The Patience Game (Splitter interview)

[z0sa]

Pop not playing Splitter consistently is definitely confusing and by most accounts, a mistake.

[angelbelow]

Great read, solid interview that eases our mind.

Regarding Oberto.. I still don't think you can compare the situations that directly. Oberto was playing behind a prime Duncan, an effect Horry, Nazr AND Rasho. We were fresh off of a championship season - there really was no need for Oberto to come in and contribute immediately.

Splitters situation is quite different. Hes part of the youth movement at a time where we had to infuse our core with talent and youth. Our front court wasn't good enough last year to get any further in the playoffs, and they probably wouldn't have been good enough for the Lakers, this is where Splitter's theoretical appears like such an asset.

Still... its logical to bring him along slowly. I think missing part of the training camp and the entire preseason hurt him, and us, quite a bit. I'm still praying that he hes get solid minutes towards the end of the season and into the playoffs because while our championship hopes dont completely hinge on Splitters development, hes sure as going to make it a lot less difficult.

[Hoops Czar]

Pop not playing Splitter consistently is definitely confusing and by most accounts, a mistake.

For whom? Splitter is completely overmatched. I guess if Pop was in the mood to throw games away, he could give Splitter some burn. On the otherhand, 24-3 speaks for itself.

[ElNono]

-- Speaking in Pop, many in Brazil are criticizing him for not giving you playing time.

Deja Vu

[BackHome]

For whom? Splitter is completely overmatched. I guess if Pop was in the mood to throw games away, he could give Splitter some burn. On the otherhand, 24-3 speaks for itself.

Ok saying Blair being overmatched at center may be fair but to to say Splitter is always overmatched is false. The only two people I cant see him guarding would be Shaq, and Dwight Howard. Other then those two players I think he could could help us out at center in certain situations.

The reason Blair gets the minutes right now is we want to save Dice and people are comfortable playing with him they know what he can and will do. That is why EVERY first year player has a hard time getting minutes for us.

I will say this that when we start playing games in the playoffs you won't see Blair and our championship is going to come down to how well and how long can Dice help us.

[Hoops Czar]

Ok saying Blair being overmatched at center may be fair but to to say Splitter is always overmatched is false. The only two people I cant see him guarding would be Shaq, and Dwight Howard. Other then those two players I think he could could help us out at center in certain situations.

The reason Blair gets the minutes right now is we want to save Dice and people are comfortable playing with him they know what he can and will do. That is why EVERY first year player has a hard time getting minutes for us.

I will say this that when we start playing games in the playoffs you won't see Blair and our championship is going to come down to how well and how long can Dice help us.

I'll meet you half way. You do realize Splitter is playing against backups. He struggles mightily on offense, doesn't have a jumpshot, struggles to create his own shot, can't rebound or block a shot on defense, and sometimes looks like a deer caught in headlights. If he doesn't know the system, there is no point in putting him out there. That's what practice is for. You may not believe in Pop's system, but he produced 4 championships and was .4 tenths of a second and a bad foul by Ginobili away from a possible 5-peat.

Duncan didn't struggle to get minutes, neither did Elliott or Robinson. Yeah, I know, they're exceptions to the rule. However, he struggles to get minutes because he doesn't know what the he's doing, and when he does get an opportunity to play, he doesn't impress. If he's not impressing in games, it's quite possible Splitter's not impressing in practice. Why would you stick a guy out there who constantly struggles during a time when the Spurs desperately need wins to combat a brutal second half schedule. The old saying "we need Splitter to beat the Lakers" is false. He doesn't matchup well with Odom, Bynum or Gasol. He would be destroyed by the Lakers front court.

On a scale of Mahimni to Scola, he is much closer to that of Mahimni.

[jjktkk]

I'll meet you half way. You do realize Splitter is playing against backups. He struggles mightily on offense, doesn't have a jumpshot, struggles to create his own shot, can't rebound or block a shot on defense, and sometimes looks like a deer caught in headlights. If he doesn't know the system, there is no point in putting him out there. That's what practice is for. You may not believe in Pop's system, but he produced 4 championships and was .4 tenths of a second and a bad foul by Ginobili away from a possible 5-peat.

Duncan didn't struggle to get minutes, neither did Elliott or Robinson. Yeah, I know, they're exceptions to the rule. However, he struggles to get minutes because he doesn't know what the he's doing, and when he does get an opportunity to play, he doesn't impress. If he's not impressing in games, it's quite possible Splitter's not impressing in practice. Why would you stick a guy out there who constantly struggles during a time when the Spurs desperately need wins to combat a brutal second half schedule. The old saying "we need Splitter to beat the Lakers" is false. He doesn't matchup well with Odom, Bynum or Gasol. He would be destroyed by the Lakers front court.

On a scale of Mahimni to Scola, he is much closer to that of Mahimni.

Have to agree for now, but I believe Splitter is going to be an considerable upgrade over Mahimni. Prior to the season starting this year, I had hoped Splitter would evolve into a solid big man option off the bench, maybe even starting some games, depending on certain matchups, but for various reasons, Splitter hasn't been able too get playing time. From here on out, it appears Splitter will only get spot mintues. Maybe that will change, but it appears doubtful.

[GSH]

If the Rockets had done this with Yao, he would have gotten a couple of rings before his body wore out. Splitter is young, and I expect him to be here for a long time. The Spurs have obviously been able to keep the ship upright without him so far. I'd spend less time worrying about his ego, and more paying attention to the future of the Spurs program.

You're watching a team that has been able to remain a contender without the influx of high draft picks, and managed to keep their payroll small enough to be supported by a small market. But I'm sure they know nothing about long-term planning.

And BTW - for those of you who never watched him before this season - comparing him to Mahinmi is just ridiculous. Stop it. Just stop it.

[SpursDynasty85]

this.
The guy really sounds like he gets it and is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to play. Hopefully with the extra coaching, he will start increasing his minutes in the second half of the season. We will need that extra 7 footer.

+1

Pop not playing Splitter consistently is definitely confusing and by most accounts, a mistake.

Sigh*, I think so too. But what can you do? Pop is #1 contender for COY. Hopefully Pop has a plan for Splitter in the playoffs that don't involve him riding the bench.

[Cessation]

Maybe next year.

[LatinLover69]

yah all you dumb dummys screamin waaaaah waaaah spleeeter spleeeeter.. come to meee. now he's playing haaaaa.

[wildbill2u]

You can't justify putting Tiago on the bench 'because he's new to the Spurs and the NBA" when you are putting Neal, Anderson, and Quin into the rotation with more minutes.

He is a much higher rated player

[Spurs Brazil]

Here is another article with Tiago; and he, again, said the most important word for him right now is patience. I translated the most important parts with Tiago's quotes:

Patience is the best remedy for Tiago

He lives in the same condo of Manu and some other players and said he already adapted with his new life in San Antonio. Said people still don't recognize him on the streets

Now he's in a different situation because in Spain he had a lot of playing time and he needs to have patience. The reporter asked if he was disappointed and Tiago said disappointed wasn't the right word to describe. 'The team is winning and the players already understand the system better than me and I also got injured in the beginning and that put me behind them.

And then again he talked about being patience. "I have patience. I'm working hard and I know my chance will appear'

The reporter asked if he knew he could get only 11MPG he would prefer play for another team. Tiago was quick to say 'off course not. For me it's a honor be part of a team like the Spurs where the players think about winning and not about individual achievements.'

Tiago said Pop look more than the way players play the game. Said he looks at the character of each one and Tiago thinks how he respond to the little play time is a part of Pop and the coaches evaluation, that's why he keeps working hard to improve and show he wants minutes

Said Pop doesn't talk to him about the minutes, only about things he can do better on the court but the assistants said Manu and Oberto also had a tough start

Tiago said he's understanding the game better now, 3 secs rules, the athletic NBA players. 'I want to do the best of my minutes to earn more'.

He said TD helps him on practices about where he needs to be on O or D but Manu is the guy who is helping him the most outside the court. Say they talk a lot

http://esporte.ig.com.br/basquete/20...+10333646.html

[BackHome]

Yeah everyone was right Splitter sucks as you can tell he has such a crappy game yesterday against Denver. Why don't we get back Ian and just do a two way trade...lol..........