Preseason Game Thoughts: Spurs @ Rockets - Oct. 14, 2012

[lefty]

It's funny how the Spurs went from having no real backup PG when Ford retired to having too many options.

This

It's a good problem to have

But I'll keep De Colo

He has cojones

[jjktkk]

Thanks Tim.

[SpursNextRomanEmpire]

Thanks

[Manufan909]

Thanks so much siraulo!!! Curry's shots were what I wanted to see most from this game. I you have any video of Witherspoon's made FGs, hook a brother up.

[KL2]

I really like what I've seen out of Joseph, his lateral quickness is ridiculous, there are only a few guys in the NBA that can move like that (Sefolosha, Bledsoe, etc.). His defense could make a huge impact for the Spurs, he can defend the point and the SG position as well. DeColo, Mills and Neal all seem to be pretty bad defensively, Parker seems okay, but Joseph seems to already be an above average defender with the potential to become great in a few years.

[Bruno]

The Matt Bonner situation is really weird with only 22 minutes played in the preseason. All the other players that have been healthy have at least played 50 minutes. There is something behind that. Either Bonner had some kind of injury or Pop has fully given up on him and is sure to put him at the deep end of the bench regardless or what he could do in preseason.

[KL2]

Or Pop views Bonner as a major key to their success and doesn't want him to get hurt lol.


I definitely think Bonners role will decrease though, mainly because Diaw can shoot the 3.

[spursince#99]

I believe trading Splitter would be a bad idea. He is unstoppable when in the pick and roll no matter who handles the ball.

[TD 21]

Cory Joseph

On just about every other team in the league, Joseph would be a shoo-in for a backup role.

Off the top of my head, he'd only have a legit shot for these teams (and in the case of some, it's because their backup PG is really a combo guard and they're weak at backup SG, so they'd have flexibility): Pistons, Rockets, Grizzlies, Bucks, Hornets, Magic, 76ers, Trail Blazers, Wizards. That's nine teams or less than a third of the league.

Derrick Brown

Welp, this was the end of the line for Derrick Brown.

Not that it wasn't already abundantly clear that he wasn't making the team, but when Pop said his best position was PF after the Nuggets game, that was the final nail in the coffin. His chances of making it in the first place were predicated on being a SF first.

Pop
I thought it was interesting that Pop kept Neal at shooting guard even though both Ginobili and Green played. Does that mean De Colo and Joseph have moved past Neal on the depth chart at point guard?

It probably means nothing, other than it's preseason and they're not yet utilizing their regular rotation. I actually think it's more likely that Neal get's traded before the season begins than it is they start the season with him not in the rotation.

Something's got to give, though, because De Colo and Joseph look overqualified to be inactive and in the D-League. De Colo, in particular. That type of vision and play making is always at a premium, which is why you rarely find players like that not in a rotation.

[elemento]

Matt Bonner's case is easy to explain

0.8ppg / 1.8rpg 11.1%FG and 14.3%3P in the OKC series. I think Pop has had enough.

[Bruno]

TP talked a little about the start of the training camp on his radio show:

"We are trying to figure out which bigman we will keep. We give a lot of playing time to Eddy Curry. It's a big gamble. We want to see what he can bring to us. There is too Josh Powell, a former Lakers and Hawks player. So we are trying to see how we can improve our frontcourt. On the perimeter, we give a little playing time to the young players."

From what Parker said, it seems that the bigman who will be kept with the 15th roster spot won't necessarily end up as the deep end of the bench. Pop trying so much weird bigmen pairs during preseason games might be a sign that nothing in set in stones in that area. If Eddy Curry turns out well, I wouldn't be surprised to see Pop going with a Duncan/Diaw/Splitter/Curry rotation.

[gee]

DeJuan Blair
While he sacrificed his body on a number of occasions, his sacrifices were often ill-timed with poor implementation.

He tried to draw 3 charges, resulting in 3 blocking fouls on the shot.
No 1 was an obvious slide into the offensive player, and No 2 and 3 he was trying to take the charge INSIDE the restricted area. Yeah.
I've supported DeJuan pretty much unconditionally during his whole career as a Spur, but his incredibly low IQ and STUUUUPID plays + how hilarious he finds them afterwards are really starting to rustle my jimmies.

[RodNIc91]

From what Parker said, it seems that the bigman who will be kept with the 15th roster spot won't necessarily end up as the deep end of the bench. Pop trying so much weird bigmen pairs during preseason games might be a sign that nothing in set in stones in that area. If Eddy Curry turns out well, I wouldn't be surprised to see Pop going with a Duncan/Diaw/Splitter/Curry rotation.

I was going to start a thread speaking of this possibility but it seemed a bit premature considering there are still some preseason games to go and we aren't still sure if someone will stay with that roster spot. Saying that, the rotation you mention (and one I was envitioning) doesn't seem that crazy. With Timmy transitioning to less of a banging game with more of a reliable jumper, he could be paired more easily with either Tiago or Curry. Blair would be the 5th big appearantly. Plus Tiago's more light frame might be by design, so that he could defend more mobile players. That rotation would be very big. It could even turn some match ups in favour of us. Honestly, I would be all in for that rotation. I think it might work.

[therealtruth]

Again, the Spurs had mediocre post offense last season, even if they had the best offense in the league...

Good point. Post offense allows you to whether out the shooting slumps and get more consistent scoring.

[racm]

Curry can help in that regard. If Asik allowed him to go 5-5...

[MI21]

Curry was going right at Asik with no issues, really great to see. If Curry can be effective 15MPG, the Spurs would have a nice big-man rotation with a few options as well as the ability to play Kawhi at small ball 4.

[racm]

If Curry maintains this level of play into the RS we can see Pop using a TD/Diaw/Splitter/Curry rotation. And that's a pretty big if.

[TD 21]

TP talked a little about the start of the training camp on his radio show:

"We are trying to figure out which bigman we will keep. We give a lot of playing time to Eddy Curry. It's a big gamble. We want to see what he can bring to us. There is too Josh Powell, a former Lakers and Hawks player. So we are trying to see how we can improve our frontcourt. On the perimeter, we give a little playing time to the young players."

From what Parker said, it seems that the bigman who will be kept with the 15th roster spot won't necessarily end up as the deep end of the bench. Pop trying so much weird bigmen pairs during preseason games might be a sign that nothing in set in stones in that area. If Eddy Curry turns out well, I wouldn't be surprised to see Pop going with a Duncan/Diaw/Splitter/Curry rotation.

I could see how you'd interpret it that way, but I'd be shocked if Curry opens the season in the rotation. I'm still skeptical he makes the team because I'm not sure they'll keep him to be inactive and as presently cons uted, he would be. So if he's kept, I wouldn't be shocked to see a Blair trade.

For Pop to go with the big rotation you're suggesting though, it would require a radical shift . . .

1) Splitter would have to start because there's no way they'd play him next to Curry.

2) Curry would have to be less of a post player and more of a pick-and-roll player, otherwise he'd relegate Ginobili to more of a spot up role.

3) They'd have not only less spacing, but even less defensive mobility amongst their bigs than they already have and the only area it could be said for certain that they'd have improved in is post scoring.

[99 Problems]

I knew it. Here comes the Le Bron James - Bonner trade.

[CGD]

If curry pans out I could see the spurs trading tiago. I really don't think the spurs want to pay him top dollar this summer anyway. Then they can use tiago to get a mobile 4 to spell diaw.

[Outlier]

Did De Colo pass this well in France? How come we never saw this from him or expected it?

[tmtcsc]

Obfuscate

[Amuseddaysleeper]

The Matt Bonner situation is really weird with only 22 minutes played in the preseason. All the other players that have been healthy have at least played 50 minutes. There is something behind that. Either Bonner had some kind of injury or Pop has fully given up on him and is sure to put him at the deep end of the bench regardless or what he could do in preseason.

[timtonymanu]

The Matt Bonner situation is really weird with only 22 minutes played in the preseason. All the other players that have been healthy have at least played 50 minutes. There is something behind that. Either Bonner had some kind of injury or Pop has fully given up on him and is sure to put him at the deep end of the bench regardless or what he could do in preseason.

Please don't get my hopes up!

[racm]

Please, everyone knows Bonner will be shipped at the deadline