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Wow. Now that reality sets in it's like the Express News has free reign to write whatever they want. What happened to the slightly edited press releases? It looks like it's going to be existential despair from here on out.
When the wolf howls, will Spurs have a hero?
Mike Finger
Gregg Popovich said he doesn't want a hero, but that's a tough sell. His players already see the villain coming.
They see him coming not only in the form of Kobe and Yao, but also under the guise of stress fractures and creaky knees. And they see themselves, for maybe the first time in nine years, as vulnerable. One day, they lose their furnace. The next, they realize the foundation they've leaned on for a decade is no longer a given.
“And without a foundation,” Spurs forward Bruce Bowen said Wednesday night, “the big, bad wolf is going to blow the house down.”
That Bowen chose a parable featuring three protagonists is appropriate, but not exactly inspirational. The third little pig got along fine on his own, but there's no way Tony Parker can survive when Manu Ginobili's ankle is made of straw and Tim Duncan's tendons flame up like sticks.
So when Popovich called for Duncan only 32 seconds after sending him onto the floor in the fourth quarter of a 95-83 loss to Portland on Wednesday, Duncan wasn't ready to believe his coach. Popovich, convinced after watching his aching star chase in vain a loose ball that he wasn't fit to finish the game, told Duncan when he came to the bench, “I don't want a hero; I want a healthy guy.”
Duncan didn't say a word.
His silence continued through the postgame, when he chose not to speak to the media, but his message was clear anyway.
A hero?
That's the bare minimum of what the Spurs need now.
A fifth championship was going to be unlikely even with Duncan playing at 100 percent, and Popovich admitted that much last month. Then, when talking about Ginobili, he said, “We're not going anywhere if he's not healthy.”
With that in mind, maybe Popovich is already thinking about the big picture. Those 32 seconds in the fourth quarter were enough for him to decide that winning Wednesday's game wasn't worth risking his future Hall of Famer's health, and perhaps this postseason will unfold the same way.
A few weeks from now, Duncan will want to play 40 minutes for the fourth time in eight days in New Orleans, or in Houston, or in Utah. And Popovich will have to talk to him again about heroes, and how they're not needed.
He'll have his reasons. Sean Elliott once had quadriceps tendonosis, the same ailment plaguing Duncan, and he needed surgery to correct it. Given that and the fact that Ginobili won't be around, would an extra month of rehab time in May be the worst thing for Duncan and the Spurs?
It will be another tough sell, especially for a guy who already sees his championship window closing. Duncan doesn't want to give away any winning opportunities — however remote — even though, as Parker pointed out Wednesday, “People don't realize Timmy's playing on one leg.”
If Ginobili was still around, one leg from Duncan might be enough. His numbers have been solid even as his knees have not, and he's always been able to find something in reserve for the playoffs. This time, though, he'll have to overcome more than defenses geared to stop him.
He'll have to handle near-constant pain, and the absence of one of the other three pigs, and a coach sometimes determined to prevent him from taking the floor. There could soon be another moment when Duncan glares at Popovich as he did Wednesday, and the next time, the big, bad wolf will be there, too.
That's when Popovich will know for sure about heroes, and whether he wants one.
Wow. Now that reality sets in it's like the Express News has free reign to write whatever they want. What happened to the slightly edited press releases? It looks like it's going to be existential despair from here on out.
Thats just the way it goes.
i hate that our media doesn't put Pop on the spot. they're so worried about getting kicked outta press conferences or not getting answered that no one asks Pop the obvious questions that all the fans want to know.
"hey, Pop why the are you not playing Bruce?"
"hey, Pop why the are you obsessed with what Finley had for dinner last night?"
Yeah put Pop on the spot, that will fix everything.
nuts.
few questions id have for pop
1-why did you ditch ghill when he started out so promising at pg? why not let him play 15-20 min. a night?
2-Why the are u playing jacque vaughn
3-why the are u playing udoka
4-Why does bonner and kt continue to play more minutes that gooden? Will this change dramatically in the playoffs?
5-Could you guys maybe get some guys (sf/sg) who can drive to the hole in the off-season? because if you didnt realize we have ONE guard who can penetrate, kind of a problem dont ya think?
i guess that would be all id start out with
easy answers for ur questions ^:
few questions id have for pop
1-why did you ditch ghill when he started out so promising at pg? why not let him play 15-20 min. a night?
Because its almost playoff time and hill at back up point guard knows only 4 plays. And 85% of the time, he stands around doing nothing.
2-Why the are u playing jacque vaughn
Because mason cant bring the ball up the court without dribbling the ball on his feet. And Vaughn knows the entire playbook, never mind that the playbook is only 35% effective, coz vaughn can only shoot 35%. But the option hill will only know 4 plays, and the play will only work 15% of the time(100-85).
3-why the are u playing udoka
Since Ginobili left, (and i had a feelin it mite happen, thats why i gave udoka spot mins throughout the year, see how smart i am?), we need ppl to fill in gaps, because bowen cant play 40 mins, and I need someone else.
4-Why does bonner and kt continue to play more minutes that gooden? Will this change dramatically in the playoffs?
Gooden is a selfish ball hog and a black hole on offense, and although he will score in regular season, we all know if gooden was really some kind of hero, he wudnt hav been traded so many times. Plus in the PO, the defenses are that much tufer, and u have to play with other guys to break down a defense, and all gooden knows is iso at the top, iso on the low block. Next time watch the games more carefully and u will notice this urself.
5-Could you guys maybe get some guys (sf/sg) who can drive to the hole in the off-season? because if you didnt realize we have ONE guard who can penetrate, kind of a problem dont ya think?
We have this one guy ginobili, who is pretty good, and this one guy parker, apart from that Timmy D normally operates down low, who happens to be one of primary offenseive pillars as well. So rather than have 5 ppl in the paint, i have 3 superstars, and everyone else to jus camp, and nail three pointer nails in coffins like we have been doing these past few championship years. This also creates something called spacing which is vital for parker and gino to shred defenses not to mention make tim look badass on passing on double teams.
If he can be back at 100% with surgery he should do itSean Elliott once had quadriceps tendonosis, the same ailment plaguing Duncan, and he needed surgery to correct it. Given that and the fact that Ginobili won't be around, would an extra month of rehab time in May be the worst thing for Duncan and the Spurs?
+1.
I have been a little miffed about some of the rotations recently. But Pop is doing what he can with what he has.
Well said! nice read.
That's the part that caught my attention. If surgery can fix it, no time like the present. I don't know what the recovery time is, but he might as well start now so that he has a long time to heal before next season.
Surgery might not be necessary, but what would be the prognosis for surgery vs. rest alone? It's Duncan's decision of course, but if they were opting for offseason rest vs. surgery because they hoped to have a good shot this postseason, I think that ship has sailed and they ought to reconsider.
Pop is that you ??
man. Just . I mean, really. . I don't know what else to say, but . ity . It's too early for this to end. . I remember when I'd cut off my nutsack with a butter knife for one le, but . It's too early. .
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