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It will be MANU!
*wistfully*
Pop's starter at point is in the (falling) stars
By Mike Monroe
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich knows who is going to start at point guard when his club plays the New York Knicks tonight at the AT&T Center, but he intends to keep the Knicks guessing as long as possible.
I have decided who is starting, Popovich said Monday after practice at the team's complex near the Medical Center. The chances of my sharing that with you are less than if a meteor were to strike the Earth.
Speculation on who will take injured Tony Parker's spot in the starting lineup has centered on rookie George Hill, but Popovich does have options, including veteran Jacque Vaughn and new guard Roger Mason Jr.
Vaughn has started 13 games in two-plus seasons as a Spur, including nine last season.
Mason, who started at shooting guard in Friday's game against the Heat, started nine games at point guard for the Wizards last season when both Gilbert Arenas and Antonio Daniels were injured.
Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Vaughn's play will be vital over the month Parker is expected to miss with a sprained left ankle. Regardless of how much he plays, he also will serve as a mentor to Hill, who is just beginning his rookie season.
He's a consummate pro, as we all know, Popovich said. I've seen him operating over the years, and his mentoring of George will be paramount to whatever success he may have.
Clean look: Spurs All-Star forward Tim Duncan, who began the season with a full beard, has trimmed down to a goatee and admits the new look is intended to change the team's luck.
Duncan has not, however, suggested that Popovich get rid of the full beard he has sported since the summer.
Not yet, Duncan said of suggestions he force Popovich to get rid of his beard.
That will be the next step.
I thought it was my beard. That's why I shaved. Let's keep it there.
It will be MANU!
*wistfully*
Isn't Mason a combo guard? Didn't he have experience at the point in Washington? There might lie the TEMPORARY answer...might trust him more running the offense to start than Hill: more experience and more confidence with what he can/will do with the basketball.
I'd like to start Hill at point, Mason at the 2....and let them share responsibilities bringing the ball up on most possessions.
Although both players are instinctively offensive-minded, I feel Mason would be a better fit to run the offense, at least to start games....when Vaughn comes in he can move over to the 2. From what I've seen of Hill (with him still being extremely raw right now) whenever he gets any kind of step on his defender or penetration into the lane he primarily looks to shoot rather than find an open player. I think he feels more comfortable looking for his own shot right now (even though he is still searching for consistency with it) and I think with the state of things at the moment players must do what is within their range rather than overcompensate for the losses the team has suffered....unless their name is Tim Duncan. Just my humble opinion, but I think it's a good discussion and hopefully one that won't be a topic for too long.
Did you ever ask that masseuse for a favor?
Start Barry. oh, wait...
if hill cant even bring the ball....another fkn beno...just great.
I don't think it's time to throw Hill into the bust category yet. He's in the infantile stages of his career and was drafted to EVENTUALLY back up one of the better players in the league at his position on a championship calibur team....needless to say, he's got a lot on his plate moving forward.
I believe his main role at this point (until he shows he grasps the offense) is to be a busy/active defender that can improve the team's one-on-one perimeter "D". Offensively, he should not be asked to worry about the PG position right now given the nature of this current "beast"....if TP were healthy he might go through highs and lows with regards to the time he is asked to play point and I think that plan should be kept up for his longterm development. Offensively, he seems to be pretty good at driving to the paint and drawing contact; this could take pressure off of Tim and his cast of perimeter role players who aren't really adept at creating shots for themselves and also get the opposition into foul trouble.
Just more of my thoughts, but obviously the final decision lies with Pop....he is after all the coach with the rings.
Whats wrong with a black man starting?
Got something against Mason or Hill?
Just let JV handle the true PG duties, and let Hill get comfortable. I'd rather see Mason be a combo and see little to none of JV if possible. That would mean more Fin, though.
At this point it wouldn't hurt to throw the rookie in the mix for some experience.
Roger is good. Real good. But roger isnt a point. Pay attention to how he dribbles the ball. He isnt a good ball handler. He has to look at the ball alot and when he looks down for a half a second its because hes lost track of the ball. Point guards should never have to look at their hands. Roger should stick with what he is doing. Shoot the ball. Then again he is getting paid so if we start losing bigs, put him in at the Center Spot?
Both Roger and his dribble looked fine to me tonight running the show. He seems to be more decisive to me than either Hill or Vaughn with what he is looking to do with the basketball and is a decent facilitator on offense. Just my 2 cents, but regardless the win was what was most important. Nice to see the team building on the lead against a younger/more athletic team with Tim on the bench. The defensive hustle looked to be returning to form....that Hill is an athletic specimen if I do say so myself. He will be scary when he learns how to take advantage of his opportunities within the system.
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