Bleacher Report - Articles by Jason Rodriguez

San Antonio Spurs Preparing for the Playoffs

Jason Rodriguez — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:13:32 -0400

The recent dismantling of the San Antonio Spurs by the Los Angeles Lakers provided an excellent opportunity to highlight some of the ups and downs of the Silver and Black as they head into the postseason, so I had a moment to sit down and gather my thoughts on the team.

The first problem that comes to mind when I think about the Spurs is age, and I know we've been saying that about the Spurs for forever, but it's really catching up now.

Manu Ginobili is perpetually injured, and we can't be sure just how long his ankles will hold up.

Tim Duncan, meanwhile, is having a great year but the moment he goes down is the moment the Spurs abandon hope.

They've surrounded themselves with some new, younger faces though, in Roger Mason Jr., Matt Bonner and George Hill. The downside to these great offensive players is that their defense isn't always up to the task, and when they go cold they go really cold.

Mason is taking it to the hole more often but is routinely rejected, and Bonner is either on fire or entirely ice-cold.

Rebounding has been another problem, something that the Spurs hoped to address in the acquisition of Drew Gooden.

Whether he's ready in time for the playoffs remains to be seen, but he's another six fouls and the guy's got talent, but complaints about his defensive abilities can't be examined without looking at the entire team's defensive lapses.

As a whole, this is probably the worst Spurs defensive squad we've seen since the mid-90's.

Rotations still get missed, Bruce Bowen has slowed a step as has Duncan, and the new guys aren't nearly as tight and quick with their defensive rotations as Spurs teams in the past have been.

They're about middle-of-the-pack in terms of point percentage allowed, average but not in the top three spots like we're used to seeing the Spurs.

So that really leaves us with the question, is their offense good enough to win a championship?

If Manu Ginobili can catch fire and Drew Gooden can bring at least moderate help to the rebounding situation, then the best answer is still only maybe. They're going to be facing down a Lakers squad hungry for a title, and that will be hard to beat.

But the Spurs are younger, quicker and able to score in bunches they never were able to in the past.

Anytime they score over a hundred points a game they're likely to win, even if it gives their coach (and fans) a heart attack. Spurs fans can only hope Drew Gooden is that missing piece, and that Manu has one more championship season in him.

The Midseason Spur Awards

Jason Rodriguez — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:13:51 -0500

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Late though it may be in coming, I am sending out well wishes, and I've got a bag of goodies to hand out. That's right, this writer's got awards on his mind, and they're going out to the players and moments that have stood out this season.

Most Memorable Game Award

This one should be easy, since it only just happened. Given the many injuries to the team, the Spurs were blessed with a schedule that wouldn't see them facing the top teams in the league until the halfway point of the season. However, the New Year couldn't have had a better way to start than with Spurs win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

These two rivals go back quite a bit, and nothing could have topped a Kobe Bryant shot from three to win the game...except a Roger Mason shot, while being fouled, that sealed a victory for San Antonio.

Most Surprising Player

With the loss of Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, things could have gone south quickly for the Spurs. Tim Duncan, as fundamental as ever, can't carry the team alone. So what a surprise that both Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill have both shown themselves to be capable scorers and all around players.

Still, though I respect both of them, Roger Mason has had the bulk of playing time and a handful of buzzer beaters to make him the most outstanding acquisition of the Spurs' offseason. This from a guy most expected to be only a modest contributor.

Mr. Consistency Award

This obviously has to go to Tim Duncan. With both Ginobili and Parker out, Duncan remained the quiet cornerstone he has always been. Twenty points and ten rebounds, year in and year out, since he first joined the club. This is a key reason the Spurs are at the top of the Southwest.

The Scola Award

Sad to say, Ian Mahinmi has become the second coming of Luis Scola, though for different reasons. Both players have been much talked about big men who could help Tim Duncan in the post, both were highly anticipated picks who have spent time in other leagues honing their skills, and just as Scola never made the squad, it seems Mahinmi may share the same fate.

While Scola was saddled by a bad contract overseas, Mahinmi seems to be saddled with injuries that just won't go away. Don't expect him in a Spurs uniform anytime soon.

Mr. Comeback Kid Award

This goes to none other than the Red Rocket, Matt Bonner. A player long waited on, long hoped to be a replacement for Robert Horry. We're talking about a big man who hustled and could shoot the long ball, helping the Spurs by spreading the defense.

A lot of time was spent waiting on Bonner, and a few thought he was on his way out. Not anymore, not after topping the NBA's charts for three point accuracy and becoming yet another Spurs who can score in double figures.

Mr. Clutch Award

Roger Mason, step on up, this one is for you. We knew you had ice in your veins with that win over Phoenix on Christmas Day, but you didn't stop there. You've delivered more than a few last minute buzzer beaters, none more important than your winning shot against Los Angeles.

With a license to shoot and a reputation to be the iceman in the clutch, Roger Mason has established himself as the clutch player of this Spurs squad.

Rollin' the McDyess: Will the San Antiono Spurs Sign the Newly-Free Agent?

Jason Rodriguez — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:04:13 -0500

What a difference a day or two can make.

One moment people are speculating about Allen Iverson's future in Denver, and now we know he has no future in Denver.

Iverson will now be taking his game to Detroit, while Chauncey Billups heads into the tough Western Conference.

Yet, while these are obviously the big players in the trade, Antonio McDyess was a part of the trade package as well—and at least at the time of this writing, it seems he'll be having his contract bought out by the Nuggets.

Enter the San Antonio Spurs.

If there's been one painfully-missing piece to the Spurs team these two games into this season, it's been a lack of defense and a lack of rebounding. Simply put, their frontcourt is not that good—not with two of their prime big men sidelined by injuries.

Yet even with the imminent return of Fabricio Oberto and Ian Mahinmi, it's hard to ignore that impact McDyess would have on the silver and black.

Let's just examine the numbers for a second. In last year's campaign, McDyess averaged close to nine rebounds and nine points per game. So, just in those two stats, you're getting more production than San Antonio's starting center, Oberto. Beyond that, though, you have a strong big man who can play good defense as well as step out and hit the mid-range jumper.

While McDyess is not as long or as tall as Tim Duncan, if the two were paired on the court the Supers could easily slide Duncan to the center and have McDyess man the power forward spot. Since McDyess wouldn't have to rely on banging on the inside for points, and instead could shoot from farther out, that would provide enough space on the floor for Duncan to work his magic.

Double teamed? Pass out to McDyess, he'll hit the jumper. Need a big who will get you rebounds? McDyess will get them. A big man who'll defend in the post? This is pretty much a prerequisite for playing on the Spurs, and McDyess fits the bill.

In a lot of other ways though, he also fits the Spurs' team character. He's not an outlandish sort and carries himself well, something the Spurs as a whole try to do.

With the influx of young bigs and a lack of both scoring and rebounding on the interior, it seems the Spurs would have to play dumb in order to miss the benefits McDyess could provide. If McDyess is indeed bought out, it seems very likely he'd be the sort of player San Antonio would seek out at this point, hoping to shore up its frontcourt,

The only real question is whether or not whether McDyess would want to come here, as his preference seems to be to stay in Detroit. However, the lure of a championship ring can be strong—and this is an odd year, which so far has played out to the Spurs' favor.

Looking At Legends: "Pistol" Pete Maravich

Jason Rodriguez — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:25:42 -0500

I was only six years old when he died, and yet his name was firmly in my mind through the years.

In a family that loved basketball, Pistol Pete eventually was bound to come up in discussions, but it wouldn't be until I got older that I really began to appreciate what he did for the game.

Think about some of the flashiest players in basketball. Think back a bit to the Showtime Lakers, to the running style and the pizzaz that team brought, led by the legendary Magic Johnson. Think about a guy like Manu Ginobili, with all his twisting, between-the-legs, or behind-the-back passes. Think about a guy like Kobe Bryant, with all his flare, his amazing ability to get to the basket, to shoot from almost anywhere.

Got all that in your head? Good, because it still doesn't really encompass what Pistol Pete was capable of on the court. Am I saying he was as good as Magic or Kobe? No, of course not. To watch him play though was to watch magic in motion. It was to watch basketball at its most entertaining.

Don't believe me? There's plenty of video of him out there on the web. Find something, youtube it if you have to—but watch some clips of Maravich at work, because you'll find yourself rubbing your eyes and wondering if you really saw what you just saw.

His wrist pass would make you think he was passing right, but the ball would end up going left. In a crowd he could lift up and shoot right over you, and he had a perfect stroke in his form. He could loop the ball behind his back, bring it back to the front and still end up not passing at all, instead just laying it up in the basket.

Behind-the-back, through-the-leg layups? He had that in his repertoire. Through-the-leg, dribble handoff passes to his teammates? Yeah, he had that, and if you have never seen someone else do it there's a reason why. Full-speed, on-the-run, through-the-leg passes? Yeah, he had that too.

If you're wondering why you don't see too much of that anymore, well, Maravich claimed he was practicing eight hours a day by the age of twelve.

"You don't get here by just wishing" was his answer to how he'd sharpened his game up so much, a statement a lot of young players could learn from these days.

Maravich was a pioneer for the game, as much in college as in the NBA. Born in a small town in Pennsylvania and son of former player-turned-coach Press Maravich, Pistol Pete demonstrated exceptional basketball skills at a young age. Starting at the age of seven, he was taught the basics of basketball, and his regular drill before bed was to hit one hundred consecutive free throws.

At the college level he began to make waves, averaging a hair over 44 points per game, and to this day he still holds the NCAA Division I scoring title of 3,667 points. All this done with only three years of play, and at a time when the three-point line had yet to come into existence.

Taken as the third pick of the 1970 NBA draft, he quickly demonstrated himself to be a proficient scorer for the Atlanta Hawks, who signed him for an astounding figure at the time—a $1.6 million contract. That first year he would average 23 points per game, only a single point less than he would average over his ten-year career, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1971.

After four seasons in Atlanta, he would find his peak with the Jazz, averaging 31 points per game during the 1976-77 campaign. He would remain with the Jazz for the majority of his career, finding himself waived in 1980, only to be welcomed by the Larry Bird-led Celtics.

In a celebrated career marked by expert marksmanship and razzle-dazzle passing ability, Pete Maravich would make the NBA All-Star Team five times, and also be named twice to the All-NBA First Team and twice to the All-NBA Second Team. This all in addition to his college accomplishments, being named three times to the All-American First Team, while also earning the 1970 Naismith Award and also the 1970 College Player Of The Year award.

So it was with these numerous accolades that Pete Maravich retired from the professional game of basketball in 1980, ten years after he had begun. After a troubled period towards the end of his career and two years afterwards, Maravich seemed to have found peace, touring the country and speaking of his newfound religious faith.

Having finally achieved peace in his post-basketball career, it is unfortunate that his life would come to such an abrupt end.

This was Pete Maravich's quote to a friend, while still a young man: "I don't want to play 10 years in the NBA and then die of a heart attack at 40." So it is strange that in 1988, with ten years of NBA experience a few years behind him, that a forty-year-old Pete Maravich found himself playing a pickup game of basketball in a church gym.

Shortly after it was over, Pete Maravich suffered a heart attack, passing away only minutes after finishing his last game, a game he contributed immensely to. Pete Maravich has his jersey, No. 7, retired in both Utah and New Orleans, and in 1996 was placed on the NBA's All-Time Team, alongside other greats such as Kareem-Abdul Jabar, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

Maravich was in many ways ahead of his time. When people speak of players who are genius, who are creative ball handlers, Maravich has to be included at the top of the list. It is awing to see him in film and a pleasure, and he will always be remembered as one of the league's greatest.

Two Games In: A Teamwide Assessment Of The Spurs

Jason Rodriguez — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 11:39:03 -0500

Tim Duncan. Tony Parker. Manu Ginobili. Bruce Bowen. Fabricio Oberto.

Those are five names that you can trust—at least, if you've been observing the Spurs for a few years now.

Let's just look at the first three. We're talking about a superstar and two All-Stars, guys you can depend on to put up 20 points any given night. In Duncan, you've got an aging but still-amazing power forward who you could still mention as a top-five player in this league.

Tony Parker is a nearly-unguardable, penetrating point guard whose outside game has only grown as time has gone on.

What about Manu Ginobili? We're only talking about a guy who helped defeat the United States in the 2004 Olympics, is an international all-star, and has been one of the most respected shooting guards with his ability to penetrate, score, and finish a game in the fourth quarter.

Beyond them, you have Bruce Bowen, who is also aging but a still-dependable defender, and Fabricio Oberto, a player who isn't flashy but can be depended on to defend, rebound, and compliment Duncan in the post. This starting unit has won together and is hoping to make a push for yet another championship.

So what's going on beyond these five guys? Well, there's Matt Bonner, also known as the "Red Rocket." With Oberto sitting due to heart complications, the pressure is on Bonner, who has been with the Spurs for a few years, to step up and finally show he was worth investing in.

Then there's Michael Finley, who once was a thorn in the Spurs' side from farther up Interstate 35. He's been with the Spurs for a few years now, and efficiently makes three-pointers for the black-and-silver. Not to mention, Finley became a starter for the Spurs, which let Gregg Popovich move Ginobili to a backup-guard slot in order to bring more offense off the bench. Finley also fits the category of Spurs who are aging but still can contribute.

Behind Tony Parker is Jacque Vaughn, who's in the same group as Finley—aging, but still performing. At age 33, Vaughn isn't the fastest point guard, the best shooter, or a guy who can really get to the rim. But he brings veteran experience and decent ball-handling skills, although not much else.

Behind Bruce Bowen is Ime Udoka, a decent defender who can be counted on to hit the three-pointer now and then. Finally, the other big man who has been active so far is Kurt Thomas, the man Phoenix hoped would stop Tim Duncan two years ago. Again, at age 36, Thomas is an aging player with veteran experience who can contribute.

We know enough of what the starting unit will bring, because they've been consistent in doing so. As far as the current season goes, Duncan and Parker have been relentless in trying to keep their team alive, pouring in points in the hope of producing wins.

The second unit should concern Spurs fans. Right off the bat, Finley is still contributing points, scoring about eight per game and providing a few assists as well. Typically thought of as a bench player, him starting is really more about letting Ginobili bring scoring capability off the bench. Still, for his salary and his reputation as a second-rate player, Finley's doing his job.

The rest of this unit needs attention.

Bonner, who for years now was being groomed as an outside-shooting big man, can also bring some interior hustle. This is a guy with a severe lack of verticality, and a guy who, with the role he's had so far, has only contributed about six points and short of five rebounds per game.

That's not much better than Oberto's stats for the 2007-08 campaign, but Bonner's five years younger than Oberto, and is supposed to have youth on his side. Bonner is also a guy who's supposed to be making three-pointers. So you'd hope to see at least a little increase in production.

When playing alongside a guy like Duncan, your stats are going to drop a bit. But still, it's not just the offensive production. His ability to defend in the paint has been questioned for a while now, and there hasn't been a lot he's shown to say he's learned his lesson.

Jacque Vaughn is in the same boat. Two or three points per game might be as much as you are going to be able to hope for from him.

Ime Udoka? His five rebounds per game is the only stat that stands out because he is otherwise only averaging two points and one assist per game. To Spurs fans, this has been excusable to the degree that he was supposed to be Bowen's replacement, and Bowen has been infamous for his offensive deficiencies (which, in fairness, have been reduced over the years).

But even Udoka's ability to defend has come into question because his ability to get in the face of his opponents is lacking. He has little lateral movement ability to assist him in his defensive efforts and lacks the length to bother athletic guards who can shoot over him. Udoka creates space between him and his man because he can't move side-to-side the way he needs to in order to stay in front of the man he's guarding.

Kurt Thomas brings exactly what you'd expect—rebounding and defense. He pulls down seven rebounds, to be exact, which compliments his Spartan two points per game and complete lack of assists.

Bet your friends how long it takes for Thomas to get called for a foul because his aggressive nature hurts his ability to stay on the floor. Still, I can't say too much about Thomas as I always expected him to be third in the rotation anyway.

So how would you rate this second line?

We're talking about a group that, as a unit, has not scored more than 12 points together. The burden to win right now is on Duncan, Parker, and Finley. That right there is the scoring bunch for the Spurs, and while that will be relieved with Ginobili's return, it still puts a heavy burden on them to contribute almost all the team's points.

But wait! There's hope.

Anybody who watched the Spurs versus the Trail Blazers had to have noticed at least one new player on the team who was bringing some fire. His name is Roger Mason.

Twelve points per game, four rebounds, and three assists. This guy is already better than everyone on the second unit that we just discussed. And for Spurs fans, he means something to be excited about.

And more hope? That depends. Do you recognize these names? Ian Mahinmi. George Hill. Desmon Farmer. Anthony Tolliver.

Youth? On a Spurs team? Mason is the oldest of this bunch at age 28. And so far, each has shown some promise.

For a while now, people hoped Mahinmi would become an athletic, productive big man for the Spurs, which the Spurs lack because no post player can leap more than two inches off the ground. It was an unfortunate injury that derailed his chance to play early—but keep hoping, Spurs nation.

Tolliver was sidelined due to family issues, but people hope he will take a place in the rotation soon. George Hill is a point guard who will hopefully move Vaughn to the third line. Though he's still sharpening his skills as a passer, there's reason to have hope in him.

Meanwhile, Farmer's place on the team still seems questionable if you've seen his performance to date—though he was never expected to play behind Parker anyway.

Each of these players in this new group of five will hopefully prove their worth and be the second line, not the third. Mason has already shown his mettle, and Mahinmi, Tolliver, and Hill will get their chances soon. Farmer will find a comfortable place in the rotation and hopefully demonstrate that nerves have plagued him early in the season.

At the end of the day, this young group will determine the the Spurs' fortunes. You know what Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili are going to do. It's numbers four through fifteen that have to prove this Spurs team is more than three strong.