Opening Night Roster Pic

[Spurs9]

I like this team, I think we got a shot at taking down Warriors tbh.

[wildbill2u]

First eight in that pic are known quan ies. I'm reserving my opinion on Simmons although I'd like to see him breakout. The rest have potentials and possibilities which, if things fall right, could help put this year's team back in the playoffs as a contender. Excited about the season. The fun story of the season will be watching the new guys.

[SAGirl]

First eight in that pic are known quan ies. I'm reserving my opinion on Simmons although I'd like to see him breakout. The rest have potentials and possibilities which, if things fall right, could help put this year's team back in the playoffs as a contender. Excited about the season. The fun story of the season will be watching the new guys.

At least those new guys can score the basketball and shoot. It should be fun to watch.

[Chinook]

I say start Simmons. Dude plays his best ball when there's no pressure on him, and with Green ailing and no other options, I think he'll do all right. Just don't put him on Curry. , let him and Draymond go at it.

[DPG21920]

I say start Simmons. Dude plays his best ball when there's no pressure on him, and with Green ailing and no other options, I think he'll do all right. Just don't put him on Curry. , let him and Draymond go at it.

Yup. I agree 100%. He will bring a slashing element that Danny doesn't bring as well and he has actually shot the 3 ball well enough.

With regards to Dray, he shoul be easier to hide Guys on this year. For one Id rather Draymond shoot it than any other player and with all their talent they aren't going to force it to him anyways even with a mis-match.

[SAGirl]

I say start Simmons. Dude plays his best ball when there's no pressure on him, and with Green ailing and no other options, I think he'll do all right. Just don't put him on Curry. , let him and Draymond go at it.

I agree. I didn't suggest him earlier bc: (1) he was injured, and (2) his status in the team was not clear (with Garino not being waived last night, I think Spurs were still mulling over who to keep and who to cut). But anyways, now that the Spurs made their choice to give Simmons his opportunity, this is as good a game as any to start getting him tested and steeled for the pressure. Also, it goes right with Pop's preferences in the past of leaving the bench as they are in order to not affect their chemistry.

Except the bench itself is an amorphous state with their chemistry not established. It's not even clear to me which bigs Pop is going to bring from the bench. I hope he has realized by now that Dedmon/Lee can't play together (or at least not well).

There are more questions for that game than who takes the Danny minutes I think.

[TheGreatYacht]

I remember Simmons talking to Curry last year he couldn't stop him, but not many can, and I liked the defense he was playing on him

[Blackjack]

Thought Blake Griffin was on our bench for a second there.

[Nathan89]

I say start Simmons. Dude plays his best ball when there's no pressure on him, and with Green ailing and no other options, I think he'll do all right. Just don't put him on Curry. , let him and Draymond go at it.

Have to have a 1 big lineup to put him on Draymond.

[jhfenton]

Thought Blake Griffin was on our bench for a second there.

I did too. I did a double-take when I looked at it on my phone.

[SPURt]

[DeRozan m8]

BERTANS GONNA KILL IT

[sasaint]

I agree. I didn't suggest him earlier bc: (1) he was injured, and (2) his status in the team was not clear (with Garino not being waived last night, I think Spurs were still mulling over who to keep and who to cut). But anyways, now that the Spurs made their choice to give Simmons his opportunity, this is as good a game as any to start getting him tested and steeled for the pressure. Also, it goes right with Pop's preferences in the past of leaving the bench as they are in order to not affect their chemistry.

Except the bench itself is an amorphous state with their chemistry not established. It's not even clear to me which bigs Pop is going to bring from the bench. I hope he has realized by now that Dedmon/Lee can't play together (or at least not well).

There are more questions for that game than who takes the Danny minutes I think.

Not sure how to reconcile these two statements. By "bench" I thought you meant "second unit" in the first comment. Who do you think the bench is that Pop would leave as is if Simmons were to start?

[sasaint]

When was the last season that the Spurs only had 8 holdovers?

[CP48107]

Thought Blake Griffin was on our bench for a second there.

[BillMc]

Only 5 guys left from the 2014 championship team.

[SAGirl]

Not sure how to reconcile these two statements. By "bench" I thought you meant "second unit" in the first comment. Who do you think the bench is that Pop would leave as is if Simmons were to start?

I'd think the bench is Mills, Manu, KA, Bertans, Lee. Dedmon and Simmons are between the 11th-12th and matchup dependent when everyone is healthy. So if Pop didn't want to alter rotations much (specially to leave the main bench crew the 6th-10th time together on the court to gel), he'd just play Simmons less minutes but make some of those the Danny minutes. I am not sure how to work it out, maybe start him 5 minutes in the 1st and 3rd Q for example, give the rest of the minutes to Anderson.

OTOH, I am unsure if Pop will do that, bc he has preferred to start Anderson in the past when Kiwi has been injured, and from what I have seen Anderson has swapped spots with Kiwi for practices, so he probably has the better chemistry with the starters and that might be what Pop does. It's hard to tell. I'd just want Anderson to get playing time with the bench somewhere in there, so that when Danny gets back to the rotation, the bench is gelling and doesn't have a change in characters.

In reality, it's hard to say how everything goes. A lot depends on Simmons play.

[sasaint]

I'd think the bench is Mills, Manu, KA, Bertans, Lee. Dedmon and Simmons are between the 11th-12th and matchup dependent when everyone is healthy. So if Pop didn't want to alter rotations much (specially to leave the main bench crew the 6th-10th time together on the court to gel), he'd just play Simmons less minutes but make some of those the Danny minutes. I am not sure how to work it out, maybe start him 5 minutes in the 1st and 3rd Q for example, give the rest of the minutes to Anderson.

OTOH, I am unsure if Pop will do that, bc he has preferred to start Anderson in the past when Kiwi has been injured, and from what I have seen Anderson has swapped spots with Kiwi for practices, so he probably has the better chemistry with the starters and that might be what Pop does. It's hard to tell. I'd just want Anderson to get playing time with the bench somewhere in there, so that when Danny gets back to the rotation, the bench is gelling and doesn't have a change in characters.

In reality, it's hard to say how everything goes. A lot depends on Simmons play.

Okay, so when you say "bench" you do mean "second unit." (Btw, when did you start calling him Kiwi? I thought that's what his detractors called him. )

[BillMc]

When was the last time the Spurs carried 4 rookies on their team?

[sasaint]

Only 5 guys left from the 2014 championship team.

The kind of turnover that Spurs fans aren't used to - especially when one of the missing is TD... A lot to get used to.

[SAGirl]

Okay, so when you say "bench" you do mean "second unit." (Btw, when did you start calling him Kiwi? I thought that's what his detractors called him. )

lol I don't know if his detractors use that, it's easier to type bc autocorrect changes his name for me and it's annoying as heck.

Kiwi to me is endearing. Dijon too.

Pejorative terms are the fathead and all the variations, Porker, Manure, etc.

Slowmo to me is endearing since Anderson likes it...

[Austin_Toros]

Is anybody else worried about our roster? There have been a lot of changes and I don't feel as confident as I was in recent years...

[BillMc]

The kind of turnover that Spurs fans aren't used to - especially when one of the missing is TD... A lot to get used to.

Yep.

What a strange world its become.

[BillMc]

Is anybody else worried about our roster? There have been a lot of changes and I don't feel as confident as I was in recent years...

Pau was the best available TD replacement 4 rookies means the youth movement has started. All necessary evils.

But, yeah, I'm a little nervous too. Fortunately, the league as a whole isn't very good now. Team has time to gel and can still get 2 to 3 seed.

[spurs10]

When was the last time the Spurs carried 4 rookies on their team?

Yeah it's wild! I wonder how Pop is going to fill in for Danny in the opening weeks. Chinook suggested Simmons, but he was hurt too last I saw. Still haven't seen last night's game.