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Perhaps. Get back to me at the All-Star break.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...ason_loss.html
Spurs rookie impresses in preseason loss
KIN MAN HUI/[email protected]
Spurs forward DeJuan Blair grabs a rebound between Houston's David Andersen (left) and Carl Landry.
By Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
Web Posted: 10/07/2009 12:00 CDT
The game was over, the sweat had dried, the media horde had finally vacated his locker. At long last after the Spurs' 99-85 preseason-opening loss to Houston on Tuesday night, Spurs rookie DeJuan Blair was ready to go home.
The only hold-up? In just his second semi-official visit to his new home arena, Blair didn't quite know which way was out.
“That way, DeJuan,” someone called out, helpfully pointing Blair in the direction of outdoors.
It was quite a contrast from what had happened for four quarters prior, when Blair always seemed to know which way to go. Namely, wherever the ball was.
Blair was a smash in his preseason debut, scoring a team-leading 16 points and grabbing 19 rebounds in 22 minutes.
“I did what they asked me to, and that's rebound,” Blair said. “Everything else came off of that.”
Only Gregg Popovich could keep Blair, a second-round pick out Pittsburgh, from becoming the first Spurs player to grab 20 boards in the preseason since Will Perdue in 1996.
He sat Blair for most of the fourth quarter, choosing to look at other players.
After the game, Popovich pronounced himself pleased with Blair's first-game performance. Before it, the coach had cautioned about expecting too much, too soon from the 6-foot-7 rookie.
“I don't want to denigrate anything he's done in the past, and I don't want to over-emphasize anything he's doing well,” Popovich said. “I just don't know exactly where to put him yet, as far as what kind of impact he might make.”
Popovich chose to rest many of his would-be regulars — basically anyone over 32, plus Tony Parker — choosing instead to give a long look to several of his youngsters.
Blair and Ian Mahinmi shared big-man minutes, with vastly different results, while second-year man George Hill — whom Popovich has been calling his favorite player in camp — enjoyed a solid outing in relief of Parker at the point.
It was Blair, however, who stole the show — and, apparently, the hearts of 15,545 fans at the AT&T Center with his see-ball, get-ball ethos.
Raw offensively and undersized for a big man, the 20-year-old Blair is still very much a work in progress. Popovich wants him to fight the urge to do more than he is capable of.
“I don't want him to go out and show me how good he is,” Popovich said. “I want him to go out and just play his game, and not try to get more minutes by showing me all these different parts of his game.”
Both sides of Blair were on display in the first quarter. Then, he ill-advisedly posted up Rockets center Chuck Hayes — not Blair's game — and missed badly on a turnaround. Yet he was able to birddog his own rebound for a put-back basket.
Blair missed 9 of 15 shots Tuesday, which helped account for at least some of his eight offensive rebounds.
As he proved at Pitt, and as he proved in July while demolishing the Las Vegas summer league circuit, Blair certainly has a flair for that. His new teammates have been impressed equally by the number of rebounds Blair gets as the manner in which they come.
“If an arm was close, he would have broken a couple,” Manu Ginobili said.
Still, Ginobili notes what Popovich does. There is still a ways for the rookie to go. He needs to learn the intricacies of the Spurs' pick-and-roll. There will be nights when it will be difficult to find someone for Blair to match up with defensively.
In the meantime, Blair can always do what comes natural. He can rebound.
He might not always know where he's going yet. But he certainly knows why he's here.
“That's what they brought me here for, to rebound,” Blair said. “I've got a knack for the ball. I just go get it.”
Perhaps. Get back to me at the All-Star break.
YUP!...Looks that way!If you believe in made up numbers like "PER" then perhaps they just did. He had the best PER of any prospect in the draft, including that weird looking dude from OU.
Blair was definitely the best rebounder in the draft, if not in many drafts. He made the great imposing #2 pick his woman when they went head to head in the last NCAA season.
While his knees were a major factor in his slide down the draft board, Blair is an excellent test of the use of SABRmetrics in basketball as a player evaluation tool. Despite the acceptance and use of quan ative analysis in the NBA, perhaps old habits die hard.
yes...8o
Blair is definitely in the top 5. And possibly top 2.
It's why I think he will eventually start by season's end. If he proves the same ratio against top post players in the league...there will be no other realistic option other than to start him next to Duncan.
Duncan will have a field day if Blair proves to be a top 5 pick worthy of starting next to him. And Blair will have a field day being able to bask in the luxury of playing with other teammates that will command attention away from him. (Much like Duncan in his rookie season with a legend named Robinson to play next to)
Win Win.
McDyess will be able to produce better if coming off the bench and help Manu and himself be a better performer knowing there is at least another worth while (experienced) player on the court the same time he is with the second unit.
If this keeps up (Blair's ability)...the options will be salivating.
Hey MB, you think if I told you after the first SL game that Blair would increase his points and boards by almost half as much in his first preseason? Going against Landry and Scola no less?
if McDyess comes off the bench, he'll play with Manu and another experienced vet, Michael Finley.
my line-up:
starters
PG Parker
SG Mason
SF Jefferson
PF Duncan
C Bonner (first half of season)/Blair (second half)
bench
PG Hill
SG Manu
SF Finley
PF McDyess
C Ratliff/Bonner
well how about his numbers last night? or is that not good enough either, bet you ass blake griffin isnt going to get 16pts and 19reb
What matters to me is, would he be our preference for top 2 players in the draft based on our needs.
I wanted to trade up to the 5th with the Wiz some how if he were still there. Of course, I didn't know about knee problems...
but, he doesn't either.
Watching him play for Pittsburgh reminded me of watching Michael Vick play for Virginia Tech. He was the Center for the #1 rated team in college basketball, and that was undeniable. He was the Center out there.
I didn't know he was 6'6 and frankly, my dear
I don't give a damn. He looked like he was more like 6'9 out there.
Sure Blake would have been a nice pick at #1, but Thabeet at #2 for the best bigs in the draft for the Spurs? no.
Beast.
I'm glad I didn't watch the draft. I would have had a heart attack. After the 1st pick, I would be wondering where Blair was going the whole time and I would sit there and piss my pants on the couch if I had to once he dropped to 30.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
*sniff*
14 points
11 rebounds
7/10 FG
Spurs +11 with Dajuan on the floor
Double double in 22 minutes.
Double double in 22 minutes.
yeah, that's my boy.
So beast.
Good fortune smiling upon San Antonio.
DB has done nothing that suprises me.
I don't know why the national media is so suprised. Yes, he will do well against the elite teams...he is simply that strong, determined, and good.
DB had a very solid game, but he still has a lot to do on the defensive end. He got abused by Okafor on almost every possession down low. I think that is why Pop starts Bonner. He wants to play Blair, but cannot bring Bonner and him off of the bench at the same time.
Either that or McDyess is not ready to start yet.
Man. Just. Man.
Seriously?
I mean, really?
Problem? Do you think he played perfectly and was good defensively? Saying that he needs to work on something that is obvious, is not knocking the guy.
It is a fact and I don't think you can have Bonner and Blair on the floor at the same time and have too much success. Do you disagree and why? All things considered Blair did faaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr more good than bad. Just pointing out that one thing.
Name me one college player entering the NBA that didn't suck on Defense to begin with.
Is that a joke? Tim Duncan.
Fact is you have to look at it like a coach would sometimes. Blair played amazing and was extremely productive in limited minutes. When they watch game film, Pop is not going to felate Blair, he is going to help him work on his defense.
I want Blair to be able to play a ton, in order to do so, he has to continue to work and grow defensively. But a great start overall for the man and it should come with time.
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