Friday, July 16th, 2010...5:50 am
Video: How Tiago Splitter fits in with the San Antonio Spurs
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We’ve talked plenty about Tiago Splitter in these parts. But we haven’t done a whole lot of work on explaining how he will actually fit into the San Antonio Spurs’ plans.
Most of what we were concerned with was actually getting him in the silver and black. An important first step, I know. But now that the deal is done and dusted and Splitter has been assigned a jersey, let’s have a look at how the big Brazilian fits in with your San Antonio Spurs.
107 Comments
July 16th, 2010 at 6:12 am
great video.
okay boys, please forgive me some stupid questions but i’ve never played, and only started watching when the spurs played the hometown team dallas a few months ago when they beat them : )
can anyone tell me what
the “post/high post/low post” is?
and “the lane”?
don’t be mean.
July 16th, 2010 at 6:25 am
I cant see the video… damn firewall!
I predict splitter to be a 12-14 point contributor with 7-8 boards in his first year…
July 16th, 2010 at 6:30 am
The lane is the painted area. It us usually referred to as ‘the paint” or “the lane” which is used for driving…
The low post is playing on the low block on the edge of the paint. If you say one works from the low post, then he essentially can catch the ball down low and ‘go to work” if you will…
The high post is usually up at the frww throw line on either side of the paint, but can range out 4-6 feet from the paint.
Hope that helped..
July 16th, 2010 at 6:32 am
Tiago reminds me of a bigger, more athletic Oberto with a better offensive game, which means he should fit like a glove. And as physical as the play gets in Europe (and by physical, I mean pseudo dirty), Tiago should be able to make the adjustment to the NBA fairly easily. If anything, he’ll have to cut out some of the contact he was allowed in Spain.
With the motion offense we run, Tiago’s (like Fab’s) passing skills will be on display. When he catches at the high post/elbow area, he’ll have the ability to see the floor, dissect the defense, and hit out cutters.
Tiago’s passing skills should also help a player like RJ (if he resigns), who needs to receive the ball in scoring position to be successful. To often last year RJ was asked to make a play for himself, which isn’t his strength. But if he receives it around the basket, or cutting to the basket, his efficiency should go up.
Tiago gives us that other scoring threat we need with Manu in that second unit. Instead of everyone playing off Manu, we can switch it up and run motion plays through Tiago.
I’m pumped!
July 16th, 2010 at 6:34 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Andrew A. McNeill, San Antonio Spurs. San Antonio Spurs said: 48 Minutes of Hell >> Video: How Tiago Splitter fits in with the San Antonio Spurs http://buzztap.com/-OL9x89 [...]
July 16th, 2010 at 6:37 am
And mark my words: Tiago, not Greg Monroe, will prove to be the best passing big man in this rookie class next season…..
July 16th, 2010 at 6:38 am
Hello Chloe,
Welcome to the Spurs Family! Like DieHardSpur I’m unable to view the video for whatever reason so I’m not sure how high post and low post are referenced in the video.
But a quick explanation the lane is the colored rectangular area that surrounds the basket. The low post is a spot on either side of the lane close to the basket the hight post is a spot on either side of the lane further away from the basket closer to the free throw line.
I hope that makes sense.
July 16th, 2010 at 6:39 am
Jeff McDonald tweeted earlier today “Twice today heard Splitter described as a “bigger, more skilled version of Fab Oberto.” Just passing it along.”
July 16th, 2010 at 6:44 am
Chloe, try this website.
http://www.firstbasesports.com/basketball_glossary.html
It has some pretty good definitions of basketball terms.
July 16th, 2010 at 6:45 am
My main concern about Tiago in his first season will be adjusting to the physical play in the NBA. I could see him getting pushed around quite a bit initially. Obviously you don’t have to face Dwight Howard every night but it’s still a very physical league in the paint.
July 16th, 2010 at 6:50 am
@Tyler
“Tiago gives us that other scoring threat we need with Manu in that second unit. Instead of everyone playing off Manu, we can switch it up and run motion plays through Tiago.”
I have a source that claims when Manu renegotiated his contract being in the starting line-up was a key issue as well as being the last player introduced which was previously Tony Parker. I don’t know if it’s written in stone but I don’t expect Manu to resume his sixth man role unless Pop absolutely pleads with him to go back to that role.
July 16th, 2010 at 6:53 am
Este -
The play in Europe is twice as “dirty” or “physical” as it is in the NBA. While I do believe that Splitter will need to put on weight in his shoulders, he should be just fine banging with the local talent in the states. Of course there is always your Bynum’s and Howard’s, but everyone has to deal with them. Just as they will have to deal with a Splitter who can pass like a point guard, hit the mid range jumper like McDyess, and score in the post as well as just about any other big man…
July 16th, 2010 at 7:17 am
Tiago for “Rookie of the year” anyone?
July 16th, 2010 at 7:30 am
whats the track in the video?
July 16th, 2010 at 7:32 am
I love good passing big men. The idea of Tiago, Manu, and yes even Jefferson on the floor to spell time for Timmy and TD sounds terrific. Even if we don’t have Jefferson, Hairston looks poised to have a good year and is an exciting player to watch. With all these important role players (Blair, Jefferson, Dyess, Hill, Hairston) getting acclimated to the system and the addition of Tiago, I’m pretty optimistic about this season.
The key is going to be the defense (obviously). But I think that is were the most improvement comes with time. A guys offensive skills are usually the same no matter the system. A shooter is a shooter, a low post big man will always post, slashers will slash (etc). I wouldn’t expect guys to do too much more on offense than they did last year (with HOPEFULLY Jefferson as an exception). But with a whole season under their belt in the Spurs defensive system, it should prove wonders. Hopefully we can get restored to the defense of old.
July 16th, 2010 at 7:45 am
@diehardspur
I would love for him to get ROY, but Wall or Griffin has a better chance imo.
July 16th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Nice video. My favorite part was Andrew saying “those ups” while breathing heavily. Pretty much summed up my feelings too.
Agree with the other guys saying that he might be playing too physical for the NBA. I thought that first defensive clip in the video would have been a foul in the States.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:04 am
I think our team will be a lot better this upcoming season. Splitter basically took NBA pennies to sign with us, and if RJ takes 6-7 mil a year, that’s a big pay cut. What that also tells me is those guys are committed to this organization, and winning.
Then if guys like Anderson/Hairston/Temple/Gee actually get some court time, that’ll keep them motivated to keep learning.
Also, I think it’s time to put Manu back in the starting lineup. Using him as a sixth man was genius, but I think in today’s NBA, we need to start, and finish, games with our best players on the court.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:11 am
@Este
Manu can’t renegotiate his contract - it’s against the CBA rules. And the idea that Manu has to somehow be introduced last seems to be very un-Manu like. I’m not saying they didn’t come to an “understanding” regarding him starting, but Manu doesn’t strike me as the type of player that really worries about whether he starts or not.
Also, FIBA is much more physical than the NBA. There’s more pushing, shoving, hand checking, etc allowed in FIBA, especially down low. That’s why I don’t think he should have a problem bodying guys defensively or blocking out. He will, however have to adjust to the speed and the athleticism. Both of these adjustments will take a period of time and probably cause him to be a little more foul-prone than we would like. But I have no doubt that he will learn pretty quickly and adjust accordingly.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:15 am
I believe Este was talking about when Manu signed his extension, which can be negotiated. & even if it isn’t written in the contract, they can still have verbal agreements before Manu signed that extension.
Such as: Manu won’t play international ball anymore, but he gets put back in the starting lineup.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:19 am
@Jordan -
Griffin was a rookie last year, so he cant be this year as well…
Wall will be really good. Do you think he will be as efficient as the current MVP in Europe? I think we have just as good a shot, if not a better shot, to have the ROY.
Blair VS Splitter in the Rookie VS Sophmore game…. (I am salivating)
July 16th, 2010 at 8:20 am
Also, when I say “second unit,” that doesn’t necessarily mean Tiago will/will not start. I just mean that with subs in (and Manu on the court), we’ll have one more weapon that can create, either in the post, or off the block with his passing skills.
The second unit operates exclusively off Manu. And at times, guys can get caught watching. With Tiago, our offense has the potential to add another threat, which should in turn make everyone else better, even Manu.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:21 am
man, i dont know how the starting lineup will be because tony said he has to start for this team, and manu apparently wants to start as well, (este), so will hill be our only scoring threat off the bench? him and blair. i thought it was the manu blair combo that killed teams? i hope manu or tony can swallow their pride for another two seasons so we can win some more championships. also, splitter wont get enough minutes (like 20-30) to become rookie of the year, players like wall and evans will probably get over 40 minutes per game. would’ve been cool though. I wish they could count per minute production in rookies so that they could be evenly evaluated in stats and whatnot.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:23 am
@DieHardSpur
I think this upcoming year actually counts as Griffin’s rookie year, being that he didn’t play a minute during the regular season, similar to Oden a few years back, or even DRob when he had to perform his required 2 years in the military after he was drafted.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:27 am
Damnit… There goes that idea…
July 16th, 2010 at 8:29 am
@Tyler
“Manu can’t renegotiate his contract – it’s against the CBA rules. And the idea that Manu has to somehow be introduced last seems to be very un-Manu like. I’m not saying they didn’t come to an “understanding” regarding him starting, but Manu doesn’t strike me as the type of player that really worries about whether he starts or not”
I was referring to the deal he just signed not a new contract. And I know personally that Manu’s agent demanded that Manu be introduced last. I can’t reveal how I know but if you want proof get a copy of the video of pregame introductions before Manu signed his new deal and a copy of a video of player introductions immediately after signing his new deal.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:39 am
@ karsten
It’s the instrumental to “The People” by Common.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:50 am
@este
I doubt the Spurs would even honor that request to be introduced last and the loudest. The way Popovich is if a player “demanded” that I’d think Popovich would have the PA guy introduce Ginobili first and with no excitment…maybe even leave the lights on for Manu and then turn them off for the other four starters.
He demanded to be introduced last…what a laugh!
July 16th, 2010 at 8:53 am
I know it for a fact. As I mentioned earlier before the deal was signed Parker was introduced last after the deal was signed Ginobili was introduced last. Check the video if you can find it online somewhere.
July 16th, 2010 at 9:22 am
@Este and duaneofly
No doubt they can have “gentlemen’s agreements.” I misunderstood Este to mean they were trying to renegotiate his contract in respect to starting/introductions after it had been signed, which is against the rules.
July 16th, 2010 at 9:24 am
I really do not think any of the spurs players care which one of them is introduced last. The funny thing to me even tho we may be in the “twilight” of Tim Duncan’s career, as everyone has been saying for the past 2 years , he is still by far and away the most recognizable and important spur to the organization. While he is no longer as consistently dominant he is still more valuable to our team than Manu Ginobili or Tony Parker. So even if Manu DEMANDED to be introduced last idk it just seems laughable. Now it does seem likely he would tell pop that he wants more starting time and in my opinion this is the way to go.At this point manu while still explosive has lost a step and we no longer need him as our benches spark plug following the development of George Hill that is his responsibility now. I love the addition of Tiago Splitter and now wonder to myself what kind of interest is there for a trade involving Antonio Mcdyess. There is 4.5 million dollars just languishing on our bench in the form of his contract . It actually got to the point this offseason that I forgot we had “dice” on our team that was how quiet he was last season . With us signing T-split do we really need Mcdyess ?
July 16th, 2010 at 9:29 am
On the topic of starting/introductions, I really think all this talk of egos and “I have to start” kind of stuff in overblown by fans, especially in SA.
For example, I’ve lived in San Antonio my whole life, and it still amazes me how little respect TP gets from most Spurs’ fans. Reading some of the comments here and listening to others, you would think TP is some kind of egomaniac, me-first type of guy who is desperate to find a large market for him and his wife. When in reality, he hasn’t done or said much, on or off the court, that has indicated he’s that type of guy.
I just have a hard time believing that TP or Manu have as big of egos as some would like to believe. After all, they’ve both signed reasonable contracts over the course of their careers (when they probably could have had more) and they’ve chosen to play in one of the smaller markets in the NBA.
If it really was all about themselves, both probably would be somewhere else. But instead, they’ve “settled” for a po-dunk town (relative to the rest of the NBA) in South TX, away from all the glitz and glamour. When you look at what they’ve actually done and said, not just what they’ve “reportedly” said to some foreign newspaper, I think it’s ludicrous to label either as selfish in any way.
July 16th, 2010 at 9:35 am
In fairness to Este, his agent might have in fact lobbied for Manu being introduced last, but whose to say it was on Manu’s orders? For all we know, maybe the team changed the intros up simply because Manu is by far the most popular player among Spurs’ fans and they wanted to save the loudest roar till the end….
July 16th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Ever notice there aren’t any smooth moving Euros? But there are plenty of extremely effective Euros.
Splitter will not win ROY because he won’t get the minutes or the shots that Wall or Griffin will get. However, Spliter is going to be the most important rookie on a contender this year. If he gives us 150% of 2005 Fabby, we will be dangerous.
July 16th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Tyler, I think that about sums it up. Although I must say when Amare purportedly said that he was talking to Parker and Melo about joining him in New York the basketball fan inside me began salivating. Im a spurs fan thru and thru but damn up until it came down to knicks vs Spurs I would have to root for that team…… but the knicks front office smokes rocks so it will probabaly never happen. Just as well I would like to keep Parker as a spur I am looking forward to a well rested frenchmen once again tearing up the paint and getting upwards of 20 ppg . That one year when he was shooting over 50 % from the field and leading the league b4 the all star game it was like poetry in motion.
July 16th, 2010 at 9:40 am
@ ThatBigGuy
I liked Fab and think that Tiago will have a comparable passing game what I am looking for is a more accurate jump shooter for when Yimmy passes out of the post as well as a big that can slash to the basket like Dirk.
July 16th, 2010 at 9:41 am
lol Timmy not Yimmy
July 16th, 2010 at 9:46 am
@Tyler
I happen to be in a position to know that Manu and his agent made the order of introductions apart of the new deal. I can’t say much more than that. Believe it or not I gain nothing by making it up.
July 16th, 2010 at 9:47 am
The other question I have: Why is TP (as opposed to Manu) always cast in the selfish light?
Is it because he doesn’t rack up assists like Nash or Paul? In his defense, our system isn’t designed for that type of PG. We aren’t built for players that dominate the ball. We’re built on spacing and motion. Plug Nash or Paul in our system, and no doubt their assist totals go down.
Is it because he’s French? If he was from South America, would he be viewed differently? I used to think this idea was crazy, but after reading/posting on this blog for the last year or so, I’m starting to think differently.
We Spurs fans are a peculiar breed…..
July 16th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Comparing Tiago to Fab brings back memories. I would love to bring Fab back just to see the light gleam off that silver tooth and that yeah-I-just-got-out-of-the-shower-and-my-hair-is-still-as-greasy-as-it-was-before-I-got-in look that killed me…..
July 16th, 2010 at 10:06 am
There isn’t a player of any relevance in the NBA or any major professional sports team that doesn’t have an ego. The problem is when the players ego and individual goals become more important than the team. Fortunately the Spurs have found guys who are living legends in their home countries like Parker and Ginobili who have kept their ego relatively in check for the good of the organization.
If you’re Manu Ginobili and you are essentially Michael Jordan in Argentina but you’re asked to come off the bench behind guys like Mason or Finley or whoever it’s not going to always sit well with you. Now to Ginobili’s credit he did it and he never sniped to the media or anyone else about it but that doesn’t mean he was okay with it.
And you can make the argument that playing time and who’s in the game at crunch time is more important but as we all know these guys are human and they do have egos. I understand that Ginobili making demands about player introductions contradicts the myth we as fans have created about Manu.
In Ginobili’s defense he has sacrificed for the Spurs on more than one occasion and for him to make a minor contract demand at a time when he held all the leverage isn’t that big a deal. And don’t think the Spurs delay in offering a new contract didn’t bother him more than just a bit.
July 16th, 2010 at 10:06 am
well Tyler I have a couple of answers . A. Manu Ginobili is hispanic and Tony parker is french San Antonio is mostly hispanic . B. He married Eva Longoria and even tho she is a local girl (from corpus) the stigma is that because she is an actress she is stuck up and by association Tony Parker is also stuck up. I also think Tony’s brief foray into rap may have led people to believe he is about getting money and fame. I like that you brought up the point about Parker not getting a lot of assist, this bugs me to no end . Tony Parker is a scoring pg has always been and should always be his game is to penetrate to the paint and get the high percentage lay in, tear drop, etc….. Now if the D collapses he also has the ability to pass the ball out of traffic to the open man for a high percentage shot this is why Tony is a great point. To try and say like I hear some one say “man I wish he could have gotten maybe another assist or 2 then he would have a double double like Nash or Paul” ( I have heard these exact words btw) Kinda bothers me . At the end of the day I think its not about stats its about the rings my boy has three. Thats more than Paul ,Nash, D. williams, Rondo combined and he has a finals MVP so HA!
July 16th, 2010 at 10:38 am
@Firebrand
In the ’08-’09 post season, I put together a spreadsheet for some of my friends who were comparing the best pointguards in the league.
All averages were on post season play.
Tony had a clear advantage in all categories, and was only beat by Nash who had 1.5 more assists, but less points. At this time I believe that Tony was around 22 ppg and 7 and change apg’s.
That was the last 100% healthy Tony Parker we saw, a 22 and 7 PG. Tony’s points were lacking this year do to injury, but the drop in assists were not his fault, but the ability to knock down the open shot. How many times was the ball kicked out to the open man and he miss the wide open shot?
Tony, when healthy, is by far the best finisher under the rim in the league. Not to mention he is the fastest guy in the league with the ball in his hands… I can only think of one other who might be faster and thats aaron brooks from the rockets.
In my assesment, Tony is the best pointguard in the league for our system.
Go ahead… I am waiting to hear all the rants about how full of it i am…
July 16th, 2010 at 10:44 am
Ok first things first here is vid from opening ceremonies of game one of the playoffs in dallas. If Ginobili wanted to be introduced last it would be that way here you would think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpB-76JBUMM If for some reason it wont let you all view it i just went to youtube and typed in “Spurs introductions 2010″ as shown in this vid neither Manu or Tony is introduced last it is George Hill who was filling in at the point for Tony Parker who was just coming back from injury. I would say myth busted.
July 16th, 2010 at 10:53 am
@DieHardSpur
Very nice . The only pointguard that I like as much as Tony and who I think would fit our system perfectly is Rajon Rondo. I love this guys length his passing ability and his ability to get to the hoop . Recently he has been knocked on for his inaccuracy shooting the ball , much like Parker a few years back, but with a good shooting coach he will be able to fix that . His contract is comparable to what Parker received when we resigned him it comes out to 11 million a year. I got to say if the offer were on the table for us to get rondo this would be the only way I could give up Parker I would even throw in Mcdyess to boot lol. Bring the hate .
July 16th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Rondo stopped driving to the basket by the Finals because his FT % was so bad. Parker never let un-exceptional FT % take him out of the game. He was always attacking the rim, because he knows that if he only makes 50% FT’s, he still drew a foul on a big guy. Rondo doesn’t do that because he hasn’t figured out that drawing fouls is just as important as making FT’s.
If Rondo doesn’t drive, he doesn’t fit our system.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:08 am
hmmm this is true I totally forgot about Rondos free throw woes.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:13 am
thanks everyone for the help.
i am pretty sure i get it, though the “low post/high post” sounds a little bit more vague than the lane which is the exact same thing as the paint, but i get the idea. only one more thing, sorry, but what is “the block” on the basketball court? it wasn’t on the firstbasesports glossary. is it exactly the same area as the “low post”?
July 16th, 2010 at 11:19 am
@Firebrand
I can’t speak for what they do on the road but I can tell you for a fact that immediately following Manu’s new deal that the order of introductions was changed so that Manu was introduced last. I will add that not only are Spurs fans followers of this blog but so are Spurs employees. I will leave it at that.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Chloe - I wish my wife cared as much as you do…
The block.
There are hash marks where the players have to stand when one is shooting freethrows. There is a block in place of the hash at the second spot up from baseline.
So, when a player is referenced to having “caught the ball on the block;” they are referring to thearea in the (close or onthe block) post from an angle that heeps him out of the paint so he doesnt get a 3 second violation, and he is still close enough for a lay up or turn around jumper if he can shake his defender. Timmy excelled in this position throughout his career. We are excited to have another option to work out of the post to relieve pressure off timmy during the regular season, thus he wont be wore down come post season like he was this past year.
For the record - Splitter is supposed to be the best “Post” player we’ve had to compliment Duncan since David Robinson left in 2003.
July 16th, 2010 at 11:31 am
WOW - can we say grammatical errors?
July 16th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Hehehe… love the “jumps like a young Dwight Howard” comment. Well edited video, very enjoyable and informative.
I have this terrible feeling though that somehow, Matt Bonner will find his way into the starting line-up. Nooooo…….
July 16th, 2010 at 11:58 am
My only complaints with TP center on his end-of-game 1-on-5 forces. This past yr it seemed every close game he took the last shot and forced it and I can’t remember him converting once. He seemed selfish in these situations and that was new.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Splitter IMO will make a huge impact. Timmy can’t carry a team anymore, he needs a sidekick.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
@ Este
Bro , your killing me . Ok his extension was completed just before April 10 of 2010. So maybe it doesn’t kick in until this year or the fact that it is an away game may contribute to it . I will concede that.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Nooree- Bonner is ok in a starting lineup with Duncan, Manu, Tony, and RJ. In fact, that’s the best place for him to get his minutes, because the defense has to account for all of them more than they have to account for him. Also, they are best suited to help cover his defensive inneficiencies.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
@ este
i believe you, i dont think ginobili demanded it but i would say he asked for it nicely and i honestly think its a good thing because to me timmy needs passionate players to keep his body playing hard and this past year manu,tim,blair,dice were the only players with fire and you guys know thats the truth. tony looked like he could care less, but im not gonna get into that.
Im really glade to hear spurs employers look at legit fan sites, its smart of them because they know what all the die hard fans are thinking, & whats driving us crazy about “pop” haha No small ball!!! (unless its phx)
July 16th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Just a random observation, but those animated advertisements appear very distracting, especially that first one with all the bouncing basketballs. I would be constantly distracted playing in that kind of environment.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
I like him, he looks and even plays like Pau Gasol. I think he will fit in nicely. Great job guys with the highlights. We can match up nicely with the Lakers aside from Kobe.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
ED - You are completely incorrect in your statement.
“He cant carry a team anymore”
Tim carried our ass from day one. Early in the year he was averaging 22 and 12 - while Manu was out of rythm, while Tony was playing through Plantar Faciatis, while we had role players who couldnt play their role….
Tim was the only consistent baller on the floor. George did an outstanding job of playing his role, but other that that, there was no one.
No one can win a championship on their own. I dont know if that is what you are referencing, but thats how it came across. What Timmy did this year, in the twilight of his career, personifies one taking a team on your back and making them win. There are only a handfull of players in the league that can do it in their prime. Last year you witnessed an aged superstar do it in the twiling of his career.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
twilight***
July 16th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
I’ve been as a excited as the next Spurs fan to see Tiago in the silver and black this year, but I have to say after watching that video clip I’m slightly concerned. Are you telling me Tiago is Nazr Mohammed (Bad Hands extraordinaire) with a slightly better post game? On the other hand (see what I did there?), we won a ring with Nazr at center, so it may not be as bad as it seems. Also, The Beast has plenty of hands for the both of em.
July 16th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
JohnnyC, Im thinking Tiago is going to have a more polished all around game than Nazi although I am worried about his ability to rebound at an NBA level . HE needs to get his Brazilian butt to the gym and put on some muscle . Tim is already lean enough for everyone. Last is it just me or does Dejaun Blair make you think of Malik Rose ? An Undersized Incredibly strong forward with an abundance of fire and grit…. maybe it is just me.
July 16th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
whoops Jonny not johnny .
Man I am making all the mistakes today . This must be how it feels to be Roger Mason jr.
July 16th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
I also called Nazr mohammed Nazi ……. I am so done today . I will be back when we pick up a shooter or renew RJs contract ….omg “nazi” thats too good.
July 16th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
@ Chloe
The lane and the block are literal places on the court. You understand the lane, which is good. The block is a literal box on the edge of the lane, down near the basket. If you look at a picture of any basketbal court, you will see it.
High post/low post refers to general areas of the court. The low post is generally located around the block. The high post is generally located around the free throw line.
Slower/bigger/more powerful guys generally hang out in the low post because they can use their strength to muscle their way to the basket. Smaller/quicker/more athletic guys generally hang out in the high post because they can use their quickness to go past defenders and get to the basket.
Timmy is a low post guy who has the size and strength to score in the low post, while Splitter is quicker and will be able to score better from the high post. Also, a high post player is always 1 pass away from all of his teammates, so having a high post player who can pass really well, like Splitter, is beneficial.
July 16th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Tiago is going to be better in that position than anyone the team has had since…
Robinson (at the end of his career)?
Kevin Willis?
Oberto?
If he can even duplicate some of those it will be great.
I think he’ll be better than that.
Great signing by the Spurs.
July 16th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Tyler
July 16th, 2010 at 6:32 am
“Tiago reminds me of a bigger, more athletic Oberto with a better offensive game, which means he should fit like a glove.”
The problem is, Duncan was blocking 2.5 - 2.9 shots per game back when we had Oberto, and were a true title contender (Splitter is not a particularly good shot-blocker). PLUS, we had one of the best “clutch” role players in the game in Robert Horry when Oberto was here. Now we have Matt Bonner! Splitter’s a pretty versatile 7 footer, and will help, but in my view he’s clearly not enough to allow us to truly contend.
“Also, FIBA is much more physical than the NBA. There’s more pushing, shoving, hand checking, etc allowed in FIBA, especially down low. That’s why I don’t think he should have a problem bodying guys defensively or blocking out.”
Yes, but he could use about 20 more pounds of muscle, both lower & upper body. The NBA players are generally bigger & stronger than in Europe.
SpursfanSteve
July 16th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
“Nooree- Bonner is ok in a starting lineup with Duncan, Manu, Tony, and RJ. In fact, that’s the best place for him to get his minutes, because the defense has to account for all of them more than they have to account for him. Also, they are best suited to help cover his defensive inefficiencies.”
That is a very silly argument. Bonner should be on the bench as much as possible, particularly against the top teams around the league. His lack of defense & rebounding hurts us more than anything he can do to help us.
Firebrand
July 16th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
“Last is it just me or does Dejaun Blair make you think of Malik Rose ? An Undersized Incredibly strong forward with an abundance of fire and grit…. maybe it is just me.”
Some similarities, but Rose was still in college at the same age Blair was playing his first season in the NBA. Rose never got Blair-type minutes until he was 25 yrs. old. Blair just turned 21. Generally speaking, Blair is actually a better rebounder, and in my opinion, has CONSIDERABLY more upside overall than Rose ever had. This is not to slight Rose in any way. He was a nice player.
On the Manu contract/starting/not starting ramblings:
Manu could care less whether he starts or comes off the bench. He really likes both roles, is very good at both roles, has an appropriate level of respect for Pop’s decision-making, and cares WAY more about WINNING as a TEAM than any relatively petty individual desires. Many of our players over the years have had a similar attitude, and that is one MAJOR reason why we have had so much success over the years.
July 16th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
12-14 point contributor with 7-8 boards in his first year…
Thats son fuckin better than mcdyess and matt bonner together
Also a better defense and energy.
The Surprise factor, because nobody knows splitter
July 16th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
If Tiago’s weakness is his rebounding but plays similar to Oberto, then Tiago might be a prime candidate to master Oberto’s tip-out style of rebounding. I don’t know if Oberto got credit in the stat sheets for all the offensive rebounds he created for other people by tipping the ball out to one our guards around the three point line while the defense’s bigmen were collapsing to the rim.
A month or two with the spurs and hopefully the front office will have tipping out the balls he can’t coral himself, and once he understands the system and knows where his teammates will be on the floor, he’ll be generating second and third chances like crazy… I don’t know why other teams haven’t jumped on this strategy for their poorer rebounders
July 16th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Splitter is fine size wise.
Scola is no bigger and he handled np at all in the NBA. Same kind of crafty Euro bugger as well.
I think he will be great in the NBA, it’s not like a college kid coming in. Regardless of size those guys have to learn how to play in the pro’s with all the niggle and grit that it takes.
Tiagos there already. He is not small, he is average size for an NBA big.
July 16th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
I know it’s splitting hairs (pun intended) but in the video you’re pronouncing his name in Spanish. In Brazilian Portuguese the “Ti” is pronounced like “Chee”, so it actually sounds like “Cheeago”.
I know its nit-picky, and he’s most certainly used to it, if you’re trying to get his attention for an autograph, he’d probably be pleasantly surprised to hear it said right.
July 16th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
@ tyler
The other question I have: Why is TP (as opposed to Manu) always cast in the selfish light?
Much of it has to do, with the comments his teamates provide, it’s well known guys like playing with Manu, as a result guys like RJ, Blair and Dice offensive games go up when playing with Manu, you would think that as a Point guard. Parker would be getting those compliments and praises from teamates, but no it’s manu your shooting guard. So that I think more than anything puts Parker in a selfish light in opposed to Manu
July 16th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
It’s interesting that all these years we expected Manu to just accept it and come off the bench for players that weren’t as good as him but when Tony did the same thing people had problems with it. People forget they all have egos and don’t think Manu didn’t have a problem with it at first after coming off the bench for Hedo. I remember Manu saying that he was really dissapointed. Of course then it continued with Brent and Finley.
July 17th, 2010 at 5:15 am
Tiago Splitter….a little too late…all the glory will now go to the Heat. There is no way the Spurs can match up against them, even if they beat LA to advance to the Finals.
July 17th, 2010 at 7:15 am
chloe
July 16th, 2010 at 6:12 am
great video.
okay boys, please forgive me some stupid questions but i’ve never played, and only started watching when the spurs played the hometown team dallas a few months ago when they beat them : )
can anyone tell me what
the “post/high post/low post” is?
and “the lane”?
don’t be mean.
_________________
Chloe, “the post” is primarily where the taller players like Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter will play. If you look at the frozen video clip you’ll see a rectangle with a half-circle to the right of it (I hop this is helping…) “The post” is the entire rectangle. The “high post” is the top, or ‘higher’ portion of the rectangle -the free-throw line (where the rectangle and the half-circle meet). The “Low Post” is the portion of the rectangle closest to the hoop itself. It also includes inside the rectangle as well.
“The Lane” is also pretty much the entire interior of the rectangle leading to the hoop.
I hope this was helpful!
July 17th, 2010 at 8:46 am
@SG
I’d take that shot at Miami if the Spurs make it to the finals. Heck, I’d be excited if the Spurs make it to the finals regardless of who they might play. We’ll see. Just as the verdict is still out regarding Splitter and Anderson…so is the verdict of how the Heat are going to be like having 3 all-stars on the team.
July 17th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Sorry but I like Manu off the bench. He plays way to reckless for a guy his age and Pop needs to keep him healthy for the playoffs. Also it’s not like Manu can just play on the perimeter and hit jumpers and avoid contact. He did that in the first half of last year and we all thought he was done. Remember when people were questioning whether or not the spurs should give him an exstention, yes he looked that bad for like 50 games. Played very well the last thirty, awesome against Dallas broke his nose and was off against Phoenix. Manu is a very up and down player at this stage off his career when he’s up he’s as good as it gets when he’s down well you know. The task in hand is a two part job: 1. Keepining him healthy 2. Make sure he keeps playing his reckless style. It’s what gives the Spurs their championship edge. The problem is where getting less and less Manu and Timmy and Tony Every year. Hence the need for the supporting cast to
be very good every night.
July 17th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Btw I love this site.
July 17th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
SG
July 17th, 2010 at 5:15 am
“…..all the glory will now go to the Heat. There is no way the Spurs can match up against them, even if they beat LA to advance to the Finals.”
Talk about crowning a team before they even done anything! Apparently you’re a big sucker for hype.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
@DaveMan77
Thanks for the love.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
I truly don’t think that any of you have an ice cubes chance in hell of knowing what or how any of the players think. The whole group of you are Full of it. Experts - every one of you - pontificating as if from on high. Get real.
July 17th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
all the glory will now go to the Heat
Remember the Payton, Malone Fiasco
July 17th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Remember the
Allen Iverson - Carmelo Anthony Fiasco
July 17th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
The most difficult thing is the chemistry between Shooting Guard - Small Forward
Actually the Jordan-Pippen was a really difficult thing to happen, thats why is so cool
July 17th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
@chloe:
“Low post” = look at where Splitter stays most of the time in the video, or Duncan (and Gasol and Shaq) in actual games. It’s the area near the basket, where players face away from it. It’s the same as the “post.” “High post” is farther away but still inside the arc.
“The lane” is the area that goes through the basket. It’s where players like Tony Parker (or Manu or RJ, as mentioned in the video) “drive” or “cut.”
July 17th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Oh yeah, DeJuan Blair’s play kind of resembles Malik Rose’s. Maybe that’s why SAS drafted DeJuan. It was kind of sad to see Malik go in ’05, or ’04, or ’06, or whenever the hell it was. He could have guarded Nowitzki in ’06, that’s for sure.
July 17th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
GitErDun
July 17th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
This is a team blog, not a group of sycophants hanging around NBA locker rooms around the league. If you’ve got any pearls of wisdom about how the “player’s really think”, I’m all ears. Until then, you’d be wise to keep your unsolicited pan of the commentators on this blog to yourself.
July 17th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
“It’s interesting that all these years we expected Manu to just accept it and come off the bench for players that weren’t as good as him but when Tony did the same thing people had problems with it. People forget they all have egos and don’t think Manu didn’t have a problem with it at first after coming off the bench for Hedo. I remember Manu saying that he was really dissapointed. Of course then it continued with Brent and Finley.”
All this chatter about Manu demanding to be announced last is interesting. Why main question if it’s true; SO THE HELL WHAT?
How much has Manu sacrificed for the Spurs? Not much, just millions of dollars and all star glory.
Manu would have earned millions more if he would have tested free agency this year. The Knicks alone would have been breathless from all their chasing. D’Antoni has huge huge respect and covets Manu in a big way. I guess him watching Gino beat PHX time and again will do that. D’Antoni is on record stating his admiration of Manu. Gino would have gotten at least $15 Mil total more than what he accepted with SA.
How many times would Manu have been an all star if he demanded to start and get 15 shots/gm? He was an allstar in ’05 as a starter. He became a super sub in 06/07 and hasn’t been one since. He deserved to be an all star at least once more, maybe more depending on who’s judging.
Who cares if he demanded to be announced last? HE DESERVES IT AND MUCH MORE. Maybe it pumps him up before a game? Maybe it strokes his ego? All I know is after what he has given to SA he is more than entitled to it.
July 17th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
Everybody think Blair is like Dejuan
Both are 6.7′. Yes
I think
Blair is a rebound machine and has a good FG%, is an efficient player
Malik was a good defender and a has good midrange shot
July 18th, 2010 at 6:25 am
Dejuan Blair and Malik Rose are more opposites than they are similar in my view.
Sure they both are roughly the same size, but Malik rose was an average rebounder with a nice midrange jumpshot, whereas Blair is a nice finisher around the rim with a good array of post moves but lacks a reliable mid-range jumpshot(as far as we know)
Dejuan Blair is clearly a better player though. His ceiling is a lot higher than what Malik Rose’s celing was.
July 18th, 2010 at 9:49 am
About the Heat, yes they have Wade, Lebron, and Bosh. These are three guys who are use to being the #1, and generally only, option on a team. Now they have to share the ball. Of course they are all saying they’ll pass etc etc, but that doesn’t mean they will.
Also if people continue referring to Miami as Wade’s team, do you think Lebron will be ok with that? Honestly I don’t, the guy obviously has a huge ego (The Decision, wanting to be a billionaire athlete, etcetc).
Or what if Wade and Lebron kick butt, so people talk about them, and act like Bosh is just a great roleplayer. Do you think he’d be happy with that? I know he wouldn’t because like Amare, he’s said he wants to be mentioned as one of the great, current players.
Then lets look at the East. Boston is still going to be a tough out if they stay healthy. The Magic are still a tough team. The Bulls are going to be a lot better with Boozer. The Bucks, with a healthy Bogut, are a good playoff team. Whereas in the West, well honestly, the Lakers are still far and away the favorites.
Anyways, just because the Heat have 3 big names doesn’t mean they are guaranteed a title. Also, the road to the finals is a lot tougher in the East than it will be in the West.
July 18th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
It all still will revolve around which team plays with the best chemistry. It takes all 8-10 players contributing. The big 3 can’t play all 5 positions for 60 minutes per night, and back to backs should be really interesting. Lastly the team that stays the healthiest will have an advantage. As far as the Lakers - they are a year older and that much more likely to have someone seriously injured. Bynum seems to be an injury waiting to happen.
July 18th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Well it seems as if we lost another free agent..James Jones. He re-signed with the heat.
July 18th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5390603
July 18th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
@ duaneofly,
@ giterdun,
@ jim henderson,
Miami Heat (injury free) will be a juggernaut to contend with come the regular season. 60 wins easy. Playoffs? One never knows.
But, you’re delusional in thinking those big 3 won’t be contending for a title every year for those 6 years together.
James Jones found $1 mil with Heat vs. more(up to $2.4) mil with Spurs more enticing. As will other role players in the future prefer Miami vs any other teams.
Spurs are not built to contend currently without any consistent 3 pt shooting.
July 18th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Ivmainman, I don’t think any of us said the Heat won’t be a title contender. I do believe what we said is that they aren’t guaranteed the title.
July 18th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
I don’t really get caught up so much with the “we are contenders” name badge this early on.
I think we as fans tend to get so involved in the process that every journey that doesn’t end in a title is often perceived as a failure.
For me it is all about the storylines as seen within the framework of the Spurs.
Splitters development and integration. Blairs growth. Georges possible takeover of the PG position. Tonys season of redemption. How Timmy influences the teams D this year etc etc.
Surely the emphasis placed on winning it all has to take a back seat this early. If the chemistry is right and the growth is great we will be there or thereabouts, competing hard. If not we’ll get to do this all over again next year.
July 19th, 2010 at 12:05 am
lvmainman
July 18th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
“But, you’re delusional in thinking those big 3 won’t be contending for a title every year for those 6 years together.”
Contending is one thing, actually getting it is a different ball of wax.
That said, the HYPE has helped the Heat thus far. All kinds of guys willing to accept half their market value in salary to play with three guys that have the biggest egos on the planet (combined salaries of 327 mil. over 6 years), and have won a grand total of ONE title among the three of them in a combined 21 years in the game (each a title every 20 years). In contrast, the understated egos of Duncan, Ginobli, & Parker (combined salaries at around the same ages, during their last title just 3 years ago - 34 mil. per year), all “drafted” to play for the team during different years, “took the time to work” at becoming champions, and have now won a combined 10 titles in 29 years in the game (each a title every 3 years).
The Heat basically gutted their team, signed three “buddies” that are three of the most talented players in the league to very large contracts in a medium-to-large market, with “sexy” overtones, and created a “hype” around that to lure other “buddies” that are decent to very good players to play for much less than they could demand on the open market. And finally, have lured some solid, “old” vets to play for minimum salaries for the glory of playing for a “bought & paid for title”, worse than anything the Yankee’s could have even dreamed of.
The idea that people are crowning this team already is soaked with a particularly pathetic form of hubris. Believe it or not, their title dreams have a decent chance of back-firing. A title in year one, despite Vegas odds-makers also falling for the hype, is fairly slim in my estimation (I’d say 6 to 1). But the Heat have used the hype to their advantage like a charm. Riley’s anything but a fool, and they’ve been able to surround the HUGE three with some decent complimentary players. Now, the hard part begins: making it all work like a well-oiled machine; like a TEAM, because that my friend, in the final analysis, is what it will take to win a title. They’ll be no room for out-sized egos, and it will be quite a chore to get those egos all under control at the same time, particularly during times of adversity.
As far as my 2 cents, as things stand right now? The Heat will no doubt be good (at least 54 wins), but I’d still put them behind LA, Orlando, Boston, & Houston, and tied with Chicago in terms of surviving in the playoffs.
P.S. By the way, if you haven’t assessed the Rocket’s roster lately, I suggest a revisit. They just re-signed Scola, and signed FA Brad Miller. They are super talented & deep at all positions, with a good mix of youth & veterans. If Yao stays healthy (likely in my view), and Brooks continues his ascent (he poses an unusually tough match-up for opponents), the Rockets could be right on LA’s ass, with a legitimate shot at the title.
July 19th, 2010 at 4:52 am
If you want to watch Tiago’s last games in Spain just get in here http://acb360.orange.es/diferidos/LACB/54/331
You can also appreciate how physical and even dirty can the Spanish league semifinals and finals be. If Tiago has any problem will be in restraining himself. Kind of “Why do you give me a flagrant if I used to get away with that every night in Europe”
July 19th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
[...] hope that’s not the case here because the NBA will be a lot more interesting next season if Tiago Splitter really does have three heads that breathe fire, ice, and lightning. [...]
July 19th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
I love talking about the spurs, but what ticks me off is that we are not even talked about. That the “almighty miami heat” is what everyone is focus is, TD can match-up with Bosh, Tony or Hill can match-up with Wade, Manu can match-up with James intensity. Blair is my vote for our future power foward just the way he comes out and fights for each rebound and never giving up on plays. I think he should start over Bonner, I don’t believe Bonner in my case is strong and physical enough to be the starter. As for Splitter I’m not convince yet about him, It’s not what we needed, we needed a strong defender or a good 3-point shooter. How did the Suns sweep us with great outside shooters, not power fowards.
July 22nd, 2010 at 5:52 am
@ Tyler
Griffin didn’t play any regular season game last year that’s why he is considered a rookie.
July 22nd, 2010 at 7:35 am
Man, lots of things to be analyzed and sorted i guess, but as one of the few true Spurs fans in the LA area, i am rediculously excited. Lets go Spurs!!! Somebody needs to step up and deliver help to TD like he helped DR so he can retire knowing that his team is in good hands. Who cares about egos, as long as they don’t destroy the chemistry we’re in good shape, but i must say i don’t find miami that intimidating…as usual my only fear is the Lakers. history tells us that once the Spurs make it to the finals they are 4-0. Beat LA!!!
July 24th, 2010 at 10:40 am
hoopshype has some interesting positive things to say concerning Splitter, it is based on what they already know, nothing negative written about him, not even a thought about him never playing in the nba. Among other things, he can play finesse, or physical.
July 28th, 2010 at 11:40 am
[...] at 48MinutesOfHell, they look at how Splitter will fit on the Spurs. It is a video and very well done. Go check it out! Categories: 2010 Offseason, Overseas [...]
July 29th, 2010 at 5:48 am
[...] of two video breakdowns, one from our own Andrew McNeill and the other from NBA Playbook (both worth taking another look at), there is not a lot of [...]
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