Will Manu start this coming season?

[Obstructed_View]

^^ I don't think they're trying to manufacture a starting lineup that's "better". The best team is with Manu, Parker, Tim out there, that's proven at the end of the game when he puts his best players in to close the games. They are trying to just maximize their effectiveness and overall impact on the game. If someone emerges as with a capable/effective jumper, someone that contrasts Parker and Tim and JEfferson who all try to get to the basket, and catch kick-outs and hit jumpers... I think they start him.

I wish this wasn't a discussion, but with our bench, it's an issue.

I'm with you that I hope someone emerges who plays well with Parker and is actually starting-caliber, but until then I still submit that Manu's the best option.

What concerns me is Pop's pattern of taking something that worked several years ago and doing the exact same thing now when all the factors are completely different, and we just accept it with the same justifications that were used originally even though it's an abject failure.

[Rick Von Braun]

Question...

If Tony and Manu can play together at the end of the game or the end of a quarter, why they cannot do the same at the beginning of it?

Can they play together at all? Tony needs the ball in his hands, it is the way he plays. Manu is willing to defer, but too much of it hurts the team, since I believe Manu has a better pulse for the game than Tony (btw, this is not a critique to Tony, Manu is a freak of nature).

If RJ remains with the Spurs, I would maximize his playing time with Manu, as a starter and/or off the bench. RJ has a hard time being effective when Tony controls the ball. Last year sample is pretty clear about it, to the point RJ publicly stated his preferences for playing with Manu as much as possible.

Given the same number of minutes per game (starting or coming off the bench), Manu starting produces less strain on his body than coming off the bench. The interplaying rest is maximized by starting and finishing halfs, thus it should be the logical preferred option to protect his wear and tear.

Options:

a) Start the best players:
Start: TP/Manu/RJ/TD/Dice
Bench: Hill/Temple/FA Wing/Hairston/Splitter/Blair/Bonner

b) Manu off the bench:
Start: TP/Temple/Hairston/TD/Dice
Bench: Hill/Manu/RJ/Blair/Splitter/FA Wing/Bonner

c) TP off the bench:
Start: Hill/Manu/RJ/TD/Dice
Bench: TP/Temple/Hairston/Blair/Splitter/FA Wing/Bonner

- I assumed our starting center will be Dice, but this is subject to change (it may be Splitter, or even Bonner --forgive me god for I have sinned--).

- I did not like the TP/Hill experiment. Too long to go over it, but statistically it was a below average combination most of the time (except for very specific matchups). Alas, TP and Hill play mostly separately.

Opinions?

[cantthinkofanything]

I say give Manu a leash and attach RJ to it.

Dirty dirty boy.

[beirmeistr]

You really need to listen to yourself. Something has gone really wrong when you're trying to ridicule someone for suggesting that the Spurs start their best shooting guard at the shooting guard slot. Teams have historically started their five best players, and the sixth man award has traditionally gone to the best player who isn't a starter. These aren't new or radical concepts. You're way too close to common Spurs practice to see how bizzaro-world it's become.

Teams that don't develop their young players are the ones who don't care about bench points. Putting in a starter to carry a ty bench simply doesn't make the team better, it's just stat padding. Manu came off the bench for a decent reason at one point, and the efforts people go through to justify his coming off the bench now are just stupid.

well said.

[TMTTRIO]

From some of the games also that I remember is the starters would come out flat and get behind. With him getting old and being injury prone we shouldn't make him carry the bench. At least if we start him then possibly the starters can get a great start and won't even really need a great bench. All we would need the bench to do is sustain leads and then we can give Manu plenty of rest later on in the game.

[Chieflion]

From some of the games also that I remember is the starters would come out flat and get behind. With him getting old and being injury prone we shouldn't make him carry the bench. At least if we start him then possibly the starters can get a great start and won't even really need a great bench. All we would need the bench to do is sustain leads and then we can give Manu plenty of rest later on in the game.

Precisely, if Manu starts, Hill and Blair would be the two players most likely leading the bench. Besides, it is not as if all 5 starters would be pulled at the same time. There will be balance throughout the entire game.