Call it now.
Duncan
Manu
Parker
Mason
Bonner
Finley
Bowen
Hill
Gooden
Oberto
Thomas
Vaughn
Udoka/Hariston/Ian Odd Men Out?
unless gooden's injury turns out to be worse than expected (hope not), udoka, much to the chagrin of the fans, will be in the lineup. hairston is still raw and inexperienced in the playoffs.
i don't know how much interest the spurs have on stromile swift. (i thought this guy retired already).
The converstation comes down to Vaughn/Udoka.
Hill impressed me enough to handle it, but Vaughn is still a guy that is safe. Udoka could add a quick defense hit.
Vaughn ?
He is Spurs' 5th string PG.
Vaughn and Mahinmi are lock to be inactive. The other inactive player will likely be Hairston.
scratch swift. looks like the suns are looking to sign him up.
I think Vaughn is for sure left off the roster. Udoka is the only other one who comes to mind
Major Rotation players:
Duncan
Manu
Parker
Thomas
Bonner
Mason
Finley
Bowen
Gooden
bench scrubs:
Hill
Oberto
Udoka
Praise jesus.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but teams can carry 15, and change their active roster from game-to-game, right?
Yes.
It hasn't worked this way for a couple of years now. It used to be you could only take 12 to the playoffs. Now you take 15 and dress any 12 for each game, just like the regular season.
The question is moot and this thread is rather pointless.
Duncan
Gooden
Bowen
Mason
Parker
SUBS:
Ginobili
Thomas
Bonner
Hill
Finley
Thats a good rotation
Depends on the matchup. If Ian were healthy I could see him being active over Vaughn if the Spurs are facing a team that's got a lot of size, just for the insurance. Against teams with a bunch of perimeter scoring threats then Udoka might get some games on the active list. Hairston is the only guy who I think you can safely say will be inactive the entire playoffs.
If Hairston is inactive and Udoka isnt....
I can't conceive of any way in which Ian would be considered for activation for any single playoff game UNLESS the Spurs suffer a rash of injuries [knocks on wood] and need another body to fill out the roster minimum. The guy has played one basketball game all season and has played 23 minutes of basketball at the NBA level and there's actually some thought that Gregg Popovich is going to make him an option for a playoff game?!?!?!
If Pop holds to form, there will be very little change from game-to-game or series-to-series and the Spurs will suit up the same 12 guys on just about every night. I think the end of this season becomes an audition for Malik Hairston to see if he's outplayed Ime Udoka and becomes one of the 12. I think if neither shines from here on out, Pop goes to his old favorite of having Vaughn active. The other 11 spots -- assuming Gooden comes and is healthy -- are all but set in concrete, barring injury.
I agree with you that the top 11 are pretty much givens. As for spot #12, whoever gets it is there for insurance only. There are some teams out there against whom I think having an extra big is better insurance to carry than another SG/SF or PG. JMO.
Duncan
Parker
Manu
Bonner
Gooden
Hill
Mason
Thomas
Oberto
Finley
Bowen
Vaughn/Udoka
-------------------------
Vaughn/Udoka
Hairston
Mahinmi
No offense to JV but Manu and Mason can play some minutes at the point when needed if Hill is struggling. So I would rather have Hairston (for 1 on 1 defense purposes of course) take that 12th spot. I would rather have him for insurance in case Finley and or Bruce run out of gas in the playoffs.
That's all true.
But I feel pretty confident in reasserting that the temptation of having an extra big man available isn't likely going to be enough to make Pop trust a guy who's played 23 NBA minutes -- and none of them in 2008-09 -- with a roster spot for even a single game.
It's not like Popovich is hard to read on this stuff.
Besides, the playoff roster -- as others have noted -- isn't about locking in a group of 12 before the tournament begins or before a series begins. Ian will be among the 15 Spurs who are eligible at playoff time and, conceivably, could be activated for any game along the journey. I'm just saying that there's no way in he'll be activated for any single game of the '09 playoffs, barring catostrophic injuries or something like that.
That's what I was thinking, but you know Pop is going to rely on a savy veteran like Vaughn in the playoffs. If not, then he could very well have Hairston in there instead of JV, just like what's been going on this season. If that happens, I'm all for it.
Aside of games where Tony was out and aside of garbage time, Vaughn has played 6 min this year (in December in a game against Detroit).
I highly doubt Vaughn is in Pop's plans for the playoffs.
I am sure the Spurs will switch starting lineups and such when they play different teams.
Duncan
Manu
Parker
Mason
Bonner
Finley
Bowen
Hill
Gooden
Oberto
Thomas
Hairston
It's definitely between Hairston and Ime for that last spot imo. I'd say that Ime has the edge at the moment, but look for Hairston to replace Ime as number 12 if he continues his improvement.
Pop and the coaching staff are giving Hairston minutes now to find out what they have. If Hairston can take advantage, he might be able to supplant Udoka in the pecking order, but not eliminate him all together.
Udoka/Hairston/Vaughn/Ian- Will all be susceptible to the inactive list, depending on matchups, play, and health, but there is no "playoff roster" anymore.
What you see now, is pretty much what you'll see in the playoffs. (exception being Gooden if added)
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