Grades: Spurs vs. Suns - Jan. 15

[TJastal]

I can't figure out what Pop's doing with Splitter's minutes. He's the best post defender and it's not like the Spurs have enough defense. His offense has picked up and he's taking advantage of shorter opponents. What would you rather have? Bonner shooting 3's you know he will never make in the playoffs or a TD/Splitter combo putting pressure on the opposing frontcourt. Also, you would hope he learned from last year that trying to change strategies in the middle of the season or game 3 of the playoffs won't work.

Just be patient the big picture is emerging.

Poppy will surprise us. You'll see.

[slayermin]

I love the grades. Excellent work.

[mystargtr34]

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[mystargtr34]

Why pop still sees Tiago as a situational player is beyond me. he's mobile enough to not be a defensive liability against quicker 4s and could work just as well offensively as Timmy and Blair do, probably even better since Tiago has the superior BBIQ.

i just don't get it.

Nobody will ever get it tbh.

Although its pretty extreme, i would move RJ to the bench when Manu comes back and start Kawhi. I would also start Tiago for Blair for obvous reasons but lets not beat that horse anymore. Its much easier to bring offense off the bench.. so the Spurs should really be trying to put their best defensive foot forward and try and contain the starting units best scorers from the opening tip.

If Kawhi moves back to the bench when Manu comes back.. that means with Tiago and Kawhi you have two of your top 3 defensive players coming off the bench and playing most of their minutes against the opposition bench. Its a waste really, while Blair and RJ are getting torched and letting guys get into a scoring rhythm.

[TJastal]

Nobody will ever get it tbh.

Although its pretty extreme, i would move RJ to the bench when Manu comes back and start Kawhi. I would also start Tiago for Blair for obvous reasons but lets not beat that horse anymore. Its much easier to bring offense off the bench.. so the Spurs should really be trying to put their best defensive foot forward and try and contain the starting units best scorers from the opening tip.

If Kawhi moves back to the bench when Manu comes back.. that means with Tiago and Kawhi you have two of your top 3 defensive players coming off the bench and playing most of their minutes against the opposition bench. Its a waste really, while Blair and RJ are getting torched and letting guys get into a scoring rhythm.

All. Excellent. Points.

[crc21209]

Thanks as always timvp..... The #1 thing that stood out to me is that Splitter does need to get more minutes. Although I think quietly Blair has been putting together a very solid season so far. I'm also loving everything that Leonard is bringing to the table right now. The guy is a straight up all-around player, from rebounding to defense to scoring a little here and there, the kid has a huge ceiling.....

[TJastal]

My personal preferences (given the spurs will not be able to make a move for another defensive minded big).

Keep Leonard in starting lineup w/ Jefferson. He seems quick enough to handle the SG position. Move Blair to bench, insert Splitter into starting lineup w/ Duncan. This helps Duncan have to do less of the heavy lifting.

Move Manu to the 2nd unit where he can ignite the offense. The turd towers will be a liability defensively, but hopefully with Manu running the show they can outscore their opponents.

That's just me, though, poppy probably has other plans.

[Spursfan092120]

I'm liking we're able to win despite fairly poor 3 point shooting... and it's been a few games now... we just need to translate that to the road...

Exactly what I was thinking. Last year, we shoot like this from behind the arc and we're blown out of the building. This year, with Tiago figuring the system out, Kawhi playing like a young veteran, and a few others picking up the slack, we still pulled it out. Hope we can keep this up...let Manu rest as long as he needs.

[DMC]

Neal has a problem seeing the court I think, so all he concentrates on is shooting the ball. When he's out there, there's absolutely no ball movement after he touches it, and if he's the PG, that can be a huge problem.

[DMC]

Exactly what I was thinking. Last year, we shoot like this from behind the arc and we're blown out of the building. This year, with Tiago figuring the system out, Kawhi playing like a young veteran, and a few others picking up the slack, we still pulled it out. Hope we can keep this up...let Manu rest as long as he needs.

The teams we are facing are playing fairly ty as well though, so it's not the same as last year, but maybe the same as the beginning of last season when other teams had their best players out with injuries.

[DMC]

My personal preferences (given the spurs will not be able to make a move for another defensive minded big).

Keep Leonard in starting lineup w/ Jefferson. He seems quick enough to handle the SG position. Move Blair to bench, insert Splitter into starting lineup w/ Duncan. This helps Duncan have to do less of the heavy lifting.

Move Manu to the 2nd unit where he can ignite the offense. The turd towers will be a liability defensively, but hopefully with Manu running the show they can outscore their opponents.

That's just me, though, poppy probably has other plans.

This is a bad idea. Pop should keep Bonner and Blair separated at all times.

The point of the 2nd unit isn't to give up the lead, and that's what a Blair/Bonner combo would do.

We just need the 1st unit good enough to sustain, and the 2nd needs to be strong as well. I am against making the bench weak just to have a stronger starting unit. Manu cannot do everything and he would need to with Blair/Bonner on the floor together.

[Solid D]

Fair assessment. The Suns looked tired and lacking focus.

Matt Bonner B
Bonner came down a little gimpy in the fourth quarter and had to leave the game. Though he returned to the court later, it may be something to keep an eye on.

He got sandwiched on a double screen on the OB play just prior to Matt nailing the 3-pointer at the other end. Shannon Brown kneed Bonner.

[GSH]

Why pop still sees Tiago as a situational player is beyond me. he's mobile enough to not be a defensive liability against quicker 4s and could work just as well offensively as Timmy and Blair do, probably even better since Tiago has the superior BBIQ.

i just don't get it.

You have to leave room for the possibility that Tiago looks extremely good because of the situations he's being used in. I don't know. But if you're even remotely suggesting that his basketball IQ is superior to Tim's? Well, that's beyond silly. I won't even bother to discuss all the reasons why.

[BoricuaCJA]

My lineup for the Spurs when Manu comes back is
PG Parker
SG Leonard
SF Jefferson
PF Duncan
C Blair

I have Manu coming off the bench to be a spark and our PG in the 2nd unit, especially TJ being out. Manu and Splitter playing together will be incredible duo, Manu being such an incredible passer will help Splitter even more. Plus this also helps us not have the ty towers playing with each other much.

Now if Splitter were to be put in the starting lineup, then I would like Leonard and Green come off the bench to play with the ty towers to help out with the rebounding/defense. It really depends on the matchups imo, matters who we are playing.

[TJastal]

This is a bad idea. Pop should keep Bonner and Blair separated at all times.

The point of the 2nd unit isn't to give up the lead, and that's what a Blair/Bonner combo would do.

We just need the 1st unit good enough to sustain, and the 2nd needs to be strong as well. I am against making the bench weak just to have a stronger starting unit. Manu cannot do everything and he would need to with Blair/Bonner on the floor together.

As far as giving up leads, that's why I proposed putting Manu back in the 2nd unit, so he could offset the Blair/Boner combo. You don't think Manu can still spark the 2nd unit? I think he can.

And I wouldn't generally be for this move (making Manu carry the load of the 2nd unit) but in this instance I think its justified because changing the starting lineup at the very tail end of the season is a bad move IMO. It's going to mess up chemistry too much.

[TJastal]

And another thing........

You guys have to think in terms of what the spurs will be seeing in the playoffs (assuming they make it of course).

It's probably going to be a big physical frontline (like the Grizz or Lakers). Do we want Tim Duncan out there defending both his man AND his frontcourt partner's man? Like he had to do last year? Wasn't it bad enough last year he was outsized by his own man but he also had to cover Bonner/Blair's man as well?

With Splitter starting next to him, this will ease that burden tremendously. I'd rather give Tim the support he needs to stay fresh all game long and take my chances with the Blair / Bonner combo.

[therealtruth]

Now if Splitter were to be put in the starting lineup, then I would like Leonard and Green come off the bench to play with the ty towers to help out with the rebounding/defense. It really depends on the matchups imo, matters who we are playing.

Kawhi could definitely help counter Blair/Bonner lineups with his defense and rebounding.

[TDMVPDPOY]

is pop limiting splitters minutes, cause fearing of any injury to the bigs that he cant afford to happen?

[BoricuaCJA]

Kawhi could definitely help counter Blair/Bonner lineups with his defense and rebounding.

One other thing that can help maybe is have this starting lineup against some matchups is
PG Parker
SG Green
SF Jeferson
PF Splitter
C Duncan

Having Neal and Manu playing off the bench will be a huge scoring punch of the bench and help us have great defensive lineup to start the game with Splitter and Green playing.

We can even have Neal start, that way green and Leonard could help with the rebounds/defense for the ty towers and Neal can help spread the floor for Parker/Duncan/Splitter.

This really all depends on matchups. I have so many lineups that can work on certain teams but not others. I would not put Neal in the starting lineup against LA. Kobe would just have a field day.

[TJastal]

One other thing that can help maybe is have this starting lineup against some matchups is
PG Parker
SG Green
SF Jeferson
PF Splitter
C Duncan

Having Neal and Manu playing off the bench will be a huge scoring punch of the bench and help us have great defensive lineup to start the game with Splitter and Green playing.

We can even have Neal start, that way green and Leonard could help with the rebounds/defense for the ty towers and Neal can help spread the floor for Parker/Duncan/Splitter.

This really all depends on matchups. I have so many lineups that can work on certain teams but not others. I would not put Neal in the starting lineup against LA. Kobe would just have a field day.

Agreed. But I wouldn't get to fancy altering lineups too much just pick something that is going to work most of the time. Which is why I don't like Neal starting because combined with Parker that would be a very small backcourt that will not work against teams like Miami & LA.

Parker & Green works better, IMO.

[SenorSpur]

Neal has a problem seeing the court I think, so all he concentrates on is shooting the ball. When he's out there, there's absolutely no ball movement after he touches it, and if he's the PG, that can be a huge problem.

All the more reason Pop should "get a clue" and give up this piss-poor experiment with Neal - if he hasn't already. Gary has clearly not been shooting well since the change. He simply has no PG instincts and once he crosses half-court, he's looking for is own offense.

Meanwhile, it was encouraging to see CJ given the backup PF reins.

[jjktkk]

DeJuan Blair scored in the paint like 5 times, and Splitter 3 or 4 more. Do you even watch the games?

You forgot, T2S is old school, he listens to the games on his boombox, in his garage.

[TJastal]

All the more reason Pop should "get a clue" and give up this piss-poor experiment with Neal - if he hasn't already. Gary has clearly not been shooting well since the change. He simply has no PG instincts and once he crosses half-court, he's looking for is own offense.

Meanwhile, it was encouraging to see CJ given the backup PF reins.

Neal's shooting woes are not because he's trying to play the point guard position in the nba for the 1st time in his life, c'mon that's silly to think. He allegedly played some point guard over in Europe that should be plenty of experience.

Neal's just got to Neal with it.

[TJastal]

I wonder if Bruno thinks Neal should just Neal with it....certainly didn't cut RMJ any slack.

[Darkwaters]

A strong starting lineup is important, but often times can be a little moot. The real answers come when you consider who is closing out games and how many rotation minutes players are getting while the end is still in doubt. Still, theres a degree of strategy to the starting lineup that allows you to manage minutes well and put a competent second team on the floor.

When everyone is healthy I'd like a starting five like this:

Tony Parker
Kawhi Leonard
Richard Jefferson
DeJuan Blair
Tim Duncan

See any changes? Nope. It's a good lineup. Why?

With Kawhi coming into his own I think Manu's return to the starting lineup may be in doubt. With tons of depth on the wings we'll be able to conserve Manu and play him fewer minutes. Bringing him off the bench helps assure this. If Pop wants Manu as a starter then I think I'm in favor of dumping RJ out of the linup. Basically, Leonard needs to stay and match up against the other team's elite.

Keeping Blair in the lineup might not make sense as Tiago is clearly the better choice. But I think this is a tactful way of minimizing the chances of Blair and Bonner ever playing together. And because of this one reason, I think I'm in favor of keeping him there. Blair is definitely at his best with Manu, and having Manu on the second team made me consider putting Blair there too.

That gives you a second unit something like this:

TJ Ford
Manu Ginobili
Danny Green/Gary Neal
Matt Bonner
Tiago Splitter

The thing I hate most about the second team is having Bonner on the list. I'd prefer to work it so that Blair could log big minutes with this team instead. Hes shown a lot of chemistry with both Ginobili but also Danny Green. Blair as a part of the second team just makes more sense on every level except that Bonner gets in the way. If the Spurs are able to sign a player like Przybilla then a lot can change. Until then the bigman rotation is very constraining.