BillMc
04-25-2015, 05:26 AM
http://www.48minutesofhell.com/el-conclusion-game-3-aka-kawhis-night
By Trevor Zickgraf
El Conclusion: Game 3 AKA Kawhi’s night
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/215.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
A Tim Duncan, PF 31 MIN | 2-6 FG | 0-2 FT | 7 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 3 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | +23 +/-Not needed on offense, brilliant on defense.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_a.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/6450.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
A+ Kawhi Leonard, SF 29 MIN | 13-18 FG | 3-3 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 3 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 32 PTS | +20 +/-I’m running out of words. The midrange was working, then when they tried to take that away he was able to attack the basket. He’s probably a top 10 player in the league now and that’s definitely the case if he consistently can break down a defense like he did tonight.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_aplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/3233.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B+ Tiago Splitter, C 17 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 2 PTS | +9 +/-Seems to just be playing himself out of the calf injury and he looks fine. Keep doing what he’s doing and please don’t get hurt.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_bplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/1015.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B Tony Parker, PG 26 MIN | 3-11 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 6 PTS | +23 +/-Not a great shooting night, but he was aggressive and did a good job getting into the paint. He looked relatively healthy and guys were hitting shots at a better clip.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_b.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/3988.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
A+ Danny Green, SG 29 MIN | 4-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 11 PTS | +33 +/-Call it home cooking on offense. He just shoots better in San Antonio. What I’d really like to talk about is his defense on Chris Paul. Paul had shredded the Spurs the first two games and Green did such a good job forcing him left and not giving him a ton of space on that midrange jumper.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_aplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/4008.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B Jeff Ayres, PF 8 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | 0 +/-No dunk, no A.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_b.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/3190.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B+ Marco Belinelli, SF 16 MIN | 4-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 9 PTS | -3 +/-Keep shooting, buddy.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_bplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/2968439.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B Aron Baynes, C 7 MIN | 1-2 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | -3 +/-It was good to see him out there after hearing he probably wouldn’t play. Hit a couple of nice shots and got a nice shout out from Jeff Van Gundy.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_b.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/1996.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
C+ Matt Bonner, C 16 MIN | 1-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 3 PTS | +1 +/-The Red Rocket might be a tad bit rusty. Still, the effort’s there and I’d rather him shoot a ton and miss then not shoot at all.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_cplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/2167.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
A Boris Diaw, C 23 MIN | 5-8 FG | 5-6 FT | 6 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 15 PTS | +18 +/-Aggressive Bobo came out to play. And he’s what I like about what Boris is doing this series: It’s very easy to get intimidated by DeAndre Jordan around the basket. Boris doesn’t get scared. He’s used to being smarter than defenders around the basket, so he’s shown zero fear in this series so far.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_a.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/4004.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B+ Patty Mills, PG 15 MIN | 2-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 6 PTS | +7 +/-Not exactly Game 2 Patty, but it looks like his shot is back. Huge news.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_bplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/6446.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B Cory Joseph, PG 8 MIN | 3-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | -3 +/-I’m going to miss CoJo when he gets a nice contract from someone else to be their back up next season.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_b.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/272.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B+ Manu Ginobili, SG 17 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 6 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 2 PTS | +10 +/-Didn’t need to score but really filled the box score in every other way. And he did it in 17 minutes. Bonus.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_bplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/i/headshots/nba/coaches/65/2028618.jpg
A+ Gregg Popovich
Everything worked tonight. Everything.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_aplus.jpg
Three Things We Saw
This is pretty much the opposite of what happened in Game 1, so don’t get carried away thinking Game 4 will be another blowout (though it wouldn’t be shocking either, right?)
Best part about this game, besides Kawhi’s overall brilliance, was the fact that no one got overtaxed minutes wise.
Four points tied Tim Duncan’s career playoff low. Spurs won by 27. That’s fun.
By Trevor Zickgraf
El Conclusion: Game 3 AKA Kawhi’s night
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/215.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
A Tim Duncan, PF 31 MIN | 2-6 FG | 0-2 FT | 7 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 3 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | +23 +/-Not needed on offense, brilliant on defense.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_a.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/6450.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
A+ Kawhi Leonard, SF 29 MIN | 13-18 FG | 3-3 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 3 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 32 PTS | +20 +/-I’m running out of words. The midrange was working, then when they tried to take that away he was able to attack the basket. He’s probably a top 10 player in the league now and that’s definitely the case if he consistently can break down a defense like he did tonight.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_aplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/3233.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B+ Tiago Splitter, C 17 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 2 PTS | +9 +/-Seems to just be playing himself out of the calf injury and he looks fine. Keep doing what he’s doing and please don’t get hurt.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_bplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/1015.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B Tony Parker, PG 26 MIN | 3-11 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 6 PTS | +23 +/-Not a great shooting night, but he was aggressive and did a good job getting into the paint. He looked relatively healthy and guys were hitting shots at a better clip.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_b.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/3988.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
A+ Danny Green, SG 29 MIN | 4-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 11 PTS | +33 +/-Call it home cooking on offense. He just shoots better in San Antonio. What I’d really like to talk about is his defense on Chris Paul. Paul had shredded the Spurs the first two games and Green did such a good job forcing him left and not giving him a ton of space on that midrange jumper.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_aplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/4008.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B Jeff Ayres, PF 8 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | 0 +/-No dunk, no A.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_b.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/3190.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B+ Marco Belinelli, SF 16 MIN | 4-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 9 PTS | -3 +/-Keep shooting, buddy.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_bplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/2968439.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B Aron Baynes, C 7 MIN | 1-2 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | -3 +/-It was good to see him out there after hearing he probably wouldn’t play. Hit a couple of nice shots and got a nice shout out from Jeff Van Gundy.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_b.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/1996.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
C+ Matt Bonner, C 16 MIN | 1-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 3 PTS | +1 +/-The Red Rocket might be a tad bit rusty. Still, the effort’s there and I’d rather him shoot a ton and miss then not shoot at all.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_cplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/2167.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
A Boris Diaw, C 23 MIN | 5-8 FG | 5-6 FT | 6 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 15 PTS | +18 +/-Aggressive Bobo came out to play. And he’s what I like about what Boris is doing this series: It’s very easy to get intimidated by DeAndre Jordan around the basket. Boris doesn’t get scared. He’s used to being smarter than defenders around the basket, so he’s shown zero fear in this series so far.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_a.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/4004.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B+ Patty Mills, PG 15 MIN | 2-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 6 PTS | +7 +/-Not exactly Game 2 Patty, but it looks like his shot is back. Huge news.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_bplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/6446.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B Cory Joseph, PG 8 MIN | 3-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | -3 +/-I’m going to miss CoJo when he gets a nice contract from someone else to be their back up next season.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_b.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/272.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xffffff&transparent=false
B+ Manu Ginobili, SG 17 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 6 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 2 PTS | +10 +/-Didn’t need to score but really filled the box score in every other way. And he did it in 17 minutes. Bonus.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_bplus.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/i/headshots/nba/coaches/65/2028618.jpg
A+ Gregg Popovich
Everything worked tonight. Everything.
http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/grades/grade_aplus.jpg
Three Things We Saw
This is pretty much the opposite of what happened in Game 1, so don’t get carried away thinking Game 4 will be another blowout (though it wouldn’t be shocking either, right?)
Best part about this game, besides Kawhi’s overall brilliance, was the fact that no one got overtaxed minutes wise.
Four points tied Tim Duncan’s career playoff low. Spurs won by 27. That’s fun.