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A few games too late POP, but F it if he can spark us to a few more games I am happy with him in here, what to lose?
Spurs' Hill gains shot of confidence
Mike Monroe
DALLAS — As the playoffs approached, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wondered if a rookie guard adapting to three different positions was ready for the pressure cooker of the NBA postseason.
George Hill, Popovich said, was not quite ready for prime playoff time
“Playoffs is a time for people who feel very confident about what they're doing, and George isn't in that category yet,” Popovich said. “He needs more time. This playoff probably isn't for him.”
After Hill's performance in his first taste of real playoff pressure, the Spurs coach may be ready to call on him more often.
The 6-foot-2 combo guard, who also played some small forward during the regular season, was the only Spurs bench player to make a shot in Saturday's 99-90 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Both of his makes were from 3-point range in the fourth quarter, when the Spurs were trying to slice into a Mavericks lead that reached 12 points with 10:06 left in the game.
Except for the final two seconds of the first half, Hill didn't enter the game until Popovich called on him to sub for Tony Parker with 2:27 remaining in the third quarter.
Popovich didn't pull him from the game thereafter, mainly because Hill primarily was responsible for putting the defensive clamps on Mavericks guard Jason Terry. Terry got off only three shots in the fourth, and missed all three.
Hill believes Popovich hasn't lost confidence in his ability to play solid, man-to-man defense on players like Terry, the Mavericks' No. 2 scorer this season at 19.6 points per game.
Hill hopes his 3-point makes will have answered some of the questions Popovich may have had about his ability to contribute at the offensive end.
“The threes were very big for me,” he said. “It gives me confidence, and it gives the coaches confidence in you for the future and the rest of the games this year.
“Now, I have to make the best of my situation. My getting open shots and doing what I'm supposed to do at all times is going to open doors for me next time.”
Aware he would not be in Popovich's regular rotation for the playoffs, Hill had promised he would be ready any time Popovich called.
Getting 24 minutes in Thursday's Game 3 loss, a blowout so thorough that Popovich rested his regulars most of the second half, helped prepare him for Saturday's call.
“I wasn't surprised,” he said of entering a critical game that had not been ceded. “The one thing they always tell me is to keep myself ready, because you never know when your time is going to come.
“When I do get time, I just try to make the best of it.”
Hill knew staying on the court would be a function of his ability to check Terry.
“I went into the game just wanting to make it tough for Jason Terry,” Hill said. “That was my main focus. I wanted to start everything on the defensive end, and build something on the offensive end. Today, my goal was just to disrupt Terry and try to give him as few touches as possible and make every shot he took difficult.
“It played into our strength, but we couldn't hold them off at the end.”
Hill's teammates were happy to see his contribution, especially overworked point guard Tony Parker.
“George did a good job,” Parker said. “He gave us some good minutes, played some good defense on Jason Terry, and hit some big threes for us.
“I think he may be an option we can use in Game 5.”
A few games too late POP, but F it if he can spark us to a few more games I am happy with him in here, what to lose?
Keep taking those shots Georgie, keep taking those shots. Get your Jason Terry on baby...
Once again, Pop screwed the pooch, and his team, in his assessment of his backup PG situation. In years past, he gambled too long on washed-up veterans like NVE and Damon Stoudamire. This time, he didn't gamble enough on George Hill. Everything I've seen from this kid indicates to me that he's not scared or intimidated by anything. Why Pop thought he'd suddenly become Beno 2.0 is beyond me.
Screwed up with Hill, way too much Finley, not enough Bowen, thinking Mason is Joe Johnson.......
Pop has really gone off the deep end this year.
Meh, George will get his time to shine. Just has to be aggressive on the offensive end and look to score, which was his prime objective coming out of college....especially with Manu out; , even do the same when Manu's back.
I watched the post-game press conference and Tony admitted that he was gassed the last 3-4 minutes. It's such a beating watching Mason try and man the backup spot. It's a shame Pop has overthought the decision to bump Hill from the job.
Spurs not enough firepower. It's like a two man game when I looked at the Box Score. Parker and Duncan did all the scoring. You can't win if only two players are actually playing.
honestly, who gives a ? this is over with..
I'm just happy that we got a gem late in the 1st round..we didn't know who this dude was, and he's surprised all of us..I'm excited for his future..
Mase has done a serviceable job at point and has even been effective moving the ball when he drives to the rack rather than pulling up on jump shots....but that's his MO as a SG. Neither he nor Hill are true PGs and both would have been moved to the side with Manu playing, but such is life. Put them both out there if the matchups are favorable to give us more options offensively and we'll get the PG situation squared away in the offseason IMO.
Dude, BENOPHOBIA, seriouslah...
Pop's major mistake in the last month has been not playing enough Hill, and to a lesser extent Bowen. Most of the other stuff has been forced on him by cir stance, but those are on him.
BTW, Hill's floor is Courtney Lee, his ceiling is well, Rajon Rondo without the awesome passing ability but a better jumpshot. Hill has a really unique body and skillset, and I'm looking forward to watching him grow.
Say what? We must have been watching different games, man. I saw our offense go to . No ball movement. Turnovers every time he tried to drive and dish. He's not a slasher. At least not an NBA caliber slasher.
He's a one trick pony. But it's not his fault he's playing out of position.
Provided the Spurs don't offer him up as trade bait for another old guy.Dude, BENOPHOBIA, seriouslah...
Pop's major mistake in the last month has been not playing enough Hill, and to a lesser extent Bowen. Most of the other stuff has been forced on him by cir stance, but those are on him.
BTW, Hill's floor is Courtney Lee, his ceiling is well, Rajon Rondo without the awesome passing ability but a better jumpshot. Hill has a really unique body and skillset, and I'm looking forward to watching him grow.
He played better earlier in the series but people seem to forget that whenever they see him tripping or picking up the ball and being trapped by defenders. When he keeps his dribble and makes a real effort to drive he's like Udoka in that he can find an open man under the basket relatively quickly. He's not great at the point, nor would I go into next season banking on him returning to that role, but he's not as terrible as others make him out to be from what I've seen.
The problem is that if Mason is driving, then Udoka is taking the treys. I would much rather have Hill driving and Mason taking the trey.
Or you have Mason driving and Hill taking the treys, which he's proven he could make. And if he continues to hit them with some consitency they can take turns, though I'd rather have Hill slashing and dunking on the opposition in general. My point was mainly that Mason isn't the disaster at the PG position that many make him out to be.
he is a natural defender, (defense is key to winning esp. with the spurs), he can penetrate, he can shoot from range, he can or will be ableto finish efficiently soon...no reason at all not to play and develop our long-term backup for Parker.
Or have him in the backcourt WITH Parker forming a speedy combo and improving our defense at the position.
I'd like to see Hill get more aggressive at the rim though..the guy is definitely athletic as ..today for example..he should have dunked on Hollins instead of throwing up a weak layup..if he tries to dunk more often, he would at least get to the line..
I guess it'll come with maturity..
this guy shows all the signs though..
AAAAAAAAMEN!!! I was thinking the same thing HH. I thought he was gearing up to throw it down myself.
Mason has under no cir stance done a serviceable job at PG. Dallas' big run to close the Spurs lead in game 1 came when Mason couldn't find anyone a good shot. Dallas went on a 16-3 run as soon as Roger took over the PG duties tonight. Roger's a of a shooter and a solid 2-guard, but his play at point has been a huge disaster ever since February or so.
Bonner
Duncan
Bowen
Hill
Parker
Finley
Mason
Gooden
Udoka
Thomas
Why not.
Agreed. Plus he can't guard Terry. He can't guard Barea. Who can he guard?
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