So, with all due respect to the Jazz organization for inviting the Spurs to the new version of the RMR, getting useful information while their broadcast team talks is sketchy at best. Their lack of knowledge of basketball borders on frightening. I'd vastly prefer watching these games without any voiceover at all. I assume there's a public address person.
Nevertheless, it's summertime again, and the Spurs have some holes to fill, and a big ass mountain to climb this season. Let's see if anyone from tonight's game has a chance to help.
Rotation guys
Kyle Anderson
Really scary when Kyle's man scores 11 of Utah's first 13 points in the game. For the first few minutes, it certainly looked like he hadn't done anything during the offseason but bulk up a bit. As the game wore on, he settled down and started to just quietly produce on both ends. He still has an uncanny ability to draw fouls, get tough shots off, and reach in and deflect the ball without fouling. He had a couple of Jason Kidd turnovers, where he hit a guy who wasn't ready for the ball. Hoping his teammates adapt to that as the SL goes forward.
By the way, here's what really turned around my opinion on Kyle in this game: his jumper looks really ing good. Small sample size, but the shots he had were quick and fluid. If he can hit those open shots instead of passing them up it changes his value for the varsity team immensely.
Jonathon Simmons
I gotta say that he looks no different to me than he did at the end of summer league last year. He's still erratic with the ball. He overplays badly on defense, getting himself screened out at the perimeter or just flat can't keep guys in front of him. He made a really nice block, but it was after one of his many bad turnovers. I really hope he settles down. I was hoping for some sign that he's been working during the offseason but I really didn't see it. He's just a guy taking advantage of inferior players to get his numbers, and NBA players feast on the mistakes you get away with in summer league.
Hoping to see some things going forward.
Guys to watch
Quenton DeCosey
I like his defense. He has an NBA body. He seems to be in the right spot on the floor all the time. He moves well without the ball. He's a good team player. While not nearly as big, he reminded me of Jamychal Green but with better decision-making skills.
Bryn Forbes
Another guy I really like. He is a good shooter, he plays smart on both ends, he's a rather tenacious defender, and he came out ready to play.
Alex Kirk
People scanning the box score might think I'm crazy for mentioning this guy. He's got a really good nose for the ball, plays good defense, sets good screens, has pretty good hands, and makes the team better. He had several tap outs, made smart plays, drew fouls, played defense. His biggest problem is that he looked like he wasn't really ready to play 20 minutes of basketball. I hope to see if he improves when he gets his wind.
Not appearing in this picture
CJ Williams
He had 11 points, but he took bad shots and can't seem to play a lick of defense. My wife was openly hostile about him by the end of the game.
Ryan Arcidiacono
He's tough. He's a decent ball handler. He was pretty invisible. Nothing to really inspire comment either way at this point.
I'm happy to go back and review the game if anyone wants to discuss anyone else or go into more detail. I'm sure there are things I missed.
Thanks. I've always thought if KA was consistent with his jumper he'd be a great bench guy. Simmons is lucky the Spurs badly need bench players; he's too old to likely change his game. Wonder if we've found a Gary Neal type gem in Forbes. Here's dreaming.
Hope Ryan makes the team!
It's just one game, but I liked Arci... I mean, among the guys that basically have zero experience at this level, I thought he played calm, controlled, he ran the team well.
You're right that he doesn't have anything "special", he's not a penetrator or a shooter, and that will probably make him expendable, but I thought he made mostly the right decisions out there.
I agree. For his first game, he did fine. Looking forward to seeing how he does.
I didn't see much different from Anderson. You pointed out basically the two things: he bulked up, and he shot well. I thought he still needs the ball a lot to produce, and unfortunately, behind Kawhi, it's not really what we need right now. Simms penetration is more of kinda what we need, but you're also spot on he looked pretty much the same out of control guy as last season.
Bryn lead the team in rebounding. What more can you ask? By far the star of the game for me. I wished Pop hadn't guaranteed Simmons' deal. Dude needs to learn to play under pressure. All in all, this SL roster is so damned disappointing compared to what it could be. Besides Forbes and Anderson at the four, it was almost a waste of time.
That said, isn't it Ben Simmons tomorrow? I'm excited for that test on Anderson's part.
I disagree that the team doesn't need a ball-dominant scorer. The bench absolutely does. Right now, there is no consistent offense. So if you can rely on Kyle getting you 15 when the second unit is in, that's fantastic.
Also, I saw nothing to suggest Anderson NEEDED the ball to produce. He's just the best player on the team and has the ball. As a four with that shot, he'll be fine spotting up.
He cramped up in the 4th and got taken out so not sure if he'll be playing tomorrow.
He dominated the ball a bit in the game, and I think some of that is he's just instinctively exploiting matchups. It's not like he made bad decisions with the ball. Once guys start to know where to be at game speed, I'm hoping his passing will pick up a bit.
That said, the biggest problem with his game last year was his lack of faith in his jump shot. If his shooting really has improved, even if it is his only improvement, nothing else matters.
He took 25% of the shots, more or less, and basically brought the ball up a lot, like last summer league. I do expect him and Simms to score the most and be the go-to guys against this level of compe ion, so that was expected.
He didn't look dominant though (IMO), and against NBA compe ion, I don't think it's going to fly. You're basically wanting Anderson to be "the bench", much like Manu was for a bunch of seasons. I don't think he's up for that task, tbh.
Like I said in the other thread, I hope I'm wrong, I want him to have a break out season, because it's what's best for the Spurs, but I didn't see a dominant guy like, ie: Kawhi was when he played a few SL games and it was just such a disparity, the Spurs eventually pulled him. I mean, I think I *should* have that kind of expectations for a guy that's been with the 1st team for two seasons already.
Just finished watching...
Things I liked:
- Anderson's jumper...form looked good and release seemed quicker especially the effortless in-rhythm threes.
- Arci's game management...continually made smart passes and controlled tempo, active on D and even made a three.
- Forbes' all-around scoring...hit a number of threes, but also layups on straight line drives, floaters, baseline Js, you name it.
Things I didn't like:
- Simmons' careless dribble...takes too many risks and is too loose with his handle, especially in transition.
- No bigs...Kirk mishandled passes and missed open jumpers, not even sure the other guy recorded a stat outside of fouls
- No Murray, Bertans, LJC, or Lorbek...really lacking intrigue by showcasing so few prospects that have a legit shot at the roster.
Last edited by AFBlue; 07-05-2016 at 07:32 AM.
I don't think Anderson is on track to be Manu. I actually think he's closer to Parker. He'll be out there to score, not make plays for others. He'll get assists as a four for sure, but he's not a PG. Someone else will have to be the set-up guy. Maybe it's Simmons or Murray. I know it seems weird to say he won't be much of a passer, but I believe it's true.
Ben Simmons had a leg cramp & isn't playing tomorrow.
I think we're in agreement about that. Kyle will not be touching the ball nearly as much on the big team as he does in summer league. I'd much rather see him camped out in the corner hitting threes when they pass the ball to him. If he can do what he did tonight against NBA compe ion, power to him, though I don't think he'll have nearly as much success.
But I keep going back to, if he can shoot 40 percent from three point range, I don't really give a what else he does at this point.
Typical bull , the Spurs won by 20 and your view is obstructed as usual.. Simmons is bad ass. FO.
Arci seemed composed and didn't play out of his skin, just followed the gameplan and played his role as solid as he could. I hope Anderson and Simmons don't play in the next game just to see how the other guys do when those two aren't there and they can't depend on them.
Yeah, four turnovers and one assist. 1-7 from three point range. He's awesome.
I don't mean Manu as being that kind of player, but instead, having that kind of role. One ball dominant guy that can, by himself, give you 15 a night and run that second unit even if you have a few spare scrubs out there (and obviously, I'm talking younger Manu, not today's). In those years, Manu was literally "the bench". It's like Jamal Crawford is/was with the Clips, or what the Pelicans try to do with Tyreke, etc. I don't think he's ready for that, and I've seen nothing in this game that tells me he's better as an off-the-ball player than he was last season (and maybe we won't know, as it looks like the team will feature him and Simms).
Like O_V said, I would feel a lot better about him if I saw him playing off the ball more, and actually really producing without needing to constantly get touches. But, at least tonight, I haven't seen it. I saw the same Anderson from last summer league as far as that is concerned.
it's the thought the counts dumb ass... it's called drawing attention so the other players can perform. They won by 20 and somehow you find a shady haze of winter in a blowout... who died and gave you a keyboard here?
spurs are gonna roll right through these es in mormon land... who gives a ...
I'm sure the people of Salt Lake City will enjoy watching a single drunk midget at the Utah Summer League Championship parade. The rest of us are watching summer league with an eye on whether or not the players can contribute to the actual San Antonio Spurs team. That's why this forum is called "Spurs Talk".
Does Bryn Forbes have a Courtney Lee potential?
Thoughts aren't nearly as quantifiable as a box score. Its pointless to talk about thoughts.
Rich Paul's guys sure have a funny way of cramping up.
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