Didn't see this posted, apologies if I missed it.
Spurs trio still here, if slightly forgotten
Jeff McDonald
Not long after the busiest and most prolific NBA season of his career ended last April, Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr. renewed a summertime tradition.
He sailed out into the middle of the Gulf of Mexico with friends and family, plopped a fishing pole amongst the waves and did his best to clear his mind of all things basketball.
“It was good to get away,” Mason said.
For the record, Mason did not sail straight into the Bermuda Triangle. It only seems that way.
Lost amid the euphoria over the offseason arrival of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess, the growing Chuck Norris-style legend that is rookie DeJuan Blair and the healthy return of All-Star guard Manu Ginobili, Mason has been somewhat of a forgotten man since returning to land.
Expected, considering the wild-eyed commotion generated by the Spurs' whirlwind offseason. Odd, considering Mason, 29, is coming off a career season in which he started 71 games, set personal bests for scoring (11.8 points per game) and 3-point accuracy (42.1 percent) and provided a Kobe-esque highlight reel of late-game heroics.
Unimportant, if you ask Mason.
“I feel good about it,” Mason said of his place in the Spurs' plans. “Last year was like my second year really playing a lot. I feel like I've improved.”
So have the Spurs, of course, with upgrades almost across the board and a limited number of minutes to spread around.
Like Mason, two other members of last season's most-used starting lineup — Matt Bonner and Michael Finley — must also wrangle for their place in the Spurs' new world order. That feeling-out process continues with tonight's preseason visit from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Bonner, 29, started 67 games at center last season and shot a team-best 44 percent from 3-point range, a figure that ranked eighth in the NBA.
His reward? The Spurs brought in two veteran big men (McDyess and Theo Ratliff) via free agency, and selected another (Blair) in the June draft.
“My theory to keeping some sanity in this business is not to worry about things I can't control,” said Bonner, who averaged 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 23.8 minutes, all personal bests. “The front office did some things to help our team. In the end, it's about winning.”
McDyess and Ratliff are considered defensive upgrades over Bonner, while Blair has won over fans with what has been a monster preseason so far.
Bonner, however, possesses something the other Spurs big men do not — a 3-point shot accurate enough to spread the floor for Tim Duncan.
“Last year was a tremendous opportunity for me, to play consistent minutes and get a lot of experience,” Bonner said. “I'm just trying to build off that.”
Though some fans and media might have forgotten about Mason and Bonner, their head coach has not.
“They're both going to be a big part of what we do this year,” Gregg Popovich said.
So, apparently, is Finley, the other leg of the Spurs' forgotten threesome.
The June trade that sent Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas to Milwaukee in exchange for Jefferson did more than turn the 36-year-old Finley into the Spurs' eldest statesman. In all likelihood, it nudged him to the bench.
Still, Popovich has a place for the 14-year veteran, who shot a career-best 41.1 percent from 3-point range last season, while starting 71 games.
“He's a guy that spaces the floor and shoots the basketball,” Popovich said. “I'm not going to change that role.”
Mason's minutes are less likely to be affected by the arrival of new players than by the return of an old one.
With Manu Ginobili finally healthy and George Hill entrenched as the backup point guard, Mason could see a decline in his minutes. Undeterred, he hit the gym this offseason, dropping pounds, adding strength and working on his dribble-drive game.
“I really want to see how my hard work this summer translates on the court,” Mason said.
The goal for Mason is the same for Bonner and Finley — to not be forgotten.
Just because the roles are changing doesn't mean they'll be forgotten. Most of us agree that Finley and Bonner can be useful and help the team with around 10 (or less) minutes off the bench.
Mason's situation is more interesting to me though. We know he's starting but with Ginobli healthy and Hill expected to get some minutes at the 2 how many minutes does that leave for Mason?
I swear McDonald reads this forum. The things he says in his articles coincides a lot with the things that we say here.
Not that it matters but I wouldn't be surprised.
The issue of spreading minutes amongst the players is greatly overblown.
I don't believe Manu and Tim are going to play 82 games as recent history suggests: 2008
75 - Duncan
72 - Parker
44 - Ginobili
2007
78 - Duncan
74 - Ginobili
69 - Parker
2006
80 - Duncan
77 - Parker
75 - Ginobili
Fortunately, RJ has played every game the last two years, good track record.
We'll have injuries, and once they occur, we will have the needed depth that Mason, Finley, and Bonner, all fully accustomed to the team's style, will provide.
I see no downside at all to having too many players and not enough minutes - this is the team with the best chemistry and discipline of any this decade.
I also wouldn't mind seeing Ginobili and Duncan getting several breaks throughout the year. I strongly believe that the focus should be getting to April in the best condition, regardless of seed; this season especially.
I am pretty sure pop and the players check the forum once in a while. esp in the offseason. how could you not if you are a spurs fan this is the place to be
Pop does not read SpursTalk, are you kidding me?I am pretty sure pop and the players check the forum once in a while. esp in the offseason. how could you not if you are a spurs fan this is the place to be
DeJuan Blair!!!!!
I agree. Pop is too busy reading KGB strategic manuals in russian to be worrying about reading the awesomeness of Dejuan Blair
That is absolutely awesome. Someone said above that they think McDonald reads these forums -- personally, I hope he does! haha this is hilarious!! Less than 24 hours and the website has gotten almost 1000 hits (plus almost another 2k on here).Lost amid the euphoria over the offseason arrival of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess, the growing Chuck Norris-style legend that is rookie DeJuan Blair and the healthy return of All-Star guard Manu Ginobili, Mason has been somewhat of a forgotten man since returning to land.
I'm really hoping DeJuan Blair has a sense of humor when (not if, I'm afraid) he sees what we've done to his legend.
This part bothers me..........
Don't tell me he's butt-hurt about diminishing playing time. The guy is lucky to get as much time on the floor as he did last year.“My theory to keeping some sanity in this business is not to worry about things I can't control,” said Bonner, who averaged 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 23.8 minutes, all personal bests. “The front office did some things to help our team. In the end, it's about winning.”
Obviously he is not doing it religiously, but seriously are you saying that he is not aware of SpurTalk? I bet he visits once in a while to see what the fans are talking. Name one coach that doesn't care on what the fans has to say.
I bet not one coach in the NBA has the time, nor the inclination, to give a what some mangy denizens of a chat room or message board has to say. Give me a ing break.
give me a ing break, I know what it means to have a busy life. Spending 5-10 min here is all it takes to get the vibe of what the fans have to say.I am pretty sure pop and the players check the forum once in a while. esp in the offseason. how could you not if you are a spurs fan this is the place to be
Funny how he knew we were making Chuck Norris style facts about DeJuan.
speak about yourself buddy, here we actually have a few very knowledgeable posters.
The difference between the inane ramblings of all of us and we in these pages and what's actually going on behind the closed doors of any given professional franchise is so vast it's not even funny. The smartest guy here is timvp, and he keeps extremely close attention to the Spurs and has fair contacts with marginal figures to the organization -- and he knows and understands about 2% of what goes on there. I know he'd admit as much. You think Pop comes and reads any of the bull any of us says? Pull your head out of your ass. You're not that important.
No actually you are correct, Pop has no internet in his house, he never browses the web. Learn how to read dip . I said once in while he may spent 5-10min on the forums, he is a spurs fan after all.
I am not Pop, so don't know what he does in his daily life, but chances are if you go online you know about this forum. And if you know about this forum, you been here.
I am out. Have fun reading "any of the bull any of us says?" I am actually enjoying my time here and I don't consider it BS.
Later dude.
Someone needs a knock to his overblown sense of his own importance. You must think Jessica Alba trolls Jessica Alba sites all day. Bono must receive his own fan group letters and post to the U2 sites, reading the suggested lyrics and topics for his next songs. Why would Popovich read this site? It's unbelievable. You don't think he sees fans every day? You're being really very silly. He doesn't seem like a big internet guy - maybe read some wine reviews. And if he did ever trip over a site like this he'd spend most his time laughing.
We are not posting on a Spurs forum. Each of us comprise a single thought in the mind of the all encompassing Dejuan Blair.
Mind = Blown.
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