6th man of the night - Elson

[JUUOT]

http://www.nba.com/aroundtheassociation/index.html

The Spurs don't ask a lot of offseason acquisition Francisco Elson. They just need him to come in and give big men Tim Duncan and Fabricio Oberto the occasional rest and hopefully provide a little defense. Elson did all that and then some on Saturday as he scored nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor and pulled down nine boards to help San Antonio to a 100-92 victory over the Knicks.

oberto and elson (FEFO) are getting noticed...

[boutons_]

FE and FO, along with Tony's jumper and FTs, are the extremely pleasant surprises of the early season.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Indeed.

[djohn14]

Oberto has had some nice nights,but when he dosent Elson is there to pick up the slack.I couldn't ask for any more from him.

[boutons_]

The improbable good that had to happen for Elson to do better as a Spur than his 3 invisible years in Denver actually happened. Maybe he bought a bottle of "Christian" Miracle Spring Water and a "Christian" Green Prosperity Handkerchief. :lol

Oberto had his NBA-rookie Year of Looking Lost, and now his bball IQ and role-player dirty work ethic are allowing him to make huge contributions.

It's still early days, but things are looking very good.

[JUUOT]

remember all the "doom & gloom" on this board during the offseason...??

I was not in agreement with people who where calling the end of the world when they realised oberto, elson and butler would be the rasho and nazr replacement.
However, i could not hope for a better start from the FEFO connection.
Their combination of speed, heart and experience (oberto made the best of all the time he had last year to learn the spurs system)

They seem to fit with tim a lot better than rasho and nazr. I feel like there is more passes from big to big in and around the paint.
Oberto is doing a better job than i thought setting screens. Elson can DUNK and sometimes you need this to wake up your team.

Finally, the FEFO connection is buying time for butler to work on his conditioning and have no pressure and slowly develop. With ian looking bad back in europe we need butler to step up next year.

[wildbill2u]

Like the guy who fell off a eighty-two story building said as he passed the 76th floor--"So far, so good."

[Kori Ellis]

Elson again got called out/pulled aside several times during the game by teammates/coaches because of missing rotations and not being able to set picks. That's becoming routine. He got some rebounds but most of his points were garbage points.

[xamila rey]

thanks Kori for sharing that,
i didnt see it last night.
i thought Pop was happy with his work, so thats why he keep him on the floor.
overall, i like the combination FOFE.
so far this year, i really like the rotation of the ball
and passing with Oberto starting.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

The improbable good that had to happen for Elson to do better as a Spur than his 3 invisible years in Denver actually happened.

Believe me he wasn't invisible in Denver. He was solid for the Nuggets coz he did what was asked, that doesn't show on the stat sheets :fro

[djohn14]

Kori I do agree with you, but When Oberto scored 22 or whatever, they were all "garbage points."

[djohn14]

I'd rather have "garbage points" than no points.

[z0sa]

they weren't garbage points. garbage points are points scored when the game is effectively over. Oberto's points were nothing but solid contribution, no garbage anywhere. Cleanup, maybe, but not garbage.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

There's definitely some off-season cynics that need to eat some crow on this thread.

[ChumpDumper]

I'm fine with Elson's getting talked to about rotations in November. I expected it. Hopefully he'll improve, but he already seems better than Nazr in that regard, and of course can recover from mistakes more quickly.

[Kori Ellis]

Kori I do agree with you, but When Oberto scored 22 or whatever, they were all "garbage points."

Oberto's points weren't garbage points, they were crucial to the win. I didn't mean that they were garbage baskets (cleaning up misses around the rim, etc).

I meant that Elson's points were primarily when the game was decided (in garbage time).

My point really wasn't about his scoring. Elson's main problem is that he misses a lot of rotations, and he sets some of the worst picks I've ever seen. He regular misses the man all together on the pick, not deterring the defender at all. Tim pulled him aside two or three times last night about his picks/D.

[djohn14]

oh ok,I apologize.

[ploto]

Elson's main problem is that he misses a lot of rotations, and he sets some of the worst picks I've ever seen. He regular misses the man all together on the pick, not deterring the defender at all. Tim pulled him aside two or three times last night about his picks/D.
I never thought I would see a big man set worse picks than Nazr but now I have. I also am glad to see that I was not imagining his missed defensive rotations. People would accuse me of sour grapes but at least I know that I am not the only one noticing.

[picnroll]

Elson sure isn't making me miss Rasho. All the talk about how Rasho was held back playing with Duncan. He's sucking it up even worse with the Barneys. So far I'm experiencing far less post-game heartburn from FEFO than Nazho.

[Kori Ellis]

I never thought I would see a big man set worse picks than Nazr but now I have. I also am glad to see that I was not imagining his missed defensive rotations. People would accuse me of sour grapes but at least I know that I am not the only one noticing.


I'm sure he's going to be fine eventually, but it was weird to see him miss the man completely on the picks a few times last night.

I like Elson so far. I was just pointing out reasons why he will likely stay behind Oberto in the rotation.

[BeerIsGood!]

FEFO>>>Razr

[BeerIsGood!]

As long as Oberto is contributing as well as he has been so far he should stay in the starting lineup. Elson is a good guy to bring off the bench. A nice change up from Oberto.

[ploto]

I'm sure he's going to be fine eventually, but it was weird to see him miss the man completely on the picks a few times last night.

I like Elson so far. I was just pointing out reasons why he will likely stay behind Oberto in the rotation.
I just don't get how an NBA big man who is 30 does not have that basic skill to set a pick.

And I agree about Oberto- but I have said that for months.

[picnroll]

Elson jsut about put Devin Harris into a full body cast on a pick he set in the Mav's game. There is hope. Remember he cut his teeth playing for the Nuggets so solid, fundamental basketball was not a priority, in fact not even an expectation.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

He may stay behind Oberto but behind Horry? what the heck is that about?

Horry should join NVE in retirement :smokin

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

Elson jsut about put Devin Harris into a full body cast on a pick he set in the Mav's game. There is hope. Remember he cut his teeth playing for the Nuggets so solid, fundamental basketball was not a priority, in fact not even an expectation.

:lol the Nuggets live or die by being an unconventional team :smokin

Not many set plays or rotations, just run run run! :smokin

I love watching that style but until now its been tough coz Melo was the only shooter, JR has helped remedy that alot :fro

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

hey how is it possible i have $0 vbookie cash? I thought you couldn't go below $25 :lol

[beirmeistr]

FOFE>>>>>Nasho

[timvp]

You will get another $25 next time a new vBookie thread is started.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

You will get another $25 next time a new vBookie thread is started.

cool, thanks :fro

I'll lose it straight away again but its nice knowing im not vbroke :hat

[ShoogarBear]

I never thought I would see a big man set worse picks than Nazr but now I have. I also am glad to see that I was not imagining his missed defensive rotations. People would accuse me of sour grapes but at least I know that I am not the only one noticing.:sleep

Haven't seen any posts about Rasho's boxscores recently . . .

[Supergirl]

Elson again got called out/pulled aside several times during the game by teammates/coaches because of missing rotations and not being able to set picks. That's becoming routine. He got some rebounds but most of his points were garbage points.

Was that also in the time that he was called for a defensive 3-second violation?

[T Park]

He did miss a couple here and there.

But his cutoffs on penetrations at times by Marbury and Crawford and others was good as well.


Elson looked pretty darn good last night IMO.

Im sure Pop and CO are just trying to beat into him the defense first philosophy.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Elson is also very skinny, which doesn't help him when setting picks. It's far easier to get around a skinny guy than a wide body.

It's still very early in the season and our centres look far more competent than I had expected at this stage. I'm sure they, and particularly Elson, will continue to improve as they have time in the sytem too.

Good times! :toast

(PS I was one of the guys who thought our offseason was pretty good).

(PPS timvp ate his crow a week ago! :lol )

[ploto]

Haven't seen any posts about Rasho's boxscores recently . . .
First quarter tonight-- 2 blocks, 3 rebounds, 2 assists. The one block was after a Toronto turnover when SAC had a 3 on 1 against Rasho and he ended up with a block and a rebound. :)

[ChumpDumper]

2nd quarter - Raptors down by 20. Rasho's contribution goes beyond his boxscore.

[Solid D]

Elson's D was as soft as melted butter last night.

[ShoogarBear]

First quarter tonight-- 2 blocks, 3 rebounds, 2 assists. The one block was after a Toronto turnover when SAC had a 3 on 1 against Rasho and he ended up with a block and a rebound. :)No selective bias there. What about the previous four games?

[ChumpDumper]

Shut up Shoogar! Rasho might average five boards a game this season! We might not even have to round up!

[T Park]

Elson's D was as soft as melted butter last night.



So the times he shut off penetration, and other good rotations were bad?


Guess were watching a different game.

[gospursgojas]

haha FEFO...

am I really late or what.

who came up with that

[JUUOT]

haha FEFO...

am I really late or what.

who came up with that

I would love to take credit for it but boutons was my muse :lol
He wrote in the second post "FE and FO" I loved it and now i call our center/s the

FEFO connection :drunk

[Axl Van Dam]

2nd quarter - Raptors down by 20. Rasho's contribution goes beyond his boxscore.

:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

[Axl Van Dam]

:reading Like many others I was really apprehensive when Pop & R.C. Buford signed Francisco Elson in the offseason. But I like what I'm seeing in the first few games. I hope this continues all season long. :reading