Neal in a Slump?

**Cane** · 02-09-2011

Gary Neal also suffered a groin pull, but said after the game that he should be fine.

http://www.nba.com/games/20110209/SA...t2hp0021000777

Hopefully its nothing serious.

**underdawg** · 02-09-2011

Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

All the top teams do have "stretch bigs" though, even if they don't necessarily shoot 3s(Garnett, Odom, Bosh)..

Big difference is that those players have other functioning roles. Bonner's team defense and rebounding has improved this year, but he's still average at best in both of those areas.

Can Bonner help the Spurs win a game by hitting some 3's - sure, but is he going to help the Spurs win games because of what he brings to the table in terms of defense and rebounding - that's probably not the case.

This is a different team than years past and the offense is obviously improved, but to I have a hard time thinking that the Spurs will be successful in the playoffs without a good defensive showing. I might be wrong, but I think Tiago could be more beneficial than Bonner because of his defensive potential in the playoffs vs. Bonner's 3 point capabilities and "stretch" role. Tiago needs minutes now to be ready by the playoffs.

Pop: "Just because we’ve got the best record doesn’t mean we have the best team. To be that, we definitely have to get better defensively.”

**TDMVPDPOY** · 02-09-2011

Originally Posted by Cane

Hopefully its nothing serious.

did he hit someones pelvis or pelvic?

**HarlemHeat37** · 02-09-2011

Originally Posted by underdawg

Big difference is that those players have other functioning roles. Bonner's team defense and rebounding has improved this year, but he's still average at best in both of those areas.

Can Bonner help the Spurs win a game by hitting some 3's - sure, but is he going to help the Spurs win games because of what he brings to the table in terms of defense and rebounding - that's probably not the case.

This is a different team than years past and the offense is obviously improved, but to I have a hard time thinking that the Spurs will be successful in the playoffs without a good defensive showing. I might be wrong, but I think Tiago could be more beneficial than Bonner because of his defensive potential in the playoffs vs. Bonner's 3 point capabilities and "stretch" role. Tiago needs minutes now to be ready by the playoffs.

Pop: "Just because we’ve got the best record doesn’t mean we have the best team. To be that, we definitely have to get better defensively.”

I'm not arguing for Bonner to have a starting role, or even a major role..I'm on record saying I would rather see Splitter and McDyess ahead of him..

This argument was about Bonner's importance to Neal's, and other Spurs' role players' shooting, and you asked how Bonner gets wide open shots, while others can't..that's what our argument is about, it had little to do with everything else..

I fully agree that the Spurs shouldn't rely on Bonner to play a major role in the playoffs..

**underdawg** · 02-09-2011

Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

I'm not arguing for Bonner to have a starting role, or even a major role..I'm on record saying I would rather see Splitter and McDyess ahead of him..

This argument was about Bonner's importance to Neal's, and other Spurs' role players' shooting, and you asked how Bonner gets wide open shots, while others can't..that's what our argument is about, it had little to do with everything else..

I fully agree that the Spurs shouldn't rely on Bonner to play a major role in the playoffs..

fair enough

**Yorae** · 02-09-2011

Well, Neal is a whoppin plus 26 today.

**Solid D** · 02-10-2011

Manu is actually in more of a 3-point slump on the RRT. In the 5 games so far, Manu is 7-25 (.280) from the arc.

**LakerHater** · 02-11-2011

kinda lagged today!

**Em-City** · 02-11-2011

neal's D let him down today, but was one of the few players to shoot 50% +

**#41 Shoot Em Up** · 02-11-2011

"Neal with it"

**DJB** · 02-12-2011

I think Manu's the one in the slump.

**spurtech09** · 02-12-2011

naw I think that knee is still bothering him....look how long bonner was out

**DrSteffo** · 02-12-2011

Not really, he is good, Manu is slacking a bit.

**rascal** · 02-12-2011

Neal is a bench role player. Good games and bad games, inconsistent play- role player.

**LakerHater** · 02-14-2011

**Mr. Body** · 02-14-2011

I'm so glad this guy is on the team and doing well. He's like a less space-cadety Jaren Jackson.

**8FOR!3** · 02-14-2011

Originally Posted by rascal

Neal is a bench role player. Good games and bad games, inconsistent play- role player.

Eh there's nothing inconsistent about the guy. Face it, the dude's got swag. Just Neal with it.

**K-State Spur** · 02-14-2011

the thing about neal is that i can almost tell by his feet and release whether or not the ball is going to go in. his normal form is so solid that he almost never misses when it's right.

for the most part, his game line is determined by the shots that he gets. he can obviously play above or below that on a given night, but i think that sets a pretty solid median.

**duncan228** · 02-15-2011

Buck Harvey: For Neal, the lights can’t be too bright
Buck Harvey

The best rookie on the team with the best record will head to Los Angeles in a few days. Then, Gary Neal will face his scariest test yet.

What will he do when DeMarcus Cousins demands the ball in the rookie-sop re game?

Neal got the joke, but what he said wasn’t particularly funny.

His answer mostly revealed, again, why he’s someone who belongs.

Monday night revealed that, too. Neal didn’t star, ending with 11 points. But he continued to remain as consistent as the 46-9 franchise he plays for.

He made a buzzer-beating floater to end the first quarter, an easier version of the one he made at the end of the first quarter earlier in the month against the Lakers.

And late in the third quarter, with the Nets still hanging around, Neal did what he does best.

Keep reading...

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...be-too-bright/