McDonald: Pop brings stingy back

[TJastal]

I also think Richard Jefferson needs to have a more active role on this squad other than "defensive stopper" to be effective. If he's not an integral part of the offense I think he's going to become unsatisfied and unproductive.

And for the amount of money the spurs are paying him, I think he damn well should be putting up 18-20 on a nightly basis as well as playing solid defense.

[SenorSpur]

I think Sequspur hit the nail on the head.

How the can u preach about defense when you start Matt Bonner over Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff.

Popovich can talk all he wants about becoming a better defensive team but when you trot out Matt Bonner to start off the game when you have two guys who are twice the defender he is your philosophy is going to fall on its head.

Bingo!

Last year, opposing teams literally went after Bonner on the defensive end time and again. Bonner hustles and is scrappy, but he lacks footspeed, is slow to react and does not possess the necessary athletic skills needed to defend most of the starting bigs in the NBA.

Pop is going to have to make a choice.

If he's more concerned with spreading the floor on offense, then he'll continue rolling out Bonner and again sacrifice a level of team defensive efficiency.

On the other hand, if he truly wants to improve this team defensively and set a tone on that end of the floor, he'll roll out McDyess instead.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

When did Richard Jefferson become a bad perimeter defender?

Better yet, when did RJ become a difference making perimeter defender? Yet most here treat him as such.

[TJastal]

Bingo!

Last year, opposing teams literally went after Bonner on the defensive end time and again. Bonner hustles and is scrappy, but he lacks footspeed, is slow to react and does not possess the necessary athletic skills needed to defend most of the starting bigs in the NBA.

Pop is going to have to make a choice.

If he's more concerned with spreading the floor on offense, then he'll continue rolling out Bonner and again sacrifice a level of team defensive efficiency.

On the other hand, if he truly wants to improve this team defensively and set a tone on that end of the floor, he'll roll out McDyess instead.

Good to see you again, SenorSpur. Nice concise summary there.

I'm still annoyed at the thought that Popovich might even be thinking about starting off the season with Matt Bonner as the spurs starting center. It was an experiement that, at the time last year seemed to make sense with what the spurs had to work with and it paid off in the short term but ultimately proved be more pressure than Bonner could handle, especially in the playoffs.

I'm going to really be dissappointed if Bonner is the starting center again tonight against Miami, because that would kind of indicate that Popovich has no clue what he's doing anymore.

[Solid D]

I'm going to really be dissappointed if Bonner is the starting center again tonight against Miami, because that would kind of indicate that Popovich has no clue what he's doing anymore.

Why set yourself for this? If Pop starts Bonner, then you now believe Popovich has no clue what he's doing any more, and most wise folks here know that isn't true. It's pre-season.

[TIMMYD!]

I also think Richard Jefferson needs to have a more active role on this squad other than "defensive stopper" to be effective. If he's not an integral part of the offense I think he's going to become unsatisfied and unproductive.

And for the amount of money the spurs are paying him, I think he damn well should be putting up 18-20 on a nightly basis as well as playing solid defense.

yeah, if he's getting paid that much money I expect him to do both of these things damn well.

[Solid D]

I'm going to really be dissappointed if Bonner is the starting center again tonight against Miami, because that would kind of indicate that Popovich has no clue what he's doing anymore.

So, Bonner does indeed start against Miami. Mahinmi starts in place of Duncan. Does this indicate to you that Pop has no clue what he's doing anymore?

[TJastal]

So, Bonner does indeed start against Miami. Mahinmi starts in place of Duncan. Does this indicate to you that Pop has no clue what he's doing anymore?

Indeed I overreacted .. Its not that significant really since its preseason but after last year's meltdown where he started trying to transform Roger Mason Jr into a point guard and basically benched Hill for no apparent reason for um, like half the season.... well I'm paranoid.


But

I'm just going to chill out for the pre-season and give Popovich a chance to show what's up his sleeves for the reg season before I jump down his throat.

:soapbox

[ElNono]

I hope Tony got an earful last night... Chalmers was all over him. I know it's preseason, but if Pop wants to bring the 'stingy' back then he needs to start early. We sucked defensively last season.

[urunobili]

Can someone tell me how good of a game was it for Hairston?

[Mel_13]

Indeed I overreacted .. Its not that significant really since its preseason but after last year's meltdown where he started trying to transform Roger Mason Jr into a point guard and basically benched Hill for no apparent reason for um, like half the season.... well I'm paranoid.


But

I'm just going to chill out for the pre-season and give Popovich a chance to show what's up his sleeves for the reg season before I jump down his throat.

:soapbox

last 14 games:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/player...?playerId=3438

[sanman53]

We should hire the retired Bruce Bowen as an assistant coach.

[Chomag]

HAHA. Sorry to have bummped this up but I thought I would just for some shnitz and giggles.

Funny stuff here.

[Bruno]

“We tried to ins ute some new things the past couple of years, and they didn't really work out,” Popovich said. “So we're going back to the good old days when we tried to lead the league defensively.”

Trying to be again a great defensive team is great but it won't work if you don't have the players to do so.

For the moment the PF/C main rotation should be Duncan, McDyess, Bonner and Blair. Defensively, it's nowhere near great. Spurs also don't have the tools to be dominant defensively on the perimeter. All in all, Spurs will have a damn hard time to be the top defensive team in the league with their roster.

Bump.

It was one week after the start of the preseason and the defensive weaknesses (especially in the paint) was obvious even for a somewhat limited guy like me.

Pop and the FO deserve a huge on this one. Spurs' owner have allowed them to spend a lot of money and they have build a team that isn't balanced at all. Trade deadline is in 26 days, they better do something to fix that.

[Obstructed_View]

Funny how the things that "didn't really work out" are the things he's trying now despite having the personnel to actually go back to the good old days.

[HarlemHeat37]

Bump.

It was one week after the start of the preseason and the defensive weaknesses (especially in the paint) was obvious even for a somewhat limited guy like me.

Pop and the FO deserve a huge on this one. Spurs' owner have allowed them to spend a lot of money and they have build a team that isn't balanced at all. Trade deadline is in 26 days, they better do something to fix that.

[DPG21920]

What I don't get is, is it Pop wanting to do something he can't and not being adaptive enough to change his philosophies, or is it the personnel not playing the way they should be?

Many of us were happy with the start to the off season, but a select few of us also said from the very beginning even though the moves were great, it would take another addition to have a true chance.

[Obstructed_View]

Pop and the FO deserve a huge on this one. Spurs' owner have allowed them to spend a lot of money and they have build a team that isn't balanced at all. Trade deadline is in 26 days, they better do something to fix that.

They've got the personnel on the roster right now to fix that. The problem is that they aren't getting any PT.

[HarlemHeat37]

How do you figure that OV?..I think the team can definitely play better D with less small ball, but how do you figure the perimeter D and 2nd big are going to get significantly better with the current players?..don't say Ian and Hairston, you know Pop isn't going to play them, they're too young and athletic..

[Sean Cagney]

How is 04 a record in FG% when they allowed lower in 99? Do some just think because that is a shortened year that .402 FGP allowed does not exist or overlook it? That is FLAT OUT AMAZING D! GOOD LORD I miss that.

[Obstructed_View]

How do you figure that OV?..I think the team can definitely play better D with less small ball, but how do you figure the perimeter D and 2nd big are going to get significantly better with the current players?..don't say Ian and Hairston, you know Pop isn't going to play them, they're too young and athletic..

I won't say it, but don't act like a potential solution isn't sitting right there. If you care about defense, and you want to go back to old school Spurs D you need a second shot blocker. Teach Ian to stand next to the basket with both hands straight up in the air and you've got Rasho X2. The only way to make up for the loss of Bowen's defense is with multiple guys that play very good individual defense, and one of those guys is in Austin.

[HarlemHeat37]

I won't say it, but don't act like a potential solution isn't sitting right there. If you care about defense, and you want to go back to old school Spurs D you need a second shot blocker. Teach Ian to stand next to the basket with both hands straight up in the air and you've got Rasho X2. The only way to make up for the loss of Bowen's defense is with multiple guys that play very good individual defense, and one of those guys is in Austin.

You know I'm for it, I've been begging for it all year, but there's no hope for this..

Hairston couldn't even get a shot AFTER severely outplaying Bogans in preseason against the SAME compe ion..he couldn't even get a shot, he started the season off on the IR after that, even though he knew the system better than Bogans..

Ian must have punched Finley in practice or something, because Pop just won't even try that option..

[Obstructed_View]

You know I'm for it, I've been begging for it all year, but there's no hope for this..

Hairston couldn't even get a shot AFTER severely outplaying Bogans in preseason against the SAME compe ion..he couldn't even get a shot, he started the season off on the IR after that, even though he knew the system better than Bogans..

Ian must have punched Finley in practice or something, because Pop just won't even try that option..

Then Pop's bringing Stupid back, and there's nothing that can be done about it. It's too bad. I actually stayed away from ST for the beginning of this season because Pop was making me so crazy, and I didn't figure it was worth making everyone read a hundred posts about how Blair should be starting, but I really thought he'd started to figure it out. He hasn't. I don't even think he's got a real assistant coach on his staff that can help him like in previous years, and there's obviously not a vet that can improve the team's toughness.

[SenorSpur]

Methinks Pop and R.C. probably cast their bets on the wrong horses.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Bump.

It was one week after the start of the preseason and the defensive weaknesses (especially in the paint) was obvious even for a somewhat limited guy like me.

Pop and the FO deserve a huge on this one. Spurs' owner have allowed them to spend a lot of money and they have build a team that isn't balanced at all. Trade deadline is in 26 days, they better do something to fix that.

Actually the problem is this:

For the moment the PF/C main rotation should be Duncan, McDyess, Bonner and Blair. Defensively, it's nowhere near great. Spurs also don't have the tools to be dominant defensively on the perimeter. All in all, Spurs will have a damn hard time to be the top defensive team in the league with their roster.

That rotation would be okay.

However, our current C/PF rotation is Duncan, Blair, Jefferson, Mason/Manu.

And when Finley and Bonehead come back it will be Duncan, Bonner, Blair, Finley, Jefferson.

That ain't gonna cut it.