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As we saw with Pop refusing to play Splitter last year, the Spurs WOULDN'T give him minutes. Matt Bonner was starting when Ian was here, so there were minutes to be given.
They called Duncan for fouls on two blocks that were just as close. Hopefully those were just home court calls.
As we saw with Pop refusing to play Splitter last year, the Spurs WOULDN'T give him minutes. Matt Bonner was starting when Ian was here, so there were minutes to be given.
When he was a rookie, Emmitt Smith told the media that they'd have won a game if Jimmy Johnson had given him the ball more. Instead of benching him or trading him (like Pop would have done), JJ fed Emmitt the ball the next game. They won, and just kept winning. Splitter did the same thing but handled it right by telling the right person.
Jesus, can you imagine what would have happened if Splitter had told Jeff McDonald that? We'd all be wondering why Splitter was suddenly traded for Kirk Heinrich.
Mahinmi signed with Dallas the day before they traded for Chandler.
Mahinmi would have allow Tiago to be a starter. Mahinmi & Bonner would have been a decent bench duo. You are an idiot who was wrong and just needs to stfu about Mahinmi.
Can't wait for Manu to get back, but I love the chemistry that seems to be developing between Tiago and Tony. Their pick and roll is really coming around nicely. Not sure if this relationship would be developing as fast if Manu was available.
it was ridiculous that Mahinmi never got any pt while here. i still believe he can be a Serge Ibaka type player in his prime.
We need this twin tower philosophy back, now, this season.
During his 3 last years in Europe, Splitter was a good scorer and the central point of Vittoria offense. Their offense was based on 2 plays: pick and roll of Tiago with the PG (Prigioni and then Huertas) and ball in the low post for Tiago.
Tiago's offense with Spurs is basically the same. It isn't a surprise that it works. The Splitter/Parker connection is especially looking great with a deadly pick and roll. Parker is too good an accustomed at putting the ball in the low post after all these years with Duncan.
Yeah, I can't see that working out too well. Props to Tony for continuing to feed him the rock.
And that doesns't count the altered shots or giving up the ball when he comes at the offensive player. He's starting to 'beast' all over the court.
PGs are starting to look for him when he moves without the ball toward the basket because he has great hands. He was shooting 78% for the year recently.
Folks in Dallas, including their broadcasters and some coaches, are calling him the most improved player in the league. Interesting that the coaches have enough confidence in him to let him have minutes at the end of the games.
One thing I have especially notices is how he is filling out. He was such a skinny kid when he came to the Spurs.
Manu's even more craftier on the pick and roll. It would definitely give the team more options. TP who's a passer will also make Manu's job easier. Manu and Ford were playing pretty good together because Ford was pass first. I think if the team resolves their big situation they can contend.
I noticed that last year, I think that was a factor in why he was fouling so much. When he would set a pick he would sometimes knock a guy on the floor by accident. The fouling has gotten under control so I can only assume he is starting to learn how much he can bang around with his increased girth. Damn I need to catch a mav game sometime and see whazzup with him.
Sounds like something RJ would say tbh.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/holli...fleague%3dwest
Ian and Tiago with almost identical PER - would be great to still have both (Spitter's has come up from about 13 in the last two weeks) but the problem is if both here one or the other would continued to be messed with by Pop. Hope both go onto big success.
It's all about cost. Unlike veterans like Delembert, it costs very little to keep Mahinmi. Unless Mahinmi had some behavior issues, which was never reported by any media, you keep a young athletic 7-footer. Simple as that.
Obviously we are far less knowledgeable than Pop & Buford in terms of basketball operations, but I think the management over-thinks too much oftentimes.
Pros and cons regarding the Blair/Mahinmi debate. And I don't have an opinion one way or another regarding Mahinmi and Blair but...
...The obvious question I think would be...
So if it was after 5 years that Mahinmi finally started proving to be worth keeping after going to another team...should the Spurs wait 5 years or more on Blair?
The idea of Splitter, Duncan, Green, Manu and Parker (Leonard, Ford, Neal) looks like it could make a playoff run. Now if we only had adequate bigs to play backup.
There's not much similarity in situations as far as proving worth.
Mahinmi was only able to prove his worth when he was given minutes. He never received those minutes in San Antonio, Pop even went to absurd lengths to find ways to deny him minutes.
In Dallas while playing scrub minutes behind two legit starting caliber centers, he still played 2.5 times more minutes for the Mavs than he had amassed in his entire Spurs career.
Blair on the other hand has been given loads of opportunities, going back to to the start of his rookie year.
^ +1
I doubt if we'll ever know the back story to the Mahinmi saga. I think it almost had to be personal with Pop and Mahinmi's relationship. Those rare times Mahinmi did play, he played well enough to warrant a second or third look, but he didn't get them.
Jordan Hill and a tired Scola have that effect on opposing PFs.
Splitter >> Ian and it's not close. Sure he had a big game against Phx yesterday, but in the two previous games he had 6 pts 2 rbs and 6 pts 4 rbs. He's more up and down than George Hill.
Ian is playing the way he always has and is healthy.
Good for him.
Posting his stats doesn't put him on this team any more than it has with Scola or Jackson. Sorry, I learned a long time ago I have no influence on the team whatsoever so it's no use continuing to cry over spilled milk. I would have been fine keeping any of these players of course, but it didn't happen. I also have ideas about how much and where a guy like Splitter should play -- I've posted them a time or two. I simply don't feel the need to whine about it in every thread.
didn't mahinmi have a very cheap option that the spurs didn't pick up? spurs should have kept him as the fifth big. he could have definitely gotten some minutes over blair now that blair deserves some benching. mahinmi as an insurance big is also not that bad. if he ever got over his fouling (looks much better in dallas), he would have been a nice option to go to when blair and bonner are crumbling or if a big gets injured.
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