Saturday, February 20th, 2010...8:08 am
Philadelphia 76ers 106, San Antonio Spurs 94
When a team is playing well, it typically moves from lesser to greater certainty as the season progresses. All the big questions that lead the season find a satisfactory resolution in a sharp player rotation, efficient scoring, and a defense that can, at least, get the necessary stops that winning requires. Those things come together, and plenty more aside. It’s a process of refinement.
The San Antonio Spurs are the same curious lump of clay that began the season, more shapeless than molded, and more or less stuck with the same questions that hounded them back in October. And where they have answers (Will Richard Jefferson fit? Can they stay healthy?), there is cause for discouragement.
Jeff McDonald offered this fitting description of last night’s loss, “Doomed by another spectacular fourth-quarter meltdown, the Spurs lost 106-94 to the Sixers, another frustrating lowlight in their two-steps-forward, one-step-back campaign.” The only quibble I would register is over the two forward, one back thing. The Spurs, to my mind, are walking in place. And in doing so, their legs are beginning to tire.
Tony Parker only played 29 minutes on 1-9 shooting. Maybe he shouldn’t have played at all. Between a strained hip flexor and plantar fasciitis, Parker is a shadow of himself. His Kobe Bryant routine is admirable, but when Bryant plays through injuries his team has the good manners to win.
Parker’s status against Detroit in uncertain, but Gregg Popovich should give strong consideration to letting Parker rest.
The only thing we can know from last night’s loss is that the Spurs are not a good basketball team. They’re mired in mediocrity; they’re not healthy.
In the past one could say San Antonio’s opponent shot 51% from the field, and then qualify it as an aberration. And while Philadelphia did connect on 51% of its baskets last night, the only qualifier is to say it could have been worse. The 76ers at rim eFG% was 76.7%. In other words, they scored at rim at will, especially in transition.
In light of Tony Parker’s struggles, the team will need scoring from elsewhere in the coming games. Against the 76ers, Tim Duncan shot poorly, something that is increasingly common as the season stretches toward a close. But on most nights one would expect him to score on better than 40% of his shot attempts. And to attempt more than 10 shots.
The question is who will score in Tony Parker’s absence, assuming he misses games or sees fewer minutes. The ideal situation would be for Richard Jefferson to find his game, but he’s given little indication that he’s capable of scoring regularly within the Spurs’ offense. A more likely scenario is increased minutes for Manu Ginobili, George Hill and DeJuan Blair. Against the 76ers each of those players contributed more than one point per possession used (1.08, 1.24, and 1.07, respectively). Although, DeJuan Blair played a curiously short 16 minutes. But I’d wager that some combination of that threesome picks up the scoring slack.
Tomorrow’s game against Detroit concludes the Rodeo Road Trip. But, if the previous game is any indicator, we’re not likely to know anything more leaving than going in.
48 Comments
February 20th, 2010 at 8:57 am
we should consider trading tony (again). the rest of his career will be mirred with injuries due to summer play. maybe rj should come off the bench? he may have more freedom and bypass deferral to tony and tim.
let the ian mahinmi era begin (lol)
February 20th, 2010 at 9:00 am
Forget the spurs. f*** of seeing them playing like that. fire the coach and rebuild the team . iam soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo frustated seeing them playing like that. it’s not worthing my time and waste of money seeing on nba league pass. i am a huge fan of spurs since 2000. i never see these kind of play. since begining i am telling we need some shooooooooooooooters. ok man i am so frustated now. NO SPURS NO NO SPURS NO
February 20th, 2010 at 9:31 am
I don’t think this rodeo trip provided us with any answers. The win against the Pacers was everything but convincing, the loss against Portland was stupid, and yesterday’s loss showed that we still can’t play defense. And on top of that we gave away our only true center we had on the bench. Are we doomed to go small forever now? Or is Ian going to play more minutes? I don’t think so……. With a win against Detroit we would go 5-3 , which is OK, 6-2 would have been great, 7-1 … I don’t even want to think about it. Anyway….still a lot of work left. Still no real answers, still frustrated! Go Spurs!!
February 20th, 2010 at 9:47 am
If I were Pop I would sit the entire team down for a long video session and I would run clips of the Spurs in their glory days. Pick the best games and have everyone see how good they can be. We need a mental turn around and it is not coming through playing well and winning winnable games.
Frustrating!!!!!!!
February 20th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Anyone notice how quickly Haywood and Butler have meshed with the Mavs? Or Jackson, Thomas, and Ratliff with Bobcats? This current makeup will never get past a 1st round of the playoffs. I predict the Spurs will get swept in the 1st round by the Lakers, Mavs, Jazz or Nuggets.
Extremely disappointed that the Spurs front office went all in over the summer, but did not have the courage and willingness to accept that a change was needed despite their efforts. It’s like having the resolve to climb a mountain, but not having the guts to change course halfway up when the path to the top has clearly been blocked and just quitting. It’s like the Spurs front office admitted to a mistake but felt to scared to correct the course. They tried to trade Parker for Paul, but what else?
Ratliff blocked more shots last night in 18 min than the entire Spurs team did in 240 min. Stephen Jackson scored 29 to help beat the Cavs. We could have had him for Bonner and Mason.
Depressing.
February 20th, 2010 at 10:40 am
BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is really pathetic. Change has to come someday. I am ready for next season to see if there will be any changes.
February 20th, 2010 at 10:53 am
Talk to me if the Mavs and Bobcats win then championship.
Hey at least Manu is balling!
February 20th, 2010 at 11:08 am
every year I look forward to basketball season, although when the season ends too early, it is always a major bummer, I’ve usually been optimistic until the final couple of games… and of obviously it’s been great for us spurs’ fans most years… this year I don’t even want to watch… I am trying to enjoy some good play by Manu and Tim knowing they won’t be with us forever, and am not sure if I can drum up Morbid curiosity to see wtf is going on with RJ and this team overall. Aside from watching Blair and Hill to see if they will develop into the kind of guys we can rely on at their respective positions, what reason is there to watch? I’m a true spurs fan, not a bandwagon guy, but Pop is killing us with these rotations, and the culture has to change… can’t we have 8 guys who play with some frickin’ Passion? Apparently not.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:10 am
I’m still struggling to understand why Richard Jefferson is struggling to fit into the spurs system. Theb guy is a good basketball player. I feel as if the playbook is centered around the big three, and therefore Jefferson can’t really use his abilities. We have never really had an athletic three who didn’t do more than just knocking down threes.
Starting keith Bogans at SF is a big mistake, and he might be better if he could actually knock down a shot.
We need smeone at the rim who can alter shots, and the fact that we didn’t go after one during the trade deadline is a travesty. So I’m not really expecting much from the Spurs this season, which sucks because they were really supposed to be a contender.
On a side note, I wonder if we will try to acquire Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Long armed big man who can stretch the floor hello? Washington will more than likely by him out, and I say we make a run at him.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Seems to me that the Spurs coaching braintrust may not be paying any attention to their stat guys.
Otherwise, Pop wouldn’t put a starting line-up on the floor like the one that started the last two games. Scrubs around the league must be begging their agents to get them a trade to the Spurs so that they can have a better than average chance of cracking the starting line-up.
I like the way that the Bobcats used Ratliff last night. Why couldn’t the Spurs have done that? The guy isn’t around to score points. He is on the floor to block and change shots and to rebound.
I agree the posters who say let the kid (mahinmi) play more minutes. Lets bring back the twin towers, start him next to Duncan!!
February 20th, 2010 at 11:19 am
Jarvis Hayes is suppose to get bought out by the Nets go get him and cut Bogans he can hit open shots and play some D!
February 20th, 2010 at 11:23 am
I don’t see how this hasn’t answered any questions. It seems to me it has: the Spurs are what they are this year; a first round playoff team at best. RJ doesn’t fit, we won’t stay healthy, we have no interior D, and while Timmy and Manu are still good, they’re too far past their prime to be the core of a championship team. I’m not so sure there was even much question regarding these things before the rodeo road trip.
As I see things, the unanswered question at this point isn’t how far we can go in the playoffs, but whether we’ll make them. I think odds are we can get the 8th seed and get swept by the Lakers, but even this is in question. We’re now in 7th, 1 game ahead of Portland, a team that has been mangled by injuries and that should easily overtake us within a few games of Roy’s return. We’re 3 games ahead of New Orleans, who have dealt surprising well with Paul’s injury, and Houston, who are a gritty, over-achieving team. I believe we can hold on to the 8th seed and stay ahead of Houston and Chris Paul-less NO. But given the way we’ve been playing and the way they’ve been playing, you can’t seriously claim it’s a given.
I know we’re Spurs fans and we usually expect championships. But there’s no point in clinging to the past. We need to figure out how fans of middling teams stay fans: take it one game at a time, cheer on these players who have given us so much over their careers, be realistic (i.e., hope we make the playoffs) and follow the re-building process. Beyond that, I don’t see any questions about this team that remain.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:43 am
I know it aint gonna happen but POP should just play IAN. Put him in the starting line up. At this point what could it hurt. Sure there are going to be problems at first. But imagine what he could be in the next 20 games. Imagine what he could’ve been now if he played consistently after that New Jersey game.
Hey, he can’t do any worse than Bogans and Bonner in the starting line up. Last night they went for a combined 4 points.
It seems to me that the best starting line up was
TD, MCDEEZY,RMJ,BOGANS,PARKER.
Also, I guess its because Parker is hurt, but too much George Hill. I love Hill but he’s not ready to have the ball in the 4th in the clutch.
As for RJ, I don’t know what f*ck is wrong. Excuse my language but theres no other way to put it.
I do like him coming off the bench. I think he should play more with Manu and Blair. It may create more opportunities for him to slash and fastbreak.
As for POP, I don’t completely blame the guy anymore. Because for all his rotations, the players still have to execute and hit shots. If you think about it they would be a great team if they did both of those things.
Its not POP who threw the ball right to the Sixers in the 4th.
Having said that, I don’t know why POP feels the need to play small ball. Everytime they won a championship, they had a big in their. And not even great bigs either. Robinson doesn’t apply obviously. But, Nesterovic, Elson, Oberto. They were just in there taking up space. IAN can take up space too.
Look at the Mavs before the trade. THey Dampier in there. HE SUCKS!! But you can suck and still rebound and get put backs. Two things Dampier did to the Spurs this year.
Or if he doesn’t want to play IAN, then use Mcdeezy. IF you’re gonna play him then play him. Don’t sit him half the time!!!!!!!!!!
I say they should just secure the 8th seed and just head up with the Lakers. Its what we all wanted to see since training camp. Win or lose let’s just get it over with.
February 20th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Well said, Pastrypride. We are waiting for this team to turn the corner when they already have turned the corner and this is what they are. That’s why the passing of the trade deadline with nothing to show but a 2016 pick was so disappointing. The Big 3 are done winning the ‘ships and RJ has offered no help. The FO really made a big mistake the last couple of weeks in my opinion not because they could have made a move to win this year, but because they did nothing to set us up for the future. This team is like watching a train wreck in slow motion, but not being able to do anything about it. I hope this team is blown up over the summer. The sooner the Spurs move on and rebuild the better off everyone will be.
February 20th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Have been a fan since the Iceman days. This has been the most frustrating season that I can recall. You think for a sec that they have possibly turned the corner, then they lose to a bad Sixers team. This is unacceptable. I thought the RJ move was a bold stroke before the season. Now it is looking like a big mistake. Well at least we weren’t stuck with Rasheed Wallace, who is playing even worse than Jefferson.
The future just doesn’t look bright right now. I think they are stuck with basically the same team as next year. And everyone will be a year older. This could get ugly. I will keep the faith and hope for the best. That is all we fans can do.
February 20th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
When Parker didn’t play in the past few games, it was like 7-8 players in double-figure scoring. So it’s not matter of who will score in place of Parker, but rather everyone will hopefully get it done with the balanced scoring (and Spurs definitely has the roster to do that). Parker needs a rest, and everyone except Pop and Parker himself knows this.
February 20th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
I agree with Pastrypride as well. I think what makes it the most difficult to swallow, however, is the high expectations we had coming into this season. The moves we made had everyone talking championship. This may be denialist faith, but I still think this team can gel over the next 30 games and make a deep playoff run.
February 20th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
This is the problem: once one question starts to be answered, another question arises or a previously answered question becomes unanswered. And around and around we go.
Duncan is incredible. Hill has shown solid improvement this season. Blair is a nice surprise. But everyone else has given uneven efforts from game to game.
Everything would be better if Pop just settled on a predictable rotation. And that rotation should not involve heavy minutes for Bogans and Finley.
February 20th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
What really bothers me is that we are still finding ourselves biting at the heels of Dallas for 1st place in the SW. Why can’t this team take a few games and take over this division? That’s our chance to get some momentum and hopefully some confidence to make a run for the title. The Western Conference playoffs will be a cage match, and with a few things bouncing our way, there is a chance. But small steps must be taken. The first: win some games to take the SW!
February 20th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
TD, McDyess, Jefferson, Parker
and one of Bogans, Hill or Ginobili are all positive lineups on Adjusted +/-.
They’d be wise to play the hell out of them. If they won’t right now, they certainly should in the playoffs.
February 20th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
For the season they’ve used those 3 lineups only about 12% of total time and it probably ought to be 40+%.
February 20th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
“The 76ers at rim eFG% was 76.7%. In other words, they scored at rim at will, especially in transition.”
So what you’re telling me is that we need a big man to defend the rim?
I got it!
There’s this center in Charlotte that is known for defending the rim, blocking and altering shots. He’s past his prime but still effective as a rotation player. And since he is past prime, we can easily sign him for the veteran’s minimum!
I bet we can even get him for a second round pick in 2016. Charlotte’s dumb enough to take that trade.
February 20th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
I even wonder about Pop’s in-game strategy. While Dalembert was in there, we kept taking it to the basket and getting the shots blocked. As soon as he was tossed, it seems we stopped taking it to the hole. WTF!
In the recent past, Timmy and Manu and occasionally Tony, could literally will us to victory. They simply would not allow us to lose certain games, usually those that were close at the end. But they can’t do that anymore. They need help from others and it just isn’t coming. Will it ever again? Not looking too promising.
February 20th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Pop’s last year?
February 20th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
I think Popovich needs to use the lineup and rotations that won the Denver game. That was a game where I felt they really had chemistry and everybody played well in that game. I think Parker might be detrimental to team chemistry. So I think this team is definitely capable of playing well. It’s the coaching that is killing them. This is clearly an example of not maximizing talent which the best coaches are able to do.
February 20th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
What I said from day one.
February 20th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
It’s great that after four rings and year after year of quality ball, so called “huge spurs fans” bash the coach and the team like this. They will not win a championship this year or next, but 31-22 from Old Faithful could be a lot worse.
February 20th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
If no one is calling for Roy William’s head on a platter, then why call for Pop’s? UNC probably won’t even make the Dance and we’re solidly in the playoffs, so leave Pop alone. It’s the players that are underachieving, not the coach.
I’m jumping on the pastrypride bandwagon. We aren’t as good as we hoped. But that’s ok. We had a damn sweet ride for over a decade. Now let’s support our Spurs like we always have and be thankful for 4 championships. Let’s attend games, cheer for whoever wears the Black and Silver, and continue to be the best fans in the league.
February 20th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Bently, regarding Richard Jefferson
There is your problem. You are struggling to realize why he doesn’t fit? Because he is NOT a good basketball player. As i was saying over and over during the offseason, while you guys were all celebrating and claiming that the Spurs were equal to the Lakers in regards to probability of winning a ring, he is an AVERAGE basketball player and a HORRIBLE fit for the Spurs.
Richard Jefferson is an inefficient VOLUME shooter. He can get 20 points, shooting in the low 40′s for FG%. That’s why he is a bad fit. The Spurs needed a good role player. A good role player does all the intangibles, and is very efficient. RJ is the exact opposite. Also, I pointed out his horrible adjusted +- numbers from last year. Do you know that he actually had a NEGATIVE adjusted +- on a bad team last year? THat means that his team actually benefited when he sat on the bench! And this is on a bad team not a potential contender.
The reason they gave up Richard Jefferson for nothing is because he wasn’t worth anything. Let me rephrase, he wasn’t worth his contract. He actually had negative value to his team, meaning they wish they could just give him away and let someone else pay his wage. That should throw up some red flags no?
February 20th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
I wasn’t always happy about the Richard Jefferson acquisition at the beginning just because he didn’t turn heads with the Bucks so I was thinking, how the hell is he going to turn heads at San Antonio?
The real frustrating part, Jefferson doesn’t even have to be a huge part of our offense/defense but yet what he brings to the table is a bunch of sucktation/lacktation of a basketball player.
We can’t trade him and nobody wants him and I don’t blame those other teams for not wanting him. However there are things we could do which is of course getting rid of Tony Parker, you might not agree with me now but in the future I think it would benefit us in the long term because of the mileage he’s getting over the summer and possibly signing back Manu but with a relatively shorter contract because I think he can still do wonders of us even though his game is based on athleticism his court vision won’t fade.
I was actually hoping for Iggy and Dalembert at the trading deadline which wasn’t really that realistic but I was hoping that would be the case because it gives us just a tiny bit of youth and a Center that could just stand there and grab some rebounds get some blocks etc kind of what Theo Ratliff did but at a x2575843 of the price but he would have to come with Iggy I guess.
Either way I’m still going to be the optimist heading into the Playoffs and I hope you all are too. I still think when the lights turn on and the atmosphere increases the Spurs will light up again.
My idea of how to fix this team is simple and that’s really how rugby teams kind of work.
It’s a bit like training camp but I’m talking about cooking, eating, sleeping, training, working, practicing together constantly you know bonding as a team. Because I feel like there is major chemistry problems still and it’s going to persist. Maybe that’s just beyond anyone’s control.
February 20th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Not making a trade at the deadline was the final nail in the coffin. Tyrus Thomas’ debut for the cats was phenominal. 9 pts 12 reb & 6 blks!!! We didn’t honour Mason’s wish in trading him, we didn’t get a stretch big who can defend and we barely dumped any salary. So can someone please explain to me what just happened? If it team stands pat, they (eg Lakers, Orlando) believe they have the team who can win it all. Surely we don’t believe that, cause I certainly don’t.
February 20th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Kaveh,
I’m gonna have to agree with you in the sense that he hasn’t lived up to his contract or produced the way we thought he would. But the man is good enough to be able to create his own shot, and its not like he has to that much because we have Timmy, Tony, and Manu, but still he should be able to..and at leats knock down some open threes.
And regarding Popovich, remember at the beginning of the season he said:
“If we don’t win it this year, I should probably be fired.”
Maybe he didnt mean it literally, but its just kind of ironic.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
@Adam, I hear ya man! I wasn’t too big on Thomas, but come on! Did anyone, fans, Front Office, players, or coaches really believe this team was going to do ANYTHING this year? Since its practically a foregone conclusion that we’re not, why the hell didn’t the FO blow this thing up and go after young players (Thomas for example) or draft picks? I sound like a broken record, but the team’s in NO MANS LAND right now while the FO was playing circle jerk. I really do hope they have some sort of plan for the summer. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in Pop and RC.
February 21st, 2010 at 2:08 am
The point really is.
If you make the youth move it’s very unlikely that it gives you a title. It then hamstrings any flexibility you have next season, and makes it impossible to sign Splitter, reup Manu etc. The only way you get youth back is to give up flexibility.
No team in the entire league bit on a possible RJ trade, not one, and he was shopped to them all.
His contract is poison this year. next year its an expiring. TP is injured. He is not expiring. What value does he have to a team? He can’t help a contender…We’re a contender and he can’t do a thing with his body in the state its in. The only sensible thing to do here is to hold tight, and suck up that medicine.
A lot of you are talking about a total rebuild and giving up on not just this year but next as well. Your talking about giving up on Tim Duncans last years, your paying him $20 million to hang around?
Sometimes you have to take your medicine. The rest of this season is that medicine.
Pop is not coaching poorly. It’s just hard to win when your cores injured/slowing down due to the seasons grind/or dissapeared (RJ). Hey heres a news flash. Do you think if Tony was uninjured and RJ was performing as advertised and McDyess was having a great season we’d be in this situation?
Pop is a hell of a lot better than your run of the mill NBA coach. He is trying to find some way to make this thing work, thats his job, mindless howling will not get it done.
Take your medicine.
Being a fan isn’t and shouldn’t be always about just winning winning winning. We might have gotten lazy with the way the spurs constantly delivered excellent fundamental basketball year in year out. But this is still the same team and personell and coaching staff everyone loved for a decade. You think you know better?
I love the team, i’m happy to be along for the journey and I can take something out of the season regardless. Theres things to look forward to in the future and I’m still rooting for progress. Enjoy the maturation of George Hill, watch the progress of Dejaun (especially if he can get it happening on D), and truly take note of the last days of Tim Duncan. As has been mentioned he is the window, but more than that he is worth watching. He makes the right decision so often and we really do take it for granted.
February 21st, 2010 at 3:45 am
All I have to say is shut up! All you dirtbags act like you know more than Pop! When you have won 4 titles then maybe you can talk, until then keep your mouth closed and step away from the computer! Pop is not the one out on the court taking and missing shots, he is not the one playing bad defense! You think he forgot how to coach overnight! He can only coach’em up, he can’t play for them!
February 21st, 2010 at 3:53 am
Thanks to Bushka and a few others for their voices of sanity. Listen up guys, this season just didn’t work out to our expectaions. Let’s hope to get a few home playoff games for Holt to get a little money back.
It’s ludicrous to hear some of the postings. I will give you this: if the Spurs would have played with the same passion shown on this blog, we’d be in good shape. Unfortunately, they have shown the same BBIQ displayed in the same postings, and that is why we are in the position we are.
We have all been spoiled by the last 10 years and a lot of us have turned in to the worst sort of “yankee-like”, bandwagon jumper behavior.
It doesn’t make me any better or worse, but as a longtime Spurs fan, I can tell you I HAVE seen it all.
Bad coaching? Mo McHone, anyone? Clueless coach? Bob Weiss, Bob Hill, Tark, anyone? FA busts? Lloyd Daniels. Head cases? Mad Max. 1st round draft bust? Alfredrick Hughes. Heartbreak to end all heartbreak? Go read about the ’79 Eastern Conf. finals. Spurs up 3-1, and let the Bullets take it and they get burned 4-1 in the finals. Later on, when Cotton-ball and cocaine chased Ice out of SA, a lot of reports sounded the death knell for the team. We’d never survive as a “small market” team; the team would be sold, etc…they all said. Didn’t happen. Not to say we didn’t have some lean years, just like we “might” now. I still have faith that Pop and the FO will work it out.
After all that (and more), this season isn’t so bad.
I say that as a Spurs fan. As a basketball fan, I’m as pissed as the rest of you guys. There is still a lot of good basketball to be played. Unfortunately, I don’t think the Spurs will be involved in any of that. Well, there’s always next year!
February 21st, 2010 at 5:18 am
Nicely said, Bushka.
I will be a hypocrite if I were to say that I love the way the Spurs are playing these days, but I’m sticking up to them and I have faith that they would be able to pull it through.
At the start of the season, we should know that the Spurs got a quite radical “facelift” with the addition of not just one or two role players. We took in two major starters who have carried their previous teams for several seasons. These were not over-the-hill players who were out of their peak, but still valuable contributors. We got a lottery-level rookie who is developing much better than we hoped for, and our second-year player is developing very well. Tim and Manu are recovering from injury, and Tony has practically single-handedly lifted the team - and France - in the past two years.
There would always be difficulty with the roster, especially when it comes to playing time and even ego (no matter how little it actually has in the roster, compared with other “superstars” who are all-hype, no substance). With the new face of the Spurs - while still remaining “Duncan’s team” - there would be difficulty adjusting among the players.
Personally, I would love to have had the news that the Spurs have traded for a “giant” player: maybe something in the proportion of Butler, Haywood, T-Mac or even Tyrus Thomas. In my mind, I’ve been fantasizing of Dwayne Wade in a Spurs jersey. But that ain’t - and didn’t - happen, but still, I’m proud of my Spurs and I’m not abandoning the ship because my fantasy didn’t come true and we didn’t land any “named names.” I’m disappointed, but I thought in the course of the next thirty or so games, I would see the other teams having difficulty adjusting to the big-name (and probably big ego-ed) players that they added. In assessing RJ, RMJ and McDyess, I don’t see them as egoistic, selfish players, and I see Tim and Manu being patient helping Blair and Tony helping Hill.
Let’s just be patient, guys. And keep the faith.
Go Spurs Go!
February 21st, 2010 at 7:22 am
Who is supposed to get players to play with passion? Who cant figure out who to play and when to play them?
The gentleman that responded with all the coaches and eras: Name one coach that had both players that Pop started out with.
Hill was fired by POP in the season Dave was injured. Greg didnt fare much better than Hill did. Hill coached 18 games and Greg’s X’s and O’s ensured a top 3 pick So I am unsure where “genius” came from. Its one thing to coast along on a Tim, or Kobe, Mike or Lebron, its another thing to keep success high during the down years of the GREATS, reload, not rebuild.
Of course we’re all pissed and disappointed in this year. Your favorite coach claimed this was his best team, and if he didnt get so far he should “be fired?”
You have to continually evolve as a coach. Our franchise hasnt. Its the same system, and unfortunately the same players. All we have been doing this whole year is beating a dead horse.
Additionally, I think the TP injured garbage is just that. One excuse after the other….
February 21st, 2010 at 9:29 am
Dre, disagree if you want but to call folks dirtbags and tell them to shutup because they have frustrations and opinions… that’s bull. Maybe you should step away from the computer if you can’t handle differences of opinion.
February 21st, 2010 at 9:38 am
I don’t think Pop has forgotten how to coach but I don’t he is immune from valid criticism either. But the bottomline is how they are coached and play in the playoffs. I think they can still pull it together. Compared to previous champs the Lakers don’t scare me. They are very very good but they are beatable.
February 21st, 2010 at 10:47 am
@Trade TP: Dude, you don’t like Tony. We GET IT. You think Pop is an old fogey…we get that too. You and I can disagree on that. We can agree that this season has been a disappointment. I think you if you broke it down why Tony is so “terrible”, you might find some converts. I like Tony, but if over the summer, the FO can do a “Herschel Walker” miracle, I’d be down with that.
Play with passion? C’mon, at their salaries, who are you kidding? Even David Robinson would piss me off when he’d give a post-game after a lackluster loss by saying “we were flat”, or someother such garbage. If you are making millions, and you can’t “bring it” every single night, even the reincarnation of Naismith ain’t going to help you. Passion? 10% on the coach, players responsible for the rest.
I’m dating myself, but the teams with Gervin/Silas/Kenon/Gilmore were pretty darn good. You never saw defense unless you saw the “Bruise Brothers”
Hill was fired because he was clueless on defensive sets. Great regular season coach, but couldn’t get multiple 60 win teams past the conf. finals. The decision was already made to let Hill finish up his contract, but when David got hurt, the ownership decided to try for the lottery. Turned out OK, I think.
They had to reload after ’99, didn’t get in till ’03, had to reload the next year. I do agree that since the ’07 championship, mistakes have been made. Most of that was due to Lux Tax considerations…but still mistakes for the long haul, as we see now. But, if RJ had given us 75% of his career avg, and Bogans would have been 50% of what Bruce brought…all you guys would be worshiping at the altar of Pop & RC.
You can have the players, the coach, the FO…but you still gotta have luck. We got lucky in ’87. Luckier in ’89 when David refused to re-enter the draft. Lucky again when David got hurt and the ping-pong ball went our way. Memorial Day Miracle, and so on…we have had our share.
On the flip side, .04 still sticks in my craw. Manu’s foul on dirk was “unlucky” (or stupid, depending on perspective). This year, we gambled the future on a career 20 ppg player, and a bunch of old guys. The coin didn’t land our way.
Once again, “Trade TP”, I find we agree once more: this season we have all been beating a dead horse. We’ll get ‘em next year. Or the year after that…
February 21st, 2010 at 10:55 am
This front office has rarely signed great free agents, going after Bruce Bowen (to make him a starter, no less) was true genius, giving a second chance to the malcontent Stephen Jackson was great, but this ended the same way as D Anderson. Hedo didn’t work out for us, Steve Kerr was about as solid a signing as we ever made, getting Finely was a victory, but I think Pop over-valued his contributions after the first few years… just like he undervalued S-Jax. Our trades over the years have not been world-class, considering that Kurt Thomas, and Brent Barry took a step backwards once they arrived here, and never played as well as they had before… obviously we didn’t do our homework on Richard Jefferson, blinded by his nice guy demeanor. I just hope that they can continue to find great value in the draft, although this always yields more misses than hits.
We can praise Pop forever, but I don’t understand fans who think we are gonna turn it around and make a run… these Spurs are playing worse, by far, than any in the Duncan era, between stringing together bad nights, our home record, our play against winning teams, the fact that it’s late February… OBVIOUSLY, we need to make some changes… and since we are not gonna win night in and night out anyway, we should rest Parker (for those of you who think his injury is the real difference-maker) and see who steps it up… this is what Portland did (and Houston had no choice except to do, last year) without destroying their shot at the post-season.
@Kaveh- I hear you, it was brutal hearing the media jump all over the RJ trade as “a great fit”, and it’s even worse to see my cynicism confirmed… and yet, even though the writing is on the wall with this group and these rotations, the delusion continues… meanwhile, another solid effort from the long, athletic defender that is Ty Thomas in his 2nd game (a double-double and four more blocks)- sure he’s young and mistake-prone, but why a guy like that wasn’t considered a worth-while gamble to try out this season I don’t get it, there’s a lot we could of given up to get him, or hell John Salmons, or even Al frickin’ Thorton, ftm.
February 21st, 2010 at 12:49 pm
i’m still going to watch as many games as i can. we aren’t winning a championship, but we will definately compete every night. i’ll hang my laurels on the fact that we are a class act, professional team that plays hard.
i remember hearing in the 48minutesofhell podcast about disliking basketball players that are athletes, not players. i think richard jefferson falls into that category. he never took time to polish his game and was comfortable throwing down transition dunks for a living. i think it was smart move, initially, to acquire him. fab, bruce, and kurt are off of our roster, but obviously, rj doesn’t fit. it was a gamble and a failiure.
i wonder if things continually slide, we will see timmy, manu, and maybe tony benched at season’s end.
@ Tim or Graydon. u think malik hairston can contribute in the future? do you guys think d-league success transfers to solid NBA production? i guess not. ian was d-league MVP at one point
February 21st, 2010 at 1:27 pm
I don’t see anyone not playing with passion outside of RJ.
For those of you that don’t see Tony’s injury as a legitimate reason for sub par performance. Compare the stats last year vs this year.
34:06 Mpg vs 32 Mpg
50.6 FG% vs 48.4
3.1 Reb’s vs 2.4
6.9 Assts vs 5.9
22 ppg vs 16.8
17.5 Shots per game vs 13.4
Every major statistical category has nose dived. Minutes are down by 2, but his scoring is down by 5.2 ppg…
Thats a 23% drop in points. His shooting the ball worse and LESS. His not taking it to the hole as often, he is not finding people as often on kickouts.
Heres the dilemma.
If he gets rested and he gets cured of his woes, does he play for France in the summer?
See if he isn’t rested I don’t think he’ll play injured.
Very much a double edged sword.
February 21st, 2010 at 1:32 pm
@Dre
I agree with what you say about POP. All he can do is call the plays. BUt relax dude. We all want the SPurs to play good. THeres no need for name calling.
February 21st, 2010 at 2:15 pm
@Greydon, Tim, et al-
Like rj posted above, I’d like to read/hear you discuss the Spurs’ young d-league guys… I don’t think d-league success indicates much, Koby Carl is dominating, and he could hardly be called an impact player, I’m not opposed to seeing Ian play more minutes, but I seriously doubt he is much of a savior, we all know Pop doesn’t like green, low BBIQ guys. I doubt Chris Anderson would have gotten much other than bench time on a Popovich team… that said, I am quite sure that if he had sufficient minutes, it would drive up his trade value, other GMs and Coach’s around the league would be seduced by his size and potential (we see this all the time)… same is true of the other young guys.
February 21st, 2010 at 6:05 pm
@ wannabe
the sad fact is I shouldnt have to “explain” why TP isnt good. Watch the games. We a 2nd year guy who does as much, more all around, than Parker. And Hill is hungry.
Why arent we playing Blair? Hes shown what he is capable of. Hes better than McDyess, Mason, Bogans, Finley and Bonner. So why is he on the bench?
So Pop fires Hill for having no post season success without one of the best players to ever play in the NBA. But now we are seeing the same from Pop.
How can we “get em next year” if we keep refusing to play/develop our young talent? We will just have the same excuses again. New players, too hard of a system, old players….
Im just not a fan of how the smartest coach in the world had no backup plan. Good game by Hill tonight against the Pistons. Wish Blair would have been in the game long enough to assess.
February 21st, 2010 at 6:25 pm
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