Grades: Spurs vs. Clippers - Dec. 28

[timvp]

Tim Duncan B+
Though he didn't shoot great and was somewhat slow and earth-bound on defense, Duncan was strong enough in the paint on D and did good work on the boards. His transition to playing more on the high post has been seamless so far in this young season.

Manu Ginobili A
It's been a great start of the season for Ginobili. He was once again the best player on the court. His shot-making was very good but it was his passing and overall energy that really impressed.

Tony Parker A
Parker bounced back from a sub par opening night to outplay the best point guard in the NBA in Chris Paul. Parker had nine assists to only one turnover and also had a scoring binge in the third quarter that helped break the game open.

Richard Jefferson A
The amnesty survivor is making the Spurs front office look smart. His jumper looks extremely smooth and he looks surprisingly comfortable in silver and black. When the Clippers made a run, it was Jefferson who routinely answered the bell with key shots.

DeJuan Blair A-
Blair took on the challenge of defending Blake Griffin and did about as well as possible. He played smart defense, ran the court hard and was a force on the offensive end. To nitpick, Blair struggled on the defensive glass a bit.

James Anderson B-
To begin the game, Anderson was a disaster on both ends of the court. To his credit, the second year swingman drastically improved as the game went along. By the second half, he was playing really well and looked like a supremely confident natural scorer.

Kawhi Leonard A-
I really liked the way Leonard played tonight. He made strong cuts offensively but otherwise stayed out of the way on that end of the court. Defensively, Leonard was very strong both individually and help-wise. And, best of all, he was great on the boards.

TJ Ford B+
While Ford's level of play seemed to decline as the game progressed, he was really good early. He's not trying to do too much and is concentrating on facilitating the offense, which is exactly what he should do on this team. Defensively, Ford was effective -- despite the Clippers boasting a trio of quality point guards -- and earns bonus praise for his hustle.

Tiago Splitter B
Splitter's offensive game continues to be iffy. His decision making was poor and he could definitely be stronger and more assertive with his moves. That said, Splitter was once again very good on defense. He moved his feet well and wisely picked his spots when it came to breaking out his world class flopping skills.

Matt Bonner C+
Though he can play better, Bonner improved from what we saw in the opening game. He gave good effort on the defensive end and knocked down half of his three-point attempts. However, it's troubling that he now only has one rebound in 46 minutes this season and appears to have lost a couple of inches on his already limited vertical leap.

Pop A-
I love how Pop is using Leonard right now. To ease the pressure on the youngster, he's putting him into the game early so he can play with the starters. That strategy has also had the effect of allowing Jefferson to play (and get more touches) with the bench unit. Overall, I thought Pop pushed the right buttons, although he was a little too paranoid in the fourth quarter. Putting Duncan and Ginobili back into the blowout was risky in the first game of a back-to-back.

[DMC]

What I liked about RJ was that he was taking the shots. I wouldn't grade him too much on makes vs misses. He was confident and took responsibility for portions of the game while he was out there. We need that from him. With him being like that, and Manu being in other worldly mode, there's enough decision making on the floor to make good things happen. Factor in TP and Tim's decisions and it overcomes athletic ability that the opponent has over us.

[Spurtacus]

Come on...you know Blair deserves an A. :)

Led the team with +23 tonight.

[z0sa]

I think Matt Bonner is out of shape. Too many chips and sodas with his sandwiches over summer. He also missed a couple wide open threes in the short corner, a shot almost every 3pt shooter makes, which seems to lend to the argument that maybe he's a bit winded.

[jeebus]

I hate you Matt Bonner

[timvp]

OP Edit: Added grade for Pop

[TDMVPDPOY]

tim duncan = bankshots were falling, should continue to take them if the defender is giving him so much space...

manu = no comment, was unstoppable

tp = was a fkn scrub in the first half, picked it up in the 2nd half...he was lucky cp3 was playin like shit too busy lookin to setup his own players who all fail

rj = his shots were falling all on uncontested shots

blair = he was beasting down low playing physically on offense and defense which probably got into blakes head (i think he hates gettin physically outplayed, most of his points came during the 20pt blowout with 8mins left in the 4th quarter)

JA = slow start needed to get going, should get to the line more for freebies to get his shot going...was very good on offense not afraid to create his own shots and pulling the trigger...

KL = good defense and rotation

splitter = fkn beasts holding down the forte, solid defense rotations and keeping check of his man whether it was jordan or blake, he got them into trouble early on...

bonner = got too trigger happy after a few shots were fallin

ford = imo he should be forcing the tempo of the game when his playing with the bench and looking at setting up plays instead of looking for his own shots...he did well this game...

[DMC]

Tim did you think Tiago in the corner at the end where he turned the ball over a few times in a row was a bad play call? I didn't understand what he was supposed to be doing over there.

[timtonymanu]

Good read as always, LJ. :toast

It's still too early to get excited but I love how disciplined the Spurs look on the defensive end compared to last year. They are not just being an offense team. I also like how Pop is putting in his best defensive players as the 6th-8th man (Kawhi, Tiago, Anderson) while Bonner is placed after them. Then again, Pop can mess everything up once Bonner finds his shot, but it's good to see Pop is at least taking the risk for once.

[JsnSA]

I wonder if Bonner's role with the Player's Association during the lockout kept him from working out as much as he should have??? I suppose this could have caused him to fall behind the others as far as conditioning goes if so.

[DMC]

I wonder if Bonner's role with the Player's Association during the lockout kept him from working out as much as he should have??? I suppose this could have caused him to fall behind the others as far as conditioning goes if so.
That same line of reasoning though kept Splitter on the bench all last season.

Pop knows he's going to need everyone with this hectic schedule, so he' probably giving Bonner extra burn for conditioning. Or he could just be senile.

[ElNono]

I thought Tiago was at least a B+... he was on the floor for long stretches with Matty, and basically manning the paint on defense all by himself...

[Libri]

Tiago Splitter B
Splitter's offensive game continues to be iffy. His decision making was poor and he could definitely be stronger and more assertive with his moves. That said, Splitter was once again very good on defense. He moved his feet well and wisely picked his spots when it came to breaking out his world class flopping skills.

Blake is a tough matchcup for anybody and Splitter played some impressive defense on him. I wonder if this is something we should expect more out of Tiago.

[Mugen]

i love tiago but him posting up should be the last option with almost any unit. he's much better on the PnR than with his back to the basket.

the only guys in the league that he can score on in the post are probably Blair and Bonner.

[DMC]

I thought Tiago was at least a B+... he was on the floor for long stretches with Matty, and basically manning the paint on defense all by himself...
I thought he did really good on defense, but the Clippers were not moving the ball very well and that showed. They had a shit load of broken plays that resulted in forced shots that clanked.

Not sure how long Vinny hangs around if the Clippers aren't beasting by the break.

[Russo21]

Kawhi had 8 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench vs the Clippers. Been a long time since we've had a SF rebound that well. Especially a 2nd game SF. That's a damn good sign :-)

[BackHome]

Agree with all the grades except Mat Bonner he gets a freakin F-........he can't play any defense the dude just plain sucks. Man if we could some how get rid of him and pick up a real big I would be so HAPPY!

[tim_duncan_fan]

As long as Splitter plays decently and Dick doesn't play like a pussy, we should be fine 3 times out of 4.

Throw in extras like Neo (Mr. Anderson, get it?), Neal, Leonard and a scoring Blair and the sky is the limit.

[DAF86]

Duncan - B
Parker - B
Blair - A+
Ford - A
Splitter - B+
Leonard - B+

[Capt Bringdown]

10 of 19 from downtown, 52%. It looks like the Spurs can win when the 3's are falling.

[analyzed]

My concern is Duncan's level of play, yeah I know he no longer is the same Tim MVP. But 10 avg / game? I know it's to early to say, and to small a sample size (2 games), but in the few isolations I've seen on both sides of the court vs Gasol and today Blake, he really looked over matched, I'm not sure we can win with TD who can't hold is own, Manu and TP are not always going to play like this, Is TD at a point where he will never attract a double team ? I hope not. just saying it's a concern. A 10 pt 8 reb avg, is not what I'm expecting from TD this season. are my expectations of the mark? am I missing something?

[TDMVPDPOY]

I thought he did really good on defense, but the Clippers were not moving the ball very well and that showed. They had a shit load of broken plays that resulted in forced shots that clanked.

Not sure how long Vinny hangs around if the Clippers aren't beasting by the break.

the way to figure out blake once he catches the ball on the baseline b4 he starts to dribble, is to have active hands and going for steals or trying to know the ball out of his hands....blair/splitter did a fine job just by putting there body there blocking the lanes and being active on defense physically also helped b4 blake did his cradle steps and shit....once blake gets past you, its an easy 2pts for him...

splitter did force a steal out of blake on the lowblock tryin to post him up, was a good steal and easy bucket

[DPG21920]

Timvp, why do you hate Tiago?

[TDMVPDPOY]

My concern is Duncan's level of play, yeah I know he no longer is the same Tim MVP. But 10 avg / game? I know it's to early to say, and to small a sample size (2 games), but in the few isolations I've seen on both sides of the court vs Gasol and today Blake, he really looked over matched, I'm not sure we can win with TD who can't hold is own, Manu and TP are not always going to play like this, Is TD at a point where he will never attract a double team ? I hope not. just saying it's a concern. A 10 pt 8 reb avg, is not what I'm expecting from TD this season. are my expectations of the mark? am I missing something?

td did fine this game man, he got the open shots they gave him and they all went in....the only problem here is he stop shooting afterwards trying to be unselfish and gettin others involve...

[NASpurs]

10 of 19 from downtown, 52%. It looks like the Spurs can win when the 3's are falling.

Yep, same story, different year.

I really like the defense shown in these two games though not to totally discredit everything they've done so far.

[Fabbs]

10 of 19 from downtown, 52%. It looks like the Spurs can win when the 3's are falling.
Good for tonights game but....playoffs?

[TDMVPDPOY]

Timvp, why do you hate Tiago?

splitter gets good position on the lowblock when his posting up, you can tell by his hustling....its just the release and lack of energy in his pussy layups that is hurting him, i could care less if those go in/out, what matters is scoring when the team needs scoring...he should be fine if its fast break sort of points and easy transition pts since most of his points come from that and offensive rebounds and tip-ins...improve his ft shooting and he be a fine player...

[timvp]

I think Matt Bonner is out of shape. Too many chips and sodas with his sandwiches over summer.

The weird thing is that he looked to be moving well in preseason. So far in the regular season, he plays like he's wearing lead boots.


Tim did you think Tiago in the corner at the end where he turned the ball over a few times in a row was a bad play call? I didn't understand what he was supposed to be doing over there.

Tiago's supposed to read the defense and either hit a cutter or post up. Unfortunately, just about every time he was put in that position, he made the wrong decision.


I thought Tiago was at least a B+... he was on the floor for long stretches with Matty, and basically manning the paint on defense all by himself...

I really want to give Splitter a higher grade because he's playing really good D ... buuuuut first he needs to at least not be a liability on O.


Timvp, why do you hate Tiago? Is it because he's Hispanic?

Are you sure Tiago's Hispanic? :stirpot:

[analyzed]

Wait a minute, are the expectations for TD lower now than what we expect from Tiago. Especially defensively. Because base on the 2 games, and the match-up guarding Gasol, randolph and now blake & Jordan. I would have to say Tiago has played better defense than TD . So why is the guy getting a lower grade than TD?, are the expectations for Tiago higher? I was under the impression that the expectations is TD is still an all star while Tiago was at best a serviceble big coming of the bench. why the lower grade then?

[FkLA]

If Splitters offense is iffy what does that make Leonards? Kawhi looks like complete garbage on offense tbh. Splitters grade seems too low and Kawhis way too high.

[GSH]

Kawhi Leonard A-
I really liked the way Leonard played tonight. He made strong cuts offensively but otherwise stayed out of the way on that end of the court.



Thanks for including that. That was one of the things that worried me about him in pre-season, but he looked better against Memphis and even better tonight. Talking about the "small things" may be sort of cliche, but they can make a lot of difference over a game and a season. Kawhi can contribute a lot to this team just by moving well without the ball - wearing his man out on the defensive end, keeping him honest (playing D), and improving the quality of his own shots. Seeing him make those hard cuts the last couple of games really made me think he could be more than just a guy with some talent.

I wish more rookies (especially SF's) would spend some time watching film of Rip Hamilton. He probably moves better without the ball than anyone else in the league. No matter how well Kawhi plays, he's still a young rookie and one of his biggest assets is energy. I hope he keeps using it like he has the last couple of games.

[therealtruth]

Teams are going to take the three point shooting away in the playoffs like the Grizzlies did. Hopefully the Spurs have a plan B. The defense is much improved from a year ago. If they combine the offense that gave them first seed with better defense I think they have a good chance.

[DMC]

My concern is Duncan's level of play, yeah I know he no longer is the same Tim MVP. But 10 avg / game? I know it's to early to say, and to small a sample size (2 games), but in the few isolations I've seen on both sides of the court vs Gasol and today Blake, he really looked over matched, I'm not sure we can win with TD who can't hold is own, Manu and TP are not always going to play like this, Is TD at a point where he will never attract a double team ? I hope not. just saying it's a concern. A 10 pt 8 reb avg, is not what I'm expecting from TD this season. are my expectations of the mark? am I missing something?
Tim looked ok to me after a bit. He was trying to get others involved. Tim knows they have no shot if just the big 3 are up to speed.

If Tim scored 20, that just means others aren't getting the ball. It would be great for those of us who want to shove that down other people's throats, but the reality is that the Spurs have a lot of options and they have to develop them.

Tim will take care of Tim, to be sure. The rest is up to Pop (pun intended).

[DMC]

Teams are going to take the three point shooting away in the playoffs like the Grizzlies did. Hopefully the Spurs have a plan B. The defense is much improved from a year ago. If they combine the offense that gave them first seed with better defense I think they have a good chance.
We don't even have a plan A yet.

[ducks]

moving without the ball is key it will lead to easy basketballs
easy baskets are a blessing especially in postseason

[DMC]

Thanks for including that. That was one of the things that worried me about him in pre-season, but he looked better against Memphis and even better tonight. Talking about the "small things" may be sort of cliche, but they can make a lot of difference over a game and a season. Kawhi can contribute a lot to this team just by moving well without the ball - wearing his man out on the defensive end, keeping him honest (playing D), and improving the quality of his own shots. Seeing him make those hard cuts the last couple of games really made me think he could be more than just a guy with some talent.

I wish more rookies (especially SF's) would spend some time watching film of Rip Hamilton. He probably moves better without the ball than anyone else in the league. No matter how well Kawhi plays, he's still a young rookie and one of his biggest assets is energy. I hope he keeps using it like he has the last couple of games.

Rip and Ray Allen, both move very well without the ball. Rip moves better of course, no one moves like he does.

[cutewizard]

spurs fans: B-


where are the pessimists now.....???

when the chips are up, we are all happy,

when the chips are down, lets trade everyone, including the spurs fans


lol

[timtonymanu]

ibcutewizard makes another post.

[timtonymanu]

Just kidding cutewizard :toast

[4>1]

spurs fans: B-


where are the pessimists now.....???

When the chips are up, we are all happy,

when the chips are down, lets trade everyone, including the spurs fans


lol

asl?

[cutewizard]

asl?




do you mean asl??



lol

[cutewizard]

Just kidding cutewizard :toast



lol

[DAF86]

I really want to give Splitter a higher grade because he's playing really good D ... buuuuut first he needs to at least not be a liability on O.

Splitter is far from a liability on O in my book, Udoka was a liability on O, Splitter needs to work on making stronger moves but aside from that he's OK with me, specially with the kind of defense he's playing.

[4>1]

do you mean asl??



lol

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ASL&defid=1392265

[FkLA]

Udoka was a liability on O

As is Kawhi...

[DAF86]

As is Kawhi...

Kawhi at least cuts to the basket and goes for offensive boards.

[FkLA]

Kawhi at least cuts to the basket and goes for offensive boards.

Wont argue with that but Id still consider him a liability, especially when the ball is in his hands. Much moreso than Splitter yet that seems to be ignored in Kawhi's grade.

[ace3g]

Spurs’ Anderson showing skills

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/12/28/spurs%E2%80%99-anderson-showing-skills/

Spurs have their way with new-look Clippers

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/12/29/spurs-have-their-way-with-new-look-clippers/

[mystargtr34]

Tiago needs to be stronger and more aggressive around the basket, it's like he forgets he's 6'11 sometimes. Having said that there's a big difference in being on the court with TJ Ford and Matt Bonner compared to Tim Tony and Manu. Apart from his strong D the other benefit of starting Tiago is he can make best use of his pick and roll skills with two of the best pick and roll guards in Manu and Tony.

I don't think we have seen anywhere close to the best Tiago Splitter on offense.. and we probably won't until he starts/gets more time with Tony and Manu. Until then.. there's going to be more post struggles and less pick and roll finishing.

[timvp]

Kawhi is definitely a liability on the offensive end right now. But that is in line with his expectations. I honestly still struggle to envision how he'll become even average on the offensive end ... so yeah, Kawhi doesn't have a high bar when it comes to reaching his offensive expectations in a given night.

Splitter, on the other hand, can and I'm sure will become an asset on offense. It's just been a slow start to the season for him offensively. Patience.

[TDMVPDPOY]

whats worst?

splitters pussy layups or blairs showtime layups?

[TDMVPDPOY]

whats worst?

splitters pussy layups or blairs showtime layups?

[mystargtr34]

Another thing.. even though Tiago usually throws up soft hooks and flips from the post.. he does have good quick footwork and moves in the post it's just the finishing touch thats missing. He can still draw fouls from the post.. he just needs to be able to finish better and/or stronger.

[Buddy Holly]

As is Kawhi...

Not even the same. Just stfu and quit thinking you know wtf you're talking about. Please.

[FkLA]

Not even the same. Just stfu and quit thinking you know wtf you're talking about. Please.

Leonard isnt an offensive liability? Especially with the ball in his hands? :lol

[Buddy Holly]

Leonard isnt an offensive liability? Especially with the ball in his hands? :lol

No, and not even close to the liability of what Udoka was.

How many turnovers does he have when handling the ball? None.

How many careless plays on the offensive side? None.

Yes, he isn't hitting his shot at a high clip, but this is his second NBA game and fourth basketball game and he's 20.

Udoka was how old and played how many years?

Like I said, not even the same. So again, stfu with the basketball talk because you're terrible at it.

[Nathan89]

How many turnovers does he have when handling the ball? None.



To be fair, he normally just dribbles in place and doesn't go anywhere with the ball. I would hope he doesn't have any turnovers.

[FkLA]

No, and not even close to the liability of what Udoka was.

How many turnovers does he have when handling the ball? None.

How many careless plays on the offensive side? None.

Yes, he isn't hitting his shot at a high clip, but this is his second NBA game and fourth basketball game and he's 20.

Udoka was how old and played how many years?

Like I said, not even the same. So again, stfu with the basketball talk because you're terrible at it.

BGJW9w6_A_I

With that out of the way, he doesnt have to be as bad as Udoka to be an offensive liability dumbass. He cant shoot, he cant penetrate, and he hasnt even shown a knack for finishing despite his athleticism and length. Sure the guy is young, and he still has room to grow, but from what weve seen so far he is definitely a liability on one end and that isnt going to change overnight.



To be fair, he normally just dribbles in place and doesn't go anywhere with the ball. I would hope he doesn't have any turnovers.

This too. Playing conservatively to the point were he has no TOs doesnt make him a solid offensive player. See Jacque Vaughn for proof.

[therealtruth]

Another thing.. even though Tiago usually throws up soft hooks and flips from the post.. he does have good quick footwork and moves in the post it's just the finishing touch thats missing. He can still draw fouls from the post.. he just needs to be able to finish better and/or stronger.

I think he just needs to take his time. He seems to be rushing the shot at times.

I like the defense better than last year. On offense I think having Ginobili and Jefferson 1-2 in scoring and Parker at 8 apg seems to be a good formula. I think that will keep Jefferson aggressive and Parker from dominating the ball.

[Buddy Holly]

BGJW9w6_A_I

With that out of the way,

I meant within the set offense, not trying to bring it up like a point guard. I didn't forget that when I asked you the question in the quotes.


he doesnt have to be as bad as Udoka to be an offensive liability dumbass.

Look up the word liability.


He cant shoot, he cant penetrate, and he hasnt even shown a knack for finishing despite his athleticism and length. Sure the guy is young, and he still has room to grow, but from what weve seen so far he is definitely a liability on one end and that isnt going to change overnight.

Again, second game in, cut the kid some fucking slack nimrod.

[BoricuaCJA]

To be fair, he normally just dribbles in place and doesn't go anywhere with the ball. I would hope he doesn't have any turnovers.
He had one in the first game. In the open court against Rudy Gay. Its in the highlight video.

[Fireball]

10 of 19 from downtown, 52%. It looks like the Spurs can win when the 3's are falling.

2 of 19 would have been enough to win this game :lol

[FkLA]

I meant within the set offense, not trying to bring it up like a point guard. I didn't forget that when I asked you the question in the quotes.

Like Nathan89 mentioned, the guy doesnt even attempt to do much when he has the ball in his hands. Atleast he knows his limitations though.


Look up the word liability.

I know what it means. Youre the retard that needs to realize that playing mistake free basketball doesnt always mean a player isnt an offensive liability. Look at Vaughn.


Again, second game in, cut the kid some fucking slack nimrod.

It doesnt take a genius to realize Kawhi isnt very polished offensively. Its not just the fact that his shots arent falling, but also the fact that his shooting form is horrible and his handles look suspect. Those two things wont change overnight, it doesnt matter if its the 2nd game or 62nd game. Hell improve those working hard during summers not as the season progresses.

Hopefully he improves as he gets older, but as of right now only a dumbass would say he isnt a liability on the offensive end.

[pookenstein]

I'm all for critisising Bonner when it's appropriate, but this


bonner = got too trigger happy after a few shots were fallin.

is simply not true. He had 4 shots with the first and the last being baskets. His lack of rebounding though...

[Hooks]

Leonard has very good handles and penetrating is his biggest strength offensively, he can also post up. He's not an offensive liability, eventually he'll start getting used to playing with everybody and gain confidence.

[SenorSpur]

Teams are going to take the three point shooting away in the playoffs like the Grizzlies did. Hopefully the Spurs have a plan B. The defense is much improved from a year ago. If they combine the offense that gave them first seed with better defense I think they have a good chance.

This is a solid point and one that has been of a concern since Duncan has seamlessly transitioned his offense to the high post. Other than some occasional drops from Blair and with Tiago's offense struggline, there is very little post scoring - meaning this team relies ultra-heavily on 3-pt shooting.

It's already been proven that, over the long haul, you cannot win in that fashion. Yet, I don't believe the Spurs have any other choice.

[baseline bum]

I was glad to see JA start looking good in the second half, but damn did that look awful seeing him fall on his ass when Randy Foye crossed him up. That was bad. :lol

[temujin]

Sounds like defense and Emanuel Ginobili.
Sounds about right.

Makes me think back to the decision NOT to pay for the league pass this year, as long as Jefferson is on the team.

[will_spurs]

Again, second game in, cut the kid some fucking slack nimrod.

Remember that Fkla was George Hill greatest fan and is still butthurt about the trade. So cut Fkla some slack, it wouldn't be fair to his partiality if he wasn't shitting on Leonard's play after 2 games...

[Obstructed_View]

Timvp, why do you hate Tiago?

Why does he hate so many effective centers for the Spurs?

[Obstructed_View]

I was glad to see JA start looking good in the second half, but damn did that look awful seeing him fall on his ass when Randy Foye crossed him up. That was bad. :lol

It was nice to see him get back up and get himself going.

[analyzed]

This is a solid point and one that has been of a concern since Duncan has seamlessly transitioned his offense to the high post. Other than some occasional drops from Blair and with Tiago's offense struggline, there is very little post scoring - meaning this team relies ultra-heavily on 3-pt shooting.

It's already been proven that, over the long haul, you cannot win in that fashion. Yet, I don't believe the Spurs have any other choice.

This is exactly my concern with Duncan, I haven't seen 1 basket on the block against a good defensive big (Gasol, Jordan) if scoring in the post offensively is no longer a threat, and no longer attracts a double, it puts so much more preasure in the perimeter to deliver. As Pop said those shots won't always go in, plus they will obviously be defended better in the playoffs. we won't have the same looks we had in the regular season.

For these early games , I'm looking for positives, the defense is one (Tiago and Kawhi), Andersons and RJ offensive confidence is another. We know what we will get from Manu and Tony, Unfortunately TD's ability to remain a threat one on one on the block is not one of them. In fact Blair actually had more low post baskets, I'm just not confident in placing my faith in an undersized big like Blair, Teams are probably saying yeah let him get his points now , come playoff we're shutting that down

[mystargtr34]

IMO there are already some huge potential improvements from last years team.. even without getting another big.

1. Tiago having a bigger role improves the team defense leaps and bounds. It should mean opposing bigmen no longer have field days against the Spurs. It also stops the layup drills teams were running at the Spurs basket last season.

2. JA gives the Spurs more scoring punch off the bench and under rated playmaking. That already makes him an improvement over George Hill imo.. who was an out and out shooter/slasher. Anderson wont force the Spurs to suffer with mismatches defensively either.

3. Leonard potentially can be a lockdown defender and great rebounder at the 3. Im really interested to see how he does against some of the elite perimeter scorers to see if he can move his feet well enough to stay with in distance to get those long arms up to contest.

[DrSteffo]

Good grades. Manu was so good he almost made me cry. Splitter is limited on O except for PnR. He is smart and quick for his size and also good at passing so he has some utility there. Props to RJ and Blair. If they would play like this all season we would be tough to beat.

[Mel_13]

BGJW9w6_A_I

With that out of the way

:lol

[dbestpro]

My fear for Blair is he will start thinking he is an offensive force and completely forget what we need him to do, and what he does best, and that is rebound.

I don't have a problem with him taking what the defense gives him, but quite often in the past after a game or two like this he starts to force his shot.

[SenorSpur]

This is exactly my concern with Duncan, I haven't seen 1 basket on the block against a good defensive big (Gasol, Jordan) if scoring in the post offensively is no longer a threat, and no longer attracts a double, it puts so much more preasure in the perimeter to deliver. As Pop said those shots won't always go in, plus they will obviously be defended better in the playoffs. we won't have the same looks we had in the regular season.
And you're not going to see that again from Duncan. What we are now watching is the athlete formerly known as the great Tim Duncan. It's meant as no disrespect, but TD, while still an occasionally effective player, IS NOT that superstar guy anymore. He's no longer that guy who could get a double-double in his sleep. His game has changed, on both ends of the court, and unfortunately, so has the Spurs offense and their chances at a 5th title.

For these early games , I'm looking for positives, the defense is one (Tiago and Kawhi), Andersons and RJ offensive confidence is another. We know what we will get from Manu and Tony, Unfortunately TD's ability to remain a threat one on one on the block is not one of them. In fact Blair actually had more low post baskets, I'm just not confident in placing my faith in an undersized big like Blair, Teams are probably saying yeah let him get his points now , come playoff we're shutting that down
Get used to it because the Tim Duncan that we all knew and loved isn't walking through that door anymore. He's gone for good. For me, it became so evident in the 2010 second round playoff series versus the Suns. It was painful watching TD get exposed trying to defend the pick-n-roll, while the other Suns ran around him like a traffic cone. All of which is why the fact that this roster is missing another young, developing, athletic PF/C-type, who CAN score in the low post, force teams to double, while providing some rebounding and shotblocking, is such a huge deficiency.

The decline in Duncan's production, and the resulting evolution in his game, has left a rather large void that may not be filled for a very long time.

[Obstructed_View]

My fear for Blair is he will start thinking he is an offensive force and completely forget what we need him to do, and what he does best, and that is rebound.

I don't have a problem with him taking what the defense gives him, but quite often in the past after a game or two like this he starts to force his shot.

My fear for Blair is that he won't be allowed to be who he is and then he'll completely forget what we need him to do. If he's defending and hustling and blocking out, I don't mind if he tries to go one on five against the Clippers once in a while.

[Imp23]

spurs fans: B-


where are the pessimists now.....???

when the chips are up, we are all happy,

when the chips are down, lets trade everyone, including the spurs fans


lol


Too Funny

[The Truth #6]

If Blair is doing his out-of-control spin shots, then that is a bad thing. But, if like last night, he's doing a legit post move and backing his player down for an easy two foot shot, then I think he should be allowed to do that as much as possible.

It's too early to say for sure, but after these first two games, Blair has shown an interest in using his obvious strength as a way to go through people instead of trying to outquick them and go around them when in the paint, which almost always fails. This low post game might not be effective all the time, but already he's successfully posted up Zach Randolph and Blake Griffin a few times. If Pop can allow (and expect) Blair to play like this, then his confidence should improve and his ten foot jump shots might actually go in more consistently.

I agree that Blair can lose focus. Hopefully his time in Siberia actually gave him maturity...and if not then maybe Pop can keep him on track, and away from Whataburger.

[The Truth #6]

Bonner...he's already in post season form. Bricking outside shots, avoiding rebounds, igniting oppenents to score at will. Luckily, Pop seems to have him pegged as the last big.

Also, there's actually a sense of sanity to the rotations right now. Pop is making good choices. Around March the drunked sea captain version of Pop may still materialize, because too often Pop can't help himself, especially when the team is playing well. But as long as Pop focuses on defense, then the ship should be headed in the right direction.

[TDMVPDPOY]

blair doing the circus shots hurts him alot, i wish he has added a jumper like malik rose did...then he would have no problem with range when left open...

[DMC]

whats worst?

splitters pussy layups or blairs showtime layups?
I'll take either if they equate to 2 points.

[DMC]

spurs fans: B-


where are the pessimists now.....???

when the chips are up, we are all happy,

when the chips are down, lets trade everyone, including the spurs fans


lol
Though I am not a wholesale the team kinda guy, it's a bit too late to do that anyhow. The season has started. We got what we got.

I'm more than certain you can find the constructive criticisms here.

[Mugen]

Pop hasn't had a chance to overreact to anything yet. His rotations have been solid and he's trusting the young guys.

His first test will be how he handles Neal's return. The shortened schedule almost forces Pop's hand to stop outthinking himself and actually play the guys he should be playing.

That said, i never underestimate Pop's ability to make some retard moves late in the season and screw over any chance of this team going deep in the playoffs.

[Obstructed_View]

That said, i never underestimate Pop's ability to make some retard moves late in the season and screw over any chance of this team going deep in the playoffs.

Like playing starters in a meaningless game at the end of the season?

[Dawkins]

The thing with Splitter is, he actually has a very good and polished offensive game. He just needs playing time, playing time, playing time and self-confidence. Once he sees, the coach trusts in him his offense will become better and better.
It was the same in Vitoria where he also was a defense specialist in the beginning and once he became more involved in the offense and he became more confident he was very hard to stop on the offensive end with his long arms and crazy shot angles.

His offensive game depends a lot on self confidence, once he sees Pop trusts in him and he becomes more confident he ill be valuable on offense.

[ElNono]

The thing with Splitter is, he actually has a very good and polished offensive game.

No

[Mel_13]

No

Concise post.

:tu

[Mugen]

Like playing starters in a meaningless game at the end of the season?

:bang

[jjktkk]

Pop hasn't had a chance to overreact to anything yet. His rotations have been solid and he's trusting the young guys.

His first test will be how he handles Neal's return. The shortened schedule almost forces Pop's hand to stop outthinking himself and actually play the guys he should be playing.

That said, I never underestimate Pop's ability to make some retard moves late in the season and screw over any chance of this team going deep in the playoffs.

Lol, Pop's first test? Really? So how many tests does Pop have to pass to be considered a competent coach to you?

[quentin_compson]

I was kind of Meh when the season started after the Spurs being demolished in the playoffs and the lockout and all.
But two (Spurs-)games into the season, I'm as hooked as ever. If nothing else, these two games reminded me of how much I love watching Manu play. He truly is one of a kind.

[Mugen]

Lol, Pop's first test? Really? So how many tests does Pop have to pass to be considered a competent coach to you?

:lmao sorry pop apologist. I meant first test for the season.

I know he did such a bang up job last season but i thought i'd give him some tests this season too just for shits and giggles.

[jjktkk]

:lmao sorry pop apologist. I meant first test for the season.

I know he did such a bang up job last season but i thought i'd give him some tests this season too just for shits and giggles.

Lol, Pop apologist, that schtick is alittle worn out. You should go outside this forum and give your opinions on how bad a coach Pop is, then maybe you'd have to find some Mugen apologists.

[Bruno]

Aside of Bonner, the whole team played well.

I wasn't sold by TJ Ford first game but he looked way better in this second game. I've especially liked his attitude: you can really see how he try to help the team by playing the right way.

[Mugen]

Lol, Pop apologist, that schtick is alittle worn out. You should go outside this forum and give your opinions on how bad a coach Pop is, then maybe you'd have to find some Mugen apologists.

that sounds pretty good :toast

[jjktkk]

that sounds pretty good :toast

Just trying to help with your pessimism Mugen, so you can enjoy the season. :hat

[SpursDynasty85]

I saw this game from Row 5, 2 rows behind the spurs bench. I'd say these grades are spot on. One thing that sticks out is that certain players are given more responsibility and more minutes than others. I thought overall James Anderson bounced back just like you said to deserve a good grade but Kawhi Leonard really does not do much but stay out the way and rebound/defend. Given his responsibilities Kawhi performed great, but were his contributions really better than James Anderson's? Like you said, he looked like a legitimate scoring threat. Otherwise very accurate grades and analysis imo.

[FkLA]

Leonard has very good handles and penetrating is his biggest strength offensively, he can also post up. He's not an offensive liability, eventually he'll start getting used to playing with everybody and gain confidence.

lol wtf he hasnt shown that hes good at any of those things in the nba, give him his props for his defense and rebounding if you want...but offensively hes done nothing so far.


Remember that Fkla was George Hill greatest fan and is still butthurt about the trade. So cut Fkla some slack, it wouldn't be fair to his partiality if he wasn't shitting on Leonard's play after 2 games...

Was the great leader timvp butthurt about the Hill trade too, is that why he feels Leonard is an offensive liability as well? Quit being retarded, I didnt like the trade but Im a Spurs fan not a Hill fan so Id be more than glad to eat crow...its just too apparent that at 20 yrs old Kawhi is very awkward and limited on offense.

[timvp]

Some interesting numbers thru two games...

Points Scored When On the Court (Per 48 Minutes)
DeJuan Blair - 127
Tim Duncan - 114
Matt Bonner - 104
Tiago Splitter - 91

Points Given Up When On the Court (Per 48 Minutes)
Tiago Splitter - 79
DeJuan Blair - 84
Tim Duncan - 86
Matt Bonner - 94

-Blair has been a beast. The offense has been unstoppable when he's on the court. And even his defense is really damn good considering he's been matched up against starters.

-Splitter's defense is for real. Unfortunately, his offense (and its affect on the team's ability to score) has been really bad. But again, I don't think this is alarming. Splitter will figure things out offensively, while he's showing some defensive ability that just isn't teachable.

-Duncan being Duncan.

-Newsflash: Bonner hurts the defense.

[pgardn]

Splitter can actually move his feet. He is very agile just not athletic. His offense is gonna have to come off pick and rolls. It appears he has no confidence in his post up moves. His vertical is about what Tim has but he has no arm length and his hands are not nearly as good as Tim.

The only reason the Clippers are an item right now is due to Laker fans total fixation with them.