How will Pop juggle the starting lineup upon Manu's return?

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I know we're still a month away (fingers crossed) for Manu's return, but with the way Kawhi is playing lately, do you guys opt that Pop should send RJ to the bench and move Kawhi to SF?

Maybe Manu will work his way back into the starting 5 as he comes back from injury, but it would be great if RJ ca maybe reignite his spark on the bench, and we continue starting Manu. I think Manu coming off the bench has run its course.

[Darkwaters]

Starting line-up:

Parker
Leonard
Jefferson
Blair
Duncan

Super-sub:

Ginobili

[Cane]

If the Spurs still don't have TJ Ford ready or another veteran point guard, I think Manu will and should come off the bench. Or at least the Spurs should manage Parker and Manu's minutes so there's at least one of them on the court when the game is still on the line. Then again, the starting unit could use Manu's versatility and floor spacing.

If you put RJ on the bench, I think having Manu there helps too whether its on or off the court. On the court, Manu can feed him the ball in transition, off the court, RJ's confidence won't take too much of a hit since Manu would be coming off the bench too

[Darkwaters]

If the Spurs still don't have TJ Ford ready or another veteran point guard, I think Manu will and should come off the bench. Or at least the Spurs should manage Parker and Manu's minutes so there's at least one of them on the court when the game is still on the line. Then again, the starting unit could use Manu's versatility and floor spacing.

If you put RJ on the bench, I think having Manu there helps too whether its on or off the court. On the court, Manu can feed him the ball in transition, off the court, RJ's confidence won't take too much of a hit since Manu would be coming off the bench too

If you've got Manu and Jefferson on the bench, who do you have starting? Leonard and Green?

[8FOR!3]

Tony Parker
Manu Ginobili
Kawhi Leonard
DeJuan Blair
Tim Duncan

Bring RJ off the bench as the 6th man.

[SenorSpur]

Bench RJ's sorry ass. In fact, bury him at the end of the bench.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Sorry folks. Starting lineup when Manu is at full speed:

Parker
Manu
RJ
Dejuan
Duncan

[loveforthegame]

RJ should be benched but in no way can he anchor the second unit like Ginobli can.

Unfortunately, I think Leonard gets sent to the bench and Ginobli inserted back into the starting lineup.

[Redshadows]

Let Manu and RJ come from the bench and start Neal at SG.

[maverick1948]

I am not voting for a Spur for the all star game. We need the time off to prepare for the tough finish we have. We could get a couple of good practice sessions in with everyone but Kawhi there( he will be in the rookie challenge). If Manu is ready to come back it would be a good time to see what he can do and where we would want him to play ie. start or off the bench. I say Pop looks at our record and bases his decision on how things stand at the time. If we are safely in position to make the playoffs Manu will be used off the bench for the home stand. 1st 7 games after the break are at home. He will see more time as the season rolls down in April. If it is close one way or the other and we need wins bad, then he will start him as soon as he is ready to play. Stamina should be no problem as he can run up and down the court. If we are out with little are no chance to make the playoffs, he may do as he did with DRob and his foot, sit him and no push for the playoffs. Only time will tell what Pop will do.

[DMC]

Manu is the best player on the team. He should not come off the bench. RJ should come off the bench except that RJ needs wide open looks in order to be effective. The bench players won't get him many looks if he's leading the offense.

It doesn't matter how you rotate. You're eventually going to have to play defense to win. It's not like some combinations play defense and some do not. It starts at the top, with Tim, Manu and Tony. They have to make it happen. The role players are not going to save the team.

[TD 21]

If Leonard is at or close to his current level for the duration of Ginobili's injury, I think he may stay a starter and Jefferson may be moved to the bench. Not that they wouldn't like to dump his contract anyway, but with the emergence of Leonard and Green, I've got to think they'd be more than willing to dump Jefferson's contract in season, because unlike last season, it probably wouldn't hurt the team.

Whoever starts isn't as intriguing as who's in the rotation, though. Leonard, if he doesn't start, is probably assured of at least being the sixth man at this point. Here's where it get's tricky: Green clearly deserves to stay in the rotation, but at the expense of who? Add a healthy Ginobili and Ford and the fact that Green is better off the dribble than expected and do the Spurs really need Neal's scoring/shot creating ability? I thought they would more this season with Hill gone, but apparently not. The other candidate is Bonner, but that would mean they'd be consistently playing small. And though it could argued that they essentially are anyway when he plays, asking Leonard and Jefferson to regularly guard PF's is more than likely asking too much.

[ducks]

manu off the bench
limit him to 20 minutes a game
8 minutes in the first half 12 in second half

[TMTTRIO]

with how well the young guys are developing how about slowly bringing Manu back (especially since it's going to get back into game shape and conditioning) and only playing him during games where the team is really struggling and needs a little energy to get by. Then during the playoffs start playing him more.

[DAF86]

manu off the bench
limit him to 20 minutes a game
8 minutes in the first half 12 in second half

Why do you want the Spurs to fail so much?

[DAF86]

For the playoffs:

Tony
Manu
Leonard
Duncan
Splitter

Play all of them around 35 mins per game.

[ducks]

Why do you want the Spurs to fail so much?

they would get the most out of manu and just maybe he would be healthy and fresh for the playoffs

when was the last time he was healthy for playoffs

[bigdog]

Rj plays better with Manu. I think Leonard will get sent to the bench, but I honestly think Manu should come off as the 6th man.

[Sean Cagney]

they would get the most out of manu and just maybe he would be healthy and fresh for the playoffs

when was the last time he was healthy for playoffs

True, but he played better than your boy Tony with a broken arm last year! Tony just got outplayed by cot damn CONLEY WHILE HEALTHY! If you got jokes that is on there, matching MIKE F IN CONLEY in a series ahhaha! Atleast he has a heart, always has had one.

[Man In Black]

I just remember that the LAST time Manu was healthy for the playoffs the Spurs walked away with their 4th one of these-> :lobt:

[urunobili]

I would send RJ to the end of the bench for 10 games or more and see if he reacts well after inserting him again on the team...

[TJastal]

they would get the most out of manu and just maybe he would be healthy and fresh for the playoffs

when was the last time he was healthy for playoffs

Call me crazy, but I'm starting to agree with ducks lately.