Blair in the starting lineup..

[200 miles]

Do you have any confidence that Pop's going to suddenly change course regarding Splitter? The die has been cast.

Maybe Splitter's not ready, but we'll never know. However, I agree that it's an ironclad certainty that Blair/Bonner/McMummy aren't good enough for a serious playoff run. Enjoy the regular season, because that's as good as it gets.

If that's sadly the case, then I'll just go ahead and say "Thank you Pop for another wasted season and another productive year from Duncan's soon-to-be-shut window".

[HarlemHeat37]

While I've said it before and I agree with mystar, Splitter will obviously be better with Parker/Ginobili out there..however, I don't even care for his offensive production at this point..

Splitter has already shown that he's a competent defender that understands how to make rotations..I'll take consistent D over Blair's non-existent D and extremely inconsistent offense..

Yes, we all said this about Mahinmi and Hairston before too..there's a big difference here though..this isn't an unproven D-League player, this is a proven player in Europe that was hyped and coveted by the Spurs front office for a long time..like objective said, you don't get better without PT..

Also, do the Spurs even have scrimmages?..I remember last year, there was a report that mentioned that they don't even scrimmage, so I don't really know how he would "earn" minutes..Pop has a history of not playing guys based on "earned minutes"..

[Capt Bringdown]

I'd rather have us gamble on at least trying to develop Splitter this year than not. The DNP-CD's are just silly IMO.
We can give Splitter some run and still develop Blair, what's the downside?
I suppose that the worse case scenario would be that giving Splitter 10 minutes a night is a disaster, and the we reel off a string of loses...at which point, what's to prevent us to changing course?

[HarlemHeat37]

Meh, there's not much logic behind it IMO..like objective said, this is December and January we're talking about, it's not the playoffs..there's not much of a risk here..

The Spurs don't lose much when Blair and Bonner aren't playing big minutes..

[The Truth #6]

A month ago I thought there was still time for Splitter to get a chance so I gave Pop the benefit of the doubt because it seemed like he was more open to a different approach this year. But stubborn Pop has made it clear what's in store for Splitter...not much.

I think people are over rating Splitter so far but he should still get minutes to see what he can do. With the team's confidence down for the general moment, I can't see Bonner somehow stepping up to save the day. He's already passing up shots again. Splitter needs to get some playing time.

[Cessation]

You're telling me splitter can't get blairs number of 7 and 6, while getting set up by starters and playing 20 minutes a game? Come on.

[objective]

There's no good excuses to sit Splitter anymore.

Not even the "he missed training camp!" excuse. Or the "look at all their wins, if it ain't broke!..." one. They are struggling and there's no hurt to shake it up a little.

It's not like he was in Brazil, he was actually at the camp, he just wasn't playing.

He was the MVP and le winner of the second best league in the world and has shown in the few minutes he was gifted that he was at least useful defensively. It's not like he's Oberto who was behind a starter with a ring (Nazr) while also undersized and already over-the-hill athletically.

And Blair off the bench could do wonders for him. His energy against back-ups and non-fresh starters will start to cover up for his defensive lapses.

[DMC]

It could just be the rotation is too difficult. It makes you wonder if Pop has considered trading one of the bigs including Splitter, and maybe that's why he's not being developed. I would think you would want to showcase his talent if you were putting him on the block.

Then again, we might see him non stop after the ASG.

It would be nice if some of the contenders never got much of a chance to see him in action until the playoffs, but that's fairytale .

[200 miles]

There's no good excuses to sit Splitter anymore.

Not even the "he missed training camp!" excuse. Or the "look at all their wins, if it ain't broke!..." one. They are struggling and there's no hurt to shake it up a little.

It's not like he was in Brazil, he was actually at the camp, he just wasn't playing.

He was the MVP and le winner of the second best league in the world and has shown in the few minutes he was gifted that he was at least useful defensively. It's not like he's Oberto who was behind a starter with a ring (Nazr) while also undersized and already over-the-hill athletically.

And Blair off the bench could do wonders for him. His energy against back-ups and non-fresh starters will start to cover up for his defensive lapses.

That would simply be music to my ears.

If only you can just get Pop to listen to that tune by means of doing to Pop what Billy Madison did to that fat kid involving the subject of going to high school.

[The Truth #6]

You're telling me splitter can't get blairs number of 7 and 6, while getting set up by starters and playing 20 minutes a game? Come on.

Are you responding to me?

[Cessation]

Are you responding to me?

No, I'm just saying, to no one in particular.

[jjktkk]

a month ago i thought there was still time for splitter to get a chance so i gave pop the benefit of the doubt because it seemed like he was more open to a different approach this year. But stubborn pop has made it clear what's in store for splitter...not much.

I think people are over rating splitter so far but he should still get minutes to see what he can do. With the team's confidence down for the general moment, i can't see bonner somehow stepping up to save the day. He's already passing up shots again. Splitter needs to get some playing time.

+1

[jjktkk]

I thought by now, Splitter would be at least getting 5-10 minutes a game. So much for thinking.

[MinuteByMinuteSports]

This has been an on-going discussion on our "React" shows after every game.

As said in this thread and by many fans, Splitter is never going to learn if he does not play. Practices are not enough.

Pop has made it clear that he does not trust Splitter. Timmy needs help in the post, Splitter is that help, but Pop won't play him.

If Dyess plays next to timmy we have a small chance in the playoffs...

[temujin]

Blair got totally destroyed by this kid last night. I could have done a better job on Handsborough.
Hit lateral mobility is just atrocious, which is explaiened by his size and the lack of ACLs. It's not something that is going to improve with time.
Blair is young and should come in for 10-15', get rebounds, set picks, share the ball and score only on put backs.
That's it. He would still be good for the money he is getting.

I said this from the very fist minute of this season.
Spurs are winning nothing with Blair and Bonner playing the bigs for significant minutes.

Now Splitter gets no playing time whatsoever.
$3 millions for watching: when that ever happened as a Spur???
Pop doesn't have confidence in him?
He is soft?
Doesn't know the system (whatever that means)?
Doesn't commit a foul with 6'' on a Nugget?
He is brazilian?

No problem.

Just trade him, he's got some value; and get a phyical presence inside.

[Josepatches_]

I think people are over rating Splitter so far but he should still get minutes to see what he can do.

Overrated? Maybe if you believe he will be all star in his first year.But he's a very good center.

I saw him a lot of years in Spain.He was at least as good as Marc Gasol was.So tell me if Gasol is enough good to play over Bonner,Dice or 2010-2011 Blair.

Of course he's better than the best Oberto who was our starter center.

[MannyIsGod]

Tiago Splitter can't hold Oberto's jock at the moment. If he could he'd be playing. Yeah, I WISH he was Oberto right now but he's no where near that. Oberto didn't force in the post every chance he got and took just as many charges as Tiago.

Oberto >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tiago at this time.

[Leetonidas]

Spurs need to trade for Marcin Gortat. Dice for him straight up, Dice gets bought out and comes back 30 days later.

[Cessation]

If blair is getting owned by scrubs like hansborough, we really have some problems. In the playoffs he'll be glued to the bench(after we get behind in the first quarter), once the laker and mav big frontcourts turn up the intensity.

[Cessation]

I bet Splitter is wishing he stayed in europe, lol.

[Dex]

The chances of Splitter getting developed this season are becoming slimmer and slimmer.

If Pop were going to give the guy a chance, it would be happening right now. He's not going to wait until March or April to throw him out there.

With Anderson coming back in the fold, he'll already be hard pressed to adjust the rotation to fit James back in, and I sincerely doubt he goes for a complete roster overhaul after the All Star Break to incorporate two rookies.

Better get used to the Blair/Bonner front courts, because those are probably the wheels we'll be taking to the big dance.

[Fireball]

In the playoffs Antonio McDyess belongs into the starting lineup, because his defense is far superior to Blair's ... I agree that Splitter will not see much playing time this season unless there are injuries.

[Cessation]

If bonner/blair are sucking and Splitter still can't get any minutes, you know, he's not part of this years run.