Should Simmons start ahead of Green?

[ceperez]

Guys, really, Simmons in the Starting lineup. So who is going to handle the ball. Simmons is not James Harden. Parker has played very well defensively of late.

The offensive efficiency would drop much more than the defensive efficiency gained from subbing Simmons for Parker. If you going to take Parker out, you are going to having replace Green with Manu as well because of this very reason. Simmons can create but can he RUN AN OFFENSE, absolutely not at this point. He has quite a ways to go before he can do that. And Quite honestly I don't think he ever will be a guy that can consistently do so. That is why he pairs so well with KA who can run the offense.

That's a second data point ... Mel_13. Where are your data points?

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

The guy was making a case for a late quarter/end of the game type situations for a "possession" on the defensive side.

I was just going to respond to that. No, at first he was implying of STARTING Simmons over Parker. Yes Starting means you are on the floor at the opening TIP-OFF. I agree that Simmons can sub Parker for Late game, Late Quarters situational plays, where a more athletic, longer defender would give guys like Waiters and Westbrooks more fit, as you saw Parker get scorched by both last time he went up against them.

But the topic switched from STARTING Simmons for Green to Starting in place of Parker, NO.

[Mel_13]

I consider myself a data point.

[Mel_13]

That's a second data point ... Mel_13. Where are your data points?

If you keep digging, you'll never get out of the hole.

[dabom]

[Chinook]

If you keep digging, you'll never get out of the hole.

Planning on hopping out in Beijing.

[ceperez]

If you keep digging, you'll never get out of the hole.

Argument won, final score: 2-0. Time to move on.

[Mel_13]

Argument won, final score: 2-0. Time to move on.

Declare victory and leave? Not as satisfying as actually winning a debate, but it's the best you'll ever do.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I don't agree with what that guy says much but Simmons is a better rebounder than parker. And their man to man defense is about the same. Any 5 man team would get better defensively if your options are simmons over parker.

We don't need data. Any 5 man rotation gets better defensively between parker and simmons.

The 3 5-man units in which Simmons has logged most minutes have some of the worst defensive ratings on the Spurs. Per NBA.com.

The Duncan-Aldridge-Kawhi-Green-Simmons unit has logged 0 minutes together. It'll probably stay this way throughout the season. This is likely because Pop doesn't think it'd be great. If there's some hidden unknown potential then it's likely lost on the Spurs staff at this point.

[WaywardTexan]

Planning on hopping out in Beijing.

Very likely you'll soon be able to watch Fredette play there, in person. As predicted by your preseason assessment of his NBA prospects.

[ChumpDumper]

CROFL data points.

Simmons is a wildly inconsistent defender. There is nothing to suggest he would be better at guarding NBA point guards any better than Parker -- or Mills or McCallum for that matter.

I really like the guy but he has a lot to learn before he replaces anyone on this team.

[dabom]

The 3 5-man units in which Simmons has logged most minutes have some of the worst defensive ratings on the Spurs. Per NBA.com.

The Duncan-Aldridge-Kawhi-Green-Simmons unit has logged 0 minutes together. It'll probably stay this way throughout the season. This is likely because Pop doesn't think it'd be great. If there's some hidden unknown potential then it's likely lost on the Spurs staff at this point.

You can't compare players that play mostly with the bench to players that play mostly with the starters especially one that has limited amount of minutes.

[dabom]

RPM for defense

tony -0.95
simmons -0.69

Kinda around what I thought.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

RPM for defense

tony -0.95
simmons -0.69

You're a +/- guy now?

You can't compare players that play mostly with the bench to players that play mostly with the starters.

Indeed.

[Embedded]

I wonder if Danny Green is being made to put the ball on the floor more by the coaching staff, as an experiment to help his psyche over the course of the season, and to reduce teams running him off the 3 point line as a tactic. It means he is thinking more when he does shoot, with the results we're seeing. I think we need him in the starting squad against Curry, etc.

[dabom]

You're a +/- guy now?



Indeed.

You guys need to understand the difference between a plus/minus and realplus/minus.

I don't care for a single game plus/minus. I do care for realplus/minus. Totally different things.

[Agloco]

CROFL data points.

Simmons is a wildly inconsistent defender. There is nothing to suggest he would be better at guarding NBA point guards any better than Parker -- or Mills or McCallum for that matter.

I really like the guy but he has a lot to learn before he replaces anyone on this team.

This

[SAGirl]

ChumpDumper or SAGirl, was Simmons even an exception d-league defender? I can see he tries hard, but I don't look at him as a plus on that end at all yet.

He had a number of blocks in transition. That kind of play is highlight reel worthy bc dleague teams run a whole lot, so when you see a guy running and catching up to someone to block a transition layup it stays with you. He also could stay in front of guys one on one and not get blown by, which in the dleague stands out bc there are so many guys who are less than adequate. I believe that is what got him on the all defensive 3rd team.

Where he had trouble is with negotiating screens and not helping out at times. He also fouled reaching in too much. However, he put in effort on the defensive end, there is no question. At the NBA level it's a different animal. I thought he was fouling too much being overaggressive, he was out of position at times and was hit with backcuts or lost sight of his man early in preseason and in his first few games.

His awareness has increased, but I think he still fouls too much reaching in for steals, which listen, he doesn't have long arms, he's stocky. He has to get so close to steal from someone, that it is more likely to end up as a foul than not.

I would say Simmons is going through the rookie adjustments from one league to another.

At this point I see him strictly as a SG, though Pop is likely to play him at both wing positions, but mostly bc he lacks length to really contest the shots of true SF in the league and thus he reaches for steals or fouls. Ex. Marcus Morris in the Pistons game preseason posted up and drew fouls on Simmons repeatedly, Middleton posted him up repeatedly with success and got fouled once. Derozan scored Simms with ease and drew fouls.

He just doesn't have the length to bother some guys and then gets overaggressive getting physical or trying to reach in for steals.

For that reason I see him more taking SG and maybe PG, but at this point Pop is going to test guys with different guys, to find out who they can really do a good job against. We have also seen Kyle against quickie, small guards even though that is not his strength. It's likely we will see both guys guarding a range of perimeter players. Ideally though, Simmons is on guards due to his size and length. Kyle can deal with your taller perimeter players, SF and even small ball 4 who like to shoot and are unlikely to post him up.

My worst criticism of Simms at this point is that he gets caught on screens every time. I have yet to see him negotiate screens adequately. He just runs into them and gets suck, or he runs through the screener. Sometimes its called as a fould on him, often Refs have called moving screens but it's really Simms getting caught IMO and if he starts to get a lot of playing time the ref whistles to bail him out will stop. Just something for him to work on.

[Obstructed_View]

I wonder if Danny Green is being made to put the ball on the floor more by the coaching staff, as an experiment to help his psyche over the course of the season, and to reduce teams running him off the 3 point line as a tactic. It means he is thinking more when he does shoot, with the results we're seeing. I think we need him in the starting squad against Curry, etc.

Danny practices the pumpfake and drive, which is how he punishes guys for not being in control when they close out. He does it a lot more this year because he doesn't have as much space to shoot as he has in the past, and because his shots are fewer and further between, I think he's thinking about them more, which he needs to work through. The offense, being a work in progress, will have to figure out how to get him his shots in his spots more consistently after they get more important things worked out.

[mookie2001]

lets face it because Danny is totally one dimensional on offense, when it's almost January and you've shot 30% and you've been healthy all year, that's a failure.

yes he's an excellent team defender but he doesn't punish anyone. He's not a physical player. Let's let Simmons give up his body and get to the line. Encourage him to make his fouls count and make his man work on defense. Let's try to wear down the other team in the second and third quarters so Kawhi can ballhawk and take advantage of sloppy play.


At the least its a decent experiment to see if Manu can get Danny even more open looks with be second team and to see what Simmons might be able to contribute in the playoffs.

[steeledl]

Simmons needs to improve a lot on defense.... He has the skills and the will to be a good defender but he gets lost still in the scheme and needs to get better on guarding NBA Pnr.... These are certainly things he will improve on as he gets more NBA coaching/ playing time......not worried about it at the moment..... If he is still struggling with these things in April I'll be concerned.



Eventually I think he will be a fine defender.

[ceperez]

lets face it because Danny is totally one dimensional on offense, when it's almost January and you've shot 30% and you've been healthy all year, that's a failure.

yes he's an excellent team defender but he doesn't punish anyone. He's not a physical player. Let's let Simmons give up his body and get to the line. Encourage him to make his fouls count and make his man work on defense. Let's try to wear down the other team in the second and third quarters so Kawhi can ballhawk and take advantage of sloppy play.


At the least its a decent experiment to see if Manu can get Danny even more open looks with be second team and to see what Simmons might be able to contribute in the playoffs.

As I wrote earlier, my problem with Simmons with the starters is that the lane is clogged up by the 2 bigs and Leonard. There's no room to slash.

I do understand your comment about someone in the starting crew dishing out some punishment. Simmons is really good a wearing out the other man.

I seriously like the idea of Spurs players physically dishing out punishment on a opponents defense. Hope to Pop insert Boban just to make the opponent work in defense.

[PublicOption]

Simmons is a defensive player first. That's why he is getting so much PT.

[ceperez]

Simmons is a defensive player first. That's why he is getting so much PT.

Exactly! Absolutely obvious. I don't know what everyone else is smoking!

[G-Dawgg]

Simmons does not play very good defense wtf
He mediocre at best

Dude, then you're watching a totally different player than me, because I think he d's up pretty good. He's got the athleticism and puts in the effort to make whoever he's guarding work hard. There are a few things he can work on, and his defense is not nearly a good as Green's, however I would say it's far from mediocre.
According to this article, I'm not the only one who thinks so..
http://www.expressnews.com/sports/sp...=email-premium