El Conclusion: Brooklyn Nets 103, San Antonio Spurs 89

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San Antonio Spurs 89 Final
Recap | Box Score		 103 Brooklyn Nets
Tiago Splitter, C 25 MIN | 2-6 FG | 1-1 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 5 PTS | -14

Splitter made one play early on in this one where he posted up Kevin Garnett, smacked away KG’s arm, elbow Garnett in the neck area, scored and drew the foul. It seemed like it might be a special night. Instead, that was pretty much the high point for Tiago.
Nando de Colo, PG 27 MIN | 4-9 FG | 3-4 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 11 PTS | +10

These are the games where Nando looks like a legitimate rotation player in the league. He’s got the freedom to play his game. Problem is, it doesn’t translate to when Pop has a full roster to work with.
Cory Joseph, PG 35 MIN | 5-12 FG | 7-7 FT | 4 REB | 3 AST | 4 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 18 PTS | -6

CoJo contended with Danny Green for San Antonio’s best player on the night. He played active, Patty Mills-style defense and got his long arms on a lot of passes and dribbles. Offensively, he attacked with confidence and got to the free throw line seven times. Good night for Cory.
Marco Belinelli, SG 34 MIN | 4-6 FG | 3-4 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 12 PTS | -5

I’m surprised that Belinelli didn’t have a bigger impact on the game. His percentages were excellent, but his performances haven’t been outstanding as of late. Teams could be keying on him more or perhaps he needs a few days off.
Danny Green, SG 35 MIN | 6-11 FG | 2-2 FT | 8 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 17 PTS | -8

Your starting power forward on the night. If you didn’t know who Green was and only looked at the statline, you wouldn’t think the starting position was a strange thing.
Aron Baynes, PF 12 MIN | 0-4 FG | 2-2 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 2 PTS | +3

Even in this game, when five Spurs rotation players were missing, most of Baynes’ minutes came in garbage time.
Matt Bonner, PF 14 MIN | 0-3 FG | 2-2 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 2 PTS | -11

Bonner entered the game as the only Spur wearing a protective face mask. He left the game with a (possibly) re-broken nose and a teammate also wearing a protective face mask. What a night.
Jeff Ayres, C 14 MIN | 0-1 FG | 1-2 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 1 PTS | -3

We really didn’t see a lot out of Ayres against the Nets. I think it’s clear that he is a player that really depends on other players setting him up. Guys like Green and Joseph were able to get opportunities within the framework of the Spurs system, but Ayres depends more on the individual brilliance of others, which there wasn’t a lot of against Brooklyn.
Patty Mills, PG 23 MIN | 6-13 FG | 2-2 FT | 1 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 16 PTS | -22

I don’t know about you, but this is exactly what I expected from Mills when news broke earlier Thursday about Duncan, Parker and Diaw not playing against the Nets.
Shannon Brown, PG 20 MIN | 2-8 FG | 1-3 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 5 PTS | -14

I’m a little surprised we didn’t see more out of Brown, but you have to expect he’s still getting settled in his new role with the team. Also, a back-to-back probably has a bigger effect on him now, after just getting back to the NBA after several months off, than it will in a couple of weeks.
Gregg Popovich

Told David Aldridge “I enjoyed this very much,” in reference to the between-quarter interview.
  • rj

    baynes got some minutes in the 1st half due to how awful ayres was. boy can’t catch a ball, or finish a layup, or…..
    so is danny green, like, a playmaker now? he is quite a nifty passer. I also didn’t want to put my hand in a toaster when he put the ball on the floor.
    NANDOBAL LECTOR! - you’re welcome

  • SAJKinBigD

    I’m practically apoplectic with an “F” for Pop; however, I concur… I want some nasty from Pop in the ‘tween. Quarter interviews! Fairly solid game in a scheduled loss. Shooting percentages were not up to par, though!

  • aespurs

    Dannys always been a pretty good passer, its the ball handling that isnt that great. But ive mentioned on other blogs before that green isnt a prototypical SG when he gets into a pick and roll. Usually when a sg gets into a PnR hes simply just looking for his pop up shot/drive first and the pass second. But green legitimately looks for the pass just as much as he does the shot. The only problem is his ball handling isnt great enough to keep the ball alive when he gets in a lot of those situations but as we saw last night, if he can improve his handle just a little bit more, he becomes a lot more dangerous

  • twinm85

    i think with marco what you’re seeing is the difference in him when he has to be the offensive creator vs. a role player. he’s excellent when playing with manu and patty because he doesn’t have to be the primary ball handler and can simply focus on finding an open shot. when he has to be the primary ball handler (like he was last year in chicago), he’s still good but it eliminates a lot of his strengths, which mostly come from off-the-ball movement. i think he will be better served once the team is at full strength again.

  • AHeights

    Danny Green looks great. Shannon Brown looks like he’s trying to play himself out of the league again. Simply terrible. He should get a D for shooting 2-8, bricking free throws and blowing a layup.

  • rj

    I think pop was being sarcastic, but acknowledging that David Aldridge asked a decent follow-up questions

  • Joseph Dooley

    I understand Pop has a dry sense of humor, but his in-game interview schtick is getting old. The media knows how much you hate these interviews, Pop. If you must be curt, at least be respectful.