Do you trust Pop to play the right bigs more minutes

[ElNono]

Don't get me wrong. I've been preaching for the sudden change of Bonner into the 4th/5th big role forever now. I want Tiago/Tim. I don't think it will happen, but I do want that.

[Spurs da champs]

I don't get how you're saying that Mike Brown is a bad coach for letting Kobe shoot so much but Brooks does the exact same thing with Westbrook. even Durant defers to Westbrook.
And again I ask you for which bigs that defend well? Collison is a solid defender but he's undersized & all Ibaka does is block shots that result in 2nd chance points for the opposing team & Perkins is just overrated as .
And at the time being I want Blair being the one not playing, I'd rather see Tim starting with Diaw & Bonner/Splitter coming off the bench

[TheSkeptic]

@ElNono

I think that's what makes it so frustrating. That would be an advantage against most teams and it seems like those two are looking better and better when they play together despite their lack of minutes.

I could just be seeing things but it honestly looks to me like Tim isn't babysitting Tiago the way he does Blair when the Twin Tower line-up's being used.

This alone could make a huge difference in the playoffs and it's really frustrating to see this opportunity get wasted. I mean not a whole lot of us thought Splitter would be this good and he could really help the team when it matters. It's just really sad to see...

[ElNono]

I don't get how you're saying that Mike Brown is a bad coach for letting Kobe shoot so much but Brooks does the exact same thing with Westbrook. even Durant defers to Westbrook.

The problem with Westbrook isn't that he takes too many shots (like Kobe), his problem is with decision making (ie: taking ill advised shots) in crunch time. They're two completely different problems. Westbrook's game is dominant for the first 44 minutes of the game. There's no doubt about it.
Why do you think they brought in Fisher? It isn't to play a lot of minutes.

And again I ask you for which bigs that defend well? Collison is a solid defender but he's undersized & all Ibaka does is block shots that result in 2nd chance points for the opposing team & Perkins is just overrated as .

Well, we disagree. Perkins is an above average defender, especially against non-athletic bigs (like, I don't know, Tim... Tiago?), while Ibaka is a guy that due to his shot blocking makes it a real problem for guards to penetrate and get easy looks. I mean, I know we beat them a week or so ago, but if you actually watch them with any regularity, the fact their bigs aren't that much of an offensive treat is the least of their problems.

And at the time being I want Blair being the one not playing, I'd rather see Tim starting with Diaw & Bonner/Splitter coming off the bench

I don't want to see Matty in the playoffs, period. Blair didn't play last season because he went into some depressive spiral after losing the starting spot where he couldn't stop eating whataburgers, and I can certainly see where he wouldn't fit in some matchups (ie: LA), but I'm not going to dog on him without actually seeing him fail.

Sure, I much rather see Tiago in front of them. We agree on that. As far as Boris, I think it depends on what he picks up from here on out. He's one guy that might not be ready both offensively and defensively to play within the system (like Tiago last season). So as far as potential, sure. But practically speaking, we'll have to wait and see.

[therealtruth]

@ElNono

I think that's what makes it so frustrating. That would be an advantage against most teams and it seems like those two are looking better and better when they play together despite their lack of minutes.

I could just be seeing things but it honestly looks to me like Tim isn't babysitting Tiago the way he does Blair when the Twin Tower line-up's being used.

This alone could make a huge difference in the playoffs and it's really frustrating to see this opportunity get wasted. I mean not a whole lot of us thought Splitter would be this good and he could really help the team when it matters. It's just really sad to see...

I remember TD saying during the Grizzlies series that he was paying too much attention to Randolph when he should have been paying attention to Gasol.

TD shouldn't have to defend two guys. With Splitter being able to hold his own he would have been able to focus on locking down Gasol. Randolph would have had to score over Splitter's length. The perimeter defenders wouldn't have had to sag into the paint so much and leave the Grizzlies open on the perimeter. We've beat teams with allstar power forwards before. We used to beat the Suns even though Stoudemire would get his points.

[TheSkeptic]

I remember TD saying during the Grizzlies series that he was paying too much attention to Randolph when he should have been paying attention to Gasol.

TD shouldn't have to defend two guys. With Splitter being able to hold his own he would have been able to focus on locking down Gasol. Randolph would have had to score over Splitter's length. The perimeter defenders wouldn't have had to sag into the paint so much and leave the Grizzlies open on the perimeter. We've beat teams with allstar power forwards before. We used to beat the Suns even though Stoudemire would get his points.

Really? So maybe I'm not imagining things.

Yeah. At his age that's really unfair imo. But if Duncan actually said something like that *to the media*, why hasn't the coach tried to accommodate him a little bit better?

Judging by those comments I think it's safe to say that Tim's preference would be to have more help as opposed to reduced minutes. Yet he's out there starting with Blair every game as if Memphis never happened. Diaw would be better but I haven't seen enough to think he'd be better than Tiago on defense.

I just don't get Pop's reasoning. Doesn't he want to win?

[pgardn]

Really? So maybe I'm not imagining things.

Yeah. At his age that's really unfair imo. But if Duncan actually said something like that *to the media*, why hasn't the coach tried to accommodate him a little bit better?

Judging by those comments I think it's safe to say that Tim's preference would be to have more help as opposed to reduced minutes. Yet he's out there starting with Blair every game as if Memphis never happened. Diaw would be better but I haven't seen enough to think he'd be better than Tiago on defense.

I just don't get Pop's reasoning. Doesn't he want to win?

Based on last night he wants to win against crappy teams in the last few minutes. He got Duncan off the bench to clean up the mess.

He has many more options now against a team like the Grizzlies. And last year Randolph was in beast mode on just about everyone in the playoffs. I also am not sure why Pop has not tried it more. But its definitely not a Gasol-Bynum type pairing.

[maverick1948]

It is no surprise your name is Maverick...

I have been a Spurs fan longer than most on this board have been living. Maverick was a nickname from 1954 when I was a 6 yr old kid. And I still trust Greg Popovich over Brown or Hollins. For that matter, there is not a coach active in the NBA that I would take over him. Yes I was a fan of the Dallas Chaps until they moved to SA. I stayed a fan because I liked the ABA style of play. Dallas Mavericks did not come into the NBA until 1981 and I have hated them since then. So by pointing out my name as a reason for not being right or wrong is NOT acceptable. Prove your point with some reason to back it up. My point was Pop is playing for the playoffs not the regular season and doing a damn good job. We still dont have the deep PF needs, but we are doing quite well with what we have and POP is the reason.

[maverick1948]

It is no surprise your name is Maverick...

I have been a Spurs fan longer than most on this board have been living. Maverick was a nickname from 1954 when I was a 6 yr old kid. And I still trust Greg Popovich over Brown or Hollins. For that matter, there is not a coach active in the NBA that I would take over him. Yes I was a fan of the Dallas Chaps until they moved to SA. I stayed a fan because I liked the ABA style of play. Dallas Mavericks did not come into the NBA until 1981 and I have hated them since then. So by pointing out my name as a reason for not being right or wrong is NOT acceptable. Prove your point with some reason to back it up. My point was Pop is playing for the playoffs not the regular season and doing a damn good job. We still dont have the deep PF needs, but we are doing quite well with what we have and POP is the reason.

[silverblk mystix]

I have been a Spurs fan longer than most on this board have been living. Maverick was a nickname from 1954 when I was a 6 yr old kid. And I still trust Greg Popovich over Brown or Hollins. For that matter, there is not a coach active in the NBA that I would take over him. Yes I was a fan of the Dallas Chaps until they moved to SA. I stayed a fan because I liked the ABA style of play. Dallas Mavericks did not come into the NBA until 1981 and I have hated them since then. So by pointing out my name as a reason for not being right or wrong is NOT acceptable. Prove your point with some reason to back it up. My point was Pop is playing for the playoffs not the regular season and doing a damn good job. We still dont have the deep PF needs, but we are doing quite well with what we have and POP is the reason.

I would take Pop over those coaches too...but those coaches don't have the personnel that Pop has and they do seem to make do with less. Regardless, that is not really the point...

The point is that if you look at the last 4 seasons...Pop has made some baffling decisions in personnel and has morphed into a Don Nelson-type coach who only pays lip-service to defense and never really makes it a priority. Some people here say that it is because of personnel...yet all you have to do is look at the Bonner/Blair/Tiago rotation to see that the best of those 3 defensively plays less minutes and definitely does not play in crunch-time. Splitter doesn't even play with TD, who is the other Spurs big who can play defense.

One last point is that last year--this was the same scenario--the Spurs were winning so Pop is doing great, 4 les, hall of famer,etc...

Then Pop completely bungled the Memphis series....that is the main concern here...that I don't think anyone can trust that Pop won't trot out Bonner/Blair against a big frontline and bury Tiago on the bench....also the fact that if TD/Tiago don't see enough time together...it won't work in the playoffs when thrown together at the last minute. (then everyone will just say that TD/Tiago don't play well together and of course--defend Pop's decisions again,etc...lather-rinse-repeat..)

You and I both must be one of the few here who have been fans since they were the Chapparrals....

[TJastal]

If Pop would have acquired the right big (Turiaf) I would say yes (to the OP). With Diaw I'm not sure how he fits in, whether he's getting Bonner's minutes, Blair's or Tiago's. He should logically get Blair's, but that hasn't happened and Blair just scored 23 against a ty hornets frontline so we'll probably keep seeing more Blair unfortunately.

[TJastal]

Well this the the 64,000 dollar question, isn't it?

I said before and I stand by it;

Can the Spurs win a le --in spite-- of Pop?

Wish I could say yes...but I fear Pop will be the biggest obstacle for the Spurs to clear.

Would love to be wrong also...but the proof is in the last few seasons....2008,2009,2010 & 2011.

2011 was pretty much the last time I gave Pop the benefit of the doubt, as everyone here just seemed to think that-in the playoffs-Pop would magically and suddenly reverse Bonner and Tiago's playing time....

but Pop waited til it was too late...and he seems to be doing the exact same thing this year...the worst part is not allowing TD & Splitter to develop chemistry all season long ...aad now (IF Pop ever pairs them in the playoffs) may already be too late to make the TD/Splitter tandem pay dividends.

So how do you know that Tim and Tiago haven't been practicing together? Huh Pop hater, bet you didn't think of that, did ya?

[DPG21920]

LJ, although 112 minutes is a small sample size, the results on the floor have been far from convincing. Mixed results.

What is this statement intended to mean?

In the small sample size last season, the results were fairly strong. This year, in the small sample size you've got a mixed bag although the games lately have shown extremely high upside.

The point is I guess that it's a small sample size and in order to get a meaningful sample, Pop must play them together which he is not doing.

[pgardn]

So how do you know that Tim and Tiago haven't been practicing together? Huh Pop hater, bet you didn't think of that, did ya?

Practice?

we talkn practice?

Most of the Pop haters actually live at the training facility. They even know Tiago's favorite food and his snake/spider phobia.

[silverblk mystix]

So how do you know that Tim and Tiago haven't been practicing together? Huh Pop hater, bet you didn't think of that, did ya?

Oh sure, CIA Pop...secretly preparing TD/Tiago at practice...and ready to unleash them to the world in the playoffs!

[TheSkeptic]

Based on last night he wants to win against crappy teams in the last few minutes. He got Duncan off the bench to clean up the mess.

He has many more options now against a team like the Grizzlies. And last year Randolph was in beast mode on just about everyone in the playoffs. I also am not sure why Pop has not tried it more. But its definitely not a Gasol-Bynum type pairing.

That strategy has never worked for anyone in the playoffs.

Obviously not the same players but the same principle at work imo: Starting your most productive players unless there's a good reason not to like with Manu and his injuries. The Spurs do that at pretty much every other position. This should be no expectation.

If the offense is a concern he needs to use those hall of fame skills of his to work something out.

I don't care how deep the team is at the wings, they're not going anywhere if the frontcourt rotation doesn't change. It's not like Blair and Bonner are multiple all stars anyway and if Pop fails to make the right move the Spurs are going home prematurely yet again this year.

[TJastal]

Oh sure, CIA Pop...secretly preparing TD/Tiago at practice...and ready to unleash them to the world in the playoffs!

Damn right he's been. I predict after unleashing the dynamic duo and sweeping the lakers in the 2nd round they'll grace the cover of SI, both scowling and gripping basketballs like grapefruits in one hand and Pop sandwiched in the middle with that big 'ol eating grin of his.