In the last four games, the San Antonio Spurs have been all over the map. There have been highs and there have been lows. All told, the team split the four games and now stand with a 4-4 record after the season's first eight contests.
Against the Portland Trail Blazers in a second night of a back-to-back, the Spurs were flat to begin the outing and then rallied in the fourth quarter. After getting within three points with about three minutes remaining, the Spurs ran out of gas and ended up losing 96-84.
The next game saw the Spurs and the Toronto Raptors engage in a shootout. With little defense being played by either team, the Spurs used a strong fourth quarter effort to win 131-124 despite being without both Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
A couple nights later, still without Duncan and Parker, San Antonio showed off their defensive potential against the Dallas Mavericks. Although the offense sputtered at times, the defense was good enough for the Spurs to post a 92-83 victory.
To complete a three-game homestand, the Spurs hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Duncan and Parker back in the lineup, the Spurs built a seven-point halftime lead. However, the second half was a different story. The defense broke down and the lack of offensive cohesion was painfully obvious. The result was a 101-98 defeat.
Overall, this has definitely been a bumpy beginning to the 2009-10 campaign. Adding the new pieces to the mix is still a work in progress and has resulted in frustratingly inconsistent play on both ends of the court. Hopefully it is simply a matter of time before everything begins to click for the Spurs. Until that point, expect the road to continue to have potholes along the way.
Tim Duncan
36 minutes, 18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.5 blocks
50% (14-for-28) from the field, 72.7% (8-for-11) at the line
After not playing very well against the Blazers, Tim Duncan missed the next two outings. It turns out that Duncan hurt his ankle prior to the Blazers game and tried to play on it. In his return, he started off strong against the Thunder but seemed to tire as the game went along. In eight fourth quarter minutes, Duncan went scoreless.
If you just see Duncan's averages on the season (specifically the 15.8 points per game), you would think his effective has declined. However, his per-minute numbers tell a different story. While his scoring is down a bit, his field goal percentage is up and his turnovers are down. He's rebounding at a career-high rate and he's blocking more shots than he did last season.
That said, injuries have to be a concern with Duncan. We'll need to see a dominating stretch of games from Duncan to rest assured that last season's fade to the finish was an injury-aided anomaly. The two aspects to keep an eye on: Can he still draw double-teams offensively and can he still be an elite help defender? The Spurs need both answers to be yes if they truly hope to be a championship contender.
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Manu Ginobili
26.8 minutes, 18.3 points, 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 2.3 turnovers
34% (17-for-50) from the field, 40.7% (11-for-27) on three-pointers, 93.3% (28-for-30) at the line
Manu Ginobili had a rollercoaster of a week. He wasn't very good against the Blazers. His shot-selection was poor and he forced the issue too much. Then against the Raptors, Ginobili was fantastic. He scored 36 points, handed out eight assists and blocked a career-high four shots in by far his most dominating performance of the season. Ginobili followed that up with an average game against the Mavs and then a poor showing against the Thunder that saw him go 0-for-8 from the floor.
When you look at Ginobili's stats on the season, you see good and bad. The good is that he leads the team in both points per minute and assists per minute while turning it over at the lowest rate of his career. He's also getting to the line more than ever. On the other hand, Ginobili is shooting only 37.9% from the field -- 40.9% on two-pointers and 34.9% on three-pointers. Considering that his rebounding is down and he's having trouble finishing at the rim, it's pretty obvious that his athleticism has yet to return since his long layoff this summer.
Like Duncan, injuries are a primary concern with Ginobili. He's reportedly dealing with a hamstring issue that has slowed him down the last few games. He's playing well but the Spurs have to hope that Ginobili's explosiveness returns. If it doesn't, he'd have to shoot much better from the perimeter to return to superstar status.
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Tony Parker
21.5 minutes, 10.5 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 turnovers
36.4% (8-for-22) from the floor, 71.4% (5-for-7) at the line
Tony Parker sprained his ankle 11 minutes into the game against the Blazers. He ended up missing the rest of that game and then two more contests. In his return against the Thunder, Parker was rusty and seemed to be slowed. As a result, he turned in a decidingly sub par performance.
In his first six games this season, Parker has only one quality outing. Almost everything is down from last year -- from scoring to assists to field goal percentage. He's also turning it over more and defending less. When it comes to integrating the new weapons, Parker hasn't yet figured out how to spread the touches while also staying consistent with his own offensive aggression.
While it has been a relatively bad start to the season for Parker, it's still way too early to worry. He's been banged up and I'm sure the long summer playing for his home country hasn't helped matters -- but he has nowhere to go but up from here. Once he starts picking up his energy defensively and gets more comfortable offensively, he should return to All-Star level play. At that point, the Spurs will find wins a lot easier to come by.
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Richard Jefferson
37.3 minutes, 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 2 turnovers
50% (28-for-56) from the field, 25% (3-for-12) on three-pointers, 60.7% (17-for-28) at the line
In the comeback against the Blazers, Richard Jefferson was arguably the leading star. He then followed that up with a pair of very good performances against the Raptors and Mavs. In those two games, Jefferson scored well, rebounded with physicality, authored a number of good passes and progressed on the defense end. But following the return of Duncan and Parker, Jefferson saw his touches dry up against the Thunder.
Offensively, it would be difficult to be unhappy with Jefferson's overall production. He's scoring at a high rate, he's finishing well at the basket, he's getting to the line (although he has Spur-itis once he toes the stripe), he's rebounding better than he has in years, his passing has been more advanced than advertised and his turnovers are drastically down. On defense, he's had some ugly possessions but those possessions seem to becoming less and less frequent.
Right now, Jefferson has to continue bringing it mentally on the defensive end while figuring out how to play with the Big 3 offensively. As it stands, he's struggling with spacing when Duncan is on the court, he's not demanding enough when Parker is on the court and his chemistry with Ginobili can improve. His potential was on display when he was forced into a larger role but mastering a smaller niche is mandatory for individual and team success.
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Keith Bogans
23 minutes, 7.3 points, 2 rebounds
58.8% (10-for-17) from the floor, 45.5% (5-for-11) on three-pointers, 100% (4-for-4) at the line
After playing only 25 minutes in the first four games of the regular season and struggling mightily in the preseason, Keith Bogans was a surprise starter against the Blazers. He performed well enough to keep his starting role and has actually played quite well in the last four games. He was most effective against the Mavs when he poured in 13 first half points and played tough, physical defense all game long.
With the retirement of Bruce Bowen, the Spurs needed a perimeter player to step up and fill the role of a defensive stopper. It appears as if Bogans may be that man. He's relatively short and not a very good athlete but he's willing to defend with every ounce of his being. Statistically, his shooting will undoubtedly cool but he should also start rebounding more since he's well below his usual rate.
I'm still not convinced Bogans is the long-term answer as a starter. Though he's a good defender, his limitations offensively could negate what he can do on the defensive end. Even with his hot shooting and playing most of his minutes with fellow starters, Bogans has by far the worst +/- on the team. That doesn't bode well for the future.
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George Hill
33.3 minutes, 14.8 points, 3.5 assists, 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals
52.4% (22-for-42) from the field, 44.4% (4-for-9) on three-pointers, 73.3% (11-for-15) at the line
George Hill had a busy foursome of games. He finished the Blazers game after Parker got injured and then had a pair of starts while Parker was out. Hill played well in both of his starts. His offense was on display against the Raptors, while his defense shined against the Mavericks. His best game, though, came against the Thunder. In addition to scoring 18 points in 32 minutes, he also played tremendous defense against Kevin Durant -- a player who has at least a seven-inch height advantage.
With his play as of late, Hill could have earned himself a lot more minutes. Not only did Pop use him as the backup point guard against the Thunder, Hill also played next to Parker at shooting guard. If that becomes a common occurrence, Hill could see his playing time shoot up to an average of around 25 minutes per game.
Hill still has some work to do. Everything regarding his scoring is very good but his assists numbers are extremely low for a player who handles the ball as much as he does. If he can improve his playmaking and become consistent defensively, Hill may be poised for a breakout season.
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Matt Bonner
22.8 minutes, 9 points, 5.3 rebounds
40.6% (13-for-32) from the field, 40% 8-for-20 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner started but played poorly against Portland. Since then, Bonner has been relegated to bench duty. To his credit, Bonner has actually increased his level of play since losing his starting job. He's shooting better and rebounding more often. I'm sure the Spurs coaches feared that Bonner would lose his confidence following the move but that doesn't appear to be the case.
On the year, Bonner's production has declined since last season. Although he's scoring slightly more on a per-minute basis, his shooting percentages are down and his rebounding is down. Bonner's defense has been mostly adequate but his new penchant for flopping isn't really helping his cause.
Even though Bonner's stats are down and he doesn't appear to be an important piece to the puzzle when you watch the team play, he must be doing something right because he's leading the team in +/- for the second straight season. Either Bonner is quietly better than all Spurs fans realize or the threat of his outside shooting is enough to make life easier for his teammates.
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DeJuan Blair
15.8 minutes, 4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2 turnovers
43.8% (7-for-16) from the field, 66.7% (4-for-6) at the line
Following an extremely strong preseason and a quality start to his rookie season, DeJuan Blair's production has started to taper off. He didn't do much of anything against the Blazers. He played better against the Raptors but then had a pair of non-descript outings against the Mavs and Thunder despite starting in both games.
Even factoring in his recent statistical woes, Blair still has very respectable per-minute averages. He's proving to be an above average scorer and an elite rebounder. As he adjusts to the NBA, he needs to cut down on turnovers and fouls while improving his help defense. The good news is that he's steadily progressing on the defensive end. He's still by far the worst defensive bigman on the team but the last few games have been better.
It'll be very interesting to see if the coaching staff continues to use Blair as the team's starting center next to Duncan. I think it's a good idea because it guarantees Blair at least a decent amount of minutes on a nightly basis. It would also speed up his NBA education while giving the Spurs a very good opportunity to figure out what exactly they have.
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Antonio McDyess
21.3 minutes, 8.5 points, 7 rebounds
53.8% (14-for-26) from the field, 54.5% (6-for-11) at the line
Antonio McDyess is beginning to groove with his teammates. He came on strong in the second half against the Blazers and then followed that effort up with three very solid games. His rebounding and outside touch have been particularly impressive.
Compared to his last couple seasons in Detroit, McDyess is actually scoring at a more prolific rate. His rebounding still has room for improvement but the Spurs already have to be happy with the production they are getting from McDyess.
Since McDyess takes summers off to rest his knees, it takes him a while to round into shape. Whenever he has played long stretches this season, his lack of conditioning becomes apparent. Once he's in shape, McDyess will become a bigger part of the rotation and he'll become more of a defensive presence around the basket.
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Michael Finley
13.3 minutes, 3.8 points, 1.5 rebounds
37.5% (6-for-16) from the field, 40% (2-for-5) on three-pointers
Michael Finley started the first four games of the season but has come off the bench in the last four. It was apparent that the 36-year-old Finley isn't a starting quality player any longer but it was somewhat surprising for Pop to make the move so quickly -- especially since Finley was shooting the ball well from the field as a starter.
Finley has a field goal percentage of 47.2% and a three-point percentage of 46.7% on the season. Those two numbers have kept his value afloat. The rest of his game has fallen off. He's not rebounding anymore, his turnovers are way up and he seems to have lost another step.
Despite his negatives, Finley likely won't drop all the way out of the rotation as long as he's stroking it from the perimeter. He'll need to adjust to coming off the bench, which has been difficult for Finley during his Spurs career. Once the rest of the players settle into their roles, it'll be easier to figure out if Finley has enough gas in the tank to help out as a specialist or if he's reached the end of the line.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
15.3 minutes, 2 points, 2.8 assists
16.7% (3-for-18) from the field, 14.3% (2-for-14) on three-pointers
The biggest disappointment this season has to be the play of Roger Mason, Jr. At this time last year, Mason looked like the steal of free agency. Now he's struggling just to stay in the rotation. In the four games, Mason saw his role diminish each night.
Currently, Mason is a three-point specialist who can't shoot. Less than half of his attempts last year were three-pointers. This season, nearly 60% of his shots are from beyond the arc. The lone bright spot so for for Mason is that his assist numbers have gone way up while his turnover rate has stayed the same.
It's no secret what Mason needs to do to win back playing time. Since he's a below average defender, doesn't get to the line and can't finish at the basket, it's either make more shots are sit on the pine. One idea to resuscitate his season would be to start him at shooting guard for a few weeks. But whatever the course of action, the Spurs need Mason to be more accurate because the team is deceptively short on shooters.
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Gregg Popovich
Pop mostly has to be commended for his coaching in the last four games. Winning those two games without Duncan and Parker was vintage Pop. His consistent approach to the regular season allows the team to usually survive when the injury bug bites.
As for his merry-go-round of a rotation, I like where it is at the moment. Bogans deserves an extended look as a starter. Blair in the starting lineup makes sense. Hill getting minutes at point guard and shooting guard is a smart move. He's being patient with McDyess and he's letting Jefferson figure it out on his own.
Going forward, hopefully Pop can get this team to play better defense and somehow cajole offensive cohesion. With nine of the next twelve games at home, the Spurs can't afford for this uneven play to last much longer. They must take advantage of the schedule and not rely on a strong finish to the regular season.
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Great stuff. One of the things that has really stuck out to me these last 4 games is why Duncan and McDyess are usually not in the game together and it makes sense. They're your stronger rebounders and defenders and you have to pair them up with Bonner and Blair appropriatly.
I also see a team that's perfectly capable of putting up big offensive games every night and that's surprising.
finally. thanks.
Yeah thanks Timvp. Can i have the Aussie Flag under my post count?
Thanks timvp
This is the season where TP needs to become a true PG. He has the speed, passing abilty and tools to do it. After maturing to a number 1 scoring option, does he have the mental toughness to become a pass first point guard?
I think you have to ask Slomo, he did mine I think.
Thanks alot timvp. Great and right on the money thoughts as always...
Really missed these recaps.
Good stuff, as always.
Much appreciated.
As always- A GREAT READ!
Fantastic read, fabulous read, you're the best, I agree with everything you say, sluuuuuuuuuuuuuurrppppp!
I liked the other guy's game thoughts better..
Thanks timvp, been waiting for this for a long long time!
Impressive that timvp can actually come up with three paragraphs about the play of Roger Mason Jr.
timvp, spot on as usual!
What happened to mookie's post in this thread???
thanks timvp
Cool. Thax.
Looks like Hill will be getting some serious court time now.
timvp: do you think is still early to declare that this team is not responding to Pop anymore?
Yes. Spurs almost stole a win last night thanks to Duncan and good coaching. I don't see Pop as a reason for the slow start.
I'm sorry but can you please explain to me why Pop thinks having a lineup of Duncan/Bonner/Finley/Mason/Bogans on the floor is a good idea? Or any lineup with Tim and 4 guys who cannot penetrate but only stand around the three point line is effective?
You can be sure we'll be seeing plenty of Hill and Jefferson tonight.
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