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Good article. I honestly don't care which position he plays as long as he's getting minutes. There isn't a more confident or improved player on the team and it shows...keep it up G!
Spurs try Hill-Parker backcourt
Jeff McDonald
For the record, George Hill spent the entirety of Saturday's loss to Oklahoma City wearing the silver and black of the Spurs. He wouldn't have been surprised, however, had he looked down halfway through the game and seen the crimson and gold of the IUPUI Jaguars on his chest.
Hill spent much of the game at shooting guard, a position he hadn't played extensively since his college days in Indianapolis.
“I was very comfortable there,” said Hill, a second-year player who moonlights as the primary backup to All-Star point guard Tony Parker. “I played it my whole life. That's all I used to know how to do, was play the ‘two.'”
There could be more college flashbacks to come for Hill.
Eight games into a season his team has started .500, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is still pushing buttons, playing mad scientist with different combinations of old hands and newcomers. One experiment that has seemed to work is deploying Parker and Hill, side-by-side.
The Spurs enjoyed their best stretch of the 101-98 loss to Oklahoma City — a 16-2 run in the first half — with the two point guards on the floor together. When Popovich opted to sit Manu Ginobili for the fourth quarter due to a hamstring problem, the Parker-Hill pairing made a lengthy reappearance.
It marked the first time this season Parker and Hill had seen extensive minutes together. It probably won't be the last.
Popovich believes Hill — whom the coach calls “one of the most improved players in the league” — deserves more minutes than the 15 or so a night he'd be limited to as purely Parker's backup.
“We become a whole lot more athletic with another guy who can fill the lane and maybe get an easy bucket,” Popovich said. “Depending on who is on the court, George can take the tougher of the two defensively and have Tony take the other guy. It gives us a lot of flexibility.”
The Spurs aren't the first team to toy with a two point-guard lineup. In the past 10 days, the Spurs have seen Portland try it with Steve Blake and Andre Miller and Dallas dabble with a Jason Kidd-J.J. Barea backcourt duo.
Popovich was impressed by the effect dual point guards have on those teams.
“At times, it makes a team a little smarter,” Popovich said. “There's a possibility your team might make better decisions, might be a better passing team on the fast break, things like that.”
Popovich used Hill and Parker together on rare occasions last season. His vow to do it more frequently this season was predicated on Hill's substantial improvement over the offseason.
Hill spilled sweat this summer to become a better decision-maker at point guard. Under the tutelage of shooting coach Chip Engelland, he also polished his jump shot.
Hill is averaging 12 points this season while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from 3-point range. As a rookie, Hill shot 40.3 percent overall and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, Hill's ability to guard bigger perimeter players allows Popovich to stick with a two point-guard lineup longer than most teams. Saturday, the 6-foot-2 Hill spent significant minutes defending star forward Kevin Durant, who has seven inches on him. Durant finished with 25 points but was 6 of 18 from the field.
Given all of the above, Parker was not surprised to see Hill on the floor with him to close the game.
“Manu was hurting a little bit, and George was playing well,” Parker said. “I thought Pop made the right decision.”
Hill, for his part, says he will play any position he's asked. Now at home in his Spurs jersey, he just wants to get on the floor as often as possible.
“I just want to make my mark while I'm out there,” Hill said.
Good article. I honestly don't care which position he plays as long as he's getting minutes. There isn't a more confident or improved player on the team and it shows...keep it up G!
Interesting that Pop likes athletic wings that can fill up the lanes..doesn't look like it..
Roger Mason is about to get traded.
I am very happy with G Hill!!! I can't wait til this team starts clicking
+1.
Like Kori mentioned on the other thread. Maybe better for him since I just don't see him having any more mins here.
Actually, he's about to get officially upgraded to backup PG...
If this means seeing Roger Mason featured more as a backup PG, I'm heading to the ledge right now.
+ 1 millionIf this means seeing Roger Mason featured more as a backup PG, I'm heading to the ledge right now.
I don't think it means that. As I mentioned in the other thread, there are ways to manage the minutes that don't resort to Mason. It might include Manu being backup point for 5 mpg, have TP/GH on the floor together for 20-25 minutes, and then each of them getting some time separately.If this means seeing Roger Mason featured more as a backup PG, I'm heading to the ledge right now.
If Parker and Hill are starting, Ginobili could come in for Hill at around the 7 minute mark of the first quarter. Then when Parker needs rest at the end of the quarter, Hill can come in for Parker. Parker can then return to finish off the half. I don't even think Ginobili needs to play point ... much less RMJ. Hill would play a lot of minutes but that would be one of the reasons to start him in the first place.
^^ Yeah I wrote that in the other thread yesterday (I said 6m mark though)..
Anyway, I have been wanting the TP-GH backcourt since last season... so I'm interested to see how it plays out. It might not work well against every team, but I think it will be good most of the time.
Worth trying esp. when Beno got that chance of playing 'two' but he never was one.
The problem could be Gino not playing, so Mason would have PG duties. although in spurs system Pop can set into no playmaking style, limit mason to bring the ball up court
if this backcourt doesnt work, i wanan see PARKER relegated to the bench
o rly?
McDonald should do more research. this stors is older than 10 days if you watch the developemnt of the NBA closer.The Spurs aren't the first team to toy with a two point-guard lineup. In the past 10 days, the Spurs have seen Portland try it with Steve Blake and Andre Miller and Dallas dabble with a Jason Kidd-J.J. Barea backcourt duo.
going with 2 PGs or a PG plus a combo guard has become almost state of the art in todays NBA.
some teams start such combinations, or they go for long stretches with 2 PGs or a PG and a CG. often the other PG is seen as the back up of the starting PG, but in fact many of this "back ups" spend more time alongside the player they officially back up, than sitting on the bench when this player is on the court.
Williams-West
Rose-Hinrich
Brooks-Lowry
Terry-Kidd
Felton-Augustin
Ellis-Curry
Ford-Watson
Jennings-Bell
Lawson-Billups
(don't want to go thru all teams, I'm sure there are several more such combinations)
and there are also some quite small back courts doing quite well.
like Nelson (6'0'') with short arm Re (6'4'') or Nash (6'3'') with Barbosa (6'3'').
so Tony and GH together on the court would more or less be something many other teams are already constantly doing.
one more reason not to hesitate to use them together. and it's not a big question, if they start together or not.
the more important question might be this one: Spurs started this season with just 2 PGs, when they usually had 3 on the roster. now they turn the 2nd PG into a SG for most of the time. wouldn't it become the most logical next move if they try to trade either Ian or Mason for a more traditionally PG, who then also will take the "traditional" back up role?
likely available: Travis Diener, Jason Hart, Chris Quinn, Sergio Rodriguez.
(didn't mention FAs, because we have 15 on the roster)
Last edited by mountainballer; 11-16-2009 at 07:56 AM.
Many of us would like that, but it aint happening. Its like telling Iverson to come off the bench. OH WAIT????
This pairing will be intriguing, but I'm still worried about the potential matchup issues when the Spurs play against bigger backcourts.
Exactly. However Against Cavs Mo will/depressed west or Mavs Kidd and roach barea it should work.
Nothing would make me happier than both of you being right.
However, I'll have my reservations about RMJ playing backup until we see how this pans out.
Don't forget this would cause Hill to guard against the league's top guards, which some nights will mean foul trouble.
Like I said in the other thread, I think starting Parker and Hill is an idea worth trying. However, for better or worse, does this bring us one step closer to starting a defensive-oriented small ball lineup against smaller teams?
Parker
Hill
Bogans
Jefferson
Duncan
Parker/Hill
Mason/Ginobili
Jefferson/Bogans
Mcdyess/Blair
Duncan/Bonner
This makes too much sense too not try at least once....
Pop should've gotten Iverson if this is what he wanted.
Iverson's lost a step and a half. Just about every defense around the league licks their chops to see him in the paint the last few seasons. Alan was a great penetrator, but I'll take Hill at SG over Iverson now. Also, between Tony and Alan would the ball ever be dished between the starting unit again?
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