timvp
10-30-2010, 03:22 PM
Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Pacers (http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-game-thoughts/game-thoughts-spurs-vs-pacers/)
For the last 15 years, the San Antonio Spurs have built their success around a suffocating defense. In the first half of the first game of the new season, a blindfolded Mike D'Antoni could have been coaching the Spurs and the team wouldn't have played worse defense. Heading into halftime, the Indiana Pacers had 65 points.
Luckily for San Antonio, their offense was as good as their defense was bad in the first 24 minutes of play, which allowed the Spurs to take a three-point lead into halftime. Soon after intermission, the defense made it's 2010-11 debut. By holding the Pacers to 44 points in the second half, the Spurs were able to run away with a 122-109 victory.
TJ Ford hit a jumper to pull the Pacers within two with 11 minutes to go in the game -- that's when the Spurs made their run. The defense locked in, holding the Pacers scoreless over the next four minutes. On the other end, a Manu Ginobili three-pointer ignited an 11-0 run. With a 13-point lead and a defense finally resembling Spurs basketball, San Antonio cruised to victory.
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Tim Duncan
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/tim-duncan.jpg
33 mins (+13), 23 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover
10-for-12 from the field, 3-for-5 from the line
For at least one night, Tim Duncan proved he can play as well as any bigman in basketball. Offensively, he got his outside jumper going (5-for-6 from 15 feet and out) and that made him impossible to defend. On the low block, Duncan was effective enough to draw double-teams -- which didn't happen to often last season. On the defensive end, Duncan was active. He made a few mistakes but San Antonio's defensive struggles in the first half weren't his fault. All in all, Duncan played about as well as could have been expected in the season opener.
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Manu Ginobili
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/manu-ginobili.jpg
32 mins (+7), 22 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers
6-for-14 from the field, 5-for-9 on three-pointers, 5-for-5 at the line
Manu Ginobili struggled with his shooting for much of the preseason. However, you would have never known that with the way he drilled shots from deep against the Pacers. Thanks to Ginobili's marksmanship in the first half, the Spurs were able to keep it close. Though his production slowed in the final two quarters, Ginobili's impact was definitely felt. He made great passes throughout, attacked the rim, kept the energy level elevated and, after not playing good defense in the first half, played aggressive D in the second half. To put it concisely, Ginobili looked extremely comfortable and was able to play like Manu Ginobili.
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Tony Parker
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/tony-parker.jpg
38 mins (+15), 20 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 turnovers
9-for-18 from the field, 2-for-2 at the line
Despite his quality numbers, Tony Parker was a few inches away from absolutely destroying the Pacers. Layups that he always easily finishes were rolling off the rim on Wednesday night. Parker also had a few uncharacteristically poor decision in the lane. That said, it's difficult to be upset with his production. Parker's speed looked very good, though he wasn't jumping too well. Once his legs are in game shape, he very well could revert to All-Star level of play.
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Richard Jefferson
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/richard-jefferson.jpg
21 mins (+7), 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover
4-for-6 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers, 7-for-10 at the line
In the preseason, we didn't see many signs that Richard Jefferson improved from last season. In the season opener, there were reasons to be excited. Despite playing only 21 minutes due to foul trouble, Jefferson got to the line ten times. To put that in perspective, last season he got to the line ten or more times only twice. I was also happy with Jefferson's willingness to shoot from the perimeter. In San Antonio's offense, he's a lame duck when he's not shooting from the outside. Defensively, Jefferson wasn't good in the first half. He was better in the second half ... but he's still a work in progress on that end.
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DeJuan Blair
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/dejuan-blair.jpg
20 mins (-5), 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover
2-for-9 from the field, 5-for-5 at the line
Unfortunately, DeJuan Blair laid an egg in the first game of the 2010-11 season. He started off well enough, getting an and-1 on the team's first possession. From there, things went downhill. Defense was his most glaring problem. Against the quick and perimeter-oriented Pacers, Blair simply couldn't hang. He struggled to defend out of the lane. He struggled defending pick-and-rolls. He struggled in his team defense responsibilities. On offense, he missed seven of his last eight shots. While I expect him to bounce back, Blair showed everyone his potential weaknesses as the team's starting power forward.
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George Hill
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/george-hill.jpg
28 mins (+11), 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
4-for-8 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers, 7-for-9 at the line
In his first few minutes on the court, George Hill was horrible. He was scared to shoot the ball on offense and was a step slow on the defensive end. Hill's preseason struggles seemed to really be weighing on him. Thankfully, Hill got better and better to the point that he was playing at a very high level in the second half. He was scoring at the rim, hitting his teammates with crisp passes and even hit a three-pointer after going 1-for-16 from downtown in preseason. Hopefully Hill can use his second half play as a springboard for the rest of the season.
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James Anderson
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/james-anderson.jpg
27 mins (+6), 10 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover
4-for-8 from the field, 2-for-5 on three-pointers
With Jefferson battling fouls, James Anderson played 27 minutes in his NBA debut. Overall, I was happy with how he played. Like Duncan said after the game, Anderson played like a deer in headlights in his first few professional minutes. Eventually he settled in and provided the Spurs with solid minutes. He knocked in a pair of threes and showed nice touch around the basket. There are still a few areas of concern in Anderson's game. He plays at a slow pace and that hurts him on the defensive end. Anderson also doesn't seem to jump very well in traffic. Will improved conditioning improve these areas of concern? We'll see. If so, Anderson's sweet stroke and seemingly high basketball IQ can help this team.
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Antonio McDyess
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/antonio-mcdyess.jpg
19 mins (+10), 4 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover
2-for-3 from the field
For a player who doesn't give full effort until the All-Star break, Antonio McDyess played well. He made his presence felt on the boards and also helped spread the court with his jumper. His defense was rather good, especially compared to compatriots. If McDyess keeps playing with the gusto he illustrated on Wednesday night, he'll force the coaching staff to keep him in the rotation.
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Matt Bonner
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/matt-bonner.jpg
14 mins (+1), 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists
1-for-3 from the field
Before injuring his ankle, Matt Bonner was decent. He had trouble on the glass and his decision-making was iffy, however he competed defensively and the threat of his shot kept the Pacers from packing the paint. Since Bonner can't afford to be at anything less than the top of his athleticism, he should take his time coming back from the ankle injury.
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Bobby Simmons
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/bobby-simmons.jpg
6 mins (+6), 1 assist
0-for-2 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
Among active NBA players with at least 500 three-point attempts, Bobby Simmons is the 11th most accurate three-point shooter. You would have never known that fact from the two dead ducks he thew at the basket from beyond the arc in his Spurs debut. Even if you forget those two misses, Simmons was underwhelming against the Pacers. But with Bonner down, Simmons will get a chance to play the stretch power forward role for the Spurs. He's shown enough toughness down low but can he rebound against bigs? The answer to that question will likely decide whether Simmons has a long-term future with the team.
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Gregg Popovich
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/gregg-popovich.jpg
I was pleased that Pop had James Anderson in the rotation on opening night. If Anderson plays up to his potential, he could solve a lot of potential roster issues. I also liked how he rotated Parker, Ginobili and Hill in the backcourt. And, yes, I still think Blair in the starting lineup is the right move for now. Pop has to be careful with how he uses Simmons. Too much small ball with Simmons could be disasterous. With Bonner sidelined for a while and Tiago Splitter still not ready, it'll be interesting to see how Pop juggles the rotation in the next few games.
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Offense
I can't complain about the O at all. The Spurs shot 50.6% from the field for the game, including 9-for-20 (45%) from deep. They even shot better than 80% at the line (29-for-36) while getting their often. The Spurs finished with 29 assists to only 14 turnovers. It should be mentioned, however, that this fantastic offensive play came against the Pacers, one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.
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Defense
The first half defense was horrendous -- in every aspect. They weren't picking up quickly enough in transition and fell apart if Indiana had any sort of ball movement. The second half was better but still not much to celebrate about. A lack of a perimeter stopper on the perimeter is painfully obvious. For the game, the Pacers hit 53.2% of their shots from the field, 38.1% (8-of-21) of their three-pointers and 19-of-28 free throws. The best part of San Antonio's defense was holding the Pacers assists in check (20) while forcing a lot of turnovers (23).
-------------
Drive for 5
In the second game of the season, the Spurs host the Hornets on Saturday night. Can the defense improve? Will the offensive continue to thrive? Will Blair bounce back? Is Anderson truly a part of the rotation? Is the Big Three elite once again? Stay tuned.
For the last 15 years, the San Antonio Spurs have built their success around a suffocating defense. In the first half of the first game of the new season, a blindfolded Mike D'Antoni could have been coaching the Spurs and the team wouldn't have played worse defense. Heading into halftime, the Indiana Pacers had 65 points.
Luckily for San Antonio, their offense was as good as their defense was bad in the first 24 minutes of play, which allowed the Spurs to take a three-point lead into halftime. Soon after intermission, the defense made it's 2010-11 debut. By holding the Pacers to 44 points in the second half, the Spurs were able to run away with a 122-109 victory.
TJ Ford hit a jumper to pull the Pacers within two with 11 minutes to go in the game -- that's when the Spurs made their run. The defense locked in, holding the Pacers scoreless over the next four minutes. On the other end, a Manu Ginobili three-pointer ignited an 11-0 run. With a 13-point lead and a defense finally resembling Spurs basketball, San Antonio cruised to victory.
-------------
Tim Duncan
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/tim-duncan.jpg
33 mins (+13), 23 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover
10-for-12 from the field, 3-for-5 from the line
For at least one night, Tim Duncan proved he can play as well as any bigman in basketball. Offensively, he got his outside jumper going (5-for-6 from 15 feet and out) and that made him impossible to defend. On the low block, Duncan was effective enough to draw double-teams -- which didn't happen to often last season. On the defensive end, Duncan was active. He made a few mistakes but San Antonio's defensive struggles in the first half weren't his fault. All in all, Duncan played about as well as could have been expected in the season opener.
-------------
Manu Ginobili
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/manu-ginobili.jpg
32 mins (+7), 22 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers
6-for-14 from the field, 5-for-9 on three-pointers, 5-for-5 at the line
Manu Ginobili struggled with his shooting for much of the preseason. However, you would have never known that with the way he drilled shots from deep against the Pacers. Thanks to Ginobili's marksmanship in the first half, the Spurs were able to keep it close. Though his production slowed in the final two quarters, Ginobili's impact was definitely felt. He made great passes throughout, attacked the rim, kept the energy level elevated and, after not playing good defense in the first half, played aggressive D in the second half. To put it concisely, Ginobili looked extremely comfortable and was able to play like Manu Ginobili.
-------------
Tony Parker
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/tony-parker.jpg
38 mins (+15), 20 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 turnovers
9-for-18 from the field, 2-for-2 at the line
Despite his quality numbers, Tony Parker was a few inches away from absolutely destroying the Pacers. Layups that he always easily finishes were rolling off the rim on Wednesday night. Parker also had a few uncharacteristically poor decision in the lane. That said, it's difficult to be upset with his production. Parker's speed looked very good, though he wasn't jumping too well. Once his legs are in game shape, he very well could revert to All-Star level of play.
-------------
Richard Jefferson
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/richard-jefferson.jpg
21 mins (+7), 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover
4-for-6 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers, 7-for-10 at the line
In the preseason, we didn't see many signs that Richard Jefferson improved from last season. In the season opener, there were reasons to be excited. Despite playing only 21 minutes due to foul trouble, Jefferson got to the line ten times. To put that in perspective, last season he got to the line ten or more times only twice. I was also happy with Jefferson's willingness to shoot from the perimeter. In San Antonio's offense, he's a lame duck when he's not shooting from the outside. Defensively, Jefferson wasn't good in the first half. He was better in the second half ... but he's still a work in progress on that end.
-------------
DeJuan Blair
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/dejuan-blair.jpg
20 mins (-5), 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover
2-for-9 from the field, 5-for-5 at the line
Unfortunately, DeJuan Blair laid an egg in the first game of the 2010-11 season. He started off well enough, getting an and-1 on the team's first possession. From there, things went downhill. Defense was his most glaring problem. Against the quick and perimeter-oriented Pacers, Blair simply couldn't hang. He struggled to defend out of the lane. He struggled defending pick-and-rolls. He struggled in his team defense responsibilities. On offense, he missed seven of his last eight shots. While I expect him to bounce back, Blair showed everyone his potential weaknesses as the team's starting power forward.
-------------
George Hill
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/george-hill.jpg
28 mins (+11), 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
4-for-8 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers, 7-for-9 at the line
In his first few minutes on the court, George Hill was horrible. He was scared to shoot the ball on offense and was a step slow on the defensive end. Hill's preseason struggles seemed to really be weighing on him. Thankfully, Hill got better and better to the point that he was playing at a very high level in the second half. He was scoring at the rim, hitting his teammates with crisp passes and even hit a three-pointer after going 1-for-16 from downtown in preseason. Hopefully Hill can use his second half play as a springboard for the rest of the season.
-------------
James Anderson
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/james-anderson.jpg
27 mins (+6), 10 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover
4-for-8 from the field, 2-for-5 on three-pointers
With Jefferson battling fouls, James Anderson played 27 minutes in his NBA debut. Overall, I was happy with how he played. Like Duncan said after the game, Anderson played like a deer in headlights in his first few professional minutes. Eventually he settled in and provided the Spurs with solid minutes. He knocked in a pair of threes and showed nice touch around the basket. There are still a few areas of concern in Anderson's game. He plays at a slow pace and that hurts him on the defensive end. Anderson also doesn't seem to jump very well in traffic. Will improved conditioning improve these areas of concern? We'll see. If so, Anderson's sweet stroke and seemingly high basketball IQ can help this team.
-------------
Antonio McDyess
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/antonio-mcdyess.jpg
19 mins (+10), 4 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover
2-for-3 from the field
For a player who doesn't give full effort until the All-Star break, Antonio McDyess played well. He made his presence felt on the boards and also helped spread the court with his jumper. His defense was rather good, especially compared to compatriots. If McDyess keeps playing with the gusto he illustrated on Wednesday night, he'll force the coaching staff to keep him in the rotation.
-------------
Matt Bonner
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/matt-bonner.jpg
14 mins (+1), 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists
1-for-3 from the field
Before injuring his ankle, Matt Bonner was decent. He had trouble on the glass and his decision-making was iffy, however he competed defensively and the threat of his shot kept the Pacers from packing the paint. Since Bonner can't afford to be at anything less than the top of his athleticism, he should take his time coming back from the ankle injury.
-------------
Bobby Simmons
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/bobby-simmons.jpg
6 mins (+6), 1 assist
0-for-2 from the field, 0-for-2 on three-pointers
Among active NBA players with at least 500 three-point attempts, Bobby Simmons is the 11th most accurate three-point shooter. You would have never known that fact from the two dead ducks he thew at the basket from beyond the arc in his Spurs debut. Even if you forget those two misses, Simmons was underwhelming against the Pacers. But with Bonner down, Simmons will get a chance to play the stretch power forward role for the Spurs. He's shown enough toughness down low but can he rebound against bigs? The answer to that question will likely decide whether Simmons has a long-term future with the team.
-------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/gregg-popovich.jpg
I was pleased that Pop had James Anderson in the rotation on opening night. If Anderson plays up to his potential, he could solve a lot of potential roster issues. I also liked how he rotated Parker, Ginobili and Hill in the backcourt. And, yes, I still think Blair in the starting lineup is the right move for now. Pop has to be careful with how he uses Simmons. Too much small ball with Simmons could be disasterous. With Bonner sidelined for a while and Tiago Splitter still not ready, it'll be interesting to see how Pop juggles the rotation in the next few games.
-------------
Offense
I can't complain about the O at all. The Spurs shot 50.6% from the field for the game, including 9-for-20 (45%) from deep. They even shot better than 80% at the line (29-for-36) while getting their often. The Spurs finished with 29 assists to only 14 turnovers. It should be mentioned, however, that this fantastic offensive play came against the Pacers, one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.
-------------
Defense
The first half defense was horrendous -- in every aspect. They weren't picking up quickly enough in transition and fell apart if Indiana had any sort of ball movement. The second half was better but still not much to celebrate about. A lack of a perimeter stopper on the perimeter is painfully obvious. For the game, the Pacers hit 53.2% of their shots from the field, 38.1% (8-of-21) of their three-pointers and 19-of-28 free throws. The best part of San Antonio's defense was holding the Pacers assists in check (20) while forcing a lot of turnovers (23).
-------------
Drive for 5
In the second game of the season, the Spurs host the Hornets on Saturday night. Can the defense improve? Will the offensive continue to thrive? Will Blair bounce back? Is Anderson truly a part of the rotation? Is the Big Three elite once again? Stay tuned.