Summer League Game 1 - Game Thoughts

The first game of San Antonio's 2009 summer league action resulted in a 92-86 win over the New Orleans Hornets. The Spurs were rocky on both ends of the court for the first three and a half quarters but really locked in to pull out the victory.

The Hornets got good efforts out of their starting guard tandem of Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton. Julian Wright also flashed his potential with a number of talented plays.

While the Spurs had a lack of cohesiveness for much of the game, that was to be expected due to the limited number of practices. Expect the team to play better as the week progresses.

George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/4488.jpg
31 minutes, 25 points, four rebounds, three assists, four turnovers
7-for-13 from the floor, 0-for-2 on three-pointers, 11-for-11 at the line

Entering his second summer league, George Hill looked much improved over last season. The aspect that stood out the most was his increased confidence level. Hill played like he knew he was in charge and paced himself well throughout the contest.

In the first three quarters, Hill didn't have many opportunities to run the pick-and-roll but that changed in the fourth quarter. Down the stretch, he took control by attacking New Orleans' defense off the pick-and-roll and either created for himself or a teammate. The biggest shot of the game -- a three-pointer by Malik Hairston -- was created off of a Hill pick-and-roll.

When Hill shot from perimeter, everything about his release looked improved. His balance was better, he took his time and he put more arc on the ball. If he can add a jumper from off the dribble, his effectiveness in the halfcourt offense would greatly improve.

Defensively, Hill was hit and miss. Sometimes he seemed to be going through the motion, but at other times he illustrated his elite potential at that end of the court -- especially in the last few minutes of the game.

Hill still needs to work on beating the halfcourt trap with the dribble, making the smart pass in transition and keeping his foot on the accelerator at all times but overall this was a very positive summer league debut. He looked like he was the best player on the court and did so while playing within his capabilities.

DeJuan Blair
http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnews...mall_BLAIR.jpg
22 minutes, 13 points, 10 rebounds, one steal, two turnovers
4-for-7 from the field, 5-for-6 from the line

This guy is simply a beast on the boards. There's no other way to put it. Last year, he averaged 18.1 rebounds per 40 minutes at Pittsburgh. In his first summer league game, Blair pulled down 18.2 rebounds per 40 minutes. Even more impressive is the fact that he pulled down 10 rebounds in 22 minutes, while the rest of the team pulled down 18 rebounds in 178 minutes.

Blair has a wide body, long arms and a pair of giant suction cups for hands. He also has impeccable timing and isn't afraid to throw his weight around. While summer league isn't the NBA, this is undoubtedly a very good sign that his rebound rate in college wasn't a fluke.

Offensively, Blair had a few good moves. He can jump quickly and already has a crafty feel around the rim that allows him to get his shot off despite being undersized. Blair also displayed a smooth face-up jumper. He had a few possessions where he tried to do too much and his size became a liability but that is to be expected as he adjusts.

On the defensive end, Blair needs a lot of work. His pick-and-roll defense was sub par and he was slow to get back to defend the rim. It will probably take most of his rookie season to get him up to speed defensively.

All in all, there's no reason not to be excited about San Antonio's first pick in the 2009 draft. He appears to be at least as good as advertised.

Ian Mahinmi
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/ba...ayers/3954.jpg
25 minutes, eight points, four rebounds, one blocked shot, seven fouls
1-for-3 from the field, 6-for-6 at the line

Ian Mahinmi's stats don't look very good but there were some bright spots. Compared to last year's summer league action, Mahinmi was much more energetic and played with more heart. He also had a very good move late from out on the perimeter to give the Spurs a two-point lead.

That said, the Spurs need to see much more production out of Mahinmi if he's to remain in their long-term plans. His upper body looks stronger but his lower body remains extremely skinny. He's not a graceful athlete and he can get pushed around down under the basket.

In the forthcoming games, Mahinmi needs to translate some of his energy into positive contributions. He had quality moves and was putting up a fight but he rarely finished off a possession well. Considering that he's been out of action for a year, rust had to be expected. It'd be fair to wait a couple of games before counting him out.

Malik Hairston
http://image.cdnl3.xosnetwork.com/pi...1211235940.jpg
29 minutes, 16 points, one rebound, one assist
7-for-11 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers

It was a story of two halves for Malik Hairston. In the first half Hairston played poorly on both ends of the court. He appeared destined to another first game disappointment. Then came the second half.

After going 0-for-3 in the first half, Hairston poured in 11 points in the first four minutes of the third stanza on 5-for-5 shooting. He came out with much more tenacity and more confidence in his outside shot. With 18 seconds remaining in the game, Hairston's three-pointer gave the Spurs a four point advantage.

Seeing Hairston drain outside jumpers is a very good sign. He struggled shooting in summer league and in the NBA last year. To survive in San Antonio's system, Hairston has to show the type of shooting he provided on Sunday afternoon.

Defensively, Hairston had some good moments but he has a lot of room to improve. He was playing too close in man-to-man defense and allowed the opponent to beat him off the dribble. He also didn't crash the defensive glass well enough.

On offense, Hairston was best when spotting up or driving the ball directly to the basket. His ballhandling looked extremely shaky when he tried to create off the dribble. He also clogged the lane too much at times when he prematurely tried to hit the offensive boards.

Hairston's 16 second half points were a big part of the victory. If he can give a more consistent effort and clean up some of the smaller aspects of his game, he'll give himself a very good chance of making the Spurs regular season lineup.

James Gist
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/rivals/full...james-gist.jpg
23 minutes, four points, three rebounds, one steal, one blocked shot
1-for-6 from the floor, 2-for-4 at the line

Last year in summer league, James Gist looked like a stud in the making. His 2009 summer league campaign didn't start off nearly as hot. He looked worse in this game than he did at any point last year.

It appeared as if Gist was trying to make the adjustment to play more out on the perimeter but he ended up looking uncomfortable. He hesitated on a few jumpers and didn't look like he was sure where he was supposed to be on the court.

Defensively and on the boards, I thought Gist looked rather weak. He got pushed around and his physicality was missing in action. He wasn't making up for his lack of bulk with his athleticism like he did last year.

It's not time to push the panic button but Gist needs to show a lot more if he wants to have a chance at making the team. Right now, a second year in Europe appears like it could do him some good.

Jack McClinton
http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/61/612038.jpg
16 minutes, two points, two rebounds, two turnovers
0-for-2 from the floor, 2-for-2 at the line

There's no way to sugarcoat it -- Jack McClinton was really bad in his summer league debut in every aspect of the game. He didn't do anything offensively, played poor defense and just didn't look like an NBA player.

Offensively, McClinton played like he didn't know when and where to pick his spots. Constant second-guessing caused him to do next to nothing on the offensive end. In his few minutes running the team, he proved that he's not much of a point guard prospect.

On defense, McClinton's lack of size was obvious. Fellow second round pick Marcus Thorton ate him alive a number of times. McClinton is too small to be much help on the boards but he needs to do a much better job of boxing out and staying between his man and the basket.

The good news is that a lot of McClinton's struggles can be attributed to rookie jitters. If he can settle in, nail a few open shots and realize he can be aggressive when looking for his shot, there's a chance he can bounce back. And as we saw last year with Hairston, a poor summer league opener isn't the end of the world.

Romel Beck
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_l5ZsM8CSuY...s320/79497.jpg
24 minutes, 13 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal
5-for-10 from the field, 3-for-3 at the line

Aggression isn't a lacking trait for Romel Beck. From the moment he stepped onto the court, he was ready to fire. When it comes to a polished offensive game and a sweet outside stroke, Beck might lead the team in both areas.

The problem with Beck is he has a few glaring holes in his game. First of all, he's a poor ballhandler for a perimeter player. He dribbles with a high bounce and doesn't change directions well. Beck also doesn't have a good feel when it comes to passing the ball or spotting the open man.

Defensively, Beck's slight frame hurts him. He gives good effort on that end but he gets pushed around and bumped out of position with regularity. He also appears to have below average quickness.

Beck could earn a spot in training camp but he'll have to show that his ability to put the ball in the hole outshines the rest of his flaws.

Stephane Lasme
http://photo.adriaticbasket.net/albu...hane_lasme.jpg
10 minutes, three points, one assist, one blocked shot, two turnovers
1-for-1 from the field, 1-for-1 on three-pointers

Stephane Lasme has changed his game from the last time I saw him play. On the offensive end, he was trying to play much further out on the perimeter. Although he hit a three-pointer, he didn't look too comfortable out of the lane.

Defensively, he wasn't helping out much. He went for a number of blocks but he was playing soft and didn't help out on the glass at all. For Lasme to become an NBA player, he'll have to figure out how to mix in his elite shotblocking ability with the rest of his defensive responsibilities.

Alonzo Gee
http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROS...EADIDAS150.JPG
11 minutes, four points, one rebound
1-for-2 from the field, 2-for-2 from the line

Though he appears to be a very good athlete, Alonzo Gee didn't show many perimeter skills. He played much more like an undersized power forward rather than a small forward. There were a number of time he didn't make the simple pass.

On the defensive end, he showed some promise. He has a good combination of strength, quickness and leaping ability. Keep an eye on his defensive play the rest of the week to see if he can possibly win a spot in training camp due to his potential on D.

Donnell Taylor
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/ba...ayers/3998.jpg
Nine minutes, four points, one assist, one steal, one blocked shot, one turnover
1-for-5 from the field, 2-for-2 at the line

The backup to George Hill in the summer league opener was Donnell Taylor. Unfortunately, he played the position like a poor man's Roger Mason, Jr. -- which may be appropriate because Taylor and Mason were teammates with the Washington Wizards.

Taylor struggled handling the ball, rarely made the right pass and overall just looked like a 6-foot-5 shooting guard playing out of position. Will Squeaky Johnson get a shot as the backup point guard or will Taylor keep the job? Stay tuned.

if blair works on getting back on d
will his o boards drop?

Thanks :toast

Nice summary. I hope Gist and McClinton show a little something the next game.

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Originally Posted by timvp

Ian Mahinmi
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/ba...ayers/3954.jpg
25 minutes, eight points, four rebounds, one blocked shot, seven fouls
1-for-3 from the field, 6-for-6 at the line

Ian Mahinmi's stats don't look very good but there were some bright spots. Compared to last year's summer league action, Mahinmi was much more energetic and played with more heart. He also had a very good move late from out on the perimeter to give the Spurs a two-point lead.

That said, the Spurs need to see much more production out of Mahinmi if he's to remain in their long-term plans. His upper body looks stronger but his lower body remains extremely skinny. He's not a graceful athlete and he can get pushed around down under the basket.

In the forthcoming games, Mahinmi needs to translate some of his energy into positive contributions. He had quality moves and was putting up a fight but he rarely finished off a possession well. Considering that he's been out of action for a year, rust had to be expected. It'd be fair to wait a couple of games before counting him out.

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I think Mahinmi actually spaced himself fairly well and could have a number of backdoor cuts, but it seems anyone running the pointing wasn't noticing any of this. Of course, he didn't post-up well when he was down low. I agree, and hope as well, that he needs to shake off a bit of rust.

I'm watching Thabeet right now.

7/19/09
Blair and Thabeet go at it.

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Originally Posted by ducks

if blair works on getting back on d
will his o boards drop?

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I'm hoping Pop just lets Blair hit the offensive boards. It'd be a shame to neuter Blair's biggest strength.

Thank you for the great info.How many minutes do you think Blair gets this year?20-25 maybe.He could turn out to be a big part of our rotation.I am so excited about this kid.Blair has the potential to be our best rebounder since Dennis Rodman.

I am stunned with McClinton's performance.I saw him play several times in college and i always came away impressed.Dude has a beautiful jump shot.One of the best college shooters ever.His lack of size could be a major problem.I am also concerned about his basketball IQ.He looked lost out there.....Very disappointing.

Thanks timvp :tu

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Originally Posted by oligarchy

I think Mahinmi actually spaced himself fairly well and could have a number of backdoor cuts, but it seems anyone running the pointing wasn't noticing any of this. Of course, he didn't post-up well when he was down low. I agree, and hope as well, that he needs to shake off a bit of rust.

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Yeah I think Mahinmi was better than his stats indicate. Last year I wasn't pleased with his effort. This game, effort wasn't a problem.

He's big, mobile, physical and skilled. Now if he can just start putting it together there's no reason why he can't be an NBA player. We'll see if he can figure it out.

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Originally Posted by straight out of bren

Thank you for the great info.How many minutes do you think Blair gets this year?20-25 maybe.He could turn out to be a big part of our rotation.I am so excited about this kid.Blair has the potential to be our best rebounder since Dennis Rodman.

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At first I didn't like Blair coming off the bench but it ended up looking like the right move in this game. He looks like a player who produces best in bursts.

I think he'll be a player who is best when playing 18-22 minutes per game. Especially when you factor in his knees, you don't want to play him much more than that. But as a spark off the bench, he looks like he could be very good in that role.

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Originally Posted by straight out of bren

I am stunned with McClinton's performance.I saw him play several times in college and i always came away impressed.Dude has a beautiful jump shot.One of the best college shooters ever.His lack of size could be a major problem.I am also concerned about his basketball IQ.He looked lost out there.....Very disappointing.

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Even if McClinton bombs out in summer league, I hope that the Spurs invite him to training camp. The wide open shots he'd get playing with Duncan will probably be more open than anything he'll get in summer league.

But yeah, not the greatest of starts.

This was a very informative summary.

After reading everybody's comments its good to see that Hill is playing with confidence and that Blair is the real deal. Yet, its a little disappointing that Ian and Gist didn't show more, but there are still enough games for them to get more involved.

If both of them end up with mediocre performances, I think that the Spurs will be willing to give Ian extra opportunities because of the time and work they have invested in him and because big men with untapped potential are rare commodities.

Thanx Timvp! I wasnt able to watch all the game, but I guess the thoughts make up a summary of it. Ive got a question, How many times a player can participate in the Summer League

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Originally Posted by RodNIc91

Thanx Timvp! I wasnt able to watch all the game, but I guess the thoughts make up a summary of it. Ive got a question, How many times a player can participate in the Summer League

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There's no cap. I think the record is nine years.

The problem with McClinton, even if getting those open looks and knocking them down, is that he may be too much of a liability defensively. Thorton was eating his lunch, let alone what some real points in the NBA may do. We'll see over the next few games if this might be an isolated case. It was his pro debut and I'm sure he knows he has tons to prove, and sometimes that weighs a bit heavily on some of these guys.

George Hill, baby, Chosen Son of San Antonio.

Like elliott said...this kid gonbe a spur for a looooong time.

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Originally Posted by oligarchy

The problem with McClinton, even if getting those open looks and knocking them down, is that he may be too much of a liability defensively. Thorton was eating his lunch, let alone what some real points in the NBA may do. We'll see over the next few games if this might be an isolated case. It was his pro debut and I'm sure he knows he has tons to prove, and sometimes that weighs a bit heavily on some of these guys.

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Speaking of McClinton's defense, I wonder why Newman didn't let Hill defend Thornton and McClinton defend Collison. Hill is bigger and has a history of being able to defend shooting guards. In theory, part of the reason why McClinton's lack of height wasn't as big of a deal in the Spurs' system is because Hill (and even Parker) can guard shooting guards.

Then again, that's expecting a lot from Newman. Although he wasn't as bad as last time, his random substitution drive me crazy. When Mike Bud or Brett Brown coach summer league, they seem to have some sort of logic behind their subbing. Newman makes the game choppy with his substitution pattern.

http://www.nba.com/summerleague2009/...gue_blair.html

'Spurs Rookie Blair Ready to Contribute'

timvp my audio wasn't working well.

Did Lindsey say something important during his interview?

If Blair continues to impress, he could be the first big man off the Spurs bench during the regular season.

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Originally Posted by timvp

Speaking of McClinton's defense, I wonder why Newman didn't let Hill defend Thornton and McClinton defend Collison. Hill is bigger and has a history of being able to defend shooting guards. In theory, part of the reason why McClinton's lack of height wasn't as big of a deal in the Spurs' system is because Hill (and even Parker) can guard shooting guards.

Then again, that's expecting a lot from Newman. Although he wasn't as bad as last time, his random substitution drive me crazy. When Mike Bud or Brett Brown coach summer league, they seem to have some sort of logic behind their subbing. Newman makes the game choppy with his substitution pattern.

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Yeah, that's why is I said PG instead of SG, because Hill or Parker would move over on defense.

You'd figure with Snyder there, there might some sense to it all, but it was somewhat baffling with the rotations. Do you think they'll keep trying McClinton at 1, or try to run a Hill/Jack back-court?

I'm not sure I buy the chat about Hill being able to defend shooting guards yet.

I think most shooting guards will still be too big for him, and will shoot right over him. Even with his length advantage. I'd say he can defend about 1/3 of the shooting guards, the ones, like Larry Huges, for example, that are themselves a little undersized. Like the 6'2"-6'5" range.

thanks for the recap!

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Originally Posted by Cant_Be_Faded

George Hill, baby, Chosen Son of San Antonio.

Like elliott said...this kid gonbe a spur for a looooong time.

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I hope so! I wanted Camby very badly but Im glad that trade wasnt pulled off. I would have hated to see him go.

timvp, I love your articals!

McDonald's thoughts.

Summer League recap, Game 1
By Jeff McDonald

Couple of thoughts from this afternoon's summer league game, which the Spurs won 92-86 over New Orleans.

* DeJuan Blair really is as good a rebounder as advertised. He finished with 10 rebounds. Three of them came on the offensive end, all of which he put back for 3-point plays. He had five rebounds in his first six minutes of floor time. And the numbers really don't do his abilities justice. Blair appears to have a knack for getting his body into the best rebounding position. He could average double figures, if the Spurs give him enough playing time.

* Blair came off the bench Sunday. James Gist started at power foward, which should say something about what the Spurs think of him. Gist is not under contract with the Spurs at this time, and there are already six big men on the roster. Gist has to hope a strong summer will force the Spurs hand somehow.

* Malik Hairston showed off a shooting stroke not seen in his 15-game call-up with the Spurs last year. He scored 16 points in the second half, including 11 during a three-minute stretch of the third quarter. He was 2-of-2 from 3-point range. If Hairston continues to play like this, the Spurs probably won't re-sign Ime Udoka.

* Jack McClinton, the Spurs' "other" rookie, started at shooting guard. He just couldn't seem to find his shots in 15 minutes of floor time. He was 0-for-2. He played a little bit of point guard in the second half, with George Hill at the two.

* Speaking of Hill ... he was 7-of-13 from the field and scored 25 points, but what the Spurs have to be most encouraged about was the way he ran the team. He had the look of an NBA point guard, which is what the Spurs need him to be.

* Rough day for Ian Mahinmi. At one point early in the game, he found himself mano-a-mano with Earl Barron. Barron pretty much abused Mahinmi, stuffing a turnaround jumper in the post. Mahinmi finished 1-for-3 from the field, and committed seven fouls. He will have to be better than that for the Spurs to find a place for him on their roster this season. We're willing to give Mahinmi a pass for now. It was his first game since November, so maybe he just needs a while to get his timing back.

Nice summary, and really appreciated. Hill and Blair are obviously the bright spots. Which is good, because those two are probably the most important. I'm especially happy to see the two of them getting to the line so effectively. That was one of the most glaring deficiencies on the team last year. If they can get to the line in the regular season, it's going to be a big improvement.

I hope some of the other guys settle in and pick things up a little bit. I wonder if some of us are expecting Mahinmi to be something he's not? If we had Channing Frye, for instance, I think we might be talking about him a lot the same way. I don't think Frye is the perfect complement for Tim in the low post, but in the right system he has value. Maybe the same is true for Mahinmi.

Thanks for the recap. Didn't want to spend the whole night reading the game blog.

George Hill's Second Act

July 12, 2009 9:05 PM

Posted by Kevin Arnovitz

The Spurs' George Hill was horrible in 2008 Summer League.

How bad?

He shot 8% from the field.

You read that correctly.

But a year with the Spurs' coaching and development staff can do wonders for a young guard. The results were evident on Sunday in the Spurs' first Summer League game. Hill scored 25 points on 7-for-13 shooting from the field, and a perfect 11-for-11 afternoon from the stripe. Hill was aggressive going to the hoop, and a menace in transition.

We caught up with him after the game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/videohub/v...deo?id=4322884

From espn

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Originally Posted by timvp

∞

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+1
You're the best timvp!

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Originally Posted by duncan228

McDonald's thoughts.
* Speaking of Hill ... he was 7-of-13 from the field and scored 25 points, but what the Spurs have to be most encouraged about was the way he ran the team. He had the look of an NBA point guard, which is what the Spurs need him to be.

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I'm very glad to hear this. Do you think he had the look of a NBA point guard?

I thought Hill looked good. He's not your typical PG, and his assists numbers reflect that.
He definitely looks more seasoned than the rest of the players, but you kinda expect that with a full NBA season under his belt.
I expect his assist numbers to increase as everyone on the team get to know eachother a little better, and Hill also learns what's the best situation for each one of his teammates.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

I thought Hill looked good. He's not your typical PG, and his assists numbers reflect that.
He definitely looks more seasoned than the rest of the players, but you kinda expect that with a full NBA season under his belt.
I expect his assist numbers to increase as everyone on the team get to know eachother a little better, and Hill also learns what's the best situation for each one of his teammates.

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Thanks for your opinion! Yeah, I agree, he's not your typical point guard, and I do hope his assist numbers increase.

Hill looks more like a shooting point guard than a pass first point guard. I'm hoping the ability to set up plays with passes is a skill he'll acquire as he goes along.

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Originally Posted by Spurs_9_20_21

Do you think he had the look of a NBA point guard?

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I didn't see today's game, but I liked how Hill performed as a rookie. I think he's got potential, and expect him to grow this season in any role Pop gives him.

OMG Hasheem Thabeet only had 2 rebounds in his debut he must be a bust like Mahinmi...

Probablly the game I looking forward to the most is on thur. against OKC..I think they have the best talent in LV and watching blair and Mahinmi go against Ibaka, mullins, and harden should be fun

Thanks much Timvp! Great summary, as always.

After reading the blurb about McClinton, I'll say that I'm glad that he wasn't the Spurs first choice at pick #37. I know it's way early and he certainly has time to redeem himself, but there's just no question that the Spurs getting Blair at that pick and having him as a rotation big is going to really benefit the team much more than having a 6ft SG.

romel beck cant dribble worth shit we all saw that

it looked like me trying to dance on thispego like my name was zab judah

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Originally Posted by yavozerb

Probablly the game I looking forward to the most is on thur. against OKC..I think they have the best talent in LV and watching blair and Mahinmi go against Ibaka, mullins, and harden should be fun

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They got owned today, but it will be interesting to see how hill plays against Westbrook.

Great write up!:toast

Very informative!

Blair is on the road to being everything Spurs fans expect.

George Hill will be a more than capable backup PG, and maybe more.

Hairston should step into Udokas old role rather well, and should be able to do things Udoka couldn't: drive, and hit the 3 with some consistency.

I hope Ian turns it around and puts together a strong showing.

I agree about McClinton: the Spurs may invite him to camp even with a bad showing, if they think he can hit the open 3 well, which he can. I think he'd have to at least be solid defensively in SL, which he hasn't been yet.

Romel Beck may well steal an invite to camp if he can take his game up a notch.

What's really encouraging from this Summer League game is that if you think about the way playoffs work, we are already looking at a roster that's getting pretty deep for playoffs.

PG - Parker, Hill
SG - Mason, Manu
SF - Jefferson, Manu
PF/C - Duncan, McDyess, Blair, Bonner (still can drain the 3 so I think we have to add him for now).

That's deeper than some teams run in the playoffs. We have the ability to absolutely abuse teams if they try to put in subs against our top 5 players. I could see Blair really Ding up Bynum very well if it comes to that.

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Originally Posted by kbrury

OMG Hasheem Thabeet only had 2 rebounds in his debut he must be a bust like Mahinmi...

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What were his total stats?

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Originally Posted by Cry Havoc

What's really encouraging from this Summer League game is that if you think about the way playoffs work, we are already looking at a roster that's getting pretty deep for playoffs.

PG - Parker, Hill
SG - Mason, Manu
SF - Jefferson, Manu
PF/C - Duncan, McDyess, Blair, Bonner (still can drain the 3 so I think we have to add him for now).

That's deeper than some teams run in the playoffs. We have the ability to absolutely abuse teams if they try to put in subs against our top 5 players. I could see Blair really Ding up Bynum very well if it comes to that.

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It's July dude.

That better had been rust with Ian.

Shit.

Thanks Timvp for the game thoughts. It's always nice to have a summary like that.

I was impressed mostly with Blair's physicality and the presence he brings to the court. We know he's a beast on the glass, and you can see he has a natural feel for the game.

I think Hill's passing needs to improve still much more, but he did a great job overall. He looked more confident and his shot has clearly improved. Thanks Chip.

McClinton's play was really disappointing. RC said of all the guys at the pre-draft camps, Pop was most impressed by McClinton's defense. Of course, RC said, they thought he was the best shooter in college, as well. Well, we didn't see any D from him and we didn't see him hit any shots.

Fortunately, it's only one game , so he has time to improve. Can't wait for the next game.

Thanks.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

It's July dude.

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So I'm being incredibly optimistic. Shoot me. I see a team with the potential to challenge for the NBA title.

Sounds like all was great.

I think McClinton is in for a tough summer league just because how the games are played. McClinton's game at the NBA level (assuming he gets there) is going to depend on defenses giving him open looks because they're more worried about guys like Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. In the summer league those opportunities do not exist because the defense is damn near exclusively plain old man to man. There are no zones, no double teams. Teams just don't have time to put together complicated team defensive schemes, and they pretty much just want to see how guys do as individual defenders. That's going to leave McClinton in a lot situations where he's guarded and if he wants to score he's going to have to create his own shot. Creating his own shot isn't his game though. He's undersized, he doesn't have exceptional athleticism and he's not that great at putting the ball on the floor. That's going to make it tough for him to impress us in the summer league. That doesn't mean he's not capable of being a useful piece though. Put him on the floor with someone who commands a double team and he'll be the guy who will kill you if you take your eye off him for a second. But in summer league there aren't going to be that many times someone takes their eyes off of him.

Basically what I'm going to be looking for out of McClinton is how good is he at finding open spots in situations where the defense isn't set and how good is he at knocking down the clean looks he does get. And his defense of course.

Summer League Notes: SAS vs. NOLA


San Antonio Spurs 92, New Orleans Hornets 86


It makes absolutely no difference who wins or loses these games but I guess it feels better to win.

It’s difficult to believe the George Hill I just watched play is the same player who turned in such a mediocre performance during the 2008 summer league. Hill had 25 points on 7-13 shooting and turned in a pristine 11-11 mark from the line. He also led the team with 3 assists.

Hill’s ball-handling has improved noticeably. He looks particularly confident when headed into the lane. In the first half he threw down a nice dunk, and continued to reach the rim and finish smoothly throughout the game. In the words of David Thorpe, “[Rodrique] Beaubois is the best pure pg I’ve seen this summer. Until George Hill.”


If you like reading shameless praise of DeJuan Blair, than you have come to the right place. Blair turned in an impressive double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) during a productive 22 minutes of floor time.

I’ll be frank: I love watching Blair work under the boards. He has a mature sense of spacing and soft, accurate hands. His rebounding was particularly notable on the offensive end, where he consistently turned misses by his teammates into open layups and trips to the line (where he went 5-6). As will be the case with during the regular season, Blair was by no means the tallest player on the floor. But he was the only player on either team whose rebounding count reached double digits.

Blair’s offensive contributions weren’t limited to put-backs; he showed promising signs that a well-rounded offensive game may be in his future. On the first play we ran specifically to him, Blair turned and hit a smooth 12 footer. On the next play, he received the ball at almost the exact same spot and used his defenders over-adjustment to take him off the dribble and draw the foul. Blair’s mechanics are a little loose, but the origins of a reliable offensive arsenal are there.

Jack McClinton did not play well this afternoon. His 2 turnovers, 4 fouls and 2 points during 15 minutes did not exactly resemble the offensive spark I had hoped to see in him. He struggled to create space with or without the ball in his hand. His first FGA was well-contested; his second was blocked.

After his performance today, I can see why the Spurs went ahead and signed Malik Hairston this past week. He was easily the best Spur on the floor behind Hill and Blair. His 16 points on 11 attempts came a variety of ways: At the rim, beyond the arc, catching and shooting, dribbling into shots. He even showed a bit of poise as he nailed a 3-pointer to put the Spurs ahead by 4 with 10 seconds left. If he can continue to play at this level, the Spurs might be deeper at the small forward position than we thought.

Ian Mahinmi, although very talented, has a reputation for being soft. This afternoon, he didn’t do much to dispel that reputation. He was consistently out-muscled on both ends of the floor. This is partly because of his sheepish attitude but it’s also caused by his weak lower body. Mahinmi’s arms and chest are strong but, if he is going to consistently establish position beneath the basket, he is going to have to develop below the waist.

Although there is almost zero chance that either Alonzo Gee or Romel Beck will be on the Spurs next year, both played well today. If either of them ended up on the Toros this upcoming season, that’d be just fine.

Our next game is against the Nuggets on Tuesday night at 10 Eastern/9 Central.

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/...s-sas-vs-nola/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BLACKJACK21

Summer League Notes: SAS vs. NOLA


San Antonio Spurs 92, New Orleans Hornets 86




Ian Mahinmi, although very talented, has a reputation for being soft. This afternoon, he didn’t do much to dispel that reputation. He was consistently out-muscled on both ends of the floor. This is partly because of his sheepish attitude but it’s also caused by his weak lower body. Mahinmi’s arms and chest are strong but, if he is going to consistently establish position beneath the basket, he is going to have to develop below the waist.


Our next game is against the Nuggets on Tuesday night at 10 Eastern/9 Central.

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/...s-sas-vs-nola/

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Ian just does not come off very physical to me. This worries me...:depressed

Ian's softness doesn't really mean that he can't be a significant player..he'll have to be a finesse player, which suits his game very well..he clearly has some nice moves and touch around the basket, and he's athletic..

I would have liked to see Haislip play in the SL, but I guess we'll have to wait..

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Ian Mahinmi, although very talented, has a reputation for being soft. This afternoon, he didn’t do much to dispel that reputation.

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Ian has a reputation? He hasn't played long enough to have a reputation.

I disagree with the take that Mahinmi is soft. He's actually pretty damn physical -- too physical in fact and struggles with foul trouble. He has skinny legs and he's top-heavy but his style of play is the opposite of soft. It's true he can get rooted out of position, however that's more just due to how he's built.

Thanks for the game thoughts. :tu

Missed the 4th quarter. Sounds like I missed some of Blair's best work but I loved what I saw before that.

Here's hoping Gist and McClinton have better outings next time.

Cool little interview with George Hill from ESPN today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGF2EJIaw40

Interesting to hear him say he's been working with Chip alot

Appreciate the recap, timvp.:toast

First off, I'd encourage my Spurs brethren not to jump to any conclusions one way or the other after one SL game. This a talented collection of individuals, for SL standards, but it's definitely a work in progress. Players haven't much of a clue for each other's tendencies or abilities and players dependent on others, (usually bigs) are going to have a harder time than most starting off.

With that said, a couple thoughts from what I've been able to gather.

George Hill- Glad to see my boy Havoc doing his thing and starting to reward all the faith I've put into him. He's got a year under his belt, knows what's expected and looks to be going out there and playing his game; not the game he feels he's supposed to be playing. It's amazing how much better someone can look when there not thinking about how to play a position, but just going out there and being the player that got them drafted.;)

DeJuan Blair- Has there ever been a more expected impressive outing by a 37th overall pick? Some things just don't need to be over-thought. What Blair does he does extremely well, and what he does well is probably one of the easiest things to translate at the next level. The Beast can rebound, folks. He carves out space, uses his body, and is going to make some guards think twice about running too hard through a screen. The defense is going to be a work in progress but it's hard not to get excited about the type of player the Spurs added with the 37th pick.:hungry:

Malik Hairston- Good to hear that Malik's stroke seems to have been found and maybe even improved on. I think it's pretty well documented the type of player I think he is, and can potentially be, but I'm glad to hear he's gotten off to a pretty nice start. I'd like to see a better effort on the boards and hear that he's making more significant strides as a primary defender, but I'm pretty confident it'll come.

Ian Mahinmi- Sounds like a mixed bag from what I've gathered. On one end, he has all the tools and shows the flashes of a player that could be extremely helpful. On the other end, he's a foul-prone awkward athlete who's thought to be soft or at least a little too light in the ass. I've never thought of Ian as soft in terms of his play, light in the ass and capable of being taken advantage of in the post, but not soft, really. He does tend to look like some awkward newborn deer that lacks the requisite coordination in it's limbs but it's not something I'm extremely worried about. The guy has to be rusty in his game after this much of a layoff and the confidence in his body can't be exactly where it needs/should be at the moment. Hopefully, the guy can get the needed time to knock the rust off and gain the confidence back in his body, health-wise, to begin to fulfill the potential no one disagrees is there.

Jack McClinton- As for Jack.. I tend to agree with coyotes_geek. (good post.:tu) Having said that, let's not see this board go all George Hill on Jack after one, and his first, SL outing. I still remember defending Hill on this board, even after I was one of the first to target Chalmers in the draft, by pointing out the type of percentages he shot for his career and the paralysis by analysis that was seemingly taking place having to play out of position against a much better athlete. I'm not going to compare the two's game, but lets not understate the difficulty of being an undersized 2 trying to make your way in the league. I'm sure Jack knows that he's not being asked to be a full-out point, but any indecision for a guy with his measurables is going to make him look a lot worse than he should. It's the kind of thing that may start with a couple of missed shots, turnovers, or blown assignments but quickly snowball into every other aspect of the game. Hey, he might not be the next Eddie House (apparently Thornton is now getting a more favorable comparison:() but I'd preach patience with a player like Jack.

Jack McClinton is this year's Anthony Tolliver.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

Jack McClinton is this year's Anthony Tolliver.

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Not so much..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

Jack McClinton is this year's Anthony Tolliver.

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If so, McClinton better heat up. Tolliver was Larry Bird last year in summer league.

http://www.poundingtherock.com/2009/...-summer-league

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timvp

If so, McClinton better heat up. Tolliver was Larry Bird last year in summer league.

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I mean from a Pop-crush standpoint.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

I mean from a Pop-crush standpoint.

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There's no doubt Pop wants his own E. House, just look at the Salim Stoudamire experiment, and I do get the feeling Jack will get the opportunity to fill that role if he exhibits any type of game during SL.

I was expecting more defensively from McClinton. The poor offense I can understand and maybe its just rookie jitters but he has to be able to hold his own defensively otherwise he'll just be one in a long lkine of great shooters who couldn't make the grade. His defensive skills were what was said to have caught Pop's eye.Hopefullfyhe picks it up at the defensive end in the coming games.. Pop could care less if you're a great shooter but you give it up and possibly even more on the defensive end.

Pop has a blind spot for the defensive inadequacies of guys who like to jack up threes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spurs_9_20_21

I'm very glad to hear this. Do you think he had the look of a NBA point guard?

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Maybe not of a typical NBA point guard but he showed more than enough to handle the backup duties. Pop would be thrilled if Hill played like he did tonight more often. It's all about energy, aggression and attacking with Pop and his point guards -- especially his backup point guards.

Hill definitely has room to improve but this was a great start. Massive improvements from years one to year two. If he can keep it up, he will fill his role well.

Speaking of Hill, I'm glad that he finally saw him drive the lane and dunk in traffic. As a rookie, he'd often go up weakly when driving down the lane. If he starts using his athleticism to finish, he'll really start being a headache. Plus his free throw attempts will shoot skyward.

And it's odd that it took this long for the Spurs to include that backpick for the alleyoop to Hill play. IUPUI ran that play all the time and it worked well. I'm going to guess that we see that quite a bit this year.

In the upcoming summer league games, I want to see Hill run as much point guard as possible. It's a waste for Newman to play him at shooting guard. Let him run the show and get the valuable experience.

http://www.nba.com/video/games/spurs...009_recap.nba/

Video game recap on the NBA website. I love the final stats at the end. Apparently Romel Beck had 13pts and 10 rebounds. Who knew?

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

Ian's softness doesn't really mean that he can't be a significant player..he'll have to be a finesse player, which suits his game very well..he clearly has some nice moves and touch around the basket, and he's athletic..

I would have liked to see Haislip play in the SL, but I guess we'll have to wait..

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I'm sorry if I missed out on this info, but why is Haislip NOT playing in the summerleague?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Darkwaters

http://www.nba.com/video/games/spurs...009_recap.nba/

Video game recap on the NBA website. I love the final stats at the end. Apparently Romel Beck had 13pts and 10 rebounds. Who knew?

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Apparently, Romel Beck was mistaken for being Dejuan Blair. Those fucktards.

McClinton is a shooter. SL isn't the best situation to show his skills but he had to take more than 2 shoots.
I quite expect to see Spurs' coaching staff asking him to shoot more in the second game, even if it means taking bad shots.

My write up:

Ian:
Ditch Ian, no I'm serious the guy has nothing going for him, he doesn't look like he has any part of the game that he excels at. I've watched him this year and last, and while I think he has slightly improved. The guy is never going to be a legitimate nba center. He lacks focus and he has never imposed himself on a game in a meaningful way. The few minor flashes that he shows are only the delusions of spurs fans hoping he's another diamond in the rough. To be perfectly honest there is not a single moment I wouldn't want a different player on the court over Ian. I would love to love this kid, he has all the capability in the world, but none of the winning drive that makes a good player in the nba. The first word I think of when I think of Ian- tentative. Tentative is the death nell of an nba potential. This is my prediction- he will never average more than 5 minutes a game for any team in the nba.

McClinton- Here's a guy who looked a lot worse than he is. He looks like someone who absolutely depends on a structured offense. Someone who would make a killing on a team with someone like John Stockton. That being said, he's going to have to find a way to put it together to warrant a long term investment. But I sure as hell am not going to count out the best shooter in college last year on one SL game.

George Hill- The guy is a stud. I don't care if he's not a pure point guard. The Spurs don't need a pure point guard. They've won most of their championships with a scoring point guard. One of the worst decisions the Spurs ever made was to give up Antonio Daniels because he was not a pure point guard. Daniels would have made a more dependable backup to Tony than anyone we've put in that role since then.

Blair- My god man. Whoever so appeased the basketball god's with whatever sacrifice it took, I can't help but sing your praises. This guy fits our deficiencies so well, it's as if we had the number 1 pick in the draft. It's early yet, his knees did look a little less stable when you actually stared just at them, and the spurs will have to retool their transition defense or something for him, but I can't say I am anything but impressed by our luck at drafting this kid.

Hairston/ Gist- What a role reversal from a year ago. Gist looked lost and Hairston was the man. I can't help but wonder if the Spurs knew what they were doing when they kept what appeared to be the lesser of the two players last year. That said Gist can take his time to work on his game this year because I don't think they will make a decision about either of them until after camp.

That's all I've got for now. Feel free to eat me alive on the Ian thing, but I stand by it until proven otherwise. I'll gladly eat the Crow if need be, but I really doubt I will ever be in any danger of that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DespЏrado

Feel free to eat me alive on the Ian thing, but I stand by it until proven otherwise. I'll gladly eat the Crow if need be, but I really doubt I will ever be in any danger of that.

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1 real game in 1 year.
Ian was injured all season.
Seriously... :rolleyes

Damn Ian is so disappointing... I really hope he can make the team the next season, but now it seems like it could only be a dream.

I only got to catch the first half in the gym, some obligations popped up and I had to step out for the 2nd.

I think most everything has been covered. McClinton struggled, but that was to be expected. Being a 6'1" gunner, he was going to have problems when everyone got bigger, it's all about how he adjusts now. I thought he was game chasing Thornton thru screens. Even if he makes the roster, I can't imagine him contributing much this year. He's at least a two year project.

The good thing I saw from Mahinmi that I haven't noticed anyone mention is his mobility. He showed flashes of being able to jump the P&R, and completely deny the PG any sort of path. If he can consistently bring that to the table, while being passable on the boards and protecting the rim, he may have some value yet. Offensively I thought he was a train wreck, and out of nowhere he pulled out the dribble drive right, spin left, left handed hook shot. If only he looked that comfortable all the time I'd feel much better about his chances, really hoping the 1st half was just rust.

George Hill really did make an effort to run the team. He was calling out plays, talking on defense, and even did a little bit of coaching from the bench. He had the two highlight plays of the portion of the game I watched (the aforementioned back-pick alley oop, and a play where he was trapped on the sideline, didn't panic or pick up his dribble, split the defenders and went hard to the rim for a dunk) as well as several more very solid plays. Had a few sloppy turnovers or near turnovers in transition, but at least it was from him being aggressive. I really liked what I saw from him, and I'm looking forward to seeing him more in the upcoming season.

DeJuan Blair. It's all been said, so I'll just say this. At times it looked like you would need a crowbar to take the ball away from him. If he decides the rebound is his, it's best to just nod and let him have it. Doing anything else might get you hurt.

Bummed that this was the only Spurs game I got to attend while in Vegas, but it was an interesting experience. It was a pretty good sized crowd in the gym, much bigger than I expected. Next year I'm definitely going to attempt to stay a bit longer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruno

McClinton is a shooter. SL isn't the best situation to show his skills but he had to take more than 2 shoots.

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Agreed. A big difference (one of many) between NBA and summer league is that guys do not understand how to space the floor. It looked like there were 20 guys on the court at any given time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timaios

1 real game in 1 year.
Ian was injured all season.
Seriously... :rolleyes

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Ian might one day be as good as Francisco Elson. After a few more years of coaching he might be able to play as many games as Elson, but he has no place on a championship level team other than as a human victory cigar. Ian sucks, there is nothing about him to think he might have a future in the NBA. He excels at exactly nothing.

He's not naturally a good rebounder.

He is at best an average shot blocker.

He isn't particularly gifted offensively. Nothing stands out to say he might ever score more than the occasional 4-6 garbage points.

He doesn't defend well, and is extremely hit or miss as to whether he is even in the right position on the court.

He has poor ball handling and is extremely tentative.

He isn't decisive and the moves he does make are more often than not wrong.
---------------------------

I can guarantee this. The opposing player will almost always be a better basketball player than Ian. Overall I just don't see any of the tell tale signs of a good basketball player in development with Ian. It boggles my mind that any Spurs fan actually sees even the glimmers of potential there. And bear in mind that when I say this I was one of the first to defend George Hill during his horrible summer league last year. It is as obvious to me now that Ian is not a basketball player as it was to me then that Hill had a future with the Spurs.

The worst thing about this summer leauge is that we didn't get vbookie for mma event.

But overall it's okay.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruno

McClinton is a shooter. SL isn't the best situation to show his skills but he had to take more than 2 shoots.

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I would say this is mostly a myth. It worked fine for Tolliver last summer.
McClinton simply looks too undersized out there. Let's not forget that he has a very quick release, yet one of his two shots was cleanly blocked.
I do expect him to be slightly more effective as the team develops some flow, so we'll see how he does in a couple of games.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timaios

1 real game in 1 year.
Ian was injured all season.
Seriously... :rolleyes

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I was hoping he would hit the weight room while he was out. Just like what Nene and Bynum did, and build more muscle. But he looks exactly like last season and I agree he doesn't seem to particularly excel at anything. We'll see where he's at in a few games.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ElNono

I was hoping he would hit the weight room while he was out. Just like what Nene and Bynum did, and build more muscle. But he looks exactly like last season and I agree he doesn't seem to particularly excel at anything. We'll see where he's at in a few games.

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I've really never been too impressed with Mahinmi since we signed him two years ago. He might come out and play great this year. But I think the assumption, that some have made, that Mahinmi will be a heavy rotation player this season is pretty far fetched. He hasn't even proven that he can play spot minutes in the NBA. Hes completely unproven.

hes injurys slowed him down a bit... we must just give him time to get back into it.

We must trust POP.

Great thoughts. :tu

Hill got better as the game went on...Blair beastly as advertised...Hairston looks like he has a shot at making an impact this year...Ian showed his rust...Gist showed nothing...Jack showed less. So that's basically 3 guys up/3 guys down for the "Summer League Six". We'll see how the latter 3 respond in the next game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DespЏrado

I can guarantee this. The opposing player will almost always be a better basketball player than Ian. Overall I just don't see any of the tell tale signs of a good basketball player in development with Ian. It boggles my mind that any Spurs fan actually sees even the glimmers of potential there. And bear in mind that when I say this I was one of the first to defend George Hill during his horrible summer league last year. It is as obvious to me now that Ian is not a basketball player as it was to me then that Hill had a future with the Spurs.

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There's no denying Ian has NBA caliber size and athleticism. So I don't think it's entirely fair to Ian to say there's no potential there. But he still doesn't have a clue as to how to use his physical gifts and until he figures that out he's never going to amount to much. It's certainly fair to wonder whether he'll ever be able to do that though.

Ian will play behind Bonner. Book it. :(

So booked. Ian has a long ways to go before he's going to be earning meaningful minutes ahead of Bonner.

I watched the game and loved how much Hill has developed. His aggressiveness and decision making looks a lot better. Running the point for the SL will only help out come training camp.
Blair was a very pleasant surprise. I was not sure if he was going to be able to continue the board cleaning effort he started in college. After seeing the ball go into the middle of a 'scrum' and Blair bounce out not once, but twice with the ball for a put back was awesome.
Nice to see Hairston developing his 3 point shot. He seemed confident and worked thru the issues from the first half. I have always liked his athleticism, but worred about his size. If his 3 is reliable, he is a legit option for coming off the bench at 3.
I am hoping that Gist has a better next couple of games. Same for McClinton.
Ian was not too impressive except for that beautiful move in the second half. That was smooth, confident and effortless. It had me going, where did this guy come from? Here hoping we can see more of that guy in the future.

Since winning this game doesn't count, maybe McClinton was guarding Thornton to see what McClinton could handle. Hill is going to make the Spurs, so it's McClinton that needs the test.

Thank you for the summary TIMVP. It's encouraging to see solid games from Blair and Hairston and GH especially. Disappointing about McClinton, but I'm not expecting much from him. Mahinmi's SEVEN fouls are pretty alarming. I'm still worried this team does not have enough capable big man depth, and I really hope there is some way to get Gooden signed.

ian mahinmi = busts

seems like only french posters and ianfans are tryin to back him up...excuses im tired of that shit...2yrs waiting and counting....

Not sure if it's been posted, but if you missed the game you can check out the video highlights here - http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/090712.html

:toast

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Originally Posted by TDMVPDPOY

ian mahinmi = busts

seems like only french posters and ianfans are tryin to back him up...excuses im tired of that shit...2yrs waiting and counting....

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i'm not sure i even saw french posters defending him. :)


i'm not especially a Ian fan but i think many people tend to forget that he has always responded well at all the challenges the spurs offered him.

he was good with the very few time he had in the NBA and he was very good when he had to be the main man with the toros. after that, his injury happened. so, right now, i don't think he ever failed with this franchise.


and these SL games are just awful: no gameplans, all one one one.........don't really know what conclusions could be made from these games.


still, there's a long long way to be a useful NBA big man, but i don't see any reason to bash him right now.
he'll probably have to fight for some time behind tim and dice, since blair seems as good as expected and i expect Bonner to have a solid season (helped by the fact that the other 3 pts shooting big man, Haislip, will be a fail IMO).

hey guys you can check out these games as well as other games on summerleague at justin.tv/jimo2305

So what its been 2 years. Ian is only 22. I say since we don't have many good big man depth options, continue to roll with him. A lot of the Ian haters are giving McClinton a pass, but trashing Mahinmi for one SL Game. Seriously Ian hasn't played in a year, if that's the case he did pretty well. For our team's sake, I'm just hoping he pans out.

I think Jack McClinton is going to have to move to the PG position to have any chance in this league. It may take a year or two in the development league or overseas or something to hone his skills but he is just too small for shooting guard in the NBA. If he had unbelievable quickness like AI or something then maybe he could. But who has that? He will be limited offensively at the 2 and will get dominated by bigger players on the defensive end.

I watched enough of him on video to see that he has good ball-handling skills. He can create his own shot. If he could develop a PG mentality with the passing game, he would have a shot at the league. But not at SG.

great recap

I really don't understand the rage against Mahinmi. As the roster is contructed, Mahinmi is the 6th out of 6 bigs on the roster. There aren't any expectations for him to do much of anything. In fact, the signing of Haislip probably means Mahinmi will be wearing a suit for most of the season.

After watching the game again, Mahinmi had a few flashes of competence. Most notable was that play near the end where he received a pass at the three-point line, took a dribble, executed a spin move and finished with a left-handed hook. If that's not a flash of talent, I'm not sure what is.

His first move of the game was also pretty damn good. He got rejected but that was an advanced move for a 22-year-old big.

There's definitely a chance he never amounts to anything but he's at the very least intriguing. 6-foot-11, 250 pounds, can jump, run, has some offensive polish and was arguably the best big in d-league at the age of 20. I don't understand why him having a bad game after missing the last year is cause for a meltdown. It's not like the Spurs are counting on him for big things this year.

And even though Mahinmi played pretty bad, he still outplayed Earl Barron -- a player who is six years older and was starting in the NBA a couple seasons ago. We'll see how summer league progresses but after one game I don't see reason to label Mahinmi as a bust for life.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timvp

I really don't understand the rage against Mahinmi. As the roster is contructed, Mahinmi is the 6th out of 6 bigs on the roster. There aren't any expectations for him to do much of anything. In fact, the signing of Haislip probably means Mahinmi will be wearing a suit for most of the season.

After watching the game again, Mahinmi had a few flashes of competence. Most notable was that play near the end where he received a pass at the three-point line, took a dribble, executed a spin move and finished with a left-handed hook. If that's not a flash of talent, I'm not sure what is.

His first move of the game was also pretty damn good. He got rejected but that was an advanced move for a 22-year-old big.

There's definitely a chance he never amounts to anything but he's at the very least intriguing. 6-foot-11, 250 pounds, can jump, run, has some offensive polish and was arguably the best big in d-league at the age of 20. I don't understand why him having a bad game after missing the last year is cause for a meltdown. It's not like the Spurs are counting on him for big things this year.

And even though Mahinmi played pretty bad, he still outplayed Earl Barron -- a player who is six years older and was starting in the NBA a couple seasons ago. We'll see how summer league progresses but after one game I don't see reason to label Mahinmi as a bust for life.

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Agreed. Summer League never fails to expose Spurs fans.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by timvp

After watching the game again, Mahinmi had a few flashes of competence. Most notable was that play near the end where he received a pass at the three-point line, took a dribble, executed a spin move and finished with a left-handed hook. If that's not a flash of talent, I'm not sure what is.

His first move of the game was also pretty damn good. He got rejected but that was an advanced move for a 22-year-old big.

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Thank you! He played subpar most of the game but that last play was astonishing to watch. Not a lot of big men in the NBA have that move in their arsenal and yet 22 year old Ian Mahinmi has it down.

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Originally Posted by timvp

I really don't understand the rage against Mahinmi. As the roster is contructed, Mahinmi is the 6th out of 6 bigs on the roster. There aren't any expectations for him to do much of anything. In fact, the signing of Haislip probably means Mahinmi will be wearing a suit for most of the season.

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So you think that if he doesn't show significant improvement in the rest of the games the Spurs are better off letting him walk and potentially saving the money? Honest question.

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Originally Posted by timvp

After watching the game again, Mahinmi had a few flashes of competence. Most notable was that play near the end where he received a pass at the three-point line, took a dribble, executed a spin move and finished with a left-handed hook. If that's not a flash of talent, I'm not sure what is.

His first move of the game was also pretty damn good. He got rejected but that was an advanced move for a 22-year-old big.

There's definitely a chance he never amounts to anything but he's at the very least intriguing. 6-foot-11, 250 pounds, can jump, run, has some offensive polish and was arguably the best big in d-league at the age of 20. I don't understand why him having a bad game after missing the last year is cause for a meltdown. It's not like the Spurs are counting on him for big things this year.

And even though Mahinmi played pretty bad, he still outplayed Earl Barron -- a player who is six years older and was starting in the NBA a couple seasons ago. We'll see how summer league progresses but after one game I don't see reason to label Mahinmi as a bust for life.

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Me neither. I definitely want to see more games. Although I do think that if he's not able to bring anything to the table, I rather use his roster spot on somebody like Bowen.

i know and while ago i was checking some clips and highlights of eddie house and how we compare him to mcclinton if mcclinton wants to be succesful in nba he will have to hit that three like he did in college every time hes open because thats what eddie house does give him some time and ian manhimi hes young we gotta be patient