Grades: Spurs vs. Blazers - Jan. 13

[Mel_13]

That said, the aspect that stuck out like a sore thumb was Splitter's lack of playing time. When he has it going like he had it going tonight, Pop needs to ride him. If nothing else, Pop has to allow Splitter's confidence to grow.

Thanks for the write-up as usual.

I'm not sure where additional minutes for Tiago were supposed to come from tonight. He played 9 minutes bridging the first and second quarters in the first half.

In the second half, he came in after Blair's foul in the first minute of the 3rd quarter and then played the next 11 minutes and put the team on his back at both ends for the last five minutes of that stretch.

He sat down for a well-deserved breather with less than 30 seconds left in the 3rd and was on the bench at the beginning of the 4th when the group on the floor opened the quarter on a 14-2 run in the first 3+ minutes and then maintained a double digit lead for all but one possession the rest of the way. There was never a need to get Tim or Tiago back into the game. Even if the score had been closer, Portland stayed small and Pop probably would have replaced Blair with Tim if the outcome was ever in doubt.

To me, Tiago has clearly earned Pop's trust and I believe we'll see him next to Tim to close out games against conventional line-ups as in the Houston game. He would have had about 8-9 more minutes in that game except for foul trouble in the first half and Houston playing midget ball the last 4 minutes of the 4th quarter (Tiago had just subbed in to close out the game next to Tim when Houston replaced Hill and Patterson with Scola and Parsons. When Houston started the OT with Dalembert and Scola, Tiago was put back in).

[DPG21920]

I love what Tiago has done so far but I'm not sold 100% that he's the stud I think he is (and I use that term loosely obviously). The point really is that pass or fail, he has to be given more minutes because he's the only one that can make a significant enough impact if things go well to really help.

[TJastal]

Thanks for the write-up as usual.

I'm not sure where additional minutes for Tiago were supposed to come from tonight. He played 9 minutes bridging the first and second quarters in the first half.

In the second half, he came in after Blair's foul in the first minute of the 3rd quarter and then played the next 11 minutes and put the team on his back at both ends for the last five minutes of that stretch.

He sat down for a well-deserved breather with less than 30 seconds left in the 3rd and was on the bench at the beginning of the 4th when the group on the floor opened the quarter on a 14-2 run in the first 3+ minutes and then maintained a double digit lead for all but one possession the rest of the way. There was never a need to get Tim or Tiago back into the game. Even if the score had been closer, Portland stayed small and Pop probably would have replaced Blair with Tim if the outcome was ever in doubt.

To me, Tiago has clearly earned Pop's trust and I believe we'll see him next to Tim to close out games against conventional line-ups as in the Houston game. He would have had about 8-9 more minutes in that game except for foul trouble in the first half and Houston playing midget ball the last 4 minutes of the 4th quarter (Tiago had just subbed in to close out the game next to Tim when Houston replaced Hill and Patterson with Scola and Parsons. When Houston started the OT with Dalembert and Scola, Tiago was put back in).

I'll start believing in this "trust" you claim has occured when we start seeing the proof out on the court.

[Mel_13]

I'll start believing in this "trust" you claim has occured when we start seeing the proof out on the court.

Just watch the games.

[mailboogie52]

TimMVP Why do you hate Bonner so much? Your write up on the game was fairly close to what happened. EXCEPT LA did not abuse Bonner. He scored all of 2 points while Bonner was on the court and Bonner made his one 3 pt attempt. His grade should have been INC because he only played 6 mins. If you are going to make the write up at least watch objectively on ALL the players and not hate on Bonner because you dont like how he is used. Bonner is not an inside threat and never will be, but he does he ROLE as well as any other player on the team.

[jjktkk]

Just watch the games.

Your going to take all the fun out of it for tjastal if he can't nitpick Pop's every move.

[timvp]

TimMVP Why do you hate Bonner so much? Your write up on the game was fairly close to what happened. EXCEPT LA did not abuse Bonner. He scored all of 2 points while Bonner was on the court and Bonner made his one 3 pt attempt. His grade should have been INC because he only played 6 mins. If you are going to make the write up at least watch objectively on ALL the players and not hate on me because you dont like how he is used. Bonner is not an inside threat and never will be, but he does he ROLE as well as any other player on the team.

mailboogie52. MB52. Matt Bonner 52. Matt Bonner wore 52 in high school

Welcome to, ST



Edit: Your edit wasn't quick enough

[Mel_13]

mailboogie52. MB52. Matt Bonner 52. Matt Bonner wore 52 in high school

Welcome to, ST



Edit: Your edit wasn't quick enough

[TJastal]

TimMVP Why do you hate Bonner so much? Your write up on the game was fairly close to what happened. EXCEPT LA did not abuse Bonner. He scored all of 2 points while Bonner was on the court and Bonner made his one 3 pt attempt. His grade should have been INC because he only played 6 mins. If you are going to make the write up at least watch objectively on ALL the players and not hate on Bonner because you dont like how he is used. Bonner is not an inside threat and never will be, but he does he ROLE as well as any other player on the team.

Bonner's guy more often than not doesn't score alot because the rest of the guys on the court are trained to the fact they need to cheat over to give him help defense constantly. Then it's usually their own covers that go off.

[TJastal]

Your going to take all the fun out of it for tjastal if he can't nitpick Pop's every move.

Complaining about Splitter's lack of playing time isn't nitpicking anything considering the lack of defense that we've seen so far this year. Or perhaps you're just happy seeing your hero Matt Bonner playing his usual 25-30 minutes a game.

[timvp]

Great take as always, but I have to point out that Splitter has already had two games this season with 3 blocks, and at least two games with 2 blocks. He might not be known as a "shot blocker" per se, but he has been putting in work this year. Iirc you said he had only 17 blocked shots last year, and he already has 15 blocks in 12 games this year. He was all about taking charges on D last year, why do you think he's switched the ratio between the two this year?

Regarding Thomas, he was searching out shots to block. I view that differently than what Splitter does, which is defend the hoop when drivers invade his area. But it's probably semantics.

As far as why Splitter is blocking shots more this year, it has to be something the coaching staff emphasized. He was a horrible shot blocker in Europe. IIRC, he blocked less shots than Scola. But in Europe, he also had to conserve his fouls since the team's offense depended on him so much.

I'm sure the coaching staff told him that he needed to start contesting shots more often and not just rely on flopping. Now that I think about it, he really hasn't flopped that much this year. Splitter's game is becoming more Americanized, I guess we can say.

Green has the talent to be more than just a role player, IMO. Bowen didn't put up great numbers either and nobody would say he was just a role player. And Green impacts a game in even more ways IMO.

Does that say what I think it says?

[jjktkk]

Complaining about Splitter's lack of playing time isn't nitpicking anything considering the lack of defense that we've seen so far this year. Or perhaps you're just happy seeing your hero Matt Bonner playing his usual 25-30 minutes a game.

Your so full of tjastal, I need to wear some boots before reading most of your posts.

[TJastal]

Your so full of tjastal, I need to wear some boots before reading most of your posts.

Cool quote bro. I might coin that and use it some time.

[timvp]

Thanks for the write-up as usual.

I'm not sure where additional minutes for Tiago were supposed to come from tonight. He played 9 minutes bridging the first and second quarters in the first half.

In the second half, he came in after Blair's foul in the first minute of the 3rd quarter and then played the next 11 minutes and put the team on his back at both ends for the last five minutes of that stretch.

He sat down for a well-deserved breather with less than 30 seconds left in the 3rd and was on the bench at the beginning of the 4th when the group on the floor opened the quarter on a 14-2 run in the first 3+ minutes and then maintained a double digit lead for all but one possession the rest of the way. There was never a need to get Tim or Tiago back into the game. Even if the score had been closer, Portland stayed small and Pop probably would have replaced Blair with Tim if the outcome was ever in doubt.

Quality take.

In the second quarter, I thought Pop should have gone back to Splitter and let Duncan rest until halftime. Even when Pop pulled Duncan late in the second, he went to Bonner instead (he then changed his mind a few seconds later after the Blazers went small).

In the fourth, even though things were rolling and the Blazers were small, it would have been nice to get Splitter in there just to build off his very good effort. True, he wasn't needed but at this point I'm for Pop force feeding Splitter as many minutes as possible.

But overall, you are probably right. Unless Pop was specifically thinking about giving Splitter extra minutes, the flow of the game didn't deem it necessary.

To me, Tiago has clearly earned Pop's trust and I believe we'll see him next to Tim to close out games against conventional line-ups as in the Houston game.

I hope you are right. I'm not convinced yet but that Rockets game was a good sign.

[jjktkk]

Cool quote bro. I might coin that and use it some time.

Always willing to help out a "bro".

[baseline bum]

Great to see the defense back in town tonight.

[Fireball]

Tiago nearly played all of the third quarter and as Sean Elliott said his constant setting of screens etc. is very exhausting. But even if he was tired, I see no problem putting him back for the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter. Since everything went well tonight with the small lineup to finish the game, I will not complain too much. But it really does not boost confidence.

[TJastal]

Quality take.

In the second quarter, I thought Pop should have gone back to Splitter and let Duncan rest until halftime. Even when Pop pulled Duncan late in the second, he went to Bonner instead (he then changed his mind a few seconds later after the Blazers went small).

In the fourth, even though things were rolling and the Blazers were small, it would have been nice to get Splitter in there just to build off his very good effort. True, he wasn't needed but at this point I'm for Pop force feeding Splitter as many minutes as possible.

But overall, you are probably right. Unless Pop was specifically thinking about giving Splitter extra minutes, the flow of the game didn't deem it necessary..

So getting Splitter into excellent game shape isn't necessary? ... Well I think it is! I guarantee you when the playoffs roll around and suddenly Pooped realizes Bonner ain't cuttin' it and extends Tiago's PT an extra 5-10 minutes a game he'll be huffing and puffing up and down the court and gassed.

[SenorSpur]

This isn't fair to Neal. Your grade is fair - but forcing him into this situation isn't. The guy is a cold-blooded assasin, but he isn't a point guard. I hope Pop is capable of remembering that this is a game played by human beings, and the psychological aspect counts.

It also seems that being forced into a backup PG role has affected Neal's shooting - at least in this most recent game. He missed several wide open 3's. Overall, he just doesn't look comfortable. I concur that Pop needs to allow Neal to return to his familiar backup SG role. CJ should assume the role as primary backup for Parker until such time as Ford returns.

[rmt]

It also seems that being forced into a backup PG role has affected Neal's shooting - at least in this most recent game. He missed several wide open 3's. Overall, he just doesn't look comfortable. I concur that Pop needs to allow Neal to return to his familiar backup SG role. CJ should assume the role as primary backup for Parker until such time as Ford returns.

Don't think Pop is going to do this. He has Leonard starting at SG - then there's DG and JA - too crowded. Neal looks kinda dejected - I'm sure he worked hard at his ball-handling over the summer since Spurs had told him to be prepared to back up TP.

Pop needs to give Tiago more minutes - don't see why he can't play over 30 minutes every night. Can't stand to see small ball with Blair at center or Bonner on the court at all. Tiago's the one with the most upside and size. I'm still not convinced that Blair can be effective in the playoffs - too short.

[will_spurs]

Nice to see Leonard and Green emerge as quality contributors, and Pop finally trusting Splitter. However it remains to be seen if Pop is going to change his plans for the playoffs and ruin it all like last year, when he decided to drop the run&gun for a defense that wasn't there (and had never been).

I also wonder what Parker has to do to deserve an A. Your expectations are getting quite unrealistic at this point.

[analyzed]

BTW Splitter has shown decent lateral mobility to stay with mobile bigs on defense(Dirk, Aldridge and Scola) this has come as surprise for me. His on the ball defense on mobile scoring bigs has been surprising as well as his protecting of the rim defense) This really gives us a clue of who pop might put on opposing best scorers in the playoffs

Splitter on Aldridge/Dirk/Gasol/Randolph/Nene/Griffin

leonard on Durant/Odom/Wallace/Kobe

[TDMVPDPOY]

tonight showed if the ball goes into the basket, splitter = A+

if it doesnt go into the basket, timvp will find ways to trash him...

as long his aggressive on the offensive end gettin into position and putting more curve onto his floaters....his not afraid to body up down low...

[MannyIsGod]

This team is much more fun to watch on a nightly basis than some of the more talented Spurs team in the past 15 years that underachieved. Think 2001 and 2002.

[TDMVPDPOY]

This team is much more fun to watch on a nightly basis than some of the more talented Spurs team in the past 15 years that underachieved. Think 2001 and 2002.

its fun to watch when you have 3-4 guys still developing and just milking every opportunity proving us wrong...

i cant wait till the team is a well oiled machine....

imo i think splitter is already there at the summit we think he should be playing at,

just need guys like blair, leonard, green, neal, anderson to play at a consistent level, then we got ourselves a very compe ive team....

and to think we would be happy playing .400 basketball with manu out, but so far we are winning the games that we arent favourites to win