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Would rather start Splitter, with Blair/Mcdyess off the bench...
ever since Pop went with Dyess in the starting line up this team has struggled and it's struggled primarily because Dejuan CANNOT play on the 2nd team with Hill and Bonner.
the trio of Bonner/Hill/Blair kills every ounce of momentum this team builds up in the 1st qtr. to top Dyess has not been a "spark" in the 1st qtr that he was in the 2nd.
Blair is such an odd player that I thought I was better for him to start and have the starters "carry" him and let him fill in the gaps. He can't do that effectively on the court when Bonner and him are the "bigs."
Would rather start Splitter, with Blair/Mcdyess off the bench...
Because if Pop did that, then he'd be admitting that sitting him in the first place and playing him w/Bonner was a mistake.
And Pop is too proud to do that.
I would rather start Blair. If he is man enough to accept sitting his ass on the bench at the end of games so we can go big, with a Splitter/Dice/Duncan frontcourt.
No question Blair's production has decreased since going to the bench.
We know this.
Agreed that it killed team chemistry when Blair went to the bench. Duncan was able to cover Blair's shortcomings just as McDyess could cover for Bonner. Blair and Bonner on the court the court together is a game killer.
I would rather start Blair. If he is man enough to accept sitting his ass on the bench at the end of games so we can go big, with a Splitter/Dice/Duncan frontcourt.
No question Blair's production has decreased since going to the bench.
We know this.
I still remember Pop saying he was starting Blair because of the advanced stats people pointing out to him that the combo of Duncan/Blair was really productive... which if you go by early in the season, it somewhat was... I guess Pop is not a numbers guy...
Dyess prefers to come off the bench (as he said in the past)...and playing Bonner and Blair together is a disaster because Bonner gets no room to shoot since his man can stay home due to lack of inside offense by Blair (which also applies to Hill--so most of his points will have to come from penetration)...and there's no interior D
Blair went to the bench because he was getting his ass handed to him by the other starting bigs. He's still making rookie mistakes, still slapping at arms and hands and getting cheap fouls. He does great things at times but he's not really starter material. I would put Splitter there any day over Blair to start.
What's happened recently is that other teams have gotten healthy and have gotten into playoff mode, about the time we got unhealthy and went into Bonner/RJ mode.
I think Blair and Splitter could work well too. Bonner simply needs to be removed from the rotation.
Pop's not going to start Splitter b/c he simply does not know the system very well.
I think not starting has also affected Blair's approach...I think starting means a lot to him...Starting Blair for the first 6 minutes and then brining Splitter as the first big for the next 9 minutes or so might be workable as well...then you juggle Duncan/Dyess with Bonner...
No matter what happens this season, Blair has to get a credible mid-range jumper...
He doesn't know how to brick 3s very well tbh, doesn't fit the system.
Duncan and Dice should start.
This allows Pop to make either Bonner or Blair the third big depending on matchups while keeping atleast one of Duncan Dice in the game once the playoffs begin.
If you start Duncan Blair you pretty much have to make Dice your third big.
Lakers
Startes Gasol/Bynum Duncan/Dice
1st big Odom Bonner
Dallas
Starters Nowi/Chand Duncan/Dice
1st big Haywood Blair
lol @ Odom/Bonner
Anyone/Bonner is disaster.
So, no Splitter?
Bonner the 3rd big, god that is such an inane statement, That is what he is now and it is clearly not working, Bonner needs to be the 13th big.
If Splitter is not starting, he needs to be the big off the bench.
Yup, pretty much.
I think you don't tinker with what isn't broken, and the Spurs did pretty well with Blair starting. Pull him early if the matchups aren't working, but don't rob his confidence. Now we've got three big men lacking in the confidence department in Blair, Splitter and Bonner.
You cannot start everyone. If going to the bench kills Blair's drive, what good was he anyhow? Manu came off the bench for years. Blair isn't Griffin.
However, at this point it makes no difference, so if it would give Blair some confidence, it might be a good move.
... Pop is too damn hardheaded to admit he has screwed this thing up!
To play Duncan/Splitter, Gasol/Bynum, Garnett/O'neal you need guards who are at their best playing on the outside (Kobe, Allen, Pierce).
Parker & Ginobili are their best slashing and scoring in the paint.
Pop believes the added defense of Splitter over Bonner isn't greater than the loss of Parker & Ginobili's offense.
Duncan/Splitter isn't going to happen till Splitter gets a jump shot. One of Duncan/Splitter has to spread the floor and you don't take your best big man away from the hoop.
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