Jump to Comments

It’s a rare treat, and I enjoy myself when it comes around: overlapping Toros-Spurs games. Last night I was able to watch a West Coast matinee between the Toros and D-Fenders as an appetizer to the disappointing Spurs at Knicks entree. The Toros won the game 110-108.

The story of the game was a big second half comeback by the D-Fenders, who snuck back into the contest after trailing by 22. It looked as if they would snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but Pops Mensah-Bonsu drilled a long jumper that was the go-ahead winner. After it flushed, the D-Fenders were left with an unworkable 0.1 seconds of clock with which to work.

I’m moving from intrigued to downright bullish on Pops Mensah-Bonsu. He plays like a guy who should be on an Association bench, and his particular skill set would be great for the Spurs. What do I mean? The man is a gazelle-a swift of foot 4 that would allow the Spurs to play fast without resorting to small ball. His athleticism, shot-blocking instincts, and willingness to rebound make him a natural fit for San Antonio. In this contest, he finished with 25 points and 11 boards.

The possibility of Pops playing for Pop is talking point numero uno. But I came away with a second thought: Quin Snyder is doing a bang-up job with the Toros. To start, the Toros played impressive defense throughout most of the game. Sometimes the D-League suffers from too many players who are trying to stuff a stat sheet. These sort of players are not always committed to playing solid D. Snyder deserves credit on this front. But perhaps more impressively, Coach Snyder is able to do this while juggling an ever-changing roster. Because of call-ups and the international market, the Toros are in a constant state of flux. Consider this: the Toros have rotated Charles Gaines, Andre Brown, Anthony Tolliver, Blake Ahearn, Malik Hairston and, most recently, Pops Mensah-Bonsu in and out of their starting line up this season. That would be difficult on any coach. Near as I can tell, Quin Snyder doesn’t skip a beat. The Toros just keep winning.