Video: How Tiago Splitter fits in with the San Antonio Spurs

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Tiago Splitter is officially a San Antonio Spur. So where does he fit in?We’ve talked plenty about Tiago Splitter in these parts. But we haven’t done a whole lot of work on explaining how he will actually fit into the San Antonio Spurs’ plans.

Most of what we were concerned with was actually getting him in the silver and black. An important first step, I know. But now that the deal is done and dusted and Splitter has been assigned a jersey, let’s have a look at how the big Brazilian fits in with your San Antonio Spurs.

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  • DieHardSpur

    WOW – can we say grammatical errors?

  • Nooree

    Hehehe… love the “jumps like a young Dwight Howard” comment. Well edited video, very enjoyable and informative.

    I have this terrible feeling though that somehow, Matt Bonner will find his way into the starting line-up. Nooooo…….

  • Ed

    My only complaints with TP center on his end-of-game 1-on-5 forces. This past yr it seemed every close game he took the last shot and forced it and I can’t remember him converting once. He seemed selfish in these situations and that was new.

  • Ed

    Splitter IMO will make a huge impact. Timmy can’t carry a team anymore, he needs a sidekick.

  • Firebrand

    @ Este

    Bro , your killing me . Ok his extension was completed just before April 10 of 2010. So maybe it doesn’t kick in until this year or the fact that it is an away game may contribute to it . I will concede that.

  • SpursfanSteve

    Nooree- Bonner is ok in a starting lineup with Duncan, Manu, Tony, and RJ. In fact, that’s the best place for him to get his minutes, because the defense has to account for all of them more than they have to account for him. Also, they are best suited to help cover his defensive inneficiencies.

  • zack in the alamo

    @ este
    i believe you, i dont think ginobili demanded it but i would say he asked for it nicely and i honestly think its a good thing because to me timmy needs passionate players to keep his body playing hard and this past year manu,tim,blair,dice were the only players with fire and you guys know thats the truth. tony looked like he could care less, but im not gonna get into that.

    Im really glade to hear spurs employers look at legit fan sites, its smart of them because they know what all the die hard fans are thinking, & whats driving us crazy about “pop” haha No small ball!!! (unless its phx)

  • JQ

    Just a random observation, but those animated advertisements appear very distracting, especially that first one with all the bouncing basketballs. I would be constantly distracted playing in that kind of environment.

  • Leo

    I like him, he looks and even plays like Pau Gasol. I think he will fit in nicely. Great job guys with the highlights. We can match up nicely with the Lakers aside from Kobe.

  • DieHardSpur

    ED – You are completely incorrect in your statement.

    “He cant carry a team anymore”

    Tim carried our ass from day one. Early in the year he was averaging 22 and 12 – while Manu was out of rythm, while Tony was playing through Plantar Faciatis, while we had role players who couldnt play their role….

    Tim was the only consistent baller on the floor. George did an outstanding job of playing his role, but other that that, there was no one.

    No one can win a championship on their own. I dont know if that is what you are referencing, but thats how it came across. What Timmy did this year, in the twilight of his career, personifies one taking a team on your back and making them win. There are only a handfull of players in the league that can do it in their prime. Last year you witnessed an aged superstar do it in the twiling of his career.

  • DieHardSpur

    twilight***

  • JonnyC

    I’ve been as a excited as the next Spurs fan to see Tiago in the silver and black this year, but I have to say after watching that video clip I’m slightly concerned. Are you telling me Tiago is Nazr Mohammed (Bad Hands extraordinaire) with a slightly better post game? On the other hand (see what I did there?), we won a ring with Nazr at center, so it may not be as bad as it seems. Also, The Beast has plenty of hands for the both of em.

  • Firebrand

    JohnnyC, Im thinking Tiago is going to have a more polished all around game than Nazi although I am worried about his ability to rebound at an NBA level . HE needs to get his Brazilian butt to the gym and put on some muscle . Tim is already lean enough for everyone. Last is it just me or does Dejaun Blair make you think of Malik Rose ? An Undersized Incredibly strong forward with an abundance of fire and grit…. maybe it is just me.

  • Firebrand

    whoops Jonny not johnny .
    Man I am making all the mistakes today . This must be how it feels to be Roger Mason jr.

  • Firebrand

    I also called Nazr mohammed Nazi ……. I am so done today . I will be back when we pick up a shooter or renew RJs contract ….omg “nazi” thats too good.

  • ThatBigGuy

    @ Chloe

    The lane and the block are literal places on the court. You understand the lane, which is good. The block is a literal box on the edge of the lane, down near the basket. If you look at a picture of any basketbal court, you will see it.

    High post/low post refers to general areas of the court. The low post is generally located around the block. The high post is generally located around the free throw line.

    Slower/bigger/more powerful guys generally hang out in the low post because they can use their strength to muscle their way to the basket. Smaller/quicker/more athletic guys generally hang out in the high post because they can use their quickness to go past defenders and get to the basket.

    Timmy is a low post guy who has the size and strength to score in the low post, while Splitter is quicker and will be able to score better from the high post. Also, a high post player is always 1 pass away from all of his teammates, so having a high post player who can pass really well, like Splitter, is beneficial.

  • rob

    Tiago is going to be better in that position than anyone the team has had since…

    Robinson (at the end of his career)?
    Kevin Willis?
    Oberto?

    If he can even duplicate some of those it will be great.

    I think he’ll be better than that.

    Great signing by the Spurs.

  • Jim Henderson

    Tyler
    July 16th, 2010 at 6:32 am

    “Tiago reminds me of a bigger, more athletic Oberto with a better offensive game, which means he should fit like a glove.”

    The problem is, Duncan was blocking 2.5 – 2.9 shots per game back when we had Oberto, and were a true title contender (Splitter is not a particularly good shot-blocker). PLUS, we had one of the best “clutch” role players in the game in Robert Horry when Oberto was here. Now we have Matt Bonner! Splitter’s a pretty versatile 7 footer, and will help, but in my view he’s clearly not enough to allow us to truly contend.

    “Also, FIBA is much more physical than the NBA. There’s more pushing, shoving, hand checking, etc allowed in FIBA, especially down low. That’s why I don’t think he should have a problem bodying guys defensively or blocking out.”

    Yes, but he could use about 20 more pounds of muscle, both lower & upper body. The NBA players are generally bigger & stronger than in Europe.

    SpursfanSteve
    July 16th, 2010 at 12:11 pm

    “Nooree- Bonner is ok in a starting lineup with Duncan, Manu, Tony, and RJ. In fact, that’s the best place for him to get his minutes, because the defense has to account for all of them more than they have to account for him. Also, they are best suited to help cover his defensive inefficiencies.”

    That is a very silly argument. Bonner should be on the bench as much as possible, particularly against the top teams around the league. His lack of defense & rebounding hurts us more than anything he can do to help us.

    Firebrand
    July 16th, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    “Last is it just me or does Dejaun Blair make you think of Malik Rose ? An Undersized Incredibly strong forward with an abundance of fire and grit…. maybe it is just me.”

    Some similarities, but Rose was still in college at the same age Blair was playing his first season in the NBA. Rose never got Blair-type minutes until he was 25 yrs. old. Blair just turned 21. Generally speaking, Blair is actually a better rebounder, and in my opinion, has CONSIDERABLY more upside overall than Rose ever had. This is not to slight Rose in any way. He was a nice player.

    On the Manu contract/starting/not starting ramblings:

    Manu could care less whether he starts or comes off the bench. He really likes both roles, is very good at both roles, has an appropriate level of respect for Pop’s decision-making, and cares WAY more about WINNING as a TEAM than any relatively petty individual desires. Many of our players over the years have had a similar attitude, and that is one MAJOR reason why we have had so much success over the years.

  • ldhl89

    12-14 point contributor with 7-8 boards in his first year…
    Thats son fuckin better than mcdyess and matt bonner together
    Also a better defense and energy.
    The Surprise factor, because nobody knows splitter

  • Jason

    If Tiago’s weakness is his rebounding but plays similar to Oberto, then Tiago might be a prime candidate to master Oberto’s tip-out style of rebounding. I don’t know if Oberto got credit in the stat sheets for all the offensive rebounds he created for other people by tipping the ball out to one our guards around the three point line while the defense’s bigmen were collapsing to the rim.

    A month or two with the spurs and hopefully the front office will have tipping out the balls he can’t coral himself, and once he understands the system and knows where his teammates will be on the floor, he’ll be generating second and third chances like crazy… I don’t know why other teams haven’t jumped on this strategy for their poorer rebounders

  • Bushka

    Splitter is fine size wise.

    Scola is no bigger and he handled np at all in the NBA. Same kind of crafty Euro bugger as well.

    I think he will be great in the NBA, it’s not like a college kid coming in. Regardless of size those guys have to learn how to play in the pro’s with all the niggle and grit that it takes.

    Tiagos there already. He is not small, he is average size for an NBA big.

  • Rick Ashford

    I know it’s splitting hairs (pun intended) but in the video you’re pronouncing his name in Spanish. In Brazilian Portuguese the “Ti” is pronounced like “Chee”, so it actually sounds like “Cheeago”.

    I know its nit-picky, and he’s most certainly used to it, if you’re trying to get his attention for an autograph, he’d probably be pleasantly surprised to hear it said right.

  • analyzed

    @ tyler
    The other question I have: Why is TP (as opposed to Manu) always cast in the selfish light?

    Much of it has to do, with the comments his teamates provide, it’s well known guys like playing with Manu, as a result guys like RJ, Blair and Dice offensive games go up when playing with Manu, you would think that as a Point guard. Parker would be getting those compliments and praises from teamates, but no it’s manu your shooting guard. So that I think more than anything puts Parker in a selfish light in opposed to Manu

  • Chris

    It’s interesting that all these years we expected Manu to just accept it and come off the bench for players that weren’t as good as him but when Tony did the same thing people had problems with it. People forget they all have egos and don’t think Manu didn’t have a problem with it at first after coming off the bench for Hedo. I remember Manu saying that he was really dissapointed. Of course then it continued with Brent and Finley.

  • SG

    Tiago Splitter….a little too late…all the glory will now go to the Heat. There is no way the Spurs can match up against them, even if they beat LA to advance to the Finals.

  • Ryan B.

    chloe
    July 16th, 2010 at 6:12 am
    great video.
    okay boys, please forgive me some stupid questions but i’ve never played, and only started watching when the spurs played the hometown team dallas a few months ago when they beat them : )

    can anyone tell me what
    the “post/high post/low post” is?
    and “the lane”?

    don’t be mean.
    _________________

    Chloe, “the post” is primarily where the taller players like Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter will play. If you look at the frozen video clip you’ll see a rectangle with a half-circle to the right of it (I hop this is helping…) “The post” is the entire rectangle. The “high post” is the top, or ‘higher’ portion of the rectangle -the free-throw line (where the rectangle and the half-circle meet). The “Low Post” is the portion of the rectangle closest to the hoop itself. It also includes inside the rectangle as well.
    “The Lane” is also pretty much the entire interior of the rectangle leading to the hoop.
    I hope this was helpful!

  • rob

    @SG

    I’d take that shot at Miami if the Spurs make it to the finals. Heck, I’d be excited if the Spurs make it to the finals regardless of who they might play. We’ll see. Just as the verdict is still out regarding Splitter and Anderson…so is the verdict of how the Heat are going to be like having 3 all-stars on the team.

  • DaveMan77

    Sorry but I like Manu off the bench. He plays way to reckless for a guy his age and Pop needs to keep him healthy for the playoffs. Also it’s not like Manu can just play on the perimeter and hit jumpers and avoid contact. He did that in the first half of last year and we all thought he was done. Remember when people were questioning whether or not the spurs should give him an exstention, yes he looked that bad for like 50 games. Played very well the last thirty, awesome against Dallas broke his nose and was off against Phoenix. Manu is a very up and down player at this stage off his career when he’s up he’s as good as it gets when he’s down well you know. The task in hand is a two part job: 1. Keepining him healthy 2. Make sure he keeps playing his reckless style. It’s what gives the Spurs their championship edge. The problem is where getting less and less Manu and Timmy and Tony Every year. Hence the need for the supporting cast to
    be very good every night.

  • DaveMan77

    Btw I love this site.

  • Jim Henderson

    SG
    July 17th, 2010 at 5:15 am

    “…..all the glory will now go to the Heat. There is no way the Spurs can match up against them, even if they beat LA to advance to the Finals.”

    Talk about crowning a team before they even done anything! Apparently you’re a big sucker for hype.

  • http://48minutesofhell.com Andrew A. McNeill

    @DaveMan77

    Thanks for the love.

  • GitErDun

    I truly don’t think that any of you have an ice cubes chance in hell of knowing what or how any of the players think. The whole group of you are Full of it. Experts – every one of you – pontificating as if from on high. Get real.

  • ldhl89

    all the glory will now go to the Heat

    Remember the Payton, Malone Fiasco

  • ldhl89

    Remember the
    Allen Iverson – Carmelo Anthony Fiasco

  • ldhl89

    The most difficult thing is the chemistry between Shooting Guard – Small Forward
    Actually the Jordan-Pippen was a really difficult thing to happen, thats why is so cool

  • thecolorofmybloodissilverandblack

    @chloe:

    “Low post” = look at where Splitter stays most of the time in the video, or Duncan (and Gasol and Shaq) in actual games. It’s the area near the basket, where players face away from it. It’s the same as the “post.” “High post” is farther away but still inside the arc.

    “The lane” is the area that goes through the basket. It’s where players like Tony Parker (or Manu or RJ, as mentioned in the video) “drive” or “cut.”

  • thecolorofmybloodissilverandblack

    Oh yeah, DeJuan Blair’s play kind of resembles Malik Rose’s. Maybe that’s why SAS drafted DeJuan. It was kind of sad to see Malik go in ’05, or ’04, or ’06, or whenever the hell it was. He could have guarded Nowitzki in ’06, that’s for sure.

  • Jim Henderson

    GitErDun
    July 17th, 2010 at 4:40 pm

    This is a team blog, not a group of sycophants hanging around NBA locker rooms around the league. If you’ve got any pearls of wisdom about how the “player’s really think”, I’m all ears. Until then, you’d be wise to keep your unsolicited pan of the commentators on this blog to yourself.

  • http://www.48minutesofhell.com Lenneezz

    “It’s interesting that all these years we expected Manu to just accept it and come off the bench for players that weren’t as good as him but when Tony did the same thing people had problems with it. People forget they all have egos and don’t think Manu didn’t have a problem with it at first after coming off the bench for Hedo. I remember Manu saying that he was really dissapointed. Of course then it continued with Brent and Finley.”

    All this chatter about Manu demanding to be announced last is interesting. Why main question if it’s true; SO THE HELL WHAT?

    How much has Manu sacrificed for the Spurs? Not much, just millions of dollars and all star glory.

    Manu would have earned millions more if he would have tested free agency this year. The Knicks alone would have been breathless from all their chasing. D’Antoni has huge huge respect and covets Manu in a big way. I guess him watching Gino beat PHX time and again will do that. D’Antoni is on record stating his admiration of Manu. Gino would have gotten at least $15 Mil total more than what he accepted with SA.

    How many times would Manu have been an all star if he demanded to start and get 15 shots/gm? He was an allstar in ’05 as a starter. He became a super sub in 06/07 and hasn’t been one since. He deserved to be an all star at least once more, maybe more depending on who’s judging.

    Who cares if he demanded to be announced last? HE DESERVES IT AND MUCH MORE. Maybe it pumps him up before a game? Maybe it strokes his ego? All I know is after what he has given to SA he is more than entitled to it.

  • ldhl89

    Everybody think Blair is like Dejuan
    Both are 6.7′. Yes

    I think
    Blair is a rebound machine and has a good FG%, is an efficient player
    Malik was a good defender and a has good midrange shot

  • Bentley

    Dejuan Blair and Malik Rose are more opposites than they are similar in my view.

    Sure they both are roughly the same size, but Malik rose was an average rebounder with a nice midrange jumpshot, whereas Blair is a nice finisher around the rim with a good array of post moves but lacks a reliable mid-range jumpshot(as far as we know)

    Dejuan Blair is clearly a better player though. His ceiling is a lot higher than what Malik Rose’s celing was.

  • duaneofly

    About the Heat, yes they have Wade, Lebron, and Bosh. These are three guys who are use to being the #1, and generally only, option on a team. Now they have to share the ball. Of course they are all saying they’ll pass etc etc, but that doesn’t mean they will.
    Also if people continue referring to Miami as Wade’s team, do you think Lebron will be ok with that? Honestly I don’t, the guy obviously has a huge ego (The Decision, wanting to be a billionaire athlete, etcetc).
    Or what if Wade and Lebron kick butt, so people talk about them, and act like Bosh is just a great roleplayer. Do you think he’d be happy with that? I know he wouldn’t because like Amare, he’s said he wants to be mentioned as one of the great, current players.

    Then lets look at the East. Boston is still going to be a tough out if they stay healthy. The Magic are still a tough team. The Bulls are going to be a lot better with Boozer. The Bucks, with a healthy Bogut, are a good playoff team. Whereas in the West, well honestly, the Lakers are still far and away the favorites.

    Anyways, just because the Heat have 3 big names doesn’t mean they are guaranteed a title. Also, the road to the finals is a lot tougher in the East than it will be in the West.

  • GitErDun

    It all still will revolve around which team plays with the best chemistry. It takes all 8-10 players contributing. The big 3 can’t play all 5 positions for 60 minutes per night, and back to backs should be really interesting. Lastly the team that stays the healthiest will have an advantage. As far as the Lakers – they are a year older and that much more likely to have someone seriously injured. Bynum seems to be an injury waiting to happen.

  • RO

    Well it seems as if we lost another free agent..James Jones. He re-signed with the heat.

  • http://espn.com RO
  • lvmainman

    @ duaneofly,
    @ giterdun,
    @ jim henderson,

    Miami Heat (injury free) will be a juggernaut to contend with come the regular season. 60 wins easy. Playoffs? One never knows.
    But, you’re delusional in thinking those big 3 won’t be contending for a title every year for those 6 years together.

    James Jones found $1 mil with Heat vs. more(up to $2.4) mil with Spurs more enticing. As will other role players in the future prefer Miami vs any other teams.

    Spurs are not built to contend currently without any consistent 3 pt shooting.

  • duaneofly

    Ivmainman, I don’t think any of us said the Heat won’t be a title contender. I do believe what we said is that they aren’t guaranteed the title.

  • Bushka

    I don’t really get caught up so much with the “we are contenders” name badge this early on.

    I think we as fans tend to get so involved in the process that every journey that doesn’t end in a title is often perceived as a failure.

    For me it is all about the storylines as seen within the framework of the Spurs.

    Splitters development and integration. Blairs growth. Georges possible takeover of the PG position. Tonys season of redemption. How Timmy influences the teams D this year etc etc.

    Surely the emphasis placed on winning it all has to take a back seat this early. If the chemistry is right and the growth is great we will be there or thereabouts, competing hard. If not we’ll get to do this all over again next year.

  • Jim Henderson

    lvmainman
    July 18th, 2010 at 2:26 pm

    “But, you’re delusional in thinking those big 3 won’t be contending for a title every year for those 6 years together.”

    Contending is one thing, actually getting it is a different ball of wax.

    That said, the HYPE has helped the Heat thus far. All kinds of guys willing to accept half their market value in salary to play with three guys that have the biggest egos on the planet (combined salaries of 327 mil. over 6 years), and have won a grand total of ONE title among the three of them in a combined 21 years in the game (each a title every 20 years). In contrast, the understated egos of Duncan, Ginobli, & Parker (combined salaries at around the same ages, during their last title just 3 years ago – 34 mil. per year), all “drafted” to play for the team during different years, “took the time to work” at becoming champions, and have now won a combined 10 titles in 29 years in the game (each a title every 3 years).

    The Heat basically gutted their team, signed three “buddies” that are three of the most talented players in the league to very large contracts in a medium-to-large market, with “sexy” overtones, and created a “hype” around that to lure other “buddies” that are decent to very good players to play for much less than they could demand on the open market. And finally, have lured some solid, “old” vets to play for minimum salaries for the glory of playing for a “bought & paid for title”, worse than anything the Yankee’s could have even dreamed of.

    The idea that people are crowning this team already is soaked with a particularly pathetic form of hubris. Believe it or not, their title dreams have a decent chance of back-firing. A title in year one, despite Vegas odds-makers also falling for the hype, is fairly slim in my estimation (I’d say 6 to 1). But the Heat have used the hype to their advantage like a charm. Riley’s anything but a fool, and they’ve been able to surround the HUGE three with some decent complimentary players. Now, the hard part begins: making it all work like a well-oiled machine; like a TEAM, because that my friend, in the final analysis, is what it will take to win a title. They’ll be no room for out-sized egos, and it will be quite a chore to get those egos all under control at the same time, particularly during times of adversity.

    As far as my 2 cents, as things stand right now? The Heat will no doubt be good (at least 54 wins), but I’d still put them behind LA, Orlando, Boston, & Houston, and tied with Chicago in terms of surviving in the playoffs.

    P.S. By the way, if you haven’t assessed the Rocket’s roster lately, I suggest a revisit. They just re-signed Scola, and signed FA Brad Miller. They are super talented & deep at all positions, with a good mix of youth & veterans. If Yao stays healthy (likely in my view), and Brooks continues his ascent (he poses an unusually tough match-up for opponents), the Rockets could be right on LA’s ass, with a legitimate shot at the title.

  • Tobias

    If you want to watch Tiago’s last games in Spain just get in here http://acb360.orange.es/diferidos/LACB/54/331

    You can also appreciate how physical and even dirty can the Spanish league semifinals and finals be. If Tiago has any problem will be in restraining himself. Kind of “Why do you give me a flagrant if I used to get away with that every night in Europe”

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