Twin Towers.

[Marcus Bryant]

Start Splitter, bring DeJuan off the bench in the Malik role. And then for the 4th big you have...oh, right.

Oh well, it was one hell of a ride. Pop's about eighteen months from being a full time resident of the Green Mountain state.

[TE]

translation: we're screwed.

[Dex]

This is what I be sayin', yo.

[Flux451]

Ill give it a little time, till trade deadline after new year

[The ADMIRAL 50]

Gani Lawal on an unguaranteed contract would've been better than absolutely nothing, right?

[mathbzh]

Gani Lawal on an unguaranteed contract would've been better than absolutely nothing, right?

Pop would go with TJ Ford playing C before giving minutes to a fifth big scrub.

[The_Worlds_finest]

translation: we're screwed.

translation: another dumbass poster who thinks bigs is the only way to win titles.

Parker and Duncan both had shitty first halfs and the game was still close. The ability of other guys stepping up when the big three lacked in production has always been the reason the Spurs title.

[therealtruth]

Another problem with not signing a big is you can't allow him to develop. It seems Pop doesn't really care about developing talent anymore.

[sasffl]

Absolutely Leonard is expected to be the 5th big man by POP

[mystargtr34]

Its the only way.

tbh

[G-Dawgg]

GTFO with that shit....there's are reason why they Spurs gave up alot to get Kawhi Leonard... if you haven't accepted the fact that small-ball is the future of this team, then you really need to sit down and take a deep breath and let it sink in... just accept it..

[Trill Clinton]

1 million posts, tho?

[jag]

translation: another dumbass poster who thinks bigs is the only way to win titles.

It's not about having 7'0" bodies out there. It's about having a team that can make defensive stops. Having a mobile defensive big to anchor the defense can be the difference between a team that spends years stuck in the 1st/2nd round of the playoffs and a team that's a perennial championship contender.

Tyson Chandler took a lot of pressure off the perimeter defenders (and Dirk) and made the Mavs a solid defensive unit. Chandler allowed Marion and Kidd to play tight on opposing scorers, similar to how Duncan allowed Bowen to play as aggressively as he did.

Duncan no longer has the mobility to clean up everyone's messes. He spent the Memphis series trying to keep an eye on both Randolph AND Gasol because of Blair and Bonner. Duncan isn't 27 anymore, and he isn't Dwight Howard. He's still good enough to matchup defensively 1v1 with any bigman in the League, but he can't do that if he has to keep one eye on Blair/Bonner's defensive assignment. And as good as Splitter has looked defensively, he isn't good enough to spend every defensive possession trying to lock down his man while constantly providing help-d to Bonner and Blair. Unless Duncan can play 40 min/game, the Spurs are left with gaping holes on defense.

So unless Michael Jordan is suiting up for you, if you want to win titles you're going to need an all-star caliber defensive bigman to patrol the lane. Duncan isn't at that stage of his career anymore, and it's becoming obvious how underrated his defense was for all those years.

[rascal]

1 million posts, tho?

Not really. That million post count was given to him.

[urunobili]

Blair only works well with a shot blocking presence patroling the paint. Bonner doesn't provide that TBH. So thanks, but not thanks.

[Mel_13]

You are correct sir. We didnt wanna pay the man min salary.


He was not running very well, didnt look in shape, I think the spurs know his knee isnt ready.

:rolleyes

[jag]

Blair only works well with a shot blocking presence patroling the paint. Bonner doesn't provide that TBH. So thanks, but not thanks.

If by "works well" you mean he's a huge liability on defense... then ya, he works really well.

[urunobili]

If by "works well" you mean he's a huge liability on defense... then ya, he works really well.

he bodies up correctly and strongly for his size and weight and also is more often than not at the right place. BUT his effectiveness is strictly attached to who's behind him TBH.

Just take as a sample when he came of the bench with Bonner last year vs. when he had TD or Dice to cover his back...

[jag]

he bodies up correctly and strongly for his size and weight and also is more often than not at the right place. BUT his effectiveness is strictly attached to who's behind him TBH.

Just take as a sample when he came of the bench with Bonner last year vs. when he had TD or Dice to cover his back...

The fact that he consistently needs a help defender is what makes him such a liablity. It doesn't help matters that he also seems to move in and out of focus throughout games. He'll start getting lazy, stop moving his feet and either pick up stupid fouls or allow easy baskets.

With his size and strength he could be, and should be a much better defender. Malik Rose wasn't nearly as gifted as Blair, yet he would spend entire quarters matched up in post ISO against Shaq.

[ElNono]

I think in case of an injury they can probably still grab some scrub from the NBDL... not sure that's better than nothing though... ideally, you would hope they can come up with a package to trade for something more solid before the trade deadline next year.

[jjktkk]

ideally, you would hope they can come up with a package to trade for something more solid before the trade deadline next year.

A trade involving Neal, or Anderson maybe? :stirpot:

[The_Worlds_finest]

It's not about having 7'0" bodies out there. It's about having a team that can make defensive stops. Having a mobile defensive big to anchor the defense can be the difference between a team that spends years stuck in the 1st/2nd round of the playoffs and a team that's a perennial championship contender.

Tyson Chandler took a lot of pressure off the perimeter defenders (and Dirk) and made the Mavs a solid defensive unit. Chandler allowed Marion and Kidd to play tight on opposing scorers, similar to how Duncan allowed Bowen to play as aggressively as he did.

Duncan no longer has the mobility to clean up everyone's messes. He spent the Memphis series trying to keep an eye on both Randolph AND Gasol because of Blair and Bonner. Duncan isn't 27 anymore, and he isn't Dwight Howard. He's still good enough to matchup defensively 1v1 with any bigman in the League, but he can't do that if he has to keep one eye on Blair/Bonner's defensive assignment. And as good as Splitter has looked defensively, he isn't good enough to spend every defensive possession trying to lock down his man while constantly providing help-d to Bonner and Blair. Unless Duncan can play 40 min/game, the Spurs are left with gaping holes on defense.

So unless Michael Jordan is suiting up for you, if you want to win titles you're going to need an all-star caliber defensive bigman to patrol the lane. Duncan isn't at that stage of his career anymore, and it's becoming obvious how underrated his defense was for all those years.


Sure this sounds like a sound theory, however basketball tactics are not set in stone. Good thing pop doesn't share your thoughts on this on approach or he would be trading away the future for a possible match in a big that might not be worth a shit. Instead of what they are doing now

[jag]

Sure this sounds like a sound theory, however basketball tactics are not set in stone. Good thing pop doesn't share your thoughts on this on approach or he would be trading away the future for a possible match in a big that might not be worth a shit. Instead of what they are doing now

It sounds like a sound theory because it is a sound theory. It's how teams win championships. It's why the Spurs immediately tried to replace Robinson with Nesterovic. And it's why they've spent the past 10 years trying to find a quality bigman to pair with Duncan. They've certainly tried, but their inability to do that has likely cost them multiple titles.

[ElNono]

lol @ trading away the future... what future? Blair, Bonner? Neal, Anderson? None are franchise-caliber players.

When Tim walks out of that door, Pop will follow sooner or later afterwards, and we're gonna be talking a lot about the lottery.

Cue "you should send your resume to the FO" schtick...

[ElNono]

Oh, and good to see Marcus posting again....

[z0sa]

If Pop/RC wanted to have the Twin Towers again, we should have done everything short of trading both Tony and Manu for a capable big. They didn't. If you have a problem with the Spurs current philosophy, you know exactly who to peg it on (hint: it's not one of the players).

[jjktkk]

If Pop/RC wanted to have the Twin Towers again, we should have done everything short of trading both Tony and Manu for a capable big. They didn't. If you have a problem with the Spurs current philosophy, you know exactly who to peg it on (hint: it's not one of the players).

The problem was, is, what it takes to land a "capable big man"? And my definition of a capable big man, would be a starting 4, or 5. Like you said, outside of trading Parker, or Ginoboli, the Spurs haven't had any valuable trade assets to acquire a capable big man. And since capable bigmen are at a premium in this league, it will take trading tp, or manu to get a capable big. For this year, imo, the Spurs were trying to acquire a rotation big, not neccessarily a starter.

[007nites]

I remember last year when Pops went with this line up:

PG Parker
SG Hill
SF Neal
PF Ginobili
C Jefferson

[z0sa]

The problem was, is, what it takes to land a "capable big man"? And my definition of a capable big man, would be a starting 4, or 5. Like you said, outside of trading Parker, or Ginoboli, the Spurs haven't had any valuable trade assets to acquire a capable big man. And since capable bigmen are at a premium in this league, it will take trading tp, or manu to get a capable big. For this year, imo, the Spurs were trying to acquire a rotation big, not neccessarily a starter.

I agree. And in the z0sa world of Spurs trades, Manu+filler might be gone in 2010 for Haywood/Butler so we could try to regain our lost defensive zeal as well as hope for a healthy team. I would have been wrong with the Butler injury but that's just more proof of why no trade is foolproof, no player combination unsusceptible.

But RC and Pop saw it fit not to do so. It is what it is. Instead of longing for the twin towers of old days, get used to run and gun and try to enjoy it, fellas..

[jjktkk]

I agree. And in the z0sa world of Spurs trades, Manu+filler might be gone in 2010 for Haywood/Butler so we could try to regain our lost defensive zeal as well as hope for a healthy team. I would have been wrong with the Butler injury but that's just more proof of why no trade is foolproof, no player combination unsusceptible.

But RC and Pop saw it fit not to do so. It is what it is. Instead of longing for the twin towers of old days, get used to run and gun and try to enjoy it, fellas..

Right there with yea.

[therealtruth]

I agree. And in the z0sa world of Spurs trades, Manu+filler might be gone in 2010 for Haywood/Butler so we could try to regain our lost defensive zeal as well as hope for a healthy team. I would have been wrong with the Butler injury but that's just more proof of why no trade is foolproof, no player combination unsusceptible.

But RC and Pop saw it fit not to do so. It is what it is. Instead of longing for the twin towers of old days, get used to run and gun and try to enjoy it, fellas..

Haywood's not worth it. There's a reason why Chandler started over him. The Mavs defense has disappeared without Chandler.

[Dex]

translation: another dumbass poster who thinks bigs is the only way to win titles.


Name the last NBA champion that did not have at least one dominating center or power forward.

[Man In Black]

Name the last NBA champion that did not have at least one dominating center or power forward.

Either the 1975 Golden State Warriors or the 1979 Seattle Supersonics
Although GSW had good PF in 6-9 Cliff Ray who got 10 Rebs per game and a skinny 6-11 center in George Johnson who got 7 boards per.

Seattle won with Balance but they did have a decent scoring forward in Jack Sikma who also got 12 rebounds per that year and they also had Offenive Rebound machine Paul Silas who was a master at it even though he is only 6'7".

[TimmehC]

Name the last NBA champion that did not have at least one dominating center or power forward.

Bulls.

[Obstructed_View]

Name the last NBA champion that did not have at least one dominating center or power forward.

The Bulls.

[Dex]

Bulls.


The Bulls.

I was thinking of the Bulls as well, but you'd have to go back to the first threepeat. Threepeat 2.0 had former-DPOY and rebounding champ Dennis Rodman manning the 4. Hell, even the first threepeat had Horace Grant and Bill Cartwright, but they weren't exactly dominating....just serviceable.

Still proves the point I'm trying to make. You have to go back 18 years before you find a champion without a dominating inside presence, and all that took was the greatest player to ever play the game and the winning-est coach.

[benefactor]

Pistons could also be a candidate. Sheed was playing more on the perimeter than posting up when he came to Detroit. They won mostly because of team defense.

[Dex]

Pistons could also be a candidate. Sheed was playing more on the perimeter than posting up when he came to Detroit. They won mostly because of team defense.

Ben Wallace was at his defensive prime at that time, and Rasheed was also a force to be reckoned with inside defensively.

Besides, we all know how important it can be when your bigman can also spread the floor. :downspin:

[benefactor]

Yeah...I was talking about that end of the floor. I thought you were referring to needing a dominant big for offensive purposes.

[NFO]

Greg Ostertag is trying a comeback. Sign him up. There is your twin towers.

:rollin

[The_Worlds_finest]

It sounds like a sound theory because it is a sound theory. It's how teams win championships. It's why the Spurs immediately tried to replace Robinson with Nesterovic. And it's why they've spent the past 10 years trying to find a quality bigman to pair with Duncan. They've certainly tried, but their inability to do that has likely cost them multiple titles.

Its one way to win championships....