Learning from Marcus Haislip
Marcus Haislip saw his first action of the season Wednesday night against the Warriors. He played 4 minutes, scoring two points but not making a mark in any other basic statistical category. A quick scouting report from the game would tell you that Haislip was completely unassertive on the boards and played a handful of ghostly possessions. But he did knock down a 19 foot shot and, honestly, could have scored on at least two other possessions where he used his speed to get out in front of the break. The Spurs’ guards simply missed him.
One assumes Marcus Haislip was activated so that Gregg Popovich could have a long bench of quick, athletic players at his disposal against the microball Warriors. After all, Theo Ratliff was not far removed from his best minutes of the season. Based on the recent play of Ratliff, I wouldn’t have expected Marcus Haislip to play against Golden State. But Haislip, in hindsight, made sense given the match up.
The Spurs play the Yao-less Rockets this evening, a team that features one of the smallest (but overachieving) frontcourts in the league. The Rockets, like the Warriors, push the ball whenever possible. Haislip might enjoy another evening in gym shorts.
The point to take from this is not the fact of Haislip’s minutes, or lack thereof. His appearance against the Warriors tells us very little, if anything, new about the Spurs. But there is at least one important note to file away: It’s a long season, and the Spurs are still trying to figure out their roster, and how that roster might take shape moving forward.
You know that awkward feeling of uncertainty that accompanies new relationships. You’re not sure what to say. You’re not sure how to interpret a strange host of new mannerisms, or whether the one you flashed made its intended point. You can hear the music, but haven’t quite mastered the rhythm. That’s how this Spurs team feels to me.
