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It'd be nice to see Tim shoot long range more so we can have post players on the team. It's a shame this never occured to Pop in the Scola days.
There was talk about Tim playing away from the basket last year, and hid did play outside of the post a little more... especially thru reg season to cut down on wear & tear of banging around in the post. But in game-1 in this season, he REALLY seemed to playing more of a mid-range game than ever.
I guess this makes some sense... First of all, he's an excellent mid-range shooter, and when the Spurs have multiple guys on the floor who can penetrate (some combo of Parker, Manu, Hill, Jefferson), it makes for a clearer path to the basket when Tim draws his defender outside.
And as long as there is someone like Blair or splitter (hopefully very soon) who can rebound and get the put-backs... they can probably afford to have Tim away from the basket a little more.
Whadya think? Do you like Tim playing away from the basket more, or do you want to seem him posting up most of the time?
It'd be nice to see Tim shoot long range more so we can have post players on the team. It's a shame this never occured to Pop in the Scola days.
I'm all for Duncan letting Blair and Splitter playing in the low post during the regular season. The less banging he takes, the better it is.
However, come playoffs time, he has to and I'm sure he will play more in the low post.
Duncan can't take the wear-and-tear under the basket all season anymore. Gotta protect him as much as possible for the playoffs.
His jumper sure looked good last night.
Kind of an interesting dynamic. Last year, they went and got a big man who could play away from the basket to make a for a better frontcourt partner for Tim. This year, they brought in a guy who must play in the post, and it'll be TIM who shoots most the mid-range jumpers now at the 4/5 positions.
But I think if Tim could develop a bank shot, it might help his mid-range game!
I was really surprised at shooting stroke, if he can become acurate shooter from outside then im cool with shooting those.
If he is as consistant or better than AD i would be quite pleased...
I think he's always been a good, accurate mid-range shooter. Just shooting more of them now.
Tim is just evolving. He realizes Blair and Splitter play the majority of their game in the post, and Tim is an amazing mid range shooter. Let them absorb the collateral damage of an 82 game season played predominantly in the paint. In a way, he's almost moving into the DRob role, though the situations obviously different.
It was great seeing hit those mid rangers last night. If he can keep that up it would work wonders for his overall game.
What gave me chills wasn't just that he was knocking down his shot, but he has elevation now, looks like he jumps more, even on defense. Losing that weight and getting and shape might have done wonders for his knees. Three years ago I was starting to say that Duncan was slowly starting to decline. Today I can't say that, he looks better and healthier than he did in 2007.
Watching him take it easy through three quarters made it all the more rewarding in the fourth when he just went to work on a bigger, stronger, younger, more athletic defender and cut him to pieces.
Putting my Bonner support aside, how long have we waited for this moment? Since Nazr started completing sucking and/or got benched for Finley? Oberto in flashes?
It's ing nice knowing Splitter is gonna come in and wreck down low even more, at least take the pressure off Tim offensively, letting Tim take it easy for a possession here or there for once in 4 years.
Seeing it happen with just Blair and Dyess is already exhilarating enough.
When Tim bangs down low all season it ruins his legs and when his legs go his jumper is off come playoff time. If he plays on the perimeter more it saves his legs and he can continue hitting jumpers at the end of the season, we know the post game is there 8 days a week.
I remember Tim being so perimeter-oriented offensively in the 90's, especially in the regular season. He used to expirement with long range and face up dribble drives from 20 feet a lot. Tiago's presence makes it easier for Pop to ok this but the fact that he's still doing it with the smaller post guys out there makes me think that Pop doesn't want to tempt fate.
Tim has always had a good mid range shot. The difference I saw was that he was catching and letting it fly if open where in the past he looked to be more of a passer in similar situations. If this continues it will put tremendous pressure on defenders in the pick and roll(pop) in addition to not wearing him down.
Until 2005, Tim would consistently take the long range jumper and hit it (very similar to KG). Then he got plantar fascitis in 2006 and during the playoffs, he made maybe 5 jumpers total. Since then, he's become MUCH more hesitant on those outside shots and looks to keep the ball moving...but it makes him less of a threat. I loved seeing him shoot it quickly and it hit nothing but net because when he hesitates and then shoots...it generally bricks.
If the new strategy is "I won't make you play defense for 48 minutes if you can keep the score close and play defense for the last 12" it's working so far. Should keep Timmy fresh.
Don't know how well that will work in the win column.
I do think the schedule at the beginning is gonna help. No quick back to backs. Couple days off after the first game. Beginning of the season last year they had a quick back to back, IMO the schedule threw the rotations off a tad along with injuries.
Crazy thought Im sure but just a quick observation.
I like it, let the others bang in the paint until the playoffs, then let the master go to work.
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