SA Gunner Capitalizing On Large Role

Roger Mason Jr. likes to shoot.

He really loves to heave the rock up there.  For his career, the fifth-year veteran takes more than 12 shots per 36 minutes (six of which are threes).  With Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili ailing in the Spurs' backcourt, Mason is getting the chance for the first time to play big-time minutes, and he isn't shying away much from his usual flinging pace.

Mason played 30 minutes in the Spurs' 25-point victory over Utah on Friday night, and his shooting played quite a role in making the game the blowout that it was: 10-for-17 form the field, including 7-of-10 from deep, for 29 points. 

The Spurs brought Mason in from Washington this summer to add a scoring spark to the rotation, and so far, he has done exactly that, albeit in a role more prominent than initially anticipated.  Mason has played nearly 35 minutes per game and done what he likes to do: shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.  That he is doing it a more efficient rate than ever before in his career has been key for the black and silver.  Mason is shooting better than 46 percent from the field and hitting more than half of his three-point attempts, putting him in line for a true shooting mark up close to 60 percent thus far on the young season.  He has gone for double-digit scoring efforts nine times in 12 games, including three performances of 20-plus points.

Can't say I expected to be saying three weeks into the season that it would be hard to imagine where the Spurs would be without Roger Mason thus far, but nonetheless, here we are: It's hard to imagine where the Spurs would be without Roger Mason thus far.  Impressive start for Junior.