Game #6 Recap: Spurs 95, Bobcats 91 - Fright Fest
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Nov 8, 2010 9:53 PM CST
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So after winning an overtime game, one that had absolutely no business going into extra minutes, our beloved San Antonio Spurs shuffled up to Charlotte to take on the B-b-b-b-bobcats. The last meeting between these two teams was on January 15th and it was a night that ended with a desperate attempt to purge my memory via alcohol after an embarrassing butt-kicking.
The nightmare of Mason’s 3-10 in 20 minutes still wakes me in a cold sweat time-to-time.
So how did the Silver and Black look against the squad of Captain Jack this time around?
A little, uh, frightening...
Stephen Jackson: Former Spur and Devourer of Children's Souls
He is the stuff dreams are made of... and nightmares. Especially nightmares. (Thanks CarBahia)
Pre-Game: Whatever you do, don't fall asleep.
Before the chaos in Charlotte last year, the Spurs were 10-1 all-time against the Bobcats. Charlotte finished with a franchise record of 44-38 and made their first-ever playoff appearance (and then got steamrolled by the Magic). After a curious and lackluster off-season, the Bobcats have gotten off to a rocky 1-5 start. Although Charlotte is shooting a high percentage from all-over, the offensive production is choking from the team's turnover issues (29th) and lack of offensive boards (29th). Early issues aside, the Larry Brown coached Bobcats are always a tough match-up and will fight baseline-to-baseline for a full 48 minutes. Win, lose, blow-out, or nail biter; the Spurs will have their hands full.
Game time, beaches.
Spurs Starting Five: Parker, Ginobili, Jefferson, Duncan, Blair
Bobcats Starting Five: Augustin, Jackson, Wallace, Diaw, Mohammed
1st Quarter – One, Two, Jackson is coming for you...
- 11:44 Blair to Ginobili layup SAS 2 - CHA 0
- 11:13 Duncan misses turn-around jumpshot but its obvious inside defense will not exist for CHA.
- 10:43 Duncan dunk. Told ya. SAS 4 - CHA 2
- 10:19 Jackson turnover. CHA is one of the worst teams handling the ball (19 pg). May be a theme tonight
- 9:04 Duncan blocks Wallace. CHA is blocked over 6 times per game this season.
- 7:36 Augustin hits the Bobcats third 3PT already (3-5). This team can shoot (39% 3PT season). SAS 6 - CHA 11
- 6:46 Jefferson dunk. Shots are there on the inside but Spurs just missing. SAS 8 - CHA 13
- 6:30 Jackson hits another 3PT. SAS 8 - CHA 16
- 6:24 Spurs Timeout. Pop rips backcourt players a new one.
- 6:19 Manu hits 3Pt out of timeout. SAS 11 - CHA 16
- 5:53 Wallace misses wide open 3PT. Spurs are begging for pain.
- 5:38 Duncan cleans up a blocked layup (Jefferson) with a dunk. RJ not shooting well 1-5 but nothing stupid. SAS 13 - CHA 16
- 5:09 Bobcats 20 second timeout. Brown is trying to calm team down.
- 4:22 Wallace turns ball over driving to the basket. CHA is not smooth inside the paint.
- 4:01 Parker pullup jumper. Slow quarter for Tony (2 PTS, 1-3) SAS 15 - CHA 18
- 3:42 Wallace fouled on drive. CHA points tonight will be 3PT and FT. Makes both SAS 15 - CHA 20
- 2:40 Duncan def rebound and horrible long pass straight to Diaw. Not smart ball.
- 2:23 McDyess rebound. CHA hardly attempt offensive boards.
- 2:13 Jefferson with beautiful drive and backwards kick to McDyess SAS 17 - CHA 20
- 1:40 Parker turnover.
- 1:28 Anderson (missed HOU game) comes in during Henderson FT. SAS 17 - CHA 22.
- 1:08 More FT for CHA. SAS 17 - CHA 22.
- 0:47 Duncan with turn around jumper. Spurs need to attack paint. SAS 19 - CHA 24
- 0:28 Manu clanks another shot. Bad quarter for Manu. 5 PTS 2-6.
- 0:03 Livingston layup makes this a nice lead for CHA. SAS 19 - CHA 26
The first quarter ends with some horrendous shooting for both clubs. The Spurs are 9-25 on FG and 1-6 from deep. Charlotte isn't shooting too much better but are getting to the line, hitting 8-8 FT versus the Spurs 0-0. The Spurs perimeter defense is giving up wide open looks from outside and are very lucky Charlotte isn't on fire. As sloppy as their play is, Charlotte has only turned it over three times (Spurs 1).
End of 1st, 19 - 26 Charlotte up.
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Interpretive Rebounding.
2nd Quarter – All work and no play makes Gregg a dull boy.
- 11:35 Mohammed gets foul on Splitter. CHA showing hustle and purpose to start quarter. SAS 19 - CHA 27
- 11:24 Ginobili turnover creates Mohammed dunk from Livingston assist. SAS 19 - CHA 29
- 10:27 Splitter cleans up Anderson miss SAS 21 - CHA 29
- 9:40 Poor passing creates another turnover. (Hill)
- 9:18 Mohammed capitalizes on turnover SAS 21 - CHA 31
- 9:03 Neal hits 3PT to ease Spurs fans suffering. SAS 24 - CHA 31
- 8:43 McDyess non-shooting foul. Bobcats timeout.
- 8:17 Parker steal creates fast break assist to Anderson for three SAS 27 - CHA 31
- 7:25 Parker creates steal for Splitter. Anderson steps out of bounds on drive though.
- 6:42 Neal hits deep 3PT. SAS 30 - CHA 33
- 6:28 Jackson gets Neal his (quick) 2nd foul and hits both FT. SAS 30 - CHA 35
- 6:11 Parker hits jump shot. Much more active in this quarter. SAS have hit their last four shots. SAS 32 - CHA 35
- 5:10 Augustin gets hustle rebound and layup. SAS 32 - CHA 37
- 4:45 After Neal miss, CHA runs court and gets a Mohammed hook. Pop calls timeout. SAS 32 - CHA 39
- 4:37 Duncan fouled. Tim hits SAS FIRST TWO FT OF THE GAME. SAS 34 - CHA 39
- 3:45 Duncan turns it over. CHA is very active on defense. Spurs haven't had a FG since 6:11
- 3:07 Wallace hits wide open 3PT SAS 34 - CHA 42
- 2:44 CHA only has 3 BLKS but is swatting every pass out of bounds.
- 2:36 Another Duncan TO. Three for him and ten overall for SAS
- 2:22 Diop blocks Parker layup. The inside is now closed off to the Spurs.
- 2:17 Ginobili finally hits a shot for Spurs. SAS 36 - 42 CHA
- 1:26 Henderson hits jumper. CHA making shots... SAS not. SAS 36 - CHA 44
- 1:00 Ginobili hits two FT. SAS 37 - CHA 44
- 0:50 Parker steal and easy layup. SAS 39 - CHA 44
- 0:28 Ginobili goes deep. SAS 43 - CHA 46
- 0:08 Duncan fouled after Wallace misses McDyess contested layup. 1-2 FT SAS 44 - CHA 46
- 0:03 Augustin runs down the court and gets embarrassingly easy layup SAS 44 - CHA 48
- 0:03 Wow, Gee in the game. Augustin loses the ball. Half ends with a sigh.
The Spurs are very lucky to only be down 4 PTS at half. Charlotte went from shooting 36% in the first to shooting 45.5% by the half. I maybe off by one but I counted four wide open 3PT misses by the Bobcats. The Spurs are chasing the Bobcats all over the court and its creating opportunities that Charlotte, unless the Spurs wise up, will eventually capitalize on.
It took 26 minutes for the Spurs to reach the charity stripe, finishing the half 5-6 from the line. Charlotte's aggression has earned them 11-12 from the line and, it this point, it doesn't look like they are going to let off the throttle.
On offense, the Spurs need to hit their open shots (17-44) and tighten up on both their passing and court-awareness. After only one turnover in the first quarter, the Spurs proceed to hand the rock over over ten times in the second. Charlotte has somewhat failed to capitalize on this, garnering only 8 fast break points.
San Antonio Spurs - 44
Charlotte Bobcats - 48
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
DeJuan Blair always finds the most inappropriate times for high fives.
3rd Quarter – Your suffering will be legendary, even in Charlotte.
- 11:45 Diaw hits quick jumper. SAS 44 - CHA 50
- 11:33 Parker gets a quick layup. SAS 46 - CHA 50
- 10:45 Blair gets 2 OREB, throws 645 ball fakes, and scores. SAS 48 - CHA 50
- 9:40 Spurs are moving the ball around much better. Duncan gets a layup. SAS 50 - CHA 50
- 9:14 After CHA jumpshot. Ginobili hits open 3PT off nice Parker assist. First lead in forever. SAS 53 - 52
- 8:28 Ginobili jumps high for rebound and gets a deep pass to Jefferson. Spurs are looking more active but still leaving wide open shooters on defense. SAS 55 - CHA 52.
- 8:11 Thank you DeJuan. Blair gets high to block Diaw.
- 7:43 For the love of... CHA gets rebound of missed Diaw FT. Manu steals ball though. SAS 55 - CHA 53
- 6:56 Parker gets layup plus foul. Misses FT SAS 57 - CHA 55
- 6:35 Jackson abuses Manu in the paint SAS 57 - CHA 57
- 6:12 Ginobili hits big 3PT SAS 60 - CHA 57
- 6:00 Jeffeson steal. Parker and Jefferson play hot potato on fast break. Parker scores. SAS 62 - CHA 57
- 5:27 CHA doing a good job moving the ball around. Thomas gets driving layup plus foul. SAS 62 - CHA 60
- 5:14 Beautiful touch pass by Blair (from Parker) to Duncan for quick two. SAS 64 - CHA 60
- 3:57 CHA is running like crazy now. Spurs doing a great job on transition defense. Duncan gets whacked on head during rebound scrum. Timeout Spurs
- 3:52 Ginobili drives paint right out of time out. Gets fouled on scoring floater. SAS 67 - CHA 62
- 3:23 Augustin is creating chaos with his speed. Brown gets dunk off of run. SAS 67 - CHA 64
- 2:58 Anderson 3PT SAS 70 - CHA 64
- 2:40 Thomas gets another shot. The games pace is killing my fingers. SAS 70 - CHA 66
- 2:00 Great defense by the Spurs creates block by McDyess on last second jumper.
- 1:16 Rebound battle is pretty even at 33 - 30. Diaw gets one and scores. SAS 71 - CHA 68
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
"Heeeeeeeeey...."
End of 3rd, 71 - 69 San Antonio up.
San Antonio found some rhythm on the offensive end, outscoring Charlotte 27-21 in the 3rd quarter. They also remembered to take care of the ball again and it resulted in only one turnover. Tightened defense helped San Antonio to cool off Charlotte but they are starting to get-hustled on the boards.
4th Quarter – A Bobcat once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some alfajores and a nice chianti.
- 11:43 McDyess gets long rebound off of Neal miss and slams it down. And 1! Hot damn. SAS 74 - CHA 69
- 10:48 CHA getting into the paint easily to start 4th. SAS 74 - CHA 73
- 10:23 With 3 rookies, Hill, and Dice on floor, the Spurs offensive movement is pretty ugly.
- 9:39 After a putback dunk earlier, Splitter gets tough rebound and foul. Tiago shoots bullets for FT. SAS 77 - CHA 73
- 9:27 Thomas miss. CHA is testing Splitters defense.
- 9:03 CHA shoots its 19th FT (16-19). SAS 77 - CHA 75
- 8:47 Neal hits his third 3PT off of screen. SAS 80 - CHA 75
- 8:31 Thomas alley oop dunk... Timeout by Pop. He takes his belt off to whip someone. SAS 80 - CHA 77
- 8:15 Smart play by Jefferson. Earns trip to the line but misses both. SAS 80 - CHA 77
- 7:38 CHA playing smart defense but fouls McDyess (Spurs in bonus now). SAS 82 - CHA 77
- 7:14 Diaw is creating 2nd chances for his team. Henderson scores SAS 82 - CHA 79
- 6:49 Neal hits his 4th 3PT. SAS 85 - CHA 79
- 6:23 Jackson hits clutch last second 3PT. SAS 85 - CHA 82
- 6:00 Neal responds with his 5th 3PT from three feet behind the line. SAS 88 - CHA 82
- 5:41 After Jefferson foul, CHA calls timeout to discuss Gary Neal (5-7 from deep) Turn it over on offensive foul later.
- 5:23 and 4:49 Neal turns it over two times in a row (foul and lost dribble).
- 4:36 Officials getting excited with the whistles now. Jefferson foul (not really). Henderson hits both. SAS 88 - CHA 84)
- 4:19 Duncan blocked by Wallace. CHA fast break is cut off by incredible transition defense. Even with size mis-matches, CHA can't create something.
- 3:25 Ginobili hits a big 3PT, his 5th. SAS 91 - CHA 84
- 2:52 Jefferson quick jumper from the line makes SAS 93 - CHA 84.
- 2:51 CHA timeout. Jefferson having a statistically bad night but still +9 in +/-. Smart play all night.
- 1:58 Jefferson rebound. The rebound battle was almost even. Its now +9 in favor of SAS
- 1:52 Instead of running some clock, Ginobili pushes it and turns it over.
- 1:43 Diaw hits 1-2 FT SAS 93 - CHA 85
- 1:22 Parker rushes shot... and misses. Why?
- 1:00 Big jumper by Livingston SAS 93 - CHA 87
- 0:39 Parker makes a bad pass. TO...
- 0:27 Brown gets rebound after multiple CHA misses and layup plus foul. Misses FT but Brown gets his own damn rebound and a dunk. Pop calls a timeout and slaps Quinn (DNP). SAS 93 - CHA 91
- 0:05 Manu makes clutch contested layup after screen from Duncan. CHA timeout SAS 95 - CHA 91
- 0:00 Augustin misses open 3PT. Spurs win 4th in a row and improve to 5-1.
End of Regulation. Spurs Win: 95 - 91
Post-Game: The Charlotte Bobcats have nards...?
Leave it to Manu to save the day (again). After another steady 12 minutes of smart play, the Spurs decided the game wasn't hard enough. With 2:51 left in the game, this what happens: The Spurs get out-rebounded 5-2, commit 2 TO, 3 fouls, decide not to run clock until under a minute, and give up a four-point play that pulled Charlotte within two.
This team has made too many mental errors this season. Spurs can't continue to rely on a hot shooter to bail their asses out every game.
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Diaw: "Ffffffuuuuuuuuu..."
Bobcats’ Three Stars
- Tyrus Thomas: 16 PTS, 5-11 FG, 6-8 FT, 8 REB, 2 STL, 3 BLK
- Boris Diaw: 15 PTS, 5-9 FG, 1-2 3PT, 4-6 FT, 6 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK
- Stephen Jackson: 15 PTS, 4-13 FG, 3-5 3PT, 4-4 FT, 5 REB, 6 TO
Spurs’ Three Stars
- Manu Ginobili: 26 PTS, 9-17 FG, 5-11 3PT, 3-3 FT, 5 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
- Gary Neal: 15 PTS, 5-8 FG, 5-7 3PT, 1 REB, 1 STL (14:25 MIN)
- Tim Duncan: 14 PTS, 5-12 FG, 4-6 FT, 10 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 4 TO
Best of the Best from the Best
Hey Joey Crawford, I’m laughing, come on and give me a T.
-TDzilla!
Little do you know that you’ve already been ejected
-Manu Ex Machina
He was watching you while you slept, and ejected you before you even got up
-DrumsInTheDeep
Flagrant 2 for snoring.
-sparkling!!!
Five Quick Shots: 24 seconds? Pfft...
- Neal's transition to the NBA is smooth and very rare. "Front office of the decade goes to..."
- Manu is made of magic and tastes like candy.
- Even with low stats, RJ still had a positive impact on this game. Good sign.
- Gee was absolutely dominate in his 3 second appearance. Caused a turnover... sorta.
- Blair hitting his sophomore slump on time. Hill a year late.
Next Game: Los Angeles Griffins @ San Antonio Spurs --- 8:30 PM Spurs Time (CT)
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Awesome recap. You should post in the threads more
Biggest coach Pop/Tiago Splitter homer on the internet™
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Nov 8, 2010 9:59 PM CST reply actions
Although I do understand now why he didn’t for this game. Crazy recapping skills, Hirschof.
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Nov 8, 2010 10:08 PM CST up reply actions
Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me… I’m getting away from the damn PC.
Night all.
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Nov 8, 2010 10:10 PM CST up reply actions
nice recap
don’t give up hope on Blair and Hill just yet the season is still very young. I like Neal, Anderson and Splitter’s games though and I think all three are going to be really good players for years to come. Of course they aren’t used to as many games as the NBA plays during the season so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them all run outta gas. The future is looking bright for the so called Over the hill SPURS! : )
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
In the two games that Gee has avoided a DNP, he has a total of 7 seconds. Very odd. I’d think maybe he and Temple (who was on the inactive list for the game) might soon be headed to Austin to begin practice with the Toros. I’d think it would be better to have a DNP than be in the game for a few seconds, certainly hurts his per game averages.
Tiago’s 5pts and 4 rbs in 10 minutes look pretty good, though he seemed to be struggling some. I’m looking forward to him getting up to 15 and then 20 minutes as he gets into shape. With Bonner also returning to the lineup, it should allow for a good deal more rest for Tim and McDyess.
He had his troubles with getting caught by the quicker players like Thomas. But overall he was a nice piece to throw in there. With Bonner and him, they can eat at least 25-35 minutes in some games in the future.
Eight of Thomas’ 16 points came while Tiage was in. Two were in the 2nd qtr on a step back jump shot. Two were on free throws on a foul that Duncan had committed before Splitter came in for him in the 3rd quarter, another two on free throws for a McDyess foul. The other two came on the alley oop in the fourth quarter that Sean Elliot seemed to blame on Neal allowing his man to set a backscreen on Splitter and not switching.
ESPN shot chart shows he only made two mid-range jump shots. Everything else was at or near the rim. He did miss a couple at the rim, so it’s not as though the Spurs weren’t playing any defense on him, I guess.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 2:18 PM CST up reply actions
Watching my recording, Splitter looked even slightly better. He had a slight misdribble that resulted in a turnover that otherwise was another 2 points on a nice hook shot. He also was beginning to get a defensive rebound up high that Blair took from him as he was bringing down and the rebound was credited to Blair. His two baskets on offensive rebounds were very impressive.
You have a recording? Cool… I’m still looking for a download to be posted. Maybe later today….
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 1:56 PM CST up reply actions
Splitter looks lost and out of place when he first steps on the court. After his first go around he looks a lot better when he re enters the game. Most of the rebounds and points came in the second half.
I feel like Hill would benefit if he were moved to the starting five and Blair would be better off the bench. I think we might be a month away from a change like this.
I’m hoping that you’re not proposing that we start games playing small ball (i.e. Hill starting instead of Blair)! :)
Why a month away? It would be great if Splitter is ready to start in a month, but I’m not counting on it. My best guess is that his best chance to work himself into the starting lineup is during the RRT, or slightly before.
That would mean Dice (wasting his minutes, I’d rather have him finish games like he’s doing now) or Bonner (more likely) in for DeBeast. I’m not opposed to Bonner starting since I agree that Blair would play better off the bench, but then Timmy and RJ 2.0 might have to focus more on rebounding than scoring with that unit, and I’d rather they be looking for their shots early.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 5:31 AM CST up reply actions
I’m saying in a month the team will see if it needs to change it up some. At this point, even if we’re not dominate in any way, we’re still winning games. I"m thinking we’ll get the usual change with Hill starting for Manu. If Blair doesn’t shape up then I can see him working off the bench again with Dice or Splitter getting the call. I cannot fathom Bonner starting for this team again.
I see. I like Hill starting for Manu, then switching to PG when Manu comes in for Tony, then Neal in for Hill. Also, Manu playing with the three rookies would be great for them and the team, imho. Not to mention in crunch time, when the game is on the line. Is that too many minutes for Manu? :)
If Splitter is ready to start in a month, I’d be surprised… and ecstatic. Missing nearly all of the pre-season set back his development, but I’m still hoping that he’ll be ready to start or at least play significant minutes starting around the RRT, to prepare for the playoffs.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 1:15 PM CST up reply actions
Oh, and while I’m hardly a fan of the Red Rocket, I’d rather he start than an ineffective Blair (who as you said might benefit from coming of the bench) or Dice, who I’d want to save to finish games and finish the season. The problem with starting Bonner is that the complexion of the offense is quite different with him stretching the floor, which is usually a good thing, but could create adjustment difficulties later in the games (or later in the season) for the other players when the player that’s in for Matt isn’t stretching the floor.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 1:21 PM CST up reply actions
I would rather see Dyess start over Matt because when he gets beat on defense which is gonna happen a decent amount against fresh starters it’s gonna put more pressure on Tim or even get him in to early foul trouble. I love Dyess game so much, I wish he was like 3 years younger. LOL
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Nov 9, 2010 10:30 PM CST up reply actions
Great recap! Any idea where LB and Pop went after the game to get plastered on wine?
'Offensive rebounding' is a gross understatement of DeJuan Blair's skill. It is far beyond 'offensive' and should be qualified as 'Get The Hell Out of My Way Or I'll Tear Your Arms Off and Eat Your Babies' rebounding.
by Iullaby on Nov 9, 2010 12:00 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Maybe the Bobcats bench? That’s where they hung out for 45 minutes after the game while Pop ignored his media responsibilities — according to sources.
The point with intangibles is that no one can see them.
parking lot. LB couldn’t wait.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 1:22 PM CST up reply actions
I recall games last season where RJ would score 12 points and I couldn’t remember one of his buckets. Now he scores 6 and I easily recall his dunk in the 1st Q and his 4th Q elbow jumper to seal the game. No way he takes that final shot last year with any confidence. So nice to see him contribute on a low scoring night while playing D, plus getting 7 boards and a few assists.
Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
+1…. awwww, make it +infinity. You’ve put your finger on the difference this year. His play is more active, aggressive, and confident. I think we would have missed RJ 2.0 and possibly lost the game if he wasn’t playing…. I believe he (or rather the team, but RJ was a big part) held Wallace to under double digits.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 5:14 AM CST up reply actions
+1
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Nov 9, 2010 6:54 AM CST up reply actions
liking the RJ 2.0
"The A-Train deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame damnit. Highest field goal percentage EVER"
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilmoar01.html
Wow. High praise from the A-Train. Good to see. :)
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 1:23 PM CST up reply actions
Wow, hell of a recap! I started watching during the 2nd quarter comeback. I still read the whole thing to get a complete feel for how the game went.
I think we should already easily get the front office of the decade award. It’s still too early to add Neal to the list of evidence in favor. I mean his shooting has been breathtakingly awesome, but I’m just enjoying it at this point. If it is anything close to this great when we’re 20+ games in, then we can safely say it was another Front Office Decision Done Right (“FODDR”).
We do need our new guys to improve on D, and ball movement, but I liked what we saw later in the game when we were able to get our transition d back quick to prevent some a couple easy scores. You know so many other lesser teams would just give up the points without barely trying to defend in a lot of those situations.
My overall start of the season recap: I’m loving RJ’s big improvement, the surprise of Neal, and of course Manu and the win-now mentality he especially is bringing.
What I’m most closely watching, besides obviously Splinter, is Hill. I’m looking to him getting over this bit of a hump and back to his starting pg worthy status of last year. I think its just a matter of time.
Another great recap, thanks! And rec’d…
Agree that the Spurs are making thing harder for themselves than they need to be…. on one hand, it’s great that they’re winning and must be doing wonders for their confidence in close games. On the other, it’s led to waaaay too many early season minutes for our starters & Dice, and we may find that such confidence in close games is misplaced when playing the elite teams of the league. It’s a little troubling that mid- and lower-tier teams are playing the Spurs so closely. Is no win this year going to be an easy one?!
Whoever predicted that a rookie tonight would help us win nailed it… actually Neal nailed it. Despite his 4th quarter mistakes, I think he’s more than secured a spot in Pop’s rotation. The mistakes will decrease over the season; he has all of six games of NBA experience after all (and he has looked remarkably poised most of the time).
Whoever called RJ 2.0 would regress to the mean was right. But as I predicted, and as many have noted tonight, he can help us win without gaudy statistical numbers. Defense, rebounding, making clutch shots and passes.
And the question that’s going to keep me up tonight: Why is it that the second year with the Spurs is so much better for veterans (RJ 2.0) and such a struggle for young players (Blair, and Hill, in a delayed sophomore slump)? It makes no sense. And how was it that Timmy missed the sophomore jinx? Didn’t he win a championship in his 2nd year or something? I’d like him to teach Blair that trick…. and to Splitter, Anderson, and Neal too. :D
Now I can go back to sleep.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 5:10 AM CST reply actions
Forgot to mention the most important part…. 2nd straight game Manu shows again why I want him with the ball with the game on the line and why the F.O. was smart to offer him an extension mid-season last year. Not just the isolation play off the Duncan screen that led to the score that sealed it, but his 5th triple, during the Spurs 4th quarter run.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 5:20 AM CST up reply actions
Neal’s a beast.We need defense, somebody should find it or wake defense up.
"I cry,but everyone will cry if I'm in the NBA"-Adam Morrison.I know now why fans cry when they see him on the floor.
after the 1st quarter, the defense went up solid.
(though its only) Bobcats shoot 39 % on their overall FG.
I wonder how much of defensive improvement will come from better communication between the players. Knowing what you’re supposed to do, what your teammate wants to do, and how to help or adjust as it all develops while yelling if/where a help defender is needed (or screen is coming from). This may answer itself around the first of the year, once Tiago has more games and Booner’s return helps set the rotation.
Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I think time and practice will help a boat load
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Nov 9, 2010 10:32 PM CST up reply actions
Even in Spurs best years, they improved their defense throughout the season. The team may never get to those levels, but they definitely have a lot of area that they can improve upon. With the guys they have this year, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be better than last year’s team at the very least.
Great recap Hirschof, and great pics…Poor Diaw, not a happy camper!
by spursfan_needs_counseling on Nov 9, 2010 7:58 AM CST reply actions
George’s slump (and missing a game) seems to be forcing more minutes by Manu. Manu has been averaging 33 minutes per game, the most of his career. George’s minutes are down considerably, but then he was scoreless in 21 minutes.
it would look as though the Spurs played at least 10 minutes of small ball, which usually requires Manu minutes at SF. Perhaps the return of Bonner and Splitter getting into game shape will not only reduce Tim & McDyess’ minutes but might cause less small ball as well. It seems part of the small ball may have come when Hill & Neal were in the game together so that Manu could run the offense.
It seemed there were very few minutes when Tony & Manu were out of the game at the same time, so that either one or the other could run the half-court offense. If Pop doesn’t have confidence in George to run things when he is in for Tony, he might be forced to move Manu back to the bench just so that he can get more rest. I’d rather see Manu stay in as the starter, and hope that Hill shows he can run the show when Tony rests.
It will be difficult to introduce Quinn to the system as I imagine there is little practice time between games right now. If they are going to give him any time at all it will likely require just throwing him in there in some garbage minutes. If he looks good, give him a few minutes in other spots. At the end of last season, Temple was suddenly thrust into the starting pg position without having much time in the system and performed fairly well. While I don’t foresee any big role for Quinn, he seems to have a rep for a low turnover rate which might come in handy for a few minutes per game while others rest or are in foul trouble.
Quinn doesn’t have time in the Spurs’ system, but he does have a credible NBA resume, so it’s not the same as starting a rookie. The main challenge will be for him to play effective defense and not screw things up on that end. But I could well imagine situations when we need 4 spot-up shooters that he might be in the mix in last-second shot opportunities (at the ends of periods, for example).
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 2:08 PM CST up reply actions
Quinn is like the JV, but he can also hit the 3.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on DeJuan Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Nov 9, 2010 4:15 PM CST up reply actions
th
You’re right about Manu and TP playing heavy minutes together.
The popcornmachine shows they played together for 7:27 in Q1, 4:43 in Q2, a whopping 9:36 in Q3, and 5:40 in Q4.
Tony played without Manu for 3:04 in Q1, 3:58 in Q2, 1:49 in Q3, 0:00 in Q4.
Manu played without Tony for 1:28 in Q1, 0:49 in Q2, 0:00 in Q3, 3:57 in Q4.
In other words, in every quarter, they played more minutes together than apart. They do spend a lot of time of the floor together even when both aren’t starting, but when both do, you get these kinds of numbers, especially in close games where both are needed to play.
Though you might see having Manu run the show for the reserves as a lack of confidence by Pop for George, I actually think that having him start and Manu come off the bench would help Hill more than expecting him to be the spark off the bench. First, it would show that Pop still has confidence in George, that he’ll shake off his early-season woes and start playing better. Second, I think starting Hill and giving him touches early on will help him get into the flow of the game faster (much in the way getting early touches has helped RJ 2.0 this year), and help George later when he slides over the PG when TP rests. (Manu probably would still be the primary ball-handler/creator of that unit, but Hill could be responsible for bring the ball up the court.) Third, it would take pressure off George to be “The Man” for the second unit, and give him scoring opportunities off of Manu’s magic.
Another benefit is that Manu might be able to log fewer minutes per game. I’m torn, because I’d like to see him play as much as possible, yet I’d like for the Spurs to be more dominant so that he doesn’t have to play as many minutes. I’m a paradox.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 1:52 PM CST up reply actions
the th in the title was a fail. Please don’t ban me. :)
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 2:05 PM CST up reply actions
On the other hand, if someone is going to replace Manu in the starting lineup as the SG why not Neal? Putting George in as the starting SG, and then having him be the backup PG, has to result in Neal getting fewer minutes while he has been showing to be one of the best shooters on the team. It seems while Neal should be earning more minutes as he is actually shooting well, you’d prefer starting George so that he might stop shooting so poorly.
Neal could definitely start. The question is, would Pop do it, if Hill is healthy?
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 2:09 PM CST up reply actions
I’d prefer Neal keep his role of shooter off the bench. Instant offense on the nights his shot is falling, and on other nights his threat of making 3s still spreads the floor. It would also keep his minutes reasonable as it is a long season. We’ve not had a young energy shooter off the bench since… I don’t recall.
Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I’m happy with Neal coming off the bench if Manu stays in the starting lineup. If Hill were to be given the starting SG role with Manu coming off the bench, that would mean Neal is no better than the 3rd option at SG. That is likely where he currently has been, since Hill first came in for Manu to play alongside Tony. I’d rather be seeing him as the first sub for Manu.
So you agree that Hill is still ahead of Neal in the rotation?
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 3:42 PM CST up reply actions
I agree Hill was the first substitution for Manu, not that he should have been. Neal’s ppm is 2nd best on the team to Manu, while George ranks 8th. George has been fortunate in making it to the foul line, as more than 1/3 of his points have come from free throws, the highest % by far on the team. Unfortunately, he did not get to the free throw line last night and wound up with zero points in 20+ minutes while Neal had 15 in less than 15 minutes.
Right. I haven’t been talking about your opinion, or my opinion, of what the rotation should be. My observation was that I didn’t expect that Pop would play two rookies ahead of Hill, and that seems to be the case so far.
Could that change come playoff time? Maybe, though I remain skeptical. Anyway, it’s waaaaay to early in the season to write off Hill (or Blair, for that matter) this year. He’ll figure it out. Hard workers with high BBIQ almost always do.
“Fortunate in making it to the foul line” — Hmmm, I was under the impression that players earn their FT by being smartly aggressive and going to the basket. That seems to me to be what RJ 2.0 was doing early in games (and then his shots start to go in).
One thing Neal has going for him is Pop’s positive opinion… I believe it was reported that he said something about Neal’s poise and confidence, that he’s not intimidated at all. He’s definitely earned his spot in the rotation, even if it’s limutes right now.
And also, just because a bench player can score a lot in short bursts of playing time, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll continue to score with the same efficiency if you make him a starter, or give him more minutes. I don’t know why that is, but it seems to happen a lot. Maybe it’s the effect of going from being the 2nd or 3rd scoring option when the second unit is playing to being the 4th or 5th option when playing with the veteran starters. I really don’t know for sure why this seems to happen.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 5:11 PM CST up reply actions
I was under the impression that players earn their FT by being smartly aggressive and going to the basket.
Then Hill failed to earn any free throws last night. Earning free throws is true up to a certain extent, though it is possible he deserved some last night and the calls failed to go his way.
I haven’t given up on George. The Spurs have been trying to make him a PG since they drafted him, and I hope it works out. I’d like to see him out there for almost 20 minutes a game in a unit that includes Neal, Anderson, Blair & Splitter. Can George run that unit as the point guard (many people wanted him to take over for Tony) or not? It almost seems like the people who want him to start at SG and then have Manu in when he is supposedly the PG are the ones that have given up on the Spurs plan to make him into a PG. I think maybe he is relying on Manu too much when they are in together, and might actually play a better PG once he gets used to being the one in charge of the 2nd unit.
It almost seems like the people who want him to start at SG and then have Manu in when he is supposedly the PG are the ones that have given up on the Spurs plan to make him into a PG.
No, for me it’s more that I like it when the Spurs have two good ball-handling guards playing at the same time, because it has the potential to keep the defense guessing. A rotation that has Hill in a five-man unit as the sole ball-handler doesn’t have this advantage. (That said, Neal had a nice dime to a driving Dice in the minute or so of PT he had in the last? game.)
I’ll concede that Hill still isn’t as good a ball-handler as Parker or Ginobili, so I can’t help feeling as if it kinda wastes Manu’s PT if he’s on the floor with TP all the time. And Manu the Creator may have a few more years with the Spurs than the Manu who sacrifices his body in the paint all the time.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 12, 2010 5:02 PM CST up reply actions
+1
And also, just because a bench player can score a lot in short bursts of playing time, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll continue to score with the same efficiency if you make him a starter, or give him more minutes.
I agree with you 100% on the bolded. I think you also hit the nail on the head when you said that it effects some players when they go from a big time scoring option to the 4th or 5th option. Plus Neal has the privilege of playing most of his time against some of the weaker defenders on these teams which helps. So he can get warmed up against those guys and carry his momentum over.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Nov 9, 2010 10:57 PM CST up reply actions
+1
I like Manu coming off the bench also because he creates shots for himself and others way better than Hill. With Parker and Hill playing together in the starting unit you have Tony creating for himself and others while Hill can just shoot and finish. I do like Neal, Anderson and Splitter though on our bench and Neal has showed he doesn’t mind taking the shots off the bench. LOL. I just don’t think with the unit we have coming off the bench now that we truly have a play maker.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Nov 9, 2010 10:45 PM CST up reply actions
Clearly it is better then losing but it seems we are having far to many close games against less then awesome teams and the big 3 seem to be logging a lot of min early. It would be nice if we could win the close games playing the big 3 less or win more comfortably against the lower teams, one or the other. Some one said Manu was playing like an allstar and I agree (most seasons he is he just doesn’t get the recognition due to his min) but I doubt he’ll be playing 33min a game by the end of the season and be able to avoid injury and/or burn out.
I know bonner and splitter will help this some but it just reminds me of 2 years ago when timmy started out on fire and by the half way point was slowing down real fast. By the end of the year there just wasn’t enough left. Again I’m glad we are winning and I know we are integrating a few new pieces and that takes time, but we have been getting by just barely so far and I’m afraid its too many mins for the big 3.
+1. You had me at “to (sic) many close games against less then (sic) awesome teams” and “the big 3 seem to be logging a lot of min early.”
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 9, 2010 1:55 PM CST up reply actions
I was concerned about this too but then remembered last season’s poor start. These are the games that if they become close losses, get written off as team finding cohesion, new players adjusting, etc. That they’ve turned them into close wins (closer than need be due to self-inflicted mistakes) will mean more come March.
Last night, Charlotte played very deseprate and quite well, like a team that needed a win and knew it. That’s a Spurs loss last season, with TD and Manu playing a few more minutes in hopes of eeking out victory (I’m thinking of the early loss @CHI last year). The instant offense provided by Neal would’ve been RMJ brick city. I see this as one of those games that becomes the difference between a higher or lower seed in the playoffs. The late season games get all the attention but early season wins, and the ability to develop a bench in the process, mean just as much.
Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Agree completely. Early games get overlooked, but matter just as much in the end toward seeding.
This is why I’m so happy, after last season desperate seeding struggle at the end, to see the win-now mentality. At the same time Pop is still tweaking the rotation, minutes, etc., to get the new guys in shape.
The Spurs could end up the surprise success story this year, slept on by most of the media. But then again, when were we not in that situation.
Guess who finally had a bad game ? If you guessed RJ, you guessed…..WRONG.
Despite scoring 6 points on 3 of 9 shooting, he had 7 rebounds with ZERO turnovers and incidentally led the entire team with a plus 6 !
Great going, RAGE !
[ "Duncan, the Spurs' 34-year-old captain, was aghast when Splitter told him he used to watch him as a kid."]
"I didn't enjoy that at all," Duncan said
Great comments from everyone.
As the noobs improve and get used to the system, and Hill gets going again, we should start seeing Timmy and Manu not forced to play so many minutes, and/or less of these stressful close games vs lesser teams.
Like has been said, the wins are nice, but if we don’t start seeing this, we are going to end up in trouble against elite teams.
Timmy/King Arthur: Manu/Merlin are you a dream?
Merlin/Maun: A dream to some, a nightmare to others!
Except everyone knows Tim is Merlin. End of discussion. He’s only got a giant 4 ft tattoo of him on his back/shoulder.
Rim Rockin' Red Rocket -silverandblack_davis
by SpursfanSteve on Nov 9, 2010 6:44 PM CST up reply actions
Did anyone else see that Indiana scored 54 points IN THE THIRD QUARTER tonight? Holy crap, that’s gotta be embarrassiing for Nuggets fans.
Even wilder, Miami was up 98-90 with less than a minute and Utah storms back to tie the game, then win in overtime. And this was with D-Will fouling out early, and the foul and free throw disparities outrageously in favor of the Heat, 32-20 and 47-21, respectively.
Suck it, Stern and Riley.
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Nov 9, 2010 9:34 PM CST up reply actions
Holy balls, Utah won? I saw a 3rd-quarter score and rolled my eyes.
by DrumsInTheDeep on Nov 9, 2010 9:52 PM CST up reply actions
Same here, until a colleague told me that Millsap made three straight threes to force OT. Crazy.
"A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s what happens while you wait for moments that will never come." - Lester Freamon, The Wire
by silverandblack_davis on Nov 9, 2010 10:03 PM CST up reply actions
he was on fire. that was a damn good game
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Nov 9, 2010 10:58 PM CST up reply actions
And they were worried about losing Boozer…lol.
Rim Rockin' Red Rocket -silverandblack_davis
by SpursfanSteve on Nov 10, 2010 12:19 AM CST up reply actions
“Embarassing” and “Nuggets” always seem to go hand in hand.
With all due respect, gentlemen, we're not as crazy as she is.
ouch. Though that pic of J.R. Smith doing the funky chicken dance supports your point. :D
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
Mike Monroe: ...the uninformed presume Parker is expendable.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Nov 10, 2010 1:44 PM CST up reply actions
Interestingly, there were no harsh words from George Karl. I don’t care how on fire the other team is, allowing 50 something points in a quarter means you basically gave up.
[ "Duncan, the Spurs' 34-year-old captain, was aghast when Splitter told him he used to watch him as a kid."]
"I didn't enjoy that at all," Duncan said
My thoughts on Karl have flipped 180 the last few years. I view it as an otstanding acheivement that he has not done bodily harm to any of his players. Also, the way he has handled his cancer is amazine. I still don’t think he’s the best Xs and Os coach, but I will no longer speak badly of him.
With all due respect, gentlemen, we're not as crazy as she is.
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