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Kid looked good defending Paul. Defended him better than Tony does...that's for sure.
Spurs' Hill turns game, heads defending Paul
By Jeff McDonald
NEW ORLEANS — A year and a half ago, Spurs guard George Hill checked into the second preseason game of his NBA career to find himself facing an impossible assignment: Guard New Orleans' Chris Paul.
“That was like one of my steps to say I'm finally in the NBA,” Hill recalled. “Guarding a guy like Chris Paul, who you watched on TV a few months before, I knew I'd made it.”
If there was still doubt about whether Hill belonged in the NBA — and there wasn't — his performance Monday answered it. Thrust into the starting lineup with Richard Jefferson ailing, Hill scored 16 points in the Spurs' 97-90 victory over the Hornets, a number secondary to the unquantifiable damage he wreaked defending Paul.
Paul had 18 points and nine assists, numbers the Spurs could live with. He was essentially a non-factor until the fourth quarter, after the Spurs had built a 21-point lead.
Hill essentially sealed the game when, with the Hornets within 94-88, he took a charge from Paul in the open court with 33.9 seconds left, fouling Paul out.
“Chris is a great player, and I have a lot of respect for him,” Hill said. “Hopefully, I did a good enough job that maybe he respects me a little bit now.”
Jefferson ailing: Jefferson had a string of 232 consecutive starts snapped when he sat out Monday's game with back spasms.
Jefferson's back had been bothering him for a few days — which explains his 0-for-6 game Saturday at Memphis — but he didn't bring it up to the training staff until the fourth quarter of that game.
“You just watched him running, he looked bad,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “Finally, he owned up. I wish guys wouldn't try to be heroes. He could have told us earlier.”
Jefferson last sat out a game March 6, 2006, at Dallas while playing for New Jersey. He played all 82 games in each of the past two seasons.
Roster tinkering: Popovich replaced Jefferson on the active list with Matt Bonner, who had missed 15 games since fracturing his right hand Dec. 19.
Playing with a brace on his hand he calls “The Claw,” Bonner logged six scoreless minutes, attempting one shot.
The Spurs briefly toyed with activating recently reassigned swingman Malik Hairston instead, going so far as to summon him from Austin to New Orleans. Dispatched to the Development League on Thursday, Hairston was in the building Monday but wound up being inactive.
By rule, Hairston's trip to New Orleans will not count as his second call-up of the season.
Last edited by duncan228; 01-19-2010 at 12:16 AM.
Kid looked good defending Paul. Defended him better than Tony does...that's for sure.
I remember on draft night people laughed at my comments about Hill being drafted as a CP3 stopper.
3 things I take away from this.Jefferson ailing: Jefferson had a string of 232 consecutive starts snapped when he sat out Monday's game with back spasms.
Jefferson's back had been bothering him for a few days — which explains his 0-for-6 game Saturday at Memphis — but he didn't bring it up to the training staff until the fourth quarter of that game.
“You just watched him running, he looked bad,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “Finally, he owned up. I wish guys wouldn't try to be heroes. He could have told us earlier.”
Jefferson last sat out a game March 6, 2006, at Dallas while playing for New Jersey. He played all 82 games in each of the past two seasons.
1) No wonder he has sucked so bad (Worse than usual at least.)
2) The dude has drive to give it his all even though he's hurt (which is encouraging.)
3) He should have said something but it's understandible with the pressure he is under being the supposed "Catalyst".
I'm convinced, Hill should be the starting SG.
Line-up: Tony-Hill-RJ-Blair-Tim
Rotation: Manu-Mason-Dyess (Bonner-Ian-Theo)
1.) Paul didn't foul out from that charge.
2.) That charge was bull in the first place.
3.) Some players wish they could average 18 and 9, so Hill shouldn't pat himself on the back just yet.
That defense on Parker was awful thought. Somebody other than Collison should have guarded him.
God knows I love me some Hill, but CP3 looked like he was hoping Hoopsworld was right for a change; I thought I saw him with some TP pom-poms..
Wow...talk about being a negative Nancy
Redzero is a hornets fan. Sounds more bitter than a lemon tbh....
Let's hope he can be a Derek Fisher stopper. Lakers have honed the art of getting a load of results out of a player who only makes clutch threes. That's all he does.
Jefferson's injury explain why he was so bad lately.
I find that he has been stupid to keep this injury for himself. When you are a pro athlete, you talk about that to the medical staff and follow treatments.
Exactly on point. We need Bogans defense on the starting SF/SG of the opposition to begin the game. And Bogans has done a serviceable job of hitting open 3's - at least against the Hornets.
Also, moving Hill into the starting SG position essentially takes away minutes from him at his primary job - backup PG. With TP ailing and needing rest, Hill may need to spot TP even more. I'm good with Hill playing some 2 sparingly, but having him as a starting 2 is counterproductive - IMHO.
So where would Boggans be? You can't just drop him out of the rotation. He has contributed a lot to the D and if he's out of the starting lineup then he would definitely be on the 2nd unit. There's no way Pop parks him at the end of the bench. He has done everything that he has been asked to do. And he hasn't been asked to score alot only ocasionallyIMHO. Dude is there for his D with an occasional scoring spree. Most likely Ian doesn't get the minutes and Theo. Theo is there for the POs and really only gets minutes to stay tuned up so to say.
A four man rotation on the wing (5 if you add Hill) is too long for the playoffs and Bogans is by far the least talented one of all those guys, besides I think George can do the same (or even better) job on the defensive end.
"The Craw" one of the funniest bits ever (from the old Get Smart series)Playing with a brace on his hand he calls “The Claw,” Bonner logged six scoreless minutes, attempting one shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftgAG3Vnif8
nO, RJ has to come around and Bogans serves a purpose on the starting unit. He's a hardnosed defender who will set the table for hill defensively when he comes in. i thought both of them did a great job on Paul. Although like Sean said on the broadcast it did seem that he was deferring but early on fouls and that tough d might have had a lot to do with him looking for others to score.
i honestly think that hill will be a crucial part of this team in the future, im talking like manu important. hes going to be that good but in a different way. he will be able to keep up with the fastest pg's while defending them on the other end. that is incredible. d. williams is something like that but not as fast and on screens he will be able to take the switch and defend unlike um um um t.p or like some people call him in here jesus
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