Rasho's minutes

[ploto]

Well- watching the past 2 weeks, Rasho has noticeably played better than Nazr.

You know, this thread just started as my attempt to show people how well Rasho has played when given the opportunity and how he has contributed to the team's success. He has shown an excellent ability to adjust to coming off the bench in the middle of a season after basically starting for 5 1/2 years. The longer this thread has been here, the more and better he has played.

As I have stated on several occasions, I am not about Rasho starting, but there is a time in the game when I want to see Rasho on the court and that is when Tim is on the bench. If the Spurs play 2 bigs with Tim on the bench, I want it to be Horry and Rasho. Horry and Rasho play so well with Finley. I like them out there together.

[gameFACE]

I agree that Rasho has played better. That is true. And both Nazr and Rasho will be needed. I'm cool with them for now. But Bruno owns this thread by constantly refuting your stat spin.

The off season will be another story. I liked the Gary Busey, er Chris Kaman, suggestion but he's not available for the right price and we've got who we've got for the playoffs. This will be a hot topic this summer.

[zeleni]

First, don't speak to me like that, dude.

Then, +/- stats are way better when your team won by 33 than when your team won by 6. If you don't understand that, I can do nothing for you.

+/- stats aren't the better statistical way to evaluate the performance on one game, efficiency is a better stat to evaluate the performance on one game and watching the game is still by far the better way to know if a player has well played or not.

Hey, I'm sorry but you were asking for it.

Yes, +/- stats are way better when your team is winning. But that was not the point.

Nazr was the best scorer and rebounder... and wasn't even close to being the most valuable player for the Spurs.

Watching the game or looking at the stats...
I looked at the stats and I looked at GameFlow. They both were great. But one of them helped his team in more ways than the other. And one of them did it more recently. I'd say it's the same guy and it is Rasho. So he has peaked right before post-season!

[Supergirl]

I'm not a Rasho hater but if you look at facts, Rasho's carreer with Spurs is almost over. I think he will play less than 200 min with a Spurs jersey.

Based on facts and barring something new:

1) Rasho is the 4th Spurs big.
2) Pop will mainly play with 3 bigs during the playoffs.
3) There aren't a lot of matchup where Rasho is a better fit than Nazr.
4) Rasho will barely play with Spurs during the playoffs.
5) Spurs won't keep Rasho and Nazr signed with a long term contract for next season.
6) Pop will rather keep Nazr over Rasho.
7) Nazr won't be more expensive than Rasho.
8) Spurs will try to trade Rasho this summer. If they find a taker, Rasho will be gone.

1. Rasho is the best defensive center we have, since Tim plays PF.
2. Pop will play Rasho heavily against Detroit, Miami, and Sacramento. Against teams like Phoenix, Nazr will be played because of his more reliable offense. Dallas could go either way, depending on how they play.
3. See above. Rasho is EASILY the better fit against defensive-minded teams. Nazr brings more defensively, and is a good rebounder, but against quicker teams he tends to bobble the ball.
4. That depends on who the Spurs play.
5. I disagree. Pop and the Spurs LIKE Rasho, and Nazr will likely be overpaid this summer, if you look at the going rate for mediocre centers last year. Nazr will not return if wants a big contract. It would be a mistake to let Rasho go in favor of Nazr; Nazr is more replaceable.

I think the initial post in this thread provided excellent analysis of why Rasho needs 15+ minutes for the Spurs to win. It doesn't matter as much who starts, as it does utilizing Rasho well.

[ploto]

I'm keeping that running total for you. On April 9 it was said that Rasho would play less than 200 more minutes in a Spurs jersey. In the 5 games since he has played 96 minutes, and I would think that by the time tonight is over he will be at around 120 minutes. So we'll see what happens during a hopefully very long play-off run.

[Bruno]

I'm keeping that running total for you. On April 9 it was said that Rasho would play less than 200 more minutes in a Spurs jersey. In the 5 games since he has played 96 minutes, and I would think that by the time tonight is over he will be at around 120 minutes. So we'll see what happens during a hopefully very long play-off run.

I will likely be wrong on the 200 minutes and I hope to be wrong it that means that Spurs go deep in playoff.
I still think that Rasho won't play a lot during the playoff and will be traded this summer, future will tell.

[Bruno]

1. Rasho is the best defensive center we have, since Tim plays PF.
2. Pop will play Rasho heavily against Detroit, Miami, and Sacramento. Against teams like Phoenix, Nazr will be played because of his more reliable offense. Dallas could go either way, depending on how they play.
3. See above. Rasho is EASILY the better fit against defensive-minded teams. Nazr brings more defensively, and is a good rebounder, but against quicker teams he tends to bobble the ball.
4. That depends on who the Spurs play.
5. I disagree. Pop and the Spurs LIKE Rasho, and Nazr will likely be overpaid this summer, if you look at the going rate for mediocre centers last year. Nazr will not return if wants a big contract. It would be a mistake to let Rasho go in favor of Nazr; Nazr is more replaceable.

I think the initial post in this thread provided excellent analysis of why Rasho needs 15+ minutes for the Spurs to win. It doesn't matter as much who starts, as it does utilizing Rasho well.

1. Tim starts at PF but mainly play C with horry at PF. Rasho is the best defensive center not named Duncan but that doesn't change that he is the 4th bigmen (behind Duncan, Horry and Nazr).

2. Detroit : no way : see the Final last year and the two games this year to see that Detroit is a bad matchup.
Miami : yes but we likely won't play against them.
Sacramento : not sure : their bigmen are jumpshooter.
Pop has mainly played with 3 bigs in playoff. Rasho in 2005, Malik in 2004, Willis/Ferry in 2003... were the 4th big and they haven't played a lot.

3. I disagree with you on what is a good matchup for Rasho. I think that Rasho is a better fit than Nazr when Spurs's center had to play man to man defense against a real center.

4. 1st round : Sacramento, see above or maybe Lakers :better matchup for Rasho with Mihm.
2nd round : Dallas, bad matchup for Rasho.
3rd round : Suns/Denver : bad matchup for Rasho, Clippers are an average matchup.
4th round : Detroit, bad matchup for Rasho.

5. I'm not sure Spurs are so in love with Rasho : they tried to trade him last summer and they have benched him to start Nazr. Nazr will be overpaid but will be cheaper than Rasho. Nazr is older, has worse stats and is shorter than Rasho when he gets his contract.

[ata]

...
2. Detroit : no way : see the Final last year and the two games this year to see that Detroit is a bad matchup.
Miami : yes but we likely won't play against them.
Sacramento : not sure : their bigmen are jumpshooter.
Pop has mainly played with 3 bigs in playoff. Rasho in 2005, Malik in 2004, Willis/Ferry in 2003... were the 4th big and they haven't played a lot.
...

Sorry, but against Detroit Rasho hardly played.

Nazr showed next to nothing in first six games against Detroit, however bounced back in Game 7. Rasho never had I chance to play against Detroit in final (with exception of game 4 after game was already lost).

[Bruno]

Sorry, but against Detroit Rasho hardly played.

Nazr showed next to nothing in first six games against Detroit, however bounced back in Game 7. Rasho never had I chance to play against Detroit in final (with exception of game 4 after game was already lost).

Nazr has not been great against Detroit last year but rasho has been worse during the two games this year. Detroit is a way better matchup for Nazr :
- Wallace² and McDyess aren't real centers.
- We badly need Nazr rebounding ability.
- Detroit are a jumpshooting team and Rasho shotblocking ability isn't very useful against them.

[ata]

Nazr has not been great against Detroit last year but rasho has been worse during the two games this year. Detroit is a way better matchup for Nazr :
- Wallace² and McDyess aren't real centers.
- We badly need Nazr rebounding ability.
- Detroit are a jumpshooting team and Rasho shotblocking ability isn't very useful against them.

I agree, just don't bash Rasho for no reason (i.e. last year final).

[ploto]

Actually Rasho covered Rasheed the first half of the Christmas Day game and did a great job! But, I take it one series at a time.

BTW- Rasho played well against Houston. Nazr- well, I don't think I have to say a word.