Game Thread #2: Nets @ Spurs 10/30 5:30 PST (7:30 CST, 2:30 Riga Time)

[sasaint]

Yea, its going to be critical to figure out a rotation that works. The original idea Pop had, what seemed rational with Diaw/West hasn't worked and you could not have found that out in preseason bc Diaw didn't play. We did know from preseason that Boban is a presence in the paint on D. I expect Pop to stagger minutes more than we have seen previously. Not only do Timmy and LMA need to see minutes with the bench like tonight, but the wing rotation will need tweaking as well. Maybe have one of Kawhi/Danny with the bench and get Kyle with the starters for a few minutes, unless its against the few scorer SF in the league. The starters can use some perimeter playmaking, which is Kyle's strength, whereas the bench can use a perimeter defender to help out.

There is bound to be more mix/match. Boban and Ray should get minutes here and there too. They bring some valuable things and need their chemistry with others as well. Butler is the designated shooter for occasional use, and Simmons/Bonner are suited up. That is it lol

I thought I actually saw Boban's feet leave the floor on one of his boards. Guy is a presence on D, on the boards, and has good touch on his shot. He also shows good instincts and surprising agility and body control. I wanted to see him tested against Loez tonight. I think he can play some spot minutes against some of the starting bigs in the league. Try him against Lopez and Hibbert and see what he does. I am liking him more and more, which is some consolation for Simmons and even Kyle these last two games.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Rotation that works (given a close game):


- Duncan (25-30 minutes)
- Aldridge (30-40 minutes)
- Leonard (30-40 minutes)
- Green (25-30 minutes)
- Parker (25-30 minutes)

- Manu (20-25 minutes)
- Butler (the rest of the SG/SF minutes)

- Mills (the rest of the PG minutes, with MAYBE an occasional McCallum sighting)

- Diaw (20-30 minutes)
- West or Boban (the rest of the PF/C minutes, based on matchups, but West and Diaw should NOT play together unless it's garbage time or against the Warriors)

- McCallum: see above

- Anderson: rides the pine, except in garbage time or nights we punt games

[SAGirl]

Damn. One of the smartest posters on ST is a girl.

But you could be anybody, tbh. Good stuff, tho.

Thanks for the compliment.
I am a girl, but that doesn't matter.
Enjoy hanging out with the community, as long as you ignore the trolling, there are a few funny guys around here, and some occasionally interesting bball talk.
Cheers.

[Ellsworth]

Haven't been able to watch but how's everyone playing?

Everyone played HaRD... SPURS scored more & NETS did less, therefore they lost

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Thanks for the compliment.
I am a girl, but that doesn't matter.
Enjoy hanging out with the community, as long as you ignore the trolling, there are a few funny guys around here, and some occasionally interesting bball talk.
Cheers.

who's the "trolling", tbh? Not me right?

[HarlemHeat37]

Nothing to take from this game on either side of good/bad, tbh..Nets are probably the 2nd worst team in the East, maybe the worst..

[apalisoc_9]

Pop was mad scientist tonight...I actually think the overcoaching in the first and second was a huge negative...Team won but they played poorly overall. Not a whole lot to take away from this game though from a fans perspective.

[ElNono]

Nothing to take from this game on either side of good/bad, tbh..Nets are probably the 2nd worst team in the East, maybe the worst..

It's always good to curbstomp the team's you're supposed to curbstomp, tbh

[wildbill2u]

looka the alien Sonny

[SpurPadre]

It's always good to curbstomp the team's you're supposed to curbstomp, tbh

Bingo, unlike the Thunderefs, who needed double OT to beat the Magic.

[RD2191]

Damn. One of the smartest posters on ST is a girl.

But you could be anybody, tbh. Good stuff, tho.

It's chump. Tbh.

[SAGirl]

No
NO
NO

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Don't put bad ideas into Pop's brain! The scrub should only be playing in GARBAGE TIME. That's it. Butler is the 4th wing, the end.

I get your point, but the bench was worse with Butler TBH. He will still play, and besides having compeition will make Anderson up his ante. He's a kid who is bound to improve while Butler is 36.

[SAGirl]

During the first half it seemed like we were playing the preseason d'league guys TBH. You can't take any NBA team lightly.

[SAGirl]

who's the "trolling", tbh? Not me right?

No you are dramatic about your opinions and all gloom and doom sometimes. Actually a little too much at times, but its your opinion. The trolls are the guys who are always with the same schtick that stopped to be funny, make 3 or 4 threads about the same player and then proceed with bull takes on everyone and insults. Who bothers to read that? Just ignore and move on.

[daslicer]

It's always good to curbstomp the team's you're supposed to curbstomp, tbh

Agreed the Spurs failed to do that a lot last year. They gave too many games away to bottom dwellers.

[DarrinS]

I thought TP provided a nice little spark at the beginning of the 3rd.

[BillMc]

I thought TP provided a nice little spark at the beginning of the 3rd.

Agreed. And he had some classic Parker moves in the paint to score. Good sign.

[DarrinS]

Agreed. And he had some classic Parker moves in the paint to score. Good sign.

If he can dish that out in small doses over the reg season, he's gonna be a lot healthier come playoff time.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

No you are dramatic about your opinions and all gloom and doom sometimes. Actually a little too much at times, but its your opinion. The trolls are the guys who are always with the same schtick that stopped to be funny, make 3 or 4 threads about the same player and then proceed with bull takes on everyone and insults. Who bothers to read that? Just ignore and move on.

I was thinking the "trolls" were the guys asking questions about your body, your relationship status, etc. rather than relevant stuff about the Spurs/sports. But yeah the gimmick alt schtick guys are pretty bad too


I would agree that I am very opinionated, but that's just a part of my personality that people have to live with. Someone needs to be blunt, tbh.


P.S. I don't agree with the "he's a kid so he's bound to improve" argument. Did Kwame Brown, Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, Hasheem Thabeet, and loads of other guys improve from being so bad just because they were "young"? Even our last "Anderson" that we drafted in a similar cir stance busted and I still think he is and was better and more athletic than the current Anderson. , I'm 21 and am bound to improve -- but I'm not an NBA player, and I don't believe Kyle Anderson is either.

[LakerHater]

100.0% FTs

[NASpurs]

LaMarcus Aldridge still searching for comfort level with Spurs




http://espn.go.com/blog/san-antonio-spurs/post/_/id/31/lamarcus-aldridge-still-searching-for-comfort-level

SAN ANTONIO -- Even after LaMarcus Aldridge notched a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds) for the first time as a Spur in the club's 102-75 victoryFriday over the Brooklyn Nets, he admitted he's "not even close" to the player San Antonio signed.

That's not because of a decline in skills or any injury as much as it is Aldridge simply "doing what new guys do," according to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who courted the team's most prized acquisition over the summer along with a host of others in the organization before signing him to a four-year max contract worth more than $80 million.

"It's not the same. I'm not the same person here that I was in Portland," Aldridge said. "I don't feel like they need me to be that person all the time. It's learning how to be myself in the offense. I haven't figured that out yet. I feel like the whole [team philosophy of] 'good to great passes' [is] in my head all the time. Hopefully as the season goes on I'll figure it out. But right now, I'm just trying to fit in."

As one of six Spurs to score in double figures in the team's first win of the season, Aldridge continues to search for his niche in a San Antonio offense intent on handing him and Kawhi Leonard the keys to run the show. Aldridge and Leonard (team-high 16 points to go with 10 rebounds) flashed glimpses of how the Spurs might look in the future as they transition away from heavy reliance on Tony Parker and Tim Duncan.

But the next evolution can't take place until Aldridge becomes completely comfortable. While Aldridge made strides Friday night as the Spurs outscored the Nets 34-17 in the third quarter (60-28 in the second half) to blow open the game, four of his five buckets on the night came on putbacks.

Aldridge also passed on shots against the Nets he probably would have taken during his days in Portland.

"He's gonna defer here and there, try to fit in," Popovich said. "It's natural."

Aldridge doesn't deny the coach's observation.

"I've always been the main guy. I've always gotten the ball a lot," Aldridge said. "I'm trying to learn how to play in the offense, trying to learn how to get my shots out of the offense. [I'm] just trying to learn how to move the ball [the way the Spurs do it] and get shots. Pop keeps telling me to shoot it, but it's a process for me. I'm definitely not playing like myself right now. I can't be selfish here. I'm just here to win. Tonight, we won. I played good defense down low. I felt like I got some good blocks on defense, and I crashed the boards. So if we can win every game like that, I'm fine. I don't [look to shoot]. We'll figure it out, though."

When Aldridge joined San Antonio in July, coming off a season in Portland in which he averaged a career-high 23.4 points to go with 10.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists, some observers saw a player who clashed with the Spurs' style of basketball.

Aldridge arrived having led the NBA in 2-point attempts in each of the past three seasons with a steady array of long jumpers and turnarounds, highlighted by his ability to stretch the floor by spotting up and creating open 3s for teammates in pick-and-pops.

"Each game gets better. I think it's a process for all of us, how to use me. For me to find my spots I'm gonna have to be aggressive," Aldridge said. "But now, I think I'm just getting offensive boards, and that's fine for now. We understand it's going to be a process for us to be more comfortable out there, be sharper. As the season goes on, things will be better."

[Spurtacular]

It took Duncan 7 shots to get his 15 points. Dude's nothing but a stat padder.

[Spurtacular]

100.0% FTs

GIF that Diaw assist. That'll undoubtedly be the assist of the night on NBA TV.

[Spurtacular]

I get your point, but the bench was worse with Butler TBH. He will still play, and besides having compeition will make Anderson up his ante. He's a kid who is bound to improve while Butler is 36.

Butler was a panic add. Spurs should've believed in all the young guys; Anderson, Simmons, Jimmer who are all at the end of the bench anyhow.

[SAGirl]

I was thinking the "trolls" were the guys asking questions about your body, your relationship status, etc. rather than relevant stuff about the Spurs/sports. But yeah the gimmick alt schtick guys are pretty bad too


I would agree that I am very opinionated, but that's just a part of my personality that people have to live with. Someone needs to be blunt, tbh.


P.S. I don't agree with the "he's a kid so he's bound to improve" argument. Did Kwame Brown, Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, Hasheem Thabeet, and loads of other guys improve from being so bad just because they were "young"? Even our last "Anderson" that we drafted in a similar cir stance busted and I still think he is and was better and more athletic than the current Anderson. , I'm 21 and am bound to improve -- but I'm not an NBA player, and I don't believe Kyle Anderson is either.

That is your opinion and it's shared by some, so it's not a bull take. Unlike those other guys you mention though, this kid can play. Many other dudes just don't have IQ to really play, are uncoordinated, never learned to shoot, dribble or whatever, have no absolute basketball talent, other than they were big enough to think they could play basketball maybe. Fact is most players who enter the league don't stick. He's still got to prove he belongs, but I think he can be a nice roleplayer for us. You could be pleasantly surprised, but I will leave you to your gloom and doom and you will leave me to my blind fandom and we can call it a day.