Preseason Game Thread: Spurs vs Suns: 10/3/16

[SAGirl]

It wasn't as terrible as I thought TBH but Boban would have dominated.
lol
The only thing for Suns fans, this was tragic for them. This suns team is really raw, young and as mistake prone as the guys trying to make the Spurs team.

[Splits]

Gutless worms.

[Chinook]

I missed Laprovittola completely, but Arci is solid for 3rd string guard, can't say on Murray I really, really didn't see enough of him.

Lapro was better, I think. In the very least he was more aggressive than Arci in looking for his own shot.

[wildbill2u]

I didn't see any of the new guys that stood out tonight. Tough to be on the road as rookies without much practice together. Doubt we learned much except who can't play a lick. LJC?

[raybies]

Forbes and Bertans might make more threes if the shots were coming in rhythm. They can't get their own shot. They need playmakers. But anyways I suspect they will have a better game next time unless pop wants to throw them in the fryer again and see who doesn't get burnt.

[GSH]

This has been the worst reffed game I've seen in a long time.


That seriously made me laugh. Perfect end for the first pre-season game. Those fucking zebras. :lol

[ElNono]

I missed Laprovittola completely, but Arci is solid for 3rd string guard, can't say on Murray I really, really didn't see enough of him.

Didn't see much either, but I do remember him hitting a 3 when we were making a run....

[apalisoc_9]

Out of all the newer guys ( Not including camp contracts and Gasol)..I was impressed with Bertans the most.

Super dissapointed with dedmon.

[gambit1990]

only caught the second half, my first impressions:

-i expected bertans to look slower in the nba, didn't think he'd look that slow though

-dedmon looked lost

[itzsoweezee]

Bertans and LJC looked good. Im still a big fan of Forbes.

[John Petrucci]

Gutless worms.

I'm absolutely disgusted. Our bigs off the bench have destroyed the season before they've even played a regular season minute. 45 wins if we're lucky.

[Emperor]

Good thing I didn't make the flight to PHX for this one.

[GSH]

Lapro was better, I think. In the very least he was more aggressive than Arci in looking for his own shot.


Arci struggled with ball pressure. There in the fourth quarter he looked like he was on the verge of coughing up the ball pretty much the whole time, and he was looking for someplace to dump the ball. And that part is just going to get worse in the regular season.

I have to admit, it would have been fun to see Boban in there tonight, rattling the glass. And I have to think that some of the other guys would have gotten some more quality shots if the Suns had been forced to leave two guys on Boban. Good, experienced NBA bigs might be able to handle him, but not these guys.

[SAGirl]

Need to watch the first quarter of the game. I completely missed the first quarter...

I missed the entire first half minus one minute and it wasn't until half way through the third that Nono told me about pressing L for the constant feed refresh, before then, I really only saw bits and pieces. I can't have an opinion on anyone really.
The guys I saw the most were the ones trying to make the team.

Of those I watched: I was shocked Dedmon looked as raw as he did. He and Anthony were not that different for me.

Some flashes by Garino, Bertans and Arci. I really only saw a about 5 minutes of Anderson, some good things and others not good. Simmons unimpressive but same way. I only saw about a couple of minutes of Kiwi.

[TheGreatYacht]

Garbino, tbh

[SPURt]

Kawhi looked great in the first half and the team was destroying. Then the second half happened and it got ugly.

I'm going to enjoy Bretans and Anderson this year. Lee will prove to be a great pick up considering how much butt we got from LJC, Dedmon, and Joel Anthony. Murray is going to live in the dog house if he doesn't learn the difference between a good and bad shot.

Most everyone else had some good moments but overall it was underwhelming.

[John Petrucci]

Really hoping Bertans can be one of those guys that can have games where he gets rolling and makes 5-7 3's in a game. I feel like he definitely can if he gets the minutes.

[SAGirl]

Kawhi looked great in the first half and the team was destroying. Then the second half happened and it got ugly.

I'm going to enjoy Bretans and Anderson this year. Lee will prove to be a great pick up considering how much butt we got from LJC, Dedmon, and Joel Anthony. Murray is going to live in the dog house if he doesn't learn the difference between a good and bad shot.

Most everyone else had some good moments but overall it was underwhelming.

Thanks for the review! :tu

[gambit1990]

Aricidiacono intangibles off the chart.
relax :lol
"off the chart" :lol

[Chris]

Trade the team. Sell the farm.

[raybies]

relax :lol
"off the chart" :lol

Well it's the only reason he's in training camp or summer league even. Imagine what he'd be without it. Off the chart is fair imo

[SAGirl]

Arci struggled with ball pressure. There in the fourth quarter he looked like he was on the verge of coughing up the ball pretty much the whole time, and he was looking for someplace to dump the ball. And that part is just going to get worse in the regular season.

I have to admit, it would have been fun to see Boban in there tonight, rattling the glass. And I have to think that some of the other guys would have gotten some more quality shots if the Suns had been forced to leave two guys on Boban. Good, experienced NBA bigs might be able to handle him, but not these guys.

I might change my tune and say the 67 win season and point differential was Boban!!!!!!!! :tu It was amazing how the pull and gravity he had left guys like Anderson and Simmons open for shots against the Mavs, not this pathetic suns team. That was just last April against a Mavs team that was playing their starters all game and in the 4th Q, and that last game was for seeding in the playoffs. It was a throwaway for the Spurs, but not for the Mavs, they needed that game. This team doesn't win against that Mavs team. Anderson and Simmons had much better games, but they played with Boban who had over 20-10 that game, and played 37 minutes.

I don't know, but I am really sad to have lost Boban TBH.

[TheGreatYacht]

Manu cost us Boban, in case y'all forgot

[TheGreatYacht]

Dedmon is your typical Spurstalk scrub, never got the hype y'all gave him. Hope I'm wrong tho

[SAGirl]

Well it's the only reason he's in training camp or summer league even. Imagine what he'd be without it. Off the chart is fair imo

Agreed. He made some passes that got Anthony baskets right at the rim. Like I said I didn't see Lapro at all, and only a little bit of Murray. The Spurs for sure need a 3rd PG and only God knows what Pop has in store for Murray.

[Splits]

We need to bomb Argentina. First candidate who proposes that wins my vote.

[TheGreatYacht]

We need to bomb Argentina. First candidate who proposes that wins my vote.
:lol

[GSH]

I'm absolutely disgusted. Our bigs off the bench have destroyed the season before they've even played a regular season minute. 45 wins if we're lucky.

Well, we have the first cliff-jumper. You're right - LMA, Gasol, Tony, Danny, and Manu won't make a bit of fucking difference. The season is wrecked.

Buncha guys who are either new to the NBA, or who are used to playing backup minutes against other bench players - on the road, and playing against their starters. And in case you didn't notice, Kawhi looked pretty fucking good out there. So would the rest of our starters.

Don't jump just yet. There will be better cliffs later in the season.

[John Petrucci]

Manu cost us Boban, in case y'all forgot

This is not going to not sit well with ST the further we get into the season...

[Chinook]

By position:

PG: I'm a bigger fan of Laprovittola than Arcidiacono, but they were pretty interchangeable. I think both could hang in the league. Lapro was better able to score, which will help him, but Arci's intangibles are very evident. Murray was a mess outside that run that I missed in the first quarter. Definitely think he needs time in the d-league. Dude washed out on too many screens.

SG: Garino looks like he can defend at the NBA level, which we figured from the Olympics. I wish I had seen more of him. While he'd probably be my pick to get the last spot, he wouldn't be a big loss if cut. Simmons looked good in comparison to everyone else, but I wasn't really in love with his game. Don't want to judge him or Anderson until they play with other legit bench players. Forbes can shoot, and he needs to make sure we all know it. He passed up too many shots. He's not going to make the Spurs unless he shoots lights-out. He just doesn't have the body or skill to be an all-around player at this time. So get that Neal mentality going, Bryn.

SF: Obviously, Kawhi was great. We were wondering if he's three-pointer would hold up, but it's looking like he might go straight-Curry. Pretty sure he's going to be shatter scouters if that happens. Kyle needed to be more aggressive, and that's on Pop. Dude was clearly the best scorer out there besides Kawhi for SA. He was fine defensively, as far as I saw. I don't think the Spurs have any reason to worry about this position except that both guys need to play to their potential.

PF: LJC has work to do, but I am more certain that he can be an NBA player than I was before. He's aggressive on the boards but not selfish enough to make a bad play once he grabs a rebound. His IQ seems fine on that end. But he has to figure out how to defend at an elite level. That's his path to the NBA, not grabbing a few boards before fouling out. Bertans was a fun player to watch. His ability to block shots is an asset for a potential second unit with him as the PF. But everything else on defense was lacking. He also needs a Neal mentality. He's not good enough as a big to be a stretch-four. He has to be so good on offense that he forces the other team to play small.

C: Anthony has a chance to make the team, and that won't be a good thing for the roster, but with Dedmon struggling, the team needs another solid big. Dewayne had a bad game, but you have to hope he'd be better with better supporting guys. He barely got a chance to be a rim-protector. Most of his and the team's fouls (many of which were bad calls) were not even on real shot-contests and especially not help situations, which is where you want Dedmon on that end. Lee didn't do much when I watched him. I guess I'll have to catch him next game.

As a general comment, I absolutely hate the reach-foul to stop a fastbreak. I think the NBA needs to eliminate that foul. Manu loves it, as do many Euros, but it takes away exciting plays and is a complete bitch move. Honestly, I think all intentional fouls should be legislated out except in the last two minutes. That would cut down on FTs as well as add in more actual scores or defensive efforts.

[John Petrucci]

Well, we have the first cliff-jumper. You're right - LMA, Gasol, Tony, Danny, and Manu won't make a bit of fucking difference. The season is wrecked.

Buncha guys who are either new to the NBA, or who are used to playing backup minutes against other bench players - on the road, and playing against their starters. And in case you didn't notice, Kawhi looked pretty fucking good out there. So would the rest of our starters.

Don't jump just yet. There will be better cliffs later in the season.

Was sarcasm...

I think we're good for 55 wins. Actually more excited for this season than I have been in a long time. Kawhi's going to be incredible and we're going to see a lot of dunks :toast

[Splits]

:lol

Seriously. First they give us Manu, and we only have 5 chips in the Duncan era instead of 7 or 8.

Now they're polluting our roster with names I can't spell or pronounce like Laprovittola and Garino.

Fucking Mexicans.

[GSH]

I don't know, but I am really sad to have lost Boban TBH.


Even if it was just situational, he was fun to watch. And tonight would have been one of those situations. I feel sorry for the league if he learns how to play the PnR.

[ElNono]

We need to bomb Argentina. First candidate who proposes that wins my vote.

:lol

[ace3g]

783167112143527936

[JMarkJohns]

Sup!

1-0!

Preseason!

[ElNono]

Sup!

1-0!

Preseason!

sup J.... gg

[GSH]

Really hoping Bertans can be one of those guys that can have games where he gets rolling and makes 5-7 3's in a game. I feel like he definitely can if he gets the minutes.


Most of the good Spurs teams have had 2-3 bench guys who could go off for 18-20 on any given night. You didn't always know which one it would be, but one of them stepped up when they needed it fairly often. It would be nice if Bertans could be one of those guys. He's got the stroke for it.

I liked seeing him chase down that fast break near the end and swat the ball from behind. It had hit the glass, and they called the goaltending, but I still liked the hustle.

[Splits]

Sup!

1-0!

Preseason!

Fuck yo team clown

[JMarkJohns]

sup J.... gg

Just talking shit before it all turns to shit!

Booker, though... He's gots me hopeful!

[JMarkJohns]

Fuck yo team clown

More like, Clown's team is fucked, yo!

Clown being Sarver.

Sup!

1-0!

Preseason!!!

[tbdog]

I'm absolutely disgusted. Our bigs off the bench have destroyed the season before they've even played a regular season minute. 45 wins if we're lucky.

Spurstalk is back. Now meltdowns happen in preseason. We are back boys.

[TheGreatYacht]

This is not going to not sit well with ST the further we get into the season...
I'll make sure to remind everyone :)

[John Petrucci]

Most of the good Spurs teams have had 2-3 bench guys who could go off for 18-20 on any given night. You didn't always know which one it would be, but one of them stepped up when they needed it fairly often. It would be nice if Bertans could be one of those guys. He's got the stroke for it.

I liked seeing him chase down that fast break near the end and swat the ball from behind. It had hit the glass, and they called the goaltending, but I still liked the hustle.

I liked that a lot, too. I think he's really got that kind of big play making "it" factor that can change game momentum and get a crowd/teammates really pumped. I hope to see some of that from him this season.

[YGWHI]

Just talking shit before it all turns to shit!

Booker, though... He's gots me hopeful!

I wonder if Dudley will really start at 4...I know some fans love him so much since 2010 playoffs and they're glad he's back in Phoenix but it looks like a weird small-ball starting lineup with him.

[John Petrucci]

Spurstalk is back. Now meltdowns happen in preseason. We are back boys.

Once again, sarcasm! :lol

guess I need to change the color of the post or whatever. Is it green or blue? I can't remember.

[TheGreatYacht]

Seriously. First they give us Manu, and we only have 5 chips in the Duncan era instead of 7 or 8.

Now they're polluting our roster with names I can't spell or pronounce like Laprovittola and Garino.

Fucking Mexicans.
:lmao

[JMarkJohns]

I wonder if Dudley will really start at 4...I know some fans love him so much since 2010 playoffs and they're glad he's back in Phoenix but it looks like a weird small-ball starting lineup with him.

Definitely happy to have Dudley, and I believe he holds value... But I honestly have no idea why this team has so many veterans. Chandler, Dudley, Barbosa, Tucker... All are well past their "get better" days, and only bring value to already solid rosters.

I'd much rather roll the ball out there and let Booker, Warren, Goodwin, Knight, Ulis, Chriss, Bender, Len develop.

They still have no idea what they have in Len and Goodwin... And Warren is almost as much a question mark, but mostly due to injury.

[SAGirl]

Thanks for the review Chinook! Much appreciated. :tu
I appreciated reviews by others too, since I missed a lot of this game.
:flag:

[GSH]

PF: LJC has work to do, but I am more certain that he can be an NBA player than I was before. He's aggressive on the boards but not selfish enough to make a bad play once he grabs a rebound. His IQ seems fine on that end. But he has to figure out how to defend at an elite level. That's his path to the NBA, not grabbing a few boards before fouling out.


You're pretty much married to LJC now - sort of like SAGirl and KA. I hope you turn out to be right about him.

I said it above, but I thought Arci struggled way too much with ball pressure. And when other teams think there's a weak ball handler, it's like blood in the water around sharks. It invites even more aggressive ball pressure. That alone will lose him a roster spot, if he can't step it up.

I was watching Anthony and thinking that we're going to have to nickname him "Hoffa", because it looked like he was wearing cement shoes. I never bought into the talk of Dedmon starting, but I do think he will be better than what we saw tonight. The bigs in general looked bad in the second half because the perimeter guys were traffic pylons.

There were actually a few plays where Murray didn't take a shot. Of course, he was on the bench for those plays, but why be picky? That's a joke, sort of. But he does like to put the ball up.

[ElNono]

Part of me hopes Boban turns into the next Kareem, tbh... just for the meltdown factor alone :lol

[YGWHI]

Definitely happy to have Dudley, and I believe he holds value... But I honestly have no idea why this team has so many veterans. Chandler, Dudley, Barbosa, Tucker... All are well past their "get better" days, and only bring value to already solid rosters.

I'd much rather roll the ball out there and let Booker, Warren, Goodwin, Knight, Ulis, Chriss, Bender, Len develop.

They still have no idea what they have in Len and Goodwin... And Warren is almost as much a question mark, but mostly due to injury.

Couldn't agree more. :tu

[HI-FI]

^ says the guy who melts down over Bonner :lol

[JMarkJohns]

Part of me hopes Boban turns into the next Kareem, tbh... just for the meltdown factor alone :lol

Oh! Me too!

[SAGirl]

Even if it was just situational, he was fun to watch. And tonight would have been one of those situations. I feel sorry for the league if he learns how to play the PnR.

I think he would have been solid off hte bench... but that is my opinion only. None of the bench bigs in this game would have put up over 20 and 10 against that Mavs team I cited above. I really think there are some times that some team could kill him, but he forces other teams to adjust to him too. I think I have a new perspective on Boban as a bench big. /tear...

Anyways, still excited for the season. When the Pistons visit us, Dedmon or Anthony or somebody is going to have a long night, and that is the night that maybe Bertans is going ot get open 3s and has to kill Boban outside the paint. The current game is sort of unfair to bigs like him who play in the paint and are that dominant. Frankly Boban almost always got fouled, they just didn't call that.

[John Petrucci]

I need to fake meltdown more often. The likelihood of being responded to goes up exponentially.

I guess this is kind of how a troll thinks about things.


Part of me hopes Boban turns into the next Kareem, tbh... just for the meltdown factor alone :lol

Oh absolutely! :lol

[JMarkJohns]

I need to fake meltdown more often. The likelihood of being responded to goes up exponentially.

I guess this is kind of how a troll thinks about things.

That's why I fake shit talk!

[GSH]

Part of me hopes Boban turns into the next Kareem, tbh... just for the meltdown factor alone :lol

Oh! Me too!


Be careful what you wish for. You don't want to meet that in the Finals. :lol

[SAGirl]

Part of me hopes Boban turns into the next Kareem, tbh... just for the meltdown factor alone :lol

He could be an all star in the east. :toast

[TheGreatYacht]

Part of me hopes Boban turns into the next Kareem, tbh... just for the meltdown factor alone :lol
Manu cost us Boban y'all

[JMarkJohns]

Be careful what you wish for. You don't want to meet that in the Finals. :lol

I was hoping Boban would join the Knicks for the Daily News headline of Boban for Big Apples!

[SAGirl]

I need to fake meltdown more often. The likelihood of being responded to goes up exponentially.

I guess this is kind of how a troll thinks about things.

Sense of humor goes past me often unless you use blue font, but I am not overreacting to guys unless they are Brazil... dude has gotten me twice already lol :lol

[John Petrucci]

Manu cost us Boban y'all

The greatest most entertaining human victory cigar of all time. It's not even close.

[Splits]

Part of me hopes Boban turns into the next Kareem, tbh... just for the meltdown factor alone :lol

Jesus. That would make the Scola meltdown look lIke childs play

[GSH]

I need to fake meltdown more often. The likelihood of being responded to goes up exponentially.

I guess this is kind of how a troll thinks about things.



Nah, we're just like a bunch of birdwatchers. Everyone wants to spot the first yellow-belly shortdick of the season.

[SAGirl]

You're pretty much married to LJC now - sort of like SAGirl and KA. I hope you turn out to be right about him.

I said it above, but I thought Arci struggled way too much with ball pressure. And when other teams think there's a weak ball handler, it's like blood in the water around sharks. It invites even more aggressive ball pressure. That alone will lose him a roster spot, if he can't step it up.

I was watching Anthony and thinking that we're going to have to nickname him "Hoffa", because it looked like he was wearing cement shoes. I never bought into the talk of Dedmon starting, but I do think he will be better than what we saw tonight. The bigs in general looked bad in the second half because the perimeter guys were traffic pylons.

There were actually a few plays where Murray didn't take a shot. Of course, he was on the bench for those plays, but why be picky? That's a joke, sort of. But he does like to put the ball up.

I am starting to get your sense of humor GSH, that was funny about Murray. lol

[gambit1990]

fyi, if you used holavpn to stream the game earlier... get rid of it.

a cheap vpn is a lot better.

[apalisoc_9]

also, would be nice if we can get a replay tbh.

[John Petrucci]

Nah, we're just like a bunch of birdwatchers. Everyone wants to spot the first yellow-belly shortdick of the season.

Well even if it was disingenuous, I feel honored to have (even for a moment) been thought of as the first cliff jumper.

[LakerHater]

https://giant.gfycat.com/OblongHelpfulGiraffe.gif

[John Petrucci]

https://giant.gfycat.com/OblongHelpfulGiraffe.gif

Bertans seems to have some really nice timing on his blocks

[gambit1990]

https://giant.gfycat.com/OblongHelpfulGiraffe.gif
murray's wingspan tbh...

[timtonymanu]

I didn't catch the game but it sounds like all the new guys looked like shit. Can't really evaluate much yet though until the team is full.

[TheGreatYacht]

Jarnell Stokes available?

[apalisoc_9]

I didn't catch the game but it sounds like all the new guys looked like shit. Can't really evaluate much yet though until the team is full.

Bertans was decent, Graino is an NBA caliber defender, Dedmon shit the bed..

Really the only thats worth telling you.

Arci will get cut soon..Forbes or Pato will be next.

[GSH]

BTW - the hero of the pre-season so far is NoNo, with his stream and VLC trick. I was already telling myself that it was just pre-season, so it didn't matter that I couldn't watch it. But this way was a lot better. I got my fix. Thanks, NoNo.

[BillMc]

BTW - the hero of the pre-season so far is NoNo, with his stream and VLC trick. I was already telling myself that it was just pre-season, so it didn't matter that I couldn't watch it. But this way was a lot better. I got my fix. Thanks, NoNo.
+1

[timtonymanu]

Bertans was decent, Graino is an NBA caliber defender, Dedmon shit the bed..

Really the only thats worth telling you.

Arci will get cut soon..Forbes or Pato will be next.

thanks

[spursistan]

783140968484569088
783138879389913088

looking forward to more of this from Kawhi :ihit..

[ceperez]

I might change my tune and say the 67 win season and point differential was Boban!!!!!!!! :tu It was amazing how the pull and gravity he had left guys like Anderson and Simmons open for shots against the Mavs, not this pathetic suns team. That was just last April against a Mavs team that was playing their starters all game and in the 4th Q, and that last game was for seeding in the playoffs. It was a throwaway for the Spurs, but not for the Mavs, they needed that game. This team doesn't win against that Mavs team. Anderson and Simmons had much better games, but they played with Boban who had over 20-10 that game, and played 37 minutes.

I don't know, but I am really sad to have lost Boban TBH.

Yeah... he was unstoppable against 2nd teams.

I did not see the game, but it appears that Dedmon looked like a bust! That $3m a year down the drain... for $4m more, we could have kept Boban.

[ceperez]

By position:

PG: I'm a bigger fan of Laprovittola than Arcidiacono, but they were pretty interchangeable. I think both could hang in the league. Lapro was better able to score, which will help him, but Arci's intangibles are very evident. Murray was a mess outside that run that I missed in the first quarter. Definitely think he needs time in the d-league. Dude washed out on too many screens.

SG: Garino looks like he can defend at the NBA level, which we figured from the Olympics. I wish I had seen more of him. While he'd probably be my pick to get the last spot, he wouldn't be a big loss if cut. Simmons looked good in comparison to everyone else, but I wasn't really in love with his game. Don't want to judge him or Anderson until they play with other legit bench players. Forbes can shoot, and he needs to make sure we all know it. He passed up too many shots. He's not going to make the Spurs unless he shoots lights-out. He just doesn't have the body or skill to be an all-around player at this time. So get that Neal mentality going, Bryn.

SF: Obviously, Kawhi was great. We were wondering if he's three-pointer would hold up, but it's looking like he might go straight-Curry. Pretty sure he's going to be shatter scouters if that happens. Kyle needed to be more aggressive, and that's on Pop. Dude was clearly the best scorer out there besides Kawhi for SA. He was fine defensively, as far as I saw. I don't think the Spurs have any reason to worry about this position except that both guys need to play to their potential.

PF: LJC has work to do, but I am more certain that he can be an NBA player than I was before. He's aggressive on the boards but not selfish enough to make a bad play once he grabs a rebound. His IQ seems fine on that end. But he has to figure out how to defend at an elite level. That's his path to the NBA, not grabbing a few boards before fouling out. Bertans was a fun player to watch. His ability to block shots is an asset for a potential second unit with him as the PF. But everything else on defense was lacking. He also needs a Neal mentality. He's not good enough as a big to be a stretch-four. He has to be so good on offense that he forces the other team to play small.

C: Anthony has a chance to make the team, and that won't be a good thing for the roster, but with Dedmon struggling, the team needs another solid big. Dewayne had a bad game, but you have to hope he'd be better with better supporting guys. He barely got a chance to be a rim-protector. Most of his and the team's fouls (many of which were bad calls) were not even on real shot-contests and especially not help situations, which is where you want Dedmon on that end. Lee didn't do much when I watched him. I guess I'll have to catch him next game.

As a general comment, I absolutely hate the reach-foul to stop a fastbreak. I think the NBA needs to eliminate that foul. Manu loves it, as do many Euros, but it takes away exciting plays and is a complete bitch move. Honestly, I think all intentional fouls should be legislated out except in the last two minutes. That would cut down on FTs as well as add in more actual scores or defensive efforts.

Good take. Thanks!

Sad to here that Anthony is an option.

[tbdog]

Yeah... he was unstoppable against 2nd teams.

I did not see the game, but it appears that Dedmon looked like a bust! That $3m a year down the drain... for $4m more, we could have kept Boban.

We couldn't keep Bobon and get Gasol. Heck we couldn't keep Duncan :(

[BillMc]

783140968484569088
783138879389913088

looking forward to more of this from Kawhi :ihit..

AWESOME! Thanks for posting!

[BillMc]

By position:

PG: I'm a bigger fan of Laprovittola than Arcidiacono, but they were pretty interchangeable. I think both could hang in the league. Lapro was better able to score, which will help him, but Arci's intangibles are very evident. Murray was a mess outside that run that I missed in the first quarter. Definitely think he needs time in the d-league. Dude washed out on too many screens.

SG: Garino looks like he can defend at the NBA level, which we figured from the Olympics. I wish I had seen more of him. While he'd probably be my pick to get the last spot, he wouldn't be a big loss if cut. Simmons looked good in comparison to everyone else, but I wasn't really in love with his game. Don't want to judge him or Anderson until they play with other legit bench players. Forbes can shoot, and he needs to make sure we all know it. He passed up too many shots. He's not going to make the Spurs unless he shoots lights-out. He just doesn't have the body or skill to be an all-around player at this time. So get that Neal mentality going, Bryn.

SF: Obviously, Kawhi was great. We were wondering if he's three-pointer would hold up, but it's looking like he might go straight-Curry. Pretty sure he's going to be shatter scouters if that happens. Kyle needed to be more aggressive, and that's on Pop. Dude was clearly the best scorer out there besides Kawhi for SA. He was fine defensively, as far as I saw. I don't think the Spurs have any reason to worry about this position except that both guys need to play to their potential.

PF: LJC has work to do, but I am more certain that he can be an NBA player than I was before. He's aggressive on the boards but not selfish enough to make a bad play once he grabs a rebound. His IQ seems fine on that end. But he has to figure out how to defend at an elite level. That's his path to the NBA, not grabbing a few boards before fouling out. Bertans was a fun player to watch. His ability to block shots is an asset for a potential second unit with him as the PF. But everything else on defense was lacking. He also needs a Neal mentality. He's not good enough as a big to be a stretch-four. He has to be so good on offense that he forces the other team to play small.

C: Anthony has a chance to make the team, and that won't be a good thing for the roster, but with Dedmon struggling, the team needs another solid big. Dewayne had a bad game, but you have to hope he'd be better with better supporting guys. He barely got a chance to be a rim-protector. Most of his and the team's fouls (many of which were bad calls) were not even on real shot-contests and especially not help situations, which is where you want Dedmon on that end. Lee didn't do much when I watched him. I guess I'll have to catch him next game.

As a general comment, I absolutely hate the reach-foul to stop a fastbreak. I think the NBA needs to eliminate that foul. Manu loves it, as do many Euros, but it takes away exciting plays and is a complete bitch move. Honestly, I think all intentional fouls should be legislated out except in the last two minutes. That would cut down on FTs as well as add in more actual scores or defensive efforts.

Nice break down. Thanks.

Garino was the only new guy I liked what I saw from. Bertans and Murray were both slightly disappointing, none of the backup guards showed me much, and Dedmon left me depressed. It's one thing to be confused, but he didn't look nearly as athletic as I thought. Never saw a second of Lee. Of course, just the first preseason game...

[ceperez]

Bertans seems to have some really nice timing on his blocks

Bonner could never do what Bertans just did. So I guess Bertans is a long term Spur.

[ceperez]

Nice break down. Thanks.

Garino was the only new guy I liked what I saw from. Bertans and Murray were both slightly disappointing, none of the backup guards showed me much, and Dedmon left me depressed. It's one thing to be confused, but he didn't look nearly as athletic as I thought. Never saw a second of Lee. Of course, just the first preseason game...

If any new guy the Spurs will be counting on, it would be Dedmon. After all, he's being paid $3m/year. He's got to be more than some lost nonathletic center!!!

Let's hope that PATFO were right in picking him up!

[ceperez]

By position:

PG: I'm a bigger fan of Laprovittola than Arcidiacono, but they were pretty interchangeable. I think both could hang in the league. Lapro was better able to score, which will help him, but Arci's intangibles are very evident. Murray was a mess outside that run that I missed in the first quarter. Definitely think he needs time in the d-league. Dude washed out on too many screens.

SG: Garino looks like he can defend at the NBA level, which we figured from the Olympics. I wish I had seen more of him. While he'd probably be my pick to get the last spot, he wouldn't be a big loss if cut. Simmons looked good in comparison to everyone else, but I wasn't really in love with his game. Don't want to judge him or Anderson until they play with other legit bench players. Forbes can shoot, and he needs to make sure we all know it. He passed up too many shots. He's not going to make the Spurs unless he shoots lights-out. He just doesn't have the body or skill to be an all-around player at this time. So get that Neal mentality going, Bryn.

SF: Obviously, Kawhi was great. We were wondering if he's three-pointer would hold up, but it's looking like he might go straight-Curry. Pretty sure he's going to be shatter scouters if that happens. Kyle needed to be more aggressive, and that's on Pop. Dude was clearly the best scorer out there besides Kawhi for SA. He was fine defensively, as far as I saw. I don't think the Spurs have any reason to worry about this position except that both guys need to play to their potential.

PF: LJC has work to do, but I am more certain that he can be an NBA player than I was before. He's aggressive on the boards but not selfish enough to make a bad play once he grabs a rebound. His IQ seems fine on that end. But he has to figure out how to defend at an elite level. That's his path to the NBA, not grabbing a few boards before fouling out. Bertans was a fun player to watch. His ability to block shots is an asset for a potential second unit with him as the PF. But everything else on defense was lacking. He also needs a Neal mentality. He's not good enough as a big to be a stretch-four. He has to be so good on offense that he forces the other team to play small.

C: Anthony has a chance to make the team, and that won't be a good thing for the roster, but with Dedmon struggling, the team needs another solid big. Dewayne had a bad game, but you have to hope he'd be better with better supporting guys. He barely got a chance to be a rim-protector. Most of his and the team's fouls (many of which were bad calls) were not even on real shot-contests and especially not help situations, which is where you want Dedmon on that end. Lee didn't do much when I watched him. I guess I'll have to catch him next game.

As a general comment, I absolutely hate the reach-foul to stop a fastbreak. I think the NBA needs to eliminate that foul. Manu loves it, as do many Euros, but it takes away exciting plays and is a complete bitch move. Honestly, I think all intentional fouls should be legislated out except in the last two minutes. That would cut down on FTs as well as add in more actual scores or defensive efforts.

There's only one open slot left and if Anthony gets to make the team, you can say good bye to the other guard prospects.

Anthony is a veteran that has played in several Heat championship runs, it is however sad that Dedmon paled in comparison with him! Dedmon has been in the league for only 3 years and for all intents and purpose may have the basketball IQ of rookies. So the fact that he's totally lost just validates his inexperience with playing basketball!! Unfortunately, IQ points can't instantly be conjured up with more training. :-(

Laprovittola has had years of experience and therefore should be more creative than Arcidiacono.. I seriously doubt the Spurs will open up a spot for Arci. Forbes shot 25% in this game on 12 attempts. At least he wasn't shy about making those attempts!

Did LJC play a better game than Dedmon?

[Chinook]

Did LJC play a better game than Dedmon?

I think he did. But neither was good enough for a rotation spot. Want to see him do more on D in future games. As far as guard prospects go, I'd want one to make the team for sure, but I don't think it's a given that Joel doesn't stay due to necessity. Wouldn't mind trying to get one of the lower-end bigs from Philly (Holmes or Grant).

[tmtcsc]

People, you do realize this was preseason game # 1 and the only Spur who will get regular rotation minutes went off....right? I know this is preseason for the Spurstalk forum too but the amount of ledge jumping and panicking is playoff form. Bravo!!

[Chinook]

People, you do realize this was preseason game # 1 and the only Spur who will get regular rotation minutes went off....right? I know this is preseason for the Spurstalk forum too but I the amount of ledge jumping and panicking is playoff form. Bravo!!

I don't think anyone was concerned with the Spurs' ability to win. But obviously at least three of four of the players who played will be in the rotation, so it kinda sucks that Kawhi's the only one of those who showed out and Anderson is the only other one who looked worth his salt. The biggest concern I have is the 15th man, not the 25th of this month.

[bklynspursfan]

People, you do realize this was preseason game # 1 and the only Spur who will get regular rotation minutes went off....right? I know this is preseason for the Spurstalk forum too but I the amount of ledge jumping and panicking is playoff form. Bravo!!

Exactly... Lots of new faces and guys need time to get familiar. Big guys in particular take a little longer to grasp our system, so this should not be surprising to anyone.

The guys who have been here, you expect to see a little more out of them

[tmtcsc]

I don't think anyone was concerned with the Spurs' ability to win. But obviously at least three of four of the players who played will be in the rotation, so it kinda sucks that Kawhi's the only one of those who showed out and Anderson is the only other one who looked worth his salt. The biggest concern I have is the 15th man, not the 25th of this month.

No, no one's complaining about the loss but the knee-jerk reactions and ridiculous judgments about players after the FIRST preseason game is comical. Coaches are watching for different things. Who is playing hard regardless of the score? Who is moving well without the ball? Whose mechanics need work, etc..? Who can run an offense and follow directions. All that stuff is being evaluated.

Everyone who played like shit tonight will no doubt benefit from being on the floor with more experienced players - players who already know the system or have been in the league for years.

[SAGirl]

Hey we watch games and have an opinion. Some guys were allegedly cliff jumping to be comical. It's allowed.

I am concerned about the bigs bc some of them in this game will be on the rotation and only Bertans and LJC were the rookies and I didn't expect minutes from Livio in the RS, so whatever good he shows is bonus. But I didn't expect Dedmon to be this raw. He looked like a guy trying to make the team. He's not a youngster and he's not a rookie so him is the only one I am really alarmed about.

[Chinook]

No, no one's complaining about the loss but the knee-jerk reactions and ridiculous judgments about players after the FIRST preseason game is comical. Coaches are watching for different things. Who is playing hard regardless of the score? Who is moving well without the ball? Whose mechanics need work, etc..? Who can run an offense and follow directions. All that stuff is being evaluated.

Everyone who played like shit tonight will no doubt benefit from being on the floor with more experienced players - players who already know the system or have been in the league for years.

I mean, I don't think anyone but a small handful of folks really think last night set any players' futures in stone. There is nothing wrong with talking about what we saw, both good and bad. Anthony outplayed Dedmon. Hopefully that changes. But it might now, and if it doesn't, it will determine a couple of important things. There are a couple of competitions like Arci and Lapro and Simmons/Bertans/Lee which aren't near solved. But I don't think anyone expected Anthony/Dedmon to be one. Could be Butler/Freddette all over again.

[tmtcsc]

Hey we watch games and have an opinion. Some guys were allegedly cliff jumping to be comical. It's allowed.

I am concerned about the bigs bc some of them in this game will be on the rotation and only Bertans was the rookie. I didn't expect Dedmon to be this raw. He looked like a guy trying to make the team. He's not a youngster and he's not a rookie so him is the only one I am really alarmed about.

Of course everyone has opinions. But making judgments and having opinions can be done with a little more awareness of what you are watching.

[ceperez]

No, no one's complaining about the loss but the knee-jerk reactions and ridiculous judgments about players after the FIRST preseason game is comical. Coaches are watching for different things. Who is playing hard regardless of the score? Who is moving well without the ball? Whose mechanics need work, etc..? Who can run an offense and follow directions. All that stuff is being evaluated.

Everyone who played like shit tonight will no doubt benefit from being on the floor with more experienced players - players who already know the system or have been in the league for years.

Comical???? These reviews are the reason we visit ST.

[ceperez]

Of course everyone has opinions. But making judgments and having opinions can be done with a little more awareness of what you are watching.

Making judgments is much better than having zero opinions.. What I dislike are poster who do nothing but complain... make a contribution for once in your life!

[ceperez]

I mean, I don't think anyone but a small handful of folks really think last night set any players' futures in stone. There is nothing wrong with talking about what we saw, both good and bad. Anthony outplayed Dedmon. Hopefully that changes. But it might now, and if it doesn't, it will determine a couple of important things. There are a couple of competitions like Arci and Lapro and Simmons/Bertans/Lee which aren't near solved. But I don't think anyone expected Anthony/Dedmon to be one. Could be Butler/Freddette all over again.

Anthony is a pro that has maximized his lack of talent. Unfortunately, he's on his last legs. Dedmon is a supposed to be a guy who is up and coming.

Honestly though, if Anthony makes the team then that means Dedmon and Lee are questionable! Not a good sign.

Here's the thing about Lapro... Spurs went out of their way to sign him despite already having Garino, Forbes and Arci. In short, there was enough of an unease with the PATFO to want to sign him (or the reverse, they were sufficiently impressed).

[ceperez]

https://giant.gfycat.com/OblongHelpfulGiraffe.gif

Did these two Spurs pick on the same player? Blocked him and then scored on him! Brutal.

[SAGirl]

Of course everyone has opinions. But making judgments and having opinions can be done with a little more awareness of what you are watching.
I know what you mean all too well. Specially when guys are ready to slam and judge as no good guys who are rookies or very young. I have awareness of what I am watching but I still watch to appreciate or notice things. Disappointment is tied to expectations too, and I didn't expect much from this game, just to see interesting prospects and that I did. But I did expect Dedmon to be better. Hopefully he will be.

[Chinook]

Anthony is a pro that has maximized his lack of talent. Unfortunately, he's on his last legs. Dedmon is a supposed to be a guy who is up and coming.

Honestly though, if Anthony makes the team then that means Dedmon and Lee are questionable! Not a good sign.

Here's the thing about Lapro... Spurs went out of their way to sign him despite already having Garino, Forbes and Arci. In short, there was enough of an unease with the PATFO to want to sign him (or the reverse, they were sufficiently impressed).

Having 20 guys in camp made a ton of sense this season, especially having multiple guard prospects. I think the team committed to using their best assets on the front court (cap space and the room exception) and are thusly committed to using whatever they have left on guards (the first-rounder and camp invites). Lapro was probably a target all along, just like Forbes and Arci. They probably hoped to get two and are ecstatic to have three. Though who knows who else they were targeting.

[SAGirl]

I mean, I don't think anyone but a small handful of folks really think last night set any players' futures in stone. There is nothing wrong with talking about what we saw, both good and bad. Anthony outplayed Dedmon. Hopefully that changes. But it might now, and if it doesn't, it will determine a couple of important things. There are a couple of competitions like Arci and Lapro and Simmons/Bertans/Lee which aren't near solved. But I don't think anyone expected Anthony/Dedmon to be one. Could be Butler/Freddette all over again.
I had to quote you bc this is a succinct and accurate from my perspective summary of the training camp battles going on. Rotation minutes are still being decided and roster spots are far from clear for the 15th spot.

For Tmc: I am aware there are other much better players in the team, but for training camp purposes this is what we are watching out for.

---- As a sidenote: saw Kawhi handle the ball on PNR a lot on those highlights. Having missed the first half completely, did they go away from the post up in this game to have him work on the PNR and ball handling?

[tmtcsc]

I know what you mean all too well. Specially when guys are ready to slam and judge as no good guys who are rookies or very young. I have awareness of what I am watching but I still watch to appreciate or notice things. Disappointment is tied to expectations too, and I didn't expect much from this game, just to see interesting prospects and that I did. But I did expect Dedmon to be better. Hopefully he will be.

Lol, I get it. I wasn't referring to you SAGirl and I'm far from Forum police guy. I want to see Murray play well and was genuinely surprised that he even scored 9 pts. He is a high-ceiling project that needs to mature physically and mentally before we know what we have in him.

As for the likes of Dedmon, I'll reserve judgment on him until I see what he can do with Manu and one of our starting bigs (Aldridge and Gasol) on the floor. Anything more than a support role is asking him to go outside of his comfort zone. That's not an opinion, that's fact. I've got realistic expectations for him.

[tmtcsc]

Is NBA.com showing a replay of the game?

[tmtcsc]

I think these 11 guys will get the bulk of the minutes this year.

Aldridge
Gasol
Green
Parker
Leonard

Ginobili
Kyle Anderson
Mills
Simmons
Bertans

Dedmon

11 players - Spurs looking for 2 to 3 more.

[Spurs9]

I think these 11 guys will get the bulk of the minutes this year.

Aldridge
Gasol
Green
Parker
Leonard

Ginobili
Kyle Anderson
Mills
Simmons
Bertans

Dedmon

11 players - Spurs looking for 2 to 3 more.
Wheres Murray?

[SAGirl]

I think these 11 guys will get the bulk of the minutes this year.

Aldridge
Gasol
Green
Parker
Leonard

Ginobili
Kyle Anderson
Mills
Simmons
Bertans

Dedmon

11 players - Spurs looking for 2 to 3 more.
That second unit is entirely perimeter. Now I am going to be comical: time to ring the alarm bell... panic!!!!! Rofl. :tu

[SAGirl]

Wheres Murray?
He's got talent but he needs dleague something fierce. Humbly you know? Hope rabies doesn't get on me.

[monkeypunk]

I know what you mean all too well. Specially when guys are ready to slam and judge as no good guys who are rookies or very young. I have awareness of what I am watching but I still watch to appreciate or notice things. Disappointment is tied to expectations too, and I didn't expect much from this game, just to see interesting prospects and that I did. But I did expect Dedmon to be better. Hopefully he will be.

I think it's way too early to make a judgement on Dedmon. Obviously his first preseason game so expectations should be low but the guy just started playing bball a few years ago so he doesn't have the foundational knowledge that allows other players to quickly pick up new schemes. Of course, he'll look lost in his first game. If he still looks lost on every play in January then we may have a problem.

In general, I wasn't too impressed with anyone outside the obvious, Kawhi and Anderson. I think Simmons is nailing himself into his own coffin, errors left and right and worse, hanging his head after instead of getting back into the play. Pop will be done with him after a month, good thing we have 4000 guards in the queue.

Garino and Bertrans did well enough for their first games, especially excited about Bertrans energy and desire for chase down blocks. He may not be athletic enough to get them all but he should put some fear into opposing players expecting free dunks. I love that he isn't just reliant on his shooting to impact the game. And he has definitely bulked up since we drafted him, he appears much more imposing now. Garino is a keeper...

I also kinda love Murrays hyper agressive-ness. Not trying to make stupid comparisons but I see some Westbrook in him and I hope he's strong enough to survive Pops tough love approach. He can (and will) learn to shoot but that type of aggression can lead to more than role players..

I like Arci and see a bit of Jacque Vaughn in his game. He'll be a good player but we need an impact player in case Murray flames out and Arci ain't that. No mistakes and a steady hand but that's it.

Lappy didn't do anything to sway me either way, which ain't great.

Lee looked pretty comfortable out there in his limited minutes, I think if he regains that midrange shot and moves his feet on defense, he'll be a fairly valuable rotation player.

Anthony might be good for 3-5 minutes a game but anything more and his legs will literally fall the fuck off his body. I can hear the squeaking from his creaky ass old body, every step he takes.

Overall, about what you'd expect from preseason game 1.

[SAGirl]

Is NBA.com showing a replay of the game?
No bc it wasn't televised.

This is the best I could find for you.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L39p4KWh8o

[SAGirl]

monkeypunk thanks for your review. Much appreciated!!!! :tu
:flag:

[Keepin' it real]

783167112143527936

:lobt2:

[ceperez]

I think it's way too early to make a judgement on Dedmon. Obviously his first preseason game so expectations should be low but the guy just started playing bball a few years ago so he doesn't have the foundational knowledge that allows other players to quickly pick up new schemes. Of course, he'll look lost in his first game. If he still looks lost on every play in January then we may have a problem.

In general, I wasn't too impressed with anyone outside the obvious, Kawhi and Anderson. I think Simmons is nailing himself into his own coffin, errors left and right and worse, hanging his head after instead of getting back into the play. Pop will be done with him after a month, good thing we have 4000 guards in the queue.

Garino and Bertrans did well enough for their first games, especially excited about Bertrans energy and desire for chase down blocks. He may not be athletic enough to get them all but he should put some fear into opposing players expecting free dunks. I love that he isn't just reliant on his shooting to impact the game. And he has definitely bulked up since we drafted him, he appears much more imposing now. Garino is a keeper...

I also kinda love Murrays hyper agressive-ness. Not trying to make stupid comparisons but I see some Westbrook in him and I hope he's strong enough to survive Pops tough love approach. He can (and will) learn to shoot but that type of aggression can lead to more than role players..

I like Arci and see a bit of Jacque Vaughn in his game. He'll be a good player but we need an impact player in case Murray flames out and Arci ain't that. No mistakes and a steady hand but that's it.

Lappy didn't do anything to sway me either way, which ain't great.

Lee looked pretty comfortable out there in his limited minutes, I think if he regains that midrange shot and moves his feet on defense, he'll be a fairly valuable rotation player.

Anthony might be good for 3-5 minutes a game but anything more and his legs will literally fall the fuck off his body. I can hear the squeaking from his creaky ass old body, every step he takes.

Overall, about what you'd expect from preseason game 1.

Good review. Thanks!

No comment of Forbes? Looks like he missed a lot of shots. Hope he does better.

Spurs might just send a lot of players to the d-league. Lap. will likely not go to the d-league so its possible that he gets signed conditionally.

Garino, Forbes and Arci all have expectations of playing in the d-league. Expect them to get called up occasionally.

Murray, LJC and Bertans are also expected to play in the d-league.

Unbelievable how many Spurs players need to play with the Toros this year!

[Chinook]

I don't think Bertans sees the d-league. You can make the argument that he's the seventh front court member.

[monkeypunk]

Good review. Thanks!

No comment of Forbes? Looks like he missed a lot of shots. Hope he does better.

Spurs might just send a lot of players to the d-league. Lap. will likely not go to the d-league so its possible that he gets signed conditionally.

Garino, Forbes and Arci all have expectations of playing in the d-league. Expect them to get called up occasionally.

Murray, LJC and Bertans are also expected to play in the d-league.

Unbelievable how many Spurs players need to play with the Toros this year!

On Forbes, he has to make shots to stay and with his height, he has to a. Be aggressive and b. Get his shot off quick. Neither of which I saw last night. It's kind of unfair to compare him to Neal as he was an animal but that mindset is what he needs to offset his physical limitations. He doesn't have that unshakeable confidence so I think he's an early cut and dleague bound.

I also agree with Chinook that Bertrans won't see any or very little of Austin. We need his shooting and length on d and he seems ready to go.

[ceperez]

On Forbes, he has to make shots to stay and with his height, he has to a. Be aggressive and b. Get his shot off quick. Neither of which I saw last night. It's kind of unfair to compare him to Neal as he was an animal but that mindset is what he needs to offset his physical limitations. He doesn't have that unshakeable confidence so I think he's an early cut and dleague bound.

I also agree with Chinook that Bertrans won't see any or very little of Austin. We need his shooting and length on d and he seems ready to go.

Nice to hear... Bertans is ready to go!

I'm hoping that Forbes can shoot better, unfortunately he's struggling and the pressure seems to be getting to him!

He's got the same problem as Simmons. He has kids at home to feed!

[jermaine]

I don't think Bertans sees the d-league. You can make the argument that he's the seventh front court member.

I'm Willie Jermaine Webb, an I approve this post!

[monkeypunk]

He's got the same problem as Simmons. He has kids at home to feed!

:lol

[wildbill2u]

I'm seeing a lot of similarities between LJC and Ian Mahinmi. Ian, a better athlete, took 8 seasons to get a secure spot on a rotation and that's his ceiling. I think LJC is skinnier and less athletic so may have less ceiling.

[apalisoc_9]

Simmons and forbes can still make decent money overseas..:lol

Seriously, even players like simmons have multiple opportunities to live off their career earnings...

[gambit1990]

clippers playing on the road tonight, against golden state. will be televised. knicks playing tonight too. just interested in them cause porzingis.

[monkeypunk]

clippers playing on the road tonight, against golden state. will be televised. knicks playing tonight too. just interested in them cause porzingis.

Seriously, Porzi is no joke especially if he can hit that 3 regularly. If mello grows balls and rose can play without disintegrating, they may go deep in the East po's. Cavs still coming out of the East again tho...

[tmtcsc]

No bc it wasn't televised.

This is the best I could find for you.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L39p4KWh8o

SAGirl,

Much obliged. http://i.imgur.com/5ajbeWB.gif

[ceperez]

I'm seeing a lot of similarities between LJC and Ian Mahinmi. Ian, a better athlete, took 8 seasons to get a secure spot on a rotation and that's his ceiling. I think LJC is skinnier and less athletic so may have less ceiling.

I will have to disagree here. Ian Mahinmi is 2" taller than LJC but he isn't as athletic. I agree though that LJC is skinnier but it is too early to judge about ceiling.

[Chinook]

Livio at least has some hope of a jump shot. That would make him more useful than young Ian. LJC looked more like a person playing their first game rather than a bull in a China shop like Ian did. He fouled a lot, but so did multiple other Spurs. The refs were just awful last night.

[TheGreatYacht]

I feel better about LJC than I do about Garbino

[Brazil]

all in all I did like Jean Charles play last night... I was quite impressed in fact, I thought he would be lost out there but he was not, contributed, showed energy and stuff...

[tonight...you]

Dedmon started the game with some solid, solid screens and I thought for a moment: hey... this might work out, but as the game progressed he just looked worse and worse and he even stopped setting decent screens, much less very good ones. Really, I hoped he would have been at least active on the boards.

[ceperez]

all in all I did like Jean Charles play last night... I was quite impressed in fact, I thought he would be lost out there but he was not, contributed, showed energy and stuff...

LJC is going to impress everyone, book it!

[ulosturedge]

You guys sure have a lot of roster projections after just 1 preseason game lol.

Personally I wasn't too impressed with Dedmon. Hope he shows more otherwise seems like a bad investment. Fell asleep before I got to see LJC. Maybe there is some hope for him if he can develop a jumper and raise his basketball IQ.

You guys seem to have Murray destined for the dleague. Well thats how its been for all our first round prospects. I dont think he will be relegated to the dleague. I think he will get pull double duty between the two. If he proves to show faster development, I can see him get minutes later in the season.

[I. Hustle]

You guys sure have a lot of roster projections after just 1 preseason game lol.

Personally I wasn't too impressed with Dedmon. Hope he shows more otherwise seems like a bad investment. Fell asleep before I got to see LJC. Maybe there is some hope for him if he can develop a jumper and raise his basketball IQ.

You guys seem to have Murray destined for the dleague. Well thats how its been for all our first round prospects. I dont think he will be relegated to the dleague. I think he will get pull double duty between the two. If he proves to show faster development, I can see him get minutes later in the season.

Murray has the goods. He might be one of the first to spend a majority of his time in SA. He isn't going to be ROY or anything but I think we got another gem with that kid.

[Chinook]

all in all I did like Jean Charles play last night... I was quite impressed in fact, I thought he would be lost out there but he was not, contributed, showed energy and stuff...

He definitely deserved more minutes to show what he could do. It's an indisputable fact that Pop doesn't like him, so maybe that's why he got so few minutes.

[tonight...you]

He definitely deserved more minutes to show what he could do. It's an indisputable fact that Pop doesn't like him, so maybe that's why he got so few minutes.
??? I hadn't heard about this.

[Brazil]

LJC is going to impress everyone, book it!

:tu

[Brazil]

He definitely deserved more minutes to show what he could do. It's an indisputable fact that Pop doesn't like him, so maybe that's why he got so few minutes.

not everybody can be coddled like Simmons tbh

[Chinook]

not everybody can be coddled like Simmons tbh

No, some have to be punching bags like Anderson. It's like that book The Whipping Boy with those two.

[Brazil]

:lol

[Chinook]

??? I hadn't heard about this.

Not only is it not a fact, but I don't actually believe that. I do think that Pop didn't consider him to be in the plans for this season. He played bit minutes as if he were one of the Toros cuts, but I think he deserves more time and time with Pau/LMA as a designated defender. Would have an interesting assignment in Millsap

[ceperez]

He definitely deserved more minutes to show what he could do. It's an indisputable fact that Pop doesn't like him, so maybe that's why he got so few minutes.

I don't think Pop doesn't like him, more likely Pop doesn't know who he is!

[ceperez]

He definitely deserved more minutes to show what he could do. It's an indisputable fact that Pop doesn't like him, so maybe that's why he got so few minutes.

I don't think Pop doesn't like him, more likely Pop doesn't know who he is!

Pop, he's that skinny French dude at the end of the bench!

[apalisoc_9]

For those of you who missed the game, the replay is available in the suns websiteé

[SAGirl]

For those of you who missed the game, the replay is available in the suns websiteé
Thanks, much appreciated. :tu

[TD 21]

??? I hadn't heard about this.

Nothing to hear; more made up shit.


I'm not jumping the gun on Dedmon, but I did warn against presuming he's a stone cold lock for 3rd big. He has to prove himself the same way everyone outside of the top 7 has to.

[SAGirl]

Ok I watched the full game and I got motivated to write some notes.

Observations first half:

All perimeter players ran PnR all the first half: Kawhi, Murray, Simmons, Kyle, Lapro.
Kawhi was excellent on PnR, finishing himself or dishing to Lee.
Murray showed talent in the PnR, he's fast and can find the big man. IMO he showed a lot of talent, it's just raw and his shot selection leaves much to improve upon still, but he can get where he wants and he can find open people when he wants to. I saw some moments where he was lost on defense big time and ended up getting screened or lost off the ball, definite rook mistakes.
Simmons wasn't impressive on the PnR, his characteristic athletic finishes didn't show up in this game. He didn't find lanes to shoot and got into trouble a couple of times ending in TO.
Kyle's passes were kicked so nothing came out of his PnR attempts.
Lapro played really well and I really liked him running the offense, but he played with Kawhi all of his minutes, with Kawhi off the ball opening things up. Regardless,I was overall really satisfied by him. He looked polished and he's my early pick to come out of training camp and make the team (followed closely by Garino).

For the bigs, none of them that played in the first half can shoot. It made it so that passes were easy to be deflected or kicked or knocked out and it is one of the reasons some PnR attempts ended in trouble for players with all sorts of deflections, or guys getting stuck in traffic making passes that ended up in TO. The spacing wasn't ideal and it's going to be an issue if Pop plays two non shooting bigs.

Lee displayed his skill around the basket and made some nice interior passes, but he also TO the ball trying to make those passes and he didn't take a single midrange shot.

Dedmon couldn't handle any interior passing from Lee. Maybe chemistry can develop for them, but it could be an issue down the road. From what I could see, big to big interior passing was one of the ways for Pop to deal with the two non-shooting bigs. First game of the season, so really nothing much to say about this experiment, except that I observed it and it may be something to keep an eye on.

Arci, Forbes, LJC, Bertans, Anthony, didn't play much in the first half, but the second half was their affair.

Second half:

This is where we saw a lot of Arci, LJC, Bertans, Anthony, Forbes with just a little bit of Kawhi, Simmons, Kyle, then Murray mixed and finally none of them to leave the others finish in the 4th Q.

Observations. Forbes was off shooting in this game and that is really his best NBA skill. The 3rd Q started with him defending Booker and Booker drew fouls and attacked Forbes incessantly. Suns smelled opportunities as Booker is too big and strong for Forbes to guard and they went at him constantly on post ups. (I have to note Booker had been guarded by Simmons, Kawhi and Garino in the first half and had been relatively under control.)

The second half started Anthony and Bertans and the rim protection was bad. Anthony is slow to rotate, and Bertans switched but he can't contain dribble penetration, he fouled a guard attempting to hedge and he simply struggled defensively. It was with that group on (Anthony, Bertans, Kawhi, Forbes and Arci) that the suns made a run and got into the game very quickly.

After Kawhi/Bertans/Anthony sat, we got a pairing for Simmons/Kyle/Dedmon. This part of the game saw traveling from Simmons (TO), a couple of moving screen by Dedmon (O/Fouls and TO), reaching in fouls from Forbes, Simmons getting beat on a backdoor cut, more fouling from Dedmon, and as you can see, the game was swinging the Suns way.

Kyle was used as a playmaker like Boris screening and he showed versatility in attempting the 3, but he also drove on mismatches when the other team switched on picks and he scored or drew fouls. Arci struggled against Brandon Knight on both ends, but we would have guessed that. Team was in the penalty early anyways, and this group except Anderson could not stop fouling guys left and right.

Garino and Murray subbed in for Arci and Forbes to close the 3rd, and Garino had some nice defensive plays drawing charges and boxing out guys going for O Boards. Murray is a definite talent but he's not seen a shot he doesn't like, and this half saw him chucking some bad shots. Dedmon missed a wide open layup from a dish by J.Simms which was unbelievable bc the rim protector wasn't nearby. He could have gone for the dunk, but didn't and really I don't know how that guy missed that.

Kyle was the last one of the rotation players to sit, once he sat the game got really loose and they didn't run a set offense well. There wasn't enough screening, etc.

Not much to say on LJC, he fouled too often too and will get on Pop's dog house that way, but if he improves through the season it would be huge for depth bc the team is lacking in bigs with defensive upside.

Conclusion:

Overall interesting game to see from everyone. I wasn't particularly impressed with anybody trying to make the team except Lapro, who was very good to start the game, and Garino who showed his defensive upside right away. Arci made some clutch plays (not just the 3, but some passes to set up Anthony for shots at the rim), but I still like Lapro more, who just looked really poised and played well in the first half.

I think Forbes had to show more, he was bad defensively on Booker (a huge and difficult mismatch for him) and he didn't make up for it offensively. A lot has been said in others' reviews about players specifically so I will just cut it here bc already this is too long. :toast I like to pay attention to what Pop has guys doing as much as I look at guys individually and what motivated the review was the observation of the amount of PnR every perimeter player was running. We didn't see Kawhi post up for example, that wasn't what they were working on in this game.

[monkeypunk]

Ok I watched the full game and I got motivated to write some notes.

Observations first half:


Nice writeup, SAGirl. If I were PATFO, I'd keep Garino over Laps just for his defense. Chip can teach shooting but good defensive instincts are harder to come by.

Either way, I hope one of the Argies makes the team. Don't know why, just feels right.

[SAGirl]

Nice writeup, SAGirl. If I were PATFO, I'd keep Garino over Laps just for his defense. Chip can teach shooting but good defensive instincts are harder to come by.

Either way, I hope one of the Argies makes the team. Don't know why, just feels right.

I definitely liked him. TBH, I was really underwhelmed by J.Simms. I almost didn't want to say anything bad about him, but in that 3rd Q every time he touched the ball it was awful, just awful, it was either a TO, or some bad play. I don't think Garino can give what J.Simms is supposed to be bringing to the table offensively but one could see right away Garino is better defensively and more of a shooter than J.Simms (not that Garino is a great shooter, but he's a willing shooter, and probably will get better, whereas J.Simms passes up perimeter shots to drive.) I think Pop really likes J.Simms though (there is that controversial chat we have had with Chinook and others about how Pop is constantly encouraging of him, and gives him praise that sometimes .. ehhhh will just stop here bc ppl will think I have something against him and I do not). Bottom line, Pop likes him and that is all that matters, I think he will get many chances, but if he does eventually put the nail on his own coffin, I think they dial Garino's agent's number right up.

If Pop feels like he can deal with Murray and give him the tough love and Murray is strong enough for it, maybe Pop risks just having 3 PG (one being the rook Murray) and picks up Garino. Seeing Lapro start though told me how he ranks in Pop's priority list. He played really well. Still this is just the one game, there will be more and this can swing I am guessing.

For early drops, wow I would have to say Forbes or Arci. Arci bc intangibles aside, Lapro has him beat, Forbes bc he needs to be Patty Mills/Gary Neal out there to stick with his defensive struggles. I really didn't like Anthony at all, and despite Dedmon struggling so much I hope he and LJC pull it together and the team doesn't pick Anthony.

[SpurPadre]

I don't think Pop doesn't like him, more likely Pop doesn't know who he is!

You're confusing Pop with Jim Boylen, who isn't in the staff anymore.

[GSH]

I don't know how many of you had watched Laprovittola before last night, but he's a tough bastard. I was excited when they said that he was coming, because he plays with an attitude like a little bulldog. He's not afraid to stick his chin in and scrap with bigger guys, and the Spurs could use some of that toughness and edginess. I wasn't impressed with his first outing, but one pre-season game isn't enough to convince me that he doesn't have the game to play in the NBA. I still think that, given the Spurs' need for a third PG, he has a good shot at sticking.

Garino showed some toughness, too, and I'm sure that wasn't lost on Pop. He's heavier and stronger than Simmons. He's not going to give the kind of air show as Simmons, but he probably fits Pop's mold for a player more than Simmons. I fully expect to see at least two Argentines on the roster.

Arci seems like a good kid, and we always pull for an underdog. But unless he was just nervous last night, NBA defenders are just going to pick his pocket right and left. The Spurs liked him enough to give him some money, but I think he spends the year in Austin.

Dedmon has enough of an NBA track record that we know he's better than he looked last night. If he had played like that last season, the Spurs wouldn't have signed him this year. And I don't think he got worse over the offseason.

LJC is listed at the same height as Kyle Anderson, but he's 15 pounds lighter. And one of the issues for Kyle is that he needs to put on some muscle - so LJC really looks skinny out there. Regardless of what skills or intangibles LJC has, I just don't see how his light frame is going to stand up to the big bodies in the NBA. I definitely thought he looked better last night than he did in summer league, but it would be hard not to. At the very least, I think he needs to spend a year in Austin, and working with a strength coach. Maybe bring him up a few times, when Pop is resting guys. I agree that he's better than summer league, but I still think he's too lightweight for a 4, and doesn't have the skillset of a 3.

Murray has a lot of talent and athleticism, and a lot of rough edges. And he shoots too much. CoJo embraced the D-League when he was a rookie, and even asked to be sent down so that he could get the experience, instead of spending a lot of time on the Spurs' bench. Pop commended him for it, and said that it made him a much better player. I think Murray would do well to follow that example.

Simmons did not look confident on the floor. That was one thing I never saw him lack, last season. The next few weeks are probably do or die for him. He's got to play with the swag he showed last year. I'm sure it didn't help him being without a good playmaker on the floor with him. I think he's got to show some improvement from last season, or he's probably out. He didn't show any in the first game. But if he does get cut, I wouldn't be surprised if someone else puts him on their bench, and every time he dunks a ball people here will scream about how we should have kept him.

[YGWHI]

I think it's way too early to make a judgement on Dedmon. Obviously his first preseason game so expectations should be low but the guy just started playing bball a few years ago so he doesn't have the foundational knowledge that allows other players to quickly pick up new schemes. Of course, he'll look lost in his first game. If he still looks lost on every play in January then we may have a problem.

In general, I wasn't too impressed with anyone outside the obvious, Kawhi and Anderson. I think Simmons is nailing himself into his own coffin, errors left and right and worse, hanging his head after instead of getting back into the play. Pop will be done with him after a month, good thing we have 4000 guards in the queue.

Garino and Bertrans did well enough for their first games, especially excited about Bertrans energy and desire for chase down blocks. He may not be athletic enough to get them all but he should put some fear into opposing players expecting free dunks. I love that he isn't just reliant on his shooting to impact the game. And he has definitely bulked up since we drafted him, he appears much more imposing now. Garino is a keeper...

I also kinda love Murrays hyper agressive-ness. Not trying to make stupid comparisons but I see some Westbrook in him and I hope he's strong enough to survive Pops tough love approach. He can (and will) learn to shoot but that type of aggression can lead to more than role players..

I like Arci and see a bit of Jacque Vaughn in his game. He'll be a good player but we need an impact player in case Murray flames out and Arci ain't that. No mistakes and a steady hand but that's it.

Lappy didn't do anything to sway me either way, which ain't great.

Lee looked pretty comfortable out there in his limited minutes, I think if he regains that midrange shot and moves his feet on defense, he'll be a fairly valuable rotation player.

Anthony might be good for 3-5 minutes a game but anything more and his legs will literally fall the fuck off his body. I can hear the squeaking from his creaky ass old body, every step he takes.

Overall, about what you'd expect from preseason game 1.


Ok I watched the full game and I got motivated to write some notes.

Observations first half:

All perimeter players ran PnR all the first half: Kawhi, Murray, Simmons, Kyle, Lapro.
Kawhi was excellent on PnR, finishing himself or dishing to Lee.
Murray showed talent in the PnR, he's fast and can find the big man. IMO he showed a lot of talent, it's just raw and his shot selection leaves much to improve upon still, but he can get where he wants and he can find open people when he wants to. I saw some moments where he was lost on defense big time and ended up getting screened or lost off the ball, definite rook mistakes.
Simmons wasn't impressive on the PnR, his characteristic athletic finishes didn't show up in this game. He didn't find lanes to shoot and got into trouble a couple of times ending in TO.
Kyle's passes were kicked so nothing came out of his PnR attempts.
Lapro played really well and I really liked him running the offense, but he played with Kawhi all of his minutes, with Kawhi off the ball opening things up. Regardless,I was overall really satisfied by him. He looked polished and he's my early pick to come out of training camp and make the team (followed closely by Garino).

For the bigs, none of them that played in the first half can shoot. It made it so that passes were easy to be deflected or kicked or knocked out and it is one of the reasons some PnR attempts ended in trouble for players with all sorts of deflections, or guys getting stuck in traffic making passes that ended up in TO. The spacing wasn't ideal and it's going to be an issue if Pop plays two non shooting bigs.

Lee displayed his skill around the basket and made some nice interior passes, but he also TO the ball trying to make those passes and he didn't take a single midrange shot.

Dedmon couldn't handle any interior passing from Lee. Maybe chemistry can develop for them, but it could be an issue down the road. From what I could see, big to big interior passing was one of the ways for Pop to deal with the two non-shooting bigs. First game of the season, so really nothing much to say about this experiment, except that I observed it and it may be something to keep an eye on.

Arci, Forbes, LJC, Bertans, Anthony, didn't play much in the first half, but the second half was their affair.

Second half:

This is where we saw a lot of Arci, LJC, Bertans, Anthony, Forbes with just a little bit of Kawhi, Simmons, Kyle, then Murray mixed and finally none of them to leave the others finish in the 4th Q.

Observations. Forbes was off shooting in this game and that is really his best NBA skill. The 3rd Q started with him defending Booker and Booker drew fouls and attacked Forbes incessantly. Suns smelled opportunities as Booker is too big and strong for Forbes to guard and they went at him constantly on post ups. (I have to note Booker had been guarded by Simmons, Kawhi and Garino in the first half and had been relatively under control.)

The second half started Anthony and Bertans and the rim protection was bad. Anthony is slow to rotate, and Bertans switched but he can't contain dribble penetration, he fouled a guard attempting to hedge and he simply struggled defensively. It was with that group on (Anthony, Bertans, Kawhi, Forbes and Arci) that the suns made a run and got into the game very quickly.

After Kawhi/Bertans/Anthony sat, we got a pairing for Simmons/Kyle/Dedmon. This part of the game saw traveling from Simmons (TO), a couple of moving screen by Dedmon (O/Fouls and TO), reaching in fouls from Forbes, Simmons getting beat on a backdoor cut, more fouling from Dedmon, and as you can see, the game was swinging the Suns way.

Kyle was used as a playmaker like Boris screening and he showed versatility in attempting the 3, but he also drove on mismatches when the other team switched on picks and he scored or drew fouls. Arci struggled against Brandon Knight on both ends, but we would have guessed that. Team was in the penalty early anyways, and this group except Anderson could not stop fouling guys left and right.

Garino and Murray subbed in for Arci and Forbes to close the 3rd, and Garino had some nice defensive plays drawing charges and boxing out guys going for O Boards. Murray is a definite talent but he's not seen a shot he doesn't like, and this half saw him chucking some bad shots. Dedmon missed a wide open layup from a dish by J.Simms which was unbelievable bc the rim protector wasn't nearby. He could have gone for the dunk, but didn't and really I don't know how that guy missed that.

Kyle was the last one of the rotation players to sit, once he sat the game got really loose and they didn't run a set offense well. There wasn't enough screening, etc.

Not much to say on LJC, he fouled too often too and will get on Pop's dog house that way, but if he improves through the season it would be huge for depth bc the team is lacking in bigs with defensive upside.

Conclusion:

Overall interesting game to see from everyone. I wasn't particularly impressed with anybody trying to make the team except Lapro, who was very good to start the game, and Garino who showed his defensive upside right away. Arci made some clutch plays (not just the 3, but some passes to set up Anthony for shots at the rim), but I still like Lapro more, who just looked really poised and played well in the first half.

I think Forbes had to show more, he was bad defensively on Booker (a huge and difficult mismatch for him) and he didn't make up for it offensively. A lot has been said in others' reviews about players specifically so I will just cut it here bc already this is too long. :toast I like to pay attention to what Pop has guys doing as much as I look at guys individually and what motivated the review was the observation of the amount of PnR every perimeter player was running. We didn't see Kawhi post up for example, that wasn't what they were working on in this game.

Nice!!! Thanks for the reviews guys!! :toast

Agree with you that the coaching staff are trying to work in some specific areas of players' games.

Paul Garcia from Project Spurs said that Kawhi running the P&R was an element he added to his game this summer, he also noticed that the Spurs took 25 3's against the Suns...If we know that Pop asked LMA to work in his three-point shooting again, it seems like some things are gonna change on offense...