Monday, April 5th, 2010...6:34 am
San Antonio Spurs 100, Los Angeles Lakers 81: Gregg Popovich and the Spurs’ silent ascent
The San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich didn’t provide the Los Angeles Lakers a full-on beating, but their 100-81 victory was impressive. And it looked like it hurt, if only a little.
The Spurs’ usual late season surge has come fashionably late this season, but here it is, roughly a month behind schedule. And I suspect the other party-goers are taking notice, whispering amongst themselves and circling the punch bowl.
The Spurs beat the Lakers in Los Angeles by 19. In recent games the Spurs have traveled away from the AT&T Center to beat the Heat (+11), Thunder (+3), and Celtics (+21). The AT&T Center crowd cheered the Spurs to impressive home victories against Rockets (+17) and Magic (+12). And just two weeks back, the Spurs put up a near franchise record 147 points in a carpet bombing campaign against the Warriors.
Over this stretch, Tim Duncan has been uneven, while George Hill, Richard Jefferson and, especially, Manu Ginobili have taken their games to the (all decorated in cliche, I know) next level. But Gregg Popovich deserves much of the credit for San Antonio’s recent push.
Gregg Popovich’s insertion of Manu Ginobili into the starting line-up is easily his biggest win of the season. But Popovich’s insistence on playing a ‘centerpiece’ wing defender (Keith Bogans, who, in honesty, previously didn’t deserve the minutes) is finally starting to take shape as a smart move, especially when that wing defender is the more impressive three-headed monster of Bogans-Jefferson-Hairston. The Spurs were able to throw a steady-stream of agitators at Kobe Bryant, and they can tag team defend him with the aforementioned trio of wings, as well as Manu Ginobili and George Hill. In retrospect, one can see that Popovich has been building towards this since training camp.
Just prior to Tony Parker’s injury, and Popovich’s decision to start Manu Ginobili, the Spurs’ coach also changed course with Richard Jefferson. Popovich wisely gave up on Richard Jefferson as a small-ball four, and restricted the majority of Jefferson’s minutes to small forward. But more than this, Jefferson now plays the majority of his minutes with Manu Ginobili, something that has greatly helped the team. This was a deliberate decision by Popovich, and it’s had several positive effects for the Spurs.
Jefferson’s rebounding and ability to score in transition are noticeably improved. Richard Jefferson was a must-be-accounted-for offensive threat against the Lakers, and this wasn’t the case earlier in the season. Some of this is Richard Jefferson’s growing understanding of the Spurs’ schemes, but most of it is his coach’s careful consideration of how to play him, and with whom. Richard Jefferson is no longer an offseason bust.
But these big picture items tend to crowd the game-by-game decisions that make Popovich a fantastic coach. Take yesterday’s game. Gregg Popovich threw a curve ball at the Lakers by playing Matt Bonner and Antonio McDyess on Ron Artest. By utilizing bigs on Artest, Popovich was able to reduce the damage Lamar Odom usually inflicts on the Spurs-Odom was primarily guarded by wings, not bigs, even though Phil Jackson likes to play small with Odom at power forward. Richard Jefferson, to his credit, played noteworthy defense against Odom, and Popovich may have found a solution for a pestering problem.
Yesterday’s win over the Lakers was confirmation of San Antonio’s newfound take-us-seriously trajectory. It’s not just one game. It’s one game at the end of an impressive series of games. I woke up this morning with a strange confidence: the Spurs are title contenders. Yes, these Spurs. I haven’t been able to write that since October.
The Spurs are currently ranked third in John Hollinger’s Power Rankings. San Antonio’s strength of schedule over their last 25% of their games is .542, easily the most difficult of the playoff bound teams. And the Spurs’ point differential against those teams is an incredibly healthy +8.68. Yesterday’s defeat of the Lakers dog ears a remarkable turnaround.
83 Comments
April 5th, 2010 at 6:43 am
Thumping the Lakers on their home floor!! That felt SO GOOOOD!
I hope Hill’s injury is trivial and he is back soon. Go Spurs…keep up the defense.
April 5th, 2010 at 6:44 am
alright! i’m the first comment!
never thought i would say that we are contenders either, but it appears that we are. hopefully cubits comes back soon. i fear we may drop the next few games without a legit point guard and giving the duties to manu may run him down a little bit.
rj played some nice d against odom and i liked the matchup of bryant and hairston. hairston is the only wing player we have with the height and jeaping ability to contest bryan’ts jump shots. i also liked his big block on gasol.
i’ll say this again and call me a fool, but i liked seeing ian out there for that short stint when dejuan had an impromptu meeting with pop. he grabbed a nice board and crashed into gasol, sending him to the ground. it was nice to see another big out there in silver and black. maybe he should see some time against bynum if he returns. bynum isn’t exactly a crafty scorer which should help with ian’s foul trouble. he is alot heftier though. dyess is really proving his worth as well with his offensive boards and timely jumpers.
maybe we should hurry tony back into the lineup so we don’t risk a slide without g hill
April 5th, 2010 at 6:44 am
@ tanjuvar
curse you for being 1st!
April 5th, 2010 at 6:47 am
If we hadn’t had that slip up in New Jersey, we’d be one game in the loss column from second place in the West. Regardless, this team has proven they can get it done on the raod.
With no back-to-backs in the playoffs, this is going to be a very dangerous team.
Go Spurs Go!
April 5th, 2010 at 7:08 am
We have absolutely got to resign Manu.
Pop’s rotations have been fantastic. That being said, he’s a got a job to do when Parker comes back into the fold.
IMO Parker should assume Manu’s old role as super-sub and Pop should not mess with our starters.
The only question: Will Tony be accepting of George Hill starting over him?
April 5th, 2010 at 7:10 am
We’re all getting way ahead of ourselves.
How I missed doing that.
GO SPURS!!!
April 5th, 2010 at 7:21 am
Healthy Spurs + trademark D + improved RJ + dominating TP & TD + one hell of a Manu + Chemistry = 2010 NBA CHAMPIONS
April 5th, 2010 at 7:21 am
Pop will almost positively put Parker in the starting lineup with Manu, but then sub george in at 6/5 minute mark. The starting 5 need to be the best 5 on the court in the playoffs, and although I hated to see George get twisted yesterday, it may be a blessing to get Tony back into the groove of starting with George’s little boo boo acting as a clever facilitator.
Anyone with an injury update yet??? timelines are the big question for me. Thanks
April 5th, 2010 at 7:22 am
[...] and the Spurs absolutely whooped up on the Lakers yesterday. Here is 48 Minutes of Hell with the game [...]
April 5th, 2010 at 7:28 am
Beep, Beep that the sound of the Brinks truck backing up to Ginobili’s house. He’s going to get paid big time! As Buck Harvey mentioned the Spurs have no choice but to re-sign him and unfortunately for Peter Holt et. al. their going to take a big financial hit.
I think a team like the Knicks is going to lose out on some of the big FA their targeting. I don’t think Lebron or D Wade are going anywhere so a the Knicks swimming with cash could make a play for Manu.
April 5th, 2010 at 7:29 am
If we are somehow able to win this year’s title Manu, Pop, Timmy and Tony should all retire together.
Then they should build a statue of the four with the Larry O’brien trophy outside the AT&T Center. The base should write: “Some Things Never Get Old”.
It’s the only thing to do.
April 5th, 2010 at 7:40 am
I am seriously concerned about playing with no PG. Hope Hill/Tony is back soon. From now every team knows that all they have to do is get the ball out of Manu’s hands - there is no other ball handler on the team. If we can do well despite other teams doing that until Hill/Parker is back it would be awesome. Otherwise get ready to go to LA in the first round.
April 5th, 2010 at 7:44 am
If TP comes back strong it’s gonna be a killing spree in the playoffs
April 5th, 2010 at 7:52 am
No offense Jacob, but I disagree.
Parker and Ginobili are both at their bests when they are facilitating the offense.
Manu Ginobili has been the best playmaker in the league the last 6 weeks. Do we really want Manu touching the ball half as much when Tony comes back?
Plus, there was a reason Pop had Manu come off the bench when Parker was playing well. Parker should assume Manu’s old role (for now).
April 5th, 2010 at 7:54 am
Pop has a problem. Does he reinsert Parker against Phoenix, another team that they could face in the playoffs, or does he go with the likes of Garrett Temple, Bogans, or Curtis Jarrills trying to guard Nash. Nash will be able to hide his defensive liabilities against any of these possibilities and none of them are going to be able to put any defensive pressure on the Suns point guard. I’m guessing Pop has a tough decision to make. Does he take a chance and play Tony or drop down on the defensie end. Ginobli is a good defender, but against Nash I don’t think so. Not enough speed laterially to slow Nash down. Its going to be interesting to see what Pop does in this situation in a game the Spurs really need to win in order to stay in the hunt against a team that is playing very well now.
April 5th, 2010 at 8:04 am
Integrating a healthy TP back into the fold is a good problem to have any way you cut it. Despite our recent string of strong performances, unless we have a healthy TP in the mix, we aren’t contenders.
April 5th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Jim Miller -
Who starts on Nash is anyone’s guess, but I would think he’d use a combo of Manu, Bogans, Hairston, and Temple. No one’s going to stay with Nash like Bowen used to, but I think you still want to put some length on him.
Keep in mind, it’s not like Phoenix has a dynamic wing that we really have to watch out for.
April 5th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Pop has a lot of tough decisions to make but none of them involve Phoenix. Easily the weakest team coming out of the West and simply incapable of beating the Spurs in a series. Save the early speculation for teams that deserve it.
April 5th, 2010 at 8:16 am
the question of starting TP or not doesn’t make sense. If he is a sub like Manu was, he will play 40 minutes per game. So it doesn’t really matter and he could perfectly accept this. But during most of the year our first quarters were quite good, the problem was often afterwards.
April 5th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Haven’t heard a peep out of any of the “trade Manu” guys the last few weeks…..even though the trade deadline has passed…..you know what I mean
April 5th, 2010 at 8:24 am
The more I watch them the more I love it and the more I worry about re-integrating TP back into this lineup. I think either TP or Manu has to come off the bench so the offense is flowing through one of their steady hands (or Hills) at all times.
Problem with putting Manu at the bench is you pretty much have to put RJ there too. Then who do you start in RJs place?
Problem with putting TP on the bench is whether he can handle that change mentally. Is he really OK coming up the bench if it makes the Spurs better? Not everyone is Manu.
Hills injury might be a blessing in disguise if Parker can get back and run the offense (or share running it) with Manu and RJ on the floor. Then allow Hill to come back as 6th man.
April 5th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Hill should be 6th man once TP comes back. There shouldn’t be more discussion. He will aceppt it, and it will work out well.
April 5th, 2010 at 8:50 am
This was probably the biggest win of the season. The LAKERS thought they could just turn it on. They thought all was good after beating the JAZZ on Friday. THen the Spurs came in and thumped them.
TD was awesome. RJ contributed the 14 points we all thought he was going to bring, BOGANS finally hit some momentum changing 3 balls, The Defense did enough to make KOBE work, and of course MANU takes over the 4th quarter.
He busted a KOBE in KOBE’s house. I love it.
THe lakers tried everything to stop MANU, double teams, getting the ball out of his hands, ARTEST trying to bully him and he still went off!!!!
I don’t want to hear about how BYNUM didn’t play. He wasn’t a factor when they won the championship. Plus, if the Lakers are so good, they wouldn’t need him.
The Spurs also exposed how weak the LAkers bench is.
It aint over til its over.
In the words of OBI WAN GINOBILI:
“We struggled for half of the season or a little more, but now we are playing better,” Ginobili said. “Even though we’re in the seventh spot and it’s not going to be easy, we know now that nobody’s that much better than us. So that’s a big thing in your head.”
And they still have TP coming back. I don’t think anyone needs to worry. I mean TP, MANU and TD have won before. I don’t think it’s rocket science trying to work him back in.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:01 am
I know it is gonna sound crazy but I think that we have best chances winning if Manu is running our offence. He is the best PG on the team, just think about it. Best ball handler, best passer, best outside shooter. Gorge has always been scorer and Parker is the same way. I say bring Parker off the bench when Manu gets his rest and start from there. Anything else might mess up the team rhythm and chemistry.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:06 am
Some observations. It might be money wise for the front office to resign Ginobili now. He seems to be getting more expensive by the game. Their relying so much on him right now. There’s been several wins in the past month I don’t think they would have got or it would have been much closer without Ginobili willing them to victory. Another overlooked aspect is his stepped up defense. He’s been playing excellent help defense.
With George Hill gone, I think TD needs to step up his game like he did last night. No more 6 pt clunkers. Hopefully Duncan still has it and is just saving it for the big games.
For integrating Parker back I think it’s possible for him to start with Ginobili if he changes his game a little. Ginobili will still be the facilitator and Parker will attack off the pass like Jefferson. The only reason Ginobili came off the bench is because the shooting guards (Finley, Barry) we had were only really good at catch and shoot, so they could help space out the floor with TD and TP. It allowed them to maximize their talent (Barry was somewhat of an exception since he could also facilitate at point but he didn’t do this much). Those guys only really did well when there was someone creating shots for him.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:07 am
I hate to say this, but we cant pay Manu the money he is worth this offseason!
Has anyone looked at our end of season wins?
Win against OKC
Win against CLE
Win against Boston
Win against Orlando
Win against Lakers
A win in 2 of the next big three would be great.
Sac - win
Phx- win
Mem-win
Den - win
Minn -win
Dallas - loss
This is how I see us finishing the season!
GO SPURS GO!!!!!!
April 5th, 2010 at 9:11 am
When Tony comes back he needs to play with Bogans and Hairston at the same time (second or first unit, it doesn’t really matter). They will be able to cover up his defensive liability and he can be vocal point in our offense.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Spurs have been playing great like the Democrats have.
We need the 5th seed so we can beat the hell out of Utah like Democrats have beat the hell out of the GOP.
We should be scared of Dallas, thats a damn good team
April 5th, 2010 at 9:21 am
@ Tim, Graydon, Jesse, Andrew,
What are your opinions on TP’s return and the possible change to the rotations? (assuming George Hill returns relatively soon)
April 5th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Impressive win by the Spurs.
My excitement by the Spurs recent wins are lowered because the 5 or center of these playoff teams was missing. No Perkins vs Celtics, no Shaq, Varejo vs Cavs, no Bynum vs Lakers, and Howard in foul trouble and fouling out w/ 3 min to go vs Magic. Lopez vs Nets and Spurs lose.
In the playoffs, Spurs will have to deal with multiple bigs.
2nd, will Ginobili allowed to dominate the ball as much when Parker comes back? I think Ginobili’s more effective, and as a result the team, when he gets to play point guard.
It is inspiring to see the Spurs play more cohesively. Glad to see playing time for Hairston. Hairston could be the step up role player like a Bruce Bowen, Steve Kerr, or Jaren Jackson type.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:36 am
“Richard Jefferson is no longer a free agent acquisition bust.”
you meant trade bust, right?
April 5th, 2010 at 9:38 am
NOTE: The way Pop has been putting it, it sounds to me like Tony might return before George; Pop said Tony might be back for the last 2 regular season games, while Hill might be out “a while.”
Regardless… where are the people asking for Pop to be fired now?
April 5th, 2010 at 9:39 am
junierizzle -
I’d have to disagree with you when you say Bynum wasn’t a factor in them winning the championship. Bynum, if nothing else, brings rebounding and toughness in paint. The year before, their froncourt was demolished and intimidated by Garnet and Perkins in the Finals. The theme of that whole Boston series was Gasol and Odom’s lack of toughness. That changed the next year with a healthy Bynum.
Like I said earlier, without Bynum, the Lakers aren’t beating Dallas, Denver, Utah, or the Spurs. With a healthy Bynum, they have another athletic big that can rebound and be a deterrent at the rim. Not only that, but like Van Gundy touched on yesterday, that moves Odom back to anchoring their bench, which is one of their big weaknesses right now. Bynum, in my estimation, is their 4th best player (which speaks more to their overall talent than anything - he typically would be most other teams 2nd best player), and their best post defender when healthy.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:42 am
Jacob - it might be a little difficult to play both Manu and TP at the same time unless it’s late in the 4th. This team’s success lately has been with RJ being paired with Manu, now in the starting five but before TP’s injury in the 2nd unit. That pairing must remain as is. The TP/Hill backcourt was proving to be a very good one until Tony’s injury so I believe that Pop will either insert TP back into the starting lineup along with Hill, TD and Dice or leave it as it is now and bring TP off the bench. Either way it keeps RJ and Manu paired together and the chemistry they have developed intact.
As you stated the Spurs need to put their best five in the starting lineup but sometimes that isn’t the best thing to do. As stated already the chemistry between RJ and Manu is critical to the success of the Spurs and starting their best five - TP/Manu/TD/Hill/RJ might not be a good lineup. Looks like they went back to small ball again, which didn’t prove to be very good.
And VP of Common Sense brings some good thoughts to this also.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:45 am
2 players r getting unnoticed, bogan and rmj. Bogan (who I hated) has been great. He outmuscled jameson and lebron and kobe. He made kobe cry and that made my day since I live in la that was great to watch. Also he has been making huge 3s for us. He has been playing great and we need that in order 2 go anywhere. Also we need rmj, I know I’m probably his last fan and I’m still rooting for him. He has been playing great doing the little things. Passing, dribbling, spreading the floor, hussling, and defending. But we need him 4 something else his shots something that is misssing. If we r going 2 win the games without hill we need him. And in playoff we need him to make big 3s. Rmj needs 2 pick it up if we wanna go anywhere. Hopefully the next 2 games he could get some confidence
April 5th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Being in la I have seen at least half of the lakers game. Against the spurs lakers play better without bynum. Td is too good 4 him. And he takes time away from lamar who usually kills us. Let’s be honest bynum and artest or bynum and fisher have no chaqnce of gaurding manu td or tp td pick n roll
April 5th, 2010 at 10:14 am
What are all these people talking about with the Tony/Manu confusion? Do you really think that having Manu share the ball with one of the best scoring PGs in the league is going to hurt the team? I think not.
Are you guys somehow forgetting that they have played together for nearly a decade, and won three titles in the process?
Tony and Manu can both start, and they will both be perfectly fine destroying opposing defenses, and the Spurs will roll.
April 5th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I have to agree with what many have already posted. I have some concerns about Tony when he comes back. First of all, Tony is on the court because of what he brings to the offensive end, not the defensive end. With that said, if you look at the results of the past month, it is obvious that the Spurs (sans Parker) have had no problem scoring against anyone. Parker went down so the ball was placed in the hands of Manu, Hill, and Jefferson. All three of these guys (especially Manu) have played great in Parkers absence and are the reason we are now talking about being in the title race.
Keep in mind that all three played with Parker for months before his injury and as a team we were going no where fast. I know Manu has played crazy over the last few weeks and that has much to do with our turn around (though not all). I’m just very intrugued at how a team can play like shit for 3 months, lose their 3rd best player and then play like champions for the next 6 weeks. This either speaks to the teams ability to “circle the wagons” or it says something about the teams 3rd best player. I’m not sure which.
When Parker comes back, what role should he play? Should he come back to the starting lineup and play with Jefferson and Hill? (Manu’s hasn’t started with Tony in years so there’s little reason to believe that would occur) Didn’t we see how that worked out for the first 3 months the season? Can Parker’s ego allow him to come off the bench so we don’t mess with this good thing we have going?
If Pop can navigate through these murky waters and tough questions and Parker can adjust his game, this team will be a playoff nightmare. If Parker or Pop can’t, then who knows what this team will do…
April 5th, 2010 at 10:54 am
And in line with Hobson13, I believe Manu’s will to resign with the Spurs will have a lot to do with how Poppovich will handle Parker’s re-insertion into the team. I read lots of posts about how much or how long Ginobili’s next contract should be, but I think Manu might have another question, which is ‘What for’. Will he resign with the Spurs just to go back to the bench, even now that he’s proved he can carry the team on his shoulders? Doesn’t he deserve other kind of treatment, like being a starter and maybe having the chance of another All Star (as a sub, he’ll never do it again)? I don’t want to controversially put this as Ginobili OR Parker but as long as they’re together, Manu won’t start. So to me, his possible next contract with the Spurs will have to answer three questions: how much, how long and what for.
April 5th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Yes, Ginobili and RJ need to stay together, I agree whole-heartedly! This was my debacle when thinking about who needed to be dropped back into the 2nd unit. I know Manu doesn’t mind being the 6th man off the bench, but I wonder if Pop would try that again considering how well Manu had played while starting. If Manu goes down to the 6th man, does pop leave RJ in as a starter or put Bogans in at the 3? Personally I would hope that Bogans starts from the bench, becasue the combo of parker-hill-bogans starting considerably hampered the offensive production while it was tested earlier this season, and the playoffs are not the venue that we need to overcome 15 point deficets in. If I had my choice, I would hope that Parker would be able to swallow his pride (if this is even an issue) and come off the bench, but I just don’t see Pop making that call, hence why I predict both Manu and Tony starting, but I may be wrong. I guess my main question (aside from an accurate injury timeline that I’ve been begging for
) is how has Tony done while leading unit # 2 so far this season? If the answer is a consensus ‘well’, then I vote that they keep what has worked in this line-up:
Hill - Parker - Temple
Manu - RMJ - Hairston
Jefferson - Bogans
McDyess - Bonner
Duncan - Blair - Mahinmi
PS. was anyone else pumped to see Hairston in last’s night’s crunch time??? I though the played very well closing out quarters!
April 5th, 2010 at 11:22 am
@Boss, Indeed. Good eye. Fixed.
April 5th, 2010 at 11:26 am
I was happy to see Malik in there, though most his minutes came after the Spurs went +15. I love how he blocked Pau and Kobe from behind. Actually got Kobe twice, though one was a goaltend and the other was after a foul so it doesn’t show in the stats.
If Malik could shoot he’d be a key rotation player. He needs to be Chip’s #1 summer assignment.
April 5th, 2010 at 11:40 am
@Tyler
BYNUM is overrated.
April 5th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Great win, but it’s just that, a regular season win. This team has room to improve. The Lakers missed several open looks in the 4th that would have changed the momentum and possibly the game.
This team needs Hill and Parker (and Manu) healthy for the playoffs. With Parker out there have been stretches of really bad offense when Manu takes a rest, having both Manu and Parker to help facilitate will mean our 2nd unit will be better than most other teams which has been the biggest reason for Manu being a bench player.
April 5th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Parker is the starting PG…period!! Any commenter who says otherwise should be banned from commenting on this site ever again!!
April 5th, 2010 at 11:56 am
Even at RJ’s worst, the trade was always smart. Everyone agreed with it as a no-brainer when it happened. It was a smart and easy move and possibly the best bet.
Even when it went bad, his contract expires next year which gives us a giant trading piece or a giant amount of cap to rebuild post Duncan.
Here is a chart I made after the Orlando game showing Margin of Victory (Last 25%) vs. SoS (L25%) which you reference in your column:
http://www.poundingtherock.com/2010/4/3/1403289/end-of-the-season-momentum-looking#comments
April 5th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
junierizzle -
Thanks for that enlightening response.
April 5th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Wins By At Least 10 Points This Season:
Orlando: 35
San Antonio: 32
Utah/Cleveland: 31
Atlanta: 29
Denver: 28
Phoenix/ Los Angeles Lakers: 27
Losses By At Least 10 Points This Season
Cleveland: 4
Orlando: 6
Boston/San Antonio: 8
OKC/ Atlanta: 9
Phoenix: 10
Denver/Charlotte: 11
Utah/ Los Angeles Lakers: 12
Portland: 13
Dallas: 14 (only 18 wins though)
We have the most beatdowns givens and least taken in the conference.
April 5th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Worth adding, we are a not-so-good 15-21 in games decided by single digits.
April 5th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
hey, does somebody has heard from ballhog yet? he sure has someting to bitch about
April 5th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
James, NSW Australia
April 5th, 2010 at 8:24 am
“Haven’t heard a peep out of any of the “trade Manu” guys the last few weeks…..even though the trade deadline has passed…..you know what I mean”.
I’m still in favor of it while he’s still got great value, IF we can’t sign him for about 3 million below his value on the open market, AND can’t get another big like Splitter or better without trading him. I would still strongly consider a deal with Philly for Iggy, Dalembert, & Williams.
lvmainman
April 5th, 2010 at 9:33 am
“Impressive win by the Spurs.”
“My excitement by the Spurs recent wins are lowered because the 5 or center of these playoff teams was missing. No Perkins vs Celtics, no Shaq, Varejo vs Cavs, no Bynum vs Lakers, and Howard in foul trouble and fouling out w/ 3 min to go vs Magic. Lopez vs Nets and Spurs lose.”
Very good point, lvmainman. I’m very encouraged by the Spurs play of late, particularly on the defensive end as a “team” (as I describe at bit further on a previous thread from today), but to suggest that they could get by LA with Bynum, or the Cavs or Magic in a seven-game series is still stretching it at this point. We simply don’t have the height, youth, or depth on the front line. That said, if we can keep playing like this through the rest of the regular season, and get TP & Hill back healthy, our chances will continue to creep higher heading into the playoffs, particularly if we can avoid LA in round one.
Tyler
April 5th, 2010 at 9:39 am
I agree Bynum is very important for LA’s chances of repeating, but I think they still would have a decent chance of coming out of the West without Bynum. Cleveland & Orlando would be a different story.
NFGIII
April 5th, 2010 at 9:42 am
I disagree with your starting line-up. The Spurs best starting line-up for the playoffs would be TP, Manu, RJ, Dice, & TD. It starts our best point guard, and keeps Manu & RJ together. Hill would do great off the bench.
AP
April 5th, 2010 at 10:14 am
I happen to agree, and I appreciate your passion about the issue.
Hobson13
April 5th, 2010 at 10:18 am
“Parker went down so the ball was placed in the hands of Manu, Hill, and Jefferson. All three of these guys (especially Manu) have played great in Parkers absence and are the reason we are now talking about being in the title race. ”
Hill was playing very good WITH or WITHOUT Parker. It’s RJ & Manu that appear to be the issue. That’s why you play your best point guard, a point guard I remind you, that has run the point for us during our last three championship runs. Tinker with minutes & the rotations, but Parker should start if he can play. It’s the simplest solution without making a big change. With Manu in such a groove (which is just coincidental to TP’s absence), we may ask TP to “dominate” the ball less, but other than that, a starting line-up of TP, Manu, RJ, Dice, & TD should make our team stronger for a playoff run, and not mess with chemistry in any meaningful way. Again, Hill would be great off the bench for his “D” and 3-pt. shot.
“I’m just very intrugued at how a team can play like shit for 3 months, lose their 3rd best player and then play like champions for the next 6 weeks. This either speaks to the teams ability to “circle the wagons” or it says something about the teams 3rd best player. I’m not sure which.”
Believe me, it was the inability of the former. The main problem is that RJ had a “head” problem adjusting to the entire Spur system, for some unknown reason, and has used Manu as an excuse & escape mechanism. That, and the entire team (that includes Dice, Bogans, Hill, Hairston, & Bonner off the broken hand, which is big for a shooter) is improving as players and in the Spur system, except for RJM - he still has a “head” case. TP is NOT the problem, though it is a big adjustment for a point, injured much of the time, to adjust and effectively accommodate such a large & diverse set of new players. These issues have come to a head and worked themselves out, regardless of TP’s status in the line-up at this point.
April 5th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
BlaseE
April 5th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Interesting stats, BlaseE. It means we stay in games and generally take care of business against inferior teams. That’s always been the Spur’s style. I’m glad to see we haven’t lost that in any appreciable way.
April 5th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
I have come to expect the best from the G-man and Duncan, so their performances last night were not surprising.
Rather, I was dazzled by a few of our role players.
For one, the Red Rocket played good defense, passed well, did a decent job rebounding, and impacted the game through overall scrappy play- despite only draining two three pointers. It all resulted in 8 points, 3 rebounds 2 assists and a steal. Don’t believe I’m saying this, but Bonner was actually “versatile!” Maybe he had a really good sandwich before tipoff.
Perhaps Kobe’s crummy offense was simply due to an off night, but maybe, just maybe, Kobe’s 33% shooting was due to Bogans’ stellar defense. Because I’m a fan, I’m going to pretend Bogans shut the Black Mamba down. Backing up my argument is the Bogeyman’s +/- stats: +26, baby, the game’s highest.
RJ shot 50 percent from the field, dropped 15 points, snagged six boards, and did what God designed him to do: grab the ball and drive it with authority. Nice.
By the way, did anyone catch the interview with TP. An ABC reporter asked him what went through his mind when he saw George Hill go down, and Parker responded by talking about his own workout routine and when he expects to come back. The reporter re-uttered the question and TP, said his first thoughts were, “I want to play (or something to that effect).” No show of concern for Hill, whatsoever. Now I don’t think Parker is any kind of egotist, but he may be lacking a little in the p.r. department.
April 5th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
@ cesar
I was wondering the same thing.
Anyone else notice that when we get a technical or two we end up playing better? I think the team is kicking it into gear.
April 5th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Calm down. IT takes 4 games to beat the Lakers this year, not just one.
Trade Manu? Why wouldnt you listen to an offer before you said no?
TP our best PG? We will have to see. Everyone here said that Hill was nowhere near being able to fill his shoes. He did just that. We still have to see how Tony fits himself back into the rotation.
Pop for coach of year again? So were hot right now. Lets not make the last couple weeks of the season our highlight. We’re still sitting at the bottom of the seedings. Keep the momentum and win a series or two.
April 5th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
I never said George wouldn’t fill Tp’s shoes, I said that TP & George are different players and not mutually exclusive.
We need them both especially if we’re building toward next season.
I’ve said time and again that we need to keep TP & George. We need them in a 3 guard rotation. It’s hard enough to find quality guards let alone two of em, you hang onto em when you can.
I think we’re still a ways from being contenders for the crown just yet. I do however believe that a huge portion of the credit for the late season surge is on Pops head.
I’ve posted this up numerous times. Pushed this barrow up hill & down dale. He coachs for the playoffs, and doesn’t give a rats for the rest of the season.
The man gets into his players heads and leverages performance out of them slowly over the course of 82 games time and time again.
The man knows what he is doing, but we still have people who jump up and down after each loss and scream f0r his head.
I love this franchise and I hope they maintain this form, but either way I feel very optimistic about next year.
George is so far improved, we can have one of the leagues strongest rotations at the 1 & 2 if we resign Manu. Blair & Hairston have made strides, McDyess looks comfortable and we can stick Bonner in for 12 or 15 minutes per game as a 10th option.
IF we can add splitter our team is going to be a very challenging proposition for the rest of the league.
April 5th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
@VP-I’ve written in comments before, and maybe it merits a longer, more dedicated post, but I start Tony as soon as he’s ready. Move Hill to the bench. For all the talk about Parker being a ball hog and affecting Ginobili, what you guys don’t seem to remember is the dynamic has always been when Ginobili’s on his game, everyone defers to him (even Duncan). Parker has always been great about letting Manu do his thing and picking his spots in transition or when Manu needs a rest.
Keep the starters, with Parker for Hill. Let Hill come in for Manu (where he gets his usual rest) and turn the offense over to Duncan and Parker.
Then bring Manu back in for Parker at the end of the first with Bonner or Blair for Duncan, and let Manu run the second unit (thereby solving our second unit’s problems).
Wash, rinse and repeat in the second half.
Remember, the rotations shorten dramatically in the playoffs so I would not be suprised to see Manu, Hill and Parker being the only guards in the rotation and Jefferson/Bogans getting the run at small forward.
One of RJ’s biggest assets is he can absorb a lot of minutes. Jefferson after 30 minutes is not much different than Jefferson after 10 minutes.
April 5th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Jim Henderson
April 5th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
“Hill was playing very good WITH or WITHOUT Parker. It’s RJ & Manu that appear to be the issue. That’s why you play your best point guard, a point guard I remind you, that has run the point for us during our last three championship runs.”
Sure Hill was playing good with Tony, but his numbers as well as Manu’s and RJ’s soared when Tony shots were divided among that three. When Parker went down, the structure of the team was changed from the old Big 3 as we knew them to Manu (first option) Duncan (second option) with Hill and Jefferson turning into key support players for those two. This was supposed to happen months ago but did not while Parker was on the court.
Jim Henderson
April 5th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
“The main problem is that RJ had a “head” problem adjusting to the entire Spur system, for some unknown reason, and has used Manu as an excuse & escape mechanism.”
Perhaps. However, RJ’s main problem was that with Tony in the lineup, RJ would have MULTIPLE games where he took only 6-8 shots. How the hell is he supposed to be productive when he’s not being involved? People on this blog have bitched for months that when Tony gets the ball, it sticks in his hands. Perhaps it’s just a coincidence that almost as soon as TP is injured, RJ gets his mojo back and figures out the system (the same one he’d played in for months). This is an even greater coincidence if you consider the difficulty of competition that RJ has played against for the past month. I make this argument without even touching upon the rapid increased production of Hill and Gino. Is it possible that the offense is more efficient with Manu being PG instead of Parker? ( BTW neither are true PGs since Parker is really a combo and Manu is a SG.)
Jim Henderson
April 5th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
“we may ask TP to “dominate” the ball less”
I know this is only a partial quote with regards to what you said, but I couldn’t agree more. Tony CANNOT return to the PG (22 ppg and 6 assts/game) that he was last year. We do not need anymore scoring power as evidence of the results with him out of the lineup. IF Tony can become more of a drive and kick fascilitator, this team will steamroll people perhaps all the way to the finals. Over the past few weeks the West has looked increasingly vulnerable and the Spurs increasingly better. Parker must adjust his game for the sake of the team. We are no longer in 2007 and we no longer need ball domination by any single one player. The reinsertion of Parker into the lineup (wherever he falls) over the next 2 weeks will be very interesting.
April 5th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
@Bushka
I think you’re pretty spot on about Pop. Here’s an example: From my limited view, I thought I saw enough in Hairston just after the all-star break to give him a shot a Bogans role, so I made a substantive case for it a few times on this blog. While I do think it possible that Pop gave the idea some serious thought, in the final analysis he stuck with Bogans by fine-tuning his minutes a bit more, and he also became a little less bashful in his use of Hairston, in spots, during non-garbage minutes.
The results: Bogans has responded with his best all-around play of the season in the past 3-4 weeks, and Hairston has made a fine contribution in spot minutes. I hope Bogans can continue with his inspired play of late, because if he does, and we get through the first round, Pop will have exceeded himself again.
He’s also doing another interesting thing by giving RMJ more significant & regular minutes because he knows that trying something to help a “deep in funk” Mason get his career 38% 3 pt. shooting back before the playoffs would be a boon to the Spurs chances. So far this has not worked out too well, but he’s sticking to it, which I admire. It’s a gutsy call even though his minutes could easily go to a currently more productive Hairston. Hopefully in the end it works. Having that extra 3 pt. shooter off the bench would help indeed!
April 5th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
@Jim-I know we’ve argued about this before, so I’d just like to reiterate that I love Iguodala’s game. I argue about it with Mike Monroe (he doesn’t like non-shooters) quite frequently.
That being said. You in NO WAY, SHAPE or FORM trade Manu Ginobili or Tony Parker for him. In fact, you don’t trade Ginobili for anything and you pay him market value. Why? Because right now the only way you’re getting equal value for him is if you get Kobe, LeBron or Wade in return. He’s that good right now.
And I know, you’re probably thinking what Manu will be two, three years down the line. But there is no two or three years down the line. Duncan is the window, and that window is closing sooner than later. Right now, Manu is an elite player. You do everything in your power to keep that going now.
From a basketball sense, I think it’d be possible to give the 76ers a salary dump with RJ’s expiring contract and maybe Blair or McDyess (contract) as sweetners. With Iggy, I think his best asset to the Spurs is his top flight defense. But if you clear all of your playmakers, you force him to create more (expending energy) and get diminishing returns on that defense.
From a business sense, there are a huge section of season ticket holders (lower level) who have made it clear that with no Manu Ginobili, they’re not renewing. (No Manu, no renew). Losing Ginobili will cost Holt way more at the gate than it will in luxury tax.
April 5th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Re: Jefferson and Parker.
I tend to think that Jefferson’s play has had nothing to do with Tony Parker leaving and everything to do with Manu Ginobili’s resurgence. And no, the two do not correspond because Ginobili was on his way to being back before Parker went down.
And Ginobili’s play has little to do with Parker being down and everything to do with his health and confidence in his legs.
The Spurs best lineup I would wager is Parker, Manu, RJ/Hill, McDyess and Duncan.
April 5th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Starting manu and parker together is not the problem, they work fine starting together (I remember one of the suns series). The problem is the bench, we’ve always used manu to give us that ooomph off the bench, but I dont think thatd be too much of a problem.
Id also like to note Mcdyess, while I dont have the numbers he actually seems to be hitting those mid range jumpers we expect him to hit, I like that, a lot.
April 5th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
Must be the “Los Spurs” jersey that started the good luck. They oughta wear it more often.
Seriously though, I think that the Spurs have started to take things rather more seriously this time. They have been given the time to jell and the most appropriate “team-ups” on the floor have been determined through all the crappy games that they have played through.
I’m still worried about the return of Tony Parker though. Of course, it’s beautiful to see Manu & RJ and Timmy & Blair (passing of the torch?) developing, as well as Hill being an effective point guard, but what’ll happen when Tony returns to the line up? Will he affect the chemistry that’s formed between the other players? He’s not a
Jason Kidd or Steve Nash kind of point guard that would really facilitate movement in the floor. He’s a shoot-first point guard.
What will also happen to the other recent signees? Hill’s minutes (I observe him to be somewhat like a diesel-powered vehicle - slow at the start, but steady as time progresses)?
Don’t get me wrong - I’m thrilled and excited about how the Spurs have been going through so far, and I think the loss at New Jersey is more of a day-off-obligatory game-so-who-really-cares-who-wins kind of game instead of a need-to-win-or-else-die kind of game. But when a superstar returns from a long break due to injury, how will the Spurs act? I’m not really optimistic that the Tony that would be returning would be the one circa 2007 that laid the smack down on the overconfident, undertalented Cavs (they’ve grown to be much more powerful now).
April 5th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
You fuckers actually think george hill is in the same class as Tony parker ????
Are you smoking crack ?
Sniffing cocaine ?
Eating disco biscuits ?
Tony is one of the best point guards in the league.
It wasnt that long ago when he was demolishing teams
You sure loved him in last years playoffs when he did everything, carried us a whole fucking season.
April 5th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Jesse Blanchard
April 5th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
If you’ve read my comments recently, you’ll know that I very much agree with your assessment of the “TP coming back line-up/rotation issues”.
Jesse Blanchard
April 5th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Again, if you’ve read my recent comments, you’ll notice that I also very much agree with you that TP being out had no direct relationship to Manu’s resurgence, nor RJ’s issues.
Hobson13
April 5th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
We sometimes have our differences, but I usually enjoy your comments because you typically bring reason, thoughtfulness, and context to your posts. That’s great!
I have just a couple of brief comments in response to your recent post:
“Sure Hill was playing good with Tony, but his numbers as well as Manu’s and RJ’s soared when Tony shots were divided among that three. When Parker went down, the structure of the team was changed from the old Big 3 as we knew them to Manu (first option) Duncan (second option) with Hill and Jefferson turning into key support players for those two. This was supposed to happen months ago but did not while Parker was on the court.”
I do concede that RJ was in a rut earlier on when TP was starting with him, but in my view the problem always laid with RJ, not TP. RJ needed to convince himself that TP was the problem for him, so he started playing better with Manu when he was demoted to the second unit with Ma
April 5th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Jesse Blanchard
April 5th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
If you’ve read my comments recently, you’ll know that I very much agree with your assessment of the “TP coming back line-up/rotation issues”.
Jesse Blanchard
April 5th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Again, if you’ve read my recent comments, you’ll notice that I also very much agree with you that TP being out had no direct relationship to Manu’s resurgence, nor RJ’s issues.
Hobson13
April 5th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
We sometimes have our differences, but I usually enjoy your comments because you typically bring reason, thoughtfulness, and context to your posts. That’s great!
I have just a couple of brief comments in response to your recent post:
“Sure Hill was playing good with Tony, but his numbers as well as Manu’s and RJ’s soared when Tony shots were divided among that three. When Parker went down, the structure of the team was changed from the old Big 3 as we knew them to Manu (first option) Duncan (second option) with Hill and Jefferson turning into key support players for those two. This was supposed to happen months ago but did not while Parker was on the court.”
First of all, Manu, RJ, & Ghill’s numbers were bound to go up without TP’s 17 points, 6 assists per game. And all three of their games’ were on the ascent BEFORE Tony went down. Second, while I do concede that RJ was in a rut earlier on when TP was starting with him, in my view the problem always laid at RJ’s feet, not with TP. RJ needed to convince himself that TP was the problem for him (had to have some reason outside of himself for his struggles), so he started playing better with Manu when he was demoted to the second unit with Manu to prove himself right, that it wasn’t him. Just as an example, RJ’s rebounds suddenly took off soon after he went to the bench. Did TP prevent RJ from rebounding the ball up to his ability? Did Manu do something special that allowed RJ to start rebounding better? I don’t think so. Rebounding is about effort & attitude, which is an internal characteristic. RJ’s problem with TP is his own problem, and I think he’s gotten over it, as long as he is still kept in the rotation more with Manu (primarily for psychological reasons, although Manu & RJ do play well together in general anyway).
“Tony CANNOT return to the PG (22 ppg and 6 assts/game) that he was last year. We do not need anymore scoring power as evidence of the results with him out of the lineup. IF Tony can become more of a drive and kick fascilitator, this team will steamroll people perhaps all the way to the finals.”
TP needed the numbers last year. Manu was not fully healthy the entire year, and was completely out HALF the year. TP understands we don’t need the scoring numbers at this point, and believe me, he’s happy that Manu is “back”, and takes that pressure off him. TP has deferred to Manu for much of his career, and has never complained. I don’t see that happening now. As far as getting to the finals? That’s still a stretch, because our front line is not deep, tall, & strong enough. Certainly LA with Bynum, and perhaps Dallas, pose a formidable roadblock to our title chances. We’ll see. I’m just glad we’re playing much better, so that at least we can threaten some teams.
“RJ’s main problem was that with Tony in the lineup, RJ would have MULTIPLE games where he took only 6-8 shots. How the hell is he supposed to be productive when he’s not being involved?”
If RJ’s not getting involved in this example it’s one of two things: (1) the coach is not running offensive sets that requires RJ’s involvement, or (2) RJ is unsure of his role, what he’s doing out there, or just plain lacks the necessary aggressiveness and confidence to exploit his own strengths when the opportunity presents itself (like driving it hard to the cup, rebounding, etc,). There’s really nothing in TP’s game that necessitates that RJ should be adversely effected by point number above. That said, I lean toward choice number two, which I believe is more on RJ than anyone else.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Sorry for the double post! Apparently I hit the “submit” button before I completed my post without realizing it! Thus, the second post is the complete post in it’s entirety.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
@Jim,
Perhaps you’re right about Tony, but I’m concerned that with RJ, Manu, Duncan, and Hill playing well, Tony may be one too many “cooks in the kitchen.” Well, I won’t argue the point with Parker any longer. I do see what you are saying and you do make good points. If Parker can take this team to the next level, I’d have to side with your point of view. However, if Parker cannot make this team (that has taken a number of steps forward in his absence) considerably better, we will have a long offseason of heated debates on this chat.
P.S. I VERY much agree that the Spurs need a big who can primarily rebound, defend, and eat up minutes to help Duncan. I’m not sure if the Spurs beat the Lakers IF Bynum comes back full strength. (Thats a big IF)
April 5th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
@Hobson13
I understand you’re trepidation with TP coming back just when the team is finally playing much better against tougher competition. And I don’t mean to minimize the fact that it is indeed a delicate situation. I just know that it won’t be anything “selfish” on TP’s part that causes any difficulties.
I do think there’s a lot of pressure on Pop to make the right adjustments & get everyone playing on the same page together in the new rotations. But I’m confident that Pop will make the right moves, & his star big three are up to the task of successfully executing his game plan. I just don’t think we have the horses on the front line to get to the finals, unless someone other than us take out the Lakers, and perhaps the Mavs, before the WCF’s.
April 5th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Jesse Blanchard
April 5th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Jesse,
I’ve already laid out my case in some detail about this trade matter, and I’m sure you’ve read most of it, so I’ll just make a few bullet point comments.
- You say that you really like Iggy, but I still say that you under-value him. The common refrain that he’s a poor shooter is a misconception, although it is true that it is a part of his game that he could still improve some on, with the right coaches & organization (the Spurs!).
- You appear to almost dismiss the value of the other Sixers in the trade (Dalembert, Williams), while I consider them crucial aspects to the deal, representing a great fit to fill our most pressing current and long-term needs as a franchise.
- I love Ginobli, but you assign too much value to Ginobli when considering his age, aggressive style of play, and his issues with durability.
- In contrast, you don’t give proper value to the younger ages of ALL the Sixers in the deal (by the way, Iggy’s missed all of six games in six years!).
- The three players I would not trade are Duncan, Hill, & Blair.
- I don’t agree that we should be willing to overpay for Manu now. That would be sacrificing the franchise’s future for the sake of some extra Manu fans/tickets next season, and perhaps a better crack at a another title w/Duncan (a window that could close in the next 2-3 years), a title that in my estimation will never come without a good enough “BIG” man by his side. If we could get someone as good or better than Splitter, and not give up any of our big three, that’s different. Unfortunately, I think it’s unlikely that we can do that without trading Parker and/or Ginobli. Nobody’s going to give us much for RJ, and I would NOT trade Blair. But perhaps you’re undervaluing him as well (plus, you’re almost guaranteed not to get equal value back).
Beyond that, we’ll probably just have to agree to disagree.
April 6th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I agree that the ideal would be that Tony should come from bench and lead 2nd unit as MG has done for years. He would have lots of shooting chances, so his numbers might still be the same. And his speed & scoring ability would certainly create problems for the others teams 2nd units. But team’s play seems more consistent right now.
As regards frontcourt, I really like how Blair has been playing. In some of the last games he has been a rebound monster, considering his minutes. I would play him in the first unit with TD and leave McD for the second.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:51 am
i now see why pop refuses to play ian. Did anyone else notice how incredibly slow he was? he was barely getting to half court and the spurs had already taken a shot and the lakers were already fast breaking. slowest player in the nba by far.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:53 am
Wow, Im not so sure some of yo uare Spurs fans. Many of you are blaming Tony Parker for the Spurs lethargic play earlier this season? Gimme a break. The Spurs are a team that has successfully run a certain defensive/offensive system for nearly a decade- decade. When you replace 6 key members of that system and have a seventh (Finley) no longer producing you are gonna suck, and we did! We have affectively undergone a ‘silent rebuild’.
Give Pop credit for his ability to select the right talent for his system, patience to let players develop, and wizardry at formulating match-ups. Tony Parker being out does not mean he was the reason for our earlier issues, it means the other players realized that that had to get their ‘ish together. George Hill has been awesome. He has done completely was he was drafted to do. But he is not a starting point guard. He is a very good back up and even better 2 guard.
Also remember that, George plays that same way that Tony does (in fact Pop incourages him to score first). As well, most of the ball handling has been done by Manu since TP went out. Finally, we have 3 rings already with TP & Manu playing together.
April 6th, 2010 at 11:46 am
Pop is a smart man. Sometimes he makes decisionsthat we don’t like but he is a good coach. I think Parker will start coming off the bench and won’t get too heavy of minutes, then we will see how he fits into the new lineup and the coaching staff will go from there. Until then, lets just continue to play Spurs basketball and hope that we have our team at full sterngth physically and mentally come playoff time.
April 6th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
They want to resign Manu now but it’s too late. Now they will have to nearly match the highest offer Manu gets. He will play for the Spurs for a little less than any other team. Manu wants to stay but it’s poor business for him not to get other bids.
April 6th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
TPs game is pick and roll.
Hill can catch and shoot.
Anyone who understands the game can see why RJ doesnt flourish with Parker. He cant get to the rim because Tony runs the PNR virtually all day. Its not a problem when its working for the most part. But when its unsuccessful no one is in attack mode.
Further, Parker didnt do SQUAT for us last playoffs. Im sick of hearing people claim he did. He scored A TON of points, and proved a liability on D and with his TOs.
HE SHOOTS in the 20s on threes.
April 7th, 2010 at 10:23 am
Los Angeles Lakers,
With their rich history,
Will remain always towers,
Of sports, and friends of victory.
As fans, we love them.
As fans, we follow them.
If they win we appreciate,
If they lost, we keep support.
Long live lakers!
You deserve big prizes!
Lakers Tickets we do buy.
For the price we do not cry!
April 7th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
After a season of media scrutiny and injuries a game with pho looms tonight. With a win here, and consistant play over the following 4 games this spurs team could very likely take the 3 seed from the struggling mavs (with a win against them to close the season. If they do this, they will likely play OKC- A very favorable, yet entertaining, matchup in the first round! GO SPURS GO!
April 7th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
MANU SIGNED THE Extention today. ITS DONE!
April 7th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Hey Jim,
Wasn’t it TP who broke Nash’s ankles in the last playoff series they played with each other, Nash has only gotten older…really now.
April 7th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Wasn’t there an earthquake after the Spurs thumped the Lakers?
April 7th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
For everyone who’s down on Tony, its Pop who has Tony running the pick and roll. Because that’s what he does well. George on the other hand is more athletic and Pop is allowing him to have more free reign when comes to attacking the basket.
It doesn’t matter Tony already said he would come off the bench like Manu did before without gripe.
April 12th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
[...] Jefferson has become a very useful player, as my colleague pointed out after the recent win over the Los Angeles Lakers: Jefferson’s rebounding and ability to score in transition are noticeably improved. [...]
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