Will the big 3 rest tonight?

[splitterthefuture]

After a pretty physical game last night where the big 3 logged pretty heavy minutes, especially Parker, do you think there is any way pop rests the big 3 on the back to back?

It would give the big 3 a nice weekend break before they play a young fast GSW team, a resilient Nuggets team, and a tough Portland team.

[Bartleby]

Probably not Parker, but Tim and maybe Manu will probably see far fewer minutes. I doubt Pop keeps them out entirely, though.

[splitterthefuture]

Even if parker is to play, i wouldnt mind starting G hill to get his confidence going.

[crc21209]

After a pretty physical game last night where the big 3 logged pretty heavy minutes, especially Parker, do you think there is any way pop rests the big 3 on the back to back?

It would give the big 3 a nice weekend break before they play a young fast GSW team, a resilient Nuggets team, and a tough Portland team.

Tony was the only one who played heavy minutes, logging 39. Manu and Tim may have logged increased minutes for their standards, but not heavy, coming in at 32 and 33. They'll be fine...

[duncanCOSTARICA]

The answer to that cuestion comes to this: is that first seed locked throughout playoff and final? No. Pop will rest players when that acomplishment is donde.

[Agloco]

The answer to that cuestion comes to this: is that first seed locked throughout playoff and final? No. Pop will rest players when that acomplishment is donde.

It's pretty much locked. 6 up with 14 to go. 9-5 seals it, 8-5 after tonight. We got that in our sleep.

[Dex]

Depends on if they take care of business tonight. If the team can come together and ready to play, then they should be able to make short work of these Bobcats and hopefully be resting their starters by the fourth quarter. If they allow Charlotte to hang around and have to grind out the game, then probably not.

An L tonight would pretty much negate the W last night, so the Spurs have to take all games seriously until they secure the 1st seed.

[B-Hath]

It would be nice to get a big lead and give the big 3 some rest. And maybe Jefferson can get his head out of his ass when he is forced to actually help run the offense.

[ChuckD]

It's pretty much locked. 6 up with 14 to go. 9-5 seals it, 8-5 after tonight. We got that in our sleep.

Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Pop will not sit these guys until it's locked up and in the bag. He'll continue to do what he's done all year: manage their minutes. Yes, it's a B2B, but that's coming off THREE full days off.

[Bruno]

It's Tiago time... or not.

[BackHome]

I would like for our bench players to get more playing time and get a little more confidence..Hill, Splitter, and Anderson. At some point we are going to need a big game from one of these guys to help us get to the promise land.

[Harry Callahan]

The bench players got the night off last night. It's time to go to work for them. They're mostly young anyway. The Bobcats gutted their roster, so SA should take them to the woodshed tonight.

[remingtonbo2001]

Tge Spurs will try to push hard early on, jumping out to a big lead. As long as the 2nd unit comes to play, the Big 3 should get ample rest.

[ata]

It's Tiago time... or not.
It should be...

[Obstructed_View]

It's Steve time.

Feeeexed.

[jimo2305]

oh lord no.. don't rest them.. we need them to play heavy minutes.. now's not the time to rest...

[mudyez]

I wouldnt be surprised, if Pop starts sitting Manu and Tim entirely by tonight.

The thing ist, that minutes are one thing, but the whole warmup routine and so on is bigger than you think. If they play only 18 minutes, Pop should sit them entirely.
And a back to back is the time to do it!

We will hold HCA, even if the big three are only playing 2/3 of the games each (e.g. sit one every game).

[silverblk mystix]

Tiago will get another DNP even though this would be a great time to give him extended minutes....

I will bet the farm that Novak gets more minutes than Tiago.

[duncan228]

It was bound to happen sometime. Tim Duncan will get the night off tonight vs. Bobcats. His first night off this season.

[LakerHater]

Well, @ least Tony & Manu will play!

[Cessation]

Start the Golden God!!

[duncan228]

Tiago Splitter will get his first career start tonight, replacing Tim Duncan.

[20beastie45]

Continuity!!! They NEED to start off strong with the starting unit...But i agree with most....limited minutes for both Tim and Manu!

[DPG21920]

Well, we get to see Tiago. That is a plus. Just sucks knowing that even if he has a career game, he will be DNP-CD for the next game.

[duncan228]

Wouldn't read much into Splitter getting call. Last time Pop needed fill-in, he went with James Anderson, who hasn't been heard from since.

[Budkin]

It's pretty much locked. 6 up with 14 to go. 9-5 seals it, 8-5 after tonight. We got that in our sleep.

Not really... we've got a bunch of tough games left in the schedule.

@ Denver
@ Portland
@ Memphis
vs Portland
vs Boston
@ Houston
vs Phoenix
@ Atlanta
@ LA Lakers
@ Phoenix

[duncan228]

In each case, it appears Pop went with a guy not in rotation, to avoid tinkering with established bench combinations.

[20beastie45]

Well, we get to see Tiago. That is a plus. Just sucks knowing that even if he has a career game, he will be DNP-CD for the next game.

I just hope he let's him play Duncan minutes....not Tiago starts the game then get taken out at the 10 min mark in the first Quarter....and true bout the DNP....if he has a lot to do with a spurs win tonight IMO we will see him from here on out...unfortunately, It will probably have the opposite effect if he has a lot to do with a loss.....NO MORE DNP FOR TIAGO!!!!....just give him at least 5 meaningful min.

I'm rooting for you tonight Tiago!!!

[duncan228]

For anyone that missed it.



Pop's reason for holding Duncan out tonight: "He has mad cow disease." I'm at least 99.9 percent certain Pop was joking.

Official Spurs "injury" report lists this as reason for Duncan's absence: "Trop Vieux." The French majors are the ones laughing right now.

[TD 21]

I don't like the decision to sit Duncan out (though it makes a little more sense with Jackson not playing).

You never know how the game is going to play out. He should have started and if things are going according to plan, be pulled 5-6 minutes into the game and sat for the remainder of the half. If the game is in hand by the same point of the second half, then he should be done for the night.

Speaking of Jackson not playing, there's no excuse for this game to be competitive for long. Take him out and Augustin and Diaw are their only half-credible scoring options. Along with the Cavs, they have the least amount of talent in the league. The goal should be to hold them to under 80 and there's no excuse for them to approach, much less break 90.

[NRHector]

I don't like the decision to sit Duncan out (though it makes a little more sense with Jackson not playing).

You never know how the game is going to play out. He should have started and if things are going according to plan, be pulled 5-6 minutes into the game and sat for the remainder of the half. If the game is in hand by the same point of the second half, then he should be done for the night.

Speaking of Jackson not playing, there's no excuse for this game to be competitive for long. Take him out and Augustin and Diaw are their only half-credible scoring options. Along with the Cavs, they have the least amount of talent in the league. The goal should be to hold them to under 80 and there's no excuse for them to approach, much less break 90.hey we got Bonner still playing tonight

[rascal]

It would be nice to get a big lead and give the big 3 some rest. And maybe Jefferson can get his head out of his ass when he is forced to actually help run the offense.

Do the spurs ever blow anyone out and especially in a back to back game?

[Cessation]

I called it, Splitter is starting!!

[Leonard Curse]

It would be nice to get a big lead and give the big 3 some rest. And maybe Jefferson can get his head out of his ass when he is forced to actually help run the offense.

hey you were right on haha

[Leonard Curse]

I called it, Splitter is starting!!



finally a prediction were happy to see!, i would have never guessed, hey but why do you think pop played him so much 2nite?