Spurs' Bigs Enough vs Other Teams' FrontCourt?

[Spur|n|Austin]

I see Dedmond playing a larger role than Pau in games with an athletic front court. What a relief it is that he doesn't seem to be a total bust.

Is that implying that he's a semi-bust?

[cjw]

We were thrown off by Dedmon playing with scrubs for parts of the preseason and getting acclimated. He's never played more than 845 minutes in a season (10 mpg) and has been on bad teams. Needs to get lots of game action and assuming he stays out of foul trouble, produces when he's on the floor well above his contract value.

He has always been a strong rebounder and had a positive defensive impact on a bad Magic team for the past two years. He's been getting 17 minutes a night with the Spurs and rebounding rate + blocks are both up. Fouls remain a concern - still clocking in at 8 per 100 possessions.

He's serviceable from mid-range which means opponents can't completely slack off of him or hedge towards the basket on his screens. Huge factor in allowing him to stay on the floor.

[BillMc]

We were thrown off by Dedmon playing with scrubs for parts of the preseason and getting acclimated. He's never played more than 845 minutes in a season (10 mpg) and has been on bad teams. Needs to get lots of game action and assuming he stays out of foul trouble, produces when he's on the floor well above his contract value.

He has always been a strong rebounder and had a positive defensive impact on a bad Magic team for the past two years. He's been getting 17 minutes a night with the Spurs and rebounding rate + blocks are both up. Fouls remain a concern - still clocking in at 8 per 100 possessions.

He's serviceable from mid-range which means opponents can't completely slack off of him or hedge towards the basket on his screens. Huge factor in allowing him to stay on the floor.

Dedmon, a career 65% FT shooter is hitting 80% so far too. More importantly he's FTA has more than doubled.

Dedmon is inexperienced for his age, but athletic and tall and a good defender. Lee is older, un-athletic and short for his position, but he's a former all-star who knows how to play the game on O. They compliment each other well. And they both board.

Nice job RC.

[Arcadian]

We have Dedmon now.

[HarlemHeat37]

OKC is extremely limited in talent, this season..I can't even fathom how they could be a threat, tbh..

Clippers are always a concern, of course..DeAndre was mostly a non-factor in the 2015 series IIRC..it was Griffin and Paul that completely destroyed the Spurs, they were both a nightmare..Spurs had absolutely no answer for any type of Paul-Griffin action..

[cjw]

OKC is extremely limited in talent, this season..I can't even fathom how they could be a threat, tbh..

Clippers are always a concern, of course..DeAndre was mostly a non-factor in the 2015 series IIRC..it was Griffin and Paul that completely destroyed the Spurs, they were both a nightmare..Spurs had absolutely no answer for any type of Paul-Griffin action..

This didn't help - totally hobbled and ineffective:
http://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamel...tiago-splitter

Aldridge has held his own through his career against Blake:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/..._id2=griffbl01

[TD 21]

More concerned with the point guard.

Front-court is the strength this year.

Yeah, the only real concern with the bigs is the lack of depth, but if long term injury strikes, they can waive one of the partial guarantees to shore that up.

Even with Leonard's improvement in getting to the line/play making and Simmons providing some of the same, point guard is and will remain the clear number one concern.


The Thunder are obviously no longer a threat and the Clippers obviously still are, but I don't foresee a match-up issue with their bigs. On the contrary, whichever of Aldridge or Gasol they have Griffin defend, is likely to cause more of a match-up issue for them.

[Mugen]

Really not worried about the Clipps tbh.....

Spurs took em to 7 with Tiago being hurt and he was arguably the 2nd or 3rd most important player in that series with his defense on Blake....

Pop also coached a horrible series by sticking with a terrible Tony and he's shown (at least so far) that he's willing to let Patty close games....

[MaNu4Tres]

Yeah, the only real concern with the bigs is the lack of depth, but if long term injury strikes, they can waive one of the partial guarantees to shore that up.

Even with Leonard's improvement in getting to the line/play making and Simmons providing some of the same, point guard is and will remain the clear number one concern.


The Thunder are obviously no longer a threat and the Clippers obviously still are, but I don't foresee a match-up issue with their bigs. On the contrary, whichever of Aldridge or Gasol they have Griffin defend, is likely to cause more of a match-up issue for them.

Spurs can even get away with a 3 & D wing to fill in some of TPs minutes w/ the way Leonard is the play-maker in the 1st unit. One with length would actually create a pretty nice edge on the defensive end next to Leonard & Green.

Some here will call me crazy with that assessment because that player isn't labeled a PG.

This line up may not start, but this lineup is an example. I.E: Dedmon, Aldridge, Green, Simmons, Kawhi. A lot of defense and athleticism. Still have the playmaker in Kawhi on the perimeter on offense.

Green can defend the PG, Simmons can defend the weaker offensive wing, Leonard defending the prime perimeter scoring wing.

if Tony keeps up the terrible play and lands flat on his face after his fall of a cliff, I'd consider starting Patty and letting Manu be the back up PG offensively, but he'd defend the SG -- and have Simmons play the SG on O, but defend the back up PG. Then have Anderson & Bertans compete for back up SF minutes.

Tony can retire mid-season like Arian Foster .. tbh..

[Captivus]

Does someone think Kawhi as PG, Green as SG, SF(?), LMA, Gasol is a formation that we could see during good frontcourt teams?

[MaNu4Tres]

Does someone think Kawhi as PG, Green as SG, SF(?), LMA, Gasol is a formation that we could see during good frontcourt teams?

Kawhi is the best creator on the perimeter now. Call it creator, PG or whatever. He has the skill-set of the play-maker and now Tonys' role is off the ball more w/ the occasional spot creator role that is no longer really effective anyway.

If Tony plays off the ball more now, then why not have that off-the ball offensive role filled in with a better defender?

[tholdren]

Pau is a terrible rebounder, and like LMA controls no paint. Spurs need Lee and Dedmon to keep playing strong. Lee is 13th in PER right now. IN THE LEAGUE. He and Dedmon are 8-9 in the league in reb%. Lee is 6th in Orating, Dedmon is 3. Dedmon is ahead of KL in Defensive Rating. Dedmon 18th in league in WS. Lee and Dedmon 8-9 in League in WS/48.


To say the Spurs success is to anyone not named KL/Mills/Lee/Dedmon is ignorant.

[HarlemHeat37]

Can't believe many people on this forum aren't afraid of the Clippers, tbh..

Spurs have absolutely no answer for Paul and Griffin, especially the latter, as he's the best PF in the NBA and no big on the Spurs is even close to his level..

[Robz4000]

Can't believe many people on this forum aren't afraid of the Clippers, tbh..

Spurs have absolutely no answer for Paul and Griffin, especially the latter, as he's the best PF in the NBA and no big on the Spurs is even close to his level..

People were telling me CP3 and Red lost a step this season, but after watching this game they're as potent against the Spurs as ever. Their bench is also improved; still not great, but enough to not completely blow a lead.

[HarlemHeat37]

People were telling me CP3 and Red lost a step this season, but after watching this game they're as potent against the Spurs as ever. Their bench is also improved; still not great, but enough to not completely blow a lead.

Re had looked horrible until this game, tbh..actually, their entire offense had looked really poor, until tonight..

They're just a bad matchup for the Spurs, due to the inability to match-up against any action involving their 2 stars..