From: paulg@microsoft.com (Paul Goode)
Subject: Re: Spurs, etc.
Date: 29 Dec 92 21:20:26 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corp.
Summary: Spurs coaching change

In article <OLIVER.92Dec25052312@ballard1.mit.edu>, oliver@athena.mit.edu (James D. Oliver III) writes:
> 
> RED McCOMBS IS AN IDIOT
> 
> 
> Tarkanian didn't really want to be here, anyway, from reports.  His heart
> just didn't seem to be in it.  Probably the lack of slot machines. But even
> a half-interested Tark managed to do a pretty good job with what he had.

I think that you had a 62-yr old coaching legend who left his college
program under a cloud and who saw a chance to go out in a blaze of glory.
Tarkanian signed up to coach a starting lineup -- Robinson, Cummings,
Elliott, Anderson, Strickland -- that looked to him to be one of the
best in the NBA. When injuries and free agency decimated this squad,
he was left with holding together a group of reserves that by no means
included a NBA-calibre starting point guard. I doubt that he was very 
interested in this, and I think that he became fixated on the point
guard situation.

While I also think that Tark did some good things with this club,
I question that they are a .450 team. They did not play well down
the stretch in close games, and lost some that they should have 
won, point guard or no. Still, with Rod Strickland running this
club, they are probably around 17-8 instead of 13-12.

> 
> Reports in the Light say that he's considering returning to the NBA in a
> front office job, possibly with his good buddy Harold Katz in Philly.
> 
> COACH LUCAS
> 
> 
> His second official move was to hire George Gervin as an assistant coach.
> It's not clear what Ice's role as a coach is going to be, as
> he was not exactly noted for his mastery of the nuances of the game.  

According to Coach Lucas, "these guys are going to hate me" in about
a week, and he wants Ice as a buffer between players and coach.
As for his mastery of nuance, well, Ice was so good that he didn't
have to master much in the way of nuances. Maybe he will now that
he's a coach.

> best part about his hiring was that it gave the TV guys a chance to play a
> lot of his old highlights, and for us old-timers to reminsce about the days
> when the Spurs actually had a guard who could shoot.  Nobody, Jordan
> included, ever made scoring look easier.
>

Like Julius Erving, Jordan's atheleticism is on display when he scores. 
You're conscious of his speed, how high can jump, etc. Ice was different:
Not particularly fast or much of a leaper, Ice's abilities were more
subtle. Seeing him up close, he gave the imprression of being absolutely
in control of the movement and coordination of every muscle, bone, and
nerve ending in his body. From a distance, the results looked so fluid
and natural that you thought, "Hey, with a little practice, I bet I
could do that, too."

> the Nuggets.  Sean Elliott in the first quarter looked like he had become
> Coach Gervin's special project, as he took it to the basket at every
> opportunity, something he needs to do more of.
>

After watching the Clippers game on Christmas and looking at Sean's 
numbers against the Lakers, I wonder if Lucas is casting Sean in a
point forward role.
 
> 
> J.R. Reid had a good game, 15 pts, 6 boards, 2 steals, 2 blocks.  For the
> Nuggies, Gary Plummer (!) had twenty points and Jackson played well in
> stretches.
>

He was a horse against the Clips. With Robinson, in foul trouble,
J. R.'s rebounding helped the Spurs hold their lead.
 
> SPURS SEASON GRADES
> 
> 
> Dale Ellis: Figures.  Once the premier outside shooter in the league, comes
> to San Antonio and can't hit the broad side of a barn.  Well, not quite
> that bad, but he's shooting around 46% and ~30% from the three-point line.
> Is okay from a set position but can't hit anything if he's moving (i.e.,
> coming off of a pick).  

He shot well of picks in the second half against the Clips. This is 
Dale's bread and butter; if he can't shoot off picks consistently
then he's not worth keeping.

> 
> Antoine Carr: Has been playing well in Cummings' absence, as he did last
> year when Robinson went out.  I think he plays better as a starter than off
> the bench, but he's really not good enough to be a starter.  Oh, well.
> Grade--B+
>

I agree that he's more effective starting, but I also think that he
forces a lot of shots. Like Cummings, he's a black hole when he gets
the ball; unlike Cummings, he can't do as many things with. A better
shot blocker than I would have thought.
 
> 
> Lloyd Daniels: Not bad at all.  May be the one lasting legacy of the Tark
> Era, and was probably a primary reason why Lucas was hired to replace him.
> Is the teams' best three-point shooter, and should be a lock for
> second-team All-rookie.  The only problem is that, assuming Willie Anderson
> comes back, the Spurs are overloaded with 6'7" swingmen.  Won't be a star
> until he can learn to hit his free throws.  Grade--B+.
>

Anderson may return as early as January. Of Willie, Dale, Lloyd, and Vinnie,
Anderson is clearly the starter -- he has the best all-around game and
can contribute defensively. I would look for a trade, but who? Daniels
has an awful lot of potential, Vinnie is at least a legitimate backup at
point, and Ellis is the least marketable (unless his game comes around,
but in that case, why trade him?).
 
> J. R. Reid: Charlotte fans exulted his departure, but what are they going to
> do with Sidney Green?  I like J.R., he hustles and occasionally produces.
> Not bad for your third-string power forward, which he is.  If there's room
> for Ed Pinckney in the league, there's a spot for J.R.  Grade--B
>

Ironically, J.R. is providing kind of numbers (12p,7r) and physical 
presence that the Spurs thought they would be getting from Green. I
thought that J.R. was a worthless acquisition, but I'm changing my mind. 

Paul

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