Why Tiago Splitter is worth every penny to the Spurs (48 Minutes of Hell)

[Amuseddaysleeper]

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/tiago-splitter-spurs-defense-nba



Of all players averaging at least 20 minutes per game this season, Splitter has registered the league’s best field-goal percentage defense at the rim. Opponents are attacking Splitter at the basket more than five times per game, and he’s only allowing them to shoot 29.4 percent in those situations. (Kings guard Isaiah Thomas has better numbers, but in a sample size that’s not even relevant to the conversation.) That’s better than the likes of Anthony Davis, Omer Asik, Roy Hibbert and Joakim Noah.

You can’t post him up (he’s allowing players to shoot just 36 percent when posting up, which is 12th best in the league), you can’t isolate on him as a big (allowing 16.7 percent shooting in these situations) and when he chases players off the block, spot-up shooters are converting just 35 percent of the time when he’s defending them.

And what’s most interesting is the fact that, unlike most of the other big men that excel in this capacity, Splitter does so without blocking many shots. In fact, he’s only swatted three shots all season! That’s insane considering the shooting percentage he’s allowing at the basket. But, as I mentioned before, there’s been an offensive dip as his defensive numbers have spiked. That’s not entirely the reason for slippage on that end, however.

Read More... (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/tiago-splitter-spurs-defense-nba)

[Cry Havoc]

Tiago has really stepped it up this year on both sides of the ball. Loving it. :toast

[ace3g]

Tiago is another one of those players where stats don't do justice for the impact he makes on the court

[hater]

sure he's got skills that most bigmen just don't have and for the money thrown at these scrub bigmen, Tiago is a bargain

still he needs to toughen up. Even Andres Bierdins was a little tougher. He needs to intimidate and drop a few midgets here and there

[Mugen]

Been one of the biggest Tiago supporters since he was first signed. He was very instrumental in getting us to the Finals last year.

But I really hope he can overcome his mental softness if the Spurs are fortunate enough to advance deep in the playoffs again tbh.

[CitizenDwayne]

That’s better than the likes of Anthony Davis, Omer Asik, Roy Hibbert and Joakim Noah. (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/tiago-splitter-spurs-defense-nba)

:clap

[SpurSwag]

Loved him since day one, but unfortunately it really does tell you a lot about the NBA that tiago is making an average of 9 million annually. T

anyways, love his defense but the part of his defense that's most underrated to me is he is not a good, but elite switcher. I feel like every time he gets switched onto a guard and the guard tries to take him off the dribble he's almost always stops the guard.

[mountainballer]

didn't some folks explain us for weeks during the off season what mistake it was to overpay for him?
can't remember who the moron was, who used several posts to claim that compared to the Splitter contract the Sanders deal was great business from the Bucks FO. oh well.

[skulls138]

"And what’s most interesting is the fact that, unlike most of the other big men that excel in this capacity, Splitter does so without blocking many shots."

Splitter's game is very 'under the basket' for a big man. Its cool that he can make it work for him on defense too.

[Tuddy]

Love him just hope if we make it back he sags off LeBron more when we switch PNRs. Got caught out a few times last year iso'd more than 15 ft from hoop and allowed James to get by him.

[spurraider21]

didn't some folks explain us for weeks during the off season what mistake it was to overpay for him?
can't remember who the moron was, who used several posts to claim that compared to the Splitter contract the Sanders deal was great business from the Bucks FO. oh well.
Hemisfairarena said he thought the bj mullens signing was better

[Tuddy]

Also think we should post him more at the 4 as he's got size and will be guarded by guys the same size as he was playing in Europe.

[cd021]

didn't some folks explain us for weeks during the off season what mistake it was to overpay for him?
can't remember who the moron was, who used several posts to claim that compared to the Splitter contract the Sanders deal was great business from the Bucks FO. oh well.

That was "Baam" me and him got into an massive argument about it and he precedence to ignore, literally dozens of stats that showed Splitter was superior as a player that i presented. Needless to say i ignore-listed him afterwards.

[Bruno]

That's a way too long blog entry. :sleep

[Chinook]

I've said several times before that people seem to not realize that the Spurs actually have one of the most talented rosters in the league. They didn't make the Finals by smoke and mirrors.

[Chinook]

That was "Baam" me and him got into an massive argument about it and he precedence to ignore, literally dozens of stats that showed Splitter was superior as a player that i presented. Needless to say i ignore-listed him afterwards.

Lol. I was in that fray, too. Baam's not a bad poster. He and I have had a lot of good discussions. I think he just sometimes critically and comically underrates certain Spurs.

[Dex]

Tiago Splitter
By: Ernest Hemingway

[Uriel]

That's a way too long blog entry. :sleep
:lol

[PlayNando]

anyways, love his defense but the part of his defense that's most underrated to me is he is not a good, but elite switcher. I feel like every time he gets switched onto a guard and the guard tries to take him off the dribble he's almost always stops the guard.
:tu

[anakha]

Hemisfairarena said he thought the bj mullens signing was better

lol mullens
lol majority owner

[Rogue]

That's a spurs fan's typical standard for bigs, just see his ability in restricting the opponents regardless of his own stats. No wonder they let Blair walk for free. Splitter is a decent role player but I think his good "defensive efficiency" is owed to the team's defense more than his own defensive ability imho.

[cd021]

Splitter

22.7 MPG
7.8 PPG
7.4 RPG
52.7% FG
75% FT%


Per 36 minutes
12.3 PPG
11.7 RPG

[freetiago]

Should be taking Ayres minutes tbh...
payed him money they should be playing him 30 minutes
the Bonner/Ayres Bonner/Diaw frontlines we saw tonight should never happen no matter what
if anything they could go Diaw/Bonner/Splitter

[Sean Cagney]

Should be taking Ayres minutes tbh...
payed him money they should be playing him 30 minutes
the Bonner/Ayres Bonner/Diaw frontlines we saw tonight should never happen no matter what
if anything they could go Diaw/Bonner/Splitter

You are right he is not that old and he needs to get 30MPG IMO.

[Drom John]

Splitter has increased his lead in WS/48 over all of the draft class of 2007:

.192 Splitter (.264 this season)
.191 Durant (.261 this season)
.180 Oden
.168 Noah
.162 Wright, Brandan

Splitter is 13th in career WS in the draft class; 27th in minutes played.
Splitter is gaining on 10 of the class of 2007 above him, but losing ground to Durant, Gasol and Affalo (wow!).

For single seasons; played in the NBA/BAA; in the regular season; in 2013-14; requiring Win Shares Per 48 Minutes >= 0; sorted by descending Win Shares.
1) Kevin Love
2) LeBron James
3) Chris Paul
4) Anthony Davis
5) Kevin Durant
9) Arron Affalo (wow again)
15) Marc Gasol
27) Tiago Splitter
32) Kawhi Leonard
35) Tony Parker
61) Boris Diaw
62) Danny Green
69) DeJuan Blair
94) Marco Belinelli
99) Manu Ginobili

"For single seasons; played in the NBA/BAA; in the regular season; in 2013-14; qualified for Minutes Per Game Leaderboard; requiring Win Shares Per 48 Minutes >= 0; sorted by descending Win Shares Per 48 Minutes."
.282 Anthony Davis
.276 LeBron James
.269 Kevin Love
.265 Chris Paul
.264 Tiago Splitter

22nd Patty Mills
23rd Kawhi Leonard
26th DeJuan Blair
30th Tony Parker
34th Danny Green
40th Boris Diaw
54th Marco Belinelli
77th Manu Ginobili

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Speed kills. Splitter is quick enough to stay with most PGs in this league, not saying he should do this fulltime. But its no surprise to me. There is a reason the Spurs went from around 12-15th defensive efficient team to the 2-3 defensive efficient team once Leonard and Splitter were inserted into the starting lineup.

Just look at last night. Green was schooling Bonner, so Pop was force to put Splitter back in the game late. Green didn't hit another shot with Splitter on him.

[HI-FI]

props to the author. Tiago continuing to be one of the most underrated Spurs.

[rascal]

didn't some folks explain us for weeks during the off season what mistake it was to overpay for him?
can't remember who the moron was, who used several posts to claim that compared to the Splitter contract the Sanders deal was great business from the Bucks FO. oh well.

I'll say it like I said it last year. Relying on big impacts from Splitter and manu will result in failure, those guys will disappoint.

[Baam]

I will say one thing : I think Pop challenged Tiago to work on his post game...

Tiago can't be taken out of a game/series the second a team wants to go small, not with that kind of contract.

And in the last game he put Zbo on his ass, something very unSplitter-like.

Splitter has to develop either a jumper or his post game, that's the bottom line.

[Skull-1]

That's a spurs fan's typical standard for bigs, just see his ability in restricting the opponents regardless of his own stats. No wonder they let Blair walk for free. Splitter is a decent role player but I think his good "defensive efficiency" is owed to the team's defense more than his own defensive ability imho.


Yep. But he is smart enough to get the system which helps and he is getting better. One can hope he won't get blocked by James again and go into a shell like last year...

[will_spurs]

The reality is that Splitter has improved a lot, both in terms of skills and attitude. He's definitely more aggressive on the defensive rebounds and more assertive on the offensive end. His post game in particular seems a lot more potent than in previous years, shakes and fakes on O, drawing offensive fouls on D. I wouldn't say Spurs fans were missing something before: it just wasn't there.

Through the first 12 games it feels like it could very well be Tiago's breakout year.

[Skull-1]

I'll say it like I said it last year. Relying on big impacts from Splitter and manu will result in failure, those guys will disappoint.


And one!

[sananspursfan21]

So far, while the Spurs haven't had a major offseason (as usual) this still feels like a different team from last year with so many players stepping up. Diaw, Splitter, Mills, Kawhi (although not as much as I expected) have all really brought their game up from last year. Splitter is definitely justifying that big contract :)

[wildbill2u]

Tiago really seems to be stepping up his game this year, similar to Diaw. I wonder if Pop went to these guys and told them it was necessary for them to step up and not defer so much to the Big 3 anymore.

At any rate, both players are really playing well thus far. If it continues Pop can rest Timmy and Manu more during the regular season.

[PingPong]

The reality is that Splitter has improved a lot, both in terms of skills and attitude. He's definitely more aggressive on the defensive rebounds and more assertive on the offensive end. His post game in particular seems a lot more potent than in previous years, shakes and fakes on O, drawing offensive fouls on D. I wouldn't say Spurs fans were missing something before: it just wasn't there.

Through the first 12 games it feels like it could very well be Tiago's breakout year.

Splitter didn't improved, he's being more 'protagonist' because of Tim's slump. When Duncan get back to his usual form, probably, Splitter will be back to his habitual role.

[Obstructed_View]

That's a spurs fan's typical standard for bigs, just see his ability in restricting the opponents regardless of his own stats. No wonder they let Blair walk for free. Splitter is a decent role player but I think his good "defensive efficiency" is owed to the team's defense more than his own defensive ability imho.

If that were the case, then Blair would have had defensive efficiency when he was with the Spurs. His defensive efficiency sucked in San Antonio, and it's equally bad in Dallas.