Game Thread: Spurs @ Rockets -- Sat. (2/27) - 7:00PM CST (3:00AM Riga Time)

[MoSpur]

Would like to take my son to meet Simmons tomorrow, but afraid he will be cut and then my son is going to ask me, "why isn't Simmons playing?" :lol

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Theyre going to cut mccallum. Why are you so dumb
what if we get both Miller AND TinMan?

[Silver&Black]

:wow Det Pass

[TXstbobcat]

:claw

[loveforthegame]

Whoa!

[MoSpur]

That play from TD to Leonard is almost automatic

[NASpurs]

Alley oooooop

[TheGreatYacht]

RIP Opp PPG.

Adam Silver, hurry up and take this rule out. It'll help the Spurs more than Pop realizes

[100%duncan]

:claw

[FaM0us Skins]

What a play!

[SAGirl]

Butler has tunnel vision when he sees an open lane ala Cory Brewer :lol
That is what finally got him pulled, but I though him failing to get the rebound off a missed FT was killer. Just can't happen. Right b4 that he had a TO in transition passing to LMA. Just too many bad plays from him in succession and didn't add anything positive.

[SAGirl]

Kawhi oop!

[NASpurs]

LaMarcus stat padding :lol

[timtonymanu]

Fucking Aldridge ignoring wide open Danny

[MoSpur]

The Hack-a-Howard is actually working.

Are the Rockets fans chanting Go Spurs Go?

[NASpurs]

Go Spurs Go chants :lol

[TXstbobcat]

The go Spurs go chant in Houston :toast

[100%duncan]

yo GSG chants?

[loveforthegame]

Chanting Go Spurs Go. :worthy:

[FaM0us Skins]

Would like to take my son to meet Simmons tomorrow, but afraid he will be cut and then my son is going to ask me, "why isn't Simmons playing?" :lol

Post of the year lol. :rollin

[Darius Bieber]

Better Spurs fans in Houston than at home.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

GSG Chants at Toyota Center :flag:

[SASdynasty!]

Someone gif that fan

[SASdynasty!]

Harden chucking

[loveforthegame]

Parker, get the ball to your best ft shooter.

[Ron Swanson]

Boban logging in some serious minutes.

[MoSpur]

The obvious player to me that the Spurs would let go is Bonner

[ElNono]

50 wins!

http://media0.giphy.com/media/rl0FOxdz7CcxO/giphy.gif

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Spurs have a way of making ballhog SGs airball in the last two minutes :flag:

[NASpurs]

Ray's last game

[RD2191]

Faggot ass brewer. Fucking scrub.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

fucking hate ratface...

[TXstbobcat]

Ray's last game

No tribute video???? :lmao

[Ron Swanson]

Ray's last game

It's a shame about Ray.

[FaM0us Skins]

:flag:

[Silver&Black]

:cry I miss Oberto

[timtonymanu]

Lol pathetic Rocket announcers have to play a moment from 12 years ago to feel good about their team

[100%duncan]

Go Spurs Go :flag:

[UNT Eagles 2016]

yuck, don't ruin our oppPPG/point diff by fouling in the penalty, Enrique...

[TXstbobcat]

:flag: 50 wins!!!!!!

[Ron Swanson]

50

[RD2191]

Faggot ass brewer. Fucking scrub.

[MoSpur]

7-1 Rodeo Road Trip!

[spursistan]

Corey Brewer is such a disgusting garbage time stat padder..hate those types..

[BatManu20]

7-1 on the RRT and got our 50th win. Good stuff. :tu


:flag:

[BatManu20]

703782804522299392

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Y'all have to admit, giving up 63 in the second half is awfully alarming... won't win a lot of road games in the playoffs, tbh... :depressed

[Spurtacular]

Black Ollie with his standard 0-1 FG game.

[SAGirl]

Ugly super ugly second half but I'll take it. Kinda glad we sign professor Miller bc the heroballing was ugly at some points.

[BatManu20]

703784148213731330

[Spurtacular]

7-1 on the RRT. Better than I expected. Good stuff. :tu

7-0 in games they tried. That's as good as it gets.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

7-1 on the RRT. Better than I expected. Good stuff. :tu
Better than last year's atrocious shitfest of an RRT.

What did you expect, seriously? It was pretty much a cakewalk schedule this year around. Clippers was the only hard game and we lost it.

[Silver&Black]

Spurs win #50 (My niggas). 104-94

:flag:

http://i.imgur.com/qBBTEY0.png

[UNT Eagles 2016]

50–9 :flag:

[spursistan]

Bad D in the second half..but i'll take it since it is end of long trip against deperate team..7-1 in RRT is really amazing seen Kawhi has missed 3 of those :tu

[NASpurs]

Y'all have to admit, giving up 63 in the second half is awfully alarming... won't win a lot of road games in the playoffs, tbh... :depressed

Nah, they fell asleep with such a big lead. It's not an indicator of anything.

[Ron Swanson]

Y'all have to admit, giving up 63 in the second half is awfully alarming... won't win a lot of road games in the playoffs, tbh... :depressed

Might as well cancel the rest of the season.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

7-0 in games they tried. That's as good as it gets.
actually, 5-0 in games they tried. I don't think they tried in the Lakers/Suns games

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Might as well cancel the rest of the season.
I say cancel the rest of the season and make every game Spurs/Dubs tbh.

[BatManu20]

703783964679368704

[SAGirl]

Corey Brewer is such a disgusting garbage time stat padder..hate those types..
Yes you'd look up his stats and think he's crazy efficient but no. Doesn't really help much when it matters. Will get you a few transition buckets in the course if a game, but a lot if it is when the game was already decided.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

OKC! OKC!

[UNT Eagles 2016]

KD :tu

[Spurtacular]

Bickerstaff may be the least likable coach in the association. Though, George Karl annoys the hell out of me.

[SpurPadre]

It's a shame about Ray.

I see what you did there. :lol

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Nah, they fell asleep with such a big lead. It's not an indicator of anything.
I hope so

[Spurtacular]

703783964679368704

Isn't it more when the strike season isn't counted or is otherwise pro-rated?

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Isn't it more when the strike season isn't counted or is otherwise pro-rated?
Not that significant of a difference, 2 seasons tbh

[MoSpur]

703783964679368704

:toast Good to be a Spurs Fan

[sasaint]

Sean and Bill just replayed To mmy's oop to Kawhi as the play of the game, making special note of Dwight spectating on the play. :lol I am so grateful that Dwight never played for a team that I liked.

[01Snake]

OKC need to stop chucking threes

[SpurPadre]

Bad D in the second half..but i'll take it since it is end of long trip against deperate team..7-1 in RRT is really amazing seen Kawhi has missed 3 of those :tu

And the team can still play better than what they've shown in this RRT. Hope that starts happening in March.

[NASpurs]

If the Spurs win out and GSW loses tonight, the Spurs would have the 1st seed according to the Spurs broadcast earlier tonight. :lol

[BatManu20]

703786000460308480

[BatManu20]

703786341914562560

[spursparker9]

OKC OKC!!!

[SAGirl]

Watch out for the refs in the second half, tbh.
Like clockwork you are. Part of the reason our transition D was worse 2nd half was that Danny got in foul trouble and then both Tony and KA picked up some really really cheap ones also in transition. Too hard to stop anyone if only one guy was back in transition unless you are Danny who is uncanny but again foul trouble.

[bklynspursfan]

Annoyed our point differential wasn't improved, it had potential lol. Spoiled fan here

[sasaint]

Like clockwork you are. Part of the reason our transition D was worse 2nd half was that Danny got in foul trouble and then both Tony and KA picked up some really really cheap ones also in transition. Too hard to stop anyone if only one guy was back in transition unless you are Danny who is uncanny but again foul trouble.

:toast Thanks, but I only read clocks. The refs are what are like clockwork! :lol

[sasaint]

Like clockwork you are. Part of the reason our transition D was worse 2nd half was that Danny got in foul trouble and then both Tony and KA picked up some really really cheap ones also in transition. Too hard to stop anyone if only one guy was back in transition unless you are Danny who is uncanny but again foul trouble.

Watching NBA Crunchtime on NBATV. Judging by the number of Harden highlights vs. Kawhi highlights, Spurs musta gotten blitzed. :wow. SMH!

[SpurPadre]

Dubs are gonna pull this one out.

[look_at_g_shred]

Damn Durant looking MVP level this game wow

[Ron Swanson]

Durant taking a shit on the Dubs

[UNT Eagles 2016]

KD 33333333333333333333333333 :toast


Dagger! :tu

[cjw]

I feel so dirty cheering for OKC. And they're way more likable!

14.5 seconds from Spurs technically controlling own destiny for 1 seed.

[SpursFan86]

Warriors are getting out-rebounded by 30, only have 1 three outside of Curry, and are still within striking distance playing in OKC...sheesh

[SpurPadre]

Dubs are gonna pull this one out.

Yes! My jinx worked! Dubs lose! Watch the media start saying that the Thunder is the only team that can beat them in the playoffs..

[rasuo214]

WTF

[NASpurs]

:lmao Holy shit

[spursparker9]

WTF OKC!!!

[SpurPadre]

Warriors are getting out-rebounded by 30, only have 1 three outside of Curry, and are still within striking distance playing in OKC...sheesh
That's so disturbing.

[NASpurs]

:lol tightened sphincters

[MoSpur]

Refs bailed out Warriors AGANI!

[NASpurs]

OKC about to choke this away in overtime

[SpursFan86]

Unbelievable...OKC is really going to choke this game away :bang

[SpurPadre]

Unbelievable.

[Ron Swanson]

Why is Steven Adams going for the Adam Morrison look?

[wildbill2u]

Isn't it more when the strike season isn't counted or is otherwise pro-rated?

My son did some math on the winning percentages of 50 win seasons and posted in Wikipedia some information that makes allowance for the short season:

"With their 50th win in the 2014–2015 season, the Spurs extended their record for most consecutive 50+ win seasons to 16 (the 1998–99 season was shortened to 50 games because of a lockout and based on their win percentage of .740, would have easily surpassed 50 wins in an 82-game season, and thus extend the record by 2 more seasons). Thus, since the 1997–98 season, the Spurs have had 18 consecutive seasons with a winning percentage of .610 or greater during the regular season which is also an NBA record." .

[TXstbobcat]

OT!!! What a game!!!

[Darius Bieber]

Just want to see someone get injured tbh

[cjw]

Is Tom Coughlin coaching OKC?

[Ron Swanson]

THE ANDERSONS GOT TICKETS TO THE GAME????

[look_at_g_shred]

HOW DID THEY GET TICKETS???

[daslicer]

That's so disturbing.

Warriors will always have chances to win games even when they get outplayed simply because of their 3 point shooting abilities.

[Mugen]

:lol Scotty Donovan

[rasuo214]

Durant with 5 fouls will probably foul out in OT and Warriors win with ease.

[Ron Swanson]

:lol Scotty Donovan

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

[Spurtacular]

My son did some math on the winning percentages of 50 win seasons and posted in Wikipedia some information that makes allowance for the short season:

"With their 50th win in the 2014–2015 season, the Spurs extended their record for most consecutive 50+ win seasons to 16 (the 1998–99 season was shortened to 50 games because of a lockout and based on their win percentage of .740, would have easily surpassed 50 wins in an 82-game season, and thus extend the record by 2 more seasons). Thus, since the 1997–98 season, the Spurs have had 18 consecutive seasons with a winning percentage of .610 or greater during the regular season which is also an NBA record." .

Yea, cos I don't get the point of cutting the Spurs record short when they clearly played at the 50 win threshold level for longer.

[NASpurs]

Durant fouling out, RIP Thunder :lol

[SpursFan86]

My son did some math on the winning percentages of 50 win seasons and posted in Wikipedia some information that makes allowance for the short season:

"With their 50th win in the 2014–2015 season, the Spurs extended their record for most consecutive 50+ win seasons to 16 (the 1998–99 season was shortened to 50 games because of a lockout and based on their win percentage of .740, would have easily surpassed 50 wins in an 82-game season, and thus extend the record by 2 more seasons). Thus, since the 1997–98 season, the Spurs have had 18 consecutive seasons with a winning percentage of .610 or greater during the regular season which is also an NBA record." .

Wouldn't it be 19 seasons? This is Duncan's 19th season.

[Ron Swanson]

JVG is mildly retarded

[Ron Swanson]

Mark Jackson is really retarded

[KDKSpurs24]

I knew when Durant fouled out Westbrook would start panicking and rushing

[SpurPadre]

Warriors will always have chances to win games even when they get outplayed simply because of their 3 point shooting abilities.

There's just no margin for error against them.

[KDKSpurs24]

Ibaka with the soft touch!

[TXstbobcat]

Anyone else think this is going to go to double OT???????

[SpursFan86]

How is it possible to be that good at shooting...doesn't even make sense

[daslicer]

There's just no margin for error against them.

It sucks that they can play awful and still have a chance to win due to their ridiculous 3 point shooting.

[SpurPadre]

Hope this ends in quadruple OT with the lesser of two evils in the Thunder pulling out the win, though leaving the game banged up.

[Ron Swanson]

Their 3 pt shooting is insane

[r0drig0lac]

How is it possible to be that good at shooting...doesn't even make sense

he sold his soul

[KDKSpurs24]

Westbrook is insanely quick. I'm glad Roberson has been focused and clutch in these last few minutes

[NASpurs]

:lmao Westbrook

[SpurPadre]

Wish we could've played this elite against the Dubs last month...

[NASpurs]

I don't know, now that I look at it, soft foul

[KDKSpurs24]

:lmao Westbrook
The foul? Wasn't his fault really.

[rasuo214]

Klay barely gets touched foul, Green gets thrown by Ibaka and it's nothing.

[NASpurs]

The foul? Wasn't his fault really.

Yeah I know, the d was horrible but still, I laughed.

[rasuo214]

lmao

[NASpurs]

Holy shit what a shot :lol

[r0drig0lac]

holy shit

[Ron Swanson]

He hit that shit from Tulsa

[KDKSpurs24]

That's being a showoff if i've ever seen one :lol

[TXstbobcat]

Wow!!!! That's crazy.

[spursparker9]

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!

[NASpurs]

Methlahoma :lol

[TXstbobcat]

Thunder fans must feel sick right now.

[KDKSpurs24]

I love this. Knocking off a historic team will be great :bobo

[spursparker9]

BEST SHOOTER OF ALL TIME

[bklynspursfan]

Durant fouling out man. He made a bone head foul and cost his team, and more importantly the spurs on gaining ground

[Mugen]

:lol Maybe TP can slow him down

[Ron Swanson]

BEST SHOOTER OF ALL TIME


He has 288 3s with 24 games left. That is fucking stupid.

[NASpurs]

:lol Maybe TP can slow him down

:lol

[r0drig0lac]

how to beat these guys 4 in 7 ... I would say that is impossible using standard tactics

[TXstbobcat]

:lol Maybe TP can slow him down

:rollin

[SpursFan86]

Don't even know what to say...Curry has broken basketball

[Robz4000]

:lol Maybe TP can slow him down

Can TP just ride piggyback on him tbh?

[Ron Swanson]

:lol Maybe TP can slow him down

Andre Miller got this.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

He has 288 3s with 24 games left. That is fucking stupid.
He can make just under 5 threes a game and still reach 400 :lol

[Mugen]

Real talk, watching Westbrook and Scotty Donovan in that OT after Dominos fouled out was the worst basketball I've ever seen tbh

[Darius Bieber]

Need to bring Horry back to knock Curry on his ass tbh

[spurs10]

Thunder gave them that game on a platter. Wish they were playing again because I think OKC might play a little tougher. I f there is anyone in the State of OK that doesn't want to knock Steph Curry on his ass I'd be surprised. :lol

[timtonymanu]

Real talk, watching Westbrook and Scotty Donovan in that OT after Dominos fouled out was the worst basketball I've ever seen tbh

:lmao

That's why OKC is not a contender to me, tbh. They're essentially 2014 OKC minus the defense and shittier depth.

[r0drig0lac]

Thunder gave them that game on a platter. Wish they were playing again because I think OKC might play a little tougher. I f there is anyone in the State of OK that doesn't want to knock Steph Curry on his ass I'd be surprised. :lol

next thursday

[BatManu20]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcR8Wa-UkAA-Bax.jpg:large

[BatManu20]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcR8LiDUkAEJtv1.jpg:large

[BillMc]

Victory!:flag:

[spurs10]

Victory!:flag: Right on!

[BillMc]

Right on!

:toast 7-1 on a long road trip, 50-9, team improving its depth. If only Manu recovers, all things are looking good.

[spurs10]

:toast 7-1 on a long road trip, 50-9, team improving its depth. If only Manu recovers, all things are looking good. I'm with ya Bill. For a beat up bunch of old guys we are looking pretty damn good. GWM!
:bobo

[cutewizard]

Spurs win

[BillMc]

Simmons with 8 minutes and 2 minutes the last two games. Is he in Pop's doghouse? Hurt? A victim of matchups or pop's experimental rotations?

[cutewizard]

i believe we can defeat golden state

[cutewizard]

Kyle Anderson has been playing well the last few games

[spurs10]

Simmons with 8 minutes and 2 minutes the last two games. Is he in Pop's doghouse? Hurt? A victim of matchups or pop's experimental rotations? His last couple of outings weren't that great if I remember correctly.

[SAGirl]

Simmons with 8 minutes and 2 minutes the last two games. Is he in Pop's doghouse? Hurt? A victim of matchups or pop's experimental rotations?
He's been terrible on both ends, bad decisions, bad TO, only good aspects were a few transition buckets which are his strength, but to me what really put him in Pop's doghouse is that for all his limitations offensively with ballhandling and such, defensively he's been unreliable. Man to man, falls for fakes too often and he really commits silly, really bad fouls. On team defense he's been up and down but there is more bad than good as he's missed too many rotations and switches and made mistakes. Fouls too many big s on switches too, boxing them out.

I think Pop is still going to give him a chance this season though bc they really like him, but his role is reduced. I don't see him in the playoffs at all unless it's garbage time if you can't trust him defensively as that was supposed to be his strength. That kawhi played 39 minutes this game and Danny 33(?) even with foul trouble tells me all there is to know.

I think Pop is also going to start tightening up the rotation. We have some tough matches coming up. FWIW I do think he's in the doghouse, but it's bc of bad defense.

[DrSteffo]

[QUOTE=SAGirl;8448137]He's been terrible on both ends, bad decisions, bad TO, only good aspects were a few transition buckets which are his strength, but to me what really put him in Pop's doghouse is that for all his limitations offensively with ballhandling and such, defensively he's been unreliable. Man to man, falls for fakes too often and he really commits silly, really bad fouls. On team defense he's been up and down but there is more bad than good as he's missed too many rotations and switches and made mistakes.
[/QUOTE=SAGirl;8448137]

Do you think that he is more athletic than Kyle Anderson?

[Ice009]

He's been terrible on both ends, bad decisions, bad TO, only good aspects were a few transition buckets which are his strength, but to me what really put him in Pop's doghouse is that for all his limitations offensively with ballhandling and such, defensively he's been unreliable. Man to man, falls for fakes too often and he really commits silly, really bad fouls. On team defense he's been up and down but there is more bad than good as he's missed too many rotations and switches and made mistakes. Fouls too many big s on switches too, boxing them out.

I think Pop is still going to give him a chance this season though bc they really like him, but his role is reduced. I don't see him in the playoffs at all unless it's garbage time if you can't trust him defensively as that was supposed to be his strength. That kawhi played 39 minutes this game and Danny 33(?) even with foul trouble tells me all there is to know.

I think Pop is also going to start tightening up the rotation. We have some tough matches coming up. FWIW I do think he's in the doghouse, but it's bc of bad defense.

Simmons' take on defense is really bad. I should have commented when I read the article, but I read an article a week or two ago and he said defense is all about effort and anyone can play defense. He was kind of coming off thinking that he's a very good defender. That rubbed me the wrong way and I didn't like that at all. Effort is a part of playing good consistent defense, but it sure as fuck is not the only thing good defense is all about. Ever since I read that, his defense has been abysmal. His fundamentals need a lot of work and he needs to learn rotations, shit, he just needs to learn A LOT more about playing defense that just thinking that it's all about effort.

[SAGirl]

[QUOTE=SAGirl;8448137]He's been terrible on both ends, bad decisions, bad TO, only good aspects were a few transition buckets which are his strength, but to me what really put him in Pop's doghouse is that for all his limitations offensively with ballhandling and such, defensively he's been unreliable. Man to man, falls for fakes too often and he really commits silly, really bad fouls. On team defense he's been up and down but there is more bad than good as he's missed too many rotations and switches and made mistakes.
[/QUOTE=SAGirl;8448137]

Do you think that he is more athletic than Kyle Anderson?
You are trolling as defense for the Spurs is beyond athleticism, they have a system.
Kyle uses length to disrupt passing lanes and the dribble of those around him, switches and gives help adequately, is good on post up players, boxes out adequately and for the most part avoids bad fouls. He's good on PnR defense bc he disrupts the bounce pass with his length. Simmons gets completely screened out of the play then fouls the big boxing him out, what have you been watching?

[DrSteffo]

[QUOTE=DrSteffo;8448138]
You are trolling as defense for the Spurs is beyond athleticism, they have a system.
Kyle uses length to disrupt passing lanes and the dribble of those around him, switches and gives help adequately, is good on post up players, boxes out adequately and for the most part avoids bad fouls. He's good on PnR defense bc he disrupts the bounce pass with his length. Simmons gets completely screened out of the play then fouls the big boxing him out, what have you been watching?

So you don't care to answer my question and Kyle Anderson is better at D in your opinion. It was a simple question I just wanted confirmation of this.

[ceperez]

He's been terrible on both ends, bad decisions, bad TO, only good aspects were a few transition buckets which are his strength, but to me what really put him in Pop's doghouse is that for all his limitations offensively with ballhandling and such, defensively he's been unreliable. Man to man, falls for fakes too often and he really commits silly, really bad fouls. On team defense he's been up and down but there is more bad than good as he's missed too many rotations and switches and made mistakes. Fouls too many big s on switches too, boxing them out.

I think Pop is still going to give him a chance this season though bc they really like him, but his role is reduced. I don't see him in the playoffs at all unless it's garbage time if you can't trust him defensively as that was supposed to be his strength. That kawhi played 39 minutes this game and Danny 33(?) even with foul trouble tells me all there is to know.

I think Pop is also going to start tightening up the rotation. We have some tough matches coming up. FWIW I do think he's in the doghouse, but it's bc of bad defense.

I'm not sure if he's in the dog house. What is obvious is that Anderson is playing a ton of minutes and furthermore Butler is also picking up minutes. Last 6 games, KA has played 4 games of over 28 minutes and the other 2 around 20 minutes. KA is subbing for Green so that means he's taking over Simmons minutes.

In addition, Simmons has never in his life played this many games. He's a rookie and may have hit a wall.

Simmons current problem is that he's like Green, more of a recipient of a play than one who can orchestrate it. His other problem is that he doesn't have the experience to guard the more craftier guards.

[spurs10]

[QUOTE=SAGirl;8448384]

So he is not very athletic and Kyle Anderson is better at D in your opinion. It was a simple question I just wanted confirmation of this. Being athletic and being good at team defense are not mutually exclusive. Simmons is one of the most athletic guys on our team- he has good speed, strength, and jumps well. It hasn't helped him from not making offensive and defensive mistakes. My take is he is much newer to the NBA than KA. He will probably get plenty of times to prove himself in the next few weeks.

[SAGirl]

I'm not sure if he's in the dog house. What is obvious is that Anderson is playing a ton of minutes and furthermore Butler is also picking up minutes. Last 6 games, KA has played 4 games of over 28 minutes and the other 2 around 20 minutes. KA is subbing for Green so that means he's taking over Simmons minutes.

In addition, Simmons has never in his life played this many games. He's a rookie and may have hit a wall.

Simmons current problem is that he's like Green, more of a recipient of a play than one who can orchestrate it. His other problem is that he doesn't have the experience to guard the more craftier guards.
He might have hit a wall like you say. POP also said that he wasn't satisfied with our decline defensively in general and was going to look at improving the team, and I do believe he has gotten more strict with guys in general that is why I think he's in the doghouse. He's just made too many rookie mistakes of late defensively.

[SAGirl]

[QUOTE=DrSteffo;8448431] Being athletic and being good at team defense are not mutually exclusive. Simmons is one of the most athletic guys on our team- he has good speed, strength, and jumps well. It hasn't helped him from not making offensive and defensive mistakes. My take is he is much newer to the NBA than KA. He will probably get plenty of times to prove himself in the next few weeks.
They are not, nobody said they are. I never even mentioned KA in my original comment as he has nothing to do with Simmons benching. There were others trolling. Simmons got benched just bc if his own plenty mistakes. There are a lot if athletes in the NBA that suck defensively. I don't think Simms sucks, he's just made too many rookie mistakes to be trusted. There were games recently where he had consecutive possessions of errors.

[spurs10]

[QUOTE=spurs10;8448458]
They are not, nobody said they are. I never even mentioned KA in my original comment as he has nothing to do with Simmons benching. There were others trolling. Simmons got benched just bc if his own plenty mistakes. There are a lot if athletes in the NBA that suck defensively. I don't think Simms sucks, he's just made too many rookie mistakes to be trusted. There were games recently where he had consecutive possessions of errors. Something is making our 'quotes' appear in a strange way. The above quote was mine and I was agreeing with you and saying Simmons isn't benched because of his lack of athleticism. He has just been making mistakes- he is a rookie, it happens

[spurs10]

Yeah it looks like SAGirl quotes are mine.

[SAGirl]

Oh weird you are right. :toast

[DrSteffo]

But you agree that Kyle Anderson is slower and less athletic than Simmons?

[sasaint]

He's been terrible on both ends, bad decisions, bad TO, only good aspects were a few transition buckets which are his strength, but to me what really put him in Pop's doghouse is that for all his limitations offensively with ballhandling and such, defensively he's been unreliable. Man to man, falls for fakes too often and he really commits silly, really bad fouls. On team defense he's been up and down but there is more bad than good as he's missed too many rotations and switches and made mistakes. Fouls too many big s on switches too, boxing them out.

I think Pop is still going to give him a chance this season though bc they really like him, but his role is reduced. I don't see him in the playoffs at all unless it's garbage time if you can't trust him defensively as that was supposed to be his strength. That kawhi played 39 minutes this game and Danny 33(?) even with foul trouble tells me all there is to know.

I think Pop is also going to start tightening up the rotation. We have some tough matches coming up. FWIW I do think he's in the doghouse, but it's bc of bad defense.

Several points... First, I think you summed up Simmons' defensive issues very well. But I am not sure that defense really was expected to be one of his strengths (with apologies to Reggie Miller). What makes matters all the worse, though, is the fact that Simmons has shown no progress. To me, he continues to make the same mistakes. THAT is why, imho, Pop has taken the hard stance with Simmons. Dog house? Maybe, but I think it is more like the short leash that Kyle was on earlier in the season. Pop was the indulgent parent with Simmons when he was giving Kyle the tough love. Now Pop has kind of flip flopped. His message to Simmons is clear: learn and play, or do what you're doing and watch Kyle play.

As far as Danny and Kawhi's minutes are concerned, I don't think it had as much to do with Simmons. It served as notice of what Danny and Kawhi can expect against a tough playoff opponent like the Dubs. Good mental and physical preparation for playoffs when the team is pretty much breezing through the regular season. I think that this game isn't the model going forward, but we can expect to see a few more before season's end.

[SAGirl]

Simmons has shown no progress. To me, he continues to make the same mistakes. THAT is why, imho, Pop has taken the hard stance with Simmons. Dog house? Maybe, but I think it is more like the short leash that Kyle was on earlier in the season. Pop was the indulgent parent with Simmons when he was giving Kyle the tough love. Now Pop has kind of flip flopped. His message to Simmons is clear: learn and play, or do what you're doing and watch Kyle play.

As far as Danny and Kawhi's minutes are concerned, I don't think it had as much to do with Simmons. It served as notice of what Danny and Kawhi can expect against a tough playoff opponent like the Dubs. Good mental and physical preparation for playoffs when the team is pretty much breezing through the regular season. I think that this game isn't the model going forward, but we can expect to see a few more before season's end.
I agree very much with your statement on Simmons. He's obviously had a very different path to the NBA than Kyle, and he didn't play well in preseason and it seemed like his confidence was shot initially. The NBA is a whole different level that all rookies struggle to adjust to, with only some supremely talented guys hitting it right away so it isn't unexpected. He showed incredible potential though, so I think at that point he needed encouragement above anything else and you are right, Pop showed him a lot of leniency earlier in the season. In contrast, he was being really strict on Kyle expecting 0 mistakes. Jonathon gained confidence and played well but now with more minutes and without Manu specially which requires everyone to do more and play different, his weaknesses were exposed so he needs to go back to the drawing board and improve on those.

Kyle on the other hand had been working on his weak areas and he had to claw his way back to playing time being more assertive offensively because he had been nowhere to be found early, in full deferential state, and also cleaning up his own defensive lapses. With opportunities opening up by Timmy' s, Kawhi' s and Manu's injuries he's also been pushed to larger roles and this time he's provided and gotten better proving that Pop's strict coaching was the right approach with him initially as he also had a lot to work on and also, what I thought personally: that he had been cajoled into a role that limited him early and that he was reduced to a spot up shooter thus he wasn't being used well. When asked to do more is when he's played his best ironically, meaning there was untapped potential there all along (something I knew having watched him b4, but I can't blame the doubters). That he was able to respond to coaching is also good to see. Hopefully Jonathon does the same.

You might be right on the minutes. I think Manu being on the team could have lessened the load on them, since Kyle was even a small ball 4 for a stretch. There were minutes at the guard spot for sure. Bc Manu is still way out from getting back I am sure Pop will be selective still, but will try to find him minutes.

[sasaint]

I agree very much with your statement on Simmons. He's obviously had a very different path to the NBA than Kyle, and he didn't play well in preseason and it seemed like his confidence was shot initially. The NBA is a whole different level that all rookies struggle to adjust to, with only some supremely talented guys hitting it right away so it isn't unexpected. He showed incredible potential though, so I think at that point he needed encouragement above anything else and you are right, Pop showed him a lot of leniency earlier in the season. In contrast, he was being really strict on Kyle expecting 0 mistakes. Jonathon gained confidence and played well but now with more minutes and without Manu specially which requires everyone to do more and play different, his weaknesses were exposed so he needs to go back to the drawing board and improve on those.

Kyle on the other hand had been working on his weak areas and he had to claw his way back to playing time being more assertive offensively because he had been nowhere to be found early, in full deferential state, and also cleaning up his own defensive lapses. With opportunities opening up by Timmy' s, Kawhi' s and Manu's injuries he's also been pushed to larger roles and this time he's provided and gotten better proving that Pop's strict coaching was the right approach with him initially as he also had a lot to work on and also, what I thought personally: that he had been cajoled into a role that limited him early and that he was reduced to a spot up shooter thus he wasn't being used well. When asked to do more is when he's played his best ironically, meaning there was untapped potential there all along (something I knew having watched him b4, but I can't blame the doubters). That he was able to respond to coaching is also good to see. Hopefully Jonathon does the same.

You might be right on the minutes. I think Manu being on the team could have lessened the load on them, since Kyle was even a small ball 4 for a stretch. There were minutes at the guard spot for sure. Bc Manu is still way out from getting back I am sure Pop will be selective still, but will try to find him minutes.

So far, Pop's handling of both psyches seems to have achieved a very good result. With all of the accolades and success he had experienced, Kyle might have been a guy who easily could have developed an ego issue, so Pop kept Kyle under his thumb. With his harder road to this level, Jonathon might have been a guy who easily could have begun to doubt himself, so Pop handled him with patience and encouragement to reinforce his ego. Now, having given Simmons that higher level of support, Pop can maybe begin his "true" development without damaging his confidence. There is an old coaching nostrum that you have to break a player down before you can build him up. Sometimes, though, you have to build him up before you can break him down in order to reconstruct him.

[look_at_g_shred]

I agree very much with your statement on Simmons. He's obviously had a very different path to the NBA than Kyle, and he didn't play well in preseason and it seemed like his confidence was shot initially. The NBA is a whole different level that all rookies struggle to adjust to, with only some supremely talented guys hitting it right away so it isn't unexpected. He showed incredible potential though, so I think at that point he needed encouragement above anything else and you are right, Pop showed him a lot of leniency earlier in the season. In contrast, he was being really strict on Kyle expecting 0 mistakes. Jonathon gained confidence and played well but now with more minutes and without Manu specially which requires everyone to do more and play different, his weaknesses were exposed so he needs to go back to the drawing board and improve on those.

Kyle on the other hand had been working on his weak areas and he had to claw his way back to playing time being more assertive offensively because he had been nowhere to be found early, in full deferential state, and also cleaning up his own defensive lapses. With opportunities opening up by Timmy' s, Kawhi' s and Manu's injuries he's also been pushed to larger roles and this time he's provided and gotten better proving that Pop's strict coaching was the right approach with him initially as he also had a lot to work on and also, what I thought personally: that he had been cajoled into a role that limited him early and that he was reduced to a spot up shooter thus he wasn't being used well. When asked to do more is when he's played his best ironically, meaning there was untapped potential there all along (something I knew having watched him b4, but I can't blame the doubters). That he was able to respond to coaching is also good to see. Hopefully Jonathon does the same.

You might be right on the minutes. I think Manu being on the team could have lessened the load on them, since Kyle was even a small ball 4 for a stretch. There were minutes at the guard spot for sure. Bc Manu is still way out from getting back I am sure Pop will be selective still, but will try to find him minutes.
It's as simple as knowing the difference between both players and their demeanor. Pop doesn't have to be so strict with J-Simms because he knows that with him, he's worked so hard to where he's at today, and he's not going to take this opportunity for granted. Pop doesn't have to be on him on the time because that's just who Simmons is..he knows what's at stake. He doesn't have to be constantly reminded. Kyle OTOH, who I'm not saying isn't a hardworker himself or is not always trying to improve his game, is more of the "I deserve to be here" mind frame. And if you don't have someone like pop pushing you, can get complacent and lazy.

[lilbthebasedgod]

Simmons hasn't improved. Just basically that's where I'm at. He's very one dimensional He can be good. He's shown a great outside shot and is very athletic. He seems reasonably smart too.

Kyle just keeps improving. His shot has improved and he's very dynamic and has turned into a great defender. His problem is he's slow and he's not very confident. The former seems to be becoming less of an issue and the former is improving.

[BatManu20]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ubk0IAP9Qs