Assessing Blair

[igruex]

His flaws are workable, he makes a couple of bonehead plays per game, it's his 2nd year. On the other hand, you cannot teach to "want it". That's why I think Pop keeps him in the starting lineup.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Blair is very, very raw but I smile every time I see him making a strong move to the basket or do his work down low for rebounds. He is very young, he has serious elevations issues due to his well do ented knee issues, he is seriously undersized for his position (and I tend to feel, after seeing him recently, that he has let some of his much vaunted pre-season conditioning go a bit as the season has progressed) but he has the 'it' factor that you cannot teach.

Give it a few years, Blair is the kind of guy that will need to play to figure out how to compensate for his body/position in the NBA. But you can see that this kid will be a special player one day, he has a high bball IQ, he is nothing but effort, he has the PERFECT coaching staff to craft his game, and he has the luxury of playing next to Tim Duncan and picking up some of the old dog's tricks down low. I think you will find that Blair will develop into a Kevin Love type player who bring a real physical element to the game and real defensive tenacity to the team in his prime, he just has to figure out how to get there. You can see, however, that he is hungry and has confidence--these two things are key to making a star in the NBA.

I was thinking to myself last night that he is a Shaq clone in Sir Charles's body--interesting combo, but this kid did not get to where he is today at his height and with his knees (which I don't think will be much of a problem really, his lower body is sooooo strong that I think the only thing that will happen is that he will never have the lift he could have had with ACLs) without knowing how to play.

[boutons_deux]

"elevations issues due to his well do ented knee issues"

issues, issues everywhere, but nary a problem anywhere.

So you can diagnose via TV a player's "elevation" limitations like Frist can diagnose via TV a brain-dead girl?

DJB is carrying a lot of dead weight, aka fat, which is great for holding a block out position, or for a football interior lineman, but counter-productive for jumping.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

"elevations issues due to his well do ented knee issues"

issues, issues everywhere, but nary a problem anywhere.

So you can diagnose via TV a player's "elevation" limitations like Frist can diagnose via TV a brain-dead girl?

DJB is carrying a lot of dead weight, aka fat, which is great for holding a block out position, or for a football interior lineman, but counter-productive for jumping.

Ok Beutons, you're right I should just agree with everyone else in this thread and declare him to be a waste of space.

You need to get laid man, I have never read a single positive thing from you

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Yeah, a couple measly turnovers, but he's been looking pretty good inside the paint and rebounding this year. I wouldn't worry about it....

[DMC]

There were only a couple of "measely turnovers" because he gets yanked early on. I would like to see him become more poised in the heat of the moment. I know it's a hard comparison, probably not even close to fair, but even in those all out slugfests when the Spurs are on a tear, Manu seems to make brilliant decisions while many others seem to just want to go faster and faster, like they are going to win the game before the 4th quarter even starts.

Take last night for example. I think the Spurs could have been up by 30 when they went on that 3rd quarter tear had they not gotten sloppy after being up by 19. Some of that is on Pop for calling a timeout just because Nash made a hook shot. Pop has great timing, but that one, I think, killed the Spurs' momentum (if there is such a thing, there seems to be). However, that one point when Blair turned the ball over on a carry, after hitting the floor.. that was more like streetball than anything in the NBA. Why does it get that way? It seems that the energy level overcomes the decision making process and everyone wants to do it themselves. Blair had that ball, he should have pulled it back and allowed a play to develop. Forcing things can lead to points, but it can lead to turnovers as well. You don't have to force things on the Suns.

Ok, I know the Spurs won that game just fine, and I know the Suns can put 40 on you in the blink of an eye, but someone here said earlier in a different thread that the Spurs play down to their opponent. I think that parts of the 3rd quarter and into the 4th the Spurs were doing just that, trying to out 7 second offense the Suns.

I didn't like that fast break by Blair either, when he missed an easy layup because he was watching his back. Again, those are correctable things. Based on how he corrected his FT shot, something many HOFers haven't been able to do, I think he will overcome it.

I don't want to see Blair on the trade block.

[Agloco]

Short answer is yes, Blair turns the ball over too much. Turnover machine? Not even. But Blair is 52nd among 227 qualified NBA players for turns per 48.
Not good, in the bottom 25% and he is not a point guard who handles constantly.
So he needs to improve.

You already answered in part. Blair giveth:
Steals? Flippin 7th in the NBA per 48.
Boards per minute? Grizzly continues to swat salmon at or near a top 10 pace.
Energy? This is something that can't be measured by exact stats. In addition to the whole team benefitting from Blairs energy, you can see Timmy Duncans revitalization knowing another pair of nutts are in the paint.
So these +'s far outweigh his turns but yes, Grizz needs to cut down.

Hopefully they are reviewing film to see if a pattern of his turns is evident.
Good thread, lets see if anyone else sees a pattern.

Wow Flabbs......

Has someone hijacked your account? That's actually a cogent post without a lot of the melodrama that you usually bring to the table.

Is this an early Christmas gift to SpursTalk?

[tp2021]

My only problem is when he tries to finesse an up-and-under finger roll around the basket instead of dunking it. Seriously, that move is great to sneak a shot past the defense, but its like his go-to move around the basket now. Play like a bigman DeJuan and throw it down around the basket! Own the area around the rim on offense and defense!

[duncan228]

Blair’s vision, awareness make up for lack of scoring
Jeff McDonald

...Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been pleased Blair has found other ways to contribute, even as he has struggled with scoring.

“While he’s learning how to shoot the ball and score the ball, it’s great he can catch and pass the way he does,” Popovich said, “because he can do some other things besides shoot to help us score.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ck-of-scoring/

[cherylsteele]

Malik had a solid 13-17 footer and quicker moves.

Yes, but that wasn't until several years in the league.

Blair has improved vastly in one aspect of his game....that is FT%, it is like 20points higher or something compared to last year.

[UnWantedTheory]

He will be fine. Give him time to develop an outside game & patience.

[DMC]

I am wondering why no one has mentioned Blair's 1-7 contribution against the Celtics. He took some crazy ing shots, bricks all of them. Who told this guy he could shoot outside shots?

Blair cannot play against big front courts. That's known by most people here except the homers and even they are starting to realize it.

Just wondering why Hill gets all the when Blair laid an egg pretty much. He had a couple hustle plays, but only after coughing up the ball.

[greyforest]

I am wondering why no one has mentioned Blair's 1-7 contribution against the Celtics. He took some crazy ing shots, bricks all of them. Who told this guy he could shoot outside shots?

Blair cannot play against big front courts. That's known by most people here except the homers and even they are starting to realize it.

Blair beasted all over Lakers a week ago and Boston last season. The problem with Blair is inconsistency.

[DMC]

Blair is an opportunist. He doesn't necessarily create opportunities (hear me out) as much as he finds them. He needs to create opportunities (not just rebounds) by moving without the ball instead of just posting 8' outside the paint and readying for the pass.

He needs to save his offensive attempts for fast breaks and those sudden bursts to the rim.

He one hands rebounds better than anyone I've seen in a long time, and I saw RJ try that a few times last night and Pop ripped his ass. So Blair has a ton of talent, if he had 5 more inches he would be a beast, but then so would I

[UnWantedTheory]

Blair beasted all over Lakers a week ago and Boston last season. The problem with Blair is inconsistency.

[angelbelow]

I am wondering why no one has mentioned Blair's 1-7 contribution against the Celtics. He took some crazy ing shots, bricks all of them. Who told this guy he could shoot outside shots?

Blair cannot play against big front courts. That's known by most people here except the homers and even they are starting to realize it.

Just wondering why Hill gets all the when Blair laid an egg pretty much. He had a couple hustle plays, but only after coughing up the ball.

Blair played 11 minutes while Hill played 33. Therefore, its not hard to imagine why Hill was criticized more.

[DMC]

Well, to go 1-7 in 11 minutes (some of those maybe tips) means he was yanked early for a reason.

Is it time for Pop to go with an alternate lineup? Blair against smaller front courts and maybe Dice with either Duncan or Splitter for the bigger ones? No one is bigger than Shaq, but Blair was shooting right into the guy and Shaq didn't even have to jump to block his shot. At least Dice knows better and Splitter is good at drawing charges, something Blair hasn't mastered.

There is a reason Blair is inconsistent. It's not lack of effort. He's doing the same things every game. Sometimes those opportunities aren't presented for him, which is why I think he needs to be put into a position where he can flourish, like against the second squad or against weaker front courts.

We should use Blair's rebounding skills to get us more open looks, but we need to know when those skills will work in the paint. He cannot beast on big front courts with great rebounding centers. In those situations, we need to have someone in who can at least contest the putback or draw a charge.

Tiago though.. that ugly ass FT..... he needs to work on that.

[Trill Clinton]

Naw, Ginobili is the turnover machine.

[DMC]

Ginobili does turn the ball over a lot, but he handles it a lot. Those guys who only touch it a few times and still turn it over, that's bad. Duncan seems to be one of the biggest culprits (nevermind the few touches part) but he's always had a weakness where he gets stripped in the paint after bring the ball down. He's compensated by being a ing domination abomination everywhere else. His D is still pretty damn good.

[Trill Clinton]

Ginobili does turn the ball over a lot, but he handles it a lot. Those guys who only touch it a few times and still turn it over, that's bad. Duncan seems to be one of the biggest culprits (nevermind the few touches part) but he's always had a weakness where he gets stripped in the paint after bring the ball down. He's compensated by being a ing domination abomination everywhere else. His D is still pretty damn good.

Yea well TD struggles getting rid of the ball when double teamed. That is probably the only flaw to his game. I think Blair will get better with time...he's still very much raw.

He reminds me of Glen Davis when he first came into the league. If Blair can develop a solid jumper I think that will help his TO problem( sorta)

[DMC]

If Blair had Davis' jumper.. wow..

[Capt Bringdown]

I think it's less a matter of Blair's inconsistency and developmental miscues, but rather that he is only useful in certain situations. In other words, he's a role player. I don't ever see him becoming a special player, he's simply outclassed most of the time. He's a good second-unit role player-that's it.

If they gave out merit badges for desire, he'd likely be the Spurs leader. But desire and corporate knowledge doesn't necessarily translate to accomplishment. I'm sure Finley thought he belonged on the court at all times.

[DMC]

I was pleased at Blair's outside shot tonight. He hit one from near the top of the key. I've never seen him hit that far out before. I didn't like that line drive shot or the flip up backwards on the offensive board earlier in the game. I would like to see him secure the board and if it's there, take it to the rim, not tap it back up or flip it up like the clock is expiring.

Overall, he did ok tonight against the Mavs, not great, but better.

[Manufan909]

Dude, how is 18/13/4 (I know he also had 4 fouls and 3 TOs) not superb for a vastly undersized, sop re center?

[WalterBenitez]

Is he 21? come on, call me again when he were 23