timvp
10-07-2010, 01:59 PM
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4104/scrimmage1.jpg
Tim Duncan
Though still in good shape, Tim Duncan looked like he added a bit of bulk during the offseason. The added muscle should help Duncan better hold his position down low, which was at times a weakness last season. On the court, there were few surprises. Duncan didn't have much rust. His passing, especially, was in midseason form. He played more out on the floor than usual, a tactic that will likely continue into the season to help limit the wear and tear on his body.
DeJuan Blair
It's obvious that DeJuan Blair sliced his body fat percentage during the summer. He looks a lot slimmer than last season and quicker in his movements. Offensively, Blair used a new teardrop shot in the lane and also had better form on his jump hook. More importantly, he showed some range on his jumper -- even knocking down a 20-footer from the baseline. However, Blair still has a lack of arc on his shot and bend in his knees. Can he hit his jumper consistently? We'll see. On defense, Blair gambled a lot but was able to make things happen. His overall game was somewhat out of control. We'll see if Pop lets him play this style going forward.
Alonzo Gee
Alonzo Gee started at small forward but he appears small for the position. His athleticism helps him make up some of the difference but the length of NBA players gives him trouble. To make the Spurs, Gee is going to have to finish better around the basket than he did in the scrimmage. That said, I was surprised by his ability to penetrate the lane and quickly make the right pass. That ability, especially if he proves to be able to finish at the rim, would make him a useful offensive weapon. Rebounding was also a strength, which is usually the case with Gee.
Garrett Temple
To put it bluntly, Garrett Temple is going to have to do more. Although he has a great chance to make the team based off of how well he played in spot minutes last year, he was underwhelming in the scrimmage. Offensive is where he struggled the most. His ballhandling was shaky, he was indecisive in his decision-making and he was hesitant to look for his own shot. Defensively, Temple was better but he could have done a better job of utilizing his length to cause disruption.
George Hill
George Hill continues to grow as a player. He's getting more and more comfortable finishing at the rim. I like how he alternated using his teardrop and trying to draw contact. Hill's leadership on the court was good to see, as was his growing confidence in his midrange game. Defensively, Hill was tuned in and playing hard. The only downside to his play in the scrimmage was his continued inability to create plays for others off the pick-and-roll.
Gary Neal
After a very poor first half, Gary Neal played better in the final two quarters. The combination of being small and not too athletic will make it difficult to play shooting guard in the NBA ... but Neal looks up to the challenge. He played with intensity on defense and wasn't timid on the offensive end. Neal is going to have to shoot a lot better to earn minutes. In preseason action, we will get a good idea of Neal's future. If he hits for a high percentage and defends adequately enough, he can earn a spot in the rotation out of the gates.
Bobby Simmons
I thought Bobby Simmons helped his chances of making the team. He looks to be in the best shape he's been in for a few years. He showed the ability to play both forward positions and seemed to fit nicely on the offensive end. He still has a lot of work to do on his defense but it appears as if he might have a few drops of gas left in his tank.
Marcus Cousin
For a project big who has virtually no shot of making the team, Marcus Cousin played well. He rebounded extremely well and wasn't a disaster on the offensive end. Judging how he played in the scrimmage, Cousin would be a good addition to the Toros roster.
http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/3826/scrimmage2.jpg
Antonio McDyess
Antonio McDyess doesn't start trying until the All-Star break ... so you can just imagine how much he was going through the motions in this scrimmage. He had a couple of hustle plays but McDyess was mostly in it for the exercise.
Matt Bonner
At this point, Matt Bonner isn't going to show us anything new. He was what he is on the offensive end. Defensively, he was active and moving his feet well, although his lack of rebounding was painfully obvious at times. Then again, he was going against Duncan and Blair for rebounds -- hardly a fair fight.
Richard Jefferson
The good news: Richard Jefferson wasn't afraid to hoist three-pointers. The bad news: Richard Jefferson wasn't close to making any of his three-point attempts. He ran the court well, finished well and even made some good passes ... but if Jefferson doesn't space the court with his jumper, he'll remain a poor fit on this roster. Fitness-wise, Jefferson is in much better shape. He's not as chunky as he was last season, which appeared to make him a tad bit quicker.
Manu Ginobili
For the most part, Manu Ginobili was taking it easy. He spent most of his time shooting three-pointers and step-back jumpers. The good news is when he ventured into the paint, the explosion in his legs was impressive. Defensively, he was able to stay in front of his man -- another good sign of his readiness at this early point of the season.
Tony Parker
Tony Parker looked slimmer and quicker than he did last season. His added speed was most obvious on the defensive end, where Parker flied around causing havoc. On offense, he got to the basket with ease and made a couple of very good passes. Additionally, the arc on his jumper was slightly more prominent than usual. A few times Parker tried to do too much on both ends. With a contract on the line, hopefully that doesn't become a pattern this season.
James Gist
I was happy to see that James Gist was the most active player on the court. He ran the court extremely well, moved his feet on defense and seemed to always be in the thick of the action. Gist's size and athleticism gives him a chance to be a prototypical energy bigman in the NBA. That said, he sometimes has trouble using his athleticism to his advantage. Gist needs to finish better around the hoop and harness his aggression on the defensive end. All in all, it was a good first step for Gist.
James Anderson
Though he didn't play poorly, James Anderson has a long ways to go to earn minutes. First, he needs to get in better shape. After missing most of the summer with a hamstring injury, Anderson wasn't moving too well -- especially laterally. He also needs to make faster decisions on both ends and play with more purpose. Since Anderson probably projects as a below average NBA athlete, he needs to compensate with aggression. Preseason will give us a better idea of how close he is to figuring it all out.
Curtis Jerrells
Just like in summer league, Curtis Jerrells showed that he can shoot from the outside -- both on the catch and off the dribble -- and make the simple, correct pass. Jerrells is still more of a shooting guard than a point guard but he seems to be progressing in the right direction. Defensively, his intensity was inconsistent. To make the team, that will have to change.
Kirk Penney
If Kirk Penney is to make the team, it will be by the virtue of his outside jumper. I was impressed by what I saw at the scrimmage. His release is a lot faster than it was a few years ago and he has no hesitation. If he makes more than he misses in the preseason, it'd be difficult for the Spurs to let him go ... especially considering their need for perimeter marksmanship.
Tim Duncan
Though still in good shape, Tim Duncan looked like he added a bit of bulk during the offseason. The added muscle should help Duncan better hold his position down low, which was at times a weakness last season. On the court, there were few surprises. Duncan didn't have much rust. His passing, especially, was in midseason form. He played more out on the floor than usual, a tactic that will likely continue into the season to help limit the wear and tear on his body.
DeJuan Blair
It's obvious that DeJuan Blair sliced his body fat percentage during the summer. He looks a lot slimmer than last season and quicker in his movements. Offensively, Blair used a new teardrop shot in the lane and also had better form on his jump hook. More importantly, he showed some range on his jumper -- even knocking down a 20-footer from the baseline. However, Blair still has a lack of arc on his shot and bend in his knees. Can he hit his jumper consistently? We'll see. On defense, Blair gambled a lot but was able to make things happen. His overall game was somewhat out of control. We'll see if Pop lets him play this style going forward.
Alonzo Gee
Alonzo Gee started at small forward but he appears small for the position. His athleticism helps him make up some of the difference but the length of NBA players gives him trouble. To make the Spurs, Gee is going to have to finish better around the basket than he did in the scrimmage. That said, I was surprised by his ability to penetrate the lane and quickly make the right pass. That ability, especially if he proves to be able to finish at the rim, would make him a useful offensive weapon. Rebounding was also a strength, which is usually the case with Gee.
Garrett Temple
To put it bluntly, Garrett Temple is going to have to do more. Although he has a great chance to make the team based off of how well he played in spot minutes last year, he was underwhelming in the scrimmage. Offensive is where he struggled the most. His ballhandling was shaky, he was indecisive in his decision-making and he was hesitant to look for his own shot. Defensively, Temple was better but he could have done a better job of utilizing his length to cause disruption.
George Hill
George Hill continues to grow as a player. He's getting more and more comfortable finishing at the rim. I like how he alternated using his teardrop and trying to draw contact. Hill's leadership on the court was good to see, as was his growing confidence in his midrange game. Defensively, Hill was tuned in and playing hard. The only downside to his play in the scrimmage was his continued inability to create plays for others off the pick-and-roll.
Gary Neal
After a very poor first half, Gary Neal played better in the final two quarters. The combination of being small and not too athletic will make it difficult to play shooting guard in the NBA ... but Neal looks up to the challenge. He played with intensity on defense and wasn't timid on the offensive end. Neal is going to have to shoot a lot better to earn minutes. In preseason action, we will get a good idea of Neal's future. If he hits for a high percentage and defends adequately enough, he can earn a spot in the rotation out of the gates.
Bobby Simmons
I thought Bobby Simmons helped his chances of making the team. He looks to be in the best shape he's been in for a few years. He showed the ability to play both forward positions and seemed to fit nicely on the offensive end. He still has a lot of work to do on his defense but it appears as if he might have a few drops of gas left in his tank.
Marcus Cousin
For a project big who has virtually no shot of making the team, Marcus Cousin played well. He rebounded extremely well and wasn't a disaster on the offensive end. Judging how he played in the scrimmage, Cousin would be a good addition to the Toros roster.
http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/3826/scrimmage2.jpg
Antonio McDyess
Antonio McDyess doesn't start trying until the All-Star break ... so you can just imagine how much he was going through the motions in this scrimmage. He had a couple of hustle plays but McDyess was mostly in it for the exercise.
Matt Bonner
At this point, Matt Bonner isn't going to show us anything new. He was what he is on the offensive end. Defensively, he was active and moving his feet well, although his lack of rebounding was painfully obvious at times. Then again, he was going against Duncan and Blair for rebounds -- hardly a fair fight.
Richard Jefferson
The good news: Richard Jefferson wasn't afraid to hoist three-pointers. The bad news: Richard Jefferson wasn't close to making any of his three-point attempts. He ran the court well, finished well and even made some good passes ... but if Jefferson doesn't space the court with his jumper, he'll remain a poor fit on this roster. Fitness-wise, Jefferson is in much better shape. He's not as chunky as he was last season, which appeared to make him a tad bit quicker.
Manu Ginobili
For the most part, Manu Ginobili was taking it easy. He spent most of his time shooting three-pointers and step-back jumpers. The good news is when he ventured into the paint, the explosion in his legs was impressive. Defensively, he was able to stay in front of his man -- another good sign of his readiness at this early point of the season.
Tony Parker
Tony Parker looked slimmer and quicker than he did last season. His added speed was most obvious on the defensive end, where Parker flied around causing havoc. On offense, he got to the basket with ease and made a couple of very good passes. Additionally, the arc on his jumper was slightly more prominent than usual. A few times Parker tried to do too much on both ends. With a contract on the line, hopefully that doesn't become a pattern this season.
James Gist
I was happy to see that James Gist was the most active player on the court. He ran the court extremely well, moved his feet on defense and seemed to always be in the thick of the action. Gist's size and athleticism gives him a chance to be a prototypical energy bigman in the NBA. That said, he sometimes has trouble using his athleticism to his advantage. Gist needs to finish better around the hoop and harness his aggression on the defensive end. All in all, it was a good first step for Gist.
James Anderson
Though he didn't play poorly, James Anderson has a long ways to go to earn minutes. First, he needs to get in better shape. After missing most of the summer with a hamstring injury, Anderson wasn't moving too well -- especially laterally. He also needs to make faster decisions on both ends and play with more purpose. Since Anderson probably projects as a below average NBA athlete, he needs to compensate with aggression. Preseason will give us a better idea of how close he is to figuring it all out.
Curtis Jerrells
Just like in summer league, Curtis Jerrells showed that he can shoot from the outside -- both on the catch and off the dribble -- and make the simple, correct pass. Jerrells is still more of a shooting guard than a point guard but he seems to be progressing in the right direction. Defensively, his intensity was inconsistent. To make the team, that will have to change.
Kirk Penney
If Kirk Penney is to make the team, it will be by the virtue of his outside jumper. I was impressed by what I saw at the scrimmage. His release is a lot faster than it was a few years ago and he has no hesitation. If he makes more than he misses in the preseason, it'd be difficult for the Spurs to let him go ... especially considering their need for perimeter marksmanship.