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Manu Ginobili A-
LJ is on crack !
Quick Grades: Spurs vs. Lakers
Entering the contest with a two-game losing streak, the Lakers entered the game with a chip on their shoulder. After the Spurs cruised to a 97-82 victory, the Lakers left with a chip on their shoulder. San Antonio took control in the middle of the third quarter and never looked back. Offensively, the Spurs, especially the role players, did a good job attacking. However, it was defense where the game was won. The Spurs held L.A. to 35.4% shooting from the field and only 38 second half points. The win improves the Spurs to 27-4, which is now six games better than the 21-10 Lakers.
Tim Duncan D
If you told me before the game that Tim Duncan would score two points and pull down four rebounds on 1-for-7 shooting in 29 minutes, I’d ask how many points the Lakers won by. Thankfully, the Spurs were able to overcome Duncan’s difficult night. They did so by basically going away from him and limiting his touches. Duncan simply couldn’t do anything against the length of the Lakers on the offensive end. Defensively, he was better. He defended the post well, played good team defense and ran the court. However, his lack of defensive boards wasn’t helping matters.
Manu Ginobili A-
I’ve given Manu Ginobili credit when he played very well offensively and mediocre defense. Tonight, it was the opposite. Defense is where Ginobili shined. He made life extremely difficult for Kobe Bryant, even early on when Bryant hit four of his first five shots. Ginobili’s defensive success came by making it difficult for Bryant to catch the ball and then harassing his dribble. Ginobili also did great work challenging shots without fouling. On offense, it wasn’t a graceful evening for the Argentine star. He missed 8-of-12 shots and committed four of the team’s nine turnovers. To Ginobili’s credit, he handed out a team-high six assists and quarterbacked a Duncan-less and Parker-less lineup in the second half that was able to keep the lead for a seven-minute stretch.
Tony Parker A+
Tony Parker was the engine that drove the team Tuesday night. He was relentless in pushing the pace and getting the team into its offense before the Lakers could set their defense. He created very well for himself and others — and would have had a healthy amount of assists if his teammates were knocking down open three-pointers. Defensively, Parker was also very good. He kept the Lakers point guards from doing much of anything and competed well when switched onto bigger players. All in all, Parker played with an impressive amount of aggression and toughness, while buzzing around the court at a speed that was seemingly a step faster than usual. Oh, and he did all that without turning the ball over in his 34 minutes of work.
Richard Jefferson A-
Although Richard Jefferson’s outing might be remembered most for the handful of open three-pointers he missed, I thought it was very important that he kept shooting. Last year, Jefferson would have shied away from the perimeter shot and would have clogged the team’s offensive attack. By continuing to fire away, Jefferson stuck to his role and allowed the Spurs to keep getting open looks. On defense, Jefferson wasn’t as great as his compatriots but he made a few very good plays off the ball. His seven rebounds were important and his physicality was at a higher than normal level.
DeJuan Blair A+
When you look at the Spurs and Lakers on paper, the biggest weakness for the Spurs is their lack of comparable size. In particular, Blair being able to hang on offense or defense against L.A.’s bigmen appears to be an impossibility. Well, on the court, things played out much differently. Blair played with endless energy and was the best bigman on either team. Offensively, he utilized a combination of crafty moves and brute strength to score 17 points. On defense, his quick feet and quicker hands made it difficult for the Lakers to take advantage of their superior height. When the ball was free, Blair went and got it — finishing with a season-high 15 boards. We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out in the subsequent matchups this season but for at least one night Blair was a much bigger asset against the Lakers than anyone could have imagined.
George Hill A+
It’s not a coincidence that the Spurs allowed 110.5 points per contest in the four games George Hill recently missed due to a toe injury. It’s also not a coincidence that the Spurs are allowing only 81 points in the two games since his return. Against the Lakers, his defense was unbelievable. The Spurs haven’t had a perimeter player play better defense since #12 retired. Against Bryant, Hill wouldn’t give him an inch and was the main reason Bryant finished 8-for-27 from the field. His nine rebounds (eight defensive), four blocks and two steals all speak to how active Hill was on this night. When he wasn’t flustering Bryant, Hill was swooping in from away from the ball to muck up a Lakers possession. On offense, Hill was also good. He got to the free throw line seven times and kept the pedal to the metal. Overall, Hill did everything the Spurs could have wanted out of him — and more.
Matt Bonner A
Matt Bonner gave the Spurs a solid 26 minutes of action. Defensively, Bonner was strong and played better than expected post defense. He also did good work out on the perimeter and boarded well. On offense, he was the only shooter able to knock down three-pointers (he was 2-for-3, the rest of the team was 7-for-29). When things got stagnant on the offensive end, Bonner had surprising success using his dribble to create. This game gave Pop no reason to stop giving Bonner consistent minutes.
Gary Neal B+
Early on, Gary Neal couldn’t buy a shot from three-point land. But sticking with it, Neal eventually found his stroke and drained a pair of fourth quarter triples that helped nail the coffin. Defensively, he was good enough and played with a ton of juice on that end. For his first ever taste of Spurs versus Lakers, Neal showed the compe iveness and fearlessness needed in this heated rivalry.
Tiago Splitter C
When Tiago Splitter signed, his ability to help negate the Lakers size advantage was hyped. In the first go-around, it didn’t really work out as planned. He had trouble scoring or rebounding against the length. On the post, the Lakers were most comfortable when Splitter was on the court. Splitter had a couple nice plays but it was mostly a night to forget for the big Brazilian.
Gregg Popovich A
One of the main differences between the two teams on Tuesday night was the fact that the Spurs adjusted better to living with a struggling superstar. Even when Bryant was cold, the Lakers continued to run their offense through him. Pop, on the other hand, was quickly able to go away from Duncan and, to a lesser degree, Ginobili. I was happy that Pop gave Splitter a chance to get his feet wet against the Lakers. Pop also deserves credit for continuing to believe in Neal and sticking with Blair after he had a horrific opening stint.
Manu Ginobili A-
LJ is on crack !
Nice to have the Quick Grades back Timvp!
Hope all is going well for you and the fam. Merry belated Christmas and, of course, happy new year.
Aren't you being too generous with those grades?
They've been playing great even if Tim is not. Does this mean we should trade him now? Kidding! ROFLMAO!
RJ...
I almost at the point where I am ready to completely take back all the negative things I said about RJ in the offseason. Last year RJ's all around game would have suffered along with all the missed shots. This year he is much more consistent in maintaining his agressiveness no matter what happens. He is being exactly what we need at the SF position right now.
Hill...Blair...nothing else needs to be said. They played out of their minds and were the reason the Spurs won the game. Let's hope we see the same two players against the Lakers in a seven game series.
It seems to me Tiago got used to have a size advantage. He's struggling to adjust to compete against size on a regular basis.
Duncan played some good defense on Gasol. He should be better then D, just for that.
Ginobili's overall grade seems a bit high to me...
Great grades timvp
Ginobili was difficult to grade because while he wasn't very good on offense, it was by far his best defensive game of the season -- especially in terms of individual defense. So if I routinely give him good grades even when he doesn't play much defense, I don't think I could have given him a much lower grade when his impact on the game just happened to come in a different form.
that tim duncan fella is posting up scrub numbers, maybe he should void his contract and settle for nba minimum....
Nice grades, pretty much agree.
The two guys I was most impressed and surprised by were Bonner and Blair, who were the two biggest question marks for mine.
This has to give them confidence next time they face LA.
That's correct
With his impact on a game spurs played better.
But IMO a grade B- is more adequate.
1. You had him struggling on O
2. LA are not in great shape
2a. LA played poorly when it comes to take advantage of the big lineup
2b. They seemed to lack energy
Ginobili's grade his a little bit too high (B/B+)
This season, he is our MVP and I expect more from him.
Still LA gonna dare Spurs (bonner) to hit treys. Without 3poiter spurs O is bad against bigs of LA caliber players. And if the ball gonna be slower in the palyoffs our halfcourt sucks and moving ball will not be as fluid.
Hopefully spurs can build from this win on the defensive end from now on.
If not - this will be a fluke game.
No problem.
Derek Fisher D+
Fish looked completely lost in this game. Swarmed by incredible defensive rotations, he finished with as many turnovers (3) as assists. On a night the Lakers desperately needed someone to hit shots, Fisher shied away from firing away, and after his 3rd quarter mini-meltdown against Richard Jefferson (which undoubtedly will inspire many a "U MAD?" poster), the Spurs put the Lakers away. 0 for 1 from downtown, Fisher looked old and out of sorts against San Antonio's speedy, slashing backcourt. Fisher was -21 in just 25 minutes of action, a performance that could see the Laker brass scrambling for potential trades to shore up their PG depth, of which they have little to speak of.
Kobe Bryant F
Kobe gets the worst grade out of any player from last night. He began by immediately taking 5 of his team's first 6 shots, and didn't pass the ball on any of those possessions, completely removing any offensive flow the Lakers had. His spat with George Hill, along with missing 13 shots in a row made it very apparent that the Spurs combination of Manu and Hill with a dash of RJ on switches got into his head. Obviously bothered by George Hill's length, Kobe did get warm in the 4th, when the game was already close to being over, and pulled the Lakers to within 9 before the Spurs scored the knockout punch. His 5 turnovers to go with just one assist is a microcosm of the Lakers right now -- Selfish, stat-hungry, and completely out of rhythm on offense. After all his time in the league, Kobe still hasn't made the mental commitment to playing team basketball, and he killed their momentum before it could ever get started last night.
Ron Artest C-
One rebound. That's all you need to know about his contribution to defense last night. Really, does anyone recall Artest even playing? Other than knocking down a couple of treys (the only player besides Kobe to hit more than one three), Artest was largely invisible in this showing. He gets a C- because he was one of only three Lakers to finish with 10+ points, and was the only Laker with significant minutes who didn't turn the ball over. He actually didn't get a tech this game, so that contributes to his (relatively) serene score below.
"What about Bob?" rating: Chillin' on his shrink's couch, but needing a stress ball.
Lamar Odom D
The man who is usually a complete nightmare for the Spurs to guard, Odom shot 33% in this game. He did pull down 8 rebounds, but with both teams missing so much, that's not really as much to his credit. His hustle looked great at times, and at others he didn't even seem to want to be on the court. Overall, he wasn't nearly aggressive enough on either side of the ball. Odom gets a lower grade than usual because he HAS to demand the ball in games like this, as he presents perhaps the most difficult mismatch of anyone the Lakers have for the Spurs.
Pau Gasol D
Another player who gets a low grade due to the fact that he should be far more effective, Gasol continues his surprising lack of stellar play in the post for the Lakers. Be it from fatigue, injury, or just a lack of desire, Gasol's play as of late has to be highly disconcerting to the Lakers management. Gasol looked slow and hesitant all night, and got caught flat footed by the Spurs slashing guards, who blew by him early and often for easy points. He did finish with 3 blocks, however he wasn't closing plays out, and got completely smashed on the glass by DeJuan Blair. Harassed by help D and double teams, Gasol elected often to pass out of the post, something that will only give opposing bigs more confidence to force him into uncomfortable spots on the floor. The Lakers need to be patient and to repost Gasol, because if he isn't effective, they often must resort to Kobe's outside shot as their primary method of scoring.
Steve Blake C-
When the other team is actually happy to see you, that's usually a bad thing. Such was the case last night for Blake, who along with Fisher looked completely lost on offense, and couldn't guard a sack of potatoes on D. It stands to question that in the heat of the undoubtedly tough Western Conference Playoffs this year, will Phil ever feel comfortable putting Blake into the game? "Alright Steve, get out there and guard Deron. Steve? o?" "He fainted, coach." "Oh." The Lakers are going to struggle to get anything from this position in the playoffs unless Fisher is hitting his shots. Why the C-? Well, what were you expecting from Steve Blake?
Shannon Brown C-
I wanted to give Shannon an F, due to his 1-11 shooting. But did anyone notice that he also outrebounded every other Laker? In a minute less than Bynum, the 6'4" guard from Illinois pulled in 11 boards. For comparison, in 34 minutes Gasol had five rebounds. However, Shannon just couldn't hit a jumper in this game, and if you're a scorer on your team and you don't score, you're hurting the team. Phil should seriously consider starting Shannon Brown at PF instead of Gasol, just to send a message loud and clear to his struggling star. Phil could even borrow a jersey from Sir Charles to really drive the message home that a 6'4" guy shouldn't be kicking Pau's ass, even if they're on the same team.
Matt Barnes B+
I actually liked what I saw from Barnes, in the limited minutes (17) he played. He came with intensity on defense, and looked much more active than most Lakers. He drove into the paint and hit a couple of tough shots against the San Antonio defense. I can't understand why Phil didn't reward him with more playing time, because aside from Bynum, Barnes was one of L.A.'s positive influences last night on both sides of the court. In fact, every time I see this guy he seems to be consistently doing good things for L.A., making me wonder why he's relegated so often to the end of the bench.
Andrew Bynum A-
Really, how could you ask much more of this guy? He hit all 4 of the shots he took. He attacked on offense. He had nearly as many boards as Odom and Gasol in far fewer minutes. Phil says he's a step slow and so he's not playing him as much, but if anything I thought he was much more assertive at rotating to the ball than Gasol was last night. Bynum gets docked to an A because he only had one foul, meaning he should have been more aggressive, and down to an A- because of his Shaq-like line at the stripe: 2-8, the only Laker to miss from the free throw line, yet because of his struggles the team shot a collective 16-22. Yikes. Popovich is undoubtedly rubbing his hands, plotting in the playoffs to go with his vaunted, "Hack-a-Bynum" strategy, or perhaps the less well-known "Chop-a-Drew". Also of note, high school BBall coaches everywhere are busting their clipboards as their players think, "Wow, I can make it to the NBA without ever learning to shoot free throws!"
Derrick Caracter, Joe Smith, and Luke Walton: B+
Managing just 3 minutes between them (well, all allotted to a guy that I didn't even know played for the Lakers in Caracter), the trio of unsung superstars actually didn't do anything to hurt the Lakers last night. Caracter had 5 points in 3 minutes of play even, proving he's already a more effective scorer than Kobe.
Phil Jackson D-
Really, I'm not sure I can give Phil a grade for this game, because it was obvious as soon as the game started that #24 was the one in control of the Lakeshow. Still, Phil should be heavily critiqued for his coaching job last night. Failing to throw an early reign on Bryant, he let Bean single-handedly destroy any offensive rhythm the Lakers might have had, then didn't play the guys who actually seemed like they wanted to be on the court. More PT to Barnes and Bynum, and the Lakers might have kept the lead to single digits and had a shot in the 4th. Phil was completely outcoached by Popovich here, as his team could not deal with the frenetic speed and rotating D the Spurs used all night to frustrate and confuse the Lakers starters.
EDIT: Changed Barnes from B- to a B+, added some content.
Last edited by Cry Havoc; 12-29-2010 at 11:43 AM.
Hey kids, this game is played at both ends of the floor. Manu got an A++ at D but struggle with his shooting night despite hitting a big 3s in the 4th quarter that was kind of a dagger.. But, instead of chucking like other stars, he passes the ball (6 assists)
Hill and Blair won this game. We all knew those two would have to be big this season for us to hang with the big boys and they showed it tonight.
100% agree on manu grade his defense was very good, using his quick hands to be a pest to the lakers also he set up his teamates well he could of had more assist if neal hit a couple more shots, but did anyone see when they were talking about manu on nba tv with kevin mchale and chris webber? it was pretty cool how mchale said he saw manu in europe when he was 20 and he said he was the most wildest player he has ever seen throwing passes 30 rows up in the stands every other possesion haha.
Wow a whole new level of basketball knowledge:
The Spurs are a good team this season, playing at home they are expected to win always.
It certainly isn't a good sign that the Lakers had various losing streaks, but it's only a regular season game. It's not a true measure about the Lakers and the Spurs can play better too.
The NBA best record is impressive, thought the Celtics are probably still a better team - because the Spurs played most of their games at home.
@ CryHavoc, ..Nice take on the Lakers. Very amusing to read.
Thanks!
I read it.Thanks!
Nice read. I wonder if the Lakers fans would agree on the take?
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