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wow, we get the red carpet treatment even during the summer... thanks!
Well, the silver and black got their first win since Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Unfortunately, it comes in the first game of summer league. Taking on a Hawks squad that won its first game by 20 points, the Spurs rode Kawhi Leonard down the stretch to an 82-76 victory. Leonard's late burst allowed the Spurs to outscore the Hawks 24-16 in the final period.
San Antonio started off slowly -- they scored only 11 points in the first quarter -- but their execution improved as the game progressed and they looked especially sharp in the second and fourth quarters. Next up for this team is the Lakers on Tuesday.
Kawhi Leonard B+
Early on, it didn't look like Kawhi Leonard's night. He was missing shots from the outside and didn't look completely comfortable running pick-and-rolls. Slowly but surely, Leonard's confidence grew. After he got a few interior shots to fall, his all-around abilities started to shine. Come the fourth quarter, he was a monster. Leonard had point guard duties for much of that period and looked like a natural. His ball-handling was much improved and the Hawks had little success keeping him out of the lane. The highlights of his outing were the numerous explosive forays to the hole; he looked like man amongst boys at times with the way he utilized a combination of power and gracefulness. When Leonard was trapped, he didn't hesitate to hit the open teammate. Despite being far and away the best player on the court, he actually could have played a lot better. His defense wasn't very good; it was obvious he was saving most of his energy for the other side of the court. Leonard's rebounding was lackluster by his standards and he missed nearly all of his outside jumpers.
Cory Joseph A
Following a forgettable rookie campaign, 20-year-old Cory Joseph illustrated a lot of promise in his first summer league game. In fact, he was unrecognizable. Last season, when Joseph shot a jumper, it was like he was launching a beach ball -- it had an exaggerated arc, little rotation and there was no telling where it would land. Tonight, Joseph's jumper looked like a legitimate NBA shot. The trajectory and rotation looked much better, plus he was able to shoot it on the move. Another huge improvement was his posture. He wasn't hunched over nearly as much and, as a result, was able to make quicker movements. While his offensive numbers stand out, I thought Joseph was best on the defensive end. He was able to pressure the basketball relentlessly and made it difficult for the Hawks to run any of their sets. Offensively, Joseph did his best work when looking to score the ball. His pick-and-roll sets oftentimes ended up with a basket but he was usually out of control. Going forward, if Joseph can continue defending and scoring like he did tonight while showing a more consistent playmaking ability, the young point guard out of the University of Texas could complete a stunning metamorphosis from seemingly surefire first round bust to possible first round gem in just a couple months.
Eric Dawson A-
Eric Dawson just continues to quietly dominate his compe ion. Last season, he posted the highest PER in D-League history and did well in his stint in San Antonio. Tonight against the Hawks, he was very solid. Ten of his 13 rebounds came in the first half and he played physical defense throughout. While he was caught out of position at times, the effort was always there. Offensively, Dawson's mid-range jumper is a definite strength and his touch around the basket is delicate. On both ends, he plays a very team-oriented style that will serve him well if an NBA team gives him a chance. Dawson should also be commended for getting in even better shape than he was last year. While I think there is still room for improvement since he got winded in the second half, it's apparent that Dawson is working hard to transform himself into a candidate for a full-time roster spot.
James Anderson C
One game in and the Spurs have to be feeling like they made the right decision to not pick up the option year on James Anderson. Although he played hard, Anderson wasn't able to show any NBA level traits. When he has the ball, he doesn't have the athleticism or ball-handling ability to consistently get good looks. Anderson also didn't show any confidence in his outside jumper, which is something he has to have in his favor to even have a chance. Defensively, he was average at best. Most of the time he was a step slow going around screens and didn't consistently stay in front of his man. Anderson didn't help out on the boards and he was a tad selfish with his decisions a few times. For his sake, hopefully he shows something in the remaining four summer league games because tonight he didn't even look worthy of a training camp invite.
Luke Zeller F
Coming into summer league, I couldn't understand why Luke Zeller was even on the roster. This is a 6-foot-11 player who averaged 4.9 points and 2.8 rebounds as a senior at Notre Dame. On the Toros, he has never shown much promise. Yet not only is he on the summer league roster, he started and played 23 minutes tonight. Needless to say, he was horrible. I guess in theory he's a stretch four but he can't shoot, rebound, play defense or do anything other than be tall. His stats look bad but Zeller was even worse than those numbers indicate. The sooner the Spurs give up on this experiment, the better. I'm sure he's a great guy but this is ridiculous.
Marcus Denmon C+
It's unfortunate but Marcus Denmon didn't pass the eyeball test. Compared to the other players on the court, Denmon looked small and unathletic. His lack of long arms or quickness was also unavoidable to notice. To Denmon's credit, he shook off a rocky start and had an encouraging stretch in which he showed a smidgen of playmaking ability. Defensively, though, he was consistently below average. It looked like a case of simply not having the physical tools to put up a fight. Hopefully I'm wrong and this was simply a case of opening night jitters but Denmon's long odd appear to have gotten even longer.
Ryan Richards B
Talk about intriguing. Ryan Richards didn't do much to dent the score sheet in a positive way but he's an provocative prospect. He's tall, long, has range on his jumper and runs the court like a gazelle. All the movements needed to play the game of basketball seem to come easy to him. Even his shot looks really smooth. Richards definitely looks like an NBA player -- but that has always been the case with him. It's actually learning how to play basketball that has been the problem. Defensively, he gave good effort but he rarely made a difference despite his imposing length and jumping ability. Offensively, Richards acted like he knew he was doing but the results were lacking. Despite the negatives, I'm now really interested to see what he can do from here on out. All the physical tools are there; Richards just has to put it together. As it stands, it looks like spending a year or two in Austin would do him a world of good.
JaMychal Green D
JaMychal Green probably wishes he could have a do-over. In less than nine minutes, he picked up seven fouls. Green's fouling overshadowed a couple quality plays. He has a lively body and is more comfortable out on the perimeter than I expected. That said, he doesn't have the physique of someone who could play power forward in the NBA right now. He'd need to bulk up a lot more to even have a chance. Green may be able to bounce back from this debut and end up earning a training camp invite but this wasn't a good start.
Tyler Wilkerson B
With Zeller needlessly eating minutes, Tyler Wilkerson was probably the biggest loser of potential minutes. In his time out on the court, he did more of what became expected out of him during the 2010 summer league. Wilkerson provided energy and an ample amount of physicality in the paint. In the next few games, hopefully we get to see more of him.
L.D. Williams C+
As anticipated, L.D. Williams and his elite jumping ability make him an exciting player to watch. But the reality is that he's a 6-foot-4 small forward with a limited amount of skill. Unless he starts to show some semblance of guard proficiency, he's not a legit prospect.
Dwight Buycks B-
Mostly playing at backup point guard, Dwight Buycks didn't do much right or wrong. His intensity was commendable and he was able to make a few plays on both ends but he'll need to do more to turn a head.
Jacque Vaughn A-
Other than the inexplicable Zeller minutes, Jacque Vaughn coached a good game. I like that he gave Leonard big minutes and I especially liked that he switched Leonard over to point guard down the stretch. Vaughn had the best player at his disposal and was able to put him in positions to succeed. His other good move was giving Richards extended minutes in the second half. Richards was doing enough to deserve a longer look than usual. With so many players on this summer league roster, it'll be interesting to see how Vaughn doles out minutes going forward.
wow, we get the red carpet treatment even during the summer... thanks!
Ryan Richards
timvp, thanks for taking the time to post your grades and thoughts! Quality stuff.
I was waiting for this
great read, as always~
That was what I was talkin' about. Thanks bro. As always nice job
thanks for the grades timvp. plan on watching this on nbatv later.
i know when the offseason began, you had some comments on the future of spurstalk, but dont end this. i appreciate your insight, game grades and the entire forum in general; im sure most people do too but you dont get thanked enough.
also, would it really be that bad of an idea to add dawson to the roster. he seems loyal to the organization, knows the system, isnt undersized and has proven hes not a complete scrub on an nba court. and i doubt taking the minimum would be a blow for him.
i see the fkn morons on here are high on richards just like that turd they were high on last season james anderson.... mate, how many chances you clowns continue to give when its clearly they are busts
Most of us haven't had the chance to really see Richards play. As Timvp stated, he has the tools to be an NBA player, but will he actually be able to replace a certain other big currently on the Spurs roster? The kid is long, athletic, fast, and has 3pt range. I don't think anyone expects him to be a superstar, just a sandwich enthusiasts replacement. As for James Anderson, that broken foot really ed him over. His jumper completely disappeared and it looks as if he lost a step as well.
So far, Leonard looks good (but needs to get his jumper going again) and Joseph looks like a different player. He seemed downright y on the court at times. Gave me some good laughs. Dawson looks like he could actually make the team. The man is consistent and deserves another shot at the big league.
most impressive stat line:
JaMychal Green 8:43 minutes, 7 fouls AND still a +/- of +11!!
how did this happen? (typo in the stat sheet?)
This makes less sense than your typical ramblings. What chances has Richards gotten? He's been injured or playing in weak leagues since he got drafted. 95% he never amounts to anything but this is really his first time playing good compe ion ... probably ever.
can't u just take away his upstairs posting privileges?
Really impressed with CJ and Dawson. Hopefully they keep it up.
Oh and next time they should start Richards over Zeller.
Richards is definitely a worthwhile shot as a second round pick. While I doubt he gets there as a basketball player, there isn't a lack of tools at his disposal.
Kawhi is still a secondary offensive weapon, but the fact he can have plays run through him is good. Adding variety in the offense is good.
Cory Joseph is the most encouraging development by far. Good to see.
I was hoping Denmon or Green would be able to show something, so I'm a little disappointed that they didn't -- but maybe one of them will turn things around in one of the other games.
On the flipside, it's great that Joseph looks like a real player. I had pretty well written him off after last season (as I think many others had), so if he can prove he can play, it's a complete windfall.
Does Danny Green not need summer league? With his WCF showing it would seem he could benefit.
Then Bonner should play every year...
Interesting that Ajinça didn't play. I wonder if they're going to give him a look in game 2.
Thanks for posting btw! I plan on watching the replay today, but your insight and quick turnaround are definitely appreciated.
Good point. Bonner probably couldn't even make the summer league team.Then Bonner should play every year...
Thanks for the grades, timvp. You're awesome.
Spurs still have a part of their MLE to sign a rookie to a 3 or 4 years minimum contract with only the first year guaranteed. After 1 SL game, Denmon and JaMychal Green don't seem to deserve it. This kind of contract would be great to work with a long term project like Richards but it's a lot of money to invest. Other possibilities are signing a rookie from another SL team or not using the rest of the MLE.
Something noteworthy is that Byars hasn't played. Maybe he is injured, maybe he sucked in practice but maybe too Spurs have a little trade with him in the works. Byars and his non-guaranteed contract is a nice little trade asset.
Then Bonner should play every year...
If Dawson continues to play this well, could we keep him at minimum and amnesty Bonner? Then keep Richards for minimum and shuffle Blair off to someone for a high second round pick?
Dawson could have a 2 yr minimum contract with 2nd year NG clause. Ridding ourselves of Bonners contract at 3.6 M would save us almost 3 Mil for the year.
Keeping Richards means he gets actual training from someone who really does know basketball. He doesnt want to go back to Europe and I for one dont see that sending him there will do anymore good than being in the Spurs controlled DLeague system. At least his minutes would be there for him to improve instead of early season minutes and then benching him in mid season like he was in Europe.
I agree with Timvp on Cory Joseph wishing last year never happened. So do a lot of young players. Not a single thing went right in his favor for learning until he got to the DLeague and saw playing time. But that was cut short by TJ Fords injury. He will benefit from having this summer league and fall camp to advance. When the Spurs selected him, I almost laughed, but seeing he will turn 21 just before the season camp starts, I am interested in his abilities. He had a solid 1st summer league game and in a couple of years "may" become our point guard after TP. I think back to TP 1st 2 or 3 years and how Pop handled him and see a lot more in CJ than I did when he was drafted.
Anjica may not play much in Vegas. If he is really showing up in practice, the Spurs want to hide him for training camp. Thus preventing MarK Cuban from siging him.
Overall, game 1 was well played and well coached by JV.
Is green here to replace the regular season +/- king?
Timvp doing work !
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