Get to Know Your New Spurs #5: James Anderson
by CapHill on Sep 27, 2010 10:28 PM CDT
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It's generally understood that The Number Five is the official favorite of PtR. So what do you get when you multiply 5 x 5? 25. Welcome to GTKYNS #5 - The James Anderson Edition.
Ask any longtime Oklahoma State fan who their favorite player is and there's only one answer - Barry Sanders. Seriously. That is the only answer. However, if you ask the same person who his/her favorite OSU basketball player is, you'll get a variety of answers. Some might go really old-school and claim Bob Kurland. Others might pick a player from one of the more recent Final Four teams, such as "Big Country" Bryant Reeves or wingman Tony Allen. Personally, I've always had a soft spot for the sharp shooter Randy Rutherford. The point being, for a program with two National Championships, six Final Fours, and numerous March Madness appearances, there are quite a few good players to choose from, despite the desert years from 1970 to 1990. Sidebar: Those were tough years to be an OSU roundball fan. Think Clippers. Yes, it was that bad. Thank goodness for Barry Sanders, although that 1988 Bedlam game still rankles the soul.
However, over the last three years, a new player has entered my own Top Five, and probably many others' too: Mr. James Anderson.
Much has been written of the rook and his background this summer, but here are some links to two of my favorites - Small Town Hero by Ken Rodriguez and Humble Beginnings by Jeff McDonald. I think we can all agree that James is prototypical Spurs' material - it's an online love match. RC had to be ecstatic that Anderson was still there at #20.
However, a lot has changed with the roster since I wrote What to Expect from James Anderson. Right after the draft, many of us thought James would fight for minutes at the SG spot, while occasionally backing up the SF position. Then the Spurs signed Gary Neal after his scorching Summer League, so we switched to penciling in Anderson and Gee fighting for the limutes behind RJ. Today we learned that the Spurs have signed veteran SF Bobby Simmons, which means I have absolutely no idea what's going on. The life of being a Spurs fan.
Let's be realistic - the rules are different for first round picks with guaranteed contracts. Anderson won't have to fight for a roster spot, but he will be fighting for minutes. Nobody wants to be the Human Victory Cigar. James needs training camp to get into shape, after being sidelined by a bad hammy most of the summer, and to prove to Pop that he should play. So instead of focusing on where Anderson should play, I'm going to focus on why he should play.
Homer alert!
Yes, I am the biggest James Anderson homer on PtR, and it isn't even close. But just because I'm homer doesn't mean I'm wrong. The dude can flat out score, crooked pinkies and all (There are no Hot Spots for NCAA stats. You're just going to have to trust me on this). The only Spur more versatile on the offensive end is Manu. Yes, you read that right, and no, I'm not saying that Anderson is the 2nd coming of Manu. But what other Spur can finish at the rim, hit the midrange jumper and let it fly from behind the arc? Now you're scratching your head, aren't you? Let me know when you come up with an answer. I find it ironic that neither guy is viewed as really athletic, but both manage to get the job done. Hmm. And no offense to Ginobili, but Anderson has a bit more meat on the bone.
High usage/high efficiency offensive threats don't come around every day. His best games came against his best opponents (just ask UT fans how they feel about James). Anderson doesn't just stand behind the arc waiting for a pass. He barrels his way into the lane, converting FTs at over an 80% clip. As James finds his place with the Spurs, I expect him to mimic his sophomore year TS% and eFG%. Although Anderson did lead the team in points that year, he was not the guy, as OSU had a senior point guard and wing to help take the heat off. With the Spurs, James will only have to concentrate on putting the ball in the hole and not royally screwing up on defense.
But that is the main issue - will Anderson show enough on the defensive end to force Pop's hand? Honestly, I don't know, but I'm optimistic. I imagine that James has been spending time in the gym and study hall this summer - he definitely has the work ethic. Personally, I'd like to see Anderson and Gee fight it out for the backup SF minutes. That could be quite the battle (it's okay to sigh here, girls).
Where I see James thriving is in the small ball set. Before you start groaning, let me explain. If the Spurs have two legitimate bigs on the floor with TP/Hill, Manu and Anderson, the opposing team wouldn't know what to do. The floor spacing would be insane! The 3 guard set makes a lot of sense with our roster and would create matchup problems galore. (It's really not good to be this excited before the season has even begun.) Count me as a believer that James is going to force Pop to play a rookie significant minutes 3 years in a row!
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I was not expecting a guffaw quite so late in the day, but the Homer alert elicited one nonetheless.
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
I think James is going to surprise people this year by becoming a fixture in the rotation. I think his shooting and P&R capabilities mean that he’s a good fit with Tony, Timmy and Tiago. So, here’s a bold prediction: Anderson will start for the Spurs at some point this year, and might even finish the year as a starter.
Tony apologist since 2010.
Or maybe I just like his attitude.
Tony apologist since 2010.
by Tim C. on Sep 27, 2010 11:23 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I agree with you, at some point in the season, S&A (Splitter and Anderson) will be starting. Question is, for Anderson, at the 2 or 3 spot?
There is no way that Mr. Jefferson is benched. If Anderson ends up starting this season is at the expense of Manu’s or Hill’s starting spot.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
I don’t think it’s impossible for him to start at the 2, especially if his defense is solid. Also if Jefferson really becomes a premier defender (don’t laugh, it can happen) then Anderson will not have to guard the best opposing player.
"I've got Tim (Duncan) and you don't. That's the difference." -Gregg Popovich
Agreed. If he can play good ball to start over Hill the Spurs would be in very good shape. I would to see Hill almost exclusively at the backup PG position but it seems like there is going to be a lot of TP/GH on the court at the same time.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
by LasEspuelas on Sep 28, 2010 10:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Splitter doesn’t have many facial expressions.
"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 Sep 28, 2010 6:50 AM CDT up reply actions
Maybe he’ll learn Timmy’s bug eyes tactic.
"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 Sep 28, 2010 7:30 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
+21…. or should that be +22? :)
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Sep 28, 2010 7:50 PM CDT up reply actions
I hope not if these new Technical foul rules are really in-forced
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Sep 28, 2010 9:39 PM CDT up reply actions
I hope you’re right, Tim, but when was the last time a rookie Spur had much of an impact their 1st season?
by titansfan4ever on Sep 28, 2010 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Impact? As in raising Pop’s blood pressure due to all the yelling over the rookie’s mistakes? Some PtR referred to TP as “Pop’s personal chew-toy” (or something like that) in Frenchie’s early years with the team, and he got it exactly right. :)
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Sep 28, 2010 8:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Tony still killed Gary Peyton in the playoffs though
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Sep 28, 2010 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions
Coach said two things about Anderson that I thought were very interesting:
- The players they anticipated would be available at #20 were being drafted — and they weren’t happy about that — but they didn’t expect that Anderson would still be available — and they were delighted with the opportunity!
- His play on defense will determine his minutes on the floor.
His hammy injury has set him back a bit, conditioning-wise, but I think the Spurs signing Simmons will take some pressure off the team to bring Anderson on too quickly. I still feel that, by the end of the year, he’ll be in the rotation as the backup SF.
The three-guard set with Timmy & Tiago (or possibly Dice) – assuming that they can defend as a unit – sound deadly and fun to watch.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Sep 28, 2010 12:23 AM CDT reply actions
Interesting stuff, tuna. Especially the bit about Timmy, Tiago and 3 guards. Not small ball, but not standard either.
Also, check your email, please.
I’m trying to rediscover verbosity. - LatinD
Actually, CapHill proposed the 3-guards with two legitimate bigs in her original FP… I was just commenting on it.
(Also, sound above should of course be sounds.)
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Sep 28, 2010 12:43 AM CDT up reply actions
+1
Anderson isn’t that short to play the three. the league height is 6’7" for that position and he is 6’6" and a solid guy to boot. Jefferson is only an inch taller but he is 20 pounds heavier.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Sep 28, 2010 9:43 PM CDT up reply actions
We have somewhat of a mess right now at SG/SF with Jefferson, Manu, Neal, Anderson and even Hill competing for minutes at two spots. That is 96 MPG. Manu averaged 28 last year but I expect that number to go down if the rest of the guys stay healthy, so lets say 25 MPG. Jefferson average 31 last year and I’m thinking he will stay at about the same. That is 56 MPG leaving 40 MPG for the other three guys. This is where it gets confusing. Completely Deck in yesterday’s media day notes wrote to the effect that TP and George would spend a lot of time on the floor together. If that is more than 10 MPG of George/TP combo then either Anderson or Neal are going to play very little this year.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
Pop has a long history of playing vets. Even the last 2 years when he has played rooks a little it hasn’t been too much and has been more out of need. parker/hill/manu/jefferson will get the bulk of the min. neal/anderson will need to work hard to get into the rotation but it is possible.
There also seems to be an emphasis on getting off to a good start this year. It will be a balancing act between getting the new people into the rotation and winning. Neal/Anderson can break into the rotation but I do not feel it will be fast or easy for them.
Embarassment of riches (wings) is OK by me… it’s not as though we’d be fielding an all-PF lineup, like Denver could have done, if one insane trade proposal had gone thru.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Sep 28, 2010 7:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Also, don’t forget that some of Hill’s minutes come from playing PG, not just the off-guard.
Further, I believe RJ had the highest average MPG of all the Spurs last year. If Anderson and/or Neal can play competently as the backup SF (i.e., to quote Timmy “not suck”), RJ’s minutes could go down a bit. That could give RJ the latitude to use more energy on defense, without becoming too tired to play at the ends of games.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Sep 28, 2010 8:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Forgot further that some of RJ’s minutes last year were from playing the “stretch 4” — do you really think we’ll be playing as much ‘small ball’ this season? I certainly hope we don’t… unless it involves Cap’s suggestion of three guards and two legit bigs (which takes minutes from the SF spot and assigns them to the ‘third’ guard).
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Sep 28, 2010 8:04 PM CDT up reply actions
I did some checking, and it turns out that Cap isn’t the only one who has mentioned the 3G/2LB lineup… she did in this FP, Tim C. mentioned it here, jrw commented about it in another thread a while ago, probably others have written about it whenever ‘small ball’ rears its ugly head. With the roster we’re likely to have, I think it’s a legitimate weapon in the Spurs’ arsenal… provided that they can defend on the other end.
When D-fence is not a consideration (like last-second shot opportunities at the ends of quarters and games, as some PtR’r pointed out to me), it’s gonna be fun to surround Timmy with four legitimate 3 pt. shooting threats and see what opposing coaches decide to do. Play TD straight up? Or double-team and leave… who? Manu? Hill? Bonner? Or one of the rookies, Neal or Anderson? Or if TP’s work on his perimeter shot this summer pays off, him? Even RJ hit a decent percentage last year from the corners, he’s a legitimate shooting threat as well.
Hey, if posting a sharp, insightful, yet non-sarcastic comment were that easy, even olf would do it.
by freshtunarightofftheboat on Sep 28, 2010 8:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Is it wrong of me to be aroused by all of the possibilities for this season? Great job, as always, Cap.
¡VamoSpurs! - me.
In most states, yes, but luckily you’re a resident of PtR.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on DeJuan Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Sep 28, 2010 2:14 AM CDT up reply actions
That depends on what your definition of “aroused” is :-)
by titansfan4ever on Sep 28, 2010 12:00 PM CDT up reply actions
James really has the potential and so I really hope that Pop would play him, and Simmons?
So we are stacked with SF’s and SG’s now, but we only have 3 PF’s(TD,Blair and Dice) and a center,hmmm….what is pop and the office thinking?I guess they want to really give blair and tiago the time while having savvy vets around them.I’m just curious about our moves ’cause right now,we have 15 guys,so 3 guys must be sent in the D-league….(Gee,cutrtis,temple and worse anderson).Hope Gee and James stays in our 12 man roster.
Champion of Me. All about ‘Bron and all about nothing.
A 5 man rotation up front of TD, Blair, Dice, Spliter and Bonner is just as crowded. Could we use a 6th sure but its not like we are wanting for much here. Thats without even thinknig about small ball with jefferson at the 4. If jefferson plays even a few min at the 4 this year it will be at least as crowded as the SG/SF spot if not more. Don’t get we wrong this is a great problem to have, we go 10-12 deep so fatigue and injury shouldn’t be a big problem for us.
Yeah, and I don’t see TD playing as much this year as he has in years past :-(
by titansfan4ever on Sep 28, 2010 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions
+1
Just because the team signed Simmons means he is going to make the final cut or even get playing time. I hope Anderson and Neal are good enough to get decent minutes because that would mean we are getting decent younger players.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
excuse me
I was trying to say it doesn’t mean Simmons will get P.T. or even be on the team
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Sep 28, 2010 10:03 PM CDT up reply actions
I like everything you say, Cap. But remind me, please: why did he fall to #20?
I smell death... everywhere.
I think it was his hamstring that caused him to have bad workouts.
"I've got Tim (Duncan) and you don't. That's the difference." -Gregg Popovich
I don’t think he was even able to workout with some teams after the injury. Hmm, when did this pre-draft injury occur again?
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