Where does Rasho Nesterovic rank all-time in the Spurs C list?

I remember this guy being an average scorer and rebounder but plays good defense down low..can he be considered top 5?

We've got D-Rob, Gilmore and I don't know anyone else..

I'm going to need some more quantifiers.

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Originally Posted by MANUNG-Ginobili

I remember this guy being an average scorer and rebounder but plays good defense down low..can he be considered top 5?

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Definitely not top 5. Robinson, Duncan (past-prime he's a center), Gilmore, Nater, Splitter are already five way better centers

Rasho was ok for his time. Once the league sped up, he was trash. Luckily one mans trash is another man's treasure and we got the red rocket (who is probably higher on the list as well).

2004 was the first season Rasho played here.

The 2004 Spurs set a regular season record for lowest OPPG of all-time (excluding the 99 lockout season)






Coincidence?

the real question is who ranks first, Rasho or Oberto

Rasho was a great defensive presence but that's about it. He complemented Prime TD very well. Oberto was not as athletic but he had the passing/smarts and tricks of a Tiago Splitter(without the offensive game 1-1 defense of course) IMO

tough choice

IIRC, most people on ST had bigger issues with the size of his contract than with the player himself.

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Originally Posted by MANUNG-Ginobili

We've got D-Rob, Gilmore and I don't know anyone else..

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http://www.nbacircle.com/wp-content/...Mamba-Vest.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0qCnDmEMEE

He's right behind Mengke Bateer TBH :hat

Rash had more value with Shaq in the league.

Great defensive center. A bit expensive. Had trouble with aggression on offense. Good compliment to Duncan, as he could hit the baseline jumper. Sprained his ankle and missed the '05 championship run. Got benched for the playoffs for no apparent reason in '06 and had to watch the Mavericks destroy the Spurs in the paint and win in overtime of game 7. He was traded for Matt Bonner, which signifies the Spurs' transition from great defense to playoff embarrassment far better than anything else I can think of at the moment.

I remember that Stephen A. smith hated him, which is good enough to find new appreciation. But what Obstructed said.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

He was traded for Matt Bonner, which signifies the Spurs' transition from great defense to playoff embarrassment far better than anything else I can think of at the moment.

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True. In the 8 years since the Bonner (and Eric Williams) for Rasho trade, the Spurs have only won 2 titles, played in 3 Finals, and 5 conference finals.

My sarcasm is not meant to suggest correlation (to be clear). It is only intended to question the "playoff embarrassment" title.

He was sloooow and extremely boring and limited but ok defensively. Oberto was slightly better I think.

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

Definitely not top 5. Robinson, Duncan (past-prime he's a center), Gilmore, Nater, Splitter are already five way better centers

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And don't forget the Whopper Billy Paultz! Not a bad center in his day!

Rasho will always be underrated because of his high contract and not living up to it. He wasn't that aggressive on offense, but he was playing with a prime Duncan and Manu. He didn't always get the rebound, but he boxed out and allowed the rebound to go to another Spur... he didn't always block the shot, but he was always in place and altered shots. He was a great player for the Spurs, but his contract was a hindrance... and the timing was awful as that was the time that Pop tried going small for the first time and was not prepared for it.

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

True. In the 8 years since the Bonner (and Eric Williams) for Rasho trade, the Spurs have only won 2 titles, played in 3 Finals, and 5 conference finals.

My sarcasm is not meant to suggest correlation (to be clear). It is only intended to question the "playoff embarrassment" title.

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The Spurs had four really terrible postseasons in a row when Matt Bonner was starting or part of the rotation. The backdoor sweep by the Thunder in the conference finals was the highlight, but there were also the only two first round exits with Duncan on the team. If you don't think it's embarrassing, I don't know what to tell you, FWD.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

The Spurs had four really terrible postseasons in a row when Matt Bonner was starting or part of the rotation. The backdoor sweep by the Thunder in the conference finals was the highlight, but there were also the only two first round exits with Duncan on the team. If you don't think it's embarrassing, I don't know what to tell you, FWD.

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2012 was not a terrible postseason. :lmao

They came a James Harden luckshot and a screwjob from Bill Kennedy from making the Finals.

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

2012 was not a terrible postseason. :lmao

They came a James Harden luckshot and a screwjob from Bill Kennedy from making the Finals.

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Yep, and Matt Bonner had the same number of playoff minutes as Tiago Splitter. Again, not sure what to tell you if you can't figure it out.

Baynes pushing for #1

For combined seasons; played in the NBA/BAA; in the regular season; from 1946-47 to 2013-14; playing for the San Antonios Spurs (Tex/Dal); played C or C-F; sorted by descending Win Shares.

1) Robinson
2) Gilmore
3) Paultz
4) Splitter
5) Nesterovic
6) Perdue
7) Corzine
8) Dietrick
9) George Johnson
10) Mike Green

He was great defensively, but the Spurs had better success when we began starting Nazr.

Kevin Willis > Rasho

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

The Spurs had four really terrible postseasons in a row when Matt Bonner was starting or part of the rotation. The backdoor sweep by the Thunder in the conference finals was the highlight, but there were also the only two first round exits with Duncan on the team. If you don't think it's embarrassing, I don't know what to tell you, FWD.

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I think the point is that trading Rasho Nesterovic for Matt Bonner didn't close the window for the Spurs.

They had bad post-seasons in 2009 and 2011 and an un-Spursy post-season (despite reaching the WCSF) in 2010. Frankly, I'm not sure why a 3-year blip that is surrounded on one side by consecutive runs to the conference finals (and a title) and on the other side by three straight runs to the conference finals (and 2 finals appearances with a title) could ever be seen by anyone as "embarrassing." It is also noteworthy that this "embarrassing" portion of Spurs playoff history included a playoff series in which Manu Ginobili didn't play and another in which he played with a broken arm.

I don't take issue with the idea that those teams weren't good and that it was disappointing to see the Spurs play poorly in the playoffs for most of 3 straight years, but I've never considered that stretch of time to be embarrassing.

Besides, if that was the embarrassment, at least the product of that embarrassment was an understanding of several crucial needs and a concerted effort to address all of them, which reopened the window.

I'd bet that most organizations in the NBA would be happy to be embarrassed like that.

He was great on defense, but couldn't really play next to Tim on offense. He showed what he can do when Tim got injured in 05 and had a lot of great games. Sucks that they gave him that money.

His contract wasn't that bad, he signed for less then what Minny was offering. Basically, the Spurs needed a C to guard Shaq but Shaq was traded to the other conference and was soon past his prime. Rasho didn't have a clear role and the Spurs were better with Horry. Bonner was to be Horry's replacement but that didn't work well since Bonner lacked some confidence in the playoffs.

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Originally Posted by DrSteffo

He was sloooow and extremely boring and limited but ok defensively. Oberto was slightly better I think.

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I agree with this.

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

2012 was not a terrible postseason. :lmao

They came a James Harden luckshot and a screwjob from Bill Kennedy from making the Finals.

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A backdoor sweep of the home team is a terrible thing

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Originally Posted by hater

A backdoor sweep of the home team is a terrible thing

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You thought Tim Duncan was a terrible thing tbh. Where'd that get you son?

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

The Spurs had four really terrible postseasons in a row when Matt Bonner was starting or part of the rotation. The backdoor sweep by the Thunder in the conference finals was the highlight, but there were also the only two first round exits with Duncan on the team. If you don't think it's embarrassing, I don't know what to tell you, FWD.

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He played 12.7 mpg in 13 postseason games during that run. He was less of an rotation player and more of a spot minute type of player,

he only played 54 minutes (9 mpg) in that entire OKC series and 3 minutes total in the final 3 games. So that collapse obviously can't be blamed on him.


The 2009 postseason was the one where Manu missed the playoffs and the Spurs had an aging cast including Bowen, and Kurt Thomas they also had Drew Gooden playing minutes and Mason Jr. playing PG :lol

The Spurs had virtually no shot to beat that Dallas team anyway, even with Parker averaging 29 ppg.

That Memphis series also had little to do with Bonner's play (he could have shot better ,though) and more to do with the Spurs general lack of size (The Spurs had only two rotation wings that were taller than 6'3 in Manu and RJ) against a longer and more athletic bunch with ZBo going into beast mode. That team had a bunch of good defenders on it with Conley, Allen, Battier and Gasol.

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Originally Posted by baseline bum

You thought Tim Duncan was a terrible thing tbh. Where'd that get you son?

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Doesnt help your case.

a home team that was on a 14 game winning streak getting backdoor buttfucked is a terrible way to end the run.

Will Purdue was better than him. I can think of countless others that would be as well.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

The Spurs had four really terrible postseasons in a row when Matt Bonner was starting or part of the rotation. The backdoor sweep by the Thunder in the conference finals was the highlight, but there were also the only two first round exits with Duncan on the team. If you don't think it's embarrassing, I don't know what to tell you, FWD.

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Spurs had some ugly years with winners like Rasho, Mason, Bogans, Bonner and Blair. Too many players with not enough talent. I should include George Hill. I'm sort of glad Bonner is still a Spur. When he's not overplayed.

Rasho was alright, better than mediocre, but just very boring to watch. Fab was better.

On the defensive end Rasho and Duncan complimented each other pretty well but on offense they never clicked. I remember whenever Duncan would get injured and be out for 7-10 games the spurs would still manage to be above .500 due to Rasho averaging around 14-10. When Duncan would comeback from injury Rasho would then revert back to just being non existent on offense.

Radosoft? Poor rebounder, no shot blocking, and soft as hell.

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

Radosoft? Poor rebounder, no shot blocking, and soft as hell.

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He was the best shot blocker behind Tim on the team. And since 06 the Spurs still don't have a better one.

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

I think the point is that trading Rasho Nesterovic for Matt Bonner didn't close the window for the Spurs.

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Some really good draft picks ensured that. It's emblematic of a really-failed philosophy change, which you mention below.

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

They had bad post-seasons in 2009 and 2011 and an un-Spursy post-season (despite reaching the WCSF) in 2010. Frankly, I'm not sure why a 3-year blip that is surrounded on one side by consecutive runs to the conference finals (and a title) and on the other side by three straight runs to the conference finals (and 2 finals appearances with a title) could ever be seen by anyone as "embarrassing." It is also noteworthy that this "embarrassing" portion of Spurs playoff history included a playoff series in which Manu Ginobili didn't play and another in which he played with a broken arm.

I don't take issue with the idea that those teams weren't good and that it was disappointing to see the Spurs play poorly in the playoffs for most of 3 straight years, but I've never considered that stretch of time to be embarrassing.

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They were lop-sided losses where the team didn't even seem able to compete. Given the bar set by Duncan teams, it was certainly the lowest point.

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

Besides, if that was the embarrassment, at least the product of that embarrassment was an understanding of several crucial needs and a concerted effort to address all of them, which reopened the window.

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Completely agree and throw in a hallelujah for good measure. The "hope they miss" defensive strategy and "hope it goes in" offensive strategy was still an avoidable blight, IMHO. Sure glad it didn't last any longer than it did.

He was too nice, you could tell he was a shy dude. I think he had the talent to be more if he had a mean streak. I remember him putting up double doubles during a Timmy injury IIRC.

Better than Splitter

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Originally Posted by DrSteffo

He was sloooow and extremely boring and limited but ok defensively. Oberto was slightly better I think.

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Agree. I remember Oberto in 2007 playoffs against Boozer and Okur WCF, he was great on both ends. Also, he did a good job in the Finals...