Apologies accepted. I'm with Splitter all the way, I don't see anyone making a valid case for Bonnerball. Any move that makes us a better defensive team is the move to make.
All you have to do is look at what's happening on the court.
Pop has become lost in his own ideas/system.
part of me is starting to believe that Pop just isn't showing his hand before the playoffs. cause there's just no damn way he can't play him. no damn way. not saying i agree with this decision, but it'll be interesting. if it's true, it'll mean opposing teams will have to account for a dynamic that they did not see all season.
it'll be a surprise attack: Operation Tiago Splitter.
They're both tall, white and speak Spanish but that's about it. They're very different players. Splitter has good touch around the rim, but he is very hard nosed. Gasol is a finesse guy all the way and more skilled with finesse-type moves.
I'd love to see Tiago develop a jumper, but even still he would be very different than Gasol.
It is a pleasant daydream that Pop's going to unleash Splitter in the playoffs. That would be perhaps the coolest move ever, but it's just a dream.
Fun to think about though.
Doesn't make sense to "hide" a guy during the season so you can use him for the playoffs, when you could be developing him and better preparing him for the talent he'll face in the postseason.
true, but he's going against the best PF in history in practice. who knows.
Good point... But nothing prepares you for games like playing in games. I can't imagine a better way to prepare for Bynum than seeing minutes against Bynum.
The thing is, I think McDonald is right. It's useless for people to about Bonner when it comes to Tiago not playing. Bonner is the second string PF, Blair is the second string C. Splitter is third string to Blair, Novak is third string to Bonner.
Splitter needs to be getting Blair's minutes, IMO.
Put this is the Blair thread, seems to go here too.
Pregaming: Spurs vs. Jazz...I asked Coach Pop during his presser about lineups featuring DeJuan Blair and Matt Bonner, hoping to get some reasoning to pass along to y’all about why he plays them together. I got none.”Well, I don’t like those two together more than I do any other two, it’s just the way the subs utions go. They’re going to be on the floor together, whether I like it or not. You got to put two other guys in, and they’re the subs. If they’re doing well, I like it. If they’re not, I guess I don’t.”
Obviously, Coach Pop is being a little coy. There are reasons he likes playing Blair and Bonner together, but he’d rather not say too much. And asking Pop straight up why he likes to play Blair over Splitter will get me a death stare and no response. It’s not being brave enough to ask questions with Pop, that’s not that hard. It’s asking questions that will get you genuine answers that is difficult.
by Andrew A. McNeill
48 Minutes of
McDyess is waaay better than KT, but I would agree Splitter > Dice. The biggest myth in the league is Spurs don't have enough quality bigs, ridiculous.
I wouldn't doubt that if Bonner is clanking 3's in the playoffs, Splitter will get minutes. Pop is stubborn sure, but I think he understands that this could be Duncans last hoorah. If he really does care about Duncan, he will put Splitter in. Of course, only if it is necessary.
It's not as obvious against teams like the Jazz, but when you are against the Lakers and Pau and Bynum are in the paint, and Odom is just outside of it, your "quality bigs" are suddenly Tim with some sporadic help from tall guys.
blair started
CIA Pop getting ready to unleash the Golden God!!
Nice effort by Tiago tonight, the crowd was loving it. Pop was demonstrably happy as well.
Listening to the post game on the way home, it's pretty obvious that the coaching staff holds Tiago in very high regard. Some here like to compare Tiago's situation to Mahinmi, but there's really no comparison. When the assistant coaches were asked about Mahinmi last year, all you got were pla udes. They may just as well have been saying that he was polite and had a good personality, but it was clear that he was not going to play a role in his tenure as a Spur.
It's completely different with Tiago. Coach Brown was effusive in praising Tiago's toughness, physicality and big game experience. When asked directly if Tiago would have a role in the playoffs, he answered "definitely". I'm not holding my breath, but I believe that the staff is sold on Tiago's ability to step up and contribute when called upon.
Getting Pop to tell you what's really on his mind seems borderline impossible. It's been obvious for awhile that Pop just doesn't think Tiago is ready right now and we'll probably never know the reasoning behind that. There are a lot of factors that play in to all that.
Splitter is a Pimp. I have to agree that Gasol is finesse when we stuck Splitter on him he didn't know what hit him. Really like the way Tiago put a body on him and knocks the ball away. Also how Jefferson coming at him didn't rattle him a tiny bit. He stayed after it and played strong down the stretch while Al's chodes shrank to microscopic proportions.
As far as Bonner its really simple. He misses his first 1 or 2 threes give him the quick hook. As long as he's hitting he can play 15 or more minutes, but don't give me 20+ minutes when he's 1-6 that's ludricous.
The significance of that role is what's really in question. It's hard to think it'll be more than what's been shown so far. I hope I'm wrong.
The Lakers are not your typical NBA team, they can play a huge quality front line that will give any team problems. And yes, I know the road goes through LA. That is the point, Splitter/Duncan can match up with Bynum/Gasol. Odom is a matchup problem for everyone, but Dyess is not a bad matchup there.
The way we will beat LA is TP will abuse Fisher, we'll rain 3s on them while playing up tempo utilizing our superior depth.
THANK GOD!!!!! Dice > Splitter + Bonner
lol 2 boards in 24 mins
Gary Neal 3 boards in 24 mins
Passing the Gatorade can be considered a role...
I don't think anybody here would be surprised if he's deactivated when the playoffs roll around...
like i said from the start, i don't exctly agree with the strategy, just playing a little devil's advocate.
it's got to count for something that neither Gasol nor Bynum has seen Splitter. I'm NOT saying that Splitter = Gasol or Bynum, but Splitter is clearly someone you don't leave out of your strategizing if you're the other team's coach. he has the ability to change the game with his defense (i.e. taking charges everwhere, blocking shots, protecting the rim, holding Lamarcus Aldridge to one of his worse games this season) and team's aren't going to have a feel for him at all if it's the case that the Spurs are saving him.
also, i think everyone is in agreement that the Lakers have more talent than SA, whether Splitter is in the rotation or not, but maybe Pop thinks that he can level the playing field with surprise attack Operation Tiago Splitter.
remember, devil's advocate.
we're not going anywhere in the playoffs unless we guard the paint ( as Bill Simmons says protecting the 6 feet of real estate under the basket is what determines playoff success). All I know is aside from Duncan , Splitter is our only legit and capable big man who can do a decent job of doing this . With either two of them out it's layup line galore.
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