Another San Antonio Spurs training camp is in the books as the team prepares for their next preseason game versus Atlanta.
Project Spurs was at today's practice and here are some quotes and notes from today's media session.
Quotes:
Boris Diaw on having a full training camp with San Antonio.
"It's better. You get to play from the beginning. Get to know the players. Get used to play with each other. It's definitely better."
Diaw in having other big men in camp to go against in practice and to improve his post game.
"Yeah definitely. We got a lot of people now so it's good. We got a lot of rotation and we get to play against different styles. Some guys are just faster, some guys are more powerful. So it's good to be able to practice that way."
Diaw on the first preseason game versus Montepaschi Siena.
"It's not much to say so far. It's pretty early. It was just a friendly game. As far the game and the way we are playing, I think we're on the right track and pretty much playing the same philosophy we were doing last year. A lot of sharing the ball."
Diaw on his fellow countryman Nando De Colo.
"He's going to bring a lot of different things. He's pretty versatile. He can do a lot of things on the court. He's like a combo, a one or two. He can bring the ball up and he's a pretty good perimeter shooter. He's a good passer. He sees the floor pretty well."
Diaw on whether he will ever consider rapping like Stephen Jackson.
"No. Never tried that. I'm not a really good singer period. So I don't think it will work."
Kawhi Leonard on having a training camp unlike last season.
"I think it's going to do good for us. Just getting out team chemistry right away. Guys know what to do on the court and know their role. I think it's going to work out."
Leonard on what he is focusing on in practice.
"Just pretty much getting better, an all-around player, weak side help on defense. Try to knock down shots and shooting off the dribble."
Leonard on handling the ball on the break.
"I been working on it in the offseason and the coaches have confidence in me to get the rebound and take it to the end of the court."
Tony Parker on coach Popovich managing the players.
"Pop he does a great job at resting guys and all this stuff we are doing, it makes sense. It's not that hard if you want to go far and get back to where we were last year. You can't skip steps."
Parker on the battle for the back up point guard spot.
"They're fighting hard. Seriously, they are going hard. Cory Joseph came and was ready. Patty Mills, the same thing. And then Gary Neal is playing great. It's going to be Pop's decision and they're working hard."
Parker on Neal's adjustment to playing back up point guard.
"He's getting more comfortable. Obviously his natural position is the two (guard). Until someone takes his spot, he's my back up point."
Parker on De Colo playing point guard.
"I don't know. We have Patty, Cory and then you have Gary Neal playing the point. That's a great problem to have. We have a lot of great talented players."
Parker on whether De Colo is another Manu Ginobili.
"In a sense because he'll do some crazy pass. He'll go for crazy steals. But he's got a long way to be like Manu. He's like a poor Manu right now but he definitely has the skills. I remember in a time out, Pop was joking 'I have one Manu, I don't need two Manu's right now.'"
Notes:
Spurs' Tim Duncan and boxer Jesse James Leija were hitting the gloves in the team weight room. TD was bobbing and weaving and tossing out some hard-sounding jabs.
Matt Bonner was knocking down three-point shots and at one point nailed 10 in a row.
Leonard and Danny Green were practicing their free-throws at one end of the court.
Assistant coach Chip Engelland was giving Nando De Colo some instructions on his shot. From set shots to shots off the dribble, Chip had Nando working hard.
