Duncan at Center

[tav1]

Setting aside the historic squabble over Duncan's "true" position, if Pop goes small from here out, Duncan will be playing center. What are your thoughts on this--not so much in terms of whether you like small ball--but in terms of what implications it would have for other players, their minutes, rotations, trade possibilities, etc...

[ancestron]

With the spurs going small, it is essentially 3 guards, a small forward and a power forward. Tim Duncan will always be a power forward no matter what the lineup card says imo.
logically you'd think more playing time for guards, less for the bigs But there is always the matchup factor to consider. The other night when Pop went small against Cleveland, and had Barry matched up against Varejao I wanted to scream :)
Good example of when you should not go small. I'm sure it's all part of Pop's regular season experiments though.

[Obstructed_View]

Spurs go small = no repeat

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[ClingingMars]

whatever wins.

-Mars

[ploto]

I think Pop's decison to go small simply means that he has determined that he would rather play Barry and Udoka than Elson and Bonner. People have talked about how was Pop going to find minutes for all 5 wing players-- Bowen, Finley, Manu, Brent, and Udoka. Well, this is the answer-- small ball.

[Rummpd]

Duncan is the best center in the game when he plays there combining defense and offense and is playing like a man possessed.

[td4mvp21]

I'd rather Pop not go small. I think we won because he put two bigs in the fourth quarter. We got some key rebounds because of that. I think Pop should go small for short stretches and just rotate out Horry, Oberto, Duncan, and I wish he'd give Bonner another chance but if he feels he shouldn't then it's cool.

[loveforthegame]

Small ball can work in stretches or to switch up a game but to rely on from here on out is not going to work.