Monday, March 28th, 2011...3:56 pm
Spurs vs. Blazers - Notes from shootaround
By now you’ve probably heard that in addition to Tim Duncan (sprained ankle) and Manu Ginobili (left quad contusion) not playing, Coach Pop has also decided to hold out Antonio McDyess (lower back contusion) and Tony Parker (left patella contusion).
Although Coach Pop also said that if it was a playoff game, Antonio McDyess would go. Tonight’s starters will be George Hill, James Anderson, Richard Jefferson, Matt Bonner and Tiago Splitter.
Coach Pop actually took votes from the media as to who should start at the 2 guard. Spurs.com’s Ben Hunt and I both voted for James Anderson. Everybody else voted for Gary Neal. When Pop finished up his press conference, he said Anderson would start. Dap was exchanged between Ben and I.
Other than that, here are some other notes from pre-game shootaround:
- DeJuan Blair’s 15-foot baseline jumper looks like it’s coming along nicely. He’s got a good rhythm in is shot and made a fair amount of them.
- Blair also spent some time in the post working on a face-up bankshot similar to the one Tim Duncan is so famous for. It needs a little more work before Blair will probably be comfortable enough to use it, but it’s a good sign for next season.
- A lot of Tiago Splitter’s pre-game work is focused on finishing. The bulk of his drills involve rebounding the ball and going up strong with it, receiving a pass on the baseline and “closing the gate” for a layup and other drills of the same ilk.
- Spurs pre-game workouts are exhausting to watch, I can only imagine participating in them. Most teams simply go through the motions and get shots up. The Spurs had Tiago Splitter and three assistant coaches playing every man for himself on offensive rebounds. Chad Forcier would put up a shot and the four down by the basket would fight for the rebound. Whoever got it had to then score on three defenders. Needless to say, Splitter works up a good sweat before the game.
- There are a lot of shots made before the game. It’s amazing how consistent NBA players can hit shots when the pressure and fatigue of a professional game isn’t a factor. I know it sounds obvious, but when you really pay attention, it’s hard not to be impressed.
- Manu Ginobili may be out tonight, but apparently he’s feeling pretty good. Manu moved well into the team’s locker room before the game, telling the gathered media, “Much better,” when asked how he felt.
- It was announced earlier on Monday that new signing Da’Sean Butler was assigned to the Austin Toros.
28 Comments
March 28th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Gregg Popovich, everybody. This guy has guts. Most NBA coaches are afraid to hint that the regular season doesn’t matter. The ones with tenure come right out and say it. But only Popovich coaches like it’s true.
March 28th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
i’m glad pop was able to find time to rest the guys. tonight’s game will be the third in 4 days. i hope the guys will come back refreshed and ready to finish the regular season strong. =)
Always, GO SPURS GO!!!!!
March 28th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Oh god this is gonna be a train wreck. But I’m also excited to see how Tiago will play at the 5 today.
March 28th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
I will lose but is good to see how the second unit play
March 28th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
we will lose but is good to see how the second unit play*
March 28th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
This should be a game were POP concentrates on RJ/Splitter/Blair/Neal…. If he can focus on getting them looks then it won’t be a wasted game……. We have to get RJ back to scoring 14 or so points/game before the playoffs….. i think that will boost our offense up another level and allow us to go thru those defensive lapses we are known for…….
March 28th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
I know there is no PANIC! in Popovich but I myself as the fan don’t have that switch in me! I lay awake at night and after I pray for my wife and kids well being- I actually lay there and ponder the strength of Timmy’s ankle, or Manu’s thigh bruise!
Is there something wrong with me?!
March 28th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
It’s funny, I was hoping the guys who would get some late season rest would be Bonner and RJ; they seemed to play so well when their seasons’ began, and I liked the idea of them getting some extended practice time with Chip to get mentally prepared for the task at hand. To me, these two guys + Blair were the most dispensable assets coming into the season, and if they don’t really deliver come playoffs I will be sick and angry.
The Blazers have an enviable roster, I have to say. If they get a productive Oden back next summer, they’ll be set for a good run. Meanwhile, they are in want of rebounding, and McMillan should relay more on Lamarcus offensively at the end of games for lack of a bonafide go-to guy, but I have a begruding respect for them. I don’t enjoy watching the good guys lose to them time and again, however.
March 28th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
@Chris in Phoenix
From my distant point of view (Brazil) , I would say there is nothing wrong with you. The same happens to me (except that I don’t have kids, just my wife). The insomny pattern gets even worse during the playoffs
. Notwithstanding this side effect, I am really glad I root for the Spurs. There is no classier, team in the NBA. A nice group of nonchalant and professional players and coaches, which so far have given us fans a pretty nice season .
March 28th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
It´s just me or the officiating of the last games has been terrible??
March 28th, 2011 at 5:30 pm
I just to see a player step up tonight and give the message that when our Big 3 struggle come playoffs, I can deliver for this team. And I want to see Splitter do something to impress Pop so he gets consistent minutes.
March 28th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Tiago is kind of a foul magnet, isn’t he? Although he seemed to play better after he got 2 and Pop kept him in. He’s going to have extended minutes in the 2nd half. I hate to say it, but Spurs are still in it at halftime against one of the most talented teams in the NBA playing just the scrubs. I don’t expect to win this game, but from here, it looks possible. I suppose the first 3 minutes after halftime will tell the tale. If they can put it on Portland, they can shake their confidence. I kind of doubt it, but we can hope.
Novak’s defense is better than expected. Not great, but he’s actually harassing his guy. If the rest of the team can pick up their defense a bit in the second half, we’ll see. The offense, especially Hill are doing fine. Blair is frustrating because he’s had a few turnovers that hurt the team. He’s too talented to keep doing that.
March 28th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
It’s not just you @AS, the officiating IS terrible.
March 28th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
@Chris in Phoenix,
In a word, No. Forgive me if I wax philosophical for a minute here, but I can’t believe that there is anything “wrong” with someone who expresses or feels concern for things in which they have an emotional investment. From fan to fan, this so called investment can have varying degrees from anywhere between ‘passing interest’ to ‘full blown fanaticism’. I’m somewhere in the middle, or slightly bent toward the fan. I can empathize with a certain amount of anxiety about the teams we follow because of our internal need to identify with the things we value. I have many reasons to be a Spurs fan, and a large portion of it doesn’t revolve around their collective performance on the court. I know that may sound like garbage to a lot of sports fans who hop from team to team based off of their record, but I mean it in the greatest sincerity, and I’m certain that I’m not alone. I’m not sure if you and I are on the same page with regards to the whole “emotional investment” idea, but I think that for those of us who call ourselves true fans of a certain team or player, we’ll find that the core reasons we cheer for them is for much more than their ability to win so that we can then win vicariously. I believe that as long as you have the ability to compartmentalize these “worries” in so much that they don’t affect your standard of being the best father, husband, employee, etc. that you can be, you sound completely within the bounds of what I would call normal. Come to think of it, I think it’s really pretty healthy to feel this way for something that you spend so much time involved with. Sorry for the long response : )
March 28th, 2011 at 6:11 pm
spot on. this is a sweet way to just simply say f and u. we may not be good, but we’re good enough to not play all our starters against a team that just beat us. boom roasted.
March 28th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Neal, that was a WIDE open 3…
March 28th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
I’m hoping these last few games will lead to Pop reducing Bonner’s minutes in favor of Splitter. Bonner is doing his annual fading away that comes in late March/early April.
March 28th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
We were up by 8 with 5 minutes left and here comes RJ and Matt Bonner , to turn winning time into loosing time. Just as I predicted. I am just amazed by Pop’s ignorance and stubbornness. I wont spend any money on Spurs anymore, knowing they go to their salaries. At this point in their careers Danny Green is 2X player that RJ is. And Matt Bonner is just Matt Bonner. Both of them get lit up on defensive end night after night. It was Batum and Wallace tonight, and gues who was guarding them. You guys can call me whatever you want, I just reached point beyond frustration.
March 28th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
@Jacob
March 28th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
word; you’re not alone.
good to see splitter’s defense on aldridge wasn’t a fluke. hopefully it convinces pop to deploy him against bigger teams in the playoffs. however, if tonight’s game taught us anything, it’s that once timmy and manu retire, we could still have a decent team on our hands. not great, which kind of scares me too, that treadmill of mediocrity.
March 28th, 2011 at 7:32 pm
Hi guys,
Lakers fan here. Just wondering what your thoughts are on the rest of the season? The Bulls and Lakers are both on a roll right now and they are making up ground on the Spurs. If the Spurs keep playing this short handed, it may be a close finish for the best regular season record. Spurs still have the obvious advantage, but it’s getting kind of sketchy for Spurs’ fans. What do you guys think will happen with Pop and his rotations. Obviously he can’t play hurt people, but how much importance will he put on the rest of the regular season games?
March 28th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
its nice to see jefferson step up when we need him the most……..
March 28th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
also, for us to get 11 less free throws (9 if you don’t count the last 2) at home? c’mon. they made 14 more free throws in beating us by 8 points. sure we’re in a losing streak, which sucks, but maybe pop is clairvoyant. chicago lost tonight, after all.
March 28th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
I HATE these last 4 games.
But you gotta hand it to ‘em…they’ve played competitive until the last minutes of all these games. It just sucks they don’t have the mental fortitude to have won some of them.
Ah well…hopefully they can AT LEAST beat a non playoff contention team.
March 28th, 2011 at 8:34 pm
@Plyka
Quite frankly the Lakers have to play near perfect ball from now to the end (9/10 games, not sure), so I’m not too worried but obvoiusly it could happen that we lose HCA. By the sounds of it we will have atleast Manu, Tony and Dice back for the Bos game, if not all four. Pop obviously wants HC but he knows having everyone fully healthy is more important.
You can’t really take much away from this game other than the fact that we a deep team and the team played a pretty solid game considering the circumstances. One thing I didn’t like about this game:
RJ’s play - I’ve been totally behind RJ since he came here but he needs to be more assertive when he’s got the ball, especially last night when we were missing key players. It’s on other players as well to get RJ more involved in the game.
Then again we, as fans, have to take a step back and look at what RJ does for this club. He provides solid D and he shoots 42% from 3. Let’s remember he has totally sacrificed his game for the good of the team and re-invented himself as a player. To get him more involved why don’t they put him in more PnR as the roller which would get him going toward the basket and hopefully a few more shots. Let’s remember though he’s a 4th and sometimes 5th option when on the floor so what do you want him to do.
@Manufan
As much as I liked the way Danny played tonight he certainly is not an upgrade over RJ.
March 28th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
Best I’ve ever seen Splitter play, but I’m mystified why he doesn’t get his hands up more when he plays defense. Honestly, I thought the Spurs had this one, but went cold shooting at just the wrong time. Neal, who’s usually ice, had an off shooting night.
Ah well, it was fun game to watch and lots of good takeaways from it. I don’t there’s anyone on the Spurs roster that can’t provide a few good minutes if needed. Still we missed the big 3 and it’s going to be great to get them back Thursday.
March 28th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
I hope the spurs can hold on to the number 1 seed. they don’t want to face both the mavs and lakers in the playoffs that would really suck.
March 29th, 2011 at 4:59 am
manufan
March 28th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
We were up by 8 with 5 minutes left and here comes RJ and Matt Bonner , to turn winning time into loosing time. Just as I predicted. I am just amazed by Pop’s ignorance and stubbornness. I wont spend any money on Spurs anymore, knowing they go to their salaries. At this point in their careers Danny Green is 2X player that RJ is. And Matt Bonner is just Matt Bonner. Both of them get lit up on defensive end night after night. It was Batum and Wallace tonight, and gues who was guarding them. You guys can call me whatever you want, I just reached point beyond frustration.
OK, you are behaving like a moron. There you go.
March 29th, 2011 at 11:19 am
manufan
March 28th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
“We were up by 8 with 5 minutes left and here comes RJ and Matt Bonner , to turn winning time into loosing time. Just as I predicted. I am just amazed by Pop’s ignorance and stubbornness. I wont spend any money on Spurs anymore, knowing they go to their salaries. At this point in their careers Danny Green is 2X player that RJ is. And Matt Bonner is just Matt Bonner. Both of them get lit up on defensive end night after night. It was Batum and Wallace tonight, and gues who was guarding them. You guys can call me whatever you want, I just reached point beyond frustration.”
Dude, anybody who wants to defend the signings of RJ and Bonner can do so in the summer. As for me, I’m with you.
@Plyka
Go away.
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