Free Tiago

[jag]

Pop excuses for not playing Splitter is BS. It was something in the line "it won't be fair for the team". He didn't want to hurt the team record by spending time developing Splitter.

First, Splitter won't be taking playing time of HOF in their prime. While Splitter won't be at first as good as a Bonner or a Blair, the drop off (if there is one) won't be that big. Splitter could also catch quickly their level. Giving consistent playing time to Tiago could have been a move that would have hurt Spurs only briefly and only a little.

Second, do you really think Duncan, Parker and Ginobili cares a lot about Spurs winning 65 games instead of 60 games? What is important for them is winning the le. Developing Splitter to have him ready for the playoffs should have been the priority even at the cost of HCA.

Third, Pop has already done this kind of "unfair" moves. For example, in 08-09, Bonner was significantly better than Horry during the regular season. Pop hurt Spurs regular season record by playing Horry and putting Bonner in the doghouse.


Pop is turning into D'Antoni: regular season and offense first. The only part of "old" Pop remaining is that he is still great at limiting minutes of the oldest players.

You are a wise man, Bruno.


Free Tiago and he'll kiss every black baby in America! Free this man!

[Bruno]

Difficult to complain about Pop tbh, results are here. His coaching whatever we think gives two key stuff for the POs: spurs will have HCA and he preserved the big three in terms of minutes. It is great coaching IMO.

I guess it depends on how you value things.

Personally , I've never value HCA a lot given that NBA playoffs are 7 games series.

Spurs being that average defensively is something I find disastrous. It's not only about Splitter, there are also some troubles on the perimeter. I find it very telling that after trying 7 SFs this year, Pop finally decide to stick with Novak, one of worst defensive player in the league. Pop has also given up on putting back James Anderson in the rotation while he showed good things on both end of the court before his injury.

Integrating Splitter and to a lesser extend Anderson was crucial for Spurs and it is far from sure that Spurs would have a worst record if they had decided to do it.

[jag]

Release the chains that bind him!

[rascal]

People in here still hoping for this bust to be the answer.

[MaNu4Tres]

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.



Free Splitter!!

[ernest787]

you guys are funny.

when Tiago does play everyone complains about him being soft, not knowing what is going on, and not being able to rebound the ball.

The Spurs then lose a couple games and suddenly he is the savior.

Personally, I think Tiago will eventually help the Spurs, but I think you have seen in his limited minutes this year that he was not NBA ready. Getting hurt didn't help his case much.

The Spurs are a different team this year and I think it's for the best. It is weird to see them running up and down the court and scoring like they have while sacrificing some defense. Pop realizes they are not big enough to match up with the Lakers in the half court, even if everything fell perfectly into place and Tiago met all expectations.

Instead of trying to do that, Pop has decided to try to exploit other match-ups and if have the Spurs try to out run the Lakers to limit their size. I really believe this to be the Spurs best chance to beat that team. Everyone over-reacts and likes to call us the Suns, but the truth is we are nothing like them besides our ability to score this year. If we need to we can still play the half court game. We just aren't going to pound the ball down your throat anymore. We have slacked on Defense too, but I've seen them lock up teams in crunch time when they need to.

I think Pop and the Spurs players both know they have locked up HCA in the West and weather good or bad, they are just riding into the playoffs.

I'm ready for April

[rascal]

Don't need defence if Spurs can just shoot 3's

In the regular season with loose defense players like Bonner, Neal can knock down the open 3s but in the playoffs when the defense tightens the open 3s are no longer there. Bonner becomes worthless with defensive pressure because he doesn't have the ability to create his own shot. Neal is better at shooting off the dribble but his numbers will also go down with added defense. manu and jefferson have not been shooting the ball well overall. I don't see where all the 3 point shots will come in the playoffs.

[Brazil]

I guess it depends on how you value things.

Personally , I've never value HCA a lot given that NBA playoffs are 7 games series.

Spurs being that average defensively is something I find disastrous. It's not only about Splitter, there are also some troubles on the perimeter. I find it very telling that after trying 7 SFs this year, Pop finally decide to stick with Novak, one of worst defensive player in the league. Pop has also given up on putting back James Anderson in the rotation while he showed good things on both end of the court before his injury.

Integrating Splitter and to a lesser extend Anderson was crucial for Spurs and it is far from sure that Spurs would have a worst record if they had decided to do it.

It's true it really depends on how we value things. In my case, I do think that having HCA will be important for this squad especially knowing how bad Hill is playing on the road.

Now what I appreciate and recognize is not this particular priority but the fact that Pop defined a strategy / a line before the beginning of the season and he is following it.

This strategy (fighting for a good spot and ensure HCA at least for the first rounds + limiting minutes of the old guys) is consistent and makes sense.
Then his obvious priority was to establish a game plan with sharp outside shooting especially from 3 so he renewed Bonner contract, worked with RJ to improve that, selected JA and went to an unknown (for NBA standard) Euro player to go that direction. Once again this is consistent.

Nevertheless I do think he underestimated our front court weaknesses in particular rebounds. His plan was surely to play Blair in the starting 5 to preserve Dice and then give the starting job to Dice for the POs. Unfortunately Blair rebounding effort is too up and down for the second unit and our guards effort on long rebound is pitiful so far.

He is also incapable to fix our perimeter Defense, it is a mess and Hill has a lot of responsabilities here, Pop overestimated the Hill D qualities.

Finally the SF back-up spot is a huge mess, here IMO he failed badly for counting too much (?) on JA who was recovering from tough injury.


All in all we are in better shape than the last seasons I'm not sure it will be enough but at least he is giving a shot to the big 3 if healthy and if Tim can be closer to a prime Duncan rather than a retired Duncan.

[jag]

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.



Free Splitter!!

Hear, Hear! I demand this man be freed!!!

[Knoxxx]

Like I said over and over, Splitter is incredibly overrated by this fan base.

The point here is not that "Splitter is the savior" it's that we are pathetic against teams with quality bigs. Splitter is a big body that can get up and down the court quickly and disrupt guys like Gasol. He can also bang on Bynum who owned TD. Just because Splitter is not the next D ROB does not mean he can't help our team. MyDyess, TD, and Blair all got exposed against the Lakers, and we know the road goes through them.

[SourCandy]

Wow season is almost over and no splitter. I was pretty sure Pop would work him in for the last part of the season to get him ready for playoffs at least as back up. Or to go against the lakers front line. Still nothing...splitter sits on the bench. I don't know what pop is waiting for tbh. But to put duncan and dyess both aging in the long hard playoff run is crazy. Only hope is the occasional nights duncan will feel like superman and that wont happen often. He will tire rather quick to the big men of LA. Bonner...lol jeeze. Blair has the fire and heart...god bless him. Sometimes I think God made him a few inches to short just so Blair wouldn't rape the NBA. That leaves Tiago...i can understand spurs fans frustration really. I hope for you spurs fans sake pop frees spliiter or this la sa battle will be short lived. The odds are just to stacked. I see the lakers taking this run and sa fighting every step of the way.
I hope in one of the blow outs pop lets splitter play and he gives bynum and gasol a run for their money and pop can finally see and say "hey I think I should have played spliiter"

[2Cleva]

LOL. Great stuff.

Splitter looked good this past summer. He was the main reason I was concerned about SA as a Laker fan. Another true big next to Duncan is the missing link.

I don't know if he truly sucks or Pop doesn't like him but this season obviously will be a bust for him. Works out great for the Lakers.

[Knoxxx]

I hope in one of the blow outs pop lets splitter play and he gives bynum and gasol a run for their money and pop can finally see and say "hey I think I should have played spliiter"

I think that already happened. Gasol was like "WTH" when we put Splitter on him he looked near tears.

[jsandiego]

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Pop will drive this team into the ground from contenders to the middle-of-the-pack or lower in the coming years.

keep saying it and it will eventually come true.

[jsandiego]

Our weakness is rebounding. Splitter has been weak in the upper-body all year, and his best offensive move thus far is a hook shot that starts at his waist. He's still needs time to bulk up for the NBA game. Might as well put in Bonner, who also can't rebound, but at least stretches the floor.

[Dex]

Isn't going to happen. Not this season.

[SplitterHook]

The point here is not that "Splitter is the savior" it's that we are pathetic against teams with quality bigs. Splitter is a big body that can get up and down the court quickly and disrupt guys like Gasol. He can also bang on Bynum who owned TD. Just because Splitter is not the next D ROB does not mean he can't help our team. MyDyess, TD, and Blair all got exposed against the Lakers, and we know the road goes through them.

I find quite disturbing how people don't understand this. We're not saying Splitter is the white Shaq ffs.

He's a guy that helps us match up better against most contenders.

[Brazil]

Our weakness is rebounding. Splitter has been weak in the upper-body all year, and his best offensive move thus far is a hook shot that starts at his waist. He's still needs time to bulk up for the NBA game. Might as well put in Bonner, who also can't rebound, but at least stretches the floor.

the Tiago rebounds number per minutes are not so bad he is obviously an upgrade compared to Bonner. You cannot say put Bonner cauz he sucks equally at rebounding the ball but at least he can shoot a 3 !

[ChumpDumper]

Like I said over and over, Splitter is incredibly overrated by this fan base.

And Greeks are incredibly overrated by you.

[tmtcsc]

Free him for what ? So he can take a charge ? That's about all he's done well all season. He doesn't rebound well, his shot looks awful, he bricks FT's and looks lost on the court.

I was holding out hope that he might be a player for us but Splitter's having a horrible year and can't stay healthy enough to get in a rhythm. And that's giving him the benefit of the doubt. He's weak, gets shoved around and can't seem to get a rebound unless it falls in to his hands when he has played.

Maybe we'll get a surprise like GHill gave us when Pop played him in the playoffs his rookie year. Chances are slim though.

[DPG21920]

With Tiago or not, at this point, the Spurs are in trouble. They are a very solid team, but for a team with serious le hopes, they have a lot of holes. Many may disagree, and they might be able to overcome the problems, but it is going to take an epic playoff run and they have no margin for error.

[SA210]

Pop being Pop

[++SaiNt TiAg0++]

oh how ive been waiting for this thread !!!!!!!!! FREEE MEEEEEEE!~!!!!!!!!!!

[++SaiNt TiAg0++]

In the regular season with loose defense players like Bonner, Neal can knock down the open 3s but in the playoffs when the defense tightens the open 3s are no longer there. Bonner becomes worthless with defensive pressure because he doesn't have the ability to create his own shot. Neal is better at shooting off the dribble but his numbers will also go down with added defense. manu and jefferson have not been shooting the ball well overall. I don't see where all the 3 point shots will come in the playoffs.

great post i've always thought of bonner as just choking in the playoffs however it is a little of both one thing is for sure bonners shooting form allows him to shoot over anybody in the nba but he doesnt have the balls to take the shot with confidence.

seeing his great percentage this year, bonner is an intelligent individual who will take this into account (his season 3pt avrg. 51%)as hes bricking up balls in the playoffs digging his grave. all teams have to do is get the ball to bonners man and its over 99% of the time. this is not opinion its a fact

[DPG21920]

It's true it really depends on how we value things. In my case, I do think that having HCA will be important for this squad especially knowing how bad Hill is playing on the road.

Now what I appreciate and recognize is not this particular priority but the fact that Pop defined a strategy / a line before the beginning of the season and he is following it.

This strategy (fighting for a good spot and ensure HCA at least for the first rounds + limiting minutes of the old guys) is consistent and makes sense.
Then his obvious priority was to establish a game plan with sharp outside shooting especially from 3 so he renewed Bonner contract, worked with RJ to improve that, selected JA and went to an unknown (for NBA standard) Euro player to go that direction. Once again this is consistent.

Nevertheless I do think he underestimated our front court weaknesses in particular rebounds. His plan was surely to play Blair in the starting 5 to preserve Dice and then give the starting job to Dice for the POs. Unfortunately Blair rebounding effort is too up and down for the second unit and our guards effort on long rebound is pitiful so far.

He is also incapable to fix our perimeter Defense, it is a mess and Hill has a lot of responsabilities here, Pop overestimated the Hill D qualities.

Finally the SF back-up spot is a huge mess, here IMO he failed badly for counting too much (?) on JA who was recovering from tough injury.


All in all we are in better shape than the last seasons I'm not sure it will be enough but at least he is giving a shot to the big 3 if healthy and if Tim can be closer to a prime Duncan rather than a retired Duncan.

The perimeter defense is not the real issue though. It is the interior defense. The rebounding and points in the paint are alarming. Now, while having a good perimeter defense can help that, having a good interior defense can overcome bad perimeter defense (see LA).

Interior is the real problem and Tiago could have been the real solution, we just don't know. Point is, we should.