Little worried about Mason...

[xtremesteven33]

I think Pop will close games with this lineup:

TP/MG/RMJ/BB/TD

In most cases yea...Not if there are two bigs on the opposing side though.

[Whisky Dog]

With Pop definitely not wanting to play Manu 40 a night during the regular season, Mason should actually be the guy who helps save Manu's minutes for the playoffs. Mason will probably start with TP and TD with Finley or Bowen at the 3, and that leaves Manu and Hill to work a two man game against the opponents second unit. As the game goes on Pop then has the luxury of matching Manu, TP, Mason, and Hill as he sees fit depending on the matchup. I think this has the potential to be a very explosive overall backcourt. If Spurs defense keeps up and even improves over the season then they will be a very strong team.

[manubili]

This is just a lot of smoke out of nothing.

It's hard to see this kind of problems under Pop's reign.

[FromWayDowntown]

Church of Manu zealots have found a new villian while Parker looms, I guess.

I agree that Mason meant only that there is still another playmaker in the mix and the abundance of playmakers (to go all Stephen A.) on the roster makes the game easier for everyone. Add in Parker and you've got 4 guards who can play in virtually any combination and still fill the playmaker/shooter roles.

[SpursFanFirst]

Can we just wait until this becomes a trend with Mason before we position ourselves on the bridge?
This was Manu's first game back. Give Mason time to adjust.

[magui86770]

what kind of drama queen are you?

Maybe Mason doesn't consider himself a 4th option. The first few games may prove to himself that he can be main or 2nd option.

Can he check his ego at the door? I think he can now , but after a few years and hopefully championships, will he?

Also, someone can throw an insane amount of money at him.

I am more than happy to proven wrong and be just a "drama queen."

[DDS4]

Mason is SJax without the recklessness and at ude.

[stxspurs]

it will soon be the big 4........i dont think mason is worried about manu coming back.
parker/mason then have hill/manu of the bench will be sick.....and when mason goes point mason/manu.....we should not have a problem with not having a extra scorer on the floor like last season
i am more excited about this season....than last for sure...its awesome to see mahinmi,mason and hill get better....well whenever ian get back

[Magic_Johnson]

Maybe Mason doesn't consider himself a 4th option. The first few games may prove to himself that he can be main or 2nd option.

Can he check his ego at the door? I think he can now , but after a few years and hopefully championships, will he?

Also, someone can throw an insane amount of money at him.

I am more than happy to proven wrong and be just a "drama queen."

Pop has always said spurs = big3+role player.
I'm sure Mason knows about this.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Pop has always said spurs = big3+role player.
I'm sure Mason knows about this.

Exactly. Mason fearlessness in crunch time makes me think his biggest games are yet to come in an Horry like capacity, as the guy who will kill teams when they are forced to throw everything but the kitchen sink at the Big 3.

[Manufan909]

it will soon be the big 4........i dont think mason is worried about manu coming back.
parker/mason then have hill/manu of the bench will be sick.....and when mason goes point mason/manu.....we should not have a problem with not having a extra scorer on the floor like last season
i am more excited about this season....than last for sure...its awesome to see mahinmi,mason and hill get better....well whenever ian get back

That's the part I'm worried about. At the PG there are 48 minutes. TP will get at least 30, and that leaves Hill with 18(if Pop uses him as a combo guard I can see him getting 3-5 mor minutes), I don't want Money nosing in on Hill's minutes unless they're just trading positions when they're on the court together, and Hill can still defend the other team's 1 and vice versa.

Maybe Mason can just move into SF a bit, cuz even though he is good with the ball, when TP is back that is too much point guard goodness, and I see the one Spur who needs as much time as possible(Hill cuz he is still green) getting stunted. I truly hope Mason is also great at wide open 3's, which Manu will get him constantly.

I must admit, this is a WAY more enticing dilemma than the one with the bigs.
Here's to the drive for five!!!

[kace]

some manu's groupies are yet worried that someone else than TP makes some shadow to manu ????

not a big deal here.

mason and hill are really a great thing for the spurs. if they keep it up, they will be what all spurs fan said we were missing last years. scorers outside the big three.

but when things will be harder, in the PO, in the big stage, they'll naturally stay where their level allow them to be: as role players.

and TP and manu will be with the ball in their hands, with Tim, when it counts the most.

only good things here for the spurs.

[Interrohater]

Why did I even click on this thread? Anyway, Mason was misquoted, he never said that Manu was "just another guy", he said that Manu was "another guy". For some reason Harvey misquoted him and added the word "just" which makes the comment seem so much more worrisome. Watch the interview, it was the same old rhetoric that all NBA players say when confronted with the same situation. It means nothing.

[ducks]

Honestly, I remember that play Harvey is talking about and it wasn't a big deal. Yes, Manu was open; yes, Mason forced the shot instead of passing. We see things like that all the time, it doesn't mean .

I hate when people jump at the chance to create controversy where there is none.

harvery is stupid
manu just got out HORSED by a rookie in practice
mason was shooting good

manu and all spurs force things from time to time
they are human

[ducks]

Why did I even click on this thread? Anyway, Mason was misquoted, he never said that Manu was "just another guy", he said that Manu was "another guy". For some reason Harvey misquoted him and added the word "just" which makes the comment seem so much more worrisome. Watch the interview, it was the same old rhetoric that all NBA players say when confronted with the same situation. It means nothing.

manu is just another guy like duncan
superstars are human beings just like you

[exstatic]

Mason is SJax without the recklessness and at ude.

Actually, he has on the court at ude. When we were playing the Clips, Cat Mobley started mouthing off after a couple of shots went down. Cobra went down to the other end and gave him a couple of jumpers right in his face. Cat pretty much shut up after that.

[lefty]

Harvey is truly a re

[ChumpDumper]

What was the over/under for minutes into Manu's season when the first "Mason doesn't pass to Manu!" comment appears?

[stxspurs]

im sure hill will take most of the point backup than mason...JV will be on garbage time duty.
we will back in the mix in no time!

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

It wouldn't be Spurstalk without some poster creating drama over an imagined slight to their favorite player.

Lol, I didn't know if Spurs fans argued this much since you guys all know by now Popovich and RC know best, but I guess I was wrong. That's a lot better than Suns arguments, every year we've got a random scrub the masses love for no reason and the people that watch basketball other than the Suns games know how bad the play is. This year, that player is Matt Barnes.

[Anti.Hero]

I hate the rushed shot Mason always takes on the run where he is still drifting in air from the momentum, feet spread way apart.... But he makes them

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Church of Manu zealots have found a new villian while Parker looms, I guess.

I agree that Mason meant only that there is still another playmaker in the mix and the abundance of playmakers (to go all Stephen A.) on the roster makes the game easier for everyone. Add in Parker and you've got 4 guards who can play in virtually any combination and still fill the playmaker/shooter roles.

or it could be that just one dude created a stupid thread and everyone is blowing out of proportion... could be

[MaNuMaNiAc]

some manu's groupies are yet worried that someone else than TP makes some shadow to manu ????

not a big deal here.

mason and hill are really a great thing for the spurs. if they keep it up, they will be what all spurs fan said we were missing last years. scorers outside the big three.

but when things will be harder, in the PO, in the big stage, they'll naturally stay where their level allow them to be: as role players.

and TP and manu will be with the ball in their hands, with Tim, when it counts the most.

only good things here for the spurs.

do you even read the thread?? its one dude, not some, ONE.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

harvery is stupid
manu just got out HORSED by a rookie in practice
mason was shooting good

What does a practice HORSE game have anything to do with this?? Are you losing your ability to reason as well ducks?

manu and all spurs force things from time to time
they are human

Was this not what I was saying?

[HarlemHeat37]

completely meaningless..

happens all the time..Manu has took plenty of bad shots where he could have made better plays in the past, but it's meaningless, because we all know he can make it..this is even less than that..it was their first game together..Mason doesn't know Manu's style yet..he doesn't know Ginobili's tendencies, his hotter spots..give them time together..

Roger has given NO indication that he has any kind of ego..he seems grateful that he has finally received an opportunity to get serious minutes in the NBA..he IS a role player and he obviously knows it..he's a high-end role player..