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I cannot fathom why he hasn't gotten more time, especially in blowout situations. I don't care if Pop is personally responsible for all four championships, it just doesn't make any sense. If the only way for him to improve is with playing time, and he can't change the outcome of the game in blowouts, why not give him some freaking time?!
Anderson should get a lot more time also, while we're at it.
Next year unfortunately.
Pop already made his mid-season adjustment moving Dice to the starting lineup and moving Novak in front of Tiago on the bench... he'll consider your request next season...
Pop had the majority of the season to develop the guy but he chose not to. That decision is not likely to change.
I agree that Tiago needs more playing time, and immediately. As far as I can tell, he was ready to play with about 20 games left in the regular season and Pop isn't going to play him. I'm sure Pop sees it as too late to integrate someone so new, but I don't agree and I'm sure lots of you don't, especially in light of the Spurs late rebounding and front line defense woes. Inevitably we will hear from Pop that "unfortunately he was injured and we couldn't work him into the rotation," and I agree that Tiago's injuries kept him from having the ideal integration process, but the big three aren't getting any younger, and I don't think it's wise to give up on a player like Tiago, who might fill a hole you have on the roster, with approximately 25% of the season left.
And though he's unfamiliar with the NBA, it's not as if Tiago is a 19 year old novice. He's played in professional leagues, at their highest level of competition. If Gary Neal is prepared for a shot at the big time, so is Tiago. Ok rant over.
Don't need defence if Spurs can just shoot 3's
Yes and that's proven to work as a strategy to succeed in the NBA playoffs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chomag
Don't see why Anderson and Novak are getting playing time over Splitter when our biggest problem is interior defense. If I were Splitter, I'd leave the Spurs when my contract was over. What a waste of one year of his professional career.
Too late now. I guess my hope will be for DAL to beat LA, then for DAL to choke and then for some injury to whichever team reaches the Finals from the East. That's the only way I see the Spurs winning. Contenders are getting healthy and locking down on defense.
That'll be too late. Duncan will be a year older and TP and Manu will be exhausted from NT play over the summer.Quote:
Originally Posted by jjktkk
That 5 game lead over the rest of league should have been sacrificed to integrate Splitter. Having another option instead of Bonner (who'll choke in the playoffs) and Blair who's too short would be nice especially if, God forbid, TD gets in foul trouble in even 1 playoff game.
Splitter should have starting from the get-go, Pop played the entire thing stupidly ass-backwards. Blair has no future as a starter period, as a starting center in the NBA even less.
Positioning Splitter as a serviceable big alongside Duncan gives you all kinds of options. Our current arrangement with Bonner/Blair/Dice and Novak(!) is a fragile house of cards that will collapse under the strong winds of playoff basketball.
So, we get the regular season medal. Big deal, I ain't impressed. Job one should have been getting Duncan some help. End of
yup.....duncan has been here for how many years and not one decent big to stick next to him....and when i mean big i mean 7 footer to go with our "power forward"....shit
No religion can save us now, period...... Spurs are done IMO as far as titles go, the cold hard truth.
I am afraid I agree. We can discuss the rotation and how much Tiago can help, if Duncan does not have one last great playoffs run... it's over.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean Cagney
Yep, since 08 I waited for another RUN, Manu got hurt and they lost to LA in 5, after that nothing else sides a late surge last year and a Dallas outing has happened! I swore #5 was coming, but now I am not sure at all and think that was their last run in 07, 08 came close but they fell short. I feel Tim is nearly done now, he is not nearly him, and without Tim being near him how the hell can they go far? THEY WILL NOT.Quote:
Originally Posted by mathbzh
It was a great run, 4 titles and many winning years! Spurs even are gonna get 60 plus this year, but as far as titles go that left in 07, our last run IMO when Tim was at his fullest and Bowen here and another C next to him who could play some. Our D has left us, our game now is running and threes and we know that never won a thing.
Like I said starting Splitter or having him play next to Tim along with Tony and Manu is the best place for him. I really thought he was going to start early in the season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt Bringdown
Pop still has time to install Splitter. It's late, but, not too late if he goes very soon.
I just pray that he doesn't. That he stubbornly insists to brazen it out with Dice. That move alone was a shocker, forsaking Blair like that.
Free him now!
lol
I don't understand why the Spurs FO wanted this guy so bad for years to only have him stuck on the bench. He's not really young so these years matter, he can't just waste a year cause Pop has this hatred of playing new guys.
Pop excuses for not playing Splitter is BS. It was something in the line "it won't be fair for the team". He didn't want to hurt the team record by spending time developing Splitter.
First, Splitter won't be taking playing time of HOF in their prime. While Splitter won't be at first as good as a Bonner or a Blair, the drop off (if there is one) won't be that big. Splitter could also catch quickly their level. Giving consistent playing time to Tiago could have been a move that would have hurt Spurs only briefly and only a little.
Second, do you really think Duncan, Parker and Ginobili cares a lot about Spurs winning 65 games instead of 60 games? What is important for them is winning the title. Developing Splitter to have him ready for the playoffs should have been the priority even at the cost of HCA.
Third, Pop has already done this kind of "unfair" moves. For example, in 08-09, Bonner was significantly better than Horry during the regular season. Pop hurt Spurs regular season record by playing Horry and putting Bonner in the doghouse.
Pop is turning into D'Antoni: regular season and offense first. The only part of "old" Pop remaining is that he is still great at limiting minutes of the oldest players.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/593/mosesl.jpg
LET MY TIAGO GO!
Difficult to complain about Pop tbh, results are here. His coaching whatever we think gives two key stuff for the POs: spurs will have HCA and he preserved the big three in terms of minutes. It is great coaching IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
I think Pop had two priorities: HCA and big 3 health no matter what these are solid and consistent priorities. On top of that he helped to develop a good scoring option off the bench with Neal, he also contributed to the RJ improvement, he also preserved well Dice. In counterpart he failed with Tiago, this team is no more an elite D team (part of the responsability is on Pop), we struggle to rebound the damn ball (not sure Tiago would help), sometime we are soft (see Hill George) and I blame Pop for that. All in all its not a bad balance.
After last year disaster Spurs are in the 5th ring race not as favorites but at least with a chance this is already huge.
free splitter!
I've said it once and I'll say it again: Pop will drive this team into the ground from contenders to the middle-of-the-pack or lower in the coming years.
Sorry, Timmy.
Sorry, Tiago.