timvp
04-04-2013, 02:04 AM
Tim Duncan C
Only played in the first half in order to be rested for tomorrow's showdown in OKC. When he was on the court, he was invisible -- relatively speaking. Limited impact on the defensive end. Finished a couple shots around the rim … but that was about it on the offensive end. Let's hope he's rested.
Danny Green A
The Spurs were finally able to break away from the Magic in large part due to his timely shooting and defense. Got more plays called for him than usual and responded with a team-high in points. His D -- especially his pressure outside of the three-point stripe -- was better than usual.
Stephen Jackson F+
Ugh. It appeared as if he was making incremental progress lately. Unfortunately, he played horribly against Orlando. Couldn't hit a shot. Passing was ugly. D was lackadaisical. The only saving grace is that his mobility looked better than the molassesness we've witnessed for much of the season.
Boris Diaw C
His inability to make open shots extended into a second game. A lack of lift on his jumper appears to be what's causing most of his shots to be short. He rebounded better than we've come to expect but his D was iffy and he had too many passes deflected and/or stolen.
Nando De Colo B+
These past two outings he has stepped up his aggression. Since that's what has been missing from his arsenal, it's great to see. The results weren't sparkling scoring-wise but I was pleased elsewhere. Good court vision, great rebounding, energetic D and kept his foot on the gas -- though he did have a few blatant miscues.
Tiago Splitter B
Came off the bench for a change. Let's hope it was just a move to ensure Duncan would only have to play the first half. In his 16 minutes, he was marvelous on the glass but didn't impress much elsewhere. He didn't always deal with the extra attention on O well. His D lacked attentiveness at times.
Gary Neal B+
The guy is willing to shoot the basketball. We know this. While I didn't love his shot-selection, the Spurs needed him to look to score -- and he obliged. The brightest spot of the game might have been his health. He was quick to loose balls and was skying for rebounds better than he has in weeks.
Patrick Mills C+
He hasn't played in a while -- and he looked rusty. His stroke wasn't as smooth as usual and he had poor timing on pick-and-roll sets. While he had his warts, his competitiveness shined. He fought on defense and was always looking to do something on offense. His instant-adrenaline trait has some value.
Matt Bonner B+
He exhibited more depth to his game than usual. Who knew he even had those post moves in his repertoire? He was a bit weak on the boards but the rest of his D was sturdy. He rotated quickly and was in the right spots.
Cory Joseph A-
Good showing for the sophomore. Played rugged defense. Helped on the backboard. On the other end, his penetration created opportunity for himself and others. His floaters in the lane looked Parker-esque. His passing was also top-notch. Take away a smidgen of hesitation and he would have been really good.
Aron Baynes A-
Nice. He lumbers a bit and appeared to get tired -- but other than that it's difficult to nitpick his outing. On offense he illustrated a deft touch in the lane and also above average power and athleticism for his size. On D, he's an intimidator in the paint who can snare rebounds out of the air. Intriguing outing.
Pop A
Pop rolled the dice by sitting Parker and Leonard -- and only going with Duncan for the first half. If it backfired, he would have been the goat. But it worked so let's give him his due. If the Spurs keep it close tomorrow, the rest Pop found tonight could prove to be the difference.
Only played in the first half in order to be rested for tomorrow's showdown in OKC. When he was on the court, he was invisible -- relatively speaking. Limited impact on the defensive end. Finished a couple shots around the rim … but that was about it on the offensive end. Let's hope he's rested.
Danny Green A
The Spurs were finally able to break away from the Magic in large part due to his timely shooting and defense. Got more plays called for him than usual and responded with a team-high in points. His D -- especially his pressure outside of the three-point stripe -- was better than usual.
Stephen Jackson F+
Ugh. It appeared as if he was making incremental progress lately. Unfortunately, he played horribly against Orlando. Couldn't hit a shot. Passing was ugly. D was lackadaisical. The only saving grace is that his mobility looked better than the molassesness we've witnessed for much of the season.
Boris Diaw C
His inability to make open shots extended into a second game. A lack of lift on his jumper appears to be what's causing most of his shots to be short. He rebounded better than we've come to expect but his D was iffy and he had too many passes deflected and/or stolen.
Nando De Colo B+
These past two outings he has stepped up his aggression. Since that's what has been missing from his arsenal, it's great to see. The results weren't sparkling scoring-wise but I was pleased elsewhere. Good court vision, great rebounding, energetic D and kept his foot on the gas -- though he did have a few blatant miscues.
Tiago Splitter B
Came off the bench for a change. Let's hope it was just a move to ensure Duncan would only have to play the first half. In his 16 minutes, he was marvelous on the glass but didn't impress much elsewhere. He didn't always deal with the extra attention on O well. His D lacked attentiveness at times.
Gary Neal B+
The guy is willing to shoot the basketball. We know this. While I didn't love his shot-selection, the Spurs needed him to look to score -- and he obliged. The brightest spot of the game might have been his health. He was quick to loose balls and was skying for rebounds better than he has in weeks.
Patrick Mills C+
He hasn't played in a while -- and he looked rusty. His stroke wasn't as smooth as usual and he had poor timing on pick-and-roll sets. While he had his warts, his competitiveness shined. He fought on defense and was always looking to do something on offense. His instant-adrenaline trait has some value.
Matt Bonner B+
He exhibited more depth to his game than usual. Who knew he even had those post moves in his repertoire? He was a bit weak on the boards but the rest of his D was sturdy. He rotated quickly and was in the right spots.
Cory Joseph A-
Good showing for the sophomore. Played rugged defense. Helped on the backboard. On the other end, his penetration created opportunity for himself and others. His floaters in the lane looked Parker-esque. His passing was also top-notch. Take away a smidgen of hesitation and he would have been really good.
Aron Baynes A-
Nice. He lumbers a bit and appeared to get tired -- but other than that it's difficult to nitpick his outing. On offense he illustrated a deft touch in the lane and also above average power and athleticism for his size. On D, he's an intimidator in the paint who can snare rebounds out of the air. Intriguing outing.
Pop A
Pop rolled the dice by sitting Parker and Leonard -- and only going with Duncan for the first half. If it backfired, he would have been the goat. But it worked so let's give him his due. If the Spurs keep it close tomorrow, the rest Pop found tonight could prove to be the difference.