Does Mason really make a good backup PG?

[dastrey]

The truth is Mason's productivity goes up when the ball is in his hands. I dont mind a couple turnovers if he's giving us 20 pts a game on a good shooting percentage. Yes, Hill has better handles, but his jumper has been off for months and he isnt a great finisher at the rim yet. The playoffs are just around the corner so Pop is going to see who is going to give us a more effective 10 minute role. Regardless of what Pop chooses, its good to see Mason putting up more shots.

[VI_Massive]

I've written this elsewhere, but we have to remember that Hill didn't play point guard in college, he played the 2. Even guys who played the point in college take some time to adapt to running the NBA point. No way Hill is ready for running the playoff point in the NBA as a rookie. He can contribute by guarding the other team's best small player and making offensive and rebounding hustle plays. But until Hill gets more experience, Mason and Manu will be running the back-up point for the few minutes when TP isn't on the floor in the playoffs. Its not the greatest option, but I think it'll work out. Mason is a big pull-up jumper threat and Manu is great at the drive and kick.

[MaNu4Tres]

I've written this elsewhere, but we have to remember that Hill didn't play point guard in college, he played the 2. Even guys who played the point in college take some time to adapt to running the NBA point. No way Hill is ready for running the playoff point in the NBA as a rookie. He can contribute by guarding the other team's best small player and making offensive and rebounding hustle plays. But until Hill gets more experience, Mason and Manu will be running the back-up point for the few minutes when TP isn't on the floor in the playoffs. Its not the greatest option, but I think it'll work out. Mason is a big pull-up jumper threat and Manu is great at the drive and kick.

best post of the thread

[Agloco]

The only one worth reading actually......

[Marcus Bryant]

But he does need the rock in his hands.

[The Truth #6]

Playing Mason at the point and Hill at the two at the same time was something you try in November, not this late in the season.

Why mess with Hill like that? He's a rookie and already trying to figure things out on the fly. He's a point guard now. There's no reason to throw him back to the 2 unless he's playing next to Parker. But Mason isn't a PG. Weird.

Mason was playing well overall but as a PG he turned the ball over and had trouble getting anything set up too often.

If the fans complain too much about it, then we'll probably see more of it, so, let's not talk about it anymore.

[Obstructed_View]

Mason was running the offense even when he was on the floor with Parker. That makes no sense.

[Rain318]

Pop is a mad scientist
I ? Mason ball handling skills

[SAhoops]

Mason is a capable backup pg.

[MI21]

I quite like him as backup PG offensively. It's when he gets indecisive on the PnR and trying to break down the defense that the TO's come. He can bring the ball up fine, against pressure. He gives a threat from the top of the key that the Spurs haven't had for the longest time, which helps when the ball gets dumped down low and every defender on the weakside sags towards Timmy. RMJ's defender can't sag to far to help cover the middle with Roger out there nailing 3's.

He is also pretty aggressive, and we know Pop likes that from backup PG's. Hill is so frustratingly passive sometimes that it makes me want to yell in his face to remind him he is actually a pretty good scorer and has proven it in the NBA already.

[Obstructed_View]

The Mavericks made an adjustment that pretty much shut down his open looks in the second half, rendering him basically useless as a PG, as well as taking away all his effectiveness on the offensive end of the floor. He should be running around screens to get open and keeping the defense from packing the paint.

[MoSpur]

I guess we will see this again tonight. I will be looking at this more carefully.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I'm going to have to side with the Obstructed One. He is good as a backup point when we have no other choice, and when he's on fire like in the first half of the mavs game....but noone can deny he just looks awkward out there sometimes, and he has trouble getting the offense going, outside of his own shot.

He has definitely mastered the pass down low to Duncan, but other than that, his passing skills and ability to break a defense down from the inside out are lacking.

[roycrikside]

I don't like him as the backup point. If Hill isn't out there and Parker isn't out there (and assuming Manu's out injured) nobody will drive to the basket, there will be zero threat of a fast break and Mace can't guard opposing points as well as Hill can. Also, I'm not enamored with how Mace runs pick and rolls.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

The thing about Hill though is he really isn't that much better. His defense is better than Mason's, but not by much, in fact, his defense has been lackluster the past month or so IMO. The last good defense showing I remember of his was against the Celtics.
On top of that, his jumper sucks ballsac. I think he needs to shoot 10,000 jumpers a day with Chip Englland this summer, he can improve alot by next year. But considering this, the RMJ thing isn't that bad. But it doesn't make him good.

[MoSpur]

^
How was Hill's defense yesterday?

[genomefreak13]

He doesn't have the best court vision or ball handling skills. He turned the ball over last night and has in the past when taking over PG duties. IMO, he is a little overrated as a backup PG. I know Pop is still experimenting with the lineup and rotations still, but c'mon. Pop needs to let Hill handle the PG duties. He's not that much better than Mason, but he's a rookie. Rookies are bound to make mistakes.

Your thoughts?

I think he's there for his defense... at least an attempt to do so. We all know how awful Parker's defense is. Pop in placing Mason at the helm might be compensating for parker's lack of defense.

[stéphane]

We all know how awful Parker's defense is.

Don't put all the posters down there at your IQ level.

[Agloco]

He doesn't have the best court vision or ball handling skills. He turned the ball over last night and has in the past when taking over PG duties. IMO, he is a little overrated as a backup PG. I know Pop is still experimenting with the lineup and rotations still, but c'mon. Pop needs to let Hill handle the PG duties. He's not that much better than Mason, but he's a rookie. Rookies are bound to make mistakes.

Your thoughts?

In a word, no.

[MoSpur]

Parker's defense isn't the worse. It was pretty good last night in spurts.

[genomefreak13]

Don't put all the posters down there at your IQ level.

Nah...

[MoSpur]

I will answer my own question. Its NO!!!!!!

[Spursmania]

Experiment has failed!!! Next...

[SanAntonioSpurs23]

Vaughn FTW?

[superbigtime]

He doesn't have the best court vision or ball handling skills. He turned the ball over last night and has in the past when taking over PG duties. IMO, he is a little overrated as a backup PG. I know Pop is still experimenting with the lineup and rotations still, but c'mon. Pop needs to let Hill handle the PG duties. He's not that much better than Mason, but he's a rookie. Rookies are bound to make mistakes.

Your thoughts?

Did W make a good president? Does a bear use toilet paper? No. Mason's ball handling skills are reminiscent of Beno. Hill woulda been making less mistakes if he had kept his backup role. He still looks lost out there. Just looking forward to Manu returning and providing some backup PG minutes for this team.