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I love the guy too, but I have to agree with this...at the same time how is going to learn w/o playing...guess that's why I'm not an NBA coach...
With the defense of late I don't see why we couldn't have Ian come in for just a few minutes to try and mimic Ratliff in garbage time. Besides Blair not taking too many minutes right now, Theo Ratliff himself can't be relied on for heavy minutes anyways. Remember, he's only played about 45 games per seaon for the last couple of years.
If not Blair should see his minutes go back up. Oh, and to those worried about DeJuan's confidence, don't.
I love the guy too, but I have to agree with this...at the same time how is going to learn w/o playing...guess that's why I'm not an NBA coach...
completely agree
RJ was 86% last yr2 airballed free throws in 2 consecutive games...
He's definitely Spurs material
Agree with this. Ian must be pretty bad in practice. Ratliff has not played a full season in a while, so they should really limit him. Mahinmi seems like the only other prospect as a shot blocker. Even if he fouled a lot it wouldn't matter in limited minutes.
I don't even think Ian is on the team...he probably bought those warm ups at the Spurs shop
I could be wrong but i dont think i saw Ian on the bench. maybe hes nursing an injury lol
i love blairs ability for rebounding, and he seems to be a dependable finisher at the rim when he gets position and a good pass. but , both guards and bigs were scoring on him AT WILL. as good as he is as rebounding so far in the pros it seems his lack of height is hurting him severely. he always seems to 'tocuh' the rebound but then the taller opponents just get control.
AND TWO AIRBALLED FREE THROWS IS COMPLETELY UNEXCUSEABLE EVEN FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKET BALL TEAM.
WTF!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN8GVYhsXC8 -DeAndre Jordan
Not even on line. Went sideways. At least Blair is on line.
Blair should get more minutes.
Notice that Bonner's rebounding numbers have gone up in the last five games or so (except for Utah where he only played 11 minutes). If he makes an effort to improve his game like that, he'll be getting all of Blair's minutes.
As much as I'd like to see Blair develop, he's been a non-factor out there.
Bonner is really turning around some negative perceptions this year. Fans thought he couldn't produce in a non-starting role, and he has. Fans thought he'd buckle to the pressures of compe ion, and here he is improving in the area his compe ion excels.
But even if Blair is a low minutes/low production guy for a few more games the Houston Rockets are coming up on the schedule. He'll get himself out of this mini-slump (more like reduced minutes with normal rookie ebb and flow) then.
The Spurs dress 5 bigs. Right now those five are Duncan, Dice, Bonner, Ratliff, and Blair. Ian will only get a chance to play if one of those five are injured or given a scheduled day off.
Um...I don't know how much you've actually watched Bonner...but that was his bread and butter...producing as a non-starter was what he did and what he does...it was when he is used as a starter and a major role player is when he chokes and chokes hard...he's not a starter...or should be considered a nail biter finisher...that's just not his game...
That's the key point right there. The kid has to get some minutes in order for him to develop. The real contradiction here is this kid gets crucified because he's young, raw, and doesn't have the defensive concepts down yet. However, the Spurs have 3 rotation players who know those same principals and have been in the system for a bit. Yet, they are STILL horrific defenders to the point where they are considered liabilities on defense and opponents attack them on such a regular basis.
While Blair may be a defensive liability now, he's got some skills that the Spurs could use now in some spots. Obviously, he walked in as probably the 2nd best rebounder on a roster that has few capable rebounders.
Personally, I'd like to see Pop not give him the typical "rookie hazing" that he dished out to Hill last year. From all reports, Blair has a good at ude and is not afraid of hard work - just like Hill.
Blair may never turn into even an average defender. The point is we don't know that yet. That said, let's give the kid a chance to develop before we start to consider him a bad investment.
i was at the game. my first spurs game in a year. and i am sad to say that as psyched as i was about seeing Blair live, it was really apparent that his lack of height is a serious problem. as much as he'd like to, he can't defend the rim the way Duncan and Ratliff can. and offensively, his lack of height made him look like a kid trying to take the ball in on adults. they just smacked him down. i can't see him playing many minutes unless we're playing a short team. sad to say it, but it was painfully obvious.
on the bright side, Theo Ratliffe was a ing MONSTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spurs are 3-1 in games Blair got 20+ minutes.
4-1 if you count the game he got 19 minutes.
1-5 in games he got less then 15 minutes.
So STFU all you PopApologists who whine about some occasional *missed assignments* or that he doesn't know *the system*. Or that his D is even in the same stratosphere as Mrs. Michael Popavich or Bonner.
Blairs positives far outweigh his negatives and PopaMoron looks like he is doing another of his petty control freak things.
Pop seems to be OK with Finley's lack of defensive ability because of other qualities he brings to the court. But Blair's a rookie, so I guess he has to be spot-on perfect to get PT.
Ratliff's OK, but does anyone think he's going to be a heavy rotation player for us?
Our margin for error is non-existent, meaning we can't afford non-producing assets, so Pop should go ahead and trade Blair for a player he trusts.
Are they any 35 year old and up bigs up for grabs? What's Kurt Thomas doing these days?
Blair needs to start pump faking more. Also as he progresses, he needs to start using his body as he goes back up for put-backs, or maybe get the rebound and pass it back out to reset b/c his height is a definite disadvantage.
That's mostly because he got spot-up minutes in blowouts.
Right now all he brings is a body and rebounding. His offense is awkward and his defense is sub-Finley, to say the least. If he keeps it up in practice and gets better at either he will see more time.
Do not forget that he is a rookie. Even good rookies usually don't drop into a playoff contender and fly off 20 MPG.
I'm not off the Blair wagon. He's got the talent as exposed in the summer league and pre-season.
But what's painfully exposed as well in the last couple of games is him not adjusting to the game at hand.
He apparently has rebounding skills...(if not out of a secured position under the rim). But he's having to cheat out, defend further out than what he's used to and his lack of leaping ability and slow lateral movement (no ACL's ?) is preventing him from being able to get in a position to use his arm length to his advantage.
His offensive game is more of the same and is a reason he's getting blocked so often under the rim. He has not developed a move that gets defenders to commit on the fake. And he will have to perfect at least a fade away from about 6 feet from the rim to keep defenders honest.
It appears he is more interested in the "role" in the pick and role and is not setting convincing or effective "picks" in that scheme.
With those in mind...playing time isn't neccessarily going to help him improve more so than being able to consistently improve those aspects in practice. He's got argueably two of the best post defensive big men in the league to practice against. If he can learn to improve his weaknesses against Duncan and Ratliff...I suspect he'll get more time in games.
As of now...he's back to being a typical 37th pick with the potential to prove he should have been drafted earlier.
correlation is not causation
the cause of this is most likely pop putting blair in during garbage time in blowout games
superjames1992Wrong. Watch the games Blair got 19+ minutes in.That's mostly because he got spot-up minutes in blowouts.
In the 1st and/or 2nd quarter of most of them, started vs Dallas (the win, not the Finley start loss).
Last edited by Fabbs; 11-23-2009 at 10:14 AM. Reason: to include both quotes
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