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Just excited to see Kawhi with the ball more now keeps me glued to the tv like
Are you implying that Mills is a pass-first guy and Nando is a shooter?
Just excited to see Kawhi with the ball more now keeps me glued to the tv like
Did I have too much beer yesterday, or did Tiago look like he changed his release on his hook? I was way up in the nosebleed seats so maybe my perspective was a bit off, but instead of his old hip level release it looked like his hook shots had more of a shoulder level release. They looked pretty smooth compared to most of his shots last year.
Thanks to timvp as always. Look forward to the detailed game thoughts (am I too greedy?)
Disappointed that Joseph couldn't crack the rotation. He played so solidly in last season's playoffs and displayed some good defense. Mills is too small to play really good defense. Really thought Joseph would emerge as the clear back up point guard this season. Instead, it'll be another season of uncertainty. Props to Mills for working so hard though.
The reverse. I was implying that Nando's best skill seems to be creative passing. Mills seems to be more of a scorer/shooter, which I like seeing on the floor with Manu and Belinelli
I'm really loving this team at the moment. They have enough firepower to keep from offensive droughts and enough good defense that they don't have to rely on scoring at a high rate to be in the game. They just got done pounding last year's western finalists despite Duncan leaving and Parker having a rough shooting night.
Kawhi Leonard -
Kawhi didn't have a great game, and he was probably the best player on the floor for either team. He made a few mistakes and didn't take advantage in a spot or two. That's not to say that he wasn't effective, because he was. It's hard to believe this is the same guy whose handles we worried about. Sky's the limit.
Danny Green -
Who taught this guy to dribble during the offseason? I don't know that I trust him on a fast break, but he controlled the ball well in traffic and was effective with from mid range. Now hopefully he figures out where the sideline is, because he stepped on it three times.
Tiago Splitter -
Watching Splitter fight for rebounds, score in traffic, effectively defend guards at the perimeter and hit both of his hook shots off post moves, then seeing people in the game thread talk about how terrible he is, I realize that Tiago Splitter is like the windshield of a car: you take his contribution for granted until it's not there. Randolph and Gasol were -21 and -18 for a reason, folks.
Marco Belinelli -
Yeah, we knew his offense would work, and it did. We knew his defense would be bad, and it is. It's a good sign that he's clicking on one end so soon. Another guy from the Finley/Barry/Neal mold to plug in, and he could be as good as any of them.
Patty Mills -
Offense for days, ripped new physique, hair trigger, the heart of a leader. I'm really liking this "new" Patrick Mills. Then I re-watched the game and saw his defense. He's so easy to get out of position that he ends up chasing air. Tony Parker manages to be effective off the same screens, Mills just gets lost. He is also not running the offense at all, though he works very well in the second unit despite that fact. I'm absolutely in favor of keeping him in the rotation, but he's not the backup point guard on this team. Evidence? I saw Danny Green running the offense at one point while they were on the floor together. Fin and Barry both contributed on the same team, so why can't this work? If Joseph can't figure out a way to develop as a point guard, then the Spurs are going to need to look elsewhere for a legitimate backup for Parker.
Matt Bonner -
Sigh. At this point I just hope he hits a few threes while he's on the floor to negate the rest of his game, because Pop's going to play him no matter what. Grizz fans who were watching the matchup two years ago should probably be asking what's wrong with Z-Bo.
Jeff Ayres -
There's a lot to like about this kid. He's athletic, he's physical, he's vicious around the rim, he has good hands and good feet. How does a guy like that get away from a team like Indy? Hint: Indy decided that Ian Mahinmi is less foul-prone. Ouch.
Boris Diaw -
Athletic plays on defense (a block!), fighting for rebounds, pulling the trigger when open, same great court vision. Who put Red Bull in Boris' croissant? No idea, but I really hope he keeps it up, because when his effort matches his talent, Diaw's really really good.
The Spurs have plenty of slashers and dribblers. Danny Green should focus on playing stout defense and catch and shoot on offense. When Green tries to force the issue by creating, he tends to turn it over. He needs to keep it simple. Green should never be asked to put the ball on the floor.
Ayres looks confident and fitting in, no hesitation, knows his role and how to play. HUGE pickup.
Thanks for the grades and welcome back. Hope to see you shaking off temovp and getting back to being yourself again.
Mills is playing the Neal role and we have to realize that. He might be listed as a pg but he is playing a scoring role. With Manu and Belinelli as capable ball handlers, we can afford to have him out there with the 2nd unit. However, if his shot isn't falling, he loses about 80% of his value on that given night.
Disagree. Now, I'm not advocating that he should be a "slasher" to any degree. But I think having that ability to fake the 3 and take a dribble inside the line and fire away will be huge for him. Honestly, adding that same little wrinkle made Bonner much more palatable.
Eh, Neal was much more capable of running some offense. Sure it wasn't always pretty, but the numbers back it up as generally effective. I love Mills, but he can't even fake the funk out there - hes just not a PG.
Yes, Neal could do that with perfection. However, his awkward ball handling skills leads to many turnovers like being stripped, stepping out of bounds, losing the ball in the air when attempting a close range shot after being spooked by a defender. He really needs to keep it simple.
Interesting to see the "new", "upgraded" versions of some players. If Diaw plays with the same mix of determination, confidence and aggressiveness he showed when on the French NT, the Spurs are definitely going to make some noise this year. He admitted that Game 6 was a game changer for him, and actions are following words so far...
no always lliked them tbh
Agreed, his aggression will be a key component to a deep run this year and so far, he's walking the walk.
THAT. Belinelli A+ Best in tan in the league.
He has had more time to heal from ACL repair now. That dude can throw it down quicker than a blink.
Welcome back Timvp
bumb for people asking about him
bumb?
timvp the bumb!
Thank you for the bumb. Beople obviously miss timvb!
The humbty bumb?
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