Pounding The Rock Mar 16, 2019
Jakob Poeltl is on his way to becoming an elite finisher
The latest in a long line of surprising San Antonio big men is making noise. The Spurs have a habit of starting off the 4th quarter with a twist on a common action, typically exploiting the defense for easy points. Friday night’s payback game against the Knicks provided a good example. Ahead by 13 with Rudy Gay leading a United Nations of Ball Movement lineup, the Spurs settled in to what looked like a typical post up for their 6’8” forward to go at Henry Ellenson. Rudy sets a down screen for Davis Bertans, who receives the ball from Patty Mills at the top of the key before...
Pounding The Rock Mar 16, 2019
Streaking Spurs stay hot with rout of Knicks
San Antonio made it seven straight, avenging a blowout loss at MSG that came three long weeks ago. Jakob Poeltl’s face was red. Not red as in embarrassed, mind you, or even flushed from having just played 27 minutes of his typically frenetic brand of rim-to-rim basketball. Instead the 7-foot Austrian had the distinct rouge and Ray Ban silhouette that might afflict a recent transplant after spending their last two Marches north of the border. The “glow” — as Patty Mills had called it — made him stand out that much more while on the floor during the Spurs’ 109-83 win over the New...
ClutchPoints Mar 11, 2019
Spurs’ Patty Mills says Dirk Nowitzki gives hope that international players can make it to the NBA
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki has played 21 years in the NBA, a career that’s nothing but legendary to most of the fans. The sweet-shooting German has accomplished a lot during his run, and now that he’s almost at the finish line, fellow players, especially those who came from outside the United States, can’t help […] The post Spurs’ Patty Mills says Dirk Nowitzki gives hope that international players can make it to the NBA appeared first on ClutchPoints.
ClutchPoints Mar 5, 2019
Patty Mills explains how Spurs have suddenly started streaking with wins
The San Antonio Spurs have now won three straight games and have managed to cling to the eighth seed in the Western Conference, something guard Patty Mills attributed to the proverbial flip of the switch. Following a nail-biting 104-103 win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday, the Spurs improved to 36-29 and are now three […] The post Patty Mills explains how Spurs have suddenly started streaking with wins appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Pounding The Rock Mar 3, 2019
Spurs remain dominant at home, roll past Thunder
The Spurs improved to 24-7 at the AT&T Center after downing a Thunder team playing without Paul George. Patty Mills ran down his own miss after pulling up for a three in transition, narrowly beating Russell Westbrook to the ball before driving and kicking it left to Marco Belinelli, who dribbled past Terrance Ferguson’s close-out only to get stripped mid-gather, bobbling the ball once, twice, then batting it towards the rim with his out-stretched fingertips, sending it careening off the backboard, then off a Thunder defender’s hand and finally into the mitts of a well-positioned...
Pounding The Rock Feb 23, 2019
How the Spurs got away with Patty Mills defending Kawhi Leonard
San Antonio had Derrick White on a minutes restriction, which means they had to do try something extreme. Somebody on the Spurs’ coaching staff is having a little too much fun. Using Patty Mills as a primary defender on Kawhi Leonard should not work. There’s simply no reason to believe that a 6’0”, 180 pound guard would have a chance of containing the guy who seemed on the verge of almost single-handedly ending the Warriors run just two years ago. Patty has the 3rd worst defensive on-off numbers on the team, behind only Marco Belinelli and Dante Cunningham, per Cleaning the Glass....
