Larry Brown: "Thank God Pop is a good friend of mine"

[biba]

Aging Theo Ratliff Has Sparked Bobcats' Playoff Rise


3/14/2010 10:35 PM ET By Tim Povtak
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/03/14/aging-theo-ratliff-has-sparked-bobcats-playoff-rise/

ORLANDO -- The future of the Charlotte Bobcats belongs to guys like Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw and Raymond Felton.

For now, it's the old war-horse Theo Ratliff who may have become the key to their run toward the first playoff appearance in franchise history.

The Bobcats have younger big men like Tyrus Thomas and Tyson Chandler. They have bigger guys like DeSagna Diop and Nazr Mohammed still on the roster. Yet it's the well-traveled Ratliff, still viewed as an undersized center, who has become their anchor in the late-season drive.

Ratliff, who is playing for the ninth different team in his 14-year NBA career, was obtained from the San Antonio Spurs Feb. 18 in a cup-of-coffee trade (actually, for a 2016 second-round pick) at the insistence of coach Larry Brown, who was looking for someone he could trust.

Ratliff, who turns 37 next month, hardly was playing for the veteran Spurs, but Brown quickly put him into his starting lineup. The Bobcats have won seven of his 11 starts, including the last six consecutive games.

He was especially instrumental in their 96-89 victory Sunday over the Orlando Magic -- a potential first-round playoff opponent -- and particularly down the stretch when he thwarted a potential home-team comeback.

He had 10 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes, but statistics never have been his forte. In the last six minutes: he blocked a shot by Vince Carter, who tried to drive on him. He changed two driving layups, by Jameer Nelson and Mickael Pietrus, that became misses. He also grabbed an offensive rebound to keep another possession alive.

"Theo looks like when I had him back in Philly,'' said Brown, who coached Ratliff from 1998-2001 with the Sixers. "Only thing, he never got any shots back then. Everyone just told him to rebound the ball.''

Magic center Dwight Howard had another big game, getting 27 points and 16 rebounds, but only five points in the fourth quarter when the Bobcats took control. In those final six minutes, Ratliff was more of a factor than Howard.

"Theo always has done what he does best -- defend, rebound, be incredibly unselfish,'' Brown said. "He's doing things now that we really need. Thank God (San Antonio GM and coach) Gregg Popovich is a good friend of mine. We needed him (Ratliff).''

If the Bobcats (34-31) meet the Magic in the first round of the playoffs, it will be the third consecutive year Ratliff will have faced Howard at playoff time. He was back with Philadelphia last spring for their six-game series, which gave the Magic some surprising problems. He was with Detroit two years ago when the Pistons blanketed Howard and beat the Magic in the second round.

"I'm just enjoying this whole experience because I still love to play, and I try to play the right way,'' Ratliff said. "You can see the hunger here (in the locker room). They all want to be the guys who get this team to the playoffs for the first time.''

Ratliff sounds almost like a Larry Brown disciple. He does the blue-collar work that guys like Chandler, Thomas, and Diop are reluctant to do. It's no coincidence that they are winning now with Ratliff as the starter. He has been around enough teams to know what works. And he has seen the results that Brown always seems to get.

"I could see it when I got here. Larry is constantly pushing guys to get better, constantly demanding perfection from them,'' he said. "You can see the discipline he brought. You can see the mark he put on this team.''

Ratliff might be one of those centers who plays until he is 40. As usual, he has no guarantee beyond the end of the season, working again on a one-year contract with no promises that he will return to Charlotte next season.

"I've been year-to-year for the last three or four years. It's always possible (that I'll be back),'' he said. "But right now I feel real good physically. There's no reason why I can't keep playing at this level.''

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

:lmao

[Spurminator]

Clearly a win-win for everyone involved....

[DesignatedT]

:lol

[phxspurfan]

While him being underutilized in San Antonio was probably a mistake, I'm glad to see Theo go somewhere and contribute more. He's also under his old coach, Brown, and starting with a team that is turning itself around. That's a cool situation to be in and definitely a great way to end a career.

[tmtcsc]

What an F'n Waste. We should have used him much more. He would have made a difference for us too.

[HarlemHeat37]

Why use Ratliff when we have Richard Jefferson to play C..

[Mel_13]

Ratliff sounds almost like a Larry Brown disciple. He does the blue-collar work that guys like Chandler, Thomas, and Diop are reluctant to do.

This thread is bound to stir up some well-deserved criticism for management and ownership for giving away Theo, but I found this part of the article interesting for the commentary about a trade the Spurs did not make.

In less than a month with team, Thomas is being lumped together with Chandler and Diaw as a player who won't do the blue-collar tasks.

The Bobcats gave up a future first rounder for Thomas and will have to tender a $6M qualifying offer to ensure that he remains with team beyond the end of the season. The Bobcats have never paid the luxury tax, but keeping Thomas will mean paying the tax unless they can find a team with cap space or a trade exception to absorb one of their other sizable contracts.

[objective]

Why use Ratliff when we have Richard Jefferson to play C..

well it's pretty obvious that if Ratliff wasn't playing it's because he must have been terrible during practice. :lol

[Brazil]

well it's pretty obvious that if Ratliff wasn't playing it's because he must have been terrible during practice. :lol

:lol like Ian and Malik untill few games

[Dr. Gonzo]

well it's pretty obvious that if Ratliff wasn't playing it's because he must have been terrible during practice. :lol

Fuck Popodownsyndrome! Who gives a shit if a player is doing poorly in practice. Throw him in the GAMES and let them develop there!!

[objective]

:lol like Ian and Malik untill few games

Ian is a 12th man who only get in at the end of blowouts.

But this Malik character really bothers me. The fact that he gets into the first half of games when he was such a disastrous dog in practice is revolting.

Let's all face it: if Michael Finley hadn't asked for a release, then Malik the No-Good-Practicer-Fraud would still be inactive, or at least at the end of the bench with Ian. Hairston in no way deserves to play right now and it's only the fluke of Finley betraying Pop that he has grifted his way into the rotation.

These terrible players and their bad practices must be exorcised from the Spurs: Ratliff was the beginning, hopefully it ends with Malik.

[tothrowed]

i was watchin dome of thier games ratliff gets a block all da fuccin time spurs fucced up again:bang:bang

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

where does the idea of players "not doing well in practices" come from? :wtf

[nkdlunch]

Pop got owned. Rat would have been useful vs. Lakers, which looks we will face in the 1st round

[Dr. Gonzo]

i was watchin dome of thier games ratliff gets a block all da fuccin time spurs fucced up again:bang:bang

If he gets blocks all "da fuccin time" he must have over a 1000 blocks by now.

[TDMVPDPOY]

they beat orlando yesterday without wallace

jax was just lighting up that magic team

bobcats can cause alot of trouble in the east playoffs if they make it, they got nothing to lose anyway and they match up pretty good with the elite teams....

[Dr. Gonzo]

Pop got owned. Rat would have been useful vs. Lakers, which looks we will face in the 1st round

I'm sure he would've done great guarding Gasol.

[Buddy Holly]

where does the idea of players "not doing well in practices" come from? :wtf

That's the "rationality" a lot of homers give for why some players who are clearly better than other players don't see any action while the other player who is inferior gets the minutes.

The people in this thread are simply mocking that stupid reasoning.

[Brazil]

Ian is a 12th man who only get in at the end of blowouts.

But this Malik character really bothers me. The fact that he gets into the first half of games when he was such a disastrous dog in practice is revolting.

Let's all face it: if Michael Finley hadn't asked for a release, then Malik the No-Good-Practicer-Fraud would still be inactive, or at least at the end of the bench with Ian. Hairston in no way deserves to play right now and it's only the fluke of Finley betraying Pop that he has grifted his way into the rotation.

These terrible players and their bad practices must be exorcised from the Spurs: Ratliff was the beginning, hopefully it ends with Malik.

:lol :toast

[Warlord23]

Is this stuff even surprising anymore? All that is left now is too see where Mahinmi and Hairston end up after their Spurs stint and how they perform. It is all too obvious that receiving playing time under Pop has nothing to do with talent levels, but everything to do with corporate knowledge / ass-kissing

[ElNono]

Looks like that 50 year old with a broken back (:rolleyes) can still block a few shots and be a factor guarding the paint...
I'm glad for Theo he found a place where he's appreciated...

[Muser]

Okay Larry Pop did you a favor, now send us G-Force for RJ plz.

[Johnny RIngo]

It's always bugged me how cheap the Spurs are. If SA is just going to gift wrap players to the Rockets and Bobcats the FO should at least try to get something in return.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Ian is a 12th man who only get in at the end of blowouts.

But this Malik character really bothers me. The fact that he gets into the first half of games when he was such a disastrous dog in practice is revolting.

Let's all face it: if Michael Finley hadn't asked for a release, then Malik the No-Good-Practicer-Fraud would still be inactive, or at least at the end of the bench with Ian. Hairston in no way deserves to play right now and it's only the fluke of Finley betraying Pop that he has grifted his way into the rotation.

These terrible players and their bad practices must be exorcised from the Spurs: Ratliff was the beginning, hopefully it ends with Malik.

Looks like all the practice is starting to pay off for Malik.

[silverblk mystix]

all that I pray for----after Pop bent over for coach brown---is that maybe LB will at least have the common courtesy to give Pop a proverbial reach-around and throw the spurs someone useful for next season...

[taps]

they beat orlando yesterday without wallace

jax was just lighting up that magic team

bobcats can cause alot of trouble in the east playoffs if they make it, they got nothing to lose anyway and they match up pretty good with the elite teams....

funny, the two players (excluding Wallace) making the biggest difference down the stretch for Charlotte should be carving up the west for SAS this season.


Okay Larry Pop did you a favor, now send us G-Force for RJ plz.

You've got the right idea, and i wouldn't say no to Gerald, but SJackson has left the biggest hole for the Spurs in the champ years this side of DRob. Besides, he's the same height as Wallace but plays true swing/guards 4's anyway.

I want that guy back who gave us the playmaking manu gives us, and I'll take that 50% investment vs 200% payoff that Stephen gives us over Jefferson, too.

If Larry ever gets around to returning the favor while he's blowing up the Bobcats, Pop & Co need to angle hard for SJackson

[TJastal]

Now who was that retard that claimed Ratliff is nothing but a stat padder for blocked shots? Pretty sure it was jjktkk, since he's been peculiarily absent from this thread.

:rollin

[Dr. Gonzo]

funny, the two players (excluding Wallace) making the biggest difference down the stretch for Charlotte should be carving up the west for SAS this season.



You've got the right idea, and i wouldn't say no to Gerald, but SJackson has left the biggest hole for the Spurs in the champ years this side of DRob. Besides, he's the same height as Wallace but plays true swing/guards 4's anyway.

I want that guy back who gave us the playmaking manu gives us, and I'll take that 50% investment vs 200% payoff that Stephen gives us over Jefferson, too.

If Larry ever gets around to returning the favor while he's blowing up the Bobcats, Pop & Co need to angle hard for SJackson

I agree with that. The Spurs haven't won anything once he left the team.

[TDMVPDPOY]

I agree with that. The Spurs haven't won anything once he left the team.

wat crack u on...we won in 05 n 07

im sure if we resigned him in 03/04, we be talkin about a 3peat or 5 straight titles...

how much was turgo on when we signed him for one season 03/04...

[TIMMYD!]

I agree with that. The Spurs haven't won anything once he left the team.

I know, right, since he left we've only won like two championships.

[Stringer_Bell]

Every time Theo blocks a shot, a Spurs fan gets a headache. :(

I'm glad he's feeling appreciated now, but have no doubt that while he was in SA he was helping Blair and being a tutor to some of the younger players. Also, I don't think I ever heard him complain about shit. Go get 'em Theo!

[taps]

2 more rings, faggot

Agreed, the end justifies the means. Detroit passed on three HOFer's in '03 and they won a championship right after that :rolleyes.

(post may/may not be partially directed @ Gonzo. hard to get a read on his sarcasm.)

edit: small grammatical error

[Twisted_Dawg]

Oh really, Larry? You're glad Pop is such a good friend?

Then why did you fuck him on Jackie Butler?

[Obstructed_View]

Looks like all the practice is starting to pay off for Malik.

Not sure how, considering that he's been better than Bogans since camp.

[superbigtime]

I'll never understand why Pop NEVER teamed Theo up with Tim for just 10 minutes a game. They would really have been a force together. Gasol would have had problems. Good thing Matt Bonner is making over the backboard shots now, I'm sure that is something to count on more than a 15+ yr vet with low miles who knows how to block, box out, and rebound. Thanks Pop!

[mingus]

for anyone who counterargues any of your criticisms of Popovich's decisions with "he has four rings, so he's right and you're wrong; everything he does is infallible" (plenty of you morons out there) just throw this piece of evidence at their faces.

his current fuck up is not playing Ian Mahinmi, and we'll be saying the same thing about him when he puts up good numbers next year on a team that decides to give him the light of day.

[mingus]

the problem is pop has been too stringent/bullheaded with his coaching/strategies. i think all the talk of him being one of the greatest coaches of all time and possbily the beat in the L right now go to his head and thinks he can do no wrong. even in interviews now he seems like an arrogant SOB.

[TJastal]

for anyone who counterargues any of your criticisms of Popovich's decisions with "he has four rings, so he's right and you're wrong; everything he does is infallible" (plenty of you morons out there) just throw this piece of evidence at their faces.

his current fuck up is not playing Ian Mahinmi, and we'll be saying the same thing about him when he puts up good numbers next year on a team that decides to give him the light of day.

The whole situation with Ratliff and Mahinmi has been puzzling to say the least. If Ratliff wasn't really in Pop's plans this year why did he sign him and use him for 8 minutes a game in the 1st half of the season rather than feed those minutes to the very wet behind the ears Mahinmi? To a guy like Ian those minutes would have been pure gold.

Now we have neither player either available and/or ready to contribute and must pray everyone stays healthy and Matt Bonner can not only hold the fort defensively but stay hot from downtown, which is a pretty tall order.

[Russ]

Oh really, Larry? You're glad Pop is such a good friend?

Then why did you fuck him on Jackie Butler?

Larry was just paying Pop back for that dog Pop sent Larry's way -- Raja Bell. :lol

[Baseline]

Pop didn't play a healthy Ratliff, which is inexcusable, especially considering how porous our defense was early in the year.

It's no surprise to me that Ratliff is excelling in Charlotte. When Theo has been healthy, he's been good. It's not like we needed him to score 15 points a game.

Pop has been one of the Top 3 worst coaches in the NBA this year. If I'm Peter Holt, I'm livid right about now.

Also, we knew Dice was a slow starter, yet we watched him sleepwalk through the first three months of the season, missing rotations and jumpers with frightening regularity. And all the while, a healthy Theo sat on the pine beside a healthy Ian Mahinmi.

[Dr. Gonzo]

for anyone who counterargues any of your criticisms of Popovich's decisions with "he has four rings, so he's right and you're wrong; everything he does is infallible" (plenty of you morons out there) just throw this piece of evidence at their faces.

his current fuck up is not playing Ian Mahinmi, and we'll be saying the same thing about him when he puts up good numbers next year on a team that decides to give him the light of day.

:lmao

[Blackjack]

I support Dr. Gonzo's smartassedness. :tu

[Biggems]

2016 second? will the NBA still be around then? if the world ends in 2012, we will have gotten hosed on that trade.

[anonoftheinternets]

2016 second? will the NBA still be around then? if the world ends in 2012, we will have gotten hosed on that trade.

u actually believe we made that trade for a pick in 2016? u dont think it was a cash out like the rest of us? :lol

[Cane]

Theo did fill a hole for the Bobcats...can't believe they were even in the playoffs race with the frontcourt that they had before they signed him.

The Spurs had a stacked bigs rotation. He'd be great to have as a bench player but with the way forum users are they make him out to be much more than what he is. He contributes less than guys like Blair, healthy Bonner, McDyess, and Duncan and it didn't make much sense to give him substantial minutes over those guys. Ian also kind of fills whatever void Theo left. Trading him got us a pick, saved cash, and gives more minutes to guys like Ian and Blair. Makes sense but in some people's minds they want him on board which would only have hindered those guys' minutes.

Good to see Larry Brown singing his praises but coaches sing praises for just about every classy player (also see Doc's take on Finley before he played a single second for Boston).

[ElNono]

The Spurs had a stacked bigs rotation. He'd be great to have as a bench player but with the way forum users are they make him out to be much more than what he is. He contributes less than guys like Blair, healthy Bonner, McDyess, and Duncan and it didn't make much sense to give him substantial minutes over those guys. Ian also kind of fills whatever void Theo left.

First of all, Dice was sleepwalking the first half of the season, and Bonner was injured. And our bigs rotation was so stacked that we played Finley and especially Jefferson regularly at PF, while the other team was having a layup practice. In fact, we were SO STACKED, that Pop decided not to start Duncan to rest him, only to have to change plans midway into the game.

And please step away from the Ian bandwagon. You're the first to come up with excuses of why he's not getting playing time. Even today, he's barely able to even get any playing time on complete blowouts.

We could argue wether trading him was right or not, but there was no compelling reason for not playing the guy 10 mins a game while he was here.

[TJastal]

Theo did fill a hole for the Bobcats...can't believe they were even in the playoffs race with the frontcourt that they had before they signed him.

The Spurs had a stacked bigs rotation. He'd be great to have as a bench player but with the way forum users are they make him out to be much more than what he is. He contributes less than guys like Blair, healthy Bonner, McDyess, and Duncan and it didn't make much sense to give him substantial minutes over those guys. Ian also kind of fills whatever void Theo left. Trading him got us a pick, saved cash, and gives more minutes to guys like Ian and Blair. Makes sense but in some people's minds they want him on board which would only have hindered those guys' minutes.

Good to see Larry Brown singing his praises but coaches sing praises for just about every classy player (also see Doc's take on Finley before he played a single second for Boston).

And here comes Cane right on cue to minimize the F.O. damage, how predictable.

Spurs aren't exactly deep in their frontcourt, and have no pure shotblockers outside of Duncan. We're going to be in deep shit w/ Bonner and Blair trying to defend against some of the bigger frontcourts out there. We're going to wishing we had Ratliff then. And since Ian got shit for minutes this year he's nowhere near ready to contribute playoff minutes.

Trying to justify all this horseshit is laughable. GTFO.

[ShoogarBear]

2016 second?
Top-55 protected 2016 second round pick.

Never underestimate the shrewdness of RC.

[Cane]

First of all, Dice was sleepwalking the first half of the season, and Bonner was injured. And our bigs rotation was so stacked that we played Finley and especially Jefferson regularly at PF, while the other team was having a layup practice. In fact, we were SO STACKED, that Pop decided not to start Duncan to rest him, only to have to change plans midway into the game.

And please step away from the Ian bandwagon. You're the first to come up with excuses of why he's not getting playing time. Even today, he's barely able to even get any playing time on complete blowouts.

We could argue wether trading him was right or not, but there was no compelling reason for not playing the guy 10 mins a game while he was here.

All right, stacked was the wrong word. We had a lot of "depth". Pop did go for small ball in an effort to keep his veteran bigs healthy for the playoffs from what he's said to the media.

Other possibly compelling reasons why Theo didn't play much: Because of his age and injury history it'd be risky to play him substantial minutes, the Spurs wanted to get McDyess chemistry with Duncan since they'd be the projected starting froncourt, Bonner was having a career season when he was healthy, and Blair was a huge surprise (one of the bigger reasons imo) and continues to be one today thus earning his minutes in the rotation.

EDIT: Also not on Ian's bandwagon, sorry if I gave that impression. Ian getting minutes was an inevitable byproduct of Theo leaving. I'm not joining on this d-leaguer's bandwagon - he's still raw as hell but he benefits more from minutes as opposed to Theo.



And here comes Cane right on cue to minimize the F.O. damage, how predictable.

Spurs aren't exactly deep in their frontcourt, and have no pure shotblockers outside of Duncan. We're going to be in deep shit w/ Bonner and Blair trying to defend against some of the bigger frontcourts out there. We're going to wishing we had Ratliff then. And since Ian got shit for minutes this year he's nowhere near ready to contribute playoff minutes.

Trying to justify all this horseshit is laughable. GTFO.

Damn you got a lot of haterade :toast

You're right, the Spurs don't have any pure shotblockers unless Ian is counted. Bonner actually plays decent defense but he doesn't have the presence or height to be a bigger impact. Blair has a lot of work to do.

Theo may be missed and his time would've come in the playoffs against bigger teams. Not having that option sucks but the Spurs still saved $$$ and still have guys on the bench to play. Ian won't be used in the playoffs unless the injury bug strikes some more but he does have similarities with Theo's game.

[ElNono]

All right, stacked was the wrong word. We had a lot of "depth". Pop did go for small ball in an effort to keep his veteran bigs healthy for the playoffs from what he's said to the media.

Please. We had a rotation of 3 bigs while Bonner was out: Duncan, Dice and Blair. The rest was small ball, which was getting murdered in the paint out there. If you really want to keep your veteran bigs healthy, why not give 10 mins a night to a guy that doesn't even need the ball in his hands, and still had something left in the tank? Again, the Toronto game where Pop had to change plans midway and introduce Duncan because we were getting murdered tells you all you need to know about keeping veterans healthy.


Other possibly compelling reasons why Theo didn't play much: Because of his age and injury history it'd be risky to play him substantial minutes, the Spurs wanted to get McDyess chemistry with Duncan since they'd be the projected starting froncourt, and Blair was a huge surprise (one of the bigger reasons imo) and continues to be one today thus earning his minutes in the rotation.

What risk? What is the risk of playing a guy on a vet min contract and ride him for all he can give you? And Dice was averaging 10 mins/game back then. So much for developing chemistry. Pop was so intent in developing chemistry that he sent Dice to the bench.
Either your memory is very short, or you just didn't watch the games. In either case, your BS is getting very stinky.


EDIT: Also not on Ian's bandwagon, sorry if I gave that impression. Ian getting minutes was an inevitable byproduct of Theo leaving. I'm not joining on this d-leaguer's bandwagon - he's still raw as hell but he benefits more from minutes as opposed to Theo.

What minutes? Cedric Jackson played more minutes than Ian in the last two blowouts. Ian averages less minutes than Theo as a Spur this season.

[jimo2305]

all that I pray for----after Pop bent over for coach brown---is that maybe LB will at least have the common courtesy to give Pop a proverbial reach-around and throw the spurs someone useful for next season...

lol i'll take anyone from that bobcat team.. they're like a team of athletic freaks.. O.o

they could supply that slashing SF we need :(

[024]

hope larry brown returns the favor during the offseason.

[z0sa]

well it's pretty obvious that if Ratliff wasn't playing it's because he must have been terrible during practice. :lol

:lmao

The Spurs should have ground Ratliff's old bones into the dust rather than go small ball way too often then trading him.

Here's something Pop can 100% be criticized over. The exact skillset we need in the paint is Theo Ratliff.

what happened there Pop? Why sign him, never play him then trade him for nothing when he clearly has something left in the tank?

He's a vet so that's not what discouraged Pop (a la Mahinmi). He's got a lot of experience. He's still a terrific shotblocker to this day and he even has a tiny bit of offense still.

What, Pop? You knew in September Holt would need salary cap relief because your picks for personnel were insane even then?

[silverblk mystix]

Pop just dropped the fucking ball here..and as much as he has meant to this franchise---he has also fucked up and should be held accountable...

UNLESS...

Unless he ENDS up leading THIS team all the way---then he is a genius---and he will forever be UNTOUCHABLE---

because he has completely wet the bed ----SO FAR---

I may be naive---but I cannot give up on Pop----UNTIL---he finishes this season...

so far...it LOOKS bad....

but IF this team gels and surprises everyone---then the MAN WAS RIGHT...

IT IS A LONGSHOT

but given what he has accomplished so far...I am hoping he pulls one out of the hat...

[ffadicted]

lmao @ spurs fans thinking Ratliff would make a different :lol

[poop]

just another in a long line of epic, galactic screw-ups by pop.

[itzsoweezee]

fucking popobitch

[Cane]

Please. We had a rotation of 3 bigs while Bonner was out: Duncan, Dice and Blair. The rest was small ball, which was getting murdered in the paint out there. If you really want to keep your veteran bigs healthy, why not give 10 mins a night to a guy that doesn't even need the ball in his hands, and still had something left in the tank? Again, the Toronto game where Pop had to change plans midway and introduce Duncan because we were getting murdered tells you all you need to know about keeping veterans healthy.

Forum fans don't have to like the reasons but they're there for whats its worth. Spurs have been playing it safe with veteran bigs especially those injury prone players which explains why small ball was used. Duncan's been averaging a career low in minutes so I think the Spurs do know what it means to keep veterans healthy especially given their history. That Toronto game was an example of that mentality, Duncan played less than 30 minutes but it was a bad move to sit him for the first quarter. However the game prior to Toronto, small ball prevailed for a W.



What risk? What is the risk of playing a guy on a vet min contract and ride him for all he can give you? And Dice was averaging 10 mins/game back then. So much for developing chemistry. Pop was so intent in developing chemistry that he sent Dice to the bench.
Either your memory is very short, or you just didn't watch the games. In either case, your BS is getting very stinky.


Damn you got haterade as well. Imo the passionate dissenters are the ones filled with BS; McDyess was not averaging 10 mins/game "back then". Pop was intent on developing chemistry, preserving his veteran bigs for the playoffs, and sending a message that bullshit won't be tolerated particularly when Pop sat McDyess out for Ian against New Jersey - all reasons why there were fluctuations in minutes played. I'm not saying McDyess wasn't struggling but he still was more important and contributed more. Their goals were apparent from the start: Dice was brought in to play alongside Duncan as a starter. Theo was signed to be a vet shotblocker off the bench for the playoffs.



What minutes? Cedric Jackson played more minutes than Ian in the last two blowouts. Ian averages less minutes than Theo as a Spur this season.

Never said it was a lot of minutes but garbage time is still time on the NBA court. Seeing Blair, Cedric, Malik, etc. grabbing minutes over Ian says a lot to some. Pop says Ian's a good guy but that he hasn't shown he's earned minutes; regardless with Theo gone it increases his chances of playtime (but not by much).

[NFGIII]

Top-55 protected 2016 second round pick.

Never underestimate the shrewdness of RC.

Exactly! Always looking to the future and Jaffies will probably find another prospect flying under the radar, too.

[SequSpur]

Pop should be fired immediately.

[ElNono]

Forum fans don't have to like the reasons but they're there for whats its worth. Spurs have been playing it safe with veteran bigs especially those injury prone players which explains why small ball was used. Duncan's been averaging a career low in minutes so I think the Spurs do know what it means to keep veterans healthy especially given their history. That Toronto game was an example of that mentality, Duncan played less than 30 minutes but it was a bad move to sit him for the first quarter. However the game prior to Toronto, small ball prevailed for a W.


LOL @ forum fans... what's your title? internet hack? What happened to TPark or EricB?
And tell me, how can you claim just two posts ago that we are extremely 'deep' in the front court bigs department, and now claim we had no other choice than to play small because we had to rest our bigs?
Especially when our only two legitimate shot blockers (outside of Duncan) were sitting on the bench watching small ball getting us murdered.
And the night before Toronto we played the freaking Wizards. A team that was 10-21 at the time, so please, spare me.


Damn you got haterade as well. Imo the passionate dissenters are the ones filled with BS; McDyess was not averaging 10 mins/game "back then". Pop was intent on developing chemistry, preserving his veteran bigs for the playoffs, and sending a message that bullshit won't be tolerated particularly when Pop sat McDyess out for Ian against New Jersey - all reasons why there were fluctuations in minutes played. I'm not saying McDyess wasn't struggling but he still was more important and contributed more. Their goals were apparent from the start: Dice was brought in to play alongside Duncan as a starter. Theo was signed to be a vet shotblocker off the bench for the playoffs.

That was actually a typo. I actually meant 20 mins/game, honest.
And please, do tell me what message was Pop sending to Dice against NJ, when Dice actually played his usual 22 minutes in that game?
Also, it's so apparent that Pop brought Dice to start that 60 games in, he only started 33 games. Furthermore, how can you still cling on that bull that Theo was being saved for the playoffs, when you know as well as I that when the rotation for the playoffs get set, nobody that played less than at least 15 minutes a game is going to make it. 'Corporate knowledge' and all that jazz.
Everything is so clear to you, except that reality doesn't agree with you.
And really, the only one being a 'passionate dissenter' here is you. When that offer for Theo came around, Pop didn't hesitate one second in shipping his 'shot blocker for the playoffs' dude out of town.

[ElNono]

lmao @ spurs fans thinking Ratliff would make a different :lol

Yeah, Larry Brown doesn't know anything about basketball... He's praising Theo just to keep his confidence high... :rolleyes

[ffadicted]

Yeah, Larry Brown doesn't know anything about basketball... He's praising Theo just to keep his confidence high... :rolleyes

That's not what I said, I just said he wouldn't be making a difference if he was still here and we didn't give him away.

[ElNono]

That's not what I said, I just said he wouldn't be making a difference if he was still here and we didn't give him away.

Now, that I agree with :toast
I don't question the trade itself because Pop basically didn't think Theo could play.

[SenorSpur]

Based upon how he's performing in Charlotte, it's clear that Ratliff could've helped the Spurs. Pop had absolutely NO reason for NOT playing him. Even if he thought the guy was brittle, that still doesn't justify saving him exclusively for the playoffs. If Pop had elected to play Ian ahead of Ratliff, I could understand. Instead, he kept both Ratliff and Ian on ice, and went small.

[poop]

good thing we have that 2028 32nd round pick.

[baseline bum]

Pop gives Larry Brown Raja Bell and Theo Ratliff and Larry gives Pop... fucking Jackie Butler and the team loses Scola because of it. :pctoss

[poop]

Pop gives Larry Brown Raja Bell and Theo Ratliff and Larry gives Pop... fucking Jackie Butler and the team loses Scola because of it. :pctoss

bahahah larry is simply jewing Pop, pop thinks hes a friend but in reality larry is just swindling Pop out of talent..ahahha

[polandprzem]

It seems theo was not friend of Pop

[lennyalderette]

dont get me wrong i love the situation in charlotte but dang that pisses me off when they said "he was instrumental in the orlando game" wow why would pop do this??? i have no idea, im guessing he thought we were really done, and now hes probably kicking himself in the ass. some things happend to pop that i think made him go back to the old fundamental pop, hes still not there but hes coaching a hell of alot better than he was.

really happy for theo and larry grerat people in the org.

[whottt]

Theo's a good player, always has been, and pretty much has exactly what the Spurs need in terms of game...the problem is he is injury prone as hell and has been since about 2001. I don't blame Pop for not counting on him for major minutes...it would be foolish to do so. For Brown and the Bobcats everything they do this season is basically gravy, so they may as well roll the dice on Theo for the rest of this season.

I won't say it's out of the realm of possibility the Bobcats make it all the way to the finals...Brown is notoriously tough when he has this kind of underdog team(as opposed to his stacked teams that usually underachieve)...but I wouldn't count on the Bobcats going much further than the second round...and if Ratliff stays healthy I'll be doubly surprised...Manu has ankles of steel compared to Ratliff.


In any case, the Pop Brown connection may not have paid off much in our favor lately, but we did get Speedy Claxton from Brown...and we did get a ring courtesy of him in 2005.

Brown's teams have actually done a lot of trades to benefit the Spurs in subtle ways throughout the years.

[jjktkk]

Ratliff was signed to be a insurance, end of the bench guy. Once Pop figured out his rotations, he probably knew Ratliff wasn't going to be in the regular rotation, so he traded him to Charlotte to save some money. I'm surprised at how well Ratliff's been playing in Charlotte, good for Ratliff. I wonder if this trade was initiated by Holt. You think maybe Holt might of casually suggested to Pop and RC that they needed to try and trim some payroll?

[objective]

A real headscratcher yet to be mentioned on this thread . . .

there was a game early in the season, I'm sure it was before the new year, when Pop had Ratliff active, the bigs got roughed, Pop didn't play Ratliff. When asked about not playing Ratliff, Pop basically responded that there would be games when Pop would have already decided prior to tip-off that Ratliff wouldn't play that night.

Which produced the un-asked questions by the sharp SA media and their link-chasing attorneys . . . why would you have Ratliff dressed if you already decided that there was no way you would play him that night? Why not activate Ian if only for garbage time?

[Agloco]

Aging Theo Ratliff Has Sparked Bobcats' Playoff Rise


3/14/2010 10:35 PM ET By Tim Povtak
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/03/14/aging-theo-ratliff-has-sparked-bobcats-playoff-rise/


"Theo always has done what he does best -- defend, rebound, be incredibly unselfish,'' Brown said. "He's doing things now that we really need. Thank God (San Antonio GM and coach) Gregg Popovich is a good friend of mine. We needed him (Ratliff).''



Clearly a win-win for everyone involved....

Indeed. Perhaps Mitch Kupchak should have Pop brought up on collusion charges, unless that protected second round pick comes through that is. :lmao


While him being underutilized in San Antonio was probably a mistake, I'm glad to see Theo go somewhere and contribute more. He's also under his old coach, Brown, and starting with a team that is turning itself around. That's a cool situation to be in and definitely a great way to end a career.

Probably?

[Bruno]

I have absolutely no idea about what Spurs are trying to do about their end of the bench bigmen.

Before the trade deadline, I was expecting Spurs to salary dump Mahinmi. They kept him and traded Ratliff.
Have Spurs even tried to trade Mahinmi? The game against Nets really looks like a showcase but he hasn't been linked to a single trade rumor and I'm convinced he could have been traded to New Jersey.

After the trade deadline, I was expecting Spurs to sign a big and they haven't done it.
Spurs have signed Temple so it isn't a money problem. Have they looked at available PF/C and haven't found a good one or are they fine with what they have?

I don't have a good scenario that allow to connect all the dots. If there is a bigger picture, I don't see it. The 2 least likely explanations I have, are:
- Spurs have fully given up this year. They don't give a fuck about their end of the bench. They are quite sure Splitter will be a Spur next year and that's why they aren't looking a young bigmen available.
- Spurs have fully changed their stance on Mahinmi. They now like him and want to keep him for next year. They are now trying to give him enough playing time to please him and to work with him but they are also limiting his playing time to hide him from other teams.

Non of these scenarios fit very well with the past events. I hope what will happen in the future will allow to see what was the true reason behind these moves.

[SenorSpur]

Pop gives Larry Brown Raja Bell and Theo Ratliff and Larry gives Pop... fucking Jackie Butler and the team loses Scola because of it. :pctoss

I forgot to reconnect those dots. :bang

Brown should now turn around and do Pop a solid and trade Tyrus Thomas to the Spurs over the summer.

[tmtcsc]

I agree with that. The Spurs haven't won anything once he left the team.

Are you being sarcastic ? We won 2 Championships without Sjax. Pistons and Cleveland.

[Cane]

LOL @ forum fans... what's your title? internet hack? What happened to TPark or EricB?
And tell me, how can you claim just two posts ago that we are extremely 'deep' in the front court bigs department, and now claim we had no other choice than to play small because we had to rest our bigs?
Especially when our only two legitimate shot blockers (outside of Duncan) were sitting on the bench watching small ball getting us murdered.
And the night before Toronto we played the freaking Wizards. A team that was 10-21 at the time, so please, spare me.

The Spurs did have a deep frontcourt when Theo was on board AND they wanted to rest the veteran bigs. Not sure how you're having trouble understanding that; its not one or the other. There are all sorts of reasons why the veteran bigs didn't play and I've covered them; you don't have to like 'em but they're there for whats its worth (the old bigs have injury histories, they potentially don't match up well against younger and faster guys, some minutes were going to guys who would be bigger players down the road, etc). LOL @ you getting offended over 'forum fan' and then trolling that I'm someone else or some shit :toast

And sorry what I meant by prior game was the earlier game in the season against Toronto when Duncan was out.



That was actually a typo. I actually meant 20 mins/game, honest.
And please, do tell me what message was Pop sending to Dice against NJ, when Dice actually played his usual 22 minutes in that game?

To refresh your memory: Dice was playing like shit not only in that game but for a lot of the time early on in the season. Ian was the last guy on the bench and suddenly he got minutes to play - he earned his 20 minutes through making an impact and hustling. In the two games that followed, McDyess got the hint and started to fill up his statsheet and got more minutes.



Also, it's so apparent that Pop brought Dice to start that 60 games in, he only started 33 games.

He was brought in to start alongside Duncan but he struggled mightily (ditto with all the entire team basically); that wasn't expected nor was the surprise known as Blair and to an extent, Bonner's relatively great season. Pop's renowned for making lineup changes and all players outside of Duncan were showing that it was needed since they were almost nothing but inconsistent.



Furthermore, how can you still cling on that bull that Theo was being saved for the playoffs, when you know as well as I that when the rotation for the playoffs get set, nobody that played less than at least 15 minutes a game is going to make it. 'Corporate knowledge' and all that jazz.
Everything is so clear to you, except that reality doesn't agree with you.
And really, the only one being a 'passionate dissenter' here is you. When that offer for Theo came around, Pop didn't hesitate one second in shipping his 'shot blocker for the playoffs' dude out of town.


Do you know anything about Theo or the Spurs? The guy's old and has a history of injuries and the Spurs have always rested those kinds of veteran bigs during the regular season so they could be healthy for the playoffs. The Spurs have the mentality of better being healthy than it is injured and fatigued come playoffs time even if it means not having HCA. Had he stayed with the Spurs he'd likely get more minutes as the playoffs approached. And with the surprise of Blair and Bonner, Dice picking it up, Duncan being Duncan, and Ian hungry for any action...it still would've been tough to crack in that rotation over anyone not named Ian. Thats a lot of players to rotate and it was inevitable for it to be shortened.

Yes, it sucks not having another option in Theo. But from the Spurs perspective they saved $$$, got a pick, and sent a veteran to a decent ballclub where he could log more minutes and play under his old coach. Shame that they couldn't have done a similar trade with Finley and Mason Jr. but at least Mason Jr. spoke up and almost got traded for a pick from Miami.

[taps]

I have discovered the reason the league is trending toward "smallball":

Larry Brown has all the centers.

[Bigzax]

Pop has been sabotaging the Spurs all year and dating back to last year...based on his recent track record, it wouldn't surprise me if he was responsible for the planes mechanical trouble in 2008.

[jjktkk]

Now who was that retard that claimed Ratliff is nothing but a stat padder for blocked shots? Pretty sure it was jjktkk, since he's been peculiarily absent from this thread.

:rollin

:rolleyes TJastal, what kinda of junk you trying to stir up now? You remind me of that ditzy, gossip girl in high school who likes to write notes to her friends and say, "did you hear soanso went out with soanso the other night and now their definitly going out now". Sorry TJastal, I never said anything of the kind about Ratliff.

[purist]

As always, spurs fan/poster knows best. Spurs fan thinks Theo, Blair, Ian, Hairston,Gist, Haislip, should all get 30 minutes a game for silver and black. I know gist and haislip aren't here anymore, but that won't stop spur fan from lamenting their lack of playing time.

If Pop were to have given Ratliff minutes over Blair or McDyess, spur fan would have slammed him for wasting the draft's steal and a proven veteran for another old dinosaur of a player taken by the spurs on the cheap.

guaranteed!

[TJastal]

:rolleyes TJastal, what kinda of junk you trying to stir up now? You remind me of that ditzy, gossip girl in high school who likes to write notes to her friends and say, "did you hear soanso went out with soanso the other night and now their definitly going out now". Sorry TJastal, I never said anything of the kind about Ratliff.

Ahh, you're right jjktkk. It was your butt-buddy-in-training Cane that said it. Not that it really matters, you both spout the same nonsense in every thread.


Nah, Theo is just a stat padder with little to no impact on the game; worse than even Marcus Camby and he'd likely get eaten alive in the West. Who the fuck is EricB?

And now you pulled out bullshit that we could've gotten Thomas and say I'm "sugar coating" that failure? GTFO, no wonder you can't start threads

The only trades available were to cash in expirings like Mason and Theo for future draft picks unless they throw in Blair, Hill, or Ginobili which would be dumb as shit.

[jjktkk]

Ahh, you're right jjktkk. It was your butt-buddy-in-training Cane that said it. Not that it really matters, you both spout the same nonsense in every thread.

Wow I've noticed you and your fellow tards always like to reference people like myself who admire Pop as a coach as Popsuckers butt-buddy, etc. How old are you, 12? Or all these homophobic slurs you like to spew, your cry for wanting to come out of the closet? Maybe you need to let it out BJastal, you might feel like a huge weight has been lifted off you.