Bonner vs. McDyess: Who you trust?

[ohmwrecker]

At their best, both players can be effective floor spreaders at the PF position. At their worst, one is a unreliable 3pt shooter and a defensive liability and the other is a shell of his former self with a bad handle.
Bonner has played well as of late, adding a nifty little floater to his anemic offensive arsenal. McDyess has a decent performance about every third game, grabbing a half dozen boards and hitting a couple of his patented 15' jumpers.
McDyess is a playoff tested vet who has always been able to notch it up in the post season. Bonner is a occasional regular season wonder boy who has consistently been a non-factor in the playoffs.
So, with the post season around the corner, who do you trust?

[silverblk mystix]

I would not change a thing---Dice to start---Bonner off the bench

[DPG21920]

I trust neither. Bonner has had a better year, but the playoffs are the proving grounds. I still hold (stupidly) out hope that Dice can flip a switch.

[superjames1992]

Neither. I think both should get about equal playing time. Both should get good minutes since Blair won't be seeing much playing time, most likely.

[timtonymanu]

Bonner is gaining my trust but we'll see how he does.

There's still the playoffs for Dice but I dont trust him. His 2nd half performance isnt that impressive so I dont know if he'll be that much better by the playoffs. Hope I'm wrong.

I'm not sure which one I trust more.

[8FOR!3]

Dice should get to start as of right now. If Bonner plays like he's been playing lately in the first couple of games in the playoffs, maybe we can switch that. Bonner's a little taller, can shoot the 3's, is developing a great running hook, and is younger, but he's still a liability on the defense. Bonner seems to be ever improving right now though, McDyess just seems to be playing a little better at times.

[SenorSpur]

Neither one.

[ElNono]

Lost among all the excitement of the win the other day, were some good rebounds Dice picked up, especially at the end of the game. Based on the fact that he's capable of rebounding in double figures I would take him.

[Mel_13]

We need them both, so I trust both of them.

[mingus]

Bonner is actually good at defense. he's not as bad as people make him out to be, and there's worse on the team in McDyess and Mason (although Mason is so much worse than both of these guys, he shouldn'e be inlcuded in the same sentence).

where bonner sucks is his rebounding. he just isn't tall enough, doesn't have the build. he tries, but that just isn't enough.

he's been the beneficiary of Jefferson's newfound resolve to get after the boards because he isn't nearly as exposed. Hill is also a good rebounder for his position so that helps as well. it's going to be really really hard to have Bonner in there along with Mason in this upcoming stretch (assumming Pop goes with mason rather than temple) because Mason is such a horrible rebounder. not having hill in there will affect Bonner in a bad way in that he'll be asked to do something he won't be able to do. Mason, however, lacks some of the physical toold to be a decent rebounder but is constantly being outhustled and out of position to get rebounds.

[ohmwrecker]

Neither one.

Stunning insight, Senor. Come on, man. You could debate different in game scenarios or match-ups vs. potential playoff opponents. The possibilities are endless . . . No? Nothing? . . .

[Cane]

They'll both play in the playoffs and Dice will be the starter; he'll likely average a lot more minutes than usual though.

Ultimately it'll depend on match-ups, health, and how well either player is doing when it comes to who'll get more minutes.

[EVAY]

Bonner

[tp2021]

They're our shooters. I hope they trust themselves more then their fans do.

[Mr.Robinson]

At their best, both players can be effective floor spreaders at the PF position. At their worst, one is a unreliable 3pt shooter and a defensive liability and the other is a shell of his former self with a bad handle.
Bonner has played well as of late, adding a nifty little floater to his anemic offensive arsenal. McDyess has a decent performance about every third game, grabbing a half dozen boards and hitting a couple of his patented 15' jumpers.
McDyess is a playoff tested vet who has always been able to notch it up in the post season. Bonner is a occasional regular season wonder boy who has consistently been a non-factor in the playoffs.
So, with the post season around the corner, who do you trust?
Mcdyess when he is making his jumper and not being a zombie.

[SenorSpur]

Stunning insight, Senor. Come on, man. You could debate different in game scenarios or match-ups vs. potential playoff opponents. The possibilities are endless . . . No? Nothing? . . .

OK. If you pin me down, I'd have to say Dice - for the simple fact that he's done it before on a big stage. He's been an integral part of several Pistons playoff teams over the past several years. I admit I've been worried about him because, up until recently, I've not seen much from him this season, leading me to believe that he might be done. However, it seems that he's awakened from his season-long slumber and has been pretty stout the past several games against superior competition. Grabbing key rebounds, scoring on put-backs, fighting for post position and defending admirably. Still, I would like to see him score more around the basket, but if he can hit that elbow jumper with his usual regularity, I'd be happy. To give the Spurs their best chance, he's got to produce in his time on the floor.

As for Bonner, he too, has been playing very well of late. However, I trust him considerably less because he's been a very poor playoff performer, in his short stint with the Spurs. I still remember him bricking wide-open 3-balls during the past two postseasons. Phil Jackson basically dared him to shoot by rolling his defense away from Bonner in the 2008 postseason - and it worked. Until Bonner does something in the playoffs, he cannot be trusted. Just my opinion.

[ohmwrecker]

That's what I'm talking about!

[Mel_13]

As for Bonner, he too, has been playing very well of late. However, I trust him considerably less because he's been a very poor playoff performer, in his short stint with the Spurs. I still remember him bricking wide-open 3-balls during the past two postseasons. Phil Jackson basically dared him to shoot by rolling his defense away from Bonner in the 2008 postseason - and it worked. Until Bonner does something in the playoffs, he cannot be trusted. Just my opinion.

:lol

We've had this conversation before. Bonner failing vs. the Lakers in the 2008 WCF is a figment of your imagination.

[Manufan909]

Dyess easily. As others have said, Dyess' PO history>>>>>>> Bonner's PO history. Until Bonner proves otherwise in consecutive series he can have a >40% 3FG night every 2 or 3 games, without any 0-5 or 3-8 performances, he might come close to earning more trust than Dyess. That's only if Dice doesn't truly wake up in two weeks.

[Waps1980]

Duncan rates Dice for defense in the low post, Dice did a good job on Howard.
Red rockets most value is when he's scoring well, therefore I think he fits the second unit as we have enough fire power to start.
But a defensive big after Duncan is where we lack so playing Dice with Duncan leave us open with the second unit.
Both have shown good signs of late, hopefully Dice brings his game to the playoffs a late run to find form I know but the Spurs left there run late also.

[superjames1992]

As for Bonner, he too, has been playing very well of late. However, I trust him considerably less because he's been a very poor playoff performer, in his short stint with the Spurs. I still remember him bricking wide-open 3-balls during the past two postseasons. Phil Jackson basically dared him to shoot by rolling his defense away from Bonner in the 2008 postseason - and it worked. Until Bonner does something in the playoffs, he cannot be trusted. Just my opinion.

Um, Bonner played a grand total of nine minutes in the entire 2008 postseason against the Suns, Hornets, and Lakers.

[EricB]

Mcdyess. He's proven lately he's reliable in big games.

[SenorSpur]

Um, Bonner played a grand total of nine minutes in the entire 2008 postseason against the Suns, Hornets, and Lakers.

...and versus the Mavs last spring?

[Mel_13]

...and versus the Mavs last spring?

He sucked against the Mavs. Just stop saying he sucked in the last two post-seasons, he only sucked in the five games against Dallas.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Bonner.

[Rick Von Braun]

I wish I could trust both of them!

I think the most glaring deficiency the Spurs have is in the paint. Please pencil for me your opinion of the 4 playoff rotational paint players? After TD, we have:

Blair: no playoff experience, undersized, still missing a lot of easy layups and dunks. Still a diamond in the rough if he stays healthy.

Dice: significant decline in physical acumen, not rebounding and/or boxing out as well as I expected from him, greasy hands. Lots of experience and toughness though.

Bonner: tries hard, efficient shooter, not very good defensively. I still think it is smoking mirrors with him in the playoffs as proven ad nauseam in past years.

Mahinmi: not ready.

If TD has a bad game, this team has a glaring hole in the paint. This is the MAIN difference from previous years. In the past, the Spurs always found a pair of solid contributors to play along TD in the championships runs (in this order):

02/03: (1) David, (2) Malik
04/05: (1) Horry, (2) Nazr
06/07: (1) Oberto, (2) Horry

Who will be the top contributors this year?

09/10: (1) ??, (2) ??

Notice that we always had a 6-10 and above frontcourt player besides Timmy. No length this year. This is the main issue in the postseason IMHO.

[TJastal]

McDyess 90% of the time.

Bonner is good for the 2nd unit and if he's really hot and helping the spurs build/maintain a lead then yes I'd leave him in for the stretch run but keep him on a short leash.... and pull him at the first usual "Bonner might be choking" signals (bricked shots, dumb passes, turnovers, refs singling him out for dumb fouls, etc)

I thought Dice was a beast in the 4th quarter of the laker game and gave the spurs exactly what they paid for this past off season, yet all I see here is the usual Dice haters bitching and moaning how he needs to get better. So typical.

[SenorSpur]

He sucked against the Mavs. Just stop saying he sucked in the last two post-seasons, he only sucked in the five games against Dallas.

I don't give a shit how many minutes he played in '08 versus the Fakers, that doesn't excuse the fact that he failed to nail wide open 3's when left open in that series.

[Mel_13]

I don't give a shit how many minutes he played in '08 versus the Fakers, that doesn't excuse the fact that he failed to nail wide open 3's when left open in that series.

:lol

I gave you all the details last month, but you keep insisting that you saw something that did not happen. He played in only one game in that series, for three minutes of garbage time at the end of game 3 and did not attempt a single shot.

Bonner's playoff failures as a Spur are completely confined to the five games of the 2009 Dallas series. There is no other history. No matter how many times you say he failed in previous playoffs, it did not happen.

[sa_kid20]

McDyess 90% of the time.

Bonner is good for the 2nd unit and if he's really hot and helping the spurs build/maintain a lead then yes I'd leave him in for the stretch run but keep him on a short leash.... and pull him at the first usual "Bonner might be choking" signals (bricked shots, dumb passes, turnovers, refs singling him out for dumb fouls, etc)

I thought Dice was a beast in the 4th quarter of the laker game and gave the spurs exactly what they paid for this past off season, yet all I see here is the usual Dice haters bitching and moaning how he needs to get better. So typical.

I agree with this. Although Matt has been playing well lately, Dice is most likely gonna be the guy in crunch time in the Playoffs. Like in the Orlando game for example, Matt had one of his better games of the season but it was Dice that played the last 6 minutes of the 4th. Same thing happened against LA on sunday with Dice playing nearly the entire 4th Q. Hopefully Matt keeps playing the way he has been lately when the Playoffs come around cause we're gonna need his effectiveness off the bench, but in crunch time we need an active Dice to be that guy next to Timmy. I just hope Dice plays well enough in the Playoffs where Pop doesn't have a dilema on his hands when crunch time comes around.

[lennyalderette]

ill go dice has alot of playoff exp. and can rebound defend and really thats what we need down low not a white guy bricking threes running like a T-Rex bahahaha jk happy bday bonus

[L.I.T]

I've been pretty impressed lately with Dice's play in 4th quarters. He's been providing timely boards and decent defense overall.

Bonner is still a relatively unknown element with regards to the playoffs; while Dice has a history of playing well. In the fourth quarter I would trust Dice over Bonner.

That being said, I hope that Bonner can provide good minutes early in games to keep Dice rested for fourth quarters and crunch time. No matter what, both have to - at a minimum - maintain their current level of play to give the Spurs a shot.

[PURO SAN ANTO 210!]

I gotta say boner haha!

[siraulo23]

the last two games, dice has been very active and was able to hit some j's

bonner has been good as well mixing up his game

Hopefully we'd be able to rely on both, if they keep up their level of play at the moment

[raspsa]

Trust both of them. Dice's juices starting to bubble. Bonner's raised his game.

[Spurs7794]

...and versus the Mavs last spring?

He did suck but you claimed that Phil Jackson's defensive strategy in 2008 was to leave Bonner open. This is true, he did not have any of his players guarding the bench where Bonner was sitting.

[MI21]

McDyess for me.

The constant 1/2 day breaks between games, slower pace, rougher style of play and respect level from the referees all works in Dice's favour. I trust him to make his shots more than Bonner and rebound the ball better.

Give me him If I must choose one.

[Spurs7794]

Based on what I've seen this season, I actually trust Bonner. McDyess is a better rebounder and defender but he bobbles alot of passes. AND he doesn't move the ball well. Not saying he's a ball hog but his passes are often too early or too late and get deflected. But when Dice is focused on boards and D and hitting his j, i trust him in crunch time.

[TampaDude]

Bonner's got the range, but Dice has got the experience. We need both.

[Dice]

I thought Dice was a beast in the 4th quarter of the laker game and gave the spurs exactly what they paid for this past off season, yet all I see here is the usual Dice haters bitching and moaning how he needs to get better. So typical.

It used to bother me when I read people's post talking about how poor his game is overall but then I got to know the trend of a lot of the posters and see that Tony, Tim, and Manu all suck too. I'm amazed at all the spot-on assessments made of players after each game and the overall opinions of players from a lot of the basketball masterminds that are all over these forums.

Bonner has been gravy on the offensive end since he's been really using the drive with the hook(?). His defense is suspect in the post but he does a decent job on the perimeter.

I think McDyess is doing what the team brought him in to do. The FO didn't scout McDyess out and think they were getting a shot blocking big. They got him to play solid D in the post and to rebound-both of which he's done and IMO would have done better sooner had the rotations been set early in the season. His numbers are all down from last season but he's also averaging 10 less minutes a game.

I like McDyess in the game when you need a board.

Bonner when you need a three.

[ohmwrecker]

I know it was "only the Kings", but McDyess had a real nice game last night. Hopefully, he is rounding into playoff form.
By contrast, Bonner regressed to his Great White Dope status. It's either feast or famine with this guy. Not very reassuring.
I realize I am bumping my own thread, but I thought the disparity in performance was worth a look.