McDonald: Defensive woes dog Spurs

On Ian/Blair's minutes, Ian has not earned Blair's PT by any stretch of the imagination. And Ian's biggest problem, fouling, has not improved in years of work. Even if a guy is an athletic beast at the precise position we need one, Pop won't play you if you don't know how to defend and set screens consistently without fouling.

On the Spurs defensive problems: we just don't have the personnel right now to be a top 5 defensive team. That cut and dry. And even if we had more capable bigmen than Dyess (mainly), Blair and Bonner, Pop wouldn't play tallball 48 minutes anyway.

Touching on Dyess, he is a big part of why the Spurs just haven't been who we expected them to be. His only easy buckets come off jumpshots - he rarely makes daring cuts and even then, he's losing his teammates' trust when he fumbles easy passes. He hasn't defended well without fouling except for a notable exception against Dirk. He hasn't rebounded above average, which we all thought would be his strong suit. He's only getting a single block every other game.

He has had a bigger problem than some realize or admit in simply staying on the court without picking up fouls. He has the base and footspeed still to stop guys his size consistently, which he has shown through a few of our best stretches, but then he tends to foul unnecessarily.

It's kind of sad that the 37th pick in the 2009 draft has stolen McDyess's thunder and starting position and is outproducing him in every way imaginable. One would initially correlate our drop in defensive categories with our best bigmen either not showing up, being injured or not being accustomed to the NBA.

There is only a short time before the trade deadline. It will be interesting to see if the Spurs at least try and make a move. Sometimes it does not work out, but I am truly interested to see where the Spurs FO think the Spurs are at.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ElNono

Blair best game so far has been against Perkins/Garnett...

---

Props to Blair on that game. I missed that one.

But even the occassional good game against a top tier team doesn't change the fact that he offers little protection in the paint, can't finish around the rim, and can't shoot a free throw to save his life, despite going to the line frequently.

I love the kid's hustle and work ethic but the results are falling short of what the spurs need from their starting center. Now if he can improve 1 of the 3 major faults I outlined above, then maybe. MAYBE. If he can improve up on 2 of those faults, then YES.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TJastal

Pop won't play Ian as long as Blair is putting up gaudy numbers against stiffs like Nenad Krystic.

Maybe once he realizes Blair is useless against teams with formidable centers / frontlines we'll see Ian get some run.

---

:lmao The only good Game Ian has was against fucking NEW JERSEY, the WORST team in the league. You probably should check yourself before you wreck yourself. Ian hasn't exactly shown anything against quality opponents.

What Blair gives you, despite all of his rookie warts is EXTRA POSSESSIONS, something this team desperately needs, and that Ian can't provide.

Ian's numbers in the NBA, although a small sample have been very positive. Also, even though NJ is the worst team, Lopez is a very good player. Ian also played very well against Zach Randolph defensively. He fouled him, but he also kept him from scoring, except for 1 or 2 trips to the FT line. He also kept him off the boards.

I like Ian and want him to get a chance, but I understand that it is hard to gauge him. But his metrics have been very positive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DPG21920

There is only a short time before the trade deadline. It will be interesting to see if the Spurs at least try and make a move. Sometimes it does not work out, but I am truly interested to see where the Spurs FO think the Spurs are at.

---

I agree, it's going to be interesting. While I have no real clue what the Spurs FO is doing, my best guess would be that they're gently feeling out the trade market, at the same time hoping that they don't have to make a move, either because the team manages to turn on some sort of switch or gels in the next 4 home games and the first half of the Rodeo Road Trip.

One way or another, I'll be very glad when the trade deadline passes. I think the knowledge that "this is the personnel we have, live with it" will be beneficial for the players, for the coaches, and for the fanbase. Whether the Spurs stand pat or land a 12-player mega-deal, people can stop talking about "who should we get" and start talking about "here are the pieces, how do we make it work."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by exstatic

:lmao The only good Game Ian has was against fucking NEW JERSEY, the WORST team in the league. You probably should check yourself before you wreck yourself. Ian hasn't exactly shown anything against quality opponents.

---

You're right, it's only 1 game but he did go up against Brooks Lopez that game and showcased his ability to protect the paint, finish just about anything he gets his hands on around the rim, and actually make free throws, all of the things that Blair has shown the inability to do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DPG21920

Sometimes it does not work out, but I am truly interested to see where the Spurs FO think the Spurs are at.

---

Things aren't working out right now, dude.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DPG21920

Ian's numbers in the NBA, although a small sample have been very positive. Also, even though NJ is the worst team, Lopez is a very good player. Ian also played very well against Zach Randolph defensively. He fouled him, but he also kept him from scoring, except for 1 or 2 trips to the FT line. He also kept him off the boards.

I like Ian and want him to get a chance, but I understand that it is hard to gauge him. But his metrics have been very positive.

---

+1

He would get more respect around the league if he was the spurs' regular starting center. He gets alot of fouls, but so do many centers around the league nowadays. It's difficult to effectively defend the interior/post these days without fouling thanks to the way the refs are calling the game nowadays. But its still better than having zero defense, which is what the spurs currently have.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by z0sa

Things aren't working out right now, dude.

---

I think he was just trying to say that even when you try your hardest to pull off a trade, sometimes the pieces just aren't there, or the other clubs are just too stubborn, or time simply runs out. Even if the Spurs are convinced they need a trade and approach it aggressively, there's no guarantee they'd be able to pull one off.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lurker23

I think he was just trying to say that even when you try your hardest to pull off a trade, sometimes the pieces just aren't there, or the other clubs are just too stubborn, or time simply runs out. Even if the Spurs are convinced they need a trade and approach it aggressively, there's no guarantee they'd be able to pull one off.

---

This.

^ I know. I wasn't being argumentative, I was agreeing, because even if sometimes a move doesn't work, it's better than basically admitting we're no longer contenders for the title after all the offseason's expectations for TD's final years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TJastal

+1

He would get more respect around the league if he was the spurs' regular starting center. He gets alot of fouls, but so do many centers around the league nowadays. It's difficult to effectively defend the interior/post these days without fouling thanks to the way the refs are calling the game nowadays. But its still better than having zero defense, which is what the spurs currently have.

---

I don't agree with that entirely. In his recent play, yes, he has gotten some bogus calls. But he has always fouled a lot and it is just not the refs.

“We seem to be two different teams at different times,” Duncan said.

The Spurs are two different teams. One team that does well defensively is called conventional. The other team that stinks it up defensively is called small ball.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jason1301

I think what is missing from our Spurs is what Pop said Corporate Knowledge. Proof of this is that we lose close games and make zero comebacks.... that used to be a strong point in the past...

Wait is the best medicine right now... that and hard work... lets not forget that we don't play at 100% its only January after all...

I expect, after the all-star break, tony, manu and Dice to play at a higher level, if that happens and somehow RJ plays better D we will do fine, secure a playoff spot and take it from there...

---

I knew the "it's only January" wouldn't take long to be seen here.

I'm not understanding those that think the Spurs should be waiting to flip the switch. Do you really want the Spurs burning out the big 3 before the playoffs even start because they might be fighting tooth and nail just to get a playoff spot? Would they have enough gas left for the playoffs playing all out and heavy minutes the last month or 2 of the season just to catch up?

As for Ian, this kid should be getting a chance and I don't mean garbage minutes. I mean meaningful in the flow minutes like he had against the Nets. That turned out pretty well last time I checked. Are some of you afraid that if he was given more chances the Spurs might lose? Well, they are losing anyway so whats to worry about. :lol

If Ian dosn't do well given the chance Spurs can allways take him out of the line up. So no lose there right?

I wouldn't say that Ian's fouling hasn't improved.

He got some bullcrap calls against MEM, like any 'rookie' or guy who hasn't played.

But one thing I noticed and posted about is what didn't happen against MEM with his fouls.

All throughout Summer Leagues and the pre-season, any one who watched those games closely could say that one of Ian's biggest foul problems, if not the biggest, was moving screens. He'd get called for them left and right. Part of the problem was frankly that he didn't set good screens.

None of his 4 fouls against MEM was a moving screen.

And on the other side, he drew 4 fouls, including an offensive foul. He even drew one foul on Zach Randolph when ZR held him so he couldn't get out and run the floor after a rebound and ZR knew he couldn't keep up.

If you have a guy who has shown improvement (better screens, no moving screens called) and is forcing fouls on the opponent . . . that's a good thing folks.

We just need to find that "NBA GM" that thought Ian could be an All Star talent, and work a trade where he sends us an AS for Ian. Win/win scenario. :lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DPG21920

I don't agree with that entirely. In his recent play, yes, he has gotten some bogus calls. But he has always fouled a lot and it is just not the refs.

---

Blair played fairly poor defense at the beginning of the year, but he has improved because he's had the minutes to play and improve. Mahinmi needs more than 2 games out of 40 for us to determine if he can eliminate his fouling tendencies.

Pop needs to play him more. A year from now I'm going to be annoyed when he's playing well for another team and Pop repeats what he said of Hill last year, 'I should have played him more.'

Ian's two real games have been very impressive, including Memphis. McDyess has had much worse games than Ian against the Grizzlies.

And young big men most often have foul trouble, they have to get court time and respect from refs before it changes, that's the way it is.