#22 - 13pt 8 reb - 1 credited blocks* + draws 2 charges

[jag]

No, but you said he wasn't historically bad, which is wrong. If you took his whole career before that TINY little window that you used to show that he wasn't bad, it would be about spot on 54-55%. This year is not an aberration, it's his norm.

I do think he's soft. I don't think he's a wasted pick. He is in danger of slipping into Varajao status, though. He needs to quit trying to draw charges from guards and attack them to block shots. That's what NBA bigs do.

By "tiny window" do you mean the last four years where he shot 65%? If you want to take stats from when he was 18-19 years old to justify that he's a bad free throw shooter, then so be it. But I have a feeling the last 2 years provide much better metrics to evaluate the type of player he is evolving into.

The fact that you use the charges he takes to show that he's a soft player is very telling when it comes to your lack of ability to evaluate anything on a basketball court.

[GabeIsGone]

No, but you said he wasn't historically bad, which is wrong. If you took his whole career before that TINY little window that you used to show that he wasn't bad, it would be about spot on 54-55%. This year is not an aberration, it's his norm.

I do think he's soft. I don't think he's a wasted pick. He is in danger of slipping into Varajao status, though. He needs to quit trying to draw charges from guards and attack them to block shots. That's what NBA bigs do.

Why would you use stats from a players early years when they clearly have developed? In this case I think taking only a few years as a sample size would be more relevant. (which is still 100's of free throws)

And idk how drawing charges is playing soft. He plays to his strengths. Which in this case his footspeed> his vertical. Thus he tries (and succeeds) to get in front of players instead of rising above them. Due to his length he still affects LOTS of shots just by raising his hands, in a Duncan-like manner (though not as well of course, but still much better than Bonner/Blair).

[duncan228]

The Spurs worked out for less than 40 minutes as a team Sunday morning before they took the afternoon off to prepare for the season-ending road trip.

Rookie forward Tiago Splitter was the most dedicated worker as he spent an extra 35 minutes after practice working on his free-throw stroke. At times, up to five members of the Spurs’ coaching staff watched and analyzed as Splitter tried to get the kinks out of his struggling form from the line.

Spurs have light workout as they prepare for finishing road trip
Tim Griffin

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ing-road-trip/

[Capt Bringdown]

Failure to Integrate Splitter into the system is solely on Pop. We'll see how far we can go using the Old Man and the Mighty Midget at center.

Excellent summary. This was a humongous mistake by Pop that cost us our best shot a le run since '07 IMO. Freezing out a serviceable 7-footer who rebounds and defends will likely be catastrophic to our le ambitions. I can't think of another NBA coach who would be so blind and rigid as to make such a move, can you?

[biskvito]

Splitter Stats from DX

One interesting thing, in these stats his lowest FT (38%) coincides with his lowest minutes (9). And his best FT (68% and 79%) goes with highest minutes (28) playing in Europe.

[Josepatches_]

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.

Yes,they are pretty different.
Imo Splitter is a better defensive player in the post.He can rebound as well as Pau if not better
Also he had nice moves and fakes one vs one in the post.I'd say not much worse than Pau's ones who likes more to face the rim instead of backing down.

Obviously Pau Gasol is a better player overall.

[Josepatches_]

Splitter is a 65% more free throw shooter

I will say for the 1,000 time

They are trying to correct Splitter's FT style, the biggest reason of his low percentage.

Imo the biggest reason is playing time.

We aren't stupid in Europe.He worked in his FT style a lot before.The biggest problem is that he needs to play to shoot FT.

If TD only could shoot one per game I'm sure his FT% would be lower.It's not the same to shoot one or five when you aren't good from the line.

[TD 21]

They should let Splitter revert to his previous form for the remainder of the season. It's too late to be tinkering, especially when he wasn't a complete liability before they started doing this. Now, he's clearly thinking too much and has no confidence.

I don't buy this as an excuse to not have him in the rotation. It's not like he's going to be playing the final 6-8 minutes of games anyway and his strengths far outweigh his weaknesses. This team can't afford to be picky, not when they don't have another credible option, as far as protecting the rim goes, on the second unit. He is more than likely the second best big on the team. Playing him sparingly could be the difference between winning a championship or being eliminated by no later than the Conference Finals.

As far as Gasol, theoretically, Splitter may be one of the best Gasol defenders in the league. Look at the job he's done on Aldridge, who's similar in that he's long (not Gasol long, though, but few are), mobile and has good touch either with his back turned or facing. Splitter's long, mobile, physical and intelligent. I could see him giving Gasol trouble.

Splitter matches up better with Gasol than he does Bynum. Should the two teams meet, they should have Duncan defend Bynum almost exclusively and have McDyess/Splitter take turns on Gasol.

[DPG21920]

The fact he draws fouls at such a good rate is what needs to be the focus. I haven't looked at the numbers, but I would bet Tiago leads all bigs on the team in fouls drawn per minute.

[ace3g]

Spurs have light workout as they prepare for finishing road trip

Rookie forward Tiago Splitter was the most dedicated worker as he spent an extra 35 minutes after practice working on his free-throw stroke. At times, up to five members of the Spurs’ coaching staff watched and analyzed as Splitter tried to get the kinks out of his struggling form from the line.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ing-road-trip/

[xtremesteven33]

Tiago can really contribute alot come playoff time. I think the first 2 rounds he has to play big so Tim doesnt have to carry too much of the load and he can conserve some energy for the Lakers in the WCF's and also the NBA Finals. So hooefully the first 2 rounds can give Splitter the confidence and experience he needs so we can be fully ready for the Lakers.

[rmt]

I think Pop's fear with Splitter is two-fold. One, I think he thinks the refs will give him even less respect with playoff fouls than they do for Bonner and Blair and two, I think he's afraid of Hack-a-Tiago on offense. So we'll see.

If I were Pop, I'd be worried less about the respect of the refs and more worried about the lack of respect that other players have for Bonner. "Throw the ball to whoever Bonner's guarding."

I also don't get Pop categorizing Splitter as a blue-collar worker/player. He seems much more talented (able to defend and run the pick and roll, post moves - which will get better with more exposure against NBA players). To me blue collar player implies some one who does the dirty work like Najera or Nick Collison - scrappers who only score off put-backs. If that's how he views him, then it's no wonder he's been sitting on the bench collecting DNP-CDs.

[coachmac87]

If I were Pop, I'd be worried less about the respect of the refs and more worried about the lack of respect that other players have for Bonner. "Throw the ball to whoever Bonner's guarding."

I also don't get Pop categorizing Splitter as a blue-collar worker/player. He seems much more talented (able to defend and run the pick and roll, post moves - which will get better with more exposure against NBA players). To me blue collar player implies some one who does the dirty work like Najera or Nick Collison - scrappers who only score off put-backs. If that's how he views him, then it's no wonder he's been sitting on the bench collecting DNP-CDs.

That's clearly how he views him. Splitter cant shoot, and Blair has better low post moves than Splitter. Only thing Splitter has that Bonner and Blair don't is the ability to defend. Something that wins championships.......C'mon POP!!!!!

[Fireball]

and Blair has better low post moves than Splitter

[angelbelow]

The mans out of shape. leave him alone.

[#2!]

The mans out of shape. leave him alone.

That really has to be the reason he hasn't been getting many games above 20 minutes this season. Tiago doesn't have the physical stamina for the NBA game on an NBA schedule yet. Although Splitter runs hard every possession he's on the court for, I keep hearing people mention how gassed he is/looks (including TD most recently). Perhaps he could have built it up more if he weren't injured early on, or received more minutes cosistantly, but all that matters is that he's still working on it this late in the RS.

The best plan for making sure tiago is ready for this season's playoffs may be to bench him for stretches throughout the season, and bring him into the rotation late in the year. He was played more in games against guys he knows from international ball, to ensure he would be gaining comfortability every minute on court. This way he could learn the system and league slowly, as well as have plenty of juice for the PO.

I say all this with the understanding that (1) I am putting my hope into the hands of a possible idiot savant, and (2)Pop has to continue to give Splitter minutes to make this true.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

That's clearly how he views him. Splitter cant shoot, and Blair has better low post moves than Splitter. Only thing Splitter has that Bonner and Blair don't is the ability to defend. Something that wins championships.......C'mon POP!!!!!

What?

Splitter has a nice hook, a counter with an up and under, shoots with both hands and has touch. Blair rushes every shot he takes and is a terrible finisher.

Then you start talking about pick and rolls....

If Blair is not beasting on the boards, Splitter is playing better.

[Fireball]

What?

Splitter has a nice hook, a counter with an up and under, shoots with both hands and has touch. Blair rushes every shot he takes and is a terrible finisher.

Then you start talking about pick and rolls....

If Blair is not beasting on the boards, Splitter is playing better.

thanks for detailing my a little ...

[++SaiNt TiAg0++]

What?

Splitter has a nice hook, a counter with an up and under, shoots with both hands and has touch. Blair rushes every shot he takes and is a terrible finisher.

Then you start talking about pick and rolls....

If Blair is not beasting on the boards, Splitter is playing better.

not trying to be a but didnt you used to say splitter was worthless?

[FuzzyLumpkins]

not trying to be a but didnt you used to say splitter was worthless?

I do not think I ever said that.

My brother recently said that i was a Splitter fanboi.

Earlier in the year i did not know enough about him and was a bit worried after he got hurt right out the chute.

i have wanted him to succeed like no tomorrow. A mobile hard nosed big is a coveted commodity in the NBA.

Ever since he has been getting more minutes he has just impressed me more and more.

Now i have said that he looks lost on offense when he is not directly involved in pick and rolls. There are a lot of back screens and spacing issues that he has had but there is no question he has gotten better.

I have also felt that his core strength needs to be worked on. When guys would try to root him out and he would get bent at the waist, lose balance and literally flail his arms around. Thats a sign of a lack of strength in his bubble and core muscles.

But again he has improved about that.

Its obvious the guy works his ass off on and off the court. Barring injury he is going to be a huge assett for us going forward. Now whether or not Pop cashes in has yet to be seen.