Amuseddaysleeper's Game Grades: Spurs vs Raptors (Injury Free)

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Editor's Note: All grades are subjected to the Canadian grading scale. I also had to break this post up as you are only allowed 3 videos per post. If one of the mods wants to merge it all into one post that would be great, if possible. Each player got a video that I felt captured the essence of their performance. Some of them may not make much sense, but I hope you enjoy them anyway. Have a great Christmas/Happy Holidays! :toast


Coming off a tough loss to a ridiculously annoying team on Saturday, the Spurs looked to get back on track against a Raptors team they blew out a few weeks ago. While it wasn't always easy, or pretty, the Spurs were finally able to get control of the game in the fourth quarter against a pesky Raptors team who refused to go away. Overcoming a sloppy first quarter, the Spurs buckled down and were able to get the win with some nice clutch baskets late in the game. With a majority of the upcoming games at home coupled with a relatively soft schedule, the Spurs should continue to take advantage and stay well within striking distance of the top seed.



Tony Parker
http://www.spurstalk.com/tp12.png

In his first game back against OKC, Parker was missing all kinds of bunnies and was getting bullied by Westbrook throughout the night. It was understandable as he was coming off a shin injury, but on this night we got a vintage TP performance...such as never passing to Manu....kidding! Parker was an efficient beast in his 34 minutes of play. He was probing the stingy Raptors defense and exploited any openings he could find. The first quarter was a little rough on him, but it was for most of the Spurs. The Raptors also manned the paint well but credit to TP for making the right decisions. It was also nice to see him get hot with his mid range game. When Parker has his midrange going he is a real pain in the ass for the opposing team. He was shooting with confidence and even had a nice 3 ball to go with his 8 dimes. He hit some key jumpers in the fourth and managed to make some key passes that led to big baskets that put the Raps away for good. His turnovers (4) were slightly high for just 34 minutes, but again I thought the Raptors were harassing everything in the lane tonight. His defense on Lowry could have been a little better, but then again Lowry usually torments the Spurs. I'll blame it on a case of the Mondays.

Hopefully we see more of this version of Parker going forward, especially the one that gets to the free throw line a healthy amount.

Grade: A



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on5WLjvnuCQ




Manu Ginobili
http://www.spurstalk.com/mg12.png

Last June we truly saw the light dimming at the end of the tunnel when it came to Manu. We knew the 20+ nights would be far less frequent, the turnovers at a high, and the body a step slow.

And then December happened, and Manu went from goat to G.O.A.T. That may be exaggerating a bit, but I can't even begin to tell you how good it feels to see this guy not just play "efficient" but to flat out kick ass while doing so. He was aggressive, took smart shots, and just when the Raptors were gaining momentum, Manu came right back with either a key pass, shot, or a free trip to the charity stripe (going a perfect 9-9) to simmer down the boys in red. Ginobili was a little too hyper on D sometimes which led to some unnecessary fouls, but you can't fault the effort.

He's still such a joy to watch, and hopefully he keeps up his inspired play as he becomes one of the favorites for Sixth Man of the Year.

Grade: A



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tumEbw0eF1I




Tim Duncan
http://www.spurstalk.com/td12.png

Statistically, Duncan has always struggled when going up against Valanciunas (who famously entered the Raptors locker room at the age of 18 saying "hey guys, I'm here to save the franchise...anyone know where home room is?"), and tonight was no different. While the Raptors played some tough interior D and had some big bodies to constantly throw at Timmy, his outside shot wasn't helping either. As a matter of fact, one his elbow jumpers hit the side of the backboard so ferociously, I thought I was Jeff Hornacek doing those self alley-oops off the backboard in NBA 2K14.

On the plus side, I felt Duncan's defense improved as the game went along. He was very active on the boards (Game high 12 rebounds with 3 offensive) and I thought he did a great job of manning the paint with 4 blocks that deterred the Raptors into reverting to jumpshots.

So pretty solid defense, not so great offense, but as long as Duncan patrols the paint with authority I can't complain too much.

Grade: B



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnZ68ADCKzk

[playbonner15]

Great job bro! MOAAAR!

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Danny Green
http://www.spurstalk.com/dg12.png

For 3 quarters Danny Green and I had contributed just as much to the Spurs offensively as I did from my couch. And to think I thought the weather in Canada was cold...and then I saw Danny Green's shot. But a funny thing happened along the way - the fourth quarter. It was like Games 1-5 of the Finals all over again. I was surprised to hear that Green is actually shooting 40% from downtown this season as it feels way worse with how streaky he is.

But Green reversed the trend scoring all of his 14 points in the fourth. And these weren't just garbage time buckets, these were crucial back breaking three's that crushed any momentum the Raptors hoped of stealing on the road from another Western foe. Green was clanking shots left, right, and center (well not actually center, because then they would have gone in). I thought we were in for another night of December Green. I even took a shot of grey goose for every shot Danny missed and got so sloppy that I thought him hitting all those 3's was just me being in a drunken stupor.

He probably had the best quarter of his career as a Spurs, and boy did they need it. For such a streaky shooter, hopefully this game is what propels his shot back on track moving forward.

Grade: A



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TKK6d3-h2U



Tiago Splitter
http://www.spurstalk.com/ts12.png

To say that Tiago Splitter has been struggling lately would be putting it politely. And I'm only putting it politely because his mother begged me to. While his defense has been very solid, Tiago seems to be a bit of a paradox on the offensive end lately. Taking it to the rim as soft as he possibly can, if at all.

However, something happened when the Raptors came to town. Tiago got mad, he got locked in, and he kicked ass....or rather he patted it on the back said "great job!". For him, it felt like kicking ass I guess. He had a rough start in the opening quarter but went on to grab 7 boards and hit 3 of his 5 field goal attempts. He did have 4 fouls which was sloppy (granted I had issues with some of the foul call on Tiago) but he was a very tidy 8 and 7 in just 20 minutes of play. I thought his post defense was solid and while he isn't a shot blocker by nature, he knows just how to position himself to cut off the driving lane. Hopefully Tiago can ran regain his offensive rhythm as his defense and positioning is always a big plus for the Spurs.


Grade: B


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpMoNRUQakQ





Jeff Ayres

You know I always refer to Jeff Ayres as "Half Man, Half a Basketball Player". But tonight I must admit, Ayres surprised me. He veered from the usual script for clueless defensive roamer and actually thought it was time he earned his paycheck. He was active on defense without becoming a fouling machine, and was all over the stat sheet with 5 rebounds and 4 assists to go with a steal and a block. He also managed 4 points in 10 minutes of very solid play.

So for Ayres, it felt like a guy who looked painfully oblivious on the court finally gets it. While I have issues with Pop's usage of Ayres, on nights like this maybe we can catch a glimpse of what the Spurs hoped for when they gave him all that guaranteed money.

Grade: A-



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXRM3lFRwRI

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Boris Diaw
http://www.spurstalk.com/bd12.png

Ahh Boris Diaw. Sometimes it's like he's sleepwalking through the game Richard Jefferson style, but then this season he has certainly kicked up his aggression to become a matchup issue for a lot of teams in the league. A jack of all trades, I liked Boris's offense. His jumper was falling as was his Cream Shake move in the post. I still think his D is becoming a little bit spotty in parts, but I know when he wants to he can defend very admirably. He had another Diaw-esque night of filling out the stat sheet and staying active both on the perimeter and in the post.

It looks like his aggression may be here to stay.

Grade: B


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Akk0aDTvsw




Patrick Mills
http://www.spurstalk.com/pm12.png

I gotta say, I'm liking this year's model of Patty Mills. He is shooting with confidence, he's a no brainer for the backup PG position, and thanks to his weight loss program over the summer (that Diaw still refuses to attend!) Mills has become quite the active/pesky defender. He had a beautiful 3 off a curl and was keeping the defense honest throughout the night. While some players seem to struggle competing with their production from last year, Mills is the opposite.


Grade: B


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFxM2ftW6GU



Kawhi Leonard
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/6450.png&w=350&h=254

Kawhi has been a little lackluster this season in the offense department, shooting a percentage worse on jumpers than even I do in my men's league (don't ask) but lately he seems to have found a groove offensively, and the arc on his jumpers is looking much better to go with his new found confidence on that end.

As always, Kawhi was very good defensively as far as I can recall. He rarely fouled and always stayed in front of his man. The times he was paired up against DeRozan he made sure to make life much more miserable for him here than he did back in Toronto (5-16 shooting for DeMar).

He had a game high +12 on the court (suck on that Bonner!) and racketed up 13 points (with a working jumpshot) and 10 rebounds in 31 cool as a cucumber minutes.


Grade: B+


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbPGGfPWWWk

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Marco Belinelli
http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/29/files/2013/10/7712442.jpg


It finally happened.

Belli, who lead the league in 3 points shooting did his best Danny Green imitation as he went 0-5 from behind the arc. Going by his excellent shooting all season I hope this is a one time anomaly and doesn't put him into a mini slump as hes been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season. He was getting the same shots he normally gets but on this night they just weren't falling for him.

Still, despite a broken 3 ball, Belli played respectable defense and never hung his head despite all those misses. He's always active, always cutting to the basket, and making some nifty passes. On the plus side, even if his shot (rarely) isn't falling, it's good to see that he can still contribute even though I was hoping for a better performance.


Grade: C



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFIr9kfYI3M




Matt Bonner
http://www.spurstalk.com/mb12.png

Well Bonner did what he always does...he stood there and waited for his turn to shoot. Unfortunately for him it never came. He played just 7 minutes but didn't attempt a single field goal. Now, while I'd rather Bonner take what the offense gives him instead of forcing the issue, if he's going to be on the floor he has to do something out there offensively as oppose to being so passive that even Richard Jefferson got jealous.


Grade: D+



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-0CS-T1HUQ




Pop
http://www.spurstalk.com/gp12.png

Despite a sluggish start that looked to set the tone for a long night, I thought Pop pushed all the right buttons to put the team in a position to win. He didn't give anyone too many minutes that they didn't deserve (Ayres: Yessss!) and not a single Spurs topped 31 minutes for the game. I liked how he got the team to really dig in defensively in the second quarter onward as the Spurs, while threatened, never relinquished the lead.

I also give Pop credit on drawing up a play for Danny Green right out of a timeout in the fourth quarter that was the first of many 3's Green would go on to hit that would seal the game. Personally, I prefer Danny on the bench but hopefully Belli can keep up his hot shooting as this is a rotation I can live with moving forward.

The Spurs have a revenge matchup with Houston on Christmas day, and while Harden won't be there, Lin will so the Spurs will have their work cut out for them regardless. Pop will definitely have his troops prepared.


Grade: A-


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOI8ae3Lub8

[Amuseddaysleeper]

And that's all folks

[SpursRock20]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Was a joy to read :toast

[spurs10]

Thanks for a fine job Amusedaysleeper!

[Duncan21kid]

man, very solid write up! really enjoyed it!
LMAO @ "Half Man, Half a Basketball Player"

[Spursfanfromafar]

Amused!

http://gifs.gifbin.com/1233928590_citizen%20kane%20clapping.gif

[Chinook]

Thanks for the hard work.

[apalisoc_9]

A bit too generous with the grading but that was a great read. Thank you.

[iManu]

If Ayers would have played 30 minutes, he would have had a triple double....

A+

[ajballer4]

I do miss those towel waves though

[Cry Havoc]

Well done. A bit too lenient IMO, but hey, you stepped up and put down some solid narratives. Vid links were great. :tu

[Robz4000]

Solid write up :tu

[lefty]

Well deserved A for Tony Parker


He really shines when he accepts his beta male role

[BillMc]

Great read! Well done!

[benefactor]

:lol

Good job man.

[Bruno]

Thanks a lot Amuseddaysleeper.
Great 3 posts :)

[itsamanuthree]

Oh man, that beach boys parody is absolutely hilarious.

Good job

[Dex]

Good stuff mate!

[Spurs Brazil]

Thanks!

[Budkin]

Amused amusing us with his grades per par tbh :tu

[Strategic]

Nice read, you almost had me going there for a minute.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

And yeah, looking back the grades were really lenient, which is weird considering I'm usually pretty harsh on the players in some of the other games :lol

[silverblackfan]

Enjoyed the heck out reading these grades. Thanks!

[Spur-Addict]

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