FGA since the all-star break:
1. Parker 14.9
2. Ginobili 13.1
3. Duncan 10.2
4. Neal 9.8
5. Hill 9.2
6. Blair 6.3
7a. Bonner 6.0
7b. Jefferson 6.0
I do recall some of the rational in the summer for re-signing RJ was that he was the "4th Option", even though he had lost that to Hill in the playoffs.
But as far as the system goes, Jefferson isn't even an option for the vast majority of possessions other than as a three point shooter, which he's done well post ASG, shooting 45.3%. His overall fg% is worse, at 43.4%.
He's been pulling 8.2 pts and 3.1 rebounds in 28.8 minutes post ASG. When the 4 other starters were out, RJ was nowhere to be found, whether the blame goes to Pop for not making him the go to guy or on RJ for not coming through.
For the season his usage rate for rotation players (meaning no Tiago) is seventh. My guess is that his usage for post-ASG would be significantly smaller.
And anyone watching the games can tell there are more plays run for someone like Gary Neal. And other players like Manu, Hill, and Parker can call their own number. And, like several of the games in the playoffs last year, lately (vs. Houston for example), he isn't even closing out games. Pop goes with Hill or Neal to go with Parker and Ginobili.
If RJ is only an afterthought as a scoring option, what value does he have to the Spurs in the playoffs?
Would it be as a defender? To my eyes he's no better than average if not below, and he did fail out of the 'defensive stopper' role last season.
If he's not scoring, or even being looked to for scoring, and isn't locking people down . . . will he be a negative for the Spurs?
Will he be an anchor that the big 3 and shooting roleplayers like Neal and Hill have to carry?
I'm sick of these RJ pissing threads. A guy doesn't get any balls at all and he is clearly on the leash by Pop. You saw at start of the season what can he do.
You think skill just disappears like that? That's a guy who's been playing 10 years in NBA and been to finals twice just gets a psychical meltdown during regular season? Guess again..
Jefferson isn't a natural good fit with this team. To have him as a significant part of the team, his teammates need to make an effort to include him in the offense. Early in the season, it was done but the team went away of it. It's not only on his teammates or on the coaching staff but it is also on RJ for being too passive.
Bottom line, Spurs gave a $39M/4 years contract to a player who doesn't fit well with the team and who isn't that great.
Agreed
Get Bonner out the rotation already, splitter or Anderson are a better option at this point. If Bonner can't hit a open 3 ball then get him out end of story.
This.
But I also agree with the last statement about having overpaid him.
Bruno...the goods...per usual.
yeah nothing like giving 39 mil to a player to just pass the ball and get beat on defense
i've said it over and over and over again: Popovich does not run any plays for RJ. RJ is not a guy that is going to get many point within the flow of the offense. a few threes but that's it. Popovich said when we got RJ that it was the first time since Sean Eliot that the team would be able to throw the ball into the post to an SF. hasn't happened. he actually does have an effective mid-post game where he faces up and drives to the hole. he's adept at draing fouls that way. Pop hasn't integrated him. i can't even count on one hand the number of times he's had a play called for him the last five games. if this is the plan Pop had all along for RJ--waste his driving ability talents and ability to draw fouls--then Pop giving THAT contract is one more piece evidence that Pop has lost his mind.
Even after a summer of hard work and improvement, RJ is still a fish out of water, on this team. It makes one wonder why they even bothered to bring him back. Since Pop obviously has no plans to utilize him, they should get him, and that mammoth contract of his, outta here. Go get a player that better fits whatever system it is that Pop is trying to run.
jefferson could easily fit with this team, but pop's playbook sucks ass. all he wants to do is have guards penetrate, shoot threes and go to duncan in the post. that worked back in the day when we had bowen and young duncan to save our ass on defense, but not anymore.
that alley-oop play we saw all year was brilliant. exactly the thing jefferson needed to get going.. but it's like that was the only play pop drew up for jefferson. what the ? come up with some other alley-oop or backdoor cut plays, etc.. it's not that hard. pop makes it too easy to guard us considering we have a lot of firepower on our team. the only thing the other teams have to do is clog the paint and force us to shoot jumpers. if we're hot, we have a good chance of winning.. but if we're not, we're ed. honestly, i don't think we're gonna do that well, especially since we're relying on matt "mvp" bonner to play half of the game for us.
gg pop... good motherf'ing game..
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