Roger Mason stopped behind the arc and delivered his fourth game-clinching dagger in a nationally televised game against the defending champion Boston Celtics.
As he stepped into the shot, it looked as if Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford had unearthed the next Robert Horry.
One month later, Manu Ginobili's season ended, and the Spurs needed Mason to be more than a sometimes heroic spot-up shooter.
When the playoffs arrived, he could not oblige.
Mason's agent Mark Bartelstein told the San Antonio Express-News weeks ago his client would be open to a trade, if it resulted in more playing time for the shooting guard.
His flaw is as common as traffic accidents on busy interstate highways.
All players with a competitive spark would rather sweat on the court than ride the pine. He had been victimized by his own shortcomings, and this season, he was paying the hefty price.
Mason became an outstanding support man, but he played too much for his own good. Defenses uncovered his limitations and locked in, leaving Tim Duncan and his wobbly knees to fight single coverage.
The Spurs' guar ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Robert Kleeman
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March 8th, 2010 by Robert Kleeman Leave a reply »
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