Splitter thread!!!

i'm fully confident that the playoffs this year will be reminiscent of '09 playoffs against Dallas with regards to Splitter in that at some point Pop will realize his rotation isn't going to get it done and he needs size, and he will put Splitter in, but too late and without enough game time experience, just as in the '09 series against the Mavs Pop, too late, realized he needed GHill3's athleticism. let's hope when that happens Splitter actually does suck and we're not all thinking "what could've" or "what should've" been. if not, that'll be potentially 2 playoff series in which Pop screws the team's chances.

I hope that Pop is giving him some rest (as well as time to learn the system), having played his Euro season and them the NT and then right into camp with the Spurs. I hope that this is his summer and he can get into the mix soon.

I for one would not be surprised at in the near future to see Pop one day for no apparent reason just throw Splitter out there for extended minutes against a top tier team. On the other hand it has been very frustrating to never (except I believe just one time this year) see the singular rotation that makes a lot of sense - Duncan and Splitter playing aside each other and doing a high low rotation. Splitter has shown some offensive struggles but on defense he at least mans up and plays hard, just do not understand the DNPs all the time but it is what it is and with a 31-6 record we should not be complaining, except I for one want to just see the guy get to play more!

He's not going to play a big role in the lineup this season. Pop is going to park the rookie as we piss away one of the last realistic chances to win a title. This is what Pop does.

:( it'll be meltdown central if the Spurs don't win it all and Tiago didn't play a big role!

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Originally Posted by Manu_Forever

He has a bunch of weaknesses in other areas of the game.

Stanko Barac, his replacement in Baskonia is already well outperforming how Splitter ever played there in his first season as the club's starter.

Stanko Barac was not exactly a superstar when he was in the NBA.

I'm not saying Splitter is a bad player. He isn't. He should be playing over McDyess without any question whatsoever. But the rep that Splitter has in this forum from how he supposedly played in Europe is insane.

A few stupid Euro homers come in here and make up a bunch of crap about how he was this great player in Europe and everyone here believes it. Once again, I'm just saying he was not that good in Europe.

So Spurs fans here keep saying that he deserves to play simply because of how he played in Europe. The problem is that he was not that good in Europe as Spurs fans here think he was. I would say he was 1/10 as good in Europe
as the fans here think.

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He was pretty well regarded over there, considered for all decade team.


http://www.euroleague.net/competitio...g=en&itemid=-1

It is a farce this guy is not getting at least 10 minutes a game

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/tiago_splitter/bio.html

:pop: He doesn't chuck up 3's like Matty

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Originally Posted by Manu_Forever

Like I said, Spurs fans are completely delusional about the level Splitter had in Europe. Completely and totally delusional.

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Please stop the B.S. most Spurs fans expected a decent player and not another Tim Duncan while instead Pop has him banished and has ruined his confidence probably for months. Mark my words if Pop does not develop Splitter he will go to another team and be a fine starting NBA player for a contender.

It's gonna take an injury to one of the big men for Splitter to get any playing time. Didn't Pop do the same with G. Hill in his rookie season. It took an injury or blowout in the playoffs for Pop to discover Hill had some game.

Offensively, Splitter continues to evolve his game, emerging as a real force for Tau Vitoria, to the tune of 16 points per game, on phenomenal percentages. He shoulders a big offensive load for them, and it’s clear that that’s something that is important for him in the way you see him calling for the ball on the left block. Splitter is primarily a low post player, showing an excellent assortment of footwork and spin-moves with his back to the basket, and a very effective jump-hook he can shoot with either hand. He is a little bit old school in that aspect, really putting pressure on his defender to hold his ground as he backs him down aggressively, which draws him quite a few fouls.

Splitter is extremely aggressive putting the ball on the floor and creating, showing excellent coordination and fluidity, and emerging as a terrific finisher thanks to his great hands and touch. He’s not incredibly explosive around the basket, which may emerge as more of an issue in the NBA (if and when), but with his excellent skill-level and high basketball IQ, he’s about as effective a low-post scorer as you’ll find at the European level. On top of that, he manages to find plenty of scoring opportunities with his ability to run the floor, play pick and roll with the likes of Pablo Prigioni and Igor Rakocevic, and just find open spots around the basket to catch and finish.

Splitter is finally becoming a more consistent free throw shooter, now making about 66% of his attempts—nearly 10 per-40 minutes pace adjusted. He’s not really showing any kind of mid-range jumper, but probably doesn’t really have to for Tau considering that he’s shooting over 64% from the field.

Still not a great rebounder, Splitter has become even less prolific in this department on the offensive end this year, which is a relative concern and probably his biggest weakness. He is showing much better awareness in his ability to pass the ball, though, sporting an impressive 1/1 assist to turnover ratio for the first time in his career.

Defensively, Splitter is obviously a huge asset as we’ve discussed many times, as he has the size, strength and length to be very effective in the low post, but is coordinated and mobile enough to step out and hedge screens with great accuracy. The intensity he displays on this end of the floor tends to get him in foul trouble at times, but this is something that his coach will obviously live with. Splitter is seeing better productivity in the shot-blocking department than in years past, particularly in the Euroleague, where he currently ranks second in blocks per game. Obviously a high-level rotation player and likely starter whenever he decides to step foot in the NBA, Splitter has a very difficult decision coming up when his current contract expires in the summer of 2010.



From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/...#ixzz1AfkaNdoY
http://www.draftexpress.com

Except in the Spurs system where he is SADLY and PATHETICALLY glued to the bench.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/...#ixzz1AfkK1mOI
http://www.draftexpress.com

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Originally Posted by jeebus022

:pop: He doesn't bricks up 3's like Matty

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fify :toast

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Originally Posted by Manu_Forever

He has a bunch of weaknesses in other areas of the game.

Stanko Barac, his replacement in Baskonia is already well outperforming how Splitter ever played there in his first season as the club's starter.

Stanko Barac was not exactly a superstar when he was in the NBA.

I'm not saying Splitter is a bad player. He isn't. He should be playing over McDyess without any question whatsoever. But the rep that Splitter has in this forum from how he supposedly played in Europe is insane.

A few stupid Euro homers come in here and make up a bunch of crap about how he was this great player in Europe and everyone here believes it. Once again, I'm just saying he was not that good in Europe.

So Spurs fans here keep saying that he deserves to play simply because of how he played in Europe. The problem is that he was not that good in Europe as Spurs fans here think he was. I would say he was 1/10 as good in Europe as the fans here think.

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Of course he has a lot of weaknesses but spurs fans weren't expecting the new Vlade Divac for Christ sake. What was expecting is a young 7' Defensive oriented, clever and confortable in pick and roll situation.

BTW nobody was expecting him to play over Dice ! I just wish he could give some good minutes coming off the bench so TD can rest without opening a dunk fest in our rim thats it. The objective was also to have a big body to throw at the Lakers frontcourt.

He is perfectly capable of that IMO, with him out of the equation we have to live through sequences with Blair and Bonner and we are struggling badly against young athletic dudes like Love, Ibaka, Darko + hundreds of big scrubs playing the game of their lifes against us.

Seeing him not cracking the rotation is a disappointment for me, I didn't except a star I was just expecting a 7' contributor with good D foundation. Don't tell me he was so overated that he cannot be that.

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Originally Posted by triggeredexcellence

Pop is just fucking with Splitter. The team knows, Europe knows, and we as fans know, Splitter deserves to be out there contributing and integrating into the NBA style of play. Pop is a one hell of a coach, but to be fucking with the head of someone with Splitter's prestige baffles me.

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Totally agree. We've seen Popovich mishandle players, bury players, and freak with young guys' heads over and over.

Maybe he's disapointed in Splitter, but he's also the one who gave him a three-year deal. The guy isn't a terrible player. A pre-season injury is a pre-season injury...so get over it and give the guy minutes. He's not going to get better rotting on the bench.

What is our most glaring weakness this year? Size. Size, people.

Better get used to seeing Splitter on the bench. Him getting hurt during training camp really fucked his chances of cracking the rotation, as we're seeing now. The Spurs just have too many bigs to be able to play every single one every game. TD is TD, you can't bench him. Pop loves Bonner to stretch the floor, he wont bench him. Dice is the old veteran who can still play D and pop the open 15 foot jumper, he wont bench him. And Blair is the hustling big man who does make mistakes but plays well at times also. Every single game one of those 3 (Splitter, Dice, and Blair) is going to be the odd man out, it just so happens lately Splitter has been the one to ride the pine.....

pop did give splitter a little run against LA and i think he let him guard howard a little too in one of the match ups against orlando?

unfortunately he didn't look great against an ailing bynum, but i thought it might be a little telling of pop's grand scheme of things.. or maybe it had to do with managing minutes played for our other bigs in the previous game or next game...

It is maybe, considering Duncan's age, the last chance to win a title for the Spurs big 3.
The Spurs are not going to beat the Lakers with a 6'6 Center in the starting lineup. No way !

The last game against the Lakers was a fluke. The Lakers were absolutely dumb in that game. They will not make the same mistakes twice.

If Splitter is not good enough for this year, he must be traded for a good 6'11-7'0 defensive center now. Spurs can't wait another year.
If he is good enough, play him, let him make mistakes and learn the NBA game ! How is he supposed to learn with his ass glued to the bench ???

Manu & Tony will play this summer with their NT. Tim & Manu will be 1 year older. The time is now !

Last year Pop tried a thousand different lineups and it was a bad bad decision.
This year the Spurs are the only team in the NBA with the same starting 5 in all games. Ok that's great for the chemistry and all... But why not try something different just to see...

Start Splitter 2 or 3 games, even if he's awful, you have Tony, Manu, Tim & RJ around him, i think the Spurs can survive with him at the start of the game. :wakeup

Blair is not a starter, he's a good guy off the bench with a lot of energy and all but he is not a starter !

Bonner is more a starter than Blair, yes I know :p:, but it's true.
I would want to see Splitter or Dice in the starting lineup, but if not, let's play Bonner. At least there will be more space for Tony & Manu in the paint at the start of the games.

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Originally Posted by Brazil

The objective was also to have a big body to throw at the Lakers frontcourt.

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Originally Posted by Lackluster

pop did give splitter a little run against LA and i think he let him guard howard a little too in one of the match ups against orlando?

unfortunately he didn't look great against an ailing bynum, but i thought it might be a little telling of pop's grand scheme of things.. or maybe it had to do with managing minutes played for our other bigs in the previous game or next game...

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Splitter logged 7 minutes in the Laker game. He was absolutely abused and punished underneath by LA. He had 4 fouls in 7 minutes, had 1 rebound, missed both his FG attempts and was 2-4 from the line. And the Lakers went right at him knowing he is underweight and has no business trying to guard any of their 3 big men 1-on-1.

He is a total defensive liability against other bigs, weighing in at only 240 LBs (Blair is 4 inches shorter and weighs 30LBs more). He is a total offensive liability because he can't shoot outside of 6 feet. His only offensive game is cleaning up missed shots, which anyone can do. Dude is not NBA-ready and Pop has seen that, up close and personal giving him ample time to prove himself, only to see lackluster results. This isn't that difficult to figure out. Splitter has seen minutes, has looked like a D-leaguer, and Pop has decided his job right now is to keep the end of the bench warm. It's pretty simple.

Next year, if Splitter can bulk up over the summer and develop a 15ft jumper, perhaps he can be part of SpursTalk wet dreams. But it ain't happening this year, dude is way too soft and in no spot to be giving us any significant minutes.

Firstable, Splitter is NOT Grecian: that's a step in the right direction.
It's actually a PRE-requisite to being a solid player.
So he is not going to quit a-la Spanoulis.

It's like being a solid poster: you MUST not be a Grecian.

Second, Splitter WAS one of the three top centers in Europe last year. Period.
And one of the top 5 over the last 3 years. Super period.

Third, the question is NOT why Pop is NOT playing Splitter,
but rather why Splitter has NOT asked to be traded to a team that plays him, already.
If Noah, Varejao, Biedrins, Blatche, Cousins, Gasol (Marc) and Wallace (to name a few) can find a starting job in the NBA, there must be a place for Splitter somewhere.

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Originally Posted by BlairForceDejuan

He's not going to play a big role in the lineup this season. Pop is going to park the rookie as we piss away one of the last realistic chances to win a title. This is what Pop does.

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this :toast

This is the same thing that happened with Hill. Of course, Hill wasn't the MVP of the Euro League or whatever.