QuickCap #32 - San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Feb 21, 2012 11:22 PM CST
in Game Threads
Email
Print
Roll Call: DrumsInTheDeep, Tim C., Ayatollah, icewater, MikeyKosa, Josh Guyer (completely deck), spursfan87, In the 666, silverandblack_davis, indiancharlie, The Calvinator, TX2NC, Sh!fty, Iullaby, Alamo, TDzilla!, Bushka, anirontag, Manu-20, LatinD, juanlefuego, quincyscott, CapHill, cocanat, Reylan, FirebatM3, mission20, Edg5, chapnis, Spurs Yoda, set_aside, SpursCupcake, MiniMegaMoose, ptcashion, Confidant, Marky G, hurts2bgood, Trey Felder, Kondor, TexaninNYC, RobinHoodie, Kevin21, Easyrhino, theonlyromeo, ddog28, play_splitter, Chilai, M3D1T8R, cuentaluis1, The Augustus, MG20TD21, Spurlady, Argentinian Mamba, Fred Silva, seanthemonster, Big50, TecateBoltsFan, Dark Black, orangeblood11, TrooperJoe73, pablitoo, sleep research facility, violentdayzie, alamobro, WaveOcean, i luv this site, bluesteelxvii, eastbaysd, doubleteapot, janieannie, greyberger, bj1der
Total Users: 72
Total Posts: 1982
Total Threads: 4
| Name | # of Posts |
|---|---|
| SpursCupcake | 125 |
| CapHill | 116 |
| Spurs Yoda | 114 |
| anirontag | 113 |
| In the 666 | 107 |
| theonlyromeo | 90 |
| spursfan87 | 75 |
| hurts2bgood | 74 |
| WaveOcean | 69 |
| TrooperJoe73 | 60 |
| Chilai | 54 |
| DrumsInTheDeep | 54 |
| silverandblack_davis | 53 |
| eastbaysd | 48 |
| TDzilla! | 48 |
| MikeyKosa | 46 |
| LatinD | 41 |
| Kondor | 36 |
| chapnis | 35 |
| Kevin21 | 34 |
| TexaninNYC | 33 |
| Josh Guyer (completely deck) | 33 |
| icewater | 32 |
| play_splitter | 32 |
| doubleteapot | 29 |
| Sh!fty | 29 |
| Bushka | 29 |
| MiniMegaMoose | 26 |
| Manu-20 | 22 |
| Edg5 | 21 |
| juanlefuego | 19 |
| mission20 | 18 |
| Trey Felder | 18 |
| cuentaluis1 | 15 |
| Argentinian Mamba | 15 |
| TX2NC | 14 |
| The Calvinator | 13 |
| seanthemonster | 13 |
| M3D1T8R | 13 |
| indiancharlie | 13 |
| Iullaby | 12 |
| i luv this site | 11 |
| Marky G | 11 |
| Easyrhino | 11 |
| bluesteelxvii | 10 |
| Spurlady | 9 |
| Fred Silva | 9 |
| Big50 | 9 |
| orangeblood11 | 8 |
| alamobro | 8 |
| Dark Black | 7 |
| sleep research facility | 6 |
| set_aside | 5 |
| ptcashion | 4 |
| Ayatollah | 4 |
| MG20TD21 | 4 |
| pablitoo | 3 |
| Confidant | 3 |
| Alamo | 2 |
| Tim C. | 2 |
| ddog28 | 2 |
| quincyscott | 2 |
| RobinHoodie | 2 |
| janieannie | 1 |
| greyberger | 1 |
| bj1der | 1 |
| Reylan | 1 |
| The Augustus | 1 |
| violentdayzie | 1 |
| FirebatM3 | 1 |
| cocanat | 1 |
| TecateBoltsFan | 1 |
298 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
He wanted to show why JA wasnt getting any playing time
by hurts2bgood on Feb 21, 2012 11:24 PM CST up reply actions
makes sense. I knew he didn’t have the mental make-up to hang around, but damn! He showed another level of sucking ass tonight.
"Why didn't we draft Julyan Stone?" TJ73
by TrooperJoe73 on Feb 21, 2012 11:26 PM CST up reply actions
Pop bbeen reading PTR and we have been tough on him for not playing anderson
by hurts2bgood on Feb 21, 2012 11:28 PM CST up reply actions
He got to the hoop good but just couldn’t finish.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 21, 2012 11:51 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah I think you are right. I mean last year he couldn’t really drive well but now he drives solid. Especially going left but he isn’t athletic or savvy enough to get high % shots off.
I will admit I like the way he went strong to the hoop and tried to dunk those two times though. I couldn’t believe the fans at the Rose Garden tried to front like Gerald Wallace didn’t foul him on that one attempt.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 12:05 AM CST up reply actions
I can’t believe that Wallace fouled him like that up 40
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Feb 22, 2012 1:39 PM CST up reply actions
I actually can because Wallace only knows one way to play and that is hard.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 6:05 PM CST up reply actions
Oh Cap, we absolutelyy rock
"Now you know who I am or maybe you don't, you figure it out." - Tim Duncan
rock your body
Fans can make you famous, a contract can make you rich, the press can make you a superstar, but only love can make you a player.
- Madonna
heey now
"Now you know who I am or maybe you don't, you figure it out." - Tim Duncan
by SpursCupcake on Feb 21, 2012 11:25 PM CST up reply actions
Blame it on the a a a a alcohol
"Now you know who I am or maybe you don't, you figure it out." - Tim Duncan
by SpursCupcake on Feb 21, 2012 11:24 PM CST up reply actions
yknow she prolly wont get run over because cars would be in the middle of their own lane.
"Yes, it's important that I have good numbers, and I'm well-respected as a player. But I think it's more important that I'm respected as a man." - Some Tall Guy Who Wore #50
by theonlyromeo on Feb 21, 2012 11:26 PM CST up reply actions
It’s a girl?
"Why didn't we draft Julyan Stone?" TJ73
by TrooperJoe73 on Feb 21, 2012 11:27 PM CST up reply actions
it’s not?
"Yes, it's important that I have good numbers, and I'm well-respected as a player. But I think it's more important that I'm respected as a man." - Some Tall Guy Who Wore #50
by theonlyromeo on Feb 21, 2012 11:29 PM CST up reply actions
Nowadays? Could be a hipster boy.
"Why didn't we draft Julyan Stone?" TJ73
by TrooperJoe73 on Feb 21, 2012 11:48 PM CST up reply actions
Pop: "sorry Anderson, there isn’t enough room on the jet tonight. "
Do or do not! There is no try!
by Spurs Yoda on Feb 21, 2012 11:25 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Anderson: Luggage rack?
Pop: Find a bus.
"Why didn't we draft Julyan Stone?" TJ73
by TrooperJoe73 on Feb 21, 2012 11:29 PM CST up reply actions
137….great D
"You may be the NBA's poster child, but I am the Greatest Power Forward to ever live." - Tim Duncan's in-game message to Blake Griffin
by Dark Black on Feb 21, 2012 11:25 PM CST via mobile reply actions
looked like panties
"Why didn't we draft Julyan Stone?" TJ73
by TrooperJoe73 on Feb 21, 2012 11:27 PM CST up reply actions
I hope this wakes our FO up soon and gets Anderson and Blair gone soon
Do or do not! There is no try!
I’d release them tonight and pick up the best D-Leaguers tonight!
"Why didn't we draft Julyan Stone?" TJ73
by TrooperJoe73 on Feb 21, 2012 11:28 PM CST up reply actions
Welp, it’s been…inneresting!
Wouldn’t have wanted to share in this awesome game with anyone else but you guyss.
I heart y’all. And Vodka. Good night!!
"Now you know who I am or maybe you don't, you figure it out." - Tim Duncan
Peace out!
"Why didn't we draft Julyan Stone?" TJ73
by TrooperJoe73 on Feb 21, 2012 11:28 PM CST up reply actions
Pop and the Spurs wont forget they how late they played their starters in this game.
Do or do not! There is no try!
Wesley Matthews has an left ankle sprain. From the Dime Alert twitter: “Wesley Matthews has a left ankle sprain, apparently. You know, because a lead in the 40s is a time when he should still be in the game.”
I finally got a signature!!
THIS!!! As soon as I said I hope someone gets injured they did. But it doesn’t matter because they feel that they are SOOOOO DEEP NOW.
Do or do not! There is no try!
i dont really wish for anyone to be injured, but haha
"Yes, it's important that I have good numbers, and I'm well-respected as a player. But I think it's more important that I'm respected as a man." - Some Tall Guy Who Wore #50
by theonlyromeo on Feb 21, 2012 11:32 PM CST up reply actions
Well all the coaches should have the rule
If you are winning by 20-25-40 … Rest the starters or something
by cuentaluis1 on Feb 21, 2012 11:34 PM CST up reply actions
I admire pop
for HIS rule of “up OR down by 20-25-40” rest the fucking starters.
uh DUH!!!!!!!!
by HTown80 on Feb 22, 2012 2:14 AM CST via Android app up reply actions
So anyone last night who was asking for Anderson in the game instead of RJ. Now ya know.
by M3D1T8R on Feb 21, 2012 11:30 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Kawhi was the main guy in this game. His shot is’t there yet. So yeah, RJ will keep starting. Leonard off the bench isn’t a bad thing. The Spurs bench is a strength.
Winter is coming
Leonard looked good tonight and his pull jumper is actually pretty solid. You can tell he isn’t strong going left though. But he actually handles the ball solid for being so right hand dominate.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 21, 2012 11:54 PM CST up reply actions
Chip’s doing well. I expect Leonard to keep having games like this, but then have periods where his shot isn’t falling since it is being re-built.
Winter is coming
He has no ark on his shot. It’s either going in or bricking. LOL. But he showed that he can handle the ball decent and all the work he put in on his pull up jumper has actually paid off a little. You could tell he was way more comfortable shooting those than the 3’s he regularly has to shoot in the corner
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 12:03 AM CST up reply actions
I know we have the rights to this guy, but know nothing about this man.
"You and I have unfinished business." - Beatrix Kiddo
He is another older guy overseas that’s balling. The guy seems to be a really good player but he will be 30 in two years unfortunately.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 21, 2012 11:55 PM CST up reply actions
I wish he could have come over this year. He probably would have considering the Spurs size and his willingness to come over.
Winter is coming
He could’ve helped a lot this year but to be honest I prefer somebody younger to make the roster and learn. I just feel we don’t have to sell the future of the franchise short to win one more championship before Tim and Manu retire
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:21 AM CST up reply actions
No telling what’s going on with the guy. I hope he at least gets a chance to come over and play in the Summer League
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 21, 2012 11:54 PM CST up reply actions
I feel like the Spurs will bring over any guy that they have the slightest amount of interest in. it seems like a good year to do it.
Winter is coming
I think you are correct. I wouldn’t be surprised to see somebody in the Summer league make our roster like Neal last year and like Lin did with Golden State.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:22 AM CST up reply actions
&Erson brought his talents to Portland. Dawsonity is delayed for another game.
Both teams played hard
Or lack of talents? Didn’t exactly bolster his trade value. Maybe he plays well only with Dawnsonity.
Winter is coming
Now since Pop put us back under the radar by resting our main players, the rest of the West thinks that we suck again. Clever move Pop, clever move
"You may be the NBA's poster child, but I am the Greatest Power Forward to ever live." - Tim Duncan's in-game message to Blake Griffin
by Dark Black on Feb 21, 2012 11:35 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Gregory Popovich @FakeCoachPop
Portland is a great basketball town. They had 15,000 people tonight just to watch us practice.
"Yes, it's important that I have good numbers, and I'm well-respected as a player. But I think it's more important that I'm respected as a man." - Some Tall Guy Who Wore #50
by theonlyromeo on Feb 21, 2012 11:36 PM CST reply actions 5 recs
Haha
"You may be the NBA's poster child, but I am the Greatest Power Forward to ever live." - Tim Duncan's in-game message to Blake Griffin
by Dark Black on Feb 21, 2012 11:39 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I really wonder what we are going to do with JA now. I really want him and Blair gone for any semi decent 7 footer
Do or do not! There is no try!
still think we are gonna need the size down the road might as well get them in and get used to the system.
by play_splitter on Feb 21, 2012 11:44 PM CST up reply actions
I understand some of Pop’s thinking and it’s better he did this for a road game than a home game but that was a complete freebie. I’m not sure I could take something like that as well as you Spurs fans.
Anyways, we’ll you you guys later and hopefully play a real game. Wes and Ray are bench guys…not starters.
hello poorwebguy
after yesterday’s horrible game, i didn’t think your blazers had it in them.
Fans can make you famous, a contract can make you rich, the press can make you a superstar, but only love can make you a player.
- Madonna
The problem is Pop pushed the starters last game. Duncan and Parker played a lot, so the calculated odds were that the Spurs would drop one, especially after a physical one with Utah. Also, Portland plays the Spurs well, and it’s the Rose Garden. That and Portland also got hammered last night, so you’d play the odds that they’d come out strong.
I have Lamarcus and Batum on my fantasy team so the Spurs helped me there.
Winter is coming
Yeah it does make some sense. Seems a bit tough on the fans but, then again, you just had an 11 game win streak. Teams with decent records can spend one for playoff health I guess.
I think the toughest thing for us today was realizing that Anderson will not get 2 cents in a trade
by MiniMegaMoose on Feb 21, 2012 11:57 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Felton probably will have a better next year, but I feel like his coming to the season not in as good shape will cost him this season, especially since his confidence is low now.
Winter is coming
I agree. Seems like he came into things out of shape and flushed his mojo. I wonder if he’ll be with us next season though and he hasn’t done wonders for his trade value.
Well, Portland is interesting since they don’t have a PG. So Felton, could see it as a chance to get play time once again. I guess it depends.
Winter is coming
Too bad he won't be on our team next year
"What began as a credible protest against bank bailouts, crony capitalism and the like has, in large measure, been hijacked by crazies and criminals,"
by 92wastheyear on Feb 22, 2012 11:00 AM CST up reply actions
Pop’s plan was to showcase Mr. Anderson’s talents, so that we could trade him for somebody decent. It didn’t quite work. Also, Nate offered to buy 2 boxes of Pop’s wine if Tim&Tony sit out the game. So, Pop won at the end. And NBA TV lost, hopefully, they won’t show any Spurs games anytime soon.
Both teams played hard
We know life is good for us when we are so used to winning that we don’t care about throwing a game because all we want is a championship ring.
by MiniMegaMoose on Feb 21, 2012 11:52 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Yeah Wes and Ray are bench guys but Wallace isn’t. Not to mention Wes and Ray are regular rotation guys for the Trailblazers and not rookies or roster filler like what we had out there.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 12:00 AM CST up reply actions
we don’t have the depth of young guys that you guys have. Elliot Williams is looking like a solid surprise. Pop should probably bring some rotation players if you’re worried about the score. It really meant nothing. Just a gift win.
At least you guys set up your blow out losses. We’ve been massacred by Phoenix, the Wizards and even the Pistons this season.
I think Phoenix needs to find a little more balanced between vets and the young guys. I think that’s the difference on the road. I like a lot of what Portland has. Although they do need to keep Batum. I really want him on the Spurs. I’d love to see a set of wings of Batum and Leonard. That is my dream.
Winter is coming
Nic looks like he may be taking that next step this year. He has some post moves and weapons for getting his shot that are developing. I could totally see him on a team like the Spurs and he’d love playing with Tony.
Sprurs will have some money to throw at a guy. Batum seems like a guy to try for, and a free agent that might be attracted to playing with Parker. He’d likely get starting time since Leonard can play the 2.
I think for Batum, he needed Portland to settle down. I felt like there was so much ’talent" and then a lot of injuries that kept slowing momentum (like with Roy and Odom). Then you had Rudy, etc. Now I feel like as Portland has stabilized somewhat, Batum is getting his chance,.
The funny thing is if Pritchard didn’t take Batum, Spurs would have. that would mean no George Hill. With no George Hill and a big forward, Spur likely don’ tchase Leonard. Crazy…
Winter is coming
We’ve been massacred by Phoenix
…I love that story
of course not long after that you massacred us. and how dare you lump us in with the Wiz and the Pis…I thought we were cool bro?
I think you got us back by setting that Lakers massacre in motion lol.
Yeah Blazers aren’t that far ahead of your Suns. You get lumped into the “massacred us when it probably shouldn’t have happened” group but not in the “bad as the Wizards and Pistons” group. Sometimes the Nash magic is just too much to compete with.
Your boys were up by a ton and your coach still played Wallace, Wes and Ray some in the 4th quarter. We had the same dudes pretty much playing half the 3rd and all the 4th
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:14 AM CST up reply actions
I like Matthews. He’s a guy I’d want on the Spurs if they weren’t so deep now. Utah really missed him.
Winter is coming
I like him too. You can see him trying new stuff to add to his game. A lot of it is backfiring right now but I think he’ll get there. When he tries to get too fancy with attempting to create his own shot or handling the ball things tend to go haywire against good teams.
say the spurs and timberwolve agreed to this trade:
Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph, and Wayne Ellington to the Spurs for
Dejuan Blair, James Anderson, and Richard Jefferson.
Would anybody here like this trade? i know it’ll never happen but i just want to get to see what ur guy’s thoughts and trade recommendations would be
Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best -Tim Duncan
by Starscream210 on Feb 21, 2012 11:52 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Well, whether we fans like it or not, what reasons would Twolves have for taking RJ. They don’t gain the rights to amnesty RJ, so they would be stuck with him.
I feel like they’d want to keep their books relatively clean so that they can give big money to their youngins (outside of Love).
Winter is coming
They wouldn’t do it, obviously. But in the hypothetical that they did, I would hate it. I don’t want to root for Beasley. That would be almost as bad as trading for Birdman.
by MiniMegaMoose on Feb 21, 2012 11:55 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I think that it would be like trading RJ for RJ
I have no problem with anthony randolph, but I prefer a 5 Big
by cuentaluis1 on Feb 21, 2012 11:56 PM CST up reply actions
i am fully convinced that this roster (besides maybe dawson and/or james anderson) is what the spurs stick with to the end of this season. i don’t see them making any trades but at the same time i don’t see this roster getting very far into the playoffs, i wonder what’s going to happen in the upcoming off season.
Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best -Tim Duncan
by Starscream210 on Feb 22, 2012 12:06 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
There are only a few teams where the matchups don’t work with the current roster. They actually matchup well with OKC, so yeah.
There’s not much they could trade for without giving up current talent, which is a wash. So you don’t trade for the sake of trading…
One thing to note is in the post season Blair own’t play as much, so defense up front should improve.
Winter is coming
Beasley is a ball stopper, i don’t know he will fit in Pop system.
eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die
by koroisthebest05 on Feb 21, 2012 11:53 PM CST reply actions
Reply success!
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Feb 22, 2012 1:45 PM CST up reply actions
Hey, at least Kawhi got a double-double. And Dawson got to have fun finding out what the NBA is like.
+1
Thats a great way of thinking positive
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 12:01 AM CST up reply actions
Joseph looked super scary early but he calmed down some as the game wore on. If anything this game showed that we still need another big guy more than anything for defensive and rebound purposes.
Blair is really solid on offense but he still has a long way to go on defense
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 12:07 AM CST up reply actions
Nah, do Blair and JA for Ben Wallace. PG is something Spurs will need in a few years. TJ Ford doesn’t have that many years left with the Spurs.
Winter is coming
DaBeast > JoCer, there is no comparison. We need Blair this season, and we don’t need Joseph. In a few years, when we are deep in the lottery, we can pick up a real PG.
Both teams played hard
Ben Wallace would be a better choice than Blair, if I had to pick between two undersized big men.
Picking up PGs is not that simple. TJ is going to be a Spur maybe one or two more years at most, if this isn’t his last year. Joseph has pieces that fit what the Spurs do. Defense and shooting. He’s also got good speed.
Winter is coming
Ben is playing last year in the NBA. He would be a good 5th big man, but that’s it.
Both teams played hard
It’s likely going to take a big to get a big. Blair/Anderson would make the most sense.
Leonard is as big if not bigger than Blair. If you are going to lose something, that’s an area they can somewhat take on. Blair, even at his last year will likely be more consistent on D than Blair.
Blair, obviously is a much better offensive player.
Winter is coming
I still think that its better to have 5 Bigs in the rotation of PF/C
Blair is part of the spurs system right now, …Joseph NOT
by cuentaluis1 on Feb 22, 2012 12:29 AM CST up reply actions
I was thinking in 5 big for the spurs … to win it all this year
Blair sucks at defense, everybody knows that
Ben Wallace suck at offense, everybody knows that
It would be like RJ with the offense and Kawhi with the defense
We can find another Joseph in the future I guess
by cuentaluis1 on Feb 22, 2012 12:16 AM CST up reply actions
You can find 5 Josephs every year without even trying. Serviceable big men are relative rarity in the NBA.
Both teams played hard
Name these “5 Josephs” that you speak about. How many “good” point guards are there out there?
Are we speaking of current Joseph? If that’s the case, then most young picks are pretty useless.
Winter is coming
KLeo is not useless, Cubitz was not useless. I am sure half of D-league teams have PGs better than Joseph. 10 college teams probably have PGs better than Joseph. 25 foreign teams have PGs better than Joseph. Jeremy Lin is better PG than Joseph. Gilbert Arenas is better PG than Joseph. AI is better PG than Joseph. Some WNBA teams may have PGs better than Joseph. He is just a project, a long shot ever to become a good NBA PG.
Both teams played hard
Wow, that’s harsh and not true. He’s still very raw, but he’s not that bad. Gil is done. I’d bet on that. AI is done. If there were really good D-League PGs, they’d likely have been called up. But then like Anderson abusing D-League guys when he was coming back from injury, D-League is not always a tell tale sign either.
I never said he’s better than Hill, but Leonard is a better choice than Hill, so yes, it’s good they took Joseph at the late pick to fill in a probable hole in a year or two.
Winter is coming
In two years Joseph either would develop into a good player, or still be a project. Most likely, if we have Tony, Manu and TJ for two more years and reasonably healthy, he won’t get many minutes and won’t develop much. When he’d look for his next contract, he won’t be worth the money. We had that Euro guy, who left for Sacto, cannot remember his name now. That would be Joseph if he stays with us for that long.
Both teams played hard
We are also assuming that Tony and Manu will continue to play as many big minutes. Or TJ. Out of the 3, only TP is relatively young. As the Spurs continue to build their wings, I would expect pop to ease up on Manu as he does with Duncan. And then Parker, will likely see his minutes start to come down in the next few years. TJ, we’ll see how he does the rest of the year.
The problem with Beno, who left for Sactown, is he wilted under the pressure. He couldn’t handle Pop, like Parker could. that’s a big difference. Also Beno showed his stuff on a horrible Sactown team. Beno also was never known for his D.
if he didn’t wilt under pressure or could handle Pop I would have wanted him to stay, but he did not.
I would assume Joseph has at least next year in Austin. From there, Spurs will likely have a good sense of what they want to do with him.
I’ll bet on both CJ and Leonard to be good. obviously, Leonard super good and the best bet of all the youngins of the future.
Winter is coming
Yes, Beno Udrih. He wasn’t bad for the 3rd string PG, but not good enough to start or even be #2 PG for the Spurs. Joseph is just a kid. I don’t know how long he stayed in college, but he might use another year or two of college play.
Both teams played hard
He stayed for one year, but remember parker. he was 19. he had speed and international experience. That was it. Poor court vision and poor jump shot. So youth is not always a bad thing.
We fans always want those “young guys” but rarely have them. Usually they are foreign players who we leave there until they are about mid to late 20’s.
Winter is coming
NBA is brutal. Unless you are a freak of nature like Shaq or LeBron, you are lucky to get one chance to make it, much less another chance. Joseph is young now, but in two years it will be another 20 young PGs coming to the NBA and another 100 coming to other leagues around the world. JA had a potential, but he is already in a hole. Cubitz was pretty successful, and Pop loved his work ethics, but he is not with the team anymore. Joseph wasn’t even that talented to start from. He needs a lot of luck and effort just to stay where he is right now. He is about as likely to become a key reserve two years from now, as to play overseas. Remember, Blair was arguably the best big rookie of his year, and you are already calling for his head. Joseph is far far away from being the best rookie PG of his year, he is just in a different category.
Both teams played hard
Blair has had his years though. He played minutes in all of them. He’s displayed a lack of consistent effort and seems to have regressed. And then when you see that Bonner has improved and is likely have his best year, it makes me shake my heard even more.
I never said Joseph was the best PG of this year. Would I have taken Kyrie over him? Sure, but Spurs can’t get him from where they were drafting.
They were lucky enough to land Leonard, having the right piece to trade at the right time. They weren’t about to do with to move up to get Paul George and they weren’t able to move up to get Kendrick Perkins or Batum. It is what it is.
And Blair was solid as a rookie, but then there seems to be a huge slow down in his progression. This happened with Hill also, but Hill is a short 2 guard who Spurs tried to make into a PG. that didn’t work. The problem, is Neal is a short 2 guard, but a way better, more aggressive shooter. Then you had all the other wings that made him expendable.
JA in this case is falling into the same hole, but much quicker. Wings are the easiest of positions to fill. A real PG is not one of the easier ones.
Winter is coming
I’d think part of the reason that Blair has gone down since his rookie year is that he was made a starter. In his rookie year, it seemed he was played more selectively against lineups in which he might match up well, and against bench players. Now he gets the majority of his minutes against everybody’s starting lineup, regardless of how well he matches up against them. His weaknesses are more exposed as a starter, regardless of how much playing alongside Tim helps to cover them.
by Alamo on Feb 22, 2012 9:06 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
yes Parker was Young, without no experience in the NBA, without no jumpshot … but he was part of the rotation, he was part of the starting line
The only reason why Cory Joseph is playing right now is because TJ ford is injury and because manu is injury … He is not part of the spurs system
QWin is better PG than Joseph (may be, may be not). Garrett Temple is better PG than Joseph. Nando de Colo is better PG than Joseph. Manu Ginobili with a broken hand, broken nose, balding head and strained abdominal muscles is better PG than Joseph.
Both teams played hard
I don’t hate Blair, but he’s testing my patience as time goes by. It’s more that he has regressed than anything. he basically gets time because Spurs lack size, so I feel like he doesn’t work that hard to keep the time. This seemed to be very evident last year when he gained all that weight.
I feel like he’s been the anti-Bowen in terms of effort. I also feel like Bonner has improved a great deal (relative to former Bonner), and Blair hasn’t really improved. In fact as I mentioned, he regressed.
He has way better athletic gifts than Bonner, but tries to use his athletic abilities to out reach/out jump the opponents. I don’t know how much to blame the coaching staff or how much to blame Blair, but he should box out better by now.
Winter is coming
Blair has role player physique with star player mentality.
by doggydogworld on Feb 22, 2012 12:38 AM CST up reply actions
I wish Blair was the second coming of Tim Duncan or Charles Barkley. But if we don’t have him, we need to play somebody else, and we don’t have somebody else. Until we get someone to take on Blair minutes, we need to keep him.
Both teams played hard
Well, I’m not saying bench Blair. If he was going to be moved, I’d expect another big coming in. There’s no way you can trade a big and not get another big back.
I wish Spurs got another big to throw him some more competition because I don’t feel like it has any pressure, even with Bonner getting more minutes than him.
It’s like with Hill, his buddy gone now, he’s not fully into it.
Winter is coming
I am all for getting some competition for Blair, old Ben Wallace would be good both as a competition and as a mentor for a young guy. He would be a good partner, but not a good replacement for Blair.
Both teams played hard
When playoffs are around, that’s when yes, he would be a good replacement. Spurs aren’t going to go as deep. Even if Splitter and Duncan don’t play that much in the same lineups, they’l both man a unit and likely share some minutes too.
also, wallace will get more ref respect in the playoffs than Blair or even Splitter.
Winter is coming
I just want to mention that we need a 5th Big .. .we dont need to replace Blair
And the 2 players that we dont need right now are James Anderson and Joseph
.. If the spurs win the game ….it doesnt matter If pop wants to play Wallace instead of Blair … or play Blair instead of wallace
Trading Blair for Wallace, it would be like trading nash for TJ ford
I prefer to trade Joseph and Anderson for Nash
Wait? Nash for TJ Ford? that’s not even close. Nash is still a star, more in line with Duncan status, than Ben Wallace status.
Nearly any team would take Nash. not every team would take Wallace.
Now, I’d prefer front court depth, but I’d bet Detroit wants more size. They just got Knight for the PG position. So I think they’ll be just fne there.
Winter is coming
The point is, Detroit doesn’t need Big Ben, we don’t need JA and CJ, so it’s fair trade. I am sure Detroit would love to get Blair. If it’s JA + DB for Big Ben + Jonas Jerebko, I would think about it.
Both teams played hard
I doubt they’d throw away the first round pg that easily. if they wanted to cost cut, then they’d have traded down for a second rounder.
None of their young guys overseas are really PGs. Nando has some skills, but he’s slow and defense is not his calling card.
I know he’s crafty like a Brent Barry, but yeah. I don’t even think he’s that sure of a thing to ever come over. And viktor sanikidze who is being looked at again, is a 3.
Winter is coming
You can always get another PG in the draft, Joseph is not an NBA player right now, and TBH i just dont see much potential, even with Hill was struggling in Summer league, he had those long arms and lot of athleticism, you saw potential there, I dont see that in Joseph.
"He was just a young skinny guy who looked like a winner. We didn’t know he was going to be as good as he is."
—Popovich on Manu Ginobili
Ben Wallace? Isn’t he retiring at the end of the year? Why would we trade young guys for a dude who is on the down end of his career? That makes no sense what so ever
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:01 AM CST up reply actions
Ben can help us this season, JA is all but gone, Joseph would be easy to replace. Neither of the two would help us this season to get better.
Both teams played hard
So we throw away a guy who is only 19 and under contract for the next two years and a young 2 guard who could very well turn his game around for a dude who is about to retire? Especially considering how our back court guys keep getting injured? LOL. I’m glad you aren’t our GM and just a fan because we would be just like the Atlanta Hawks or Boston Celtics if it was up to you.
Ben Wallace had a solid game against the Spurs that I’m sure you seen which is making you think he still has a whole lot left. When the truth is games like those are just an aberration. The reason Wallace is retiring is not just because he has been in the league for awhile but also because his body is failing him. He hasn’t played a complete season in a little while
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:12 AM CST up reply actions
You must be some kind of expert in evaluating potential GM talents, though I don’t recall me applying to you for the job. In any case, JA is in the same boat as Big Ben, one is retiring, another is unrestricted. None of them would be available for us after this season, and I believe that Big Ben would be more useful, because of our problems with the bigs. Then the whole argument is whether CJ is a great asset, as grego things, or if he is a roster filler who would be easy to replace. I don’t think Big Ben has a ton left in his tank, I just think he could be a useful defensive presence for 10 minutes in some important game, and he may teach Blair how to play D while being undersized.
Both teams played hard
For all we know Anderson could be right back in a Spurs uniform next year. I know the possibility of that is very slim but there is still a decent amount of games left before the trade deadline and he could be one injury (Heaven forbid) or huge game away from getting serious minutes and contributing.
I just think it makes no sense to trade away young talent no matter how raw it might be for marginal aging talent unless it is truly all-star worthy talent. I like Ben Wallace especially when he was in his prime but to trade away young talent for a dude on the down side of his career who has told the world he is done after this season, just isn’t the smartest idea. If it was Kevin Garnett then yeah pull the trigger but Ben Wallace? Heck no. I mean at least if Garnett’s defense isn’t as great as usual he will still give you a few jump-shots
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:43 AM CST up reply actions
For all we know Anderson could be right back in a Spurs uniform next year.
“Unrestricted” means we can trade him now and then bring him back, if we like what we see. We are not losing anything, except for his services this season, by trading him now. He may benefit from the change of scenery, and we don’t need him for the remainder of the season. As you keep crying about the loss of “young talent” when he is basically gone after the season in any case (we have 1/30 chance of signing him, and his SO wants to be in Washington instead), this tells me that you may not understand, how the contract system in the NBA works.
Both teams played hard
The “contract system” might make the chances of signing him after trading him away 1/30, but by nature a player in that situation is not likely to sign again with a team that gave up on him. I doubt in such a case the Spurs would even make an offer. If they show some interest in keeping him, they might still get him to sign next year for a lesser contract. It might all depend upon whether if he is simply included in a bigger trade and his new team has little interest in him, or if a team trading for him is actually interested in him and wants to re-sign him.
It could be a matter of the Spurs needing to reevaluate how they draft players. Do they need to stick to players that have put in 4 years of college with solid coaching that are ready to contribute? It will be pretty rare to find players like Kawhi that might make a contribution immediately, and even he could use some more development. Anyone else and it would seem it should be expected to play a year or two in Austin first, yet the last draft pick I can recall spending much significant time in Austin was Ian some years ago. He needed two full years, but an injury and the rules only allowed him one.
The thing with JA is that he was not extended already, and he has requested a trade already. Trading him now is not “giving up on him”, it’s just doing what he asked for. He may look at another situation and decide that he really wants back. Most likely he is gone in any case, but keeping him until the end of the season doesn’t do us any good in terms of signing him during the summer. It’s not like trading someone who wants to stay (Malik Rose comes to mind).
Both teams played hard
You may be entirely correct, depending upon what is being said privately between Anderson and the Spurs. It’s been reported that his agent asked for a trade, though whether or not that means he is unhappy himself might be a different matter. If the Spurs have been telling him to hang in there and that they’re interested in bringing him back for a lesser salary and he might have an opportunity to earn back a spot in the rotation next season, then trading him is likely to close that door. If they’re telling him that he doesn’t fit in their plans beyond warming a seat on the end of the bench, it’s a different matter. I’m not sure that what’s being said publicly by other parties is an accurate reflection of their private discussions.
I agree with a decent amount of what you said in the post also. The only part I disagree with is the fact that his agent would actually ask for a trade without Anderson’s permission. You have to remember that the agents work for the players not the other way around.
My thing with everybody trying to ship him away for some aging stop gap of a player is the guy is one injury or awesome shooting streak from getting right back in the rotation. If for some reason his jumper starts to drop with more regularity he could take more of Green’s minutes and then all this trade talk B.S. would most likely be over. The guy would then have a great chance of being resigned by the front office. Of course if this does happen he would get crazy good offers from other teams but we truly don’t know what he would do if for some reason he started hitting shots and getting more minutes. The guy might stay for less pay to get more playing time in a system he understand and feels comfortable in.
Stranger things have happened
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 6:19 PM CST up reply actions
+1
Thank you!
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 6:09 PM CST up reply actions
I know what unrestricted means and I know how the contract situations work in the NBA & NFL.
I just think it is unwise to trade for a marginal player who has no upside and is about to retire. I’m not against trading Anderson but not for Ben Wallace or anybody that is similar to the scenario he would put us in.
Believe me if we could get a player who can actually contribute for a few years and might actually get better for James Anderson I would love to see the front office go for it.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 6:12 PM CST up reply actions
I wouldn’t say really solid, but the last 2 games were a lot better. Without really any go to guy, he came out of the game with only 10 points on 5-11 shooting. I did like that he only had one turnover though.
Only guy who was really solid was Leonard.
Winter is coming
Blair is a pretty solid offensive player especially for his size. He does a decent job of getting his shot off around taller players and if given the chance he can usually draw a lot of fouls. I’m not saying he is an all star but he most definitely is better than guys like Fasenko and Przybilla on offense
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:06 AM CST up reply actions
If he was a solid offensive player, he’d likely be already good trade bait. Most of his play relies on a lot of other players. He hits fairly well once given the ball, but even like Bonner, he heavily depends on others to get involved. Otherwise, it’s not a pretty sight.
He’s definitely better on offense than the guys you mention, but Przybilla is way better on defense. In terms of needs for the Spurs, I’d say that defense is a bigger key at this point.
Now his skill level on Spurs vs. another team is a lot different. He’d definitely be better on another team. He just doesn’t work well on the Spurs, not consistently enough. And I don’t think he ever will. Whether that’s his fault, Pop/coaching staff or a combo of both, I think it’s clearly evident that there are better options for both sides. Now, I was super excited that we got Blair out of Pitt. I really liked him out of college, but as a Spur, I don’t think he’ll do much more. I hope the best for him though (hopefully not with Lakers or Mavs though).
Winter is coming
You are right we sure as hell don’t know how good he will be anywhere else but I think he would get at least a little bit of minutes on damn near every team in the league.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 6:28 PM CST up reply actions
He’d get more minutes, but defense wouldn’t be as stressed on most other teams. He’d also get to be a bit more wreckless. Spurs pride themselves on not making many mistakes (fouling, turnovers, good passing, good defense). A lot of these qualities Blair doesn’t do and Pop doesn’t play him much because of that.
I think Blair would have a better career elsewhere. See, I don’t hate him, but I don’t think he fits as well with the team as he would elsewhere. Obviously, there are other teams that he’d have trouble with too. Spurs are just one of the bad ones for him to be on.
Winter is coming
Actually I didn’t say he would get More minutes I just said he would get minutes. LOL.
I agree with damn near all your points from above I just think he is a solid offensive player and you said he isn’t.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 9:13 PM CST up reply actions
Because he isn’t. He’s ok, but if he was solid, then you would know that you could expect things to happen, scoring wise. With Blair, you don’t know if that is going to happen.
Just quickly glancing at some of the sites, nothing really shows he’s improved much on offense. It actually says he’s regressed since his rookie year and even since last season.
rookie year:
TS% = .564, EFG = 55.6, per 17.7, offensive rating: 108, off reb % = 16.0
On court: +3.2, +6.2
Current year:
TS% = .528, efg = 51.6% , per 16, offensive rating: 103, off reb% = 13.1
On court: +0, off court: + 8.5
Resources: Basketball Ref, HoopData, 82Games
Winter is coming
Rookie year stats were vs. benchwarmers, current year is vs. opponents starters.
by doggydogworld on Feb 22, 2012 10:46 PM CST up reply actions
He’s been assisted more right at the rim than ever. Good passes from Parker, Duncan and Manu. So he’s got the chances to make good decisions.
His stats are down from last year as well. Although, you could argue, that playing with the starting lineup should help him in some areas, like +/-. Like last season, with Manu in the starting lineup, that 5-man unit did pretty well. Blair was the only bad apple from that unit.
Winter is coming
Why? Because Spurs have certain demands. The team doesn’t fit his skill set, that’s why he’s the least versatile guy on the floor. He can’t play with Splitter. He can play with Duncan and small ball (which is horrible for team D).
I’m being positive about him though, saying he’d like prosper elsewhere. I think the Spurs system hurts players if they can’t adapt enough. RJ is a good example of that. Don’t get me wrong though.I never thought RJ was great. I thought he was a decent player.
Winter is coming
You kind of helped my point some what with the post you have above.
We know he isn’t too great at creating his own shot but to be truly honest it isn’t like he gets a whole lot of touches or tries in actual game situations to see how effective he might be. I mean yeah the team gives him the ball but it isn’t like he is even the 3rd focal point on offense 90% of the time.
I as well as all of us have seen glimpses of what the guy is capable of on the block and to be honest he isn’t that bad. I agree his defense leaves a lot to be desired but being on a team where you aren’t really relied upon to create shots doesn’t necessarily prove a person can’t create shots. I mean I’m sure a lot of us thought Tiago couldn’t create shots until with the 2nd unit this year he actually sometimes got the ball in the paint and was like fuck it I’m shooting. LOL.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 6:27 PM CST up reply actions
Well, I’m not saying give him away for peanuts. I’d be made if if were just waived or amnestied (not that he will, but the idea of it). I’d take him over Ike any day. I don’t think they should re-sign him though. Spurs need to think bigger. And they should sign another big regardless of Blair.
Winter is coming
You want to be patient with Joseph, but you have no patience with Blair. You don’t want to give him away for peanuts, but you are ready to see him walk away for nothing. This just doesn’t make sense to me. I say until we have somebody to take away Blair’s minutes and make him irrelevant, I’d like to have him on the team. May be Lorbek will answer our prayers, or may be he’ll stay in Europe or be the biggest flop ever. Until we get an adequate replacement I’d cling to Blair with all his deficiencies. I would rather have 5 useful bigs on the team, but right now we are limited, and I don’t think we can afford parting with any of our bigs without getting a sure bet in return.
Both teams played hard
Joseph is in his first year with one year of school. Blair was pretty awesome at Pitt. Heck, if not for the ACL, he’d have been picked up in the 1st round. Maybe the lottery…
Joseph was never going to go lottery. He was a one year player and never was as big in college.
now, anderson is the better comparison player, for college level. He was big in college.
Then, Blair had a solid rookie season. Now, he’s regressed each of the last 2 years. His D looks just as bad. He might reach less, but he still doesn’t box out that well. he still gambles far too much. Bonner’s improved his D, and that’s bad if Bonner’s improved and you look worse. Credit to Bonner for improving, but Blair, what about him?
He has the body to box out (see Kevin Love). His lower body strength is amazing even though he’s not a big jumper.
Also, now with Leonard and Green, I feel like Blair’s positives are becoming less and less. Leonard more so since he’s more a forward, but Green is a good example of a smaller guy who uses his footwork and smarts to put himself in the position for a rebound.
Now, if Joseph gets worse the next 2 seasons, then yes, he should be cut.
I felt like Hill was the other Spur who started to hit his ceiling last year. Obviously not as drastic and he still had way more impact than Blair has ever had. But it makes sense Spurs moved him for Leonard. But then I think Leonard is something special so that alone is worth it.
Even though I liked Blair in college and thought he would help the Spurs, I don’t think that much anymore. There is a point where it just doesn’t work. I liked Garret Temple too, but he couldn’t improve, and then lost his confidence. It was right to cut him loose. Same with Alonzo Gee. same with Beno, who just couldn’t get across court with full court press. Heck, Neal/Green are just as good, even though that’s not saying much.
Now Beno in Sactown, when he didn’t have all the pressure is a better PG than either of the two, but he didn’t fit well on the Spurs.
Now, if Lobek was a Spur this year, I have a feeling that blair would see less minutes per game (in games where Duncan was active). Lorbek would have been a Spur this year if not for the lockout. I think he’ll be over next year. He’s too old to not bring over now. Now or never so to speak.
So turning this around….
with Blair, you think he should be on the team because 5 bigs are useful. Spurs are nearly as weak at the PG position. Neal and Green shouldn’t play PG much. Joseph isn’t ready yet, but in a year or two, if he progresses then it’ll be a good move. So that’s why I’m on CJ’s side.
Now, I want Blair to succeed, but he doesn’t strike me as putting in the time to really do it.
Winter is coming
Bonner’s improved his D, and that’s bad if Bonner’s improved and you look worse.
Bonner is much smarter than Blair, he understands the system much better and understands his strengths and deficiencies much better. Blair’s BBIQ is like Bonner’s athleticism – MIA. Still, Blair is young, and I hope he can still learn. May be it’s a wishful thinking on my part. Whether he improves or not, he brings some things to the team – energy, offensive rebounding, soft hands, wide body, 6 fouls in the paint, and at least against Jazz he got two charges. The charges are extremely important, if he manages to get them consistently, he would become a valuable defensive contributor. Other things are important too. Last season Pop paired the aging, defensive-minded Duncan, with the ancient, defensive-minded Dice. While you cannot spell Duncan or Dice without D, it left no D for Bonner/Blair combo, and no energy, offensive rebounding for the starters. It was a bad idea, and it backfired. Blair had multiple good games for the Spurs, including this season, and I am not ready to give up on him. At least not until we have somebody taller and better to play in the paint instead of him.
Both teams played hard
Well if we want to use the young excuse, you have Green and Leonard picking up things really well. I mean Leonard hasn’t even had a real training camp and nearly any training camp. that’s impressive even though I think he’s something special.
But Green and Neal running the PG decently is another thing that I’m a little surprised about.
But then there’s James, going the way of Blair, not improving, but regressing in a much smaller sample size. So 2, not so good, 3 good.
The thing about Blair though is he can pass well at times, so he has something going on with his IQ. I guess that’s what baffles me more. Why is it only limited to passing sometimes? Is it because they are obvious targets?
I haven’t given up on Blair. I hope he’s the finals MVP if the Spurs make it that far. Heck, I’d rather take crow for a year..
Winter is coming
I think, the biggest Blair’s problem is that he is impatient and is trying to do too much sometimes. And he has difficulties understanding how to play team D. But again, if he starts getting charges, as he did against Utah, he’ll be a decent defender. He is just a few friendly whistles away in this respect. But when we compare him to &Erson, there is a big difference. JA is 2/3, and we have enough depth at these positions to make him expendable. We don’t have enough depth at 4/5 to make Blair expendable. I keep repeating it again and again, and may be eventually this arithmetic argument will somehow catch up: we have 4 big men to man 2 positions. So we are just two-men deep at each of them, and on top of that we’d like to limit Timmy’s mimutes, and Splitter is out. At 1 we have Tony-TJ-Manu-Neal-Joseph when healthy, at 2 we have Manu-Neal-KLeo-Green, at 3 we have RJ-Green-KLeo-JA. Evidently, there is some overlap, but we are at least 3 men deep at 1-3, and we are just 2 men deep at 4-5.
Both teams played hard
you think he should be on the team because 5 bigs are useful. Spurs are nearly as weak at the PG position. Neal and Green shouldn’t play PG much.
Look, we have 4 guys to man 2 big positions, 4 and 5. We have TP, TJ and Manu in front of Joseph for a single PG position. Of course, 2 of these guys are now injured making us thin, but I hope this is temporarily. Also, Neal played very well with Tiago as a PG. I saw more from him than I saw from Joseph that I liked. Hey, I am ready to wait for Jo’s development, exactly because we are rather deep at 1 (when healthy). But he is useless for us this season, other than roster filler and blowout player. Blair is useful for us because we are thin up front. So, Blair > Joseph.
Both teams played hard
Yes, but who’s injured? Manu and Ford. Whether they are injury prone or not, they are injury unlucky.
You can’t expect Ford to be a Spur for more than 2 more years. Manu can’t keep playing the way he does for as many minutes. he’s already unlucky as it is.
(Real) PGs and bigs are the hardest positions to get quality players from.
Neal played well with Tiago, but he struggles against ball pressure from decent to good defenders. Utah against Earl Watson was a good example of that. Heck, he got a T-foul in that game due to Watson’s pressure.
Neal needs to learn the PG though. His D isn’t good and he’s never going to get big minutes unless he can find ways to get in the game. So it’s the smart thing to do, to become like a Brent Barry/Manu 2 guard who can also pass.
I don’t really care that Blair is better than Joseph because it wouldn’t matter, even if Blair was a superstar. the positions are so different.
Now, if we go Leonard vs. Blair, I’d take Leonard every day of the week. that is a more apt comparison. Even Green vs. Blair would likely be a better comparison, since they are both rotational players and starters. Although, both Leonard and Green earned their starting.
Blair is kind of handed it by default. And I think this is part of the problem. I feel like he has less motivation to work hard since he starts by default. Bonner should start, but then the bench unit is weakened without him.
Winter is coming
If we are talking 2014, I don’t know, I am too short-sighted to look that far. I don’t know if you noticed, but we didn’t have Tiago for the Jazz game, so Neal’s struggles in that game have nothing to do with my observation that he is playing well with Tiago. It’s all about matchups and who fits well together. I saw several Neal/Tiago plays that made me wanting more of that. But I would rather have Neal playing 2, with Tony/TJ/Manu sharing PG duties.
Also, I like Bonner coming from the bench and playing with Tiago, they fit well together, as well as Tim and Blair fit well together. I should say I was pleasantly surprised by our bigs this season before Tiago’s injury. Duncan has been superb, Tiago was better than expected on offense and Bonner played better than expected D. I would welcome a bit more depth up front, but so far our bigs were as good as you could reasonably expect or better.
Both teams played hard
I was referring to Neal as a PG in general. Yes, he plays well with Tiago. Not to take anything away from Neal, but honestly, outside of George Hill, all other guards do well with him. Parker has improved his passing a great deal the past few years, but Splitter has definitely made his life easier. He’s definitely helping Parker’s fantasy numbers too!
Going back to Neal, my main point was, although he’s handling the PG at a decent level, he’s not a PG. he’s a decent stop gap solution, but definitely not Roger Mason JR (My gosh…)
It’s all about matchups, but there are some that but some guys make others look better. Duncan of course makes everyone look better. Manu as well. Jason Kidd also (Kenyon Martin owes him probably a few more million. RJ as well).
Spurs frontline improves have been Splitter healthy and Bonner’s improvement, but the depth is still weary and will be exposed by the right team in the post season. Spurs need to hope they keep the 2nd or 3rd seed. The 1/8 and 4/5 matchups will likely have the Lakers and Dallas. If Portland or Minnesota make it, they’ll likely be the 8th seed.
Now, back to 2014, I’m always thinking forward. I’m always thinking about the overseas guys who can potentially do something. Honestly, two more, Joseph is like the foreign guys, just local.
But PGs are not a dime a dozen. Neither are 4/5s. Wings, like JA (sadly) and RJ, are the most common. Undersized bigs (but with more athleticism than in the old days of Malik) are becoming more common too. Or they are tall 2/3’s, like a Batum, Ryan Anderson (even though he plays the 4 position).
Now, I guess PGs are not that uncommon, if we really consider Derek Rose and Westbrook PGs, but then I guess even then those type of guys are rare. Irving looks like the new comboish guard.
Rondo is a passing version, but lacks the tools that Rose/Westbrook have. I guess, although Nash is gone in a few years, at least Rubio is here.
Winter is coming
I think some of Blair’s struggles this seasons may be due to Manu’s absence. We all saw that Blair played noticeably better with Manu in past two years. Blair may have suffered more than anyone from Manu’s injures. RJ may have suffered somewhat as well. They are two guys who needed Manu around to play their best ball, while Tony’s game has always been very Timmy-centric when he plays with Timmy. This is another reason to have our starting 5 of Timmeh-Blair-RJ-Manu-Tony. With Tiago, TJ, Matty, KLeo, Neal and Green coming from the bench, we have a very potent team overall when everyone is healthy.
Both teams played hard
He doesn’t get a whole lot of touches because he’s not good at creating his shot.
That said, he actually has a decent usage percentage for the first quarter, when they go to him early. It’s the only time they should because the turnovers/bad decision making are easier to deal with at the beginning of the game.
That said, this is why the bench sometimes gets pulled in earlier because Spurs dig a hole doing this.
He also doesn’t pass out enough to re-post. I’d be more wiling to be forgiving if he’d do that. His patience is just not consistent enough.
For someone learning the offense on that side, you’d think he’d do everything fundamentally right to try to make himself look good.
Possibilities when he gets the ball (when it’s not a relatively easy bucket):
+If it’s a setup where he doesn’t hold the ball/dribble a lot, and he’s got decent spacing, it tends to be positive.
+If he gets it in the post and dribbles a lot, usually it’s a turnover, a bad shot, or a foul (even if it’s not a charge, a foul after he loses the ball)
+Get blocked (against the bigger, more athletic teams – Twolves, Chicago, Portland, OKC in Perkins era).
He’s not a ball hog, but his decision making is shakey. If he were smarter with the ball he could get away with some stuff a bit more. he might pass decently, which is good, but then he completely negates that with stuff like trying to shoot over two tall guys, which can happen pretty commonly.
Now take Kawhi, who tends to pass that out when he sees he doesn’t have a show.
Now, as for glimpses, yes, he’s shown them. Even Michael Olowokandi and Brian Cook have shown glimpses. Heck, Bonner has too. However, I wouldn’t keep feeding him to drive in with that running hook (even if it is improved).
Glimpses are nice, but Blair shouldn’t continue to be feast or famine. And that, is the biggest problem. It’s either a nice statistical game or really poor. But even in some of those nice stat games, if you see the game, you see a lot of bad decision making or bad D. That’s a lot of times why his +/- shows badly.
I thought Tiago could create shots. His shots were weaker last year, but he had the opportunities setup pretty well. It’s just his finish was bad. Blair’s is up and down, but with Tiago, he looked like he put in the time and bolstered that.
But even with Tiago not making shots, his decision making (aside from keeping the ball too close ot his knees so he gets picked by guards) is pretty good. He knows when to pass out and to keep his arms up on D.
But to my point in I think he’ll do better elsewhere. I think he will, because he has some skill. Spurs will never fully utilize his skill set. Not unless Duncan is moved for Aldridge or some other shooting big. And Splitter’s jump shot is likely not going to be something ever.
Blair on this team is just not versatile. He can only really play with Duncan. Otherwise, the units of Bonner/Blair or Blair (as the big) are not too strong defensively, even if offensively they might fair ok.
Winter is coming
Oh I agree about Blair’s decision making being really shaky. But i think it also has to do with the fact that he doesn’t think he is going to get many chances. i mean Tiago is kind of the same way accept he hits harder shots and has better foot work. I’ve seen Tiago a decent amount of times say forget the B.S. I’m not passing out because I will not get it again and he takes a tougher than normal shot. LMAO.
The only big who really gets a decent amount of plays is Timmy (which is understandable) and even he sometimes has to say I’m not kicking it back out because I think I can take this chump guarding me.
But yeah i agree with damn near all your points on Blair and i wonder the same things you are pointing out, like why does he take such difficult shots or why is he not kicking the ball out and reposting. I think that stuff all the time but when I see him burying the guy checking him under the basket and he doesn’t get the ball or him sealing a fronting man perfectly without back side help and he doesn’t get the ball then I kind of understand why he sometimes does selfish stuff.
I mean his rational is probably “if I hit this shot, maybe they will look for me more”
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 9:12 PM CST up reply actions
I think that stuff all the time but when I see him burying the guy checking him under the basket and he doesn’t get the ball or him sealing a fronting man perfectly without back side help and he doesn’t get the ball then I kind of understand why he sometimes does selfish stuff.
The problem here is answered by his faults that you mention above. It’s hard to trust giving him the ball when you think he won’t pass back out to repost, or will take the first pass because that’s always the best one, which it isn’t.
Since he’s not patient too often, I as a PG would think about passing to him if I know he’s not likely to pass it back out, even if he has the guy pinned.
Playing with Timmy, one of the best passer/re-posters/readers of double teams, I think Blair should be better than he currently is. I mean it’s Timmy Duncan. It’s not like it’s Dwight Howard…
Winter is coming
He can only really play with Duncan.
Yes, this is true. But it is not a bad position to be in. Blair is a good fit with Duncan, and as long as Duncan plays as an all-star, Blair should start next to him. I still believe that Pop’s decision to start Dice last spring was the biggest reason for our struggles, beside Manu’s injury. Likewise, if Pop will start our two best bigs, Duncan and Splitter, together, we’ll be in trouble again. Our best chance is with Blair playing with Duncan only, and Splitter and Bonner coming from the bench (they actually play well together, but each of them can play some minutes with Duncan as well). Roughly speaking, I would think of 12 minutes each of Duncan/Blair, Tiago/Bonner, Tim/Bonner and Tim/Tiago. Depending on the matchups and who is hot, the minutes can be adjusted, but in general I see it as our four principal big man combinations.
Both teams played hard
How is this not bad? He hurts Splitters time because Blair can’t fit with Splitter.
He can’t fit with Bonner because his D is bad. Bonner helps give him spacing inside, but Bonner’s post game doesn’t draw in the defenders much. This is where his weak/inconsistent decision making hurts him, in this lineup or the one below.
He can’t be the only big because his D is bad. And his post game isn’t really anything. He can roll with a good passer, but he has to get fully to the basket. There is no pick and pop. So the defender can lay off of him and clog the lane, blocking a Manu or Parker.
Now, Splitter/Duncan lineup has had its issues too. It’s D is good, but the offense slows down, so yeah.
Blair also was putting on weight around the time Pop switched him for Dice. So even if the move took away his confidence, his bad work/ethic/eating habits also became bad.
The things that bug me the most about Blair is his inability to blockout, especially with the type of body he has, his reliance on his arms/athletic ability, rather than using his brain/footwork. And his work ethic from last year. It’s not like he didn’t have solid role models with Duncan and Dyess.
Winter is coming
He hurts Splitters time because Blair can’t fit with Splitter.
No, he doesn’t. It’s not like Blair plays and Splitter sits typically. Blair hurts his own time, because he doesn’t fit well with Splitter. His loss, Bonner’s gain. But what hurts Splitter is that he doesn’t, at this point, plays very well with Duncan. He looks much more comfortable when he is the 1st option in the paint, both on offense and defense. So his minutes with Duncan are limited, and he mostly plays with Bonner (a very good fit, they two together).
Both teams played hard
It’s not all Blair who hurts Splitters time. It’s duncan too, since Duncan/Splitter play a lot of minutes.
However, in terms of managing minutes, pop can’t play Duncan/Splitter too much (except closing games) because the minutes would result in Bonner/Blair. The problem with closing games is you want effective units on both ends of the court. Maybe with Manu back, then Pop can roll with TD/TS?
In no way am I saying the only way Splitter doesn’t play is that it’s Blair. he doesn’t work as well with Duncan, offensively, but defensively, it’s the best unit.
So really it’s down to
Duncan/Blair – early lineup, with physical play. Decent D
Duncan/Bonner – great spacing, decent D (if just looking at rodeo trip)
Duncan/Splitter – limited sample size so far, but solid D, stagnant offense
Spliter/Blair – bad on both ends.
Splitter/Bonner – decent D, really good offense
Blair/Bonner – great spacing, horrid, horrid D
Blair fits the least amount of effective units, and that’s the problem. Even though Duncan/Splitter sucks offensively, they at least give (so far) the best defensive look.
Against a Twolves or Grizz or Lakers, Pop might be forced to do a Duncan/Splitter lineup, or call in Splitter early off the bench giving that unit some life.
Winter is coming
I agree with your assessment of the units. It means two things:
1) we have 4 useful units – TD/DB, TS/MB, TD/MB and TD/TS. TS/MB may be our best O, and TD/TS is our best defense.
2) the minutes kind of make sense. GOAT PF can play with anyone, and Blair should have less minutes than anyone because he can only play with the GOAT. As long as we can successfully play TS/MB with the second unit (I am optimistic about that), we don’t need to run Timmeh into the ground.
Also, playing TD/DB unit lets Timmeh to concentrate on D, because DeBeast is a potent scorer and offensive rebounder. It makes sense for the starting unit, because we have other weapons (TP, Manu, RJ 3-pointers) offensively.
Both teams played hard
Joseph sucks. That’s all there is to it. I’m not sure if he still has significant upside. Right now, he’s just roster filler.
I would like to get a little more inside, myself -- Pau Gasol
by silverandblack_davis on Feb 22, 2012 12:12 AM CST up reply actions
Sucks now. I have a good feeling on him. Bet for 2-3 years from now? He had a solid year at Texas. He needs time and should be in Austin though.
Winter is coming
should be in Austin though
….. getting more pointers from Rick Barnes….
by doggydogworld on Feb 22, 2012 12:14 AM CST up reply actions
So do I, but I think they’ll run out of runway. He needed another year in college.
by doggydogworld on Feb 22, 2012 12:22 AM CST up reply actions
That might be too long, and even then he could barely be a backup point. I’d love to be proven wrong though, but for me right now he belongs in the D-League.
I would like to get a little more inside, myself -- Pau Gasol
by silverandblack_davis on Feb 22, 2012 12:16 AM CST up reply actions
He does, but TJ and Manu aren’t healthy. I was the first to say that TJ was a good move and way better than Ford. I also thought Joseph would be in Austin, until the injuries came along.
2-3 years is fair. If Spurs aren’t rebuilding, it would be wise to keep TJ for another year or two, unless he can’t play anymore. Also, in those years, Parker will be winding his career down.
Winter is coming
At least by that time, we’ll have the backup PG spot down pat with CJ :P
I would like to get a little more inside, myself -- Pau Gasol
by silverandblack_davis on Feb 22, 2012 12:42 AM CST up reply actions
You got it. Not closing the book completely on CJ, but I’m keeping my mad-eye on him.
I would like to get a little more inside, myself -- Pau Gasol
by silverandblack_davis on Feb 22, 2012 12:51 AM CST up reply actions
I’m going to ride my feelings as I did with Green (positive) and Blair (not the good side though). I was wrong with Anderson, at least for the Spurs, but I think he’ll be good. I thought Batum will continue to grow, and he has. And Paul George is another guy I really like. So :)
Now if the FO’s would just hire me… ;)
Winter is coming
If we go back to Parker, he came in with speed and international experience, but that was pretty much it. His shot was poor, his court vision was poor. He was like a small 2 guard who could pass a little bit. :)
Winter is coming
But Parker had at least that elite speed going for him. Joseph looks very ordinary. Maybe defense will be his meal ticket, but he can’t play PG that way.
I would like to get a little more inside, myself -- Pau Gasol
by silverandblack_davis on Feb 22, 2012 1:05 AM CST up reply actions
In no way do i think he’ll ever be Parker though. I’m just saying, young guys tend to be very raw, especially at the level the Spurs tend to draft out.
Parker’s position was forced or move on. So he showed it. that was cool. Leonard is in that position half way. With Manu’s injury he’s had more chances than he likely would have had this season.
Joseph has got good speed. not blazing fast speed, but good speed. he’s got good size and and a good head. Spurs staff also had a son on his team. So they got a good amount of info on him.
After doing research, he had a good 3pt college jump shot and his defense was good. That’s a nice thing to have.
Even if Westbrook and Rose aren’t real point guards, getting a defensive PG is a good thing.
Assuming Leonard at the very least is one of the wings of the future and someone, maybe Green is also, the Spurs have a lot of guys to build around defense. They might not be able to build around a Duncan any longer, but they could at least try to go outside-in, which would give them a Memphis type team. obviously, they’d eventually want to find a guy who plays defense inside as well. But it doesn’t hurt to have strong wings like Leonard at least in this new generation of players.
Now in terms of PGs, there aren’t a lot of good ones because it’s a tough position. I mean, yes, there are the hardcore scoring guards like Rose or Westbrook, but there are very few that are like CP3 (as meh as he can be on the court) or Parker, these past couple years.
Winter is coming
In no way do i think he’ll ever be Parker though.
that’s why it would be easy to replace him.
Both teams played hard
We don’t truly know what Joseph can be yet. The jury is still out on the young guy
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:19 AM CST up reply actions
But just because you aren’t Parker, doesn’t mean you should be let go that quickly either.
Winter is coming
I am not saying let us just donate him to the Pistons as we donated Scola (a real asset) to the Rockets. But if we can get something useful in exchange, I am for it. Think about it, there will be another draft next summer and summer after it, we have some international rights, and we are going to have some money, whether we keep RJ or not. What are the chances that we won’t be able to find another young PG as good or better than Joseph? May be the best we can do is to trade him for better spot in the draft as we did to get KLeo, or may be the best we can do is to trade him now, while he still have potential, for an immediate help up front. I am having difficulty picturing Joseph as a long-term solution for our 2nd string PG problem. I think it’s much more likely that he is not with the team 2 years form now, and that we don’t miss him all that much.
Both teams played hard
And I never said that Joseph is un-tradable. I say that mostly about Leonard, and really he’s the only young I wouldn’t trade unless you are packaging him in a super deal. Otherwise, he’s the only young I wouldn’t trade for just about anything.
I do hope the Spurs try and chase Batum in the offseason. He’s not a super big name, but solid. He also is buddies with TP. He’d be a nice wing to fit with Leonard.
As far as PGs go, if Spurs called it right, and they do more often than not, finding a good PG is not easy, especially for the Spurs demanding system.
Winter is coming
KLeo is a keeper, no doubt. I like Batum as well, but who knows how the offseason will play. We still have a season to win and a postseason to lose though.
Both teams played hard
Completely agree. I think the Spurs are in really good shape, even with their current roster and some of the weird back stories. Well as long as they are healthy, which has been a challenge in recent years…
Winter is coming
The health is my biggest concern when I think about future postseason. We look more and more like a fine china shop rather than a sports team.
Both teams played hard
Amen
I agree 100%. I think some people don’t understand others rationale.
I just don’t believe we trade any of these young guys for any old thing. We should be trying to get something back some what useful for more than a year or two
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 6:30 PM CST up reply actions
By my calculations, there is a 71.4% chance that Pop also throws the next game away, giving his star players an extra three days of rest to add to the All star break ( which begins immediately after the road trip )
A man gets the eye of a Tiger, but a Tiger gets the eye of a Manu.
man, I should have stuck around and finished the game in the threads.. Could have won the comments contest… Anyway, Spurs are now one of the headlines in NBA.com… It says “Streak snapped in big way” Sheesh.
shit happens.
there’s throwing a game, and then there’s pop throwing a game. i’m glad i didn’t watch it, and i think i’ll pass on watching a replay on league pass. in fact, i think i’ll pass on remembering this even happened.
this space left intentionally blank.
by sleep research facility on Feb 22, 2012 12:11 AM CST reply actions
Leonard had a nice game, if you do happen to watch at all. Also portland shot super well in the first half. I expected this after Lakers trashed them last night.
Winter is coming
Most NBA teams have players that can score when left wide open.
Kawhi creates his own shot better than I expected. Much better than RJ. Doesn’t matter for this year, RJ is the better catch-and-shoot guy which is what we need. But Kawhi can be really good down the road. Impressed with how he adjusted after Gerald Wallace abused him early.
by doggydogworld on Feb 22, 2012 12:20 AM CST up reply actions
Well, Crawford is streaky, but can go really off, which he did tonight. Portland just hit everything which was a good bounce back for them after getting trashed against the Lakers the previous nice. So yeah, it was the perfect bet by Pop.
I like that RJ is a Spurs at least for one more year. It puts less pressure on Kawhi in my mind. Now he can ease his way in and earn minutes rather than being forced to take on minutes.
Anyway, I feel like Leonard will be big as I said in another thread. Once Leonard gets that jump shot down, he’ll be super dangerous.
Winter is coming
I feel like this started with the suns @ lakers game
Suns get demolished by the lakers in an ugly loss.
Suns (all pissed off) Then SPANK! the lakers the very next game (Kobe cries everyone is happy)
Lakers turn around and embarrass the the trail Blazers in their next game
I’m guessing the Spurs will now destroy their next opponent… thankfully it won’t be the suns
you've lost a whole 10 games half way through the season
quit crying. you’ll be a contender come playoff time.
by HTown80 on Feb 22, 2012 2:16 AM CST via Android app up reply actions
Reading some of these post just makes me shake my head. Why would our team trade young players who are still developing for guys who are about to retire and have clearly lost a step? I understand the team and some fans want to try and get one more championship before Timmy and Manu retires but the front office can still maneuver to get good players that are young to middle age which will grow with the team over the long haul.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
Two first round draft choices, that are 20 and 22 years old. Apparently the Spurs shouldn’t even bother with the draft any longer and just pick up guys in their mid to late twenties off of waivers.
LOL.
i understand a lot of folks what the team to win now but we have to remember that getting young guys with talent around Timmy, Manu and Tony can only help there growth. I am all for getting a true skillful bonafide role player in the mid to late twenties who can help but at least let them be able to do more than one major skill set competently.
It just seems a decent amount of people want the team to pick up any and every has been all-star.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 6:34 PM CST up reply actions
I wonder how the Blazers fans who were there feel, after they thrashed a D-League team and they paid full price, it’s like Pop showing the NBA his middle finger, going all out on NBATV
I guess you didn’t watch the game because the fans stayed and watched our ass kicking all the way through. It was still a pretty packed house late in the 4th quarter from what I seen on T.V.
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:25 AM CST up reply actions
Leonard showed that his offensive game isn’t as limited as some thought. Anderson was aggressive and got to the hoop pretty easy but he just had a hard time finishing. it seems his driving ability has gotten a whole lot better but he has to learn how to mix in some floaters and such with straight line attacks toward the rim. I honestly was impressed with his aggressiveness and didn’t think he stunk as bad as many would say. He was way more precise than a lot of the other guys who got good minutes tonight
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:51 AM CST up reply actions
Don’t get it twisted though Anderson did suck though. LOL
One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.
by gunnin' gervin on Feb 22, 2012 2:55 AM CST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
Featured Stories
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Shaquille O’Neal is in a Chinese beer commercial, too (VIDEO)
- ‘Deep Thoughts’ and Cheap Thoughts: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- C-a-C: This is probably as close to LeBron James working with John Waters as we’ll ever get
- Dwyane Wade’s hot pink pants: The kind of thing you can get away with when you drop 41
- Lamar Odom to New York? Dwight Howard on the move? For now, it’s all talk
