Quick Grades: Spurs vs. Cavaliers - Nov. 20

[timvp]

http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/nov20-box.jpg (http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-grades/quick-grades-spurs-vs-cavaliers/)

Quick Grades: Spurs vs. Cavaliers (http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-grades/quick-grades-spurs-vs-cavaliers/)

[ginobilized]

Thanks as always for the quick assessment!

[Pauleta14]

Thanks for the work!

Green with a better grade that Tim??? WTF???...................... Just kidding

[justinandimcool]

I think Chris Quinn deserves a solid B for some nice passes and running the offense quite smoothly, and only one mistake on the shot clock violation.

[TheSpurglar]

Hmmmmm. I didn't watch the game, but from the comments on Splitter... I wonder if one of the reasons Splitter didn't play in the last couple games was because they were focusing on the Parker/Splitter PnR in practice? Is that a possibility? Splitter did miss all of training camp, after all.

[Cry Havoc]

Tim Duncan - B Had a monster flush that gave us some momentum in the second.

Manu Ginobili - A: Dominated the 2nd quarter single handedly.

Tony Parker - A-: Teamed up extremely well with Tiago Splitter.

Richard Jefferson - B+: Still has the hot hand.

DeJuan Blair - B+: Love his aggressiveness.

George Hill - C: Didn't see anything special from him tonight.

Tiago Splitter - A+: Gave more effort tonight than anyone else on the court. Got blocks, steals, scrambled for lose balls, the most complete game of his young career and honestly perhaps the best effort we've seen out of any Spurs player this year. SO much promise in this guy. He's like a very very rich man's Oberto.

Matt Bonner - B-: Made a couple of really bad defensive plays. Still forcing the issue, but at least he's staying aggressive.

Gary Neal - A-: Limited minutes but he made them count.

Danny Green - C+: Looked lost on the court at times, but still getting into the rhythm of playing.


Side note: Does anyone else think Duncan looks younger than he's been for years? He is routinely busting out quick spin moves, aggressive fakes on his way to the hoop, and is throwing it down regularly. That goes for Manu too -- he's playing like a young guy again.

[Pauleta14]

Hmmmmm. I didn't watch the game, but from the comments on Splitter... I wonder if one of the reasons Splitter didn't play in the last couple games was because they were focusing on the Parker/Splitter PnR in practice? Is that a possibility? Splitter did miss all of training camp, after all.


Pop is just being concervative with him, and I think he's right.

Thiago played all summer,
didn't have a full summer of rest since he was 15 years old,
comes in a new country,
new teamates,
new systems,
add the trips,
a thougher schedule compared to europe...


I fully trust Pop on his personnel management (except 4 Bonner :lol), Thiago is a special rookie and the goal is to get him ready for the PO, even if we all know he'll express his full potential only next year...

[Vito Corleone]

Does anyone else think Duncan looks younger than he's been for years? He is routinely busting out quick spin moves, aggressive fakes on his way to the hoop, and is throwing it down regularly. That goes for Manu too -- he's playing like a young guy again.

Duncan lost 15 pounds over the summer in an effort to get a little quicker. So far, it looks like it has paid off in a big way.

[duncan228]

Duncan lost 15 pounds over the summer in an effort to get a little quicker. So far, it looks like it has paid off in a big way.

Duncan lost 15 pounds last summer. He gained a couple of pounds this summer, he said he thought he played too light last season.

There was an article with a quote from Pop the week before Media Day, Pop said he thought Duncan may have looked 'slimmer' than last year. The article was mis-interpreted, Pop never said Duncan lost weight.

[duncan228]

Oh, but Duncan said last night that he feels better than he has in a couple of years, that's probably why he looks good out there.

[HarlemHeat37]

Duncan hasn't really impressed me on offense this year, I don't think he's going too hard, but he's playing the best D he has played in years IMO..it's early in the season, but he's moving a lot better on D..just hope his knees are nice in the playoffs..

[ElNono]

Another solid win. Winning at home is important, and it's a great surprise the team hasn't yet had a letdown after a great win like Utah the night before. Sometimes players relax, which is understandable. Spurs seems poised to make an impact early in the season and as a fan you couldn't be happier with that they've shown so far.
Another big test coming up Monday against the Magic.

[Solid D]

Right now, the depth chart in the post has been:
5 Duncan...McDyess...Splitter
4 Blair.......Bonner

McDyess has been playing very well and now that Bonner is healthy again, he is getting minutes again at PF.

The Cavs game was 2nd of a B2B, Splitter's NT teammate Anderson Varejao was playing, so McDyess rested and Splitter got McDyess' minutes. As it turned out, Splitter got some of Timmy's minutes, too.

Splitter will have to beat out McDyess to get decent playing time. That can happen, but Splitter will need to be a quick study on defense. Offensively, Tiago has some definite value-add and is already one of the best screen/roll Bigs they've had in a while, this side of Timmy.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Right now, the depth chart in the post has been:
5 Duncan...McDyess...Splitter
4 Blair.......Bonner

McDyess has been playing very well and now that Bonner is healthy again, he is getting minutes again at PF.

The Cavs game was 2nd of a B2B, Splitter's NT teammate Anderson Varejao was playing, so McDyess rested and Splitter got McDyess' minutes. As it turned out, Splitter got some of Timmy's minutes, too.

Splitter will have to beat out McDyess to get decent playing time. That can happen, but Splitter will need to be a quick study on defense. Offensively, Tiago has some definite value-add and is already one of the best screen/roll Bigs they've had in a while, this side of Timmy.

But don't you feel it's silly for Pop to give Bonner so many minutes? Bonner should be a situational player, where Tiago should be getting 25-30 MPG easy.

[024]

i think bonner is still getting a large chunk of minutes because anderson is out and hill's play is still subpar. pop likes to have that reliable 3pt shooting specialist on the floor.

[ChuckD]

i think bonner is still getting a large chunk of minutes because anderson is out and hill's play is still subpar. pop likes to have that reliable 3pt shooting specialist on the floor.

Exactly. Without shooters to spread the floor, the offense grinds to a halt, pretty much like all of last season.

[duncan228]

Efficient use of Duncan a plus for Pop (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2010/11/20/efficient-use-of-duncan-a-plus-for-pop/)
Mike Monroe

..."We didn’t want him playing in the 30s for two nights in a row,” Popovich said of Duncan’s short stints against the Cavs, “so that’s a good thing.”


...“It’s great, especially this early in the season,” Duncan said. “It’s a great situation to come in here and play the minutes I played tonight. Tiago (Splitter) plays some big minutes tonight and plays great, and I don’t have to be out there too long.

“It’s an ideal situation, and I wish I’d made more shots. Other than that, I’m happy with the way we played tonight and how it went down.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2010/11/20/efficient-use-of-duncan-a-plus-for-pop/

[Manufan909]

Duncan hasn't really impressed me on offense this year, I don't think he's going too hard, but he's playing the best D he has played in years IMO..it's early in the season, but he's moving a lot better on D..just hope his knees are nice in the playoffs..

It's clear they don't need him to be the focal point of the O nearly as much this year. I'm loving that he's scoring worse than he has in years, but the Spurs are scoring better than they have in years, and it's a balanced attack.

It's a little annoying the Spurs only seem to lock it down defensively in the 2nd half, but it's working like a dream so far.

[BackHome]

Tim Duncan - B Had a monster flush that gave us some momentum in the second.

Manu Ginobili - A: Dominated the 2nd quarter single handedly.

Tony Parker - A-: Teamed up extremely well with Tiago Splitter.

Richard Jefferson - B+: Still has the hot hand.

DeJuan Blair - B+: Love his aggressiveness.

George Hill - C: Didn't see anything special from him tonight.

Tiago Splitter - A+: Gave more effort tonight than anyone else on the court. Got blocks, steals, scrambled for lose balls, the most complete game of his young career and honestly perhaps the best effort we've seen out of any Spurs player this year. SO much promise in this guy. He's like a very very rich man's Oberto.

Matt Bonner - B-: Made a couple of really bad defensive plays. Still forcing the issue, but at least he's staying aggressive.

Gary Neal - A-: Limited minutes but he made them count.

Danny Green - C+: Looked lost on the court at times, but still getting into the rhythm of playing.


Side note: Does anyone else think Duncan looks younger than he's been for years? He is routinely busting out quick spin moves, aggressive fakes on his way to the hoop, and is throwing it down regularly. That goes for Manu too -- he's playing like a young guy again.

Well I have to say that Tony is playing the best ball I have ever seen him play YTD. For all of us who had hopes on Splitter I don't think he let us down and I am one happy Spurs fan that we were able to fianlly bring him over. Gary Neal was a great signing he plays good defense and I like that he is able to dribble and set up other players something that Hill needs to work on. Oh and Bonner continues his hot sreak from the outside.....

[Manufan909]

So how was Splitter's individual D this game, as well as overall? No one seems to be raving about it like the Suns and Clippers games where he was instilling fear into Blake Griffin's very soul.:lol

[Solid D]

But don't you feel it's silly for Pop to give Bonner so many minutes? Bonner should be a situational player, where Tiago should be getting 25-30 MPG easy.

Not at all. Bonner gives the Spurs scoring both via his own outside shooting and the extra lane space he creates for others when he lifts and brings a Big with him. Teams like New Orleans and Chicago have collapsed the lane and made it difficult for the Spurs to score inside.

Tiago is really competing more with McDyess for minutes. McDyess has been Pop's choice to replace Timmy when he comes out for a rest.

Ideally, Tiago will improve his play and his understanding of the system...the preferences of his teammates...how they work and where they like to operate.

Tonight, Tiago showed he was just about in game shape and with staying power. He seemed to have his legs and his wind over extended minutes for the first time this season.

[Cry Havoc]

So how was Splitter's individual D this game, as well as overall? No one seems to be raving about it like the Suns and Clippers games where he was instilling fear into Blake Griffin's very soul.:lol

I would say it was one step away from being utterly fantastic. As it was, it was "just" excellent. 5 boards, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in 26 minutes of play. He hustled. He scrapped. He made huge plays on both sides of the ball. Really though, Tiago helped us the most last night just by finding open spots near the hoop, running to them, and then finishing the passes with an easy 2. He read the defenses perfectly and knew where to be in our offense to get quick buckets.

I would say he should have pulled down more rebounds, but while he was in the game (2nd and some of the 3rd quarter), BOTH teams absolutely went off from the field. I think the Cavs hit like 8 shots in a row at one point, and we hit 6 of 8 during that same stretch, if memory serves. At halftime they were shooting ~53% from the field and we were at 56%+. So there weren't exactly a lot of rebounds to be had for a while on the court.

[polandprzem]

Strange to give Splitter an A

he got A- from you earlier on in the season with way worse play.

Have you changed expectations?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Thanks timvp. :tu

And thanks to the thread participant's for some excellent comments too. :toast

12 games in and this is the way I thought last season's team would go, only we were banged up, too young and had no chemistry. By contrast, this year's team (for which I had no expectations) is better balanced, more cohesive and athletic, and seems to have incredible chemistry and character. We look utterly professional and focussed on the goal of playing fundamental basketball, a true joy to watch, and with so much room for improvement!

This start goes to show how important it is to start the year healthy and rested (Tony - his best play in years - and Manu, what needs be said?), and what a year of NBA seasoning can do for young players (Grizzly and George have had a tough start, but are coming around) and players new to the Spurs' system (RJ - what can I say but sorry, you've been a minor revelation this year - and Dice looks even better this year too).

As for Splitter, he's a lot more advanced than I thought he'd be at this point, and this is a bit preliminary, but I can't wait to see how he shapes up against the Fakers later in the year. He's the kind of guy who might give Gasol fits (if anyone can). Anyone think Splitter is quick enough to follow Lamar out on the perimeter? I wonder... The one thing that shits me with Splitter isn't his fault - bloody bullshit rookie fouls. He gets called for a lot of them. The NBA should stamp that crap out and instruct officials to call the game equally for all. :ihit

I'm savouring every moment of basketball we play this year, enjoying every bit of it completely, whereas last year it was often difficult to watch. Bravo, Spurs!

:flag:


Duncan lost 15 pounds over the summer in an effort to get a little quicker. So far, it looks like it has paid off in a big way.


Duncan lost 15 pounds last summer. He gained a couple of pounds this summer, he said he thought he played too light last season.

There was an article with a quote from Pop the week before Media Day, Pop said he thought Duncan may have looked 'slimmer' than last year. The article was mis-interpreted, Pop never said Duncan lost weight.


Oh, but Duncan said last night that he feels better than he has in a couple of years, that's probably why he looks good out there.

Don't mess with the authority, Vito! :lmao

[angelbelow]

Nice read, especially since i couldnt watch the game. Im sure its great for the others who couldnt catch the game either, thanks!

[Rummpd]

One of the most effective combos last PM was Bonner and Splitter - I expect to see more of those two together as Splitter helps cover up for Bonner's toughness and rebounding while Bonner is a dangerous offensive threat that will give Splitter room to operate and space the floor. Also Manu and Splitter really click together it seems.

It wil be interesting to see how Pop dishes out the big minutes going forward with several strong tests this week coming up starting with the Magic.

[igruex]

One of the most effective combos last PM was Bonner and Splitter - I expect to see more of those two together as Splitter helps cover up for Bonner's toughness and rebounding while Bonner is a dangerous offensive threat that will give Splitter room to operate and space the floor. Also Manu and Splitter really click together it seems.

It wil be interesting to see how Pop dishes out the big minutes going forward with several strong tests this week coming up starting with the Magic.

Agreed. Bonner-Splitter fit pretty well for these teams with no dominant bigs. Playoffs will need a lot more of Duncan-Dice and considering their ages Pop should play Bonner and Splitter ALL he can.

[Spurs Brazil]

Good to see Hill and Blair improving, they've been playing better in the last 5 games

Tiago was great. Pop will have a tough time with the bigs rotations. All 5 bigs are playing very well

I'd like to see some Tiago on Dirk next week:hungry:

[Darkwaters]

I'd like to see some Tiago on Dirk next week:hungry:

Thats the match up I'm looking forward to the most.

[8FOR!3]

I'd give Danny Green a C+, but Chris Quinn deserves to be talked about, he had a great pass to I wanna say Splitter.

[8FOR!3]

Good to see Hill and Blair improving, they've been playing better in the last 5 games

Tiago was great. Pop will have a tough time with the bigs rotations. All 5 bigs are playing very well

I'd like to see some Tiago on Dirk next week:hungry:

Everybody's been playing well. It's amazing. It's safe to say that when your only player who was a below a B grade player was just signed a week ago, you don't have too much to worry about.

[Penya]

Anyone think Splitter is quick enough to follow Lamar out on the perimeter? I wonder... The one thing that shits me with Splitter isn't his fault - bloody bullshit rookie fouls. He gets called for a lot of them.

He actually played pretty well against Odom in the WC IIRC

[silverblk mystix]

Agreed with the grades and a lot of additional comments by a few others.

Winning sure smoothes out everything. This team has impressed the most so far in how they are handling success.
Another test will be if they run into any adversity,which naturally happens in the course of a marathon, and how well they stick together when that happens.
Tiago and Tony were a joy to watch on the P & R.
That punk that clotheslined Tiago was the same punk that tried to be tough against Timmy when the punk played for the mavs. (his name escapes me)

Nice win.

This may be irrelevant but I found it interesting that this same cavs team gave the whorenets a lot more of a battle the night before.