Just a thread to keep track of Pop favoring his pet. Not solely for undeserved minutes. Other inexplicable things (like drawing up plays for him) will be logged too. Feel free to contribute.
Game 2 vs WAS
End of 2nd Qtr - this was White's shift in preseason and in Game 1 vs NY. For some reason Pop decided it was his pet's shift today. Up 9 when he's inserted, journeyman Ish Smith catches fire with Wombat guarding him. Tied game at the half.
Last possession of the game - Up 2, Spurs need a stop to win the game. Pop not only thinks it's a good idea to put his pet in for defense but he puts him on Bradley ing Beal. With both White and Murray out on the floor and at his disposal no less. After Brook's playcall fails to generate the open look for Bertans, Beal looks to penetrate and predictably blows right past the coach's pet. Luckily, both White and Murray do a great job of helping and deny Beal at the rim.
Refer to this that demonstrates that Mills was not guarding Beal, and without the timely switch and forcing Beal center, and Murray contesting the drive, Spurs probably lose. Thank Mills to secure this win.
https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/sho...=1#post9955848
Fire pop thread material
Went back and rewatched it. You're right he wasn't on Beal initially, but it also wasn't some high IQ switch. Looks like Pop's instructions were to switch everything. Even more reason for him not to be out there to begin with. He's a known traffic cone on defense. Forbes, Lonnie, even Carroll are all better options in that situation.
Mills at least tries on defense and actually had some good moments. Beli has been a complete disaster on both ends.
We haven't seen Carroll. Walker was destroyed earlier in the quarter agaidnt a slow player. Forbes wouldn't guard Isiah effectively. Mills was the right call here and it worked out.
Mills needs to play well to trade him for a 19 first round pick!
Right. Because Mills never gets "destroyed" and doesn't struggle guarding everyone (smaller players included).
White fouled him and got away with it, tbh.
Gonna be a busy thread tbh
Absolute foul. Typical refs don't call it at end of games.
Didn't get abused this game. Walker let a slower player blow pass him then foukd him from behind. So you want Walker to guard Isiah in a must defend situation?Right. Because Mills never gets "destroyed" and doesn't struggle guarding everyone (smaller players included).
I don't mind Mills playing at SG in his old role from back in the Manu days but when he's at PG and Murray and White are on the bench, I really have to wonder what Pop could possibly be thinking.
Tbh, Pop went with the Patty at PG lineup to end the first half against the Knicks. Thankfully it was only for like two minutes ... but still ... wtf.
You have two really good point guards. You refuse to play them together. Yet for some reason Patty must have a crack at running PG.
you're not considering all the hardships patty had to overcome with his aborigine background, his perseverance, leadership, etc
Ban OP. Or pink at a minimum. He’s an agenda poster with horrific takes.
Mills is always out there in crunch time when the team needs a stop. No surprises here. Pop will never learn to play 5 defenders in that situation
playing them over white is just criminal
wholeheartedly agree on take 1, disagree on take 2 -- with that WAS lineup Murray-White-Mills was an okay choice for defensive squad
As much as I pile on Mills like the next guy, he’s a better choice on a last possession especially with IT out there than Lonnie or Carroll (whom we haven’t even seen).
There’s a difference between defense in the flow of a game + defensive potential (Lonnie has that) vs. situational defense on a set play with <6 seconds left. Experience matters then.
Corporate knowledge, wouldn't be fair to the team, etc.
It's the same reason Lonnie is relegated to Belinelli gatorade holder when literally every non-Sucker out there knows he's a better player in every facet of the game.
It's just the old man holding everybody in the organization to a certain standard of "getting over himself," everybody in the org except himself of course
Remember when T Park said Mills would be relegated to Kevin Willis duties this season? Almost got my hopes up.
Good news is that Pop is going to trot Fatty out there again next game to close the 1st half.
Except this time , the Spurs wont be playing some ty Eastern conference bottom dweller and Lillard and Mccollum are gonna light that little koala up...
I mean , Ish Smith was lighting Mills up
The weakest point in Pop's ability to coach has always been his rotations. I am afraid this year, it will become a real problem when it comes to wins and loses.
For someone that criticizes others for not "really watching the games" you sure have a skewed of perception of Wombat's defense. He always gets abused. Always.
Go back and watch the end of the 1st half when he (instead of White) checks in for Murray. Ish Smith catches fire and a 10 point lead disappears. Then to start the second half, the coaches have the audacity to say "we're worried about Ish Smith, we have to stay in front him". Its like nah bruh, it's not a team problem. Stop covering for the pet just bc he's a good human being. Don't put Wombat on Smith and Smith goes back to being the journeyman he always has been. Wombat was also on IT in the 2nd half when his washed up ass caught fire IIRC.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
