Green>Belli

[ElNono]

Not defensively. When those two shared the court, it was probably some of the worst defense seen in the Duncan era.

Gino is still about average on D when he tries, which is pretty impressive for a 36 year old. But yeah, they more than make up for it on offense.

[Ice009]

Belli should never get the start over a healthy Green. I think Pop panicked since the offense was sucking so bad but as we can all see it really failed miserably. I take defense over offense any day. Marco is a great bench player. He is really missing Manu though.

I agree with you here. Hopefully Pop watched the Superbowl. I always take great defense over great offense. If you're not going all out defense, then you gotta have a balance of offense and defense by trying to be in the top 5 of both. Phil Jackson's teams may not have been the best defensive teams, but they were usually in the top 5 for defense to go along with a top 5 offense. No matter how good your offense is, I don't think you can have a worse than top 5 defense IMO and expect to win a Championship. Hopefully Pop realizes this. If the Spurs end up being in the top 5 in both offense and defense going into the playoffs, or able to reach those levels in the playoffs and stay there consistently, then I think they will have a shot.

[HI-FI]

As a said a while back, Belli's career was saved by Gino. It's not surprising to see the Ferrari looking like a Fiat without his bro out there. Fortunately, Manu will make him look good again soon enough, tbh...

The PR Firm

[ElNono]

The PR Firm

[Boomersgold]

I'd take Bellineli over Green in a heartbeat. Playmaking, dribbling and passing > slightly better defense. Both are reliable three point shooters.

[RD2191]

I'd take Bellineli over Green in a heartbeat. Playmaking, dribbling and passing > slightly better defense. Both are reliable three point shooters.

[RD2191]

I agree with you here. Hopefully Pop watched the Superbowl. I always take great defense over great offense. If you're not going all out defense, then you gotta have a balance of offense and defense by trying to be in the top 5 of both. Phil Jackson's teams may not have been the best defensive teams, but they were usually in the top 5 for defense to go along with a top 5 offense. No matter how good your offense is, I don't think you can have a worse than top 5 defense IMO and expect to win a Championship. Hopefully Pop realizes this. If the Spurs end up being in the top 5 in both offense and defense going into the playoffs, or able to reach those levels in the playoffs and stay there consistently, then I think they will have a shot.

I think rebounding is still their Achilles heal, tbh. Getting Kawhi back should def help with that though.

[TD 21]

I think rebounding is still their Achilles heal, tbh. Getting Kawhi back should def help with that though.

In the regular season, when Splitter is a serviceable rebounder and Ayres is a rotation player (until now?), they're more than fine, when healthy. In the playoffs, when Splitter turns into a pathetic rebounder and Ayres is highly unlikely to see anything more than spot minutes, it's a question mark.

But the Achilles heal is three-point defense. Since somewhere around the mid-point of last season, they've been amongst the worst in the league. Luckily, they don't give up that many attempts, but still. Since they're last in the league in free throw attempts and turn it over at a league average rate, they need to win the three-point line in order to beat elite teams in the playoffs.

[Chinook]

But the Achilles heal is three-point defense. Since somewhere around the mid-point of last season, they've been amongst the worst in the league. Luckily, they don't give up that many attempts, but still.

Those two things are related. They don't give up a high volume of threes because they close out well enough to stop most attempts. All the critique of Green "falling for pump-fakes" is based on the strategy that Pop tells his whole team to employ. The Spurs encourage long twos, and they give those up instead of threes when they're actually playing up to their potential. But if they allow a three attempt, it's usually a good look, which leads to a higher percentage. Green and Leonard are elite at guarding the three, while Duncan and Splitter are horrible at it (even for their position).

[ezau]

Who the does this against Lebron? ing amazing, tbh.

[Kidd K]

Beli would kill Green in a 1 on 1 game and he's obviously much more entertaining, which appeals to casual fans, but only a complete moron would think Beli is a better team basketball player than Green, tbh..

Hopefully Green can find his shot again, we saw how valuable he was last season when his shot was on, tbh..

Probably, but it's a 5 on 5 game and only has one basketball which shouldn't be in Marco's hands all that often.

[kobyz]

I'd take Bellineli over Green in a heartbeat. Playmaking, dribbling and passing > slightly better defense. Both are reliable three point shooters.

i'll take Green, dfference of heaven and earth better defense, much better role playing ability, much more reliable three point shooter, bigger balls > fancy ball handling and passing but not effective, empty stats...

[Brazil]

Elite

Anyway only re s would say dat dude > Green

[DapDaGenius]

An elite defender doesn't jump on every single pump fake tbh. I do think he's a top 3 defender on the team but definitely no elite.

[TJastal]

Green may not be the best in the league but he's right up there in the top 5 somewhere. And what I think bumps him up a notch more is the versatility. Very few have had the success he has had against some the best in the league at so many positions.

[wildchild]

Curry was 3-19 against Green before he got hurt.

Green isn't going to make an All-Defensive team because it's up for a vote, and voters value steals and blocks highly
That's why Paul and Bryant can make it as gamblers. Green may not be elite, but he sure as is a lot better than people realize. That pump-fake stuff is nonsense.

Agree. Curry finished with only 32.4%FG against Green, before he turned his ankle in 4th quarter of game 3.

People seem eager to forget Green's work last playoffs.
These guys don't realize how good on-ball defender is Danny and the impact he makes on Spurs defense, they just don't get the recognition he deserves.

However, it isn't hardly surprising, some fans love scorers-big offensive players, don't care about defense. Defensive players get underlooked/underappreciated by those fans, good defense is just impossible to notice.

[Raven]

i have about 200 bumps to make tbh.. i'd rather just say that:


hater benefactor

[silverblackfan]

I don't know. At this point, I prefer Green in the starting line up due to the glaring defensive need. Both guys can get hot and cold apparently, but Green has his defense to hang his hat on. Marco is much more clever with the ball and is a genuine threat when he catches it due to his passing and shooting. They both bring great options to the Spurs, but Green has much more familiarity with the team defense than Marco.

I guess my question for the OP is: would you rather have the Danny Green from his first year here instead of Marco?

[wildbill2u]

At least Bellinelli can make some layups. Watching Green try to make a layup is like watching a giraffe on ice-skates. You cringe and want to help the poor beast do something foreign to his nature.

[dbestpro]

Green is a better SF than Marco.

[elemento]

Green just needs to find his shot back ! I think he fits the team better starting with Parker.

Beli and Manu sharing PG duties with the 2nd unit would be the best option IMO, especially considering what we have as backup PGs.

[Prime Time]

At least Bellinelli can make some layups. Watching Green try to make a layup is like watching a giraffe on ice-skates. You cringe and want to help the poor beast do something foreign to his nature.

Know who else finishes layups? Tony, Manu, Tim, Tiago, Kawhi, basically everyone else on the team. , even Ayres is efficient with his shots.

I love Marco and wouldn't trade him for Neal by any means, but he's really just an "icing" kind of guy for the Spurs. He's basically a mix between Manu and Patty, both players who get heavy minutes in the Spurs' rotation.

Now tell me this - How many players on the Spurs can shut down some of the most talented smaller guards in the league? Only Green. Who can defend the fast-break at an arguably top 5 rate? Only Green. Who brings incredibly energy on the defensive side of the ball? Well, Green and Leonard. But you see my point.

Green is probably the most under-appreciated Spur in the last decade (2004+). Especially consider how the Spurs were stuck with starting Jefferson before his emergence.

[ThaBigFundamental21]

Green is a GOOD Defender. Not great. It was GREAT to have him back on the court. We need this team to get back to playing good Defense. Hopefully Leonard comes back rested and healthy. Now if the FO would make a nice trade and propel this team back to the Finals....

[TJastal]

Green just needs to find his shot back ! I think he fits the team better starting with Parker.

Beli and Manu sharing PG duties with the 2nd unit would be the best option IMO, especially considering what we have as backup PGs.

I do agree that Green needs to be back in the starting lineup. I was initially for Bellinelli swapping with Green but I think its now apparent Bellinelli just fits better coming off the bench and whatever problems the 1st unit is having offensively the solution will have to come from somewhere else. But I'm not sure what else you want in a backup point guard than what Mills' is currently providing, he handles the ball and puts points on the board while Manu does the bulk of the playmaking. In time he will learn how to facilitate but right now that is not a prerequisite.

[TJastal]

Green is a GOOD Defender. Not great. It was GREAT to have him back on the court. We need this team to get back to playing good Defense. Hopefully Leonard comes back rested and healthy. Now if the FO would make a nice trade and propel this team back to the Finals....

Define you're interpretation of "great" and "good".....