, Parker, Duncan, Dice, Jefferson

Bench: Manu, Blair, Bogans, Mason, Hairston, Bonner

RJ has already said that he wants to play alongside Manu as much as possible so I'd place him whetever Manu is, bench or starting line-up.

[Ginobilly]

RJ has already said that he wants to play alongside Manu as much as possible so I'd place him whetever Manu is, bench or starting line-up.

Manu Ginobili gives the starting lineup a college NCAA tournament vibe to it. Everybody is out there moving, cutting, passing/sharing the ball, and playing contagious defense.

They can even play some triangle offense with Duncan because of Manu's and Hill's shooting abilities. Then attack the second units with Tim and TP pick n rolls. Mix it up a little!

[Dex]

Everybody plays better with Manu. Unfortunately, we can't stick ten guys out on the floor.

[Ginobilly]

Everybody plays better with Manu. Unfortunately, we can't stick ten guys out on the floor.

Unless we can clone Manu Ginobili. One for the bench and one for the starting lineup.

[Dex]

Unless we can clone Manu Ginobili. One for the bench and one for the starting lineup.

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/picture/snacktrain24/Brilliant.png

[lurker23]

RJ has already said that he wants to play alongside Manu as much as possible so I'd place him whetever Manu is, bench or starting line-up.

I agree, recent games have convinced me even more that RJ needs Manu to be at his best. So, I figure the starting lineups should either be:

Hill, Manu, Jefferson, Duncan, McDyess

or

Parker, Hill, Bogans/Hairston, Duncan, McDyess

I suppose you could do a starting lineup of Parker/Manu/RJ/Duncan/McDyess and relegate Hill to the bench, but that would be really hard to do considering how well Hill has played the last two months.

[wildbill2u]

It should be clear to everyone that you have to play your best players as starters--with traditional starter minutes of 35 per game to have a chance. Pop's mad quest for a super strong bench that could operate as a unit is unattainable.

Many is a better passer than Tony Parker. He gets more players into the game with his passes in the lane and on the pick and roll. Look at how he makes Blair and Jefferson better scorers on offense. Parker can't do that. We need Manu in the game for 35 minutes.

Tony's assists mostly come as a result of his drive into the lane and then a kickout to a perimeter shooter who is just standing there waiting. That's okay--if the 3pt shooters are hitting. He remnds me of Steve Francis, a point guard who really has a shooting guard mentality. Dribble around til it's proven I can't get a shot then hit someone else on the perimeter with a couple of seconds left to shoot.

Per minute played, Parker and Manu have almost the exact same assist per game, but in my opinion Manu's assists are more crucial to team play.

If Tony is healthy, I have no problem with him starting alongside Manu but both of them need to get hefty minutes. If Parker isn't 100% by the playoffs then he shouldn't play big minutes whether he starts or not. Hill is an adequate replacement as long as Manu is there to run the show and stabilize things.

No Manu, no Jefferson. Simple as that. He can't play well with Parker and/or some other guard. He needs Manu to complement his play.

I haven't seen the "Miracle of the Second Half of the Season" for McDyess yet and am betting we won't see consistent play out of him. He's past it. So he'll have to split some time with Bonner as a starter IMO depending on the matchups. If Bonner's shot has stabilized, he starts because he spreads the court better for Tim, Parker, Manu and Jefferson to operate in. I don't see Blair as a starter in the playoffs, but he should get some minutes.

If we go with our best players, that leaves Bogans out of the starting lineup and fighting for minutes, mostly as a spot defensive player. Mason fights for minutes as a offensive shooting guard and we pray his shot returns from whatever garbage dump he left it at.

So my choice is Duncan, Manu, Parker, Jefferson and McBonner.

[PDXSpursFan]

Manu and Jefferson should stay together.

Starters: Duncan, Parker, Manu, Jefferson, McDyess

Bench: Hill, Blair, Bogans, Bonner, Hairston

[jermaine]

Manu and Jefferson should stay together.

Starters: Duncan, Parker, Manu, Jefferson, McDyess

Bench: Hill, Blair, Bogans, Bonner, Hairston

You would need a Vet comin off the bench with the second group. That's why I would put Blair in the starting pos. Dice gives them some kinda D! Parker I'm sorry needs to come off the bench!

[yavozerb]

Parker-Hill-Bogans-TD-Mcdyess
Hill-Manu-RJ-Blair-Bonner

[Old School 44]

If we continue to do well for the rest of the regular season, I think the current unit will start the playoffs. Tony will come off the bench. As soon as we lose, and it's attributed to a mediocre performance from the bench, Pop will move Manu back to the bench and Parker to the starting lineup.

It doesn't matter if they start or not, but I think Blair and Jefferson's playing time should be spent mostly when Manu's on the floor.

[urunobili]

PG: TP
SG: Manu
SF: RJ
PF: Duncan
C: Dice

:drool:

2nd Unit:
PG: Hill
SG: Centerpiece
SF: Malik
PF: DaBeast
C: Bonner

[Sisk]

PG: TP
SG: Manu
SF: RJ
PF: Duncan
C: Dice


This