Pop needs to play his best damn players

[Nathan89]

-Ray Allen(37) is injured and played 46 minutes
-Manu(34) is healthy and played 24 minutes

-Wade(30) played 51 minutes
-Parker(30) played 38 minutes

Difference between KG and Timmy is marginal.

Yes, I know it was a overtime. You can subtract 5 minutes but our guys are capable of playing bigger minutes is the point.

I don't give a shit about our so called "depth". If they can't perform you have to realize you have play your proven vets bigger minutes.

[DMC]

Free Bonner tbh. 2 minutes?

[100%duncan]

Agree. What is it to save for? This is your last chance for a long time.

[HI-FI]

I understand why he is still monitoring their minutes, but it won't matter if our execution gets fucked up. eventually he's gonna have to let go and just go with who is locked in.

[TwelveGs210]

Free Bonner tbh. 2 minutes?

Not sure if serious

[DMC]

He does it because it's what got him there. You don't change your entire strategy suddenly and think you're going to be stronger. This squad is on final approach, any adjustments now better be slight else there's no time for recovery. If you cannot win with what got you there, fans will understand (as will ownership) but they will not understand or forgive knee jerk adjustments that appear to cost us the season after being successful this far in, and Pop isn't about to do sometihng radical. He might sub Blair instead of Splitter, but not in place of Bonner. Bonner either gets early minutes or he's done. If it's Blair/Splitter off the bench, then we are in for a long night of intentional fouling Splitter anytime he tries to shoot.

I also think a couple defensive 3 second calls are going to cost us. That's unless the Spurs go off early and bury the Thunder in points or vice versa.

[DMC]

Not sure if serious

How do you expect him to go off from downtown in just 2 minutes and 1 shot? We need to run the offense in such a way as to get Bonner open with the ball over and over.

[TwelveGs210]

How do you expect him to go off from downtown in just 2 minutes and 1 shot? We need to run the offense in such a way as to get Bonner open with the ball over and over.

Now sure not serious

[sananspursfan21]

Truth, this is it. Guess these guys need their energy to cast lines out (in july *crossed fingers*)

[TwelveGs210]

Can't wait til tomorrow night..Hope the crowd is crunk

[DAF86]

25 minutes for Manu is retarded.

[crc21209]

I agree. The Big 3 should be playing 35+ minutes each game for the rest of this series. Bonner- 0 minutes. And depending on how each player is doing, I would give Jax, Neal, Splitter/Blair/Diaw (whoever is playing better), and Kawhi the rest of the minutes. Green also needs to step it up if he wants to keep his minutes...

[Spursmania]

Yep, it's time for the rotation to be shortened and our go to players to play more minutes.

[100%duncan]

25 minutes for Manu is retarded.

This.

[TE]

How do you expect him to go off from downtown in just 2 minutes and 1 shot? We need to run the offense in such a way as to get Bonner open with the ball over and over.

I'd give up the ability to shoot a three, especially considering Bonner's lack of intestinal fortitude (gotta quote timvp for that descriptive label of deficiency), for more toughness and activity. Given the roster though, all we got is Blair to get those minutes. Bonner's ability to be a momentum shifter also has to go into account. In those 2 minutes he is capable of accomplishing a sequence of negative play on defense that usually results in a run for the opposing team, altogether snatching whatever momentum the Spurs previously had.


At this point, I'm more worried about Bonner's lack of ability do basic basketball things like play positional defense, getting back on defense, boxing out and moving his feet to gain that desired position.

[T Park]

I think the problem is, you risk really burning them out. Especially with the no day's off in between games.

[Sense]

Boston's not playing against the Thunder... they're playing the Heat ffs.

[DPG21920]

I wonder if that shows Pops confidence in his teams ability to beat this team. If he thinks he can be cute with minutes in order to look ahead, but that is extremly doubtful. The real reason is that he probably believes you get diminishing returns if you play them longer minutes which I don't disagree with.

[Nathan89]

I think the problem is, you risk really burning them out. Especially with the no day's off in between games.

There is a day off between all the games.

[Nathan89]

He does it because it's what got him there. You don't change your entire strategy suddenly and think you're going to be stronger. This squad is on final approach, any adjustments now better be slight else there's no time for recovery. If you cannot win with what got you there, fans will understand (as will ownership) but they will not understand or forgive knee jerk adjustments that appear to cost us the season after being successful this far in, and Pop isn't about to do sometihng radical. He might sub Blair instead of Splitter, but not in place of Bonner. Bonner either gets early minutes or he's done. If it's Blair/Splitter off the bench, then we are in for a long night of intentional fouling Splitter anytime he tries to shoot.

I also think a couple defensive 3 second calls are going to cost us. That's unless the Spurs go off early and bury the Thunder in points or vice versa.

Manu played 24 minutes. I'll take his productivity from minutes 24-35 over what Green is bringing to the table.

The same goes for Parker and Duncan just with different numbers.

I hope Pop isn't worried about what fans will and will not understand.

Increasing the minutes of your best players is hardly "knee jerk" imho. In fact it's seems like a logical strategy to take.

[PublicOption]

Pop may have to make Kawhi a primary option.....I think he's ready.

[therealtruth]

He does it because it's what got him there. You don't change your entire strategy suddenly and think you're going to be stronger. This squad is on final approach, any adjustments now better be slight else there's no time for recovery. If you cannot win with what got you there, fans will understand (as will ownership) but they will not understand or forgive knee jerk adjustments that appear to cost us the season after being successful this far in, and Pop isn't about to do sometihng radical. He might sub Blair instead of Splitter, but not in place of Bonner. Bonner either gets early minutes or he's done. If it's Blair/Splitter off the bench, then we are in for a long night of intentional fouling Splitter anytime he tries to shoot.

I also think a couple defensive 3 second calls are going to cost us. That's unless the Spurs go off early and bury the Thunder in points or vice versa.

That's the kind of thinking that causes teams to get backdoor swept in the playoffs. The Thunder changed their strategies and are playing like an entirely different team and it's working. Rick Carlisle changed his starting lineup and rotation and ended up winning the Finals against the favored Heat. The playoffs are about adjustments.

[baseline bum]

Boston's roster is shit outside of the big 3 + Rondo with Bradley done for the season. They really have no other option.

[Ice009]

I think the problem is, you risk really burning them out. Especially with the no day's off in between games.

No days off?????

One day off between games in plenty.

The only way this would be legit is if the Spurs were playing back to backs, otherwise there is no excuse.

[mingus]

At home the 10-man rotation works. Away not so much. Role players play better at home typically. Just look at what Perk and Ibaka did the last game.

The second quarters have fucked the Spurs. I think part of the reason is that Manu + 4 other bench players while Parker and Duncan get rest is not enough to get it done. IMO, the Spurs need two of their big three in the game in away games at all times other than maybe the last minute in a quarter. Having one playmaker on the floor really puts a lot of pressure on him to create with the defense having to focus on him.

[Russo21]

Pop is resting them for the playo... oh wait it is the fucken playoffs.

[mingus]

I was looking at the stats for the Spurs v. Hornets WCS series in '08. In game 7 of that series Pop played the Big 3 40+ minutes. I don't think we will see him pull that in game 5 because the 10-man rotation has faired well at home, but I can see him doing it in game 6.