So will this be the year Popovich finally plays a young athletic player 36 minutes

[Hemotivo]

his first about 5 or 6 years was 40 minutes in the playoffs and reg season basically

and people should just put ChumpdDumper and Tpark on their ignore list and you'll have a better Spurstalk experience

[benstanfield]

There are a staggering amount of reasons why keeping KL at 28-32 is beneficial for the team. See: 2013-14 Spurs.

[ChumpDumper]

Didn't Kawhi have fairly long term injuries to play with over the past couple of seasons?

, that's reason enough to exercise caution, to say nothing of the loaded roster.

[EVAY]

I don't think its too big of a deal in the reg season. I kind of hate when he tries to manage minutes in the playoffs though. Especially with Kawhi/Green. People have this misconception that Pop has always done this which is simply not true. He used to play Duncan 40+ mpg in his early years iirc.

This. Duncan used to play tons more minutes, and his knees kept getting worse and worse. His career has DEFINITELY been lengthened by Pop reducing his minutes in recent years, but it wasn't always like that. To me, Pop learned that his star couldn't keep playing that many minutes and still keep being great every year. Lots of coaches have yet to learn that lesson.

Plus, Kawhi had knee tendonitis in the '12- '13 season that kept him hurting off and on all year. And it was only his SECOND year in the league.

Pop learned from Duncan that limiting minutes extends the playing life at a superior level of his star. He has applied that to his other stars as well. He is quite aware that his method limits the statistics that he team members can put up in order to play for him, and he has said that repeatedly. The team members have bought into the philosophy that their individual season stats are not going to be as gaudy as some other players, but the team is better off for it, especially come playoff time. If Kawhi doesn't want to buy into that approach for his career he has that option and can choose not to sign an extension with the Spurs. Personally, I expect him to recognize what Pop is doing for him and continue with the Spurs, but if he would be unhappy about it, then he can act on his desire to play more minutes somewhere else. Pretty simple, imo.

[xmas1997]

This. Duncan used to play tons more minutes, and his knees kept getting worse and worse. His career has DEFINITELY been lengthened by Pop reducing his minutes in recent years, but it wasn't always like that. To me, Pop learned that his star couldn't keep playing that many minutes and still keep being great every year. Lots of coaches have yet to learn that lesson.

Plus, Kawhi had knee tendonitis in the '12- '13 season that kept him hurting off and on all year. And it was only his SECOND year in the league.

Pop learned from Duncan that limiting minutes extends the playing life at a superior level of his star. He has applied that to his other stars as well. He is quite aware that his method limits the statistics that he team members can put up in order to play for him, and he has said that repeatedly. The team members have bought into the philosophy that their individual season stats are not going to be as gaudy as some other players, but the team is better off for it, especially come playoff time. If Kawhi doesn't want to buy into that approach for his career he has that option and can choose not to sign an extension with the Spurs. Personally, I expect him to recognize what Pop is doing for him and continue with the Spurs, but if he would be unhappy about it, then he can act on his desire to play more minutes somewhere else. Pretty simple, imo.

Truth

[hitmantb]

Duncan had one of the highest peaks I have ever seen, beating Kobe/Shaq when he had final year Robinson and first year Parker/Ginobili, one of the greatest lone star performance ever. However he also played 40 minutes a game because Pop wasn't Pop, and IMO he also had one of the shortest peaks. Check out his field goal percentage in 2004 against Lakers and 2005 against Pistons, it was not the same 2003 Duncan.

I hope Pop can keep Kwahi's minutes closer to 30 than 40, keep him fresh for the playoffs and don't let him burn out early. It takes an enormous amount of effort to be a two-way player.

[Uriel]

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/show...84#post7600784

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/show...81#post7600881

2nd link. WTF.

[ElNono]

No. Next question?

[Boomersgold]

Guess Kyle Anderson won't be getting any minutes then.

[Prose]

bro not playing any players over 30 min was for the regular season. That plan, id say worked, based on the fact that we won a championship....but that's none of my business...

[FromWayDowntown]

I'm baffled that anyone could be a fan of these Spurs and think that the path to further success depends upon spotlighting particular players, worrying about stats, playing guys for big minutes, or anything other than just pounding the rock just as they've done for the past 3 years. Particularly after watching teams with big minutes ac ulators (OKC and MIA, specifically) wilt as the Spurs came at them in waves.