Game Thoughts: Spurs @ Clippers - Feb. 6

After a very disappointing loss against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Spurs found much more accommodating hosts in Los Angeles on the third game of the Rodeo Road Trip. Against a listless Clippers squad, the Spurs easily cruised to a 98-81 victory.

The Clippers scored the first four points of the game. That was the end of the road for the home team. The Spurs scored the next 18 points and the contest was never again in doubt.

This was the first game for new Clippers head coach Kim Hughes, who took over when Mike Dunleavy decided to concentrate on his front office duties. Usually, teams react well to a new coach. Not the Clippers, apparently. They were just awful. The Spurs played a part in their undoing but most of the damage was self-inflicted.

Overall, it was good that the stars got to rest. It was also nice to have a reminder of what it looks like when teams aren't repeatedly shredding San Antonio's defense. However, we'll have to wait until better competition to properly gauge any progress. The tape of this game can't be burned fast enough.

Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3173.jpg
18:36 minutes, 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
5-for-9 from the field, 1-for-2 at the line

Tim Duncan didn't have to break a sweat in this one. His defense was very solid and he hustled to loose balls. Offensively, Duncan did most of his damage on the perimeter, which was good to see since he's been struggling with his jumper as of late. But far and away the most important stat for Duncan on the night was minutes played. The more games he can get to rest like this, the better.

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Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3380.jpg
19:42 minutes, 9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
2-for-6 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers, 4-for-6 at the line

Entering the game, Manu Ginobili had hit at least half of his shots in two straight games -- a feat he accomplished only one other time this season. Against the Clippers, Ginobili could be found either at the line or missing jumpers out on the perimeter. A lot has been made about Ginobili's wayward three-point shot, however his midrange game has actually taken a harder hit. He's now just 27-for-104 (25.9%) on two-pointers that are at least ten feet from the basket. To compare, he shot 40.4% last year from that distance and 40.8% in 2007-2008. The good news is that Ginobili is starting to finish again when he drives to the basket. In the last four games, he's 13-for-14 on shots at the rim.

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Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3527.jpg
27:15 minutes, 14 points, 14 assists, 4 steals, 2 rebounds
6-for-12 from the field, 1-for-1 on three-pointers, 1-for-2 at the line

Tony Parker has looked like a different player since his return from injury. The first thing that impresses me is his defense. He has played outstanding defense in the last two games. On Saturday night, he destroyed Baron Davis. Davis tried to bully him but Parker fought back and played a big role in forcing L.A.'s point guard into turning it over eight times. On offense, Parker's playmaking was impressive. He finished with a season-high in assists by repeatedly getting into the lane. Two other aspects that have improved since his return: his jumpshot and the fact that he actually is now looking for DeJuan Blair when he runs a pick-and-roll with the rookie.

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Richard Jefferson
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3523.jpg
22:30 minutes, 5 points
2-for-9 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers

While most of the Spurs were having fun against the Clippers, Richard Jefferson remained in his funk. He was 0-for-5 in the first half and finished the game with only one rebound and one assist. To his credit, he wasn't getting many touches yet continued to compete on the defensive end throughout his struggles. However, with George Hill beginning to shine in basically the exact role Jefferson was brought in to play, it is becoming more and more obvious that Jefferson simply doesn't fit into the system.

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George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/ba...ayers/4488.jpg
29:27 minutes, 22 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
8-for-11 from the field, 4-for-6 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line

Speaking of George Hill, it's difficult not to be excited about his play. Hill scored 17 points in the first quarter while looking as comfortable as I've ever seen him on the NBA level. He came out firing and helped knockout the Clippers in the opening minutes. In his last six games, Hill is averaging 18.7 points on 55.1% shooting from the field. Defensively, he played well early on but his effectiveness on that end waned as the game progressed. Going forward, Hill's role as the team's starting shooting guard should be safe.

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Antonio McDyess
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3004.jpg
24:16 minutes, 8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals
4-for-8 from the field

Antonio McDyess continues to defrost. For the first time this season, he had back-to-back double-digit rebounding nights. I've also been impressed with his post defense and his speed up and down the court in recent games. McDyess obviously has room to improve but at least we are seeing steady progress (unlike another offseason acquisition).

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Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3748.jpg
23:44 minutes, 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
3-for-8 from the field, 3-for-8 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line

Is Matt Bonner finding his range? In his first nine games back from injury, he was 2-for-17 on three-pointers. Against the Clippers, he was 3-for-8. That said, it must be noted that his threes against the Clippers were wide, wide open looks, so there should be at least a small asterisk placed on this performance. Perhaps even more worrisome than his shooting is the fact that Bonner has only ten rebounds in 97 minutes since his return.

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DeJuan Blair
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/4642.jpg
21:16 minutes, 5 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
2-for-7 from the field, 1-for-1 at the line

DeJuan Blair looked like a rookie against the Clippers. He was sub par in just about every aspect of the game. His defense was untamed, his shot selection was suspect and he was trying to do too much just about every time he touched the ball. Against the tall lineups the Clippers put on the court, Blair had severe trouble finishing at the rim. However, the fact that we don't see these type of performances from a 20-year-old rookie more often speaks to how well he's played this season.

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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/ba...ayers/3628.jpg
20:56 minutes, 4 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds
1-for-7 from the field, 0-for-3 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line

Roger Mason, Jr. is in Pop's doghouse. His play against the Clippers didn't change anything. No matter if he played shooting guard or point guard, Mason couldn't get out of his own way. He had trouble handling the ball, shooting the ball, passing the ball, defending the ball and just about everything else that involved the basketball. Since his brickfest against the Nuggets, Mason seems to have experienced a huge dip in confidence.

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Keith Bogans
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3746.jpg
16:02 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds
1-for-2 from the field

I remained unimpressed with Bogans' defense. He was a good defender earlier in the year but it's as if he tired himself out. Rarely do we see those bulldog moments that were often back in November and December. Add in the fact that he's barely rebounding anymore and it's almost impossible for Bogans to be an asset on the court right now.

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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3023.jpg
8:08 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds
2-for-4 from the field, 1-for-3 on three-pointers

It was good to see Michael Finley hit a couple of shots. Those were his first makes in more than two months. Last game, Finley was ahead of Mason in the rotation. This time, Mason was ahead of Finley. Pop is likely waiting for one to start playing well to make a selection between the two.

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Theo Ratliff
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/...ayers/3020.jpg
8:08 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks
1-for-3 from the field

Theo Ratliff hadn't played since Jan. 16 -- but he actually looked pretty darn spry. He was running and jumping well while playing with an impressive amount of energy. When the Spurs are lacking aggressiveness -- as has often been the case this season -- inserting Ratliff into the game might be a good idea.

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Gregg Popovich
http://dailyelements.com/pop-stoic.jpg

Pop didn't exactly have to dust off his dry-erase board for this game. Although, he did do a good job of limiting Duncan's minutes and not chickening out when he came to playing the subs the final eight minutes of the game. Pop's move of putting Hill at the starting shooting guard spot has worked out very well. Now if it's not asking too much, hopefully Pop can decide on some type of consistent rotation before the Spurs are looking up at the Western Conference playoff bracket.

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Offense

Even though the Spurs were easily victorious, their offense never really got into gear. They shot 43% from the floor and only got to the line 17 times. Thankfully for the Spurs, they shot well on three-pointers (11-for-28), passed well (26 assists) and kept the turnovers in check (12).

Defense

The defense was good at times, especially in the first quarter. Other times, the Clippers were simply stopping themselves. On the night, L.A.'s junior varsity squad hit 41.3% from the floor, connected on 1-of-9 three-pointers and turned the ball over 21 times.

Drive to Five

On Monday, the Spurs will once again play in the Staples Center. This time, the opponent will be the Lakers. I'll take any type of win over the Lakers at this point.

Believe.

timvp, is it too early for me to start the Nuggets-Spurs game thread? :lol :smokin

I promise i won't start one this time anyway :toast

Do you think the Spurs could be at least looking to move Jefferson at this point?..it really doesn't look like there's going to be much room for improvement..like you said, Hill is getting more touches now(deservedly so), so what purpose is Jefferson really going to serve?..he doesn't do anything else at a good level, so his presence here is really pointless..

I think it'll be very difficult for the Spurs to trade him and I don't believe it'll happen this season, but I have to believe that they're at least trying to move him, or at least thinking hard about it..



McDyess has impressed me these last 2 weeks..that 2nd half player stuff really looks like it's still his M.O..his defense and rebounding has been nice lately(his D on Aldridge was very good, Aldridge just made a bunch of tough shots)..I don't know if I feel comfortable with him as our 2nd big man, but I can live with it..I still think we need insurance though..not necessarily for McDyess, but for Blair, since he's going to be a rookie in the playoffs and all..


I agree about Parker..his speed looks completely restored since he returned from injury..I guess that little break helped..he's also making good decisions with the ball since he returned IMO..if we have him playing like this consistently, it'll be a huge boost..


I also completely agree about Theo as an energy guy, I've been asking for it all season..I don't like how Pop hasn't really used that strategy this season, whether it was Theo or the young guys when they were active..Ratliff always has tons of energy and energy is usually contagious on a basketball court..

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

Do you think the Spurs could be at least looking to move Jefferson at this point?..it really doesn't look like there's going to be much room for improvement..like you said, Hill is getting more touches now(deservedly so), so what purpose is Jefferson really going to serve?..he doesn't do anything else at a good level, so his presence here is really pointless..

I think it'll be very difficult for the Spurs to trade him and I don't believe it'll happen this season, but I have to believe that they're at least trying to move him, or at least thinking hard about it..

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Im wondering the same thing. It's just really disheartening to any trade partner to take on a contract like that for such poor play thus far. I remember around this time last year I thought RJ would be the best fit for the Spurs when all those rumors were going around. He just can't fit in, im starting to realize it's no ones fault, he just simply cannot fit in.

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

Do you think the Spurs could be at least looking to move Jefferson at this point?..it really doesn't look like there's going to be much room for improvement..like you said, Hill is getting more touches now(deservedly so), so what purpose is Jefferson really going to serve?..he doesn't do anything else at a good level, so his presence here is really pointless..

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I'm starting to come to that same conclusion. When the Spurs traded for RJ, they wanted him to play solid defense while giving the team about 15-16 points to relieve some of the pressure on the Big Three. Unfortunately, he just can't play that role. His lack of quickness won't allow him to become a very good defender. Offensively, he hasn't come close to fitting in. No matter who he plays with, no matter the circumstance, no matter the number of plays that are run for him ... it just looks like a square peg into a round hole. I just don't see anything that gives me hope for RJ to fit in.

And then when you look at Hill, he's fitting perfectly in that role. He can defend wings. He can score without having plays called for him. He can play multiple positions. The only thing RJ has on Hill is height ... and that literally could be it.

If the Spurs thought that Hill could become the team's starting shooting guard and potential average 15-16 points in that role, no way they do the RJ trade in the first place. But to the Spurs' credit, this has been an rather unforeseen turn of events.

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

I think it'll be very difficult for the Spurs to trade him and I don't believe it'll happen this season, but I have to believe that they're at least trying to move him, or at least thinking hard about it..

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It'd be pretty damn hard to trade RJ. If the Spurs can flip him for another player with a similar contract who fits in better, that'd likely be a good move. Even if they trade him for an expiring contract, I'd probably be somewhat happy with that move. That said, no way do I want the Spurs to throw away assets to rid themselves of RJ -- a la the Malik Rose trade or the Jackie Butler trade.

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

McDyess has impressed me these last 2 weeks..that 2nd half player stuff really looks like it's still his M.O..his defense and rebounding has been nice lately(his D on Aldridge was very good, Aldridge just made a bunch of tough shots)

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Agreed about his D on Aldridge. If he can figure out how to rotate properly in the Spurs' defensive schemes, I think he's a championship quality starter. But his rotations have been damn bad at times, especially against the Blazers when he gave up those two late threes to Webster.

Overall, I'm hopeful on McDyess. If he keeps getting better and learns the team defense, there's still a chance the Spurs can get their money's worth.

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

I agree about Parker..his speed looks completely restored since he returned from injury..I guess that little break helped..he's also making good decisions with the ball since he returned IMO..if we have him playing like this consistently, it'll be a huge boost..

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Yeah, I haven't been this hopeful about Parker in months. It's rare that he plays elite defense in the regular season and he just looks more engaged since his return. That goes along with the theory that some of his issues involved mental fatigue.

After the All-Star break, hopefully Parker can get to a high level and stay there.

You likely can't trade Jefferson until next year, but next year they might be able to do some good with it.

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Originally Posted by MannyIsGod

You likely can't trade Jefferson until next year, but next year they might be able to do some good with it.

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Good point. RJ will be much more valuable a year from now. That's another reason why I'd be extremely against using any assets to dump his salary now. Something like RJ, Splitter and first for an expiring contract would be horrible.

Is it a coincidence that Mason Jr. who was playing OK is now playing like shit since Pop called him out for missing that shot against the Nuggets?

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Originally Posted by Ice009

Is it a coincidence that Mason Jr. who was playing OK is now playing like shit since Pop called him out for missing that shot against the Nuggets?

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It wasn't just Pop. It was just about everyone on both teams :lol

It's kind of ironic that Mason's clutch play made him an instant legend in Spurs fans eyes ... but then his inability to hit big shots at big times this year might be his undoing. It's like he never recovered from the egg he laid against the Mavs.

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Originally Posted by timvp

It wasn't just Pop. It was just about everyone on both teams :lol

It's kind of ironic that Mason's clutch play made him an instant legend in Spurs fans eyes ... but then his inability to hit big shots at big times this year might be his undoing. It's like he never recovered from the egg he laid against the Mavs.

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I wasn't a huge fan on Mason Jr. last season. I really liked him, but around January last season I started seeing his defense slip and got on him since then.

I really think he was starting to play better this season or at least he was playing a lot better in January until that Nuggets game.
So I take it you think he is the one responsible for his play these last few games? I guess you are right numerous people called him out after the Nuggets game, do you think that got to him and he's lost confidence?

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Originally Posted by Ice009

So I take it you think he is the one responsible for his play these last few games? I guess you are right numerous people called him out, do you think that got to him and he's lost confidence?

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Yeah, that game had to hurt his confidence. Add in the DNP-CD since then and it's not really surprising that Mason is struggling. Pop has jerked him around all season and then publicly blaming him for a loss was another blow.

Personally, I don't think too highly of Mason but I still like him more than Finley and Bogans at this point. If Mason had a consistent role ahead of those two, I think he'd be a useful asset. But as it is, no shooter would play too well with the sporadic minutes Pop has given Mason this season.

I don't know I am lost with a lot of what Pop is doing since last season.

How do you think Brent Barry and those guys feel watching the Spurs this season?

If Brent was allowed to play through some of his defensive struggles like these guys are he'd probably be dropping 15ppg on this current team. I just don't understand the double standard Pop seems to have with certain players.

Maybe calling out Mason Jr. was some kinda of test to see how he would respond. I'm not the biggest fan of his either, but I think he can be useful as long as he's playing passable defense. He could be a contributor and have a role on the team, but it all depends on his defense to me. If he can't play some sort of defense then really there is no minutes for him.

Do you think Pop may have even waited too long to start George Hill? I thought George should have been starting since around that time Kori made the thread in November. If not starting the whole time I thought it should have been tried a lot earlier.

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Originally Posted by timvp

Pop has jerked him around all season and then publicly blaming him for a loss was another blow.

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What?! When was that?

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Originally Posted by Pero

What?! When was that?

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After the Nuggets game Pop kinda threw him under the bus so to speak ;).

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Originally Posted by timvp

Yeah, that game had to hurt his confidence. Add in the DNP-CD since then and it's not really surprising that Mason is struggling. Pop has jerked him around all season and then publicly blaming him for a loss was another blow.

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Being involved in all the trade speculation probably isn't helping either. It feels like he's mentally checked out too.

Someone also mentioned that at times it looks like Mason Jr. has other objectives when playing this season like trying to look good to earn another contract.

Good point about the trade rumors though as that could be affecting him too.

Having Manu go on about that contract extension doesn't help too. I mean even David Robinson was low balled by the Spurs so Manu doesn't need to keep going on about taht contract extension. I feel that could be affecting Manu's play too.

Its a shame that Pop wants to call out RMJ like that and not RJ. Id take Mason over Jefferson for this current squad anyday.

Mason has proven he can create and hit big shots. Jefferson hasnt proved shit...

Is Pop really going to play a 12 man rotation w/ Finley, Mason Jr and Bogans all splitting minutes the rest of the year?

This is beyond retarded, even for Pop.

i havnt kept up with the spurs games for the past 10 days cause im in vietnam on vacation,

nice to read a game wrapup for once in a while....

reading the notes, seems like everyone is playin like shit except for hill and parker...does this team still have a mesh problem or we are just shit

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Originally Posted by timvp

Pop has jerked him around all season and then publicly blaming him for a loss was another blow.

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Originally Posted by Pero

What?! When was that?

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Originally Posted by Ice009

After the Nuggets game Pop kinda threw him under the bus so to speak ;).

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I missed that too. That doesn't sound like pop... what basically was said?

Good to see Dice and especially Hill playing better and better. At the other end RJ is playing worst and worst. It's scary to say this but at this point last year Finley is giving us the same of this year RJ. His D is terrible and he's basically a jump shooter now.

I lost all my hope with RJ. He sucks and if we go anywhere this season we'll need a healthy big 3 and guys like Dice, Blair and Hill stepping up. I have no hope for the soft Jefferson

Major props to Parker. Yes it was a blowout but I thought Tony played his best game of the season. When Parker is being aggressive and getting his teammates involved like he was last night, he's a top 3 point guard in the league. Tony could have finished with 20 assists if guys had knocked down more open shots.

That was refreshing to see.

The only sour note is that Pop is still tinkering with the rotation. The following three items continue to irk me;

1. Just let Mason play Pop- he will emerge from the funk. The effort is there, his attitude is great, give him a break. Pretend he's Finley.

2. Bogans should be getting DNP-CDs at this point. Not to sound harsh, but there is no reason why Keith Bogans should be seeing the floor for a (healthy) team with championship aspirations in February. Enough is enough Pop.

3. Lastly, Blair should ALWAYS be the first big off the bench. I don't mind Bonner seeing 10-15 mins if he's htting shots or if other guys are in foul trouble, but when I see him entering the game ahead of Dejuan, I scratch my head.

It's all about cementing a rotation now and sticking with it. I still believe in this team.

Parker and Ginobili are looking good.

Pop is doing a good job limiting Tim's minutes.

George Hill and Dejuan Blair have been awesome.

We just need to get Jefferson and Mason going.

Big game tomorrow night.

At the beginning of the season, it made sense for the Spurs to start Bogans, because they needed the defensive boost and it was assumed that RJ would fill the role of 3rd or 4th scorer.

Now, it looks like Hill is filling the role that was designed for RJ, which only pushes RJ further down the pecking order of scorers. Now you have a scoring backcourt that consists of two players that really aren't adept at setting up others. Plus there simply isn't enough touches to go around. If we thought RJ was passive before, he'll be even worse with Hill in the lineup.

With each passing game, it's more obvious that RJ doesn't fit this team. He's such a passive offensive player and a lazy, unwilling defender. He's almost like a caged animal and it's hard to watch. I'll be interested in seeing what they do with him.

Richard Jefferson had two of his shots blocked one of them being his trademark reverse dunk which might explain his offensive numbers that game. At least he was only on the court for 22 mins.

I think Mason might be on his way out before the deadline. If his shots don't fall he's incredibly useless and his comboguard abilities are very lacking. He can't dribble or handle the ball well or make consistent plays. I'd rather Ginobili, Hill, or Parker take those PG duties if they're on the court with Mason.

Its also pretty unsettling that Mason was only 1-7 in garbage time against one of the most garbage teams I've ever seen. Whatever is happening in the Clippers locker room must not be pretty.

I know you said they expected him to average 14-16 ppg, but he is average 12 on 45% FG and that is not that far off. Given, the defensive side is no where near what they want.

After losing the last two at home its nice to get a W. We need to beat either the lakers or Denver. That's pretty much it.

I have no problem seeing Mason go, he will play better if he stays with this team but i don't see him being a contributer during the playoffs.

I can't figure what is wrong with RJ. I like the fact that Pop is staying with him. If somehow manages to find a rhythm he makes us contenders. That's a big if, but since we can't trade him at this point, we got to stick with this. Obviously at this moment we are better w/o RJ, but its still February. I think if he can't take his game on the next level, Pop wil bench him by April.

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Originally Posted by DPG21920

I know you said they expected him to average 14-16 ppg, but he is average 12 on 45% FG and that is not that far off. Given, the defensive side is no where near what they want.

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He's just absolute vomit on defense. It's amazing to me how many times he just stands there and watches guys score without putting his hands up. A lot of time he's watching people score like he's just waiting to bring the ball from out of bounds.

The other problem with him is that he goes off for one game and then is useless for the next three or four, which is artificially keeping his average higher than it is. When you score lots of points in a blowout and then fail to show up for a close game, you don't have much use.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

He's just absolute vomit on defense. It's amazing to me how many times he just stands there and watches guys score without putting his hands up. A lot of time he's watching people score like he's just waiting to bring the ball from out of bounds.

The other problem with him is that he goes off for one game and then is useless for the next three or four, which is artificially keeping his average higher than it is. When you score lots of points in a blowout and then fail to show up for a close game, you don't have much use.

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Well he has had moments where he does show up, like against the Mavs. He had a huge game against them and led them to a win with one of the big 3 out. It is not like he has not shown at least a glimpse. In fact, I said RJ helps us out against the Mavs more than anyone. I know the Lakers are who you have to ultimately worry about, but it does not hurt that he helps in that match up.

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Originally Posted by timvp

Pop has jerked him around all season and then publicly blaming him for a loss was another blow.

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Timvp hit the nail on the head. Pop is a passive aggressive coach. He jerks some players around, and others he doesn't. His doghouse is legendary. He destroys some players' confidence, while playing favorites with others. In other words, they aren't allowed to just play.

Another poster made a great comment about Brent Barry, which I agree with totally. Pop has made a career out of jerking around guys who are shooters/basketball players, but not great athletes. Guys like Beno and Barry. By the time Barry got to the Spurs, he was older, but he was one of the most savvy players in the league.

But Pop jerked him around hideously, and Brent really only had one good year for us - and that was after Pop tried to trade him, so Barry just cut loose and played, not worrying anymore about what Pop said. He just didn't care. To me, that was glaring. Barry had beena Spur for three years, the same player obviously, but only after Barry tuned Pop out did he really start being himself. Barry was a classic case of Pop getting the least out of a player. But do we ever hear anything about that in the media? Of course not, because Pop is a genius.

I think the same thing is happening this year with RJ, and Mason has become Pop's whipping boy. RJ has no idea who he is anymore. No earthly idea. Why does Pop have to call out Mason publicly? Is that the Spurs way now, really?

My question is...why does Pop have to have a whipping boy? Mason won at least four games for us last year with his shooting. This year there's no way he will be able to do that. Shooting is a confidence thing, yet Pop reaches into some players' guts and rips it out of them.

He prefers guys like Bogans, who presumably play good defense, yet can't hit the broad side of the ocean with a jump shot, and shoot without a conscience. Why isn't Pop calling out Bogans for shooting too much? Because he's a "tough, hard-nosed defender." As if Bogans is really stopping anybody these days.

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Originally Posted by Baseline

Timvp hit the nail on the head. Pop is a passive aggressive coach. He jerks some players around, and others he doesn't. His doghouse is legendary. He destroys some players' confidence, while playing favorites with others. In other words, they aren't allowed to just play.

Another poster made a great comment about Brent Barry, which I agree with totally. Pop has made a career out of jerking around guys who are shooters/basketball players, but not great athletes. Guys like Beno and Barry. By the time Barry got to the Spurs, he was older, but he was one of the most savvy players in the league.

But Pop jerked him around hideously, and Brent really only had one good year for us - and that was after Pop tried to trade him, so Barry just cut loose and played, not worrying anymore about what Pop said. He just didn't care. To me, that was glaring. Barry had beena Spur for three years, the same player obviously, but only after Barry tuned Pop out did he really start being himself. Barry was a classic case of Pop getting the least out of a player. But do we ever hear anything about that in the media? Of course not, because Pop is a genius.

I think the same thing is happening this year with RJ, and Mason has become Pop's whipping boy. RJ has no idea who he is anymore. No earthly idea. Why does Pop have to call out Mason publicly? Is that the Spurs way now, really?

My question is...why does Pop have to have a whipping boy? Mason won at least four games for us last year with his shooting. This year there's no way he will be able to do that. Shooting is a confidence thing, yet Pop reaches into some players' guts and rips it out of them.

He prefers guys like Bogans, who presumably play good defense, yet can't hit the broad side of the ocean with a jump shot, and shoot without a conscience. Why isn't Pop calling out Bogans for shooting too much? Because he's a "tough, hard-nosed defender." As if Bogans is really stopping anybody these days.

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It also depends on how the player respond! It's like a "natural selection"...
He could have completely destroyed TP for example!
There are no other player that had a worst treatment than Tony endured for like 3 years, and look how he responded!!
I agree it's not very "nice" of Pop, an there are other ways to manage people, but after all, it's a business!
The only thong that matters is.... RESULTS!!!

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Originally Posted by Baseline

Timvp hit the nail on the head. Pop is a passive aggressive coach. He jerks some players around, and others he doesn't. His doghouse is legendary. He destroys some players' confidence, while playing favorites with others. In other words, they aren't allowed to just play.

Another poster made a great comment about Brent Barry, which I agree with totally. Pop has made a career out of jerking around guys who are shooters/basketball players, but not great athletes. Guys like Beno and Barry. By the time Barry got to the Spurs, he was older, but he was one of the most savvy players in the league.

But Pop jerked him around hideously, and Brent really only had one good year for us - and that was after Pop tried to trade him, so Barry just cut loose and played, not worrying anymore about what Pop said. He just didn't care. To me, that was glaring. Barry had beena Spur for three years, the same player obviously, but only after Barry tuned Pop out did he really start being himself. Barry was a classic case of Pop getting the least out of a player. But do we ever hear anything about that in the media? Of course not, because Pop is a genius.

I think the same thing is happening this year with RJ, and Mason has become Pop's whipping boy. RJ has no idea who he is anymore. No earthly idea. Why does Pop have to call out Mason publicly? Is that the Spurs way now, really?

My question is...why does Pop have to have a whipping boy? Mason won at least four games for us last year with his shooting. This year there's no way he will be able to do that. Shooting is a confidence thing, yet Pop reaches into some players' guts and rips it out of them.

He prefers guys like Bogans, who presumably play good defense, yet can't hit the broad side of the ocean with a jump shot, and shoot without a conscience. Why isn't Pop calling out Bogans for shooting too much? Because he's a "tough, hard-nosed defender." As if Bogans is really stopping anybody these days.

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Pop is a hard nosed coach. He gets in peoples face. I admire that Pop will get into a stars face like Ginoboli, as well as the end of the bench guy. You cracked me up when you said that once Barry tuned out Pop he started to play like himself. And that Pop got the least out of Barry. Too funny! Yea once Barry left S.A. for Houston, man did Barry start going off or what? Its a wonder that Pop won 4 championships despite being such a "big meany". If whoever is in "Pop's doghouse" can't handle Pop going off on them, then I wouldn't really feel too confident that player can handle the pressure in big games and the playoffs.

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Originally Posted by Spurs Brazil

Good to see Dice and especially Hill playing better and better. At the other end RJ is playing worst and worst. It's scary to say this but at this point last year Finley is giving us the same of this year RJ. His D is terrible and he's basically a jump shooter now.

I lost all my hope with RJ. He sucks and if we go anywhere this season we'll need a healthy big 3 and guys like Dice, Blair and Hill stepping up. I have no hope for the soft Jefferson

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Of course RJ is basically a jump shooter now, because thats what this system has forced him to be. Notice he takes many 3's from the corner the same way Bruce did..and at times when TP does get the ball to RJ...it is with 1-2 seconds left on the shot clock with no choice but to fire up the shot. RJ just doesnt get enough touches to be able to do something right with the ball. I still wouldnt give up on him seeing as many 1st year guys who have come in (like Finley) have struggled the 1st year only to pick up the system much better the 2nd year..

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Originally Posted by Spurs Brazil

Good to see Dice and especially Hill playing better and better. At the other end RJ is playing worst and worst. It's scary to say this but at this point last year Finley is giving us the same of this year RJ. His D is terrible and he's basically a jump shooter now.

I lost all my hope with RJ. He sucks and if we go anywhere this season we'll need a healthy big 3 and guys like Dice, Blair and Hill stepping up. I have no hope for the soft Jefferson

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Fin can shoot better

If it can't be said with 100% certainty, it's only because Hill hasn't played at this level for very long and Jefferson once exceeded this level for a stretch of seasons, but is there any other way Hill can't be considered the Spurs clear cut fourth best player at this point? In actuality, Jefferson isn't even fifth, nor sixth: he's seventh (behind Blair and McDyess).

In terms of the rotation, the aforementioned four plus the big three have established themselves as locks: six on current play, one on reputation. The eighth, ninth and tenth spots will likely continue to be up for grabs, potentially for the remainder of the season. That's how limited and inconsistent the players in question for those spots are.

Personally, I'd go Mason over Finley. No matter how much he struggles, Mason is simply a better, slightly more versatile version of Finley at this point in their respective careers. Mason can and will give this team the odd night where he's hot and can carry them for a stretch (a la House). It's important to have that type of weapon deep on the bench when playing elite competition.

As for the bigs, I'd like to see Ratliff in the rotation and the only reason he's not at this point is because Pop is so concerned with having one shooting big paired with one post-up big, which is why Ratliff is never paired with Blair. I don't think Pop expected quite this much out of Blair and/or thought he'd fade and it would be easy to demote him to fifth big status, which would have made it easy to pair Ratliff with Bonner against elite teams/late in the season and on into the post-season. After getting burned by dropping Hill from the rotation late last season, I doubt he makes the same mistake with Blair this season. Late in the season, Pop may actually go to a three big rotation and leave Bonner and Ratliff out of it. He needs to get over his aversion of playing two non-shooting bigs together (it's not like it would be for that long a stretch) and let Blair play his natural PF. This should happen starting with the Lakers (the team the Spurs need Ratliff for perhaps more than any other).