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Starting line up:
C Diaw
PF Duncan
SF Leonard
SG Green
PG Parker
Bench:
C Splitter/Bonner
PF Blair/Bonner
SF Jackson
SG Ginobili/De Colo/Neal
PG Neal/Mills
blair only costs minimum, might as well waived him
Starting line up:
C Diaw
PF Duncan
SF Leonard
SG Green
PG Parker
Bench:
C Splitter/Bonner
PF Blair/Bonner
SF Jackson
SG Ginobili/De Colo/Neal
PG Neal/Mills
I agree about last year, but that is not the only time a switch has been made. Seemingly the Spurs win a lot of games in the regular season with Blair, then Pop goes away from him come playoff time - which is odd considering their records at the time going into the playoffs.
If Dejuan has to start for us, we're gonna be one hurtin' unit....
That's no entirely true. In Blair's first year he was in and out of the starting lineup because Pop couldn't decide on a lineup. Even Bonner started at the beginning of that season. Then Pop finally decided Dice should be the starter. Then the second year where he basically started most of the year Pop overreacted to a Lakers blowout by starting Dice and saying they needed better defense in the playoffs. Then last year Pop probably made the switch to Diaw for the same reason after getting blown out by the Lakers.
But this last season, Blair was yanked for Diaw pretty much as soon as he got here and the Spurs won 20 in a row. So it's not like the Spurs have a bad record with Diaw starting next to Tim. Maybe the solution is to have Blair as the fifth big
popa needs to get into his grill and bonners grill
seems like all the shouting and barking is going into one ear out the other, players being too comfortable around pop that it means nothing....
whats the point of benchin or puttin a player in the dog house when it has no effect like his screaming at them, pop needs to get back into players asses and get the best out of them....
With Diaw starting the first preseason game, it looks like he's going to be the starter heading into the regular season. There's a very small chance that Pop altered the lineup to have Blair come off the bench in order to take Splitter's spot. I guess we'll find out for sure come preseason game #2.
In a bubble, I love Diaw in the starting lineup. The problem is that will make Bonner the fourth big. A trio of Splitter, Bonner and Diaw doesn't exactly exude toughness or physicality . . .
Without putting too much thought into I'd assumed Diaw would start, but you have convinced me timvp, it should be Grizzly Blair. Diaw can shoot the 3, and he makes perfect sense as the stretch 4 off the bench.
Also, I completely agree with your comments about Grizz - he's by no means perfect, his defense, defensive rebounding and focus need improvement, but he's not nearly as terrible as many on here make him out to be. He'd start on some other NBA teams without much of a contest. But you're right, he would limit the starter's ceiling defensively.
I hope it eventuates this way and we see how it shakes out for 10 games. I also hope that Grizz brings on a strong season in his contract year... another motivating influence for him, and that as a consequence he becomes more attractive trade bait!
Last edited by RuffnReadyOzStyle; 10-08-2012 at 02:45 AM.
You really think Pop is going to bench Blair in a contract year and when he could be a trade chip?
Without putting too much thought into I'd assumed Diaw would start, but you have convinced me timvp, it should be Grizzly Blair. Diaw can shoot the 3, and he makes perfect sense as the stretch 4 off the bench.
Also, I completely agree with your comments about Grizz - he's by no means perfect, his defense, defensive rebounding and focus need improvement, but he's not nearly as terrible as many on here make him out to be. He'd start on some other NBA teams without much of a contest. But you're right, he would limit the starter's ceiling defensively.
I hope it eventuates this way and we see how it shakes out for 10 games. I also hope that Grizz brings on a strong season in his contract year... another motivating influence for him, and that as a consequence he becomes more attractive trade bait!
I honestly don't believe that Blair would be starting for any team that wasn't severely depleted up front or had issues like our team does. Blair is an energy big off the bench. His shortcomings are way too prevalent for him to ever be a starter. And unfortunately he has proven that he will get himself out of shape quickly. He needs to play to get some value so he can be traded. But he is what he is, a decent player on the block who seems to have forgotten how to rebound (which was his most useful ability), can't really shoot (though we'll see if this changes) and doesn't have the size to contest most players at his position because they're usually about 5 inches taller. Blair's a gimmick imo, he needs to go
I prefer Diaw as a starter. Blair should come off the bench and should do so in a limited role in the playoffs. Thus, he will not feel as abandoned as last season where he was a starter for so many games and then forgotten in the playoffs.
Blair needs to start because he doesn't fit with Splitter?
sorry, can't agree with that kind of logic. after 3 seasons we can defintely say that Blair isn't starter quality by any stretch. and never will be. he will either become a somehow productive bench rotation player, or his career with the Spurs will come to an end. if Blair doesn't fit with Splitter you play Bonner or go small with Sjax at the 4.
you don't create a scenario to optimize the production of your 10th best player and therefore sacrifice better line ups.
Diaw in the S5 works. if he is in better shape this season, it will work out even better. Diaw from the bench would be nice. if you had a better player to take the starting spot. Blair isn't.
timvp still high on blair, just like the scrub anderson....
how many more opportunities and wasting a roster spot on scrubs are u guys going to start looking for changes...
There are teams with small forwards taller than Blair. If we MUST start an nonathletic fatass, I'd rather just roll with Curry...
Our depth at the center position is just atrocious.
Blair should start...in Charlotte.
I seriously doubt this will happen, but they could start out the season with Diaw playing the first 10 minutes, then playing Bonner the next 8 and Blair the final 6. That way, they keep the Duncan-Diaw tandem to start, they keep the Splitter-Bonner tandem and they open up some minutes for Blair alongside Duncan.
If the result is in doubt in the 4th, then I wouldn't repeat this, because then they'd end up with Blair closing. But even just getting him six minutes, they can get a better gauge of how much he's improved his jumper and if he's improved at all defensively. In that stretch, they could have Duncan be the roll man and have Blair spotting up. If he can space the floor adequately enough to not muck up the pick-and-roll, then there's no reason they can't get away with him playing next to Splitter; in which case they can bench Bonner.
Start Grizz for 20 games, get his value up, then trade him, Neal and Bonner to the Bucks for Ilyasova... in my dreams...
You're right, he's more suited to be an energy big off the bench, but that doesn't really suit our team as has been covered ad nauseum.
If I went through the league I still reckon I could find 7-10 teams that he'd start on.
As good as Splitter-Bonner is we all know by know we can't rely on Bonner in the playoffs so what's the point?
Exactly. I'm tired of that backwards reasoning.
No, Blair would not start for or almost a third of the league's teams, I completely disagree
It doesn't matter who starts at center. They will end up in the same place.
You say this as if there are legit stars out there wanting the starting position for Blair money.
Face it @RuffnReadyOzStyle, you've always had a soft spot for blair... I can't think of 5 teams he would be a starter with.
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