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AUDIO: DeJuan Blair's postgame comments
AUDIO: Manu Ginobili's postgame comments
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblog...-rocket-4.html
nicesome thoughts..
-George Hill looked as expected..he's never going to rack up high assist totals, that just isn't his style..he did what was asked though..he was aggressive, he got into the lane, he made a few Js..he was having trouble staying with Brooks, but everybody has trouble with his quickness from a 1 on 1 standpoint..
-RJ also looked as expected..even though he only played 15 minutes, it's pretty clear that he gives this team something we haven't had as a 4th option..
-Manu didn't really do anything..he wasn't very assertive and looked to get others involved instead..
-Blair had obvious highs, but he had some lows too..his defense obviously still needs a lot of work, and I wouldn't expect him to be more than an average defender this season..his J wasn't consistent, and he had some shot selection issues..
His rebounding was dominant, which is pretty much all we should care about..it looks like it's going to translate to this level..huge asset..it's also nice to see that he has some moves and a nice ability to finish creatively at the basket..he was also doing it against an elite post defender in Chuck Hayes..
-Bonner was on fire..he's still an asset to this team when he's coming off the bench..his defense and rebounding weren't good, as expected..
-Ian looked like he did in SL IMO, which is good and bad..he still has the foul issue, and he's still getting bad breaks from the refs, which happens to any raw big men in their first years..he is definitely a presence though, and that's something we don't have outside of Duncan and Ratliff..that alone will give him more chances to make the team..he altered shots, had a great block on Ariza..still raw as though..I'll give him credit for moving without the ball, he had some good positioning where he didn't receive the ball, which happened in SL too..
-Mason didn't do much..he definitely looks a lot quicker than he did last year though..his shot wasn't going down though, and that's his role, so you can say he had a bad game..
-Bogans was pretty much invisible on the floor..I really don't know if he's a lock to make the team like most people thought he was..
-Haislip was mixed for me..he has a good first step and has good energy..he made a 3, which is obviously good..I didn't really like anything else though..he was pretty bad defensively, didn't rebound well..his role on the team is ideally for him to play the perimeter big role, but I don't see it..if his defense isn't better than Bonner's, than there's no reason for him to be on the team, since Bonner is a better offensive player by a decent margin..
-Hairston was very good until the last few plays..he's clearly improved as a player in every way..he showed good all-around play..when he played his role, he looked like a rotation player on this team..played great defense on Ariza..made a 3..finished very well at the basket, as usual..
the only time Hairston looked bad was the same reason he had 4 turnovers..3 of them came from Malik trying to do too much and play a playmaking role, which is obviously FAR from his ideal role..2 of the turnovers came from Hairston running the whole floor and trying to make a play, which isn't good basketball, and the other came from trying to create around multiple guys..
It was also nice to see Malik getting praise from the Rockets announcers, including the usual "how do the Spurs find these guys?" comment..
-I don't really know what to say about Marcus Williams..he had a nice drive to the basket for 2..I didn't really notice him on the floor the rest of the time..you can check benefactor and elnono's comments about Williams, and that will tell you how he looked
AUDIO: DeJuan Blair's postgame comments
AUDIO: Manu Ginobili's postgame comments
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblog...-rocket-4.html
yep. he has IT.
well, if it happens, it happens. but we'll have two more Championships by then.
is there a recap of the game from timvp or not?
i aint reading through 27 pages of post padding s
Missed it. Shucks.
o well lets woop greeces ass on friday
will any of these games be on tv foreal
especially that okc game in austin
Rockets won, played their main group minus Battier versus our bench. Doesn't matter.
Blair was a beast, got a double double and then some.
Mahinmi fouled out.
Bonner had 4 three's.
Hill looked good.
Haislip looks a little raw but potentially good as the third string.
Hairston was alright.
Jefferson was good in his short stint.
I don't think I missed anything else.
what's startling is that the spurs outrebounded the rockets even though the two best rebounders, mcdyess and duncan, did not play. it's not like scola and hayes are bad rebounders, they are actually above average in my opinion. more hype for blair.
Updated.
Rockets beat Spurs in Ginobili’s return
Trevor Ariza scored nine points in his Rockets debut, helping Houston beat the San Antonio Spurs 99-85 on Tuesday night in the preseason opener for both teams.
Carl Landry had 19 points to lead the Rockets, who are beginning the season without the cornerstones of their team. Yao Ming is out for the season after his broken left foot was slow healing, and Tracy McGrady is recovering from microfracture surgery on his left knee, and is not expect back until midseason.
Ron Artest, the other big name from last season’s team, left for the Lakers in the offseason. Taking his place is Ariza, who helped Los Angeles win the championship.
“I thought it was a good game for us,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. “If we’re going to be successful, we have to have ball movement and player movement, as that is what this is all about.”
Rookie Chase Budinger had 15 points, Luis Scola 13 and Aaron Brooks 12 as the Rockets looked to the young players to step up.
“I had a lot of butterflies in my stomach coming into the game,” Budinger said. “I was able to knock down my first shot and it gave me a little confidence.”
The Spurs’ Manu Ginobili saw his first action since a stress fracture in his right leg discovered on April 5 sidelined him last season. He played 13 minutes, scoring four points on 1-of-4 shooting.
“It felt good to be back on the court,” Ginobili said. “I have been taking more 3-pointers than attacking, but the rest will come with time.”
Ginobili went through an up-and-down season, appearing in only 44 games before his injury. His only basket Tuesday was a 3-pointer, but the electric Argentine guard’s mere presence on the court drew loud applause from the fans.
“Well, you don’t have to be a coach to appreciate Manu on the court,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Everybody enjoys watching him play. He’s a great player and to have him back is wonderful for all of us.”
San Antonio played without Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Michael Finley, who were sitting in street clothes along with new teammates Theo Ratliff and Antonio McDyess.
Richard Jefferson, who acquired in a four-player deal during the summer, only had six points, while free agent guard Keith Bogans was held scoreless in his debut.
Parker, who sprained his right ankle while playing for the French national team this summer, is being ushered into the season slowly by Popovich, along with Duncan. The perennial All-Star forward was bothered by sore knees all last season, and reported to camp 15 pounds lighter.
Rookie DeJuan Blair took advantage of the playing time with 16 points and 19 rebounds in 22 minutes.
“I did what coach Pop asked of me and that was to rebound,” said the rookie forward from Pittsburgh. “Everything else came after that. I just have to put forth a lot of energy and rebound.”
His layup tied it at 71 in the third quarter after the Spurs trailed by 16 points in the first half, but the Rockets quickly pulled away to take an 88-75 lead.
Houston also played without starter Shane Battier.
Nice post.
Pretty much agree.
Although, I didn't think he was as aggressive as he could have been or being decisive enough at times.
The added confidence is noticeable and his comfort-level with his shot and the offense has definitely improved. He basically looked like he went out there to run the offense and try to set the table, which I thought he did a decent job of. Not a stand-out performance, but one he can definitely build upon
That pretty much looked like a veteran, first-game-of-the-preseason outing. There wasn't much there to really comment on offensively, nothing we didn't already know, but the ease in which Ariza got by him was a little eye-opening. Although it was his first preseason game and you don't usually want to make snap-judgements, I'm no more optimistic with him being the primary defender. Great addition and I'm glad to have him on the Spurs, but I'm going to worry a little if he's going to be their best perimeter-defender.
I don't have much of a problem with his shot-selection, because it's of the aggressive-variety and usually of a pretty high-percentage, but I definitely agree on his defensive performance.
His greatest assets on the defensive-end are is his strength and those long arms of his, but he too often gambles for the steal leaving him badly out of position. He'd probably be wise to pick up a thing or two from someone like Hayes or watch tape of someone like Thomas, or any other below-the-rim defender, who's noted for swiping at the ball and playing physical, position defense.
The kid's a monster, though. I mean, he's a little like Evans in his size and amazing nose for the ball, but he's got actual talent to go with the work-rate and relentlessness. This is going to sound like hyperbole but, the Spurs may have just had the NBA's best rebounder fall into their lap. The hands, the strength, the timing, the motor, and unlike most rebounding specialists like a Rodman or an Evans from a few years back, he can actually finish in traffic and put pressure on a defense instead of just keeping possessions alive; which he's also more than capable of.
Carl Landry also needs to send him a thank you card for not 'Thabeet-ing' him when he had the chance..
I don't completely disagree with you but after getting my first good look at him in awhile now, I realized something else. He's just not a very intelligent ball-player. He'll get to his spot in time to defend the post player but he won't go straight up with the hands to avoid the inevitable foul when the offender goes up to take a shot. He'll go out to set a pick out on the perimeter, and stick out a knee when there is absolutely no need for him to. It's like he does 85% correctly but it doesn't matter because that last 15% he neglects, prevents him from staying on the floor.
Now, he might not be the most intelligent ball-player or have the game come to him real instinctually, but there's definitely reason to be optimistic. The guy needs court-time, and a whole lot of it, because of the amount of time he's missed. He's got to find some kind of rhythm and comfort within his teammates and the offense so that he can just let his natural gifts shine.
It's like Coach Newman said, he's just got to understand that he only needs to be able to hit the boards, block/altar shots, be a presence, and be able to use all that length and athleticism he's been blessed with. They don't need him to be some offensive All-Star to warrant a spot in the rotation, just a guy that brings energy and a presence out there on both ends of the court.
From the little I was able to see of him defensively, he wasn't bad. But I'm with you. Other than his physique's striking resemblance to Billups, I'm not sure what he brings to this roster that a certain someone else doesn't..
Well, if he's expected to be any type of defensive-stopper for the long 3's/mobile 4's, the Spurs might want to rethink that.
He's got a nice touch and he looks pretty confident shooting the ball, but his athleticism and length don't look like they're going to translate to the defensive-end the way most hoped. He's light in the ass, not a great rebounder, and doesn't seem all that disciplined defensively. -- Although, the mere fact that he's not a red-headed white guy, might make his sub-par defense superior to even the well-positioned defense Bonner plays on occassion. It just seems like the confidence-level and effectiveness of players defended by Bonner goes through the roof, regardless of how well he plays them.--
Haislip did have a sweet up-and-under layup on the baseline, though.
Quite simply, Hairston is the Spurs' best option right now for a defensive-stopper. Unless Bogans has some ungodly ability he's yet to unleash, I just can't see a sound basketball reason that Malik shouldn't be on this team.
I've been pushing Malik pretty much since the day he was drafted, so in that I'm a little biased, but he brings a toughness, skill set, and fearlessness that will only lead him to being a success.
The Spurs were always known for being hard-working professionals but with guy's like Malik and Blair, the physicality and fear-factor goes to a level that hasn't necessarily been there in the past.
I'm not ready to jump to any conclusions after this game, but I expected much worse after some of the reviews from the scrimmage. He made more good decisions than bad, had a nice drive, shot with some confidence and didn't miss by much, but those aren't the kind of ringing endorsements that earn someone a roster spot.-I don't really know what to say about Marcus Williams..he had a nice drive to the basket for 2..I didn't really notice him on the floor the rest of the time..you can check benefactor and elnono's comments about Williams, and that will tell you how he looked
Maybe with all the weapons on the floor, Marcus will somehow show the type of player the Spurs seemed so intrigued with.. But as of this moment, I just don't see how you can justify putting him on the final roster.
Looking at the box score it seems Pop is trying to get Manu back in the swing of things, resting his proven Vets (Duncan, McDyess, Parker) while letting Jefferson get the swing of things and trying to see what Blair has to offer. Hill is playing TP's role, if they go 0-8 in the preseason but get the role players rolling, so be it. I wonder if we will see Duncan and McDyess suit up for a preseason game.
good game, Blair looking pretty good.
Too bad for the loss, but it was nice to see them play after such a while. Blair is awesome
From the experts in big man leg injuries...
[quote=BLACKJACK21;3728608]Nice post.
Carl Landry also needs to send him a thank you card for not 'Thabeet-ing' him when he had the chance..
I was thinking the exact same thing when I saw last night. Blair nearly tore off Landry's arm on that rebound.
thats good sign when rocket fans are praying for this guy to get injured right? i mean they are totally amazed at the wy he man handled scola hahahah
Anyone know if someone is hosting a replay video of the entire game?
who is this ladyAt least our scrubs are better than yours so far.
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