Mitch "Silky" Johnson - Appreciation Thread

[CGD]

Woah… did Mitch just demote Zach in favor of Mamu??

[ambchang]

You can go support another team, then.
I'm sick of people who still want to tank for picks when we have a top10 player in the league and it looks like we nailed our last pick.
Yeah, it would be better to have another top5 pick, but you know what's even better? Experience of playing important games and actually getting that winning culture back.
For decades we laughed at those awful franchises that can't make it work no matter what and now some of you still want to tank even though we have the second longest lottery streak in the league.

Gee man, relax. As you said, it’s better to have another top 5 pick. of course it’s not an infinite loop of doing it year over year, but if the spurs can get one more this year, and then hit that pick out of the park, the team would be set for the next 10 years.

For any other draft, I’d say go win some games, but this year isn’t any other draft, there are supposed blue chippers as deep as late lottery, and genuine franchise carrying potential for the first three or four picks.

Unlike many STers, I’m actually quite confident of the FOs drafting. Wemby was a no brainer, castle seems to be a home run , I think sochan is an underrated pick and I am confident if we do a redraft in 5 years, he’d be a top 5 pick. Vassell was a decent pick, like I said in another thread I’m souring on him because he doesn’t seem like a fit with his play style but he has t been playing much this year so he may have changed from last year. I have no problems with Blake and still think he has good potential with a few minor fixes, Branham I’m not that confident but a 20th pick should be a swing. Primo was bad. I won’t even go into the second rounders as they are supposed to be swings for bad teams, and immediate contributors with low ceilings for established teams.

Experiences would come.

[Mugen]

My beautiful Mitch tonight:

-Benched Zollins in the 2nd half
-Benched Keldon in the 4th qtr

A real coach. A real f'n coach, finally.

[ginobilized]

Mitch made some great calls and they panned out tonight.
His rotations make sense to me most of the time which is a welcome change.

[DAF86]

Mitch made some great calls and they panned out tonight.
His rotations make sense to me most of the time which is a welcome change.

I don't like that Jones, Wesley, Keldon, Champ, Collins lineup he uses to finish 1st quarters, tbh.

[CGD]

I don't like that Jones, Wesley, Keldon, Champ, Collins lineup he uses to finish 1st quarters, tbh.

Apparently he didn’t either, which is why we saw more Mamu and Bassey later in the game.

[lefty20]

LJ better slap that A+ on Mitch's game grade without a second thought.

[NASpurs]

I guess I see what he's doing with those horrible first quarter bench lineups. It's to see if one (or some) of those guys gets going so he can lengthen the rotation and give the starting group rest. Whether or not the pecking order is scoffed is another question.

[Mr. Body]

I don't like these first half holes, but the team is cranking it up on defense and getting the offense going in the second. That's new.

[SpursGenius]

Woah… did Mitch just demote Zach in favor of Mamu??

would the senile pop ever do this ? No

I hope Pop doesnt comeback and ruin this team. Just go retire and go enjoy his wine.

[cutewizard]

[Robz4000]

He pissed me off with the Tre/Castle/CP0 lineup but otherwise I liked what I saw tonight

Overall he's obviously been a breath of fresh air tbh.

[cutewizard]

Hope the Spurs management just appreciate the Miami Heat formula

Pop is the President, and Mitch is the Coach

agree with an earlier post that they should scout for a European assistant coach, to be backup to Mitch

[tbdog]

Getting these wins while being 2, sometimes 3 (Wemby) starters down is impressive.

[Manu-of-steel]

Mitch is my man! He is open to learning, and able to adjust on the fly. Communicates well with players, and has the balls to bench players not performing well.

[Mal]

The results are there

[cutewizard]

[CGD]

Things to like:

- Not afraid to go past Vic's minutes restrictions
- Tightening of the rotations + tough love for some players who need it (Zach)
- Using Wembs more as a hub on offense

[CGD]

Big ball Mitch with this quote after the Sacto game. I appreciate the call out here:

“I thought he had some very poor moments in the first three quarters in terms of fundamentals and solid basketball,” acting head coach Mitch Johnson said. “And it’s a testament to him, and his ability to lock in (that he figured it out). I thought in the fourth quarter, (that) he was a man. And I thought he dominated. He’s so good, but the dominating (of) the fundamentals for him — the catches, the passes, the solid stuff — (is key). It’s still spectacular, but when he does that, he’s a load.”

[CGD]

And after the Suns game he had a thoughtful response about Vic, where he basically said we always want him in the paint, you see the results like in the 3rd, and effectively (or the inference being) that it’s a choice by THE PLAYER when he goes to the paint or not. Didn’t attack or accuse, but a subtle little message there.

Gotta say, I’m pretty impressed by how he’s handled himself so far.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

And after the Suns game he had a thoughtful response about Vic, where he basically said we always want him in the paint, you see the results like in the 3rd, and effectively (or the inference being) that it’s a choice by THE PLAYER when he goes to the paint or not. Didn’t attack or accuse, but a subtle little message there.

Gotta say, I’m pretty impressed by how he’s handled himself so far.

I like him too. The team was pretty lethargic last night, and I don’t know how much of that is on him. I’d say that’s my primary beef with last night. But as an overall assessment of his job so far, I agree with you.

[Mugen]

People need to remember that this is really Mitch's first year coaching. He deserves a little leeway.

The old man was literally the longest tenured coach in sports and somehow got endless rope even when he was making absolutely horrible coaching decisions for the last decade.

My biggest gripe with Mitch has still been the infrequent use of Mamu. But all things considered, he's been pretty great tbh.

[ginobilized]

Mitch is doing a great job given the situation. He's a completely different type of personality than Pop. Mitch is subtle and doesn't attack his interviewers. He's very smart and isn't a rager as a coach.
He seems well-informed by modern basketball and emotional IQ principles.

The fact that he grew up in the NBA is a huge bonus. His dad played for the NBA champion Seattle Supersonics back in the day. The NBA was the family business. I'd love to see an assistant who has played in the league, though.

[Raven]

very much the number 1 guy to blame for the loss against phoenix. No malaki, no mamu, no blake, when nobody can hit a triple to save their life.

[John B]

very much the number 1 guy to blame for the loss against phoenix. No malaki, no mamu, no blake, when nobody can hit a triple to save their life.

Mitch seemed wanted to establish his rotation players, Sochan/Vassell to integrate back. I don’t know if less trusting his 12th guy. Because Pop won’t hesitate to pull all the starters until their minds back in the game, to shake things up, not a popular thing with Pop-bashers though.