Pounding the Rock: Boban Marjanovic's questionable defense could limit his impact

[Taking it to the Hole]

An article about our most photogenic new acquisition. The article speaks about his offensive gifts highly but goes on to critique his lack of defensive prowess, especially against NBA caliber players. Boban is not a great perimeter defender and may be shaky in the pick and roll defense. I know that the Spurs FO definitely knows about this and probably plan on giving him limited minutes but it will be interesting to see just how he reacts when he is on the court. I am rooting for the big guy but he has his worked cut out for him.

http://www.poundingtherock.com/2015/8/2/9069043/boban-marjanovic-scouting-report-defense-spurs

[skulls138]

He's only a plus. If it doesn't work out no biggie. However if the team has a legitimate center he can guard him and play excellent help defense

[boutons_deux]

his highlights show lots of shot blocking, so that would intimidate drivers, alter shots. He doesn't need lead fast breaks, only shuffle around and get in position down low.

[spurraider21]

his highlights show lots of shot blocking, so that would intimidate drivers, alter shots. He doesn't need lead fast breaks, only shuffle around and get in position down low.
^those are just repub/VRWC/1% LIES

[RD2191]

Stopped reading at pounding.

[SnakeBoy]

Long way of saying Boban may or may not make it in the NBA.

[Seventyniner]

It's no secret that his PnR defense will leave a lot to be desired. Against many teams, though, he will have quite the positive impact. Duncan is currently a below-average PnR defender but still all-world when he can stay near the basket. Marjanovic doesn't have nearly the same instincts, but the Spurs should be able to minimize his weaknesses if the perimeter defense is solid enough.

[PrimeMinister]

From all accounts he is a willing learner and a coachable player. If Pop can position him in the correct places defensively and try to limit the amount of time he spends outside of the paint, I don't care how slow he is, a 9'7 standing reach is a 9'7 standing reach. All he's gotta do is put his hands up.

[playbonner15]

Last big off the bench == non issue tbh :wakeup

it's only apppropriate that opponents' questionable bench offense meets this team's questionable bench defense

[wildbill2u]

Pop is all about matchups. He won't put this guy in to guard a mobile center who has a good outside shot from the 3pt line. I remember another huge guy --Mark Eaton of Utah==who came into the league without much defense--but he could block and alter shots. And he became a valuable starter for the Jazz. Not saying Boban will be that good, but he doesn't have to be able to play against the best centers if he comes off the bench.

[boutons_deux]

^those are just repub/VRWC/1% LIES

Go Fuck Yourself

[Beaverfuzz]

He's fine, not supposed to be a Rodman here.

[jeebus]

I'm sure if the guy was a bit shorter, a foul machine, and loved to clap, pounding the cock(and certain members here) would love him.

[benefactor]

Didn't read, because he's not going to have much of an impact anyway. He's on what amounts to a minimum deal and he will only need to eat some minutes here and there/fill in against shitty teams during blowouts. He's been playing professional ball long enough to get that done.

[Knoxxx]

It's all been said he's a backup center and minutes eater. He can guard any center that's not fast and doesn't have a good jumper. Now can he guard someone like Marc Gasol? Maybe, I'd just as soon give Gasol the 18 foot jumper than have him try to score inside.

Could he guard a LaMarcus Aldrige or Tim Duncan? Heck no but we don't have to worry about that! :flag:

[GSH]

He's great fucking big. And he's good enough to have made the All-Euroleague First Team. If he can play physical, he'll have value in some situations. Anything else is a bonus. And he's great fucking big.

[lefty]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/lemmetweet/tweet/imgs/efriFYoHiEjfnlfTuMMBfuVF.jpg20150803-3-w24y9p?1438576236

[Bruno]

I quite disagree with hat article.

Marjanovic is an atypical NBA center. He is slower but he is also bigger than the average center. It brings as drawback less mobility on the perimeter but as edge more paint presence. What Marjanovic brings to the table isn't necessary worse than what the usual 6'11" mobile center brings, it's just different.

Will it work? Who knows.
Could it work ? Yes.
A good example of what Marjanovic could potentially be defensively is Ilgauskas. Big Z had similar physical tools as Marjanovic and was a solid defensive player for most of his NBA career.

[apalisoc_9]

I quite disagree with hat article.

Marjanovic is an atypical NBA center. He is slower but he is also bigger than the average center. It brings as drawback less mobility on the perimeter but as edge more paint presence. What Marjanovic brings to the table isn't necessary worse than what the usual 6'11" mobile center brings, it's just different.

Will it work? Who knows.
Could it work ? Yes.
A good example of what Marjanovic could potentially be defensively is Ilgauskas. Big Z had similar physical tools as Marjanovic and was a solid defensive player for most of his NBA career.

except big Z played his peak before 2010 and his peak was when ISO ball was still prominent among elite teams. Not as much usage with the PnR as well.

But this is a stupid article anyway. It doesn't take into consideration the fact that Marjonovic will be playing against the bench or third stringers. His lack of mobility wouldn't really be as much of an issue considering the competition. Also, Green is only a good defender according the writer and clearly only classified kawhi as a great one...Pretty Mainstream and vanilla tbh.

[lefty20]

Last big off the bench == non issue tbh :wakeup

it's only apppropriate that opponents' questionable bench offense meets this team's questionable bench defense

This, tbh.

He's simply 6 fouls in a big body. Don't really need him to do anything special.

[Spurtacular]

A lot of supposition in that article. I think Boban moves his feet very well for a man of his size.

[apalisoc_9]

A lot of supposition in that article. I think Boban moves his feet very well for a man of his size.

He is slow..really slow.

But again, it doesn't matter much considering role and competition.

[Spurtacular]

He is slow..really slow.

But again, it doesn't matter much considering role and competition.

Just watching the offensive video highlights, he appears slow. But watching the defensive gifs; he moved his feet fairly quickly. I think his defensive positioning just sucked.

[Bruno]

except big Z played his peak before 2010 and his peak was when ISO ball was still prominent among elite teams. Not as much usage with the PnR as well.

:rolleyes

Like you were watching the NBA 10 years ago...

[rudwick]

They should bring all the long slow guys off the bench and play a zone.

[apalisoc_9]

:rolleyes

Like you were watching the NBA 10 years ago...

12 years to be exact.

But even an 18 year old today would be able to tell that.

:rolleyes

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

A 7'4 dude not being a great PnR defender? Well I'll be damned! If PnR defense is what stops a center to play in the Spurs system they might as well write Duncan off, who's been terrible at it for years.

[ElNono]

This is out 5th big... and he won't be worse than Ayres... that's an upgrade no matter how you look at it...

[spurs10]

This is out 5th big... and he won't be worse than Ayres... that's an upgrade no matter how you look at it... If he can catch a basketball he'll be an improvement there. At least Ayres was honest about it.

[Mal]

Worst case he`s got 6 PF

[mudyez]

Boban is not a great perimeter defender and may be shaky in the pick and roll defense.

What do you expect from a 7-3ft center?

Wander if his lack of 3 point range or his ability to bring up the ball against press defenses will be a reason for concern as well.

[dgspursforlife]

What do you expect from a 7-3ft center?

Wander if his lack of 3 point range or his ability to bring up the ball against press defenses will be a reason for concern as well.
ofc it will for some here

[spurraider21]

except big Z played his peak before 2010 and his peak was when ISO ball was still prominent among elite teams. Not as much usage with the PnR as well.

But this is a stupid article anyway. It doesn't take into consideration the fact that Marjonovic will be playing against the bench or third stringers. His lack of mobility wouldn't really be as much of an issue considering the competition. Also, Green is only a good defender according the writer and clearly only classified kawhi as a great one...Pretty Mainstream and vanilla tbh.
he will be on the spurs 3rd team... but in competitive games, you dont exactly see hockey shifts with the entire 2nd team on the floor, then entire 3rd team, etc. he will be up against some starters at all points

[apalisoc_9]

he will be on the spurs 3rd team... but in competitive games, you dont exactly see hockey shifts with the entire 2nd team on the floor, then entire 3rd team, etc. he will be up against some starters at all points

He's a 5th big...

His mix will likely be with 6-13th rotation players with very minimal time against starters. Not to mention a few DNP.

Hardly an issue...

[spurraider21]

12 years to be exact.

But even an 18 year old today would be able to tell that.

:rolleyes
its amazing that you analyzed nba offenses at 11 and still remember game/playcall patterns

[apalisoc_9]

its amazing that you analyzed nba offenses at 11 and still remember game/playcall patterns

Yes, because I can't go back and relive 2003-2007 basketball

:lol

[spurraider21]

Yes, because I can't go back and relive 2003-2007 basketball

:lol
its amazing that you go back and watch footage of zydrunas ilgauskas defense from the early 2000's

[Agloco]

^those are just repub/VRWC/1% LIES

:lol

[Kawhitstorm]

He can't be that much slower than Brook Lopez on defense.

[George Gervin's Afro]

6 fouls

[ceperez]

6 fouls

6 *hard* fouls.

290lbs worth of bone crushing screens

7'5" of sharp flying elbows!

[z0sa]

Im expecting very little from the giant, tbh. He strikes me as a player whos going to have some real trouble with the pace and athleticism of the NBA. Hoping he proves me wrong.

[Brazil]

Yes, because I can't go back and relive 2003-2007 basketball

:lol


its amazing that you go back and watch footage of zydrunas ilgauskas defense from the early 2000's

:lol tbh...

[apalisoc_9]

I guess Z didn't play the 07 finals

arbiter of terrorism trying too hard.

:lol

[LiSpurs516]

Considering his playing time, if his defense really is that much of a hindrance it'll be negated by his playing time. Lopez is slow on the D end and he still plays starter minutes, boban should be okay vs 2-3rd stringers.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

He'll absorb some regular season minutes and be thrown in to spot minutes in the playoff when the situation warrants. If he appears in half the regular season games and a fourth of the playoff games I'd be surprised. He'll average less than 10 MPG in those games (less than 5 in the post season). All this barring injuries to the guys in front of him of course.

Too much talent in front of him.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

^^^ I like him though. He looks like a cool dude.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I was referring to myself in that previous post of course.

[ceperez]

****************** It's over ***************************

Boban is injured: http://www.nba.com/spurs/boban-marjanovic-injury-update

[dweaver99027]

Brook Lopez, while painfully slow, is a good shotblocker. Boban has never been a prolific swatter.

[spurraider21]

I guess Z didn't play the 07 finals

arbiter of terrorism trying too hard.

:lol
:lmao like you'd ever voluntarily watch a series where Parker got finals mvp
:lmao at suggesting you've sat down through that entire series recently
:lmao one series means you understand everything about ilgauskas defense against teams in 2000's

[apalisoc_9]

:lmao like you'd ever voluntarily watch a series where Parker got finals mvp
:lmao at suggesting you've sat down through that entire series recently
:lmao one series means you understand everything about ilgauskas defense against teams in 2000's

needing to watch every Z game to know he is slow defensively.

:lmao

damn arbiter of terrorism is one slow kid.

[spurraider21]

needing to watch every Z game to know he is slow defensively.

:lmao

damn arbiter of terrorism is one slow kid.
we know he is slow, this is about you understanding how NBA offenses were run in the 2000's :lmao

"big z played is peak when ISO ball was still prominent among elite teams. Not as much usage with the PnR"

and you learned that by watching the 2007 spurs, a team that didn't run as much iso and was a PnR heavy team? :lol ok...

[apalisoc_9]

we know he is slow, this is about you understanding how NBA offenses were run in the 2000's :lmao

"big z played is peak when ISO ball was still prominent among elite teams. Not as much usage with the PnR"

and you learned that by watching the 2007 spurs, a team that didn't run as much iso and was a PnR heavy team? :lol ok...

At Lebron's cavs running a motion offense....

At any team pre 09 running heaving PnR :lol

Carlisle recently said Pringles changed the game offensively..It was about 09 onwards when teams started to focus on PnR drives to get ball movement in the perimeter and just a faster game in general. That Suns team was a huge influence to the NBA..Just ask Pop and Jim Carey.