Game Grades - Cavs @ Spurs - 1/14/16

[Cry Havoc]

http://i.imgur.com/pEL2EDS.jpg@http://i.imgur.com/CvcZtE6.jpg

January 14th, 2016

The Venue:
http://basketball.ballparks.com/NBA/SanAntonioSpurs/newfront.jpg
AT&T Center


Game Summary

If you missed the Cavs play the Spurs on Thursday night (TNT), you missed a very entertaining battle between two very intense, playoff focused teams with eyes on hoisting a trophy at the end of the season. At times it was less than stellar on offense, but defensively, both squads threw down and put forth some of the highest degree of effort seen all season in the NBA. Nearly every single play showcased a hard fought battle between 10 guys on the court that were in constant motion, and easy buckets were very difficult to come by.


1st quarter

The first quarter was a dominant effort by the Cavs. On the back of a trio of treys from JR Smith and Kevin Love, and some surprisingly effective play by Matthew Dellavedova, the Cavs roared out of the gate to a 12 point lead. The Spurs offense looked completely inept, as multiple long jumpers by Aldridge, Mills, Manu, and Leonard were all well off the mark, while the defense allowed for a number of forays near the hoop from Irving and Dellavedova.

35-20 Cavs


2nd quarter

For much of the 2nd, things did not look much better for the Spurs. Not a single player found a shot from range in the period, in fact not a single shot would fall from outside 13 feet for the entire period. The Cavs cooled off somewhat, going just 2-7 from downtown. After a furious outpouring in the first quarter from the Cavs, they were held to just 15 points in the 2nd, and the Spurs manufactured enough points to cut the lead to a surprising 6 points.

50-44 Cavs


3rd quarter

The Cavs shot 3-6 from downtown in the 3rd. Despite this, the Spurs continued the momentum and continued to close the gap. Amazingly, the Spurs only allowed 4 FGA in the paint for the entire quarter. A couple of treys from Leonard and some scintillating defense on one LeBron James saw the Spurs climb into the lead repeatedly. The Cavs recaptured the lead to close the quarter with a 3 point shot by Delly.

73-72 Cavs


4th quarter

But the Spurs defense continued to tighten, and in the 4th quarter against Cleveland put forth one of the best defensive quarters of the year. LeBron was limited to 3 FGA (making 1), and the Cavs shot 6-18 from the field. The Spurs challenged jump shots, as the Cavs made just 2 shots outside of the paint the entire quarter. Meanwhile, the Spurs played a very effective 4th quarter, getting into the paint even as the 3 point shooting continued to struggle.

99-95 Spurs win! The Spurs extend their season long winning streak to 10 games, remaining unbeaten at home, 23-0.



Spurs Starters


http://www.sohh.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/tony-parker-glasses-2012-08-29-300x300.jpg


Tony Parker - A

For two games in a row now, Tony Parker has done nothing short of rekindling images of his incredible 2013 campaign. He was not only a force on offense, calmly guiding the Spurs up the court and only giving up 1 turnover, but was also a fantastic presence on defense, where he routinely bothered Kyrie Irving. Parker played a physical brand of defense, and absorbed contact extremely well, fighting through screens and gliding into the paint. His 11-18 shooting was sorely needed on a night when many Spurs struggled to find the rhythm with their shot. Parker was the most potent offense for either team on the night, scoring a game high 24 points on 11-18 shooting. Bottom line, Tony Parker just completely outplayed Kyrie Irving on both sides of the ball, and produced one of his finest games in recent memory.

Highlight Alert: Parker splits not two, but THREE defenders and still manages to add flash to the end of the play on this sick reverse layup.

https://streamable.com/khxk

http://i.imgur.com/BH0u7RY.jpg


Danny Green - F

It's officially worry time for Danny Green. He shot 1-7 from the field, and looked incredibly uncomfortable whenever he touched the rock all night. He is usually a pest on defense, but tonight got burned repeatedly and seemed to think JR Smith was a man you should leave open even after he hits his first 3. Green easily put in one of the worst performances of the season on a night when the Spurs could have desperately used his defense and 3 point shooting, of which he had repeated wide open shots from deep. As far as these ratings are concerned, Green has unofficially lost his Spurs jersey until he shows improvement.


http://espn.go.com/photo/2009/0211/rise_kawhi_leonard_200.jpg


Kawhi Leonard - A

Perhaps any player on any other team in the entire League that goes H2H with LeBron James for a full 48 minutes and arguably wins the battle should automatically get an A+. Not so with Kawhi Leonard. He was a monster on defense tonight, and continually bothered James, who never seemed to find even a shred of his usual comfort zone for the Cavs. Despite LeBron scoring 22 points, it took him 17 shots to get there and he never really asserted dominance over the game. Kawhi, meanwhile, struggled at times to find his shot, and also ended the game with 4 TOs, but his defense was an absolute thing of beauty. Outside of Leonard, I do not know if I have ever seen an individual that can physically match up 1 on 1 vs LeBron and actively deny LeBron buckets. Kawhi is simply a marvel on D, and should already be on the short list for the greatest wing defenders in league history. That seems insane for a player who won't be able to rent a car until July 29th, but he is that incredibly good. Interestingly, Kawhi had a team-high 10 boards and tied for a game high 5 assists (James).

Highlight alert: Kawhi Leonard throws down a monster putback jam off a Danny Green miss.

https://streamable.com/73v2


http://i.imgur.com/pUDIiem.jpg


LaMarcus Aldridge - D

Coming off the back of a stellar performance against Detroit, Aldridge very nearly disappeared from this meeting with the Cavs at several points. He never looked like he fit into the offense, and Aldridge never really asserted himself to take command of the game, either. He seemed content to float to the outside of the paint and take off-balance fadeaway jumpers. 2-7 for 6 points is absolutely not going to cut it for our new PF against good teams. The only saving grace was LMA's defense, which remains active and disruptive. Aldridge did a nice job boxing out the Cavs and had several tipped balls which wound up in the Spurs possession. Other than that, it was a forgettable performance from our native Dallas...sonian. Sonian? Sonian.


http://d3dd1nnlwyosib.cloudfront.net/img/photo/image/7/17507/aspect-Ie3PY3AAXP-400xauto.jpg


Tim Duncan - C+

It's absolutely bonkers that Tim Duncan is 39 and is making a very strong case for consideration for the NBA's 1st team all-defense. But here we are. Tim just continues to be a force on the defensive side of things. His decision making is simply phenomenal. Duncan was left on an island a few times tonight, and played the offensive player, particularly LeBron James better than anyone with a 3 inch vertical and about .75 good knees on his entire body has a right to. That said, I was a little disappointed in the offensive production from Duncan tonight, as he seemed to allow himself to get bodied out of the paint and resorted to taking less than ideal hooks and set shots. Duncan ended the night with 9 points on 10 shots, 6 boards, 3 assists, a steal, and a pair of blocks. It's pretty remarkable that the Spurs were able to get a convincing win against Cleveland when 3 of their 5 starters combined for a total of 20 points.

Highlight alert: Duncan ices the game with a ridiculously difficult spin move into bank shot

https://streamable.com/uy64


The Other Starters


http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2012/06/24/1226407/076937-patrick-mills.jpg


Patty Mills - C

As usual, the energy from Mills tonight was fantastic, in the short 13 minutes he played. His two 3 pointers were both sparkplugs for the Spurs and accounted for all 6 of Mills's points. But on a night when Tony Parker was simply dominant, Mills was relegated to very much of a bench role. He also seems to really struggle with over-committing when the player he is defending cuts hard, letting his man then change direction and burn him (this applies to off-ball as well but is much more of an on-ball issue). Mills really does need to improve his defensive performance, but as long as Patty is raining from 3, we can afford to overlook some of his struggles given how hard he plays.


http://i.imgur.com/8mxhx44.jpg


Manu Ginobili - B-

I thought Manu had an uneven performance on the night. It's easy to look at his 4-12 shooting and fairly un-noteworthy statistics and call it a terrible game from Barkley's favorite catcall. But Manu had a steadying influence on the game when Parker wasn't on the floor, and he did a good job of facilitating despite his single dime for the evening. Manu didn't shoot well, but he was extremely competitive on defense, giving whoever he guarded a very physical time. That said, Manu needs to hit his shots.


http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/Assets/633/897/7_3897633.jpg


David West - A

This is exactly what I was hoping to see from West when the Spurs signed him. In just 18 minutes of play, West racked up 13 points (5-7 shooting) and 5 rebounds. I originally wanted to give him an A+, but feel like his defense started a little slowly. By the end of the game though, West was hotly contesting every pass made in his direction, and supplied more intensity than I've seen all season from the vet. The Spurs absolutely needed everything he gave tonight, and West obliged by never taking himself out of the play. He was constantly in motion, making things happen, and overall just a positive force on the evening. He probably deserved a lot more PT on the evening.


http://i.imgur.com/5RythHz.jpg


Boris Diaw - D

Boris only got 10 minutes of playing time on the night and did absolutely nothing noteworthy on the court during that time except to give up a couple of buckets. He got 26 minutes against Detroit though, so it's not time to worry about Bobo's PT just yet.


Simmons & Anderson

I actually liked the minutes I saw from Simmons & Slomo tonight (9 & 5, respectively). They both provided a nice change of pace and a different look for the Cavs to contend with. Kyle played some physical D, and Simmons got a quick bucket after being inserted into the game. But sadly, there just wasn't minutes to go around against a tough team like the Cavs. That said, I think Simmons is slowly gaining Pop's respect with his consistent fire every time he plays.


https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NsUBvUeKqZ8/hqdefault.jpg


Greggy - B-

The adjustments Pop made after the 1st quarter were the difference in the game. He gave Manu some of the responsibility at point, which in turn allowed the Spurs to have more size and physicality on defense. I thought Pop's rotations over all were pretty decent, though I would have liked to see West and Simmons play a bit more. Pop is now giving Kawhi a little bit more of a leash than he has in the past, which is great to see. And the Spurs defense after the 1st quarter was simply ruthless, holding the Cavs to 63 points over the final 3 frames. Perhaps even more impressively, the Spurs yielded just 5 field goals in the paint in the 2nd half of the game.


News and notes from around the league

Jimmy Butler tied a season high among all players with 53 points to lead the Bulls back to beat the 76ers.

Highlight Alert: Super Mario drills a game-winner vs. the Pistons.

https://streamable.com/wald

The Raptors beat the Magic 106-103. It was the only game of the week for both teams due to the game being played in London, England.

Prior to tonight's game, the Spurs have trailed in the 4th quarter at home for a total of 54 seconds this season. The Spurs snapped an 8 game win streak for Cleveland.

Kobe Braynt played his last game against the Warriors in Oakland Thursday night.

Next up for the Spurs: @ Home vs. Dallas on Sunday.
Next up for the Cavs: Tomorrow night @ Houston.

[SAGirl]

Love your reviews Cry Havoc, specially the bit of humor with the pictures and I enjoy your writing. Thanks for sharing this. It was a very memorable game, and we can away with this win.
:flag::bobo

[steeledl]

Tony deserves the highest of grades... We would have been out of the game if not for him. Also he was amazing on defense.



ginobili given too high a grade. Missed wide open 3's in critical moments.


thanks for the write up

[Galileo]

Great write-up. If you lived in the 19th century, you could get paid for this, before the NWO took control of the newspapers.

[Manu-of-steel]

Thanks for the grades. Good job, CH!

[YGWHI]

Thanks for the grades!



http://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/Assets/633/897/7_3897633.jpg


David West - A

The Spurs absolutely needed everything he gave tonight, and West obliged by never taking himself out of the play. He was constantly in motion, making things happen, and overall just a positive force on the evening. He probably deserved a lot more PT on the evening.

Amazing performance, that play on Mozgov...:toast

[Nathan89]

David West could be huge in a finals series vs the Cavs. His main weakness is defense and the Cavs will take one of their bigs out of the picture so it will more difficult to exploit. Only a major factor if LMA continues to be invisible vs the Cavs though.

[8FOR!3]

Parker was phenomenal tonight, didn't think he was still capable of outplaying elite PGs like that.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Pop was absolutely loving this game :lol

[Robz4000]

Green was good on D after the first quarter in which everyone was pretty mediocre. His 3-ball looks fine though he hesitates too much still. Like some of us have been saying, Green has been looking better over the past month-plus.

[100%duncan]

I think tony and kawhi deserved A+. It wasnt like kawhi was forcing shit up and missing badly, some of his shots rimmed out at the last second. Manu is A for his 1st qtr imho, certainly saved the team ala game 5 2014

[Arcadian]

Actually, Cleveland scored 32 in Q1 and 18 in Q2.

[T Park]

Green was good on D after the first quarter in which everyone was pretty mediocre. His 3-ball looks fine though he hesitates too much still. Like some of us have been saying, Green has been looking better over the past month-plus.



Exactly. Green's defense in the second half was pretty damn stellar.

But oh noes he missed some shots!!!!

[Fireball]

Great game ... great game grades ... everybody is happy

[pookenstein]

Appreciate the write up. Well done. Thx.

[Uriel]

Great write-up. If you lived in the 19th century, you could get paid for this, before the NWO took control of the newspapers.
The NBA wasn't around yet in the 19th century.

[From Downtown]

Thanks for the write - up, I really appreciate it as I couldn't watch the game

[Obstructed_View]

Dallasite
Boris Diaw deserves an F-
Danny Green needs to watch the beginning of a game from the bench

[Macca76]

Thanks for the good work ! It's really useful as I didn't watch the game. Actually a double thanks :toast

[thiste]

I wouldn't grade Kawhi an A tonight. He had his moments but he also struggled on O for a long stretch of the game. It's good that he didn't force the issue, but it I don't think that warrants an A anyway. It didn't feel like he was on top of his game. I'd give him a B-.

[Pocho La Pantera]

Beautiful, thanks.

[ceperez]

Tough grades, Patty and Duncan should get better grades. But great post!

I don't think Danny should have gotten a worse grade than LMA though.

[100%duncan]

thiste without kawhi lebron would have feasted on us. Game is played both ends, he made james score on an inefficent shooting. Plus he took over for most of the 2nd half not only scoring and defending but also getting rebounds.

[midnightpulp]

Nice write up, Cry.

[Obstructed_View]

I wouldn't grade Kawhi an A tonight. He had his moments but he also struggled on O for a long stretch of the game. It's good that he didn't force the issue, but it I don't think that warrants an A anyway. It didn't feel like he was on top of his game. I'd give him a B-.

I give him credit for coming back strong from the Detroit clunker.

[MultiTroll]

Nice write up.
And the links!
:toast

[Thunder1]

Good work, sir...

[mookie2001]

Htf. Patty Mills let Matthew Belladonna break him down about 3 times in the second half. So embarrassing

F minus and F minus for the season. Mills' days are numbered he's good for one three a game now. and 3 ppg on 30% shooting. Woof

[ceperez]

Htf. Patty Mills let Matthew Belladonna break him down about 3 times in the second half. So embarrassing

F minus and F minus for the season. Mills' days are numbered he's good for one three a game now. and 3 ppg on 30% shooting. Woof

I don't think Patty is going anywhere, he's the glue guy.

However, teams are going to exploit that hole in his defense. I would plug it with a healthy dose of Simmons.

[Blue Duck]

This writeup is reminiscent of the ones that caused me to become a daily lurker way back in 04. I especially liked the quarter by quarter recap at the beginning and then highlights from around the league at the end.......seriously???? Great stuff, you outdid yourself or this one! Kudos

[SouthernFried]

Manu and TD both deserve B's.

Otherwise, I'm fine with this. Aldridge better show up vs. Golden state...or what use is he if he folds in big games?

[Embedded]

Cry Havoc what an entertaining and informative review. You've set the bar extremely high. Thank you.

[ceperez]

Manu and TD both deserve B's.

Otherwise, I'm fine with this. Aldridge better show up vs. Golden state...or what use is he if he folds in big games?

I agree with you that Manu and TD. However, maybe the Op has a different curve.

I keep saying that Aldridge needs to show up against stiffer competition. What good is he if he only scores in the regular season against non-playoff teams?

[jag]

Nice breakdown. Thanks for the writeup

[$pursDynasty]

When I found this board the post game grades were the thing that made me stay and I must admit this is one of the best I have ever seen. This is some of the highest praise I can offer because I loved the old game grades. Great to see ST rising up to new heights as the Spurs themselves seem to be doing. Great job CH! Go Spurs Go, keep the home winning steak alive and break the Dubs home winning streak on the 25th.:ihit

[Spurtacular]

Aldridge may have deserved a D; but I like that he wasn't forcing it and taking the team out of the game.

[Brazil]

Nice reading cry ! :tu

[elbamba]

Great write up! One of the best regular season games I have seen.

[cd98]

I understand some of the low grades for Tim and Aldridge, but those guys made big plays down the stretch, so I'd bump each of them up a grade.

[Cry Havoc]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

I think it's pretty humorous to see that there are people who think I should have scored a particular player higher, and then a few posts down they said I was too generous in my grades. Hopefully that means I found the sweet spot. :lol :toast

Regarding Bobo/Patty, I will say that I was intentionally being a bit generous due to the fact that they never really had a chance to be in rhythm because they didn't play much.

Duncan and LMA both had reduced grades because neither picked up the other's offensive slack. That won't fly in the playoffs.

Really quite an amazing win though, all things considered. We were down by 15 to a great, if not elite team, 3 of our starters and several of our bench players did not provide much offense, and we still took over in the 4th and won relatively comfortably, as we were up by double digits for some time in the 4th and led by 8 and 7 really late in the game. A couple of late shots by the Cavs made this look like more of a nail biter than it was.

This team has not one but two entirely separate gears for their defense. The first is where they are simply consistent and opportunistic and take advantage of any mistake you make. That is the gear they use a lot and the players are talented enough that it alone is enough to supply elite defense for the entire 48.

The tallest gear is where they completely rip the gameplan out of your hands and force mistakes all over the court. LeBron might have scored 22 last night but I've never seen him work that hard, nor have I seen another player in the NBA who can do what Kawhi does to all-world players (currently). Bowen was a container on defense. He could seal you up and make it difficult to get good shots. Kawhi is a destroyer, he dictates to the offensive player what they will do, both before and after they catch the ball. That kind of ability is usually reserved for all-time greats of the sport, and is exceptionally rare for a non-big. I can only name a few that could do that on defense who were not over 6'8". Jordan, Scottie, and Payton are the only ones that really jump out at me (too young to remember Moncrief but I know he deserves some considerations), and if you want to include non-center bigs the list only expands a bit -- Rodman, Duncan obviously, and maybe LeBron (when he was locked in for a short while, definitely not career). Really good signs for the Spurs moving forward considering Leonard is just 24.

And let's be clear what I'm saying here. After the 1st quarter, that was championship level defense from the Spurs. Full stop. Yes, there were errors made here and there, but overall that is the kind of play that will give any team problems, even the Dubs. I can only imagine Curry trying to get free with Green and Leonard hounding him over PnRs. I don't think Curry is fast enough to beat the length we have if we're locked in... although that shot is so, so fast to go up.

[GSH]

As bad as that game looked for the Spurs, and as loudly as people screamed about their terrible play:

The Spurs outplayed the best team in the East, and the Best player in the game in nearly every stat.

Total Rebounds
Offensive Rebounds
Turnovers
Fast Break Points
Points in the Paint
Assists
Steals
Turnovers
Blocked Shots
Personal fouls committed
They tied the Cavs in Defensive Rebounds, and had an insignificant deficit in FG% (38-82 Spurs vs 38-83 Cavs).

Bottom line, even after that disastrous start, the Spurs outplayed the Cavs top to bottom. The only two areas that the Cavs were better were 3P% and FTA - the Cavs went to the line 22 times, compared to 11 for the Spurs, even though Cleveland committed significantly more fouls. Danny shot the 3 badly, Tony was worse, and Manu was worse than that. That needs to improve.

The rest of the effort just said that Cleveland is a pretty damn good team, but the Spurs are better.

[Cry Havoc]

As bad as that game looked for the Spurs, and as loudly as people screamed about their terrible play:

The Spurs outplayed the best team in the East, and the Best player in the game in nearly every stat.

Total Rebounds
Offensive Rebounds
Turnovers
Fast Break Points
Points in the Paint
Assists
Steals
Turnovers
Blocked Shots
Personal fouls committed
They tied the Cavs in Defensive Rebounds, and had an insignificant deficit in FG% (38-82 Spurs vs 38-83 Cavs).

Bottom line, even after that disastrous start, the Spurs outplayed the Cavs top to bottom. The only two areas that the Cavs were better were 3P% and FTA - the Cavs went to the line 22 times, compared to 11 for the Spurs, even though Cleveland committed significantly more fouls.

Danny shot the 3 badly, Tony was worse, and Manu was worse than that. That needs to improve. The rest of the effort just said that Cleveland is a pretty damn good team, but the Spurs are just better.

Really good post.

If our 3 ball was falling last night, we would have taken a pretty solid lead in the 2nd and never relinquished it. Shooting 5-17 from downtown against an elite team is a death sentence. If that was the Dubs line, they would have been rolled by the Cavs. But the Spurs not only won, you got the feeling that they knew it was over midway through the 3rd. We took the momentum in the 2nd and just assumed control of the game. Super impressive considering the shooting. Warriors fans here in the Bay have to be very, very concerned about this Spurs team.

[From Downtown]

Cry it'd be great if you could do game grades constantly,at least come playoffs time

[Cry Havoc]

Cry it'd be great if you could do game grades constantly,at least come playoffs time

Yes, it would be. Unfortunately it's quite time consuming.

[From Downtown]

Yes, it would be. Unfortunately it's quite time consuming.
Yeah I know and I understand that...I appreciate the effort you put into it anyway,I really enjoy reading these everytime you put them on here :bobo

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Nice job on the grades! Some cool photos on those profiles! :tu

Timmy's late bank shot was clutch, and combined with the D he displayed all night I might have bumped him up into solid B range. Green wasn't as horrible his grade read...true he can't hit a shot, but he was decent on D. I wonder how Green would play coming in with the second unit...I wonder if Pop will begin to tinker a bit should DG not get his offensive game in gear soon.

[TheGreatYacht]

There seems to some some sort of belief that LMA folds in big games, couldn't be further from the truth. Cavs made it a game plan to double him, as you can see in the second half when he got Kawhi an open 3, and they stuck with him on Pick and pops. By doing that, Tony went to the rack at will.

He's stepped up huge against other playoff teams we'll most likely see. And without him this team isn't where it's at.

26pts, 13reb vs Clippers

http://youtu.be/iwnj6Yk3pFo

24pts, 9reb, 2stl vs Rockets

http://youtu.be/JgCPXUJZ6FA

[Cry Havoc]

Nice job on the grades! Some cool photos on those profiles! :tu

Timmy's late bank shot was clutch, and combined with the D he displayed all night I might have bumped him up into solid B range. Green wasn't as horrible his grade read...true he can't hit a shot, but he was decent on D. I wonder how Green would play coming in with the second unit...I wonder if Pop will begin to tinker a bit should DG not get his offensive game in gear soon.

Indeed, I initially had Green at a D+, and then I remembered his disastrous first quarter. I love DG but I admit to being a little impatient with him right now. And I take his good defense for granted at this point.

With Duncan, his grade was more related to not truly asserting himself. I watched him get pushed out of the lane a lot -- not exactly what should happen against a combo of Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love. 2003 Duncan would have scored 45 points on 25 shots on those guys. :lol

[wildbill2u]

good write-up, Havoc. Appreciate your time and effort.

Did you notice that Pop put Simmons in at the close of the game and took Green out when Cleveland was at FT line. I don't ever remember Pop having that much confidence in a rookie against that kind of competition in a close game. I supposed it was because he's quicker, more agile and can sky higher when you need a rebound if one comes off, but still it said something about Green and Simmons to me.

As much wondrous stuff as Kawhi can do, he really isn't a good ball handler in traffic IMO. Most of his TOs (4) came from mishandling the ball and one really bad pass down the stretch. I think he's yet to understand how the other teams will collapse on him and double him when he tries to go into the paint from outside. He's no Parker or Manu on the dribble. But he can do so much already with his post up and outside shots. I'm confident he'll learn to pick his spots better.

[GSH]

Nice job on the grades! Some cool photos on those profiles! :tu

Timmy's late bank shot was clutch, and combined with the D he displayed all night I might have bumped him up into solid B range. Green wasn't as horrible his grade read...true he can't hit a shot, but he was decent on D. I wonder how Green would play coming in with the second unit...I wonder if Pop will begin to tinker a bit should DG not get his offensive game in gear soon.

I mentioned this in the game thread, and I hate to repeat, but I don't want anyone calling me a Danny-hater. I was at the first pre-season game he played in, and I was a supporter from the beginning. The roster was pretty full, and I didn't know if he would get a shot, but I hoped that he would. I've been a supporter ever since.

But now, not only is he shooting poorly, he's getting hesitant. They always talk about a "shooter's mentality", and a lot of that is always believing that the next shot is going to fall. I can't see inside his head, but he sure looks like he doesn't believe that anymore. He's passing up shots, and only taking them when it looks like he doesn't have any choice. Add to that the fact that he almost never misses after the play has been blown dead, and it sure looks like it's his head that is broken, not his stroke. The stroke is a lot easier to fix.

Worse, it's starting to look like he's getting hesitant on the defensive end. I hate to make those kinds of judgments based on a few plays, but that's what it looks like. And it's easy to see how a guy who is second guessing himself on one end could start doing it on the other.

I'm sure Pop is on top of it a lot more than any of us could be. Coming out of halftime last night, Pop came out with a play designed to get Danny an open 3-pointer. I thought it was good for Pop to try and show some confidence in Danny. He pulled it down and went in for a mid-range jumper instead, which he tanked. Duncan got the rebound, fed it back to Danny at the 3P line, and he bricked that one, too. I don't know what it would do to Danny's confidence to be taken out of the starting lineup, but it seems like that part, at least, couldn't get much worse.

There's no doubt that Danny would be a defensive terror against second team players. But in general, you have to think that it's the opponents' starting lineups that are doing the most damage. Simmons has proven that he belongs in the NBA now, but he's still inexperienced. I have to wonder if Pop would start Manu for a game, just to get a feel for things, because Manu has seen just about everything.

I'm usually against screwing with chemistry, and this Spurs team definitely has that. I think Pop may give Danny "a night off" like other players, and experiment. But I don't see him making a change unless he thinks that it would take some pressure off Danny and give him a chance to get some confidence back.

[Cry Havoc]

I mentioned this in the game thread, and I hate to repeat, but I don't want anyone calling me a Danny-hater. I was at the first pre-season game he played in, and I was a supporter from the beginning. The roster was pretty full, and I didn't know if he would get a shot, but I hoped that he would. I've been a supporter ever since.

But now, not only is he shooting poorly, he's getting hesitant. They always talk about a "shooter's mentality", and a lot of that is always believing that the next shot is going to fall. I can't see inside his head, but he sure looks like he doesn't believe that anymore. He's passing up shots, and only taking them when it looks like he doesn't have any choice. Add to that the fact that he almost never misses after the play has been blown dead, and it sure looks like it's his head that is broken, not his stroke. The stroke is a lot easier to fix.

Worse, it's starting to look like he's getting hesitant on the defensive end. I hate to make those kinds of judgments based on a few plays, but that's what it looks like. And it's easy to see how a guy who is second guessing himself on one end could start doing it on the other.

I'm sure Pop is on top of it a lot more than any of us could be. Coming out of halftime last night, Pop came out with a play designed to get Danny an open 3-pointer. I thought it was good for Pop to try and show some confidence in Danny. He pulled it down and went in for a mid-range jumper instead, which he tanked. Duncan got the rebound, fed it back to Danny at the 3P line, and he bricked that one, too. I don't know what it would do to Danny's confidence to be taken out of the starting lineup, but it seems like that part, at least, couldn't get much worse.

There's no doubt that Danny would be a defensive terror against second team players. But in general, you have to think that it's the opponents' starting lineups that are doing the most damage. Simmons has proven that he belongs in the NBA now, but he's still inexperienced. I have to wonder if Pop would start Manu for a game, just to get a feel for things, because Manu has seen just about everything.

I'm usually against screwing with chemistry, and this Spurs team definitely has that. I think Pop may give Danny "a night off" like other players, and experiment. But I don't see him making a change unless he thinks that it would take some pressure off Danny and give him a chance to get some confidence back.

Really good take. Danny at this point has to be considered a smaller version of Bowen, honestly. He's going to get 3s and shut his man down and that's literally all you can expect from him. The quintessential 3 & D player. We were hoping he would be so much more than that, and I have to hope we're all wrong, but it looks like that's his ceiling right now. Right now he isn't doing the former, so the latter must maintain it's value.

I think putting Simmons in the starting 5 would be really rough. Parker Kawhi Duncan and LMA... either Simmons is going to try to "prove himself" and take some shots that are ill-advised when there are better options on the floor, or he's going to sit back and let the big boys do their damage. He would have to play marvelously to be an overall positive to that setup. If they were going to bench Green, playing Manu would make more sense. Although when our bench is this good, do you want to tool around with the chemistry?

I really do like Simmons and I have a feeling other that teams are going to be evaling him for a contact soon, if they aren't already. He has shown a lot of fire and skill along with some to-be-expected questionable decision making. And of course you have to wonder how much of his impact is simply because our bench is so loaded that other teams can't focus on any singular man off the pine.

[wildbill2u]

There are two types of player personalities. One takes a demotion from starting (or a drop in the rotation) as a challenge and works harder to regain their position (Mills, Anderson I think). The other can't handle the demotion well and gets further depressed about his game. I'm afraid that Green is in the second group.

[sasaint]

As bad as that game looked for the Spurs, and as loudly as people screamed about their terrible play:

The Spurs outplayed the best team in the East, and the Best player in the game in nearly every stat.

Total Rebounds
Offensive Rebounds
Turnovers
Fast Break Points
Points in the Paint
Assists
Steals
Turnovers
Blocked Shots
Personal fouls committed
They tied the Cavs in Defensive Rebounds, and had an insignificant deficit in FG% (38-82 Spurs vs 38-83 Cavs).

Bottom line, even after that disastrous start, the Spurs outplayed the Cavs top to bottom. The only two areas that the Cavs were better were 3P% and FTA - the Cavs went to the line 22 times, compared to 11 for the Spurs, even though Cleveland committed significantly more fouls. Danny shot the 3 badly, Tony was worse, and Manu was worse than that. That needs to improve.

The rest of the effort just said that Cleveland is a pretty damn good team, but the Spurs are better.

There you go again with that rationality.


(:toast)

[GSH]

There seems to some some sort of belief that LMA folds in big games, couldn't be further from the truth. Cavs made it a game plan to double him, as you can see in the second half when he got Kawhi an open 3, and they stuck with him on Pick and pops. By doing that, Tony went to the rack at will.

After the Spurs signed Aldridge, there was a lot of discussion about whether there were going to be enough shots for everyone. How would they get LMA enough touches to keep him happy, etc? I said then that this team is going to have the luxury of taking what the defense gives, on any given night. Teams are going to come out with a game plan of taking away whoever looks hot lately. The others will be more than happy to feast when that happens. The only big surprise is that I thought Tim would have more solid outings as a result, and it hasn't gone that way. I hope last night gave him a taste of just how much this team still needs him, and he digs into whatever zone he was in last season.

But, yeah, the versatility of this team says that you can't take away everything. And the one(s) you help off of are going to light you up. They all benefit from each other.


As much wondrous stuff as Kawhi can do, he really isn't a good ball handler in traffic IMO. Most of his TOs (4) came from mishandling the ball and one really bad pass down the stretch. I think he's yet to understand how the other teams will collapse on him and double him when he tries to go into the paint from outside. He's no Parker or Manu on the dribble. But he can do so much already with his post up and outside shots.


I think he needs to learn to pick the ball up and cradle it like a football player, the way Manu has always done, and use his length and athleticism to use those last two LONG steps to get him all the way to the rim. He's running into traffic, and they are picking him apart. I think he's got the physical strength and springs to use their ball-hawking against them. Their hand-slaps aren't enough to keep him from bulling his way to the basket - AND he will draw a lot more whistles. My opinion, that's the one big thing missing from his game.

[sasaint]

There are two types of player personalities. One takes a demotion from starting (or a drop in the rotation) as a challenge and works harder to regain their position (Mills, Anderson I think). The other can't handle the demotion well and gets further depressed about his game. I'm afraid that Green is in the second group.

I tend to agree with your view. BUT that is in contrast to what evidence we have. The guy fought hard and worked hard on his game and persevered in making it into the NBA, when he had been waived numerous times. So he seems to actually rise to a challenge.

[GSH]

There are two types of player personalities. One takes a demotion from starting (or a drop in the rotation) as a challenge and works harder to regain their position (Mills, Anderson I think). The other can't handle the demotion well and gets further depressed about his game. I'm afraid that Green is in the second group.


I tend to agree with your view. BUT that is in contrast to what evidence we have. The guy fought hard and worked hard on his game and persevered in making it into the NBA, when he had been waived numerous times. So he seems to actually rise to a challenge.

Unfortunately, I think Willbill may be right. But that's why Pop gets paid the big bucks, and I get to watch the games from a distance.

[spurraider21]

There are two types of player personalities. One takes a demotion from starting (or a drop in the rotation) as a challenge and works harder to regain their position (Mills, Anderson I think). The other can't handle the demotion well and gets further depressed about his game. I'm afraid that Green is in the second group.
Green was cut by the spurs a couple of times and worked harder as a result.

[Galileo]

The NBA wasn't around yet in the 19th century.

That's not the point.

[sasaint]

I think he needs to learn to pick the ball up and cradle it like a football player, the way Manu has always done, and use his length and athleticism to use those last two LONG steps to get him all the way to the rim. He's running into traffic, and they are picking him apart. I think he's got the physical strength and springs to use their ball-hawking against them. Their hand-slaps aren't enough to keep him from bulling his way to the basket - AND he will draw a lot more whistles. My opinion, that's the one big thing missing from his game.

I definitely agree that he needs to learn that "fullback" technique Manu uses. But there are times when he needs to just pull up hIs dribble and pass the ball when he sees the double-team coming. To my eyes, as good as he already is, he seems to grow still AND VISIBLY. He will gain the experience and vision to make better decisions in those situations - maybe by next game! Of all the accolades Kawhi receives, he does not receive enough credit for his considerable BBIQ.

[bdictjames]

Freaking loved the pictures lol.

[itzsoweezee]

Green was cut by the spurs a couple of times and worked harder as a result.

Exactly. He is definitely a mentally tough dude. The guy has consistently come through in the most pressure-filled situations an NBA player can face. A rough time in the regular season doesn't change all that. No reason to go all chicken little about Danny.

[RD2191]

Thanks for the grades, faggot.

[sasaint]

Game Summary[/B]

If you missed the Cavs play the Spurs on Thursday night (TNT), you missed a very entertaining battle between two very intense, playoff focused teams with eyes on hoisting a trophy at the end of the season. At times it was less than stellar on offense, but defensively, both squads threw down and put forth some of the highest degree of effort seen all season in the NBA. Nearly every single play showcased a hard fought battle between 10 guys on the court that were in constant motion, and easy buckets were very difficult to come by.

Danny Green - F

It's officially worry time for Danny Green. He shot 1-7 from the field, and looked incredibly uncomfortable whenever he touched the rock all night. He is usually a pest on defense, but tonight got burned repeatedly and seemed to think JR Smith was a man you should leave open even after he hits his first 3. Green easily put in one of the worst performances of the season on a night when the Spurs could have desperately used his defense and 3 point shooting, of which he had repeated wide open shots from deep. As far as these ratings are concerned, Green has unofficially lost his Spurs jersey until he shows improvement.

I am amazed and grateful for the time and effort you put into game grades. You have some very good takes, and I do think you manage to hit the "sweet spot." But your assessment of Danny and the photo of him in the Cleveland jersey are tops! Thank you for a great effort and result! :toast

[ElNono]

great job CH :tu

[travis2]

As bad as that game looked for the Spurs, and as loudly as people screamed about their terrible play:

The Spurs outplayed the best team in the East, and the Best player in the game in nearly every stat.

Total Rebounds
Offensive Rebounds
Turnovers
Fast Break Points
Points in the Paint
Assists
Steals
Turnovers
Blocked Shots
Personal fouls committed
They tied the Cavs in Defensive Rebounds, and had an insignificant deficit in FG% (38-82 Spurs vs 38-83 Cavs).

Bottom line, even after that disastrous start, the Spurs outplayed the Cavs top to bottom. The only two areas that the Cavs were better were 3P% and FTA - the Cavs went to the line 22 times, compared to 11 for the Spurs, even though Cleveland committed significantly more fouls. Danny shot the 3 badly, Tony was worse, and Manu was worse than that. That needs to improve.

The rest of the effort just said that Cleveland is a pretty damn good team, but the Spurs are better.

Bolded part is backwards...Spurs shot 22 FTs, making 18. Cavs shot 11, making 9. Otherwise, nice post.

[SAGirl]

Regarding Bobo/Patty, I will say that I was intentionally being a bit generous due to the fact that they never really had a chance to be in rhythm because they didn't play much. .

I have to point out our bench outscored their bench, 35-12. As always, bench performance is a huge factor with this current Spurs team. When our bench doesn't come through, games become a real uphill battle. In a game where Bobo and Patty underachieved, combined with the poor games from LMA/Tim/Danny offensively I don't even know what to tell you the odds would have been of us coming away with this win, particularly when we didn't make many 3s. All of this puts into context contributions from Tony (great play both ends), Kawhi all around game, TD/Manu clutchness, LMA key rebound + FT, D.West toughness and leadership stand out.

Finally, the unheralded contributors: quality minutes from Simmons/Anderson. We made short runs with each guy on the floor bc they were solid on defense, rebounds + very efficient buckets from each. We needed that this game. I can't help but notice that when they were there we settled down for a little bit and ran some plays for some other guys. Whether it was bc they are new, or they were just going to be careful not to be turning the ball over, the controlled game they played allowed everyone else to do their jobs. D.West and Tony efficiently scoring in those stretches was a huge factor in making a run, but it would not have mattered if these guys had not played a solid/controlled game.

[travis2]

Yes, there were errors made here and there, but overall that is the kind of play that will give any team problems, even the Dubs. I can only imagine Curry trying to get free with Green and Leonard hounding him over PnRs. I don't think Curry is fast enough to beat the length we have if we're locked in... although that shot is so, so fast to go up.

This is the only thing that concerns me about GS, and especially Curry. Our cover guys absolutely can NOT go under screens with Curry...that ball will be gone before the cover even clears the screen. OTOH, with the cover coming over the top, the Spurs big will have to hedge hard to keep the shot off...but can he get back to his man in time? Switching is a non-starter as well.

Nice thread you started here. :tu

[Cry Havoc]

I am amazed and grateful for the time and effort you put into game grades. You have some very good takes, and I do think you manage to hit the "sweet spot." But your assessment of Danny and the photo of him in the Cleveland jersey are tops! Thank you for a great effort and result! :toast


:lol I'm surprised no one has commented on the photo of Kawhi yet, tbh I thought it was even more fitting.

[sasaint]

:lol I'm surprised no one has commented on the photo of Kawhi yet, tbh I thought it was even more fitting.

It was the second best. But I have this thing about the word "King" ever since LeBron crowned himself "King James." I know what you were doing with the jersey. I prefer the accolade "Kingslayer," if we have to go there, so it's too bad that there isn't a jersey like that. But good photo anyway, and great post. Again, thanks.

[SAGirl]

I have to wonder if Pop would start Manu for a game, just to get a feel for things, because Manu has seen just about everything.

I'm usually against screwing with chemistry, and this Spurs team definitely has that. I think Pop may give Danny "a night off" like other players, and experiment. But I don't see him making a change unless he thinks that it would take some pressure off Danny and give him a chance to get some confidence back.

I just cannot envision Pop starting Manu. He's the leader/PG in the bench. Patty/Simmons/Danny are not going to cut it in the bench perimeter rotation offensively. If you are against starting Simmons, I don't see how how you can be in favor of handing basically the keys to the bench to him. I think the starting role is actually more limited and defined than what Manu does for the bench.

If you really wanted to experiment with sending Danny to the bench the answer is to start Simmons and give him 5 minutes to start each half, switched with Danny.

I will be honest with you. I don't see it. Danny is not a good fit with the bench. From your 4 wings other than Manu, he's been the worst statistically, having the only negative net impact for a wing in the bench. Yes, even over much maligned Anderson, who was very hesitant and passive early in the season. Anderson is a current net positive in the bench as well, and he's lately been aggressive and he's making shots.

But for experiment's sake, if you wanted to switch Danny to the bench the answer is to start Simmons for a few games and see how it goes for Danny.

Last game I really lost my patience with Danny bc he's a guy who frankly right now everyone says "oh his defense is still great" but it hasn't been aside of a few spectacular games like he had against the Knicks. This particular game he was terrible in the 1st Q, a reason why Cleveland got hot. In the second half, he started with allowing J.R Smith to go on backcut. That is unacceptable. He was switched with Simmons, who did a better job staying glued to JR Smith. Pop got Danny back in the game, and he was much better to close out the game, but when he has consecutive defensive lapses on top of not making his shots and looking scared out there... I really lost my sympathy for him last night.

I have cooled down now, I just don't see how sending him to the bench is going to help him.

[sasaint]

I have to point out our bench outscored their bench, 35-12. As always, bench performance is a huge factor with this current Spurs team. When our bench doesn't come through, games become a real uphill battle. In a game where Bobo and Patty underachieved, combined with the poor games from LMA/Tim/Danny offensively I don't even know what to tell you the odds would have been of us coming away with this win, particularly when we didn't make many 3s. All of this puts into context contributions from Tony (great play both ends), Kawhi all around game, TD/Manu clutchness, LMA key rebound + FT, D.West toughness and leadership stand out.

Finally, the unheralded contributors: quality minutes from Simmons/Anderson. We made short runs with each guy on the floor bc they were solid on defense, rebounds + very efficient buckets from each. We needed that this game. I can't help but notice that when they were there we settled down for a little bit and ran some plays for some other guys. Whether it was bc they are new, or they were just going to be careful not to be turning the ball over, the controlled game they played allowed everyone else to do their jobs. D.West and Tony efficiently scoring in those stretches was a huge factor in making a run, but it would not have mattered if these guys had not played a solid/controlled game.

Frankly, if you examine the Spurs' box score, it is fairly unbelievable that we won the game. It ain't all Spurs' misfires, of course. Our opponent had something to do with the pedestrian box score. But it is hard to believe and very gratifying to behold that with several of our big guns (including BOTH Timmy and LMA :wow) misfiring, we still beat a team like Cleveland.

[SAGirl]

There are two types of player personalities. One takes a demotion from starting (or a drop in the rotation) as a challenge and works harder to regain their position (Mills, Anderson I think). The other can't handle the demotion well and gets further depressed about his game. I'm afraid that Green is in the second group.
Definitely I count Anderson as a guy who is mentally tough.
He really has been playing much more aggressively since Simmons was promoted, seems motivated to still make good use of his own opportunities, and I still see him very enthusiastic for the team as whole, Simmons included.
He's also taken his own share of tongue lashings from Pop for his defensive mistakes and keeps fighting to get better.
I have to think somehow a guy that slow has built up a thick skin and an internal motivation to "shit on everyone" who said he wasn't going to be able to play on the NBA.

This is just based on what I have seen this season (his college career and dleague/SL stints aside, and he showed leadership in those). Definitely one of the reasons I am high on this young man (Anderson) is that I think he has intangibles that will show up for us hopefully more as he develops his game.

[ceperez]

I just cannot envision Pop starting Manu. He's the leader/PG in the bench. Patty/Simmons/Danny are not going to cut it in the bench perimeter rotation offensively. If you are against starting Simmons, I don't see how how you can be in favor of handing basically the keys to the bench to him. I think the starting role is actually more limited and defined than what Manu does for the bench.

If you really wanted to experiment with sending Danny to the bench the answer is to start Simmons and give him 5 minutes to start each half, switched with Danny.

I will be honest with you. I don't see it. Danny is not a good fit with the bench. From your 4 wings other than Manu, he's been the worst statistically, having the only negative net impact for a wing in the bench. Yes, even over much maligned Anderson, who was very hesitant and passive early in the season. Anderson is a current net positive in the bench as well, and he's lately been aggressive and he's making shots.

But for experiment's sake, if you wanted to switch Danny to the bench the answer is to start Simmons for a few games and see how it goes for Danny.

Last game I really lost my patience with Danny bc he's a guy who frankly right now everyone says "oh his defense is still great" but it hasn't been aside of a few spectacular games like he had against the Knicks. This particular game he was terrible in the 1st Q, a reason why Cleveland got hot. In the second half, he started with allowing J.R Smith to go on backcut. That is unacceptable. He was switched with Simmons, who did a better job staying glued to JR Smith. Pop got Danny back in the game, and he was much better to close out the game, but when he has consecutive defensive lapses on top of not making his shots and looking scared out there... I really lost my sympathy for him last night.

I have cooled down now, I just don't see how sending him to the bench is going to help him.

I agree. Danny with the bench will mess up the motion offense.

[littlecoyotecoin]

How about that KA boxout of Mozgov, last night, SAgirl? He had a really good boxout against someone else, recently, too. Who was it? Rebounding, decent defense, and knocking down a shot last night. Doing well in his limited minutes.

[SAGirl]

How about that KA boxout of Mozgov, last night, SAgirl? He had a really good boxout against someone else, recently, too. Who was it? Rebounding, decent defense, and knocking down a shot last night. Doing well in his limited minutes.
Yup. He fights. He's a lightweight for a 4, but he boxes out. He just has solid fundamentals, and Pop is only going to make him better. Early in the season, when Pop benched Bobo against the Grizzlies... remember that game? He had two clutch jump shots and assist to Tim.. He was subbed him as a stretch 4 for Bobo. The buckets and the assist were impressive, but what showed me character was one sequence where on a PnR Tim had to help out contain Chalmers, and Kyle got in position to "try" to box out Gasol. He wasn't going to be successful in that endeavor obviously, but it was his role as he was the "4". He got his hand on the ball and was wrestling with Gasol for it, when the shot clock buzzed and it was a shot clock violation. I don't know if anyone will remember that.

Many people are sleeping on his kid. He looks lackadaisical at times, so deliberate and all, but he's not. It takes grit to do what he does.
http://thumb.usatodaysportsimages.com/image/thumb/540-390nw/8942961.jpg
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/lyrie-irving-of-the-cleveland-cavaliers-is-trapped-by-kyle-anderson-picture-id505044822

[skulls138]

Frankly, if you examine the Spurs' box score, it is fairly unbelievable that we won the game. It ain't all Spurs' misfires, of course. Our opponent had something to do with the pedestrian box score. But it is hard to believe and very gratifying to behold that with several hundred of our big guns (including BOTH Timmy and LMA :wow) we still beat a team like Cleveland.Defense baby. To end with 95 points when they had 32 in the first quarter is pretty damn good. I think playing great defense brings a confidence and calmness to all facets of the game in that its ok if they miss a shot.

[boutons_deux]

Defense baby. To end with 95 points when they had 32 in the first quarter is pretty damn good.

spurs got skunked in 1st qtr as Cavs shot 70%+, then won the next 3, allowing 23 max/qtr the rest of the way.

[sasaint]

Defense baby. To end with 95 points when they had 32 in the first quarter is pretty damn good. I think playing great defense brings a confidence and calmness to all facets of the game in that its ok if they miss a shot.

That is this team's MO. We often start very slowly on both ends. But we gradually start clamping down on D until the other team is in a vise and the game is in hand - usually by the early fourth quarter. Watching our D continue at that level against a top-tier team in crunch time was one of the most encouraging developments we have witnessed from this team in its continuing improvement.

[sasaint]

You must have a photographic memory to recall entire game sequences from earlier games! :wow :toast

[EVAY]

What an absolutely terrific write-up, C-H. I enjoyed every bit of it. I was unable to watch the game last night and got the recorded view off my U-Verse today. I made sure to watch it before I read your write up so that it wouldn't influence me. Then I read your write up and it was just terrific!

The actual letter grades are relatively unimportant to me, but your description of your reasoning on each was spot-on.

Thanks a million.

[Cry Havoc]

What an absolutely terrific write-up, C-H. I enjoyed every bit of it. I was unable to watch the game last night and got the recorded view off my U-Verse today. I made sure to watch it before I read your write up so that it wouldn't influence me. Then I read your write up and it was just terrific!

The actual letter grades are relatively unimportant to me, but your description of your reasoning on each was spot-on.

Thanks a million.

D'aw. :tu :bobo

[wildbill2u]

I think he needs to learn to pick the ball up and cradle it like a football player, the way Manu has always done, and use his length and athleticism to use those last two LONG steps to get him all the way to the rim. He's running into traffic, and they are picking him apart. I think he's got the physical strength and springs to use their ball-hawking against them. Their hand-slaps aren't enough to keep him from bulling his way to the basket - AND he will draw a lot more whistles. My opinion, that's the one big thing missing from his game.

He could learn to do that. He is very coachable and also a hard worker at improving his game. But let's face it, he's not a natural ball handler with long experience of dribbling around guys instead of through them. Some players have a knack for dribbling in a crowd and not getting tied up. I used to be amazed at how Steve Nash could actually WALK through a crowd of players in the lane and under the basket, dribbling without a misstep, and keep track of all the players in his team for a pass. (Even more amazed to see Parker doing this last year and this in imitation). That's just a talent that comes with being a guard all your life.

[cutewizard]

i really dont get it why people idolize lebron

he is nothing .....

example, physically he is nothing compared to Chamberlain or Sabonis

mentally, Da Vinci and Jose Rizal of the Philippines say HI

spiritually, lets not even get into it.....its beyond the brains of lebron

so what is lebron??

here is the answer:

LEBRON JAMES IS ANOTHER DOG WHO SHALL BE FORGOTTEN IN A HUNDRED YEARS!

PERIOD. END OF STORY.

[cutewizard]

EXCELLENT analysis by Sir Cry Havoc, more analyses like this and more power Sir!

i miss Diaw this game!

:bobo