Spurs' recent surge fueled by high-octane bench
Web Posted: 12/09/2006 11:17 PM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
LOS ANGELES — For all the plus/minus data, efficiency ratings and assorted other statistical analysis NBA coaches now have at their disposal, Tony Parker has devised his own simple formula to assess the production of the Spurs' reserves.
"The bench is playing well," Parker said. "I don't think I played the fourth quarter for, like, three or four games now."
Parker has watched the final quarter of the Spurs' previous three games from the sideline along with most of the other starters. In each game, the first unit's work night was cut short because the reserves not only sustained the lead — they helped build it.
The Spurs' bench accounted for 75 of the 129 points in Monday's victory over Golden State, the team's highest scoring total since Nov. 20, 1987. On Friday, the reserves combined for 62 points as the Spurs routed the Los Angeles Clippers.
According to Elias Sports, the Spurs entered Saturday ranked eighth in the NBA in bench scoring, averaging 33.7 points per game. The Chicago Bulls led the league with an average of 37.1 points.
"The more you practice and the more we play together, the more confidence we get in each other and the better everybody understands the way the other people play," said backup center Francisco Elson. "That's the thing we have to do, come out and play hard every minute you're on the court.
"If it's not one guy off the bench, then another guy seems to come in and play well."
The Spurs' depth could be tested this week as they begin a four-games-in-five-days stretch tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. It's not a coincidence, however, that last week's surge in production from the reserves began the same day Manu Ginobili returned to the team.
Ginobili has come off the bench in each of the previous three games, which the Spurs won by 40, 20 and 29 points. His playmaking skills helped trigger the first two routs. On Friday, he made four 3-pointers and scored 22 points in only 20 minutes.
"The last three games, we had three blowouts, so that didn't help my expectations of going back in the (starting) lineup," Ginobili joked after Friday's victory.
The Spurs' coaching staff has long debated whether the team would benefit more from keeping Ginobili in a reserve role. In each of the previous two seasons, coach Gregg Popovich shuffled Ginobili from starter to reserve depending on the team's needs in the playoffs.
In recent days, Popovich has playfully avoided the question of when he planned to start Ginobili again. "Go ask (Dallas Cowboys coach) Bill Parcells," Popovich said Friday. "He's better at handling these kind of controversies."
Michael Finley has started to show signs of emerging from his season-long shooting slump, which could be incentive to not immediately alter the rotation. But Popovich admitted he would have difficulty keeping Ginobili on the bench for an extended period of time because the Spurs will need him on some nights to match up with the opposing team's starters. That could include tonight if Kobe Bryant returns to the Lakers' lineup.
For now, Ginobili's biggest concern is increasing his minutes, regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench. Popovich wished he could have kept him on the floor longer Friday, but the score was already so lopsided.
"I would like to be playing more just to get in rhythm and get conditioning," Ginobili said. "I'm not feeling those six or eight minutes in a row I played (that) I got very tired. I felt very good, so I'm ready to play."
The same could be said for most of the Spurs' reserves. Brent Barry has played as consistently as anyone on the team not named Tim Duncan, making 52 percent of his 3-pointers . He and backup point guard Beno Udrih also have shared the ball well in the open court.
"Brent knows what I like, and I know what he likes," Udrih said. "Especially if you find him in rhythm. He's like, really awesome and knocks all the shots down."
Elson has provided a jolt of energy off the bench in recent games. His one-handed slam off a lob from Parker on Friday might have been the best dunk by a Spurs big man since David Robinson was young enough to elevate.
"He's running the floor well, going to the boards well, starting to figure out the defense and the offense and what we're trying to do and making good decisions," Popovich said of Elson. "He's really becoming more and more important as the year goes along."
Popovich has usually employed a 10-man rotation at the expense of Matt Bonner, Jacque Vaughn and Eric Williams, with the latter two alternating nights on the inactive list. All three players, however, have recently helped win games with their contributions.
"Everybody is just trying to play relaxed," Barry said. "It's nice to play that way, play together and see some guys start to click a little bit."
Kobe update: Bryant's availability for tonight will likely be a game-time decision.
Bryant sprained his right ankle against Indiana on Monday, played the next game against New Orleans, but then missed Friday's victory over Atlanta after the swelling worsened. He said Saturday he was feeling better but was still unsure whether he would be able to play.
I hope Kobe plays. I like to watch Bruce guard him.Kobe update: Bryant's availability for tonight will likely be a game-time decision.
Bryant sprained his right ankle against Indiana on Monday, played the next game against New Orleans, but then missed Friday's victory over Atlanta after the swelling worsened. He said Saturday he was feeling better but was still unsure whether he would be able to play.
The Spurs bench is really fun to watch (even if Manu goes back to starting). I like to watch Brent, Beno, Francisco, etc working together. It will be interesting to see how the rotations get shortened as the season wears on. I hope all the slumpers (Fin, Beno, Bonner) can get their percentages up. This string of blowouts probably is doing something for their confidence as they get more playing time.
i hope kobe doesnt playanother W for us
with or without kirby, spurs will win in another blowout
I hope the spurs blow out the lakers in the first half. They need all the rest they can get for the b2b against the clippers.
ing exactly, now If Pop just pays attention to his own statement we would be gold... Rotate Manu and Finley as starters according to matchup.
I like Ginobili off the bench. It's a natural to him and puts tremendous pressure on the other team. We had a great bench in '05 and missed that last year.
Finley seems to respond to starting more, too.
yeh massenburg was huge for us off the bench
Maybe I was wrong. Might have been 05. It was the year Udrih and Devin Brown played so well off each other.
That's like, really deep, Beno.
That's right.
Beno's like, y'know, picked up on teeny-bopper mall-rat-speak and stuff.
My God, now we see the horrible result of pop culture---foreigners think we speak like that and pick it up as they learn the language.Beno's like, y'know, picked up on teeny-bopper mall-rat-speak and stuff.
Last edited by wildbill2u; 12-10-2006 at 12:06 PM. Reason: misspelling
I know that 'shortening the lineup' is the classical move in the playoffs as coaches want to get their absolute best players the most time--but I've often wondered whether a team with a great bench wouldn't be better served by using a 'two platoon' system.
The instructions to the bench would be to keep movement off the ball continuous and fast break whenever possible. The theory behind this would be to wear down the other team who keeps their starters on the floor with fresh reserves.
For example, Shaq, even in his best years, wasn't able to run the floor for 40 minutes and maintain a high level of play. I don't think Yao can do it.
Teams haven't faced that type of strategy since the ABA days.
The closest I can recall to a team that had a great bench and used it in this manner was the old Boston Celtics who ran, ran, ran and could bring in good bench players without too much drop off.
Phoenix has had success--but hasn't won a championship--with the running game--but their bench in the past wasn't good enough to sustain it. In fact, the Spurs beat them at their own game because we had better reserves.
You mean, most of you don`t speak like that? Or is it just the older people?
That language is used primarily by pre-pubescent and pubescent girls from the state of California, primarily in the San Fernando valley.
You mean, most of you don`t speak like that? Or is it just the older people?
so what why should gino suffer b/c finley can't adjust, he is profeesional he should be able to ??????that's what y'all say about manu (if manu is proffesional, he should be able to start and and not start)
Didnt really understand your post but if I read it right your upset that people want Manu coming off the bench.... You ask why should Manu "suffer" to come off the bench..... I ask you why should Manu start if the team is dominating with the current rotation?
Last I checked this is a team, not a ing popularity contest. Besides that he is averaging about the same ammount of minutes, its not like he is relegated to 5 minutes in garbage time.
I was wondering when the MartyrManu talk would start.
I was referring to "Finley seems to respond to starting more, too. " Isn't he a professional...shouldn’t he be able to play WELL when he is coming off the bench.....(people here keep on saying that if you are a professional you should not care and be able to play well when you start and when you don't)Didnt really understand your post but if I read it right your upset that people want Manu coming off the bench.... You ask why should Manu "suffer
Last I checked this is a team, not a ing popularity contest. Besides that he is averaging about the same ammount of minutes, its not like he is relegated to 5 minutes in garbage time.
Sure, but if for whatever reason he doesn't, should the team purposefully choose to perform worse to preserve a fan's projected ego?I was referring to "Finley seems to respond to starting more, too. "Isn't he a professional...shouldn’t he be able to play WELL when he is coming off the bench.
"so that didn't help my expectations of going back in the starting lineup."
Gino is a good trooper and everything--he's not one to defy the coach's orders, but I think you can tell that he (Gino) would like to be a starter (even if he says it in a joking manner).
Corrected.
It's not unusual to hear young grandmas or grandpas with the over-use of the word "like".
yeah like any of our opinions matter to them (players and coaches)
the thing finley needs to do is ADJUST and practice, because he is not going to be a starter manu will and finley has been on the bench for a year so he has had time to adjust........
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