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:( but he played well vs. the Nets, guys!!! :(
:( but we have such a great record and point-differential in a really week season vs. the easiest schedule in the NBA:(
:( but we're going to ignore that relying heavily on Parker and Ginobili might backfire when the games matter and they're banged up:(
:(but he accepted his role, let's ignore all his poor metrics and negligible on/off impact:(
My main disagreement was him getting blame for Green's inability to shoot.
He's definitely soft as fuck though. Also his mid-range shot isn't good enough for us. He needs to hit those wide open shots like David West. He really needs to add easy scoring to his game. Scores that Baynes and Splitter would get in the offense.
He can't anchor the defense like Duncan can. Warriors didn't shoot the 3 well, but they had a wide open lane.Quote:
Originally Posted by ElNono
Also it is very distressing that he can't dominate Green. Spurs aren't going to win if they can't beat GS small ball.
It is already mid season, very difficult to turn around. Even more difficult if he starts claiming he's got back spasms.Quote:
Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37
Spurs need some level of urgency, maybe trade the guy.
His career has been full of excuses when not being guarded by Terrence jones. My back hurts, lillard gets all the attention, my thumb has a boo boo, I don't like being second fiddle
:lolQuote:
Originally Posted by skut_farkus
The biggest weakness on their small ball was always going to be whoever is guarding Diaw.Quote:
Originally Posted by ceperez
ridicolous...
Who else was out there in FA, though?Quote:
Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37
The choice was to stand pat with an injury prone Tiago (who doesn't fit with this team in its 2015-16 form) or some rental big (David West doesn't come if LMA doesn't) or roll the dice with a player (LMA) who is a theoretically perfect fit for the Spurs. Yeah, the Spurs could've saved "cap space," but then what? Given this franchise's history of attracting free agents, it would've been a poor move, and Leonard's prime rots away on a "typical" Spurs roster of "savvy" vets, 2nd round draft picks, and Euro projects, while the other premier teams in the league have 2 to 4 star level players who can all create and score.
It was always "worth it."
Dude was just plain embarrassing tonight
Meh, people are short-sighted as fuck, bumping threads after dude has good games vs. shitty teams..it's the usual morons, too, I won't even name them(not talking about good posters like midnight, kawhistorm, spursistan, etc..it's mainly the posters that follow me around this forum, begging and hoping that they will find a bad take:lol)
It's not a short-term commitment to Aldridge..it's a long-term deal and the supposed "future after Duncan" that you're handing the franchise to..you also just signed Danny Green to a long-term deal, a player that had Draymond-Green level metrics, last season, and now looks like a scrub, since changing the system to implement Aldridge..
You don't have to believe that the reason for Green's struggles are related to the system, but I do, which was the point of this thread..it's justified if Aldridge plays up to his potential, but when he doesn't, you're now essentially locked in to 2 under-performing players on long-term deals(the players that were supposed to be 2 of the your 4 future, core pieces)..
A seven footer who's game is primarily long fade away jumpers at a 40% clip. Pop has his hands full.
LaMarcus laid an egg there. Let's hope he can improve. A lot of tough games coming up.
You're a fan of Spursistan, are you?Quote:
Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37
Spurs play vs. one of the 3 worst teams at defending PFs, tomorrow(Houston)..they also play vs. the Magic and Pelicans, next week..you can be certain that Aldridge will have big games vs. those teams, tbh:lol
TD21 already diagnosed the problem with this team: Lack of perimeter firepower, explosive 3 point shooting, and the inability to get to the line (which is a big weakness if you're not a team that can volume shoot 3 pointers at a good percentage).
As much as I love Kawhi, I think my fears are coming true that his peak scoring ability (while maintaining good efficiency) just might be around the 18ppg-20ppg mark. Sure, he could average 25+ on a shitty team where he can volume shoot, but for his efficiency to remain solid, he's a player who needs to pick his spots carefully and score within the offense. He's not Curry, Durant, Harden, Lebron, one of those players who can create spots for himself off the dribble. He's got a nice post game, and that's about it. I want him to become a dribble-drive beast, but I just don't think he has the ability (relatively low vertical, average, at best, ball handling, and seemingly low confidence). This is not a criticism. It's amazing that Kawhi has turned into the scoring threat he has despite those limitations, but it illustrates that he can't carry the perimeter scoring himself (like Curry did tonight, for example. We held the rest of their starters in check, but Curry broke out backs).
So Kawhi's perimeter running mates are:
Tony Parker. Has had a resurgence, but all of us sense the wheels are about to come off soon. It's just improbable that a 34 year old PG with that many miles can average 16-18 points on good shooting.
Danny Green: Lol. No one is holding this guy back. Not LMA, adjusting to the offense, etc. He's a d-league level talent that worked very hard to get where he is, but ultimately, he's a role player who will always be limited. Essentially Bruce Bowen, who would unfortunately be a liability (his offensive limitations wouldn't make up for his defensive contributions) in today's league.
Manu. Same thing as Parker. Too old and worn to be consistent.
And the rest are role players. Mills, Simmons, Anderson, Butler, etc. All the other elite teams in the league have at least 2 perimeter studs and star/fringe star big(s). The Spurs really are a team by committee. As much as that kind of overall depth can be an advantage, it can also be a detriment since there's so many moving parts.
LMA is a very, very small of the overall picture, and I will still argue that he's contributed more than he has taken, much more. Golden State is beating the shit out of everyone. Was up 40 at Cleveland and then went into Chicago and beat them by 30., so to decry his signing because the Spurs have the unfortunate luck of playing in a year that just might feature the best team pro basketball has ever seen is a bit knee-jerky.
And that said, there was really no other choice than to roll the dice. Standing pat and developing a bunch of 2nd round picks and Euro projects wasn't going to win anything.
He is very efficient in catch and shoot. Post game is awful, tho.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2centsworth
He's already reserving the limo to pick Terrence jones up I betQuote:
Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37
:lmaoQuote:
Originally Posted by skut_farkus
I can't buy that. There's reasons Green was unheralded and signed off the scrap heap. His work ethnic simply doesn't measure up to his innate talent. He was always streaky and offensively limited, well before LMA suited up. Spot up shooters have the easiest adjustment to make out of any offensive player. It should've taken 10-20 games max (in addition to the pre-season and training camp) to get used to shooting from his new spots (which aren't that dissimilar from any other time in his career, but I understand the adjustment to muscle memory and timing a shooter sometimes need to go through). The guy is simply not that good offensively.Quote:
Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37
Okay, so you don't sign LMA for the sake of Green. Then what? We have the same interior spacing issues as last year with Tiago (or Boban, who might've been this year's starting center if the Spurs whiffed on LMA [which doesn't bring over West] playing alongside Duncan. And even if you get West, the interior defense is now much more compromised. Not to mention, West is 35 years old.
Wait for a bigger fish in FA? Who? Whiteside? No spacing. DeRozan (:lol)? Horford is the only theoretically good fit, but there's not much of a difference between him and LMA, who is also the better rebounder.
Wait another year? Or another? Then before long, Kawhi is nearing 30 and probably playing, as I said before, with the typical Spurs rosters of vets, Euros, and 2nd round/undrafted projects.
There was no other choice. It's like betting up a pair of Aces in Hold 'em. It was always worth it from an odds perspective even if the hand didn't hold up against the field.
Have to co-sign what midnightpulp is saying. Regardless of what you think of LMA, what are the alternatives? You take the risk on Aldridge 10/10 times. Spurs aren't beating GS with Splitter/Belinelli/Baynes. There's no guarantee they land some other big name FA later on, and even if they do, there are risks with that too. Signing LMA was the right move, even if he ends up never being the player we'd hope he'd be.
That being said, it's still too early to "give up" on him, and I'm still fairly happy with how he's played. Just have to hope he continues to improve.
Agreed he was the best FA out there without LMA the spurs could possibly be third or fourth in the West and possibly worse. No way was Splitter going to remain healthy. Having LMA also allows the Spurs to rest and preserve Duncan for the playoffs which is a luxury the spurs don't get if they don't have LMA.Quote:
Originally Posted by SpursFan86
He'll only be worth it if we ring. We rang with Tiago so no reason why we shouldn't be able to ring with what most would consider a considerable upgrade at the position.
:rollinQuote:
Originally Posted by skut_farkus
If the Spurs get to the WCF it will be a bargain. I don't believe even with Tiago the Spurs beat this incarnation of the current Warriors. Warriors will be the favorites against the Spurs in the WCF. It will come down to Kawhi,LMA having big series along with a few other players. Spurs need a lot to go right to beat the Warriors.Quote:
Originally Posted by RD2191