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This is the new era of Spurs ball. Duncan-centric era died in 2008.
It's weird for a championship team whose franchise player is 38 years old to be having a late-era run such as this. Sure, they just won a ring last June and they could very well win another one next year, but it's also possible that 2015 could be their last run as a legit contender especially when Timmy and Manu retire. Thoughts?
This is the new era of Spurs ball. Duncan-centric era died in 2008.
There have been 3 or so contending teams of the Duncan era. (All year references refer to the playoff runs. Thus TD's first season is "98").
From 98 to 2001, with the arrival of Duncan, and with veterans like Avery Johnson, and David Robinson, etc on the roster. 1 le in 4 years, "peaking" in year 2.
From 2002 to 2008, with the arrival of Tony, Bruce, then Manu, and the decline and eventual retirement of D-Rob, etc. 3 les in 7 years. When they peaked is debatable but I'll go with 2005 when they beat the Pistons. That's year 4.
2009, 2010 and 2011 were rebuilding years. (And by that standard pretty damn successful ones, always winning 50+ , always making the playoffs, and advancing a round in 2010, and have a great regular season record in 2011). 2011 is especially interesting as those were the first signs (that I can recall at least) of the Spurs new offensive philosophy.
2012 to present. (Arrival of Kawhi, Green, Diaw, maturation of Splitter, return to (relative) health of Manu, slimmer Duncan regains some mobility). 3 years and counting, with us peaking in year 3.
So, using this example you can see that Spurs great teams of the past have lasted 4 to 7 years and peaked between years 2 and 4. Year 2 is interesting though. The previous two teams won a le in Year 2 (99, and 03 respectively) and the present one nearly did (as is well do ented.) The 02 to 08 team also won a le in year 6.
So, therefore, using past precedent, we probably just finished the peak of this team (2013 or 2014), but we are certainly capable of winning this year (2015) as it is the "end of the peak" but we could possibly contend as long as 2017. Anything longer than that is probably fools gold. Though with RC and Pop pulling the strings rebuilding could be short and relatively painless.
Last edited by BillMc; 08-13-2014 at 02:51 AM.
2010 with the Phoenix sweep would be my RIP date myself.
But we were low-seeded in 09 and 10 while in 08 we had the chance to repeat and a 21(?) pt lead in game 1.
I was referring more to the era where the Spurs offense was still centered around Duncan, not the time the Spurs were considered as serious contenders.
I don't know, didn't they focus it more on Manu and TP during the dark ages though?(09-11).
Perhaps, but as I recall, the offense was still pretty much half-court based and was still outside-in instead of perimeter-based until the Suns blew the Spurs out of the water that series.
When you win a championship you peaked. Right now they aren't playing. You cannot win more of a championship than the Spurs did this year, so I'd say they are neither peaking nor declining.
for purposes of discussion, should answers be based off perception or empirical evidence? Because if we're basing it off perception and opinion...
Are they peaking or declining? Unsure what you mean tbh. Are they going to be better than they were this year? Unlikely, especially if you're talking about just their playoff performance. I think that the Spurs chances of repeating are a strong function of how healthy they are come playoff time.
Either way, I think that after the next few runs we will see a sharp dropoff in their ability to win in the playoffs. I don't see a team centered around Leonard being a serious contender unless some other big pieces come to town.
Peaklining stop being so pessimist during the Showtime Lakers era Kareem was 48 years old.
Peaked with the championship this year -- they cannot play better. Question is whether they can keep this up and for how long. Fully expect one more year of very good play and then Ginobili/Duncan retire or try one more.
Spurs are cruising...
Issue with team ball is that everything has to click together for it to win a championship. If a team relies strictly on one or two players, only injuries to those players will significantly impact the chances of winning a championship, whereas a team approach in which every single player has a big hand in winning it all will have more risks involved. Injuries to a few of those players, or a significant slump from any one of those players would have a negative effect on the team's chances of winning a championship.
There are a few team oriented championship teams over the years, 78 Bullets, 79 Sonics, bad boy Pistons, and 04 Pistons. Of those, only the bad boy Pistons managed to repeat, and that was a historical team in which it changed the way the league played defense.
The 14 Spurs is most definitely a team oriented champion, but it does seem to have the makings of a historical team that could change the way the league plays offense. Also with all the turmoil and turnovers for other teams, Spurs seems to be well positioned for a repeat.
On the other hand, I am having a difficult time to see the Spurs machine run smoother than it did in the 14 playoffs, so in other words, I think the Spurs already peaked.
we been old and in the decline for 10 years now
i like the poster who said cruising. i think they've reach a phase of spurs excellence that is just another temporary peak. I'd consider this team a peak of the Duncan era, very much resembling the team that was the peak of the Robinson era.
Twin towers didn't have this kind of depth. End of Robinson/emergence of big 3 had the depth, but the big 3 and Robinson weren't exactly full power. Big 3 was full power, but didn't have the depth. The dark era teams were a trip down memory lane to the underachieving status of Robinson's pre-Duncan teams.
This new era is a truly fitting end... it's elements are all familiar and culminate a new brightness. End of Duncan and the big 3/emergence of the "torch carry twins" Kawhi/Parker. The depth is so strong they make Horry and Bowen look weak. Splitter, Diaw, Mills, Green looks like an evolving "sixth Man-u" big 3 eyed creature crawling onto the sand. The rest of the roster, foreign included, is as promising as ever. The coaching staff is innovative and very groomy lookin. If Holt buys in and brings the Raiders over and the team needs a new name, it should be the Olympians or the Torch. The colors can stay, cause silver and black in San Antonio has mastered the art of building a championship fire and keeping it burning. Despite the coldest and darkest times.
I'm not so sure this team has completely peaked.
The Spurs are a constant, not a variable, tbh.
and I think Parker-centric died in the finals.
Peaking. Like, duh.
It's really weird....but I think we're just now peaking. The 2014 team was definitely our best Championship team ever, and we just dominated those last 3 games of the Finals like the Heat were nothing.
Every year each position just continues to improve. Kawhi replaced what was missing after Bowen's departure. Danny came in and replacing RJ. Patty came in and replaced Cojo/Nando. And now JaMychal Green is coming in to replace Baynes and Kyle Anderso is coming in to hopefully bury Ayers on the bench for good. And all of these changes did/are taking place with the Spurs being at the top of the NBA.
I think next year is going to be our best year yet. Parker will be happy with his new contract, Kawhi will either be happy with an extension or motivated to play for one, Duncan and Ginobili will play their hearts out in their last year and Danny will be playing for a new contract as well. And those are just the starters! Point being, everyone has something to play for, especially with Duncan and Ginobili's likely retirement after next year looming over everyone's heads all season.
now it's profect
The role/bench players have prevented them from declining.
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