Grades: Spurs vs. Pacers - Mar. 31

[timvp]

After two days of much-needed rest, the Spurs hosted the Pacers on Saturday night. Leading the entire way, the Spurs posted a 112-103 victory -- the team's seventh straight win and 10th in their last 11 outings.

San Antonio led by as many as 22 points in the second quarter, however Indiana kept fighting until the bitter end. The Pacers actually were within single-digits for a lot of the second half but were unable to truly get all the way back into the game.

Overall, the Spurs have to be thrilled with their offense. In their last 13 games, they're averaging 108.5 points per game. To put that in perspective, the Thunder currently lead the NBA in scoring at 103.7 points per game.

That said, on the other side of the court, the defense -- are lack thereof -- has to be worrisome. The Spurs are allowing 105 points per game in their last three contests. Tonight, the Pacers started 3-for-9 from the field but then were successful on 39 of their final 70 field goal attempts, or 55.7%. That obviously is not going to get it done come playoff time.

The winning is great but down the stretch run of the season, I'm hoping for something resembling above average defense.





Tim Duncan B-
Early on, I thought Tim Duncan played really well on both ends. He was being physical and making smart decision. However, after the Spurs built their lead, it appeared as if Duncan lost some of his intensity. In the second half, he was mostly just going through the motions ... that is until he dialed it back up near the end of the game. To finish off the Pacers in the fourth, Duncan again come up with momentous plays on offense and defense. All in all, it was a raggedy outing from Duncan; really good sometimes, nearly invisible other stretches. Offensively, when he made decisive moves or shot without hesitation, he was successful most of the time. On defense, he did great work keeping Roy Hibbert from gaining good position (and also kept him off the offensive boards) but Duncan's help defense was substandard.

Manu Ginobili B+
Manu Ginobili's first half was stunningly efficient. In 14 minutes, he had 14 points and three assists on 5-for-6 shooting from the floor. His machinelike play was a leading reason why the Spurs broke the game wide open. In the second half, Ginobili's offense wasn't nearly as spectacular -- but it wasn't bad. He kept creating and showed good aggression throughout. Defensively, I thought he actually played better in the second half. His energy on D in the final two quarters was very high in spurts ... perhaps as high as I've seen it this season.

Tony Parker B+
Defensively, Tony Parker was the most consistent player for the Spurs. He did great work staying in front of his man, chasing his man around screens and rarely allowed open driving lanes. On offense, Parker again looked a step slow. I'm not sure if his hamstring was bothering him but he wasn't going at 100%. Despite his lack of burst, he was still effective running the club. Parker picked his spots well when looking to score and made good decisions out of pick-and-roll sets. Perhaps most impressive of all was his single turnover despite going 35 minutes against a Pacers defense that is active, long and not averse to physical play.

Kawhi Leonard C
Obviously, I've been spoiled by Kawhi Leonard's strong play in recent weeks but he just didn't have the type of impact that has become expected out of him. Defensively, he had some really good moments against Danny Granger … but he also had some very forgettable moments. The best news regarding his D was his intensity, which I thought was much higher than usual. Offensively and rebounding-wise, Leonard was just really quiet. On offense, perhaps the most notable aspect of his game was the impressive vision he illustrated. Leonard hasn't been known for his court vision but he displayed some good awareness tonight, especially off the dribble. All told, it was far from a bad night from the rookie but it was certainly below the expectations he has set as of late.

DeJuan Blair B
DeJuan Blair played as under control as we've seen him on the offensive end in a long time. His shot selection was good, he was making the right passes and his screens were better than usual. Blair also was extremely active on the offensive boards. Defensively, he gave good effort. Blair usually remained ineffective on D but you could see the wheels spinning in his head as he attempted to get in the right spots. Overall, he still wasn't much of an asset but he was rewarded with rare fourth quarter minutes so Pop must have liked what he saw.

Danny Green C+
To begin the contest, Danny Green brought a good amount of liveliness -- particularly on the defensive end. Unfortunately, Green's defense got progressively worse; his second stint was so-so and he was poor in the beginning of the third quarter. After his man (Paul George) scored a few times, Pop pulled Green and never put him back in. Offensively, Green was a tad too aggressive with his shot selection. With as deep as this team is with scoring talent, he honestly shouldn't shoot anything that isn't a wide open three-pointer or doesn't involve a clear path to the hoop. A good sign for Green is that Pop is spending more time coaching him within games than any other player. If Green makes a mistake on the defensive end, Pop is quick to pull him out of the game and explain what he did wrong. That tells me that Pop considers Green a vital piece to the puzzle going forward.

Stephen Jackson B-
Shooting-wise, Stephen Jackson just didn't have it tonight; the three-pointer he made was an accidental banker. Despite his shooting woes, the rest of his outing was strong. He attacked the rim really well and created a few baskets with heady passes. Defensively, Jackson was physical and annoyed the Pacers with his peskiness. He had a handful of mistakes (many of which are correctable with time) on both ends that limited his overall impact but he continues to look like a very good fit.

Matt Bonner B
There's not much to complain about tonight regarding Matt Bonner's play. On defense, while he did give up a few open jumpers, Bonner had a few really good plays on the post and even a couple in transition. His rebounding on the defensive end was also a plus. Offensively, while he missed his treys, he took high-quality shots and didn't hesitate when it came to either shooting or passing. Bonner's moves off the dribble were also working for him tonight.

Gary Neal A-
Following a few rough outings, Gary Neal bounced back with a very steady performance. His shot selection was great (especially for him) and he looked as comfortable handling the ball against pressure as I've seen all season. When driving to the basket, he kept his eyes open and delivered a couple fine passes. On defense, as long as he was matched up with someone his size, Neal did relatively good work. He looks a half-step slower since his foot injury but this was definitely a step in the right direction for Neal.

Tiago Splitter B+
Although he played only 16 minutes, Tiago Splitter was very productive. Offensively, the Pacers couldn't stop his rolls to the basket; he found a way to get open following virtually every pick-and-roll. With an ounce more of patience after catching the ball in the paint, Splitter could have easily had an even gaudier stat line. Defensively, he was mostly a positive. He had a couple breakdowns but otherwise protected the rim well and didn't back down from Indiana's physicality. Splitter was also really good on the boards on both ends.

Pop C
I'm still scratching my head after Pop used Blair in his finishing lineup. While I can live with Blair starting, there's absolutely no way Pop should have him on the court at the end of games. First of all, he doesn't have the experience. Secondly, and most important, Blair just doesn't play with the precision that is necessary to win close games. And that's as gently as I can put it. Hopefully this was just a one time reward for Blair, but the combination of Boris Diaw getting a DNP-CD and Blair being shoehorned into the Robert Horry role left me pondering Pop's sanity. Other than curious Blair decision, I actually thought Pop coached well. I would have liked for Pop to play Parker a few less minutes since he didn't look totally healthy … but that's about the extent of my additional criticism.

[will_spurs]

Thanks for the notes as I couldn't watch this game.

There's something to be said in favor of compe ion,and emulation. Compe ion, as it seems to have lit a fire (however small) under some players' asses, especially Blair, who is suddenly trying to figure things out on D. Amazing what Diaw coming off the bench and playing better D than Blair ever did can achieve

Emulation in the sense that several players were coasting: one of them is gone, but Blair (again) remained, and overall I think it's nice to have several players play with heart, not only the big 3. That's an invaluable intangible right there.

[TheSkeptic]

Thanks Timvp.

Quick question:

Before I start getting even more nervous about the playoffs, do you think Pop is planning to go with the rotations we've been seeing as of late when all the bigs were in the line-up?

[therealtruth]

What does Splitter need to do to get more playing time?

[Spurtacus]

What does Splitter need to do to get more playing time?

Spread the floor.

[TheSkeptic]

What does Splitter need to do to get more playing time?

At the moment I'm thinking he needs to dye his hair red, practice his shooting, and steal Bonner's uniform at half-time.

[chazley]

What does Splitter need to do to get more playing time?

1. Become better than Tim Duncan

2. Not suck next to Tim Duncan.

The reason he's as good as he is is because he is the best big man on the floor when he plays, and he mostly plays with a floor spacing big man in Bonner who allows him to control the paint on offense. It sucks that Pop hasn't been willing to play them together more often, but I suspect we'll see it in the upcoming series against the Lakers.

[TMT®]

A couple notes:

1. Stephen Jackson didn't look good tonight from what I saw. I really hope he can get hot again and solidify himself as the starting 2 guard by the playoffs. S-Jax starting and Green off the bench is obviously better for rotations in my opinion. Bringing Jack along with Manu off the bench just seems puzzling to me.
2. Boris Diaw DNP kind of irritates me. I know Pop is hesitant to adjust new players into the rotation right away, but the reason we signed this guy was to bring the things Bonner doesn't: solid interior presence and rebounding. I hope All 5 bigs can be in the rotation by the playoffs, but with Bonner playing select spotter minutes. Pop definitely needs to put a limit on the Red Rocket's PT.
3. Splitter only getting 16 minutes tonight? Why is Pop so hesitant to play him more time? Or next to Duncan? Or instead of Blair at the end of games?

Great write up, timvp.

[jjktkk]

Thanks, as always, for the writeup Tim.

[freetiago]

I dont think parker is feeling anything from his hamstring tbh
he just plays passive when hes with ginobili
maybe its the result of not having to create and not being the go to guy like we saw in the kings game where manu was running the pick to close games
i noticed most of parkers points came when ginobili was on the bench
idk if play at the mvp level he was playing at earlier in the season again

[objective]

If Splitter and Diaw aren't getting more minutes in the playoffs than Blair and Bonner, then it will be what brings down the first legit contending Spurs team in years.

Pop has it in him to make a huge blunder to submarine the Spurs every postseason, I just hope he doesn't do it this year with Diaw and Splitter like he did with Splitter last year and Hill in his rookie year.

[TE]

You must really hate Danny Green. Damn.

[angelbelow]

Thanks for the grades.

Defensive problems were more obvious in the 2nd half but bad overall. Bonner's post defense was pretty good and that's normal (according to synergy.) In almost every category I thought he was average. Blair was late and multiple close outs. I can't help but be curious about how much our defense would improve if we played Splitter and Diaw more and Bonner/Blair less.

Still don't like Danny Green as a starter. He's too inconsistent and relies too much on streaky play to be a starter. He serves best as a bench player and an energizer who can come in a wreck havoc on the opponents bench and or unsuspecting starters.

2010 was such a weak draft with so few players panning out thus far. Spurs 20th pick was the highest pick since the 1997 draft (Tim Duncan) and we ended up with a player whose cheap option was declined. Tonight we got a good look at one of the few players from the 2010 draft class whose been good all year. Paul George is one of two players who boost an above average w/s 48. The other is Greg Monroe but the Pistons are actually terrible. The pacers on the other hand, are 2nd to the Chicago Bulls in the Central division and are 9 games above .500 with George as one of their consistent role players.

There was a brief period where George was a projected 20th pick going to the Spurs, would have been interesting if that actually happened.

Also, love having Jackson back. On a free throw possession (forgot who was at the ling but it was a Spurs, maybe Duncan), Bonner subs in and Jackson asks to trade places with him so he can try and box out Hibbert. As the shot went up, Jackson rams him and brute forces Hibbert out of bounces and you can hear the "ahhhh" in the background out of Hibbert's mouth. Afterwards Jackson just calmly raises both his hands upwards like hes trying to back off. I'm not sure why he did it.. but I dont remember him being too concerned about the rebound though.

[timvp]

I woke up in a panic after I realized I forgot Danny Green. I really might have to think about getting a second hobby

[Paranoid Pop]

Tbh the pressure is on Pop right now, he has a great roster, two players that were on a team that had the best defense in the league in SJax and Diaw, a great defensive minded 3 in Leonard, two real bigs in Tim and Tiago. Yet his playoffs rotation we've seen tonight (I assume but it's not really a reach given the rest before and after) is bad defensively, we won with the 3ball tonight.

The one thing that I really liked was that Leonard's passing looked good. He has the best passing SG and PF to learn from tbh. He found Green early and him and Parker did great passing to each other on the fastbreaks.

[dunkman]

What does Splitter need to do to get more playing time?

Get Duncan's minutes. Perhaps Pop plans to play Duncan and Splitter in the playoffs, why would Pop show all plays in regular season? Or he thinks that line-up isn't great for some reason. Or he perceives that Splitter can't log much minutes without the risk of getting injured, and wants to be sure that at least either Duncan or Splitter are on the floor. Blair and Bonner block a shot every 5 games, and Diaw didn't play tonight.

[Darkwaters]

timvp,

Any comments on George Hill's play?

[justinandimcool]

I think it's fairly obvious that Georgie hasn't improved a lick...love the guy but the shot selection was the same, skillset/instincts the same, defense was so-so. To be fair Kawhi had an unspectacular game as well, but I'm still very happy things worked out the way they did. GH3 has hit his ceiling, which is pretty much only a small step better than his rookie year. Unless he plans on REALLY polishing up his jumpshot and becoming a real marksman, or develops some finishing around the rim abilities, he will always be average. He can still have a long career off the bench but that's it.

[siraulo23]

thanks for the grades timvp

good win, but seeing blair finish the game was weird, he hasnt finished many games especially this season

also i was interested to hear from pop on his decision not playing diaw. Why didnt anybody from spurs media ask the reason of Diaw DNP

[justinandimcool]

^ considering there's been one DNP every game the past week, it's probably just rest. if not, then experimentation (which could be good or bad)

[roycrikside]

A couple notes:

2. Boris Diaw DNP kind of irritates me. I know Pop is hesitant to adjust new players into the rotation right away, but the reason we signed this guy was to bring the things Bonner doesn't: solid interior presence and rebounding. I hope All 5 bigs can be in the rotation by the playoffs, but with Bonner playing select spotter minutes. Pop definitely needs to put a limit on the Red Rocket's PT.

If you're looking for Diaw to give you better interior presence and rebounding than Bonner, you're gonna be sorely disappointed. Those are not his strengths. Look at his rebound rate and it's worse than Bonner's.

Diaw might be able to guard better out on the floor against a guy like Dirk and he's longer and has a stronger base, but his biggest strengths over Bonner are his passing, his screens on and off the ball and hopefully his clutch play.

[roycrikside]

thanks for the grades timvp

good win, but seeing blair finish the game was weird, he hasnt finished many games especially this season

also i was interested to hear from pop on his decision not playing diaw. Why didnt anybody from spurs media ask the reason of Diaw DNP

Because everyone in the SA media is a spineless pussy who is afraid and intimidated of Pop. He basically told them he doesn't want to answer any questions because he wants to watch the end of the college basketball game and they all said "sure thing Pop, whatever you say."

[Splits]

Thanks for the grades, Timvp. These are invaluable.

The only one I take umbrage with (besides Green's mysteriously missing grade) is Pop. He is obviously in experimental mode, especially since he finally has his playoff roster fully rested for the first time. I don't think there's a chance in we see Blair in the 4th of any non-blowout playoff game, but Pop is just trying to see how the pieces fit together.

Diaw sitting is no surprise. He came in, got thrown to the lions playing 6 games in 8 days without practice, and was probably told to expect this, with Pop going "old school" using BonBlair as his bigs. Pop is just dipping his toe in the early spring water, figuring out what's hot and what's not.

[Dingle Barry]

Because everyone in the SA media is a spineless pussy who is afraid and intimidated of Pop. He basically told them he doesn't want to answer any questions because he wants to watch the end of the college basketball game and they all said "sure thing Pop, whatever you say."

Imagine the Express News sports page if they get black balled by the Spurs.

[Rapper]

Thanks for the grades

But how come every game I think Timmy should be deserved A+