Pre-season QuickCap #2 - Houston Rockets @ San Antonio Spurs
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Dec 21, 2011 9:54 PM CST
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We really need a nickname for Kawhi. 10 different ones were shouted on that shot.
A casual diehard Spurs fan.
Remember Neal’s shot in Mexico’s game last year. Could this be Kawhi’s way of announcing himself?
A casual diehard Spurs fan.
That was the only shot he made all night, I believe…
by In the 666 on Dec 21, 2011 10:02 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
A true Horry acolyte if ever there was one.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
The dance not working or is it just me?…
by In the 666 on Dec 21, 2011 10:05 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
broken here as well.
this space left intentionally blank.
by sleep research facility on Dec 21, 2011 10:06 PM CST up reply actions
we’re all off our game.
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by sleep research facility on Dec 21, 2011 10:07 PM CST up reply actions
Yoda on his way to LA too?
Damn!!!
by In the 666 on Dec 21, 2011 10:07 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
No Bonner yay!
Actually it was to take a longer look at Hassell and Lawal. Pop knows Bonner can shoot so he sat him.
by Titletown99030507d on Dec 22, 2011 8:14 AM CST up reply actions
Did Pop tell you his reasons for anything else he did yesterday? =]
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Ha
"got him at 42……Chad Ford can’t keep up with RC ‘Bargin Basement’ Buford."
Spurs Yoda on Draft Night 2011
by Joe deLarios on Dec 22, 2011 11:07 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
So Bonner is a starter?
If you're watching a blowout, you can pass the time by counting the double teapots.
Samurai Champloo > Macross
by doubleteapot on Dec 21, 2011 10:29 PM CST up reply actions
Jeff Mcdonald said he was getting rest. but why only rest the red rocket. and I dont remember him getting rest last year.
AKA Anthony Teegarden
I missed the whole darn thing, darn it.
Even though it is largely meaningless, I’m glad we won.
Looking forward to the recap!
“Help me Obi Wan Kawhi, you’re my only hope.”
The team looked good with TP and Duncan. Duncan definitely looked fresh.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Good to hear. Yeah I looked at the box score and all the starters looked great with the exception of Manu’s bad shooting. Duncan especially. RJ’s 3pt shooting a good sign.
Manu shot a lot of bad shots, but a lot were with the clock winding down. Pop went to Parker and Duncan for offense first. I don’t worry about Manu since it looked like he tried to facilitate and didn’t force the issue as much. He was more the “bail out guy” in this game.
I do think Manu should switch places with Anderson because Manu could do damage with the interesting second unit.
Ford’s shot was nice, especially for someone who’s had questionable shooting ability in the past.
What made me happy was Lawal and Hassel put in decent quality minutes. That’s a good sign. I really liked what I saw from Lawal when he was with Duncan in his first stint.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
I like your idea of switching Manu and Anderson. (“Manderson”?)
Anderson, from game 1, looked bigger than I remember. Obviously it’s ridiculously early, but I’m excited about him most right now. If he performs link I think he might, we may have a chance at Pop switching him and Manu some point into the season. Manu off the bench again, yes..
I could be wrong, but I’m not sure there’s going to be one.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Pop smiled at the end of the game. I think that one sentence completes the recap. ;)
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Yeah, that’s about the only time we see him look that pleased.
And I’m guessing it lasts almost all the way through his post-game speech in the locker room.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Then Christmas comes around and he becomes the grinch!
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Guess we need to re-post that song, eh?
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Yes. It’s a PtR Holiday Classic.
"Sometimes I think I lost something really important to me, and it turns out I already ate it."
by DrumsInTheDeep on Dec 22, 2011 1:55 PM CST up reply actions
Which is why Pop smiled at the end of the game.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
You know, Kawhi might need some work
If you're watching a blowout, you can pass the time by counting the double teapots.
Samurai Champloo > Macross
A lot of work (relative to expectations), but the Spurs are pretty good at the wings.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Anderson played great. And Cory Joseph made some good plays.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 1:08 AM CST up reply actions
I’m calling it right now. JA is Pop’s favorite.
I still think Joseph will be in Austin so he can get maximum work. He’s only a second year college student relative to time.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Anderson is Pops new favorite player…? Should James start packing right now?
A man gets the eye of a Tiger, but a Tiger gets the eye of a Manu.
I think CJ will stay with the team because of the compressed schedule and Pop wanting to rest Parker. You may be right in case Pop wants Neal to run the point for the second unit. That way both JA and Neal could play.
Keep the faith!!
We forget, but Neal is still on the team. That’s a lot of guys in the guard positions. Anderson in both games has handled the ball a lot as well. Ford is clearly capable of handling the team.
Neal will never see the 3 position again. He definitely won’t see a lot of the 1 position with Ford now around. He was lucky Anderson was injured last year. The crazy thing is we might not know how good Neal was if not for JA’s injury last year.
Now, if they end up cutting Green or Neal somehow gets traded (although the McDyess deal signaled an end to likely trades happening).
Joseph has not really had much time with the team still. He’ll benefit more from being in Austin where the focus will be on him first and foremost.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Joesph looks good. Anderson looks good. Ford looks good. And we have Neal waiting to come back.
I think were set at the 1 & 2 for awhile.
Do or do not! There is no try!
They all get after it on defense.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 21, 2011 10:38 PM CST up reply actions
so if add a few 1s and 2s together, we make a decent 5?
by i luv this site on Dec 21, 2011 10:59 PM CST up reply actions
And 3s. The 4/5 are the problems.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Although Lawal and Hassel looked decent with the right players around them like Duncan.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Lawal looked good to me. He plays bigger than his height. He lead his college team in blocks.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
Both Lawal and Anderson both looked and played taller than their listed height.
That was VERY good to see, and supports the assertion in my new signature.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
I am beginning to suspect that the Spurs scouting staff may know what they are doing.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 22, 2011 10:48 AM CST up reply actions
watching inside the arena, Joseph looked way better than TJ Ford. And it was interesting to watch Pop pulling Hassell to the side during the game and “coaching” him.
"Ginobili. . .He's weaving, he's throwing up triple axels in sneakers, he's willing the ball into the basket. It's Cirque du Soleil with refs." Dan Oshinsky / KENS 5
“Matt Bonner did not play in Wednesday’s game, despite shooting with the team before the game and stretching in the locker room with other members of the rotation before taking the court.” By Tim Griffin
AKA Anthony Teegarden
We need to keep our best players fresh and healthy
If you're watching a blowout, you can pass the time by counting the double teapots.
Samurai Champloo > Macross
by doubleteapot on Dec 21, 2011 10:34 PM CST up reply actions
I missed the fourth quarter because I had o fix my door. Stupid door.
"I've got Tim (Duncan) and you don't. That's the difference." -Gregg Popovich
I like the enthusiasm of Joseph. Really, I like a lot of what I have seen so far from the new players.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
Lawal looks taller then 6,9 on tv. Wish we could get a decent 7 footer.
Zeller didnt impress me, but he needed more time tonight.
Do or do not! There is no try!
He looked pretty good, didn’t he?
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 21, 2011 10:50 PM CST up reply actions
Lawal played bigger than he is at 6’9. He fits well with Duncan/Splitter being a more athletic big. That can work. Hassel also was decent.
Neither was spectacular, but the Spurs just need guys who don’t make a lot of mistakes and can play 10-15 a night.
I thought Lawal in his first stint with Duncan looked really good. That was probably his best time playing.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Nope
If you're watching a blowout, you can pass the time by counting the double teapots.
Samurai Champloo > Macross
by doubleteapot on Dec 21, 2011 11:14 PM CST up reply actions
Saw the end. Pretty flashy from the Clippers end. Nearly every second half highlight with Blake Griffen contained Troy Murphy getting posted up or fouling and losing.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Yeah, Griffin just tore Murphy apart. I almost pitied that guy.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 1:09 AM CST up reply actions
just tuned into the Lal-Lac game Deandre jordan has some beast moves. He’s fast for a big
AKA Anthony Teegarden
You just missed Barnes intentionally pushing Griffin.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 21, 2011 11:24 PM CST up reply actions
ok, apparently, I can’t stick around. My comments get deleted. Very strange thing. Maybe you can explain that one to me?
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
Sorry, but I don’t know what happened either.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 1:12 AM CST up reply actions
It was explained to me privately. It’s understandable, and over. Still, thank you for the welcome
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
I got the message too. Anyway, enjoy your stay here.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 1:25 AM CST up reply actions
Evening all…missed the game, happy for the win! How’d we look, overall? Is Timmy looking better?
I'm not as good as I once was...and that's just the cold, hard truth.
Timmy didn’t look old. His shot was on. This longer summer is good for him, if Pop doesn’t kill him during the season. This just might work.
Lawal and Hassel both looked not bad. Zeller got minutes. I’m sure Wildcat is a fan.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Timmy was pure awesomeness. Except for some botched plays, he looked refreshed and ready to take anyone down.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 1:14 AM CST up reply actions
Watching highlights. Lawal looks taller than 6’9"
Duke of Bexar
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 22, 2011 12:24 AM CST reply actions
Lawal has a new fan… loved his energy on D. Green just has ice water in those veins… Loved Greens play.
by spurlover on Dec 22, 2011 12:39 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
I liked him, too. I was watching the game at my folks’ house with the sound turned down, and I kept asking, who is that guy? He was really playing hard. Actually, I think I can say that about every one of our young additions—Joseph, Anderson, Lawal, Leonard. For such a shortened preseason, that really impressed me.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
Wish I could say that I was impressed with much that Splitter did, but I’ve decided to reserve judgement on him until around the RRT.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Can anyone give me a run down on player opinion? lol
Bonner? is he hated here?
Jefferson? Is he hated, or does he need another shot?
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
Bonner – got a rest tonight. He looked good in game 1. If Spurs keep some of those young bigs or pick up another, his time can be better used and more of his positives will show. Just got to keep him and Blair away from each other (except in garbage time).
RJ – RJ is hitting his shot very well like he did last year (career high shooting from behind the arc). If people can get over his pay check, then he’s going to be a positive for the Spurs, especially in a short season.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Yes, yes, and no.
Duke of Bexar
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Dec 22, 2011 6:52 AM CST up reply actions
Well… some folks around here are a bit down on Jefferson, and were hoping we would upgrade. Some folks are generally negative about Bonner, the feeling being that he is a bad defender and that his nuts shrink up come playoff time. And some folks have lost patience with Blair, and want a taller post who can protect the rim. These are by no means universally held opinions.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
And some peeps want to trade Parker, still!
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
And some of of know we’re “gonna dance with them that brung us” and give what support we can to all of them.
"Ginobili. . .He's weaving, he's throwing up triple axels in sneakers, he's willing the ball into the basket. It's Cirque du Soleil with refs." Dan Oshinsky / KENS 5
I never heard a player say, “I was able to turn it around when I felt the hate of the fans. It really pushed me to change my game so that they’d be more likely to cheer for me.”
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
I kinda meant..“GSO” meaning, general site opinion. I have my thoughts on them, but it seems like people have different ones.
I’m new to the site,(as far as being “active”) , and the sites I go to that are football related, it seems like there is always a player or two that people use as a scapegoat for all the teams problems. While I may not agree, I could see those two that I named possibly used as the “site scapegoat” that’s why I asked.
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
i don’t think there is any consensus on any player on this team outside of tim and manu. there are some here who hate bonner (hello Fred!) and some who hate jefferson (TOR!), but it’s not a universal thing. more than anything, everyone has the right to their own opinion, and as long as you don’t go overboard in expressing that opinion, you’ll be fine.
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by sleep research facility on Dec 22, 2011 1:34 AM CST up reply actions
cool. thanks. No worries about going overboard here. I personally like Bonner for what he does. (of course, it could be aided by the fact that one of my annual Spurs games at the Palace with my best friend that’s a Piston fan, he hit 5 for 5 (iirc) from three, and hit the “dagger” ) that blinds me, but I don’t think so. As far as Jefferson, I may have a longer leash than others. I know he’s not the Jefferson that played in Mil, or NJ…but…he’s on the Spurs now…things are different (in my opinion)
He could produce more I suppose…but, whatever.
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
Carp! Missed another one… and meeting with you all. Glad to know we won, and that TJ looked good (from what I’ve seen ont the replay so far..)…. Secret: I was wishing TJ would be a Spur since his days @ UT. Watching the replay now
"Entropy isn't what it used to be."
by oldtimeyspurfan on Dec 22, 2011 1:56 AM CST reply actions
Hey, oldtimey, how’s it going? TJ seemed to have developed his jumper. He struggled a bit when the rookie and training camp invites were on the court with him.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 2:14 AM CST up reply actions
He struggled as he didn’t have a lot of go to scoring options. I would say that’s less on him and more on what the coaching staff gave him. Ford will be a very good thing for the team.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
I should have clarified that but yes, that’s the main reason why he struggled during that stretch.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 2:42 AM CST up reply actions
Spurs have to waive 2 more guys. Zeller is one of them. The question remains who the other one(s) is/are.
Spurs could put Neal on the injured list and gain an extra spot for a longer trial period of Lawal and Hassel.
I’m crazy, but I think Spurs are fine with one of those two guys (I lean towards Lawal) relative to what is out there.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
I’m going to share your craziness and say that I think Lawal is going to be decent as a 10-12 minute guy.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 2:51 AM CST up reply actions
Zeller is definitely off. And if last night’s game is the deciding factor, I would think Hassel is gone, too, even though I think he has some potential. Lawal was more impressive. Of course, maybe I am crazy, too.
One caveat: Houston used some weird lineups last night. I suppose McHale was focused on the end of the bench. We did not see much Scola, and perhaps that made our “little bigs” look better. But I did think that Lawal did a great job of going toe to toe with Scola.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
Lawal played with Duncan in the first quarter though, when I thought he looked his best. McHale played his started the full 1st quarter and then nothing else.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Can I ask one more (most likely tired) question? I don’t know any Spurs fans in person anymore, how do people feel about getting rid of HIll?
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
Pounders have different opinions regarding that trade. Personally, I was sad when I heard the news but I understood the need of letting him go at this point.
(",)
by day_late_friend on Dec 22, 2011 2:54 AM CST up reply actions
Sad, because he was a good person and good for the team, but Spurs got the better end of the deal from a winning/business perspective.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
really? I don’t know..that kind of hurt me…here (head) and here (heart). I loved that dude lol
I guess I don’t know everything, but I just loved what Hill brought to the team.
Then again, I once thought it would be horrible to see Jackson go…
I’m not expert
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
+Hill is in his final year of his current contract. He will need to be paid. I have a tough time seeing him not get the full MLE at the very least. Spurs are trying to win/re-build at the same time, but spending right now needs to be somewhat conservative with all the potential talent around.
+Hill’s growth last year tapered off. It did appear that he improved a little bit, but his a bit of a ceiling. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t more valuable to the Spurs than the year before, but it’s tough once you have decisions to make.
+Hill is not a point guard. Spurs tried to force him into there. This decision was to trade was also made before the Ford signing. They did draft Joseph with a late first to fill in this void.
+Spurs needed to get bigger at the wings. Yes, Neal is still here and although 6’5 (so bigger), he doesn’t have the athleticism. Spurs right now have Manu/Anderson/Green/Leonard as their athletic wings that have a bit more size than Hill.
+Spurs have other talent that is able to do a lot of the things he could do. Anderson is the number one name that pops into my head. He arguably has bigger upside and has more size to play the 3 as well as the 2. You also have a taller Green who can shoot and play D (and is cheap). Yes, Green can still be cut, but so far Anderson looks like what everyone was expecting last year.
+The deal gave them Leonard, Bertrans, and Lorbek. We’d likely have seen the other two in the summer if there was no lockout. Leonard is still raw, but he already shows that promise. And a lineup of Anderson/Leonard/Joseph for the future is scary.
+Joseph. People are high on him already. He’s one year out of college and already shows good poise. He’s like Hill (in size), but can play PG, but also plays D.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
can’t imagine how that could possibly be better explained. Thank you
Boy, I'm three generations deep, in gangstadom
Well, he could have included graphics too. =]
Also, he could have turned this into a fanpost so that more people would have seen it and been able to comment on it.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Another to add to my list. Yay for holidays and no work!
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
I was joking about the graphics.
But I was serious about the fanpost. It qualifies right now, as is, with no changes. Don’t set the bar too high to the point where stuff piles up and you feel like you’re behind on all the fun you need to have. (Which is what I do all the time.) Just get it posted without making it perfect, and you’ll realize that you are your own worst critic.
Because no one else requires more of you than you do, you can do well to aim slightly lower than usual, if your productivity increases as a result.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Now, I just have two more to get on!
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Can’t wait to see them. But please let me know before you post them so that we can see about maybe getting them on the front page.
Also, THEODEN King!
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
350 words, grego, that’s a legit fanpost — especially when it’s as detailed, complete, and insightful as this. Don’t hide your candle, my friend.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
We miss him and wish him well, I think I can speak for just about everybody. Many of us love George, watched him transform from an unknown commodity into a productive NBA player. I for one will be watching some Pacers games this season. I think my two favorite players over the last few seasons have been George Hill and Gary Neal.
Having said that, I personally think we are going to be a better team. In return for Hill, we have picked up a great defender in Leonard, somebody that may finally give us the Bruce Bowen factor we have been missing for several years. And in Ford and Joseph we have two pure point guards. The point is not a natural fit for Hill, in my opinion. My hope is that he can play more to his skill set in Indiana, and that the Spurs like Manu and Neal can also focus on the 2 rather than the point. I think everybody will benefit.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
Corey Joseph
I’ll take CJ over Ford any day. For not having hardly any time with team this guy looks like he’s been playing with his team mates for awhile. Great passer and doesn’t hesistate on any decisions. He’s a good facilitator. I like what I see and no he ain’t going to the D-league. Unless they go with both Hassell and Lawal or a extra pick up to go with either Hassell or Lawal. But if that happens it would be a shame to see CJ go to D-
League.
by Titletown99030507d on Dec 22, 2011 8:20 AM CST reply actions
I like Joseph, although I really like Ford, too. TJ Ford is a lot like Parker in his style, and I think he can run with the first unit without changing what they do. That is a big deal. But I really like Joseph, too. He just looks like a basketball player, like he gets the game. As you say, he is a good facilitator, and does not seem concerned at all with his own stats. You know how some players just remind you of other players? When I squint, Cory Joseph reminds me of Maurice Cheeks. Kind of skinny and lanky, with good speed, good court vision, good anticipation. I like the way he defends, and he’s feisty. Look at the replay of the last two possessions of last night’s game, and just watch Joseph. I don’t think that he officially got an assist, but he definitely set up that winning shot. Look at the way both he and Leonard then finish out the game by getting back on defense. Some rookies would be congratulating themselves at that point. And then notice his fist pumping at the end. I just like that peppiness about Joseph.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 22, 2011 10:02 AM CST up reply actions
Ford is an experienced vet only on a one year deal. Now, Joseph could end up being the real deal, but I wouldn’t want to have him as the primary backup PG for Tony. Plus, having more ballhandlers will reduce the load on Manu and we won’t see Neal running the point again, which is a good thing.
Absolutely. I am very happy with point guard, for all the reasons you mention.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
Now let’s solve the big man problem today too! Suggestions?
(crickets chirping)
Um … where’d everybody go?
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
LAWAL!
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Waived. As of now.
I wish I was joking.
"Sometimes I think I lost something really important to me, and it turns out I already ate it."
by DrumsInTheDeep on Dec 22, 2011 1:58 PM CST up reply actions
Someone called it in the thread last night. Said how great he looked, and how he’d probably be gone today as a result.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Well, the Spurs are interested in Chuck Hayes, assuring us that we have no chance of landing Chuck Hayes.
Maybe the Spurs should try something different. Someone should spin a rumor, a story titled " Spurs want absolutely nothing to do with Andrew Bogut ". Maybe he would demand to be traded here.
A man gets the eye of a Tiger, but a Tiger gets the eye of a Manu.
That deserves to be PtR’s next fake headline.
Did you hear that, Justin?
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Now THAT’S funny.
"Sometimes I think I lost something really important to me, and it turns out I already ate it."
by DrumsInTheDeep on Dec 22, 2011 3:13 PM CST up reply actions
Pop’s new favorite player is Blair!!!
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Blair
I think its unfair how yall always talk bad about Blair and now that he had a good game nobody says anything!
Well, CP, actually the “bad talk” on DeJuan has really only started in earnest since the lockout ended. PtR has been high on the Beast since he was selected with the 37th pick of the 2009 draft.
So I think it’s unfair for you to say we always talk bad about him.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Same goes for Jefferson, who made all three of his shots.
Maybe it is unfair, I don’t know, but until Jefferson, Blair and Bonner make an impact in the playoffs, this will probably be a trend.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Dec 22, 2011 10:56 AM CST up reply actions
I agree with him though.Blair and RJ become the scape goats often. I am glad we kept RJ personnally. Blair can still be a defensive liability, but isnt a bad player.
Do or do not! There is no try!
by Spurs Yoda on Dec 22, 2011 10:59 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
It’s not a question of whether or not he’s a bad player. The issue is one of expectations. When fans see a guy and early on get a read of what they think he can become, and he doesn’t progress into that, and he gains weight, and his work ethic, desire and capabilities are questioned by the coach — but there’s not a big change seen from the player in response …
When all of the above happens, then you’ll see a fanbase begin to grumble. I just hope that he has a shift in his play to the better — and soon.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
You hit the nail on the head, bossman. I’m not expecting Blair to be another Barkley, but I was expecting a little more progress/evolution in his game last year. Hopefully, this year we see that.
What makes me most disappointed is Splitter looks a great deal improved, especially on offense, but Blair still looks about the same as he was last year (even in his best moments).
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Yes, but I think Splitter was already a more polished offensive player; we just just didn’t get to see much of it last season.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
I’m not using Splitter as the baseline to everything Blair, but there should be noticeable results from Blair. He should be motivated to be better. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt since preseason is lame (so short).
I already know what Bonner brings and you can’t really expect much. His ceiling is pretty much done. He can become more clutch and have a faster release, but he’s pretty much done.
RJ is pretty much not a Spur next year. It made no sense this year to cut him.
So of the 3 who are probably the weakest links, Blair is the one who has the upside/chance, if he changes his thinking a little bit and also works his butt off in the gym.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Ah, I’ll be able to have some first-hand observations come Monday’s game. I hope they’re all positive.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Considering how awkward Tiago looks at times, calling him “polished” just shows how lacking Blair is at times.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
That’s what makes me cry the most.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
And I thought it was the way Charlize Theron keeps ignoring you that made you cry the most.
The things we learn…
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
But didn’t you see that Blair trotted out a nifty little spin move last night? That wasn’t in his repertoire last year.
Now, he still had his shot blocked, but he DID spin before that happened. So, that shows improvement .. right?
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
It looks better, but I’m still scared he’s either going to get a charge call or more likely travel call. He has the season. I’m sure he’ll get a lot of time to show he’s improved though.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
Yup. He’ll get the chances for sure. Hope he makes the most of them.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
Well, Blair earned his hot seat when he pouted and ate himself out of playing time. He was very un-Spurs like last season once Pop made a move that he thought would put the team into the next level. It might not have worked well since Blair went into baby mode, but also left the team with a lot of Blair/Bonner lineups.
That and, it seems like he hasn’t improved as much as you’d expect. Heck, Splitter’s offense looks so much cleaner from a year ago. Blair seems to still have all his same bad habits on defense.
And RJ. He definitely has had his bad moments, but he was pretty consistent for what was asked of him. And again he came into this preseason with a solid jumper (maybe better).
Neither alone are why Spurs soley lose. It’ll never be that case. However, Spurs are strong at the wings now, but still weak at the bigs. Spotlight will be on Blair/Bonner much more.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
I’m sure it is partly due to the lockout, but last season we heard much more about what players had been working on in the offseason. RJ received personal coaching from Pop, and Blair was supposed to have worked on his outside shot. I recall just prior to the season opener seeing a news clip about Blair appearing at a local school, and he impressed them all by doing dunk after dunk. I figured then he had not made any progress on his shot.
It seems a good portion of the criticism has had to do with the amount of reaching fouls he picks up while trying for steals. I expect last night he wasn’t concerned about fouling out, but he had 4 fouls in his 19 minutes while getting his 3 steals.
That and by reaching a lot, teams tend to get easy baskets when you are late with the steal. This results in
1) an easy basket for the team inside or a 3-pt shot
2) a foul by a teammate trying to recover (a lot of times Duncan)
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
He improved (a lot when compared to the first game), but for him, standout games are not a problem. Blair’s problem is consistency and showing up when things get tough. If you watch the replay, you still see many of his bad habits in action, but playing with Duncan helps cover up a lot of that.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
I wouldnt mind bringing in Earl Barron and giving him a chance. 7 footer recently wavied by the knicks.
Do or do not! There is no try!
by Spurs Yoda on Dec 22, 2011 10:56 AM CST via mobile reply actions
In the post game show, Sean Elliot mentioned that he was an inch or two taller than Leonard but that Kawai’s reach was nearly 10" longer than Sean’s. He then said that you don’t block shots with your head but with your hands.
Also, you shouldn’t play defense with your face.
small ball will at least be bigger overall. - grego21
Pounding the Rock
J.R. its easy to talk good about a player when drafted, but then we lost to the grizzlies who clearly dominated ALL of our PF’s and C’s, not just Blair
I think you meant to reply elsewhere. Yes, this is true. However, it was really bad with Blair. And he wasn’t even in the same game shape he was when he started the season.
I’d argue if Blair had Bonner’s footwork (on D) combined with what Blair, Blair would be better. Bonner is not blessed with much, but he at least tries hard to follow the coaches.
Blair is in his 3rd year and this is a key year that usually signals a swing of a player in one way or another.
They say every time Pop smiles, an angel is told to stop being so fu--ing lazy and play some defense. -Hipuks 2/3/11
I don’t think Blair gets more criticism than he deserves. He gets his fair share. I would say Bonner, RJ and even Frenchie have gotten more criticism than Blair the past couple of season. The problem with Blair this season is that, like other people already mentioned, we were all expecting him to be a more complete player. Blair had a fairly good game against the Rockets but he did it by playing like the last season version of himself. And we all know that last-season Blair is not a dependable player to have.
"Deep down we all know that swagger comes hand in hand with insecurity. We strut not to convince competitors of our dominance; we strut to convince ourselves."
Matthew Powell
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