Blackjack
04-26-2009, 02:41 AM
(This could take awhile:smokin)
Wasn't it inevitable?
Maybe not 3-1, but the outcome, right?
The Spurs' standard they've set for themselves, and their fans, had some feeling this series outcome would fall in their favor.
But those able to look at this team objectively?
As much as they tried to deny it, they saw this coming.
Some might say these Spurs have been snake-bit with injuries and unfortunate circumstance all year long. Other's believe this team's personnel, due to age, and or, ability, has run it's course. And then there's those who believe this season could have held considerable more promise, had the man at the helm not strayed from some of his core values; defense and continuity seeming to take a back-seat like never before.
In truth, injuries, personnel, and coaching decisions have all left an indelible mark on this season.
Ginobili starting the season in street clothes, and Tony joining him on the sidelines with an ankle injury of his own, in the early going, forced Tim to take on a load, that at this stage of his career, was probably filled with one-too-many tractor tires.
While he played more than admirably, and was statistically having one of the best years of his career (even getting mention as an M.V.P. candidate by some national pundits) one had to wonder if the toll of the early season would catch up to him at some point.
Whether it did or not, is not completely known; afterall, Tim's problems could have just as easily been the inevitable fate of a man with the amount of mileage/wear-and-tear accumulated over the years. Either way, it proved to be another blow to a team that was already somewhat reeling.
The injuries would be bad enough in a vacuum, but the ramifications for a rotation were simply brutal.
What started as something that could be deemed a blessing in disguise, players like Mason and Hill getting valuable court-time that might've paid dividends down the road, quickly turned into a revolving door of personnel.
Revolving might not even be the right word.
Afterall, revolving implies movement, which in the case of Bowen, Udoka, and Oberto, was something Pop didn't have them doing much of for considerable stretches. But, continuity, wasn't a word to be found in the coach's vocabulary.
Not having the desired continuity early in the season is pretty par for the course considering Pop's history, but after the RRT this team usually starts to get a pretty good idea of what they have and how they'll utilize it. This year with the injuries and new player's playing vital roles, however?
Things were left as unsettled as ever.
Mason, who was widely looked upon as the steal of free-agency, at times, seemed to forget how to play the game when Manu was on the court. Hill, who had begun to show some very good promise in the absence of Parker and Ginobili, all of a sudden lost minutes and certainty, whether it be in his role or familiarity with their return. Even a guy like Hairston, who showed some very good promise for a team lacking youth and athleticism at the wing, had a stretch of being the first person off the bench before getting sent down to the D-league affiliate. Thomas, Oberto, Mahinmi, all dealing with injuries or health scares (Mahinmi, who they'd hoped would contribute, missing the entire season due to injury) kept the frontline in flux, and the late addition of Gooden, even if sorely needed, only added to the flux.
Pop did actually have some continuity, though
His starting-lineup.
For most of the season, Pop has rolled out a Parker, Mason, Finley, Bonner, and Duncan starting-lineup.
Those who've followed this team closely over the years, though, can only wonder how that's the one thing Pop could settle on.
Gone from the starting lineup is the defensive stalwart Bowen, and in his place...
Finley?
Gone from the starting lineup is Oberto, (or a more traditional-style big man)
and in his place...
Bonner? (I mean, yeah, he can spread the floor a little like Horry, but really? Horry may not have been the greatest rebounder in the world, and even he was a departure from the twin-tower Spurs' defenses have been predicated upon, but is there anything Bonner does, on either end of the floor, that leaves you thinking, Horry? But I digress...)
What Pop did was, for the first time at the Spurs' helm, he sacrificed defense.
Left with the feeling of a team that's defense was "good enough" to compete at the highest level, and an offense that surely was not in last year's playoffs, had him feeling that his core values, the ones in the past he'd never compromise, were finally in need of a tweak.
So the experiment, and the full commitment to said experiment, were put into action. If you're going to really make a departure in philosophy, you can't do it half-heartedly. Pop knew he had to display the trust and patience to legitimately give the new offensive lineup a chance to succeed, but you've got to figure he also knew such a commitment would be a costly gamble if it were not to work out.
Through all the rotation hysteria, injuries, etc., the Spurs still managed to win the toughest division in basketball and secure the 3-seed. And while that may not be the standard of success the Spurs' player's and fan's are accustomed to, it's success that, under the circumstance, is at least noteworthy and admirable.
So, they somewhat stumbled into the playoffs, while their counterparts were finally hitting their stride.
So, they're lacking firepower, and anything but "whole", while the Mavs seem to find a new offensive-threat every night.
So, it's 3-1 and the Spurs are on the brink.
I guess we'll all see now, if Pop's gamble pays off.
Wasn't it inevitable?
Maybe not 3-1, but the outcome, right?
The Spurs' standard they've set for themselves, and their fans, had some feeling this series outcome would fall in their favor.
But those able to look at this team objectively?
As much as they tried to deny it, they saw this coming.
Some might say these Spurs have been snake-bit with injuries and unfortunate circumstance all year long. Other's believe this team's personnel, due to age, and or, ability, has run it's course. And then there's those who believe this season could have held considerable more promise, had the man at the helm not strayed from some of his core values; defense and continuity seeming to take a back-seat like never before.
In truth, injuries, personnel, and coaching decisions have all left an indelible mark on this season.
Ginobili starting the season in street clothes, and Tony joining him on the sidelines with an ankle injury of his own, in the early going, forced Tim to take on a load, that at this stage of his career, was probably filled with one-too-many tractor tires.
While he played more than admirably, and was statistically having one of the best years of his career (even getting mention as an M.V.P. candidate by some national pundits) one had to wonder if the toll of the early season would catch up to him at some point.
Whether it did or not, is not completely known; afterall, Tim's problems could have just as easily been the inevitable fate of a man with the amount of mileage/wear-and-tear accumulated over the years. Either way, it proved to be another blow to a team that was already somewhat reeling.
The injuries would be bad enough in a vacuum, but the ramifications for a rotation were simply brutal.
What started as something that could be deemed a blessing in disguise, players like Mason and Hill getting valuable court-time that might've paid dividends down the road, quickly turned into a revolving door of personnel.
Revolving might not even be the right word.
Afterall, revolving implies movement, which in the case of Bowen, Udoka, and Oberto, was something Pop didn't have them doing much of for considerable stretches. But, continuity, wasn't a word to be found in the coach's vocabulary.
Not having the desired continuity early in the season is pretty par for the course considering Pop's history, but after the RRT this team usually starts to get a pretty good idea of what they have and how they'll utilize it. This year with the injuries and new player's playing vital roles, however?
Things were left as unsettled as ever.
Mason, who was widely looked upon as the steal of free-agency, at times, seemed to forget how to play the game when Manu was on the court. Hill, who had begun to show some very good promise in the absence of Parker and Ginobili, all of a sudden lost minutes and certainty, whether it be in his role or familiarity with their return. Even a guy like Hairston, who showed some very good promise for a team lacking youth and athleticism at the wing, had a stretch of being the first person off the bench before getting sent down to the D-league affiliate. Thomas, Oberto, Mahinmi, all dealing with injuries or health scares (Mahinmi, who they'd hoped would contribute, missing the entire season due to injury) kept the frontline in flux, and the late addition of Gooden, even if sorely needed, only added to the flux.
Pop did actually have some continuity, though
His starting-lineup.
For most of the season, Pop has rolled out a Parker, Mason, Finley, Bonner, and Duncan starting-lineup.
Those who've followed this team closely over the years, though, can only wonder how that's the one thing Pop could settle on.
Gone from the starting lineup is the defensive stalwart Bowen, and in his place...
Finley?
Gone from the starting lineup is Oberto, (or a more traditional-style big man)
and in his place...
Bonner? (I mean, yeah, he can spread the floor a little like Horry, but really? Horry may not have been the greatest rebounder in the world, and even he was a departure from the twin-tower Spurs' defenses have been predicated upon, but is there anything Bonner does, on either end of the floor, that leaves you thinking, Horry? But I digress...)
What Pop did was, for the first time at the Spurs' helm, he sacrificed defense.
Left with the feeling of a team that's defense was "good enough" to compete at the highest level, and an offense that surely was not in last year's playoffs, had him feeling that his core values, the ones in the past he'd never compromise, were finally in need of a tweak.
So the experiment, and the full commitment to said experiment, were put into action. If you're going to really make a departure in philosophy, you can't do it half-heartedly. Pop knew he had to display the trust and patience to legitimately give the new offensive lineup a chance to succeed, but you've got to figure he also knew such a commitment would be a costly gamble if it were not to work out.
Through all the rotation hysteria, injuries, etc., the Spurs still managed to win the toughest division in basketball and secure the 3-seed. And while that may not be the standard of success the Spurs' player's and fan's are accustomed to, it's success that, under the circumstance, is at least noteworthy and admirable.
So, they somewhat stumbled into the playoffs, while their counterparts were finally hitting their stride.
So, they're lacking firepower, and anything but "whole", while the Mavs seem to find a new offensive-threat every night.
So, it's 3-1 and the Spurs are on the brink.
I guess we'll all see now, if Pop's gamble pays off.