Tiago Splitter Doubtful for Game 2

[T Park]

Spurs don't need Tiago this series and everyone knows it. No surprise the staff is debating holding him out until he is surely 100% healthy since the Spurs WILL need him in subsequent series.

They do need him in this series. Him guarding favors allows Bonner to not guard the horrid matchup.

[DPG21920]

Well, Manu is definitely injury prone though. No one is going to argue that he's not. I just can't see Manu sitting out due to a sprain wrist. Can you?

I'm glad we have Tiago, I just wish he was tougher. Its not about rather having something. Its kinda like how I wish Tim Duncan was still 25.

No, I can't see Manu sitting out for a sprained wrist. I just don't see Tiago with the Spurs injuries as much of an issue as others. But variables change so maybe I will see what others see as time goes on.

[Blake]

1) Don't care what McDonald says. I am 100% sure if that Tiago isn't going to play Blair will start.

2) I would be less likely to give Tiago the benefit of the doubt if he had shown the ability in the past to play through these type of nagging injuries. I personally feel that if Tiago wants to play Pop would play him. People here may think that the Spurs think the Jazz can be beat but I'm sure the coaching staff would not take any chances. If Manu was as weak as Tiago is with injuries he'd probably play one week out of the season, TBH.

I think they still go with Diaw starting.

if it's a close game, we might see Tim come close or hit the dreaded 40 minute mark.

Imo

[Legacy]

I don't know why it's so difficult for some Spurs fans to admit that Splitter is injury-prone. I love him as a player, think he hasn't gotten enough pub for his contributions but the guy gets sidelined with some weak injuries that other players would play through without thinking twice. I doubt Splitter wants to be more fragile than the average NBA player but it's an unavoidable fact at this point.

Even before the Spurs signed him, I warned about his injury-prone ways in my Splitter preview:

Some players can play with pain. Some feel they need to sit out even with minor ailments. I don't think any player gets to decide their pain/discomfort threshold, tbh.

Splitter is soft when it comes to injuries. Accept it, be thankful he's so damn good that his strengths still easily outweigh his weaknesses, and move on.

Agreed. Again.




YEESH.


FFS.

[z0sa]

They do need him in this series.

No, they don't. He played all of 7 minutes yesterday and the Spurs won by 15.

[Mugen]

Sigh. Poor Tiago.

[T Park]

No, they don't. He played all of 7 minutes yesterday and the Spurs won by 15.

Would've been easier and better had splitter played instead of Blair.

[jag]

He doesn't miss that many games. For as "tough" as Manu is, Manu misses a lot more games seemingly. I'd rather have a softer guy who plays more than a tough guy who misses a lot of crucial time.

I'm one of the biggest Tiago fans on ST and I'm completely ok with admitting he's injury prone. He's shown some at ude and toughness during the run of play, but when it comes to injuries it doesn't take much to keep him out. Comparing him to Manu is silly. Manu sits out for much more serious injuries and plays through much more serious injuries. And I do my fair share of clowning on Manu's glass-man bones.

[T Park]

Brno and Tiago have the same pain tolerance. Tiago is lucky he's a very talented 6'11 big man.

[MaNu4Tres]

Splitter is soft when it comes to injuries. Accept it, be thankful he's so damn good that his strengths still easily outweigh his weaknesses, and move on.

What makes him soft when it comes to injuries? How do you know the medical staff and the coaching staff aren't making these decisions to sit him?

It makes sense to sit him and remain cautious bringing him back too soon, so he doesn't have a set back prior to the real battles that start in 2 weeks. Spurs don't need him this Jazz series, just like they didn't need him in the incredible 7 regular season games he missed due to a sprained hamstring and back spasms. Seven irrelevant regular season games out of sixty-six--damn that's a lot. What a pussy!

[T Park]

What makes him soft when it comes to injuries? How do you know the medical staff and the coaching staff aren't making these decisions to sit him?

It makes sense to sit him and remain cautious bringing him back too soon, so he doesn't have a set back prior to the real battles that start in 2 weeks. Spurs don't need him this Jazz series, just like they didn't need him in the incredible 7 regular season games he missed due to a sprained hamstring and back spasms. Seven games out of sixty-six--Damn that's a lot- What a pussy.

That's of resting and sitting are over.

If splitter tells Pop he can play through it, he'll play through it .

[Sausage]

Ric Renner ‏ @RicRenFSSW


Reports that Tiago Splitter is in a cast and is doubtful for G2 with sprained wrist

[rascal]

Send him out there with the cast. He can punch the ball to halfcourt for long rebounds that lead to easy fast break points.

[rascal]

What makes him soft when it comes to injuries? How do you know the medical staff and the coaching staff aren't making these decisions to sit him?

It makes sense to sit him and remain cautious bringing him back too soon, so he doesn't have a set back prior to the real battles that start in 2 weeks. Spurs don't need him this Jazz series, just like they didn't need him in the incredible 7 regular season games he missed due to a sprained hamstring and back spasms. Seven irrelevant regular season games out of sixty-six--damn that's a lot. What a pussy!

How often has he strained a calf? He is soft.

[MaNu4Tres]

That's of resting and sitting are over.

If splitter tells Pop he can play through it, he'll play through it .

If I'm Pop, I realize there's no real need to rush him back while his sprained wrist is still tender. Especially being up 1-0 against this Jazz team. If I'm Pop, I rather sit him a few games to guarantee no set back prior to round 2, when they will NEED him.

If it was totally and exclusively up to Tiago, he'd play. I believe Spurs are playing this smart and looking at the big picture.

[Ginobleed20]

Why start Blair? It makes no sense. Just stick with the starting lineup, Have Diaw and Bonner share minutes, and have Blair play ONLY when Duncan needs to rest.

That's it. Its not very complicated.

[Mugen]

How often has he strained a calf? He is soft.

We are but mere mortals o tough one.

[timvp]

What makes him soft when it comes to injuries?

A long history of sitting with ailments that other players typically play through such as bruises, strains, spasms, stomach aches, etc. It started long before he was with the Spurs and is part of the reason why his draft stock was relatively low.

Maybe this wrist injury is legitimately debilitating. Doesn't sound like it ... but maybe. Though that still doesn't change the fact that Splitter is injury-prone.

If it was totally and exclusively up to Tiago, he'd play.

How do you know that? I don't ever remember Splitter begging to play and Pop holding him out, fwiw.

[Legacy]

We are but mere mortals o tough one.

[Mugen]

Man, I wish Pop would have treated the mentally soft players the same way he's treated the "physically soft" players the last couple of years.

Oh wellz.

[letmk]

A long history of sitting with ailments that other players typically play through such as bruises, strains, spasms, stomach aches, etc. It started long before he was with the Spurs and is part of the reason why his draft stock was relatively low.

Maybe this wrist injury is legitimately debilitating. Doesn't sound like it ... but maybe. Though that still doesn't change the fact that Splitter is injury-prone.

How do you know that? I don't ever remember Splitter begging to play and Pop holding him out, fwiw.

I agree with the injury-prone part, but I disagree with the "soft" part. By saying soft, normally we mean that one can physically play through the injury but mentally can not.

Actually I don't know about that either, but my point is that there is not enough evidence to say whether Splitter is "soft" or his body just cannot take the injury. Even team physician and trainer cannot say for 100% sure, let alone us outsiders just reading the news written by "speculating" reporters.

Anyway, I would give Splitter (or any player for that matter) the benefit of the doubt about being soft with injuries until many evidence points to otherwise. We've seen lots of "tragic" cases like Grant Hill playing-hurt for Pistons in NBA.

[daslicer]

It sucks this guy always gets hurt but at least the spurs dodge a bullet with this injury that its not serious and hewill be back eventually. Regardless of whether or not Splitter is soft the spurs will need him if they want to go further then round 2.

[mVp]

That's of resting and sitting are over.

If splitter tells Pop he can play through it, he'll play through it .

This.

It's the playoffs after all, not the time to be soft... Manu played with a broken arm last year, just saying.

[Splits]

1) Don't care what McDonald says. I am 100% sure if that Tiago isn't going to play Blair will start

I would tend to agree but Splitter was hurt in the first half and Diaw started the second

[MaNu4Tres]

A long history of sitting with ailments that other players typically play through such as bruises, strains, spasms, stomach aches, etc. It started long before he was with the Spurs and is part of the reason why his draft stock was relatively low.

Or back problems. stomach aches. The guy has had mostly back problems throughout his career, but the main reason his stock was lower in the 2007 draft was because of the time it would take (years) for him to make the jump to the NBA (pretty sure you knew that already). Even with the back problems in the past, he played through most of it. Explained here: Roundup: Splitter Returning to Form
March 6, 2007
Its official: Tiago Splitter is back. After playing in pain for months, he once again looks like the same old intense, aggressive and active player we always knew. It’s a completely different feeling from what he transmitted just a few weeks ago. His quickness, athletic reactivity, the way he chases after rebounds, his renewed confidence looking for the basket… his body language speaks for itself.

It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t logical that a guy who had always been distinguished by his intensity and activity on court, a hard-working player such as Splitter, suddenly looked so passive and soft. As we have told you here a few times, it was almost certainly a matter of the back problems that apparently seem resolved now.


From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz1tZ9EodFQ
http://www.draftexpress.com


As for him sitting out on the Spurs the past two seasons because of a strained calf, strained hamstring, back spasms, ect., that is mainly on Pop's overly cautious approach in dealing with injuries that occur to his players. Timing is everything with how Pop deals with this.

(Again pretty sure you know all this, but you just refuse to acknowledge it to support your Splitter is soft stance-- i'll continue though)

During the regular season (non-emergency type situations), being as deep as the Spurs are, Pop typically plays things extra safe and makes sure his players get healthy because he favors makings plays that benefit the long run (pretty sure you know that already). Which explains Tiago sitting 7 games this year.

The situation with Tiago's wrist and the Spurs being up 1-0 against the Jazz is a similar to "non-emergency" type situation that occurs in the regular season IMO (mainly because he's a 20 minute per game back up with a team with a lot of depth). Furthermore, because of how much better this Spurs team is over the Jazz, his role simply has little value this round compared to rounds in the future. Why hinder and risk losing that future value by forcing/rushing him back against a much inferior first round foe? They don't need to rush him back game 2 being up 1-0 against this Jazz team. This ain't about Splitter being a pussy or soft like many of you people are implying or wrongfully claim. It's about Pop looking at the big picture and making decisions based on the long-run.

How do you know that? I don't ever remember Splitter begging to play and Pop holding him out, fwiw.

DM's.