Assessing Tiago Splitter's Return from Injury so Far
Tiago Splitter has rejoined the San Antonio Spurs' lineup following an 18-game absence due to a calf injury, and his return has been promising—even if unspectacular.
Head coach Gregg Popovich has eased the 6'11" center back into action, increasing Splitter's playing time in subsequent outings. Plus, Pop elected to rest the Brazilian on the latter end of a back-to-back against the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 15.
Though the Spurs survived the extended stretch without Splitter, they're fortunate to have him available while they attempt to overcome a mini-slide. San Antonio has lost three of its last four games, but Splitter rebounding to normal action will help the team significantly.
What Were the Spurs Missing?
Splitter's interior presence on defense is an obvious strength since he allowed a mere 41.4 percent shooting percentage to his opponents last season. Additionally, he conceded 44.7 percent at the rim, which was the third-best clip by a starting frontcourt player, per NBA.com.
In 2014-15, his replacement, Aron Baynes, has surrendered solid 47.8 and 53.3—but still noticeably higher—marks, respectively.
However, Splitter's defensive ability is an oft-discussed attribute. His mental prowess, however, remains an underrated aspect of his game.
"[Baynes] is a valuable situational player against the NBA's bigger teams," ESPN's Matthew Tynan said. "But the Spurs need Splitter's smarts back in the lineup full time, both offensively and defensively."
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News noted in mid-November Popovich and Ginobili both missed the offensive separation Splitter creates.
He is easily more aware than Baynes in the pick-and-roll offense, which Tynan described in great detail.
"First and foremost it's the art of setting the screen," Tynan said. "Splitter is very good creating an angle for his guard by manipulating the direction of the defenders. He's very good at quickly switching directions if the opponent is leaning one way or the other, and he typically does a good job of disguising his approach. The defender can't easily tell which way he's going to pick them."
Splitter understands the intricacies of setting picks, considering there's more to it than solely bashing an opponent. The 6'10", 260-pound Baynes is undoubtedly excellent at the physical domination aspect, but he needs to develop the mental side.
"Baynes isn't quite as savvy," Tynan said. "He's a bull in a china shop. He just wants to wipe you out. He can be effective at times, but think of all the moving screens he's been called for over the years."
Plus, Splitter has an established connection with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, one that Baynes hasn't cultivated because of limited playing time alongside the veterans.
"[Splitter] understands how they like to handle the ball off the screen," Tynan said, "and he understands the angles at which he has to dive, depending on the situation. He's developed a fantastic rapport with his guards, and he's an expert at finding the right lanes to the basket."
Simply knowing how to set a screen—as Baynes does—is considerably less difficult than calculating and adjusting pick and release angles on the fly, both of which Splitter excels at.
How Has He Performed?
As mentioned earlier, Pop has utilized Splitter on a limited basis, starting him on the bench in three of his four games back.
| New York Knicks | 12/10 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 12/12 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Denver Nuggets | 12/14 | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 12/17 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
Through his first three December appearances, Splitter allowed the man he's guarding to bury 10 of 17 shots, which certainly isn't up to his 2013-14 mark.
Note: Dec. 17 defensive tracking stats were unavailable as of this writing.
However, those numbers aren't the main focus at this point. Splitter moved well on both ends of the floor and flashed encouraging signs of returning to his previous form.
Danny Green said, per Mike Monroe of the Express-News (subscription required):
"He came in and was very efficient. He showed what he was capable of doing and what he does—protect the rim, guard the pick and rolls, guard the bigs. He's a very good passer. He showed some good spurts and good glimpses of what's to come.
"
Tynan echoed one of Green's statements, saying "perhaps the most underrated part of Splitter's game is his passing ability. He's very good at receiving the pass 10-12 feet from the basket, taking one dribble and finding the right man—whether it be a cutter, a shooter or just another distributor."
Along with six blocks, Splitter has dished seven assists—broken down into five layups, a 10-footer and one three-pointer—and a couple more secondary dimes. As a shooter, eight of his nine baskets were assisted, while an equal—but not identical—eight came within five feet of the rim.
San Antonio really couldn't ask for much more from Splitter during what were ultimately rehab showings.
Expectations Moving Forward
In a 117-116 triple-overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 17, he managed two minutes and 31 seconds throughout the 15 total in overtime. The Spurs were forced to play Boris Diaw for the remaining 12:29, which—while Diaw is a decent player and hit a clutch shot—is simply not an optimal overtime system.
Remember, the Grizz boast Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, arguably the most physical frontcourt in the league. San Antonio's rim protector was relegated to the bench, however, likely because of conditioning.
But Popovich shouldn't rush the center into action, nor should anyone expect the veteran coach to expedite Splitter's return.
He'll probably follow a schedule similar to Tim Duncan, playing one end of a back-to-back. Now, alternating their night off is preferable, but Pop playing for a win at full strength and resting the lot of his team the next game is realistic.
After all, that philosophy wouldn't be any different than the extended stretch the Spurs battled through when Splitter was unavailable anyway. San Antonio will soon have a pivotal part of its title-defense campaign in the starting lineup alongside Duncan once again.
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and accurate as of Dec. 18. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR
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