Grades: Spurs vs. Rockets - Feb. 1

[timvp]

It was a tale of two halves at the AT&T Center on Wednesday night. In the first half, the Rockets dominated the action and were able to build a 19-point lead. To begin the third quarter, Houston was still giving the Spurs fits.

Thankfully, in the middle of the third quarter the defense tightened and the offense caught fire. The Spurs held the Rockets without a field goal for six minutes in the third quarter and were able to trim a 14-point deficit to four points heading into the fourth.

In the final stanza, it was a one-possession game most of the quarter until Matt Bonner drained a three-pointer to push the lead to five points with a minute left. The Rockets never threatened again and the Spurs escaped with a 99-91 win.

While the comeback win was fun to witness, the total lack of energy and focus coming out of the gates was troubling. With the Rodeo Road Trip approaching, San Antonio desperately needs to find some consistency if they are going to survive this stretch.

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/8118/boxfeb1.jpg

Tim Duncan A+
This was a throwback game for Tim Duncan. With the Spurs circling the drain, Duncan started doing work in the low block and kept pounding away until he carried the team back into contention. Eschewing his jumper, Duncan remained in the paint all night and made the Rockets pay for not sending more help his way. When he wasn't scoring on the block, he was getting to the line. Defensively, he also played really well. None of the Rockets bigs got much going in the paint and Duncan was the main reason. Overall, this was just a classic case of Duncan having an amazing will to win. He richly deserves that night off tomorrow.

Tony Parker B+
Tony Parker was scratching and clawing throughout the game. The Rockets were making things really hard for him but he kept attacking. In the second half, he finally cracked their defense and started to create for himself and others. Defensively, when he was mentally engaged, he was really good. However, he did have some mental lapses on both sides of the court -- especially in the first half -- and that brought down the level of his overall performance a bit.

Richard Jefferson C-
The good news: Richard Jefferson continues to be aggressive with his shot. The bad new: Everything else. His defensive was embarrassingly bad at times, especially when it came to transition and closing out on shooters. He didn't bother to grab a rebound or do much of anything other than shoot.

DeJuan Blair C+
Defensively, DeJuan Blair deserves some of the credit for helping shut down Luis Scola. His activity on that end was evident by the four steals he recorded. On the offensive end, Blair was a liability. He wasn't getting open, he was making poor decisions and was basically just getting in the way. Those four offensive rebounds were the only positives for Blair on offense tonight.

Kawhi Leonard D
Last game, Kawhi Leonard had perhaps the best outing of his young career. Tonight might have been the worst. In his limited minutes, he helped allow Kevin Martin to get off to a sizzling start. Offensively, he hesitated at times and then was too aggressive at other times. As has been the case all season, Leonard is in desperate need of a niche on the offensive end.

Gary Neal B+
Typically, you don't want Gary Neal to use up as many offensive possessions as he did tonight. However, with most of the role players struggling to create offense, Neal's aggression was needed. It was often unsightly but he helped generate enough points to be an asset. On defense, he wasn't very good overall but he did draw two charging fouls that played a sizable role in the comeback. On the play right before Bonner hit his crucial three-pointer late in the fourth, Neal drew a charge in transition against Courtney Lee.

Danny Green B
Through three quarters, Danny Green was having a bad game. Roy Williams, Green's college coach at North Carolina, was sitting in the front row and Green seemed to play like he was too excited. Even the simple plays were difficult for Green. But then the fourth quarter began and everything changed. After missing his first five shots, Green hit all three of his field goal attempts in the fourth and also created a handful of opportunities for his teammates. Defensively, he went from being a liability to being a disruptive difference-maker. Green's fourth quarter was so good that it made up for his ugly play up until that point.

Matt Bonner A-
This had to be the best game of Matt Bonner's life in which he only made one field goal. Defensively, his ability to help out on screens might have been the main reason why the Rockets struggled to score in the second half. He just kept reading the plays exactly right and helped keep Houston from getting the ball where they wanted it to go. Bonner also did great work on the boards on that end. Offensively, he didn't do much but that one shot he hit was the biggest bucket of the game.

Tiago Splitter B+
In Tiago Splitter's 17 minutes, he did good work. When he got an opportunity on the low block, the result was usually a basket for him or a good look for a teammate. His pick-and-roll game was really good, especially with Parker. On offense, the only problem is Splitter doesn't get the ball enough right now. Defensively, he defended Scola well and whoever else he matched up against. He rebounded, hustled and was consistently in good help position. It was just an all-around solid night by the Brazilian.

James Anderson B-
With the Spurs down, Pop turned to James Anderson. And while Anderson didn't play quite as well as he did the last time he got extended minutes, he definitely played a role in jump-starting the team. Defensively, he was active and was successfully able to chase his man around screens. Offensively, though he missed all but one of his shots, Anderson was creating opportunities by running the floor. Like Bonner, Anderson picked the right shot to hit: a three-pointer at the end of the third quarter that helped shift the momentum.

Pop A-
Usually I'd complain about Splitter playing only 17 minutes but tonight Bonner actually deserved to be on the court. When Bonner is hustling, rebounding and playing tough, I have no problem rewarding him. Pop sticking with a struggling Green rather than going back to Jefferson turned out to absolutely be the right decision. Pulling the plug on Leonard was called for, as was playing Neal big minutes. All in all, I can't really complain about anything Pop did tonight … well, other than that time he motioned to Green to back off of Kyle Lowry and Lowry responded by hitting a three-pointer in Green's eye.

[Robz4000]

God, been waiting for this. Great write-up! Tim and Tony were absolute beasts tonight. They need to play like this more often, especially on the road. Glad you mentioned Blair's D on Scola. His offense was horrid, but at least he kept Scola from going off like usual. If he had there's no way we climb back into this game. Leonard really didn't do much wrong, Martin always has a way of making ridiculous shots fall, most oftenly against the Spurs; can't really teach a way to defend that.

You should've given Bonner a solid A tbh. When's the last time we saw such a good game out of him sans the other night? Hope he can keep it up. Jefferson honestly deserved a D. Although he shot a bit more aggressively, his lack of effort everywhere else is deplorable, and he was part of the energy issue in the first half. Glad he didn't play in the second half.

Neal was Nealing with it like usual. Green's grade is warranted, but I don't think he was all that bad in the first three quarters, other than some dumb fouls/mistakes. Anderson needs to get minutes like this every night, period; time for him to sink or swim for good. Same with Tiago, time to see if him and Duncan actually can work together (although, as you mentioned, with Bonner doing as well as he did he needed to remain in the game). There are times where I truly question Pop's sanity, then in the end I just second-guess myself. At any rate, I'm glad to have him as our coach.

Even though they shat the bed early, this was definitely one of the best wins this season. Just like the Dallas game, but the team managed to pull out the comeback in the end.

[ElNono]

Thanks for the writeup, LJ

[cheguevara]

:lmao Matt Bonner fan

[Cane]

Good stuff. Parker looked much better in the 2nd half and looks like an all star. Duncan was able to abuse the Rockets frontcourt as he should, hopefully he can take the post work and gets a break from the ASG...

Did Scola get hurt in the game though? He only played 24 mins which is down from his average of 30 mpg, but I don't remember the announcers saying anything about why he wasn't on the floor. Maybe McHale put him in the doghouse.

[Caeman]

I'm a firm believer that when Matt touches the ball (but doesn't shoot) then all the guards need to be rolling towards him to receive the ball back. If they don't then Tragic is sure to follow.

[Dex]

Pop A-
Usually I'd complain about Splitter playing only 17 minutes but tonight Bonner actually deserved to be on the court. When Bonner is hustling, rebounding and playing tough, I have no problem rewarding him. Pop sticking with a struggling Green rather than going back to Jefferson turned out to absolutely be the right decision. Pulling the plug on Leonard was called for, as was playing Neal big minutes. All in all, I can't really complain about anything Pop did tonight … well, other than that time he motioned to Green to back off of Kyle Lowry and Lowry responded by hitting a three-pointer in Green's eye.

Edit: was Martin, not Lowry.

I think Pop had the right idea. Green was playing Martin out near the half-court stripe and was virtually begging to be drove right around, which would have probably ended up in an even-more-open look for another Rocket after the Spurs rotated to help. Spacing Martin was smart...Green just retreated a step too far back. He was hanging behind the three-point line instead of staying outside at the top of the arc. If he stands outside the stripe, I doubt Martin puts up that 30-footer...and even though he made it, it's still hard to call that a quality shot. I'll take a rushed, semi-contested long-three from a moderate shooter over an open shot every day of the week...if he makes it, you just tip your hat and get back on D.

After the play and ensuing timeout, it looked like Pop was telling Green the same thing...space him, but still contest the three-point line. I wouldn't blame Green for being frustrated though....he tried to take his coach's advice, and got burned for it.

[Borosai]

Matty's just moving the bowels he's supposed to move.

[jjktkk]

Solid writeup Tim, thanks.

[silverblk mystix]

Pop A-
Usually I'd complain about Splitter playing only 17 minutes but tonight Bonner actually deserved to be on the court. When Bonner is hustling, rebounding and playing tough, I have no problem rewarding him. Pop sticking with a struggling Green rather than going back to Jefferson turned out to absolutely be the right decision. Pulling the plug on Leonard was called for, as was playing Neal big minutes. All in all, I can't really complain about anything Pop did tonight … well, other than that time he motioned to Green to back off of Kyle Lowry and Lowry responded by hitting a three-pointer in Green's eye.


You guys are masochists.

You never learn that Bonner is fools gold. So he had a good game....

Well he fuckin' plays extended minutes EVERY FUCKIN' GAME!!!!!! If you play a chimpanzee the same minutes Bonner gets the Spurs would have the best record in the fuckin' league.

I can't wait til the playoffs when Pop and "Matty" break your fuckin hearts again...

Now you are getting all these other sheep in here to forget all about the last three post seasons and already I see the "if Bonner plays like tonight...I don't really mind....ad nauseum....

17 FUCKIN MINUTES FOR TIAGO

Pop is a fuckin moron.

[Invision]

You mad Bro?:rollin

[Blake]

I can't wait til the playoffs when Pop and "Matty" break your fuckin hearts again...

so you can't wait for the Spurs demise.

you're a wonderful fan, tbh.

[Robz4000]

Pop A-
Usually I'd complain about Splitter playing only 17 minutes but tonight Bonner actually deserved to be on the court. When Bonner is hustling, rebounding and playing tough, I have no problem rewarding him. Pop sticking with a struggling Green rather than going back to Jefferson turned out to absolutely be the right decision. Pulling the plug on Leonard was called for, as was playing Neal big minutes. All in all, I can't really complain about anything Pop did tonight … well, other than that time he motioned to Green to back off of Kyle Lowry and Lowry responded by hitting a three-pointer in Green's eye.


You guys are masochists.

You never learn that Bonner is fools gold. So he had a good game....

Well he fuckin' plays extended minutes EVERY FUCKIN' GAME!!!!!! If you play a chimpanzee the same minutes Bonner gets the Spurs would have the best record in the fuckin' league.

I can't wait til the playoffs when Pop and "Matty" break your fuckin hearts again...

Now you are getting all these other sheep in here to forget all about the last three post seasons and already I see the "if Bonner plays like tonight...I don't really mind....ad nauseum....

17 FUCKIN MINUTES FOR TIAGO

Pop is a fuckin moron.
Dat sum mad? We're not saying we approve Bonner playing over Splitter, but if Bonner's actually being productive, on top of Timmy playing balls-to-the-walls and more than likely not playing tomorrow, it's best to just save Splitter to shit on the Hornets tomorrow.

[Blake]

Tim Duncan -

I can't say I've seen him play at this level in at least the last 30+ games, maybe longer.

His post moves were quick and he was moving incredibly well around the basket. He was in at least 2007 form tonight......maybe even 2006......

[jjktkk]

Now you are getting all these other sheep in here to forget all about the last three post seasons and already I see the "if Bonner plays like tonight...I don't really mind....ad nauseum....

17 FUCKIN MINUTES FOR TIAGO

Pop is a fuckin moron.

Lol, Tim is a shepard? Lol, whose the moron?

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/6848/sheepj.png

[MI21]

Tim was doing work against a very good defender in Dalembert, who has given Tim issues before. Thought he was going a bit quicker on the block and I even seen a left hand hook. Very nice!

I thought Parker really picked up the defense in the second half, it was reminding me of the Parker of 05/05 defensively. Very solid.

I really think Green is progressing well. If he wasn't such a spark, I would say start him, but I think the bench needs him. He isn't fantastic at any one thing, but he is pretty good at nearly everything (fighting screens withstanding). This was another solid game for him.

Blair seems to be a bit more active defending the post which is nice. Offensively though, he seems to be losing more hop, speed and agility each week. Worrying.

RJ, gtfo you worthless chump.

[MI21]

Btw, anyone notice Jefferson seems to show more intensity cheering from the bench than he does on the court? Dude can be counted on to jump up and punch the air when a team mate does something good. Ask him to box out hard and rebound or close out correctly, fucker does nothing.

[Sean Cagney]

Btw, anyone notice Jefferson seems to show more intensity cheering from the bench than he does on the court? Dude can be counted on to jump up and punch the air when a team mate does something good. Ask him to box out hard and rebound or close out correctly, fucker does nothing.

I agree, can't stand that dude personally.

[angelbelow]

Btw, anyone notice Jefferson seems to show more intensity cheering from the bench than he does on the court? Dude can be counted on to jump up and punch the air when a team mate does something good. Ask him to box out hard and rebound or close out correctly, fucker does nothing.

Haha, no one can question his off court professionalism.

Bonner's finally giving more effort on defense, maybe he's finally in shape or his injury healed.

Glad the Rockets cooled down, their shooting in the first 2 quarters was a bit ridiculous and luckily it didn't last all game.

[ChumpDumper]

lol silverblk meltdown

[Cry Havoc]

Confused why Gary Neal only gets a B+ when he and Duncan were the only players who could hit anything for a long stretch there in the 3rd. Guy balled tonight. And that no look pass alone to Duncan underneath was sick.

[Brutalis]

We won because we got home cooking and got the calls. Nothing else to say about it.

[therealtruth]

Dat sum mad? We're not saying we approve Bonner playing over Splitter, but if Bonner's actually being productive, on top of Timmy playing balls-to-the-walls and more than likely not playing tomorrow, it's best to just save Splitter to shit on the Hornets tomorrow.

As much as Pop likes to manage the regular season at some point he is going to have to get serious about roles and rotation. And like we saw last season with Dice starting doing it later in the season can cause problems.

[Darkwaters]

As much as Pop likes to manage the regular season at some point he is going to have to get serious about roles and rotation. And like we saw last season with Dice starting doing it later in the season can cause problems.

With this condensed season though it's kind of hard. Depth is the ultimate strength right now - without it our guys would just get burned out way too often. While playoff roles and rotations are important, right now I think it's better to play as much of the bench as you can while still winning.

[benefactor]

Very nice win. Good to see them not mail it in after such a horrible start. The Spurs youngsters have shown some pretty impressive resiliency this year.

[SpurNation]

I'd have to give Gary an A-. Green a C. For a little more than two periods...the whole team probably deserved an F.

TIMMY!!! of old and not an old Timmy sparked the come back and probably the others into playing better. His value on this team is more than what can be explained even if he's not the same player he used to be on a nightly basis.

Pop almost got an F. He was lucky his rant in the last minute (and maybe deservedly towards the official when trying to call time out) but none the less didn't earn the Rockets a free throw for a technical. I was like...STFU Pop. Thankfully I can laugh about it now.

[TJastal]

With this condensed season though it's kind of hard. Depth is the ultimate strength right now - without it our guys would just get burned out way too often. While playoff roles and rotations are important, right now I think it's better to play as much of the bench as you can while still winning.

I believe he's talking about playing the bench even more or even suggesting that changes to the starting lineup be made. Splitter in particular. When the spurs start playing the powerhouses of the west they will need more Splitter and less Blair/Bonner. If this means moving Tiago into the starting lineup and senidng Blair to the bench now so be it.

And for the most of the year Jefferson has been lackluster on the court. Might be time to start thinking about moving Green into the starting lineup to get more of his energy from the start so the spurs aren't digging holes they won't be able rely on the bench to climb out of.

[SpurNation]

And for the most of the year Jefferson has been lackluster on the court. Might be time to start thinking about moving Green into the starting lineup to get more of his energy from the start so the spurs aren't digging holes they won't be able rely on the bench to climb out of.

This may not be a bad idea when Ginobili returns. Run Manu and R.J. out there with the second unit to help maintain or build leads. Especially since Manu is the most adept at finding Splitter. It would in the least be worth experimenting just to see a starting unit of Parker, Green, Kawhi, Duncan and Blair since (for the most part) we see a 2 man game when Parker and Duncan are on the floor.

[Old School 44]

Nice write-up. Great job by TD. Like Sean mentioned in the telecast, he's best when his decisions are quicker in the post.

Still not sure why he continues to turn and shoot over his right shoulder in the post.
I can see the occassional shot to mix it up, but he seems to be doing it more and more often.

[DPG21920]

Tim, why is it that Pop will reward Bonner with extended minutes for a stretch of good plays but not Tiago?

[ManuTastic]

Good writeup. Great 2nd half effort, esp. Timmy and Neal (and Tony).
It seemed to me that at least half the credit for the win goes to the Rox cooling off in the 2nd half, especially Martin. Just clanged a bunch of open shots they normally would make. Just glad it happened on a Timmy throwback night.

[bigfan]

TIMVP, your next day appraisals are greatly appreciated by out of town Spurs fans! Keep up the great work!

[TJastal]

Tim, why is it that Pop will reward Bonner with extended minutes for a stretch of good plays but not Tiago?

This is problematic.

Add in the fact he will start a greenhorn rookie whose barely 20 years old yet treats Tiago (a 27 year old seasoned veteran of professional European basketball) like an old dog turd on the sidewalk.

Eventually these little stupid games of his will have consequences. Not sure how or when, but they will.

[cantthinkofanything]

This is problematic.

Add in the fact he will start a greenhorn rookie whose barely 20 years old yet treats Tiago (a 27 year old seasoned veteran of professional European basketball) like an old dog turd on the sidewalk.

Eventually these little stupid games of his will have consequences. Not sure how or when, but they will.

Well, the consequences last season were in the playoffs and we had an athletic big man sitting on the bench while the other teams athletic big men detroyed us.

[GSH]

Pop A-

Now you are getting all these other sheep in here to forget all about the last three post seasons and already I see the "if Bonner plays like tonight...I don't really mind....ad nauseum....

17 FUCKIN MINUTES FOR TIAGO

Pop is a fuckin moron.


Just a thought: We've already had the grades for the LAST post-season. And Timvp can't very well give grades for games that haven't happened yet. These grades were for THIS game - and they are spot-on.

We get your message. But if that's not enough, start your own thread. Call it "Tiago needs more minutes, and Pop is a moron". Then bump it every single game that Tiago doesn't get 40 minutes on the floor. It will save you a lot of time in the long run.

[Manu-of-steel]

Great write up, timvp. Keep it up. It's been part of my routine to check the grades after the game. Thanks alot.

[TDMVPDPOY]

why u clowns complaining if its a b2b to save splitter for next nights game if the game is won the previous night?

[GSH]

why u clowns complaining if its a b2b to save splitter for next nights game if the game is won the previous night?

Maybe because the last time Timmy didn't play, Bonner started in his place?

[5in10]

If were trying to find kawhis niche in the offense, why don't we try running post ups for him? Most of the time hes bigger that the person hes guarding, like yesterday, He could have posted K-mart up all day. Also I wouldnt mind seeing him run pick n rolls, from what I have seen so far he seems to be a capable passer and has the athleticism to get to the rim.

[TJastal]

If were trying to find kawhis niche in the offense, why don't we try running post ups for him? Most of the time hes bigger that the person hes guarding, like yesterday, He could have posted K-mart up all day. Also I wouldnt mind seeing him run pick n rolls, from what I have seen so far he seems to be a capable passer and has the athleticism to get to the rim.

He seems more of a cutter who can collect garbage points on feeds near the basket, but straight post up one on one doesn't seem to be his game.

[TDMVPDPOY]

He seems more of a cutter who can collect garbage points on feeds near the basket, but straight post up one on one doesn't seem to be his game.

maybe his a draft bust?

[Bruno]

These grades are so nice, thanks a lot timvp.

It was a great win for Spurs because they didn't gave up. In the third quarter, they played with a lot of energy but didn't succeed to come back for about 9 minutes. They continue to play hard and Rockets finally folded.

While I've been disappointed by Neal sooner this year, he has been very good lately. Last year Neal is back which is good news.

[Fireball]

why u clowns complaining if its a b2b to save splitter for next nights game if the game is won the previous night?

Well, the last time Tim sat out the game, it was Matt Bonner starting with Blair ... why Pop did it although he sees both Timmy and Tiago as centers is beyond me. I think Tiago still got enough playing time in that game (was it the 25 point game against the Rockets?), but still you cannot be sure he gets enough playing time just because Timmy gets the night off. And thats a shame ...

[cherylsteele]

Pop A-
Usually I'd complain about Splitter playing only 17 minutes but tonight Bonner actually deserved to be on the court. When Bonner is hustling, rebounding and playing tough, I have no problem rewarding him. Pop sticking with a struggling Green rather than going back to Jefferson turned out to absolutely be the right decision. Pulling the plug on Leonard was called for, as was playing Neal big minutes. All in all, I can't really complain about anything Pop did tonight … well, other than that time he motioned to Green to back off of Kyle Lowry and Lowry responded by hitting a three-pointer in Green's eye.


You guys are masochists.

You never learn that Bonner is fools gold. So he had a good game....

Well he fuckin' plays extended minutes EVERY FUCKIN' GAME!!!!!! If you play a chimpanzee the same minutes Bonner gets the Spurs would have the best record in the fuckin' league.

I can't wait til the playoffs when Pop and "Matty" break your fuckin hearts again...

Now you are getting all these other sheep in here to forget all about the last three post seasons and already I see the "if Bonner plays like tonight...I don't really mind....ad nauseum....

17 FUCKIN MINUTES FOR TIAGO

Pop is a fuckin moron.
Tonight was warranted though, and no, this doe not make me forget about post season failures. Pop used Matty tonight correctly because he did well overall. I would love Matty to have a game like that in playoffs but it hasn't happened yet....we'll see.

I would love to see splitter getting more minutes because he does deserve them, especially alongside Timmy.

I laughed at that last time out when Pop was jumping around frantically like he was having a tantrum.

[5in10]

One thing I have also noticed is that Danny Green and Leonard have got to learn how to get through screens. A lot of the time their guys scores it because of a pick and not being able to get through and close out on their men. Bruce Bowen was so good at getting/fighting through screens, in fact it was a very underrated abilty. I guess a lot of it was about how fast he could shuffle his feet but also knowing what his man was going to do. Anyways to be a great defensive team we gotta be able to close those shots out.

[callo1]

Very generous to give Pop an "A".
I think Pop deserved an "F' or at best a "C"

Pop's continual denial of Tiago's worth on the floor is inexcusable. It is getting comical to watch Pop pull an entire lineup minutes into a game, and his 34 seconds into a half timeouts...all his actions do is affirm that he is putting the wrong unit on the floor to begin with.

[wildbill2u]

Re: 17 minutes for Splitter. Timmy was having one of his flashback games so he took advantage of that and let him run. And since Timmy was working in the paint, where was Splitter gonna go? They haven't worked enough in tandem yet to figure all that out in the offense.

Finally, Pop knows he can't use Timmy for big minutes at NO tonight so he rested Splitter so he can play extended minutes.

Great coaching in the use of minutes to maximum advantage.

[The ADMIRAL 50]

Edit: was Martin, not Lowry.

I think Pop had the right idea. Green was playing Martin out near the half-court stripe and was virtually begging to be drove right around, which would have probably ended up in an even-more-open look for another Rocket after the Spurs rotated to help. Spacing Martin was smart...Green just retreated a step too far back. He was hanging behind the three-point line instead of staying outside at the top of the arc. If he stands outside the stripe, I doubt Martin puts up that 30-footer...and even though he made it, it's still hard to call that a quality shot. I'll take a rushed, semi-contested long-three from a moderate shooter over an open shot every day of the week...if he makes it, you just tip your hat and get back on D.

After the play and ensuing timeout, it looked like Pop was telling Green the same thing...space him, but still contest the three-point line. I wouldn't blame Green for being frustrated though....he tried to take his coach's advice, and got burned for it.

I was yelling at the TV when Pop got Green to back off. When he said it there was only 4 or 5 seconds left on the shot clock, it was obviously Martin was looking to bust, and he did. Generally speaking guarding a guy five out beyond the three point line is silly, but a shooter like Martin shooting the way he was that fist half (wow), he really shouldve let Green stay glued to him. Normally giving up a thirty footer, even an uncontested thirty footer, is a good play for a defense, but in that situation it was a really bad one. I called it right before it happened, then was super pissed when it did. Can't blame Green, and I get what Pop was thinking but not the right time or player to lay off.

[The ADMIRAL 50]

Re: 17 minutes for Splitter. Timmy was having one of his flashback games so he took advantage of that and let him run. And since Timmy was working in the paint, where was Splitter gonna go? They haven't worked enough in tandem yet to figure all that out in the offense.

Finally, Pop knows he can't use Timmy for big minutes at NO tonight so he rested Splitter so he can play extended minutes.

Great coaching in the use of minutes to maximum advantage.


very good spin of the situation :tu

hopefully we see it come to fruition with Tiago getting starters minutes tonight. I, for one, won't be holding my breath though.

[Sense]

With the exception of that late 3.. I thought Anderson played horrible.

[wildbill2u]

One more thing. Several players were asked in post game interviews if they thought Pop would 'pull the plug' because of the Rockets start and big lead, especially knowing there was a back to back comng up. They admitted to having a concern.

Pop was also asked about if he was close to pulling the plug. He said something like his judgement was they were playing pretty well on defense while the offense just wasn't there. And Houston was having some incredible shooting.

But he obviously made the decision to see if they could keep playing hard and pull it out. Knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em makes a good coach. We came away with a W because Pop made a decision that his players could win if they kept pounding the rock.

Whether this is intuitiveness, crystal ball gazing, experience or a finely tuned sense of how his team is playing, Pop pushed the right buttons and we got the W.

[mercos]

The team is playing pretty well right now, but I think Pop needs to make a change to the starting lineup. Of course, I would like to see Splitter inserted but that is probably a long shot at this point. Either Leonard or RJ need to move to the bench. We need either Danny Green or Gary Neal in the starting lineup to give it some juice. We lack an offensive punch in our opening five outside of Parker and Duncan.

As much as I like Leonard I think he should go to the bench. He brings no offense and that is where the starters are weak at the moment. I would plug Neal into the 2 guard spot. He brings much needed offense, and then our second unit is filled with high energy guys that can play decent defense. I believe Green is a better overall player than Neal, but I like having him as the sixth man.

[xellos88330]

I was actually most impressed with Bonner this game. I think his grade is spot on. A guy I was sitting next to wasn't very subtle with his displeasure when Bonner entered the game. I can't really blame him either. I was pretty much in the same boat. In the second half that all changed. Matt Bonner should play like that every single game. I would honestly rather have Martin/Lowry/Lee's offense rythym disrupted than Patterson. Bonner was closing out really aggressive and seemed to be reading every single play to get one of those three guys an open jumper. With Bonner closing out not only hard, but really fast, it completely destroyed their touch. It was a solid effort by Bonner last night. Now he just needs to do what he has shown he is capable of defensively more consistently.

[z0sa]

Bonner just proving his haters wrong per the usual. Now if only he can hit a couple more clutch shots..

[mystargtr34]

It seems like almost every game the starters dig a hole only for the bench to come in and scratch and claw to get it back to even. Something needs to be done to balance the two sides out. Its obviously a good thing having a great bench.. but not at the expense of a shitty starting lineup.

Manu coming back into the starting lineup will fix alot of the issues.. but even he will find it hard to carry the dead weight around (Blair, Dicky) against the better teams.

[dbestpro]

Bonner just proving his haters wrong on this very rare, rare, rare occasion. Now if only he can hit another clutch shot one more time before his career ends..

fixed

[mystargtr34]

Although im starting to wonder if bringing Manu off the bench might be the better option. James Harden started the game before last for the Thunder when Thabo was injured and he really struggled to get his looks playing with Durant and Westbrook. Likewise, it might be tough to get TP, Tim and Manu going while starting together.. not to mention Dicky J needs some touches to give half an effort.

Starting Blair, Tim, RJ, Manu and TP isnt a great balance imo.

[jjktkk]

It seems like almost every game the starters dig a hole only for the bench to come in and scratch and claw to get it back to even. Something needs to be done to balance the two sides out. Its obviously a good thing having a great bench.. but not at the expense of a shitty starting lineup.

Manu coming back into the starting lineup will fix alot of the issues.. but even he will find it hard to carry the dead weight around (Blair, Dicky) against the better teams.

While this is true, Manu is one of the few that can carry the "dead weight" and has that unique ability to make that dead weight play better when hes on the floor with them.

[mystargtr34]

Thats true.. although he wont make either of the two play any defense.. which is still a concern.

[jjktkk]

Thats true.. although he wont make either of the two play any defense.. which is still a concern.

Where did I say Manu was a miracle worker? :lol

[Obstructed_View]

I had to watch the game in the middle of the night.

First Quarter


Passing up some good shots and then not sharing the ball. Parker and Duncan are terrible early. No ball movement at all. When Manu comes back he'll hopefully focus on distributing the ball, which should help that starting unit.

After the timeout, the ball movement was better. Still not good shots, but the energy allowed them to scramble and continue to get rebounds

Splitter comes in for Duncan and suddenly the team offense starts working. Unfortunately it isn't generating points, but the motion is contributing to the defensive intensity.

Officiating is absolutly horrible. Spurs can't buy a call at home.

Second quarter


Please pass the ball to Tiago. Really. Right as I type that he gets an assist.

The Rockets' jumpers are starting to fall. Not a good sign.

Gary Neal's inability to pass the fucking ball to Splitter is ridiculous. Splitter's ability not to take it personally is shown when he gets another assist for a three to Neal.

Good, active defense by this second unit. Getting hands in pasing lanes, staying at home, forcing tough shots. Can't seem to get a good shot off though.

First unit guys come back in, Parker and Duncan have tunnel vision. Immediately RJ gets lost on defense and gives up a three.

Gotta credit Pop for bringing Ja back into the game.

Duncan just made a move I haven't seen from him in a while. Wow. Very decisive in the post. Then he turns into a black hole on the next trip down and coughs it up. The only way Duncan can ball-hog that badly and be successful is if he can continue to make moves like that first one. Someone might remind him that he doesn't really anymore.

Steals and ugly breaks. The Spurs used to be a really good fast break team. They just had two in a row that are just terrible. Both came away with points, however, which is important. Wait, no points, as Blair missed both freebies.

Looks like the Rockets are already relaxing. Do they think they've won the game? Running the clock out on inbounds. I guess they're in prevent mode with a 17 point lead.

Timmy still shows no ability to pass the ball to anyone. At least he's drawing fouls and can hit his free throws.

Finally. Scola called for over the back. He wasn't, but the Spurs got a call in their favor.

Duncan drawing whistles. Ride that train as long as possible. He hasn't gotten this kind of love from the zebras in years. Great screen by Duncan on that Parker layup.

Now suddenly the Rockets aren't showing the same confidence on their jumpers because the Spurs are penetrating. Spurs cut it to ten. Right as I type that Martin hits a three and Parker settles for a heat check jumper.

Pop made everyone at the press table laugh with the way he called a timeout. I wonder what he said. He didn't look cheerful about it.

Damn, I really wish Anderson would find his range. Actually, I wish he'd found it a couple of weeks ago.


Halftime

NBA showing great dunks, and they show the Lebron dunk "over" Timmy in 2007. What makes that dunk great is that it pissed Timmy off. Really not a good choice for James to hang that pic in his locker.

Third quarter


Another really nice spin move from the Black Hole Mamba (timmy). At least his legs are feeling good. Of course he starts out missing free throws.

Funny that Kawhi was rewarded with bench duty to start the third. Didn't seem like the first quarter was his fault, but apparently the coach doesn't agree with me.

Duncan's really racking up foul trouble for the Rockets and he's really active. Maybe he's feeling it tonight. Got hit again with no call but he hit the bucket. Parker's way too selfish on the fast break. Looks like the Spurs might have a chance to cut into this lead from the line because they're going to be in the bonus early.

Duncan makes a strong move and kicks it out, results in a Parker three off good ball movement.

You're not supposed to be able to jump into a defender to draw a foul, Danny Crawford.

If Gary Neal were Beno Udrih or Cory Joseph, he'd be demonized forever for that sequence where he turned the ball over twice in a row.

I'm really getting nostalgic now. It's 2006 Timmy with the lefty hook. Hard not to be excited about

Blair should teach the rest of the team how to tie up a man on the floor. DeJuan jumped on Scola with absolutely no regard for either man's safety. He's really taken the ass-whippings from Scola personally. He's not really contributing stats, but he's doing a job with Luis.

Wow, that was a quick decisive move by Timmy in the post. That move was lightning fast. Someone must have said "they're not going to double you, just go."

And now that he's made that move, they're actually doubling him.

Great touch pass by Anderson. Duncan blew the kitty. He's got everything else working though.

Great pickpocket by Bonner. If he'd gotten the dunk on that breakaway it would have been an all-time Spurs highlight.

Duncan goes SuperKobe one-on-nine in the post and scores. His defense in the paint has been just amazingly good as well. I don't think he's gotten a single block but he's intimidated a dozen shots.

Wow. Timmy. Wow.

Anderson just simply can't buy a break on offense so far but you can't tell from his energy level. That's why many of us like him so much. Now he hits a three, right on cue. Very glad for him.

And the momentum killed by a late whistle. The refs bought the flop. I love this game.

Whatever Duncan ate today, I hope they have more of it.

Good coaching, Pop. Tell the defender to back off the opponent within hearing range of opponent so opponent can drop a long three at the end of the quarter. Sigh.


Fourth Quarter


Great defense. Bonner's defense is really good when he's hustling and the other team isn't setting someone up to shoot over him. Bonner draws a whistle with a flop to say thanks. I wonder if the Spurs should aggressively double when guys try to take advantage of Matty in the post.

Bonner missed that three, but he was ready to pull the trigger long before the ball got to him and just shot it. That's a good sign. I'll take him shooting like that all the time.

As soon as I compliment Bonner's defense, he just falls asleep on a rotation and his man gets a wide open jumper.

Bonner tips in yet another rebound for the other team. He should just get into the fetal position when there are a lot of bodies so that he can do less damage.

Parker feeds Splitter, and something good happens. Spurs get over the mountain with plenty of time to go.

As good as Timmy's been , I'd prefer he get a chance to rest this game and actually suit up tomorrow. I think this team can hold the lead.

Don't exactly know why Parker fancies himself a great long range shooter when crunchtime comes around. He's not a great long range shooter. Fortunately he's pretty clutch to make up for it.

Danny Green can't argue that foul call on Martin, it was a foul. Tie game with 5 to go. I'm happy with that, particularly after the first quarter.

Parker Duncan 2 man game results in a 24 second violation with no shot attempt. Bad time for this to studdenly stop working. Good news, the Rockets are settling for jumpers, the bad news, they're hitting the jumpers. The jumpers are being defended so they might not keep going in.

Once again, Bonner was ready to pull the trigger in a close game and drew the foul rather than get run off the line. That's a good sign for him. Hits two of three free throws. Also a good sign.

Someone should tell Matty that he doesn't need to fight his teammates for rebounds.

Matty hits the three in a close game with a minute to go. He was ready for the shot. You just knew this shot was going to come up and I'm glad it did for him.

lol Bonner fighting Timmy for the rebound. He's truly feeling it. Glad Duncan didn't catch a bow for his trouble.

Say what you want about Popovich, but don't say he doesn't want this game. I was worried he was going to tackle Scott Foster trying for that timeout.


End of game

[Obstructed_View]

Bonner just proving his haters wrong per the usual. Now if only he can hit a couple more clutch shots..

Wow, the playoffs started last night? News to me.

[z0sa]

Wow, the playoffs started last night? News to me.

you (and everyone else) only bitch about him during the playoffs? news to me.

if he plays pick and roll defense and rebounds like he did last night, I dont' give a fuck if he never makes another three pointer.

[Budkin]

Bonner sucks... Bonner FTW!

[rmt]

Splitter with the least big man minutes again. Blair isn't going to get any taller and Bonner isn't going to man up in the playoffs. I just don't see why Pop is so enamored with Bonner/Blair. When I look at Splitter, I see size, upside and the ability to make the right play (take the shot or pass to the open team mate) - things Bonner and Blair don't have. Blair never passes out once he gets the ball and if Bonner isn't shooting, he shouldn't have the ball.

It's as Sean said last night - play inside-out, stop taking this long jump shots, give Splitter the ball in the post. He's got good position and calling for the ball and his team mates ignore him. Houston wasn't defending the paint last night so when TD sat, why not do continue the post play with Splitter? Hopefully, when Manu and TJ come back, one of them will pass him the ball, but I'm not holding my breath.

[LakerHater]

Pop A-

Shoulda had an A+ for his vertical!!

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

[therealtruth]

Splitter with the least big man minutes again. Blair isn't going to get any taller and Bonner isn't going to man up in the playoffs. I just don't see why Pop is so enamored with Bonner/Blair. When I look at Splitter, I see size, upside and the ability to make the right play (take the shot or pass to the open team mate) - things Bonner and Blair don't have. Blair never passes out once he gets the ball and if Bonner isn't shooting, he shouldn't have the ball.

It's as Sean said last night - play inside-out, stop taking this long jump shots, give Splitter the ball in the post. He's got good position and calling for the ball and his team mates ignore him. Houston wasn't defending the paint last night so when TD sat, why not do continue the post play with Splitter? Hopefully, when Manu and TJ come back, one of them will pass him the ball, but I'm not holding my breath.

Pop is trying to prove you can win without Splitter and by playing Bonner/Blair major minutes.

[benefactor]

Shoulda had an A+ for his vertical!!

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

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

Shoulda had an A+ for his vertical!!

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

:lol:lmao:lmao:lmao

[Obstructed_View]

you (and everyone else) only bitch about him during the playoffs? news to me.

if he plays pick and roll defense and rebounds like he did last night, I dont' give a fuck if he never makes another three pointer.

Welcome to Spurstalk. Matt Bonner fails in the playoffs. What he does in the regular season isn't really going to convince any of his "haters".

[angelbelow]

you (and everyone else) only bitch about him during the playoffs? news to me.

if he plays pick and roll defense and rebounds like he did last night, I dont' give a fuck if he never makes another three pointer.

We bitch when Bonner does a combination of missing open shots and giving poor effort on defense. Early in the season, (maybe 15 games or so) this was true. His shot was not falling with regularity and his effort on defense was unacceptable.

For the past several games now, Matt's either been on fire or giving good effort on defense. However, this was the case for the majority of the 2010-2011 regular season. You're right about the playoffs not starting today but that doesn't ease the thought of him choking in the playoffs again.

[Indazone]

Meanwhile, the Rockets still have a hole at Center. Either that or nobody is passing the ball into the post.

[Manufan909]

Meanwhile, the Rockets still have a hole at Center. Either that or nobody is passing the ball into the post.

I know you're probably talking mainly about offense, but do you think Dalembert has been a solid fit so far?