Shootaround 4/21/10

[nkdlunch]

How come everyone seems so afraid of Pop? I am assuming all of these guys are professional media guys asking the questions. The one question about Rick Carlisle framed with what Mark Cuban thinks was just BAD!

you don't with Pop. He will mentally undress you in front of the cameras.

[crc21209]

I'm the biggest hater and even I think ppl in here are being too tough on him today. It's the playoffs, a clean slate. Let's forget the regular season. RJ had 1 bad playoff game, like he said, you go from 1 game being a zero to 1 game being a hero.

I think RJ is gonna respond tonight.

now if he doesn't.....

Exactly....what did people want him to say today? Did ya'll want him to respond to the questions yelling and spitting water or what? . The guy is a calm dude like TD. Just because he didnt show emotion in his interview doesnt mean the guy doesnt care about contributing or winning...

[guzmangm]

I found the RJ interview troubling.

Pop just kind of ignored the Blair question by giving a general answer. Let's hope he did it because he doesn't want to reveal his lineup adjustments...

[in2deep]

goddam let's get this game started already!!!!!!!!

[Blake]

Coach Pop
http://www.nba.com/spurs/multimedia/...pop_shoot.html

Tim Duncan
http://www.nba.com/spurs/multimedia/...can_shoot.html

Richard Jefferson
http://www.nba.com/spurs/multimedia/...son_shoot.html

good stuff.

Is it just me or does Don Harris still seem like a mediocre interviewer, even after all these years of covering TD?

[Morg1411]

Tim: "I don't care. Add him to the list. Everybody hates us."

That kicks ass.

[Mark in Austin]

"I have no reaction to that. Insignificant."

Tim Duncan, still teaching Badass 101.

[chichi!gettheyeyo]

No, you ed up Marc. It's Cubans like you who are giving a bad name to our people. People who come here to work hard and make an honest living for themselves.

[Blake]

No, you ed up Marc. It's Cubans like you who are giving a bad name to our people. People who come here to work hard and make an honest living for themselves.

[taps]

Pop just kind of ignored the Blair question by giving a general answer.

Agreed, except I think this was Pop's most revealing answer if you read between the lines,

paraphrase:

"He's going to have trouble against any front court. He's undersized."

"He has to figure out how to work that (his game.)"

Good thing this kid has shown he has a psyche like a wrought iron anvil that deflects criticism and uses it to forge a stronger weapon... Definitely Spurs material.

I don't think he will play much this year (though I hope to God he does.) IMO Pop's more stubborn about rookie inexperience than he is addicted to smallball crack [thanks for that one Mr. Spur or whoever came up with it.]

Point is I've accepted this about the pop-dejuan dynamic and can live with it a little more easily if Pop gives him a fair chance next year.

I know he gives rookies a very hard time because we have the toughest system in the league and he expects his players to be ready to produce like the vaunted role players of Spurs past who could ride pine for an entire series then execute/make big plays when their number is called in crunch time.

I pray and pray and pray this is the case, because dejuan has already accomplished things only a select few of the most elite big men of the last 30 years can lay claim to. If dejuan continues to improve and Pop is still saying the same thing next year's playoffs as blair avgs 10mpg then I'll know he is a slave to those measurements and more or less blind to his production/talent/hustle.

This kid is better than George Hill, is a natural born leader and was the focal point of a very successful Division I team... and he damn sure won't need any coddling to go out there and produce. Please don't bury him next year, Pop.

[sefant77]

No, you ed up Marc. It's Cubans like you who are giving a bad name to our people. People who come here to work hard and make an honest living for themselves.

A good interviewer would have told Duncan that Cuban had a big smile on his face when he told that "hate" stuff.

Cuban smiling makes it completly different and Duncan would knew it.

Of course if you are a bag just looking for headlines you dont do it.