timvp
12-01-2010, 09:27 AM
Quick Grades: Spurs at Warriors (http://www.sanantoniodispatch.com/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-grades/quick-grades-spurs-at-warriors/)
This time the Spurs didn’t need a miraculous second half performance to get the win. After securing an early advantage over the Golden State Warriors, the Spurs broke it open in the third quarter and cruised to victory. The 118-98 win improves San Antonio’s record to 15-2 — a full two games better than any team in the NBA.
Tim Duncan A+
Duncan’s triple-double was spurred by his fantastic passing throughout. He also rebounded and defended the rim very well. He had some trouble shooting but the effort was there and he was taking good shots. All in all, it was Duncan’s best game of the month.
Manu Ginobili A+
That was impressive. Ginobili played like a machine with militaristic precision with each decision he made. When the ball was in his hands, he literally made something good happen each and every time. His defensive play was also a plus. Let’s hope Ginobili can keep this up because he’s playing at an unbelievably high level right now.
Tony Parker C
Parker just wasn’t very good. Defensively, I thought he had his worst game of the season. He was a step slow and didn’t look horribly involved mentally. On offense, he was forcing shots and didn’t look comfortable. That said, Parker still did a decently good job of creating shots while not turning it over too much.
Richard Jefferson B+
Though he wasn’t overly impressive, Jefferson did a lot right. He was aggressive at the rim and his shot selection was good. Defensively, Jefferson did well closing out on shooters and hitting the defensive boards. He also deserves credit for running the court aggressively both ways.
DeJuan Blair A-
This was one of Blair’s better games of the season. Early on, his defense was at a high level. Blair was making good rotations and caused a few turnovers. On offense, he seemed to find a niche that allowed him to have success by running the court and moving to open spots in the halfcourt setting. Late in the game, Blair got sloppy but overall it was still a step in the right direction.
George Hill A-
I’m really starting to like what I’m seeing out of Hill. He had a tough time shooting the ball but every other aspect of his game was good. Hill was tenacious on defense, attacked when he had the ball and made smart decisions on both ends. It appears as if he’s really starting to blossom in his sixth man role.
Gary Neal A
There’s not much to complain about regarding Neal. He was aggressive with his shot and knocked down a good percentage. His defense was good enough and he continues to exude confidence. Neal may have forced a few shots but that’s not a bad trait for the hired gun off the bench.
Matt Bonner C-
I rarely question Bonner’s effort but this was one game where he didn’t seem to be going all out. He got burned multiple times on transition defense, which earned him a couple trips to the pine. I also wasn’t impressed with his effort on the boards. I’m not sure whether he’s hurt or he ate too many sandwiches on Thanksgiving but he just hasn’t been himself in the last few games.
Ime Udoka A
Though the grade feels a bit high, I really couldn’t have asked for much more from Udoka. On offense, he stayed out of the way and didn’t force any shots. Defensively, Udoka was a pest and had a hand in about five Golden State turnovers. Compared to the last time he was on the Spurs, Udoka looks slimmer and so far he’s moving better. His role right now is to basically absorb playing time while not disturbing the flow — and he did that to perfection on Tuesday night.
Tiago Splitter B-
Splitter got all his minutes after the Spurs had the game in the bag so it’s difficult to take anything from his play. The good news is he looks healthy and I don’t see any limitations in his movements. With the Spurs headed into the second night of a back-to-back, I expect him to play a larger role against the Los Angeles Clippers.
This time the Spurs didn’t need a miraculous second half performance to get the win. After securing an early advantage over the Golden State Warriors, the Spurs broke it open in the third quarter and cruised to victory. The 118-98 win improves San Antonio’s record to 15-2 — a full two games better than any team in the NBA.
Tim Duncan A+
Duncan’s triple-double was spurred by his fantastic passing throughout. He also rebounded and defended the rim very well. He had some trouble shooting but the effort was there and he was taking good shots. All in all, it was Duncan’s best game of the month.
Manu Ginobili A+
That was impressive. Ginobili played like a machine with militaristic precision with each decision he made. When the ball was in his hands, he literally made something good happen each and every time. His defensive play was also a plus. Let’s hope Ginobili can keep this up because he’s playing at an unbelievably high level right now.
Tony Parker C
Parker just wasn’t very good. Defensively, I thought he had his worst game of the season. He was a step slow and didn’t look horribly involved mentally. On offense, he was forcing shots and didn’t look comfortable. That said, Parker still did a decently good job of creating shots while not turning it over too much.
Richard Jefferson B+
Though he wasn’t overly impressive, Jefferson did a lot right. He was aggressive at the rim and his shot selection was good. Defensively, Jefferson did well closing out on shooters and hitting the defensive boards. He also deserves credit for running the court aggressively both ways.
DeJuan Blair A-
This was one of Blair’s better games of the season. Early on, his defense was at a high level. Blair was making good rotations and caused a few turnovers. On offense, he seemed to find a niche that allowed him to have success by running the court and moving to open spots in the halfcourt setting. Late in the game, Blair got sloppy but overall it was still a step in the right direction.
George Hill A-
I’m really starting to like what I’m seeing out of Hill. He had a tough time shooting the ball but every other aspect of his game was good. Hill was tenacious on defense, attacked when he had the ball and made smart decisions on both ends. It appears as if he’s really starting to blossom in his sixth man role.
Gary Neal A
There’s not much to complain about regarding Neal. He was aggressive with his shot and knocked down a good percentage. His defense was good enough and he continues to exude confidence. Neal may have forced a few shots but that’s not a bad trait for the hired gun off the bench.
Matt Bonner C-
I rarely question Bonner’s effort but this was one game where he didn’t seem to be going all out. He got burned multiple times on transition defense, which earned him a couple trips to the pine. I also wasn’t impressed with his effort on the boards. I’m not sure whether he’s hurt or he ate too many sandwiches on Thanksgiving but he just hasn’t been himself in the last few games.
Ime Udoka A
Though the grade feels a bit high, I really couldn’t have asked for much more from Udoka. On offense, he stayed out of the way and didn’t force any shots. Defensively, Udoka was a pest and had a hand in about five Golden State turnovers. Compared to the last time he was on the Spurs, Udoka looks slimmer and so far he’s moving better. His role right now is to basically absorb playing time while not disturbing the flow — and he did that to perfection on Tuesday night.
Tiago Splitter B-
Splitter got all his minutes after the Spurs had the game in the bag so it’s difficult to take anything from his play. The good news is he looks healthy and I don’t see any limitations in his movements. With the Spurs headed into the second night of a back-to-back, I expect him to play a larger role against the Los Angeles Clippers.