Grades: Spurs vs. Grizzlies - Dec. 26

[timvp]

Tim Duncan B+
Pop allowed Tim Duncan attempt to play through foul trouble in the first quarter but that strategy backfired when Duncan picked up three fouls in the first quarter. Despite the foul plagued minutes, Duncan played well. His defense was solid, he had a handful of good passes and he competed on the glass. Turnovers were a negative but all in all, it was a pretty decent first game from TD.

Manu Ginobili A
Early in the first quarter, Manu Ginobili almost single-handedly kept the Spurs in it. His energy -- especially on the defensive end -- was very impressive. Even though Ginobili got tired at times, he kept scratching and clawing. It was just another shining example of a classic Manu Ginobili game -- not always pretty but the effort was fantastic and he helped in numerous aspects of the game.

Tony Parker C-
Ugh. Tony Parker began the game getting schooled by Mike Conley. It looked like a repeat of last year's playoffs. Thankfully, Parker got better as the game progressed. By the second half, he was playing at a decent level. That said, the Spurs need a lot more out of Parker going forward.

Richard Jefferson A-
Richard Jefferson had a strong stretch to begin the second quarter to help stop the bleeding and get the Spurs rolling. He shot well from three-point land, he played with a passable amount of energy and his defense was better than average. Overall, Jefferson helped more than hurt tonight.

DeJuan Blair A-
Only able to play ten minutes due to foul trouble, I actually thought DeJuan Blair played quite well in his limited time. Defensively, Blair was much, much, much better than he was in preseason. He bodied up Zach Randolph and didn't give him any easy shots. On offense, he didn't try to do too much but still made an impact. Perhaps the best thing Blair did against the Grizzlies was run the court hard both ways. Along with the fouls, Blair's lack of rebounding (1) was a lowlight.

Tiago Splitter B
It was a tale of two halves of the court for Tiago Splitter. Defensively, I thought he was really good. He rebounded well and used his length to protect the rim and disrupt passing lanes. However, on the other end of the court, Splitter was bad. His post moves were soft and he failed to use his size on numerous occasions. But honestly, as long as Splitter is a major asset defensively, I'll be happy.

Matt Bonner D-
Matt Bonner looked like he aged about ten years since the last time we saw him in real action. He didn't (couldn't?) jump at all on the defensive end, which led to a grand total of zero rebounds in 28 minutes. Bonner also was embarrassingly bad when it came to defending the rim. On offense, he wasn't much better -- missing five of the six shots he attempted.

James Anderson B+
In the second quarter comeback, James Anderson played a staring role. He was aggressive on the offensive end and had mostly positive results -- outside of his 1-for-5 shooting on three-pointers. Defensively, Anderson was up and down but the effort was there. Overall, the best thing I saw out of Anderson was his sky high confidence translate from the preseason to the regular season.

TJ Ford B
Although the production wasn't too impressive, I give TJ Ford credit for doing his part to steady the ship after Parker's horrible start. Ford had a few really good passes ... although he still has a lot to learn. Defensively, he needs to do a better job of staying in front of his man. On offense, Ford will help out a lot more once he learns his main goal should be simply to blend in. When he dominates the ball, the offense is bound to stall.

Kawhi Leonard B
Well, I liked the energy. In the exhibition games, Leonard was mostly invisible. In this game, Leonard was heard loud and clear. In his 14 minutes, he took nine shots and made noise elsewhere on the stat sheet. Defensively, he took a few smart gambles that ended up paying off. I also liked his individual defense. On offense, he's going to have to figure out a few go-to moves. Right now, I don't think anyone really knows how he's going to consistently score on the NBA level. But in his first night out, there was more to like than not to like about how Leonard played.

Pop B+
Pop began the season with a head-scratcher when he allowed Duncan to pick up three fouls in the first quarter. But outside of that, I thought he pushed the right buttons (although Bonner playing 28 minutes might have been 27 too many [but there are only four bigs on the roster so Pop didn't have much of a choice{although isn't that his fault?}]). He gave good minutes to Splitter, Anderson and Leonard and showed confidence in each. Hopefully that continues in upcoming games.

[lefty]

Thanks :tu

[benefactor]

Solid grades. A lot of people are shitting on Ford but considering he's only played two preseason games with this group in his entire career I think he did ok.

[arles]

Nice grades!

Isn't A- a little too much for a 10-minutes performance for Blair?

[itzsoweezee]

really impressed with tj ford, who everyone else on here is trashing without reason. anderson was awesome. leonard showed a lot of positives too. i'm just hoping splitter becomes more aggressive as the season goes along.

i like this team. i don't want to see too many adjustments, other than bonner being shipped off for good.

[Brazil]

I'd give a B- to Parker, his second half was very good, he stole the ball 4 or 5 times with 6 or 7 assists in 25 mn thats pretty solid IMO. His shooting was off in the first but I think your overall evaluation is too harsh.

Manu has been great

I would have give a A++++ to Tiago, I didnt expect this level of D by Tiago

Ford sucks I dont like him at all

[ducks]

really impressed with tj ford, who everyone else on here is trashing without reason. anderson was awesome. leonard showed a lot of positives too. i'm just hoping splitter becomes more aggressive as the season goes along.

i like this team. i don't want to see too many adjustments, other than bonner being shipped off for good.

you think ford was great wowow

[itzsoweezee]

you think ford was great wowow

yeah, he was great in the first quarter. parker was stinking up the place, ford came in and started facilitating the offense, making the easy pass (which parker couldn't even do), finding the open man, and not taking ill-advised shots. it's been a long time since the spurs had a pass-first point guard.

[DPG21920]

Tiagos net impact was greater than many whos grade is higher?

[GSH]

Quick turnout on the grades - nice.


Looks prety dead on. My only comment - you didn't adjust Leonard's grade becasue he is a rookie, which I like. What he did is what he did. But did you maybe adjust Tony's grade downward because you have higher expectations for him?

[ducks]

all ford can do is dribble dribble dribble
parker had 7 assist

[benefactor]

all ford can do is dribble dribble dribble
parker had 7 assist
Sorry...couldn't understand you over the grunting...

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3889/2uz34zm.png

[Brazil]

yeah, he was great in the first quarter. parker was stinking up the place, ford came in and started facilitating the offense, making the easy pass (which parker couldn't even do), finding the open man, and not taking ill-advised shots. it's been a long time since the spurs had a pass-first point guard.

not sure if serious

[therealtruth]

really impressed with tj ford, who everyone else on here is trashing without reason. anderson was awesome. leonard showed a lot of positives too. i'm just hoping splitter becomes more aggressive as the season goes along.

i like this team. i don't want to see too many adjustments, other than bonner being shipped off for good.

Agree. Once he learns where everybody wants to get the ball he's going to help stabilize the offense if Parker is struggling.

[DMC]

I wouldn't grade Jefferson as high. He did hit some shots, but shots are what they are. He missed a couple boxouts and got really lax later in the game.

Better than he's been, but not that good for someone with his resume and his salary.

[DesignatedT]

Solid grades. A lot of people are shitting on Ford but considering he's only played two preseason games with this group in his entire career I think he did ok.

Thats because you're a sip. If this is what Ford is going to bring all season than I much rather have Neal get his minutes and continue to let Kawhi and Anderson play. It's early so I'm holding off my judgement of Ford but he was pretty bad tonight.

[ducks]

yeah lets turn the reigns over to ford
see parker hates wanted people to give the reigns over to hill now that hill is traded
in first game against a bad matchup for tp he struggled in first but ended up with a decent game they are ready to give the reigns over to ford

unreal
tp should have just not resigned with the ungratefully spur fans

[DMC]

Sorry...couldn't understand you over the grunting...

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3889/2uz34zm.png

I cannot stop laughing at that just like the first time I saw it. :lmao

[DPG21920]

:lol if you backed RJ you can't call others out imvho

[ElNono]

Thanks for the writeup

[ElNono]

Sorry...couldn't understand you over the grunting...

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3889/2uz34zm.png

:lmao

[timvp]

Solid grades. A lot of people are shitting on Ford but considering he's only played two preseason games with this group in his entire career I think he did ok.Agreed.


I'd give a B- to Parker, his second half was very good

After about an F first quarter, Parker actually recovered pretty well.


My only comment - you didn't adjust Leonard's grade becasue he is a rookie, which I like. What he did is what he did. But did you maybe adjust Tony's grade downward because you have higher expectations for him?
I gave Leonard a small bump because I wasn't expecting much, although I did give him a break for the bad shooting night. And yeah, Tony along with the rest of the grades are based off of expectations.

[benefactor]

Thats because you're a sip. If this is what Ford is going to bring all season than I much rather have Neal get his minutes and continue to let Kawhi and Anderson play. It's early so I'm holding off my judgement of Ford but he was pretty bad tonight.
I'd rather have Neal get those minutes too...and I expect him to as soon as he gets back. I never saw Ford as much more than insurance. Please go find a post where I said he would make some huge impact.

Oh...and lol McGee. So glad that shit QB is backing up Romo.

[phxspurfan]

Thanks for the writeup. These help when you're too cheap to buy LP and too busy to watch every game.

[anti-ducks]

yeah ok tony shooting 16 shots who does he think he is tony chucker :lol
he did ok with some passes but tj can take his place basically he should know
this team is still Manu's what's he trying to do take the reigns from him :rollin

[ducks]

yeah ok tony shooting 16 shots who does he think he is tony chucker :lol
he did ok with some passes but tj can take his place basically he should know
this team is still Manu's what's he trying to do take the reigns from him :rollin

you troll:bang:bang:bang

[urunobili]

I would have scored Dick a flat A. Other than that, can't disagree more. I'm so happy that Parker picked up his game...

[anti-ducks]

you troll:bang:bang:bang

:lol when i speak truths its trolling but if i speak lies it's not explain that one :lmao

[ducks]

get lost trollhttp://www.geekologie.com/2008/04/09/wicked-bb-gun.jpg

[ace3g]

post game interviews:

http://www.nba.com/spurs/video/111226_pop

http://www.nba.com/spurs/video/111226_leonard

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

Ty Lawson A+++++
Ty destroyed the confidence of the Mavs for the entire 2011-2012 season. He showed just how slow the Mavs are, how old they are, and how easy it is to beat them. He could have been wearing a black and white jersey out there because that is how much he helped the Spurs. I expect Pop will get a copy of the Nuggets-Mavs game and use this as the blueprint on how to destroy the Mavs. Expect to see TP taking long walks with Ty and getting pointers on how to make the Mavs his bitch

[Josepatches_]

Tiagos net impact was greater than many whos grade is higher?

Yes,but he can play better.Same Parker.

If i'm not wrong the grades it's about how well they play.Not about who has the best numbers or the biggest impact in the game. A bad TP is going to have a better impact in the game than a great Ford.

Example: It's not the same grade If Parker scores 15 and has 5 assist than if Ford does it. Parker doesn't have to play at his best level to do those numbers but surely Ford could deserve an A+

[Hemotivo]

:lol @ NuGGeTs-FaN

[024]

parker had a forgettable first half but recovered quite nicely. 7 assists and 4 steals really helped the spurs even if he couldn't get his offense.

[Hooks]

Leonard was a very good slasher in college, that's how he got the majority of his offense. He's a terrible shooter, but I think eventually his shot will fall especially since he's a hard worker and the Spurs have a great shooting coach.

[patos]

Manu Ginobili A

Tony Parker F


tbqfh

[Obstructed_View]

Love the triple brackets.

[spurs10]

Thanks for the grades!! I thought Tiago gave a very strong defensive effort and basically neutralized Zac Randolf. JA and Kawhi also were high energy and showed promise. I'd swap Blair and Tiago's grade, as without Tiago's contribution we are likely in a dogfight. Manu was much improved with two arms! Badass to be more specific. TP redeemed himself quite a bit in the 2nd half....Great to see'em back!

[Werdsniper2]

Love the grades. I think people really underrated defense. Tiago, TD and Kawhi all had awesome defensive games. I look forward to more in the future.

[SenorSpur]

Bonner was clearly the absolute WORST Spur on the court tonight. He was even shitty by his usual "shitty", big-game standards. It really makes one continue to wonder WHY he still occupies a roster spot on this team? After all, this roster already has enough floor-spreading shooters. Therefore, you have to wonder how much better would this team would be with a true big, who could actually rebound, score and block shots, instead of a fake SF in a big forward's body? Utter disgrace.

[MannyIsGod]

I was very happy with Anderson, Lenoard, and Splitter. Leonard especially on the loose balls and intangibles. Anderson looked smooth (even if he missed a few too many for my liking).

Made me a bit more enthusiastic for the season.

[ChumpDumper]

Bonner was clearly the absolute WORST Spur on the court tonight. He was even more shitty by his usual standards. It really makes one continue to wonder WHY he still occupies a roster spot on this team. Because the roster has enough floor-spreading shooterrs, it makes one wonder how much better would this team would be with a true big (who could actually rebound, score and block shots), instead of a fake big?Which one?

[Obstructed_View]

Pretty nice to see that the Spurs can come out and shoot so terribly at the beginning of the game, lose their starting front line to foul trouble, and then blow the game open with defense.

[Obstructed_View]

Which one?

Which one wouldn't be an upgrade over Bonner?

[ChumpDumper]

Which one wouldn't be an upgrade over Bonner?So who?

[The_Worlds_finest]

Just looking at the box score, had the spurs shot better, this would have been a major blow out.

[Obstructed_View]

So who?

You're the D League expert. I'm asking your expert opinion. Name a legitimate 4 or 5 that isn't an upgrade over Bonner on the nights that Bonner isn't going 5 of 6 from three point range.

My dumbassed opinion is that I don't see how the two guys they cut over the last week are a step down in any way. Tell me why I'm wrong.

There's a reason people were excited about Pops Mensah Bonsu, and it's not because he lights the fucking world up, it's because he lights the fucking world up in comparison to Matt Bonner.

[SenorSpur]

So if ever a situation arises that Duncan, Blair and Splitter get into major foul trouble, or worse yet one succumbs to an in-game injury, is the expectation really for Bonner to play center?

[wildbill2u]

i gotta disagree on Parker in the 4th. He missed about 5 or 6 shots (mostly jumpers) in a row about midway thru, but he kept chunkin' instead of helping Manu who was hot.

Spurs started losing ground and Pop had to take hiim out. He came back for the last 2 minutes or so and didn't hurt us.

[Obstructed_View]

Someone needs to send Parker a little Mexican milf in an Eva costume.

[The_Worlds_finest]

So who?

ChumpDumper...This is the only guy the wanna-be gms can think off

http://media.indiedb.com/cache/images/members/1/431/430462/thumb_620x2000/TrollFaceDancing.gif

[Dex]

First place in the SW, bitches!! :lol

[ChumpDumper]

You're the D League expert. I'm asking your expert opinion. Name a legitimate 4 or 5 that isn't an upgrade over Bonner on the nights that Bonner isn't going 5 of 6 from three point range.

My dumbassed opinion is that I don't see how the two guys they cut over the last week are a step down in any way. Tell me why I'm wrong.

There's a reason people were excited about Pops Mensah Bonsu, and it's not because he lights the fucking world up, it's because he lights the fucking world up in comparison to Matt Bonner.Right, that's because people don't know a lot about basketball.

It's OK. I asked for some names and you couldn't give any. It's not a big deal.

The big men in this season's watered-down D-League just aren't very good. Maybe some 5th big man candidates, but no one better than Bonner.

[ChumpDumper]

So if ever a situation arises that Duncan, Blair and Splitter get into major foul trouble, or worse yet one succumbs to an in-game injury, is the expectation really for Bonner to play center?Chances are some scrub will be signed soon, and we can get excited by that scrub and his light then.

[SenorSpur]

We all know, by now, that there aren't any viable big man options. The point that I, and others who share my concern, have been trying to make is that the Spurs foolishly sat on the sidelines and allowed the list of viable big man options to be reduced to nothing.

Bonner is what he is and obviously he's not going anywhere. It's also obvious that the more minutes he gets, the potential of negative production increases. It would just be nice if the frontcourt rotation was such that Pop wouldn't have to rely upon him, and often times overutilize him, in the way that he has.

[DAF86]

Hey ChumpDumper, are you a part of the Spurs organization in some way other than beign a fan? A relative of someone in the Club maybe? 'Cause that's the only explanation I can find to the level of butthurdness you display everytime you try to defend every Spurs/Pop's decision.

[ChumpDumper]

We all know, by now, that there aren't any viable big man options. The point that I, and others who share my concern, have been trying to make is that the Spurs foolishly sat on the sidelines and allowed the list of viable big man options to be reduced to nothing.

Bonner is what he is and obviously he's not going anywhere. It's also obvious that the more minutes he gets, the potential of negative production increases. It would just be nice if the frontcourt rotation was such that Pop wouldn't have to rely upon him, and often times overutilize him, in the way that he has.Who says they didn't try?

[Obstructed_View]

Right, that's because people don't know a lot about basketball.

It's OK. I asked for some names and you couldn't give any. It's not a big deal.

The big men in this season's watered-down D-League just aren't very good. Maybe some 5th big man candidates, but no one better than Bonner.

So I asked for your expert opinion and you decided to be a douche. Should have known that's the only thing you're really an expert at.

[ChumpDumper]

So I asked for your expert opinion and you decided to be a douche. Should have known that's the only thing you're really an expert at.I'm no expert but I did give you my opinion.

Sorry it's not want you want to hear.

[ChumpDumper]

Hey ChumpDumper, are you a part of the Spurs organization in some way other than beign a fan? A relative of someone in the Club maybe? 'Cause that's the only explanation I can find to the level of butthurdness you display everytime you try to defend every Spurs/Pop's decision.I have said I think they need to somehow acquire a third big man.

What is your reason for being so butthurt about my posts?

[Obstructed_View]

We all know, by now, that there aren't any viable big man options. The point that I, and others who share my concern, have been trying to make is that the Spurs foolishly sat on the sidelines and allowed the list of viable big man options to be reduced to nothing.

Bonner is what he is and obviously he's not going anywhere. It's also obvious that the more minutes he gets, the potential of negative production increases. It would just be nice if the frontcourt rotation was such that Pop wouldn't have to rely upon him, and often times overutilize him, in the way that he has.

I disagree that they have been sitting on the sidelines. They've tried for players but they absolutely can't afford any of the ones on their list. Their biggest problem is that they've set their sights too high. They've cut two guys who are capable of playing the position Matt Bonner currently occupies without a significant step down on the offensive side, and could accidentally grab a rebound or challenge a shot. Hell, even having a guy who makes people score from the free throw line would be a help. The Spurs were already in the penalty.

[DAF86]

I'm not butthurt about your posts, in fact in many things I agree with you but many times you came out as a douche, even in some of the things we think alike. And I know I'm not the first to tell you this.

[SenorSpur]

I disagree that they have been sitting on the sidelines. They've tried for players but they absolutely can't afford any of the ones on their list. Their biggest problem is that they've set their sights too high. They've cut two guys who are capable of playing the position Matt Bonner currently occupies without a significant step down on the offensive side, and could accidentally grab a rebound or challenge a shot. Hell, even having a guy who makes people score from the free throw line would be a help. The Spurs were already in the penalty.


We know they spent a great deal of time pursuing SFs. Personally, I never heard of them pursuing a true big - other than a late dalliance with Chuck Hayes. The fact that they weren't pursing what is easily their biggest need (PF/C), that's what I meant by sitting on the sidelines.

[DAF86]

And you do defend the Spurs management way too much.

[Obstructed_View]

I'm no expert but I did give you my opinion.

Sorry it's not want you want to hear.

Thanks for giving me your opinion after making two douchebag replies. Must have been really difficult to control yourself like that. I guess I should be more grateful.

[ChumpDumper]

I'm not butthurt about your posts, in fact in many things I agree with you but many times you came out as a douche, even in some of the things we think alike. And I know I'm not the first to tell you this.So you should know calling me names is useless.

Other than making you feel better, maybe. That's up to you.

[ChumpDumper]

Thanks for giving me your opinion after making two douchebag replies. Must have been really difficult to control yourself like that. I guess I should be more grateful.I gave my opinion in the first douchebag reply.

Multitasking.

[ChumpDumper]

And you do defend the Spurs management way too much.Your butthurt opinion.

I was actually asking if folks had any particular player in mind.

Do you?

[Obstructed_View]

We know they spent a great deal of time pursuing SFs. Personally, I never heard of them pursuing a true big - other than a late dalliance with Chuck Hayes. The fact that they weren't pursing what is easily their biggest need (PF/C), that's what I meant by sitting on the sidelines.

Yeah I see what you're saying. The Spurs were trying to free up the MLE to throw at a big, and needed to be able to amnesty RJ to do it. It really didn't matter because there simply wasn't a big available who didn't get WAY more than the MLE. I shudder to think who the Spurs might have spent MLE money on if they'd had it available. It's probably going to require a trade, but frankly there are no pieces I want to give up aside from Bonner.

[DAF86]

Nah, I'm just a little tired and bored and I felt like expressing myself, maybe if I would have had something to do or would have been more mentally rested I wouldn't have called out somebody I don't know.

[underdawg]

Which one?

Is it really that hard to replace 6.8 pts and 3.5 reb per game? How about somebody that could just take some of his minutes, so he can focus on making his 3's when needed and leave the defensive stuff to prototypical bigs?

How about Dorrell Wright (closer to Horry than Bonner ever will be) when he was cheap a couple of years ago?
How about Josh McRoberts when he was available and cheap last year?
How about Shawne Williams when he was on the market - 2.5 mil?
How about Ajinca? He wouldn't replace Bonner but he sure could share his minutes.
Would Dwayne Jones really be worse than Bonner on the defensive end?

You know about most d-league players - right? How about:
Chris Daniels
Jamal Sampson
Greg Stiemsma or Chris Wright if they become available?
Brian Costner
Brian Butch
__________________________________________________ __

Bonner's here to stay - I get that, but why not make him a better player by limiting him to what he does best - 7pts a night and he can probably get that in 10 min per game? Get somebody else to play the other 10 minutes and get some rebounds and maybe even a stop or two.

[DAF86]

Your butthurt opinion.

I was actually asking if folks had any particular player in mind.

Do you?

Trying to convince McDyess out of retirement.

[ChumpDumper]

Nah, I'm just a little tired and bored and I felt like expressing myself, maybe if I would have had something to do or would have been more mentally rested I wouldn't have called out somebody I don't know.Calling people out is like one of the main things we do here.

[SenorSpur]

Yeah I see what you're saying. The Spurs were trying to free up the MLE to throw at a big, and needed to be able to amnesty RJ to do it. It really didn't matter because there simply wasn't a big available who didn't get WAY more than the MLE. I shudder to think who the Spurs might have spent MLE money on if they'd had it available. It's probably going to require a trade, but frankly there are no pieces I want to give up aside from Bonner.

As of now, shortened season, no practice and all, I think the frontcourt situation is what it is, and don't expect much to change for the balance of this season.

It scares me because, being a big man short, there is absolutely no injury protection - especially in this accelerated schedule. Besides, every other team will be looking for bigs, as health subsides and injury attrition becomes a factor.

[DAF86]

Well, it doesn't make me feel better or worse. I just do it sometimes.

[ezau]

Haddadi and Yi Jianlian currently don't have teams. Personally, Yi is a solid pickup and he's just head and shoulders better than Bonner in every aspect.

[Obstructed_View]

Haddadi can stand with his arms straight up and foul anyone that comes close to him with the ball and spell Bonner's minutes adequately.

[ElNono]

Matty sucking isn't news. He'll have a few above average shooting nights and the apologists will come out in full force. The problem isn't him though. It's Pop thinking he's the centerpiece. We definitely won in spite of him tonight.

[ElNono]

Why you guys limiting yourself to free agent bigs? The Spurs can also do trades, you know?

[Obstructed_View]

Well, the Spurs won, and they finally played Splitter and Anderson, and as a bonus, Leonard didn't get thrown to the end of the bench. Can't be much more pleased with the season so far.

[ElNono]

Well, the Spurs won, and they finally played Splitter and Anderson, and as a bonus, Leonard didn't get thrown to the end of the bench. Can't be much more pleased with the season so far.

This. Even if Splitter played a lot due to the other bigs foul trouble, I liked he raised to the occasion.

[ChumpDumper]

Is it really that hard to replace 6.8 pts and 3.5 reb per game? How about somebody that could just take some of his minutes, so he can focus on making his 3's when needed and leave the defensive stuff to prototypical bigs?

How about Dorrell Wright (closer to Horry than Bonner ever will be) when he was cheap a couple of years ago?
How about Josh McRoberts when he was available and cheap last year?
How about Shawne Williams when he was on the market - 2.5 mil?
How about Ajinca? He wouldn't replace Bonner but he sure could share his minutes.
Would Dwayne Jones really be worse than Bonner on the defensive end?

You know about most d-league players - right? How about:
Chris Daniels
Jamal Sampson
Greg Stiemsma or Chris Wright if they become available?
Brian Costner
Brian Butch
__________________________________________________ __

Bonner's here to stay - I get that, but why not make him a better player by limiting him to what he does best - 7pts a night and he can probably get that in 10 min per game? Get somebody else to play the other 10 minutes and get some rebounds and maybe even a stop or two.I'll just focus on the ones who are actually available or not guaranteed now.

Dwayne Jones - can only really rebound at the NBA level. Slow.

Chris Daniels - big but slow. I prefer some athleticism for this last spot.

Jamal Sampson - think he injured his ankle before training camp. Maybe the best all-around candidate for a fifth big from the D-League at this time. Looked good in the first game of the season against the Toros. Grabbed like 20 boards, but the Toros' bigs were nowhere near his level.

Greg Stiemsma - can block shots, pretty terrible otherwise.

Chris Wright - a little small but I wouldn't be against trying him. I'd also try Lance Thomas if NOLA waives him - less of a shotblocker, but plays bigger than he is with high energy.

Brian Costner - can score a lot of ways but would make you pine for Bonner's defense and rebounding.

Brian Butch - too Bonner-ish.

Ajinca - no objection to signing him.

Granted, these are all 5th big candidates. I still think the Spurs need to acquire someone better than Bonner and Blair.

[objective]

I'd give Splitter an A-. His defense was just the kind of thing the Spurs need to win, and he was incredible at times. Blocking shots, tough post defense, everything on that side of the court was good to see.

It might not have been fair to the team though.

[YODA]

IM amazed TIMVIP didnt catch this stat, but the spurs jacked up 33 3 point attempts, making 10, Thats a total of 33 out of 88 shots for entire team on 3 pointers. I hope you all see the problem with this.

Leanard is more of a slashed type player, and here he was jacking up 5 of his 9 shots as 3 pointers. I believe RJ is more of a slasher to, but for some reason, we can take advantage of these skills of our players. I hope we dont try to make Leonard into a RJ type players, waiting on the wings for 3 pointers. Anderson, Boner , Manu and RJ Jack up enough 3 pointers as it is, without havign to worry about our rookies.

On another note, if not for the turnovers of Grizzz, we would have easily lost. Most times I look at FG% and rebounds of game and u know who won. 46% to 39.5% and out rebounded by a few would tel me we got whipped. Especially seeing we jacked up 33 3 pointers and only made 10. I think the Grizz lost this game more then the Spurs won it.

Lets hope these trends change.

[Sean Cagney]

IM amazed TIMVIP didnt catch this stat, but the spurs jacked up 33 3 point attempts, making 10, Thats a total of 33 out of 88 shots for entire team on 3 pointers. I hope you all see the problem with this.

Leanard is more of a slashed type player, and here he was jacking up 5 of his 9 shots as 3 pointers. I believe RJ is more of a slasher to, but for some reason, we can take advantage of these skills of our players. I hope we dont try to make Leonard into a RJ type players, waiting on the wings for 3 pointers. Anderson, Boner , Manu and RJ Jack up enough 3 pointers as it is, without havign to worry about our rookies.

On another note, if not for the turnovers of Grizzz, we would have easily lost. Most times I look at FG% and rebounds of game and u know who won. 46% to 39.5% and out rebounded by a few would tel me we got whipped. Especially seeing we jacked up 33 3 pointers and only made 10. I think the Grizz lost this game more then the Spurs won it.

Lets hope these trends change.

I saw that too, the threes concern me at times, way too many. Thats my gripe with the Spurs they settle for way too many IMO.

[angelbelow]

Watching Bonner grab 0 rebounds and get physically dominated on defense was definitely hard to watch. Still, don't think its fair to expect anything positive from having to defend one of the more physical frontcourts. The good news is that it didn't feel like he played 28 minutes. In fact, I was quite shocked to see that he ended up playing that much. Too many positives came out of tonights game to waste time feeling sorry for Bonner.

Looking towards the future.. hopefully we find that 5th big soon, still a little uncomfortable having only 4 with the shorten seasoned and injures always being in the back of your mind. I do kind of agree with Chump here.. it'll be hard to find one better than Bonner.. mostly because of Bonners experience, understanding of the system and overall a Coach Pop favorite.

------

I felt like Splitter played all game. Whether he was making great defensive plays or he was looking foolish on offense - he stood out. On defense he was mostly in the right place at the right time, on offensive his "seemingly" low basketball IQ was frustrating.

[ElNono]

I saw that too, the threes concern me at times, way too many. Thats my gripe with the Spurs they settle for way too many IMO.

Making lemonade. We don't have solid interior play outside of TD, and Tony had a lot of trouble penetrating against the big frontline.

[underdawg]

I'll just focus on the ones who are actually available or not guaranteed now.

Thanks for the info - I'd say start the auditions sooner than later.

As far as a 3rd big - a trade would have to be the only option since the FA market is just about closed.

Targets?
-Turiaf (a couple of months down the road)
-Petro
-Tyrus T.
or someone young like:
-Jeremy Evans
-Larry Sanders

[Xevious]

The two guys that most impressed me were Leonard and Splitter. Both were very active on the defensive end and caused the Grizz a lot of problems. Hopefully that continues. Both were extremely rough on the other end though. I expect Leonard to calm down a little and figure it out as the season goes along. Splitter... if he gets a few garbage buckets a night I'm happy. I have to close my eyes every time he starts backing his man down and goes for a move.

Parker looked tired and lazy to start the game, thankfully he turned it on later. Bonner was pathetic, much worse than his usual work. But being that we only have four bigs, pray that there are no injuries.

[underdawg]

Well, the Spurs won, and they finally played Splitter and Anderson, and as a bonus, Leonard didn't get thrown to the end of the bench. Can't be much more pleased with the season so far.

a lot of positive things to take out of game 1 of the season, so the optimism is high and that makes the glaring weaknesses in the front line even harder to digest.

It's going to be an interesting season and if the Spurs find themselves struggling to keep up, I hope the FO does what's necessary to solidify the depth where needed and possibly sacrifice where depth is not as much of an issue. If they can package Bonner with that trade, I wouldn't object to the FO shedding that financial liablity.

[therealtruth]

IM amazed TIMVIP didnt catch this stat, but the spurs jacked up 33 3 point attempts, making 10, Thats a total of 33 out of 88 shots for entire team on 3 pointers. I hope you all see the problem with this.

Leanard is more of a slashed type player, and here he was jacking up 5 of his 9 shots as 3 pointers. I believe RJ is more of a slasher to, but for some reason, we can take advantage of these skills of our players. I hope we dont try to make Leonard into a RJ type players, waiting on the wings for 3 pointers. Anderson, Boner , Manu and RJ Jack up enough 3 pointers as it is, without havign to worry about our rookies.

On another note, if not for the turnovers of Grizzz, we would have easily lost. Most times I look at FG% and rebounds of game and u know who won. 46% to 39.5% and out rebounded by a few would tel me we got whipped. Especially seeing we jacked up 33 3 pointers and only made 10. I think the Grizz lost this game more then the Spurs won it.

Lets hope these trends change.

It wasn't just the Grizzlies turnovers. The Spurs defense was good. They contested most of the shots and made most of the rotations. They also rebounded well.

[mingus]

Splitter, Anderson, and Kawhi were great tonight defensively. You can already tell this team is a huge upgrade defensively over last year (and probably the previous 3 years) because of those three guys. Plus, Blair was more active and in position defensively than in the past. RJ looked confident shooting threes out there.

The only weekness was once again Bonner, who couldn't hit or defend shit. Spurs need to sign someone with legit size and athleticism to be the 4th big. If they do, I think the Spurs could take the West this year because everything else seems to be in place. I think Ford will eventually be alright for us.

[will_spurs]

Kawhi Leonard B
Well, I liked the energy. In the exhibition games, Leonard was mostly invisible. In this game, Leonard was heard loud and clear. In his 14 minutes, he took nine shots and made noise elsewhere on the stat sheet. Defensively, he took a few smart gambles that ended up paying off. I also liked his individual defense. On offense, he's going to have to figure out a few go-to moves. Right now, I don't think anyone really knows how he's going to consistently score on the NBA level. But in his first night out, there was more to like than not to like about how Leonard played.

I know it's only part of his game but the bolded part worries me a bit, as Pop tends to dislike players who gamble on the defensive end (or at least he used to). I'm really not sure what a guy like Leonard has to do to impress Pop and get some PT (other than eating sandwiches, lacking energy and shooting well from 3pt land in the regular season - none of which seems to be part of Leonard's strengths).

[cutewizard]

timvp, thanks a lot man, i come here to spurstalk, just to read your posts


mabuhay!!! (that means long live in the Filipino language)


go Spurs go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cutewizard]

didnt Splitter deserve an A minus for today?? his inside defensive presence was key

[cutewizard]

trade Blair or Bonner, get Yi Jianlian!!!

Neal with it

[Bruno]

It wasn't a pretty game or an impressive performance but I liked the intensity and focus the team showed after a a sloppy first quarter. Spurs needs to play better defense than last year and it is what they did in this game.

Manu was the MVP of the game but RJ deserves a lot of credits for what he did. Props to him to start the season like that after the talks about Spurs amnestying him.

TJ Ford was disappointing. He was Jacque Vaughn with a worse defense. He better start attacking more the rim soon or Pop rather play Joseph (a better defender) or Neal (a better shooter) at the backup PG spot.

[analyzed]

I'm not sure I agree with Blair having a better grade than Splitter, unless the basis of grades is expectations. Yeah it's easy to be critical of a 7 footer who plays soft and reward an undersize big for playing bigger than his size.

But I think Splitter size on the defensive end was key to neutralising gasol and zach , while on offense he had some good screens for Manu

here is what Pop and project spurs had to say:
Tiago Splitter is now being used as the stable for the Spurs’ offense with the second unit. Though he scored just five points on 2-of-7 shooting, his defense was key in the Spurs win. Splitter grabbed eight rebounds along with two steals and two blocks. After the game, coach Popovich was impressed with Splitter, “He was real special tonight,” said Popovich, “Tiago did a good job. He deserves a lot of credit.”

But really how does someone (Splitter) who is your achor on defense (Tim played just 20 min) be valued less than Blair who played just 10 min picking up 4 fouls. No way Blair is more valuable than Splitter, if Bliar get's injured and we get a d-leaque replacement, the seasons not lost. But if Splitter gets injured we're toast !

[Fireball]

But these are GAME not Season grades ... and in the little time Blair played he was good both on offense and on defense. Splitter played great defense, but had little luck on the offensive end. Thats how I think TIMVP meant it ...

[Obstructed_View]

Also, Blair played closer to his ceiling than Splitter did for last night's game.

[Ice009]

trade Blair or Bonner, get Yi Jianlian!!!

Neal with it

Isn't Yi a small forward? That's the skill set he seems to display, can't say that I've watched him much, I just recall that he plays more like a SF than a big.

[Fireball]

Isn't Yi a small forward? That's the skill set he seems to display, can't say that I've watched him much, I just recall that he plays more like a SF than a big.

Bonner plays like a shooting guard without speed ... so Yi is an upgrade

[Obstructed_View]

Isn't Yi a small forward? That's the skill set he seems to display, can't say that I've watched him much, I just recall that he plays more like a SF than a big.

Bonner plays more like a shooting guard than a big. Upgrade.

[SenorSpur]

Bonner plays more like a shooting guard than a big. Upgrade.

It certainly appears that the long lockout hasn"t affected Bonner. He picked up right where he left off in the playoffs. He shot poorly, plays scared and continues to be a huge liability on defense. In short, he still sucks.

[will_spurs]

unless the basis of grades is expectations.

Yup, the basis for grades is expectations.

[Russ]

IM amazed TIMVIP didnt catch this stat, but the spurs jacked up 33 3 point attempts, making 10, Thats a total of 33 out of 88 shots for entire team on 3 pointers. I hope you all see the problem with this.

The good news is the D. Last year, the Spurs didn't lose so much because they relied on 3s as because they couldn't protect the paint on D and get stops.

You earn the right to jack up 3s if you play D. That was Bowen's mantra (and now Leonard's).

Even in the Spurs' glory years, the O was always a threat to disappear. Duncan can't singlehandedly rescue them from that situation anymore, but if they keep up the D, the offense will probably be good enough (even if it seems too reliant on 3s).

[MoSpur]

I was at the game last night. I'd give the crowd a B. I don't know if the lockout had anything to do with it, but I expected more since it was the first game of the season. Oh well.

If it were me, I'd give Leonard an A-. Maybe I am just excited about a new player, but I thought his offensive rebounds were very important. The risk he took like Timvp stated paid off and caused Memphis to turn the ball over. For being a rookie, not having a real season camp and pre-season to help him get prepared, I thought he played great in his first game as a pro.

[ploto]

I really tried so hard to care about this game- to care about any game these past 2 days. I had the day off yesterday. I got lots of stuff done so I could just sit on my couch and watch basketball last night. I flipped from game to game, looking for something... anything. The only excitement I could muster was seeing how well Manu was playing and personal excitement at seeing a great 4th quarter for Hedo.

I thought Parker looked awful, only to be outdone in that category by Bonner.

[sinok]

Red Comic Sans MS grades?
Seriously?
Those cannot be legit...

[therealtruth]

The good news is the D. Last year, the Spurs didn't lose so much because they relied on 3s as because they couldn't protect the paint on D and get stops.

You earn the right to jack up 3s if you play D. That was Bowen's mantra (and now Leonard's).

Even in the Spurs' glory years, the O was always a threat to disappear. Duncan can't singlehandedly rescue them from that situation anymore, but if they keep up the D, the offense will probably be good enough (even if it seems too reliant on 3s).

Agree. There's no problem with taking open 3's as long as they get back and get stops on the other end. Good defense like steals can lead to good offense.

[Obstructed_View]

It certainly appears that the long lockout hasn"t affected Bonner. He picked up right where he left off in the playoffs. He shot poorly, plays scared and continues to be a huge liability on defense. In short, he still sucks.

I don't mind Bonner. He's good for the team with his hustle and his shooting. The problem is with the person who puts him in a position to fail by playing him as a rotation big instead of a shooting role-player.

[8FOR!3]

I think we need a 5th big. Not because I'm not content with what he currently have, but because it's important to have a guy who can go out there and play til the end of the quarter when your starters are in foul trouble.

The great news, is that James Anderson looks like a scorer. I don't think he's your typical role player who's a solid shooter and decent defender. He's a guy who looks like an All-Star waiting to happen. He's got the aggressiveness and confidence you want out of your 6th man that George Hill was lacking last year.

[Fireball]

I think we need a 5th big. Not because I'm not content with what he currently have, but because it's important to have a guy who can go out there and play til the end of the quarter when your starters are in foul trouble.

Not just that. Timmy will need to sit out some B2Bs and with this schedule the probability of injury is higher. Especially Splitter seems to be prone for small but nagging injuries. So a fifth big is still a necessity.

[Hemotivo]

I'll just focus on the ones who are actually available or not guaranteed now.

Dwayne Jones - can only really rebound at the NBA level. Slow.

This guy would be helpful

[The Truth #6]

Oddly, my favorite play of the game: Blair's successful postup of Zach. He quickly got position on him low in the block, two power dribbles to knock him off position, then straight up for an easy shot. I can't recall Blair using his obvious advantage like that before, ever. Instead he always either tries his awful spin move or an awful flip shot. It seems so obvious this "Barkley" like post game is what he needs to focus on. Sure, a jump shot would be great but here in his third year he still needs to establish his obvious strengths. Hopefully it happens.

[rascal]

Who says they didn't try?

If they tried they failed. If they didn't try they failed.

[JR3]

I don't understand the knock on Pop for "allowing" Tim to get his 3rd foul in the first. Pop has always trusted duncan when he is in foul trouble. It usually works out fine. The ref just made a terrible terrible offensive foul call on duncan. Should have never been an issue. Its avoidable, but not really a coaching error if you ask me.

[YODA]

Agree. There's no problem with taking open 3's as long as they get back and get stops on the other end. Good defense like steals can lead to good offense.

The Spurs had 12 Steals, but most of the TO's were unforced. I also dont mind taking 3's, but 33 out of 88 shots. Were talking about 40% of all shots were 3's and thats way to much. If Im playing the Spurs, I make all the wing players play the 3 point line and force them pass inside where I would man up.
Kinda what Grizz did to us in playoffs last year.

I think we averaged like 20 or so 3 point attempts last year and I still think its a little high.

Rotations in the middle were Great by TD, but it often left his man wide open. Weak side help for TD seems to never be there.

[ChumpDumper]

If they tried they failed. If they didn't try they failed.Have you ever made a positive post on this board?

[Spurs7794]

Oddly, my favorite play of the game: Blair's successful postup of Zach. He quickly got position on him low in the block, two power dribbles to knock him off position, then straight up for an easy shot. I can't recall Blair using his obvious advantage like that before, ever. Instead he always either tries his awful spin move or an awful flip shot. It seems so obvious this "Barkley" like post game is what he needs to focus on. Sure, a jump shot would be great but here in his third year he still needs to establish his obvious strengths. Hopefully it happens.


I don't like Blair much at all but that play had me up and cheering. I watched him start his move and was SO stunned that he didn't do that damn spin move he always does which gets him no advantage at all. It was great to see him just make a power move.

[timvp]

I'd give Splitter an A-. His defense was just the kind of thing the Spurs need to win, and he was incredible at times. Blocking shots, tough post defense, everything on that side of the court was good to see.

I thought about giving him a higher grade but his offense was just so bad I couldn't. All the other bigs had a offensive rating about 30 points higher when not paired with Splitter -- so it wasn't just his individual offense that was struggling.

But again, I'd much rather have Splitter struggle on O and be very good on D then the other way around.


IM amazed TIMVIP didnt catch this stat, but the spurs jacked up 33 3 point attempts, making 10, Thats a total of 33 out of 88 shots for entire team on 3 pointers. I hope you all see the problem with this.

For this game, I didn't have a problem with the three-pointers. The Grizz, especially Randolph and Gay, were sagging to the middle. Just about every three-point look the Spurs got was open ... so I'm fine with that.


Also, Blair played closer to his ceiling than Splitter did for last night's game.

I think the best sign for Blair is that Randolph didn't score a basket during the nine minutes the two were on the court at the same time. Considering how Randolph has historically abused Blair, that's quite the accomplishment.


Oddly, my favorite play of the game: Blair's successful postup of Zach. He quickly got position on him low in the block, two power dribbles to knock him off position, then straight up for an easy shot. I can't recall Blair using his obvious advantage like that before, ever. Instead he always either tries his awful spin move or an awful flip shot. It seems so obvious this "Barkley" like post game is what he needs to focus on. Sure, a jump shot would be great but here in his third year he still needs to establish his obvious strengths. Hopefully it happens.

Great take :tu

That was definitely a "where's-that-been?" moment.


I don't understand the knock on Pop for "allowing" Tim to get his 3rd foul in the first. Pop has always trusted duncan when he is in foul trouble. It usually works out fine. The ref just made a terrible terrible offensive foul call on duncan. Should have never been an issue. Its avoidable, but not really a coaching error if you ask me.

Duncan picked up two fouls in the first quarter. 99% of the time, that means Pop will send Duncan to the bench. But TD waived off Pop, Pop relented and it ended up backfiring. I bet we don't see Pop leave Duncan in the game with two early fouls again this season. I can only remember a couple other times in Duncan's career that Pop has let him play through early foul trouble.

[ace3g]

c5chVhUiuCQ&list=UUEZHE-0CoHqeL1LGFa2EmQw&index=1&feature=plcp

[therealtruth]

I think we need a 5th big. Not because I'm not content with what he currently have, but because it's important to have a guy who can go out there and play til the end of the quarter when your starters are in foul trouble.

The great news, is that James Anderson looks like a scorer. I don't think he's your typical role player who's a solid shooter and decent defender. He's a guy who looks like an All-Star waiting to happen. He's got the aggressiveness and confidence you want out of your 6th man that George Hill was lacking last year.

I agree Hill's problems all stemmed from confidence. When he had confidence he was very good but he lacked it too often. Confidence is a huge part of being a consistent and good player. I like Anderson's confidence because his shots are eventually going to fall and he still competes on the defensive end.

[LakerHater]

Tim Duncan B+
Pop allowed Tim Duncan attempt to play through foul trouble in the first quarter but that strategy backfired when Duncan picked up three fouls in the first quarter. Despite the foul plagued minutes, Duncan played well. His defense was solid, he had a handful of good passes and he competed on the glass. Turnovers were a negative but all in all, it was a pretty decent first game from TD.

http://px9.funformobile.com/d/169/61/1fjdcjav7c/timmyguitar.gif

[TD 21]

Thompson, they may be able to acquire for Blair, Green, another non-guaranteed, minimum salary type (which they'd need to sign) and Richards. The Kings were rumored to have promised him that they'd take him with their 2nd round pick until Whiteside unexpectedly fell to them.

I'd prefer Patterson to Thompson, but if they could make that trade, I'd do it in a second. Richards is an intriguing project, but he's just that: a project. And because Thompson would be replacing Blair, he wouldn't really be a loss. So what would they really be giving up?

Davis, to even have a shot at acquiring, they'd have to offer Leonard. Even then, I can't see the Raptors parting with him. Maybe if they threw in Blair, with a 2nd coming back (most likely that would be 31-35, so that wouldn't be far off having two 1sts).

[apalisoc_9]

Wow Cant believe Kawhi went from Rudy gay stealing his cookie to MJ.

[8FOR!3]

I think we need a 5th big. Not because I'm not content with what he currently have, but because it's important to have a guy who can go out there and play til the end of the quarter when your starters are in foul trouble.

The great news, is that James Anderson looks like a scorer. I don't think he's your typical role player who's a solid shooter and decent defender. He's a guy who looks like an All-Star waiting to happen. He's got the aggressiveness and confidence you want out of your 6th man that George Hill was lacking last year.

Nice 2011 throwback to me calling James Anderson a future all star.

[DAF86]

IM amazed TIMVIP didnt catch this stat, but the spurs jacked up 33 3 point attempts, making 10, Thats a total of 33 out of 88 shots for entire team on 3 pointers. I hope you all see the problem with this.

Well, that's something you won't read too often nowadays. :lol

[ZeusWillJudge]

For this game, I didn't have a problem with the three-pointers. The Grizz, especially Randolph and Gay, were sagging to the middle. Just about every three-point look the Spurs got was open ... so I'm fine with that.



The funny thing to me is "excusing" 3P shooting. The basketball world has turned upside-down since this thread.

[Nathan89]

This is actually a fantastic bump.

[apalisoc_9]

Nice 2011 throwback to me calling James Anderson a future all star.

To be fair his major injury completely ruined his athleticism. Would have been a decent role player but his injury was long term.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i remember this series, the grizz tank to get the spurs

td who had a hot hand or got going in the first half for most of the games in the series, only to see him score like less then 5 pts in the 2nd halves of each game, why did his touches dried up?...stupid idiots on the team freezing him out chucking up bricks as usual, yet no blame as usual

[Hoops Czar]

To be fair his major injury completely ruined his athleticism. Would have been a decent role player but his injury was long term.
The same injury to Kevin Durant didn't do anything to hinder his athleticism.

[Russ]

i remember this series, the grizz tank to get the spurs

It was a regular season game.

[DAF86]

The funny thing to me is "excusing" 3P shooting. The basketball world has turned upside-down since this thread.

I wonder if a coach were to go back to the '90s/00's, with today's philosophy, would his team dominate? I'm sure a lot of people would say no because of the old rules, but I don't know man. I think the power of the 3 is so big that even in the handchecking era it would work.

A positionless modernball team of Drazen Petrovic, Allan Houston, Rick Fox, Tony Kukoc, Chris Webber would probably contend back in the 90's.