I don't think going into the playoffs on a 9 game losing streak is in Pop's itinerary.
All that matters right now is getting to the playoffs healthy, GS is starting to slow down a bit, should they meet in the WCF, SA will most likely be the fresher team, could be the deciding factor. Won't be shocked if GS gets another injury to one of their key players soon.
Needs to get over himself, tbh... at the end of the day he's ing with the fans...
Exactly, during a meaningless game and going for a unnecessary steal. Injuries are unpredictable, but I appreciate Pop trying to keep guys "fresh" and rested for the games that matter.
And people believing the Spurs were going to make up ground and pass Golden State are either dumb or naive. Yes, the Spurs were going to go undefeated to end the season - cause they pulled that off last season when it was more vital for seeding, right (?) - and all of sudden the best team was going to lose 4 or 5 games down the stretch run. Pfffft
No coach is perfect and I highly doubt the Spurs would have many fans with a lesser coach. The problem with being a genius at something is that you are inept at something else most likely.
Even if they did, ok so you get one more game at home instead of on the road. When has that mattered? If anything you'd get an easier path to the WCF, but the Mavs owe GS an upset. I'd like to see them pay it off this year.
That is a winnable game without them. Other than Manu, Tony and Timmy could definitely use the extra days off. I think Manu should play to get over whatever remaining rust he has but Martin, Simmons and Anderson need the reps. Like it or not, one of them will have play in the playoffs. I'm not sold on either Martin or Anderson as the 4th wing, but Simmons is too inexperienced and erratic to play meaningful minutes in the postseason.
Açepted tbhI wasn't drunk last night, and yeah, there's some subtle trolling here or there ITT...
probably the fact that Bonner played for more than 10 mins triggered some long forgotten anxiety rush, violent reactions... apologies, tbh
I agree with you. It was an interesting game regardless. IMO if we had another big but Bonner it wouldn't have been a blowout. It was a loss anyways, but the game got away from us when Bonner got in at the end of the 2nd Q, start of the 3rd. His lack of defense, rebounding, boxing out and in general contributing anything positive was a downfall but that is nothing new.
The new guys were Anderson, Boban, Simmons and Martin and Pop learned from each and the first 3 rarely compete against elite teams like this. The fact they didn't hang with them is no surprise but you hope they can build up from success or failure. They don't get chances like this regularly.
I though if Boban had a good game we would have a chance to make it a game and I stated that hours b4 the game. He didn't. Adams played him defensively better than any big he's seen in the league. He's strong enough to not be backed down by Boban, boxed Boban out of the way, didn't let him get good post position for high low passes, etc. Made Boban look human, not like the demigod he's in garbage time. You don't learn that if you are just playing Boban in garbage time and how much is Boban worth to us next season$$? Can't tell if you don't put him in this kind of position. It's possible Pop learned a lot about Boban from this one.
There were things to be learned about the wings too. Obviously Simmons and Anderson being the newbies they are and Anderson being a youngster still developing his game, any opportunities you can give them against really good compe ion they can benefit from anyways, on both ends, and they still have a lot of chemistry together. Whether that is bc their games complement each other well, they are comfortable playing with each other having developed together or what? I don't know. That is how young cores develop everywhere else in the league. They go through struggles together, work behind close doors, get better. They just did that in the dleague, SL and staggered this season, not night in and night out like other teams, not even like Danny and Kawhi did. Given that, they still play well together. They look for each other in games and we really haven't seen them together much. They have been split up most of the time. Either one or the other is in the game etc. That maybe is not of much use to us to know right now, but it is for Pop this off-season, when he has to restructure the bench.
Pop can consider things like whether he needs a veteran wing next season if Manu retires, or if he can trust in the continued improvement of these two. I think in their case, the whole package of the two of them together is better than the individual parts. They were much more tame when they were split up, maybe lack of chemistry with others, but I think not. They fit together in their own way.
Is Martin a fit for the team long term if we don't get Manu back? I though possibly previously, but after this game, maybe not. He's not a better fit next to either Simmons or Anderson than these two are together and with possibly Bertans coming over as a designated shooter we probably don't need his skills next season.
It was an I interesting game from that point of view. Pop learned from OKC, but also from his guys.
Chuck Miketinac
MAXSportsSA
Kawhi Leonard is questionable for tomorrow's Spurs-Grizzlies game. Tim Duncan (rest), Manu Ginobili (rest) and Tony Parker (rest) ARE OUT.
obv pop dont give no s.....
Wonder if Bonner is available?when is he getting rest?
probably the fact that Bonner played for more than 10 mins triggered some long forgotten anxiety rush, violent reactions... apologies, tbh
Okay, I'm back through the looking glass.
That game was seriously hard to watch - no fun to watch. It's the convergence of compe ion and entertainment. I don't know if resting all those guys at the same time helps, or is part of some mental strategy. But I believe that Pop thinks so. But at the same time, we all buy tickets or tune in for a reason, and that wasn't it. So maybe he's making the team more compe ive for the playoffs, but he definitely took away any entertainment value.
About 5 minutes into the second half, I just turned it off - so it's an 81-game season. If I had watched the whole thing, maybe I'd have snapped too.
At least maybe it put to rest the idea that Boban could be compe ive against starter-quality bigs.
Bonner's been resting the entire season. Did you mean Kyle Anderson?Wonder if Bonner is available?
Said this before long ago, I don't like the resting thing. Limit minutes, but sitting out multiple games kills team rhythm. A random game throughout the season here or there is fine (I still don't even like that), but this sitting half the team down is stupid. For young guys, its not necessary. it's something that should be reserved only for guys 35 and older.
It's Pop's I'm smarter than you I micro manage everything on this team I haven't gotten over myself...self. That's why he's an ass to local reporters so he doesn't have to answer for anything.
Bonner plays too much already
LOL... pretty sure he meant that 12 minutes of Bonner is too much for one season. He needs some rest.
Damn Kerr not resting anyone vs Philly at home...going at dat point differential championship
the worst thing you do to a defense-first team is to relax their asses at this point of the year..The intensity, effort, and attention to details has to be at near peak levels going to post-season..I'm OK with no- B2B rule for guys like TD/TP/Manu for the rest of season, but s who are going to be logging major minutes like Green/Aldridge/Kawhi has be kept sharp and engaged..
I wonder. In the entire world, how many people really know what it takes to coach a defense-first NBA team? The odds against having one of them right here seem astronomical.
The next 9 games which have absolutely no meaning should be interesting...
As I said weeks ago, I always have the opinion that everyone should play if they're not legitimately injured, but limit their minutes instead of outright sitting them if they need rest.
Special cir stances like Tim and Manu due to their age and mileage, I'm OK with them getting full games off. Younger players like Parker and Boris, well, I don't think I can support resting them if they're playing for their national teams and are too tired. That's on them IMO. Get in better shape, or don't play for your national teams. It's that simple. You're getting paid a load to perform for your team. Personally, I would probably put my NBA team ahead of my national team if I felt like it would drop my performance too much during the NBA season.
Ever since I read that Tim Grover article month or so ago, it's made me stick to my stance even more. That was always my stance to begin with - Limit minutes during games. Young players shouldn't be getting rested much at all, because how will they ever learn to mentally push through fatigue and still perform if they're always getting rested?
It's bout about rest. It's about travel. No body likes flying. Jeez.
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