Monday, February 14th, 2011...11:15 pm
San Antonio Spurs 102, New Jersey Nets 85 - There’s No I in Spurs
PRUDENTIAL CENTER — The San Antonio Spurs beat the New Jersey Nets handily last night by the score of 102-85. The Spurs created off the dribble, got to the line, set up a ton of open looks, dominated the boards and made New Jersey work for every basket.
Manu Ginobili led all scorers with 22 points, including two treys and eight free throws. Parker contributed 13 points and seven dimes. DeJuan Blair did his thing on the boards and Tim Duncan shot well while playing tremendous defense on Brooke Lopez and helping out with three blocks.
Every Spurs player finished with a positive +/- before garbage time. Just like their season, no one player dominated the headlines, but the Spurs were able to win every quarter and come away victorious. The win brings their record to an astounding 46-9. The amazing part is that, despite the record, there still doesn’t seem to be much buzz about this team.
It seems that the Heat, Lakers, Celtics, Knicks, Bulls and Nuggets all get more headlines. Even Blake Griffin and the Clippers frequent highlight films. Perhaps even the Thunder and the Jazz garner more press than the Spurs.
The players also don’t seem to get the respect a normal team chasing 65-70 wins would normally garner (I guess there is no such thing as a normal team with this record). Manu Ginobili is frequently tabbed as the Spurs’ best player, but is only a token entry on many MVP lists. 19 players received more All-Star votes than Manu.
Quite frankly, I would also find it very difficult to argue he should be considered at the very top of MVP lists. (Ginobili greatly challenges our perceptions of player value. Everyone realizes he’s one of the best players in the league, but official recognition never measures up to the popular consensus.)
Despite a resurgence, Tony Parker is even further down on this list of All-Star voting, ranking 7th among western conference guards and 31st overall. He would have been a clear choice for All-Star in the East, but in the West he was an afterthought. I can’t really disagree too strongly with this assessment either.
As for Tim Duncan, he barely cracked the All-Star team and was perhaps the most controversial selection. I suspect he deserved the slot, but I can’t really say that with a lot of conviction either. Despite all these dissenters, few will argue that the Spurs have NOT been the best team this year.
The Spurs have no real MVP candidates and yet they own a record that would usually dictate two or three contenders for the award. Not to worry, Spurs players, there have been other championship teams with “no superstars” that have turned out fine in public perception. The Knicks of the early 70′s were considered a team with no elite players. Ironically, this team ended up with more Hall of Famers than any other in NBA history (depending on how you slice it).
If you count Phil Jackson’s election as a coach, the 1973 team consisted of seven Hall of Famers (Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Bill Bradley and Jerry Lucas were the others). No one knew who to credit for that team, so in the end all were rewarded.
The Spurs don’t have the “benefit” of playing on a stage like New York City, but I don’t think Coach Pop minds. When questioned as to why the Spurs didn’t get the most attention, Pop himself suggested more recent champions such as LA and Boston deserved more attention. (He didn’t provide a clear explanation for the Heat’s popularity, but I think we all know.)
The Spurs this year have been all about team. They have several players who can create their own shots and many more who can rack up points from open treys. Their bigs hustle for offensive rebounds, set screens and look to work in the post when needed. All players graciously accept their role and each puts forth effort defensively.
San Antonio might not get the respect they deserve, but if their winning ways continue through June, the world will be forced to take notice. And, you know, I think they’re pretty exciting to watch too.
110 Comments
February 14th, 2011 at 11:28 pm
Hold your Spurs (pardon the pun), this recap looks more like a tribute than a post-game analysis of the throttling of the Nets. Harking to the Knicks of yore in comparing the present San Antonio squad is a nice angle, though.
February 14th, 2011 at 11:44 pm
The only thing I ever see in regards to the Spurs is the “decline” of Duncan’s numbers. If they ever actually looked at a box score they’d realize that happens when you haven’t played like 8 4th quarters, or you played the first 6 minutes of each half. I wish the national media would get a clue. This is a special TEAM. And in this day of self promotion and hour long “decisions” you’d think they’d at least get the coverage that they deserve. But, as Spur fans, we’ve flown under the radar numerous times. We like it here.
February 14th, 2011 at 11:51 pm
It’s simple. They don’t have “ME” players. People want to see dunks and chest pounding. People strutting after hitting shots. Even KOBE blows on his finger when he hits a bunch of shots. Paul Pierce runs around the Garden imitating an airplane. Melo just thanked himself for still playing good despite all the trade talk, that he started.
Even a “scandal”(sorry to bring it up but it helps my point) with TP getting divorced. TP said one comment and that was it. Can you imagine if Melo was getting divorced????????????????
Remember when Manu hit that game winner against the Bucks, he just held his fist up, no big deal.
Even recently when they beat the Lakers at the buzzer, it was more of a celebration for Mcdeezy.
People don’t want to talk about them because nobody wants to see them in the playoffs and they hope to god that they don’t make the Finals.
Like the article mentions, look at all the pub the Clippers get. People rather see a losing team because of a couple of dunks than see a winning team play good basketball. Shout out to Blair for having some pretty good dunks this year.
Its all good though.
February 14th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by San Antonio Spurs, Andrew A. McNeill. Andrew A. McNeill said: 48MoH / Spurs 102 Nets 85 – There’s No I in Spurs http://dlvr.it/GcYGX [...]
February 14th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
I had always thought about who would be my favorite team after Duncan retired. But at this rate, will the spurs ever see a decline? I’m black and silver, especially when all my buddies get on whatever bandwagon and try to talk down the Spurs. This team is the best. All that matters is that this 2011 team will go down in Spurs folklore.
February 14th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
My old roommates are both huge Mavs fans and they are ridiculously quiet right now. I have other pals who are Lakers fans or bandwagon Heat fans. None of them are talking their normal smack right now. EVERYone is nervous about our Spurs. That’s all I need to know right now. I’ll just chill for now, pick my spots, and piss them off with my “One for the thumb” chants when the playoffs arrive.
February 15th, 2011 at 12:45 am
I blame the 4-letter network…Okay, the TV and Radio side. There’s a term that applies here. I picked this term up from a friend, it’s called Selective Mutism. For the Spurs, it’s when the TV & Radio people are capable of speaking clearly about anything they want to and when it’s the Spurs…they just kind of become mute and have a hard time talking about them.
On a serious tip, can you find out why Skip Bayless openly says that the Network has “forbid him of talking about that team in South Texas.” He says it often on First Take.
February 15th, 2011 at 1:54 am
Just keep pounding that rock because it doesn’t matter what other people think.
You see…it takes too much discipline in how the Spurs operate than how the majority of the national media conducts their business. Either they (the media) don’t get it or the heft of their business is based on individualism and sensationalism. Kind a hard to publicly tout something that is contradictory to one’s operational agendi. They would come off as TOO hypocritical. Which is ironic in of itself since the national media loves (makes the majority of their broadcasts/reports) exploiting others who make hypocritical and/or bad decisions. I mean really…how can the national sports media make any money praising the Spurs and their accomplishments when the majority of their revenue comes from the advertisers who are paying big money to the players talked about the most on these networks.
Now if the Spurs should faulter or lose it all after such a feat that has been accomplished thus far…the media will be all on it.
February 15th, 2011 at 2:18 am
As a follow up on my rant…the national media does do a good job of talking about the accomplishments of other players/teams as well. It’s just not as well documented or “sensationalized” as the stories (good or bad) of the well paid players/teams by the advertisers who in turn are also funding the majority of the network’s revenue.
In that sense…one can’t blame the networks. Would you bite the hand that feeds you?
February 15th, 2011 at 2:39 am
Just a good thing that Pop is coach of the West All-Stars! Will Duncan even play 10 mins?!
February 15th, 2011 at 3:23 am
Rob:
“Now if the Spurs should faulter or lose it all after such a feat that has been accomplished thus far…the media will be all on it.”
I agree 100% with this statement. Nevermind the fact that the so called “EXPERTS” picked the Spurs to not even win 50 games this year; the fantastic start, the switch to an uptempo offense while really not retooling the core, the starting of a 6’7″ wide body “center”, the only major additions being 3 rookies and RJ leaving money on the table to rework his deal will all be forgotten by the national media. My fear is that if the Spurs don’t win it all, well, we’ll never hear the end of THAT.
February 15th, 2011 at 3:40 am
And who says they won’t win it all? Certainly not the esteemed gentlemen who post on this blog.
February 15th, 2011 at 4:42 am
Hi, I’m French and I’ve been a Spurs fan since the days of David Robinson (because he was a committed Christian and I thought it was cool… then I realized they all call themselves Christians!) Then I stopped following as closely at the end of the 90s until Tony Parker arrived, I was so happy that a French player played well in the NBA that I started following again. For years I mainly checked the box scores and was not able to watch a lot of games (time difference being one major problem), but I’ve been in Australia for a month and have watched all the Spurs games and what strikes me is that they just know how to play (the other team that knows how to play is the Celtics). They don’t have the best one on one players but they play amazingly well as a team and when they lose it is really on an off off off night (because even when they’re off they usually manage to win). The other crazy thing is that I think they play even better than during their championships seasons when they relied so much more on TD. Every single player plays well (apart from Chris Quinn maybe but that’s ok he won’t get many minutes when it counts). I’m especially impressed by Neal, Hill, RJ and Blair. I still love TP and I’m impressed at his ability to finish at the rim despite his size and lack of athleticism. I love Ginobili and his freedom and crazy confidence (even when he’s off). TD is not as good as he used to be but that’s normal and he’s so intelligent that he is still fundamental to the team. Anyone who says they’re not a pleasure to watch either knows nothing about basketball or is simply jealous! I honestly think the Spurs will win if they don’t get any injuries. As for the media… who cares?
February 15th, 2011 at 5:03 am
Well, there is an “I” in “Tim,” but then (unlike Bryant or James) he goes by “Duncan.” Mostly this story is about Duncan being the most remarkable kind of superstar, one with a fundamental commitment to the team game. The team has developed around that core. It’s a sound plan, and it’s paying dividends now that Duncan has genuinely slowed (though less than appears). Part of the important success of Blair, Hill, and Neal (and extended career of Dice, a longtime favorite of mine) can be attributed to a wise front office, and much credit goes to those guys themselves, as well as to Jefferson’s commitment to becoming a part of this team. But it really all goes back to the space and support that Duncan offers to reward that kind of development. Duncan’s approach also helped Parker and Ginobili become what they have, something we now kind of forget. What Duncan’s entire approach to the game lacks in flash it makes up for in durability and reliability. That’s how the Spurs have snuck up on people for 4 rings already, so it makes sense to be optimistic that they can do it again.
February 15th, 2011 at 5:41 am
Bert
February 14th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
I had always thought about who would be my favorite team after Duncan retired. But at this rate, will the spurs ever see a decline? I’m black and silver, especially when all my buddies get on whatever bandwagon and try to talk down the Spurs. This team is the best. All that matters is that this 2011 team will go down in Spurs folklore.
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I was gonna let this one go, but the more I think about it, the more it bothers me. You sir, are the worst kind kind of bandwagoner there is. Just because the team you bandwagoned on has been good for a long period of time, that doesn’t make you any less of a bandwagoner. “I had always thought about who would be my favorite team after Duncan retired” Wow, there it is, right there. If you were a “SPURS” fan, you wouldn’t have thoughts like that. True fans stick with their team through thick and thin, good and bad. The fact that you are already planning who is going to be your next “favorite team” proves it. In fact, that is the textbook definition of a bandwagoner. It looks like Chicago’s going to be pretty good the next couple years, if you jump ship now, you can probably get in on the ground floor, lol…btw, it’s Silver and Black, not black and silver. But you’d know that if you were a true Spurs Fan.
February 15th, 2011 at 5:57 am
Good stuff. One of the things that frustrates me most is this whining that Tim Duncan shouldn’t be an all-star and that he got in for lifetime achievement. His numbers are almost identical to Kevin Garnett’s. I know there’s much more PF talent in the West than the East, but you won’t hear one gripe that KG shouldn’t be an all star.
February 15th, 2011 at 6:09 am
Oh, I meant to add one thing: please don’t read my comments as negative! I was just expressing disdain over the coverage. I certainly think that the Spurs can and will win it all. They definitely, to me, are the best team in the league. They just have to maintain focus! And I don’t think that will be a problem…
February 15th, 2011 at 6:10 am
I wouldn’t trade Matt Bonner for a “dream package” of Kobe, LeBron and ‘Mello for the simple reason that I can root for Matt Bonner with a clear conscience. I feel that way about every player on our roster. If it weren’t for the Spurs I don’t believe I could be an NBA fan.
February 15th, 2011 at 6:12 am
@French Dan:
“As for the media…who cares?”
Couldn’t agree more. What matters is our guys playing great basketball. And that’s what they’re doing.
February 15th, 2011 at 6:13 am
While we’re strolling down memory lane, that old Knicks team also had solid complementary players such as Dave Stallworth - a fast, shifty dependable swingman and also reliable in transition - Mike Riordan and, of course, the venerable Jackson, who sported an Afro hairdo.
Jerry Lucas, on the other hand, was a three-point bomber similar to the Red Rocket, although his below-the-shoulder release was somewhat unorthodox yet effective.
Willis Reed was only 6-foot-10 but was able to slug it out with the likes of seven-footers Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose Christian name was Lew Alcindor.
His brief heroic appearance in the Game 7 finale of the 1970 NBA title playoffs against the Lakers despite a torn muscle remains one of the NBA highlights all through the years
February 15th, 2011 at 7:22 am
@ SpursFan50
“I was gonna let this one go, but the more I think about it, the more it bothers me. You sir, are the worst kind kind of bandwagoner there is. Just because the team you bandwagoned on has been good for a long period of time, that doesn’t make you any less of a bandwagoner.”
I was gonna talk about how Great TP played last night. 1st time in a long time he actually looked for the roll man on a consistent bases. And had the game not been a blow out, he, TP would have still gotten all his normal points/assists. And as far as I saw everyone scored at there normal rate. So great point guard play from TP…………..
Now back to this….. So you are saying that you weren’t a Micheal Jordan/Bulls fan in the 90′s. And everyone who was and is no longer is a bandwagoner. Sorry dude, that doesn’t work for me. Everyone (or most people) was a MJ bulls fan and had a 2nd team after he retired. Sports have changed dude. Gone are the days where star players begin and end their careers with the same team. So if i was a huge College fan and followed a player to the NBA, how are you a bandwagoner to follow that PLAYER where ever he goes. Now I agree with you, If you were a Fan of another team and just jumped to the HEAT/CELTICS/LAKERS because your team sucked, then ya you are a groupie. But there other reasons to changed teams in today’s Pro Sports.
February 15th, 2011 at 7:33 am
What Do You think of this trade?
Tiago + Neal + Quinn (Anderson??) + a first or second for Memphis, Marc Gasol and OJ Majo
Will be awesome and a safe catch for maybe two more rings for Timmy
February 15th, 2011 at 7:37 am
Somewhat unrelated to this topic, but I didn’t get to watch the game, and my ESPN boxscore says Tiago was “DNP- Not with Team.” Anyone have any insight into this?
February 15th, 2011 at 7:56 am
@Nick
I was thinking the same thing, and you can actually make an argument that Carlos Boozer or Josh Smith should of made the all star game ahead of kevin garNOT
February 15th, 2011 at 7:57 am
Go Spurs Go!!
February 15th, 2011 at 8:34 am
Nay! Let me help those of you that have it right but refuse to call the dog by its name. ESPN, TNT, FOX Sports and the like will not give the Spurs the credit they deserve because the Spurs are not in a big market city, ie LA, Dallas, NYC, Boston Miami…you got the point. The NBA is as much of a business as any other sport and the elite media tend to support the teams that draw the most advertising market. I would like to give credit to Kenny Smith and Marv Albert for consistently giving credit to the Spurs. Opposite of that is my admire player and now commentator Charles Barkley. We will see you on the finals my man!
February 15th, 2011 at 8:34 am
I am a Spurs fan who moved to NJ last summer from Chicago. I went to my first Spurs game last night. I just wanted to see Duncan play before he retires. I don’t get to catch many games during the regular season as most Spurs fans in SA do.
Watching the game live gave me a whole different perspective on how good Duncan is. His presence on the court outweighs his numbers. The team effortlessly pulled away in the second half and they played as a cohesive unit.
I can’t u derstand how people don’t like Spurs basketball. It is understandable if you are not a fan, but how can you not respect the organization which is the gold standard of the league?
I am having a blast watching them this season and a title would be the icing on the cake.
Go Spurs Go!
February 15th, 2011 at 9:15 am
@d.iyer
“I can’t u derstand how people don’t like Spurs basketball. It is understandable if you are not a fan, but how can you not respect the organization which is the gold standard of the league? ”
I absolutely agree with you. Anyone who can’t appreciate what this Spurs team is doing and giving them their due credit is not a true basketball fan.
@Pally McAffable
The team sent Tiago home so he could work on conditioning and rehab his injury, its hard to do that kind of stuff when your traveling on a long road trip
February 15th, 2011 at 9:17 am
So you are saying that you weren’t a Micheal Jordan/Bulls fan in the 90′s. And everyone who was and is no longer is a bandwagoner. Sorry dude, that doesn’t work for me. Everyone (or most people) was a MJ bulls fan and had a 2nd team after he retired.
—————————————————————-Actually, I was a Spurs fan back in the 90′s, just as I am today. Did I like MJ? Sure. Did I respect him as a great player, of course. But I wasn’t walking around wearing Bulls hats or jerseys nor did I represent myself as a Bulls fan, because I wasn’t.
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Sports have changed dude. Gone are the days where star players begin and end their careers with the same team. So if i was a huge College fan and followed a player to the NBA, how are you a bandwagoner to follow that PLAYER where ever he goes.
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I hear what you are saying, I just don’t agree with all of it. I didn’t say someone is a bandwagoner if they follow a player wherever he goes. I follow players I liked in college now that they are in the NBA, but I don’t represent myself as a fan of the team they are currently playing for either. He said, and I quote “I’m black and silver, especially when all my buddies get on whatever bandwagon and try to talk down the Spurs” He is the one who brought up bandwagoning, while at the same time talking about how he is trying to decide who his “next” favorite team is gonna be. That struck me as very hypocritical, and I called him on it, that’s all. That’s like saying I liked Ray Allen when he was at UConn, so I’m now a Milwaukee fan because he plays there. Then, he left Milwaukee for Seattle, so I’m no longer a Bucks fan, I’m a Supersonic’s fan. Oh wait, now that he’s in Boston, I’m a Celtics fan. I guess when he retires I’m gonna have to find a new team. I mean, c’mon. I agree there are other reasons to change teams in todays Pro Sports. In the NFL, I was a St. Louis Cardinals fan, until they moved to Arizona. Now I don’t really have a team. I still watch the NFL and there are teams I kinda root for, but I don’t portray myself as fan of them. A lot of sports fans don’t have a team that they are diehard about, and that’s cool, as long as they don’t represent themselves as something they are not, especially when that team is doing well.
February 15th, 2011 at 9:20 am
How many times have you seen Manu pass the ball to another player right between the opponent’s legs?
I wonder if anybody keeps track of this play.
Go Spurs Go!!
February 15th, 2011 at 9:39 am
bong p:
“Jerry Lucas, on the other hand, was a three-point bomber similar to the Red Rocket”
I’m sure that most if not his entire career was played prior to their being a three point circle. I thought I recalled him having more of an inside game than being any sort of bomber, but seeing as how it’s been about 40 years since he retired I may be wrong.
February 15th, 2011 at 9:48 am
Every1 has stepped it up. I was very critical of the red rocket last year but I think his defense has stepped up.
The guy I really think deserves alot of credit is Blair. I go to Pitt and after last years season and the begining of this year I saw a guy who was tentative to shoot over guys bigger than him which was strange bc that was never his game at pitt. Over past few games it seems hes pretty much down for a double double every game and he has shown that his size is not a liabillity on the defensive end.
I cant wait for the playoffs, especially if they beat the lakers and celtics. To shut up all the ESPN experts who seem to forget the NBA is not all about those 2 teams
February 15th, 2011 at 10:50 am
@SpursFan50
My “black and silver” comment was an allusion to that “black and yellow” song that plays on the radio. Other than that, I see where my post sounds wrong. I didn’t start watching the NBA until I started watching Duncan play. I’ve watched like 95 per cent of their games since 2002. I’m a spurs fan.
February 15th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Last night was practically the quintessential Spur game. Parker running the offense for the first 33 minutes, Duncan dominating the paint (especially defensively) throughout, and Manu leading the charge to put the game away early in the 4th quarter. When Manu re-entered the game late in the 3rd the score was 72-64. When he left five minutes later it was 88-68, and his brief “reign of terror” was so complete that Tony and Tim didn’t even have to come back in.
And the role players continue to excel. Hill, RJ, Neal, Blair, Bonner, McDyess all continue to be positive influences (and I’m undervaluing Hill’s importance).
Read a blurp that said the Spurs “have won 9 of their last 11, 17 out of 20.” Heck, the article should just have said that they have won 45 out of their last 54.
February 15th, 2011 at 11:31 am
@ SpursFan50
Ok cool - I get what you were saying now. I usually pick a player I like and ride with them as long as they are playing. And ya I don’t say that I’m a fan of a team, unless I actually am, but will say I’m a fan of a certain player. In this case, TD, MANU, and IndyG are my top 3 players. With DJB growing on me daily
February 15th, 2011 at 11:41 am
The quote below belong to Dave D’Alessandro a Star-Ledger Columnist in NJ.
“The Spurs? They only have to deal with obscurity, which they do better than anybody because of the personalities of their head coach and franchise player (rings and all). They are the eighth team in history to win 40 times in 47 games or fewer. Six of the first seven have won the title.”
and
“Meanwhile, this season has been all about the Heat and the Lakers, Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin, and, for point-and-giggle purposes, the Cavaliers. Maybe that’s why we haven’t given the Spurs the attention they deserve. That’s one of the recurring themes of the last decade, of course: “Why do we overlook San Antonio?”
Because that’s the way they want it. That’s the way they win titles. And at 46-9, we can no longer be surprised if this season follows the same, monotonous, confetti-covered pattern.”
Very well written and 100+
Go Spurs Go!!
February 15th, 2011 at 11:47 am
Wow! Good find, ITGuy! Nice to see a little love thrown our guys’ way now and then. I said a little love because I don’t want too much focus. I know other teams and their scouts already know what we’ve got - and tremble in fear! MWAHAHAHA!!!
February 15th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Is good to see Manu playing well again, he score 14 points and miss only 1 shot after half time(miss 7 before).This is what i expect to see in Chicago…Yes Spurs can do 26-0 after all-star game!!
February 15th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
ABOUT ALL THAT FAN/BANDWAGON STUFF:
It doesn’t matter how long you have been a fan. As long as you genuinely care about how the team does. If your day is slightly down because your team loses than I ‘d say you’re a fan.
If you call yourself a fan and have a team flag on your car, yet you aren’t even watching the game when its’ on, and waive it off like it ain’t nothing when they lose, then you’re probably a bandwagon fan.
February 15th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Is good to see Manu playing well again, he score 14 points and miss only 1 shot after half time(miss 7 before).This is what i expect to see in Chicago…
Yes Spurs can do 26-0 after all-star game!! The reason is: we always play better after ASG!!
February 15th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
It’s understandable why Spur Fan gets angry as the press ignores such a special team, but I always tell myself this: “If Pop likes it, I should like it.” Pop LOVES flying under the radar. I learned long ago to not question Pop. God Bless the Spurs.
February 15th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Great post, Scott. I think you’ve got it right about the Spurs’ place in All-star voting and the MVP race. At the end of the day these are just fun diversions to celebrate the game and what really matters for the best teams is getting to the NBA Finals.
The Spurs have had a championship as their goal every year since 1997-1998. It’s a joy to root for a team with such an audacious and tireless drive to put the ultimate goal above everything else. It’s not enough to have one of the greatest players on your team, if that’s all you’ve got - a Kobe or CP3 by himself can get you to the playoffs but no further.
Duncan’s been in true contention for the trophy every year because he’s surrounded by smart, selfless players and personnel who can work together. This season is a reminder that teamwork and focus are as relevant as talent to the championship conversation.
February 15th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
@ junierizzle
“It doesn’t matter how long you have been a fan. As long as you genuinely care about how the team does. If your day is slightly down because your team loses than I ‘d say you’re a fan.”
+10
How about not answering your phone for a week. Just not wanting to hear all your boys talk trash, or locking yourself in your room for the rest of the day…. LMAO - just thinking about those days make me laugh
February 15th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Cleveland cavaliers get 100 more air time than San Antonio spurs, that is just fine with us. Spurs know they have real fan down here and they are not fabricate by bunch what so called Sportcasters.
February 15th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
I have always felt that the Spurs were the Yankees of the NBA in a backwards sort of way. Let me explain first, we don’t overplay our players and are no where close to the top of the league in money spent, but they are much like the Yankees because if you are not a fan of the Spurs you almost automatically hate them. They win every year, never cease to die, and do not have a vocal leader (Duncan is calm, cool, and collected). If anyone is their leader, it would certainly be Pop, which is the way it should be in professional sports because it seems to work out. It does bother me a bit that they don’t get the media coverage they deserve, but I just like to think how rare and different a Spurs team like this one is compared to any team in the history of all sports. Even thru February when the Spurs beat a fellow contender, it’s how the other team lost and not how the Spurs won. The thing that bothers me the most, however, is how “fans” of basketball brand the Spurs as boring, when the reason is national coverage. Maybe it takes an alleged rape, a failed drug test, a one hour decision special, a fight between the two best players on the team, or a falling out with the coach to be recognized, I don’t know. I find it funny how they made the minuscle Pop-Duncan debacle from the Nets game into a story on ESPN First Take. Enough of my babbling, GO SPURS GO!
February 15th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
I think the Bulls’ game will be a tight one…or not. I think it will depend upon which of the players’ feet/minds are halfway onto their charter jet, and which are not. That ‘focus-mantra’ needs to pervade our guys’ collective consciousness. I can’t wait!
February 15th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
@Hammer
The only real dog in the bunch is ESPN which directs very few headlines towards the Spurs. They are notorious for their LeBron/Heat, Kobe/Lakers, and Garnett/Celtics focus.
On the other hand, CNNSI.com has provided great coverage of the Spurs as has Foxsports.com. The latter will still leap through fire for a good Lakers/Heat story, but they consistently beat the Spurs drum.
NBA.com Spurs stories have been consistent. Bleacherreport.com could be indicted as a bunch of Spurs/Tim Duncan fanboys. Thesportingnews.com is inconsistent (unfortunately) but most of their NBA coverage spills over to blogs run by fans of the site. Consistent coverage by Sean Deveavey, for example, is not steady.
Yahoo Sports coverage of the Black and Silver has been strong. As has their criticism of NBA spoiled boys such as LeBron.
As for fair Spurs writers, Charely Rosen is a buddy of Phil Jackson’s and thus rarely criticizes him directly, yet his coverage of the Spurs has been excellent. David Aldridge with NBA.com covers the Spurs well as does Kelly Dwyer with Yahoo Sports. Ian Thomson with Sports Illustrated has submitted some good Spurs articles this season. I would like to see more from Chris Mannix, though. Ken Berger with Cbssportsline.com is very fair with the Spurs too.
Ultimately, ESPN’s tv and radio personalities (really, that’s what they are…not analysts) tote the company line for the most part. Their goal before the season started was to focus on the Heat/Lakers/Celtics and they haven’t waivered from it. Skip Bayless is right to note he’s not allowed to talk Spurs as the network has done mostly that.
IMO, stray your eyes and ears away from ESPN and you will find more, well rounded coverage. You will find that the Spurs should be considered a team to beat, even though ESPN spits out daily reasons to the contrary. Ofcourse, if ESPN’s coverage of the Spurs over the years has contributed to the stigma of everyone being caught off guard by them, then, yes, the network is covering them just right.
GO SPURS GO!
February 15th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
“I find it funny how they made the minuscle Pop-Duncan debacle from the Nets game into a story on ESPN First Take.”
You mean when Pop was reaming Timmy out about a defensive lapse? LOVE it!
February 15th, 2011 at 3:08 pm
I get a kick out of bandwagoners and the such. When I was a kid in the 80s/90s I was more into high school and college ball than the NBA, and as such I watched Timmy play at Wake Forest and became a fan. He got drafted and I started watching him play in the NBA and became a NBA and Spurs fan.
A few years ago when I posted on espn.com comments a lot, people called me a band wagoner because when I became a Spurs fan the Celtics just happened to suck, badly, for many years. I’m from Maine btw, so apparently that makes the Celtics my hometown team even though they are in another state?!?!
But then after swinging the Ray and KG trades and winning a title, those same people who just called me a bandwagoner for liking the Spurs were now calling me a moron for not cheering for the Celtics.
Uhhh, what?
Being a fan isn’t about cheering for the team that is winning, which I know all about seeing as how I’m a Miami Dolphins football fan too lol.
February 15th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
You know the reasons I constantly hear from people about why they don’t like the Spurs:
1. They’re old. Ugh. I cannot believe this attitude still perseveres.
2. Tim Duncan whines too much; or some variation of that. Where has he gotten the reputation of being a whiner?
That’s about it. Ugh. Misconceptions and misperceptions. Morons.
February 15th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
Anybody catch Tim Legler on Sports Center last night wishing the Spurs a Happy Valentines. Yes we got lots of love from them yesterday. He mentioned how the Celtics, Lakers, Heat have been getting so much burn in the media and no one has paid attention to the Spurs and given them no love. Well he wished the Spurs a happy valentines saying ” We love you San Antonio Spurs for the way you move the ball, we love you for the way you get back on defense, and we love you because your right there competing every single year. Happy Valentines San Antonio Spurs” Wow! Awesome!
February 15th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
I’ve been a spurs fan since D-Robs rookie season. I watched as year after year the spurs fell short of a championship, let alone a trip to the finals. So when we got Duncan i 97 i was excited, because i knew the type of player he could be( didn’t see him being best power forward ever though).It’s hard to believe that the spurs as an team to get the respect that other teams do, only 3 franchises have more championships. It’s okay if the media and non-spurs fans don’t take this team serious, because there are 29 head coaches in the NBA who do. So while the ME players collect their individual trophies and giving sporting networks the Highlights of the night, we’ll holding that Larry O’brien in June and collecting another ring. SPURS fan forever!
February 15th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
I’ve been a Spurs fan from when they walked into the Hemisfair Arena. So me and the IceMan are about the same age. All I can say is, if the Spurs didn’t have Pop as a coach and assitants and R.C as their GM, they would have never won one title. Pop’s philosophy is we win as a team and lose as a team. Fortunately in Pop’s tenure the Spurs have won 65% of there games, push it up to 80% so far this season. I believe the Spurs are still going to pull off a big aquisition, either before or after the allstar game(forget the deadline for trades), they just can’t afford not to get bigger(taller) and better as far as offensive rebounding. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Jefferson and Neal, Quinn being offered in a trade I’m sure they’re already shopping. The Spurs still haven’t won a thing yet and Pop knows this. Peter Holt will do within reason what Pop and R.C. wants. What ever they do, I bet they go from a strong contender to the absolute best team in the league with the possibilty of back to back championships, if they do make a trade. They can still aquire a quality player without giving anyone up but if they can better the team for a run at multiple championships, I believe they will pull the trigger big time. As far as what others think about the Spurs, doesn’t bother me a bit because they’re jealous, especially this year because NO ONE expected the Spurs to be this good with what they have. A real tribute to Coach Pop and his staff reinventing the Spur! Go Spurs Go!!
February 15th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
[...] A great take on why San Antonio fans shouldn’t really care that none of their players are really in the discussion for any major [...]
February 15th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
On finding good articles on the Spurs I would like to say I appreciate it when others on this site post the links. It is very helpful.
February 15th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
@IT Guy
You’re correct there, my friend, Jerry Lucas also had post moves, and yes, there was no three-point arc then. But had there been one, his outside heaves - with the below-the-shoulder release - would have been triples because that is where he shot most of them. Cheers.
February 15th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
@jtex
No way they dump Jefferson unless they get a huge name in return, which isn’t happening. He has gone through too much learning with the team thus far to get the axe. Consider the damage that the chemistry would suffer at having to reboot with another SF this late in the year. No thank’ee. I could see them trading away Tiago and maybe Chris quinn or james Anderson because those guys ( as much we love them) haven’t been an integral part of the winning formula. If the spurs could stand to gain a solid shot blocker who didn’t absolutely suck on offense, or a super defensive wing, i could see them pulling the trigger on a tiago/JA/quinn deal, but RJ and Neal aren’t going anywhere, mark my words.
February 15th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
Well ladies and gents im back.
First off I have to say I was more than rihgt whenb sating ” I dont know why but I just cant believe in the rockets and blazers to be true west powers bc for “whatever reason they never can seem to overcome [ i’m paraphrasing “there injuries just check my post i foretold this} when supposed they where supposed to be great uhhhh…how can i properly convey this, unbiased and great reporters where telling how OUR SRURS where supposed to be low seed hopefulls at the best…I remember conveying ho the west at best stayed par with our spurs considering growth in the orginization. I was very generouse ib saying blakr griffin witrh the lake show and green with the jazz
February 15th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
lateral progress ast best for there respective teams…blake being a stopgap of age and green well damn im a boozer fan so i was being generouse… what can i say i’m just sore bc i was dismissed as a fool for thinking OUR SPURS had a chance next season..this season and discounting our experts opinion
February 15th, 2011 at 7:00 pm
oh yeah who said manu demanded to be introduced last in our starting ineup this season ….has it happened….one other thing trade tp… really trade for who…..im for rondo or bust ….im out until we hit the playoffs peace and GO SPURS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
February 15th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
honestly, you’d think we’re a bunch of emperors looking for people to tell us we have clothes.
as some have said, who cares if people praise us? i have my reasons for liking the team. that’s enough for me. i like that we have had mostly high-character guys, robinson being the pinnacle. i like that we work together, subjugating individual stats for the good for the team. i like that they stick to their guns. i like that top to bottom, the system is integrated so that owner to ballboy, they are on the same page, and everyone seems to get respect.
and on that note, you can’t tell me there’s a player in this league who doesn’t respect the spurs. it’s telling that we were the most voted team to play for by potential draftees last year. we take care of our own, and we take care of business.
as for the fan/bandwagon business, again, who cares? is it annoying? sure, but we all have our reasons for being fans. maybe yours is the cult of personality, maybe it’s geography. most of us spurs fans have an appreciation for “pounding the rock” and the details of basketball, and good for us. let’s be happy with that, and not worry about bandwagoning.
way to stir up the fanbase, scott.
February 15th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Yo SpursFan50:
Shut your hole. What drives your commitment to the Spurs? If you love the way they’re coached and managed (as I do), then what happens when Buford and Pop move on?
If you’re just a fan because you’re from the area, then you have no right calling out someone else for being a bandwagoner, because geographic fandom is the stupidest kind of fandom there is.
Or perhaps you enjoy watching the team that’s been built around Duncan over the past decade plus. That’s what I love about the Spurs: this specific set of players and staff, starting with Duncan, Pop and Ginobili. When Manu and Timmy and Pop are gone, should I continue to root for the team? I don’t think so, because at that point, it won’t be the 2000-2011 Spurs that I’ve enjoyed so much. Maybe new guys will come in with the same low-key attitude and perfect execution that My Spurs had, but if not, then I certainly don’t owe my fandom to the team.
February 15th, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Also to SpursFan50: You’re a douchebag. Nobody should care whether their fandom is good enough for you, because you’ve got nothing more to do with the Spurs than the rest of us.
Similarly, nobody should be so upset that our team isn’t getting all the press, since the record still says they’re playing fantastic ball.
February 15th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
As a Spur fan I’m so amazed, they are realy a special team, I like the fact that Duncan is very humble man, May God Bless Him and help him win his 5th ring. Go Spurs Go
February 15th, 2011 at 10:28 pm
@ManuEManu, I like the Spurs because they’re winning. I’ve liked them for 12 years now. Let’s be honest if they were 2 games better then the Cavaliers I don’t think people would give a rats ass about the Spurs. Sad to say but winning makes fans with or without RC and Pop. But to answer your question about what would happen after Pop and Buford leave. Well it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out so I won’t answer that one after all. My solution is to keep Pop and RC interested in the Spurs and pump them with a butt load of anti-oxidants to increase longevity or clone them.
February 15th, 2011 at 10:30 pm
Mano E Manu - stop trolling. SpursFan50 wasn’t calling him out for bandwagoning - but accusing others of bandwagoning and then later saying something that sounded rather “bandwagony”. Plus, it was all polite discourse til you showed up.
I happen to agree with SpursFan50, in that if you are only a fan because of who is playing for that team, or for that matter who runs the organization, and you plan to change your fave team when they move on, then I would say you are bandwagoning. I mean… isn’t that kind of the definition? Fans - real honest to goodness fans - are lifelong fans.
February 15th, 2011 at 11:15 pm
yeesh, settle down mano e manu. no need to resort to insults.
look, both sides are perfectly valid, if differently justified. i started liking the spurs as a teenager after finding out what an ass jordan is and what a great guy robinson is. my fandom has evolved other pillars from that. however, if holt sold the team to donald trump, who hired isiah thomas, and a bunch of miscreants were brought in to run an iso-heavy offense and no defense, i doubt i’d be happy cheering for the team and might consider another.
i certainly have felt that way about the cowboys sometimes (god help me i’m still a fan though), and shifted part of my fandom towards the steelers because of what a class act rooney is (and i’ve always been a penguins fan). rothlisberger being a rapist certainly made me reevaluate that, but hey, fandom, and life, is a continuum, not a fixed point.
February 16th, 2011 at 1:06 am
A couple of things:
About the bandwagon business, my thoughts are the more the merrier. I was a pretty committed Spurs fan even during the Mo McHone days, so I’ve been there through thick & thin. But I’m happy to share the love with anyone. And I can’t criticize someone who starts out as a Tim Duncan fan and then sticks with his team because he loves watching them win.
About the Knicks comparisons… I can see where you’re going with it, Scott, but I’m not so sure. The Knicks had a LOT of star power, more than any San Antonio team has ever had. That was especially true of the second title squad, with the backcourt of Frazier and Monroe. And, aside from Havlicek, was there ever a bench player with as high a profile as Bill Bradley? As for Lucas, he was a superstar at Ohio State, then toiled outside of the spotlight for a while, then played with the Knicks very late in his career when Willis Reed was their dominant rebounder. So a lot of people forget that he was one of the greatest rebounders of all time. An amazing guy.
But to me the Spurs situation is rather different. They aren’t shunned by the media, they just don’t provide the media with what they need: stories that the public wants to see or read. John Hollinger has addressed this in a couple of his chats recently. From what he says, whenever he writes or talks about the Spurs, the public ignores what he says. When he writes or talks about the Heat, Lakers, Bulls, or Celtics, they pay rapt attention. There is a bit of a feedback loop here, but it’s clear that the Spurs simply don’t interest the majority of the fans. And of the minority who do care, most of them DISLIKE the way they play.
That’s OK with me. I don’t want to force anybody to like what I like. (It’s the same in music. When I tell people that my favorite musician is Todd Rundgren, it doesn’t really bother me if they don’t know or care about him.) But I sure like the Spurs, and I’m having a great time this season, media frenzy or no.
I will say, though, that things may change dramatically over the All-Star break. Everybody has been so focused on the Heat, Carmelo, the Lakers & Celtics, and Blake Griffin that I don’t think they’ve really appreciated that the Spurs are having one of the greatest seasons in the history of basketball. But with Pop, Tim, Manu, Mike, DeJuan, and Gary all participating in All-Star weekend and it being the traditional start of year-in-review season for the media, we could see the Spurs get a LOT of press very quickly.
Oh, and don’t forget that they still haven’t played the Heat. That will focus a lot of attention on them, too.
February 16th, 2011 at 1:09 am
P.S. - Nice article, Scott. I like your prose stuff, too. That title was always one of my least favorite cliches. But, although I’ve never particularly cared for Michael Jordan off the court, it was the source of one of my all-time favorite basketball comebacks:
[Reporter]: There’s no “I” in team.
[Jordan]: But there’s an “I” in win.
February 16th, 2011 at 2:02 am
About the bandwagon thing: Truly, most of the guys here - including this graybeard - will tell you that when there was still neither band nor wagon, San Antonio was a team we admired and appreciate. And what the Spurs are having right now is truly something to relish. This - from the coaches, stars and bench - are cool, classy, humble, and get the job done.
February 16th, 2011 at 2:15 am
I’d like to know how you feel about TP? He plays less minutes than most top PG because they don’t need him to. He doesn’t need to score 25 points per night though he probably could so he’s not considered a top 3 or even top 5 PG in the league (probably 6th or 7th). How good do you think he is and how much do you love him compared to TD and Manu?
Thanks
P.S. Can he take over games or is he a bit scared in the fourth quarter (he never seems to score much at the end of games)?
February 16th, 2011 at 4:28 am
@ Tim in Surrey
Excellent post. Agree 100%.
As far as music…I can say I’m a fan of Classical, Big Band, Billie Holiday, Muddy Waters, ZZ Top, Waylon Jennings, Lynard Skynard, Temptations,…I “band”wagon all over the place.
February 16th, 2011 at 4:35 am
It all comes down to having a basketball genius for a head coach, great assistants, GM and an owner(Peter Holt)who supports and pretty much lets his coaches and GM run the team w/o interference!
I still believe if the Spurs never had Pop as a caoch they wouldn’t have a single title! Of course Pop’s mentors, Larry Brown and Don Nelson did help a lot!
Question, has Don Nelson ever won a NBA title as a coach? I believe he was a Celtic’s player when they won some titles.
Know Larry Brown did in with the Pistons and in the NCAA.
February 16th, 2011 at 6:38 am
@Idahospur
How about some weekly Power Ranking links…
NBC http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/14/nba-power-rankings-spurs-still-sitting-pretty-heat-slip/related
CBS http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/14693793/power-rankings-despite-victory-celtics-cant-pass-heat
CNNSI http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/britt_robson/02/15/power.rankings/index.html
Foxsports.com http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/powerRankings
ESPN http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings
Sporting News http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/feed/2010-11/nba-power-poll/story/pacers-see-turnaround-under-interim-coach-frank-vogal
NBA.com http://www.nba.com/2011/news/powerrankings/02/14/week16/index.html
Spurs Articles
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/610650-san-antonio-spurs-10-bold-predictions-for-the-post-all-star-break
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/610841-san-antonio-spurs-dallas-mavericks-are-a-bigger-threat-in-west-than-la-lakers
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/609702-the-san-antonio-spurs-gary-neals-destiny
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=mc-spurs012611
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=jy-spurs121510
Podcast Here’s a new one from Jason Whitlock…a little too much time on Jay Marriotti, yet interesting
http://www.foxsportsradio.com/pages/jasonwhitlock/index.html?uri=channels/449784/
February 16th, 2011 at 7:55 am
@ BigJ
Thanks for providing information by sports media outlets on Spurs coverage this season. However, all of them (except three) are from the internet. As for tv/radio, I am sure regional networks (i.e. Fox Sports SW) have given kudos to the team. NBA-TV is nationwide, but not every fan has it in their cable/satellite programming to get more talk and analysis of this outstanding Spurs year. ESPN is 24/7, home & away, in the store & restaurant/bar. They are a dog when it comes to San Antonio press, but they are the big dog- all tune in to them at one time or the other for its programming.
@ The Hammer
Don’t put the sparse recognition/respect all on the big vs. small market thing. Let the Detroit Lions or Jacksonville Jaguars start off 9-0 or 10-1; the sports networks would do weekly remotes from the cities; the gameday shows will be on site for home games. In past years the Mavs, Suns, etc got mad praise for similar starts-and the Hornets this year. There is a bias against the Spurs, basketball wise. A Texas team (not east/west coast) being champs pro hoops (“no-that can’t be”); beating the team from New York (Rucker Park, Madison Square Garden) in the finals; no prolific stats (25-30 ppg/ 10+ apg/ 12+ rpg) from our best players. And speaking of stars- don’t discount the fact that the Spurs’s stalwarts are foreign born (Tim wasn’t born and raised ‘stateside’.
I like the vibe that half of us fans don’t give a rat’s *** that the team has gotten little praise from the sports media for this season’s work so far. The deserved comeuppance will be four months from now if there is another Riverwalk Parade with the 5th Larry O’Brien in hand.
February 16th, 2011 at 8:56 am
@JTEX: Nellie has never won a title, though I think he has technically passed Lenny Wilkens as winningest Coach in the NBA; though I would dispute many of the wins he got in his last year or so. He didn’t do much and basically mailed ‘em in and let his assistants do the work.
Not a fan of Nellie in the end, though his basketball style was entertaining for a while.
February 16th, 2011 at 9:09 am
bigj — thank you very much for your informative post.
Bandwagoning? Geez, I live in So. Cal. and have been a huge Spur fan since Manu’s rookie season, and mainly because of Manu. But I do hurt when they lose, I like that definition a lot more of what constitutes true fandom. But when Duncan, Pop, Manu, etc., move on, will I still be one? Probably not. But don’t tell me I care any less, that’s not acceptable. Just ask all the Laker fans I’m surrounded by out here how I bleed the silver and black.
Currently I start every morning by asking my fellow bb fans the same question. “Anyone know who has the best record in the NBA?”
February 16th, 2011 at 9:47 am
@ French Dan
“I’d like to know how you feel about TP?…..
He doesn’t need to score 25 points per night though he probably could so he’s not considered a top 3 or even top 5 PG in the league (probably 6th or 7th).”
Ya he is in the top 10. His 2 main weaknesses are in assist and he doesn’t draw fouls enough.
PG’s better than Parker in no particular order:
Nash - mainly because of his assist
Chris Paul - Same as above Assist
Rondo - Assist
Deron Williams - better shooter/draws more fouls
Rose - Scorer - draws alot of fouls
Russel Westbrook - just barely above because of scoring - draws more fouls
Guys who are about even with Parker - They are better PG’s but TP is the better player(better scoring)
Wall - assist
Kidd - Assist/D/better shooter
Slightly below TP - would be even if they could stay healthy
Baron Davis - can score and make plays / can’t stay healthy
Devin Harris - same as Baron
“P.S. Can he take over games or is he a bit scared in the fourth quarter (he never seems to score much at the end of games)?”
Same as above. It’s mostly the fact that he doesn’t get fouled alot. Like a Manu/Kobe when they go to the bucket.
February 16th, 2011 at 9:47 am
Guys check this article out. Some of you may get Spurs Bleacher Reports emails, potential predictions of what choices are out there for the Spurs to move on as far as trades/aquisitions. Some interesting possibilties. What do you think the Spurs ownership would do for the potential future of back to back title seasons? Good article to read!
bleacherreport.com/…/606435-nba-trade-rumors-10-deadline-deals-to-guarantee-san-antonio-spurs-an-nba-title
February 16th, 2011 at 10:11 am
1. Please stop whining so much about lack of media attention. This is the way the spurs want it to be, don’t you people get it? Pop wants to have the LAST laugh while flying in stealth mode all season.
2. ALL Spurs fans are welcome and part of the family, whether on the bandwagon or not. Please people, let’s focus on more pressing issues.
3. At this point, I fear that a Mavericks team with a healthy Nowitzki is actually our BIGGEST threat. Please consider that they are the only title contenders at this point to actually beat both Miami and Boston twice. Am i right? Neither the Spurs, nor Lakers have beaten the Mavericks this season with a healthy Nowitzki. They seem like a stronger team than ’06. Portland, NOLA, and Lakers are secondary threats IMO.
February 16th, 2011 at 10:59 am
The Mavs are an issue because of their defense, but their offense after Dirk is too suspect - I keep hearing folks around here (Dallas) saying they think they match up with us, but I think we’d come out on top of this matchup if our defense continues to tighten up in the dash to finish the season.
After Dirk, their other scorers are streaky or unproven. We know how to handle Kidd and Terry, no one knows what Beaubois will do now that he’s about to play basketball for the first real game since last playoffs, and they don’t seem likely to do anything at the deadline. Have to reassess should they do something, but Cuban seems inclined to stand pat this year.
February 16th, 2011 at 11:13 am
@ TD=Best EVER
+10 re TP comparisons to the other top PGs. In addition to your stark observations, there is the ‘eye test’. Tony’s game seldom ventures into the ‘ “wow” factor’ range. Baseline to basline speed-still top 3; signature shot- tear drop-none can do it better; drives in the paint for spin/duck under layups-he still has it. But Nash-Paul-Rondo-Kidd come up with “Streetball”/”And 1″ moves nearly every game. The first two can crank out a 12p/22a or 25p/15a a half dozen times a season, while the latter two will do a triple-double 3-4 times a year. Williams, Rose and Westbrook are acrobatic-they have games when they will shoot and score from any angle, any place, and on anyone. And they will flash down the lane and slam it home when it’s least expected. Alley-oops to teammates are a regularity for all six; one, maybe two, from TP (to TD) a year. Most of Tony’s assists are the straight drive-to-the-rim, pass back variety. To fans of the Spurs it is beautiful when it result in a deuce or trey; but others who watch mostly don’t think so. And TP work on defense is earnest, but he doesn’t hound opponents or play the passing lanes to rack up steals.
But- he has helped his squad to 3 championships-as of now that’s 2 more than the seven PGs I compared him with have won combined.
February 16th, 2011 at 11:49 am
@ Nima K.
Very good point 3 (you are the first person I’ve read or heard from that pointed out the Mavs’ sweep of the Celtics/Heat). They are right behind the Spurs in consecutive 50+win seasons & playoff entries. But other than ’03 & ’06, they haven’t made it past the WC semis in their current 10-year run. (Mavs did it 1 other time-back in the day of Blackmon, Harper, and Aguirre.) Even though it is down to 1/3 of the season, the playoff setup is still unclear. Teams in spots 5 thru 10 -NO, Por, Den, Utah, Mem, Phx-all have 24-26 losses; Hornets have 33 wins & Suns have 27. The other five teams in between all have 31 victories. The positioning/race over the last two months will be just like ’09 & ’10-down to the wire.
February 16th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
DorieStreet
February 16th, 2011 at 11:13 am
Bravo sir. Couldn’t have said it better.
February 16th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
If Dallas and the Lakers play in the second round (and I sure hope so) then I will root for Dallas. Just because I can’t stand the thought of the Lakers winning another title. But my head says that Dallas will be even tougher than the Lakers for us to beat. We have no real answer for Dirk, he scares me more than Kobe. Chandler has been the difference maker. And Kidd does a good job of keeping Manu in front of him.
And Dallas didn’t stand pat as someone suggested, they took on Peja’s contract and that’s a lot of dough. If he’s healthy he’s another reason to fear Dallas.
February 16th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Interesting list of where to put Parker among the point guards. I have no argument with Rondo, Nash, Paul, Williams, and Rose. All our studs (and Nash is probably now the most underrated player in the league).
I do think Westbrook is overrated, he’s a stat machine but his decision making is poor. He plays at 100 mph all the time and sometimes to the detriment of his team.
Kidd I would put just below Parker, but I would take TP over Westbrook, Harris, Wall, and especially Baron Davis. I have a coaching friend who thinks Davis plays with less integrity than anyone in the league, and now having watched the Clips a few times this year I see his point.
So I guess that makes TP 6th best in my mind. Just one opinion.
February 16th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
LA will be more of an issue than Dallas for us.
2 reasons - size - including Artest - we saw how big he is and we really have no one for him when he is motivated.
Clutch Shooting - KOBE / FISHER - if the game is close are as clutch as anyone
Mavs have great players too - just not as many as LA
February 16th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Since I’m bored in the worst class ever that is Cultural Anthropology with an awful lecturer I stumbled upon espn trade rumors and other related rumor sites to find that Jason Kapono and Rip Hamilton both might be bought out by their respective teams along with Troy Murphy.
Any thought on the Spurs having a chance to pick up one of these guys or the possibility of it ever happening?
There was some talk about Kapono during free agency and could back up Jefferson. Idk I thought it was a good idea at the time.
February 16th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
@jwalt
Peja’s expiring contract was bought out by Toronto and Dallas signed him close to a minimum (<1 mil) contract… not that he's less of a threat with lower salary, of course.
February 16th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Ian — I stand corrected, thanks. Now I wish SA had entered the Peja sweepstakes. He would have been a nice backup for RJ, especially with all that playoff experience.
February 16th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
My understanding of the Peja deal was it was sort of a wink-wink deal. He had no intention of signing anywhere else - though I don’t understand why not.
Peja is scary, but he’s not exactly what he used to be, and as a role-player on the Mavs, I’m not sure he can get into one of those rhythms that’d be highlighted by flames on NBAJams easily enough. Like I said before, Cuban seems settled with the team they have and will most likely be standing pat at the trade deadline.
Dirk scares me.
Chandler’s tough and is imprinting some toughness on that team (something they’ve long missed).
Peja can go off, but I don’t think he can do so consistently.
Kidd’s playing 36+minutes/game and looking awful every now and then.
Terry isn’t quite the “Jet” (his nickname) he has been in the past.
I fear the Lakers more until they’re out of the playoffs. They’ve been there, done that before. I dunno if they can “flip the switch” or not, but as long as they’re in it, I worry about them and their length (if all are healthy).
February 16th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Bandwagon Supporter = A support who only follows a team when it is winning… its as simple as that.
I’m a life long Spurs fan and always will be, i wasnt a fan of the Bulls in the 90′s i hated them because they always beat the Spurs, plus the fact that all my friends were Bulls fans, now? they dont really follow the NBA, funny that!
Althought ive never seen a Spurs game in person (that will change on 9th of April when i finally live my dream and go to San Antonio to watch a game live) ive bleed silver and black, always will.
I agree 100% with SpursFan50, if your a bandwagon support, us real Spurs fans dont want you to support “our” team, you go follow the Heat this season, and then go follow the Bulls when they get back up the top, we dont care. i will always be a Spurs fan good or bad, the 96-97 season comes to mind, although i live in Australia, that season i watched as many games as possible on TV (back in those days i probably only got 1 or 2 games on TV each season, because everyone was watching the Bulls and the internet was almost non-existant) so i go my results each week in the local news paper… but that season was tough, but it didnt stop me being a Spurs fan!
February 16th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
@ DNITCH
Troy Murphy
Rip Hamilton
Jason Kapono
I will take all 3 if they were bought out ONLY. They make too much to trade for directly. And I would take them in this order.
Murphy - our need for a big outweighs our need for backup 3
Hamilton - Best player of the bunch - desperate to play for a winner again
Kapono - Dead aim shooter - defensive liability
February 16th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
DNITCH
February 16th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
I like Hamilton, but he is a SG that really doesn’t have the strength to play backup to RJ. Kapono would be a good option to play backup SF, but he isn’t the defender that RJ is. Murphy, if he decided to play defense, would be the best player for us to pick up out of this group. Troy is a bigger, better version of Bonner who can rebound and score better than the Red Rocket. While Bonner is probably a better 3pt shooter, Murphy is a better all around scorer.
jwalt
February 16th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
I’m not sure we missed out on too much by not picking up Peja. He is WAY past his prime and can’t stay healthy. How many times did he scorch the Spurs while playing for NO? Not very many times. He is a good shooter, but offers little else besides constant injuries. The Mavs are playing with fire by giving him so many minutes and sure as hell won’t be contenders with him starting.
February 16th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
I can’t believe i’m still hearing this talk about length being an issue.. really? being taller doesn’t make you better.
February 16th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
@ Flavor
“I can’t believe I’m still hearing this talk about length being an issue.. really? being taller doesn’t make you better.”
You can’t coach Length - and those who have it have a slight advantage when scoring and rebounding the ball. Dice will never be able to Bynum in the Post on regular basis. Bynum simply id too long/big for him. Those extra 2-3 inches and 5-10 lbs TD has on him really are important.
February 16th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
I read the Bleacher Rep0rt articles on the proposed trades for the Spurs to solidify a solid, deep playoff run to the title. In no certain order Quinn, Splitter, Anderson, even Jefferson come up in a variety of combinations either alone with a draft pick, or 2-3 of them together with a draft pick for an astonishing number and type of players from all over the league, in every category, to improve the current Spurs squad. The opinion of a good number of fans seems that some sound move is needed to combat the size of the Lakers/Celtics or the depth of the Mavs. More rebounding & defense vs. more offensive options from 3 & 4 postions. The debate will really pick up after tomorrow night’s game at the Bulls.
February 16th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Murphy might be a better all around scorer than Bonner, but Bonner scares other teams into spreading the floor. It allows the other Spurs to play 4 on 4, where it is a lot easier to penetrate, etc., against. I prefer Bonner, who always has one of the best +/- scores on the team and never gets any credit because of it.
Some writer (maybe Bill Simmons?) started an article saying how bad he thinks Bonner looks but then when he (the writer) looked at how THE TEAM does when Bonner is on the floor came to the conclusion that Bonner was worth his weight in gold. That’s where I’m at.
Yes, the Lakers length has always been their number one strength. But they really have slipped this year, I believe. I don’t think it’s a matter of turning it off and on or being bored or any of those things. As Jerry West said, the reason you can’t play defense anymore is because you can’t.
So is a slightly declining Lakers or a definitely ascending Mavs more scary for our Spurs? Let’s hope they are both gone for the WCF.
February 16th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
[...] Sereday of 48 Minutes of Hell.com has the explanation why the Spurs don’t have much traction among the potential MVP [...]
February 16th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
@TD= BEST EVER
Good to see that everyone is a least in agreement that these players would be great assets if picked up and NOT traded for. I know a couple of people don’t think that Murphy is the answer but I dont see how he could not help the ball club. MYSA.com even posted some articles on the Spurs showing interest but only if bought out. So its definitely a possibility. RIP and Kapono would just be nice solid contributers off the bench to back up. RIP more than Kapono.
I think we’ve got the game against the Bulls if our players decide to show up. With Noah out and no one on their team to guard Manu we should be able to pull it out. What I hope for the most is that the Cavs beat the Lakers and their entire organization flips shit the entire weekend while they host the All- Star game.
February 16th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
all i want to say is thanks to those in the media who do respect the spurs (kenny smith and others) even tho the spurs done need the media attention its great to know that there is people respecting them
GO SPURS GO
February 16th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Kapono would be of no help to us at all. He’s an inefficient scorer who does nothing but shoot. The fact that he might be a free agent soon doesn’t make him any less terrible. Rip, however, has a lot left in the tank, IMHO. He just desperately needs a change of scenery. But still… we’ve pretty much got his position covered. Murphy, too, needs a change of scenery and has a lot left in the tank. But the difference there is that he fills a need. Of course, he fills a need in Miami and Orlando, too, and would probably get a lot more playing time there…
I hear what everybody’s saying about the Mavs. They’re an excellent team and they’ve played particularly well against other good teams. Plus their record is deceptive because they lost quite a few games while Dirk Nowitzki was injured. But Dirk was healthy in the playoffs last year, alongside mostly the same supporting cast as this year. Anyone remember how that turned out?
February 16th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Asians, Europeans, Spanish, Africans, Australians , Arabs like the Spurs. That is not a small market.
February 16th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
How good do you think Manu would’ve been if he started all of these years instead of being held back on the bench in back of Hedo, Barry, Finley, and every other SG we’ve had since he arrived? Of course now he’s gotten more injury prone but still it seems like his best season is during the seasons that he started. Interesting that the only time he’s been an All Star was when he started.
February 16th, 2011 at 5:55 pm
TD = BEST EVER
February 16th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
I’m not saying that size is not an advantage, simply that it doesn’t make someone a better player…
As you said, its a *slight* advantage. I just don’t feel its an advantage to the point where we have to say LA is going to beat SA because of it.
February 16th, 2011 at 7:14 pm
@Flavor
Yeah especially when they lose to the Cavs of all teams! Haha this just made my night.
February 16th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
@DNITCH
It made my night too, but lets not forget, its the regular season and the Lakers blah blah blah….
lol!
February 16th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
All this trade nonsense is a waste of time. It will never happen unless your name is Quinn because Tiago, Anderson, and Jefferson are going nowhere. Having said that what are you getting for Quinn and a draft pick? Uh nothing better than what we have now. Pop is not mortgaging the future away to satisfy a few blog readers. I don’t think Pop will leave Holt high and dry if he decides to want to win one more then retire. That bleacher report dude is throwing out crazy trades that I wouldn’t touch in 100 light years. Please Tiago, Anderson, Quinn and draft picks for who? Dwight Howard? Ridiculous.
February 17th, 2011 at 7:57 am
Yes the Lakers are losing a lot right now but IF they turn it on and they did against us earlier at their place. SO we still need to imagine them at their best and prepare for their best in case we face them later.
February 17th, 2011 at 8:01 am
Tim in Surrey — the biggest change is Chandler. He’s been the difference, having an active big who can actually defend. Dallas is better than last year, and I think losing Butler doesn’t matter at all. He can do a lot of positive things but he can also be a dope.
The Lakers losing to Cleveland tells me that Dallas is definitely the team to fear the most. Jerry West: “the Lakers can’t defend anymore because they can’t.” Cleveland and Charlotte, both horrible offensive teams, both just scored over a 100 against LA. Like I said previously, I think the Lakers are getting worse by the month. Last June is a long time ago.
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