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This isn't ing Malik Hairston or Ian Mahinmi either, this is a guy that has proven he can score in a variety of ways..
He gets 1 or 2 plays called for him all game..
The rest of his shot attempts are either spot-up 3s or transition opportunities from steals..
What a shame, especially with Parker and Ginobili's broken bodies..
Pop is the best coach in the NBA, but he's very stubborn and afraid of change(I'm aware that the Spurs philosophy changed from defense-first, but it took years of failure for Pop to transition)..
This isn't ing Malik Hairston or Ian Mahinmi either, this is a guy that has proven he can score in a variety of ways..
I've been saying this the last couple of months. I'm not saying make him the the main threat, but at least build up some confidence with his game in the regular so he can earn respect from his teammates who obviously don't think to highly of Leonard offensively for some reason. It's one option pop can use if one of parker/Ginobili/TD is sucking major ass which is more than likely to happen.
I really don't think it's just an issue of kawhi not being aggressive. It's just a coach being reluctant to try new things.
Geez, Green run as much maybe even more pick and roll than kawhi..
Definitely.
We should not be making Green/Neal the next options if Parker and Manu aren't playing well.
i'm actually starting to dislike pop now tbh
And before somebody mentions his shooting today, he took 3 shots from desperation in possessions under disarray, tbh..
I've noticed leonard ask for the ball on numerous situations only to be told to stand in the corner by De colo/Green/ neal. Good luck trying to make one-dimensional players as your third option pop
IMO, Pop told kawhi to take it easy this game, tone it down. Pop is scared crazy of losing Kawhi to injury. Pop tells him to be a little less aggressive. Kawhi, being a young player only knows on and off, and tonight he turned it off.
Leonard has already shown that he's an aggressive player, he's not Boris Diaw, that's a ty excuse..he doesn't have the green light..
Smh @ Gary Neal shooting whenever he wants..
@ relying on Nando De Colo and Cory Joseph
Leonard has had plenty of FGAs lately. Obviously he needs as much as possible but tonight specifically I put the blame more on Kawhi than anyone/anything else. I mean, the Lakers switched off point guards on him and he wasn't attacking or going to the low block. Pop shouldn't have to call anything when Blake switches off onto him, tbh.
Not that i agree with Pop, he's been very stubborn and irrational this season overall.
Let me start out by saying I love Kawhi Leonard.
But you guys that think he's about to "break out" might be delusional. He's a great defender, makes the occasional steal with a dunk, hits the corner 3's, and has a decent mid-range game. He's a role player.
He already broke out months ago. He's also averaging 17.5 the last month and half and 15.5 the last 30 games or so...
He can also drive to the basketball, create his own shot, post up. And all he really needs is the Green light,
He's going to get his minutes and you will find out what he is.
I enjoyed the six straight points he scored.
I enjoyed nothing about this game
Pop isn't as smart as people give him credit for. He falls in love with ideas too much and with stats but the players he supports usually don't pass the eyeball test. He gives the green light to Green and Neal who in turn wet the bed but Kawhi gets very little in terms of plays.
Hard to get up shots/get touches when Neal is jacking up shot after shot. Green at least played somewhat under control, but all but 2 of Neal's shots were simply pathetic attempts.
I agree that the Spurs should call more plays for Kawhi though. He got aggressive to start the 2nd half, then once the fast break opportunities ceased, it was back to the same old dance.
Half the posters on this board thing he's going to be a Superstar if only Pop would take his leash off.
Of course, half the posters on this board thought Tiago Splitter was going to come in and DOMINATE right off the bat next to Timmy a few years ago and thought Baynes was going to be an integral part of the playoff rotation this year.
I don't mean to demean Kawhi. He's a good player and probably the 4th-best player on the team, but he's not an All-Star, so lower your expectations. Maybe he'll be an All-Star in a few years, but not yet.
i mean look at these skills...the rocker step pull up, baseline pullup, turnaround jumper, scoring on the best defenders out their deng and gibson...give this man the ball more tbh...
he did post up steve blake the first time and never got the pass, yes kawhi needs to be more aggressive calling for the ball but team also has to recognize the mismatch
Not Lebron, Neal doesn't have the strength to shoot 28 footers.
Spurs were ignoring him tonight with Blake on him
also decided to let heroball and de shaky handles run the point instead of giving him any touches
World Peace actually has given Leonard lots of problems when theyve matched up
Pop usually had to sub Jack in for him to handle his physicality
but he had Blake on him and he did actually play with the bench
no idea why he was on the bench to close out the game
if he cared about his health so much he probably wouldnt have rode Duncan out for the same reasons
Pop gives Leonard and Green the same leeway. Green just gets more open looks and is better at converting them. What is a bigger issue is that Leonard needs to be less inclined to pass the ball when he gets it. I strongly doubt Pop is telling him to do that.
8 pts tonight. Against a horrible D
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