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nice to see the return of the game thoughts..
Tim Duncan
33.5 minutes, 19.0 points, 14.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 blocks, 3.5 turnovers
44.3% from the field, 73.3% at the line
Grade: B-The big news right now is Tim Duncan’s right quad tendenosis that forced him to miss the game against the Mavericks and has him listed as day-to-day. In the four games prior to the injury, Duncan was playing relatively well. His rebounding was a bright spot, as was his passing on the offensive end. Scoring-wise, Duncan had some impressive moves against the Knicks but had otherwise been below average. Overall, Duncan appeared to me to be laboring a bit in his movements over the last few weeks. His normal fluidity has been lacking and it has taken him longer to warm up and get into a groove. Hopefully he can recover from the quadriceps injury and get as close to 100% as possible heading into the playoffs.
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Manu Ginobili
34 minutes, 32 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals
12-for-23 from the field, 4-for-7 on three-pointers, 4-for-5 at the line
Grade: AIn the one game Ginobili played out of the last five contests, he was extremely impressive. Although the Spurs ended up losing to the Raptors, Ginobili did all he could to carry the team to victory. Since that outing, Ginobili's injury status has been the top story. It turns out Ginobili is suffering from a stress reaction above his right ankle and will be sidelined until the first or second week of March. According to this post on the forum, the initial findings had Ginobili and the Spurs worried that he could miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture. Ginobili's brother reportedly confirmed that the initial prognosis was less than thrilling. Considering the alternative, the fact that the Argentine superstar will return sooner rather than later is good news. Like Duncan, hopefully Ginobili can peak heading into the postseason.
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Tony Parker
34.8 minutes, 20.2 points, 7.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 turnovers
39.4% from the field, 85.2% at the line
Grade: C-Tony Parker had a rough stretch of games. In the two losses against the Raptors and Knicks, Parker was horrible. Offensively he was a combined 14-of-40 and defensively he might have been even worse. Although he wasn't great, he was definitely better in the victory over the Pistons - scoring 19 points and dishing off 11 assists. His best game of this stretch came against the Mavs. He started off on fire and although he cooled off considerably, his relentless attacking on offense was the top reason why the Spurs won the game. On the night, he finished with 37 points, 12 assists and five rebounds against Dallas. Parker needs to relocate his consistency, especially his outside shot and his defense, and help the Spurs stay afloat.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
34.8 minutes, 13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists
42.2% from the field, 32.1% on three-pointers, 6-for-7 at the line
Grade: BRoger Mason, Jr. had a very good game in his return to Washington D.C. against the Wizards. In 30 minutes, he pumped in 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting from the field. However, he's been wildly inconsistent from quarter to quarter and from game to game. With Ginobili out, Mason needs to find a way to put points on the board. If his outside shot isn't falling, driving to the basket off of pick-and-rolls or running on the break could open up his game. It's acceptable to be streaky when the Big Three is healthy but at this point, the D.C. native needs to score between 15 and 18 points a night for the Spurs to remain compe ive.
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Michael Finley
30.2 minutes, 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds
48.8% from the field, 50.0% on three-pointers
Grade: B-With Michael Finley, Spurs fans have learned to expect the unexpected. Some nights he's horrible and some nights he looks as if he turned back the clock. Against the Raptors and Knicks, Finley was very bad. He was a combined 5-for-16 from the field and didn't make up for it at the defensive end, to say the least. Then Finley bounced back with vintage performances against the Wizards and Mavs. Against the Wizards, he combined with Mason to blow the game wide open via long range sniping. Against Dallas, Finley had a one-man shooting display in the second half that turned a compe ive game into a laugher. With Finley, consistency isn't really an option at this point. Instead, Spurs fans just have to hope that he's hot at the right time. With Duncan and Ginobili sidelined, now would be a opportune time for Finley to start warming up.
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Matt Bonner
30.0 minutes, 7.8 points, 6.0 rebounds
36.8% from the field, 41.7% on three-pointers
Grade: B-In his return to Toronto, Bonner produced a goose egg in the scoring column that aided in dooming the Spurs. He played better against the Knicks but his defense and physicality, or lack thereof, still left a lot to be desired. Bonner's best game in the last five was his outing against the Pistons. He scored 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the three-point arc and also chipped in with seven rebounds in 37 minutes. Without his shooting, the Spurs simply do not win that game. The decimated state of the Spurs right now requires that Bonner becomes one of the go-to players. Hopefully he's up for the challenge.
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Kurt Thomas
20.4 minutes, 6.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 blocks
65.4% from the field
Grade: AKurt Thomas has easily been the most consistent player on the Spurs in the last five games. In each contest he has given the Spurs at least five rebounds to go along with very good play on the defensive end. Offensively, Thomas appears to be extremely comfortable in the offense and is shooting the ball at a great clip. His early season struggles appear to be long gone and Thomas is looking more and more like a player who can make a difference come playoff time. Against the Mavs, Thomas started in place of Duncan and finished with 10 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. On the defense end against Dallas, Thomas was spectacular in virtually every facet - from defending the rim to moving his feet on the perimeter to playing the pick-and-roll.
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Bruce Bowen
20.2 minutes, 3.4 points, 2.4 rebounds
38.5% from the field, 50% on three-pointers, 4-for-4 at the line
Grade: B-Bruce Bowen had a quiet stretch of games. The most noise he made was against the Pistons. In 27 minutes that game, Bowen played pestering defense and also came up clutch at the end with two free throws. It will be interesting to see how Pop handles Bowen's minutes in upcoming games. Although the team can use his defense, his lack of offensive production could keep him on the bench as Pop looks to go with offensive units to lessen the burden on Parker to create every time up the court.
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Fabricio Oberto
12.0 minutes, 3.0 points, 2.2 rebounds
7-for-9 from the field
Grade: B+Though he hardly played against the Raptors and Knicks, Oberto has shown signs of life lately. In the team's three-game winning streak, Oberto has given San Antonio quite a few quality minutes. Defensively and on the glass, he is as active as he's been all season. On offense, Oberto is being more aggressive, both in terms of looking for his own shot and looking to set up his teammates. For as long as Duncan is out, Oberto is going to play a very important role. To create inside-outside opportunities, the Spurs will have to go to Oberto down low.
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George Hill
17.8 minutes, 4.2 points, 2.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds
38.9% from the field, 7-for-7 at the line
Grade: C+George Hill had another typical uneven rookie set of games. His play against the Raptors and Knicks was disappointing, especially on the defensive end of the court. Lately, Hill's defense has either been impressive or a disaster. Against the Pistons, Hill rebounded with a very good show. He finished the game with four points and a season-high three blocked shots in 19 minutes of action. With Ginobili out, the Spurs need Hill to use his tenacity and energy to help create what Ginobili brings to the table on a nightly basis.
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Ime Udoka
8.0 minutes, 4.0 points, 1.3 rebounds
5-for-9 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
Grade: BIn garbage time versus the Wizards, Ime Udoka finally seemed comfortable on the court. He was aggressive with both his shot and his defense. His play in that game earned him minutes against the Mavs, however he was far less impressive. The most prominent problem for Udoka is it seems like he has lost a step on the defensive end, which then forces him to play closer to the basket. The result is a supposed defensive specialist who isn't a good defender.
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Malik Hairston
6.8 minutes, 1.8 rebounds
0-for-5 from the field
Grade: BPop has carved out playing time for Hairston in four of the last five games. Although Hairston didn't score in that stretch, he continues to show interesting tools. Athletically, his trimmed down physique has allowed him to really be able to move and jump. He's also strong enough to bang down low and absorb contact. Hairston's main issue right now is his lack of range on his jumper. He seems to be comfortable out to about 20 or 21 feet but to be successful in the Spurs system, Hairston needs to extend his range another foot or two.
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Gregg Popovich
Grade: B-The Spurs seemed to suffer some All-Star break blues, losing the game before and the game after the break. Though Pop wasn't totally responsible, having an unfocused team is usually blamed on the coach. Considering the cir stances, the last three wins over the Pistons, Wizards and Mavs have been impressive. The defense has stiffened up, as the Spurs are allowing just 74 points per game during that stretch. Pop's gameplan to send double-teams at Dirk Nowitzki from different angles really helped corral the Mavs, especially since Dallas wasn't hitting 95% of their open shots like they normally do against the Spurs. Overall, Pop has done a good job of late getting the team to play Spurs Basketball no matter which players are healthy and active.
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Last edited by timvp; 02-26-2009 at 03:15 AM.
nice to see the return of the game thoughts..
Wheres kurt
Sweet.
Nice to have this 5 games thoughts !!! I found the C- for TP very harsh considering the combined performance over the pistons and the mavs.
kurt thomas!!
If Fab got a B+ I'd say KT deserves at least that, maybe an A-.
kurt gets an A for sure. he was great defensively, grabbed many boards, and blocked shots. he's the presence needed in the playoffs.
Thank you.
No one does game recaps like you. We appreciate them.
Now that's what I'm talking about! Great job timvp.
Please excuse me while I go tear Kurt Thomas a new asshole.
He gave timvp "the look"
Why, he's rocked lately. I think you're Bizzaro Pop in disguise.
Mason has had one nice game, but has struggled with his shot big time, tonight included and against the Mavs he was 3 of 10. Need more consistency Roger. C
While watching the game I realized I had forgot KT. I'll add him in.
Right behind you
Crazy eyes plays like a beast when TD can't play(lately, when Tim fouled out, one of those games went to OT, which was when Tim picked up his 6th), he deserves no less than an A-, imo.
Added in Thomas.
I guess TP told you to shove that C-.
Will you go back to the grades or continue the thoughts?
missed you man
I'd rather have the game thoughts, but Kori explained the absence and I'll take the grades and thoughts for the last five. Thanks
It's the Kurt Train, baby!!!(1000 nerd points to anyone who gets the reference) Hey timvp, with the way KT and Fab have played(also, Bonner is getting better on D every game), do you think they would be serviceable on defense in a worst case scenario where the Lakers had Bynum and Gasol at 95%? I think with the way Matt and Fab played D on Dirk they could run Gasol back into his s , and with the way KT has been playing, I think he might actually be able to mess with Bynum, even if he is 3" shorter. I hope I'm not overreacting.Kurt Thomas
20.4 minutes, 6.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 blocks
65.4% from the field
Grade: AKurt Thomas has easily been the most consistent player on the Spurs in the last five games. In each contest he has given the Spurs at least five rebounds to go along with very good play on the defensive end. Offensively, Thomas appears to be extremely comfortable in the offense and is shooting the ball at a great clip. His early season struggles appear to be long gone and Thomas is looking more and more like a player who can make a difference come playoff time. Against the Mavs, Thomas started in place of Duncan and finished with 10 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. On the defense end against Dallas, Thomas was spectacular in virtually every facet - from defending the rim to moving his feet on the perimeter to playing the pick-and-roll.
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well I highly doubt Bynum is going to be at 95%, I say it'll be impossible..it took him over 3 months into the season to finally get confident with his knee, which is always an issue, especially with young players..look at Oden too..
the way we're going to beat Bynum is to get in his head..Kurt and Oberto need to use their high basketball IQ, get in good position, and get some good flops in..get him off his game mentally..
You misfired this time. Badly.
By the way---During Impact Player Interview following the game last nite, Tony was asked about his poor play during the Rapters and Knicks games. He mentioned that his play had been hampered by an injured shoulder. I wish the Spurs foundation would share more info with us. But if Tony had said anything about his shoulder previously, many so called fans and others would have jumped on the chance to challenge his manhood, question his motives, and denounce him.
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