didn't pop try that several years ago? it didn't seem to work. gino didn't have that same burst of energy he does when he comes off the bench. maybe it'd be different now, but benching him first has always worked in the past
I don't think the problem has been an issue with the Spurs getting off to slow starts in the first quarter, which would strike me as a reasonable explanation for starting Ginobili. Of late, it seems that the Spurs tend to start very quickly and then peter out as the game progresses, and I wonder if the mid-quarters sputtering would be more pronounced without Ginobili in the game to serve as a scoring bridge.
At bottom, I think the Spurs problems relate to personnel, but not with when those guys are playing (except to the extent that a general lack of useful size is an obvious shortcoming and the willingness to play small only makes it worse). The Spurs' inability to deter penetration and their wholesale inability to do anything after opponents get the ball into the middle won't change, even if Ginobili plays 48 minutes every night.
I like
Parker Hill GNob BeastyBlair and Duncan
with McDysse off the bench as a replacement or added to Duncan and Blair, depending on the situation. Soft should be given a very short leash but i agree, maybe it will take pressure off him to be coming off the bench. His lack of effort tho should have nothing to do with pressure. Another pathetic effort vs the Flamers.
Monroe is an idiot
I agree. I don't really see that Manu starting would fix the issue when the first few minutes of the game do not seem to be the problem.
This season has been more of a let down than The Watchmen.
That's not completely factual. He got hurt the game before, against Utah, I believe, but I could be wrong, and he insisted he was fine when he wasn't, and he aggravated the injury against Dallas.
Just to provide some numbers, since the beginning of 2010, the Spurs have played 20 games. In those 20 games, they've averaged 27.6 points in first quarters.
They've been over 30 points in the first quarter 7 times in those 20 games and have scored between 25-29 points in the first quarter another 7 times.
In that span, the Spurs are 15-4-1 in terms of the first quarter score. Put differently, in that 20 game span, the Spurs are 10-10 overall, but in their 10 losses, they've won the first quarter 7 times and tied it one other time.
They've also shot better than 50% in the first quarter in 12 of those games and have been 55% or better 10 times.
Last edited by FromWayDowntown; 02-10-2010 at 05:35 PM. Reason: found shooting percentages.
Didn't Manu have an injured hamstring that had Pop limiting his minutes ... but then actually hurt his groin against the Mavs? I remember them as two different injuries but perhaps I'm wrong.
What about 3th quarters?
I'm sure those numbers aren't pretty.
C'mon now... Colins is a good analyst. ty coach but good analyst. Since he did two Spurs games close to each other, he brought up some spot on points. In the Portland game he brought up how crucial 4th qtr execution was and how it was lacking with this year's Spurs among other things.
Starting Manu does nothing to change interior defense (especially in the 4th). Starting Manu will not eliminate timely turnovers in the 4th qtr nor will it give us stops in the last 2 minutes. It won't let us execute our half court offense in the last 2 minutes which used to be automatic. What it may do... (if bringing Jeffito off the bench is part of that too) is get Jeff's shot back. Bonner looked like a huge cow turd starting but played very well coming off the bench. He wasn't gaurding the starter and found a rythem against bench caliber players. RJ wouold be one of the primary scoring options, get good touches against weaker defenders and it could help him find his shot. The COULD (not saying would) translate to the 4th qtr. How many good looks has he clanked come crunch time that could have changed the dynamics of the game? There have been plenty of times ALL the Spurs have come up empty. If the move allowed RJ to find his shot, at least we'd have a solid option in the 4th during our scoring droughts. It won't solve small ball but it could help RJ's game. ... it couldnt' hurt it.
The only season Manu played a full season as a starter was his best season: 04/05 where he "coincidentally" went to the all-star game.
So we bench RJ? Parker, Duncan, RJ, Manu, and Dyess on the court .. great on paper, I think its bad off.
sounds better than rj.......
Time to forget the bench. If the starters (incl. Manu) can only play 30-32 minutes a game, fine, let them play the first 3 quarters with no rest and try and get a 20 point lead. If they whine about being tired, ask which one of them wants RJ to sub in for them. That should cure them. Then, hope and pray that the bench doesn't piss it all away in the 4th. That way, when RJ does come in during the 4th with the game in control, what he does wouldn't matter. It doesn't matter anyway, but let's plan for it not mattering at all. Also, Ratliff can do what he does best...block shots without worrying about making any. Bonner can keep playing in the sandbox, or whatever it is he does during the game.
This strategy should also stop some of Pop's crazier line-up tinkering when the game actually matters. Let him do all that crazy late in the 4th when (hopefully) it doesn't matter. Wanna play Bonner at PG and Finley at Center? Go for it.
maybe not playing manu period in the first half would be wiser
spurs struggle in 3 not first
To be honest, I don't even know who Mike was trying to fool with that article. Starting Manu is not going to stop penetration, block shots, heal Tony's PF, turn on RJ's aggresivenes, make Bogans a good perimeter defender, or stop Pop from playing small or flat out silly lineups.
I can't even fathom Monroe being so disconnected with reality.
So basically Monroe got a few quotes from Collins, kissed his ass in return for helping him out, and then cranked out this article because he was probably on deadline, and then some copy editor comes up with the most over the top le possible so people will read it. Gotta love the journalistic process.
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