Grades: Spurs vs. Hornets - Apr. 6

[TDMVPDPOY]

i dont know why splitter is in the doghouse for no apparent reason, fck pop

[jcrod]

Didn't watch the game, but as always thanks for your insight. Always informative and to the point. For such negative feedback and still pull out an 20+ win is great, even if it was the hornets.

Duncan - great to see him so lively and believe in the team.
Parker- always been a tp fan and think he's just cruising right now. Its good to see he knows he's the man.
Manu- coming off the bench has been great for him more than ever. With tp being in mvp form he know he's opportunity will be with the second unit and he's doing great.
Pop- I'm still not happy how he's rotating the group, but you can't argue the record. He pushed the right buttons more this yr than ever. He still needs to play tiago more and I think with diaw. Still too many mins to blair and bonner. Ill know he'll bring down the rotation down come playoff, that's why I think he should sacriffice more games and get diaw more accustomed to their sets.

Love this team right now!

[100%duncan]

Thanks for the write up LJ. Glad that the Spurs are back on track

[Sa_Spursfan20]

Thanks for the grades!

I was really impressed last night by the performance of the Spurs. It was an absolute blast to watch. My only real concern is Tiago...I'm really starting to wonder as to why he is so far down the bench these days. Whatever it is, I really hope he can get out of it ASAP. We need him big time come playoff time...

[Cant_Be_Faded]

The splitter situation sucks balls.

But I have to believe that if and when we encounter lakers or grizzlies in playoffs, that Pop will give h the big Brazilian more minutes

[GSH]

i dont know why splitter is in the doghouse for no apparent reason, fck pop

If it was for an apparent reason, then you would also know why.

[thOOdee]

Great job as always. Your grades are always the first thing I check after a Spurs game.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Wait! I thought Diaw was in the doghouse. Oh, that was last game.

Someone is going to either get short minutes or sit out every game. It was Splitter's turn in the barrel.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Terrible job as usual timvp. Your grades are always the last thing I check after I've exhausted all the spot-on anal ysis in the NBA forum.

I completely disagree with your grades and in fact would give everyone the exact opposite of what you did.

Don't be bitter, pinky....

[ChumpDumper]

Tiago Splitter B-
...It is also worrisome that he played so few minutes but still looked absolutely exhausted at times. I don't know if he's not in basketball shape since returning from his back injury or he's just not a player who can play a lot of minutes.

I'm beginning to think the latter, unfortunately. He has looked prematurely gassed almost every game I've seen him play significant minutes -- even before the injury. Don't know what could be done about it now.

[therealtruth]

The splitter situation sucks balls.

But I have to believe that if and when we encounter lakers or grizzlies in playoffs, that Pop will give h the big Brazilian more minutes

Pop's got a secret plan. He's keeping Splitter's minutes low so he can unleash him in the playoffs. Teams won't know what hit them.

[The_Worlds_finest]

Is it wrong to say kawhi plays with more balls then rj ever did?

[DPG21920]

I've seen Tiago play consistently more minutes (before the Spurs) and handle it fine. How can a player get into shape when they don't practice and he barely plays?

[ChumpDumper]

I've seen Tiago play consistently more minutes (before the Spurs) and handle it fine. How can a player get into shape when they don't practice and he barely plays?

There are scores of NBA bench players who do that just fine.

[DPG21920]

They do? I can point to several players who are out of shape because they haven't been playing or practicing.

You also said you thought it was the "latter" when we have all seen Tiago handle much bigger minutes just fine.

[ChumpDumper]

They do? I can point to several players who are out of shape because they haven't been playing or practicing.

I can point to several who aren't.

You also said you thought it was the "latter" when we have all seen Tiago handle much bigger minutes just fine.

Have we?

[Mel_13]

I've seen Tiago play consistently more minutes (before the Spurs) and handle it fine.

Per game, yes in a 2 game a week league.

Per month, no. Even with his limited minutes, Tiago was well into uncharted territory for minutes per month when he went down with the calf injury.

[BRs.Ganso]

Splitter did a jump shot yesterday! lol

[benefactor]

I really hope that this year is different as far as rotations go. There has always been a set rotation for the playoffs but the Spurs have never had this many effective weapons. Going from series to series and matchup to matchup rotation-wise will determine the Spurs ability to go where this team want's to go in the playoffs.

[TJastal]

I'm beginning to think the latter, unfortunately. He has looked prematurely gassed almost every game I've seen him play significant minutes -- even before the injury. Don't know what could be done about it now.

+1

Must be one of those freaky bad breaks in life.... I hear premature fatigue happens alot to 27-year old guys. Such a shame.

[TJastal]

Per game, yes in a 2 game a week league.

Per month, no. Even with his limited minutes, Tiago was well into uncharted territory for minutes per month when he went down with the calf injury.

Poor bloke lost his way he was so far over his head. I wonder if he can start planning his retirement next year.

[TheSkeptic]

Splitter seemed a bit frustrated with the fact he was at the end of the bench, only ahead of Anderson. I think Pop is starting to get under Tiago's skin.

I thought this was true a while ago but I wasn't sure if I was seeing things.

Per game, yes in a 2 game a week league.

Per month, no. Even with his limited minutes, Tiago was well into uncharted territory for minutes per month when he went down with the calf injury.

I agree and disagree.

On the one hand he was somewhat in "uncharted territory" but tbh I think it's just that he's a guy who needs consistency. I should think that if he were to play more minutes in smaller stretches he'd probably do okay.

Tiago seems to be a big-minutes type. Nothing he does on purpose or anything I'd say but that's just how he is. You'll get more out of him if you give him plenty of court time to get going and the ball. He's not naturally a 6th man type player I don't think.

Plus I don't think active players get to work out much before games so they need minutes to stay in game shape. This whole business of yanking around his minutes and not giving him a clear role is, imo, more likely to cause even more injuries because he won't be in top-notch shape after sitting on the bench so long. Assuming he doesn't just give up sometime before then.

Of course, I've never agreed with you when it comes to minutes and injuries so there's that.

[Mel_13]

I thought this was true a while ago but I wasn't sure if I was seeing things.



I agree and disagree.

On the one hand he was somewhat in "uncharted territory" but tbh I think it's just that he's a guy who needs consistency. I should think that if he were to play more minutes in smaller stretches he'd probably do okay.

Tiago seems to be a big-minutes type. Nothing he does on purpose or anything I'd say but that's just how he is. You'll get more out of him if you give him plenty of court time to get going and the ball. He's not naturally a 6th man type player I don't think.

Plus I don't think active players get to work out much before games so they need minutes to stay in game shape. This whole business of yanking around his minutes and not giving him a clear role is, imo, more likely to cause even more injuries because he won't be in top-notch shape after sitting on the bench so long. Assuming he doesn't just give up sometime before then.

Of course, I've never agreed with you when it comes to minutes and injuries so there's that.

It wasn't "somewhat", it was by a considerable margin.

Quick overview:

During his career in Europe, Tiago never reached 1500 minutes in seasons that last 7 1/2 to 8 months and schedules that called for two games a week. Our European friends have told us that he was subject to small, nagging injuries playing those 2 games/week and about 200 minutes/month.

In January he played 367 minutes in 18 games. That's a huge increase from any minutes and games load he had ever played before.

What happened next? A small calf injury in February and a small back injury in March. With time off due to those injuries, he played 193 minutes in each of those two months.

[jjktkk]

Thanks for the grades and recap Tim.

[TheSkeptic]

It wasn't "somewhat", it was by a considerable margin.

Quick overview:

During his career in Europe, Tiago never reached 1500 minutes in seasons that last 7 1/2 to 8 months and schedules that called for two games a week. Our European friends have told us that he was subject to small, nagging injuries playing those 2 games/week and about 200 minutes/month.

In January he played 367 minutes in 18 games. That's a huge increase from any minutes and games load he had ever played before.

What happened next? A small calf injury in February and a small back injury in March. With time off due to those injuries, he played 193 minutes in each of those two months.

Yeah I saw those numbers in another thread. I was just softening my disagreement with your point and ended up understating the wrong thing.