Corporate Knowledge: February 20, 2012
Since the beginning of the Gregg Popovich era, the San Antonio Spurs have valued experience and system above all else. They refer to this as “Corporate Knowledge.” At 48 Minutes of Hell we too value experience, information, and insight on all things Spurs and look forward to providing you with links and quick-hitting analysis for your daily dose of Corporate Knowledge.
- Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports the injury to Manu Ginobili is not as serious as once feared, with the anti-inflammatory medicine already working. Head coach Gregg Popovich will likely err on the side of caution, as Popovich tends to do. The All-Star break is this weekend and the entire roster can use the extended rest. But Ginobili needs to get back, reintegrate himself with the team, and find his basketball legs and rhythm.
- Tiago Splitter is out too, which is unfortunate because the Spurs are facing a Utah Jazz team with an impressive frontline. The Spurs, Monroe writes, will have to rely on a large dose of small ball. This should free up some minutes for rookie Kawhi Leonard, who is much more comfortable as a small ball four than Richard Jefferson. He’s certainly can rebound well enough for the position. Popovich had previously stated he did not want Leonard to stray too far from his primary role as a wing player, but sometimes necessity is the mother of invention.
- Paul Garcia of Project Spurs brings up an interesting point in his scouting report. Without Tiago Splitter, the Spurs second unit has a huge void. Gary Neal and Danny Green have been able to hold the fort down absent T.J. Ford when Tony Parker gets a breather, but neither are a point guard. The only reason they have been able to masquerade as one is because the attention Splitter draws in the pick and roll. Without that, the pressure will be on Neal and Green to create more on their own.
- Over at TrueHoop, Kevin Arnovitz writes his own version of a story that has been written thousands of times: The San Antonio Spurs, contrary to reports, are not entirely dead yet.
- Ever want visualization of who Tony Parker passes to, or when? Go to Gothic Ginobili and look at these fantastic assist charts.
