Sunday, July 19th, 2009...7:05 pm
Summer League Notes: SA vs. Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies 76, San Antonio Spurs 75
The relative importance of Summer League games disqualifies them from entering the heartbreak category, but tonight’s loss was definitely a disappointment. After having been down by 6 at half, the Spurs fought their way back and went up by 10 early in the fourth. But that lead steadily eroded as well. After blowing by Romel Beck on the wing, Marcus Williams hit a layup to give the Grizzlies a 1 point lead with .4 seconds left. McClinton caught the ensuing inbounds pass but was unable to get the shot off in time.
When I took a quick glance at the box score, I was caught off guard. During the game, I thought the Spurs were controlling the boards while struggling from the field. Oppositely, I thought the Grizzlies did a poor job hauling down defensive rebounds but made up for it with consistent shooting.
According to the box score, my impression was pretty far off: the Spurs were outrebounded, 42-30, while our FG% was ever so slightly better than theirs (41.5% vs. 41.2%). We did a good job converting our 8 offensive rebounds into points and held Hasheem Thabeet to only 5 rebounds, which may account for my false perception. Similarly, I was disproportionately focused on the play of George Hill and Malik Hairston, who went a collective 5 for 19. So I guess that’s why my eyes felt they saw such a different story than the stats told (there’s always the chance that I have no idea what I’m talking about).
The most positive aspect of tonight’s game was the play of Ian Mahinmi. He went right at Thabeet the entire game, limiting the #2 pick to 9 points and 5 boards (compared to Mahinmi’s 15 and 9 performance). Mahinmi consistently scored using a quick hook shot he initiated after receiving the ball on the block. When Mahinmi didn’t score, it was most often because he was fouled and headed to the line. Mahinmi has deceptively quick feet and defenders frequently found themselves needing to initiate contact in order to prevent the easy basket. Mahinmi also did a nice job establishing position against Thabeet on the defensive glass.
Jack McClinton had his best Summer League game so far, although that isn’t saying much. He went 4-10 from the field, scoring 8 points (in his 4 previous summer league games he was 1-13 from the field). He did a better job creating space off the ball, and converted that space into a nice catch-and-shoot jumper from the corner. He also dribbled into a few good looking pull-up jumpers. But his slight improvement aside, McClinton has not shown the scoring punch the Spurs were hoping he would bring off the bench. I don’t like to automatically discount guys because of a lack of quickness or size, but the truth of the matter is McClinton may not have the physical tools to be more than a deep bench player. Prove me wrong, Jack.
As I mentioned earlier, neither George Hill nor Malik Hairston shot well from the field. But both contributed in other ways. Both continued to provide the quality on-the-ball defense we’ve come to expect from them.
As Tim mentioned earlier this week, Hill has begun to grow into a genuine field general. When he was off the floor, the team’s cohesion and collective decision-making slid drastically. It’s not really a concern; none of the guys who were making poor decisions will be on the team anyways. But it’s worth noting that Hill’s IQ and leadership abilities are beginning to approach the realm of true maturity.
DeJuan Blair didn’t play this evening, which is fine. There was no reason for him to. I was a bit disappointed because I was looking forward to a Blair-Thabeet rematch.
Gist had another surprisingly quiet game (6 points, 3 rebounds). Tim and I were discussing how, at Maryland and in Italy, he was known as a high energy player. But neither of us have seen that energy from him during Summer League. He has played reasonably well, but I feel like he hasn’t been maximizing his athleticism. He did draw a tough assignment tonight in the bruising Jeff Adrien. Adrien, who is a physical player, made Gist’s rebounding duties difficult to fulfill.
I’ve really enjoyed summer league this season and I hope you have to.
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27 Comments
July 19th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Great article Graydon, thanks for keeping spurs fans updated…. enjoyed summer league! although i think the last roster spot is still up for grabs… i do hope the spurs get a 1/2/3 guy for the last spot instead of a 4/5… because i think we need more depth at the 1/2 spot we have enough bigs already… what do you think Graydon?
July 19th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Ian Mahinmi had 4 blocks and if I remember rightly altered about a half dozen more. What I liked about Mc Clintons performance tonight is that he seemed to attack in a more natural predatory way, I echo the sentiment that at his juncture he has not got the tools for the NBA but he will be a fearless shot maker for the Toros this season if that’s where he ends up. In the previous SL games I kind of got the feeling he was forcing it perhaps wanting to impress too much - also I am not convinced of his defense. On the other hand I really liked Hairston’s defence which he seemed to knuckle down on once he realized his shot wasn’t falling like in earlier games.
It will be interesting to judge the development of Ian and Hairston between now and the new season when they’ll have an entire training camp under their belts.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:35 am
It would be so great to have Ian come in and contribute right away. At 6′11 and only 22, he’s the big, athletic body we need. I’m really interested to see how the rotation will play out this year.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:52 am
Re: McClinton
Let’s not forget about bad George Hill looked last year. I don’t know how good McClinton is going to be, but I hesitate at making any kind of assumption based off of any summer league games. I like the Summer league but usually I draw the same conclusions about the Summer league as I do with preseason games…. that is to say I don’t think either of them give a very good indication of how good teams or players will be.
July 20th, 2009 at 5:36 am
One thing I have always wondered about Summer League is the real influence of the other 4 guys on your team, instead of the quality of the opposition. Everybody seems to discount performances in the SL (or at least expect players to somehow outperform) because the opposition isn’t of a great caliber, but on the other hand if a guy is going to be a role player, then I’d say it might be hard to assess his performance if he’s surrounded by other role players.
Therefore I’m wondering if for some players their life in the NBA (surrounded by great players who can space the floor, draw double teams, provide great looks…) might not be “easier” than in the SL or even D-League.
For example, would you as a role player have an easier day playing Minnesota in the NBA, knowing that Parker is in for a 45-point night of tough shots, Duncan/McD will control the paint and you will get help on defense - or playing Minnesota in the SL when their players want to show what they can do and you get little help from anybody else on the floor?
July 20th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Things I saw last night:
McClinton not only played better offense, he played better defense. He was active and pesky around the ball-for the first time, I saw what the front office was talking about when they said he was the best defender they previewed for the draft. I liked that the coaches gave him more time to play, too-he seemed to benefit from it.
Hill seemed tentative on offense, similar to how he appeared last game against Portland. I assumed early on this was because he had been told to ease up on his offense and facilitate others. But then he was shooting quite a bit at the end of the game (from deep, no less), making that seem less likely. Plus, he seemed more easily flustered. At one point, after missing a layup off an impressive full-court drive, he stood off to the side and kept rehearsing the blown opportunity-not the kind of short memory needed in a veteran (of course, he’s only a second-year player, and the rehearsal took place during a dead-ball). Also, his several end-game deep jumpers were forced and probably should have been drives (if not assists). With all that said, I like Hill, and his first three games (turnovers aside, at least in game 3) were impressive. Even the forced plays reminded me of another young PG on the Spurs who’s turned out pretty good. I’m looking forward to seeing him play this season and mature as the backup PG.
Mahinmi was fantastic. If his name had been called more on offense, he could have scored a LOT more points. He simply ruled Thabeet. We probably shouldn’t have been running those high sideline pick and rolls with him and Hill at the end of the game-we should have just given it to Mahinmi down low (as it was, he turned one of them into a bucket by retrieving a blocked shot and putting it in). I was highly impressed with his play, especially against a big and bruising Memphis front-court.
Gist was more active (a nice putback slam, among other things), but I agree with 48MoH that his overall effort was subdued. It may simply be that he spent so much time trying to think within the Spurs’ system that he spent less time focusing on using his athleticism. I wouldn’t be surprised if the coaches had given him a lot to chew on, and were happier to see him following their instructions than looking for highlight reel opportunities (I have a similar theory for Hill’s and Hairston’s more subdued play in the last two games). Perhaps a bit of time in Austin will allow him to both learn the system and use his hops. We’ll see.
It was a good summer league. A bummer to end with two straight losses (though, I’d note, we were without Blair last night-I’ve gotta think his presence would have altered things favorably), but strong play from the players who really bore watching (Hill, Blair, Hairston, and Mahinmi). And there appears to be good hope for future development in Gist and McClinton, perhaps as they learn the system in Austin. Finally, I enjoyed seeing players like Lasme and Beck come out and play.
Here’s to the coming season!
July 20th, 2009 at 5:44 am
Matt,
I tend to agree with you. But I think there is a difference between Hill’s poor performance last year and McClinton’s this year.
Hill shot poorly last year but we drafted him because of his defense not his offense. And, although overlooked, he did play decently on the defensive end of the ball. But more importantly, he still had his length, quickness and leaping ability. In other words, his athleticism was still highly evident.
McClinton is a solid defender (he showed as much last night) but, according to Buford, we drafted him because of his shooting ability. And he just hasn’t shot well. But in this instance, I don’t have a lingering faith in his athleticism. If McClinton had the physical tools Hill has I might be more optimistic.
July 20th, 2009 at 6:55 am
Good points, Graydon, re: McClinton. I hadn’t considered that, and it really does distinguish last year’s Hill from this year’s McClinton.
One defense of McClinton, though, would be that, since we brought him in for offense primarily (noting, of course, that the FO was impressed with his defense), we shouldn’t be surprised that his offensive game slid when (1) he was getting plugged into a more complicated system than what he was used to (more complicated than most other systems, period), and (2) he wasn’t getting a lot of playing time. A scorer-especially a jump-shooting scorer-needs time and opportunity to get his stroke down. McClinton didn’t have much of either (a good bit less than Beck had, as some have noted).
Evidence that these factors were at play are demonstrated by the fact that he got better as the week went on (albeit not amazingly better). He hit his first shot Saturday, then made 4 last night. And last night was the night he appeared to get the most time on the court. Thus, over the course of the week, as he got more accustomed to the system and got more time on the floor, his play improved.
I don’t think this proves McClinton’s the next Hill (or the next House, of the Eddie variety), but it does suggest his future may be similarly bright. At least if he works as hard as Hill has.
July 20th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Totally agree with the fact that we drafted Hill more for D and McClinton for O, but I still hesitate to say anything about McClinton’s future in the NBA until a few months or so go by. Summer league games in my opinion can be overrated for both the good and the bad… remember a couple years ago when that one guy on the Warriors (Bellinelli?) went ballistic and everyone thought he was going to be something else?
It’s just too hard to forecast based on a few games. I will agree though that he hasn’t looked that sharp in the games that he’s played so far, but fortunately for him and the Spurs, we can have as much patience with him as we need because there’s not a very strong need for him and therefore less pressure.
Though I should say that I have not seen him in person in the Summer League, so I can’t comment specifically on some aspects.
July 20th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I like Will’s point. A guy like McClinton will do better when he is the fourth of fifth option on the floor and his man has to leave him open to help stop superior scorers. That in addition to him becoming familiar with the system. It may end up taking a year or two but Eddie House was a role player on average/bad teams his first five years in the league, playing in more than 60 games only once. If McClinton focuses on improving the little things, playing on ball D and having deep range will keep him employed in the league.
July 20th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Somewhat tangentially related, is there a chance that we can see Tiago Splitter sooner rather than later? Based on the following TrueHoop Summer League observation, what does this do to/for the Spurs/Splitter situation?
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-42-99/The-Eight-Biggest-Stories-of-Summer-League.html
The Global Economic Crisis
There’s an area behind the near basket at Cox Pavilion where European coaches, general managers, and scouts sit and talk shop during the games. The NBA presents Summer League as a showcase of their future stars, but the real business in Las Vegas is being conducted by these guys, along with the agents and bridge-builders who are trying to get jobs overseas for the less recognizable names on Summer League rosters. Although there wasn’t a visible black cloud hanging over this corner of the gym, the anxiety was palpable. They had a lot to be stressed about. Basketball clubs the world over are suffering, but none more than those in Europe. After years of escalating salaries and profits, the market has collapsed. “I’ve told all my European guys to expect, on average, salaries to go down between 30 and 40 percent,” one European agent said. “It’s definitely a buyer’s market.” This dynamic puts pressure on everyone — the players who are facing a pay cut (even if they’re coming off banner seasons), the agents who are terrified to communicate this to their clients out of fear of getting fired, and the teams who still haven’t filled out their rosters because they’re short on cash. The result is an impasse with neither players nor clubs budging, and a few teams on the verge of economic collapse.
July 20th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
McClinton is clearly not ready to play in the NBA yet, and may never be. Having said that, I hope the Spurs retain his right’s, a la Gist, and keep him in the pipeline. He has the potential to be a good 3rd PG/5th guard down the line.
As for Gist, he too needs more seasoning. All he did the majority of Summer League was stand at the top of the key, catch-and-shoot and bomb away, rarely, if ever converting from that range.
The 14 that are signed now are more than likely going to be the opening day roster. A part of this team’s fate may yet rest in the hands of Mahinmi. If he can be a 4th big/15-20 mpg player who provides a presence at the rim/ lane intimidation/shot altering/shot blocking/rebounding, then the Spurs will have every conceivable piece needed to conquer the other contenders.
July 21st, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Where is our Marcus Williams?
July 21st, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Offseason wrist surgery. He’s fine now. Will be in training camp.
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:44 am
Timothy Varner,
You mentioned before that you’ll take Marcus Williams over Earl Watson… curios question, can he play the point? i check his profile he is listed as forward… also hoping for a fruitful training camp for the Spurs… Thanks!
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:54 am
He played mainly point forward at Arizona and Austin… Expect point guard cover in the same manner Hedo did for the magic last year. Marcus has some very good passing instincts (he had 6 assists in 19 or so minutes in the D-League all star game last year). Although in the limited number of times I saw him last year he seemed a little turnover prone. At the very least he’ll be another type of pg to throw at opposition defenses. If he signs we have:
Small and very fast - Parker
Long and fast (at least laterally) - Hill
Tall and fast (for a 6′7 player) - Williams
Pop has never has this amount of offensive diversity before. Not to mention firepower with the big 4 and a young bunch of scorers off the bench.
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I know this is off the subject, but has anyone heard any news about the Spurs using their Low Level Exception? It seems like Nate Robinson is having a hard time finding employment these days. Now I know the Spurs don’t NEED him, but he did average 17 pts and 4 assts per game last year and would be great alongside Parker playing small ball. Its just a thought, but if Hill isn’t quite ready to back up Tony than this could be a decent option. I figure we could use all the firepower we can get. Linas Kleiza would also be a good backup SF since Findog is definitely on the downside of his career. Thoughts?
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Wesley,
thanks for the info about Williams… i thought we have Fab five rather than what called big four… we have Duncan, Manu, Tony, RJ and Dice… Go Spurs Go!
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:49 pm
hobson13,
not sure about the Nate idea… regarding Linas, i’ve mentioned him as an option in this blog maybe few months ago… i honestly think he can fit in, has has godd shooting skills, but his defense maybe in question… Hairston is signed with us he might provide depth in SF position behing RJ and Findog
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:05 pm
In case you guys haven’t already seen it, the Spurs have apparently signed Theo Ratliff.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131875
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Not sure if you’ve seen this already, but the Spurs have apparently signed Theo Ratliff. This makes another trade seem pretty certain.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131875
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:16 pm
http://www.poundingtherock.com/2009/7/23/958890/theo-ratliff-a-spur#comments
Theo Ratliff? I would’ve never guessed.
Thoughts?
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:17 pm
This might be a bit more of a legit source.
http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131875
July 23rd, 2009 at 5:16 am
Here’s a purely hypothetical: Could Allen Iverson make it work witht he Spurs or is he a cancer to the locker room? Scoring off the bench. Knows Pop and Larry Brown have a great relationship together. Wants to end his career “happy.” My question isn’t really if the Spurs should pursue him but if the Spurs and AI could co-exist.
Ratliff would be an excellent vet to bang around with bigs like Shaq, Howard, etc. in my opinion.
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:11 am
AI is like Vince, the kind of player I like to watch playing… for another team. Don’t even mention him and the Spurs in the same sentence please.
July 23rd, 2009 at 8:13 am
Anyone have any insight as to why Nando de Colo didn’t wind up playing in the summer league despite appearing in the official box scores for the first two games?
July 23rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm
TrueFan,
Nando did not participate in the summer league… he is with Tony Parker training with the French national team…
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