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so duncan and him lost wait
holt spent more tax money this year
spurs want to win it all
Leaner Mason aims to keep key role
Mike Monroe
When talks aimed at securing a new collective bargaining agreement linking the NBA and its players' union began last week in New York, no team was represented, on both sides, quite like the Spurs.
National Basketball Players Association vice-president Roger Mason Jr., the Spurs shooting guard, took a moment to welcome his fellow NBPA vice-president, Theo Ratliff, the recently signed Spurs center, to his new team.
So, too, did Peter Holt, the Spurs CEO who was elected chairman of the NBA owners' negotiating committee.
Mason's message to his newest teammate when they met in New York: “You're going to love being a Spur.”
“That was the first time I'd seen Theo since the last Players Association meeting,” Mason said of a negotiating session he called strictly informational and cordial. “I welcomed him to the team, but he's such a vet he probably knows more about the Spurs than I do.”
Mason was back in San Antonio last week, visiting friends and speaking to youngsters at the Eastside Boys and Girls Club. He said he has watched the Spurs front office recast the roster this summer with an appreciative eye and a determined spirit.
Mason has heard — too often, he says — that the addition of swingman Richard Jefferson and the return of a healthy Manu Ginobili will affect his role this season. Determined to follow his best season — career highs in games and minutes played, 3-point percentage and scoring average — he expects to continue as a key contributor.
“I've been getting that question a lot,” he said of inquiries about his post-makeover role. “I know I'm not where I want to be, as far as my game's progression. The main thing is, I want to know I'm going to continue to progress, especially on this team.
“Last year I had a good year. This year, I want to have an even better one.”
To that end, Mason was back in the gym just days after the Spurs' first-round playoff ouster in April, focused on getting lean. He says he has reduced his body fat by four percentage points.
“This is the first summer I've been able to focus on my legs and my body,” he said. “I'm trying to be way more active. That's my biggest thing this year.”
Mason is sensitive to criticism of his postseason play. His scoring average in five playoff games against the Mavericks dipped by nearly five points from the regular season. He made only 1 of 6 3-point attempts in the final three games. By Game 5, his playing time was nearly gone.
“I would say this: The first couple of games I played well,” he said. “The first game I had 13 points and played solid defense, and I thought I brought the energy. The second game I had double figures, shot 50 percent.
“The last three games, I didn't play as well. That's fine. Did I think I could have done better? Sure.”
Postseason disappointment manifested in motivation.
“As soon as the season ended, I really went to work,” he said. “I worked on my quickness and my core and getting my legs back. I feel like I've made some pretty good improvement.”
Mason says the team's offseason changes have re-energized everyone.
“Everybody is excited about what we've done. There's a buzz in the air. We're all looking forward to being in training camp soon.
“I know we're going to work harder and we're going to try to improve from last year. That's the only thing I'd ever promise. But the effort is going to be there, that's for sure.”
so duncan and him lost wait
holt spent more tax money this year
spurs want to win it all
To that end, Mason was back in the gym just days after the Spurs' first-round playoff ouster in April, focused on getting lean. He says he has reduced his body fat by four percentage points.
he will be the starter probably, and will get 20+ minutes a night IF Hill does not steal minutes from him.
Keeping Manu under 30 MPG is very important, so mason can get 20 minutes easily.
Duncan lost weight? Where did you hear that? Is it confirmed?
He lost 15 pounds, he's 240.
Ludden.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132942
OK, thanks, I missed that. But didn't Duncan just "add weight" in the weightroom last year, now he loses weight? Is he not back where he started, or is he leaner with more muscle?
He hasn't been listed as less than 255 in years. He looks lean. Recent pic.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/show...8&postcount=73
Can. Not. Wait.
he certainly looks back to PF shape, good news for Dunc's knees I'm sure. Maybe Mason can create his own shot this year or run a fast break, he was exposed as a one trick pony in the Mavs series and I'm sure he's trained to recover in the O.S. So f'n'!
Just missing the flux capacitor and my time machine will be done and i can jump to the end of october and watch the spurs. Will be back with news of how they are doing.
I really do hope Mason retains his role as starting SG. I think that's where he fits best on this team, and it's the best place to get him enough minutes to be effective.
God this looks like a hungry Spurs team! I am so stoked to see the motivation and thought by the players and Holt to get ready for this season. I can't remember a year that I was anticipating as much as this one.
Bring it.
mason was one of the biggest surprises of the season til Pop started playing him at backup PG half the time.
Mason is ing clutch
He has ice in his blood, that guy is not ing normal
Good read about Mason! Happy the guy is working his ass off.
I hope he keeps the starting SG job.
This article reminded me of a quote from last year. It came at the end of a Michael Wilbon column on Roger Mason Jr.:
"Mason was a little taken aback during his appearance on All-Star Saturday (in the three-point shootout) that Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, among others, were coming up to him to congratulate him on having a great season.
The conversation turned to having, at long last, made it, and Mason was having none of it. "This is just my second year getting real playing time . . . I've got a lot of room for improvement, I flew my trainer [Joe Connelly, brother of Wizards Director of Player Personnel Tim Connelly] out to All-Star Weekend. And I told him: 'I'm really going to get to work this summer. I will be a better player next year.' " "
Full story can be found here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...022101820.html
So far, sounds like Mason has been true to his word.
Just keep him at the 2, and Roger will be fine..good to see that he's working hard on his game though..
"guy is not ing normal"
... until mid-April
Which coincided with Pop playing him as a PG
Keep up the great work Mase!
If Pop doesn't force-feed him intot he Pg slot, MAson willbe fine.
I blame last year's Mason fizzle on Pop, who didn't trust George at backup when he should have. That moronic move cost both Hill and Mason valuable growth time.
Mason will need to play better defense this year. Being quicker will surely help him to do that.“As soon as the season ended, I really went to work,” he said. “I worked on my quickness and my core and getting my legs back. I feel like I've made some pretty good improvement.”
what concerns me is that mason has semi disappeared in the playoffs for two straight years now. spurs need depth at the shooting guard position during the playoffs for sure so mason will be key. hopefully he becomes a better defender too.
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