Observations From the Opener

[Blue-Lightning]

1. Spurs are still working on finding a rhythm for LMA. Although he receives isolation post-ups from time to time, he's still not a part of many plays others than screens at the top of the key. Once those change to pick and rolls with less awkwardness, good things will happen. In the meantime, LMA will be lucky to average 15 ppg.

2. I'm not anti Tony Parker at all. At all. That said, facts are stubborn things, and Pop is going to have to adjust to the fact that Tony Parker is a MAJOR liability on defense. Players are most fresh at the beginning of the season, and I was amazed at how slow Parker's footwork has become. He will still make some tear drops and contested layups, but this is a grim problem for the Spurs. The decline in speed for TP has been dramatic. Which leads to #3:

3. The Spurs cannot afford to keep Manu Ginobili out of the rotation to end games if he continues to play as well as he has throughout the preseason. It is imperative that he play less than 25 mpg, but Ginobili was a fabulous catalyst for good things while on the court... and when he left it was put totally on Kawhi's shoulders to make things happen. I don't care about Parker's psyche, if things continue as is for the next few games, it's time to consider playing Ginobili at PG in the final 3 minutes of close games.

4. Tim Duncan shows zero signs of deterioration from last year and amazes with his selflessness. Duncan never demanded the ball, never took an unnecessary shot. He is the greatest Hall of Famer to care so little about stats. Fantastic.

5. David West is completely and utterly lost. His effort was there, but he has no idea what is going on around him. Hopefully he can get things fixed by the midway point, because right now he's a detriment to offensive movement.

6. Kawhi is a top ten player now and will be the alpha in front of Aldridge. Whether or not that causes issues with Aldridge and why he came to the team waits to be seen. Leonard's defensive acumen and physical prowess have maximized and his offensive skills have amazingly caught up completely. Few players ever see such a huge increase in offensive abilities from their rookie year to their prime. Kawhi has gone from a defensive role player a la Bowen in his rookie year to a legitimate destroyer of teams.

7. The Spurs have zero, and I mean zero, means by which to stop premier scoring point guards. There are no bandaids for this issue with the current roster.

8. The experiment of West and Diaw on the frontcourt is an experiment that will not work. Though the effort is there, the size is just too lacking. This combination along with Parker's defense in the fourth quarter were the two glaring reasons the Spurs lost a game while looking much better.

[HarlemHeat37]

West will be fine, as long as he isn't asked to create for himself..he hesitated on jump shots last night, but it was evident that he's still working his way into the system..virtually every time the camera zoomed in on him, he was seen talking to his teammates on the court and discussing plays(pointing at spots on the floor, nodding his head, etc)..

As long as he takes those mid-range Js all day, he'll be fine IMO..

The frontcourt defense in the 2nd unit is definitely a concern, but there aren't many teams that have a player with Kanter's ability coming off their bench(Rockets have Montejunas, but he doesn't have size..Warriors don't have anybody of that nature, etc)..he's a huge liability in a starting lineup, but his lack of defense is mostly irrelevant coming off the bench..

[ElNono]

Good writeup.

About #7, I think Danny can be that guy. Maybe not stop, but do a solid job. It's more complicated, because if #2 happens often and players get confident, then it gets harder to slow them down. On the other hand, it's good we had a solid look in game 1 on this. Plenty of time to work out solutions.

Also #8 will take time, and, as you say, it might not work in the long run, but I also though Boris was pretty lazy, and the P&R defense was just too bad with him and Patty. Boris is really important for what we want to do with that 2nd unit, and I didn't think he was really engaged on both ends last night. Hopefully it doesn't become "bad Boris" as it has happened previously in his career, tbh...

[BillMc]

I wonder if playing Timmy some more time with the bench, in place of West, would help some of these rebounding/defensive issues. I'm not saying bench Tim (heave forbid!) but match the substituion patterns so he has more time with them. Conversely West or Boban could get some run with the starters. LMA at 6-11 and when engaged defensively can do things Boris and West can't, so maybe he can take up the slack without Duncan and let Duncan help out the backups.

One wonders if Simmons has the speed to guard quick pgs? But his offense, particularly his handles, are such a liability that I don't think Pop can play him.

[Brazil]

Good writeup.

About #7, I think Danny can be that guy. Maybe not stop, but do a solid job. It's more complicated, because if #2 happens often and players get confident, then it gets harder to slow them down. On the other hand, it's good we had a solid look in game 1 on this. Plenty of time to work out solutions.

Also #8 will take time, and, as you say, it might not work in the long run, but I also though Boris was pretty lazy, and the P&R defense was just too bad with him and Patty. Boris is really important for what we want to do with that 2nd unit, and I didn't think he was really engaged on both ends last night. Hopefully it doesn't become "bad Boris" as it has happened previously in his career, tbh...

:wow wtf

you did not watch or something ?

Despite the fact Bobo played his first meaningful minutes of the year last night, he had a very solid 20 mn that even translated to the box score, 4/5 on shooting, 6 assists !! (second best of the team) with 2 stl, 3 blocks ! Along with Kawhi and Manu, he was the best Spurs. He had a couple of clutch plays in defense that put the Spurs in excellent situation to win the game. The only down side was his lack of effort in the rebound department. For the rest you can't ask better impact for a player off the bench logging 20 mn

[Fireball]

I also vote for Timmy to get a quick break in the 1st and 3rd quarter so that Diaw or West play with LMA ... and Timmy later plays with Manu in the 2nd unit

[Blue-Lightning]

:wow wtf

you did not watch or something ?

Despite the fact Bobo played his first meaningful minutes of the year last night, he had a very solid 20 mn that even translated to the box score, 4/5 on shooting, 6 assists !! (second best of the team) with 2 stl, 3 blocks ! Along with Kawhi and Manu, he was the best Spurs. He had a couple of clutch plays in defense that put the Spurs in excellent situation to win the game. The only down side was his lack of effort in the rebound department. For the rest you can't ask better impact for a player off the bench logging 20 mn

Diaw played great... but when paired with West, our rebounding becomes atrocious. When playing with Duncan or LMA, Diaw is a tremendous asset.

[Brazil]

Diaw played great... but when paired with West, our rebounding becomes atrocious. When playing with Duncan or LMA, Diaw is a tremendous asset.

this is what I mentionned, the only drawback of Boris night is the rebound but it is one stuff in an ocean of good things... great effort on Defense, great playmaking, great shooting night... you can't seriously ask for more for his first real game of the season

[tmtcsc]

I'm not worried about West. He missed some shots last night but he'll be fine. I am concerned about rebounding the most. Tim needed to be on the floor for more minutes.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

We played well overall, can't knock this team. If we lose to Brooklyn, then there's a reason to panic.

- Aldridge was nervous, he just needs to get put into the offense more and take a few more shots.
- Green looked cold, but we know Green starts the year off slow, and finds his mold.
- We should try to run Diaw at the 3 and Boban at the 5 at times with bigger line-ups. Absolutely no excuse for Boban not to dress up.
- West looked fine. His midrange jumper is good. Rebounding we all knew was going to be an issue with him and Diaw in.

[sananspursfan21]

:wow wtf

you did not watch or something ?

Despite the fact Bobo played his first meaningful minutes of the year last night, he had a very solid 20 mn that even translated to the box score, 4/5 on shooting, 6 assists !! (second best of the team) with 2 stl, 3 blocks ! Along with Kawhi and Manu, he was the best Spurs. He had a couple of clutch plays in defense that put the Spurs in excellent situation to win the game. The only down side was his lack of effort in the rebound department. For the rest you can't ask better impact for a player off the bench logging 20 mn

I agree. Hasn't Diaw's style of play always looked lazy and effortless? That's kind of why I crack up at him every time he's on the floor. It's so sloth like, yet, somehow effective. Not to say that at times he's off his game, it's not annoying either. He's a little like Ginobili in that sense.

[sananspursfan21]

We played well overall, can't knock this team. If we lose to Brooklyn, then there's a reason to panic.

- Aldridge was nervous, he just needs to get put into the offense more and take a few more shots.
- Green looked cold, but we know Green starts the year off slow, and finds his mold.
- We should try to run Diaw at the 3 and Boban at the 5 at times with bigger line-ups. Absolutely no excuse for Boban not to dress up.
- West looked fine. His midrange jumper is good. Rebounding we all knew was going to be an issue with him and Diaw in.

Aldridge missed a lot of "Aldridge type shots". I would chalk it up to nervousness or overthinking as well. He had a lot rim out. I just wish the first game of the season would have been a warm up, kind of a shame it had to be a test type game....

[baseline bum]

I wish they would have gone to West more when Kanter was on him in the third. Kanter is basically the center version of Parker on defense.

[ElNono]

:wow wtf

you did not watch or something ?

Despite the fact Bobo played his first meaningful minutes of the year last night, he had a very solid 20 mn that even translated to the box score, 4/5 on shooting, 6 assists !! (second best of the team) with 2 stl, 3 blocks ! Along with Kawhi and Manu, he was the best Spurs. He had a couple of clutch plays in defense that put the Spurs in excellent situation to win the game. The only down side was his lack of effort in the rebound department. For the rest you can't ask better impact for a player off the bench logging 20 mn

I watched the whole game, that's why I'm not going by boxscore numbers... I even made this same point in the game thread...

He was extremely poor in the P&R in the 3rd quarter (Patty too to be fair), not bodying up his big, and I know for a fact he can play a lot more physical defense. On offense, I remember one or two postups, nothing notable though.

It's not a big deal, he had a long summer and missed a bunch of the preseason games... but something to keep an eye on as the season moves along.

[Russ]

7. The Spurs have zero, and I mean zero, means by which to stop premier scoring point guards. There are no bandaids for this issue with the current roster.

No one does. Most elite point guards can't play D and aren't expected to. And it's usually the other PG trying to stop the scoring PG.

[Brazil]

I watched the whole game, that's why I'm not going by boxscore numbers... I even made this same point in the game thread...

He was extremely poor in the P&R in the 3rd quarter (Patty too to be fair), not bodying up his big, and I know for a fact he can play a lot more physical defense. On offense, I remember one or two postups, nothing notable though.

It's not a big deal, he had a long summer and missed a bunch of the preseason games... but something to keep an eye on as the season moves along.

:lol I saw your comments in the game thread but they still don't make sense... I'm not sure where you see he was not engaged... a dude not engaged don't give you 9 pts, 6 assists, 3 blks and 2 stl... Diaw always look nonchalant, it does not mean his effort is lacking

Thinking he could body up more his opponent during a stretch in the 3rd is quite different than "he was not engaged on both end of the floor"... On the offensive end particurlay you cannot be serious... nothing notable ? 4/5 and 6 assists are not notable.. in 20 min... that's 16 pts and 10 assists per 36 on 80% shooting ? smh

[Blue-Lightning]

No one does. Most elite point guards can't play D and aren't expected to. And it's usually the other PG trying to stop the scoring PG.

That's the problem - Parker can't defend.

[Brazil]

That's the problem - Parker can't defend.

that's not his point

[ElNono]

:lol I saw your comments in the game thread but they still don't make sense... I'm not sure where you see he was not engaged... a dude not engaged don't give you 9 pts, 6 assists, 3 blks and 2 stl... Diaw always look nonchalant, it does not mean his effort is lacking

Thinking he could body up more his opponent during a stretch in the 3rd is quite different than "he was not engaged on both end of the floor"... On the offensive end particurlay you cannot be serious... nothing notable ? 4/5 and 6 assists are not notable.. in 20 min... that's 16 pts and 10 assists per 36 on 80% shooting ? smh

My main complain was in the 3rd quarter defending the pick & roll, with Adams basically dropping one floater after another over him. There's no reason for that, he can body him up, but did not.

I actually though his defense outside of that was okay, mostly stand up defense, like in that little stretch with 7 mins left in the 4th...

On offense, I remember he had a nice postup, a missed postup right at the rim, and a basket in transition... that's half his 4/5 right there... I didn't think he stood out, but it could easily be my eyes deceiving me...

We disagree, I guess... only one game, not really worried, tbh

[silverblackfan]

Good points. I am glad that Pop held out his largest point guard and center for this game. It was a tough game in a tough place to win. Spurs still looking solid for the first road game. The closing of quarters will hopefully be fixed in the next 10 games.

[Brazil]

My main complain was in the 3rd quarter defending the pick & roll, with Adams basically dropping one floater after another over him. There's no reason for that, he can body him up, but did not.

I actually though his defense outside of that was okay, mostly stand up defense, like in that little stretch with 7 mins left in the 4th...

On offense, I remember he had a nice postup, a missed postup right at the rim, and a basket in transition... that's half his 4/5 right there... I didn't think he stood out, but it could easily be my eyes deceiving me...

We disagree, I guess... only one game, not really worried, tbh

let's agree to disagree... :tu

[Horse]

All this said Danny hits either of his wide open 3's and they may have blew it open. I'm not worried at all.

[TrainOfThought5]

Good writeup.

About #7, I think Danny can be that guy. Maybe not stop, but do a solid job. It's more complicated, because if #2 happens often and players get confident, then it gets harder to slow them down. On the other hand, it's good we had a solid look in game 1 on this. Plenty of time to work out solutions.

Also #8 will take time, and, as you say, it might not work in the long run, but I also though Boris was pretty lazy, and the P&R defense was just too bad with him and Patty. Boris is really important for what we want to do with that 2nd unit, and I didn't think he was really engaged on both ends last night. Hopefully it doesn't become "bad Boris" as it has happened previously in his career, tbh...

Holy fucking shit... bobo mightve been the second best spur last night. Only Gino was giving him a run for his money.

ElNono gettin old. ElNono needs glasses

[dabom]

Bobo and west were getting killed on the boards to scrub kanter. Did ya not see that shit?

[Keepin' it real]

First, it's so refreshing to see a decent post on Spurstalk for a change, so thanks OP.

1. LMA had a bad shooting night and still managed 11. I think he will easily average 16-18 ppg in the very near future.

3. The Spurs must limit Manu's minutes at all costs, even if it means sacrificing several regular season games.

5. West was completely and utterly lost? I didn't notice that. I noticed some tenacity and a good putback. Sure, he doesn't have the corporate knowledge of Matt Bonner, but that will come with time.

7. No means of stopping top scoring PGs? I seem to remember Kawhi holding his own against MVP PG Steph Curry last year. Plus, no one can stop Westbrook.

8. A Diaw and West frontcourt is light years ahead of where the Spurs were just 3 years ago with Bonner and Blair. The Spurs' frontcourt is likely the team's greatest asset. Pop will figure out the rotations. Not worried about this in the least.

My takeaways from the game were:



Wow, LMA and West are such HUGE upgrades over Splitter and Baynes. It was a joy to watch, even if neither had a stellar night.
So fun watching Kawhi be a two-way beast. I only hope he can bring the O every night because his scoring is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity.
Can you imagine how deadly this team will be by the playoffs? Barring injury, I see no way any team can beat the Spurs in a 7 game series.

[Johnsyounger]

1. Spurs are still working on finding a rhythm for LMA. Although he receives isolation post-ups from time to time, he's still not a part of many plays others than screens at the top of the key. Once those change to pick and rolls with less awkwardness, good things will happen. In the meantime, LMA will be lucky to average 15 ppg.

2. I'm not anti Tony Parker at all. At all. That said, facts are stubborn things, and Pop is going to have to adjust to the fact that Tony Parker is a MAJOR liability on defense. Players are most fresh at the beginning of the season, and I was amazed at how slow Parker's footwork has become. He will still make some tear drops and contested layups, but this is a grim problem for the Spurs. The decline in speed for TP has been dramatic. Which leads to #3:

3. The Spurs cannot afford to keep Manu Ginobili out of the rotation to end games if he continues to play as well as he has throughout the preseason. It is imperative that he play less than 25 mpg, but Ginobili was a fabulous catalyst for good things while on the court... and when he left it was put totally on Kawhi's shoulders to make things happen. I don't care about Parker's psyche, if things continue as is for the next few games, it's time to consider playing Ginobili at PG in the final 3 minutes of close games.

4. Tim Duncan shows zero signs of deterioration from last year and amazes with his selflessness. Duncan never demanded the ball, never took an unnecessary shot. He is the greatest Hall of Famer to care so little about stats. Fantastic.

5. David West is completely and utterly lost. His effort was there, but he has no idea what is going on around him. Hopefully he can get things fixed by the midway point, because right now he's a detriment to offensive movement.

6. Kawhi is a top ten player now and will be the alpha in front of Aldridge. Whether or not that causes issues with Aldridge and why he came to the team waits to be seen. Leonard's defensive acumen and physical prowess have maximized and his offensive skills have amazingly caught up completely. Few players ever see such a huge increase in offensive abilities from their rookie year to their prime. Kawhi has gone from a defensive role player a la Bowen in his rookie year to a legitimate destroyer of teams.

7. The Spurs have zero, and I mean zero, means by which to stop premier scoring point guards. There are no bandaids for this issue with the current roster.

8. The experiment of West and Diaw on the frontcourt is an experiment that will not work. Though the effort is there, the size is just too lacking. This combination along with Parker's defense in the fourth quarter were the two glaring reasons the Spurs lost a game while looking much better.

1. This. They surprised me when they went to LA in the clutch. Like Pop was testing him. LA is def not comfortable yet.
2. Yes, Parker is a liability on D. But he was up against the best PG in the league last night. TP showed some explosion and quickness last night. And even tho Waiters got off those 2 shots, those weren't exactly high percentage.
3. Gino looks great, but he is fragile. He will probably miss some games this year too injury. Pop has no choice but to limit his mins.
4. Tim may be the 2nd best player to play the game.
5. West is new, but he has the correct mindset. He's a willing passer and has a decent IQ. He may the best fit for the spurs in a long time.
6. Kawhi is an animal. Plain and simple
7. P Thrils and Parker can't stop anyone, but D Green and Kawhi can guard a PG in the crunch. Hard game to judge as well. Westbrook is just a beast.
8. Yes i fear this is right....

[dweaver99027]

Okay... things i took from the opener...

Good game overall. These are 2 of the 5 best teams in the league , and they both played a great game on offense and average on defense. That performance would have netted the Spurs a W against 26 other teams in the opener had the schedule been different. Now, specifics:

1. Kawhi looked awesome. Fantastic on offense, fantastic on defense. It's pretty rare for someone to pull an A+ on both sides of the ball during a high profile game. This was seriously jordanesque. I loved how much better he's become in controlling his body while driving, changing pace and muscling his way past his defender. VERY FEW wings can drop their shoulders during a drive and send their man flying, even Adams. The fact he set a new career scoring high in the first game of the season says a lot. Here's hoping for more of the same from him.

2. LMA was a little out of sorts, and somewhat lost on offense during the execution of some sets. For those who do not like the shots he takes, tough break. Pop doesn't want to change his game, and rightly so. I loved his presence on defense, though. he has size and length and while he's no ibaka, he can block straight up like Timmy, and definitely better than Splitter.

3. Manu is feeling it. Should be feeling good about it, but him being on a tear during the early season is not the best thing for our playoff chances. Hopefully he'll keep palying at at least 70% of his current level.

4. Parker has definitely put his MVParker days behind him. He has lost a step on offense and more than one on defense. This team needs him to be a good game manager though and occasionaly have a vintage game, and he's more than capable of being that, and possibly more.

5. West still is learning the ropes, and also looks a bit lost on offense, but it's an understandable process. Having both your starting and backup bigs being able to muscle down in the post is going to be a big weapon for the Spurs come playoff time.

6. Timmy looked like 2015 Timmy. Which is great. If he plays at that level again we'll have a Top 5 C in the game again for our title run.

7. Patty looked much improved in assuming the parker role of getting the team into its sets when supported by Manu. Pesky defense too. Having 2015 playoff Patty instead of 2015 reg season Patty will make a big difference.

8. Green had an Icy night. Comes with the territory of being a role player. Liked the improved touch he showed when putting it on the floor and driving. Excellent defender as always, the days when his cold shooting night took their toll in hid defensive focus seem over.

9. Kyle looked good, he can get to his spots almost at will, which is a rare trait. the problem is he can't get to those spots while also having lost his man, so his shots always carry a high degree of difficulty. Made a couple yesterday. Much better defensively than anticipated when drafted, should develop a corner 3 to be a constant plus for the team.

10. Westbrook is awesome. When he refrains from pulling up at inopportune times, he's unstoppable if the opposition does not have a shotblocking big. Which is us.

[ElNono]

Holy fucking shit... bobo mightve been the second best spur last night. Only Gino was giving him a run for his money.

ElNono gettin old. ElNono needs glasses

Maybe I do. :toast

I'll rewatch the game later.

[Gametight]

Great observations from everyone and I also agree we played pretty good last night all things considered. Last night did not have the feel of an opening night game whatsoever and we definitely had a chance to walk away with a W.

- My biggest concern is how will Aldridge feel playing behind Leonard. Kawhi was playing aggressive last night and and Aldridge looked somewhat lost out there. I think a lot has to do with the system and it will take some time to to get him worked in. How he handles that is anyone's guess considering some of the media reports about him last season and also during the offseason. I don't think there is any way in hell he will get his touches and numbers like he wants to when Kawhi is playing like he did last night.

- My 2nd biggest concern is with Tony Parker. I love the guy and he is one of my favorite players but he has become a shell of his former self. It's tough to watch a shoot first point guard try and transition to a pass first point guard when it doesn't work. He has become such a liability on both ends of the floor it's time something has to be done about it. Do you think it's time to try and start Patty and have Tony come off the bench?

- Kawhi Leonard...wow :wow Not much to say here, he could easily be considered most improved player every season since his rookie year which says a lot since he is now a top 5 player in the league (top 3 if he keeps playing like he did last night.) I think it's time everyone throws out the Scottie Pippen comparisons because he has surpassed Scottie Pippen on both sides of the floor imo.

- Danny Green is also an important puzzle to this team. His shot was off last night and I don't know what the hell he was thinking taking that jumper off of the screen towards the end of the game but we need his defense. I feel he is one of the top tier perimeter defenders in the league and when he is dropping the 3's we are a scary scary team. Hopefully he doesn't go through long cold streaks this season.

- Manu looked really good last night and I don't know why he wasn't in there when Danny took that ill advised shot towards the end of the game.

- Timmy as usual looked good which is nice to see.

- I thought Boris played really well and I think some of his shortcomings especially with the pick and roll was from playing next to West. Rebounding is going to be an issue with both of them on the floor like others have said and I agree with N0 LyF3 ScRuB about getting Boban in there, last night's matchup was a bad matchup for the second unit.

- I thought West played pretty well on the offensive end and had some good post ups but looked a little lost on defense. I wasn't impressed but it's the first game of the season and it was a bad match up for him so I'll wait to make judgement.

[Old School 44]

?
Holy fucking shit... bobo mightve been the second best spur last night. Only Gino was giving him a run for his money.

ElNono gettin old. ElNono needs glasses

Haven't you heard? ElNono's dead!

[ElNono]

?

Haven't you heard? ElNono's dead!

:lol

[FromWayDowntown]

Having saved so much on Cici's in the future, ElNono's family got that wifi in the coffin to keep it going on ST.

[ElNono]

Having saved so much on Cici's in the future, ElNono's family got that wifi in the coffin to keep it going on ST.

You'll be surprised how much delay I get from the game stream until it reaches the netherworld...

[tholdren]

Observation - Plust minus fails again.

[Horry Hipcheck]

I think most of these are spot on. The Spurs will look rusty out of the gate for a while, and will probably drop a few against high profile, more cohesive teams while they get into gear. I'm not worried at this point. A six point loss in an arena where the Spurs typically lose by 20, where most players did okay to great, I'll take it. Beats the hell out of Houston's opening night.

[-21-]

I wonder if playing Timmy some more time with the bench, in place of West, would help some of these rebounding/defensive issues. I'm not saying bench Tim (heave forbid!) but match the substituion patterns so he has more time with them. Conversely West or Boban could get some run with the starters. LMA at 6-11 and when engaged defensively can do things Boris and West can't, so maybe he can take up the slack without Duncan and let Duncan help out the backups.


I also vote for Timmy to get a quick break in the 1st and 3rd quarter so that Diaw or West play with LMA ... and Timmy later plays with Manu in the 2nd unit

I think Pop will eventually try to play Tim more with the bench as the season goes on. I don't expect to see it anytime soon because Pop's priority right now is to make Aldridge comfortable and get the starting lineup to gel. Tim's chemistry with Mills/Manu/Diaw is not a problem so once we see progress from the starting lineup, I believe that's when we'll see Pop give Tim more minutes with the bench to address the Diaw/West situation.

[TD 21]

I wonder if playing Timmy some more time with the bench, in place of West, would help some of these rebounding/defensive issues. I'm not saying bench Tim (heave forbid!) but match the substituion patterns so he has more time with them. Conversely West or Boban could get some run with the starters. LMA at 6-11 and when engaged defensively can do things Boris and West can't, so maybe he can take up the slack without Duncan and let Duncan help out the backups.

One wonders if Simmons has the speed to guard quick pgs? But his offense, particularly his handles, are such a liability that I don't think Pop can play him.

It's not that simple. If Duncan comes out at the under 6 timeout in the 1st and 3rd and returns at the 2 minute mark in the 1st and 3rd, he'd need another 5 minute break in the 2nd and 4th, to get to 30.

Now obviously, it won't be quite so rigid. The exact amount he plays in any given game will depend on the schedule, opponent, the way the game is going, etc. But he'll probably average roughly 28, which means mostly playing on a 30 minute rotation, with blowouts getting his average down.

If Aldridge averages roughly 34, but is on a 36 minute rotation, that means he'd come out at the 2 minute mark in the 1st and 3rd and return at the 8 minute mark in the 2nd and 4th. Giving Duncan a 5 minute break at that point means he'd return at the under 3 timeout in the 2nd and 4th quarters.

First half, whatever. Second half, I want them generally playing the final 6-8 minutes together, if the result is in question.

[LittleCriminal]

1. Put Bonner in street clothes

2. Put Boban in his uniform

3. Let Boban play

[Russ]

1. Put Bonner in street clothes

2. Put Boban in his uniform

3. Let Boban play

Wouldn't change a word. :toast

:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap :clap:clap:clap

[dbreiden83080]

I saw nothing to make me think they won't have a great season if healthy.. They should have won last night IMO, had a lead most of the way just played bad down the stretch. They will reel off a few in a row coming up here with this weak early schedule..

[SAGirl]

1. Spurs are still working on finding a rhythm for LMA. Although he receives isolation post-ups from time to time, he's still not a part of many plays others than screens at the top of the key. Once those change to pick and rolls with less awkwardness, good things will happen. In the meantime, LMA will be lucky to average 15 ppg.

2. I'm not anti Tony Parker at all. At all. That said, facts are stubborn things, and Pop is going to have to adjust to the fact that Tony Parker is a MAJOR liability on defense. Players are most fresh at the beginning of the season, and I was amazed at how slow Parker's footwork has become. He will still make some tear drops and contested layups, but this is a grim problem for the Spurs. The decline in speed for TP has been dramatic. Which leads to #3:

3. The Spurs cannot afford to keep Manu Ginobili out of the rotation to end games if he continues to play as well as he has throughout the preseason. It is imperative that he play less than 25 mpg, but Ginobili was a fabulous catalyst for good things while on the court... and when he left it was put totally on Kawhi's shoulders to make things happen. I don't care about Parker's psyche, if things continue as is for the next few games, it's time to consider playing Ginobili at PG in the final 3 minutes of close games.

4. Tim Duncan shows zero signs of deterioration from last year and amazes with his selflessness. Duncan never demanded the ball, never took an unnecessary shot. He is the greatest Hall of Famer to care so little about stats. Fantastic.

5. David West is completely and utterly lost. His effort was there, but he has no idea what is going on around him. Hopefully he can get things fixed by the midway point, because right now he's a detriment to offensive movement.

6. Kawhi is a top ten player now and will be the alpha in front of Aldridge. Whether or not that causes issues with Aldridge and why he came to the team waits to be seen. Leonard's defensive acumen and physical prowess have maximized and his offensive skills have amazingly caught up completely. Few players ever see such a huge increase in offensive abilities from their rookie year to their prime. Kawhi has gone from a defensive role player a la Bowen in his rookie year to a legitimate destroyer of teams.

7. The Spurs have zero, and I mean zero, means by which to stop premier scoring point guards. There are no bandaids for this issue with the current roster.

8. The experiment of West and Diaw on the frontcourt is an experiment that will not work. Though the effort is there, the size is just too lacking. This combination along with Parker's defense in the fourth quarter were the two glaring reasons the Spurs lost a game while looking much better.
Agree with your observations on all points.

I noticed the West-Diaw problem last night and even during preseason. Believe it or not during preseason, the best bench bigs were Boban and Anderson TBH with Rasual Butler thrown in (Diaw barely played, was rehabbing and getting his rhythm back, but sub him in for Butler, and even better). It might be that the best bench X-factor lineups involve Boban/Diaw/Kyle for a few mins here or there, particularly to calm down the situation with bench bigs attacking the rim. It's possible we'll see some Tim or LMA in the bench. I am not liking West as a 5 in the bench for sure.

The PG issue is a huge problem with no solution. Both TP and Patty are small enough that even if they exert effort, like they did last night, the athletic PG in the league like the John Wall's and Westbrooks will do whatever they want unimpeded. Even ultra fast PG like Schroder are a problem, and guys like Austin Rivers, whose game is to drive hard to the rim, and have size, are a problem for both Patty and Tony. Not sure how ready Ray is to come in with defensive hustle. Its a problem for sure.

[SAGirl]

One wonders if Simmons has the speed to guard quick pgs? But his offense, particularly his handles, are such a liability that I don't think Pop can play him.
Simmons athleticism was not put to well use. He gets caught on picks very frequently, and I mean completely taken out of the play like Belinelli would. He ballwatches and looses track of his man and gets faked out on backcuts for example. He has the tools to be better, but right now he's not. There is a reason Kyle beat him to the SF minutes and its not bc he's cute.

[SAGirl]

8. A Diaw and West frontcourt is light years ahead of where the Spurs were just 3 years ago with Bonner and Blair.




I wasn't around to witness that frontcourt, but a team with those two playing rotation minutes in the bench didn't get the Spurs very far, so its not that difficult to best them. They are not the gold standard for benches.

[LittleCriminal]

The 2nd unit should be this.

Boban
West
Diaw
Anderson
Manu

[BillMc]

Simmons athleticism was not put to well use. He gets caught on picks very frequently, and I mean completely taken out of the play like Belinelli would. He ballwatches and looses track of his man and gets faked out on backcuts for example. He has the tools to be better, but right now he's not. There is a reason Kyle beat him to the SF minutes and its not bc he's cute.

You've got some good points. I'd forgotten about his ball watching and ease of being picked off, we'd seen during the preseason.

[CGD]

I think Bobi v West is going to become a thing, which is going to be tough given the whole west taking less money narrative. I hope Bobi gets his shot though.

[ceperez]

:wow wtf

you did not watch or something ?

Despite the fact Bobo played his first meaningful minutes of the year last night, he had a very solid 20 mn that even translated to the box score, 4/5 on shooting, 6 assists !! (second best of the team) with 2 stl, 3 blocks ! Along with Kawhi and Manu, he was the best Spurs. He had a couple of clutch plays in defense that put the Spurs in excellent situation to win the game. The only down side was his lack of effort in the rebound department. For the rest you can't ask better impact for a player off the bench logging 20 mn

Bobo... extremely under rated.

[SAGirl]

9. Kyle looked good, he can get to his spots almost at will, which is a rare trait. the problem is he can't get to those spots while also having lost his man, so his shots always carry a high degree of difficulty. Made a couple yesterday. Much better defensively than anticipated when drafted, should develop a corner 3 to be a constant plus for the team.

I have noticed this too. He can't break free from anyone most of the time. But if he becomes effective taking those floaters or his shots while guarded, what a problem he will become for others. Yea right now the criticism is spot on, bc he's not athletic, he won't get freebies, easy dunks or stuff like that. But if he becomes really good at what he does, he will be able to do it against anybody and that is a potential weapon for the bench. He can potentially bail out posessions for the bench for example. Very tough to block his shot too, has some Dirkesque fadeaway.

[Phenomanul]

Great observations from everyone and I also agree we played pretty good last night all things considered. Last night did not have the feel of an opening night game whatsoever and we definitely had a chance to walk away with a W.

- My biggest concern is how will Aldridge feel playing behind Leonard. Kawhi was playing aggressive last night and and Aldridge looked somewhat lost out there. I think a lot has to do with the system and it will take some time to to get him worked in. How he handles that is anyone's guess considering some of the media reports about him last season and also during the offseason. I don't think there is any way in hell he will get his touches and numbers like he wants to when Kawhi is playing like he did last night.

- My 2nd biggest concern is with Tony Parker. I love the guy and he is one of my favorite players but he has become a shell of his former self. It's tough to watch a shoot first point guard try and transition to a pass first point guard when it doesn't work. He has become such a liability on both ends of the floor it's time something has to be done about it. Do you think it's time to try and start Patty and have Tony come off the bench?

- Kawhi Leonard...wow :wow Not much to say here, he could easily be considered most improved player every season since his rookie year which says a lot since he is now a top 5 player in the league (top 3 if he keeps playing like he did last night.) I think it's time everyone throws out the Scottie Pippen comparisons because he has surpassed Scottie Pippen on both sides of the floor imo.

- Danny Green is also an important puzzle to this team. His shot was off last night and I don't know what the hell he was thinking taking that jumper off of the screen towards the end of the game but we need his defense. I feel he is one of the top tier perimeter defenders in the league and when he is dropping the 3's we are a scary scary team. Hopefully he doesn't go through long cold streaks this season.

- Manu looked really good last night and I don't know why he wasn't in there when Danny took that ill advised shot towards the end of the game.

- Timmy as usual looked good which is nice to see.

- I thought Boris played really well and I think some of his shortcomings especially with the pick and roll was from playing next to West. Rebounding is going to be an issue with both of them on the floor like others have said and I agree with N0 LyF3 ScRuB about getting Boban in there, last night's matchup was a bad matchup for the second unit.

- I thought West played pretty well on the offensive end and had some good post ups but looked a little lost on defense. I wasn't impressed but it's the first game of the season and it was a bad match up for him so I'll wait to make judgement.





The Scottie Pippen comparisons are pretty valid IMO... Pippen is considered by many to be the premier wing defender of all time... On the other end of the floor he routinely flirted with triple doubles, and brought an intensity and tenacity matched by few.

I believe Kawhi has the tools to surpass Pippen, and actually has a more mature attitude and outlook about the game than Pippen ever had. That said, Pippen could shoot the 3 from anywhere, and had the court vision of a point guard... it is in this last department that Kawhi would need to make 2 or 3 more leaps before he could step outside of Pippen's shadow in terms of comparisons.

Look up Hitmany2k's Pippen videos on youtube if you have the chance...

[ceperez]

Agree with your observations on all points.

I noticed the West-Diaw problem last night and even during preseason. Believe it or not during preseason, the best bench bigs were Boban and Anderson TBH with Rasual Butler thrown in (Diaw barely played, was rehabbing and getting his rhythm back, but sub him in for Butler, and even better). It might be that the best bench X-factor lineups involve Boban/Diaw/Kyle for a few mins here or there, particularly to calm down the situation with bench bigs attacking the rim. It's possible we'll see some Tim or LMA in the bench. I am not liking West as a 5 in the bench for sure.

The PG issue is a huge problem with no solution. Both TP and Patty are small enough that even if they exert effort, like they did last night, the athletic PG in the league like the John Wall's and Westbrooks will do whatever they want unimpeded. Even ultra fast PG like Schroder are a problem, and guys like Austin Rivers, whose game is to drive hard to the rim, and have size, are a problem for both Patty and Tony. Not sure how ready Ray is to come in with defensive hustle. Its a problem for sure.

The Spurs can't have a hole in defense with an undersized point guard. Spur have 3 of them (and could have had 4 if Fredette stiuck)!!!

There are only two players that can fill that role in the team, Manu and Simmons. In fact, I think Manu may not be quick enough. So Spurs absolutely need to make sure that Simmons can get on the court come playoff time.

[TrainOfThought5]

The 2nd unit should be this.

Boban
West
Diaw
Anderson
Manu

Negative. We'd be absolutely slaughtered on anything remotely resembling a fast break and 2-5 PnRs.

Mills - Gino - Butler - Diaw - Boban would keep spacing high and defense Flexible. I love Anderson and i think he might break out this year but not while playin with gino. Hes just not good off the ball yet.

[SAGirl]

So Spurs absolutely need to make sure that Simmons can get on the court come playoff time.

Simmons is not ready to play even regular rotation minutes. See my comment above. He's athletic, but that is it. Defensively, he's not aware or can't execute what is needed. He gets caught on picks frequently, or really most of the time, and by getting caught, I mean literally, Belinelli style stuck in the pick and out of the play entirely. He ballwatches, and is late to rotate. His man gives him the slip on backcuts, he gambles too much on steals and racks up fouls just on that alone. I would say right now, he's just athletic and that is it. He needs to work on his defensive fundamentals. I don't think he will be ready to help much this season. But we will likely see him against the weaker teams in blow outs, with scheduled rest for Manu or stuff like that. I hope he's working behind doors on this stuff and can help if needed, but right now he's too raw and undeveloped to help.

[Keepin' it real]

I'm surprised with the overreaction about West. It's just one game. West played well offensively. He finished with the 2nd best +/-. We all know he's not a center, so I for one am not expecting him to play like a center. We have the luxury of a starting-quality power forward as our 4th big. I'll take that every day of the week. The Spurs are much better off with West than Baynes coming off the bench.

What's funny is people here (and at PTR) blew their tops last month about the PTR article claiming West was a bad fit for the Spurs. So many people disagreed and trashed the PTR writer. Now, after just one game, everyone is panicking and sounding exactly the same as that writer.

The Spurs are lucky to have David West. RELAX.

[SAGirl]

I'm surprised with the overreaction about West. It's just one game. West played well offensively. He finished with the 2nd best +/-. We all know he's not a center, so I for one am not expecting him to play like a center. We have the luxury of a starting-quality power forward as our 4th big. I'll take that every day of the week. The Spurs are much better off with West than Baynes coming off the bench.

What's funny is people here (and at PTR) blew their tops last month about the PTR article claiming West was a bad fit for the Spurs. So many people disagreed and trashed the PTR writer. Now, after just one game, everyone is panicking and sounding exactly the same as that writer.

The Spurs are lucky to have David West. RELAX.
I was among the ones who criticized the writer because he was overly pessimistic without so far as a preseason game being played out. Right now, I admit he was spot on in his concern and not just based on this one game. All through the 6 preseason games, the bench was better off with Boban/Anderson than with West TBH, even in shitty lineups with D'league and non NBA players, Boban/Anderson were able to get stops and move the ball intelligently. West,Butler,Anderson however (Butler was in instead of Diaw, due to Diaw's rehab and Butler still trying out for the team), was mixed reviews with a game like the Rockets for example blowing wide open when West was sitting down.

I might be overreacting, but its based on games played now, not on speculation like the PTR article.

[Gladney to see you]

It is one good game. Nothing to worry about. I feel a lot better than I did last week.

[tholdren]

I'm surprised with the overreaction about West. It's just one game. West played well offensively. He finished with the 2nd best +/-. We all know he's not a center, so I for one am not expecting him to play like a center. We have the luxury of a starting-quality power forward as our 4th big. I'll take that every day of the week. The Spurs are much better off with West than Baynes coming off the bench.

What's funny is people here (and at PTR) blew their tops last month about the PTR article claiming West was a bad fit for the Spurs. So many people disagreed and trashed the PTR writer. Now, after just one game, everyone is panicking and sounding exactly the same as that writer.

The Spurs are lucky to have David West. RELAX.

rewind the game and watch his attempts to set a high screen. mcdyuss part 2

[cd021]

We played well overall, can't knock this team. If we lose to Brooklyn, then there's a reason to panic.

- Aldridge was nervous, he just needs to get put into the offense more and take a few more shots.
- Green looked cold, but we know Green starts the year off slow, and finds his mold.
- We should try to run Diaw at the 3 and Boban at the 5 at times with bigger line-ups. Absolutely no excuse for Boban not to dress up.
- West looked fine. His midrange jumper is good. Rebounding we all knew was going to be an issue with him and Diaw in.

Thats basically the Memphis lineup of Allen, Randolph and Gasol in terms of spacing or lack their of. iaw is coming off a poor season shooting the ball, playing him at the 3 would have been better when he was 2.0 and shooting at a 40% clip. West can shoot from mid range but Boban, probably can't space the floor.

Leonard should be playing 33 mpg at the 3, with Green getting 3 or 4 minutes at 3 as well (which should put him over 30 mpg) and give KA the other 12 mpg.

Pop should stagger minutes and play LMA and West together and Duncan and Diaw together. In that scenario, Duncan would be playing some with the second unit and going against other second units. We could see a Miils, Manu, Green/ Anderson, Diaw and Duncan unit and a Parker, Green , Leonard, West and LMA unit.

[ulosturedge]

Overall offense looked good and defense was terrible. No need to panic though thats generally how the season starts for the Spurs. Defense will tighten up as the season goes on.

Obviously we have some weaknesses we will need to try and band-aid up on defense, but we have to make due with the personnel we have.

I'm encouraged by how well our offense looked in just the first game. I don't know if we will be using the 3 ball as much this year without Beli. I guess we will take what the defense gives us. I hope i'm wrong on that as I loved seeing us kill teams with the 3 point barrages. Hopefully Patty will return to form and Danny wakes up.