Reply With Quote
They picked Memphi's Marc Gasol?? I haven't seen him play this season, is he any good? Well, the guard position is packed in the rookie class, so Hill shouldn't feel too bad about being excluded.
Parker hopes to return to Phoenix soon
Mike Monroe
PHOENIX — Spurs guard Tony Parker and Suns stars Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal find out tonight if they’ve earned the call to be 2009 All-Star Game reserves.
The announcement is scheduled to happen a few hours before the Spurs and Suns play at the US Airways Center, where the All-Star contest will take place Feb. 15.
Spurs forward Tim Duncan already has his spot in the game reserved, voted a starter for the 10th time in his career, and two of the league’s most successful coaches believe he is having one of his best seasons of the past several campaigns.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was effusive in his praise of Duncan, who scored 24 points and had nine rebounds, eight assists and three blocks in leading the Spurs to their 106-100 victory at Energy Solutions Arena on Tuesday.
“We try to do everything we can to try to keep him in hand, but that’s a difficult task,” Sloan said. “I haven’t seen anybody do it since he’s played, even from his rookie year, right on down the line.
“He’s been terrific every night; plays hard every night; keeps his mouth shut. You don’t hear much out of him, except he does it out there on the floor. That’s what you’ve got to admire about a guy who’s been around as long as he has. He seems to be very inspirational to his teammates and helps them become better players. He’s an interesting guy to watch, but very difficult to play against.”
Duncan’s coach, Gregg Popovich, cites many of the same qualities that Sloan admires in discussing Duncan’s play this season.
“I think for the last five or six years this is one of his best years,” Popovich said. “He’s been our most consistent player from the beginning to this point, scoring and rebounding and being a leader, being out there every night, every practice. It all started with his conditioning back in August. He did some remarkable things to get his body the way it is, and I think he’s doing really well.”
Hill snubbed: George Hill, the Spurs rookie who has established himself as the backup for Parker, was not selected to play in the NBA Rookie Challenge during All-Star Weekend.
Hill had expressed hope he might be included among the nine-player rookie roster that will take on a nine-man team of second-year players at the US Airways Center on Feb. 13.
Selected for the game were Chicago point guard Derrick Rose, Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook, Miami forward Michael Beasley, Portland swing man Rudy Fernandez, Clippers guard Eric Gordon, Memphis guard O.J. Mayo, Memphis center Marc Gasol, New Jersey center Brook Lopez and Portland center Greg Oden.
They picked Memphi's Marc Gasol?? I haven't seen him play this season, is he any good? Well, the guard position is packed in the rookie class, so Hill shouldn't feel too bad about being excluded.
Agreed about Hill. As for Marc, imo he's good enough to easily start here.
Isn't this Oden's 10th year in the league yet he is still considered a rookie?
Why does a team have only 9 players? Oh I forgot in this game there is no defense so it is really only half a game anyway.
Sucks for George...he deserves to play in the Rookie Challenge.
George Hill is not in the Rookie Challenge? Thats just stupid as crap.
just too many rookie guards for Hill to crack the lineup.
If Hill were to get more playing time consistently, he'd be a pick for that game IMO
Hill did not have the stats of the other guards due primarily to Tony Parker taking the bulk of PG minutes and playing at an all star level most of the time. If GH had been drafted by a bad team with a bunch of open roster spots, he would have had a good chance to generate the requisite stats to get that kind of attention.
He's a good player playing on an excellent team that is trying to win a championship. Rookies (unless you're Duncan) generally have a harder time getting minutes and stats in that situation.
PS - Duncan rocks. I'm really impressed with his consistency (20 points and 11 or 12 rebounds year after year after year). We're spoiled around here.
They better put Bonner or Mason in the 3PT Challenge, or I'm calling shenanigans.
Parker should easily get nominated.
Was anyone really expecting Hill to be nominated for the rookie team?
Hill doesn't have the stats, he wasn't snubbed. Too bad Augustin has been hurt, he deserved to be there.
Reality check -- Hill is not more deserving than any of the rookies picked, especially if you limit it to guards.
I really wish Bowen had been voted in. It'd be fun to see if he would actually play defense in an All-Star game. (My bet: he would not.) It would also be fun to see the league squirm at the thought of having him there.
You didn't see any of the four games the Spurs have already played against the mighty Grizz? I saw them all. Gasol is a very good player. He's much more of a true post-up center than his brother, who's more like a power forward.
Hill got snubbed, shoulda had 12 players.
-Mars
None of them are All-Star material at the moment.
why don't you make a thread about how Tim Duncan isn't an All-Star
Even with 12, it would be a stretch. 7 points and 2 assists doesnt gather many accolades.
Yes, and he is like 50 years old.
Hill didn't get snubbed, too many good guards to move ahead of. Hill is having a suprisingly good year though....
that sucks for Hill
Marc is a legit 7'1 and nicknamed "La Tanqueta" ... the Tank.
If the Spurs had Marc Gasol (or Luis Scola) instead of Matt Bonner, they would not have to worry about the Lakers or any other big team. In fact they might have been favorites to win it all.
Fixed it for you
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
