Monday night in Miami was the second game of the pre-season, but the first game with most of the Spurs’ “regulars”… and a first look at the new starting line-up.
It did not disappoint. The first thing you notice is that not much looks all that different. The ball is still moving around, rarely sticking. For all the consternation about LaMarcus and his tendency to “ball stop”, he fit in near seamlessly. Unlike the first game in Sacramento, he seemed much more comfortable and fluid in the offense. He got several easy baskets off of ball and player movement, and even more wide-open shots that you want him getting and taking.
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You know what else is nice? The fact that LaMarcus can “ball stop” and still get easy points. In the first half, he made at least 2 baskets off of pure isolation or offensive breakdowns, when he was asked to just do it himself. If Aldridge can get 8-10 points a game like that, it will go a long way towards increasing offensive output and loosening up the offense for everybody else.
In the past, Duncan was often asked to fill that role. 25 year old Duncan could do that; 38 year old Duncan struggled with it. No one might benefit more from Aldridge’s offensive attention than Duncan. He hasn’t been a second “big” option since probably his second year in the league. Now with defenses tilted towards Aldridge, Tim can sneak in for quick cuts at the rim, get offensive rebounds, or just orchestrate the offense with less defensive pressure.
And it already looks like Duncan and Aldridge have been playing together for years. They seem to have good chemistry with each other, and both got pretty assists to the other one in this game. Credit Aldridge for working hard, being smart, and fitting in; and credit Duncan for pretty much having chemistry with everybody. What a dream to play with him, even at the age of 39.
Elsewhere in the starting line-up, Parker looked to be moving really well. His shot still seems a bit off, which is worrisome, but having his legs is first and foremost to his importance in the offense. I also noticed a couple of times he was able to explode to the basket but didn’t quite have the finishing speed of a younger Tony Parker. Instead of forcing the issue, he made smart reads and good passes to the corners and other outlets. This is a road map to how he can continue to have value and extend his career. He doesn’t have to be the fastest player on the court, just fast. Intelligence can make up for a lost step or two.
The defense seemed to be struggling a bit, especially in transition. The defensive end is probably where most of the learning curve will be, and it might take several months for the Spurs to find their defensive groove.
Given its first chance to impress, however, the offense did just that.
A few other thoughts from the game:
–The second unit continued to show nice chemistry and change of pace. West and Mills look like they’ve been playing together for a long time, and Manu seemed spry and sharp in his first action. It’ll be fun to see this unit with Boris once he’s ready to go.
–Kyle Anderson had an up and down game. He made several defensive mistakes, often compounded by his lack of speed. However, he has such long arms and quick hands (and reflexes), he is often able to rectify his mistakes. When he can’t, it’s bad; when he can, it often leads to steals and fast breaks going the other way. He might never be a solid defender, but he could be a disruptive defender. And he’s a good rebounder for his position.
On offense, it’s clear he’s spent a lot of time working on new tricks. I look forward to seeing these progress throughout the season.
–Boban has a lot of growing pains ahead of him adjusting to the NBA game. Still, you can see glimpses of what he can positively contribute to the team. With his height and reach, he might be able to keep 3-5 offensive possessions alive per game with offensive rebounds and tip-outs.
–The Spurs had an off shooting night, but you can already see the offense creating all of the open corner 3s it wants. It just needs players who can make them consistently.
–In perhaps a related note, Jimmer didn’t play a second of this game. That might not mean a thing, as Butler only played 3 minutes and plenty of people that have no shot at making the team got a lot of playing time. You would think Jimmer hasn’t earned a night off, as he is trying to prove himself and hold on to a spot in the league.
The Spurs close out their road pre-season (the road games were front loaded while the renovations of the AT&T Center were being completed) in Atlanta on Wednesday night.
