I miss you Gary Neal...

[Ditty]

:cry As much as I love Marco majority of the time, this was the type of game that Gary Neal would win us when we needed to get the ball in the hoop :cry

[AntiChrist]

Did you ever see Neal play defense?

Me either.

[SpurPadre]

Ok let's not have crazy talk. Things are bad but not THAT bad.

[Lerojo]

Our problem is defence, especially with these injuries. Gary Neal would be of no help at the moment, also Marco is better at everything and is more useful than Neal

[Hoops Czar]

Did you ever see Neal play defense?

Me either.

Did you ever see Belinelli play defense? Me neither.

[SpurPadre]

Did you ever see Belinelli play defense? Me neither.
I've seen belinelli pass, though. Neal doesn't have the word pass in his vocabulary.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

I've seen belinelli pass, though. Neal doesn't have the word pass in his vocabulary.

Or "handling the ball"

[SpurPadre]

Or "handling the ball"
Yeah and marco is also aware the league's set rule of a 24 second shot-clock, as opposed to neal.

[AntiChrist]

Did you ever see Belinelli play defense? Me neither.

Not nearly as atrocious as Gary Neal's defense -- not even close.

[CitizenDwayne]

I think I actually agree.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

Not nearly as atrocious as Gary Neal's defense -- not even close.

ehhh... it is kinda close... kinda

[Sean Cagney]

Ok let's not have crazy talk. Things are bad but not THAT bad.

I came in here to say OH LORD, but you said it best.

[Hoops Czar]

Yeah and marco is also aware the league's set rule of a 24 second shot-clock, as opposed to neal.

A player that doesn't play defense and gives points in budles isn't worth having on the court. Pop had the decency to keep Neal glued to the bench during 4th Quarter crunchtime. Belinelli basically replaced Green way before he was injured. That makes Belinelli a much bigger liability even if he can dribble a little.

[DMC]

Gary couldn't have stopped Pop from giving Houston an 8-0 run. Gary's a volume shooter, no rhyme or reason, and people tend to remember the hits and ignore the misses. Gary was allowed to leave for a reason.

[timtonymanu]

I'm not as high on Marco as a lot of people are on here, but Gary Neal wouldn't be a better option. Hell no!

[Juggity]

It'd be nice to have both Marco and Gary as options off the bench, honestly. One of those dudes is always going to be able to put up a few 3s.

I mean, objectively Marco is the better player. I don't disagree with that notion. But Neal pulled the spurs through a lot of jams in his time here. We could've used some irrational confidence tonight.

[timtonymanu]

Neal lost me when he left a shoeless player open.

I do like Gary Neal, but he wasn't going to help the Spurs this season.

[SpurPadre]

I came in here to say OH LORD, but you said it best.
Even Milwaukee thinks he makes a team worse and gives him DNP-CD 's like it's candy.

[Hoops Czar]

Neal lost me when he left a shoeless player open.
I do like Gary Neal, but he wasn't going to help the Spurs this season.


The only thing spectacular about that play was Miller losing a shoe. As if a player needs both shoes to make an open shot.

[superjames1992]

LMAO, Gary Neal is sure doing well in Milwaukee this year. The guy can't even buy minutes on the worst team in the league. :lol

[Hoops Czar]

LMAO, Gary Neal is sure doing well in Milwaukee this year. The guy can't even buy minutes on the worst team in the league. :lol

System guys are like that. You could literally replace Neal's name with Green's and apply this same logic.

[weeks]

it's like everyone wants to remember the buzzer beater in game 3 and forget miller losing a shoe and dropping a three on him

[Hoops Czar]

it's like everyone wants to remember the buzzer beater in game 3 and forget miller losing a shoe and dropping a three on him

It was game 5. I guess you already forgot.

[Blake]

I miss Manu

[weeks]

It was game 5. I guess you already forgot.
really? damn.
the finals are a haze for me mostly before 6
edit: no, bullshit. it was 3.

game 5 had a last second parker layup on cole.

[Juggity]

it's like everyone wants to remember the buzzer beater in game 3 and forget miller losing a shoe and dropping a three on him

I don't think anyone is "forgetting" that. Neal had his defensive deficiencies that needed to be hidden by playing him in certain lineups, just as other spurs players need to be hidden (TP, Mills, etc). I don't remember how that play unfolded exactly, but tbh if Neal (6'4) was matched up with Miller (6'9) on defense, that seems like a lineup problem more than anything.

Neal had his role on the spurs and he played it well: a chucker, but a guy who could make baskets when you needed them. Not always a positive force, but often a positive force. It's all the more impressive that he came from the overseas scrap heap as an undrafted guy and went on to contribute significantly in 3 playoff runs (I'll never forget that Memphis buzzer beater, for instance in 2011, or his signature finals game against the Heat). Ultimately, Neal was a roleplayer. Nothing more or less. You want roleplayers who can do their one or two jobs really well. Cover up their flaws as best you can. Neal did his job really well (shoot 3s and make clutch baskets, generally speaking).

[weeks]

well so far bellinelli has shown a lot of promise.
we'll have to wait and see if that translates into anything clutch when it counts in the post season.

[crc21209]

I wouldnt take him over Beli, but over Joseph and De Colo sure...

[Prime Time]

Gary Neal in the playoffs (Before the finals):
5.5ppg, 0.6apg, .364% FG, .250% 3P. Plus bad defense of course.

If Beli can top that, he's an improvement.

[sook]

he raped. too.

[cd021]

Marco Belineli (Stats from this season, with San Antonio)

Mpg-24.0
P.E.R-15.5
O-Rating 113
D-Rating 105
Net Rating-+8

Gary Neal
(Stats from last season, with San Antonio)
Mpg-21.8
P.E.R-11.6
O-Rating 99
D-Rating 106
Net Rating--7

[cd021]

Neal lost me when he left a shoeless player open.

I do like Gary Neal, but he wasn't going to help the Spurs this season.

Neal needed a week to prep for his defensive assignment against a folding chair and still got burned for 19 points. In all seriousness just an awful defender.

People also forget he cost us a game late last season where were were up 3 with 30 seconds left and he wound up leaving Conley wide open for a 3 to tie it. The Spurs lost the game on a Conley layup.

[Skull-1]

Did you ever see Neal play defense?

Me either.

:lol

[FireMicoHalili]

But the real question is does he miss you back?

[FireMicoHalili]

Well if Neal were in Beli's place there'd be a one-inch difference and having a 6'4" SF is an issue with the folks here

[kobyz]

Bellinelli do so much harm to the team that you don't see in stats, as a role player Gary is much better for us than Belli because of his toughness and style, I wish Belli wasn't on the team, I prefer to replace him with a trade for JR Smith, I know he has bad name, but I think with pop and all the leadership on the team he can use his talent better and be much much more useful than Pusynelli...

[Hoops Czar]

Marco Belineli (Stats from this season, with San Antonio)

Mpg-24.0
P.E.R-15.5
O-Rating 113
D-Rating 105
Net Rating-+8

Gary Neal
(Stats from last season, with San Antonio)
Mpg-21.8
P.E.R-11.6
O-Rating 99
D-Rating 106
Net Rating--7

Would you run a SG with bad handles out there as your backup PG? Neither would I. Beli's offensive numbers are on the decline and I would wager most of his points are coming from assists. I would bet his defensive numbers are negligibly better because while starting, he had Splitter and Leonard out there with him.

Yes, Neal was bad last year, but how do you expect to play at your best with plantar faciitis. Anybody who wanted Neal gone shouldn't have been advocating for Belinelli as his replacement.

[Sean Cagney]

Bellinelli do so much harm to the team that you don't see in stats, as a role player Gary is much better for us than Belli because of his toughness and style, I wish Belli wasn't on the team, I prefer to replace him with a trade for JR Smith, I know he has bad name, but I think with pop and all the leadership on the team he can use his talent better and be much much more useful than Pusynelli...
I would take JR Smith over those two and anyday of the week...... Period end of story.

[Johnny RIngo]

I would take JR Smith over those two and anyday of the week...... Period end of story.

JR's a head case. Fragile ego - doesn't take criticism well. He wouldn't survive under Pop

[ThaBigFundamental21]

This many replies to Ditty the moron's idiotic topic??? GARY NEAL??? Give me a break.

[Biernutz]

I don't miss Gary........if he mi$$ed u$ he would have $igned with u$ in$tead of the Buck$..

Gary does not mi$$ u$........get over it...

[Austin_Toros]

Neal had some big games, but overall I don't miss him. Not only has Belinelli been good but I'm happy we don't have to put up with Neal's constant chucking.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Why would you miss bad ball handling and no defense?

[timtonymanu]

Obviously right now, Neal would be an upgrade over Joseph and De Colo. The Spurs could use him right now, tbh. :lol

[Hoops Czar]

Clown Neal all you want, but I'm pretty sure Neal could duplicate Belinelli's offensive output the last two games. Beli's defense is just the bud of a joke. RC was on some serious crack this offseason signing this guy. However, the biggest joke is on Spurs fans who think this guy is an upgrade over anybody. I think 5 teams in 7 years speaks for itself.

[sexinthatsx]

Looks like Hoops Czar melted down when the seaon began tbh :lol

[Hoops Czar]

Looks like Hoops Czar melted down when the seaon began tbh :lol
Lebron James couldn't hide this team's deficiencies.

[therealtruth]

Clown Neal all you want, but I'm pretty sure Neal could duplicate Belinelli's offensive output the last two games. Beli's defense is just the bud of a joke. RC was on some serious crack this offseason signing this guy. However, the biggest joke is on Spurs fans who think this guy is an upgrade over anybody. I think 5 teams in 7 years speaks for itself.

I'm pretty sure Beli can guard a guy missing a shoe. That's all that matters.

[siraulo23]

well gary neal is a big time player, the problem obviously is his defense

and yeah all i remember from neal last season is him leaving a shoe-less mike miller wide open

[Sean Cagney]

Lebron James couldn't hide this team's deficiencies.

I will take James on this team now! I will feel good about it too! Sign me up.

[Raven]

I'm pretty sure Beli can guard a guy missing a shoe. That's all that matters.

he can't guard even a guy missing a leg.

[TheGreatYacht]

me too

[MeloHype]

Not sure why this was bumped, dude choked hard today

[SpurPadre]

Not sure why this was bumped, dude choked hard today

Yeah, really. Fucker couldn't even get a shot off on their last possession to tie the game.