Did Green earned the starting job back?

[DesignatedT]

Pop could just be trying to get Danny to get out of his slump and keep the team fresh by changing it up a little. I think him starting and Marco coming off the bench is clearly the best option though for the long run.

[DAF86]

Danny made all those threes in the fourth when he was playing with Tony for all the makes IIRC. Instead of just parking him on the arc where athletes can run at him, he got some space from screens set for him in the paint.

I didn't watch the game but I think it's pretty obvious that Green improved his play thanks to the increased minutes alongside Ginobili. Even when sitting both on the bench, Danny rubbed off that Manu magic, tbch.

[LakerHater]

If you go look at his NBA dot com stats page, Marco plays MUCH better off the bench for SA.

Yup, him & Manu are good comin off the bench!

[ChumpDumper]

I didn't watch the game but I think it's pretty obvious that Green improved his play thanks to the increased minutes alongside Ginobili. Even when sitting both on the bench, Danny rubbed off that Manu magic, tbch.

I expect nothing less from manufan.

[ThaBigFundamental21]

I never understood how fans can think this way. It's like execs on other franchises don't know what we know. They don't realize that the dude just got hot so they bought him at a high price. Not going to happen. Spurs know it too. That's why Blair was shuffled out when he was basically a garden gnome.

It's wishful thinking/joking tone. Relax, go see your local physician, you can get something from him/her.

[Bruno]

I think the second unit suffers without Beli's playmaking. Mills' usefulness would decrease as well. We already saw this all last year, and it led to Pop bringing in another bench ball-handler. Also, Beli has been living up to his old defensive reputation while starting. It's been obvious how much better of a defender Green is. He and Kawhi starting together is a major key to the unit's success.

Well, there are some drawbacks at starting Belinelli. It isn't a situation where there is an obvious answer. I think the net result will be positive but it might not work for some for the reasons you gave. Time will tell.

The offense has been struggling for a few reasons. 1 Green has had two slumps already this season. This is causing him to hesitate when he has the ball making him even easier to run off the line. 2 Leonard is or at least wasn't where he needed to be on offense. The fact that he couldn't shoot from range was killing spacing, and he was too tentative getting his own shots from elsewhere. 3 Duncan isn't spacing the floor as well this season. That makes him a Splitter a tough pair to play together. 4 Splitter hasn't been as good in the PnR. Probably because of spacing. 5 Parker is simply not running the offense as well as he did last year.

I agree with you that these are some of the reason why Spurs starting unit is struggling offensively. Once you said it, there are two options for Pop:
First, you stick with that lineup, hope some players will get better and maybe change some of the plays they run to fit more their strengths/weaknesses.
Second, you change the starting lineup.

[ElNono]

So "Dat Dude" goes to play with Tony in the first unit and he goes 2 for 7, 0 for 5 from 3's while Green gets to play with Manu on the second unit and he ends up with 14 pts on 5 for 8 shooting, 4 for 6 on 3's?

[DAF86]

I expect nothing less from manufan.

I expected much more from you, tbh.

[ChumpDumper]

I expected much more from you, tbh.

Magic!

[heyheymymy]

Spurs starting unit offense has been very bad this year while it was very good last year. Pop might have decided to just let them figure it out and hope they would be back at last year level but that's a gamble. Last year lineup offense was based on Parker and Duncan being dominant players who put the other team defense off balance. This year they aren't as dominant and don't create such havoc. Parker and Duncan might never be back at last year amazing level.

I like Belinelli starting. He can do way more offensively than Green. He brings a second ball handler and pick and roll player to the starting lineup which would be great. Defensively, it should relatively work because there isn't a lot of great SG in the league to cover.

I also like Green from the bench. Even without Belinelli, Spurs bench has enough offense with Ginobili, Mills and Diaw. Green will help the second unit defense; he can cover the best opposite wing and Manu can be on the weakest one.

In theory, I really like that move. We will see what it will give on the court.

this summer when I upgraded my nba2k13 with a 2014 roster, this is exactly how I set up the Spurs rotation. Marco in the starting 5, and Mills/Green/Manu off the bench with some combo of Ayres, Baynes, Diaw, and Bonner.

[wildchild]

Defensively, it should relatively work because there isn't a lot of great SG in the league to cover.

Belli's guarding Harden...scares me.

[Bruno]

Belli's guarding Harden...scares me.

Rockets will be a great test to judge that starting lineup. Pop might also try Belinelli on Parsons.

[PlayNando]

Danny statistically plays best when paired up with Manu, tbh, so maybe it is best he comes off the bench.

Then again, everyone plays best when paired up with Manu, it seems, so I don't know.

[PlayNando]

Belli's guarding Harden...scares me.

Harden guarding King Belli ... scares them.

Harden = useless defender.

[Brunodf]

If he didn't, he is close

[PlayNando]

i think he should stay on the bench because paired with manu he is playing well and he gives the second unit a better defender tbh!

[Raven]

Harden guarding King Belli ... scares them.

Harden = useless defender.

lost this one

[PlayNando]

lost this one

cant win them all tbh...

[taps]

I didn't watch the game.

[hater]

Green is a one trick pony. Obviously now our bench is weak with him in there instead of Belli.

It's a tough situation. We either start games in mud with green, or we downgrade our bench to mere pedestrian level with green.

like I said many times Green is a 1 trick pony that should have been traded after game 7 of the Finals.

oh well. now obviously Belli is not very confortable starting and might need some getting used to otherwise he'll go back to the bench. in other words, Belli is not the problem, it's green.

hopefully green at least will learn to dribble the ball in an empty gym at some point in the season

[313]

Green is a one trick pony. Obviously now our bench is weak with him in there instead of Belli.

It's a tough situation. We either start games in mud with green, or we downgrade our bench to mere pedestrian level with green.

like I said many times Green is a 1 trick pony that should have been traded after game 7 of the Finals.

oh well. now obviously Belli is not very confortable starting and might need some getting used to otherwise he'll go back to the bench. in other words, Belli is not the problem, it's green.

hopefully green at least will learn to dribble the ball in an empty gym at some point in the season

Don't count on it