Neal vs De Colo vs Mills?

[keywester]

Eventually Pop has to decide which of these three makes the team. The spurs only need two of them at the most. Each brings some value but, not the whole package. Neal can hit the big one....De Colo despite his stats could become a true PG....Millls equals fast points and he has experience way beyond his years. I believe any of these three could be a true back up on more than half of the NBA teams.

I'm somewhat slanted in my opinion and favor Mills. I admit to being an alum of SMC, Patty's college. What's your thoughts?

[TDMVPDPOY]

alum of SMC? as in suck my c0ck?

[spurraider21]

Neal comes off the bench and is best suited along a ball handler like TP or Manu. Same story with mills, but I think Neal is more trusted and will hold this role once he returns. NDC is the third ball handler behind tp and Manu. Mills is end of the bench energy guy that has a bigger role when Neal is out

[keywester]

alum of SMC? as in suck my c0ck?

Thanks

[TDMVPDPOY]

i think mills can overtake neal in the rotation

remember when tj ford was on the team, even with his limited offensive game, he was still the favored backup pg and if he was still playin today he probably be ahead of neal in the backup pg minutes rotation..

gary neal is a roger mason clone who has no business handling pg duties which takes his game away from running around picks for the pick and pop....

[Spurs da champs]

Mills IMO is situational at best, Neal shouldn't be playing & De Colo should be the back up, he is the only other PG on the team besides Tony afterall.

[capek]

Well, we've now had a chance to observe how De Colo plays with Manu as the first guards off the bench. Unfortunately, the early results aren't looking promising (for reasons Timvp eloquently laid out in his diary post <3 ). It really is vexing. De Colo has shown enough that I want to see him get a real chance at the back up PG spot (like a 10 game trial for example). Neal being out has allowed him to get two games, but as we've seen, it's tough to have Manu in the game, considering how we'll he's played lately, and not want the ball in his hands a large majority of the plays. And De Colo is just not very good on offense if the ball isn't in his hands. So bringing them in at the same time cancels out the one thing that De Colo legitimately does well.

IMO I think Pop might be doing one of his wizard player development jobs on Mills, and more importantly it might be working. As I remember it, last year Mills wasn't necessarily instant offense. I remember him needing a couple shots to really get his stroke, and that he mainly did it in garbage time or weird fluke (big 3 rest) games. But the last week + Mill has come in late in games, hit his first shot a couple times, and seems to be stepping into that mold of the instant offense guy, who's brought in mainly late game to be a "closer" of sorts. But if he's able to be as effective on defense as he was against the Rockets on something like a consistent basis, I could see him cutting into Neal's minutes.

Otherwise, Neal is simple more proven that either De Colo or Mills. They're all role players with their own specific limitations, but unless De Colo or Mills really steps up in the next few games, Neal will, and should, supplant them both when he comes back.

[Boomersgold]

Well, we've now had a chance to observe how De Colo plays with Manu as the first guards off the bench. Unfortunately, the early results aren't looking promising (for reasons Timvp eloquently laid out in his diary post <3 ). It really is vexing. De Colo has shown enough that I want to see him get a real chance at the back up PG spot (like a 10 game trial for example). Neal being out has allowed him to get two games, but as we've seen, it's tough to have Manu in the game, considering how we'll he's played lately, and not want the ball in his hands a large majority of the plays. And De Colo is just not very good on offense if the ball isn't in his hands. So bringing them in at the same time cancels out the one thing that De Colo legitimately does well.

IMO I think Pop might be doing one of his wizard player development jobs on Mills, and more importantly it might be working. As I remember it, last year Mills wasn't necessarily instant offense. I remember him needing a couple shots to really get his stroke, and that he mainly did it in garbage time or weird fluke (big 3 rest) games. But the last week + Mill has come in late in games, hit his first shot a couple times, and seems to be stepping into that mold of the instant offense guy, who's brought in mainly late game to be a "closer" of sorts. But if he's able to be as effective on defense as he was against the Rockets on something like a consistent basis, I could see him cutting into Neal's minutes.

Otherwise, Neal is simple more proven that either De Colo or Mills. They're all role players with their own specific limitations, but unless De Colo or Mills really steps up in the next few games, Neal will, and should, supplant them both when he comes back.

Last season, Mills averaged 10.3 points in 16 minutes of playing time. I don't remember if it was instant offense, but that's A LOT of offense for the minutes he was afforded. Pop also put Mills in the regular rotation, regularly switching between Neal and Mills until the playoffs where Pop decided to go with Neal, who was more proven for the Spurs. I blame Pop's shortening of the rotation during the playoffs for the Spurs eventual exit. Mills by himself isn't anywhere as good as DC, but pairing him with Ginobili seems to work much better than having DC playing the backup pg. He's also shooting at 50% from the field, 47% from the three point line and has a 60+% TS, which is the highest of the three guards.

I've never been a De Colo fan due to his abysmal performance at the international level (with Parker, Diaw and the rest of the French National team), so I've always been critical of his mistakes, but it's not that hard to see that he plays the pick and roll game very well and is a pass-first point guard. One thing that I don't like is that he almost always looks to get it inside to the big man, therefore ignoring the wing players who are at times wide open at the three point line. Playing him with Ginobili isn't going to work very well as it would force De Colo to be a spot up shooter, seeing as Ginobili plays the playmaker. As timvp's pointed out, that's not DC's game, and if this continues, I don't see there being much effectiveness when De Colo's on the court. DC needs the ball in his hand if he's to be effective.

As for Neal, we know he's a proven scorer, albeit a streaky one. He's shooting at 43% from the field and 36% from the three point line, career lows for him. He's also extremely slow and has mediocre dribbling abilities. I think he's best used as a scoring guard off the bench as that would allow him to do what he's most comfortable with, which is to shoot the ball! Pop will still use him as the backup pg when he gets back, but I don't see him being in that position in the long run. Expect DC or Mills to overtake him in rotation in the near future.

[DapDaGenius]

I like Mills the most out of the 3, but like someone else said, Neal is best suited along side a ball handler. Not too sure about De Colo, but I feel like if Mills was given the chance to be the lead PG(after TP is gone, or if he gets injured or something), I think Mills would be the best to fill Tony's shoes...after seeing Mills in the Olympics, I think we can expect him to perform somewhat like that in the NBA when given the lead PG role(maybe not instantly, but given time to adjust to the role).

[superbigtime]

De Colo can't score and really has no purpose playing with Manu. He's the best ball handler of the three. Between the other two, play them both, Neal at the end of quarters. I'm a Neal fan, but with extended minutes, it's diminishing returns. Overplaying any of these three is diminishing returns.

[capek]

I like Mills the most out of the 3, but like someone else said, Neal is best suited along side a ball handler. Not too sure about De Colo, but I feel like if Mills was given the chance to be the lead PG(after TP is gone, or if he gets injured or something), I think Mills would be the best to fill Tony's shoes...after seeing Mills in the Olympics, I think we can expect him to perform somewhat like that in the NBA when given the lead PG role(maybe not instantly, but given time to adjust to the role).

Ya I don't know about that. Mills got a chance to be a 4 quarter player who runs the show when he's in, he auditioned for that role at the beginning of the season, and he played pretty poorly. Judging by that trial run early on, Mills is not good enough to run the team at present. But going by the last few games, he can be great as an instant offense guy to bring in in the middle of the 3rd or start of the 4th.

I'm just thinking that if the Spurs can find a way for a player like Mills to play as a potentially game changing role player (instant offense in 3rd/4th) but do so in limited minutes, well that would be ideal, wouldn't it? We already have 3 guards that I feel are more proven (Manu[obviously], Neal, De Colo). So I feel Mills could be something in the mold of a JJ Barea, a legitimate change of pace guard that we hold in our back pocket until the second half, and then let loose to nip at the heals of the other team. Hit a few open shots, depending upon the competition maybe get a few steals. But I just don't trust him to run the show. And it looks like Pop has possibly moved on from considering him for that job.

[Bruno]

At SG, Neal is the best of the three and it's not even close. Neal is a quality SG that would get a lot of minutes with the vast majority of NBA teams. It really sucks for him that Spurs are so deep at that spot with Green and Ginobili.

At PG, it's more complicate and I'm not really sold on one of them. Neal is right now the designated backup PG but if he is as bad defensively against PG as last season, Pop will have to try a new player.

[Paranoid Pop]

I think a combo of De Colo and Green could be awesome. You can switch the defense to have a good defensive combination overall with good size, Green is a good spot up shooter so he wouldn't take the ball out of the hands of De Colo like Manu does...

Mills and Neal are better with Manu but I wouldn't trust any of these combos vs a Bledsoe, none one of them including Manu has the handles to bring the ball up the court.

I'd go with TP Manu and De Colo Green.

Trade Neal, make Mills the change of pace sub or whatever you want to call it.

[exstatic]

Eventually Pop has to decide which of these three makes the team. The spurs only need two of them at the most. Each brings some value but, not the whole package. Neal can hit the big one....De Colo despite his stats could become a true PG....Millls equals fast points and he has experience way beyond his years. I believe any of these three could be a true back up on more than half of the NBA teams.

I'm somewhat slanted in my opinion and favor Mills. I admit to being an alum of SMC, Patty's college. What's your thoughts?

Makes the team? What planet are you from? They've all "made the team".

[therealtruth]

I think a combo of De Colo and Green could be awesome. You can switch the defense to have a good defensive combination overall with good size, Green is a good spot up shooter so he wouldn't take the ball out of the hands of De Colo like Manu does...

Mills and Neal are better with Manu but I wouldn't trust any of these combos vs a Bledsoe, none one of them including Manu has the handles to bring the ball up the court.

I'd go with TP Manu and De Colo Green.

Trade Neal, make Mills the change of pace sub or whatever you want to call it.

I agree. I would rather Pop start Manu since he's harder to gameplan against. You know teams are going to force Green to beat them in the playoffs and I am not sure he's ready for the challenge.

[lmbebo]

wish we could just put all there skills, talent into 1 player.

[DapDaGenius]

Ya I don't know about that. Mills got a chance to be a 4 quarter player who runs the show when he's in, he auditioned for that role at the beginning of the season, and he played pretty poorly. Judging by that trial run early on, Mills is not good enough to run the team at present. But going by the last few games, he can be great as an instant offense guy to bring in in the middle of the 3rd or start of the 4th.

I'm just thinking that if the Spurs can find a way for a player like Mills to play as a potentially game changing role player (instant offense in 3rd/4th) but do so in limited minutes, well that would be ideal, wouldn't it? We already have 3 guards that I feel are more proven (Manu[obviously], Neal, De Colo). So I feel Mills could be something in the mold of a JJ Barea, a legitimate change of pace guard that we hold in our back pocket until the second half, and then let loose to nip at the heals of the other team. Hit a few open shots, depending upon the competition maybe get a few steals. But I just don't trust him to run the show. And it looks like Pop has possibly moved on from considering him for that job.

I definitely wouldn't say De Colo is more proven than anyone at either guard position on the team, as of right now. Seeing what Mills has the potential to do(displayed in the Olympics), given the lead role(and some time to adjust more than likely) I think he'd be a really good lead PG. Maybe Mills is more suited for a more athletic fast paced("monkeyball" as some would say) based team than a team that relies more on fundamentals. Maybe, on a team like that he could reach his full potential. Also I don't think Pop has given up on him for that job.

[99 Problems]

Eventually Pop has to decide which of these three makes the team. The spurs only need two of them at the most. Each brings some value but, not the whole package. Neal can hit the big one....De Colo despite his stats could become a true PG....Millls equals fast points and he has experience way beyond his years. I believe any of these three could be a true back up on more than half of the NBA teams.

I'm somewhat slanted in my opinion and favor Mills. I admit to being an alum of SMC, Patty's college. What's your thoughts?


Like ya big PG at SMC, Delladevova, excellent vision, assist machine, I'm not concerned about athleticism as he is a pass first PG who can actually run the off'. Back on topic, just when one of these guys shows something they regress next game at the pg. Mills is a ridiculously good shooter when not running the point and if he shows that game changing 3rd or 4th Q burst throughout the season he might actually get some offers in June if he becomes an F/A. NDC, well he can pass and just needs time to adjust and grow. Gary, well Pop gives him all the odd jobs. Most likely we contend this season w/o a true backup pg.

[therealtruth]

wish we could just put all there skills, talent into 1 player.

Well you can always acquire a jumpshot but passing is one thing that players tend to be good or bad at.

[keywester]

Like ya big PG at SMC, Delladevova, excellent vision, assist machine, I'm not concerned about athleticism as he is a pass first PG who can actually run the off'. Back on topic, just when one of these guys shows something they regress next game at the pg. Mills is a ridiculously good shooter when not running the point and if he shows that game changing 3rd or 4th Q burst throughout the season he might actually get some offers in June if he becomes an F/A. NDC, well he can pass and just needs time to adjust and grow. Gary, well Pop gives him all the odd jobs. Most likely we contend this season w/o a true backup pg.

Agree about Delly...Great vision for a big rugged PG. Hate to say it but, Delly is much better than Patty as a PG and he would fit Pop's system. I bet the Spurs will look at him next year during the draft. Too bad SMC will have a down year due to the lack of good bigs. Looks like Gonzaga will finally regain the dominance of the WCC.