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In. I think kawhi just needs time to get settled and understand the system and he'll eventually be a good contributor.
-Tim Duncan looked really good in the scrimmage and continued to look really good in his first and only preseason game. In just 23 minutes, he poured in 19 points, five assists and four rebounds. Offensively, most of his damage was done with his jumper – he’s not hesitating and appears very confident in his stroke. Consistently knocking down those shots could add a season or two of elite play, so let’s hope it continues. Duncan’s passing was also very impressive. On defense, his slimmed down physique has aided his mobility. All in all, Duncan looks as good as could have been expected coming out of the lockout.
-Although Manu Ginobili’s stats look poor (1-for-8 from the field with two turnovers in 23 minutes), I’m not worried. He’s not in Duncan level shape but he’s moving and jumping well. His defensive effort has been MIA, however I expect that to resurface now that the real games are about to begin.
-Tony Parker was the best player on the court in the first quarter. He got the Spurs off to a fast start thanks to his speed and ability to break down the Rockets defense. Parker even played a couple possessions of full-court defense, which tells you that he’s feeling good. Seeing as he’s been playing basketball regularly, it’s doubtful that Parker will have any trouble to begin the 2011-12 NBA season. But can he survive the forthcoming rigorous grind following a busy offseason?
-The amnesty survivor looked sharp. Richard Jefferson nailed all three of his three-point attempts and outside of a few typical airheaded mistakes on defense, his all-around game was virtually flawless. He still needs to pick up the intensity but Jefferson’s shooting touch looks to be in tip top shape. One thing to watch is the amount of touches he’s getting. In this game, his touches were few and far between. It’ll be interested to see if the coaching staff force feeds Jefferson more touches or they will allow his touches to come organically within the offense. If it’s the latter, his offensive role on this team could look identical to what we came to expect out of Bruce Bowen – spot up threes and little else.
-DeJuan Blair got the start at center. While I wouldn’t say he played very well, his level of play was a huge improvement from what we witnessed in the first preseason game and in the scrimmage. He *gasp* actually played defense. Blair was slow to rotate out to shooters a few times but overall his defense went from excruciatingly horrid to simply below average. On offense, the undersized bigman showed off his underrated passing skills. His chemistry with the other four starters is very good. While I’m not a big fan of this lineup (more on that in an upcoming thread), you can’t argue with the success it has had.
-Kawhi Leonard led the bench with 22 minutes. I really want to say how I was impressed with his play and how I foresee big things for the rookie – but I can’t lie. The truth is that Leonard was invisible once again. Yes, he hit the game-winning jumper at the end but the rest of his evening consisted of a whole lot of nothingness. Offensively, he spent most of his time wandering around the perimeter. He didn’t look comfortable taking jumpers or driving to the basket. When he got the ball by the rim, I was underwhelmed by his lack of athleticism when attempting to finish. Leonard, billed as a high-energy player, actually ran the court slowly all night. On defense, he had a couple of nice plays but – again – his impact was extremely minimal. Considering he’s so young, had no summer league, an abbreviated training camp and only a pair of exhibition games, Leonard not shining early can hardly be a surprise. I do like his team-first at ude on the court, his overall awareness and the fact that he seems to have no problem playing a role. But let’s hope he can find his niche sooner rather than later because the Spurs really do need him to produce this season. Unfortunately, as it stands, I haven’t seen any indication that he’s ready for the bright lights yet.
-With Pop resting his franchise player, Gani Lawal profited most by Matt Bonner having the night off. On defense, Lawal’s energy was infectious. He played quality team defense and didn’t back down when it came time to fight for rebounds and loose balls in the paint. For a guy coming off a serious knee injury, he sure does move and jump really well. In fact, by just watching him play, I can’t tell which knee is the one that suffered the torn cartilage and ACL. Offensively, things didn’t go as swimmingly for Lawal. He tried to do too much; he played like he thought he was a combination of Tim Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon. If Lawal can limit his ambition to simply being a bouncy power forward who brings relentless effort, I can actually see him being a legit candidate for the fifth bigman role. It’d be nice if he were a couple inches taller but I saw enough defensive potential to warrant consideration.
-James Anderson played much more under control this game. In 17 minutes, he only took three shots, hitting two. But we again saw his sneaky playmaking ability and his upgraded athleticism. Overall, I thought his defensive execution was average but he had a rebound in traffic and a blocked shot that really highlighted what this new version of James Anderson could bring to the table. I’m hoping he gets a legit chance to showcase what he can do in the regular season. I don’t think he’s a star in the making but he’s a really smooth basketball player who is riding a wave of confidence.
-Yikes. This was a step back for Tiago Splitter. He just couldn’t get anything going against the Rockets. Even when matched up against smaller players, Splitter struggled to take advantage of his size. He also did a poor job on the glass and didn’t protect the rim. The good news is that Splitter seems totally comfortable and understands the offense and defense. Now he just needs to toughen up a little bit and begin to impose his will. He has all the size and talent needed to be successful.
-This was a step in the right direction for TJ Ford. While not always pretty, Ford dribbled much less and his shot selection was excellent. If anything, he passed up a few shots he should have attempted. Ford is still an odd fit but if he refrains from over-dribbling, he could be an asset on offense due to his passing ability. Defensively, there’s not much hope but it’s not for a lack of effort – he’s just small and weak.
-Corey Joseph was a definite bright spot. His first couple stints on the court were really solid. The kid has a good feel for the game. Joseph plays with a measured pace and does good work controlling the show when he’s the lead guard. He also plays a bit bigger than he looks, which helps on both ends of the court. It will be really interesting to see how he reacts to real regular season action. Will his ballhandling hold up to the pressure? Is he enough of a scoring threat when he has the ball? So far, I continue to see no obvious flaws in his game, although he does look like he needs a lot of work in the weight room.
-Danny Green is a player who could start the season as part of the regular rotation and he wouldn’t hurt the Spurs. He does everything needed from a role playing swingman on this team. However, the question remains whether his limited ceiling makes him a worthwhile player to have around. Green at his best is nothing more than a good role player. That said, I personally hope the Spurs keep him around. He’s a perfect insurance policy against a perimeter player going down with an injury. Plus if Leonard isn’t ready yet, Green can fill any gaps that may leave.
-Frank Hassell got a shot to prove he’s better than Lawal – but wasn’t able to do so. Hassell is a big, imposing dude but there’s not enough substance to him. And while he’s powerfully built, he appears to be top-heavy and hasn’t yet learned how to use his strength to his advantage. Keeping him in Austin would be a good idea though because he could develop into a fifth bigman type down the line if he polishes his game.
-What compromising pictures does Luke Zeller own?
Last edited by timvp; 12-22-2011 at 04:19 AM.
In. I think kawhi just needs time to get settled and understand the system and he'll eventually be a good contributor.
Last edited by rold50; 12-22-2011 at 04:00 AM.
I expected more energy from Kawhi. He also showed off some handles but never made aggressive moves toward the basket. He looks like a guy who's been watching RJ. Would also like to see him develop a little post game.
In. Great read. Thanks.
Awesome write up.
I agree on Lawal. I kinda hope he stays. Not sure what he was doing on offense, but the energy he brings on defense I like.
Leonard seems like a very passive player. Didn't watch much of him in college, but I hope that's not his game and he is just trying not to make mistakes right now.
Last edited by ColinB; 12-22-2011 at 04:23 AM.
In.
Great read as always
Edit: I?
Agree on most of your thoughts.
Right now I think Green is much more ready to contribute as a backup 3 than Kahwi is. I wish I was wrong about him, but as an Aztec alum I saw this guy play a few times, and I just wasn't impressed by him, to be honest. I didn't think he was all that better than the other two bigs SDSU had. Really, I think he's a tweener, and his game is more like an undersized 4. I think he'd probably be more comfortable in the small ball system, even though I hate it.
Also, I like this Joseph kid. He seems to me a lot more ready to contribute than Leonard is. He's not super talented, but he's not afraid either, and that's important. I think he'd play defense better than Ford, wouldn't over-dribble, and would be more comfortable working with Manu in the second unit.
This is probably unfair to other knowledgeable grey posters on the board but TD 21 deserves to be bolded if he hasn't already.
Nice analysis timvp. I hope Leonard is saving himself instead of really just showing us his true game. He looks very nonchalant so far. I want to say RJ did a good job but until he can make those shots in the playoffs, I can't say his play today was a good thing.
Good point on Joseph being a better fit next to Manu than TJ. If Joseph's three-point shooting translates to the NBA, he looks like he'd be a really good fit next to Manu.
It'll be interesting to see if Pop sends Joseph straight to Austin or if he gives him a chance. Beno got a chance right away. Hill, once he got healthy, was given a chance right away. Joseph is greener than both Beno and Hill were heading into their rookie seasons but I think it would do him some good to get some early action so he at least knows what he'd need to work on in Austin.
I like your comments about Lawal, really hope he's kept on for the season. I thought Hassell was making a good impression to be kept in town too. His enthusiasm was great, and he looks to be a big similar to the likes of Bynum or Z-bo with a little work (nowhere near as effective or talented tho). I thought Splitter did alright, he just needs to grow a pair. Green looked spectacular like you said. As for Duncan, I think you understated how well he looked; in 23 minutes he did what he struggled to do in 30+ last season. If Splitter, Bonner, Blair, and Lawal and/or Hassell can help him out well enough and give him lots of rest, we're gonna be set to make up for last year's failure.
Last edited by Robz4000; 12-22-2011 at 04:31 AM.
I figure Joseph stands a decent chance of being on the active roster until Neal is good to go.
I, too, was somewhat Offput by splitter's efforts. I don't really know if this is the problem, but it seemed to me that he needed to stop thinking and keep playing.
Thanks for the thoughts.
I can see three factors that will push Pop to keep Joseph with Spurs:
- This year, because of the compressed schedule, teams will be able to have a 13 players active roster until February 6th. There is one more spot open for Joseph.
- Spurs are over the tax and keeping players without a guaranteed contract will cost more because of that. For example, keeping Danny Green will cost $1.42M. I can see Spurs waiving Zeller, Hassel and Green to keep only 13 players.
- Because of the lockout, the D-League is at its worst this year. It will likely improve with the NBA starting again but I doubt it will be as good as in the previous years.
Looks at all the fancy BNSFs in here.
Thanks for the write-up!
Here's hoping Joseph gets a shot at the backup point guard spot. He showed more potential as a rookie than grit Ford showed as a vet. Things just looked smoother out there when he was running the offense, and I'd rather have a player who has a high ceiling make some rookie mistakes, than having a guy who is prone to mistakes just being himself.
I really enjoyed reading this write up and I agree with your game thoughts. I really hope that pop does not send Cory to Austin, from what i can see he might be a steal. He is poised, confident, has good play making skills and great court vision plus his D is 10 times better than TJ. As far as KL goes I think he will come around and become more aggressive as the they games starts to count. he seems like he has solid handles and he is pretty quick on offense. From what I seen is college he is pretty athletic and i think that he is an underrated scorer. All in all I only see great things from both of them
The thing I like most about Joseph is that he plays like a PG should. I liked what Hill brought to the Spurs but he wasn't a PG so the offense was sloppy. I honestly didn't like how Ford played in either game. His speed is nice, but that's all I've got. No reason Joseph doesn't stay until Spurs knock down the roster to 12, and then I'm not so sure. I guess it will depend on how everyone is playing because I think that 12th spot needs to be occupied by a "big" or what the Spurs consider to be one.
I'm not against him going to the Toros though. He is quite young and the experience would be good. His offense skillset could use some work, although that would just be an added bonus for now as that's not what the Spurs need out of him when he is in the game.
Duncan loooks sharp early on. last season he did as well, but ran into a wall right after the all-star break. w/ such a busy schedule this year... crossing my fingers.
not impressed with Kawhi offensively. seems to have no offensive instinct. defensively the jury is still out. he'll show his worth and hopefully make his money when guarding the great perimiter players.
Pop needs to play the 10 best defenders regardless. I think that will mean he will have to play Joseph and Lawal. The theme of this season should be regaining defensive roots and going back to the offense from early last season.
Regardless of how NBA ready RJ and Ford are as veterans over Joseph and Kawhi who look very raw. I really don't think you have much of a choice but to invest in youth and make them play through their struggles. Will it translate to them being ready for the playoffs? maybe not there are no guarantees. But that's simply the gamble you have to take. There is no room for playing safe.
Put it this way, we know we will only go so far with RJ and Ford in the playoffs. RJ's 10 pts a game with suspect defense. Now with Kawhi, yeah he might not even average double figures in the playoff. But you've got to wonder who in the current line-up will guard Dirk, Durant and Kobe ? Isn't that more important and critical to our success. Now I'm not saying Kawhi can hold his own defensively agiant those guys. But at this point we really don't have an alternative. And I would take my chances with the hope that maybe he can provide enough stops. I would rather put a guy with decent size and athleticim on an elite player and make him fight for his life to prove himself. , we might burn trying. but at least we have a chance. with RJ we have no chance
the guys that are not living up to the hype, rj, blair, leonard, anderson, bench....its hard when they are playing for 4th or 5th option on offense and gettin limited shots due to the big 3 needing theirs...i hope pop starts ginoboli of the bench and allow a more even spreaded offense for the starters and bench. MAYBE our expectations are too high for these bench players, when theirs only one ball and not enough touches for everyone. This needs to be address when NEAL comes back into the rotation...
Thanks for the Nice write up Timvp.
Leonard has to be more aggressive. I hope the more he plays more comfortable he gets. SO far he looks timid to attack and do more
Timvp the last time I was on ST your wife was saying you was sick an asking for everyone's prayers. I replied that judging by the way she's asking for everyone's prayers you must be a GREAT man, father,an husband. An. That God would see you through. Glad to see you back to your old self.
Great men do great things, even when the lights are off. An you took the time to write all that at 2:44am, Ooooo the lights are off.
I can already see the "We traded Hill for this?"meltdown threads coming.
It's hard to get a read on Leonard right now. It looks like he's pretty unsure of himself and as you said, a lot of that can be contributed by not playing much basketball at all with the team. One thing is for sure, he can at least put in more effort. For a guy that is billed as an energy guy he shows very little. I'd almost rather see him trying to do too much and backing off then starting off too tentative. Open those wings son.
Everyone(those that will make the roster anyway) else looked pretty good. Lawal was a pleasant surprise and looks like he could hold down the 5th big spot to start the season until the FO finishes their "patient search" for something better. Splitter struggled some but I think he will be fine. Overall, the team is playing about as good as anyone can expect with so little time to prepare. If the Big Three will likely have to carry them a little early on but if the youngsters can beat the curve and contribute by the time we get the first month of the season out of the way the team should be able to survive the grind. Getting Gary Neal back sooner than later will help a lot too.
One thing I fail to see mentioned is Manu's disgusting pass to Tony in the first quarter. That was probably one of the sickest ones we'll ever see - you barely had time to see it happen, and apparently it worked too, because the Rockets looked completely lost. It's play #9 in the top 10 from last night - http://www.nba.com/video/channels/to...221_top10.nba/
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