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Let's see if Bonner can repeat his heroics vs Boston.. Spurs should fly in his parents if it will help inspire him.
Spurs get taste of strong bench attack
Mike Monroe
Spurs practice officially had ended, but for an additional 20 minutes assistant coach Mike Budenholzer directed a foursome of bench players as they ran through some offensive sets.
Manu Ginobili, Drew Gooden, George Hill and Malik Hairston took part in an after-work session that signals what may be a potent second unit for the Spurs.
For Gooden, who signed with the Spurs on March 5, it was his first chance to work with Ginobili, who practiced Thursday for the first time in more than a month. The prospect of an off-the-bench scoring punch made Gooden smile.
“I think it can be a great second unit, with Manu and me being out there, especially if we build some chemistry,” Gooden said. “It's going to take some time being in that second group, but it will be a powerful group. I'm cool with it. As long as I'm helping this team I'm cool with it.”
Gooden has played a total of 40 minutes in four games since joining the Spurs. He expects coach Gregg Popovich to increase his workload in the remaining 15 games, and with it, his efficiency.
“It's something Pop and I talked about,” Gooden said. “I was overcoming an injury myself, and he wanted to make sure I was close to 100 percent before going out there trying to push, going 20 or 25 minutes a game. When Manu had an ankle sprain earlier this year, from the outside looking in, it looked like he did the same thing with him.
“It's more of a precautionary thing right now, as far as my minutes.”
A bus too far: Starting center Matt Bonner, who grew up a Celtics fan in New Hampshire, won't have busloads of friends and relatives from the Granite State cheering him on when the Spurs play the Celtics tonight at the AT&T Center.
“Unfortunately,” he said, “the 35-hour drive from New Hampshire wasn't feasible this time around.”
A few dozen of Bonner's fans made the trip to Boston when the Spurs beat the Celtics, 105-99, in a nationally televised game on Feb. 8.
He said he needs no additional motivation from the stands against the team he grew up supporting.
“I'm equally motivated,” he said. “It's still the Celtics, and they're still the team to beat. It's going to be a big game.”
March mad: Spurs players are following the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament, with brackets filled.
Matt Bonner, a former Florida star, feigned outrage when asked which team the Gators were playing in the first round.
Florida did not make the field.
Gooden, who played for Roy Williams during his days as a Kansas Jayhawk, admitted he had Williams' team, North Carolina, advancing further in the tournament than his old school.
Let's see if Bonner can repeat his heroics vs Boston.. Spurs should fly in his parents if it will help inspire him.
I can't wait to see how that bench would work together. If things work out, they would be better than a lot starting fives.
sounds like a promising bench unit.
Hairston's activated? I wonder if he will be..interesting.
He's been activated for a while, except the few games that Pop activates Vaughn instead.
When Manu comes back though, Hairston will probably be wearing street clothes quite a bit, unless Pop decides to have Oberto or someone else inactive in favor of Hairston.
Wow! That sounds like a killer second unit. Im guessing since Manu can take point guard duties when Parker needs rest, HOPEFULLY Pop will deactivate Vaughn and keep Hairston. I like Hairston's intensity both on O and D and IMO hes showed me thus far that he can play with the big boys...But if this second unit lead by Gooden and Manu comes to fruition with a 100% health bar....I would be ting my pants as a fan of another team. Go Spurs Go
I think if Vaughn is decactivated, both he and Malik Hairston will be wearing street clothes in the playoffs. I see the following 12 people active for most of the postseason, if not all of it.
Starters
Parker
Mason
Finley
Duncan
Bonner
Bench
Ginobili
Thomas
Bowen
Gooden
Hill
Udoka
Oberto
IR
Vaughn
Hairston
Mahinmi
Man, there's no way we are going to be able to keep top tier teams from scoring on us with both Finley and Bonner starting games. Especially considering that Mason/Parker are average defender's at best.
I really think pop should at least consider replacing either one of them with bruce and/or Thomas respectively. Maybe Gooden as well if he is up to speed with the play schemes by then. Simply trying to outscore teams is fool's gold and typically results in early playoff exits.
Now that Manu is coming back, Bonner should play with the 2nd team. Manu can find him for threes on that 2nd unit. And since Tim is not at 100%, we need more rebounding and defense from that spot.
I think Thomas should start, although I'd love it if Gooden can get up to speed enough to lay beside Tim. I just don't think Pop will let that happen.
yes agree with this.
“It's more of a precautionary thing right now, as far as my minutes.”
maybe but vs. MInny he was so obviously sucking on D, Pop never put him back in
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