Wednesday, October 7th, 2009...8:05 pm
Smart Basketball as Smart Basketball
I have no doubt that Gregg Popovich exhorts all his young pivots in the virtues of “getting their work done early.” It’s common advice. The San Antonio Spurs target players who incline their eye toward the wisdom of common advice.
Antonio McDyess gets his work done early, and his numbers and teammates benefit from it. It’s just smart basketball to beat your man to a spot, taking control over the possession’s prime real estate.
In a recent post-practice video Gregg Popovich was asked whether he worried about team chemistry given all the new faces. I’m paraphrasing, but he basically answered, “No. We only bring in high character guys. It’s never a concern.”
The Spurs might be a rugged rebounder November through January; they play the role of a flashy point guard during each season’s stretch run. But during the summer, they’re nothing more than a fundamentally sound pivot. They get their work done early.
6 Comments
October 7th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
I love how we have a category for posts that are filed under “Spurs Culture.”
That is all.
October 8th, 2009 at 5:53 am
This is somewhat off-topic, but I find it interesting that Pop demands so much from players and treats everyone equally but seemed particularly hard on Tony Parker. I have no idea if this is true; I go only by what I’ve read in the past.
I would’ve expected the same treatment to George Hill and other young players. Is it that I just haven’t heard about it, that Tony Parker needed it more, or that not all players respond to that type of harshness (for lack of a better word) that Pop put on TP? I’m not by any means implying that Pop has gone soft, but more curious as to whether Parker was an anomaly.
October 8th, 2009 at 6:13 am
Another off-topic question: has Mahinmi ever been coached by David Robinson? It seems like their physical builds are similar, their games share some similarities (though, of course, Ian’s is still in the potential stage), they’re both committed to hard work, and Mahinmi could use some encouragement. The guy seems to sitting on the edge of turning potential talent into actual ability, but psychological factors (owing, no doubt, to all the build up and let down and build up of the last couple seasons) are holding him back. A smart, compassionate, experienced guy like Robinson might help put Ian over the top. Just a thought.
October 8th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Mahinmi according to the article in S.A Express is not that instinctive a b-ball player. I, personally, don’t think that can be taught or learned or over time, like improving one’s shot can or learning one’s teammates tendencies in a pick and roll can for example.
Some players are physically gifted but lack certain feel or b-ball IQ. Kwame Brown comes formost to mind, #1 overall pick, but lacking.
I measure Mahinmi against drafted peers(2 spots ahead or later in the same draft)like David Lee, Ronny Turiaf, Jason Maxiell, Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass and he seems a lesser player. Even Andre Blatche, Ryan Gomes, and Amir Johnson seem to have more upside.
I can’t see the Spurs extending his contract.
October 8th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
[...] Timothy Varner of 48 Minutes of Hell writes about Smart Basketball. The Spurs get their work done early. [...]
July 27th, 2010 at 5:11 am
[...] Hornets, a friend sent me a text message wondering digitally if teams were hoping to harness San Antonio Spurs culture when they hired away members of the Gregg Popovich & RC Buford [...]
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