the 8-man roster?

[TheSpurglar]

A lot of posters have been saying that this is the deepest team the Spurs have had since the '03 title. I tend to agree with that. A few posters have also been curbing expectation until they see a bit more of how the roster will align in the future as the Spurs approach the playoffs, and here's the way the playoff roster shook out for '03 along with the minutes they averaged per game throughout the postseason:

Tim Duncan - 42 :wow
Tony Parker - 34
Stephen Jackson - 34
Bruce Bowen - 31
Manu Ginobili - 27
David Robinson - 23
Malik Rose - 23
Speedy Claxton - 14

And the rest...

Steve Smith - 7
Danny Ferry - 6
Kevin Willis - 5
Steve Kerr - 5

So the question becomes, do you think Pop will settle on an 8-man roster? If not, how many get significant time? Who are they, in order of most minutes played to least...

[freetiago]

the worst player on our roster is better then all of the bottom 4 combined
they were just spot up shooters chasing rings on a contender

pop will go at least 10 deep
i see gary being the oddman out unless he needs the backup point and hopefully blair

[TJastal]

A lot of posters have been saying that this is the deepest team the Spurs have had since the '03 title. I tend to agree with that. A few posters have also been curbing expectation until they see a bit more of how the roster will align in the future as the Spurs approach the playoffs, and here's the way the playoff roster shook out for '03 along with the minutes they averaged per game throughout the postseason:

Tim Duncan - 42 :wow
Tony Parker - 34
Stephen Jackson - 34
Bruce Bowen - 31
Manu Ginobili - 27
David Robinson - 23
Malik Rose - 23
Speedy Claxton - 14

And the rest...

Steve Smith - 7
Danny Ferry - 6
Kevin Willis - 5
Steve Kerr - 5

So the question becomes, do you think Pop will settle on an 8-man roster? If not, how many get significant time? Who are they, in order of most minutes played to least...

Nah, the big 3 are too old to play that many minutes and survive through 4 hellish rounds of up to 7 games each.

With the depth on this roster, a full 10 man rotation wouldn't surprise me. This is what I would expect to see on a typical playoff game:

Parker 36
Duncan 32
Leonard 24
Green 24
Diaw 18

Manu 24
Splitter 24
Bonner 22
Neal/Mills 18
Jackson 18

= 240 total game minutes.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Pop will have to go at least 10 deep imo.

At this point its very hard to say what Pop's rotation will look like come playoffs.

[TheSkeptic]

Nah, the big 3 are too old to play that many minutes and survive through 4 hellish rounds of up to 7 games each.

With the depth on this roster, a full 10 man rotation wouldn't surprise me. This is what I would expect to see on a typical playoff game:

Parker 36
Duncan 32
Leonard 24
Green 24
Diaw 18

Manu 24
Splitter 24
Bonner 22
Neal/Mills 18
Jackson 18

= 240 total game minutes.

Yeah that's kind of what I'm expecting and also the reason why I'm really not sure about our chances here. You can't win it all with Bonner playing that much in important games. Like the guy but that's just not going to get it done.

[housious]

Nah, the big 3 are too old to play that many minutes and survive through 4 hellish rounds of up to 7 games each.

With the depth on this roster, a full 10 man rotation wouldn't surprise me. This is what I would expect to see on a typical playoff game:

Parker 36
Duncan 32
Leonard 24
Green 24
Diaw 18

Manu 24
Splitter 24
Bonner 22
Neal/Mills 18
Jackson 18

= 240 total game minutes.

Bonner getting more minutes than Jack would be a fucking travesty. I know Green and Leonard are playing well, but Jack needs to see the bulk of the minutes on the wing if this team expects to win in the playoffs.

[TJastal]

Bonner getting more minutes than Jack would be a fucking travesty. I know Green and Leonard are playing well, but Jack needs to see the bulk of the minutes on the wing if this team expects to win in the playoffs.

Well I guess Jack's minutes would be most likely to fluctuate based on matchups, if Pop wants to play smaller, then we'd see more Jack and less Bonner.

On a typical night however I just figured the Bonner/Tiago tandem would remain somewhat intact since it has shown to be effective this year. Jack can still play as the 3 in this lineup. With Neal, Jack, & Bonner Splitter would have the entire paint all to himself to work with and a bevy of open guys to kick out to.

[TheSkeptic]

Bonner getting more minutes than Jack would be a fucking travesty. I know Green and Leonard are playing well, but Jack needs to see the bulk of the minutes on the wing if this team expects to win in the playoffs.

Exactly, but sadly this distribution of minutes is definitely plausible.

I think Bonner is Pop's major weakness right now. That and playing excessive small ball. If he doesn't adjust quickly when line-ups and players aren't working we're not getting beyond the semis imo.

The pieces are there to do damage though.

[housious]

Well I guess Jack's minutes would be most likely to fluctuate based on matchups, if Pop wants to play smaller, then we'd see more Jack and less Bonner.

On a typical night however I just figured the Bonner/Tiago tandem would remain somewhat intact since it has shown to be effective this year. Jack can still play as the 3 in this lineup. With Neal, Jack, & Bonner Splitter would have the entire paint all to himself to work with and a bevy of open guys to kick out to.

I'm sorry but how does Bonner equate to a "bigger" lineup than one with Jack in it? I'd rather have Jack guard any 3 or 4 in the league over Bonner, not to mention the fact that Bonner has consistently proven his inability to hit 3's in the playoffs.

[Bruno]

I think Pop will start the playoffs with a 10 man rotation and then reduce it to 8 or 9 players if some players struggle.

My guess:
starting lineup: Parker/Green/Jackson/Diaw/Duncan.
bench: Neal/Ginobili/Leonard/Bonner/Splitter.

[TheSkeptic]

I'm sorry but how does Bonner equate to a "bigger" lineup than one with Jack in it? I'd rather have Jack guard any 3 or 4 in the league over Bonner, not to mention the fact that Bonner has consistently proven his inability to hit 3's in the playoffs.

That just needed repeating tbh.

[TJastal]

I think Pop will start the playoffs with a 10 man rotation and then reduce it to 8 or 9 players if some players struggle.

My guess:
starting lineup: Parker/Green/Jackson/Diaw/Duncan.
bench: Neal/Ginobili/Leonard/Bonner/Splitter.

The way Green has been playing lately (offensively) I would almost say Jackson's offense isn't needed in the starting lineup, and also I would feel safer knowing Leonard will be assigned the duty of shutting down the opposing teams' best perimeter player from the outset so he can put the damper on their night before they get into any sort of rhythym.

And despite the inexperience factor, I'm still leaning more toward a Green/Leonard pairing with the experienced Manu/Jack tandem playing off the bench. And just looking at things as they stand currently, Parker needs less help on the offensive side of things (than Manu), and it's never a bad idea to put more defense into the starting lineup (esp since no Splitter).

This is pretty much a similar argument I made a month ago about having Jefferson come off the bench instead of starting.

[TJastal]

I'm sorry but how does Bonner equate to a "bigger" lineup than one with Jack in it? I'd rather have Jack guard any 3 or 4 in the league over Bonner, not to mention the fact that Bonner has consistently proven his inability to hit 3's in the playoffs.

I'm not so sure Jack's skinny frame will handle the more powerful 4's in the league, at least Bonner has some girth to throw around, Jackson is a toothpick who is going to end up getting pushed right out of the way for offensive rebounds.

[HazeGray]

what an awesome stretch towards the playoffs.

10 deep tops ... with blair and diaw competing for starters minutes (duncan/splitter together is just not going to happen unless it's a reaction to a matchup)

correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't blair started every game so far? he potentially could find himself pushed to the end of the bench regulated to possibly situational or garbage minutes? (and i'm having trouble thinking of when he could provide a situational advantage)

still somewhat early in this playoff rotation process
3 key questions
1) will pop play leonard significant minutes ignoring that whole rookie trust impulse thing he tends to do
2) can neal handle the point, knowing that the scouting report is going to dictate that he gets trapped coming up the court or can ginobili handle the point allowing him to shuffle to the 2 guard
3) blair or diaw .... if diaw, wonder how blair will take the demotion

first 4 minutes of the game (with minutes played)
Parker (38), Green (20), Leonard (26), Duncan (32), Blair/Diaw (18)

Ginobili (28), Splitter (24), Jackson (26), Neal (16), Bonner (12)

final 4 minutes
Parker, Ginobili, Leonard, Jackson, Duncan
* Neal a complete MUST for a final shot situation.

[roycrikside]

I think Manu would get a lot closer to 32 minutes than 24. I'd say about 30, to be safe.

My dream rotation would be:

Duncan: 32
Diaw: 18
Leonard: 26
Green: 24
Parker: 34

Splitter: 20
Bonner: 16
Jackson: 20
Ginobili: 30
Neal: 20

[roycrikside]

* Neal a complete MUST for a final shot situation.<<

The thing about the final shot thing with Neal is it could only be on sideline out of bounds plays or offense/defense substitutions after time outs/fouls/free throws.

You don't want him on defense in a meaningful situation at the end because he's a liability at that end.

[TJastal]

I'll add that Blair could still play an important role against physical teams (like the grizz for instance) for when both Jack and Bonner are getting overpowered physically in the paint, this is where Blair could still possibly help out.

[therealtruth]

The way Green has been playing lately (offensively) I would almost say Jackson's offense isn't needed in the starting lineup, and also I would feel safer knowing Leonard will be assigned the duty of shutting down the opposing teams' best perimeter player from the outset so he can put the damper on their night before they get into any sort of rhythym.

And despite the inexperience factor, I'm still leaning more toward a Green/Leonard pairing with the experienced Manu/Jack tandem playing off the bench. And just looking at things as they stand currently, Parker needs less help on the offensive side of things (than Manu), and it's never a bad idea to put more defense into the starting lineup (esp since no Splitter).

This is pretty much a similar argument I made a month ago about having Jefferson come off the bench instead of starting.

Experience will make a difference. Manu will have to start. Pop has said he plans to anyway. Remember what happened to George Hill against Nash in '10? Starting Parker earlier would have probably made a huge difference.

[HazeGray]

you're right big time. didn't feel the need to state the obvious.

* a must for our final shot *

[TJastal]

Experience will make a difference. Manu will have to start. Pop has said he plans to anyway. Remember what happened to George Hill against Nash in '10? Starting Parker earlier would have probably made a huge difference.

I get your point on the experience factor being bigger in the playoffs. But as things stand now the team is a legit 10 deep and is playing better basketball with Tony & Manu apart, and leading each of their 5-man units.

I'm not so sure Manu will be reinserted back in the starting lineup, in fact I would bet against it, I think Pop has seen the same thing I have.

[housious]

I'm not so sure Jack's skinny frame will handle the more powerful 4's in the league, at least Bonner has some girth to throw around, Jackson is a toothpick who is going to end up getting pushed right out of the way for offensive rebounds.

Are you kidding me? Please point to ONE GAME where Bonner has played good defense on a 4.

After that, please refer to ONE good playoff game that Bonner has had.

He does not deserve to be in a playoff rotation, no questions asked. Pop is a dumbass if he even considers Bonner in the top 9-10 in the playoff rotation.

[therealtruth]

Pop will have to go at least 10 deep imo.

At this point its very hard to say what Pop's rotation will look like come playoffs.

You don't see teams get away with that too much in the playoffs.

[TDMVPDPOY]

bonner and blair will not play much if pop goes small ball

neal, green and whatever backup pg will see there minutes decreased...baring any injuries and mismatches, if neal isnt on fire, he offers nothing on the court when we have other ballhandlers on the court

[8FOR!3]

You've got to go 10 deep with our team. If your advantage is depth, you have to use it.

And to whoever said Neal has to be taking the big three balls at the end of the game, I wouldn't mind him doing it. But I don't think it's a must, and I'd like to think Ginobili and Jax would agree with me.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i doubt pop is going to give mills plenty pt in the playoffs...he be lucky to be playin in any series

[mudyez]

usualy an 8-man-rotation is great and the way to go, but thats just not the way these spurs work...there will be situations that we need Bonners spacing...others with Diaws playmaking and then again others with Blairs energie a need.
Kind of the same with Jackson, Kawhi and Green (and probably Neal)...while they dont have as different skillsets, you just run with the hot hand and thats it!

Parker36 - Jackson22 - Leonard22 - Duncan32 - Splitter22
Ginobili30 - Neal22 - Green22 - Diaw10 - Bonner10 - Blair10

[Biggems]

let us do it like this.....everyone gets 20 minutes.....we go 12 deep....

ok this is done in jest, but imagine if we could get away with doing this....hehehe

[Solid D]

The last championship the Spurs won, Pop gave double-figure minutes to 10 players in the playoffs. That was rare but it worked because the Spurs got great contributions from Horry, Barry, Finley, Elson and Vaughn. The only 2 players who averaged less than 10 min./game were Bonner and Udrih.

This year's team is very deep so it wouldn't be unreasonable to see a rotation of 10 again as long as the Spurs are winning.

[Nathan89]

Parker 36
Duncan 34
Leonard 30
Green 16
Diaw 18

Manu 26
Splitter 20
Bonner 20
Neal 16
Jackson 24

[Borosai]

Tolliver :lol