Over The Top: The James Borrego Thread

[fatlever]

JB will score major bonus points simply by turning one of Monk or miles into a valuable asset.

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He’s turning MKG into a valuable asset.

true. very pleasant surprise so far.

[HornetJail]

He’s turning MKG into a valuable asset.

it amazes me that a so-called defensive coach spent five **** years with MKG and couldn't figure out how to best use him.

Also couldn't figure out how to use Biz, gave up corner threes like he gave up sleeping, and would play someone like Bellineli when he's getting lit up. Yeah, Clifford was not a defensive mastermind AT ALL.

He was really good at two things: interior defense, limiting fouls. Even the first one isn't a major strength considering we covered the paint at the expense of three-point shooters getting free constantly. His priorities simply aren't in the right place.

[MasterIchiro]

“I’m proud of the team’s effort tonight. This is not a win where we want to sit back and be satisfied with this win. This is about building, getting better, I’m proud of their response,” said Borrego. “This team has been playing very well. We lost three close games by two points. Our offense is in the top 10. We’re a top-14 defense right now. This is a group that wants to win and I think they’re getting better every single day. They’re committed to each other. This is not a game that we’re going to relax on, we have to build on it Thursday night. I think our guys are proud and feel good about the win, they’re not worried about last season and that record was against Miami. They move forward and we want to build on this.”

[fatlever]

Has anyone on the team scored 20 points in a game this year other than KW?

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finally!!!

[DY_nasty]

i have literally zero complaints thus far

[HornetJail]

i have literally zero complaints thus far

I wish MKG was starting over Marvin, but other than that, I'm with you. I can't complain

[DY_nasty]

i have literally zero complaints thus far

I wish MKG was starting over Marvin, but other than that, I'm with you. I can't complain

there's things i want to see too but MKG off the bench has him more involved individually than any of us have seen in years

miles seems to be getting groomed as the marv replacement anyways...

there's some stuff i don't necessarily agree with but i get the logic behind it. think that's all any observer can ask for

[MasterIchiro]

I don't know about you guys but I like this guy. I get the feeling he's gonna be special.

[BigSlam]

Not that there is anything at all to substantiate our opinions, but if you were to create three lists identifying who you think JB likes, dislikes and is indifferent about on our current roster, which player would fall where?

NOT who you like, dislike and are indifferent about. Who you think JB is.

My lists would look like this:

Likes:
Kemba
TP
Miles
MKG
Marv
Cody
Biz

Dislike:
Monk
Lamb
Bats
Willy
Kaminksy

Indifferent:
Devonte
Chealy
Macura
Mack
Bacon



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[Rich4114]

Not that there is anything at all to substantiate our opinions, but if you were to create three lists identifying who you think JB likes, dislikes and is indifferent about on our current roster, which player would fall where?

NOT who you like, dislike and are indifferent about. Who you think JB is.

My lists would look like this:

Likes:
Kemba
TP
Miles
MKG
Marv
Cody
Biz

Dislike:
Monk
Lamb
Bats
Willy
Kaminksy

Indifferent:
Devonte
Chealy
Macura
Mack
Bacon



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I agree with your list with the exception of Monk. I think Monk is in a completely other category labeled “looks at him as his talented son who he expects more out of but hasn’t quite put it together yet”

I don’t think he dislikes him or is indifferent to him, but doesn’t quite “like” him either. Not sure if what I’m saying even makes total sense. If I had to pick a category of yours I would put him at the bottom of the likes lol.

[yosemiteben]

How is Batum on a dislike list while averaging 31 MPG, while MKG is a like despite only averaging 19 MPG?

Seems like a completely arbitrary list.

[Rich4114]

How is Batum on a dislike list while averaging 31 MPG, while MKG is a like despite only averaging 19 MPG?

Seems like a completely arbitrary list.

I think he likes them for the roles they play on this team.

I would like them a hell of a lot more if they made under $7m each.

[HornetJail]

JB clearly trusts Kemba, Tony, Marvin. I think everyone else just plays because they are here and we don't have better options. I don't think JB particularly loves anyone else, but realizes this is what he has to work with and is trying to make things work.

Only personnel changes I really wish he'd make are to start MKG to set a defensive tone to the game, and to play Bacon 5-10 minutes a game.

Even if MKG plays less minutes than Marvin, I think he has to start. The team never comes out of the gates well, and not having his infectious hustle out there is reason #1.

[catch20two]

Batum is definitely on JB’s like list. That’s the only way to explain Batum getting 30+ minutes even on nights when he has 0 points going into the 4th quarter.

I have no idea why he believes in Marv as a small ball C. I haven’t seen good results from it all season but he seems content going to it as we lose the rebounding battle and give up layups.

Cody is on JB’s indifferent list while Biz is on his dislike list. I have no idea how can someone reason that JB likes Biz when he was unnecessarily DNP-CD earlier in the season and even when the injuries piled up never got to play extended minutes even on nights he played well.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

Batum "just knows how to play." Spurs culture values guys like that.

[catch20two]

Batum "just knows how to play." Spurs culture values guys like that.

Should’ve dumped him onto San Antonio for an expiring and some 2nds then.

[bravor]

Batum is definitely on JB’s like list. That’s the only way to explain Batum getting 30+ minutes even on nights when he has 0 points going into the 4th quarter.

I have no idea why he believes in Marv as a small ball C. I haven’t seen good results from it all season but he seems content going to it as we lose the rebounding battle and give up layups.

Cody is on JB’s indifferent list while Biz is on his dislike list. I have no idea how can someone reason that JB likes Biz when he was unnecessarily DNP-CD earlier in the season and even when the injuries piled up never got to play extended minutes even on nights he played well.

It's not as simple as you are implying.

Nobody had guaranteed minutes i think except Kemba. Batum did not see second half minutes (or barely) during many games this year because of his poor play (or because he did not want to try to make play more exactly)
The only reason why he recovered some minutes has to do with how horrible the wing defense is when there is no MKG and even Batum on the court. Most guys are lost on every pick and looking for "their' guy or the guy they had to switch on.

Willy is gone from the cneter rotation since the ASB, so i guess defensive profiles are slighty coming into his mind, even though its pretty obvious he prefers using players who are a + on the offensive end probably thinking that team defense can be taught by anyone.

MKG should play much more, and those minutes should come from either Batum or lamb (the one who sucks the most during the current game), even though they need to deal with foul trouble.
Right now (post ASG), the 'sacrificed' wing has been Monk, and i am not particulary convinced it was the good choice. He was starting to build confidence, but he needs some minutes otherwise he seems to force too many times (unlike Bridges who is much more patient, sometimes way too much).

Biyombo might be an answer, though obviously Borrego wants a frontcourt that can shoot (incl. from midrange) which is why he was in love with Willy for too long.
Anyway, you dont need a lot from your center if wings are doing a decent job holding their counterparts (think about Jeff Green for Was, Caroll yesterday...).

I totally agree with BizGilwalker'spost. Since MKG has more or less a Tony Allen profile and doe snot show he can improve to become a real two way player, use him where he shines. And try to make sure the effort he makes rubs off onto his other teammates.
Its becoming the norm to find acceptable that opponent score 60ish points in 1st half. It drives me mad for sure. A team can have a tough start, or a bad game. But when it happens all the time, it's on the coaching staff and players.

[Braggins]

Borrego trusts Batum a little too much, but its also easier to slot him into lineups than Lamb and MKG, which is part of the reason he gets so many minutes despite being the worst of the three.

I hate Batum at SG and I hate him starting over Lamb, but he is a better fit next to Bridges. I would still just start Lamb and let them figure it out. Its not like the Batum/Miles combo is doing that great.

Kemba/Parker/Graham
Lamb/Monk
Bridges/Batum/Bacon
Marv/MKG/Frank
Cody/Biz/WHG

[yosemiteben]

I agree with catch about running Marv at C, I gotta scratch my head at that too.

[catch20two]

The starting lineup wasn’t playing bad with Lamb in it and honestly the overall team is playing some of the best basketball that 1st half of the season they’ve played in about a decade outside of the 2015-16 season.

Borrego loss us more than a few games due to his dependency on playing Willy which could’ve swayed a lot of those losses.

Lamb is gone after this season but for the betterment of the team doing it’s best to finish this season on a good note I don’t think the starting lineup tweak of an experiment will work. Might make us fall out of the playoff picture. Miles hasn’t even looked good enough to warrant legit rotation minutes since December nevertheless starting. Monk would’ve made more sense and I still would’ve disagreed with that so you know I’m not feeling the change.