ogait
04-01-2011, 09:00 AM
... that Tiago Splitter would get playing time as a true rotation player. I'm sure that crazy idea has crossed Pop's mind at some point, but how would you actually do it to make it work.
There's no doubt in my mind, and many others on Spurstalk, that Tiago is the second best big on the team from a pure basketball ability perspective. This does not takes into account any other aspect as NBA experience, fitting the system or anything else you may thing of. It just means that if you're starting a pick up game choosing the best players for your team you would go with Duncan then Splitter, Blair, Dice, and finally Bonner.
So many here believe he should be in the rotation, but then I see things like " He could start or come off the bench", "Just take Bonner minutes away" or "He sucks but he's 5 inches taller than Blair", I would like to know basketball wise how the team should play him.
So here are a few scenarios, choose one or add any alternative plausible options:
Option A: He starts next to Duncan.
On this case he would probably play the first 4 or 5 maximum 6 minutes before being substituted by either Dice or Bonner depending on how the team/opponent is doing.
Starting with the big 3 would boost his confidence, it would also set the team defensively instead of those high scoring first quarters where the Spurs frequently shoot a very high percentage that usually doesn't hold through the rest of the game, while the defence maintains his consistent suckyness per 48 minutes.
Splitter job would be taking care of the boards, and match up with opposing team best big. It would also allow Dice to come from the bench, a job that he has done well this season and most of his career, witch would save Duncan from having to do many 1 on 1 post defence early on the games that wears him down and affects his much needed offence.
If they had Duncan of 3/4 year ago this would be the obvious option, and we could see Splitter as an upgraded Oberto version, but right now it's very hard to see that happening as the Spurs offence depends too much on Parker and Ginobili penetration. Spacing would be a problem for offence, particularly for TP who does most of his damage at the start of games attacking the paint.. This option would also mean that Blair would be the odd man out of the rotation, witch seems kind of weird considering he started most of the season.
Option B: Backing up Duncan's minutes.
On the playoffs with Duncan's minutes somewhere between 35 and 40, it would leave Tiago with a small amount of playing time (around 10-12 minutes) at the end of the 1st and beginning of 2nd, and maybe at the start of the 4th. Ideally Pop would match Tiago's minutes with the time Manu is usually playing with the reserves and they could run some pick n roll offence between the 2, with Bonner or Dice as the other bigs .
Blair's role would again be very diminished, but realistically you can't have more than a 4 big rotation.
Option C: taking Bonner's minutes.
I included this option even though I don't think it has anychance of happening, although it may be highly popular among Spurstalk because of Bonners past playoff performances. On this scenario you would have Duncan/Dice being backed up by Splitter/Blair. Bonner is a good guy to have in the game when someone on the team is hot, the opposing defence has to commit to said player and Bonner can have a lot of easy shots. Never have him in on the floor when the game is on the line.
Option D: Common sense.
I called this the common sense option, because frankly the previous ones should've been tried during the regular season for extended periods of time to have a chance of success.
Basically this would mean the Spurs kept their normal rotation but Pop would stop being stubborn and would let Tiago know that he's ready to call his name at any time. This would mean for instance that if you're the playing against the Lakers you wouldn't let undersized Blair on Gasol for extended periods of time. Or when Bonner can't buy a basket and he's being abused by a stretch 4 like Green last night, or a Lamar Odom, or a powerful PF like Zach Randolph he would give Splitter a go, commit the team to play some D and rebound, and wait for the offence to eventually come, ideally before being down by 10 or more like last night.
There's no doubt in my mind, and many others on Spurstalk, that Tiago is the second best big on the team from a pure basketball ability perspective. This does not takes into account any other aspect as NBA experience, fitting the system or anything else you may thing of. It just means that if you're starting a pick up game choosing the best players for your team you would go with Duncan then Splitter, Blair, Dice, and finally Bonner.
So many here believe he should be in the rotation, but then I see things like " He could start or come off the bench", "Just take Bonner minutes away" or "He sucks but he's 5 inches taller than Blair", I would like to know basketball wise how the team should play him.
So here are a few scenarios, choose one or add any alternative plausible options:
Option A: He starts next to Duncan.
On this case he would probably play the first 4 or 5 maximum 6 minutes before being substituted by either Dice or Bonner depending on how the team/opponent is doing.
Starting with the big 3 would boost his confidence, it would also set the team defensively instead of those high scoring first quarters where the Spurs frequently shoot a very high percentage that usually doesn't hold through the rest of the game, while the defence maintains his consistent suckyness per 48 minutes.
Splitter job would be taking care of the boards, and match up with opposing team best big. It would also allow Dice to come from the bench, a job that he has done well this season and most of his career, witch would save Duncan from having to do many 1 on 1 post defence early on the games that wears him down and affects his much needed offence.
If they had Duncan of 3/4 year ago this would be the obvious option, and we could see Splitter as an upgraded Oberto version, but right now it's very hard to see that happening as the Spurs offence depends too much on Parker and Ginobili penetration. Spacing would be a problem for offence, particularly for TP who does most of his damage at the start of games attacking the paint.. This option would also mean that Blair would be the odd man out of the rotation, witch seems kind of weird considering he started most of the season.
Option B: Backing up Duncan's minutes.
On the playoffs with Duncan's minutes somewhere between 35 and 40, it would leave Tiago with a small amount of playing time (around 10-12 minutes) at the end of the 1st and beginning of 2nd, and maybe at the start of the 4th. Ideally Pop would match Tiago's minutes with the time Manu is usually playing with the reserves and they could run some pick n roll offence between the 2, with Bonner or Dice as the other bigs .
Blair's role would again be very diminished, but realistically you can't have more than a 4 big rotation.
Option C: taking Bonner's minutes.
I included this option even though I don't think it has anychance of happening, although it may be highly popular among Spurstalk because of Bonners past playoff performances. On this scenario you would have Duncan/Dice being backed up by Splitter/Blair. Bonner is a good guy to have in the game when someone on the team is hot, the opposing defence has to commit to said player and Bonner can have a lot of easy shots. Never have him in on the floor when the game is on the line.
Option D: Common sense.
I called this the common sense option, because frankly the previous ones should've been tried during the regular season for extended periods of time to have a chance of success.
Basically this would mean the Spurs kept their normal rotation but Pop would stop being stubborn and would let Tiago know that he's ready to call his name at any time. This would mean for instance that if you're the playing against the Lakers you wouldn't let undersized Blair on Gasol for extended periods of time. Or when Bonner can't buy a basket and he's being abused by a stretch 4 like Green last night, or a Lamar Odom, or a powerful PF like Zach Randolph he would give Splitter a go, commit the team to play some D and rebound, and wait for the offence to eventually come, ideally before being down by 10 or more like last night.