Spurs just used their 3rd string players to win against a 7th seed playoff team

[ceperez]

I think there is an element of deferral too when they play with others. Here if they didn't come out balling they would be finished. They will be fine. I think each could have a small role in a match up in the playoffs.
Anderson in particular Pop is preparing for the postseason and will have a role. I think they want him for the eventual GSW match and he should get a little bit of experience each round to "taste" playoff basketball.

(1) Boban is most effective if he's passed the ball at the right spot. He also clears up a lot of room for players that drive like Simmons.
(2) You can see that Pop has bought in to Anderson's game. He was even praising him after he didn't make the shot that ended the first half. Anderson can definitely destroy smaller guards. He has trouble though against bigger more athletic players. Dirk though couldn't really dominate Anderson.
(3) Simmons cannot play if he's deferring. He just isn't used to scoring as a recipient of a pass. Spurs need his athleticism though for a team like the Dubs. You need someone to penetrate, Manu and Parker are pretty much on the decline.

[cd98]

Yeah but our starters almost lost to back up Thunder last night .

This. It will be a tough playoff run.

[tmtcsc]

Patty Mills and Danny Green are still terrible. On both sides of the ball. The Spurs may not make the WCF if those guys don't suddenly find their 2014 form.

Man, I hate to agree with your statement but its spot on. I've been dogging Green all year long because of his poor shooting but at least he brings value on the defensive end. Patty has been a bad PG and his shooting has been poor. His defense is pretty much non-existent. If he's not making shots, he needs to be on the bench.

[Spurs9]

We will get as far as Boban takes us.

[101A]

Great win, but the caveat is that the players who actually did something tonight aren't a regular part of the top 8 players: Boban, Anderson, Simmons. Green was okay offensively tonight, but just okay. I wished Mills would've went off. And Kevin Martin was awful.

If KMart would have been suited up in '13, the Spurs ring. As bad as he played, he was brought in, IMO, to calmly bury freebies at the end of tight games. He did that last night.

[BillMc]

Man, I hate to agree with your statement but its spot on. I've been dogging Green all year long because of his poor shooting but at least he brings value on the defensive end. Patty has been a bad PG and his shooting has been poor. His defense is pretty much non-existent. If he's not making shots, he needs to be on the bench.

Patty is only valuable when a) his shot is falling and b) Manu is out there to setup the offense. Otherwise his lack of size, playmaking, and defense are real liabilities. Wish Pop would give Miller more burn.

And I hate to be so critical of him as Patty is such a good guy and teammate. But then so is Bonner....

[spursistan]

14-2 in the last 16

Ownage..

[Obstructed_View]

Man, I hate to agree with your statement but its spot on. I've been dogging Green all year long because of his poor shooting but at least he brings value on the defensive end. Patty has been a bad PG and his shooting has been poor. His defense is pretty much non-existent. If he's not making shots, he needs to be on the bench.

Because of all the Bruce Bowen comparisons in the offseason, I've been watching Danny, and I have to say that his defense hasn't been very good either. He's been the worst defender in the starting five this year by far, though Parker's defense has just fallen off the edge of the world in the last month. There are bench rotation guys who are better defenders than he is this year as well.

[Chinook]

^That's a pretty indefensible take.

[Dex]

I'm more concerned about our 1st string players winning against the 1st and 3rd seeded playoff teams, tbh.

[tmtcsc]

Because of all the Bruce Bowen comparisons in the offseason, I've been watching Danny, and I have to say that his defense hasn't been very good either. He's been the worst defender in the starting five this year by far, though Parker's defense has just fallen off the edge of the world in the last month. There are bench rotation guys who are better defenders than he is this year as well.

Yeah, I agree about Danny's defense too. However, its been better than Patty's. - Which isn't saying much.

[tmtcsc]

Patty is only valuable when a) his shot is falling and b) Manu is out there to setup the offense. Otherwise his lack of size, playmaking, and defense are real liabilities. Wish Pop would give Miller more burn.

And I hate to be so critical of him as Patty is such a good guy and teammate. But then so is Bonner....

I totally get it. He's a terrific teammate, nice guy and great with the fans. But he needs to play off-guard in my opinion and concentrate only on getting his shot. He's just not a good at running the office. Andre Miller is much more saavy and experienced in that regard. Also - Miller is a much better passer.

[Beaverfuzz]

Parker played?

[SAGirl]

(1) Boban is most effective if he's passed the ball at the right spot. He also clears up a lot of room for players that drive like Simmons.
(2) You can see that Pop has bought in to Anderson's game. He was even praising him after he didn't make the shot that ended the first half. Anderson can definitely destroy smaller guards. He has trouble though against bigger more athletic players. Dirk though couldn't really dominate Anderson.
(3) Simmons cannot play if he's deferring. He just isn't used to scoring as a recipient of a pass. Spurs need his athleticism though for a team like the Dubs. You need someone to penetrate, Manu and Parker are pretty much on the decline.

All three very good points and they mesh so well!!! PATFO really knows what they are doing with them. It has to be an encouraging sign for Pop.

[littlecoyotecoin]

I like all the love Miller is getting in here. Hope Pop can find an effective use for the old man.

[tmtcsc]

Getting back to the OP though - Probably need a bit of a Brake Check. The Spurs used most of their 1st stringers to squeeze by whoever the that was the other night...OKC. OKC's second and third stringers. That was almost embarrassing. The Spurs are not entering the playoffs at their peak. They are going to have to find their groove again in the playoffs.

[exstatic]

Getting back to the OP though - Probably need a bit of a Brake Check. The Spurs used most of their 1st stringers to squeeze by whoever the that was the other night...OKC. OKC's second and third stringers. That was almost embarrassing. The Spurs are not entering the playoffs at their peak. They are going to have find their groove again in the playoffs.

OKC left three players home and lost. We left SIX and we won. Not really equivalent at all.

[tmtcsc]

OKC left three players home and lost. We left SIX and we won. Not really equivalent at all.

It's almost identical. That's how equivalent it is.

Here's OKC's 3 missing players worth compared to the six we left home:

OKC: 64 pts / 22.8 Reb / 16 assists (Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka)
SAS: 67 pts / 27.5 Reb / 15.1 (Leonard, Aldridge, Duncan, Parker, Manu)

The Spurs only get 3 pts and 5 Rebounds more production out of their 6 than OKC gets from their Big 3.

[Hoops Czar]

It's almost identical. That's how equivalent it is.

Here's OKC's 3 missing players worth compared to the six we left home:

OKC: 64 pts / 22.8 Reb / 16 assists (Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka)
SAS: 67 pts / 27.5 Reb / 15.1 (Leonard, Aldridge, Duncan, Parker, Manu)

The Spurs only get 3 pts and 5 Rebounds more production out of their 6 than OKC gets from their Big 3.

Not to mention a pair of Spurs killers (Harris and Barea) didn't play.

[Spurtacular]

Beating a bottom rung playoff team and an elite team are two different things. But the Spurs depth is encouraging, obviously.

[sexinthatsx]

Getting back to the OP though - Probably need a bit of a Brake Check. The Spurs used most of their 1st stringers to squeeze by whoever the that was the other night...OKC. OKC's second and third stringers. That was almost embarrassing. The Spurs are not entering the playoffs at their peak. They are going to have to find their groove again in the playoffs.

Like I said before, I thought the OT game helped the Spurs polish their clutch play heading into playoffs. I didn't see it as a negative. I would admit that the Spurs aren't entering the playoffs at their peak, but you have to have faith in the Spurs defense this year, the numbers this season are historic.

[exstatic]

It's almost identical. That's how equivalent it is.

Here's OKC's 3 missing players worth compared to the six we left home:

OKC: 64 pts / 22.8 Reb / 16 assists (Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka)
SAS: 67 pts / 27.5 Reb / 15.1 (Leonard, Aldridge, Duncan, Parker, Manu)

The Spurs only get 3 pts and 5 Rebounds more production out of their 6 than OKC gets from their Big 3.

Nothing about us only having 9 active players V Dallas and they had 12 V us? If nothing else, they should have had fresh legs at the end.

[T Park]

Because of all the Bruce Bowen comparisons in the offseason, I've been watching Danny, and I have to say that his defense hasn't been very good either. He's been the worst defender in the starting five this year by far, though Parker's defense has just fallen off the edge of the world in the last month. There are bench rotation guys who are better defenders than he is this year as well.

Simply not true what so ever.

But whatever.

[T Park]

Nothing about us only having 9 active players V Dallas and they had 12 V us? If nothing else, they should have had fresh legs at the end.

Which shows how stupid Donovan is. Had a chance to let Mohammed and others eat minutes and didnt allow it. Just stupid.

[Obstructed_View]

Simply not true what so ever.

But whatever.

You're simply too stupid to even generate a rational argument, as usual. But whatever.