The patient is in the hospital...

[Splits]

^ unless the team plane crashes, they gotta pulse. How many times have we ripped off massive winning streaks this year? 3 in a row is a joke if everyone can get their in order. A home game should help.

[jag]

I actually agree with the OP (somewhat). The Spurs are still capable of winning this series...as for the rest of their road, too little too late with the integration of Splitter.

So much wasted time with gimmick lineups..

[jag]

I'd go with a starting five of Parker, Neal, Jefferson, Duncan, and Blair for game 5.

Manu and Splitter come in together off the bench, and go pick and roll until Memphis calls uncle.

Bonner gets no more than five minutes in the first half. If he hasn't hit at least two threes in that time, he sits the rest of the pine.

Good suggestion

[mexicanjunior]

I think we win game 5...we would need Gasol or Randolph to have a serious injury to win anymore games past that though...so let's hope the injury gods smile on us.

[John Basedow]

So much wasted time with gimmick lineups..

He looked pretty good out there for the most part...not to be a but at worst this series would be 2-2 if Splitter was given that kind of run in Games 1-3

[Obstructed_View]

I'd go with a starting five of Parker, Neal, Jefferson, Duncan, and Blair for game 5.

Manu and Splitter come in together off the bench, and go pick and roll until Memphis calls uncle.

Bonner gets no more than five minutes in the first half. If he hasn't hit at least two threes in that time, he sits the rest of the pine.

I'm starting Parker, Neal, Ginobili, Duncan and Splitter. Camp Duncan 18 feet from the basket on offense, let Splitter fight for offensive rebounds and draw fouls. Duncan and Splitter clog the middle, everyone else just stays at home on their man. Do that three times and get ready for OKC.

[jmanu20]

He looked pretty good out there for the most part...not to be a but at worst this series would be 2-2 if Splitter was given that kind of run in Games 1-3

You aren't being a , you're just being truthful. I would have thought Pop would have learned his lesson waiting too long to play Hill vs. the Mavs in 2009...but once a stubborn ass, always a stubborn ass I suppose.

[Harry Callahan]

He looked pretty good out there for the most part...not to be a but at worst this series would be 2-2 if Splitter was given that kind of run in Games 1-3

SA actually got some stops in the second quarter with Tiago out there against the Memphis bigs - then Manu went brain dead and started throwing the ball away and turned a seven or eight point lead into a tie.

The lack of composure was just ridiculous.

[Obstructed_View]

Being truthful has drawn an awful lot of venom from the Pop sucker crowd over the last few years. Don't blame JB for tiptoeing around the subject.

[awktalk]

You aren't being a , you're just being truthful. I would have thought Pop would have learned his lesson waiting too long to play Hill vs. the Mavs in 2009...but once a stubborn ass, always a stubborn ass I suppose.

Ummm.... hehehmmmm, uhhh well, I just thought I'd point out that, emmmm when Splitter started the 2nd half with Gasol and Randolph on the floor, with TD, ummmmm hehhheeemmmm, that MEM went on a ahemmmm, uhjhhmmmmm 14-0 run, ummm hehhheeemmm, like their best run of the entire series, ahemmmm and got into the penalty with like 9 minutes to go ahemmeheeemmmmm and Tiago had two of those ahemmma ummmm fouls.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I'm starting Parker, Neal, Ginobili, Duncan and Splitter. Camp Duncan 18 feet from the basket on offense, let Splitter fight for offensive rebounds and draw fouls. Duncan and Splitter clog the middle, everyone else just stays at home on their man. Do that three times and get ready for OKC.

I was inclined to say start Splitter, and Pop is in full on panic mode so it's even money that it will happen.

The problem with that is that then when it's time to give one of those guys a rest, you're bringing in some combination of Bonner, Blair, or Dice.

None of have shown the ability to hang with the Memphis bigs, and at all costs I want to minimize the chance of Pop trotting out Bonner and Blair together to give up whatever lead we could get playing TD and Splitter together.

[jag]

He looked pretty good out there for the most part...not to be a but at worst this series would be 2-2 if Splitter was given that kind of run in Games 1-3

He looked ok. In all honesty he looked raw as . He looks like he's out there just winging it and improvising. He doesn't have any kind of rhythm on the offensive end, and very little chemistry with any of the players out there. All you can hope is that his length and instincts help him to contribute.

He's been given zero time to integrate into the system, and the coaching staff showed zero confidence in him. It's truly bizarre.

[John Basedow]

Ummm.... hehehmmmm, uhhh well, I just thought I'd point out that, emmmm when Splitter started the 2nd half with Gasol and Randolph on the floor, with TD, ummmmm hehhheeemmmm, that MEM went on a ahemmmm, uhjhhmmmmm 14-0 run, ummm hehhheeemmm, like their best run of the entire series, ahemmmm and got into the penalty with like 9 minutes to go ahemmeheeemmmmm and Tiago had two of those ahemmma ummmm fouls.

Your bus is leaving.

[ElNono]

He's been given zero time to integrate into the system, and the coach staff showed zero confidence in him. It's truly bizarre.

Is it?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Ummm.... hehehmmmm, uhhh well, I just thought I'd point out that, emmmm when Splitter started the 2nd half with Gasol and Randolph on the floor, with TD, ummmmm hehhheeemmmm, that MEM went on a ahemmmm, uhjhhmmmmm 14-0 run, ummm hehhheeemmm, like their best run of the entire series, ahemmmm and got into the penalty with like 9 minutes to go ahemmeheeemmmmm and Tiago had two of those ahemmma ummmm fouls.

I know you're a re , but let me help you:

1. Splitter was only out there for the first half of that run.

2. Splitter had two fouls. One was a tough one on Gasol that was as hard as anyone has fouled Gasol this series. The other was him trying to make up for one of our perimeter guys getting smoked.

3. It's not Splitter's fault that Parker, Jefferson, and Hill were taking turns playing turnstile defense on the Memphis guards.

Thanks for playing though.

[awktalk]

I know you're a re , but let me help you:

1. Splitter was only out there for the first half of that run.

2. Splitter had two fouls. One was a tough one on Gasol that was as hard as anyone has fouled Gasol this series. The other was him trying to make up for one of our perimeter guys getting smoked.

3. It's not Splitter's fault that Parker, Jefferson, and Hill were taking turns playing turnstile defense on the Memphis guards.

Thanks for playing though.

-14

which was 2pts improved from when garbage time started

[Obstructed_View]

I was inclined to say start Splitter, and Pop is in full on panic mode so it's even money that it will happen.

The problem with that is that then when it's time to give one of those guys a rest, you're bringing in some combination of Bonner, Blair, or Dice.

None of have shown the ability to hang with the Memphis bigs, and at all costs I want to minimize the chance of Pop trotting out Bonner and Blair together to give up whatever lead we could get playing TD and Splitter together.

Duncan can play against Randolph, and Splitter has about as good a chance as anyone against Gasol. Those matchups should be concrete, and the Spurs should match them minute for minute. Dice can play against Arthur, and Bonner or Blair can fight with sporks at the hotel for the rest of the minutes, I don't give a .

I don't mind a small lineup with Bonner if they're going to run and try to score easy buckets and break down the defense to set up threes, I just don't want to see it for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

[jag]

Is it?

Like what do they see when they look at Splitter out on the floor? What do they see when they see DeJuan getting face ed by anyone over 6'8"?

As raw as he looked and as awkward as Splitter probably felt out there, he still posted better stats than Gasol and Duncan. And had the same amount of rebounds and one less point than Randolph with a better shooting percentage.

[John Basedow]

He looked ok. In all honesty he looked raw as . He looks like he's out there just winging it and improvising. He doesn't have any kind of rhythm on the offensive end, and very little chemistry with any of the players out there. All you can hope is that his length and instincs help him to contribute.

He's been given zero time to integrate into the system, and the coach staff showed zero confidence in him. It's truly bizarre.

Agreed. He looked like a kid in his first ever playoff game, ho-hum. He showed flashes of brilliance and played aggressively, but he's clearly not comfortable out there yet. That's Pop's fault and no one else. As I (and many others on ST) have said since day 1, size matters. Splitter was an important pick-up and I initially feared the Spurs going into the year--because I thought Splitter would get the same run that Blair was afforded last year--thus, giving the Spurs a legit Twin Towers combo again. He suffered some minor injuries and Pop just forgot about him.


I feel bad for Tim, more than anyone else. Not only does the development of Splitter make them contenders again, it also prolongs his career. Pop wasted a valuable year, imho

[phxspurfan]

Spurs in seven

.

[ElNono]

Like what do they see when they look at Splitter out on the floor? What do they see when they see DeJuan getting face ed by anyone over 6'8"?

As raw as he looked and as awkward as Splitter probably felt out there, he still posted better stats than Gasol and Duncan. And had the same amount of rebounds and one less point than Randolph with a better shooting percentage.

No, I'm wondering if you really think it's bizarre that Pop didn't get Splitter integrated into the team, especially after seeing Hill in '09, then watch it backfire...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

-14

which was 2pts improved from when garbage time started

Ah yes, the vaunted +/-, which totally proves your point. Nevermind what happened on the court.

Nevermind that eight of that 14 came from:

RJ missed jumper, two points at the other end
Tony Parker turnover, 2 points for Memphis at the other end
George Hill turnover, 2 points at the other end
Tony Parker missed three pointer, 2 points at the other end

The guy was in positive territory in the first half when he was out on the court with Hill, Bonner, Manu, and Dice for crying out loud

But yeah, he sucks, trade him for a bag of chips!

[crc21209]

ONE game at a ing time. If they get Game 5 at home (which they will) all they need to do is win 1 damn game on the road and get this back home....

[jag]

No, I'm wondering if you really think it's bizarre that Pop didn't get Splitter integrated into the team, especially after seeing Hill in '09, then watch it backfire...

It's bizarre that he would make the same mistake with a 7-footer who hustles, plays defense and can score on the PnR and while making cuts to the basket.

[mingus]

Hate to say it, but this team is done. Before this game, I though Duncan would come out of his funk, but it's not a funk. Dude just doesn't have it anymore. And like Barkley said at halftime, nothing wrong with that. Happens to the best.