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Projected starters: F Richard Jefferson, F Tim Duncan, C Matt Bonner, G Tony Parker, G Roger Mason
Ginobili's health, Jefferson's impact could spur Spurs to le
By Tony Mejia
Pro Basketball News
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (54-28)
How it ended: For the first time since 2000, the Spurs were ousted in the first round of the playoffs, done in by Dallas and the inabili y of Manu Ginobili to overcome an ailing ankle. The Spurs were seemingly running on fumes all season with Ginobili limited, yet still managed to overachieve and capture the Southwest Division. Wins in five of six helped them earn a coveted No. 3 seed, but that late regular season push used up all the gas they had left.
Coach: Gregg Popovich is a beast. Now that he'll have considerable depth to work with, count on him getting his squad ramped up to where they're firing on all cylinders come postseason - health permitting.
Arrivals: F Richard Jefferson, F Antonio McDyess, C Theo Ratliff, G-F Keith Bogans, F DeJuan Blair, F Marcus Haislip
Departures: G-F Bruce Bowen, F-C Fabricio Oberto, F-C Drew Gooden, F-C Kurt Thomas, G-F Ime Udoka, G Jacque Vaughn
Projected starters: F Richard Jefferson, F Tim Duncan, C Matt Bonner, G Tony Parker, G Roger Mason
Position battles: Michael Finley started 77 games last season, but with Jefferson on board likely needs to beat out Mason for the minutes available behind the new arrival and Ginobili. Bonner is likely to keep his starting spot since Popovich likes how he spreads the floor, but McDyess figures to be out there in crunch time, with Ratliff a defensive option. Haislip, Malik Hairston, Curtis Jerrels, Dwayne Jones and Marcus Williams will be competing for the opportunity to stick.
Chemistry experiment: Jefferson's arrival and the return of Ginobili means the Spurs learn to share the wealth. It won't be a problem with given the veteran presence and only one goal in mind, but Parker's scoring figures to take the biggest hit while his assists should climb. It will be interesting to see whether Mason can push George Hill for minutes at the point behind Parker to keep the French superstar from overextending himself.
Best case: Ginobili, following an offseason where he not only avoided national team duty but stayed off his ankle entirely, is fresh and effective come playoffs like he was in 2007, helping win the Spurs another le. Given all the shrewd moves he's made so far, the potential for a San Antonio revival makes R.C. Buford a top contender for this year's top executive honor.
Worst case: Jefferson's slump carries over, and he fails to provide the lift San Antonio envisioned, a problem compounded by Ginobili's inability to regain his explosion. Duncan and Parker again wind up carrying too much of the load and the Spurs bow out early again.
Prediction: It's not an odd-numbered year, but San Antonio should rightfully be considered a major threat to capture a championship. There's more talent and depth on this roster than there has been the past few seasons. So long as everyone stays healthy, expect the Lakers' repeat chances to have to go through San Antonio.
Projected starters: F Richard Jefferson, F Tim Duncan, C Matt Bonner, G Tony Parker, G Roger Mason
"the inabili y of Manu Ginobili to overcome an ailing ankle"
yeah, it was Manu's fault. frickin sports "journalists"
how about "and by Manu Ginobili's absence."
has frickin nothing to do with Manu's "inability"
bonner starting=complete ST meltdown
lol...yeah I was immediately drawn to that as well......Projected starters: F Richard Jefferson, F Tim Duncan, C Matt Bonner, G Tony Parker, G Roger Mason
I guess the author figures McDyess doesnt cut it as a starter.
Jefferson is coming off of a slump? That's news to me...
Fo real, complete meltdown, myself included. If Bonner starts, that's fine. If he continues to start by around Thanksgiving, I'm seeing a psychiatrist.
Yea, I was thinking the same thing. Slump? wasn't he averaging like 19.5 ppg or something?
Jefferson has his best year offensively..the "slump" that people are referring to is in regards to him losing some explosion and athleticism due to age and injuries..
love it
go spurs go
I think you are reading way to much into an innocent choice of words. Manu wasnt able to come back from his ankle injury. Why does that bother you?
Is he starting?
Bonner starting...LOVE IT!!!!
Ill bet anyone a million dollars McDyess starts day 1.
That article sucks
Richard Jefferson was in a "slump" when?
Actually I don't mind Bonner starting (in the regular season). Dice should finish games though.
The championship goes through San Antonio. Period.
The Spurs have never had a team this deep. Look out, NBA.
Exactly. The writer doesn't know what the he's talking about. Dice averaged 9 and 9 last year, plus he's still a stout defender. No way he doesn't open as the Day One starter.
this team is alot deeper
spurs without manu is bad but not as bad as last year
Tony Mejia must not be a Pitt fan because Blair doesn't even get a mention beyond naming him as an addition. I'm going predict he'll work his way into the bench rotation by the playoffs. He seems like too good of a talent not to.
This guy is an idiot. Nuff said.
who cares who starts, it's all about who finishes
Finley starting...
Ya know, I wouldn't be shocked if Bonner did start some games to start the season.
Obviously you want to throw the best starting-5 you've got out there night-in and night-out, but the age of the team and the length of the season could dictate otherwise.
Let's take the Manu argument for example.
I've always believed his 6th-man role was the best way to utilize him. Not because he's any less effective one way or the other, but because of how it effects the flow of the game for those around him.
You let Tony and Tim do their thing to start and get into a nice rhythm, and the lesser players thrive off of their doubles and penetration. Once they've got the game going into a decent flow, you unleash Manu to come in and pick up where one or both left off.
Manu now comes in as the focal point and gets more touches to find his rhythm. By that time, he'll usually be playing with role players that have already broken a sweat and found a rhythm in the first-unit and/or reserves that will only be made better by Manu's presence. Having Manu to come in and face most teams' second-unit is just such a luxury. Not only because of what he can do individually but he almost gives the Spurs' second-unit the confidence of playing with the proverbial playground bully. He's like the Danny Almonte of the NBA. -- He can't possibly be eligible to play with those guys, can he? -- And let's not forget, it's a whole lot easier to monitor and limit a players' minutes coming off the bench; a point that's surely never been lost on Pop.
So that's been my rationale, but there's something that Pop said last year that I just can't get out of my head.
When Pop stated that Manu would be starting in 'perpetuity', I really think that was his intention. Pop wanted his best players on the floor and Manu on the bench wasn't really a preference but a ploy of necessity to create a decent bench.
There's another reason Manu starting would make sense for Pop, as well.
Playing with the starting-5 not only puts his best players on the court, but it also gives Manu a less taxing role playing alongside better talent that he doesn't have to do as much for. Sure, he's a playmaker by nature and is going to end up being one no matter whom he's on the floor with, but he'd also be allowed to play off the ball and camp out at the 3-point line more often that would only help to ease the physical burden.
So it's really an eye-of-the-beholder-type situation.
Is it better on Manu's body to have him coming off the bench playing a more taxing role, but probably fewer ulative minutes?
Or, is it better for Manu to start in a less taxing role, with probably a fewer more ulative minutes?
That's really the context of how all of the decisions on roles will be made on this team.
Should 'Dyess probably start, at least from a pure basketball standpoint?
Absolutely.
Does that mean he will and that it will be in perpetuity?
Well, given his age, history of knee problems and importance to the team..
Probably not.
So, it wouldn't surprise me if the Spurs did actually start the year with Bonner for a stretch. The familiarity is there and with so many new faces and the Spurs looking to steal minutes in order to keep an older team fresh and ready for a le-run... It's something that, well, let's just say, is not out of the realm.
I can't say I'd be real enthusiastic about seeing Bonner starting but I wouldn't be too worried about it during the regular season when you're not going to be seeing the elite teams of the league on a nightly basis. The team was good enough to hold the second-seed for a good part of the year before the injuries really caught up to them and if they can buy a little time with Bonner, or any of their younger guys for that matter, I'd be all for it.
As the regular season comes to an end, the rotation will shorten, the chemistry will be honed, and the roles -- fingers crossed -- should all be defined.
Bonner and the guys that helped to buy a little time will have served their role, and the Spurs will, hopefully, be all the better for it..
jefferson averaged 25.6 pts on 53.8% FG and 47.5% 3PT last season in april. i hope this "slump" carries over.
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