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Either Bud knows hes taking over, or hes happy where he is, cause its a mystery why no team with an opening has given him a shot.
The storybook regular season continues for the Spurs. With Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Gary Neal and Gregg Popovich back in San Antonio, the Spurs went into Phoenix and defeated the Suns by a final score of 110-106. Powered by the deep reserves, the silver and black extended their winning streak to nine games and they're now one victory away from another 50-win campaign.
This team is so deep and playing with so much cohesion that it's difficult to be too surprised. I'm thrilled by the win -- even if it only amounts to a confidence boost -- but not surprised. This entire squad is in a zone right now. Let us pray it continues into the postseason.
Things weren't looking too hot in the fourth quarter. A Michael Redd jumper put the Suns up by six points with 5:22 remaining. But Patrick Mills responded with a three-pointer to spark a 13-0 run in the span of two minutes. The Suns made another charge but the Spurs got a couple stops and hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the W.
How could a Spurs fan not love this team right now?
Patrick Mills B+
The performance by Patrick Mills wasn't always pretty to watch. Truthfully, it was downright brutal too watch at times -- especially early on. He was shooting whenever he had an inch of daylight and when he looked to pass, the results were rarely positive. In the first half, he was only 3-for-12 from the field and his playmaking was virtually non-existent. But to Mills' credit, he kept plugging away and put together a very good final two quarters. He scored 18 points in the second half on 11 shots while adding three assists. Due to the absence of the Big 3, the Spurs needed Mills to be aggressive. He did just that and didn't blink when the times got tough and due to that determination, he was able to put together a second half scoring binge that was vital to the win. Defensively, I thought Mills was solid the whole game. He really pressured Steve Nash and didn't let him have anything easy. Against Sebastian Telfair, Mills wasn't quite as sharp but he was still a plus because of his relentless pressure.
Tiago Splitter A+
The MVP of the game was undoubtedly Tiago Splitter. Off the bench, Splitter's ungodly efficiency was the main reason why the Spurs had a successful night on the offensive end. While his points came at the rim, he did it in a variety of ways including isolations, post-ups, pick-and-rolls, offensive rebounds and on the fast break. Defensively, while his rebounding was subpar and his individual defense was average at best, his help defense was fantastic and his hustle was commendable. Like Mills, Splitter struggled a bit early on -- particularly with the physicality of Robin Lopez -- but he progressively improved until he was an unstoppable force for much of the second half.
DeJuan Blair C+
It was an odd evening for DeJuan Blair. Offensively, Blair didn't have much success when he went strong to the basket ... yet he fared well when he tossed up soft floaters. His passing was also a plus. Defensively, he was really bad in all phases; he couldn't stop his own man and offered little to no help in the lane. And though he rebounded better than usual, Blair also picked up a majority of his fouls while trying to clean up the glass.
Boris Diaw B
The bad: Boris Diaw didn't step up at all in the scoring department even though the Spurs desperately needed players to take on a bigger role tonight. Instead, he routinely passed up open shots. He had a couple nice forays to the hoop ... only to dish it off at the last second. To make his passiveness even worse, a number of his passes ended up deflected or off target. The good: When Diaw's passes arrived at their intended destination, the result was usually an assist. Defensively, he was very solid around the basket and deftly played out on the perimeter when necessary. Diaw's rebounding was also a strength on this night.
Kawhi Leonard B+
The day off did Kawhi Leonard's legs some good. His explosion, quickness and speed were all back. Defensively, he once again did great work on Jared Dudley. Leonard is the main reason why Dudley had only 16 total points in his last three games against the Spurs. When he wasn't shutting down Phoenix's small forward, Leonard was playing the passing lanes, pulling down boards or otherwise wreaking havoc. Offensively, the rookie showed a lot of aggression -- with most of it ending up in positive plays. Leonard's pull-up jumpers off the dribble are becoming increasingly more effective, which is resulting in a much more well-rounded repertoire. For such a young player who didn't have a summer league or training camp, it's amazing how much in-season progress he's made over the last few months.
Danny Green B
On offense, Danny Green was a positive. Not only was he knocking down stand-still jumpers, he was also creating off the dribble and in pick-and-roll sets. The results were mixed but Green's ability to be a multi-dimensional asset is the main reason why he'll enter these playoffs as a starter. Against the Suns, Green really sparked the offense early and was arguably the best player on the court in the first quarter. Defensively, I wasn't nearly as impressed. He once again had trouble with Shannon Brown; Green struggled when isolated one-on-one and was even worse when attempting to maneuver around screens.
James Anderson C-
A couple weeks ago, James Anderson looked like he had a future in the NBA. In his last few outings, he's looked really bad. Tonight he was pretty bad ... but thankfully there were a few bright spots. Anderson was really good on the boards and his tenacity on defense came in handy. The rest of his night, though, was forgettable. Anderson is impotent on the offensive end no matter if he's taking an open shot or trying to create in an isolation. His instincts and feel for the game are somehow getting worse the longer he's in the NBA. I'm not sure exactly what's wrong with him but now it looks like the Spurs made the right move by not picking up his option for next season.
Cory Joseph A-
Back from the D-League where he helped the Toros reach the Finals, Cory Joseph looked much improved. And while that isn't much of an accomplishment since he looked so bad earlier in the season, I don't think the Spurs win the game tonight without his contributions. On defense, Joseph illustrated some versatility by being able to defend both point guards and swingmen. His attentiveness on that end was extremely good for a rookie and he was able to come up with a few key plays down the stretch. Offensively, while it was still mostly a struggle, his ballhandling was better, he got the team into their sets faster and he knocked down a momentous three-pointer in the fourth quarter. Joseph still has a long, long way to go but at least we saw a few glimmers of hope tonight.
Stephen Jackson A
I was pleasantly surprised with how Stephen Jackson attacked tonight's affair. Instead of trying to carry the load, he simply continued to play his role and let the game come to him. Offensively, his passing was fantastic. When on the move, he repeatedly made the right decision at the exact right time. Jackson also was a calming influence who made sure the hot hand was getting fed when some of the youngsters began to get frazzled. Scoring-wise, he took smart shots and always had an eye out for an opening into the paint. Defensively, he was physical when it was needed but he also moved his feet well out on the perimeter against the smaller, quicker Suns guards. Additionally, Jackson boxed out and rebounded really well. While he did most of his work outside of the spotlight, the Born Again Spur was an essential part of the victory.
Matt Bonner B-
Defensively, I thought this was one of Matt Bonner's better games of the season. He was willing and able to go out on the perimeter to thwart pick-and-roll plays. He banged down low. He boxed out with authority. Bonner basically did all he can do on that end. Offense, though, wasn't as kind to the native of the Granite State. Bonner hit a three and had a few good passes along the perimeter but his lack of production continues to be worrisome. Earlier in the season, he was demonstrative about seeking out shots and was playing like an assassin. In recent weeks, he's been content to remain sedentary and blend into the background.
Bud A
For years I've though that Mike Budenholzer should be Pop's heir apparent. After tonight, I'm even more sold on his ability to be a very good head coach. His playcalling out of timeouts was creative and, more importantly, effective. He managed the rotations well. Bud experimented with different combinations throughout the game (such as playing Mills and Joseph together) and stuck with combos that were working. Sure, this game didn't mean anything, but I thought he played the cards he was dealt to near perfection.
Either Bud knows hes taking over, or hes happy where he is, cause its a mystery why no team with an opening has given him a shot.
Derrick Byars is Timvp's new Danny Green.. No love..
Thanks for the grades, though!
1st win ever when playing without the big 3 right?
Happy for Bud.
Absolutely no complaints or nit-picking coming from this true Spurs fan right here. Thanks again, timvp.
only 4 mins. he hasn't given people grades a bunch in these situations.Derrick Byars is Timvp's new Danny Green.. No love..
Thanks for the grades, though!
Good grades as always.
I know. was kidding..
Thanks for the grades ... great win ... enjoyed watching Tiago Splitter dominating in the post on offense
Great grades,LJ. The team showed a lot of heart without their top 4 options and head coach.
The crowd is what really made it for me.
Thanks as always Timvp.
Good Lord the depth on this team is scary. However, I'd like to see the Big 3 play at least 10 min. in the last game, just to keep their game sharp.
tim rests, tony rests, manu rests, pop rests...somehow it feels wrong timvp doesnt get to take a day off
thanks timvp!
James Anderson proved why plus/minus is the most meaningless stat in basketball.
I will watch the game later, but can anyone tell me, has Cory Joseph improved a lot? Do you see him in Spurs rotation next year?
Call Matt Bonner snow, because he's all but disappeared by May.
I just think its nice but sorta funny Stephen Jackson is our mature calming force on the Spurs! On any other team they would be paranoid of the guy but as a Spur it just seems like he has quickly become one of our field generals. I hope he sticks around a few seasons.
I thought Joseph looked promising, but I never thought he as as completely terrible as many around here. Whether he just stepped up because there weren't as many guys to defer to or whether he's starting to figure things out remains to be seen.
BTW, Deron Williams saw Cory Joseph effortlessly pull off his look and was like "damn".
loving his pull-up j
CJ's improved, but as far as making it into the rotation next year there's the question of what player currently in the rotation is he going to beat out?
Mills, when he gets paid elsewhere in the summer.
Great grades as usual, timvp. Only one more game to go and you carried the entire season with grades. Pretty damn impressive to keep up with the ratings. Thanks a bunch.
CJ looks a lot better out there and you can see he is getting more comfortable. That said, he will benefit from a summer of working on his skills and needs a good training camp to get some time next year.
Damn. Mills like to shoot. Thank goodness he starting hitting his shots.
Jackson the calming influence. 'Nuff said.
Taigo was very impressive and shows that there is hope even after this season.
All in all, one of a performance and nice to see Pop, Tim, Tony, and Manu not even in the building. Especially with ESPN talking all night about Nash's potential last game. Nevermind that the Suns starters were getting beat by our bench...
The Spurs scored 110 points w/o the big 3 & pop tonight...very solid!
STEAK SAUCE!
I'm thinking Neal is the obstacle that CJ needs to get past to get into the rotation. With Manu, Leonard and Green (assuming Green doesn't get paid elsewhere) eating up all the SG/SF minutes, CJ needs to outplay Neal otherwise Pop will continue to give Neal minutes at PG just to get him on the court.
But, who knows? If the Spurs are going to steamroll teams next year like they are this year, then maybe the 3rd PG position is one that will get regular minutes.
I was watching a show last night called, "Steve Nash-this is your life"...
and then a Spurs/Suns game broke out....
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