Will Pop learn?

[roycrikside]

Bonner +31
Splitter +15

Blair -10

Which of these is not like the other? Everyone who bitches about Bonner's defense never seem to notice that whenever he's getting schooled it's Blair that's with him like 90% of the time. When Tim/Dice/Splitter are with him then all of a sudden Matty doesn't get exposed quite so much.

Blair is the problem and always has been. He is good at one thing -- offensive rebounding -- and that's absolutely the least important thing for teams in playoff basketball. There are like 20 more important qualities a player can have, and he's below average at like 18 of them.

Hopefully today's first half rotation was a sign of things to come, but I'm skeptical Pop will figure it out.

[Strike]

Bonner +31
Splitter +15

Blair -10

Which of these is not like the other? Everyone who bitches about Bonner's defense never seem to notice that whenever he's getting schooled it's Blair that's with him like 90% of the time. When Tim/Dice/Splitter are with him then all of a sudden Matty doesn't get exposed quite so much.

Blair is the problem and always has been. He is good at one thing -- offensive rebounding -- and that's absolutely the least important thing for teams in playoff basketball. There are like 20 more important qualities a player can have, and he's below average at like 18 of them.

Hopefully today's first half rotation was a sign of things to come, but I'm skeptical Pop will figure it out.

So it's Blair's fault that Bonner gets schooled?

[MannyIsGod]

Blair gets schooled just as much if not more than Bonner.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

You're close OP, but still missing the point.

The problem isn't Blair. It's that he's not a good enough weak side defender to clean up Bonner's defensive mistakes.

[SenorSpur]

Bonner +31
Splitter +15

Blair -10

Which of these is not like the other? Everyone who bitches about Bonner's defense never seem to notice that whenever he's getting schooled it's Blair that's with him like 90% of the time. When Tim/Dice/Splitter are with him then all of a sudden Matty doesn't get exposed quite so much.

Blair is the problem and always has been. He is good at one thing -- offensive rebounding -- and that's absolutely the least important thing for teams in playoff basketball. There are like 20 more important qualities a player can have, and he's below average at like 18 of them.

Hopefully today's first half rotation was a sign of things to come, but I'm skeptical Pop will figure it out.

Both Bonner and Blair are terrible individual defenders. Whatever Blair makes up in both rebounding and steals, he gives it back in size. Bonner is just terrible across the board. Having them on the floor as a tandem is outright disastrous. I sure hope Pop has learned his lesson, but I'm not ready to go that far yet.

[The Truth #6]

But, but...Bonner is awesome when he's playing next to a HOF big man!

[itzsoweezee]

The OP couldn't be more wrong.

Blair is an excellent one on one defender. Only Duncan is a better defender than Blair one on one. Plus, Blair has the physicallity to play against bigger players.

And please, shove those +/- numbers up your ass. Opposing players love to play against Bonner.

[ElNono]

I hope he learns Blair/Bonner shouldn't play together unless it's a 30+ point game, like today...

[TD 21]

Bonner +31
Splitter +15

Blair -10

Which of these is not like the other? Everyone who bitches about Bonner's defense never seem to notice that whenever he's getting schooled it's Blair that's with him like 90% of the time. When Tim/Dice/Splitter are with him then all of a sudden Matty doesn't get exposed quite so much.

Blair is the problem and always has been. He is good at one thing -- offensive rebounding -- and that's absolutely the least important thing for teams in playoff basketball. There are like 20 more important qualities a player can have, and he's below average at like 18 of them.

Hopefully today's first half rotation was a sign of things to come, but I'm skeptical Pop will figure it out.

For the most part, I agree. But I wouldn't say "Blair is the problem". It's Blair and Bonner, in tandem. In certain match-ups, so long as they're not paired together, they're clearly both useful players. But they're not utilized how they should be on this team. It's not their fault.

Today was promising, seeing Splitter getting the call over Blair, in the 1st half. Blair got the call first in the 2nd half, though and that was when the Suns began to cut into the Spurs lead. But Pop was complimentary of Splitter post game, so hopefully he sticks with him going forward. It appears to be 50/50, though. We could see these two flip flop, not only game to game, but half to half.

Splitter was excellent defensively. His length, mobility and defensive intelligence contributed to the Spurs blowing the game open at the end of the 1st/early 2nd. Brown talked about the Suns "missing easy shots at the rim" and they did early. But when Splitter was in, their missing was more a product of him altering shots. Perfect example of a player who's not a shot blocker, yet still a rim protector.

As far as his free throw shooting making him a liability, they need to scrap re-building his form for this season. It's too late to make changes. He looks unsure of himself now, because he's thinking too much. They should have him go back to the form he used before he came to the Spurs, because he wasn't that bad a foul shooter. At this point, I'll take mediocrity, so long as it's accompanied by comfort, over them attempting to make him above mediocre, while he's uncomfortable.

[Harry Callahan]

I like Splitter's ability on his own to have some effect on players at the rim.

The Spurs problem is defense with some of their unathletic lineups.

[kjhip1]

I'm sure they watch tape and maybe POP has seen this does not work...on the plus side it is good to see Gary Neal shoot well today..That's who I think our wild card is going into the playoffs..Him and Ghill need to step up..For goodness sakes we dont need another roger mason type playoffs from Neal..