Reply With Quote
The GM Survey results:
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136184
Confidence shows in Bonner's shot
Mike Monroe
Looking even more pale than usual, Spurs forward Matt Bonner plopped down in the chair at his locker after Tuesday's preseason game against the Houston Rockets and rubbed his left shoulder.
“Flu shot,” said Bonner, who became a father over the summer when his wife, Nadia, gave birth to Evangeline-Vesper Bonner. “I hate needles, but we've got a little girl at home now, so I took one for the kid.”
Flu shots were available to all the Spurs after Tuesday's game, and most of the players sported bandages on their shoulders.
Bonner, whose 44 percent 3-point shooting last season led the Spurs, made four of seven shots from beyond the 3-point arc in Tuesday's 99-85 loss to the Rockets. One of his misses was a hurried heave after catching a pass with just tenths of a second remaining in the first half.
Bonner finished with 14 points in just 16 minutes and 21 seconds.
“He's more relaxed every year, understanding what he can do best, obviously,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He's getting rid of it more quickly than he ever has and not worrying about making a mistake. He's playing more mature basketball.”
Now in his fourth season with the Spurs, Bonner said confidence, born of experience, accounts for his willingness to fire away from long range.
“I'm just trying to build off last year,” he said. “With experience, I've learned where I can get open looks. I'm just trying to keep figuring it out.
“I don't know why it takes me so long to figure out to just let it fly. Coach Pop made it very clear last year, at the beginning of the season, that if I'm open, I need to shoot it. I've just taken that at ude ever since.”
GM survey singles out Spurs: The league released results of its annual survey of general managers Tuesday, with the Spurs prominent among the results of questions ranging from “Which team will win the 2010 NBA Finals?” to “Which player will be Rookie of the Year?”
The leagues' basketball decision makers decided the best decisions of the entire offseason were made by the Spurs. According to 71.2 percent of the GMs who responded to the survey, the Spurs made the best moves of the offseason. Orlando received 17.3 percent of the “best moves” votes, with Cleveland, Toronto and Washington each receiving one vote.
As good as the GMs believe the Spurs' offseason moves were, their changes were not enough to convince most voters they will win either the Western Conference or the NBA championship. The defending NBA champion Lakers were overwhelming favorites to win both the Western Conference and NBA le. The Lakers convinced 75.9 percent of the GMs to predict they will win the West; 60.7 to forecast they will win the championship.
The Spurs were the second choice to win the West (24.1 percent) and fourth choice to win the le (3.6 percent).
The Celtics, with 50 percent of the votes, were the pick to win the East. The Cavaliers got 42.9 percent of the votes. The defending Eastern Conference champion Magic got only 7.1 percent of the votes.
Other survey results: Cavaliers' LeBron James (69 percent) to repeat as MVP; Clippers rookie Blake Griffin (79.3 percent) to be Rookie of the Year; Wizards (48.3 percent) to be most improved team; the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (48.3 percent) as best international player; the Magic's Dwight Howard (46.4 percent) as best defensive player; Lakers coach Phil Jackson (37 percent) as best coach, edging Popovich (33 percent).
********************
Slideshow
http://www.mysanantonio.com/slidesho...ason_Game.html
Last edited by duncan228; 10-07-2009 at 12:05 AM.
The GM Survey results:
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136184
As always thanks for all the articles duncan228
Bonner's confidence is growing, and pop seems pretty attached to giving him minutes... I don't know if this a good thing, or something to be scared of LOL. The complexion of our team as being one that lives off jump shots and three's needs to be altered in 2010 (imo). Bonner doesn't bring much to the table in terms of intangibles, defense, or defensive rebounding, despite being efficient from three point land. At this point, if the Spurs are truly emphasizing defense as the focal point to spurs basketball, I'm partial to a more traditional lineup and a more traditional PF. If his role is to be strictly a sharp shooter off the bench, I'm cool with that, but if his role leans more towards starting, it's games like these from Bonner (14 points off 7 three point attempts) that tend to be fool's gold in the grand scheme (imo). Bonner had good/great games last season too, but will it happen when it matter most?
Bonner (sad to say) is a one trick pony. The only way I can see Bonner making a big impact with the Spurs if he only plays with Duncan. Other than that he is a liability if he is paired up with anyone else....
As long as he's not the only other big out on the floor with Duncan or Antonio, it might be an advantageous matchup to camp him around the three point line.
Bonner is shooting lights out cause' he knows his days could be numbered. He is probably aware that if the other bigs ( Haislip/Mahinmi/D. Jones ) dont work out he is the first to go in a trade for a shot-blocking 7 footer cause of making $3million to stand around and shoot 3's. He is playing not just for minutes but for a stay in san antonio for the rest of the year. Blair is undersized but gets rebounds. He is pretty much garaunteed 10-15 minutes a night. Bonner doesn't block shots and cant really rebound. Remember back in 2007-08 season when the spurs signed brent barry back after trading him and during that stretch Michael Finley couldn't miss a shot after going 0 for the season. Same thing!!!!
Bonner = Trade bait
something tells me we will be seeing alot of Matt Bonner during every game, getting 3 boards per 36 minutes, while blair looks on from the bench.
Hasn't his confidence always been there during the pre-season?
Of course and some regular games. It's crunch time when he freaks. He owns pre-season!
I don't blame them...
Bonner is awesome...as long he is not forced to be a starter or dependent on being a go to guy...if he's just out there on the floor with a ton of talent...and is not expected to do much...he'll do great...put him in as a starter...and put the pressure on him...and he folds like a piece of paper...
Hmm, so 27 teams, that means 3.6% is one vote...Basically, RC Buford voted for the Spurs and no one elseThe Spurs were the second choice to win the West (24.1 percent) and fourth choice to win the le (3.6 percent).
Like I said in another post, I dont HATE Bonner, but I dont LOVE him either. He's strictly a shooter...that's all. He can't rebound a whole lot, he cant post up, and he can't defend much.
Bonner's confidence ALWAYS shows in his shot. That's the problem. If it's going in, he's probably going to have a good shooting night. If it's not, he's probably going to clang everything he puts up. Shooters shouldn't be emotional, and shouldn't have a long memory.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
