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Diaw might start more games but Splitter will still be the main starter ... Tiago will at least start against teams with a stretch 4 PF and teams with two strong big men.
Will we see less TD-Splitter? As great as a defensive combo both of them are, they severely limit the offense because they can't stretch the floor. Spacing it seems has become more important than ever with Leonard's emergence, it also helps the ball movement. Examples, game 6 of the WCF when Pop started Bonner, after game 2 of the finals when Pop started Diaw for Splitter.
Or Can an a Splitter/TD combo work with Leonard?
Diaw might start more games but Splitter will still be the main starter ... Tiago will at least start against teams with a stretch 4 PF and teams with two strong big men.
He starts in 17% of the games this season.
Start Diaw?
Pop should monitor his minutes more closely. He went through 2 nba finals, 1 euro tournament and 1 fiba world cup.
I think the Duncan / Splitter combo works best over the long haul and in the big picture of league, as it's the strongest defensive combo we can put together, and Duncan and Splitter have generally learned to co-exist. You do raise a good point about Leonard, though, especially since the FO seems to be planning to utilize him more in the post.
I also like Diaw with the bench, as his passing style of play is suited beautifully to go beside guys like Manu, Marco, and Mills. Splitter just doesn't seem to be as volatile with that group.
I think you stick with Duncan / Splitter starting through the season which will stack up the most wins, then selectively move Diaw into the starting lineup depending upon if our opponents necessitate size (Houston, Memphis) or spacing (OKC).
We need Diaw to help space the floor and open up driving lanes, the Spurs are more dynamic offensive team with Leonard-Diaw-Duncan.
People say with Tiago the offense struggles creating good looks but without him the Spurs have problems on the defensive end and rebounding. I disagree, with Green-Leonard-Duncan rebounding isn't an issue.
I think Parker-Green-Leonard-Diaw-Duncan was the most balanced and effective lineup this last season.
However, I expect Pop'll change the starting lineup during the regular season to test the options, I'd like he can find the way that Leonard-Splitter-Duncan working offensively but it seems really hard.
Last edited by wildchild; 09-22-2014 at 10:34 AM.
No. Keep Diaw with the second unit until needed in the playoffs just like last year's run.
Nah stick with Splitter. Might not be the most efficient lineup offensively with TD/Tiago but it allows TD to take the easier assignment defensively and helps conserve his body throughout the long grind of the season.
Splitter is the #1 screen setter in the league, he's vital to the offense with the first unit. Green and Parker are the main beneficiaries of open shots because Tiago is an elite screen-setter.
The beauty of it all is that this team has an answer for just about lineup they will face in the league. High hopes for a healthy season and another strong showing.
I think Timmy should come off the bench. Diaw and Splitter starting may be good, I hope Pop tries to experiment on it early in the season, see if it works.
Seriously, this. Pop knows what works with those guys already. He didn't "figure out" that Bonner could space the floor v. Ibaka, he just bided his time until it was ripe for the picking. He knows who he can steal a few minutes of post defense against with Bonner. He knows when and against whom to use Duncan Splitter and Duncan Diaw.
These are all relatively known commodities. I would be surprised to see many changes in these rotations, despite all the gnashing of teeth over it. It worked great, it will probably continue to do so.
Much more interesting events will be if regular season rest can be obtained from the end of the bench.
Boris is no spring chicken anymore. After a lot of off-season international play, can Austin Daye and Kyle Anderson take a minute or two each off of his average PT, and still get us to 60 regular season wins?
Don't laugh, but can Austin Daye and to a lesser extent Kyle Anderson do the same for Tim Duncan?
Can Ayers eat as many or more minutes on the way to 60 wins, as he did last year? Can he show even a little improvement in his second year? Any improvement would be gravy. Will he be able to cover for Baynes' absence, if Baynes doesn't return?
Same goes for Marco. He was a minute eating beast in that 62 win season last year. Can he do it again, while maybe even showing a little second year improvement?
Will Baynes return to provide this kind of relief, as well, or do we get a guard, forward or center to replace him? Do we roll with an open roster spot?
Do Cojo, Marco, Anderson sufficiently absorb Patty's minutes early in the season so Manu and Tony don't have to increase their minutes at point? Or, does Baynes spot get filled with a guard because they are suffering?
Duncan, Parker, Boris, Green, Leonard, Bonner, Splitter, and Mills...it's all about maintaining their trajectories this year. Minimizing the declines of the older. Maintaining upward slopes of the younger, but their roles won't change much. Boris probably won't be starting much more this year than he did last year. It's all about organic internal growth this year, and health.
if we get something welcome and new out of Anderson, Daye, or that 15th spot if Baynes doesn't return, great. But, let's just make sure we're whole in May.
I hit return a lot.
I like the strong defense to start, and then the mutlifaceted attack of the bench can rip teams apart.
I think it's going to vary alot but Splitter will get most starts. With as much international ball as the two have been playing, it would be nice to have another decent big (ahem, Baynes I don't know about Ayres being much better this year) just to take some minutes off the two of them and Pop maybe even occasionally sits them, I hope.
Primarily going with the Splitter/Duncan was good for 62 wins last year, I say you stay with that combo. I wouldn't even start Diaw during the regular season if Splitter were injured. As Pop typically does, I'd start someone else from the bench so you don't mess up the rotation.
Yes. 62, and that's with us shutting down and basically throwing the last two, iirc. We could have easily had 64 if those last two had any meaning. A 64 win regular season with loads of early injuries was near perfection. I am not sure what the point is of second guessing that success.
Diaw would allow the offense to run to perfection. Remember, Duncan wouldn't have to be the 1st or even 2nd, option, you could give a big portion of the scoring load to Leonard. Leonard benefits by being able to attack the paint, you can run post plays for him, he can rebound with big men and guards, it opens up the paint for him to take high % shots that he's proven to make. When he penetrates, the defense collapses, he kicks out to the wide open man, they break down the defense with passing to a wide open 3. Pretty much everyone benefits out there on the court.
The Spurs would come out guns blazing, allowing them to jump out to huge leads and take control early, by half time the game is already over. Duncan would rarely have to play.
That's the way I see it. Pop is probably going to mess with the lineups though. I would really like Diaw starting so they can gain chemistry, it's good already, but it can be even better, I'm not a fan of springing it up mid playoffs.
Yes. We know all that. Boris is great. He really lubricates the offense. However, Duncan already played 30 minutes or less last season, and I predict he'll play less this year. Your strategy would have to propel them to something like a 70 win Bulls season to be significantly different than what we already had. Even then, without the injuries last year, if the games were meaningful at the end, maybe with the rotations like they were, they approach 70, too. It's a "bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" argument, except your hope isn't even two birds, its 1.02 birds.
It's going to be interesting to see what Pop does..
Leonard was much, much more effective playing without the Duncan-Splitter frontcourt, the disparity in production was huge, tbh..
OTOH, while Leonard/Green are the anchors of the Spurs' defense nowadays, I don't know if they are sufficient enough to mask the Parker/Diaw/Duncan trio on defense..
Difficult decision for Pop, I suspect it will be matchup-based in the playoffs, which are the only games that matter, obviously..
It probably makes more sense to leave Splitter/Duncan/Leonard/Green together and maintain the elite level of defense during the regular season..
I think the most important thing that can come from next regular season is Kawhi solidifying himself as a go-to offensive option. So I'd be inclined to not start Duncan/Splitter. Just make Tiago the third big, which should help to compensate for Green subbing out. I'd like to see the team add a better four than Bonner, however. They'll need some offense with Mills out.
i don't know if your'e joking or not. but i actually like this idea the best. I hope Pop does "mad scientist" a starting lineup of Parker, Green, Kawhi, Diaw, Splitter. At least for a few games. As bold as it is, Splitter has proven his starting caliber on both ends of the floor. Diaw has proven his starting caliber offensive versatility. Saving Timmy is always the goal, so check that box. Timmy would have the edge on bench bigs and gassed starting bigs. A timmy bench might seem under-powered, but at some point it's due a Mills, Manu boost.
Duncan isn't coming off the bench, tbh..
I'm sure he would be fine with it, but that's a spit in the face..
He'll probably play less than 25 MPG this season, so Pop can just sub him out early..
It all depends on matchups. I can see Splitter and Duncan starting most games. However, I think Diaw will start on occasion depending on match ups, health, and weather or not Duncan is resting.
As others have implied, he starts based on matchups. Not many teams in the NBA have what it takes to stop the versatility of our second unit. Splitter/Diaw/Manu/Marco/Mills . There is just so much offensive firepower from that group. They can kill you from outside and inside.
Trivia question regarding the 2013 regular season. Name the Spur who had:
- the highest PER on the team
- the best Drtg and defensive win shares
- the best rebound rate
- 2nd highest usage rate
Answer: not a guy you want to bring off the bench if you want to win 60+ games
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