Spurs vs. Jazz Game 4 - Grades

[timvp]

Tim Duncan
Duncan did a good job staying out of foul trouble and was very good on the defensive end of the court. He anchored the defense and made things tough inside for the Jazz. Offensively, he never really found a rhythm. The Jazz were having success swiping at the ball and their great energy at that end of the court closed up all passing lanes. Duncan played smart in the second half on offense and did a much better of taking what the defense gave him. After four turnovers in the first half, he had only one turnover in the second half. It wasn't a great performance, but he gave it all he had.
Grade: C+


Manu Ginobili
Ginobili came up huge in the fourth quarter like he seems to do a lot this time of year. He didn't have much going for him in the first three quarters, but the fourth was Manu Time. He upped his aggression as the game went on, leading to 13 second half free throws. For the game he finished with 22 points on only ten shots. He also led the Spurs in plus/minus at +16. Bottomline is Ginobili knows how to win.
Grade: A-


Tony Parker
Parker had an off game from the field. He connected on only 6-of-19 field goal attempts and finished with only two assists. The good news is that he kept the Spurs in it in the first half with seven free throw attempts. He also had a good energy level and kept the Jazz on their heels. However, he's going to have to play better for the Spurs to advance to the Finals.
Grade: D+


Bruce Bowen
Bowen's defense late in the fourth quarter was the best defense he's played all series. He finally seemed to frustrate Deron Williams a bit. Bowen still struggled with Williams for most of the game, but hopefully the fourth quarter is the start of something to come for him and the Spurs. He had a good all around stat line, finishing with seven points, five rebounds, two steals and no turnovers.
Grade: C+


Fabricio Oberto
Oberto just keeps impressing. Playing with a bandaged thumb, Oberto had 11 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the playoffs. He's a very smart player who knows his role amazingly well. His inspired play was a big part of the victory.
Grade: A


Michael Finley
Finley battled through a bad back and had a nice game. Most impressive for him tonight was his defense. He was very active on that end of the court and had numerous nice plays. Offensively, he had 13 points in 29 minutes and finished the game with two assists and no turnovers.
Grade: B


Robert Horry
Horry is still looking to regain the form that he had earlier in the playoffs. He had a team low plus/minus (-3) and had only two points and three rebounds in 20 minutes. In his defense, he's not getting any open looks in this series. Tonight he made the only shot he took. If he can step up his defense and rebound a bit more, that'd be big in Game 5.
Grade: C-


Jacque Vaughn
Vaughn shut up some of the doubters tonight with one of his better playoff games in a Spurs uniform to date. He was a +9 and played some very good defense in the fourth quarter. He finished with four assists, one steal and only one turnover in 11 minutes of action. If the Spurs can get this type of performance consistently out of him, they'll be happy.
Grade: A


Pop
Whatever Pop did before Game 4 worked. The Spurs brought 48 minutes worth of effort and won a tough battle of a game. The Jazz played their hearts out and the Spurs were right there with them in the energy department. Pop shortened the rotation by eliminating Brent Barry and Francisco Elson and the move seemed to pay dividends. He rotated the Big Three beautifully in the second half so that at least two were on the court at all times. Pop seemed to push all the right buttons tonight.
Grade: A

[Budkin]

Pop made all the right moves in this game. Bravo Pop!

[aaronstampler]

I guess it just shows how incredible Tim is when he can get a "C+" when it's "the worst game he's ever played" according to Mark Jackson. Yeah um... he's an idiot. I like JVG as an analyst a lot, and I hope he keeps this job for years to come, and Breen is solid too, but Jackson is making these games almost Eastern Conference-level unenjoyable. Why can't ESPN/ABC see how terrible he is?

Also, I agree Pop was pretty good, but it's pretty easy to play two of the big three at all times if he's gonna play Manu the last 18 minutes straight without a breather (not that I'm complaining). I thought it was a good move in the first half that he let Tim play nekkid. He did that earlier in the series in Game 2 I believe and it worked out then too. I think at this point, with Jacque and Horry's general offensive ineptitude, we have more of a chance of surving with Tim's nekkidness than even Manu's because with Tim you know the defense will be there as well.

P.S. As far as the grades go, I think that Tony was a bit better today than his numbers showed, just like how he was a bit worse in Game 5 than it looked in the box score. Tony kept us in it for a while in the 2nd quarter and he was pretty solid in the 4th as well, even if he didn't have the ball in his hands much, he wasn't really making any mistakes. He just had poor 1st and 3rd quarters.

[Admidave50]

props to timvp for his constant good work

[Strike]

I was damn impressed with the Spurs tonight. Every time Utah came with a run, the Spurs answered with defense and grit.

And as always, they never lost their composure. I almost started to feel bad for the Jazz late in the game as things unraveled. But then I remembered it was the Jazz and said "Fuck it!"

A great win for the Spurs all around.

[Kori Ellis]

I like JVG as an analyst a lot, and I hope he keeps this job for years to come

Yeah I wish.

It's awesome to actually have a commentator who knows what he's talking about.

But unfortunately (or fortunately for him I guess) he'll likely be back coaching next year.

By the way, I disagree with about 1/2 the grades. But I don't care, Spurs won.

Spurs Team = A

[Strike]

Why can't ESPN/ABC see how terrible Mark Jackson is?

I actually heard him say "I'll take good offense over good defense every time."
:lmao

[blackbucket]

I too disagree with some of the grades but it is all subjective anyway. I like LJ's recaps. I usually get some tidbits I missed during the game.

[Marcus Bryant]

If PJ goes elsewhere it wouldn't be bad to see JVG replace him, though that's highly unlikely as JVG can get a starting gig somewhere. Then again, the Spurs might regress offensively if Pop listened to him too much.

[Kori Ellis]

If PJ goes elsewhere it wouldn't be bad to see JVG replace him, though that's highly unlikely as JVG can get a starting gig somewhere. Then again, the Spurs might regress offensively if Pop listened to him too much.

LJ and I had been talking lately about that too (JVG in PJ's place). It seems like an impossibility to happen, but I'd like it.

[Manudona]

Thanks TiMVP, wanted to read your grades before hitting the pillow :)

[polandprzem]

props to timvp for his constant good work

Excactly

He pushed himself in the playoffs cause in the reg. he just had good start

:)

[whottt]

Hey TimVP..is it possible to add grades for the refs? Just askin'....Someone needs to keep an eye on those vendetta having foos.

[whottt]

I think Pop actually has learned some stuff from PJ...especially offensively.

I think JVG is probably content to broadcast until he gets a new gig...he seems to enjoy it.

[Solid D]

Good take on the grades. Vaughn deserved an A. He had four of the 11 assists. He even got on the floor and forced a loose ball. Pop was thinking well tonight. He even had Elson at the scorers table late in the 1st half so that Oberto wouldn't get his 3rd foul. Too bad the stoppage of play didn't happen until Fab....got...his.....third.....foul. :depressed

I might give TP a slightly better grade (C+). TP was giving it all he had but in trying to be aggressive, he lost sight of some of his assist opportunities. He played hard on D but his shot was off on his jumpers, some of them short.

[mVp]

I think TP wasn't that bad... but I like the grades anyway :toast

[timvp]

I loved Parker's effort and the heart he showed. But he's played so consistently well in the playoffs that he's upped his ceiling. He's expected to be a beast night in and night out now.

And that's a good thing.

:hat

[aaronstampler]

I loved Parker's effort and the heart he showed. But he's played so consistently well in the playoffs that he's upped his ceiling. He's expected to be a beast night in and night out now.

And that's a good thing.

:hat

Well he was great against the Nugs, his defense against AI in games 2-5 was incredible, and he's been pretty good against the Jazz, but outside of Game 1, I don't think he was all that impressive against the Suns, IMO. I mean, not bad per se, but nothing to pin a "new ceiling" label about.

I think generally, his defense has been his best trait in these playoffs, but his offense has been inconsistent from game to game, and not really any better or worse than '05 or '06.

[Cry Havoc]

I loved Parker's effort and the heart he showed. But he's played so consistently well in the playoffs that he's upped his ceiling. He's expected to be a beast night in and night out now.

And that's a good thing.

:hat

Word.

[timvp]

Well he was great against the Nugs, his defense against AI in games 2-5 was incredible, and he's been pretty good against the Jazz, but outside of Game 1, I don't think he was all that impressive against the Suns, IMO. I mean, not bad per se, but nothing to pin a "new ceiling" label about.


Versus Suns:

-Led team in plus/minus for the series. His first in a playoff series in his career.
-Owned Leandro Barbosa defensively. That in itself might have been the difference in the series.
-Hit big shots late in Games 1, 3 and 5.
-30 points in the closeout game. Parker isn't known to play well at the end of series.

Plus a lot of intangibles such as energy and overall confidence. He's taken a pretty big step forward this playoffs so far in areas such as steadying his play and showing up every night.

[aaronstampler]

I don't know, maybe I'm spoiled by Tony. I expect him to get at least 15 points, have more assists than turnovers, and to play good defense. I expect these things to happen every single game. I guess there was a time that I didn't, so I guess subconsciously he has grown on me to the point where I take an above average performance for granted. But the guy IS going to all-star games now, so I'm supposed to take them for granted, right?

[polandprzem]

Why are you so much into the +/- timvp?

[L.I.T]

Props to the Spurs role players today.

[timvp]

Why are you so much into the +/- timvp?

It gives another perspective to the basic stats. +/- by itself doesn't mean much in a one game setting but when used as part of the picture, it can help tell the story.

[greens]

I agree with all the grades, except Tony's. Honestly, was his performance really a D+?

When no Spur player was performing well in the first two quarters, Tony kept us in the game. He kept driving to the basket even after it was obvious that there would be no foul calls in his favor. He was aggressive. He basically kept the team in the game. And he's been pretty consistent.

I'd at least give him a C or B...

Overall, all the other grades are on the money.

[mathbzh]

However, he's going to have to play better for the Spurs to advance to the Finals.
We are one game away... I am not sure he needs to play better to advance to the finals.

Good grades overall.

About Parker assists number, it is hard to have a lot of assist when your team score more FT than FG.

[WalterBenitez]

I will only disagree with TD's grade, the rest is okey with me, IMHO TD is always the man who run the team's position ... he needs so much attention that TP, Manu & and the rest of the crew got his space, consider the case of Oberto and Bruce living from the space that TD creates.

I'd love to clap POP's way to stop Jazz's enthusiasm calling time out!

[Mavs<Spurs]

Thanks for doing this Timvp.

You do a great job. I always read your grades and they feel right on, for almost all of them.


No real arguments with your grades here.

[smeagol]

timvp grade: A

[Testing]

Parker looked really tired to me this game...first time this playoffs. His jumper was falling short, he missed some layups he normally makes I think because he didn't have the lift he normally does. I think defending AI/Nash/Barbosa etc. and playing so many games in such a short time finally caught up with him....

[hendrix]

timvp grade: A

Smeagol's nose: Always brown

[gilmor]

I don't know, maybe I'm spoiled by Tony. I expect him to get at least 15 points, have more assists than turnovers, and to play good defense. I expect these things to happen every single game. I guess there was a time that I didn't, so I guess subconsciously he has grown on me to the point where I take an above average performance for granted. But the guy IS going to all-star games now, so I'm supposed to take them for granted, right?

Aaron, got to read between the lines of what TiMVP is saying.. He is setting higher standards for Tony than anybody else in the team, except Tim.