Spurs' Hill proves tough mentally, physically
By Jeff McDonald
Spurs rookie George Hill still wears a brace on his left thumb, courtesy of a preseason meeting with Antonio McDyess. He's got a gash on his elbow, courtesy of Kyle Lowry's face. Against Chicago on Wednesday night, he took a stinging shot to the shoulder from Andres Nocioni.
At times this season, Hill has walked into the postgame locker room feeling like a linebacker on Monday morning. So far, however, he's been as consistently durable as a Timex watch — he takes a licking, but keeps on ticking.
Hill, meanwhile, would prefer to ape his iden y from another well-worn advertising slogan.
“I think it comes from me watching Ford commercials,” Hill said. “I need to be built Ford tough.”
Upon overhearing this remark, Hill's teammate, Roger Mason Jr., cackled, “Give that man an endorsement!”
To this point in the season, Hill has earned the only endorsement that really matters to him — that of coach Gregg Popovich.
His minutes expanded with point guard Tony Parker out, and Hill is averaging 11.7 points per game. He has topped 19 points in four straight contests.
More than that, the 22-year-old Hill — slightly built at 6-foot-2 and 180-pounds — has displayed a ruggedness that has impressed teammates and coaches alike.
After Nocioni took him down by the shoulder Wednesday, earning a flagrant foul in the process, Hill drove right at him the next trip down. He drew another foul on Nocioni, mostly to prove he wasn't intimidated.
“That stuff won't bother him,” Popovich said. “He's a mentally tough young man.”
Dancing with George: Hill has played only two games alongside Manu Ginobili, but already he's marveling at the Argentine's fancy footwork.
“I asked him, ‘Do you play soccer? Did you learn your steps from a DVD or something?'” Hill said. “He said, no, it was natural.
“Maybe I have to take ballroom dancing or something, so I can get steps like him.”
Young and restless: The Spurs face a 4-11 Memphis Grizzlies team tonight whose starting lineup rivals the NCAA's Memphis Tigers in terms of youthfulness.
The average age of the Grizzlies' starting five is 21.4. The oldest member is rookie Marc Gasol, age 23. Memphis is led by 21-year-old guard O.J. Mayo, the third overall pick in the June draft. He paces all NBA rookies in scoring at 20.7 points per game.
Mayo had 26 points in the Spurs' 94-81 victory at Memphis on Monday.
“It's not a matter of talent, which obviously exists (in Memphis),” Popovich said. “It's a matter of experience and learning to play together and learning a system. That doesn't happen automatically.”
“That stuff won't bother him,” Popovich said. “He's a mentally tough young man.”
That right there is why hes already twice the player than Beno Udrih.
You know that was a shot at Beno from Pop
8-6 es, nothing to be proud of
Yeh with 2 of our 3 best players out most of month including one who had 51 earlier in the year.
An 8-6 Spurs team is right where they need to be to waste the Sun's *&^ s again down the road!
whats the point of the ignore list if i can still read spork killer's posts when quoted.
Do you guys think tony and hill can play effectively together ? Roger mason seems to have a better shooting rythm when he plays the point, and it would let hill be more aggressive..
Seems short, but if hill can hold his own on defense, then , on offense, i don't really see any backcourt defending us very well
Roger mason and manu ginobili as a second unit seems more complementary and destructive than gino and hill also..
Last edited by silk; 11-28-2008 at 05:27 PM.
Now, Pop knows hill is mentally tough. Do you think Hill will have the same treatment than rookie tony (Pop always yelling at him when he makes a mistake) ?“That stuff won't bother him,” Popovich said. “He's a mentally tough young man.”
I had the impression pop was soft with him because he didn't want another beno.
There can only be one Beno.
Good thought, it's true pop ackowledged he mishandled beno... that plus tony telling repe ively pop is softer than before..
But nothing wrong for hill, not unlike manu, he does seem to have a fire in him, already tough and like a sponge , looking to improve constantly
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