Is Pop doing the Right Thing with Splitter?

[SA210]

That's what pisses me off about Pop. If that's the case between Pop and Splitter, then Pop should get off his ing moral high horse and take his little after-school special act elsewhere. Let him see he's no better than anyone else? Get your head out of your ass, Pop! Tiago is way better than Bonner and Udoka and possibly a few others as well.

[yavozerb]

If the goal is to win the championship, this is not the right thing. Bonner has no upside, and we all know how he performs in the playoffs. The situation is reminiscent of Hill in the 08 playoffs - didn't get played (instead of vets such as Finley) until it was too late. Fortunately for Hill, he got to play during RS because of injuries to Parker.

Splitter is not a typical rookie like Hill and Blair - he is a polished, 7ft post player - MVP & Finals MVP of the Spanish league. He knows how to play the game of basketball professionally - all he needs is minutes to adjust to the NBA and the Spurs. There is no sane reason why Bonner should be getting twice the minutes as Splitter.

To reach the ultimate goal (championship) one must first reach some minor ones first (a high seed for playoffs). Look I like Splitter as much as everyone else does but results are results and the spurs are currently the #1 team in the NBA. I agree that bonner has no upside but his shooting has won as many games as he attempted to lose so far this season. Splitters normal season in europe was about 35-40 games so an NBA season would double his games played in year. People, Splitter is here cause of the lakers of the world who actually still play a traditional brand of basketball with 2 bigs on the floor, not this small ball stuff that most teams play. He will get his chance, whats the hurry as long as the spurs are winning games. We still have 75% of the season to go, pace yourselves.

[jimo2305]

To reach the ultimate goal (championship) one must first reach some minor ones first (a high seed for playoffs). Look I like Splitter as much as everyone else does but results are results and the spurs are currently the #1 team in the NBA. I agree that bonner has no upside but his shooting has won as many games as he attempted to lose so far this season. Splitters normal season in europe was about 35-40 games so an NBA season would double his games played in year. People, Splitter is here cause of the lakers of the world who actually still play a traditional brand of basketball with 2 bigs on the floor, not this small ball stuff that most teams play. He will get his chance, whats the hurry as long as the spurs are winning games. We still have 75% of the season to go, pace yourselves.

thaaaaankk youuuu!!

[GabeIsGone]

To reach the ultimate goal (championship) one must first reach some minor ones first (a high seed for playoffs). Look I like Splitter as much as everyone else does but results are results and the spurs are currently the #1 team in the NBA. I agree that bonner has no upside but his shooting has won as many games as he attempted to lose so far this season. Splitters normal season in europe was about 35-40 games so an NBA season would double his games played in year. People, Splitter is here cause of the lakers of the world who actually still play a traditional brand of basketball with 2 bigs on the floor, not this small ball stuff that most teams play. He will get his chance, whats the hurry as long as the spurs are winning games. We still have 75% of the season to go, pace yourselves.

Its funny year after year people come up with ridiculous excuses and stories as to why Pop plays certain players, or runs certain things (Like small ball). Always saying that in the end Pop will come to his senses, or hes just being CIA, or it's only a matter of time, or it's change come playoffs.

When will people come to realize that even our HOF coach s up on a regular basis, makes head-scratching decisions all the time, has not started a true big next to Duncan in almost a Decade, and has CONSISTENTLY NOT made the rotational adjustments clamored for year after year by the spurs faithful (Bonner, Finley, Mahinmi, etc.), and has not significantly changed his lineup or style of play in the playoffs for quite a few years (again persistently playing a failing bonner, etc.)

What still gives people this image of Pop as a basketball genius that can do no wrong season after season?

[jag]

Its funny year after year people come up with ridiculous excuses and stories as to why Pop plays certain players, or runs certain things (Like small ball). Always saying that in the end Pop will come to his senses, or hes just being CIA, or it's only a matter of time, or it's change come playoffs.

When will people come to realize that even our HOF coach s up on a regular basis, makes head-scratching decisions all the time, has not started a true big next to Duncan in almost a Decade, and has CONSISTENTLY NOT made the rotational adjustments clamored for year after year by the spurs faithful (Bonner, Finley, Mahinmi, etc.), and has not significantly changed his lineup or style of play in the playoffs for quite a few years (again persistently playing a failing bonner, etc.)

What still gives people this image of Pop as a basketball genius that can do no wrong season after season?

Honest question: do you really think the Spurs were a better team than the Lakers last year?

[Mel_13]

has CONSISTENTLY NOT made the rotational adjustments clamored for year after year by the spurs faithful

Yeah, all the great coaches make their personnel decisions on such a basis.

[GabeIsGone]

Honest question: do you really think the Spurs were a better team than the Lakers last year?

Um......no. Never said that.

Honest Question: Do you really think Pop will change something (whether it be line-up, rotations, etc.) towards the end of the season as a result of some brilliant imaginary scheme (or plan) that so many insist is there?

[ElNono]

Yeah, all the great coaches make their personnel decisions on such a basis.

He does have a point at least as far as the apologists part is concerned though.
I'm surprised EricB or yavozerb haven't pulled out the 'Tiago probably sucks in practice' yet. Probably because it's only December...

[ChumpDumper]

Yeah, all the great coaches make their personnel decisions on such a basis.

I'm telling ya, the Spurs need to be coached by the Spurstalk game thread.

They will never win another game otherwise.

[rmt]

To reach the ultimate goal (championship) one must first reach some minor ones first (a high seed for playoffs). Look I like Splitter as much as everyone else does but results are results and the spurs are currently the #1 team in the NBA. I agree that bonner has no upside but his shooting has won as many games as he attempted to lose so far this season. Splitters normal season in europe was about 35-40 games so an NBA season would double his games played in year. People, Splitter is here cause of the lakers of the world who actually still play a traditional brand of basketball with 2 bigs on the floor, not this small ball stuff that most teams play. He will get his chance, whats the hurry as long as the spurs are winning games. We still have 75% of the season to go, pace yourselves.

75% of the season left to go - so just when is Splitter supposed to become acclimated to the NBA and the Spurs by playing 8 minutes a night? After the ASB when the rotation for the playoffs gets set? He'll have missed the boat by then and won't be in the playoff rotation in favor of Bonner.

People talk about vets (like Dice and RJ) taking a year to get used to the Spurs system - so exactly when will all this time be for Splitter to get used to the Spurs and playing against the NBA's bigmen? Playing a few RS games against LAL and BOS is not going to accomplish that. The Spurs must prepare for the elite contenders - not the run-and-gun, small ball teams (which they're not going to see in the playoffs except for maybe the first round).

Of course, maybe the goal is not the championship - maybe it's the RS like the Cavs (last year) or the Mavs. Play Splitter, Neal and Anderson (when he comes back) more and Duncan and Manu (and of course, Bonner) less.

[Ginobilly]

Honest question: do you really think the Spurs were a better team than the Lakers last year?

No, but the point is the majority of Spursfans were willing to die with mahinmi or any other bigman(next to Duncan) in the playoffs instead of Bonner. How many chances has this dude gotten already???? Bonner should be playing as much time as Scalabrine. They're both victory cigar players(Players you only play when you blow out teams) I'm starting to think race might play in an issue in Pop's love for Bonner. I can't think of anything else anymore!

[GabeIsGone]

Yeah, all the great coaches make their personnel decisions on such a basis.

Not really saying he should make line up changes based upon this, more like... if concerned fan after concerned fan (someone who should know less than a HOF coach) notices a consistent problem that is persistent year after year. It shouldn't take a genius HOF coach to notice it and at least ATTEMPT to fix it. And yet our HOF coach has consistently not noticed, or ignored, this problem.

[ElNono]

I'm starting to think race might play in an issue in Pop's love for Bonner. I can't think of anything else anymore!

Ridiculous. Finley was african-american.

[Cane]

Considering Tiago's a NBA rookie, missed out on the preseason because of injury/fatigue, and the Spurs have the no.1 spot; I'm liking how Pop has managed Tiago's minutes in the beginning of the season.

However as long as he doesn't chuck up anymore 3-pointers I see his role only expanding in the near future. With the December home-stand the Spurs should be able to utilize their HCA and get some blowout wins so Tiago can play more. After that the season is going to get much busier for the Spurs and thats when we should be seeing more of Tiago and less of Duncan and even less of McDyess.

So far I've been much more impressed with Neal than Splitter but thats another topic.

The Spurs also don't have the right passers to really utilize Splitter; like RJ he's open so many times but doesn't get the ball. Splitter seems to only really be utilized if Manu's on the court much like Blair last season and Oberto the years before.

[ChumpDumper]

Not really saying he should make line up changes based upon this

That's exactly what you are saying.

[Mel_13]

He does have a point at least as far as the apologists part is concerned though.
I'm surprised EricB or yavozerb haven't pulled out the 'Tiago probably sucks in practice' yet. Probably because it's only December...

There are certainly a small handful of posters who will defend every move of the coach and the FO. OTOH, the Pop-hating lunatic fringe will plaster the label "apologist" on anyone that doesn't buy into their entire agenda. It is possible, after all, to view Pop as something between an infallible genius and a drunken idiot. It makes it virtually impossible to have any sort of nuanced, adult conversation on some of these issues.

[TJastal]

lol homers all on the defensive cuz spurs won without Pop

[Ginobilly]

I'm telling ya, the Spurs need to be coached by the Spurstalk game thread.

They will never win another game otherwise.

We Spurstalk members have made the right call in the past on numerous games. I.E. the 2008 series against the Hornets. We called for Bowen on Peja long before Pop, who waited until we were down 0-2 or 3-1 to the Hornets. Anyways, we need to get back to Spurs Basketball period!!

[TJastal]

Considering Tiago's a NBA rookie, missed out on the preseason because of injury/fatigue, and the Spurs have the no.1 spot; I'm liking how Pop has managed Tiago's minutes in the beginning of the season.

However as long as he doesn't chuck up anymore 3-pointers I see his role only expanding in the near future. With the December home-stand the Spurs should be able to utilize their HCA and get some blowout wins so Tiago can play more. After that the season is going to get much busier for the Spurs and thats when we should be seeing more of Tiago and less of Duncan and even less of McDyess.

So far I've been much more impressed with Neal than Splitter but thats another topic.

The Spurs also don't have the right passers to really utilize Splitter; like RJ he's open so many times but doesn't get the ball. Splitter seems to only really be utilized if Manu's on the court much like Blair last season.

You're stupid.

[ChumpDumper]

We Spurstalk members have made the right call in the past on numerous games. I.E. the 2008 series against the Hornets. We called for Bowen on Peja long before Pop, who waited until we were down 0-2 or 3-1 to the Hornets.

Do you ever remember Spurstalk's being wrong?

Yes or no.

[ChumpDumper]

lol homers all on the defensive cuz spurs won without Pop

lol haters on the offensive cuz they think Bud did something Pop wouldn't have.

Play Bonner? Check.

Don't play Splitter? Check.

Small ball FTW? Check.

[Cane]

You're stupid.

That about sums up Spurstalk's opinion on your posts

[Ginobilly]

Do you ever remember Spurstalk's being wrong?

Yes or no.

preBonner era, yes. Current Bonner era, a big fattttttttttttttttttttt nooooooooooooo!

[Man In Black]

Think of this year like 2005. Pop trades for a big in Stone Hands Nazr. A critical component that came in January and learned on the fly. The benefit is that Splitter is already here and learning and having his minutes handled to give him rest after a long, long year of Euro and World Basketball.
I happen to think Pop will unleash him around the same point in the season Pop got Nazr for 2005. Then, we will see Pop go bigger with Splitter taking up more time.
I recall many of us saying that Bonner was going to play a lot during the regular season because of spacing issues he creates when he's making his 3's but I also recall that those same many of us thought that as the playoffs approached that Matt's role was going to decreased because conventional wisdom had it that Pop needed bigs who can battle to take down the Celtics/Lakers and teams of that ilk.

[Ginobilly]

Do you ever remember Spurstalk's being wrong?

Yes or no.

preBonner era, yes. Current Bonner era, a big fattttttttttttttttttttt nooooooooooooo!