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Have you watched some of the garbage Pop starts? Bogans? Bonner? Finley? RJ at the 4?
He habitually keeps the talent on the bench. Is that because they interfere with the 2-man Duncan-Parker game? I say that game. Lets play some team ball.
Given that most of these guys you have mentioned are coming off the bench, how is this your solution?
Have you watched some of the garbage Pop starts? Bogans? Bonner? Finley? RJ at the 4?
He habitually keeps the talent on the bench. Is that because they interfere with the 2-man Duncan-Parker game? I say that game. Lets play some team ball.
but its the truth isn't it? Granted his lineups have been questionable, but honeslty POP isnt going to come out and say Bogans sucks, I know it, he knows it, the entire city of San Antonio knows it. He did say centerpiece but I really dont think some things he tells the media should be taken as his WORD, especially when talking about bogans...I mean how else do you explain his dropoff in minutes the past 2 games...Of course I'll bite myself in the foot when he tasks him to go agains D Wade tonight, but I honestly dont think he'll keep relying on Bogans come playoff time.
So this is really about you wanting RJ back in the starting line-up.
Pop plays the guys that do what he asks of them better, whether they are the more talented players or not. For instance, he always praises his defensive guys whether they are actually successsful defenders or not, because he wants his players to focus on defense over offense...
This is why he plays Bogans.
This is why he played Danny Ferry.
This is why he played Michael Finley.
It's not so much that he wants to play the less talented guys as it is that he wants the more talented guys to have the same mentality as the less talented guys.
He wants them to do exactly as he says. The guys barely in the NBA are more likely to do that than the guys with talent...and that's why those guys get minutes from Pop.
The worse thing you can do on offense, especially if you are the PG, on a Pop team, is not attempt to penetrate and score. Pop demands this of every PG who plays for him, including guys that absolutely suck at it like Jacque Vaghn. He also punishes the guys that hesitate to take open shots....
Tony is Pop's PG 100%. He is Pop's crowning achievement in terms of player development and the player who comes closest to realizing Pop's vision.
Keep in mind...Pop was a PG. All you guys that think Tony would be pulling starting minutes since the age of 19, if he wasn't doing what Pop wanted most of the time, are deluding yourselves.
On the flipside...I would say Manu is probably the most successful player who doesn't play like Pop wants....and the only reason Manu gets away with that is beause he is incredibly aggressive. Which is the main thing Pop is looking for from his guards.
Couldn't agree more. At 29, he has lost some quickness and athleticism, but I also don't think that RJ is this bad of a player. I believe he's miscast with this team and this style of offense. Sounds like the FO "reached" and "deluded themselves" into thinking that this player would be a fit on both the offensive and defensive end. It simply hasn't worked for either party.
Bottom line, this is an ill-fitted team and there's just no way of getting around it.
But, having said that, if you want the team to maximize whatever potential they have in the playoffs ... Tony Parker being who he is and playing to the best of his ability is a huge part of that.
It's not about the Spurs accommodating, seemingly acquiescing, to Tony and seeing to it that he's successful for his own sake. The Spurs' best chance and hope lies in Tony Parker's ability to be Tony Parker; their success is dependent on it . . .
This is why i get so excited when Pop is forced to play guys like Malik and Blair (no he didnt want to play him either at season's start)...because while I respect that Pop demands adherance to the gameplan, he underestimates the need for heart, fire, and young legs.
Tony absolutely does what Pop wants, I agree, but Pop needs to look around and realize that things changed drastically when we lost Horry and Bowen. Then he needs to implement a gameplan that allows us to utilize the players we do have, rather than requiring blind allegience to any outdated mode of attack that requires either Bonner or Bogans in the starting lineup.
Then you've only been watching the Spurs this year then. Ginoboli has always been a great passer. Since Parker's injury, Ginoboli's playmaking really stands out. Ginoboli, some can argue, might even be a better playmaker, in terms of asists and passes, than Parker, but Parker does a good job running the team. Parker's strength is his speed, which he uses to get to the rim to score, and also set up his teamates for scores. Parker has also improved his jump shot thru the years as well. Maybe Parker could play better defense, but he competes on the defensive end. You can't accurately evaluate Parker's game this year anyway because of the multiple injuries hes been trying to fight thru. When healthy, Parker is one of the top 5 pg's in the NBA and Parker, without a doubt, is a huge asset to the Spurs IMO. BTW my favorite player on the Spurs is Ginoboli.
Sorry, he played Blair from with a small dip before Thanksgiving.
Actually, over the years I have watched the Spurs dismantle teams by letting any single player go off, while shutting down every other option. I've seen Kobe, Amare, KG, etc get theirs, while we won les.
That is why I think we need a successful team approach that incorporates more guys, rather than a reliance on Parker as everyone else mans the three point line.
If Parker dictates that the offense look like a pick and roll and three stiffs at the arch, let him do it from the bench...or better yet make him your SG and let the ball come to him through the flow of the offense.
Thats all useless talk anyway. He wont be the TP of old any time this season
LOL, only homer fans overrate Parker, but Parker would make a great sixth man. Isn't that kinda of a oxymoron statement? We overrate him, but he would make a great sixth man? But personally I don't know that Parker would make a great sixth man. It sure looks good in theory and on paper, but Parker would have to swallow some of his pride, like Ginoboli did, in order for it to work. I really don't have a clue if Parker can do that or not. Not every star can make the transistion from starter to 6th man.
lol, Parker is the most underrated Spurs player by Spurs fans.
Yea I would love that too. Parker was one the facilitators on those 2003-2005 teams driving towards to basket and either getting an easy layup, or dishing it off to teammates for a dunk, or a wide open 3. Thats one of Parker's biggest strengths, his ability to get to the rim. When hes healthy, Parker makes getting to the rim look easy. Which makes it really puzzling why theres all the hate on this thread about Parker.Me too!!!I want 2003-2005 Spurs basketball when everybody would drive,drive,drive towards the basket and either get fouled, or pass it up to a big man for an easy dunk/layup.
Don't most players have flaws? IMO the closest it comes to a perfect player in the NBA would be Lebron James. Sure Parker has flaws. Just like Duncan, Ginoboli, Koby Bryant, Dwight Howard, etc.... But Parker's strength's easily overcome his flaws IMO.
The club's top scorer of 2 or more seasons ago Tony Parker can not create game to the other directly, this is pure logic. However, as Parker draws the attention of rivals somehow manages to have his teammates play.
Parker is what my country is known as "binge"
I never wonder Tony as a great passer. Amazed at their great speed and the points at the counterattack. Assists Its not spectacular as were those of Magic Johnson or John Stockton
The truth shall set you free LJ. Tony doesn't suck, but he doesn't make anyone better either. Maybe we should waste more time arguing about the policies of a newspaper trying like to survive in this economy.
Whats wrong with that? Parker's 3-point shooting will never be a strength, so why, unless its absolutely his last option, should Parker start throwing up 3-pointers? BTW I haven't seen any evidence that Parker's jumpshot is MIA this season. He might not be attempting a whole lot of 3's this year, but hes still hitting his mid-range jumpshots.
Just go to the hole, RJ!
Dude is playing injured. Did you watch the Spurs play last year? The year without Manu? We started Mason, Finley and Bonner and were still able to win games. That was because Parker played at a very high level all year. He was healthy and received a very much deserved All-NBA 3rd team.
Now you criticize him when he is injured and attribute Jefferson's problems to him? If you watch the games recently you will notice that Jefferson's success has been against the bottom of the barrel teams, not Manu's passing. He will go back to disappearing against teams who rotate on defense. You need to change your screen name because you obviously don't know how good Parker really is.
I agree, but Parker had a lot more flaws in the past and overcame them like the champion he is. He's as much in control of this team (on the floor) as Pop is. He should have taken it upon himself personally to get RJ involved often, at the expensive of his own stats.. I don't think this should have been a personal decision, just making the best decisions for the team. Especially since Parker knows better than anyone how hurt he's been.
But like I said, blame Pop. He's the one telling an injured Parker he's the first and second options out there. He's 100% behind what Parker's doing, so there's no reason for him to stop doing it. When he's on, I don't want him to, either, but that's been rare this season.
If you think Tony's been playing defense the way Pop wants him to, it's you who's delusional. Simply put Tony was on the floor so much the past few years because the team desperately needed his scoring. With guys like Oberto, Thomas, Finley and Bonner in the rotation, points are at a premium, especially when Manu was hurt.
As Hill and Blair develop, as Jefferson finds his niche in the offense, and as Bonner feels more and more comfortable putting the ball on the floor, scoring points is getting easier for this club. It's the defense that's lacking.
As far as Tony's style of play as a point guard goes, I don't think Pop finds it at all ideal. I think he just realized long ago - as he did with Manu - that the strengths and weaknesses are what they are and he's going to have to work around them. He knows Tony had the desire and work ethic to improve his game as a scorer, so he encouraged him to do so. Instead of working on his weaknesses, Tony "strengthened his strength" as many athletes do. And that's not a bad thing. It's not ideal, but any area a player improves his game is helpful in its own way.
When Pop commented on his "centerpiece" theory of coaching. In the past, Bowen was Pop's centerpiece, and obviously the coaching strategy was successful. This year Pop wanted Bogan to be that centerpiece, because, prior to the season starting, Pop deemed that Bogan's was the best option on this current roster at the time. Obviously Bogans is not the answer. Hairston looks like he would be a great candidate for Pop's centerpiece role. But Pop is notorious for relying on veteran players and is slow to come around to younger players. I hope Hairston gets a chance in the playoffs to showcase his ability to play Pop's centerpiece role.
the spurs have played their ball when parker isn't in. i think that's pretty telling.
Solid Take
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