Carlesimo's dismissal has generated presidential levels of coverage compared to the spotlight San Antonio's George Hill attracts. You'd have to have a deep conversation about rookie guards before you get to Hill, at a time when Chicago's Derrick Rose and Memphis' O.J. Mayo each entered the weekend with five 25-point games this month, which is only three 25-point games shy of the November that a rookie named Michael Jordan had in 1984.
Of course, Hill's low profile only makes him more of a trademark Spur. Right?
Hill had a disappointing summer after San Antonio unexpectedly made him the 26th overall pick in the June draft out of IUPUI, which suggested that he wouldn't be getting much of a look from Popovich as a rook. But the early injuries suffered by Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili forced Hill to play major minutes and make crunch-time decisions right away. Just knowing he'd be out there seemed to pump Hill with the sort of confidence that we didn't see in summer league, resulting in four straight games of 19 points or better entering Friday's play.
Devastating as the ankle injuries suffered by Ginobili and Parker should have been, they wound up nudging Hill and fellow newcomer Roger Mason into immediate roles of prominence, speeding up what is typically a slow transition to the Spurs' way. As the venerable Robert Horry shared last week, explaining why it didn't surprise him at all that the Spurs started 1-4 without Ginobili: "It's not an easy system to learn. I think they have about 300 plays."
Add it all up and concerns about the Spurs' depth have been reduced significantly, at least in the backcourt, with Ginobili back now and Parker's return coming soon. The Spurs could still use another scoring threat and some frontcourt depth, but a long-standing void at backup point guard looks like it's going to be filled by Hill. If it hasn't been filled already.
San Antonio Express-News columnist Buck Harvey, who has seen more of the Spurs over the past two decades than just about anyone, is already making the case that the emergence of Hill and Mason means Popovich suddenly has the deepest guard rotation he's ever had.
