Malik is not Gervin!

[rr2418]

I don't remember George Gervin receiving this much publicity after he was traded! Gervin put SA on the NBA map and now I'm reading the Spurs lost b/c Malik wasn't in the game to save the Spurs? I'm a Malik fan, but come on people, when are you guys going to accept that he is not here and move on? Not every loss is going to be b/c Malik isn't here anymore! One has to remember that the opponent is trying to win the game also! Every once in a while the ball bounces the other way. My wife and I would joke that Malik did his usual thing: at least one turnover a game! So come on everybody, lets see what this trade is going to bring to the Spurs.

[infinite styles]

Couldn't have said it better myself. Malik has already gotten over it and doing his job for his new boss. So why the hell are we stuck on stupid over this. Get back to bashing Rasho or whatever the hell you did before this went down and we'll be straight.

[whottt]

If Gervin had ever been traded in the middle of the best season in Spurs history for at best, a player of equal skill without the playoff experience, and at worst, financial reasons, I imagine the outrage would dwarf what you are seeing now.

What we do here has no effect on what the Spurs do on the court. You need to tell the players that they need to move on...because it's what they do that matters.

And obviously they hadn't moved on by tonights game.

You can say that it's just a coincidence that the Spurs had a season high in TO's the first game after Malik was traded...and you'll be wrong.

Malik outrebounding our entire rotation of bigs not named Tim Duncan, in 9 minutes, would seem to indicate he might have given us some help in tonights game, help of better quality than we got from the role playing bigs still on our roster.

[Streakyshooter08]

@whottt: You are right BUT you have to see that we played with one big off the bench that is hurt and Nazr hasn't even played. I think some people forget that we also won games when Malik didn't even play. He was good and I really love him but we have to wait and see what Nazr does before we can say that it was a good/bad trade. We need to be patient and give him some games. I really hope Malik will do a fine job in NY.
BTW: Why did he only play 9 minutes?

[Jimcs50]

Apples and Oranges

[bigbendbruisebrother]

I don't remember George Gervin receiving this much publicity after he was traded! Gervin put SA on the NBA map and now I'm reading the Spurs lost b/c Malik wasn't in the game to save the Spurs? I'm a Malik fan, but come on people, when are you guys going to accept that he is not here and move on? Not every loss is going to be b/c Malik isn't here anymore! One has to remember that the opponent is trying to win the game also! Every once in a while the ball bounces the other way. My wife and I would joke that Malik did his usual thing: at least one turnover a game! So come on everybody, lets see what this trade is going to bring to the Spurs.

Gervin's trade was a very big deal; Angelo Drossos spoke to my business class at St. Mary's the day of the trade, and was booed loudly. Of course, Gervin's trade came in the offseason (early fall 1985 if I remember correctly), so not many people were that tuned into the Spurs yet. This year, all Spurs fans are zoned in, and the trade came on the heels of a pretty great game, so it was all the more shocking (although given Malik's doghouse proclivity, it shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone).

[bigbendbruisebrother]

"Malik is not Gervin!"

No, Ice wouldn't have been caught dead playing defense.

[Jimcs50]

Gervin was also using cocaine on and off again, so that is one reason why he fell out of favor in SA.

[3rdCoast]

I don't remember George Gervin receiving this much publicity after he was traded! Gervin put SA on the NBA map and now I'm reading the Spurs lost b/c Malik wasn't in the game to save the Spurs? I'm a Malik fan, but come on people, when are you guys going to accept that he is not here and move on? Not every loss is going to be b/c Malik isn't here anymore! One has to remember that the opponent is trying to win the game also! Every once in a while the ball bounces the other way. My wife and I would joke that Malik did his usual thing: at least one turnover a game! So come on everybody, lets see what this trade is going to bring to the Spurs.

amen to that. people are so fucking hung up on malik, a good guy and shitty player.

[slayermin]

a good guy and shitty player.

I wouldn't call him a shitty player. He isn't a HOFer but he does what he does very well.

[cherylsteele]

amen to that. people are so fucking hung up on malik, a good guy and shitty player.

He wasn't a bad player.....notice I don't have to use profanity to state a point. Wasn't it last year that he was a candidate for 6th man?

The Spurs' problem last night was they came out lathargic and expected the Grizzlies to roll over because they were missing Gasol and Swift. Instead the Spurs rolled over....feeling bad about Malik??....who knows.

Actually when Gervin was traded in '85 for David Greenwood the communithy did mourn.....the TV stations..l..if remember correctly....all did a 1/2 hr program on his career as a Spur.

[wildbill2u]

Apples and Oranges

You can't believe the outcry when Gervin got traded. Fans canceled their tickets, etc. Malik is not even close to having the affection and allegiance of the fans like Gervin. It ultimately resulted in a pretty good coach getting fired.

As nice a guy as Malik is, like Avery Johnson who was a solid component (although a starter) on our Championship team, he was trade bait for a reason and wasn't a starter for crying out loud. Let's wish him well, move on, and welcome him home in the offseason.

[Go-spurs-Go]

Yes, Spurs is playing great basketball this season. But, I don't see Rose has anything to do with this. It is mainly Manu, TP, TD, & Bruce who make this happen. Rose is certainly a fans-favourite player in SA, but without him, we can still win games and the ring. Just stop overhyping Rose as if he is the GOD in SA, please!

[mrose31]

Malik is a much better person than Gervin is though. I don't know what Iceman was like when he was younger but I know he is a hipacrite or at least was a few years ago.

[MosesGuthrie]

I assume you mean hypocrite. How so? Gervin was into drugs during his playing days but got sober and now works for the Spurs in their front office. He also helped start the George Gervin Academy to help kids with their education.