Follow the team all season long with the 20-Second Timeout blog by Bill Schoening, The Radio Voice of the Spurs for the past nine years. Bill has over 30 years of play-by-play experience including broadcasting Major League Baseball, the NFL and the NBA. *Timeout Archive: October 09


Straight from Indy...Straight to You
by Bill Schoening | November 18, 2009

When he talks, guard George Hill of the Spurs doesn't sound like a second year player just excited to be in the NBA. He exhibits a calm demeanor and maturity that you might not expect from a guy less than two years removed from playing in the Summitt League for IUPUI. Hill's long hours in the gym with assistant coaches Chad Forcier and Chip Engelland over the summer have given him added confidence in all phases of his game, and that includes his perimeter shooting and ballhandling.

Hill is very nonchalant when he talks about his goals. "My confidence is very high. I had a good summer. I want to show the coaches that I'm here to stay and that I want to be a great player, " says the wiry Hill, whose long arms and lateral quickness give him the ability to guard taller guards and small forwards. His tenacity at the defensive end was on display in a recent game against Oklahoma City, when he more than held his own against 6'9" Kevin Durant.

Hill is thankful for his opportunity and has drawn praise from his coaches and teammates. Even though the Spurs are still a veteran laden team with lots of grizzled pros, there's no question that the energetic enthusiasm of players like Hill and rookie DeJuan Blair will provide a nice boost as the season wears on.



Manu Being Manu
by Bill Schoening | November 11, 2009

The hair wasn't flying in all directions and he didn't go "around-the-world" in the lane and then twist for a reverse layup, but it sure was good to see Manu being Manu Monday night at the AT&T Center. If you thought this whirling dervish was through wreaking havoc on opposing defenses, think again amigo.

The lefty from Bahia Blanca seized the moment against the Raptors, delivering a gem of a performance with 36 points and a just as impressive eight assists with some stylish playmaking passes.

On Halloween Ginobili swatted one bat...on Monday night he swatted four Raptors shots, a career high for blocks and a demonstration of his all out hustle. With two-thirds of the Big Three missing the game, Ginobili stepped up and showed the veteran leadership you would expect. Just Manu being Manu.



Spurs In The Balance
by Bill Schoening | November 5, 2009

Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr. made an interesting point during a recent pregame interview. Mason thinks that with the overall depth on the Spurs roster this season, there may be no player on the team to average as many as 20 points per game.

Even though the Spurs are averaging close to 104 points per game, there is so much balance that Tony Parker leads the team at 16.3 ppg. There are five players averaging in double figures and no one is averaging 30 minutes per game. Manu Ginobili is now in his 8th year with the Spurs and says this is the deepest team he's played on and one of the deepest in the league.

For the Spurs, it's clearly the collective effort and not about one guy putting up big numbers.