Quick Grades: Spurs vs. Grizzlies - Dec. 18

Udoka is playing terrible basketball, but the reason the Spurs signed him was because of his understanding of the system. I think they might keep him past the contract guarantee date, esp. if James Anderson is still out.

Also, the latest and greatest in Melo rumors says the Nuggets will wait until the deadline to move him. Udoka could be included in a trade on Feb. 24 if the Knicks/Nugs are looking for a third team to supply a pick. Even if it's unlikely, it's better that the Spurs leave themselves the option of including Udoka's salary in a deal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Thompson

As far as Udoka is concerned, anyone think if the Suns start to blow it up after their latest trade that we might be able to get Grant Hill to back up Jefferson? The Suns should be willing to do Grant a favor, and we are the best team (record-wise) in the NBA right now.

---

Sounds good, but who exactly do you suggest the spurs to recieve his 3+ mil contract? Also, since he has an expiring contract what good would this do for the suns to move him for other expiring contracts. No, bonner is not gonna be moved either..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tav1

Udoka is playing terrible basketball, but the reason the Spurs signed him was because of his understanding of the system. I think they might keep him past the contract guarantee date, esp. if James Anderson is still out.

Also, the latest and greatest in Melo rumors says the Nuggets will wait until the deadline to move him. Udoka could be included in a trade on Feb. 24 if the Knicks/Nugs are looking for a third team to supply a pick. Even if it's unlikely, it's better that the Spurs leave themselves the option of including Udoka's salary in a deal.

---

Good point(s), tav1

Wish the spurs would look at ewing jr. Averaging 19 ppg and 8rpg in the d-league. Also shooting 38% from 3pt. At 6'8, he would be an intriguing project i think and would bring some extra energy off the bench at that position.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yavozerb

Sounds good, but who exactly do you suggest the spurs to recieve his 3+ mil contract? Also, since he has an expiring contract what good would this do for the suns to move him for other expiring contracts. No, bonner is not gonna be moved either..

---

I'd trade Bonner for Hill. Grant Hill as RJ's backup would be fucking awesome and seeing Tiago finally play would be awesomer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TJastal

I'd trade Bonner for Hill. Grant Hill as RJ's backup would be fucking awesome and seeing Tiago finally play would be awesomer.

---

The fact that you would approve such a deal should say it all. This deal is not only stupid for the spurs, but also makes no sense for the spurs or the suns.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yavozerb

The fact that you would approve such a deal should say it all. This deal is not only stupid for the spurs, but also makes no sense for the spurs or the suns.

---

What's the problem? You really think Grant Hill wouldn't fit into this offense? He's still a dangerous open court player he'd be perfect spotting up for 15 footers on the break. And he can still play some damn good defense. Can you imagine a small ball lineup of Parker/Hill/Hill/Jefferson/Duncan? That's not too bad if you ask me, as long as RJ keeps his stellar PF play up. Bonner's
3pt shooting is so fucking overrated on this board, I swear. :rolleyes

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TJastal

What's the problem? You really think Grant Hill wouldn't fit into this offense? He's still a dangerous open court player he'd be perfect spotting up for 15 footers on the break. And he can still play some damn good defense. Can you imagine a small ball lineup of Parker/Hill/Hill/Jefferson/Duncan? That's not too bad if you ask me, as long as RJ keeps his stellar PF play up. Bonner's
3pt shooting is so fucking overrated on this board, I swear. :rolleyes

---

:lol, you keep outdoing yourself with these crazy comments...Ya, I guess shooting over 50% from 3pt is pretty bad these days.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yavozerb

Wish the spurs would look at ewing jr. Averaging 19 ppg and 8rpg in the d-league. Also shooting 38% from 3pt. At 6'8, he would be an intriguing project i think and would bring some extra energy off the bench at that position.

---

If Spurs wants to try new players, they will likely wait until January 5th when teams are allowed to sign players to ten days contract.

Spurs could even waive Udoka in early January just before his contract became guaranteed and then signed him to 2 ten days contracts before trying prospect in February when Anderson would be likely back from his injury.

I didn't realize Hill was making that much. I doubt the Spurs would trade their perimeter big; maybe Hill will ask to be bought out to avoid wasting his last couple of years. The Suns owe him.

Quick thought. Does everyone consider agression meaning drives to the basket. I tend to look at FT attempts as a meassure of agression. When I see zero attempts, I consider it very low aggression versus 10 attempts which I would consider very agressive.

Thoughts?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Thompson

I didn't realize Hill was making that much. I doubt the Spurs would trade their perimeter big; maybe Hill will ask to be bought out to avoid wasting his last couple of years. The Suns owe him.

---

Hill has made 4 separate decisions (in the summers of 07, 08, 09, and 10) to go to Phoenix and to stay there. He'll be a free agent again this summer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yavozerb

:lol, you keep outdoing yourself with these crazy comments...Ya, I guess shooting over 50% from 3pt is pretty bad these days.

---

That's great and all, but he's playing 3 more mpg than his career average and barely putting 0.3 more ppg. Right now his off-the-charts 3 point shooting is barely making up for the shittier 2 point shooting and FT shooting.

Pop going to Dice to close this game was the difference. Bonner should never ever be matched with above average rebounders.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mingus

Ime is the reason I grew up with NBA aspirations.

---

The Spurs should have given you his minutes.

So I guess you figured, if Ime can be on a team, anyone can, even my grandmother (mine) and she's been dead for 20 years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by YODA

Quick thought. Does everyone consider agression meaning drives to the basket. I tend to look at FT attempts as a meassure of agression. When I see zero attempts, I consider it very low aggression versus 10 attempts which I would consider very agressive.

Thoughts?

---

Sometimes it's more about the defensive scheme of the other team. Often good players won't get to the line because no one stops their penetration.

Also, aggression means more than just driving to the rim. It means moving the ball fluidly around the circle and finding open looks, or moving without the ball (something that many players seem to simply avoid doing).

I think the Spurs attack the rim as much as anyone, but they are also very good at getting there unmolested. Tony Parker last night was in bullet speed mode. That guy is the very definition of "one man fast break". I've never seen anyone do it as well or as often as he does.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ElNono

That's great and all, but he's playing 3 more mpg than his career average and barely putting 0.3 more ppg. Right now his off-the-charts 3 point shooting is barely making up for the shittier 2 point shooting and FT shooting.

Pop going to Dice to close this game was the difference. Bonner should never ever be matched with above average rebounders.

---

<<<What he said.

And another thing.............what's more important, Bonner's 3pt shooting or Manu being able to get rested for the playoffs? Which Grant Hill would allow him to do in abundance.

The fact that you wouldn't trade Matt Bonner for Hill is what I find rather insane.

Gary Neals defense is great. He hustles and he irritates his opponents more than anyother spur's wing iv'e seen. What he can work on, is following his opponents off of pick & rolls. I think the bigs can help out just a little bit more on this.

Otherwise I think Gary Neal played a fine game that deserved at least a "B". He seemed to shoot well and stay aggressive also.

Using the standard of grading against the potential of the player, Dice should get an A for his contribution on defense against Randolph. Played over his ability.

Blair's game goes in the tank everytime he starts trying to be an offensive option. He needs to do one thing and one thing only and that is rebound.

Letting Randolf do what he did gives one the impression that Blair is simply soft when pushed by another big player. He can push around the skinnies, but loses his heart when challenged by folks of equal stature.

Blair should study Randolph for some tips on rebound positioning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by foodie2

IMO Parker's grade needs to be docked a bit just for that boneheaded 8 second mistake he made. That's not an all-star PG move right there.

---

I also don't like that earlier in the game when the ball was in bounded to him he let the ball roll across the damn floor before picking it up very nonchalant, with no sense of urgency. I don't know if anyone caught that, but I did and I immediately thought something could happen with laziness like that, and when later he had that turnover in the back-court, I could only think, "damn I frickin knew it".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ElNono

That's great and all, but he's playing 3 more mpg than his career average and barely putting 0.3 more ppg. Right now his off-the-charts 3 point shooting is barely making up for the shittier 2 point shooting and FT shooting.

Pop going to Dice to close this game was the difference. Bonner should never ever be matched with above average rebounders.

---

Do you really think that Bonner was the only player matched on Randolph last night? TD,Mcdyess, Blair, and Splitter all were matched up on him last night at one time or another and from what I remember all had the same results. Pretty lame to blame Randolphs game last night on Bonner since Randolph has now been playing like this for 2 seasons with grizzlies now and does the same thing to most pf's in the league. Pretty far reach on extra 3 minutes per game on bonner, but keep trying to explain how he hurts the spurs on the offensive side of the ball.

TP was awesome, the spin moves were extremely smooth.
Udoka is pretty bad

yeap, Spurs get outrebounded bigtime,
show the 09-10 version of Jefferson (not easy to airball a wide open 10 footer),
turn it over 3 times in the final minute,
with an unprecednted 8'' violation,

and the problem is Ime Udoka.

Typical.

I'll give Ime a C+ because the 3-pointer he shot was right on the money. He just put it a little short. Ime's gonna go for 15 and 7 one of these days and all you bastards are gonna be singing his praises.


In reality i wish they would have kept Hairston. He knew the system just as well as Ime. I won't say that to blackjack though. He'll tear up.