We are using Dice too much

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I love the energy he is showing early but that plus Bonner's red rocket Injury has led Pop to play McDyess too many minutes IMO. I like playing Dice the way Pop did for this game, and I agree with playing him for any division foe, but we GOTTA temper those minutes.

Splitter's BS summer injury did not help matters any, but we need him to get into shape ASAP cuz I do not like playing Dice so much. We need him to be in full enforcer mode come playoff time and at this rate we're gonna burn him out by christmas.

[HarlemHeat37]

Well, ya, but there's no choice at the moment..unless you want Bobby Simmons playing PF for long periods of time..

McDyess's minutes will be a lot more limited once Bonner returns and Splitter gets in shape..he'll be fine..

[UnWantedTheory]

We dont wanna burn out TD, we have to bring T Split along, Bonner is injured, and Blair has been limited either by his play of late or his height....Who else is there? I do agree we dont want to wear him down, but his minutes will not be so high once Bonner comes back and T Split gets acclimated.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

In that case Tiago and Bonner better get in full game shape.

Also compounding the situation is that Blair might be full-on headed to Pop's doghouse.

[DesignatedT]

Definitely agree that Dice is playing a little much but that will certainly go down as Splitter comes along and when Bonner comes back.

[JsnSA]

We are 4 games into the season. Splitter is going to start to get a lot more minutes and Bonner will be back soon enough. They are not going to ruin Antonio by giving him these extra minutes this early in the season.

Also, as Tony and Manu have said they really want to make sure they win early to ensure a good playoff seed and home court advantage. This makes the extra minutes Dice is getting now necessary.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Historically the Spurs don't start to get their Regulator mad minutes until the deep of winter.

This early forcing of high Dice minutes might mess up Pop's overall rhythm of rotations for the season.

[AlleyOopNazi]

totally disagree. TD was maxed on minutes tonight. Blair was mismatched the whole night and wasn't going to take over. Splitter had some foul trouble and still is learning what to do in the system without looking totally out of place. Dice is the only lockdown shooter in our frontcourt besides duncan. Dice is the only other solid defender other than Bonner with 7foot size that can spread the floor.
IMO if dice can play the minutes, then dice plays
also added, its his last season of his career, why wouldn't you play every last minute you can get out of him

[TDMVPDPOY]

you have to play him to keep that shooting touch or else....

[z0sa]

Well, ya, but there's no choice at the moment..unless you want Bobby Simmons playing PF for long periods of time..

McDyess's minutes will be a lot more limited once Bonner returns and Splitter gets in shape..he'll be fine..

This. It's exactly why having a guy like Bonner is actually a good thing. He is experienced in the system and has proven consistent, at least in the regular season. Splitter is already prepared to assume more minutes as well, as soon as his conditioning is up to par.

[Cessation]

I agree hell be less efficient if this continues, but i think well be ok as long as this is just temporary. Once splitter acclimates, well be good.

[ORION]

I think their goal was to come out strong and win some games so they're not playing catch up during the second half of the season.

[Danny.Zhu]

We are using Tim Duncan too much as well.

[JustinJDW]

Don't worry. Once Bonner comes back and Splitter get into more game shape and starts receiving more bigs, we will have five active bigs on the roster who all will probably get minutes. Maybe for the first couple weeks, Dice and Timmy might get a little more minutes due to injures, but overall for the Season, I don't think any of our bigs will be overplayed.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Don't worry. Once Bonner comes back...

stew on this for a second...

[ezau]

It's tough to play catch up these days and I'm really in favor of the Spurs trying to win as many games as they can.

[ElNono]

Dice has been our best defensive big overall so far this season. Plus before he came to SA, he was averaging 30 minutes a game. As others have said, lets try to win and position ourselves early, and if there's time to rest later on in the season, then he can rest then...

[K-State Spur]

No problem with Dice playing more minutes early.

By the end of the year, Splitter will be getting enough minutes that Pop will have to limit Dice's.

[bigfan]

Have to say this is where we need the Big Red Boner to get some of McDyess' minutes. The guy is one of the best in the league but we need to save him for the end of the season, hes an old dude.

[Obstructed_View]

The Spurs won by 2. If Simmons comes in for a few minutes and it's the difference in the game, then the minutes everyone got was a waste.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

The Spurs won by 2. If Simmons comes in for a few minutes and it's the difference in the game, then the minutes everyone got was a waste.

:tu bingo


Simmons lack of playing time has to be one of the bright spots this season. I was really afraid that Pop would give him Bogans type minutes because of his fascination with over the hill veterans.

Also, if anything, we are using Blair too much. He has just completely regressed out there. The sooner Splitter can get in game shape the better, because he is unquestionably the second best big on this team right now.


And props to McDyess, he's been huge this season.