Should we play Donatas Motiejūnas over Davis Bonner?

[SpurPadre]

Davis is shrinking more and more each game and we need some extra firepower off the bench. It wouldn't hurt to try Donatas early going and see what he's got to contribute with a short leash. Thoughts?

[stu scotts eye]

Stop reaching.

Or stop posting.

Your choice.

[spurraider21]

this series isn't for davis tbh... the nuggets rotate 3 bigs: jokic, millsap, and plumlee. davis isn't going to be able to battle any of them down low and would get annihilated on the boards. as poorly as rudy has played last 2 games, he's at least battled and rebounded.

bertans would be much more useful against a team that only plays 1 real big, like houston.

its just a matchup thing imo

[vavvi]

No we absolutely shouldn’t

[John B]

this series isn't for davis tbh... the nuggets rotate 3 bigs: jokic, millsap, and plumlee. davis isn't going to be able to battle any of them down low and would get annihilated on the boards. as poorly as rudy has played last 2 games, he's at least battled and rebounded.

bertans would be much more useful against a team that only plays 1 real big, like houston.

its just a matchup thing imo
This. Exactly why Spurs need that 6’ 8” athletic wing

[spursistan]

Can folks stop the with the excuses for Bertans? this dude has proven to be such a mental midget..Third playoffs in a row he has shriveled and quivered his way out of the rotation..

I hate to say it but, but he is vindicating TheGreatYacht (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=43719)'s agenda against him :lol..

Matt Bonner experience Redux..

[DAF86]

Can folks stop the with the excuses for Bertans? this dude has proven to be such a mental midget..Third playoffs in a row he has shriveled and quickered his way out of the rotation..

I hate to say it but, but he is vindicating TheGreatYacht (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=43719)'s agenda against him :lol..

Matt Bonner experience Redux..

The fuck?

Last season he barely got regular season minutes and in the playoffs he ended up being a regular finisher.

[DAF86]

this series isn't for davis tbh... the nuggets rotate 3 bigs: jokic, millsap, and plumlee. davis isn't going to be able to battle any of them down low and would get annihilated on the boards. as poorly as rudy has played last 2 games, he's at least battled and rebounded.

bertans would be much more useful against a team that only plays 1 real big, like houston.

its just a matchup thing imo

Play him in his position instead, which is small forward, not power forward, tbh.

Mills and Belinelli aren't exactly lighting the world on fire either, yet they continue to see minutes. Bertans would at least provide above average defense on the perimeter.

[EricB]

Play him in his position instead, which is small forward, not power forward, tbh.

Mills and Belinelli aren't exactly lighting the world on fire either, yet they continue to see minutes. Bertans would at least provide above average defense on the perimeter.


They tried to last sat night and it was a mess. Pop adjusted the rotations in the second half and they took off.
Donatas isn’t a good matchup either.

[ZeusWillJudge]

this series isn't for davis tbh... the nuggets rotate 3 bigs: jokic, millsap, and plumlee. davis isn't going to be able to battle any of them down low and would get annihilated on the boards. as poorly as rudy has played last 2 games, he's at least battled and rebounded.

bertans would be much more useful against a team that only plays 1 real big, like houston.

its just a matchup thing imo

That pretty much sums it up. I'm not even going to try to add anything to that. :tu

[Johnsyounger]

Agreed. Denver is a bad matchup for Bertans. He’s better suited for another series. Pop is handling it fine tbh. The Mills, Belli, Jakob, Gay lineup is much more disturbing moving forward.

[SpurPadre]

I see most of you agree this series isn't for Davis but if we have to throw in another big out there, should Donatas be given a shot this series?

[SpurPadre]

Stop reaching.

Or stop posting.

Your choice.

Try to contribute or GTFO.

Your choice.

[spurraider21]

Play him in his position instead, which is small forward, not power forward, tbh.

Mills and Belinelli aren't exactly lighting the world on fire either, yet they continue to see minutes. Bertans would at least provide above average defense on the perimeter.
he's played like 93% of his career minutes at PF, and 95% this year. so its hard to call SF "his position"

[DAF86]

he's played like 93% of his career minutes at PF, and 95% this year. so its hard to call SF "his position"

Well, it is, tbh. Also no, he played most of his career at SF. He didn't start his career on the NBA, tbh.

[DAF86]

They tried to last sat night and it was a mess. Pop adjusted the rotations in the second half and they took off.
Donatas isn’t a good matchup either.

You mean unlike Mills and Beli?

[Shakril]

No. If Pop lets play Poeltl 30 Mins, spurs dont need another Big.
What we need are some Wings that actually can guard and hit some 3s.

On the Defensive side we have none, but we have 4 Players who can hit 3s. Problem is, that 3 of them are out of order (Mills, Belinelli, Bertans). If they get it together than the series will even get easier.

[spurraider21]

Well, it is, tbh. Also no, he played most of his career at SF. He didn't start his career on the NBA, tbh.
yeah i dont care what he did in estonia or whatever the fuck

[JeffDuncan]

I see most of you agree this series isn't for Davis but if we have to throw in another big out there, should Donatas be given a shot this series?

I haven't seen enough of Donatas to say. He appears to be moving well, at least. Obviously his sheer size could help. He can't be familiar yet with the Spurs defensive rotations, tho. On defense, they might have to "zone" him near the basket, or watch him get burned when he misses a switch. But I can only guess at how much of the system he knows, and what his physical abilities really are. As a strategic substitution, I don't think I'd try it, without knowing a lot more about him.

[DAF86]

yeah i dont care what he did in estonia or whatever the fuck

Do you think it makes sense for him to play SF in Estonia and PF on the NBA where the players are bigger and stronger?

[spurraider21]

Do you think it makes sense for him to play SF in Estonia and PF on the NBA where the players are bigger and stronger?
perimeter players are much quicker. bert doesnt have the agility to stay in front of 6'7 slashers. he's better off putting his length to use against other modern stretch 4's. he's also much more useful as a help defender as a 4 than a 3. offensively you provide more spacing with him at the 4 than at the 3. just works out better. its why he's played 95% of his minutes there

[DAF86]

perimeter players are much quicker. bert doesnt have the agility to stay in front of 6'7 slashers. he's better off putting his length to use against other modern stretch 4's. he's also much more useful as a help defender as a 4 than a 3. offensively you provide more spacing with him at the 4 than at the 3. just works out better. its why he's played 95% of his minutes there

And Belinelli and Mills do? :lol

[ZeusWillJudge]

I haven't seen enough of Donatas to say.


Not nearly enough to tell anything. I still can't figure what they were doing, unless it really was to block the Rockets from bringing him in, since he knows something about their system.

One thing I have seen him do is make those casual sideways sling passes. (Like a wrap-around pass, if there was anyone in front of him.) Looks really cool. But he's going to rock that arm back one of these times and someone is going to take it out of his hands from behind, or jump the passing lane. I know he thinks he knows where everyone is on the court, but it's too casual and doesn't serve any purpose other than to look really casual. Just pass the damn ball.

Davis is in a shooting slump. If the announcers were screaming, "Latvian Laser" 4-5 times a game, we wouldn't be having this other discussion. But I have a hard time thinking that Pop is going to give any real minutes to D-Mo at this point.

[TheGreatYacht]

Can folks stop the with the excuses for Bertans? this dude has proven to be such a mental midget..Third playoffs in a row he has shriveled and quivered his way out of the rotation..

I hate to say it but, but he is vindicating TheGreatYacht (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=43719)'s agenda against him :lol..

Matt Bonner experience Redux..
Thanks my nig. It's awful to see so many excuses being made for this loser. He's not magically going to hit shots in the playoffs because his position is SF. He won't stop being a rotating door in the paint against a "better" matchup.

He's Fathead 2.0 all over again. Folks swore he was good but needed the ball in his hands. The scrub is too slow to be a creator. His slomo crossover was a laughing stock. No one respects him yet he's supposed to lure the defense away from the other 4 guys?

I spit on BPM fans

[weebo]

Throw Cun/Pon in there...can't be any worse than.

[BillMc]

this series isn't for davis tbh... the nuggets rotate 3 bigs: jokic, millsap, and plumlee. davis isn't going to be able to battle any of them down low and would get annihilated on the boards. as poorly as rudy has played last 2 games, he's at least battled and rebounded.

bertans would be much more useful against a team that only plays 1 real big, like houston.

its just a matchup thing imo

This.

[spurraider21]

And Belinelli and Mills do? :lol
mills is a completely different position... thats an awful comparison.

as for marco, its a closer argument. but marco has been shooting fine this series, so offensively you're not going to see an improvement. they're both pretty futile defending guards and small wings. davis has value on defense but mainly as somebody who can contest shots in the paint. he's not going to do that if he's playing SF. if marco's shot wasn't falling, i'd be all for trying bert there. but if you're not going to get the defensive benefit anyway, i'd rather leave marco in if he's hot

[DAF86]

mills is a completely different position... thats an awful comparison.

as for marco, its a closer argument. but marco has been shooting fine this series, so offensively you're not going to see an improvement. they're both pretty futile defending guards and small wings. davis has value on defense but mainly as somebody who can contest shots in the paint. he's not going to do that if he's playing SF. if marco's shot wasn't falling, i'd be all for trying bert there. but if you're not going to get the defensive benefit anyway, i'd rather leave marco in if he's hot

Mills is a midget shooting wing, Bertans is tall shooting wing.

And Bertans is an above average perimeter defender, he's miles ahead of either Mills and Belinelli. Playing him over either of them would be an instant improvement.

[spurraider21]

Mills is a midget shooting wing, Bertans is tall shooting wing.

And Bertans is an above average perimeter defender, he's miles ahead of either Mills and Belinelli. Playing him over either of them would be an instant improvement.
yes i know. future all-star and whatnot.

[DAF86]

yes i know. future all-star and whatnot.

Not if Pop keeps playing lesser players instead of him, tbh.

[JeffDuncan]

Not nearly enough to tell anything. I still can't figure what they were doing, ...

Insurance mainly, I suppose. The Spurs have had some rotten luck with playoff injuries, over the years. Donatas is big enough, and experienced enough, he shouldn't be hopeless going up against another team's 7-footer. Practice, also, in prep for a team with big bodies. Another tall guy to practice against. He makes sense, as insurance and another practice player.

Y'know, I think the player Donatas might have been best able to imitate in practice, could have been Nurkic. And I think it was originally announced the Spurs had signed Donatas just a day or two before Nurkic broke his leg. Were the Spurs thinking it would be Portland in the playoffs, and did they want somebody to imitate Nurkic, for LMA to practice against? I haven't the slightest flipping clue. Lol. But hell, might as well speculate. Everybody else does.



One thing I have seen him do is make those casual sideways sling passes. (Like a wrap-around pass, if there was anyone in front of him.) Looks really cool. But he's going to rock that arm back one of these times and someone is going to take it out of his hands from behind, or jump the passing lane. I know he thinks he knows where everyone is on the court, but it's too casual and doesn't serve any purpose other than to look really casual. Just pass the damn ball.

I noticed that, too. He was playing there in garbage time, and pulled down a defensive rebound, and he did that sling pass out to his right, to whoever was playing guard. It did look fancy, but yes, if an opponent snuck in behind him, he could find himself with a face full of dunk as he turned around.



Davis is in a shooting slump. If the announcers were screaming, "Latvian Laser" 4-5 times a game, we wouldn't be having this other discussion. But I have a hard time thinking that Pop is going to give any real minutes to D-Mo at this point.

I don't think D-Mo was signed to play, except in case of serious injury to somebody.

Also, I wonder how much of Bertans slump is related to him having to rely on Mills, or maybe even Beli, to set him up. Not the best situation for him.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Also, I wonder how much of Bertans slump is related to him having to rely on Mills, or maybe even Beli, to set him up. Not the best situation for him.


I said the same thing in that Rudy Gay thread. Those two are making a mess of the second unit. Nobody thought Bertans was out there to score off the dribble. He's a 3P specialist, and anything else is a bonus. And on defense, those two make everybody worse.

[Millennial_Messiah]

perimeter players are much quicker. bert doesnt have the agility to stay in front of 6'7 slashers. he's better off putting his length to use against other modern stretch 4's. he's also much more useful as a help defender as a 4 than a 3. offensively you provide more spacing with him at the 4 than at the 3. just works out better. its why he's played 95% of his minutes there

It's why we always got crushed back in the day when we'd play Danny Ferry at SF with David/TD/Anderson/Daniels


Danny Ferry... Robert Horry... Matt Bonner... Davis Bertans... Spurs have employed that guy for 20+ years. Horry is the obvious best of the bunch.

[Chinook]

Play him in his position instead, which is small forward, not power forward, tbh.

Mills and Belinelli aren't exactly lighting the world on fire either, yet they continue to see minutes. Bertans would at least provide above average defense on the perimeter.

That wouldn't fix the problem. Bertans playing well isn't the Spurs' priority. Having three rotational bigs is. Even if Bert plays the three (and you know how I feel about that reasoning) SOMEONE has to be the PF. Don't think such a PF is on the roster. Gay is the closest, and he has his own issues with Millsap. Guess Pop could run with Cun if that would make you happy.

[tonight...you]

That wouldn't fix the problem. Bertans playing well isn't the Spurs' priority. Having three rotational bigs is. Even if Bert plays the three (and you know how I feel about that reasoning) SOMEONE has to be the PF. Don't think such a PF is on the roster. Gay is the closest, and he has his own issues with Millsap. Guess Pop could run with Cun if that would make you happy.
Cool! Chinook's still here! Very cool.

[Mugen]

I'm firmly with DA on this one tbh....

Every criticism lobbied at Davis in this thread applies to Beli and then some....at least Bertans has length and is a significantly better defender....

The Fat Koala will never get benched but there's zero reason to bench Bertans while still giving Marco minutes....

[Mugen]

For whatever reason, Pop is hell bent on subbing in Patty/Marco at the same time and way too early in the 1st quarter....

His fixation on that substitution pattern is causing Bertans to be the odd man out and it's to the detriment of the team long-term IMO....

[tonight...you]

I'm firmly with DA on this one tbh....

Every criticism lobbied at Davis in this thread applies to Beli and then some....at least Bertans has length and is a significantly better defender....

The Fat Koala will never get benched but there's zero reason to bench Bertans while still giving Marco minutes....
Lol! "Fat Koala"...
So bad...

[sammy]

They should try Donatas! Let’s see what he can do! Bertans can’t guard & he’s always running back to cover his man & that dude is already shooting a three! He’s always behind when they are slashing to the rim! He’s too slow on defense!

[ceperez]

Play him in his position instead, which is small forward, not power forward, tbh.

Mills and Belinelli aren't exactly lighting the world on fire either, yet they continue to see minutes. Bertans would at least provide above average defense on the perimeter.

Exactly, he should be at SF.

[BackHome]

I like Marco coming in if we need someone who can handle the rock or looking for some instant offense. If White and DEROZZ are not in foul trouble or playing shitty then I don’t see Belli getting a lot of minutes. Just play him long enough to hear the announcer “Spicy Meatballs” that gets me every time :rollin

[Coach X]

Play both and reduce Gay minutes. Pop will do it if Spurs lose today, IMO

[tonight...you]

Play both and reduce Gay minutes. Pop will do it if Spurs lose today, IMO
At least throw him in for a couple minutes to see how he fairs...

[wildbill2u]

Play him as a substitue for Poertle at center when he needs a break.. At 7' and a history of PF he could play Jokic. Has a few offensive moves but probably isnt in game shape yet.

[DavidTheGoliath]

If he can set really good moving screens almost everytime and gets away with it, then im good. ������

[Truth4sale$]

Dontas is a better offensive scorer, and I am sure Denver did not game plan for him. He could be a small spark even for a few minutes.

[tholdren]

Bertans should play over gay. Gay isnt aggressive and cant get contested rebounds. Bertans should see this as his chance to get some pt and be aggressive on the boards. Rudy sucks and everyone can see why hes been pathetic when it comes to Ws. Empty stats guy just like james and harden.

[Joseph Kony]

Bertans should play over gay. Gay isnt aggressive and cant get contested rebounds. Bertans should see this as his chance to get some pt and be aggressive on the boards. Rudy sucks and everyone can see why hes been pathetic when it comes to Ws. Empty stats guy just like james and harden.
trash take per par

[Rummpd]

Loss coming

[ZeusWillJudge]

Well Pop ought to put him in now. The corpses he's playing can't do shit.

[TheGreatYacht]

Every single one of his fluffers looking like fools :lol

It was tough to top last year's playoff choke job but here he is!

I was right as per par

[RC_Drunkford]

Outscored Gay and Belinelli together in 1 minute. Give him minutes. He can supposedly shoot 3s, so why not? Gay won't wake up anytime soon

[BlackAndWhite]

Not a bad idea. He might play better than Fag, Mills and Pastanelli

[sammy]

He needs to play over Bertans, Gay, Mills & Belinelli! Those four sucked! He’s another big who is more mobile & can score! WTH Pop! What the hell happened to Rudy Gay!

[TheGreatYacht]

5/23 (21.7%) from three in the last two playoffs.

Give me the guy who looks like he has an actual NBA skill. Ginger Austin Daye should get traded this off season to a dumb ass team like the Magic

[TheGreatYacht]

Ginger Austin Daye:
13pts, 6reb in 66 minutes

Donatas Montiejunas:
11pts, 4reb in 11 minutes

The choice is easy

[TheGreatYacht]

Double post.

[monty4329]

but if you're not going to get the defensive benefit anyway, i'd rather leave marco in if he's hot

Problem is marco is not out of the hip injury, if he can't cut and jump he is useless. Maybe two rest days will help, but I am doubtful.

[Capt Bringdown]

Nope, Pop's going to keep poundin' the rock. That culture, dontchaknow.
Creativity is verboten.

[Grybauskaite]

Give Donatas 2 min in 1qtr, follow 3 min in beginning of 2qt , that will give a team much needed spark ,substitute on6 min in 3 qt with 4 min , and maybe 2-3 min in beginning of 4 qt , but ,u have to seat the guy in game closing. This will give Huge motivation for Gay and the rest of a team.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Poeltl has done a good job guarding Jokic. If D-Mo could play a few more minutes when Plumlee is in the game, and let Poeltl save his fouls for defending Jokic, it would go a long way. Especially since Plumlee is a foul machine. Force Plumlee to play against a legit big man, and he'll be back on the bench in foul trouble in minutes.

[GreekSpursfan]

I would play Donuts only for hack-a-plumlee purposes.

[Genovaswitness]

if davis bertans wasn't a white european he'd never get any PT

[BackHome]

I would play Donuts only for hack-a-plumlee purposes.

+1 - But to be honest if I was Denver I would put someone to hack him cause his free throw shooting is freaking ugly. Lol

[GreekSpursfan]

+1 - But to be honest if I was Denver I would put someone to hack him cause his free throw shooting is freaking ugly. Lol

Fuck, i forgot about that.