Happy Birthday, LaMarcus Aldridge!

[sasaint]

Like you have never been spurned by someone and overreacted and then, after some reflection- realized what a stupid ass you were and decided to play the game, instead of pouting about it.
He's in a contract year bro... don't underestimate that.

I am not sure inter-personal relationships are a good analogy. But I wonder if anybody has checked to see if he is now following the Spurs again. Not underestimating the contract year motivation... In fact I am counting on it!

[tonight...you]

I am not sure inter-personal relationships are a good analogy. But I wonder if anybody has checked to see if he is now following the Spurs again. Not underestimating the contract year motivation... In fact I am counting on it!

When dealing with an emotional human like LaMarcus, you must give attention to the inter-personal relationship between him and the team, i.e.- What Pop wants him to do.
He is (not judging) an emotional, insecure person that wants to win and get his numbers, while doing what he wants to do which is shooting mid-range jumpers off a nice pass.

LaMarcus partly left Portland because Lilliard was getting the headlines over him. What's happening here? He's wallowing in the Spurs team-focused mire and Kawhi is 2nd in MVP votes 2 years in a row.
I bet he feels like upping his focus on defense is justice enough that he is a team player. Like that's some sacrifice, but it's what Pop demands, not asks for.

LaMarcus didn't sign on for this (he thought) and actually he got the benefit of the doubt on O. Pop let him be him. Begged him to be him. And now Pop is taking the reigns and he no rikey.

LMA is going to be the starting 5 and split those minutes with Pau as he comes off the bench and LMA shifts to the 4 for a bit, before sitting.

We'll see how it all goes.

[sasaint]

When dealing with an emotional human like LaMarcus, you must give attention to the inter-personal relationship between him and the team, i.e.- What Pop wants him to do.
He is (not judging) an emotional, insecure person that wants to win and get his numbers, while doing what he wants to do which is shooting mid-range jumpers off a nice pass.

LaMarcus partly left Portland because Lilliard was getting the headlines over him. What's happening here? He's wallowing in the Spurs team-focused mire and Kawhi is 2nd in MVP votes 2 years in a row.
I bet he feels like upping his focus on defense is justice enough that he is a team player. Like that's some sacrifice, but it's what Pop demands, not asks for.

LaMarcus didn't sign on for this (he thought) and actually he got the benefit of the doubt on O. Pop let him be him. Begged him to be him. And now Pop is taking the reigns and he no rikey.

LMA is going to be the starting 5 and split those minutes with Pau as he comes off the bench and LMA shifts to the 4 for a bit, before sitting.

We'll see how it all goes.

Unless PATFO do something about the skewed roster they have currently, I absolutely expect LMA to be the starting 5. But I am still uncertain about who will be starting at PF and PG (at least until Tony's return). I believe that Pop will be experimenting with both Kyle and Rudy to see which performs better with the starters and which with the second unit. But I guess I expect Patty to start at PG, despite the fact that everyone knows how Pop would love to keep him with the second unit (and Manu). But I just can't bring myself to believe Pop will actually go with Forbes, White or Dijon as a starting PG. Maybe one of them will distinguish himself enough in training camp and pre-season to get a tentative nod from Pop...

[tonight...you]

Unless PATFO do something about the skewed roster they have currently, I absolutely expect LMA to be the starting 5. But I am still uncertain about who will be starting at PF and PG (at least until Tony's return). I believe that Pop will be experimenting with both Kyle and Rudy to see which performs better with the starters and which with the second unit. But I guess I expect Patty to start at PG, despite the fact that everyone knows how Pop would love to keep him with the second unit (and Manu). But I just can't bring myself to believe Pop will actually go with Forbes, White or Dijon as a starting PG. Maybe one of them will distinguish himself enough in training camp and pre-season to get a tentative nod from Pop...

This is good to watch, right? The intrigue? What they gon' do? Could the Beautiful Game be coming back? Is this something different?

I expect a more heavy emphasis, in the beginning, on passing and some games may be lost, due to TO's, but I can see them trying it.
Rudy's starting position, I think, depends on how he moves within practices during training camp.

He could start at the 4, but I'm sure Pop wants to look at Kyle there and Rudy taking tons of minutes at both the 4 and 3. Maybe even weirder situations with multiple SF's and SG's on the floor at the same time.

Vee Shall Zee.

[sasaint]

This is good to watch, right? The intrigue? What they gon' do? Could the Beautiful Game be coming back? Is this something different?

I expect a more heavy emphasis, in the beginning, on passing and some games may be lost, due to TO's, but I can see them trying it.
Rudy's starting position, I think, depends on how he moves within practices during training camp.

He could start at the 4, but I'm sure Pop wants to look at Kyle there and Rudy taking tons of minutes at both the 4 and 3. Maybe even weirder situations with multiple SF's and SG's on the floor at the same time.

Vee Shall Zee.

How Rudy's Achilles' tendon seems to hold up in training camp etc., will be absolutely critical to his position, playing time, and ultimately - our season. Assuming he is good to go, I can see Pop playing him primarily as the starting 4 to be the sidekick Kawhi currently lacks. Otoh, I could see Pop using him as the #1 gun on the second unit. If you assume a second unit of Mills, Manu, Bertans, Rudy and Pau, that is a lot of fire power. With Manu and Pau as good playmakers, and Mills and Bertans as spacers, Rudy could really kill second units in the paint and with his mid-range game.

[tonight...you]

How Rudy's Achilles' tendon seems to hold up in training camp etc., will be absolutely critical to his position, playing time, and ultimately - our season. Assuming he is good to go, I can see Pop playing him primarily as the starting 4 to be the sidekick Kawhi currently lacks. Otoh, I could see Pop using him as the #1 gun on the second unit. If you assume a second unit of Mills, Manu, Bertans, Rudy and Pau, that is a lot of fire power. With Manu and Pau as good playmakers, and Mills and Bertans as spacers, Rudy could really kill second units in the paint and with his mid-range game.

Right-oh, me boy-oh. Right-oh.

[TD 21]

Unless PATFO do something about the skewed roster they have currently, I absolutely expect LMA to be the starting 5. But I am still uncertain about who will be starting at PF and PG (at least until Tony's return). I believe that Pop will be experimenting with both Kyle and Rudy to see which performs better with the starters and which with the second unit. But I guess I expect Patty to start at PG, despite the fact that everyone knows how Pop would love to keep him with the second unit (and Manu). But I just can't bring myself to believe Pop will actually go with Forbes, White or Dijon as a starting PG. Maybe one of them will distinguish himself enough in training camp and pre-season to get a tentative nod from Pop...

There's zero chance both Gasol and Gay come off the bench. They'll probably split a starting position, with the former starting more often than not and the latter starting in specific match-ups (Warriors, Rockets, maybe Celtics, Bucks, etc.). I'll believe Spurs permanently starting one traditional big and Aldridge primarily playing C, when I see it.

PG probably comes down to Murray and Forbes. Think they'd prefer to start Murray and keep Mills with the bench, but if Forbes is clearly more worthy of a rotation spot than Murray, Mills probably starts, with Forbes taking his role off the bench.

[sasaint]

Right-oh, me boy-oh. Right-oh.

And yeah, I think Pop will try to infuse some more ball movement into the offense. At least I hope so. But as a few posters have do ented well and graphically, whatever our offense looks like this season, we HAVE to have a few guys who are willing and effective pick-setters for it to really work.

[sasaint]

There's zero chance both Gasol and Gay come off the bench. They'll probably split a starting position, with the former starting more often than not and the latter starting in specific match-ups (Warriors, Rockets, maybe Celtics, Bucks, etc.). I'll believe Spurs permanently starting one traditional big and Aldridge primarily playing C, when I see it.

PG probably comes down to Murray and Forbes. Think they'd prefer to start Murray and keep Mills with the bench, but if Forbes is clearly more worthy of a rotation spot than Murray, Mills probably starts, with Forbes taking his role off the bench.

We shall see. But if you are right, and Pop returns Pau to the starting unit we will have a questionable group of bench "bigs" just like the last few years before Pop had the epiphany to move Pau to the bench. I bet Pau is a fixture on the bench, where he can be a pretty good anchor and have an opportunity to shine against other bench bigs. I bet Pop is moving away. from his two-bigs obsession and trying a one-big lineup.

[tonight...you]

And yeah, I think Pop will try to infuse some more ball movement into the offense. At least I hope so. But as a few posters have do ented well and graphically, whatever our offense looks like this season, we HAVE to have a few guys who are willing and effective pick-setters for it to really work.

Which was probably why Joff was acquired- to set picks and I think Pop is telling LMA to set better picks for more than the pop'nShot.
Good Picks set up an entire play with multiple options.

We could see that this season. I hope...


#BRINGBACK'14

[sasaint]

Which was probably why Joff was acquired- to set picks and I think Pop is telling LMA to set better picks for more than the pop'nShot.
Good Picks set up an entire play with multiple options.

We could see that this season. I hope...


#BRINGBACK'14

I haven't seen enough of Joff to know if he is good at setting picks. I hope so. And I hope Pop's telling LMA that he WOULD set good picks this season was a cause of his discontent... I think LMA figured out that lazy pick-setting was a good way to get that initial pass from the PG, thereby ensuring himself of a certain number of touches and shot opportunities with no regard for how that bogged down the remaining progressions of the offense - what you'd expect from a player who is selfish and has a low BBIQ.

[tonight...you]

I haven't seen enough of Joff to know if he is good at setting picks. I hope so. And I hope Pop's telling LMA that he WOULD set good picks this season was a cause of his discontent... I think LMA figured out that lazy pick-setting was a good way to get that initial pass from the PG, thereby ensuring himself of a certain number of touches and shot opportunities with no regard for how that bogged down the remaining progressions of the offense - what you'd expect from a player who is selfish and has a low BBIQ.

I don't think he was being lazy in his pick-setting, but what LMA was setting trying to get himself ready was for an easy release from the pick for a Pop.

He needs to set a strong and hard pick that sets up both a pop and a dive.
And, of course, dive- upon occasion so that other team can respect that aspect of his game.

That would be kind of nice.

[cutewizard]

I just hope that Lamarcus applies himself,

pride man, have some pride

[TD 21]

We shall see. But if you are right, and Pop returns Pau to the starting unit we will have a questionable group of bench "bigs" just like the last few years before Pop had the epiphany to move Pau to the bench. I bet Pau is a fixture on the bench, where he can be a pretty good anchor and have an opportunity to shine against other bench bigs. I bet Pop is moving away. from his two-bigs obsession and trying a one-big lineup.

Hopefully I am wrong. Not only would they probably be better off starting Gay, but the trickle-down effect would be Bertans having significantly better odds of being a rotation player.

I will say: Pop clearly tried to split Aldridge-Gasol as much as possible in the 2nd half of the season, before re-uniting them by default in the playoffs, essentially concluding that if they were going down, they were going down playing their best players together, even if 2 of the 3 weren't playing like it. Now, depending on how quickly and effectively Gay can bounce back, they could have a legit alternative.

[tonight...you]

I just hope that Lamarcus applies himself,

pride man, have some pride

You ever gained a multi-million dollar contract? Pride can easily fly out the door and get into your head: I got this far. I did this. This is me.

Pride? He has it, but it's different, due to personal and cultural things that affect him on a personal level.
His pride seems to be on a level that pains both a personal and team level, with an emphasis on personal.

Not everybody is built like Timmy and Manu. Where they just want to win... Those days are done baby.

Now is when RC and Pop. in his last years, have to do some real work. There are no more built-in cheat codes, other than respect for Pop which only gets some players, like Rudy Gay, but not as many as we hope.

[skulls138]

In a way he needs to relax more than anything. I think hes got the info of what he needs to do but hes pressuring himself too much. Too much pressure IMO is whats making chuck those fadeaways, its the fastest way to get rid of the ball.

As i said, i think hes a better backer downer and passer than he normally shows, ive seen it. Its got to become normal for him while playing within the team concept, no easy task.

[Skoobz]

Dude is such a mangina

[Stabula]

LMA, hopefully he has a career ender his first game of the season.

[spurspokesman]

HBD LA . I'll be pulling for him as long as he's a Spur

[ceperez]

Hope LMA gifts the Spurs with a nice trade for himself!!

Best of luck giving the Spurs some much needed talent!!!

Thanks!!

[LkrFan]

[Dverde]

Dirk had to dig deep to get that le, LMA needs to take a page from him.

[skulls138]

I couldnt agree with you more. Dirk is naturally a shooter but busts his balls on his weaknesses, LMA tries to be like Dirk so be doesnt have to battle down low, which hes better than he tries