Initial Reaction: Spurs @ Pacers - Apr. 3

[de Soto]

Parker still carries the Spurs. Without him they are currently nothing.

[Bigzax]

Spurs need someone to carry the defense.

Timvp said it. This is not Spurs basketball.

This is .500 ball vs the league and a likely 2nd round exit in the West.

Is Gooden the only current big man that has any hops worth a damn to block a shot?

[LEONARD]

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[benefactor]

Overall, this isn't a victory to be too thrilled about if you are a Spurs fan. The defense was poor, especially in the second and fourth quarters, and the Spurs needed a heroic five-point flurry from Parker late in the fourth to get on top for good.

I pretty much felt the same way. We got away with a win but we looked nowhere close to what we should be for the playoffs. We needed 18 from Finley and 17 from Gooden and still barely got it done.

The issue is still the same. If Bowen doesn't start getting minutes to help out with our perimeter D then we might not even see the WCF.

[Manufan909]

First of all, I liked that he was able to rest Duncan. I thought that he used Gooden wisely.
Believe.

Hey timvp, why do you think Gooden was played the least out of all the bigs, when he was the hottest offensively? Was he getting in the way on both sides again?

And did Hill play any PG?

[Manufan909]

I watched the game.
My impressions.

1) Duncan. Physically better than 2 weeks ago, but just anybody could score OVER him. He still got the winning basket. There were stretches without Duncan in which the Spurs played some good basketball.

2) Parker. The guy is just unstoppable. he's evolved in an MVP candidate. Spurs are tuning into Parker's team. That will probably require some philosophical adjustments.

3) Manu. Terrible on defense, slow/non existent lateral movements, burnt in a backdoor in the first half! When did you see that happen? Pretty good on offense, except that he still lacks confidence and speed in penetration. However he is so freaking intelligent and winner that he always contributes.

4) Finley. Let's make things clear: if this veteran has to play more than panick-button or garbage time roles from the bench, the team is doomed. His defense was worst than terrible. Anybody could penetrate. And this is being said on a great offensive night.

5) Bonner. Copy-paste from Finley. having a big who can't rebound, sets soft picks and has a lateral mobility of an obelisk, is like having a shooter that can't score or a PG who can't dribble. I don't care how many points he scores.

6) Gooden. Played a great game, perfect on offense and actually quite decent on defense. This guy is a great acquisition and he is not nearly as dumb as somebody thinks (and wrote here). Playing him 13' is pure nonsense.

7) Mason. He is quickly becoming an irrelevant player. He seems to have a Manu problem. I wonder whether these "rotations" changes have affected his confidence.

8) Thomas. A big that rebounds, intimidates, sets picks that are rock solid, hits his jumpers and sink his FTs.

9) Vaughn. He is inexplicably the back-up PG. Does nothing but passing the ball. The defender helps out in the paint 3 meters from him, as he has no offensive game whatsoever.

10) Hill. Drafted as back-up PG. Started as such many games (mostly won). He is obviously a gem. He now plays 2 and only in clutch times. Good effort on offense and defense. Bad mistake on that last foul on the +1. I just dont' get what his role is supposed to be.

11) Bowen. Hard to judge, but he made Granger work for his points.

Popovich. The notion of "rotation" -whatever that means- is getting everybody sick. He needs to play the BEST players in the CORRECT positions. He needs to KEEP the hot players in. Benchin Gooden -as for original gameplan- no matter how ridiculously unstoppable he is, makes no sense. He needs to bench those that play no defense.
Start Mason.
Start Thomas.
Start Bowen.
Manu 6th man.
Duncan and Gooden compete for minutes.
Hill back-up PG.

Go back to basics.

Duncan at 50% is still twice the player Gooden is. That's as ing a re ed statement as Ime getting more minutes than Bowen. So maybe Pop will do it, he's been Bizarro for awhile now.

[The Truth #6]

Duncan at 50% is still twice the player Gooden is. That's as ing a re ed statement as Ime getting more minutes than Bowen. So maybe Pop will do it, he's been Bizarro for awhile now.

I think Tem went too far if he was indeed suggesting "benching" Tim. However, I don't think that was his point. I read it more as if Gooden is playing well then he deserves minutes -same for Bowen and Kurt.

Otherwise, I thought his overall points were basically correct. Last night, it became clear that this is Tony's team now and for the future, unless Manu or Tim are able to regain their previous form.

[anonoftheinternets]

That charge on Duncan that turned into a Parker triple...the refs would have called it on the Pacers. Just saying...

Good game, but you need to get Bowen and Mason going, you need them to throw at Kobe.

was a flop, thats why no call, plus he had passed the ball long before the flop ..... no call was the correct call, the officials were certainly not shy about calling moving screens on spurs and ticky tack fouls for granger so i dont know where you are going with this.

[EricB]

A guy who puts up 18 points and grabs 4 rebounds from the small forward position now is classified as "garbage minutes only"?



Unreal.

[Kori Ellis]

A guy who puts up 18 points and grabs 4 rebounds from the small forward position now is classified as "garbage minutes only"?



Unreal.

Well he also thinks that Duncan should have to COMPETE with Gooden to get minutes.

[VI_Massive]

I think he meant "compete for minutes" in a different sense, like they'd play essentially the same position and switch out for each other. Not that their would be a compe ion per se between the two of them for playing time. I think there was a language confusion there.

[The Truth #6]

I think he meant "compete for minutes" in a different sense, like they'd play essentially the same position and switch out for each other. Not that their would be a compe ion per se between the two of them for playing time. I think there was a language confusion there.

I agree on the potential language issue, and I thought he raised multiple valid points.

Whether or not the poster has a complete command of the language, I'm more surprised how others (who most likely use English as a first language) completely misinterpreted what he said. As Timvp has been writing for the last week, if the team relies on Finley to be a major role in the playoffs, then the team is not going to do very well.

I don't see the issue here.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Nice game thoughts, Timvp.


I'm lost on Pop's Finley love, and his trying to work Vaughn into the rotation. He seems to be confused on the fact that Bruce was instrumental in a couple of championship runs if memory serves. Leaving him out of the rotation is mind boggling. I thought for the longest time the sitting Bruce was his tactic to hide his "A" lineup until close to the playoffs, but now I'm just convinced Pop spends too much time reading old Ghostwriter threads.

[Morg1411]

Meaningless win --and barely one--because Pacers are nothing these days.

Nothing apart from one of the best spoiler teams out there.

Beat the Celtics. Beat the Magic. Beat the Lakers. Didn't beat the Spurs.

It was an ugly win, but it was a ing win, so I'll take it.

[crc21209]

Simple equation. More Bowen, Thomas, Gooden, and Hill....and less or no Vaughn, Udoka, and Bonner. Bonner is only good when he is hitting shots...for defensive purposes please put Thomas out there.

[TheSpursFNRule]

You're slacking. More spacing and bold the names.

stop. these posts are fine.