Reply With Quote
I'm excited to see him play as a shooting guard and not as a backup point guard.
...is that he's in a contract year.
I think that's obviously gonna be some extra motivation to have a great/consistent season. I believe Manu is in a contract year as well, so all this extra incentive to continue playing at a high level should make things very interesting for SA.
I'm excited to see him play as a shooting guard and not as a backup point guard.
Agree. Players always seem to step up in contract years. Mason stands to gain or lose a lot based on how he plays this season. He built up some credibility last year during the reg season. But then he kind of ? marked it in the playoffs.
Mason needs to make a more concerted effort on the boards and attacking off the dribble instead of just being a catch-and-shoot player floating around the perimeter. If he can do that he could set himself up for a decent payday.
I'm excited to see him actually play his position. He was a beast when all he had to worry about was knocking down 3's. Pop really messed with his head by turning him into the backup PG.
He's not that type of player. The Spurs have enough guys who can attack the lane...they need someone who can float around the perimeter and knock down the open 3.
Yeah, as long as Mason can stay as a SG we should be fine
If Mason is allowed to focus on being a 2, I think he'll have a great season. When he gets hot, he gets hot.
In theory, Mason should have a very effective year. With adding RJ, another guy that can score and defenses have to watch, that should free Mason up for some pretty nice looks. RMJ is not good enough to be a main offensive player that guys can game plan against. When he is just a threat, and defenses are not geared to shut him down, he should do very, very well.
Last edited by DPG21920; 07-26-2009 at 01:02 PM.
Mason was a bit up and down last year. But does he really strike you as a player/person who needed extra motivation?
Disagree. To me the Spurs have been far too reliant on long-range shooting, and I feel that Mason has better ball-handling skills than he's given credit for and could do a better job at driving to the basket and using his good size to create higher percentage shots for himself and others. As last season wore on I felt that Mason underachieved on the offensive end by spending increasingly more time 'floating' a la Bowen and he ultimately finished the season with a terrible PER as a result of it. I think he's capable of lot more than that, and a contract year is the ideal time to prove it. We'll see what happens.
At what point in time, when he was playing the point (you know, the position that handles the ball the most) did you get the idea he was a good ball handler.
Believe me, I like Mason. But the most dribbling I want to see him do is maybe two dribbles after a pump fake and into a shot.
Let him do what he excels at and try not to make him a player that he isn't. That's what hurt him last year.
Let Mason shoot the ball the way he's capable of doing.
I never said he was Bob Cousy with the ball but I absolutely think he's capable off doing more off the dribble and closer to the basket than just limiting himself to being a one-dimensional catch-and-shooter from downtown.
Mason is a terrible finisher at the rim as well. Sure, if he gets a wide open lane, go for it, but I would rather him just catch and shoot.
Mason's ball handling skills are good enough for a shooter, but not good enough for a PG
Pop has to stop messing around for 2 reasons:
- Maze is 100000 times better as a SG
- Hill needs to play more
That experiment has failed, and as much as you wanna defend your point, you really can't.
Catch and shoot, thats what he does, and thats all. Instead of makin the dude play off his strengths and let the game come easily to him, you'd rather force him play off his weaknesses and watch him up consistently at it like last season. Its called learning from mistakes and NOT REPEATING them...
People act like him playing point guard was the first time he'd ever done it. He did it in Washington the year BEFORE.
That being said, he should start this year at the 2, focus on the 2, and he should be fine with not as much pressure to produce with many more options surrounding him like Jefferson and others.
He's screwed if he doesn't knock down open shots this year. His job should be knocking down shots and keeping the D honest to give TD room to operate in the post. The Spurs are a much more dangerous team with TP or GH running the point, with Roger in the wings waiting for the pass.
Last edited by all_heart; 07-26-2009 at 01:51 PM. Reason: add
There's a misconception with the label of point guard. I don't mind Mason dribbling the ball up the court if that's what you consider being a point guard.
That's the misconception here. If Hill or Tony get in foul trouble, I don't mind Mason bringing up the ball if that means it gives us three bonified shooters on the wing, who can space the floor. As long as he isn't being the CREATOR in pick and roll situations.
That's another thing that people don't understand or take into consideration. Mason is fine dribbling the ball up the court, the time he struggled was when he had to be the creator in P&R situations and the teams scouted him already and MADE him put it on the floor by going over on the screen.
Bringing up the ball Mason can do, being the creator/ penetrator is something he cannot. That being said I'm fine with him dribbling the ball up the floor and passing it off to Jefferson or Manu so they can create, while he spots up. *Something Maurice Williams and Delonte West and Boobie Gibson all do in Cleveland for example.
Last edited by MaNu4Tres; 07-26-2009 at 02:00 PM.
Amen
However, he is good at creating his shot off the pick'n'roll
When they are playing a bad lazy defensive team that hardly helps or hedges or go over the pick in pick and rolls YES. ( then he gets off his dribble pull up) Otherwise no he's not.
Mason's not just a catch and shoot player, he's got a nice shot off the dribble. That means he should also excel in the midrange game with people running to close out his 3 pt range. I agree he's not a finisher at the rim but the 10 to 20' pull up off the drive is well within his wheelhouse.
An asssumed starting lineup of Tim/Dice/RJ/Mase & Tony gives us only Mason as a 3pt shooter. Does it matter? The Spurs took too many 3s last year. Anytime they took more than 15 they were struggling to generate offense. The players we've added indicates to me Pop is moving towards more intermediate/inside scoring. Despite our changes we still have only 2 players who can get to the lane regularely. Goooo George!!!
Jefferson is also a 3 pt shooter.
Mase and RJ shoot threes wich would perfectly have the offense opened for Duncan and McDyess and Tony to operate.
Also RJ is a slasher so he can get the ball at the 3 point line and hit the hole and get to the line.
October can't get here quick enough...
He's a 6'5 SG...how is that "good size?" It doesn't really seem like you have a good understanding of Mason as a player. He's neither a slasher, nor a great finisher around the rim. He's a great shooter and the only time when he should be creating off the dribble is when he's using a screen to get his shot off.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
