Initial Reaction: Spurs vs. Suns – Game 1

[rascal]

While many are calling on Parker to start Game 2, I'm hoping Pop doesn't take that road. Sure Parker will light up Nash all night, but how often is Nash going to light us up for 33 and 10 also? Chances are Nash will cool off a bit in Game 2, and George after watching video will know better how to defend him.

Plus, you gotta consider those 36 year old legs and his 24 year old legs. Hill is young and will be fresh for Game 2, while from now on the 1 day off may not be enough for Nash to rest and produce 30 and 10 a night. I say stick with it for Game 2. If Hill immediately struggles again in the first few minutes, you switch the strategy and never go back. Remember, Hill had a 0 point performance in Game 1 of the 1st round, Pop stuck with it and look at the results. I think it's too early to freak out, the Suns were always expected to win at least 1 of their first 2 home games.

Start Hill in Game 2!

Start Parker. Hill will play better with less pressure on him. Hill still needs more seasoning as a player to be counted on as a starter.

[sonic21]

I'm not worried, the game was close with all the role players not showing up.

[Parker2112]

I would like to see temple get a shot at nash. just sayin.

[Silverheart80]

Parker2112 -- When you're saying you want Temple to get a shot at Nash -- you saying that you think he could make Nash work on defense and maybe have advantage on offense? Can maybe get with you there.

But when Nash has the ball, you honestly think Temple can cover him? After Nash embarrassed GHill so easily? Nash doesn't outathletic anyone. He just uses all of their bad tendencies against them. I think rookie would get roasted on defense.

That said, I'd rather see Temple in the game than Mason every time, so if that's the choice, then yeah, roll the dice.

[Parker2112]

Parker2112 -- When you're saying you want Temple to get a shot at Nash -- you saying that you think he could make Nash work on defense and maybe have advantage on offense? Can maybe get with you there.

But when Nash has the ball, you honestly think Temple can cover him? After Nash embarrassed GHill so easily? Nash doesn't outathletic anyone. He just uses all of their bad tendencies against them. I think rookie would get roasted on defense.

That said, I'd rather see Temple in the game than Mason every time, so if that's the choice, then yeah, roll the dice.

My thinking is that Nash hasn't seen Temple yet (I might be wrong), and so Temple comes iun as an unknown. I think Nash would need some time to get Temple figured out, maybe a half or so, so we at least have that...and I think Temple has a better shot at recovering when Nash blows by him than George...he is taller than Hill and has shown the ability to recover from behind, and even block shots from behind. Hill has too, just not on Nash. And if Temple is in for RMJ, I think its safe to say we lose nothing

[Goran Dragic]

I'm not worried, the game was close with all the role players not showing up.

Phoenix's role players were as M.I.A. as San Antonio's. Chances are on Wednesday that Phoenix's big 3 won't combine for 83 points and the Spurs' big 3 won't combine for 73 points, the role players who step up will go a long way in determining the game. Both teams have a big question at SG. How will J-Rich play through the defensive adjustments Popovich throws at him, and is Manu capable of a vintage 2005 night only 48 hours after he had a 2005 night. The Suns should focus on stopping everyone but Manu and Duncan in the 1st quarter knowing there's a good chance they run out of gas.

[Goran Dragic]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...004070PHO.html

Nash has experience against Temple but he guards Nash better than either Hill or Parker do. A defender with height that Nash can't over the top of always give him more problems than shorter defenders with speed.

[Parker2112]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...004070PHO.html

Nash has experience against Temple but he guards Nash better than either Hill or Parker do. A defender with height that Nash can't over the top of always give him more problems than shorter defenders with speed.

Those numbers dont look all that convincing for putting Temple on Nash

[Goran Dragic]

I don't remember that game extremely well but from what I remember Nash didn't get going till Temple was out of the game. Early on he was struggling (I think). He's got his problems but SA really needs to get Jefferson involved, they're shooting themselves in the foot letting J-Rich take possessions on defense off and/or roaming around to double with impunity. Given how no one has any idea what adjustments Gentry and Popovich plan on making, game 2 just needs to start.

[Parker2112]

I don't remember that game extremely well but from what I remember Nash didn't get going till Temple was out of the game. Early on he was struggling (I think). He's got his problems but SA really needs to get Jefferson involved, they're shooting themselves in the foot letting J-Rich take possessions on defense off and/or roaming around to double with impunity. Given how no one has any idea what adjustments Gentry and Popovich plan on making, game 2 just needs to start.

These playoffs, I have been getting the feeling that Pop seems to hold his best stuff for certain games...he seems to shorten his rotation, and it seems like if he is coaching to win, you wont see RMJ or Bogans at all. Maybe its just me. I know after finding our rythym vs Dallas, Pop pulled out a cast of dogs for game 5, and it made me wonder if he was simply saving his best stuff for game 6 at home...I know that sounds re ed, but I cant understand why his approach changed soo much in that game.

Last night I got the same feeling, and the promising thing is, we almost won.

[Parker2112]

I'm not looking past the Suns yet though

[benefactor]

I realize you always have to be a sarcastic ass, but you do know that Parker isn't even timvp's second or third favorite player on the Spurs, right?

I was going to say this...but letting him look stupid seemed like the better route to take.

[Stringer_Bell]

Do you think Pop cried himself to sleep watching video of Channing Frye's 3-point shooting being everything he thought Bonner could be?

[Brazil]

Do you think Pop cried himself to sleep watching video of Channing Frye's 3-point shooting being everything he thought Bonner could be?

I was thinking exactly the same.

[Cheddz]

Jefferson needs to get some early shots in, make the no-defense Suns bite on the fake and drive to the hoop. Simple as that. Let Tony and Manu and Tim do what they did, add Jefferson actually looking like he wants to do something and we can win about four games this series.

[Parker2112]

I was going to say this...but letting him look stupid seemed like the better route to take.

To be as sarcastic as you guys try to be, you two sure are sensitive.

If this was new, I wouldn't mention it. This bias goes back at least to the beginning of last year. I thought it was short sighted then, and the carryover isnt any better.

I call em like I see em, and I will continue to do so. Timvp puts out another article praising Tony alone, expect the same. Dont like it, ban me again.

funny thing, as great as you folks may be at dedicating your waking hours to posting on this board, your collective fandom unraveled around Feb, at which point I, along with many others, lost major respect.

Otherwise, the whole thing is quite a bore...

[Blackjack]

I wouldn't put Manu on the bench. I'd replace Hill with TP. If you play TP, Manu and RJ, Nash really doesn't have anyone to defend. Nash on Hill isn't too bad of a matchup for PHX.

The bench is going to be weak but Hill will have a better chance to thrive off the bench. Keeping him in the starting lineup is a waste because he can't defend any of the Suns' starters. Instead of having him worried about getting abused on D, I think the easier matchups off the bench will allow him to also concentrate on bringing some O.

I've supported the current starting lineup and I've said I want Hill to start either at PG or SG ... but this matchup against the Suns calls for this change. Hopefully Pop makes the right move.

I get the rationale, but I'm not so sure. The Spurs have had two lineups this year that've have managed to create a balance throughout their personnel groupings: one was what they managed against Dallas; and the other was Parker, Hill, Bogans, 'Dyess and Duncan.

I get that suggesting Bogans getting a start is a vomit-inducing proposition, but he's going to see minutes (I cringed when he had some success, as I'd seen it before and the results that followed -- more playing time, no rewards reaped) and if they happen to come early, in order to find some balance and rhythm to the first and second unit, as quickly as possible, so be it -- between Pop's need to have a starter coming off the bench and Phoenix's second unit, it seems the best, most logical way to go given the personnel (even if Bogans is part of it -- ugh . . .).

I was definitely surprised Pop waited so long to fix the leak. Nash was destroying Hill left and right.

Then again, Pop has been a little overconfident in Hill's defensive abilities all season long. The truth is that Hill is an average defender at this point in his career. In some matchups he can be very good due to his length but Hill has his shortcomings on that end -- most notably the fact that he gets lost in pick-and-rolls. This is far from the first time he's been lit up by an elite point guard.

The thing that's always bothered me with Hill is the way he uses his length; it should be utilized to contain and not relied upon to recover. And the way he has trouble getting skinny, to get over and around picks, has always been a concern. But last night his effort to stay in the play was disappointing -- how many times did you see Bowen come from behind to stymie a Nash play once he got by because of a dogged, unrelenting effort to not concede the play? Hill conceded much too often.

It's a risk Pop has to take. TP is a perfect fit against the Suns starters. Hill fits very well against their bench. Any other concerns are trumped by those two facts.

I'm not sure it is. Hill's been one of their four best players and his play should pick up once he arrives back at the AT&T Center. But if you demote him to the bench (because that's what it'd be, a demotion -- this isn't sending Tony or Manu there), you could very well lose him in a diminished capacity -- I get that he's not a great matchup defensively for the Suns but he should be much better offensively moving forward, playing off the ball, and the Spurs need him to be playing as confidently and productively as possible. Plus, if you bring him off the bench to go up against Dragic ... what do you do with him the rest of the time? Do you significantly cut his minutes or use him situationally?

Hill's just too important to this team's success to take that approach, IMO.

That being said, I'd rather bench RJ and just roll with the Manu/Hill/TP as starters. Everyone keeps harping on the fact that "RJ turns invisible when he's not playing at the same time as Manu" and stuff like that.. well, it seems he's invisible the majority of the time - no matter who is on the court.

So.. since the Spurs aren't going to be able to defend both Nash and JRich anyway, might as well put your best players on the court to start the game (despite being small) and just try to outscore them. Then pray that RJ can produce something off the bench. If Pop manages Manu/Hill/TP's minutes right, then one of them will still always be on the floor to handle the ball.

I agree with the Hill take and putting RJ on the bench, but I do think he needs to be joined by Manu to start the game. Again, the Suns' second unit is just too potent (especially at home) and I just can't see Pop abandoning his starter-off-the-bench philosophy. But more than that, as it pertains to the actual basketball, starting the game with the focal point being Tony and Tim surrounded by spot-up shooters (Hill and Bogans in the corners and 'Dyess at the elbow) should allow Parker and Duncan the space and opportunities to get off -- Bogans was respected enough last night to prevent the Suns' swingmen from digging down on Tim and disrupting his moves or passing lanes, and that lineup allows Tony just about free reign.

I think you stoke the individual fires in batteries or tandems (however you want to put it) to start the game -- Tim and Tony to start, then off the bench with Manu and RJ -- in an effort to build the collective fire by endgame -- it just seems the best way to get their top seven players off to a good start and to find a better rhythm and balance, IMO.

[MannyIsGod]

. Starting Bogans might be the best thing to do.


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[Amuseddaysleeper]

[benefactor]

To be as sarcastic as you guys try to be, you two sure are sensitive.

If this was new, I wouldn't mention it. This bias goes back at least to the beginning of last year. I thought it was short sighted then, and the carryover isnt any better.

I call em like I see em, and I will continue to do so. Timvp puts out another article praising Tony alone, expect the same. Dont like it, ban me again.

funny thing, as great as you folks may be at dedicating your waking hours to posting on this board, your collective fandom unraveled around Feb, at which point I, along with many others, lost major respect.

Otherwise, the whole thing is quite a bore...

letting him look stupid seemed like the better route to take.

[objective]

.
-Well, I guess it isn't just the Mavs in the postseason. Matt Bonner played 13 timid minutes against the Suns. Offensively, Bonner seems to actively be searching for excuses not to fire up open looks. He's using his dribble way too much when he should just shoot. On defense, Bonner didn't play with much grit -- especially against Stoudemire. Bonner finished with two points and three rebounds on 1-for-2 shooting. If you watch him on the court, Bonner just doesn't look like a player who is comfortable with the pressure of the postseason. That is unfortunate for the Spurs, especially against this Suns team that is boiling over with young players ready and willing to leave their mark.

-I had hope that Roger Mason, Jr. could be a sleeper for the Spurs in this series. Consider those hopes dashed. Mason was horrible once again. He missed both of his shots and played pathetic defense. I can't even explain how bad he's playing right now. Mason isn't fit to suit up as the Coyote’s assistant, much less try to help the Spurs win playoff games on the basketball court.

Can anyone be shocked at the awful trotted out by Mason and Bonner? This was said before the series even started, , before the season started. , once news broke of Bonner getting his completely unjustified deal.

The other options aren't good, but they have to be used for the good of the team. First, Mason should be deactivated. Maybe Hairston's ankle is healed, maybe it isn't, I don't care. Mason wanted off the team, time to give him his wish, because he's playing like he's on an opposing team already. I'd rather see Temple or Hairston get a 5-minute burn in a first half and hope they don't hurt the team rather than see Mason get one single minute.

Second, no more Bonner. That's it. How many bad performances does it take to be held accountable? I'd rather see more McDyess. I'd rather see more Blair. I'd rather see smallball with Jefferson or Bogans at the 4. And yes, I'd rather see Ian Mahinmi go for a 3 minute burst in the first half to just stay with a Collins or a Frye and let him pick-n-roll with Parker a couple of times to see what happens.

He can stay suited up, but no more excuses. It doesn't matter how hard he tries on defense, because he doesn't accomplish anything. It's like Wooden said, "Never mistake activity for achievement". Well that's Matt Bonner.

[benefactor]

Beat me to it, Blackjack.

Just trading out Parker for Hill produces a lineup that is potent and may work, but I have very little faith in a bench that features Hill as the lone play maker.

The whole thing is a bit of a catch-22. If the Spurs start Bogans, the Suns can hide Nash on him defensively. If they start TP/Manu/RJ, then Pop has to be careful with the lineups and minutes...as Manu will be needed to help with the second unit play making responsibilities as he did earlier in the year.

What the Spurs need the most is the George Hill from the Dallas series to walk out of the tunnel on Thursday. That or RJ from game 2.....

[HarlemHeat37]

That's the most annoying part about Mason's minutes..the guy ASKED for a ing trade..he's a UFA at the end of the season..why is Pop giving him minutes?..I know Manu4Tres made a thread about Pop's heart being too soft or whatever, but it's becoming too much..

There's absolutely no reason for Mason to be playing any minutes at this point..he's pretty much guaranteed not to be back next year, there's really no reason to play him..there's no possible way that Hairston and Temple could be worse TBH..at least those guys play D and they're both trying to compete to become legit NBA players and get their first real contracts..

Frustrating..

[ploto]

I wouldn't put Manu on the bench. I'd replace Hill with TP. If you play TP, Manu and RJ, Nash really doesn't have anyone to defend. Nash on Hill isn't too bad of a matchup for PHX.

I would not be surprsed to see them put Nash on Jefferson if they have to so Grant Hill can cover Parker.

[ManuTastic]

this reminds me of game 1 against the mavs; they couldnt do no wrong (mavs, phoenix) and the spurs played sloppy and only lost by 8 or 9. almost had a chance to hold the lead.
not to worry.....they will be back for a game 2.

Amen. Actually it reminds me of most Spurs playoff series: coming out flat, getting beaten like a drum, then turning up the intensity when their backs are to the wall. Personally I don't need the extra aggravation, but that's just the way this team has always been.