Is Pop about to trim down the rotation?

[timvp]

Pop in an interview before the Suns game: "We want some people to start to feel more comfortable on the court. The guys off the bench have played a lot of minutes this year -- and it has served us well. But we need to start getting closer to a playoff-style rotation so we know where we are going to be and how we are going to play when that time comes."




Interesting. This may be the end to Pop's 12-man rotation ... and I agree that it's time to trim the rotation to nine or ten players who each have a consistent role.

The main questions will be:

1) Who is the backup point guard? This probably won't be answered immediately since Gary Neal is hobbled.

2) Will Pop use a fourth bigman regularly or will he ride his three main bigs while filling in the rest of the minutes with small ball?

3) How big will Jack's role be? It wouldn't be too surprising for Jack to play anywhere from spot minutes to mid-20s.

4) Is Manu going to play more? He's averaging just 23.2 minutes per game. Come the playoffs, he needs to be playing as much as possible.

[RD2191]

in your opinion, what should the rotation look like?

[elemento]

Indeed very interesting

1 - We still don't know, not even Pop knows. I still think he will play Neal though. Neal will only be taken out of the rotation if he sucks A LOT in the playoffs, like Green in the OKC series.

2 - I hope we go with Tim/Splitter/Diaw and some small-ball with Jack. No Blair and Bonner hopefully.

3 - Jack will probably see the most minutes outside the starting 5 + Manu.

4 - Manu has to play more and will play more.

[spurraider21]

Ideally Nando would be the backup point guard, since he plays most like a true point guard, but I'd imagine Pop to ride the Neal-Manu backcourt like he did last year.

[DesignatedT]

I think as we continue to get closer to the playoffs it will look more like what we saw in the beginning of the season. Where both Bonner and Blair were pretty much on the bench the whole time. Only real question mark is the backup PG but I think Pop sticks with Neal.

Tony/Neal
Green/Manu
Leonard/Jack
Duncan/Diaw/Jack
Splitter/Diaw/Bonner


I don't expect Pop to ride Duncan and Manu too hard down the stretch though.

[Brunodf]

Playoff rotation should be : Starting 5+Diaw/Manu/Jack

[jestersmash]

I want Neal to be part of a reserve pool of players who Pop can look to in case some of our other guards have trouble shooting the ball in any given game. If Danny Green starts off 1-7 from the field, give Neal a go in the second half, for example. Maybe throw Bonner into the mix (sparingly).

[superbigtime]

Awesome to hear Pop say that. Except it sounds like big thunda from daown unda will not sniff the court. Hopefully fewer odd small lineups.

Really, they seem to be pushing Nando for backup PG, he gets regular play at the position. He shows some flashes of excellence and seems competence but sure would like to see better shooting from him. I think Neal just may be more effective with less minutes, give his minutes to Manu. And Jack, we all want to see him play more, but only if he's playing well. Even so, his moxy and mofo warrant minutes.

[playblair]

welcome to the playoff rotation blair .................

[jesterbobman]

Starting 5 + Manu and Diaw should be main guys.

S Jax will obviously play as a Small ball 4 and back up SG, and one backup PG option will play(At this point, Mills seem like the best option)

[timtonymanu]

Interesting that Blair gets the 4th big duties today considering Bonner was in that spot the whole RRT.

[hooperflash]

lol playblair is such a obvi troll, the periods give it away bro .........

[cd021]

Playoff Minutes

Parker-35 mpg /De Colo-13 mpg

Green-25-27mpg/Manu-21-23 mpg

Leonard-27 mpg/Jackson 12 mpg/Manu 7 mpg

Duncan-33 mpg/Jackson-7 mpg

Splitter-30 mpg/Diaw-18 mpg

I don't think Neal will be a regular in the playoff rotation. He will essentially be a change of pace player like Mills. Green has cemented his minutes in the playoff rotation. Anything below 25 minutes per game would be surprising. Jackson playing something like 20 back-loaded minutes sounds about right. He usually doesn't even play in the 1st quarter anymore.5 minutes in the second and have him play 15 of the final 24 minutes in the second half.

Manu has seemingly been playing SF more of late (when healthy) whenever Parker and Neal are with him he plays the 3 and does the same with Parker and Green are on the floor at the same time.

[TD 21]

So much for that . . . still playing mad scientist.

1. Neal will be given first crack in the playoffs, but I don't think the leash will be overly long.

2. He'll use three bigs regularly.

3. As small as they can get away with. Clearly, the more Leonard plays and the more they can get away with Green at SF, the better.

4. He is. I don't think it was ever their intent for him to play as little as he has the past two seasons, it's just that every time he works his way back into game shape/rhythm, he's injured again. Closer to 28 is probably the ideal regular season minutes.

[Boomersgold]

De Colo was only given the backup point guard job when Manu was out due to injury. If Manu's healthy, it's usually Neal or Mills that will get a go. Has De Colo really shown us that he can consistently mesh well in a backup lineup that includes Manu?

[Splits]

De Colo was only given the backup point guard job when Manu was out due to injury. If Manu's healthy, it's usually Neal or Mills that will get a go. Has De Colo really shown us that he can consistently mesh well in a backup lineup that includes Manu?

Manu can't even make a free throw to seal a game. He's done. Give the youth a chance. Manu is garbage.

[playbonner15]

Interesting that Blair gets the 4th big duties today considering Bonner was in that spot the whole RRT.

Bonner should be the 3rd big for the spacing and extra hustle tbh.

[Texas_Ranger]

no

[Obstructed_View]

Playing shitty teams like the Suns, Pop's going to be giving everyone a chance to contribute. There's plenty of time to get the rotation shortened and ready for a playoff run. For now, it's not the end of the world sacrificing a few games to see if someone wants to step up.

[Pop]

Playing shitty teams like the Suns, Pop's going to be giving everyone a chance to contribute. There's plenty of time to get the rotation shortened and ready for a playoff run. For now, it's not the end of the world sacrificing a few games to see if someone wants to step up.

Not really.

[Pop]

Manu can't even make a free throw to seal a game. He's done. Give the youth a chance. Manu is garbage.

Well even a tosb Manu is way better than a Danny Green so that's that.

[Obstructed_View]

Not really.

This next stretch against the little sisters of the poor isn't going to make or break the team if it means someone gets a chance to establish themselves and contribute. Auditions for the playoff rotation are the next three or four games, and everybody knows it. Too bad CJ isn't in town.

[ChumpDumper]

This next stretch against the little sisters of the poor isn't going to make or break the team if it means someone gets a chance to establish themselves and contribute. Auditions for the playoff rotation are the next three or four games, and everybody knows it. Too bad CJ isn't in town.Good timing. I don't know how the rotation is supposed to be trimmed right now with all the injuries.

[Obstructed_View]

Good timing. I don't know how the rotation is supposed to be trimmed right now with all the injuries.

:lol Yeah, I looked at the threads in the wrong order. Agreed on the second part. It's hard to settle into a rotation when you don't have everyone ready to go. Manu and Duncan probably have another week before Pop starts to put the pedal down, minutes-wise. We can consider this audition week.

[TD 21]

This next stretch against the little sisters of the poor isn't going to make or break the team if it means someone gets a chance to establish themselves and contribute. Auditions for the playoff rotation are the next three or four games, and everybody knows it. Too bad CJ isn't in town.

I can't believe how many are still fooled into thinking there's an audition ongoing. He's just messing around, like always. Manically managing certain guys minutes, trying to get other guys more experience, etc. The instant he settled on Splitter as a starter and as roughly a 30 mpg player, it was settled. It'll be a nine man rotation, with Neal have a tenuous hold on his spot.

Unfortunately, Jackson has a spot by default, since they thought it would be fun to not have a third true SF, even though he showed signs of being done last season, clearly isn't as focused/hungry as he once was and James/Durant stand between them and a championship.

[Pop]

I can't believe how many are still fooled into thinking there's an audition ongoing. He's just messing around, like always. Manically managing certain guys minutes, trying to get other guys more experience, etc. The instant he settled on Splitter as a starter and as roughly a 30 mpg player, it was settled. It'll be a nine man rotation, with Neal have a tenuous hold on his spot.

Unfortunately, Jackson has a spot by default, since they thought it would be fun to not have a third true SF, even though he showed signs of being done last season, clearly isn't as focused/hungry as he once was and James/Durant stand between them and a championship.

That's why not doing Blair for Casspi was mind blogging, it was such an obvious move... But :pop: won't let his beloved turd towers go to another team...

[Obstructed_View]

I can't believe how many are still fooled into thinking there's an audition ongoing. He's just messing around, like always. Manically managing certain guys minutes, trying to get other guys more experience, etc. The instant he settled on Splitter as a starter and as roughly a 30 mpg player, it was settled. It'll be a nine man rotation, with Neal have a tenuous hold on his spot.

Unfortunately, Jackson has a spot by default, since they thought it would be fun to not have a third true SF, even though he showed signs of being done last season, clearly isn't as focused/hungry as he once was and James/Durant stand between them and a championship.

I can't believe what a fool you are thinking the backup point guard position is set. The first person to step up and take over the backup point spot gets it, even if it's Joseph. Neal's been the backup by default because he could hit shots. Now that he's not hitting shots, it's anyone's race. Blair and Bonner are likely given a chance to make sure Boris shows up when it matters, but having them ready in case of injury is valuable. Jack gets a spot because he was the only one who didn't seem intimidated by the moment against OKC last year when the rest of the team was flailing.

[TD 21]

I can't believe what a fool you are thinking the backup point guard position is set. The first person to step up and take over the backup point spot gets it, even if it's Joseph. Neal's been the backup by default because he could hit shots. Now that he's not hitting shots, it's anyone's race. Blair and Bonner are likely given a chance to make sure Boris shows up when it matters, but having them ready in case of injury is valuable. Jack gets a spot because he was the only one who didn't seem intimidated by the moment against OKC last year when the rest of the team was flailing.

It is. Even through all Neal's struggles, the rare times they've been healthy on the wings, he's stuck with him as the primary backup PG. The reality is, if he were going to make a permanent change, he'd have done it by now. De Colo and Mills aren't going to miraculously transform overnight into rotation players on a team with serious championship aspirations. He knows this and that's why a lot of the time, he can't even stick with one as the primary backup in the same game.

But as I said, Neal has a tenuous hold unless he starts looking like the Neal of old before the playoffs. Either way, he's being given first crack.

[Slippy]

For the remaining part of the season atleast, Pop's not doing Patty any favours by playing him as the backup pg with no playmakers beside him. The second quarter for around 5mins of the suns game Pop threw Patty into the fire and the results were disappointing but not surprising. All it would of done is hurt his confidence.

That's if he serious about players getting confortable going into the play-offs.

[007nites]

I don't think we need a backup point. Manu should just run point for the second unit and Neal should just play SG on the offensive side.

[Mal]

PG Parker 35, Manu 5, Neal 8
SG Green 22, Manu 21, Neal 5
SF Leonard 33, Jax 15
PF Duncan 25, Diaw 15, Jax 8
C Splitter 30, Duncan 8, Diaw 10

Parker 35
Duncan 33
Leonard 33
Splitter 30
Manu 26
Diaw 25
Jax 23
Green 23
Neal 13

[polandprzem]

PG Parker 35, Manu 5, Neal 8
SG Green 22, Manu 21, Neal 5
SF Leonard 33, Jax 15
PF Duncan 25, Diaw 15, Jax 8
C Splitter 30, Duncan 8, Diaw 10

Parker 35
Duncan 33
Leonard 33
Splitter 30
Manu 26
Diaw 25
Jax 23
Green 23
Neal 13

This minutes are not right