Quick Grades: Spurs @ Grizzlies - Apr. 1

[cd021]

I thought Bonner passed up on too many shots. Opted to pump and drive. Traveled once, got us in bad shot clock situations. He's got to fire the trigger when he's out there.

I thought Nando did really well, and I wasn't as mad about Neal as others on this forum seem to be. I thought Neal had a pretty solid game. I agree on the Blair grade. He was playing like the Dejuan Blair of 2011. Diaw competed well, but he just missed so many shots.

Correct.

[jjktkk]

Give Baynes one training camp and he'll know the system too.

Agree. I'm looking forward to seeing how Baynes develops.

[cd021]

2003 Jack ? what are u smoking ? I didn't say he didn't had a good game but imho a A- is too high unless your expectations are low tbh.
Without Leonard, Tim and Manu we needed scoring and I though he could have been more aggressive in 35 mn.

Jackson didn't have the ball in his hands nearly as much. Parker, De Colo, Neal were all controlling the ball. That being Said Captain mixed it up 12pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, 2 steals & 2 blocks. The Spurs definitely seemed better off when he was in the game no matter what the +- says. Jackson didn't force up shots and played with in his role on offense. The last thing we needed was him to "Jack" up shots because he's playing twice as many minutes as he usually does. Given how he has played this season this is obviously an A.

[EricB]

2003 Jack ? what are u smoking ? I didn't say he didn't had a good game but imho a A- is too high unless your expectations are low tbh.
Without Leonard, Tim and Manu we needed scoring and I though he could have been more aggressive in 35 mn.

More aggressive? Wtf? Your asking me what I'm smoking?!?

[cd021]

Anyone thought we should have gone small ball after twilight fouled out?

Parker
Neal
Green
Jackson
Diaw

Lose a couple of inches between Bonner and Captain but jax is more physical.

[emanueldavidginobili]

Pop still doesn't have a set rotation and it is April...

[EVAY]

Tony's ankle has a bone bruise which won't get any better without rest. His middle finger on his right (shooting hand) is sprained, and he continues to get beat up by everybody, including timvp, for not pulling out every game like he did all season. It seems to me that him playing injured should point out to people just how valuable he was during the bulk of the season when he single handedly kept us in first place throughout the many lost games from Manu and Timmy.

I get irritated when he gets criticized for 'hobbling' on a bone-bruised ankle, but I guess that's just me.

What is completely clear to me is that without Tony feeling 100% he cannot dominate, and when Tony cannot dominate we cannot win.

If another team can shut down Tony with their defense, the rest of a championship team could pick it up and take us home.

As it stands now, Tony can be taken out of 100% by another team's defense or by injuries, and when that happens, the team loses and people on this forum blame Tony for the loss.

Brilliant.

[TJastal]

Pop still doesn't have a set rotation and it is April...

Actually there is a rotation starting to take shape, even after all the endless lineup permutations and monkeying around. So predictable you could set your watch by it. As long as Neal could limp out on the court he was gauranteed his spot in the rotation. Pop needs his hero-ballers you see. It was also set in stone the turds would be back for another encore performance.

[EVAY]

Whose scoring was so great at the end of the fourth that Tony was supposed to give the ball to? Does anyone imagine that Tony was not playing what Pop told him to play, or that If Pop had told him to give the ball to someone else he would have refused?

Please.

[playblair]

I thought Bonner passed up on too many shots. Opted to pump and drive. Traveled once, got us in bad shot clock situations. He's got to fire the trigger when he's out there.

I agree on the Blair grade. He was playing like the Dejuan Blair of 2011. Diaw competed well, but he just missed so many shots.

it's exactly what I said in my post game write up. If he could give that kind of effort consistently, he would be great to pair with Diaw in small stretches.

Perhaps the Spurs should consider keeping Blair around and getting rid of the red-headed choker.

Blair does indeed suffer from inconsistency. However, the one thing that can be counted on from Blair, is that he NEVER, EVER plays scared. He will make mistakes of commission, has a tendency to commit untimely fouls and can be questioned for his unreliable pick-setting, but the guys plays hard, tries to make plays and he doesn't pass up shots when open. Heck, he even looks to setup his teammates in half-court situations. I know he's got one foot out the door, but I like his courage, his effort and his moxie, which is a uva lot more than I can say for Bonner, who has none of those things.

wtfffffffffffffff blair luv .......................... PROPS ............................................

[boutons_deux]

So perplexing how the Spurs, if anybody is, the Spurs are a "system" team, can fall apart so quickly, thoroughly, and, it looks like, definitively.

[hater]

yup things can fall apart fast when you don't have a prime Manu or Duncan to carry you.

unfortunately spurs will be driving alongside the prescipice for the remainder of the season and playoffs.

[Brazil]

More aggressive? Wtf? Your asking me what I'm smoking?!?

yes if you are comparing jax this game with 2003 jax u are smocking some good , send me some I need to relax after a long day at the office

[ElNono]

yup things can fall apart fast when you don't have a prime Manu or Duncan to carry you.

That says a lot about 'MVP' Parker

[hater]

That says a lot about 'MVP' Parker

it means Parker can't carry a team through 4 playoff series, nobody can.

doesn't mean Parker is still not MVP of the team by far

[DapDaGenius]

Your sigs are disgusting.

They are awesome.

EDIT: AKA IDGAF about your opinion, just sayin'.

[ElNono]

it means Parker can't carry a team through 4 playoff series, nobody can.

You just said prime Duncan or prime Ginobili could... prime Parker can't?

[hater]

You just said prime Duncan or prime Ginobili could... prime Parker can't?

Parker has to carry the load today that in previous years was shared by the big 3. Yes prime Duncan + prime Manu were more clutch in the playoffs, but that does not mean they carried the team through 4 playoff series. Most of the load was shared by big 3.

Today, it's Parker who carries most of the load, he can't really be expected to do than plus be the X factor in 4 straight playoff series

[benstanfield]

I'm curious what people want from Gary Neal. Cause he's almost literally playing on one foot.....

THEN SIT HIM ON THE ING BENCH. GARY NEAL'S AGENT WOULDN'T GIVE HIM THE GRADE CURVE TIMVP DOES

[ElNono]

yup things can fall apart fast when you don't have a prime Manu or Duncan to carry you.

Parker has to carry the load today that in previous years was shared by the big 3. Yes prime Duncan + prime Manu were more clutch in the playoffs, but that does not mean they carried the team through 4 playoff series. Most of the load was shared by big 3.

So which is it?

Also, you didn't answer the question...

[hater]

which is what? why is it so hard to understand? On certain tough playoff stretches when the rest of the team went cold someone had to carry the team and usually it was Duncan or Manu. But again, that only happened in certain rough stretches, not throughout 4 playoff series.

Today is a different scene. Parker is the engine of the team and carries the team most of the time. But he cannot carry the entire load 100% of the time. Noone can. Someone has to step up and the only hope is Kawhi. Duncan is too old, Manu is broken and the rest are mediocre role players at best.

well, there might be 1 more hope. Stephen Jackson

[HI-FI]

remember when our 3 best players weren't 30+ years old......good times......

[TheGoldStandard]

Gary Neal a B???? Wow, this is why Dexter Manley got into college while being illiterate

[ElNono]

which is what? why is it so hard to understand? On certain tough playoff stretches when the rest of the team went cold someone had to carry the team and usually it was Duncan or Manu.

So you're saying Tony can't do that?

You just said a prime Manu or Duncan could carry the team. What makes you think Tony cannot?

[hater]

I'll give it one more shot:
2005-2007 Spurs:
- Most load shared by big 3. In tough stretches Manu or Duncan would bail the team out. (and Horry in that 1 piston game tbh)

2013 Spurs:
- Most load carried by Parker. In tough stretches someone else other than Parker needs to step up.

it's common sense really