Minutes & Rotations

[spurs10]

In the long hot summer I've been dreaming on how the minutes and rotations are gonna play out. Obviously there are many variables... rest days, experimentation, and who ends up on the team.:lol For now I'm going with sure things and letting Bonner and Boban split a few and KA and Simmons split a few.

Minutes

Post- LMA- 31 Tim- 25 West-17 Diaw- 17 Boban/Bonner-6

Wings- Kawhi- 34 Green- 29 Manu- 19 Mills- 6 KA/Simmons- 8

Point- TP- 31 Mills- 11 Ray- 6

Rotations

Tim LMA Kawhi Green TP- 17 mpg
West LMA Kawhi Green TP- 9 mpg
West Diaw KA/Simmons Manu Mills- 8 mpg
Boban/Bonner Diaw Manu Mills Ray- 6 mpg
Tim LMA Kawhi Manu TP- 5 mpg
Tim Diaw Kawhi Green Mills- 3 mpg

Don't have Diaw with LMA, but think he and West are going to be fairly interchangeable.

:flag:

[apalisoc_9]

if parker plays north of 30 it shows how much ego he has tbh.

It's going to be

Kawhi 32
LMA 31
Timmy 26-28
Manu 22-24
Tony 27-29
Patty 20-22
West 20-22
Danny 30
Diaw 25

Others are a huge question mark

[spurs10]

if parker plays north of 30 it shows how much ego he has tbh.

It's going to be

Kawhi 32
LMA 31
Timmy 26-28
Manu 22-24
Tony 27-29
Patty 20-22
West 20-22
Danny 30
Diaw 25

Others are a huge question mark Like that really....Manu might be a bit high..

[Spurtacular]

Spurs are an older team. Their rotations will look significantly different at various times.

[apalisoc_9]

Like that really....Manu might be a bit high..

Honestly, the manu, tony, td are all question marks.

but 24 is imo realistic this year considering the easier scheduling.

[spurs10]

Do you think Diaw will play 8 or so minutes at the 3? Only so many post minutes....I was just making a wild guess on Boban and Bonner getting many minutes. Probably mostly on rest days for TD.

[spurs10]

Honestly, the manu, tony, td are all question marks.

but 24 is imo realistic this year considering the easier scheduling. Yep....gonna fun to watch. Glad The Manu and Tim are back for another season!

[apalisoc_9]

Do you think Diaw will play 8 or so minutes at the 3? Only so many post minutes....I was just making a wild guess on Boban and Bonner getting many minutes. Probably mostly on rest days for TD.

Doaw won't play the three at all. Like zero minutes..maybe 1 or 2 minutes at most close to garbage time

Green, Manu, Anderson, Simmons are Kawh's backup

[T_L_P]

It will all shake out differently by season's end, as guys like Bonner/Boban will be getting minutes when TD and West(?) sits, plus garbage time situations. Same for Ray with Parker, Simmons with Manu, etc.

Most of the time it'll be something like:

Parker - 28.5
Green - 28.5
Kawhi - 30
Aldridge - 31
Duncan - 26.5

Mills - 18
Ray - 5 (+garbage time)
Manu - 20
Anderson - 8 (+garbage time)
Simmons - 6 (+garbage time)
Bonner - 8
Diaw - 20
West - 20
Boban - no idea if he'll be healthy or if he'll be good enough to really make the rotation

Again, it'll all shake out in the end, but our frontcourt in close, important games will be Kawhi/Aldridge/Duncan 30+ mins, Diaw and West around 23-25. Bonner and Boban are afterthoughts. If Kawhi has to come out Danny/Manu go to SF as Pop won't trust Kyle or Simmons (outside of short rest situations).

[spurraider21]

Beal and Ariza should log at least 29 minutes apiece

[Kikoluna]

As long as Kyle doesn't play.

[Kikoluna]

Would Like Tony To play 5 minutes but thats wishful Thinking.

[TheGreatYacht]

Beal and Ariza should log at least 29 minutes apiece

[Spurtacular]

My Projected Season Averages

LMA - 33
Kawhi - 32
Parker - 28
Green - 27
Duncan - 26
West - 23
Ginobili - 20
Diaw - 19
Mills -17
Jimmer - 14
Anderson -12
Simmons - 9
McCallum - 7
Bonner - 5
Boban - 4

[SAGirl]

My Projected Season Averages

LMA - 33
Kawhi - 32
Parker - 28
Green - 27
Duncan - 26
West - 23
Ginobili - 20
Diaw - 19
Mills -17
Jimmer - 14
Anderson -12
Simmons - 9
McCallum - 7
Bonner - 5
Boban - 4

Barring injury that is realistic. the guys at the end of the rotation will reshuffle depending on match ups and who is healthy. I think Anderson plays more than Jimmer though. I know you are a Jimmer fan but my favorite is Anderson. Beyond that, he has been in the system a year already and really led a Summer League team to a championship game. He is versatile in that you can legitimately sub him at several spots. I really, really wished Bonner = 0, but it is what it is.. I'd probably rather see Boban than Bonner TBH. Who are we kidding, Bonner is not spacing the court any. At least Boban you have to follow and stay attached to.

[spurs10]

Barring injury that is realistic. the guys at the end of the rotation will reshuffle depending on match ups and who is healthy. I think Anderson plays more than Jimmer though. I know you are a Jimmer fan but my favorite is Anderson. Beyond that, he has been in the system a year already and really led a Summer League team to a championship game. He is versatile in that you can legitimately sub him at several spots. I really, really wished Bonner = 0, but it is what it is.. I'd probably rather see Boban than Bonner TBH. Who are we kidding, Bonner is not spacing the court any. At least Boban you have to follow and stay attached to. Yeah I just don't know about Jimmer, we could sure use another 3 pt shooter. It would be spectacular if Boban can play NBA ball. All the footage I've seen he looks like a threat. He's a #%ing giant...that's for sure.

[Spurtacular]

Barring injury that is realistic. the guys at the end of the rotation will reshuffle depending on match ups and who is healthy. I think Anderson plays more than Jimmer though. I know you are a Jimmer fan but my favorite is Anderson. Beyond that, he has been in the system a year already and really led a Summer League team to a championship game. He is versatile in that you can legitimately sub him at several spots. I really, really wished Bonner = 0, but it is what it is.. I'd probably rather see Boban than Bonner TBH. Who are we kidding, Bonner is not spacing the court any. At least Boban you have to follow and stay attached to.

Yea, people have different ideas about what's going to happen minutes-wise once you get past the Spurs core nine (Starters plus Manu, Diaw, West, Mills). Some think Anderson will have a breakout year as a wing. Others think Simmons will be a defensive juggernaut. Some think McCallum is a firm third stringer who will start when Parker is out. Others believe Bonner's story about his phone giving him a sore elbow and think he'll regain his 40 plus 3FG form. And others think Boban will be a high efficiency guy on offense. Others think Jimmer is a bust who will either not make the team or be in a suit most of the time. There's merit to all these predictions.

For me, I think Jimmer will be a spark. People don't understand that he has shown that he can be instant offense at the NBA level. They think he's just merely a spot-up shooter. But he can bring it at a Mills level or higher on offense. The real question marks of course is his defense and whether he'll be high enough in the rotation to consistently matter. There's no doubt that his minutes will hinge upon how well Anderson, Simmons, McCallum and even Bonner are doing (among other factors).

Boban is a guy that I see struggling to find himself in the Spurs system at both ends of the court. Had he signed with a scrub team, they might've given him 15-20 minutes and told him to clog the lane and maybe be a guy who they can work the offense through on the post. I think the Spurs are going to ask him to do some thing he's not used to doing and in limited quantities; and he'll likely struggle for it.

As for Anderson, I don't see him having a breakout year. But there's gonna be some natural progression.

[SAGirl]

Yea, people have different ideas about what's going to happen minutes-wise once you get past the Spurs core nine (Starters plus Manu, Diaw, West, Mills). Some think Anderson will have a breakout year as a wing. Others think Simmons will be a defensive juggernaut. Some think McCallum is a firm third stringer who will start when Parker is out. Others believe Bonner's story about his phone giving him a sore elbow and think he'll regain his 40 plus 3FG form. And others think Boban will be a high efficiency guy on offense. Others think Jimmer is a bust who will either not make the team or be in a suit most of the time. There's merit to all these predictions.

For me, I think Jimmer will be a spark. People don't understand that he has shown that he can be instant offense at the NBA level. They think he's just merely a spot-up shooter. But he can bring it at a Mills level or higher on offense. The real question marks of course is his defense and whether he'll be high enough in the rotation to consistently matter. There's no doubt that his minutes will hinge upon how well Anderson, Simmons, McCallum and even Bonner are doing (among other factors).

Boban is a guy that I see struggling to find himself in the Spurs system at both ends of the court. Had he signed with a scrub team, they might've given him 15-20 minutes and told him to clog the lane and maybe be a guy who they can work the offense through on the post. I think the Spurs are going to ask him to do some thing he's not used to doing and in limited quantities; and he'll likely struggle for it.

As for Anderson, I don't see him having a breakout year. But there's gonna be some natural progression.

I haven't seen Boban, but I have seen Bonner, and I think Bonner is done, his elbow story: I am not buying it. There is a reason he is not fully guaranteed and TBH I wasn't even sure the Spurs would have brought him back. Boban is huge. Whoever is guarding him I suspect will not help off from him. I imagine him to be a threat similar to DeAndre. Putback offensive rebounds, and alley oops threat. If he could just do that, for sure he will have more of a pull than Bonner does on his man shooting about 36.5% as a designated spot up shooter. Get out of here with that elbow shizzle Bonner!:lol

[Spurtacular]

I haven't seen Boban, but I have seen Bonner, and I think Bonner is done, his elbow story: I am not buying it. There is a reason he is not fully guaranteed and TBH I wasn't even sure the Spurs would have brought him back. Boban is huge. Whoever is guarding him I suspect will not help off from him. I imagine him to be a threat similar to DeAndre. Putback offensive rebounds, and alley oops threat. If he could just do that, for sure he will have more of a pull than Bonner does on his man shooting about 36.5% as a designated spot up shooter. Get out of here with that elbow shizzle Bonner!:lol

Well, Bonner would have retired last season if the Spurs didn't pick him up. The Kings had interest in Bonner, but I think he and PATFO have an 'I'll play as long as you'll have me (and then I'll head to the front office)' understanding in place. So, I wouldn't read too much into the partial guarantee. I think it's there for the sake of flexibility more than an indictment on Bonner.

Boban is huge. But I think they got him for flexibility in match-ups more than because he fits their general system. I think he's gonna have some growing pains and may never fully fit. The flip side is he does have some serious potential and that could be a huge bonus.

[SAGirl]

Well, Bonner would have retired last season if the Spurs didn't pick him up. The Kings had interest in Bonner, but I think he and PATFO have an 'I'll play as long as you'll have me (and then I'll head to the front office)' understanding in place. So, I wouldn't read too much into the partial guarantee. I think it's there for the sake of flexibility more than an indictment on Bonner.

Boban is huge. But I think they got him for flexibility in match-ups more than because he fits their general system. I think he's gonna have some growing pains and may never fully fit. The flip side is he does have some serious potential and that could be a huge bonus.

I am not as hungover on fit as others are, bc Pop is tweaking the system on a yearly basis to fit the talents of his team. Of course he goes out and gets guys that fit the system (shooters), but guys who are not shooters don't necessarily mean they don't fit the system. Its possible their talents will allow Pop to do things differently and add another dimension to the team, a dimension Bonner doesn't add. I would not mind a few alley oops. Spurs don't go for offensive rebounds bc they prefer to get back in transition, unless you have a bear that can crash the boards. Mind you I don't know if Boban will fit that role, if he has that talent, but if he had that talent, I don't think Pop would be so unflexible as to not allow a big man who is a threat to put back a rebound or alley oop to do that. If you had a Deandre or Tristan Thompson on the team and that is what they do, by all means.

I just think Spurs have simply not had that kind of talent from a big man recently. We all know Timmy's athletic limitations, and neither Tiago or Baynes were alley oop threats or even strong rebounders. You could rather say, they were "adequate", but not dominant in that department. The only guy who had that kind of athleticism was Ayers and he was challenged by even catching a ball, never mind and alley oop or an offensive rebound!!! :lmao I think Boban's challenge will be defense, but he has size and length to compensate for a lot, much like Timmy. He just might have a difficult time picking it up and in that you are right, but Gosh I hope to see Boban come garbage time and not Bonner. blah.

[spurs10]

Well, Bonner would have retired last season if the Spurs didn't pick him up. The Kings had interest in Bonner, but I think he and PATFO have an 'I'll play as long as you'll have me (and then I'll head to the front office)' understanding in place. So, I wouldn't read too much into the partial guarantee. I think it's there for the sake of flexibility more than an indictment on Bonner.

Boban is huge. But I think they got him for flexibility in match-ups more than because he fits their general system. I think he's gonna have some growing pains and may never fully fit. The flip side is he does have some serious potential and that could be a huge bonus. How do you see the rotations with Tim, Lma, West, and Diaw working?

[spurs10]

As cd021 was saying, it probably makes sense if LMA slips over to the 5 for stretches when West or Diaw join him and Tim sits.

[AFMadison]

Hopefully we can distribute minutes evenly throughout the season just like the 2013-14 season, (but without the injuries). Letting the bench get all those minutes really helped with that NBA Finals record breaking performance.

Some people I want to see play together:

LMA/TD/Kawhi of course
LMA/Patty because of their ties in Portland
LMA/Diaw because DiawMVP
West/Kawhi/TD/Danny tough defense
Jimmer/Patty in scrub time chunking up 3's if Jimmer makes it
Manu/West/LMA Let Manu drive and make some crazy between the legs pass for a West/LMA Jumper

[Spurtacular]

How do you see the rotations with Tim, Lma, West, and Diaw working?

That's a great question; one that's probably worthy of its own thread, tbh.

West: The media mainly reported that West was looking for a title contender. But a secondary consideration was presumably minutes. My best guess would be that they pitched him as a 20-25 min guy with potential spikes (E.G. when he's hot or Timmy misses a game). Any less, and he may have been more tempted to have signed with GS. I think it might be more ideal for him to play 16-23 min a game. I don't know how open he'll be to that though.

Diaw: I think he's okay with being the front line Swiss (French) knife and just doing whatever's asked of him on any given night. I think Pop would play him less on some nights if fitness wasn't a concern. He'll probably settle in at 16-28 mins on most nights. The larger spikes will be when Timmy is a DNP.

LMA: I'm guessing that part of Pop's recruitment was giving LMA a chance to be "the man" for his first couple years. I think that's why he'll play even more minutes than Pop might prefer; just because he wants to sort of hold up his end of the bargain. He'll be the only guy who regularly or semi-regularly surpasses 35 min, imo.

Duncan: To me, this is the wild card. I think Pop has always relied on the big three to kind of set their own minutes. Pop would have ran Duncan and Manu into the ground had they not consented to less minutes. Parker hasn't consented to much less and I think that's why he plays more than ST posters think he should; and they slam Pop for being too loyal. But that's frankly just an occupational hazard at this point.

So, it really comes down to what kind of role is Duncan comfortable with? Duncan can play 28-30 mins per game and be effective. But would he settle for 18-22 mins and be super efficient? But again, I think Pop wants to allow The Big Three to win (or lose) on their own terms.

I put 26-28 mins. But Pop is going to mitigate that with maybe more DNPs or he might sell Timmy on the idea of less minutes.

[Spurtacular]

I am not as hungover on fit as others are, bc Pop is tweaking the system on a yearly basis to fit the talents of his team. Of course he goes out and gets guys that fit the system (shooters), but guys who are not shooters don't necessarily mean they don't fit the system. Its possible their talents will allow Pop to do things differently and add another dimension to the team, a dimension Bonner doesn't add. I would not mind a few alley oops. Spurs don't go for offensive rebounds bc they prefer to get back in transition, unless you have a bear that can crash the boards. Mind you I don't know if Boban will fit that role, if he has that talent, but if he had that talent, I don't think Pop would be so unflexible as to not allow a big man who is a threat to put back a rebound or alley oop to do that. If you had a Deandre or Tristan Thompson on the team and that is what they do, by all means.

I just think Spurs have simply not had that kind of talent from a big man recently. We all know Timmy's athletic limitations, and neither Tiago or Baynes were alley oop threats or even strong rebounders. You could rather say, they were "adequate", but not dominant in that department. The only guy who had that kind of athleticism was Ayers and he was challenged by even catching a ball, never mind and alley oop or an offensive rebound!!! :lmao I think Boban's challenge will be defense, but he has size and length to compensate for a lot, much like Timmy. He just might have a difficult time picking it up and in that you are right, but Gosh I hope to see Boban come garbage time and not Bonner. blah.

Fit is a big consideration. Maybe, it's not always the over-riding consideration. In this case, I feel like it wasn't and that Boban was signed because they needed a big who could bang. They desperately needed that cos Timmy's older and LMA is frankly a little soft in that department. Thus, I believe it was quite possibly a secondary consideration how Boban might do in the offensive scheme or his individual talents. Certainly, I hope that he's good enough that some wrinkles can be added specific to his talents/size. But this is not a guarantee. And in the event that it doesn't happen, Boban will be asked to do things that aren't strengths at this point for him.

One thing to ask when altering a system to serve a player's core strengths is does it make for a net benefit? The Spurs could have altered their system to get Ayers more alley-oop dunks. But in Pop's estimation, it would seem that would have been done at a detriment to the system. So for Boban, the question might be is it worth it to run any post offense through him? Or should he be more of screener, cutter and passer like Splitter? Boban is a good passer. But cutting and screening don't seem to be strengths at the outset.

But what percent Pop alters a system vs. catering the system to a player's strengths is what makes it hard to predict. For instance, I very much wonder this with Jimmer. Will they ask Jimmer to be a wing shooter and space the floor much like Danny Green does on offense, or will they allow him to create much more like Mills? Will they institute the high screen in transition (something they don't do now) to take full advantage of Jimmer's range? Now, Jimmer can succeed in the first scenario. But the Spurs have to ask themselves if the tradeoffs are worth maximizing his skill set. There may be a happy medium in there somewhere.

[YGWHI]

Patty, Manu, Anderson, Boris, West/Bonner isn't the best defensive lineup at all, I just hope Pop doesn't sit Danny and Kawhi at the same time, play Danny 30 minutes and Kawhi 35.

[Spurtacular]

Patty, Manu, Anderson, Boris, West/Bonner isn't the best defensive lineup at all, I just hope Pop doesn't sit Danny and Kawhi at the same time, play Danny 30 minutes and Kawhi 35.

What if Simmons is on the court?

[SAGirl]

Fit is a big consideration. Maybe, it's not always the over-riding consideration. In this case, I feel like it wasn't and that Boban was signed because they needed a big who could bang. They desperately needed that cos Timmy's older and LMA is frankly a little soft in that department. Thus, I believe it was quite possibly a secondary consideration how Boban might do in the offensive scheme or his individual talents. Certainly, I hope that he's good enough that some wrinkles can be added specific to his talents/size. But this is not a guarantee. And in the event that it doesn't happen, Boban will be asked to do things that aren't strengths at this point for him.

One thing to ask when altering a system to serve a player's core strengths is does it make for a net benefit? The Spurs could have altered their system to get Ayers more alley-oop dunks. But in Pop's estimation, it would seem that would have been done at a detriment to the system. So for Boban, the question might be is it worth it to run any post offense through him? Or should he be more of screener, cutter and passer like Splitter? Boban is a good passer. But cutting and screening don't seem to be strengths at the outset.

But what percent Pop alters a system vs. catering the system to a player's strengths is what makes it hard to predict. For instance, I very much wonder this with Jimmer. Will they ask Jimmer to be a wing shooter and space the floor much like Danny Green does on offense, or will they allow him to create much more like Mills? Will they institute the high screen in transition (something they don't do now) to take full advantage of Jimmer's range? Now, Jimmer can succeed in the first scenario. But the Spurs have to ask themselves if the tradeoffs are worth maximizing his skill set. There may be a happy medium in there somewhere.
I saw in the documentary from last year in NBA TV champions that Pop said he's gotten better over the years at asking players to do what they do well. It started with Manu. I guess Pop was not a fan of the isolation crazy shot attempting of Manu to start with, but that was Manu's game. Pop let Manu be Manu obviously bc he was the only one who was good enough to get away with that. The Big 3 have stated sometimes players have to break through out of the box. Pop puts them in a box or role, imagine it as the minimum you have to bring to the table to get playing time, but a good coach will eventually get enough confidence to let a player play his game if its good enough to win you games. That is key, was Ayers good enough to win you games: NO!

Ayers was not getting alley oops or offensive put backs and stuff like that quite simply bc he was a poor player, did not dominate the glass, and he had bad hands. Even catching the ball was not a certainty. I am just guessing, bc I do not know Boban's game, but his height and strength suggest he could be dominant close to the basket. I would pair him up with a playmaker at the 4 for some big to big passing. Consider it a homeless Blake to Deandre game lol. For sure, Bonner only brings one dimension and he's not even good at that one dimension he has to his game. I am ready to see something else. Boban would have to be good enough to warrant tweaking things, but if he is, I don't see why you don't tweak things. We are likely to see much more sets for Big to Big passing anyways. Spurs strength is the frontcourt at this point.

As for Jimmer, it is interesting. I think Pop will find out how to best utilize him, but he has to be good enough to warrant the freedom to do more than just stand in a corner. By the way, I don't think he will just stand in the corner if he can make plays. TBH, even Anderson a rookie last year, had occasions when he was allowed to make plays. Like I said, Pop has gotten better at finding out what guys do well and putting them in positions to succeed. Sometimes they get their test and fail. But if they are good, they will get more chances. As to your question about the high screen, I saw that exact play in SL for K. Anderson who is not a particularly good 3 point shooter and he made that 3. It was SL, he will for sure not do that in the RS, bc to begin with, he is not a good 3 point shooter, but the play really requires the big man to be a pal and set the screen to begin with.

I really look forward to seeing how Pop tweaks things in the bench bc I honestly do not believe it will be as Manu centric as it has been in the past. And regardless, Pop will have to tweak it, Manu and Tiago's pick and roll is gone. Bench play style at this point will be a mystery.

[YGWHI]

What if Simmons is on the court?

Could be an upgrade but he isn't a proven NBA player yet. He takes pride on defense but D-League defense isn't top, we won't know his real defensive level until he plays minutes against NBA players.

[Spurtacular]

Could be an upgrade but he isn't a proven NBA player yet. He takes pride on defense but D-League defense isn't top, we won't know his real defensive level until he plays minutes against NBA players.

Agreed. Just pointing out a scenario in which the Spurs could be defensively sound with Green, KL both on the bench.

[spurs10]

That's a great question; one that's probably worthy of its own thread, tbh.

West: The media mainly reported that West was looking for a title contender. But a secondary consideration was presumably minutes. My best guess would be that they pitched him as a 20-25 min guy with potential spikes (E.G. when he's hot or Timmy misses a game). Any less, and he may have been more tempted to have signed with GS. I think it might be more ideal for him to play 16-23 min a game. I don't know how open he'll be to that though.

Diaw: I think he's okay with being the front line Swiss (French) knife and just doing whatever's asked of him on any given night. I think Pop would play him less on some nights if fitness wasn't a concern. He'll probably settle in at 16-28 mins on most nights. The larger spikes will be when Timmy is a DNP.

LMA: I'm guessing that part of Pop's recruitment was giving LMA a chance to be "the man" for his first couple years. I think that's why he'll play even more minutes than Pop might prefer; just because he wants to sort of hold up his end of the bargain. He'll be the only guy who regularly or semi-regularly surpasses 35 min, imo.

Duncan: To me, this is the wild card. I think Pop has always relied on the big three to kind of set their own minutes. Pop would have ran Duncan and Manu into the ground had they not consented to less minutes. Parker hasn't consented to much less and I think that's why he plays more than ST posters think he should; and they slam Pop for being too loyal. But that's frankly just an occupational hazard at this point.

So, it really comes down to what kind of role is Duncan comfortable with? Duncan can play 28-30 mins per game and be effective. But would he settle for 18-22 mins and be super efficient? But again, I think Pop wants to allow The Big Three to win (or lose) on their own terms.

I put 26-28 mins. All this makes sense minutes wise. It's the rotations I'm anxious to see. The Tim/LMA is a no brainer and West and Diaw are talented and strong enough to post up. I just wonder if we'll see LMA shifting over to the 5 for stretches as West and Diaw are more typical 4's.

[spurs10]

I saw in the documentary from last year in NBA TV champions that Pop said he's gotten better over the years at asking players to do what they do well. It started with Manu. I guess Pop was not a fan of the isolation crazy shot attempting of Manu to start with, but that was Manu's game. Pop let Manu be Manu obviously bc he was the only one who was good enough to get away with that. The Big 3 have stated sometimes players have to break through out of the box. Pop puts them in a box or role, imagine it as the minimum you have to bring to the table to get playing time, but a good coach will eventually get enough confidence to let a player play his game if its good enough to win you games. That is key, was Ayers good enough to win you games: NO!

Ayers was not getting alley oops or offensive put backs and stuff like that quite simply bc he was a poor player, did not dominate the glass, and he had bad hands. Even catching the ball was not a certainty. I am just guessing, bc I do not know Boban's game, but his height and strength suggest he could be dominant close to the basket. I would pair him up with a playmaker at the 4 for some big to big passing. Consider it a homeless Blake to Deandre game lol. For sure, Bonner only brings one dimension and he's not even good at that one dimension he has to his game. I am ready to see something else. Boban would have to be good enough to warrant tweaking things, but if he is, I don't see why you don't tweak things. We are likely to see much more sets for Big to Big passing anyways. Spurs strength is the frontcourt at this point.

As for Jimmer, it is interesting. I think Pop will find out how to best utilize him, but he has to be good enough to warrant the freedom to do more than just stand in a corner. By the way, I don't think he will just stand in the corner if he can make plays. TBH, even Anderson a rookie last year, had occasions when he was allowed to make plays. Like I said, Pop has gotten better at finding out what guys do well and putting them in positions to succeed. Sometimes they get their test and fail. But if they are good, they will get more chances. As to your question about the high screen, I saw that exact play in SL for K. Anderson who is not a particularly good 3 point shooter and he made that 3. It was SL, he will for sure not do that in the RS, bc to begin with, he is not a good 3 point shooter, but the play really requires the big man to be a pal and set the screen to begin with.

I really look forward to seeing how Pop tweaks things in the bench bc I honestly do not believe it will be as Manu centric as it has been in the past. And regardless, Pop will have to tweak it, Manu and Tiago's pick and roll is gone. Bench play style at this point will be a mystery. And then there's the bench! "A mystery" indeed.

[Spurtacular]

All this makes sense minutes wise. It's the rotations I'm anxious to see. The Tim/LMA is a no brainer and West and Diaw are talented and strong enough to post up. I just wonder if we'll see LMA shifting over to the 5 for stretches as West and Diaw are more typical 4's.

LMA's gonna have to play some 5 at times if he wants max minutes. But a team playing a smaller or weaker center can be guarded by West or Diaw.

[ceperez]

In the long hot summer I've been dreaming on how the minutes and rotations are gonna play out. Obviously there are many variables... rest days, experimentation, and who ends up on the team.:lol For now I'm going with sure things and letting Bonner and Boban split a few and KA and Simmons split a few.

Minutes

Post- LMA- 31 Tim- 25 West-17 Diaw- 17 Boban/Bonner-6

Wings- Kawhi- 34 Green- 29 Manu- 19 Mills- 6 KA/Simmons- 8

Point- TP- 31 Mills- 11 Ray- 6

Rotations

Tim LMA Kawhi Green TP- 17 mpg
West LMA Kawhi Green TP- 9 mpg
West Diaw KA/Simmons Manu Mills- 8 mpg
Boban/Bonner Diaw Manu Mills Ray- 6 mpg
Tim LMA Kawhi Manu TP- 5 mpg
Tim Diaw Kawhi Green Mills- 3 mpg

Don't have Diaw with LMA, but think he and West are going to be fairly interchangeable.

:flag:

17 minutes for Diaw is a bit too low. Parker is a bit too high. I do expect that Kawhi, Green and Mills to be playing more minutes this season.

[spurs10]

LMA's gonna have to play some 5 at times if he wants max minutes. But a team playing a smaller or weaker center can be guarded by West or Diaw. Agreed..actual think it's ideal.


17 minutes for Diaw is a bit too low. Parker is a bit too high. I do expect that Kawhi, Green and Mills to be playing more minutes this season. Hope you're right, especially about TP not playing too much. The idea of Diaw getting plenty of minutes is fine by me. The rotations in the post once the season gets going is gonna be fun to watch. With CJ and Beli gone, Ray, Simmons, KA, and perhaps Jimmer are going to get a shot to prove themselves in the backcourt.
:flag:

[littlecoyotecoin]

I think Tony, Tim, Manu, Kawhi, and Aldridge's minutes are all too high, varying in severity from highest to lowest probably in that order.

Tony, too high, I would like to play very little during the beginning of the season. As little as possible to secure wins and get him out of the game. He's just too valuable to have hobbled in the playoffs. When he's good, we're really good. When he's bad, we can sometimes overcome his poor play, but who wants to be in that situation. We really do need to treat him like he's the 40 year old. His body and the style of play he incorporates into his game, hitting the floor often, playing among the trees as a slight build guy, it takes its toll. Hamstring, back, and ankle issues. Etc. I don't know what I would like to see him max out at, but closer to 20 than over 30 would make me happy. There is a fine line somewhere. He needs to play enough to have his new teammates be familiar with him, and stay in game shape, secure wins, but that's it. Pull him out early and often. I say no way to 31 minutes. Distribute another 6-11 minutes to Patty, McCallum, Jimmer, Anderson, and Simmons as you see fit. During the second half of the season, maybe you can work him UP to 31 minutes a game. Of course, there may be a game where he plays 45, OT, etc and several (SEVERAL) where he DNP-rest. But, essentially play him as if he's a China Doll, because at this point he is.

Tim is old. He has been durable, but no reason to push our luck. We have the horses this year. Except on days where he is absolutely needed at center, rest. If LA, West, Bobo, Bobi, or Bonner can absorb any minutes at all, they should. At the end of the season, maybe build him up to 25-30, but as an average throughout the season? No. Caveat: we have question marks at center.

Same goes for Manu. Play him just enough to get new players acclimated to him. Otherwise, keep in glass case for playoffs. OP had him low at 19, I say 15, just pulling a number out of my ass to mean LESS, and almost none during the beginning of the year.

Kawhi's knee condition makes me want to keep him at 30 even though he's young. As with Tim, he may need to play 34-35, because the backups at Center and SF are not proven. But, in a perfect world, I hope we don't have to lean on him too heavily, minutes-wise, and Anderson, et al can absorb 15 per game. Kawhi appears to be a Spur For Life. Let's manage his time wisely from the get go.

LA - hopefully this guy is going to be a Spur For Life, too. I knock only 1-2 minutes off at 29-30, that seems to be what they've like to keep Tim at. LA is 30, he's not exactly a spring chicken. Let's get him on the under 30 for over 30 old guys plan so we can keep him around for another 10 years a la Duncan.

Of course this means every one else's minutes go up. I think Bobo and West can both stand to play more than listed, especially.

I am also quite hopeful about Anderson, McCallum, Simmons, and Jimmer. If these guys are ineffective backing up 1,2 and 3, and Boban and West can't provide effective play at center, throw this plan in the garbage.

But, it is very fun, and helpful, when our bench gets so much playing time that they function as well as some teams starting units during the regular season. It's a double edged sword getting the bench heavy minutes during the season. It makes them better and keeps our starters rested. Go bench. Watching Pop mange this year will be a LOT of fun.

[ceperez]

I think Tony, Tim, Manu, Kawhi, and Aldridge's minutes are all too high, varying in severity from highest to lowest probably in that order.

Tony, too high, I would like to play very little during the beginning of the season. As little as possible to secure wins and get him out of the game. He's just too valuable to have hobbled in the playoffs. When he's good, we're really good. When he's bad, we can sometimes overcome his poor play, but who wants to be in that situation. We really do need to treat him like he's the 40 year old. His body and the style of play he incorporates into his game, hitting the floor often, playing among the trees as a slight build guy, it takes its toll. Hamstring, back, and ankle issues. Etc. I don't know what I would like to see him max out at, but closer to 20 than over 30 would make me happy. There is a fine line somewhere. He needs to play enough to have his new teammates be familiar with him, and stay in game shape, secure wins, but that's it. Pull him out early and often. I say no way to 31 minutes. Distribute another 6-11 minutes to Patty, McCallum, Jimmer, Anderson, and Simmons as you see fit. During the second half of the season, maybe you can work him UP to 31 minutes a game. Of course, there may be a game where he plays 45, OT, etc and several (SEVERAL) where he DNP-rest. But, essentially play him as if he's a China Doll, because at this point he is.

Tim is old. He has been durable, but no reason to push our luck. We have the horses this year. Except on days where he is absolutely needed at center, rest. If LA, West, Bobo, Bobi, or Bonner can absorb any minutes at all, they should. At the end of the season, maybe build him up to 25-30, but as an average throughout the season? No. Caveat: we have question marks at center.

Same goes for Manu. Play him just enough to get new players acclimated to him. Otherwise, keep in glass case for playoffs. OP had him low at 19, I say 15, just pulling a number out of my ass to mean LESS, and almost none during the beginning of the year.

Kawhi's knee condition makes me want to keep him at 30 even though he's young. As with Tim, he may need to play 34-35, because the backups at Center and SF are not proven. But, in a perfect world, I hope we don't have to lean on him too heavily, minutes-wise, and Anderson, et al can absorb 15 per game. Kawhi appears to be a Spur For Life. Let's manage his time wisely from the get go.

LA - hopefully this guy is going to be a Spur For Life, too. I knock only 1-2 minutes off at 29-30, that seems to be what they've like to keep Tim at. LA is 30, he's not exactly a spring chicken. Let's get him on the under 30 for over 30 old guys plan so we can keep him around for another 10 years a la Duncan.

Of course this means every one else's minutes go up. I think Bobo and West can both stand to play more than listed, especially.

I am also quite hopeful about Anderson, McCallum, Simmons, and Jimmer. If these guys are ineffective backing up 1,2 and 3, and Boban and West can't provide effective play at center, throw this plan in the garbage.

But, it is very fun, and helpful, when our bench gets so much playing time that they function as well as some teams starting units during the regular season. It's a double edged sword getting the bench heavy minutes during the season. It makes them better and keeps our starters rested. Go bench. Watching Pop mange this year will be a LOT of fun.

Good lord... it's like the Spurs have an injury prone roster!

The only guys who seem to be around most of the season are Tim, Danny and Bobo.

[spurs10]

I think Tony, Tim, Manu, Kawhi, and Aldridge's minutes are all too high, varying in severity from highest to lowest probably in that order.

Tony, too high, I would like to play very little during the beginning of the season. As little as possible to secure wins and get him out of the game. He's just too valuable to have hobbled in the playoffs. When he's good, we're really good. When he's bad, we can sometimes overcome his poor play, but who wants to be in that situation. We really do need to treat him like he's the 40 year old. His body and the style of play he incorporates into his game, hitting the floor often, playing among the trees as a slight build guy, it takes its toll. Hamstring, back, and ankle issues. Etc. I don't know what I would like to see him max out at, but closer to 20 than over 30 would make me happy. There is a fine line somewhere. He needs to play enough to have his new teammates be familiar with him, and stay in game shape, secure wins, but that's it. Pull him out early and often. I say no way to 31 minutes. Distribute another 6-11 minutes to Patty, McCallum, Jimmer, Anderson, and Simmons as you see fit. During the second half of the season, maybe you can work him UP to 31 minutes a game. Of course, there may be a game where he plays 45, OT, etc and several (SEVERAL) where he DNP-rest. But, essentially play him as if he's a China Doll, because at this point he is.

Tim is old. He has been durable, but no reason to push our luck. We have the horses this year. Except on days where he is absolutely needed at center, rest. If LA, West, Bobo, Bobi, or Bonner can absorb any minutes at all, they should. At the end of the season, maybe build him up to 25-30, but as an average throughout the season? No. Caveat: we have question marks at center.

Same goes for Manu. Play him just enough to get new players acclimated to him. Otherwise, keep in glass case for playoffs. OP had him low at 19, I say 15, just pulling a number out of my ass to mean LESS, and almost none during the beginning of the year.

Kawhi's knee condition makes me want to keep him at 30 even though he's young. As with Tim, he may need to play 34-35, because the backups at Center and SF are not proven. But, in a perfect world, I hope we don't have to lean on him too heavily, minutes-wise, and Anderson, et al can absorb 15 per game. Kawhi appears to be a Spur For Life. Let's manage his time wisely from the get go.

LA - hopefully this guy is going to be a Spur For Life, too. I knock only 1-2 minutes off at 29-30, that seems to be what they've like to keep Tim at. LA is 30, he's not exactly a spring chicken. Let's get him on the under 30 for over 30 old guys plan so we can keep him around for another 10 years a la Duncan.

Of course this means every one else's minutes go up. I think Bobo and West can both stand to play more than listed, especially.

I am also quite hopeful about Anderson, McCallum, Simmons, and Jimmer. If these guys are ineffective backing up 1,2 and 3, and Boban and West can't provide effective play at center, throw this plan in the garbage.

But, it is very fun, and helpful, when our bench gets so much playing time that they function as well as some teams starting units during the regular season. It's a double edged sword getting the bench heavy minutes during the season. It makes them better and keeps our starters rested. Go bench. Watching Pop mange this year will be a LOT of fun. :bobo Hopefully several guys step up and give more rest to the starters and Manu.

[Spurtacular]

17 minutes for Diaw is a bit too low. Parker is a bit too high. I do expect that Kawhi, Green and Mills to be playing more minutes this season.

A slim Parker is gonna command 30 plus minutes on most nights. I hedged below 30 on the average to account for blowouts.

[TD 21]

Aldridge: 32-34 mpg
Leonard: 32-34 mpg
Duncan: 28-30 mpg
Green: 30-32 mpg
Parker: 30-32 mpg

Ginobili: 22-24 mpg
Diaw: 18-20 mpg
Mills: 16-18 mpg
West: 14-16 mpg
Anderson: 12-14 mpg

This is somewhat based on the ideal scenario. So, everyone healthy/available, no back to back and they're in control of the game.

Of course, over 82 it's not going to play out that way, so Diaw, West, Anderson, will probably all average more minutes, the same way Belinelli was well over 20 mpg in both of his seasons, but in ideal conditions played a lesser role.

[Spurtacular]

Aldridge: 32-34 mpg
Leonard: 32-34 mpg
Duncan: 28-30 mpg
Green: 30-32 mpg
Parker: 30-32 mpg

Ginobili: 22-24 mpg
Diaw: 18-20 mpg
Mills: 16-18 mpg
West: 14-16 mpg
Anderson: 12-14 mpg

This is somewhat based on the ideal scenario. So, everyone healthy/available, no back to back and they're in control of the game.

Of course, over 82 it's not going to play out that way, so Diaw, West, Anderson, will probably all average more minutes, the same way Belinelli was well over 20 mpg in both of his seasons, but in ideal conditions played a lesser role.

The 14 Championship season, nobody played more than 30 minutes. I don't see Pop having five guys averaging more than 30 mins. Aldridge and Leonard probably will; and in shape Parker might. Green could in theory. Duncan hitting 30 is probably a stretch. If anything, I'm thinking Pop wants him to be under 25 (or otherwise increase his DNPs).

Ginobili is getting older. Ideal may be for him to come in at under 20.

I believe West'll probably be in the 22-27 minute range. I think he'll have a bigger role than people think. Though 16-18 could be optimal in theory.

I think 11-15 will chip away at some of the other minutes on the board. This team has depth; and I believe Pop plans to use it.

[spurs10]

Aldridge: 32-34 mpg
Leonard: 32-34 mpg
Duncan: 28-30 mpg
Green: 30-32 mpg
Parker: 30-32 mpg

Ginobili: 22-24 mpg
Diaw: 18-20 mpg
Mills: 16-18 mpg
West: 14-16 mpg
Anderson: 12-14 mpg

This is somewhat based on the ideal scenario. So, everyone healthy/available, no back to back and they're in control of the game.

Of course, over 82 it's not going to play out that way, so Diaw, West, Anderson, will probably all average more minutes, the same way Belinelli was well over 20 mpg in both of his seasons, but in ideal conditions played a lesser role. Yes this looks like a good breakdown for an important game when we are healthy. It's really a luxury to look at this team and think how strong we look from 1 to 10. We are in a much better place for Life After Tim as well. Imagine if Boban and Simmons can contribute.

[TD 21]

The 14 Championship season, nobody played more than 30 minutes. I don't see Pop having five guys averaging more than 30 mins. Aldridge and Leonard probably will; and in shape Parker might. Green could in theory. Duncan hitting 30 is probably a stretch. If anything, I'm thinking Pop wants him to be under 25 (or otherwise increase his DNPs).

Ginobili is getting older. Ideal may be for him to come in at under 20.

I believe West'll probably be in the 22-27 minute range. I think he'll have a bigger role than people think. Though 16-18 could be optimal in theory.

I think 11-15 will chip away at some of the other minutes on the board. This team has depth; and I believe Pop plans to use it.

That was a fluke; it's not like that was planned.

I fully expect Duncan to end up closer to 28 than 30, but I specifically put them in ranges. To use Duncan as an example: If this team is decimated by injury and/or isn't living up to expectations, he'll probably trend closer to 30. But no matter the circumstances, he won't exceed that.

I suspect the plan is to increase Duncan's DNP's (this is when West will play significantly more than his average), more so than decrease his minutes. It's difficult to manage a starters minutes to such an extreme extent, plus he can he still easily handle 28-30 and he's their only rotation/proven center.

11-15 aren't regular rotation players, so the games they're healthy/not resting anyone, they're generally not playing, outside of garbage time.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

I'd rather have Simmons as the 4th wing and save Anderson for the 25+ point blowout type of games. Simmons has an NBA-ready body, is athletic, can shoot, and can actually play and defend. Anderson is none of the above and would lose to a turtle in a baseline-to-baseline dash.

[Spurtacular]

That was a fluke; it's not like that was planned.

I fully expect Duncan to end up closer to 28 than 30, but I specifically put them in ranges. To use Duncan as an example: If this team is decimated by injury and/or isn't living up to expectations, he'll probably trend closer to 30. But no matter the circumstances, he won't exceed that.

I suspect the plan is to increase Duncan's DNP's (this is when West will play significantly more than his average), more so than decrease his minutes. It's difficult to manage a starters minutes to such an extreme extent, plus he can he still easily handle 28-30 and he's their only rotation/proven center.

11-15 aren't regular rotation players, so the games they're healthy/not resting anyone, they're generally not playing, outside of garbage time.

Knowing how Pop likes to really manage minutes, I woiuldn't call it a fluke. Was it an objective to have the minutes that low? Perhaps not.

Duncan won't hit 30 mpg. I'd take that to the bank. And I would take the under on 28, tbh. Pop has West. He's gonna use him to preserve Duncan.

Pop is not that adverse to giving 11-15 meaningful minutes either.

[kobyz]

if parker plays north of 30 it shows how much ego he has tbh.



Why you are a coward and don't have the guts to blame who do you really blame and call Pop out for playing Parker instead of trying to flip the blame to Parker with some bs nonsense trash all the time??? Are you chicken to bring the hate of Pop cause you know is like a Jesus here and you afraid to get really crusify without the support of some racists people and Manu lovers who also hating on Paker without reason?

[TD 21]

Knowing how Pop likes to really manage minutes, I woiuldn't call it a fluke. Was it an objective to have the minutes that low? Perhaps not.

Duncan won't hit 30 mpg. I'd take that to the bank. And I would take the under on 28, tbh. Pop has West. He's gonna use him to preserve Duncan.

Pop is not that adverse to giving 11-15 meaningful minutes either.

It was a fluke. Parker and to a lesser extent, Leonard, left numerous games relatively early with injuries and they blew so many teams out, that it just happened.

I agree; like I said, that's basically the doomsday scenario. Duncan will only go under 28 if he leaves at least a few games with injury relatively early and/or they're blowing so many teams out, especially relatively early. West doesn't really preserve Duncan, since he doesn't do the same things.

I never said Pop was, but you made it sound as if 11-15 are going to push 6-10 for minutes and that's not happening, with the exception of Anderson.

[spurs10]

It was a fluke. Parker and to a lesser extent, Leonard, left numerous games relatively early with injuries and they blew so many teams out, that it just happened.

I agree; like I said, that's basically the doomsday scenario. Duncan will only go under 28 if he leaves at least a few games with injury relatively early and/or they're blowing so many teams out, especially relatively early. West doesn't really preserve Duncan, since he doesn't do the same things.

I never said Pop was, but you made it sound as if 11-15 are going to push 6-10 for minutes and that's not happening, with the exception of Anderson. With Beli gone I'm thinking some of his minutes will indeed go to KA. Wonder how significant of a jump?

[TD 21]

With Beli gone I'm thinking some of his minutes will indeed go to KA. Wonder how significant of a jump?

No question. As I alluded to, past the top six, it just depends on what you mean specifically though: His average or in the "ideal scenario". He'll probably average closer to 20, but play closer to 10 in the latter.

[spurs10]

No question. As I alluded to, past the top six, it just depends on what you mean specifically though: His average or in the "ideal scenario". He'll probably average closer to 20, but play closer to 10 in the latter. Makes sense. Kawhi's back up is interesting. We've used our 2's a lot in the past. Would be great to see KA really own this spot.

[apalisoc_9]

No question. As I alluded to, past the top six, it just depends on what you mean specifically though: His average or in the "ideal scenario". He'll probably average closer to 20, but play closer to 10 in the latter.

There's also the possibility of Pop promising more minutes for Kawhi provided he's healthy.

I wouldn't doubt it. Pop allowed Parker and Manu to have a couple of "free" seasons.

Anderson is a huge question mark, If he's terrible every wing will have to play more..I think simmons gets the DNP treatment

[cd021]

PG-Parker-28.5
SG-Green-31
SF-Leonard-32
PF-Aldridge-32.5
C-Duncan-26.5

PG-Mills-19.5
SG-Ginobili-20
SF-Anderson-13
PF-Diaw-20
C-West-17

LMA
PF-28
C-4.5

[spurs10]

PG-Parker-28.5
SG-Green-31
SF-Leonard-32
PF-Aldridge-32.5
C-Duncan-26.5

PG-Mills-19.5
SG-Ginobili-20
SF-Anderson-13
PF-Diaw-20
C-West-17

LMA
PF-28
C-4.5 This is good...also like the LMA PF/C minutes. It makes a lot of sense for him to move to 5 for some minutes. :toast

[Spurtacular]

It was a fluke. Parker and to a lesser extent, Leonard, left numerous games relatively early with injuries and they blew so many teams out, that it just happened.

I agree; like I said, that's basically the doomsday scenario. Duncan will only go under 28 if he leaves at least a few games with injury relatively early and/or they're blowing so many teams out, especially relatively early. West doesn't really preserve Duncan, since he doesn't do the same things.

I never said Pop was, but you made it sound as if 11-15 are going to push 6-10 for minutes and that's not happening, with the exception of Anderson.

The older Spurs were set for a third straight deep run. Pop had an emphasis on minutes management. Maybe, if the Spurs weren't comfortably in the top two seeds and opposite of OKC in the brackets, players would have been more extended; but no player reaching 30 min was that much of a happy accident.

Anderson is arguably 10 going into it. Simmons, Jimmer, Boban, McCallum and a potentially better Bonner are all candidates for quality minutes.

[LittleCriminal]

Wonder if Diaw will get any burn as a Backup Sf...

[TD 21]

There's also the possibility of Pop promising more minutes for Kawhi provided he's healthy.

I wouldn't doubt it. Pop allowed Parker and Manu to have a couple of "free" seasons.

Anderson is a huge question mark, If he's terrible every wing will have to play more..I think simmons gets the DNP treatment

Leonard will get more minutes just based on the fact that they lack a fourth proven rotation wing, more than anything.

Things were different back when Ginobili and even Parker, were in their respective prime. The depth wasn't what it is now and less was known about overexerting players or at least it wasn't taken as seriously.

Obviously, 34 mpg is somewhat arbitrary, but this team shouldn't need Leonard or Aldridge to exceed that threshold and if they do, it's probably because something has gone wrong.

If Anderson is terrible, they'll likely give Simmons and Fredette a chance before resorting to essentially a three wing rotation or looking for external help.



The older Spurs were set for a third straight deep run. Pop had an emphasis on minutes management. Maybe, if the Spurs weren't comfortably in the top two seeds and opposite of OKC in the brackets, players would have been more extended; but no player reaching 30 min was that much of a happy accident.

Anderson is arguably 10 going into it. Simmons, Jimmer, Boban, McCallum and a potentially better Bonner are all candidates for quality minutes.

So now you agree that Pop didn't intentionally manage minutes to that extent? I'm pretty sure he admitted as much after the fact.

Marjanovic and Bonner have no chance at quality minutes, barring a significant injury to one of the four rotation bigs.

Since fourth wing is such a major question mark, Simmons, Fredette and even McCallum (if they think Fredette can exclusively guard wings, then he shouldn't be excluded), all have a shot.

[Spurtacular]

So now you agree that Pop didn't intentionally manage minutes to that extent? I'm pretty sure he admitted as much after the fact.

Marjanovic and Bonner have no chance at quality minutes, barring a significant injury to one of the four rotation bigs.

Since fourth wing is such a major question mark, Simmons, Fredette and even McCallum (if they think Fredette can exclusively guard wings, then he shouldn't be excluded), all have a shot.

I don't think that Pop was trying to do the Hubie Brown approach and divvy up minutes among 10 players each night almost equally. But I do think that that season Pop had much more of an emphasis of limiting minutes than any other season. Maybe, if Parker doesn't get hurt, then the Spurs don't become the first champion to no have a 30 MPG guy; but otherwise, I don't really consider it that much of a happy accident that the Spurs had nobody reach 30 mpg. What I think is a happy accident is that they did it while winning 62 games and taking the 1 seed over OKC.