Wednesday, December 8th, 2010...10:38 pm
San Antonio Spurs 111, Golden State Warriors 94: The passing, oh my
AT&T CENTER — The ball zipped around from point-to-point like a game of Pong on a sugar rush. For the sluggish Golden State Warriors, fresh off a 105-100 loss to the Mavericks in Dallas Tuesday night, it was almost unfair.
The San Antonio Spurs toyed with the Warriors for three quarters before ultimately putting Golden State out of its misery in the fourth of a 111-94 win on Wednesday night.
The Spurs were able to get to the basket at will early against the Warriors, who had four starters play at least 40 minutes the previous night in Dallas. 20 of San Antonio’s 29 first quarter points were in the paint, and 17 on the fastbreak.
Golden State eventually adjusted, making better rotations and preventing easy looks at the rim. But where a window closed, a door opened and San Antonio kick-started a malicious game of keep away that often ended in points for the Spurs.
“I thought everyone did a really good job of finding the open man. Being aggressive but understanding that teammates were open and making the easy pass to the next guy,” Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich said after the game.
San Antonio assisted on 31 of the team’s 43 field goals and committed only 11 turnovers. Tony Parker (nine) and Manu Ginobili (eight) combined for 17 assists, and every player who appeared in the game, with the exception of Matt Bonner, registered at least one.
“Coach said it was going to be a penetrating and kick kind of game,” George Hill said postgame. “Starting with TP and Manu, I think they started the game moving the ball great and finding open shots for everybody else and we just fed off that.”
Had it not been for some defensive lapses in the second and third quarters, and some weak rebounding early, San Antonio would have put the game away much sooner. But credit the Warriors, they had a puncher’s chance and took it. The Spurs were simply humming on offense. Floating, stinging, butterflies, bees. All that stuff.
78 Comments
December 8th, 2010 at 11:18 pm
This was a perfect game for the Spurs. We blew the W’s up while giving the young guys heavier minutes and playing the older guys relatively few minutes. On the offensive end, the Spurs were just a cold, heartless machine tonight. Putting all questions about our front line aside, this team really is miles ahead of last year. We had 10 players log 16 or more minutes tonight. We finally have a legit bench and IF Tiago and Blair can continue to improve, we have a solid chance at doing very special things in the playoffs.
The competition will get a bit tougher over the next few weeks. Next up is Atlanta who actually play better on the road than at home. However they should be without Joe Johnson so the odds should be tilted heavily in our favor.
December 8th, 2010 at 11:33 pm
got to watch this game….from behind the spurs bench. a few thoughts: blair is really a specimen. his active hands disrupted outlet passes. his touch is soft. despite his lack of height, his power, freakish armlength, and girth compensate well. his free throw stroke looked alot better. couldn’t figure out whose free throws looked worse . biedrins or splitter. splitter had a nice game. he was much more active under the rim and on the glass. he did end up on his back quite often and looked seemingly uneccessary at times. funny how these games are disected and analyzed and how sports are so sensationalized. all i saw were a bunch of giants playing basketball.
December 9th, 2010 at 12:23 am
“where a window closed, a door opened”… Andrew, did you watch Glee recently?
December 9th, 2010 at 12:29 am
I’ll take it.
December 9th, 2010 at 12:37 am
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December 9th, 2010 at 1:31 am
Atlanta is a trap game, especially without Joe Johnson.
December 9th, 2010 at 2:14 am
@pork fried rice
Did you?
December 9th, 2010 at 4:33 am
The Spurs are 15-2 in the Chris Quinn era.
Go Spurs Go!!
December 9th, 2010 at 4:46 am
This was what I was hoping to see in the 2nd game of the back to back of the Clipps game. Our bench getting quality minutes. And at times in this Warrior game…the bench played just as good as the starters.
I do hope that Anderson’s return allows for less minutes for Manu. We’ll see. Anderson probably will be eased back into rotation over time once he’s cleared to play.
But I definately like the increased playing time for Tiago. He (and the Spurs) can only benefit from him getting more time on the court. Even if it means he may have a statistically bad game. Which (statistically) would have been better this game if… again… he were awarded a few more looks inside for scoring opportunity. Splitter was passed up numerous times in the game for a chance to score in the post after setting some awesome picks and being wide open to the basket. Eventually this may change…but he does get overlooked in that aspect.
I do hope he starts using less the “take a charge” method of defending the paint. I think eventually if he employs that tactic too often…officials will start NOT giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Great game, though. Any game that features the bench with major playing time and still win is a great game.
December 9th, 2010 at 5:40 am
@Rob,
Did you think Splitter was flopping? I only saw a bit of the game last night and have seen a few games this season, but from the little I have seen Splitter seems to be good at taking legit chargers. He’s clearly not a great athlete (although he moves well laterally for a big guy), but I think his defense has been solid.
December 9th, 2010 at 6:17 am
@ Pork Fried Rice
No, there is a back log of it on my DVR, though (Yeah, I actually kind of like the show).
December 9th, 2010 at 6:33 am
@Rob
I agree that Tiago needs more PT, but I think those times he got passed by on offense are valuable learning experiences. He was frequently floating around looking lost. You just don’t pass to a guy that is out of position. Unless he turns out to be another Dwayne Shintzius (without the schlong), he should learn through those mistakes and find that if he is in the right spots, his teammates will find him.
Having said that, I’m glad Pop put Manu back in at the end so that Tiago could feel the offense in some semblance of a rhythm.
December 9th, 2010 at 7:21 am
@ andrew A. Mcneil and pork fried rice.
Really, u guys watch Glee.
The spurs played a great game the warriors play no Defense and i would like to see splitter score a little more but i like the rotation and the minutes.
STRIVE 4 5
December 9th, 2010 at 7:28 am
@ rob
You bring up a good point. Taking charges is one of the things Tiago tries too hard at I think. Part of it is getting familiar with the semi-circle rule in the NBA, another is just the sheer speed and athleticism of the NBA game.
Similar to Oberto - who was one of the best at drawing offensive fouls - Tiago will learn to pick his spots. Usually when it’s a block call against him, it’s because he’s late on the rotation. In those instances, he’ll learn that it’s probably better to try and contest without fouling, or to simply foul and not allow the chance of a 3pt play. The worst thing you can do is be late on a rotation and compound that mistake with a foul and a chance for the continuation.
But all in all, I thought this one of his best games. He was much more active last night, he got his hands on a lot of balls, competed on the glass. I think he’s just starting to get comfortable.
And that goes for the rest of the team as well - we must’ve deflected, stripped, or tipped at least 10 - 15 balls on defense last night. From TP to Dejuan (who also played great), everyone was who was out there was active - there was even a Matt Bonner swat!
December 9th, 2010 at 7:31 am
The Spurs are cruising along now! I think what we as fans need to see from this team is to close out December with “key” wins against teams like the Blazers, Magic, Lakers and Mavericks.
We need to make a statement with these games in particular to put the rest of the league on notice that we can not only whip ass on the also-rans but the upper crust needs to heed fair warning as well.
Andrew, since you are on right now, what do you think about this assessment?
December 9th, 2010 at 7:35 am
Also, all kidding aside….did Jim get blocked due to his excessive d-baggery about DB45 and constant fight picking with anyone who disagreed about Blair’s value to this team?
Personally, I think Blair is someone you would not want to trade for fear of coming back to haunt the Spurs for years to come (see Scola, Luis for case and point).
We stole “The Beast” in the 2nd Round and you must admit, dude is definitely coming around. Soft hands, deft touch, strong as a bull and can rebound with almost anyone.
December 9th, 2010 at 7:55 am
Fun game and a good win, Spurs!
This has been asked before, I’m sure, but what is a “trap” game?
I’ve looked for the definition of this acronym on both this site and PtR, but can’t find it.
December 9th, 2010 at 8:17 am
Ted, a trap game is one where it looks as though the outcome would be an obvious win but the team favored to win can fall into the lull of a false sense of security and wind up getting beaten.
December 9th, 2010 at 8:19 am
@ Hunter
Yes, it’s a surprisingly good show. It’s not must-watch for me, but, you know, I watch it.
@ Alix
Yes, we blocked Jim because he was ruining the atmosphere in the comments and killing good discussion. Enough was enough.
As to your question, the Spurs have definitely had a light schedule early in the season, though the win against the Magic was a good one. But LA will always be the benchmark. But there’s nothing wrong with racking up a lot of wins against lesser competition, San Antonio didn’t do a great job of that last season and they barely made the 7th seed in the West.
December 9th, 2010 at 9:00 am
I was wondering where Jim went. I kinda miss him, you know, like you miss…well, I couldn’t think of anything clever enough. But ya’ll know what I mean. Back to the Spurs, I was glad to see us pull away at the end of quarters, even though there were lapses in the middle that allowed GS to close the gap. In the past, it has seemed that we eased off at the ends of quarters and let teams get back in the games when they should have been put away. In the end, they did pull away and I was glad to see Timmy on the bench for the 4th. Go Spurs Go!!
December 9th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Jim has become Lou Amundson’s new agent
December 9th, 2010 at 9:38 am
anybody.
what do you think timmy’s actual minutes are. He’s been avg. 28min a game this year. last year was about 32 min. what is the actual difference in real time?
December 9th, 2010 at 9:40 am
How about DeJuan? The dude looked solid last night. I hope he keeps it up!
December 9th, 2010 at 9:48 am
A trap game is basically a game that looks like an easy win, especially since they are missing there best player, but if you let up and don’t play hard, they can and will beat you. It’s a trap.
December 9th, 2010 at 10:06 am
Blair and Splitter are improving and that makes me happy. However, Al Horford and Josh Smith are much better than the last few big men we played (a sick David West, a normal Andris Biedrins). Come on fellas, you got a couple of good, confidence-boosting games under your belt, let’s translate that into solid games against upper level bigs.
About 78% of me is happy when Timmy logs 18 mpg like he has the last 2 games, but 22% of me is sad because he’s not going to make another All-Star game or All-NBA team with his decreased numbers. Oh well, he’s a GOAT.
December 9th, 2010 at 10:12 am
I have had the pleasure of watching every Spurs game so far this year from my League Pass, except for the Orlando game, which I was at in person.
Tony is definitely playing at an all-star leven in my opinion. His penetration has been unstoppable, and his jumper is falling as well. I was really hoping to see him add a 3-point shot to his game, but I will settle with his undeniably improved defense.
I am very happy that we have been able to play this well without having to wear down Timmy on the block, however i do see him spending more time there as the season comes to a close. He said himself that he is ” a rythm guy.”
Manu has been playing out of his mind this year. While he is starting to regress to his mean, I am glad to see that he still has it in him. Last year after the all-star break, he proved the entire league wrong, and I am happy to say that he is still “the man.”
Georgie had a rough start to the year, but has really turned it on the last 5 games. I love his defensive effort, as well as his jump shots. This kid is going to be really good.
RJ has had a spectacular bounce back year with shooting 40% from three. His defense and corporate knowledge are definitely improved from last year.
Mr. Blair, not unlike Georgie, also had a rough start. He was tearing up the preseason like a bat out of hell, but I believe the pressure of starting in the NBA got to him. I follow him and George on Twitter, and I happen to know that they spent a ton of time in the off season working on their game. Blair has tried adding a jumpshot to his resume, while Hill worked again on his shooting and passing abilities.
Tiago (The Savior) Splitter has been off to a slow start, having played roughly a year and a half of straight basketball. I am sure POP is trying to keep down the wear and tear on his body, even though he is only 25. Once our guards become more accostumed to his game and style of play, he will be another double - double machine.
OUR FRONT LINE:
I have been hearing alot that we have an inadequate front line to compete for a Championship, and I completely disagree. I would propose that we have the most offensively and defensively versitle line-up of bigs on the market.
Timmy - Still a big threat on both ends of the floor.
McDyess - Great defender of mobile PF’s.
Blair - best rebounder per minute in the league.
Bonner - career 40% 3pt shooter, 50% this year
Splitter - when in game shape, great P&R defense as well as man to man.
We have already discussed/ and agreed upon that we have the best back court in the league with a healthy Tony/Manu/Hill.
When Anderson gets back into game shape, alot of teams will be using the SPURS as their measuring stick to see how good/bad their playoff chances will be.
Sorry for the long post, but I had to get that off my chest.
GO SPURS GO!
December 9th, 2010 at 10:35 am
The “penetrate and kick out effect”, the efficient passing you mention Andrew. Do you see this as our principal strategy from here on out? I’m admittedly not proficient in the X’s & O’s, but from an amateur’s viewpoint, Pop has everyone from Parker to Neal and even Bonner driving in the paint, with our plethora of snipers lining up beyond the arc ready to receive the pass. Logically, it seems the only way you mess with these tactics are on nights like we had versus the Clippers when we couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn and needed anything to patch together a result. It’s crazy, but have we adopted “Duke” basketball?
December 9th, 2010 at 11:03 am
i bet jim is starting his own spurs blog entitled www. spurs-accordingtojim.com
December 9th, 2010 at 11:24 am
@DieHardSpur
“I would propose that we have the most offensively and defensively versitle line-up of bigs on the market.
Timmy – Still a big threat on both ends of the floor.
McDyess – Great defender of mobile PF’s.
Blair – best rebounder per minute in the league.
Bonner – career 40% 3pt shooter, 50% this year
Splitter – when in game shape, great P&R defense as well as man to man.”
They have a solid frontline but there are still some concerns. I would say that the frontline is good enough; however, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be improved with a minor trade. McDycess is still the key, he is the second best big on the team, when he should probably be the 3rd.
Here is what you missed in the breakdown:
Timmy — I will agree for the most part but will add has lost some mobility.
McDyess — I will say “good” defender not great, the Spurs still go small alot for a reason.
Blair — Among the best but definately not “the best” rebounder per/min.; still undersized and no consitent jumper.
Bonner — Good regular season numbers, sucks in the playoffs; can’t defend or rebound (and plays even when he is not helping offensively and getting killed defensively).
Splitter — Still a rookie and being brought along slowly. The future may be good but will he have that much of an impact this year (especially in the playoffs); remember how Pop barely played Hill as a rookie.
Size, shotblocking, and even rebounding are still issues with this team. This was to simply provide a broder perpective on the frontline. So it is adequate, yes; but should we also have concerns, yes.
December 9th, 2010 at 11:48 am
“Yes, we blocked Jim because he was ruining the atmosphere in the comments and killing good discussion. Enough was enough.”
In all fairness to Jim, for the longest time he did have some really good insights and ideas about the Spurs. The dude knew his basketball. However, not only did he always feel the need to challenge virtually every post, but he couldn’t let disagreements go. In the end, Dejuan Blair was his downfall. Anyway, its probably best for Jim’s employer since JH won’t be on here 658 hours a week correcting every blogger. I halfway expect Jim to change names and morph into another blogger.
DieHardSpur
December 9th, 2010 at 10:12 am
“Timmy – Still a big threat on both ends of the floor.
McDyess – Great defender of mobile PF’s.
Blair – best rebounder per minute in the league.
Bonner – career 40% 3pt shooter, 50% this year
Splitter – when in game shape, great P&R defense as well as man to man.”
This is the glass-half-full view on our frontline. This view has value, but I don’t believe takes everything into account. Here is my glass-half-empty approach. The truth probably lies somewhere between your post and mine.
Timmy - Still a formidable weapon in short bursts, but Father Time is taking his toll.
McDyess - Like Tim, he can play well if given shorter minutes
Blair - suspect defender, poor shooter/shot blocker
Bonner - suspect defender, poor shooter in the clutch, poor rebounder/shot blocker
Splitter - ??? We don’t really know how good he can be (the Spurs biggest wildcard)
IF Splitter and Blair can reproduce last nights efforts on a consistent basis, I’d be willing to say the Spurs have one of the top front lines in the league. However, keep in mind the competition they faced last night.
My conclusion still remains the same. If Blair and Splitter consistently perform, then the Finals are in reach. If they can’t play well, then we will have a difficult spring. There’s still tons of time left for these two to really make a big impact. They just need to keep Pounding the Rock.
December 9th, 2010 at 11:57 am
It seems Blair has proven everything that Jim had to say about him to be true, when he’s playing Golden State. I’m disappointed that he’s not allowed to present his view, as vociferous as it may be.
December 9th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
@Hobson13
I agree with your assesment.
You would also have to agree that every blogger for every other team has the same problems, just different questions.
Can their guys stay healthy, keep up the level of output, deliver in the clutch?
These are all questions that every team has about their respective “doubts” if you will.
Over at ProjectSpurs.com, there is a blog asking the question, are we peaking too early…
This team has soooo much more potential than the level at which we are currently playing. The only person I would say is “over-producing” would be Matty. Other than that, everyone is playing either where expected, or sub-par. heavier on the “sub-par”.
Blair is finally becoming accustomed with his role, Tiago rarely gets playing time, and he could possibly be our second best big. Anderson is hurt, and we are not playing solid Spurs defense yet; we all know that doesnt usually show up until at least 35-40 games into the season.
I think we have alot to be optimistic about, considering our record, and the way we have played thus far to get it.
In short, I agree with you, but just a little more optimistic!
December 9th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
@DieHardSpur
I have to agree with Espoon - we are still short-handed up front - We need a Big that can hold his own on both ends of the floor - not just in shooting (Bonner) or rebounding (Blair) McDyess is still our 2nd best big BY A MILE. Spurs are going small just because Pop likes it and is resting Dice.
To the people who keep saying we need to pass the ball to Splitter more. I ask the question - WHY? The Spurs are not hurting for more Offensive firepower and don’t need him to score 15 points a night. WE NEED him to play better post Defense and STOP taking charges. i can’t think of a single BIG in the last 15 years that have been a capable Post defender by taking charges. Vlade Divac was probably the best BIG to ever do it and he sucked at 1 on 1 defending. With the exception of Dennis Rodman - All good/great post defenders have made their calling card on one of two things
1. Wide Bodies - Kurt Thomas comes to mind here - he took charges because he couldn’t jump - but he also was hard to back down on the block because of his Wide Body. He used the charge to play solid help D and held his own in the post with his low center of gravity and high basketball IQ
2. Shot Blockers - Ben Wallace in his Prime, Tyson Chandler, J. Noah from the Bulls just to name a few. None of these men are GREAT Athletes, like a Dwight Howard, Amare, or Blake Griffin. but they have long arms and and great instincts for the game.
Also I would like to add Ian Mahinmi to the above list. I live in the Dallas area and when ever he gets minutes - he plays well on both ends of the floor - good rebounder, good shot blocker, good around the basket, scoring and defending his man. The SPURS may regret letting him go - he would be an awesome guy to pair with Duncan - not the greatest at anything - but doesn’t have any holes in his games so he never kills you anywhere.
December 9th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I was wondering wher Jim was.
Raise your hand if you ever went back and fourth with him on here.
Anyway,
Atlanta is a trap game. THey should win if they focus. So far all of their losses were results of lack of focus. Hornets, lack of excecution, but that was the second game of the season. They can have that one. Against the MAVS, too manay turnovers. And the Clippers, just an all around lack of effort. I know it was a back-to-back but they still could have stolen that one. The Clipps practically wanted the Spurs to take it. Just like they gave it to the LAKERS last night.
STAY FOCUSED!
December 9th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
DieHard, Hobson, et al
While other teams may have a history of injuries, so do the Manu, Timmy, and Tony… it’s the NBA after all. There are only a few Malones, Bowens, and Andre Millers out there…. is staying out FIBA play all the insurance we need? Is Manu capable of turning it around and staying injury-free, despite increased minutes, a la Steve Nash in the second half of his career? It’s not exactly as if Manu is emulating late-career Grant Hill’s playing style.
Our bigs may be versatile, but we are likely to be a bit outmatched defensively against the other contenders. This year will be a testament to Popovich if our defense comes along sufficiently to stiffle the bigger boys, and if our offense proves too potent for anyone… at this stage, it’s anybody’s guess, but we are proving to be a bit more formidable than we might of guessed… I’m looking forward to see how it develops.
I can’t call us the best team in the league right now. I like the respect we are getting now, though, sitting at 18-3. And I like the winning percentage.
December 9th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
junierizzle,
“So far all of their losses were results of lack of focus.”
Agreed.
With those losses, and the fact of a lengthy homestand with practice time, I expect the Spurs to stay focused and execute well. They should be looking to improve right now, and bring Blair and the new guys along. With one eye on creating/keeping a cushion in the standings, and the other on taking the next step toward being a championship team, plus a sense of what the end of the month holds, December should be a productive month for the team leaders and role-players alike.
December 9th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
The Blazers may be willing to trade some of its older players considering injuries and the direction the team is going now. Camby’s name has come up before, do you give up either Blair or Splitter to get him? Other players would be involved and I came up with a couple of scenarios on the ESPN message board.
December 9th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
@LPspursFan
How about: We’re going to miss him like the 95-96 Spurs missed Rodman.
@Hobson13 about Jim:
+5. Nailed it.
In the words of Admiral Ackbar: “It’s a TRAP!!!”
December 9th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
I always thought a trap game was a game where the team supposedly is looking towards a future game and forgets about the task at hand. Or a non-emotional game in between two emotional ones.
On to other things, I’m still not nearly as high on Blair as most others. Yes, he has played better lately. But he is overwhelmed against the better post players, his defense is atrocious. If he has to play I would like to see him against reserve post guys, when he’s comfortable he can do a lot of damage. But he’s not good enough to compete against most of the starters he is playing against.
And I don’t understand the concept of Bonner being a “situational player.” I know all of his faults, and sometimes he can be the dumbest guy on the team, but what he provides is simply too much to ignore. He ALWAYS spreads the floor for us, whether he is shooting well or not. And when he shoots well, he can blow games wide open quicker than anyone else on the team (except Manu). Like the 2nd quarter the other day against New Orleans, Bonner hit a bunch of 3′s in the 2nd quarter and the game was (blam!) over.
December 9th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
And another ode to Manu’s greatness. He currently is 6th in the league in Hollinger’s PER ratings on ESPN, and has the 4th highest score league wide in the Rowland Ratings (82games.com). His +/- score is currently at +14.4, highest on the team (again). Yes, Parker and RJ’s improved play has been crucial, but let there be no doubt as to who the best player and the MVP is of this team, it clearly is Manu.
December 9th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Did @BALLHOG and @TradeTP get banned, or did they just stop coming around?
RIP Jim… you were (are) definitely passionate.
Anyone else enjoy the hell out of the 1st half of last night’s game (minus the beginning and end of it)? That was some fun basketball! Blair getting steals and leading the break, Manu finding all kinds of fancy ways to find the corner shooter… glad to see us take advantage of a situation like we should.
December 9th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I for one am happy to see this blog return to the more carefree and open minded discussions that make it great. Jim was just one of a few people here who had a knack for spoiling the good aura.
December 9th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
DieHardSpur
December 9th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
“You would also have to agree that every blogger for every other team has the same problems, just different questions.”
True. Every team has its problems and we have fewer than most. There are probably about 25 teams who would trade places with us right now.
“This team has soooo much more potential than the level at which we are currently playing.”
I agree with your entire statement regarding our potential. I would submit that the reason many are afraid we are peaking is because we are such a different team from last year. Hill started the season slow, Blair started terrible, and Splitter has barely even started at all. Anderson teased us for a handful of games before he got injured. This team has not come close to peaking and with all our young players, it could take a number of months before we come close.
TD = Best EVER
December 9th, 2010 at 12:19 pm @DieHardSpur
“I have to agree with Espoon – we are still short-handed up front – We need a Big that can hold his own on both ends of the floor – not just in shooting (Bonner) or rebounding (Blair).”
I agree. In an ideal world, we would have another young 7-footer who is a more complete player than Blair or Bonner. However, in order for that to become a reality, we would have to make a trade and give something up of value. I would love for this to happen, but I’m not sure it will. IMO, it would be worth looking at a trade involving either Anthony Randolph from NY or Jason Thompson from the Kings. I can’t see us trading for a veteran big since they are usually higher priced. In the end, I fear we are stuck with the 5 guys we have with our best hope being the continued improvement of both Blair and Splitter.
December 9th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Andrew, no need to belabor or belittle the point/topic, but thank you for blocking Jim.
Regarding the Spurs, it sure is fun to watch this kind of ball movement. I wonder if Manu or Tony has spoke publicly about their opinions on the offense?
I suppose their play speaks for itself.
December 9th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Damnit Jim! I’m a Doctor, Not a Blair’s Got it Bad Blogger! But seriously. Let Jim Back! Let Jim Back! Let Jim Back! Let Jim Back! Let Jim Back! Let Jim Back!Let Jim Back! Let Jim Back! PLEASE!
December 9th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
I can’t say I don’t get it, but I am disappointed to see Henderson gone… the fact that he was a bulldog with his opinion meant that there was usually an interesting exchange going on here, even at times when the blog was otherwise quiet.
And so we begin the post-JH era.
It’s probably a blessing for him, though, he must have been a pretty severe internet addict, and one would guess that his hours spent ranting and researching had to take away from other aspects of living… so says I with no hint of hypocrisy whatsoever.
December 9th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
@ Kevin,
I agree. Spurs basketball this year is just fun to watch.Even some of my H-town and Dallas friends are tuning in.
December 9th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Espoon:
Camby has a salary of $11.8M. To match salaries in order to meet the cap rules; you’d have to give up both Blair and Tiago, and McDyess, and Hill, and Anderson. I’d pass.
December 9th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Jimbo
“Did you think Splitter was flopping?”
No. I don’t think he’s flopping. I think he is using the charge aspect a bit too much.
Now granted…I think he’s not getting the benefit of the doubt in some of the calls that go against him. Some have been obvious. He’s clearly set. And in the words of Sean Elliot…enjoying a cup of coffee while waiting to get run over.
But to me it’s not a tactical defensive manuver to be used repeatedly in this league. Perhaps it’s why he gets called for the blocking foul half the time it looks to be a legit charge.
Hopefully he can develop/use another form of defensive tactic in those situations that doesn’t cause him to accumulate excessive fouls in a short period of time in order to be able to play more and develop at a faster pace.
December 9th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
wow, jim’s been blocked. didn’t like his borderline obsessive activity on this blog, but he knew what he was talking about. i read his posts more than anyone else. i’m surprised i was’nt blocked for my pro mahinmi diatribe. good to see him playing well in dallas. maybe he needed new scenery. even my anti-mahinmi buddy admits we should have kept him. still, he would have been buried worst that last year.
December 9th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
TD = Best EVER:
I’m a Ian fan, and a couple of years ago was looking forward to him being paired with Tim. The timing of his injuries was unfortunate and prevented him from getting much of a chance.
However, about a fourth of the way into the season his statistics with the Dallas look as though they may not be a whole lot different than they were with the Spurs last year. Ian should have signed with a team that would have played him
December 9th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
“TheRed&Black
December 9th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
@ Kevin,
I agree. Spurs basketball this year is just fun to watch.Even some of my H-town and Dallas friends are tuning in.”
The Spurs were always the exception to the “Stern Wanting High Ratings” conspiracy theory.
Now the Spurs are an exciting team who score well over 100 PPG and have the best record in the league. I see Stern’s fingerprints all over this…
Lol, jk. I wonder what the ratings will be if the Spurs make the finals this year? Let’s hope to find out.
December 9th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Dismayed to find some among us watch Glee.
Jeez.
But then I watch Mad Men, so who am I to talk.
December 9th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
WOW do we look good to start the year. Its funny that Pop will get the credit for this. Manu is the SHIZNIT. I mean really. His play is outstanding now.
Tony Parker got rid of that ho and is now looking somewhat like a basketball player.
Gary Neal… Good for him
RJ has turned it around.
Just goes to show that coaching = LUCK not skill
Any one on here could be manning the ship right now.
GREAT START
Will be back here Bitching when Pop fails to make adjustments when the players arent beating everyone down
Go Spurs Go
December 9th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Eva Longoria was a curse to our team. She turned our 2007 finals mvp to about 75 percent of the player he used to be. Ever since they got married we haven’t won a championship. It’s a curse i tell you! Now since theyve been divorced tony’s game has slowly been rising to his 2007 and hopefully he will be good enough for us to reach the finals once agian!
December 9th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
TradeTP-
Manu is legend in his own time for a reason, no doubt about that. Manu is the leader, through and through. Out of passion and will, he spearheaded the hot start, and he drives the team forward throughout every game. I look at Scola in Houston, and I wonder what it is about Argetinians.
Until the very end of last season, I have long been an advocate of trading Monsieur Parker. And wasn’t opposed to it for the right big man as late as last June, but had started to think of him as the ideal sixth man. This year, I am happy to root for him on his way to joining Obi-wan in the allstar game. They make a tough tandem. Though I’d still be in favor of giving him more minutes with the second unit if need be. His decision-making, shooting, and defense may have bumped up that small critical bit. We’re lucky to have him. He can hurt the Lakers, the Heat, and the Mavs.
In the past, you were a defender of RJ. And I was against him from the start… I am now one of his biggest fans, and acknowldedge my short-sightedness in the past.
Last year was a joke though, and Pop takes much of the blame for that.
I have some criticism about Pop’s rotations, but I give the man a ton of credit for building this team, this system, and even fitting the system to the guys a bit, while also grooming the guys for the system. I can’t think of a better candidate for the job, and think that luck may be under-rated, but it ain’t the whole story. Not ever, and not with this team, this year.
December 9th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Regarding big men:
Someone floated the idea of targeting Blake Griffin down the line. I find that as unfathomable as bringing Chris Bosh to the Lone Star state was last year. Who is the biggest name free agent to ever come to San Antonio? Was it Rasho, Derek Anderson, Horry, or Finley? It wasn’t a former number one pick and ROY heading toward his prime, I know that. And SA will be looking for a replacement for TD, not a partner for him. Our perimeter may be good, but there are a lot budding all-star guards coming up.
Next year, McDyess will be gone, and Blair and Splitter will be taking larger roles beside TD and Bonner. If that doesn’t pan out, the Spurs will make some moves. But, I don’t think we will have to trade for the likes of Jason Thompson or Anthony Randolf, maybe Larry Sanders (although the Bucks have a good young center and PG, and no real competition as for the franchise PF), these are the types of guys that RC Buford could land off the open market. Maybe even Ian could come back when his contract is up, he has little chance in Dallas unless they trade Haywood.
Boozer, Milsap, and Marc Gasol were second rounders, I believe, and Ben Wallace was undrafted. So who knows what will transpire down the line.
Once again, though, learn to start wishing for improvement from the guys currently on the roster, because this year’s outcast resides on them alone.
December 9th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
tradeTP,
What does it matter who gets the credit in a team sport? By definition, a coach gets most of the credit for successes and takes most of the blame for failures. The fact is, the sum of the parts are all functioning at a higher level than last year, thus the stellar record.
And it seems somewhat silly to me to attribute Tony’s return to form to his personal life rather than improved health and a summer off.
As for Tiago and taking charges, I really don’t see a whole lot of difference between him getting a foul called on him for trying to take a charge or from trying to block a shot. From what we’ve seen from his play so far, he is a good shot blocker when he’s coming from the weak side. The only problem I see with his taking charges is bruising/breaking his tailbone. Did you see him wincing after hitting the floor last night?
Anyway, don’t mean to rant, just feel it’s important to point out the team concept. And really, we’ve all heard Pop talk. Do you think he really seeks credit? I think he simply seeks success.
December 9th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
So long JH.
Anyone who watches Glee and admits it should be banned also.
Go Spurs Go!!
December 9th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Yep, some people only come on here when there’s ridicule to be dished out a la the aforementioned names.
Poor Jim, I did mention that he should have given that Blair discussion a rest.
……like I said before, its funny how different the tone is on this forum compared to last year.
A Gregg Poppovich coached team playing with the right pieces is great to watch. Very professional and business like. They play old school and as a team…..even last year in a so-called down year.
December 9th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
I guess it’s about that time of year when the cream begins to rise to the top. Barring any unforeseen incidents or injuries, I think most can nail who the teams truly competing for a spot in the NBA Finals will be come playoff time.
Then again, perhaps I’ve been reading too much ESPN and am thus getting way ahead of myself. Nonetheless, I’m so glad to see the Spurs belonging to that upper echelon of teams again. I couldn’t have said the same the last two seasons.
With that said, I’m absolutely loving our roster additions. Gary Neal is not only solid but has proven he is clutch (Minnesota free throws), and I have a feeling with a little bit of patience Tiago will become that great big we all have hoped for. Meanwhile, though this may seem weird, it feels good saying that James Anderson, a rookie, being injured has hurt the Spurs as a team. Granted I am drawing conclusions from merely a hand-full of games, but he really seems to be a great weapon on both sides of the ball the Spurs have been missing.
And, of course, George Hill has returned to the phenomenal play we became so accustomed to during stretches of last season. Blair, likewise, will continue to grow as a player, and, much like Tiago, will someday become great. He has far too much ability not to.
Wow, what a great young core.
December 9th, 2010 at 10:36 pm
I am reading a lot about how tiago shouldn’t be taking a lot of charges and how he is getting no respect. What about ginobilli and his getting lots of charges? How is it considered okay for ginobilli to try to get lots of charges, but if tiago gets good positions and charges its a bad move? A charge in my opinion is better than a blocked shot. Block shots do not guarantee that you get the ball back. Also block shots can go out of bounds and give the offense another shot. Drawing a charge takes away a possesion from the offense. If you are late on trying to get a charge, you can get called for a foul. But lot of times when you attempt to block a shot you can be called for fouls as well. The upside on a charge is actually pretty good. Also blocks are a highly over-rated statistic. Ill take good defensive positioning, drawing charges, changing shots over 1 or 2 blocks a game.
December 9th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
@spursfanbayarea
Nice point. And I seriously doubt Pop is giving Tiago any flack for his attempts to draw charges. In fact, in a post-game interview, I recall Pop praising him for such attempts.
December 9th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
@Dr. Leonard McCoy
Jim went on and on about trading MANU to OKC for Jeff Green and Sefolosha, I believe.
Nuff said.
December 10th, 2010 at 12:05 am
@TradeTP
Whoah, you’re alive.
Did you hear them talk about you on the 4Down Podcast?
December 10th, 2010 at 12:45 am
Jim wanted to trade Manu for James Harden and Kristic. We had a nice debate about that one.
December 10th, 2010 at 1:12 am
Listen, we probably will win it this year (unless we have some serious injuries to one of the big three)…. and if there is NOT a lock out, we could probably do it again next year… hahaha… ok everyone go ahead and talk me out of it… i don’t care… SPURS ALL THE WAY!!!!!
December 10th, 2010 at 3:20 am
spursfanbayarea
Great counter point regarding taking charges. And I agree…it can be a better defensive move than blocking a shot which may lead to allowing the oponent to maintain possession of the ball where as taking a charge leads to turnover.
But my concern with Tiago is that he hasn’t established himself in this league to warrant the officials to giving Splitter the benefit of the doubt in situations where it might be close to call either way.
And we all know what usually happens in those situations. Officials will more than likely give the benefit of doubt to a more established player.
Perhaps in future seasons Tiago gets the benefit of doubt. But as for now…rookie season…not much playing time…not established in any other aspect of the game…Tiago won’t get that nod from the officials.
I for one would like to see him play longer…but if strapped with early and/or often fouls…that doesn’t allow him to benefit either the Spurs or himself having to be benched when finally given opportunity to play.
But…who knows…it could be what Popovich is instructing Tiago to do in games knowing what the outcome more than likely will be at this stage in his career?
But if that’s the case…instruct the other players that Tiago needs to get rewarded more on the offensive side for his great P/R setups that often leave him open for a shot around the rim.
That would be one way to helping him get established with regards to officials giving him some benefit of doubt.
December 10th, 2010 at 4:07 am
@td4life
Re: Argentinians - Manu and Scola are only the tip of the iceberg. I got a chance to watch the Pumas in the Rugby world championship a couple of years back - easily the toughest team in the tournament and were eventually beaten in the finals by the South Africans, who were just too good. And then there are Argentinian Soccer players - Lionel Messi is about 5’6″, 120lb and he gets his ankles pounded every game. He just plays through it. And that’s nothing to what Diego Maradonna was back in the day, since the game was way more physical back then.
They breed ‘em tough down there.
December 10th, 2010 at 7:49 am
@rob
You are correct that calls usually go against rookies. There is no doubt about that. But learning good defensive principles will only help us down the road this year and in future years. But as far as taking charges, last year blair would get called for blocks on most of his attempts. Splitter at worst you could say is 50/50. So he is definitely being in the right place most of the time. If he was a veteran he would probably be getting 75 percent of the calls. I agree with you that he needs more playing time, but this is one time where I understand not playing him as much. The last 18 months he has played non-stop and we don’t want him to break down. Smart move to keep him fresh and injury free for the playoffs.
December 10th, 2010 at 8:25 am
Don’t know much about Jim or his being blocked, etc., but I do know that anyone who considers himself a Spur fan AND suggests Manu be traded is one confused human being.
December 10th, 2010 at 9:33 am
We should not look at the Hawks’ matchup as a “trap” game. Al Holford always bring energy and hustle on the court, and he improved his shooting both in range and repetoire. Mike Bibby is a streaky 3pt shooter, and we all know about Josh Smith shot blocking and Jamal Crawford coming off the bench. Atlanta has been playing well without Joe Johnson. They kept it close against Miami last Saturday & beat Orlando earlier this week. Does anyone remember the game a few years ago on MLK Day when the Spurs only scored 5 points in the 1st qtr?
December 10th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
@ DorieStreet: Pretty valid points, but I have to say that Orlando is looking weak - not really capable of beating the better teams in the league, though they’ll wipe the floor with the bad ones. Anyway, I doubt the Hawks’ll be overlooked by this staff or this team. The Silver and Black have looked far more focused this early in the season than they have in quite some time - AND THEY’RE STILL GETTING VERY LITTLE CREDIT FOR IT! Ugh.
December 10th, 2010 at 1:36 pm
@SAJKinBigD
An example of no kudos for the Spurs- this morning on the ESPN show ‘First Take’, one of the hosts spoke with Mavs forward Caron Butler on the team’s 11 game winning streak. While they were talking, a graphic appeared titled ‘NBA 2010 winning streaks’. It listed the Mavs, Celtics, Lakers and one other team, but not the Spurs’ 12 consecutive wins. The buzz about San Antonio will come if we end the year at 25-7 or better, with wins over the Lakers, Mavs, Magic and Nuggets.
December 10th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Correction on that ESPN graphic-it was titled ‘The Hot List - Notable Teams, 2010 Season’ It listed the Mavs, Celtics, Lakers, and Heat with their current record and current win streak. I guess going 18-3 with a current 3 game win streak (same as LA) is not good enough, eh?
December 10th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
It’s pretty crazy, I agree. I was listening to Colin Cowherd (however his name is spelled; I keep saying I’m gonna turn him off and stop listening because he’s so arrogant) and he had Bill Simmons on and asked who were the top teams “and don’t tell me San Antonio.” WTF? Seriously? Not surprisingly, Bill Simmons went along with it and talked about several other teams, incl. the Mavs, and finally said about the Spurs - “we’ve seen this from them before.” I had to double-take my radio. Ugh. Just…ugh.
December 10th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
spursfanbayarea
I can agree to that. But while on the court I would like to see the team get him more involved/more attempts offensively.
He is doing a great job at setting picks and then open on the role only to be overlooked as an option to score.
I’m sure that too will change with time and acclimation. I guess I’m just giddy with the expectation of it finally coming to fruition when it starts to happen on a regular basis.
December 10th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
@rob
I agree with you that they should run some set plays for splitter on the low block. It seems the one who sets him up best is parker. So they should try to get them on the court at the same time.
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