My Spurs Players Postseason Performance Reviews
Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 12:46 pm
Granted, the season is not over and this is just a review up to this point. I realize that we may be looking at our final game, Tomorrow or we may still have some fight left in us. Either way, I know this board will be dead as a doorknob after our final loss of the season, so in case that comes Tomorrow I want to get this out now.
Tim Duncan = A
He's had a few games where he may not put up the scoring numbers that we'd like to see from him, but he affects the game in so many other ways. His rebounding numbers have been phenomenal, he blocks shots and he demands the attention on both ends of the court. He's a completely different player in the playoffs.
Tony Parker = A
As badly as I want to knock him, he's had some brilliant games. He's also been our second most consistent player, which I do realize isn't saying very much. I don't think he has been the defensive liability in the playoffs that so many other PG's have been. Ok, maybe in that New Orleans series, but name me one PG in the league that could stop Chris Paul?
Bruce Bowen = B
We do not expect Bruce to come in and set the stat sheet on fire. We ask him to come in and guard the Steve Nash's, Chris Pauls and Kobe Bryants of the NBA. In round 2, Pop made a key decision to move Bruce to Peja and that IMO was the single greatest change to help us win that series. Without him, we'd be fishing already.
Brent Barry = B
Yeah, I really am grading him on 2 games and a bunch of 'what ifs'. What if Barry got Jacque Vaughns + Finley's minutes against New Orleans? Could we have finished the series in 6 games? 5? Would we have lost to the Lakers in 4 games? Brent has hit big shots, made key passes and has not made many mistakes.
Kurt Thomas = B
Without Kurt, we may not have made it out of that Phx series. Oberto could not be asked to guard Shaq or Amare, he also logged key minutes in the New Orleaans series. He can also nail the medium range jumper. I've found myself asking many times in this Lakers series... "Where's Kurt?" Especially in Game 4 when our rebounding was atrocious. Kurt is our 2nd best rebounder.
Manu Ginobili = C
Some games he would grade an A and others he would grade an F. As the a member of our big 3, his consistency has lead me to the saying "Live by the Manu, Die by the Manu" and I think if you compare our record when he plays well to our record when he plays poorly you will see exactly where I'm coming from. I would love to see him penetrate first, shoot second. I would also like to see him play better defense.
Michael Finley = D
He's hit big shots, but not enough to justify being a starter. If we knew what Barry was still capable of, I think it would have been good to give him a share of Finley's minutes throught the playoffs. There's really not much to say about Finley, at this point we really don't expect much from him... and he lives up to those low expectations.
Fabricio Oberto = D
It is really hard for me to give Fabricio this high a score., so please allow me to justify. He is a horrible defender, he makes a lot of stupid mistakes like 3 second penalties on both ends of the court, he often brings nothing to the offense. However, he has made more passes to get Tim Duncan easy baskets than any player on this team. I would almost like to see us get the ball to Fab more often for just that reason.
Ime Udoka = D
Ime has had a few good games, but I hesitate to say that we benefit much when he's on the court. It may have something to do with the 2nd string lineup that he generally plays with. I expected a Bowen like defensive effort from him, but he seems to make a lot of defensive assignment mistakes, especially in transition defense. He is a good 3pt shooter, and I think he does have a place on this team., but in a close playoff game his numbers should be limited to 10-12.
Robert Horry = F
One of my two least favorite players this year. His shot has been off and from behind the 3pt arc and within. If he grabs an offensive rebound, he doesn't even look to see if the lane is clear for an easy basket, settling for to pass it out and reset instead. Despite his offensive woes, he continues to jack 3's with wreckless abandon. I'd almost rather see him work inside out. Get a few easy points in the paint and move it out to the arc. I will give him credit for playing good defense against West and Odom, but I don't think it changed the outcome of games. I will admit, a part of me did wanted to see him take the big shot to end game 4 instead of Barry.
Jacque Vaughn = F
Not only my least favorite player for the Spurs, but my least favorite player in the history of the NBA. Some like to say he is a good defensive point guard, but I don't see it. Some like to say he doesn't make mental mistakes, but I beg to differ. I'd love to have had Barry play every non-blowout game JV minute in the playoffs.
Bonner, Stoudemire = NR
Not enough playing time to grade.
Greg Popavich = B
Coach Pops plays the playoff game of chess better than any coach I've ever seen. Few coaches make the game to game adjustments that Pop makes. He demands a lot from his players and is not afraid to bench even the biggest star for stupid play. I have questioned some of his lineup moves leading into the playoffs and during the playoffs. (Really, why no Kurt Thomas in the Lakers series?). I feel that he conceded some crucial games leading to the playoffs, that if we would have won gives us home court advantage in the West.
Team Grade = B
We dominated the Phx series, and barely made our way through the Hornets series and really have our backs to the wall down 3 games to 1 against the Lakers, with two more games left in Los Angeles if we're to take it to 7. I know nobody remembers who finished 2nd place, but I am proud of this team making it to the Western Conference Finals. I've felt for the last 2 - 3 years that we need to get younger and draft players who can play for us immediately and this is my chance to point and say 'see, I told you so' but it is what it is. However this season ends, I think this team laid it all out on the court and gave us fans something to be proud of.
All that said, let's go Spurs... 7 games to go. We can do this!
Tim Duncan = A
He's had a few games where he may not put up the scoring numbers that we'd like to see from him, but he affects the game in so many other ways. His rebounding numbers have been phenomenal, he blocks shots and he demands the attention on both ends of the court. He's a completely different player in the playoffs.
Tony Parker = A
As badly as I want to knock him, he's had some brilliant games. He's also been our second most consistent player, which I do realize isn't saying very much. I don't think he has been the defensive liability in the playoffs that so many other PG's have been. Ok, maybe in that New Orleans series, but name me one PG in the league that could stop Chris Paul?
Bruce Bowen = B
We do not expect Bruce to come in and set the stat sheet on fire. We ask him to come in and guard the Steve Nash's, Chris Pauls and Kobe Bryants of the NBA. In round 2, Pop made a key decision to move Bruce to Peja and that IMO was the single greatest change to help us win that series. Without him, we'd be fishing already.
Brent Barry = B
Yeah, I really am grading him on 2 games and a bunch of 'what ifs'. What if Barry got Jacque Vaughns + Finley's minutes against New Orleans? Could we have finished the series in 6 games? 5? Would we have lost to the Lakers in 4 games? Brent has hit big shots, made key passes and has not made many mistakes.
Kurt Thomas = B
Without Kurt, we may not have made it out of that Phx series. Oberto could not be asked to guard Shaq or Amare, he also logged key minutes in the New Orleaans series. He can also nail the medium range jumper. I've found myself asking many times in this Lakers series... "Where's Kurt?" Especially in Game 4 when our rebounding was atrocious. Kurt is our 2nd best rebounder.
Manu Ginobili = C
Some games he would grade an A and others he would grade an F. As the a member of our big 3, his consistency has lead me to the saying "Live by the Manu, Die by the Manu" and I think if you compare our record when he plays well to our record when he plays poorly you will see exactly where I'm coming from. I would love to see him penetrate first, shoot second. I would also like to see him play better defense.
Michael Finley = D
He's hit big shots, but not enough to justify being a starter. If we knew what Barry was still capable of, I think it would have been good to give him a share of Finley's minutes throught the playoffs. There's really not much to say about Finley, at this point we really don't expect much from him... and he lives up to those low expectations.
Fabricio Oberto = D
It is really hard for me to give Fabricio this high a score., so please allow me to justify. He is a horrible defender, he makes a lot of stupid mistakes like 3 second penalties on both ends of the court, he often brings nothing to the offense. However, he has made more passes to get Tim Duncan easy baskets than any player on this team. I would almost like to see us get the ball to Fab more often for just that reason.
Ime Udoka = D
Ime has had a few good games, but I hesitate to say that we benefit much when he's on the court. It may have something to do with the 2nd string lineup that he generally plays with. I expected a Bowen like defensive effort from him, but he seems to make a lot of defensive assignment mistakes, especially in transition defense. He is a good 3pt shooter, and I think he does have a place on this team., but in a close playoff game his numbers should be limited to 10-12.
Robert Horry = F
One of my two least favorite players this year. His shot has been off and from behind the 3pt arc and within. If he grabs an offensive rebound, he doesn't even look to see if the lane is clear for an easy basket, settling for to pass it out and reset instead. Despite his offensive woes, he continues to jack 3's with wreckless abandon. I'd almost rather see him work inside out. Get a few easy points in the paint and move it out to the arc. I will give him credit for playing good defense against West and Odom, but I don't think it changed the outcome of games. I will admit, a part of me did wanted to see him take the big shot to end game 4 instead of Barry.
Jacque Vaughn = F
Not only my least favorite player for the Spurs, but my least favorite player in the history of the NBA. Some like to say he is a good defensive point guard, but I don't see it. Some like to say he doesn't make mental mistakes, but I beg to differ. I'd love to have had Barry play every non-blowout game JV minute in the playoffs.
Bonner, Stoudemire = NR
Not enough playing time to grade.
Greg Popavich = B
Coach Pops plays the playoff game of chess better than any coach I've ever seen. Few coaches make the game to game adjustments that Pop makes. He demands a lot from his players and is not afraid to bench even the biggest star for stupid play. I have questioned some of his lineup moves leading into the playoffs and during the playoffs. (Really, why no Kurt Thomas in the Lakers series?). I feel that he conceded some crucial games leading to the playoffs, that if we would have won gives us home court advantage in the West.
Team Grade = B
We dominated the Phx series, and barely made our way through the Hornets series and really have our backs to the wall down 3 games to 1 against the Lakers, with two more games left in Los Angeles if we're to take it to 7. I know nobody remembers who finished 2nd place, but I am proud of this team making it to the Western Conference Finals. I've felt for the last 2 - 3 years that we need to get younger and draft players who can play for us immediately and this is my chance to point and say 'see, I told you so' but it is what it is. However this season ends, I think this team laid it all out on the court and gave us fans something to be proud of.
All that said, let's go Spurs... 7 games to go. We can do this!