El Conclusion: Team effort pushes Spurs past Wizards

by

Washington Wizards 92 FinalRecap | Box Score 101 San Antonio Spurs
Tim Duncan, PF 31 MIN | 2-8 FG | 0-2 FT | 9 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 4 PTS | +12

It wasn’t like he was bad, but you know, the points weren’t there and it felt like a couple of those big Spurs runs came, but he was still a +12 for the game and played some great defense along the way.

Tiago Splitter, PF 28 MIN | 7-8 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 16 PTS | +2

I tweeted this, but that first half felt like he and Nene made a bet about who would score more. Offensively, Tiago looked great all game, but his defense was pretty gross in the first half. He tightened things up in the second half, as did most of the team, and helped keep Nene and Marcin Gortat to 24 points total.

Cory Joseph, PG 33 MIN | 8-10 FG | 3-4 FT | 4 REB | 4 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 0 TO | 19 PTS | +12

He came up one point shy of his career high, but I think we can call this his best game of the year. Without CoJo, this would’ve been one of those games where John Wall goes nuts and the Spurs can’t seem to get over the hump, in part because Wall hit timely shots. Instead, Joseph matched him at pretty much every turn.

Marco Belinelli, SG 26 MIN | 4-11 FG | 4-4 FT | 5 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 12 PTS | +11

This is less about the amount of shots he hit as much as when he hit them. Every time it felt like the Spurs could use some breathing room in the second half, Beli was hitting a jumper, catching an alley-oop (for a lay-up) or getting to the free throw line.

Danny Green, SG 35 MIN | 4-9 FG | 1-4 FT | 6 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 10 PTS | +12

His 3-point shooting continues to be in this mini-slump, but Green’s been attacking the basket with more confidence than year’s past. So if he starts hitting his 3-pointers again, that combo could bring a different element to the Spurs offense.

Aron Baynes, PF 8 MIN | 2-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 4 PTS | -2

Limited, but nice minutes for the Baynger. Last year when he was the fourth big in the rotation, it felt a little bit like a liability. Now? It feels like a solid four big rotation (five when the right matchup presents itself for Matt Bonner).

Matt Bonner, PF 2 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | +3

#LetBonnerLayUpAlleyOop

Boris Diaw, PF 25 MIN | 7-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 14 PTS | +4

Said it many times and I’ll keep saying it: Aggressive Boris is the best Boris. Sometimes he picks his spots because, I don’t know, he doesn’t like the matchup or he likes someone else’s matchup more. But when it comes down to it, he has this unique offensive game that most bigs just don’t know how to handle. We can stop expecting that from him on a nightly basis and just enjoy it when it happens I suppose.

Kyle Anderson, SF 9 MIN | 1-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | -6

Got quite the “welcome to the association” moment when he had to guard Paul Pierce. Anderson is probably the smartest player in this rookie class, but Pierce’s shiftiness made him a look silly a couple of times. Still, he had some nice plays on offense. He already works the pick and roll great in his own unique style.

Patty Mills, PG 15 MIN | 6-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 15 PTS | -3

Just great to have him back. Rust seems to be gone and his wind seems to be back. He’s relentless on both ends of the floor and really can make a defense pay if they get lazy even for just a couple of seconds.

Manu Ginobili, SG 28 MIN | 2-8 FG | 1-2 FT | 3 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 5 PTS | 0

Mostly he wasn’t that good Saturday night, but then he pulls a couple of passes out of his ass or makes some move only he can make and those are the things that stick out in your mind. Such is life as a Manu Ginobili fan.

Gregg Popovich
I don’t care what anyone else says, I like the hockey style substitutions. Time will tell if it’s really keep guys fresh, but a new five every six minutes or so is fun. Let’s just hope he doesn’t try 4 on 5 with a cherry picker next.

Two Things We Saw

  1. There was some talk on Twitter last night (thanks mostly to me) about whether the Spurs need a back up wing that’s an above average defender and what would you trade for that person. A few interesting answers came in and we’ll have more on that this week. Let’s just say it’s a tricky thing for a variety of reasons.
  2. I have no idea how Pop’s going to find playing time for all three point guards once Tony Parker returns from injury (which the Express News’ Mike Monroe reports could be Tuesday). It’s a nice problem to have, but there’s probably not minutes for all of them. Maybe you get more Cory Joseph at shooting guard, but that’s still an awfully small backcourt. We’ll see how it plays out.
  • wannabe_fake_tough_guy

    I said it last night on twitter that we couldn’t get equal value back for Marco. I’ll amend that to include Cory, Baynes, and Bonner. It’s doubtful we’d get any takers for Daye & Ayers (the only ones I’d part with), and the salaries of the six are so low we’d probably have to jettison 4 or 5 of them to get somebody decent back. But not for Jeff Green…puh-leese! Is there any D-Leaguer out there worth a look on a 10 day contract?

  • fkj74

    I think that kid Jamichael Green looked good in summer league and pre-season. If I am not mistaken he is with our D league team?? 3 good point guards with different strengths is a good thing to have as guys can rest and offer change of pace. Plus Cory is just a bulldog!!. What is the deal with Kawahi?? A good winning streak and undefeated month would be good. Good start. Go Spurs!

  • Graham

    Last I heard on Kawhi (think it was over at PTR) was his hand was healing slowly but steadily, and that it’s a function issue, not a pain one. Sounds like Surgery isn’t necessary but they are being very careful with it, so my guess is another month or so.

  • Graham

    No sense messing with the rotation, we have plenty of solid players already. We just need our guys to get healthy and for the players left to take advantage of this soft spot in the schedule to build up the W column while Parker and Leonard get right

  • SDub

    Don’t trade a point guard. If the injury bug that has hit the roster this season tells us anything it is that depth is a good thing. It never hurts to have insurance especially at the point guard position.
    Happy for Daye &/or Ayres to go if we have to make a deal. They aren’t going to get you much unless you include a draft pick and the Spurs do not often to that. Philly might part with Andrei Kirilenko for the Daye/Ayres combo, but I have no idea whether AK47 can still play D at the level Spurs would want. Otherwise you are fighting for scraps at the end of other teams benches and in that situation I would prefer to keep the players that know the system as opposed to gambling on others that we don’t know.
    Other options - Jae Crowder (Celtics), Alan Anderson (Nets), Tony Snell (Bulls), Luigi Datome (Pistons), Quincy Acy (Knicks), Maurice Harkless (Magic), Reggie Bullock (Clippers).

  • Yad

    Or looking overseas : Florent Pietrus… ask Tony and Boris.
    : )