Quick Grades: Spurs @ Grizzlies - Apr. 1

[timvp]

Tony Parker C-
Scoring-wise, he was fine. He went up against a stout defense without much help around him and was efficient. He had multiple difficult hoops that kept the Spurs in it. Unfortunately, he had two glaring flaws this game: his passing was horrendous (missed countless open teammates) and his D lacked tenacity.

Danny Green D+
Couldn't get it going on offense. Missed his shots ... and his attempts to create off the dribble were usually unsightly. His defense was better than his offense -- but it was still below his normal level. He got lost in rotations multiple times and guarded poorly against penetration.

Stephen Jackson A-
He was one of the bright spots. His shooting obviously still has room to improve and he was a bit too sloppy with the ball -- but we also witnessed a lot of good. He looked stronger going toward the basket. He mixed in a few slick passes. His help-defense was tremendous and he rebounded very well.

Tiago Splitter B+
On O, he looked even more coordinated than usual. His hands were marvelous and he finished well. He rebounded well and his D was solid. Unfortunately, his night was marred by foul trouble. His disqualification in the fourth really hurt San Antonio's chances of winning.

Boris Diaw C
He was in attack-mode -- and that typically means a positive outing. But that wasn't the case tonight. He had trouble converting his open looks -- and that just made Memphis leave him open more often. His rebounding was poor. I liked his D at times but he didn't fight for position ... and that's deadly vs. Memphis.

Gary Neal B
He was all over the map tonight -- a lot of good and a lot of bad. Starting with the bad: he made a number of costly mistakes going down the stretch. His D was never good. The good: there were glimpses of his underrated playmaking skills. His passing was better than normal and, overall, he looked healthy.

DeJuan Blair A
Where did that come from? Out of nowhere, he played a very smart and balanced affair. He didn't force anything on offense. His passing was great. He found open spots. On D, his rebounding was adequate, he fought hard on the block and exhibited quickness on the perimeter.

Matt Bonner B+
Scrapped and clawed on defense -- he wasn't always effective but he gave it all he had. His rebounding effort was much, much better than we're used to. His O was ragged at times but his main issue was a lack of touches. His teammates missed him wide open a handful of times.

Nando De Colo B
I called on him to be more aggressive after the Heat game -- and he obliged. The five turnovers were a result of that ramped up aggression level but at least they were mostly miscues due to trying to force the action. He provided a useful scoring punch and was very impressive on the boards.

Pop B-
On one hand, getting that close without Duncan, Ginobili or Leonard should be commended. On the other hand, the Spurs dropped what would have been a HUGE win with shoddy decisions in the fourth. Pop had a hand in a few of those decisions, so he too deserves some of the blame.

[BillMc]

Thanks for the grades as always.

I think Tony's D problems have to do with him being hurt. Maybe we should bring Tim and Leonard back for Orlando, and rest parker? Then have all 3 back for OKC.

[Brunodf]

Gary Neal B


:lol

[Splits]

Thanks for the grades, agree on all but TP. He deserves higher, he can't be asked to carry the entire scoring load and facilitate when our 3 top offensive options are all MIA against one of the toughest defenses in the league on the road in a back 2 back after the Heat. B at the worst.

[spurraider21]

I thought Bonner passed up on too many shots. Opted to pump and drive. Traveled once, got us in bad shot clock situations. He's got to fire the trigger when he's out there.

I thought Nando did really well, and I wasn't as mad about Neal as others on this forum seem to be. I thought Neal had a pretty solid game. I agree on the Blair grade. He was playing like the Dejuan Blair of 2011. Diaw competed well, but he just missed so many shots.

[chapnis]

Neals defence (or lack thereof) has to drop him at least half a grade IMO. But thanks as always timvp.

[siraulo23]

thanks for the grades, i missed the game and im not watching the replay of this one :lol

[TE]

Neals defence (or lack thereof) has to drop him at least half a grade IMO. But thanks as always timvp.

The last sequence where he lost Conley is enough to demote him to a C-/D+.

[Fireball]

Wow, five games in a row which are decided by a last second shot ... sadly the Spurs are 2-3 in these games. The loss against the Heat still hurts more than this one ... Grizzlies are as scrappy as they come and the refs helped them in the end. I hate Bayless btw.

thanks for the grades ...

[HI-FI]

thanks for grades. It's good to see Nando improving, playing more instinctively, i've been a fan since he came over. I think he needs work but I think he will be good for us. if Parker is still hurt than I think he should sit out against Orlando, or play minimal minutes.

[Brazil]

For once I don't like these grades.
Boris and tp are too low / too high are: jax, Neal, pop.

apparently I did not see the same game

[waisman]

Neal DF is too bad !!

[GrandeDavid]

Gary Neal is such a bad player now there's no way he deserves anything better than a D-. He is not good and cannot defend in the NBA. He was awful again. Yawn

[TJastal]

All Neal has to do to earn a 'B' grade is hit a couple 3's .... lmao

[DarrinS]

Gary Neal is such a bad player now there's no way he deserves anything better than a D-. He is not good and cannot defend in the NBA. He was awful again. Yawn

This

[DapDaGenius]

Good grading except for Neal...dude was like a D at best.

[urunobili]

Parker C- is fair mostly because of his two last possessions....

[Hoops Czar]

Gary Neal is such a bad player now there's no way he deserves anything better than a D-. He is not good and cannot defend in the NBA. He was awful again. Yawn

Ask Conley how good Splitter's help defense was in the final seconds.

[EricB]

DeJuan Blair A
Where did that come from? Out of nowhere, he played a very smart and balanced affair. He didn't force anything on offense. His passing was great. He found open spots. On D, his rebounding was adequate, he fought hard on the block and exhibited quickness on the perimeter.e .


:lol it's exactly what I said in my post game write up. If he could give that kind of effort consistently, he would be great to pair with Diaw in small stretches.

[EricB]

For once I don't like these grades.
Boris and tp are too low / too high are: jax, Neal, pop.

apparently I did not see the same game



I agree I don't know what game you were watching because Stephen Jackson was a stud. He to me turned back the clock and looked identical to 2003 Jack.

[EricB]

I'm curious what people want from Gary Neal. Cause he's almost literally playing on one foot.....

[snickles]

I'm curious what people want from Gary Neal. Cause he's almost literally playing on one foot.....

if thats the case, then i want him to sit down. one foot or not, the play where he ignored jack running open ahead of him and he pulled up at the free throw line.................stupid stupid stupid. selfish plays killed the spurs tonight.

between that and tony's final 2 possessions......those may be the 3 worst single possessions i've seen this team run in a long time.

i wouldn't be surprised if pop is STILL chewing them out this morning.

[Fireball]

I'm curious what people want from Gary Neal. Cause he's almost literally playing on one foot.....

his foot is not the problem because I doubt it influences his decision making (shoot or pass) ... that fast break where he took the shot instead of passing to SJax for a layup was the icing on the cake ... every time he hits one shot he makes a heat check

[dbreiden83080]

Gotta get this damn train back on the track Wed..

[Strategic]

Danny Green D+
Couldn't get it going on offense. Missed his shots ... and his attempts to create off the dribble were usually unsightly. His defense was better than his offense -- but it was still below his normal level. He got lost in rotations multiple times and guarded poorly against penetration.


Gary Neal B
He was all over the map tonight -- a lot of good and a lot of bad. Starting with the bad: he made a number of costly mistakes going down the stretch. His D was never good. The good: there were glimpses of his underrated playmaking skills. His passing was better than normal and, overall, he looked healthy.



Nice job. I'll make a short comment on a contradiction I notice here. I've wondered if you grade based on a curve or if it's based on what you think a man's top end could be. Even if Green and Neal were combined into one and the very best court qualities of both players were brought forth, there is still no way that I would compare that player to MJ, at least as far as BB on court is concerned, but I'll use MJ as an example for my point.

MJ's college career is defined, if not epitomized, by a shot he took in the waning moments of a championship game.
MJ's pro career is defined, if not epitomized, by the shots he took in the waning moments of championship games.

I know there is importance to playing the whole game. Stat sheets are filled and your team is put in the position to execute in the final moments of games. If you're involved in the final moments, isn't that the critical? Now my point concerning the critical final moments:

You give Green a D but do not mention specifically that his man scored the game winning points by making a simple move and making a lay up. I don't mean an eye popping NBA type move, just go to the hoop and make a lay up. Green is not a pauper by any means, he is well paid for his job.

You give Neal a B but do not mention specifically his reluctance to pass the ball to Jackson for a lay up in the critical final moments of the game. He saw the man for the lay up, or Jax may have had to shoot foul shots on the play, but just didn't pass the ball to him.

Neither one of these guys are young rookies, but they both got bit by the execution bug. I know you can't win them all. It's true that a loss by 2 is no different than losing by 30, but that means that it counts only one in the loss column. The Spurs just lost 3 of 5 tough games. Were they beat by better teams or did they just not make the decisions and plays necessary?

[SenorSpur]

I thought Bonner passed up on too many shots. Opted to pump and drive. Traveled once, got us in bad shot clock situations. He's got to fire the trigger when he's out there.

I thought Nando did really well, and I wasn't as mad about Neal as others on this forum seem to be. I thought Neal had a pretty solid game. I agree on the Blair grade. He was playing like the Dejuan Blair of 2011. Diaw competed well, but he just missed so many shots.

:tu

Perhaps the Spurs should consider keeping Blair around and getting rid of the red-headed choker.

[Strategic]

I'm curious what people want from Gary Neal. Cause he's almost literally playing on one foot.....

It looks like you know inside info on Neals' condition. Did that injury keep him from passing the ball to Jackson for a lay up in the final moments of the game? Isn't the offensive theory "Good to Great"? I understand the man could be hurt, but if it affects his decision making in such a way.......

[Slippy]

Ask Conley how good Splitter's help defense was in the final seconds.
Great question. That fingernail of Tiago's really affected that shot.

Inform us . How good was gary's help defense in the keyway when Conley shot that three.

Pop deserves an F for putting Gary out there to close it out on defense. If it was on offense, not so much of a problem.

[jjktkk]

:tu

Perhaps the Spurs should consider keeping Blair around and getting rid of the red-headed choker.

Agree. If Bonner is going to pass up shots, hes a big liability on the floor. The problem with Blair, as we know, if his consistancy. Blair, if not involved in the game early, tends to lose his focus.

[SenorSpur]

Agree. If Bonner is going to pass up shots, hes a big liability on the floor. The problem with Blair, as we know, if his consistancy. Blair, if not involved in the game early, tends to lose his focus.

Blair does indeed suffer from inconsistency. However, the one thing that can be counted on from Blair, is that he NEVER, EVER plays scared. He will make mistakes of commission, has a tendency to commit untimely fouls and can be questioned for his unreliable pick-setting, but the guys plays hard, tries to make plays and he doesn't pass up shots when open. Heck, he even looks to setup his teammates in half-court situations. I know he's got one foot out the door, but I like his courage, his effort and his moxie, which is a helluva lot more than I can say for Bonner, who has none of those things.

[Brazil]

I agree I don't know what game you were watching because Stephen Jackson was a stud. He to me turned back the clock and looked identical to 2003 Jack.

2003 Jack ? what are u smoking ? I didn't say he didn't had a good game but imho a A- is too high unless your expectations are low tbh.
Without Leonard, Tim and Manu we needed scoring and I though he could have been more aggressive in 35 mn.

[Hoops Czar]

Great question. That fingernail of Tiago's really affected that shot.

Inform us . How good was gary's help defense in the keyway when Conley shot that three.

Pop deserves an F for putting Gary out there to close it out on defense. If it was on offense, not so much of a problem.

Is Tiago's fingernail 8 inches long or is it fun to exaggerate? In defense of Pop, maybe he's searching. It doesn't matter who's out there, they've proven time and time again they can't get a defensive stop when they need one. Maybe Pop is trying to build Neal's confidence just like he has De Shih Tsu all season. Whether Pop made the right or wrong decision is beside the point. Remind me again who guarded Conley (11-17) for the majority of the game? If it wasn't for him and to a lesser extent Bayliss tearing into the Spurs defense all game long, it wouldn't have come down to that three at the end.

For the record, Neal shouldn't have been out there but nobody on defense was going to deny Conley from getting the shot he wanted and scoring so it's a moot point. If Neal wasn't out there, it would be some other excuse.

[jjktkk]

Blair does indeed suffer from inconsistency. However, the one thing that can be counted on from Blair, is that he NEVER, EVER plays scared. He will make mistakes of commission, has a tendency to commit untimely fouls and can be questioned for his unreliable pick-setting, but the guys plays hard, tries to make plays and he doesn't pass up shots when open. Heck, he even looks to setup his teammates in half-court situations. I know he's got one foot out the door, but I like his courage, his effort and his moxie, which is a helluva lot more than I can say for Bonner, who has none of those things.

I actually wouldn't be opposed to bringing Blair back. Let him compete with Baynes, and whoever else. for a backup role next season.

[Hoops Czar]

2003 Jack ? what are u smoking ? I didn't say he didn't had a good game but imho a A- is too high unless your expectations are low tbh.
Without Leonard, Tim and Manu we needed scoring and I though he could have been more aggressive in 35 mn.Go easy on S-Jax. That was one of his biggest offensive explosions of the season. I think Timvp is just giving him propss. And Yes, the expectations for him are floored.

[Brazil]

Go easy on S-Jax. That was one of his biggest offensive explosions of the season. I think Timvp is just giving him propss. And Yes, the expectations for him are floored.

I'm going easy on him, I always said that expectations after the trade was too high but I love to have him back in a spurs jersey. I hope like some posters that he is coasting and he will be back for the POs. this game is definitely a step in the right direction, just sayin' that if yesterday jax 35 mn deserved a A- yes expectations are floored.

[spurs10]

Well Jack coming back to strong play makes up for a lot. We will need him playing like this in the playoffs. Commendable effort without Tim and Kawhi. Rotations on Wednesday and Thursday will be interesting, as the former is a must win now.

[SenorSpur]

I actually wouldn't be opposed to bringing Blair back. Let him compete with Baynes, and whoever else. for a backup role next season.

I'm with you on that.

[TheSkeptic]

Thanks for the grades Timvp but I thought that Neal was a net negative out there tbh. As the others have said, the B+ is just too generous. That failure to pass to Jackson doomed us. If Jackson makes the shot or goes to the line, we extend our lead and maybe get another possession out of Tiago. I'm so done with Neal at this point that I'd rather have De Colo out there in crunch time.

[freetiago]

Jackson actually put together 2 quality performances back to back this season before Manu
suprising tbh

[J_Paco]

I actually wouldn't be opposed to bringing Blair back. Let him compete with Baynes, and whoever else. for a backup role next season.

Nah, the ship has sailed on Blair's time with the Spurs. The team needs to think about going in other avenues, playing Baynes being one, then bringing back Blair. We all know his limitations and (few) strengths, plus he isn't going to grow 6-7 inches over night and his knees aren't getting any better. Sad part is, had he been able to play this well all season he'd be setting himself up for an okay contract. He'll be lucky to be making more than the Vet. minimum, IMO.


Tony Parker C-
Scoring-wise, he was fine. He went up against a stout defense without much help around him and was efficient. He had multiple difficult hoops that kept the Spurs in it. Unfortunately, he had two glaring flaws this game: his passing was horrendous (missed countless open teammates) and his D lacked tenacity.

Tiago Splitter B+
On O, he looked even more coordinated than usual. His hands were marvelous and he finished well. He rebounded well and his D was solid. Unfortunately, his night was marred by foul trouble. His disqualification in the fourth really hurt San Antonio's chances of winning.

Gary Neal B
He was all over the map tonight -- a lot of good and a lot of bad. Starting with the bad: he made a number of costly mistakes going down the stretch. His D was never good. The good: there were glimpses of his underrated playmaking skills. His passing was better than normal and, overall, he looked healthy.

Matt Bonner B+
Scrapped and clawed on defense -- he wasn't always effective but he gave it all he had. His rebounding effort was much, much better than we're used to. His O was ragged at times but his main issue was a lack of touches. His teammates missed him wide open a handful of times.

Pop B-
On one hand, getting that close without Duncan, Ginobili or Leonard should be commended. On the other hand, the Spurs dropped what would have been a HUGE win with shoddy decisions in the fourth. Pop had a hand in a few of those decisions, so he too deserves some of the blame.

I can't say I agree with these grades, in particular Gary Neal. He almost single handily lost the Spurs the game with poor decisions (on offense and defense). Parker didn't do a good job defensively or creating shots for others, but I'd cut him some slack when he's obviously not 100% and is playing with mostly the B team. Shit, we all saw what happened when Manu took on the Timberwolves with the B Team, well at least Tony was able to keep it close.

I'd go:

Parker - B-

Below average defense, inability to find open teammates and coming up empty on two end of game possessions cost him a higher grade. Good effort, though.

Splitter - A-

He did most everything you could ask for against a very tough opponent short-handed, but fouling out - in part to the next idiot - may have sealed the game for Memphis.

Gary Neal - D

Made shots and played well for being hampered by injuries, but he made two critical mistakes in the 4th quarter (one which ended Tiago's night) that clinched the win for the Grizzlies.

Matt Bonner - C-

Plays hard and made some shots early on, but he doesn't affect the outcome of the game in either a tangible or intangible manner. He also was passing up open looks at times, per par.

Coach Popovich - C-

I liked most of his rotations throughout the first 3 quarters, but I'd would have like to have seen the starters re-inserted into the game earlier in the 4th. Could have gone to Stephen Jackson more in the high-post and would have like to have seen Parker and De Colo on the floor together to the end the game. We needed play making and De Colo was providing that more so than Neal. And playing Diaw and Bonner to close the game was a very questionable choice even if short-handed and Tiago having fouled out.


Thanks for the grades Timvp but I thought that Neal was a net negative out there tbh. As the others have said, the B+ is just too generous. That failure to pass to Jackson doomed us. If Jackson makes the shot or goes to the line, we extend our lead and maybe get another possession out of Tiago. I'm so done with Neal at this point that I'd rather have De Colo out there in crunch time.

I completely concur especially with the bold part. De Colo is beginning to really find his niche on this team. I just hope he remains aggressive and continue knock down those open looks.

[dbestpro]

Right now it is a team problem in that the team is not playing team ball. Defensive rotations are off, and passing to the open man has become nearly extinct. The officials the last 10 games or so have not been kind to the Spurs while other teams ratchet up the physical play. What could have been a nice preparation for the playoffs instead has seen the Spurs collapse and ditch their concepts for isloation plays. While Parker had issues towards the end the one guy who should never ever never put the ball on the floor (use to be Blair) is Danny Green. He can shoot the three, and that is it. He needs to focus on what he does well and quit trying to be more than he is. This team's only hope is to play as a team. It is simply not good enough individually to play the type of game it is currently playing.

[spurraider21]

:tu

Perhaps the Spurs should consider keeping Blair around and getting rid of the red-headed choker.

I know this season is not realistic, but honestly, Baynes could end up being vital. A backup frontcourt of Baynes and Diaw should be more than adequate. Instead of Bonner I'd rather try to pull a deal to bring one of our Euro's over, like Bertans or Lorbek. although I think Lorbek is locked up for another 2-3 years or so.

[ElNono]

spot on, tbh

[jjktkk]

Nah, the ship has sailed on Blair's time with the Spurs. The team needs to think about going in other avenues, playing Baynes being one, then bringing back Blair. We all know his limitations and (few) strengths, plus he isn't going to grow 6-7 inches over night and his knees aren't getting any better. Sad part is, had he been able to play this well all season he'd be setting himself up for an okay contract. He'll be lucky to be making more than the Vet. minimum, IMO.

Which is why I wouldn't mind bringing him back. Cheap, knows the system/players, etc...

[Bill_Brasky]

Neal's worst play was pulling up for a jumper on a fast break and bricking it with Jack open for an easy 2 under the basket.

As far as his defense, we all know its terrible so that's on the coach for having him in the game when we needed defensive stops.

[TJastal]

Which is why I wouldn't mind bringing him back. Cheap, knows the system/players, etc...

Give Baynes one training camp and he'll know the system too.

[rmt]

Regardless of Neal's previous mistakes, he should have been out there for the last possession. He's got the quickest release on the team and is ideal for a .6 hail Mary. Green, I can see but Parker, SJax and Bonner? What was Pop thinking?

[TJastal]

I'm with you on that.

How about we let Blair and schtickkk compete to see who can fit the most what-a-burgers in their mouths at one time instead? That at least might have some entertainment value. Rumphumper can be the official judge of the competition.

[Monkeyboy14]

Why has tony been playing so bad lately? Do you think he might have a small but nagging injury? I mean he gets beaten around a lot in the paint, and ive seen him grabbing his hand a lot.. Without a fully healthy tony we are fuuuucked

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Tony looks completely different to me than he did prior to the ankle sprain. Hopefully he's saving it for the post season, because he's shown no explosion, and none of the grit he was displaying prior to his injury.

Green has been a disaster the last two games.

[cd021]

I thought Bonner passed up on too many shots. Opted to pump and drive. Traveled once, got us in bad shot clock situations. He's got to fire the trigger when he's out there.

I thought Nando did really well, and I wasn't as mad about Neal as others on this forum seem to be. I thought Neal had a pretty solid game. I agree on the Blair grade. He was playing like the Dejuan Blair of 2011. Diaw competed well, but he just missed so many shots.


Correct.

[jjktkk]

Give Baynes one training camp and he'll know the system too.

Agree. I'm looking forward to seeing how Baynes develops.

[cd021]

2003 Jack ? what are u smoking ? I didn't say he didn't had a good game but imho a A- is too high unless your expectations are low tbh.
Without Leonard, Tim and Manu we needed scoring and I though he could have been more aggressive in 35 mn.

Jackson didn't have the ball in his hands nearly as much. Parker, De Colo, Neal were all controlling the ball. That being Said Captain mixed it up 12pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, 2 steals & 2 blocks. The Spurs definitely seemed better off when he was in the game no matter what the +- says. Jackson didn't force up shots and played with in his role on offense. The last thing we needed was him to "Jack" up shots because he's playing twice as many minutes as he usually does. Given how he has played this season this is obviously an A.

[EricB]

2003 Jack ? what are u smoking ? I didn't say he didn't had a good game but imho a A- is too high unless your expectations are low tbh.
Without Leonard, Tim and Manu we needed scoring and I though he could have been more aggressive in 35 mn.


More aggressive? Wtf? Your asking me what I'm smoking?!?

[cd021]

Anyone thought we should have gone small ball after twilight fouled out?

Parker
Neal
Green
Jackson
Diaw

Lose a couple of inches between Bonner and Captain but jax is more physical.

[emanueldavidginobili]

Pop still doesn't have a set rotation and it is April...

[EVAY]

Tony's ankle has a bone bruise which won't get any better without rest. His middle finger on his right (shooting hand) is sprained, and he continues to get beat up by everybody, including timvp, for not pulling out every game like he did all season. It seems to me that him playing injured should point out to people just how valuable he was during the bulk of the season when he single handedly kept us in first place throughout the many lost games from Manu and Timmy.

I get irritated when he gets criticized for 'hobbling' on a bone-bruised ankle, but I guess that's just me.

What is completely clear to me is that without Tony feeling 100% he cannot dominate, and when Tony cannot dominate we cannot win.

If another team can shut down Tony with their defense, the rest of a championship team could pick it up and take us home.

As it stands now, Tony can be taken out of 100% by another team's defense or by injuries, and when that happens, the team loses and people on this forum blame Tony for the loss.

Brilliant.

[TJastal]

Pop still doesn't have a set rotation and it is April...

Actually there is a rotation starting to take shape, even after all the endless lineup permutations and monkeying around. So predictable you could set your watch by it. As long as Neal could limp out on the court he was gauranteed his spot in the rotation. Pop needs his hero-ballers you see. It was also set in stone the turds would be back for another encore performance.

[EVAY]

Whose scoring was so great at the end of the fourth that Tony was supposed to give the ball to? Does anyone imagine that Tony was not playing what Pop told him to play, or that If Pop had told him to give the ball to someone else he would have refused?

Please.

[playblair]

I thought Bonner passed up on too many shots. Opted to pump and drive. Traveled once, got us in bad shot clock situations. He's got to fire the trigger when he's out there.

I agree on the Blair grade. He was playing like the Dejuan Blair of 2011. Diaw competed well, but he just missed so many shots.


:lol it's exactly what I said in my post game write up. If he could give that kind of effort consistently, he would be great to pair with Diaw in small stretches.


:tu

Perhaps the Spurs should consider keeping Blair around and getting rid of the red-headed choker.


Blair does indeed suffer from inconsistency. However, the one thing that can be counted on from Blair, is that he NEVER, EVER plays scared. He will make mistakes of commission, has a tendency to commit untimely fouls and can be questioned for his unreliable pick-setting, but the guys plays hard, tries to make plays and he doesn't pass up shots when open. Heck, he even looks to setup his teammates in half-court situations. I know he's got one foot out the door, but I like his courage, his effort and his moxie, which is a helluva lot more than I can say for Bonner, who has none of those things.

wtfffffffffffffff blair luv .......................... PROPS ............................................

[boutons_deux]

So perplexing how the Spurs, if anybody is, the Spurs are a "system" team, can fall apart so quickly, thoroughly, and, it looks like, definitively.

[hater]

yup things can fall apart fast when you don't have a prime Manu or Duncan to carry you.

unfortunately spurs will be driving alongside the prescipice for the remainder of the season and playoffs.

[Brazil]

More aggressive? Wtf? Your asking me what I'm smoking?!?

yes if you are comparing jax this game with 2003 jax u are smocking some good shit, send me some I need to relax after a long day at the office

[ElNono]

yup things can fall apart fast when you don't have a prime Manu or Duncan to carry you.

That says a lot about 'MVP' Parker :lol

[hater]

That says a lot about 'MVP' Parker :lol

it means Parker can't carry a team through 4 playoff series, nobody can.

doesn't mean Parker is still not MVP of the team by far

[DapDaGenius]

Your sigs are disgusting.

They are awesome. :lol

EDIT: AKA IDGAF about your opinion, just sayin'.

[ElNono]

it means Parker can't carry a team through 4 playoff series, nobody can.

You just said prime Duncan or prime Ginobili could... prime Parker can't?

[hater]

You just said prime Duncan or prime Ginobili could... prime Parker can't?

Parker has to carry the load today that in previous years was shared by the big 3. Yes prime Duncan + prime Manu were more clutch in the playoffs, but that does not mean they carried the team through 4 playoff series. Most of the load was shared by big 3.

Today, it's Parker who carries most of the load, he can't really be expected to do than plus be the X factor in 4 straight playoff series :rolleyes

[benstanfield]

I'm curious what people want from Gary Neal. Cause he's almost literally playing on one foot.....

THEN SIT HIM ON THE FUCKING BENCH. GARY NEAL'S AGENT WOULDN'T GIVE HIM THE GRADE CURVE TIMVP DOES

[ElNono]

yup things can fall apart fast when you don't have a prime Manu or Duncan to carry you.


Parker has to carry the load today that in previous years was shared by the big 3. Yes prime Duncan + prime Manu were more clutch in the playoffs, but that does not mean they carried the team through 4 playoff series. Most of the load was shared by big 3.

So which is it?

Also, you didn't answer the question...

[hater]

which is what? why is it so hard to understand? On certain tough playoff stretches when the rest of the team went cold someone had to carry the team and usually it was Duncan or Manu. But again, that only happened in certain rough stretches, not throughout 4 playoff series.

Today is a different scene. Parker is the engine of the team and carries the team most of the time. But he cannot carry the entire load 100% of the time. Noone can. Someone has to step up and the only hope is Kawhi. Duncan is too old, Manu is broken and the rest are mediocre role players at best.

well, there might be 1 more hope. Stephen Jackson

[HI-FI]

remember when our 3 best players weren't 30+ years old......good times......

[TheGoldStandard]

Gary Neal a B???? Wow, this is why Dexter Manley got into college while being illiterate

[ElNono]

which is what? why is it so hard to understand? On certain tough playoff stretches when the rest of the team went cold someone had to carry the team and usually it was Duncan or Manu.

So you're saying Tony can't do that?

You just said a prime Manu or Duncan could carry the team. What makes you think Tony cannot?

[hater]

I'll give it one more shot:
2005-2007 Spurs:
- Most load shared by big 3. In tough stretches Manu or Duncan would bail the team out. (and Horry in that 1 piston game tbh)

2013 Spurs:
- Most load carried by Parker. In tough stretches someone else other than Parker needs to step up.

it's common sense really

[spurraider21]

I'll give it one more shot:
2005-2007 Spurs:
- Most load shared by big 3. In tough stretches Manu or Duncan would bail the team out. (and Horry in that 1 piston game tbh)

2013 Spurs:
- Most load carried by Parker. In tough stretches someone else other than Parker needs to step up.

it's common sense really

Tim can easily be that guy. Your "too old" argument is invalid considering Tim has played his best ball in years this season. He can do what he did to the Clippers in the playoffs. You can also count on timely shots from some of the guys we have, like Green, Jax, Neal, as well as big defensive plays from Kawhi/Jax.

[ElNono]

I'll give it one more shot:
2005-2007 Spurs:
- Most load shared by big 3. In tough stretches Manu or Duncan would bail the team out. (and Horry in that 1 piston game tbh)

2013 Spurs:
- Most load carried by Parker. In tough stretches someone else other than Parker needs to step up.

it's common sense really

But you didn't say prime Manu or Duncan "bailed them out". You said they carried the team.

You can just tell me you misspoke. It's ok, it happens.

[hater]

Tim can easily be that guy. Your "too old" argument is invalid considering Tim has played his best ball in years this season. He can do what he did to the Clippers in the playoffs.

1 game, yes, maybe 2. I don't think old Timmy can carry us through 1 series thou



You can also count on timely shots from some of the guys we have, like Green, Jax, Neal, as well as big defensive plays from Kawhi/Jax.

I already said our only 2 hopes are Kawhi/Jax to step up. A big IF. and no, for every timely shot Green/Neal provide, they give up an easy basket on the other end.

[hater]

But you didn't say prime Manu or Duncan "bailed them out". You said they carried the team.

You can just tell me you misspoke. It's ok, it happens.

By everything can fall apart you could have deduced I meant when the going gets rough for a team. And by carried you could have deduced I meant a player being the X factor in carrying the team forward under those circumstances. :rolleyes

I'm sorry but not everything will be spoonfed to you here. You eventually have to learn skills of logic and deduction.

[ElNono]

By everything can fall apart you could have deduced I meant when the going gets rough for a team. And by carried you could have deduced I meant a player being the X factor in carrying the team forward under those circumstances. :rolleyes

I'm sorry but not everything will be spoonfed to you here. You eventually have to learn skills of logic and deduction.

So when you said 'carried', you meant 'bail out'... crofl

I would agree with your assessment that prime Parker is the inferior player when compared to prime Manu...

[ElNono]

BTW, you never said everything can fall apart :lol

keep moving the goalposts though, you might end up back where you started and finally address what you meant by that post...

[hater]

So when you said 'carried', you meant 'bail out'... crofl

I would agree with your assessment that prime Parker is the inferior player when compared to prime Manu...

again with the bads. Eventually the diapers will have to come off ElNono :lol

and regarding prime Manu vs prime Parker. Different players. Even prime Manu was too fragile to maintain 100% level during the season. The few lucky times he arrived at playoffs healthy, he was probably more successful than Parker. But the countless times he arrived hurt and hurt the team's chances probably cancel out that advantage. Not to mention bumpercar Ginobili even healthy cost us a few important games (game 7 vs mavs, etc)

very different players but very equivalent IMO. I can't really say either one is better than the other. Manu may have shone brighter but for so little time, while Parker shines close to that and much more consistently.

[ElNono]

and regarding prime Manu vs prime Parker. Different players. Even prime Manu was too fragile to maintain 100% level during the season. The few lucky times he arrived at playoffs healthy, he was probably more successful than Parker. But the countless times he arrived hurt and hurt the team's chances probably cancel out that advantage. Not to mention bumpercar Ginobili even healthy cost us a few important games (game 7 vs mavs, etc)

But he could 'carry' (your words, not mine) the team in tough playoff stretches and while he did that, 'things' didn't fall apart, right?

Why, in your opinion, prime Tony cannot do that?

[hater]

But he could 'carry' (your words, not mine) the team in tough playoff stretches and while he did that, 'things' didn't fall apart, right?

yes you got it


Why, in your opinion, prime Tony cannot do that?

because Tony is already carrying the load the other 90% of the time. At some point someone else needs to step up.

[spurraider21]

1 game, yes, maybe 2. I don't think old Timmy can carry us through 1 series thou



I already said our only 2 hopes are Kawhi/Jax to step up. A big IF. and no, for every timely shot Green/Neal provide, they give up an easy basket on the other end.

i never said Tim has to carry us for an entire series. you said "most load carried by parker. in tough stretches someone else other than Parker needs to step up"
Tim can be the "someone else" to carry us through tough stretches, not the entire series. the onus is definitely on TP, but Tim can be the guy that steps up when things aren't going his way

[ElNono]

because Tony is already carrying the load the other 90% of the time. At some point someone else needs to step up.

Why wouldn't prime Tony be able to elevate his game through rough stretches? Isn't that what prime Manu or Duncan did?

Are you saying what we're seeing from Tony is his absolute ceiling and he can't elevate his game an extra notch if needed (like prime Manu or Duncan did)?

I'm trying to understand why 'things can fall apart fast' when Tony in his prime is 'carrying the load' '90% of the time'...

[ElNono]

I would also easily pin 40%+ of the load on Duncan right now... without him there's no anchoring on D, no rebounding, etc...

[hater]

Why wouldn't prime Tony be able to elevate his game through rough stretches? Isn't that what prime Manu or Duncan did?

prime Manu always shared the load with Parker and Duncan. A luxuryParker doesn't have today.


I'm trying to understand why 'things can fall apart fast' when Tony in his prime is 'carrying the load' '90% of the time'...

because things can fall appart that 10% of the time when there's noone to step up

[hater]

:rolleyes

again nobody is questioning Duncan or anybody's value to the team. the question is when things start to fall appart, who steps up to right the ship?

[ElNono]

prime Manu always shared the load with Parker and Duncan. A luxuryParker doesn't have today.

You just said prime Manu had an extra gear when things got tough... same for Duncan...

By not including Tony are you saying Tony doesn't have that?


because things can fall appart that 10% of the time when there's noone to step up

I'm sure Duncan can still step up 10% of the time.. He has definitely stepped up more than that this season already...

[ElNono]

:rolleyes

again nobody is questioning Duncan or anybody's value to the team. the question is when things start to fall appart, who steps up to right the ship?

by "things start to fall appart" you mean "Tony starts shitting the bed"? You can speak freely, no need to sugarcoat it.

[hater]

You just said prime Manu had an extra gear when things got tough... same for Duncan...

By not including Tony are you saying Tony doesn't have that?

Manu had the extra gear because unlike Tony, he didn't have to drive in 6th all the time. Quite honestly if Manu had to carry a team the way Parker does today, dude would have broken even earlier.


I'm sure Duncan can still step up 10% of the time.. He has definitely stepped up more than that this season already...

I hope you are right, but it hasn't happened in the last 3 or 4 years.

[ElNono]

The notion that Parker cannot step up in difficult situations also doesn't jive with his resume. I thought his Finals MVP was well earned, and it came exactly from elevating his game...

[hater]

I just want someone else to say "Tony starts shitting the bed" or "he's not as good as prime Manu" so I can get a boner. God knows my wife needs it.

:rolleyes

[ElNono]

Manu had the extra gear because unlike Tony, he didn't have to drive in 6th all the time. Quite honestly if Manu had to carry a team the way Parker does today, dude would have broken even earlier.

So your opinion is that Tony doesn't have that extra gear because he's too tired... wouldn't that make *him* broken?


I hope you are right, but it hasn't happened in the last 3 or 4 years.

Would you agree that he has stepped up more than 10% of the time so far?

[ElNono]

Not sure why you need to change my quotes... heck, even your own... a self-described intelligent poster should be able to stand by his own posts... :lol

[hater]

So your opinion is that Tony doesn't have that extra gear because he's too tired... wouldn't that make *him* broken?

not at all


Would you agree that he has stepped up more than 10% of the time so far?

this season yes. But this is regular season. I am talking playoffs. but again, hope you are right and I'm wrong.

[ElNono]

this season yes. But this is regular season. I am talking playoffs. but again, hope you are right and I'm wrong.

So you misspoke when you said Tony carries the load 90% of the time right now. Okay.

So what other theory do you have that makes you still think Tony doesn't have an extra gear?

[hater]

:lmao ElNono trolling hard

looks like the latest Manu injury really took a toll :lol

[ElNono]

This isn't about me, it's about the post you made... I can see why you would want to deflect instead of back up that post, though :lol

[hater]

prime duncan(8 years) > super manu(1 year) >> prime manu(3 years) > prime tp(7 years) >>>>> playoff/crunch time tp(3 years)

agree added some time frame for reference

[gilmor]

See this is what I don't understand.

You need all 3 to potentially win a championship.

Why always go to the perpectual debate on who is better? Manu or Parker?

Bottom line is without Manu returning to form, even with a super-star Parker, Spurs still can't win a championship. So what's the point of debating?

[Brazil]

:lol ElNono going DPG style on hater, nice effort but still a lot to learn from the master but I'd give a B- for the effort

[Brazil]

Btw nothing wrong with hater opinion

[ElNono]

:lol ElNono going DPG style on hater, nice effort but still a lot to learn from the master but I'd give a B- for the effort

:worthy:

[polandprzem]

As bad as this loss was it can be the best los of the season to fire up the spurs.

Pop can address many things and draw attention of the players more then after a win. Unfortunately Spurs might lose #1 spot in the West which oh well might not matter that much depends on the matchups. So it was not all that bad of a loss.

[Hoops Czar]

As bad as this loss was it can be the best los of the season to fire up the spurs.

Pop can address many things and draw attention of the players more then after a win. Unfortunately Spurs might lose #1 spot in the West which oh well might not matter that much depends on the matchups. So it was not all that bad of a loss.

Well ya see, this is where I disagree, I thought the Suns game would have been the game to fire up the Spurs, but then the Portland game happened. That's when I thought to myself, this is going to be the game that turns around the Spurs season. Then the T-wolves game happened. Then after a couple of heads or tails victories, the Houston game happened. That was the game I thought would be the turning point, but after a few more flip a coin games, the Miami game happened. So yes, the Memphis game was a bad loss but it won't be the game that costs them HCA ( there's been plenty of other games for that) and I doubt it's the game that turns around the season. It's just another bad loss on a long list of bad losses since the all-star break.

Pop still doesn't have a friggin rotation set and the season's nearly complete. The Spurs aren't the Miami Heat where they can turn it on and off like a faucet when the postseason arrives. They need to be a cohesive bunch with everyone playing well.